Learn how to use a DEFIBRILLATOR GROBY Ex-Servicemen’s Club has purchased a Defibrillator, and Groby Co-operative on Leicester Road has placed one for public access on an outside wall (instructions on how to access this are on the wall unit). The Club has arranged with the East Midland Ambulance Service for a Defibrillator Training Course to take place in the Club on Tuesday 21st March at 7-30pm. This course will last about 1hr 15mins. Anybody in the village is welcome to attend.
Paul Brudenell Elizabeth Woodville Primary School News
Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory takes over Elizabeth Woodville Primary
“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” – Willy Wonka ELIZABETH Woodville Primary School introduced World Book Day in style this year. Imagine the look on the children (and parents’ faces) as they approached the school gates, only to be greeted by Willy Wonka himself, surrounded by twenty Oompa Loompas! Floods of children skipped into school in their costumes ready for a day of fun at school celebrating a love of reading. In a special assembly, Year 6 were the lucky winners of the ‘Golden Ticket,’ earning them an extra playtime. Pupils enjoyed a range of book themed activities across another fantastic day!
Vintage Fair Success THE VINTAGE Fair afternoon on Saturday February 18th was a huge success and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came and supported us.
All the hard work was worth it when we saw the village hall decorated in war time style and the spectacle of Rotary Members and Guests dressed in their 40’s style clothing. The afternoon was filled with fun moments from the era including a fantastic display from our Jive dancers and Lindy Hoppers. (Thank you to Linda Mason’s Dancers in Anstey and to Fran and Ian). They really got us into the mood, rhythm and swing of the times and encouraged the audience to join in with the fun. It was wonderful to see a display of old toys from the era and a whole variety of stall holders selling everything from knitted items to wooden and glass crafts, bric a brac and jewellery, vintage clothes, old fashioned sweets and cakes. Veteran cars in the car park added great atmosphere to the arrival and PC Ben Wilkes guarded the door in great style. Around 250 cream teas were served and devoured and a traditional play area for the children was very popular (who could forget the joy of playing tiddly winks). The magnificent sum of £1283.22 was raised and this will be donated for the 3 local charities we are supporting this year • Sidekick Dance ( for disabled/SEN young people) • Soft Touch Arts ( an organisation that supports and enables Disadvantaged young people in Leicestershire) • Baldwin Boat Trust ( Providing Canal Trips for the disabled and Disadvantaged) Great team work proved the key to getting all the tasks done. If you would like to join us please come for breakfast at 7.30 to 8.30 am at The Stamford Arms, Groby on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month and get to know us. Alternatively you can find out more information from Clare Walker on 07910371045.
NEXT ISSUE OUT: Saturday 15th April - Advert/Articles needed by 1st April
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Some overlooked Redgate cats who need a special home Ebony and Purdy
Two sleek, jet-black young sisters, now aged about 2 years, found wandering for weeks around the Redgate sanctuary, (probably dumped), in a bad state and very thin, they had been rifling through bins to find food, one had even ended up with her little head stuck in a tin. But finally they built up enough trust in the staff to let us take them in, back in March last year. Both sisters were timid little felines, who had been fending for themselves for some time during the winter months. They truly love each other, do everything together and are very inquisitive, they love their toys and love to chase their toy mice. They are now becoming very friendly and getting to like people more and more. Ebony and Purdy would need to be rehomed together.
Millie Millie, a puff-ball of black and white fur, arrived at Redgate Farm several months ago. Sadly, her elderly lady owner passed away leaving Millie homeless and uncertain of her future. The family couldn’t keep her and brought her to the sanctuary. Millie has been overlooked for many reasons, but primarily because she doesn’t quite trust many people yet, although we’re delighted to witness that treats and toys are now helping her to find reassurance and confidence. And she is also being overlooked quite literally, as she loves to hide and snuggle up under blankets and bedding, as this helps her feel secure, but people may not even notice this pretty young feline hiding away. A quiet adult home with no other cats, and patient understanding, are what will help Millie to find happiness. She will definitely blossom into a lovely (lady-like) pal for someone. We can just imagine her sitting on a sofa with you, watching ‘Doctors’ in the afternoon!
