LOOKING back on some of the stories the Gazette has reported through the years...

September 1997

FRIENDS and neighbours have been rallying round a Falfield family who were left without most of their clothes after their car was stolen just before they were about to go on holiday.

Gary Beresford, of Orchard View, told the Gazette that he and his wife Karen were ‘devastated’ when they found the car missing and estimated that about £2,000 of goods were taken.

Mr Beresford explained that they were due to make an early start on the Saturday morning on their way to Looe in Cornwall.

They packed the car with all their belongings the night before. He added that he had checked his car just after midnight and went to bed. On getting up at 4am he found the car was gone.

“Our suitcases, the whole lot was missing with the car,” he said.

The car was found dumped in Birmingham, but there was no sign of the suitcases.

Well over £100 was collected for the family by friends and neighbours.

September 2007

A VOLUNTEER with the National Trust was voted favourite room steward out of 12,000 across the whole country.

Barbara Mitchard has been a volunteer at Newark Park, in Ozleworth, for more than five years.

She works on the front desk of the house and as a steward in the many rooms that were built in the 16th and 18th centuries.

Barbara, of Stone Lea Rock Road, Cam, has also translated the visitors’ guide into German and organises social events for her fellow staff.

She won the award for going that extra mile after visitors nominated her. Barbara particularly likes working with children after teaching home economics at Rednock School, Dursley for many years.