Another protest to save Monkscroft community primary school

On Tuesday, I again became a protester and to my horror the paper next day had a huge picture of me with a few others with a heading ready to fight.
I was a little embarrassed to say the least.
Strong winds and rain didn't stop people turning out to save Monkscroft school.

This is an article from Gloucestershire Echo.


The battle to save Monkscroft Community Primary School and nursery took to the streets yesterday.
More than 100 children, parents, teachers and councillors turned out for a second protest in a bid to halt the closure plans. The school has been told that to deal with falling pupil numbers it must form a federation with St Thomas More Primary or it could shut.
Angry parents waited in the playground for the end of school.At 3pm their children spilled out of the doors armed with homemade banners carrying the slogans Save Our Playgroup, Save Our School and Save Monkscroft.The infants led the pack as the march set off at 3.15pm for Coronation Square, Hester's Way.
Traffic stopped along Shakespeare Road to allow them to cross and drivers honked their horns in support.Chants of "Save Our School" bellowed out as the march turned the corner in Coronation Square.

Grandmother Jan Bishop joined as she pushed her grandson in his pushchair.Mrs Bishop said three generations of her family had attended the school and she wanted it to stay open for her great grandchildren."Rain, wind or shine we'll come out to defend it," she said. "I don't know why they have chosen us to pick on. They're not giving us chance to get our numbers up."
Parent Rhiannnone Taylor said: "It's heartbreaking but we're not beaten yet."Protesters kept up the chant and waved their banners outside the shops in the Square. Children blew whistles and honked horns.
For 10 minutes they stood in front of Farmfoods waving banners as the chants of "Save our school" got louder.
Coun John Webster (St Mark's, Lib Dem) joined protesters. He said a discussion with county council chief executive Peter Bungard had made him angry.
Coun Webster said: "It's clear that the Conservatives have a policy of keeping country schools open and closing those in the towns."But a good school is a good school.This one deserves to stay open and must."
Sir Charles Playgroup leader Cheralyn Randall said people should not forget that the nursery was also under threat."This is where the children make their friends," she said."Our playgroup is full and parents rely on us, so why close us down? The youngest children know what's happening now. They're frightened they'll be split up from their friends."
Headteacher Len Morris said the turnout proved the strength of support."We want our school to be here for future generations. We will keep fighting," he said.
Year 2 teacher Morna Clay said: "It's like a death threat which is damaging our admissions for September."They're causing the very problem they want us to address."Coun Mike Skinner (Lib Dem, St Mark's) was due to present a petition of 1,387 signatures to the council today.
He said he was confident he could convince fellow councillors to keep Monkscroft open.
The children continued to wave their banners as the protesters turned and marched back along Princess Elizabeth Way to the school, where they arrived at 3.35pm.
A consultation runs until April 28.

The Cabinet will make a final decision on June 7. The changes will be implemented by September 2008.


I wanted to share this with you because it really does sadden me schools in towns are being targeted while schools in villages seem to be being saved. This is especially happening in my local region. This school is the heart of a community which has a high rate for special needs which this school caters for.Parents know each other , teaching staff are friendly and approachable.
Most of all they have one of the best off-sted reports in the county , this proves the teachers are doing a great job and the children and benefiting from this.What a great start in education this gives them.

I would also like to point out St Thomas Moore which they ask our school to federate with is a catholic school and I personally cannot see this federation being possible, too many differences to overcome.
I certainly would have issues with my son having any catholic influence.That is a different issue and I won't even go there.

Yipeeei I have won my mini battle!!!

Well another friday came. This mean't injection day.

Walked into surgery feeling confident that I will just do it , and guess what, I did!
It took no time at all , before I knew it I had done it. Now I can do it at home in a more relaxed enviroment. The size of the needle doesn't even bother me now , just the intial sticking it in makes me think this will hurt, and everytime I had to answer no it doesn't. I have won this mini battle.

I am so looking forward to this weekend , I am going to London for a wedding and will see FB's side of the family and it has been awhile since I last saw them, so I am really looking forward to it. It will also be a well needed spiritual rest in some most difficult times we have been recently having. I cannot go into detail but I ask for much prayer for us as a family.