Milly Milly found herself as a stray taken in by an elderly lady who had a passion to look after, and take in, homeless cats. But the lady took on too many cats, and soon she couldn’t cope. She found herself needing Redgate help to find permanent lifelong homes for most of her much loved brood. So Milly arrived at the Sanctuary with 8 other feline friends, back in December. Milly is the last of those 9 cats to as yet find herself her new start in her life. Milly is a chunky and cuddly cat – and only slightly nervous. In her forever home she would, like most cats, blossom into a well-loved pet.
Smudge and Jet No photos available yet as they are in ‘intensive care’ until mid-March. Two young brothers, Smudge (creamy/beige tabby) and Jet (pure black), found themselves in a sorry state when their owner became too ill to look after them both. They came to Redgate Farm via social services. Smudge and Jet are still underweight and need time to recuperate back to their prime, so as yet, they are not quite up for rehoming, but they have been neutered and are receiving vaccinations and plenty of TLC (and four small meals a day) at present, and are egerly awaiting the new start in life they desperately deserve. We are pleased to report they are already starting to play properly. In the evenings they are starting to play football and drag cushions and blankets about! These two will be the most wonderful companions once they have fully regained their strength. They have grown up together and need to find a quiet home together, with no other pets or young children. Call 01530 243925 or 01530 230455 for more information.
The only thing I hate more than having a dirty house is cleaning.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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Physiotherapist acts over online wine sales application
RESIDENTS have been taken by surprise by a notice that appeared on the window of the former Barclays Bank branch on Ratby Road about a licence application from a company called Gem Wines to sell wine online from the premises. Gem wines was set up last year as a retailer of Romanian wines. “Romania has a long history of wine-making,” the company website explains, “but it was not until living and working in the country that the GEM team discovered Romanian wine, surely one of Europe’s best kept secrets! As our passion for Romanian wine grew, we wanted to share the secret with the rest of the world – too good to keep it to ourselves. All our wines are carefully selected in consultation with our local experts to ensure we import only the finest Romania has to offer whether that be award winning vintages or local Romanian specialities. We will regularly hold Romanian themed wine tasting events and would love to see you there, please come and join the fun!” In January they participated in a Taste of Romania event at the Romanian Embassy giving wine lovers the opportunity to experience the distinctive taste of wine using Romanian grapes. The company says that geographically Romania shares many similarities with France’s Bordeaux region, the climate and soil producing virtually identical growing conditions. The license application to sell wine online was also a surprise to Chartered Physiotherapist Annie Rea, whose Groby business will trade as Natural Elements in the former bank. “The application by GEM Wines was intended for storage of surplus wine in the old bank vault to the rear of the property - being cool, dark and secure, a perfect place for storage of wine,” she explained, “surplus unsold wine from wine-tasting events run by the company and hosted in restaurants.” She acted promptly after investigating. “On checking as soon as I heard about this it would appear the application had extended the use to include online sales which was not part of the original agreement and so I have contacted GEM Wines asking them to withdraw their application as I do not wish deliveries/ collections to become a regular occurrence at the practice.” Readers who are looking forward to the opening of Natural Elements will be pleased to hear that it should be open later this month.
Norman Griffiths
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The reason why I hate mornings so much is that they start while I’m still sleeping.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
If you want girls to be running after you – become a bus driver.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Live & Local National Trust Leicester Association Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 1809 Friday 24th March: - ‘Big’ Dave Bopper - Fantastic Male Vocalist Saturday 25th March: - Laura Alice - Very Good Female Solo Friday 31st March: - Craig Seeney - Energetic Male Solo Saturday 1st April - Chris Robin - Back Again To Charm Us With His Vocals Friday 7th April: - Dave Johnson - Brilliant Solo Saturday 8th April - Demi Hobbs - Outstanding Vocalist Friday 14th April: - Mr P Excellent Solo Saturday 15th April - Leonie Voss - Stunning Female Vocalist (Also A Rihanna Tribute) Do Not Miss This Covers Show! Send Us Your Local Entertainments News And We’ll Publicise It Free In Live & Local. How Sensational is That!
