Last chance to help shape the landscape of the London 2012 Olympics

Last chance to help shape the landscape of the London 2012 Olympics

On 31 July 2009, the RHS Olympic Park Great British Garden Competition will close to entries, meaning that if you want to win the chance of designing a garden for the London 2012 Olympics, you only have a few weeks to enter.

London 2012 has joined forces with the RHS to offer two budding gardeners the opportunity to help design a garden that will sit within the new Olympic Park in east London.

This garden will be a chance to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, our heritage as a nation of gardeners and the unique qualities found in Britain’s domestic gardens. We are looking for two winners, a young person (age 16 and under) and an adult, to help create a space that makes visitors to the park feel like they are wandering through someone’s garden.
The modern Olympic movement was founded by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894, after he was inspired by a visit to the Much Wenlock Olympic Society in Shropshire. To commemorate the Olympic link to the British Isles, we would like you to explore the possibility of incorporating a Pierre de Coubertin oak tree into your design idea.

This competition is open to everyone except professional garden designers. All we ask is that people either draw, paint, computer design or create a collage design idea for their garden on an A4 sheet of paper, and accompany it with a short explanatory note. The garden will measure a quarter of an acre (about a quarter of a football pitch) in size.

Read a copy of the terms and conditions or download an application form.

Top tips to think about when designing a garden

• Firstly, think of the Big Idea. What is the overall idea for your garden? Is it to celebrate a sense of national identity and diversity, the Olympic and Paralympic values or something else?
• Secondly, decide what the purpose of the garden should be. How should the garden be used? A space for relaxation, child play or a place to excite the senses?
• Thirdly, what is the style of your garden? Do you draw your references from pop culture or traditional garden designers? Is there a colour theme you would like to draw on?
• Fourthly, what plants and features do you want to include? How will you use the garden to showcase British plants? Do you want to include a water feature or commemorative tree in your design idea? Could you use recycled materials for your features?

The entries will be judged on the following criteria

A design idea that:

• Demonstrates the unique qualities of Britain’s domestic gardens
• Is forward looking and celebrates the UK’s favourite pastime of gardening
• Will leave a legacy for future generations to enjoy
• Celebrates the Olympic and Paralympic Values and the Much Wenlock Olympian Society, in particular exploring opportunities to include one or more Pierre de Coubertin oak trees in the design idea.

The closing date for the competition is 31 July 2009. Six finalists will be shortlisted by a panel of judges and then put forward for a public vote on the RHS website in September 2009. Winner will be notified in October 2009.

Read a copy of the terms and conditions or download an application form.

How do you feel about getting older?, Rattlestick

getting older... We're all doing it. How do you feel about it? How are you doing it? - in a blaze of glory? - disgracefully? - imperceptibly?

Rattlestick, a Shropshire-based film and theatre company, is exploring how people feel about getting older. We'd like to talk to local people of all ages, with different points of view, and with stories to tell.

Thanks to funding from Awards for All and Shropshire Council, the first stage of the project will create a short film about what people of different ages, and in different situations, think and feel about getting older. We hope that stage two will be to create a piece of theatre.

Might you be interested in getting taking part? Please email us at rattlestickproject-gettingolder@yahoo.co.uk and we'll send you a short questionnaire to get the ball rolling.

Discover the Art of Lace-Making

27th July – 2nd August 2009
At Sudeley Castle

The Lace Society and Cotswold Lacemakers, with help from Vale Lacemakers and Pillow Talk Lace Group, will be demonstrating lace-making techniques at Sudeley Castle over the summer.

Demonstrations will take place in the Exhibitions area between 10.30am and 4.00pm daily from 27th July to 2nd August. There will be a 'have-a-go pillow' where visitors can try their hand at lace making and there will be a variety of styles of lace on display.

The recent returning trend in hand-made goods has prompted an upsurge of interest in traditional crafts. Sudeley’s textile exhibition was launched two years ago by Cath Kidston, since when the collection has been re-themed to focus on floral inspirations in textiles.

There are many fascinating pieces in the collection, including a fragment of fabric from a dress belonging to Katherine Parr. Another highlight is a magnificent 17th century Stumpwork casket with no less than 7 secret drawers. A film introduced to the exhibitions last year show the secrets of the box being revealed and discusses its themes and techniques.

Sudeley Castle is Open Daily: 10.30am – 5.00pm
Adults: £7.20
Concessions: £6.20
Children (5 – 15yrs): £4.20
Family Ticket (2 Adults, 2 Children): £20.80

www.sudeleycastle.co.uk

Visitor Centre: 01242 604244
Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 5JD

Summer exhibition at the Royal Academy

Summer Exhibition

Until 16 August 2009

Now in it's 241st year, the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition 2009 continues the tradition of displaying a wide range of new work by both established and unknown artists in all media including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture.

Summer Exhibition
Until 16 August 2009Now in it's 241st year, the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition 2009 continues the tradition of displaying a wide range of new work by both established and unknown artists in all media including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture. Family workshops take place in the Summer Exhibition on Wednesdays and Fridays, 11am-1pm, free with anexhibition ticket. To book call 020 7300 5995 or email education@royalacademy.org.uk

VILLAGE SOS

Do you want the chance to be one of six villages in England to be featured on a reality BBC TV programme?

Does your village have a population of under 3,000 people?

Do you have a great idea for a business enterprise which will bring energy and life back to your community?

Could the project be started by August 2010 and finished by August 2011?

Do you want to be eligible for between £100,000 and £400,000 of funding from BIG (Lottery)?

Do you want to work with an enterprising ‘Village Champion’ who will move in to your community and support you to achieve your ambition?

If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you may be interested in the new initiative from the Big Lottery Fund and the BBC ‘Village SOS’. Find out more by following this link.

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_village_sos.htm

GRCC Plumes Project

‘Plumes’ Project

GRCC’s In Touch project is joining forces with Gloucestershire Care Providers Association to link people in care homes with those out in the community by way of letter writing.

Most care homes today are places where everything is on hand to enjoy life to the full, yet even in these excellent conditions people who live in care can be lonely if they don’t have any relatives or friends nearby. These individuals would really value a letter from someone on a regular basis, just saying what generally has been going on and passing the time of day. Unfortunately the excitement of receiving a letter has all but disappeared, and the piles of paper that come through the letterbox each day are usually advertisements, bills or junk mail.

If you live in Gloucestershire and think you, or someone you know could spend ten minutes or so writing a letter to someone who would really appreciate it, can you please contact either Barbara Piranty or Vicki Hewlett on 01452 528491. We can then match you with someone nearby or further afield if you would like. In return, you will of course receive a reply! This link would mean so much to someone who has everything else except someone to keep in contact with.

Become a fan of Farncombe Estate on Facebook

Farncombe Estate Centre on Facebook

Congratulations to yet more winners at Farncombe ...

All winners of Farncombe vouchers in our June Referral prize draw ; S Tucker & Ms Allen from Warwickshire & L Oxford from Oxfordshire.