A message for all Jones, Blakemore and Pinches family members !

Sally and I are looking forward to greeting you all to our new home in the Forest of Dean.

We realise that it is a long journey down from the Midlands (and Wrexham!) so we have organised the Family Gathering for Saturday lunchtime/afternoon.

Instead of the normal Jones gathering in a formal venue, we have organised caterers who will be preparing a locally caught deer for a special Venison Spit Roast in our back garden ! They will also be preparing a selection of Vegetarian dishes - we will post details on this page nearer the date so you can make your choices.

I am hoping to organise a short video link up with my kids so that you can see what your cousins/nephews/nieces are up to over in Australia ! Ben (now 25!) and his girlfriend Poppy are planning to come over to to the UK next year and are keen to meet up with the family, so it would be a great way to introduce them to you all !

You are all, of course welcome to stay Friday or Saturday night - just let us know and we'll arrange accomodation.

There is lots of free accommodation available either at Cannop Villas or at the house we were renting previously at Ashwell Grange Granary (about 5 miles away), but please let us know early so we can reserve.

If you can bring a tent then please do so - plenty of space to camp either in the garden or in the surrounding 20,000 acres of forest !

There is a cycle centre just opposite us where you can hire bikes to try out the 20 miles of tracks in the forest - one runs just behind the house ! Keen cyclists may want to bring their own.