ongborough ink
Editorialongborough ink EditorialLink No 59 - September/ October 2001
LONGBOROUGH WINS THE BLEDISLOE CUP… AT LAST
"Every cloud has a silver lining" goes the proverb. It is only because the Link was late going to press this time that we are able to report the excellent news that after years of coming second or receiving "Highly Commended" plaques to decorate the walls of the Village Post Office, in the very last week of August, it was announced that we were awarded first prize, in the middle sized village category, in the Bledisloe Cup competition for the Best Kept Village in Gloucestershire. For the soccer lovers amongst our readers, it makes a splendid double with England beating Germany 5-1 in Munich on the first day of September. [Actually, we were very tempted to head this page with the immortal words of Mr Terry Venables - or was it Mr Gordon Taylor? - : "We Done The Business!", but we weren't certain that the Village Elders or the previous Editors would have wholly approved.]
There is a possibility of a further prize, since if we are chosen ahead of South Cerney, winners of the small village category of the Bledisloe Cup, we would represent the county in the National Competition sponsored by the Daily Telegraph. Whatever that outcome, our victory this year in our own category is a just reward for all the efforts of our fellow villagers who work so hard to make the most of our very attractive village, not least by making the best of their own homes and gardens . We must also thank, in particular, Susan Ball who not only conscientiously organises our Bledisloe Cup entry each year, but leads in person those other stalwarts who go out with rubber gloves, black plastic bags and shovels on those chilly, if not downright wet, mornings in April or May for the annual Village Clean-up.
The Link, like every other village institution
and event, relies very much on the unselfish and unstinting efforts
of a few individuals. From the outset, Jim Longstaffe, took care
of the distribution of the Link to every household in the village
and has done so characteristically quietly and efficiently. Of
late he had expressed his concerns to the Editor about what he
felt was the inappropriately political nature of some recent articles
in the magazine and has resigned on a matter of a principle. We
have already expressed our sincere regret at his decision, but
we want to publicly express our appreciation of all that Jim has
contributed to the success of the Link over the past 10 years.
We are most fortunate that Rita Finch, who was a very active
member of the committee for the launch of the magazine has volunteered
to take-over the organisation of our distribution, starting with
this issue.
Richard Penney
penney@cix.co.uk
