The international news from around the world in 2011 was not good. There was the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that killed 18,000 people in March. The capture and subsequent killing of Colonel Gaddafi and Osama bin Laden; and the Norwegian, Anders Breivik who went berserk on the Isle of Utoya near Oslo, and opened fire on 69 teenagers at a youth camp. The tragic death of Amy Winehouse. There was, and still is, the economic crisis within Europe, and unemployment in Britain toppling over the 2.5 million mark. The subsequent August riots in London, and nearer home, in Gloucester and Bristol. The one piece of good news was the Royal Wedding in April, which gave everyone an extra bank holiday, and saw some street parties in Longhope.
The main talking point in Longhope in 2011 was the weather (a British favourite!!) January saw the continuation of the severe weather with standing snow, icy roads and severe frosts. Once this was over, we saw a very warm and early spring. The summer wasn’t too special, but this extended into what should have been autumn, with mild temperatures yet again, lasting into December. The winter of 2010/2011 was the coldest on record and overall 2011 was the second warmest ever on record.
There was a big protest by many locals when the Government announced that they were going to sell off the Royal Forest of Dean – a state owned woodland. A campaign started called “Hands Off Our Forest” or HOOF for short. The Forest and its people featured heavily in the national press, there were protest marches, and yellow ribbons were tied around trees in the Forest. In the end people power reigned and the Government did an enormous climb down and changed their minds!
The church saw some real investment poured into it in the form of a new church roof, after the builders had to await the resident bats going into dormant mode though!
So what will 2012 bring? We shall have to wait and see. Happy New Year and thank you for supporting this website.