Groby Village Society Forthcoming Events Thursday March 23 A.G.M. Thursday April 27 Calke Abbey Gardens, Echoes from the Past Celia Sanger Thursday May 25 The underage Soldiers & Nurses of WW1 Peter Cousins Meetings are held at Groby Village Hall Starting at 7.30pm. Except for October which will be at Groby Library Starting at 7.30pm. For Further Details Contact Hon. Secretary Mr. P. Castell Tel. 0116 287 9842 email: groby.villagesociety@ tiscali.co.uk Non Members are Welcome
THE NATIONAL Trust is well known for its historic buildings but people often do not link its properties with opportunities for outdoor activities. With the days getting longer and spring just around the corner let us consider some of these opportunities. At Calke Abbey, near Ashby de la Zouch, there are a number of walking routes on the estate all commencing from the car park and varying in length from 1.4km to 3.5km. There is also a new cycle trail, 8 km, following the route of the historic tramway that transported lime from the estate lime kilns to the local canal and railway terminals. Numerous walking routes are also available at Lyveden near Corby. A number of trails pass through woodland where the floor is carpeted with spring flowers. Also there is an extremely good chance of seeing Red Kites in this area of Northamptonshire. The main NT site at Lyveden also has the shell of a large unfinished country house to explore. The Ilam Park estate (right) near Ashbourne has a permanent orienteering course to test your mental and physical abilities as well as providing a great way to enjoy the outdoors. The course is family friendly and dogs on leads are also welcome. Orienteering maps are available from the park shop. For the more energetic a “Parkrun” is organised every Saturday at Clumber Park near Worksop. As well as being a great way to stay fit and healthy you are able to enjoy the beautiful parkland and the lakeside views. Finally for the thrill-seekers the rock outcrops on the Longshaw estate in Derbyshire provide the perfect location for rock climbing. Experienced climbers have free access to the rock face but the Trust also organises courses for beginners. All of the above estates offer parking and refreshments and are open every day except December 24th & 25th. • THE NT LEICESTER ASSOCIATION has an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 22nd March at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester at 2.30pm when Derek Holloway will present a talk entitled “Leicestershire’s Famous Artist – John Ferneley”. There will be a brief AGM on Tuesday 11th April followed by a talk “A Librarians Tale” by Janet Gilchrist. The meeting will be held at The Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm. Admission to both meetings is NTLA members £2.50, visitors £4.00 including refreshments. For details of the NT Leicester Association and its Talks Service for other organisations please call 0116 2229133.
Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer
800,000 shoeboxes for children in need of Christmas love Operation Christmas Child last winter collected over 880,000 shoeboxes to send to children in need around the world, thanks to the support of individuals, organisations and churches across the UK. Operating for 24 years, the project sees volunteers pack a shoebox with gifts. Ranging from school supplies and hygiene items, through to a unique WOW item, they are given to children in need regardless of race, religion, gender or any other characteristic.
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Running together is more fun HERE’S SOME good news if you would like to go jogging, but feel uneasy at running alone because of possible wolf whistles or honking horns when out on the roads. For now England Athletics has launched its ‘RunTogether’ programme to encourage up to one million men and women to get jogging regularly in groups by 2020. Go to www.facebook.com/ RunTogetherSocial for details of local groups.
Roll on payday!
HAVE YOU seen those adverts on TV which promise to solve all your debt problems – by offering you more debt? The sheer number of payday loans now available can be very tempting to anyone juggling with loan or card repayments, or who just needs a bit of extra cash to buy food or petrol before payday. But beware! Read the small print - if you fail to repay your loan on time, some of these companies will charge you eye-watering interest. There is a better way. Contact a debt advice helpline, such as Citizen Advice Bureau, Credit Action, or Christians Against Poverty (CAP). All offer free advice, and some can even negotiate payments with your creditors. Debt can destroy your relationships and your life. Don’t let it. Get proper professional help to bring it under control.
I got an odd-job man in. He was useless. Gave him a list of eight things to do and he only did numbers one, three, five and seven. The anti-ageing advert that I would like to see is a baby covered in cream saying, ‘AARRGHH! I’ve used too much!!’
My girlfriend said she wants our relationship to be like a fairy-tale. So I’ve trapped her in her gran’s bedroom with a wolf.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Would you risk dropping your letter in this post box? SOME READERS may have been concerned about dropping their letters into the post box opposite the Ratby Road allotments.
