National Trust opens Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons meeting up to public for unique event

Volunteers, National Trust staff, graziers and representatives of local councils, who are members of the Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons Advisory Committee, will throw open their February meeting to visitors from the community.

It will be an opportunity to meet the National Trust team who care for the commons speak about ongoing conservation, plans and objectives for the year ahead and engage in the debate about safety measures for the cows on the Commons.

This information-packed session starts at 7.15pm on Thursday, February 23 and is open to everyone in the Stroud community.

There will be a few short talks on topics including the commons’ status and biodiversity before people will have a chance to ask questions.

The public will then be welcome to stay and listen to the rest of the business of the committee.

Its chairman Terry Robinson said the idea of the open meeting was to increase community understanding of how modern day pressures on the commons were being tackled.

“Local people have a keen sense of pride and feel the Commons are very much part of their feeling of being at home in this part of Gloucestershire,” said Mr Robinson.

“We would like to make this open meeting of the Committee an annual event.”

It was over 100 years ago in April 1913, when the first management agreement was signed between the Committee of the National Trust and Major Ricardo, who had sold them the Common that year.

A further special public event is also being planned on May 13 to celebrate the traditional annual commons’ Marking Day when hundreds of cattle are released to graze the 1,000 acres of grasslands for the summer season.