Ermm my weight loss has halted over the last few weeks , in fact I have gained 2 lbs in total and it is a wedding weekend ahead , oh dear oh dear ..
I have still lost 2 stone 4 1/2 lbs , so it have to be positive. I have gone done two dress sizes and wearing some clothing I have not managed to wear in awhile, so that is a plus.

I did It...

Today was yet another friday which means injection day.
I was called in and she asked do you want to do it today , I replied I will give it a go. Then I went hot and cold all over everytime needle went anywhere near my skin.
I directed my fear into an imaginery bottle and screwed the top tight. Yes I am weird lol!!
10 Minutes later she said do you want me to do it. No I am going to do it and guess what, I did it. I cried with with happiness and yes relief.
She said I did it a little slow and thought it must of been painful , but I am not sure if shock wiped out the pain but I didn't feel a thing. I am now doing an impression of a cheshire cat....
Next week I will go once more and do it with their careful eye watching me.

I did it!!!!

How Great our God Is

Sliimming World
Well - went to slimming class prepared for FB and myself to gain , well I gained 1/2 pound and was very happy about that but FB lost 1 1/2 lbs , I wonder how he gets away with such things?
So im back to 2 stone 6 lbs loss , so back to plan with haste as I planned to lose 2 1/2 stone before wedding which is Saturday week away...

SCHOOL LATEST
FB wrote to the Gloucestershire Echo about the last meeting and it was published yesterday and the school are raving about it. Every bit of publicity is needed in our battle. Next Tuesday we have another protest but more of a march this time around the local area which is the heart of the community. Local tabloids and radio stations have been invited.

Life's Trials
I cannot go into detail but life has been really hard at church and I ask for much prayer in this matter , it has made FB ill with stress but he has found peace with God in our direction recently, I thank the Lord for his love and guidance in this matter. I feel the next couple of weeks it will draw to a conclusion.

MS latest
I am having ups and downs recently. It is mentally and physically draining at times , but character building. I have prayed much on this matter.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;
and with my song will I praise him.
(Psalm 28:7 )

So, why can I not trust Him with the future?
Why do I constantly question His path?
Because I am a sinful human being.
Oh I say 'life is so hard this is so unfair' , I must constantly remind myself of my home to come in Heaven , then everything seems so little, doesn't it.
I have such a mighty God that loves me , yes an individual such as myself.
Why do we feel our earthly time is so important, when it is so small in time compared with eternity in Heaven, with our Lord God.
Makes you think how small we are in this universe , but our God takes time to know us as individuals , he loves us, guides us , we all have a path already planned out , why do we moan , (shakes head).

I must pray and thank the Lord more, and when I have a problem come to God about it and trust in him totally , then I will find peace with whatever troubles me.

We did this with our church matter and our prayer was answered so I must do this with my health matters.

14/03/06 weight report

Well i have actually put some effort into this week and the result being loosing 2 1/2 lbs. This has really given me a needed boost to focus more.
I have lost 2 stone 6 1/2 lbs now (34 1/2lbs), just half a pound off my 2 1/2 stone award and my mini target of loosing 2 1/2 stone before the wedding.
I think alot of my motivation has been to prove my doctor wrong , that I am actively loosing weight. Maybe he does this on purpose to get your determined to prove him wrong..
Poor FB is still unwell and was pleased with a small gain. He really cannot shift this flu bug. SoI am now filling him with multi vitimins and B 12 supplement , if this doesnt work , atleast he will rattle in a tuneful way lol!

Talking to a Wall

Yesterday (Monday 13 th March) FB and myself went to a drop in centre to meet a local county council member and talk about Monkscroft School.
The venue was miles away from the school and they choose the drop in times of 2.00 -4.00. Now is it just me, but choosing a venue so far away isn't really encouraging parents to drop by , considering many do not have a car!
Also the time 2.00-4.00 is either side of school pick up time (3.05) , is this just me but i feel alarm bells ringing here. They are purposly choosing this time and venue to inconvience parents , so they wont drop in.
FB and myself sat at the table and chatted away asking many questions. There main answer was we want something to stay in the heart of the community BUT our projected numbers of children will fall to seventy in the next few years. We mentioned the new housing around the school would encourage new families etc they answered some are flats and no children will live their, i nearly fell off my chair , i live in a flat! No answer
Also many people will buy houses won't have families, so why are these houses advertised as family homes then??
No answer.
I brought up the closure of some local playgroups , our playgroup could swell with numbers due to this , her answer this does not mean they will go to this school afterwards. Grrrrrrrr of course they do about 9/10 will go.
We mentioned that if another school does not federate with us we will close is this correct ? she answered yes. So our fate is in another schools hands ?? She said its up to you to convince them. Arhhhhhhhhhhhhh how one sided is that.
I left the place , saddened as i feel the minds have already been made up.

