Family's new life in Canada (From Gazette Series)

Family's new life in Canada

A KINGSWOOD family is emigrating to Canada today.

After years of dreaming about the possibility, Douglas and Karen Adams have made the decision.

Edinburgh-born Douglas moved to England in 1983. He and Karen married in 1991, settled in Kingswood and have two sons, Alex, 11, and Mark, nine.

Karen said: "It's going to seem strange leaving this area after so long. I've lived in the village for 22 years, and before that for nine years in Wotton, with my parents, Ruth and Jim Osborne, and my sister, Mandy. I know a lot of people, and have made some very close friends."

The boys will also miss their friends. Alex plays football for Kingswood under 11s and Blue Coat Primary School. Mark said: "At least they sell the Beano in Canada and they also speak English, so it's not all bad!"

Karen used to be very involved with amateur dramatics, belonging to Wotton, Dursley and Thornbury societies. She also participated in her mother's dance classes and shows for many years.

More recently, she took up tae kwon do, to keep her son Alex company, and almost reached black belt standard.

She has helped at Blue Coat School in Wotton, involved with cross country training and races, and choreographing, with Carolyne Knibbs, several school pieces for the Gloucestershire Dance Festival in Cheltenham Town Hall.

Douglas has helped with the Kingswood Village Hall Committee and Kingswood Village Association.

He said: "I feel it is important to give back to the community. It is in all our interests to make our towns and villages happier, cleaner and safer places."

Douglas Adams helped start the Kingswood Bridges Fund, trying to bridge the gap between younger and older members of the village, as well as raise money for a skateboard/stunt bike park.

He was a founder-member of Steps Ahead, the out of school club based at Blue Coat School.

They are also keen to recommend Wotton's town twinning society, where they have made life-long friends.

It has taken two years to obtain permanent Canadian residency visas. The couple will be entering the country on a skilled workers' programme and had to collect a mass of information to qualify.

Said Karen: "This is the start of a new life and new opportunities. But we'll keep in touch with our family and friends, and we'll be back to visit and to catch up with everyone."