7/03/06 weigh in

A quick post.
Lost 3 lbs this week at Slimming World weigh in , so lost my gain and little more. I am now 2 stone 4 lbs lighter. (32lbs loss)
Yipee was a good boost to the week. FB maintained and was pleased with result. A person we take each week has just got their half stone award I was so pleased for as it was a slow process.

Save our School part two..

Over the past few weeks we have been getting signatures on a petition to Save MonksCroft Comunity School from closure. Todays count was a wapping big 1400.
Today parents , children and teachers grouped together at school to catch a bus to push our cause to Shire Hall in Gloucester.

It was tipping down with rain but this didn't reduce the turnout.
Two buses in total left the school both full. It was a short journey to Gloucester Shire Hall and we grouped together with our banners shouting SAVE OUR SCHOOL. It certainly turned a few heads on the street, any attention drawn to this worthy cause we are thankful for.
Local radio (Seven Sound) and the Local paper (Gloucestershire Echoe) were there , the pouring rain never stopped everybody shouting and waving there banners. Seven Sound interviewed three parents myself included I hope were covered between us everything.Oh just heard myself on the radio i was the only one put onto the station , all i hope is that is will do some good.

We then went inside into the chamber hall, it was extremley grand to look at. We had a brief talk from two local councilers.They explained what happened inside chamber and who sat where etc. The petition was then presented. We all left , the children a little excited to say the least. Was quite funny going back to bus the children still had there banners and they started to shout SAVE OUR SCHOOL along the street. This certainly turned a few heads.
All wet through we clamoured back onto buses and came home.

There are only two options now left for Monkscroft Primary community School
1) To close totally
2)To become what they call a hard federation school with another local school.
It is so, so very sad nearly £600 000 pounds have been spent over the last few years on school. It has one of the best computer suits i have ever seen in a primary schoo.The teachers care , the Headmaster is involved throughout. It would be like tearing the heart of the community out, so many new houses are been built in the local area , new families will be moving in.
Also the playgroup will be lost and a pastoral care unit is based there also
Why are the councils minds so set on closing it. How short sighted!

SAVE MONKSCROFT PRIMARY COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

How very sad...

While doing the washing up I tend to put on the radio (radio 5 ) .
Yet again the topic saddened me , it was about women giving up there work/lives while having children. Not one person said what a blessing it is to have a family and what joy it brings to be able to be at home and seeing them grow up.
All it consisted off was making enough money to keep themselves in the custom they are aquainted to, and how womens lives had to go on hold to have children and they are held back in life having children. What utter piffle!
Before i became a Christian i missed out on alot of my sons firsts (walking , smiling etc) as i felt i had to work , I thought it was a must I wanted the money , how blind and selfish I was! Now i see things with new eyes and am so enjoying my son and my family and being at home. I enjoy keeping house , I even enjoy ironing, I enjoy all aspects of being a home maker and do not see it as holding myself back in life, it is a role i feel made for me by God, and I shake my head in sadness of the greed of the world , money, money, money!!
When i defend my positon on being at home to non christians they see me as down trodden and somone that has thrown their life away. How very, VERY sad.
Now that my MS has a huge impact on my life and i cannot work for medical reasons people accept that without a word, and say how nice it would be to be at home all the time. Ermm... double standard of thinking don't you think.
Sighs..... they are going to miss out on so many joys.
What also became clear on the radio show is how many relationships did not work out because of outside influences i.e pressure of work , woman becoming main money earners , becoming strangers as both parties work. How very very sad , and why cannot they not see a pattern here.
The main people i see as loosing out are the children. They will grow up thinking the home life was normal and the pattern starts again..
What was also apparent was women wanted a pat on the head and a gold star (or similar) for being at home, next they will asking for a wage I fear!
Can they not see the reward comes from seeing your husbands and childs love?

I wanted to share my Testimony today ..

Today i felt drawn in reading my Testimony again and it brought tears of joy to my eyes. I would like to share it with anyone that reads my blog.

This is my testimony that I read before all those who witnessed my baptism at Providence Chapel, Cheltenham on 9th March 2003:

My Testimony – Clare Hunt

I have always asked questions of those around me, and throughout my life I sought meaning and purpose in many shapes and forms. I followed different fads almost year by year – but nothing ever lasted because nothing I tried could satisfy me, and my questions were never fully answered.
In early 2002 I had the opportunity to ask questions about Biblical Christianity, and I asked until I had no questions left! To my surprise every question I put met with an answer that I could understand. This was the first time that I had ever been convinced by the replies of people who called themselves a Christian.
I began to read the Bible, and many useful booklets that were sent to me. I listened to evangelistic messages from the Metropolitan Tabernacle on cassette.
I began to pray for the first time in my life – and I felt an increasing conviction of my need for forgiveness of sin.
I remember that in the past I was afraid of church, and I believed in the importance of rites and ceremonies. I believed that I could never be accepted by the Lord because of the things that I had done and said. I came to see that I could be accepted – not because of who I was, but because of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for me on Calvary’s Cross. I saw for the first time that I had to come to him exactly as I was.
On the 24th February 2002 I was brought to the point where I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and asked Him to forgive all my sin. I was filled with an instant sense that I was forgiven, and a weight seemed to be lifted from my shoulders. I thanked the Lord again and again for His great kindness to me.
I felt for the first time a great courage that has changed my life ever since. I have lost some friends, but gained many more, and I have found a new life that has truly satisfied me in a way that all I had experienced before could not.
The Sunday after I was saved I first came to Providence Chapel, and I heard a stirring message urging me to seek and find the Lord. Instead of feeling guilt and concern about my past life and my sin, I felt nothing but joy and peace in believing - as the new life that I was urged to seek was already mine!
One year on, I have never felt so certain about my life and my future, and I have never felt so sure of God’s grace and His great salvation.

Mixed Bag of a week..........

Well last week at weigh in i gained 2 1/2 pounds and FB lost 1. It was a result in eating bad bad bad food which i no longer care for, as i thinking eating too much of it has out me off it for awhile. We did not go to weigh in this week because;
a) I really did not want to go was too tired.
b) FB was still unwell.
c) I had no desire to face class, or even feel like i am enjoying it anymore.
d) I am still thinking of a fourth excuse.

To be honest i have lost my motivation and inspiration for eating plan, so i have gone back to basics. Hopefully this will inspire me.
I think alot to do with this way of thinking is not being 100%, im struggling to think of what to cook, then when brain does engage i find it hard work rarther than enjoying cooking like i usually do.
Then the icing on cake arrived I went to my doctor, who i really get on with and he says I haven't lost any weight since November by his scales - How depressing is that!!! , my Slimming World book says different! This doesn't count with my Doctor, as his records say a different thing. Sighs....
My Doctor is now treating me for panic attacks and stress, I am unsure where the stress comes from but he says I am showing common effects of this-:
obsessed about not being late
talking to strangers or in a strange place i go red/flushed stutter
my heart rate goes up
don't like going to places i do not know on own.
I even did this with my doctor, he said he saw it with his own two eyes. What a mess to get into and why, I have been a confident person most of my life , what on earth is going on.
So guess whatI have to join a stress class (back to school huh!) and he upped some medication I am on.I am going to rattle lol! On the downside I read small print of medication it can put weight on!!!! Ermmm............. oh dear.....
Guess what he said next, this will all be resolved loosing weight.
Well I am trying to help in this matter but it was not what i needed to hear right now.

Then .. wait for it.............I went to my practice nurse for my weekly jab of Anovex , she said lets see how you are doing on the weight front , my mouth fell open, on I jumped and guess what her scales were same as slimming world and I have lost weight , she said well done , I then explained how my Doctor appointemnet went she did not know quite what to say..

Also she perscribed me two books , yes perscribed. You get them from your local libray with a perscription. Was a new thing to me but self help has got to beat tablets any day!!

All in all a mixed week of Ups and Downs.

I am currently reading through Expository thoughts on Mark at moment . How and useful it has been to espicially throughout this week. The Lord Directs us without us knowing it, to what we need.