Although the box is not sealed the white plates on the front have disappeared, giving the impression of an abandoned box. Once your letter has dropped in how do you know that it will be collected and delivered? When asked Royal Mail responded within 24 hours to explain and a spokeswoman said : “ Unfortunately the box plate has been vandalised and we have requested a new time plate for the box, which should be fitted soon. The postbox is still in operation and is emptied by the local postwoman on a daily basis.” So that’s good news for those who use it but raises the question of whether there could be changes to the collection service which could ultimately lead to a reduction in the number of roadside boxes. The Royal Mail website is reassuring and says the organisation is committed to improving its current network of 115,300 postboxes. It adds, however, that some low-use postboxes have moved to ‘collection on delivery’ with the postman or woman emptying the box on their round, rather than providing a dedicated collection by van. Some boxes, including this one, are emptied early in the morning rather than in the afternoon or twice a day, so if your letter needs to be on its way rather than sitting overnight in the postbox it’s better to go to the post office before the late afternoon collection. Despite being in an age of declining letter volumes Royal Mail says it is committed to improving the level of public access to postboxes in areas of under-provision, with the addition of around 2,000 new postboxes targeted at rural areas, in particular in Scotland and Northern Ireland. With these new postboxes in place, more than 98.3% of all addresses in the UK will be less than half a mile from a postbox.
Norman Griffiths
Every Saturday morning 10.00am—12.30pm
Catch meets for play, craft, story & chat for pre-school children with a parent or carer 9.30-11.30am every Friday at Groby URC Chapel Hill Fair Cuppa for FairTrade refreshments in fairly traded mugs. Every Thursday 10.3012am at the Village Hall
Sweet cravings THE GOOD news is that some experts now say you don’t really need to opt for sugar-free or diet drinks, as they don’t tend to help you with weight loss or in avoiding diabetes. The bad news is that the reason for this is that even diet drinks still trigger sweet receptors in your brain, making you crave food. And so, one expert from Imperial’s School of Public Heath observes: ‘Far from helping to solve the global obesity crisis, artificially sweetened beverages may be contributing to the problem and should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet.’ A glass of water, on the other hand, is definitely a good idea.
Good soup WHEN did you last buy a tin of canned soup? If you can’t remember, you are not alone – it seems that these days we prefer chilled fresh soup in cartons, or even making it ourselves by blitzing together fresh ingredients straight from our fridge. Research by The Grocer magazine concluded that, with a drop in sales of £28.7 million just last year alone, ‘canned soup is on a sinking ship.’
Weekly events for children and young people
for 6’s to 14’s on Mon evenings, at 6.00pm or 7.45pm; for 15-18’s on Wed evenings at 7.30pm; for 15-18’s on Fri at 7.30pm. We meet at the United Reformed Church All of these activities, along with our work in schools, are provided by the two churches in Groby under the group name EXTEND.
For further information please see websites and church magazines St. Philip and St. James www.bradgateteam.org.uk Revd. Louise Corke 231 3090 United Reformed Church www.grobyurc.com Phil Holmes (Church Secretary) 225 3335 1733 Children and Families Worker John Fryer 07540 957926
I named my dog ‘Five Miles’, so I can tell people I walk five miles every day.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
LATEST NEWS FROM GROBY BOOK CLUB
THE YEAR 2017 started with a very comprehensive discussion on Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind. In February we moved onto Fiona Barton’s The Widow and March sees the return of CJ Sansomes Tudor hero Shardlake with a look at the second novel in the series Dark Fire. At our meeting of Thursday 20th April local author Tony Cox will be giving a talk about his latest novel A Fatal Drug. The Shuttleworth Clark Book Club should also be joining us on this occasion and we anticipate we shall have lots of questions for Tony. Please don’t panic Tony if you are reading this you won’t need A Fatal Drug to get through the meeting. You’ve talked to us before and we loved it. Book Club meetings are always in The Waldrom Room in Groby Village Hall and meetings are on 3rd Thursday in the month from 2.00pm until 3.30pm. £2.00 a meeting which includes tea, coffee and of course cake. Do come and join us for Tony’s talk on Thursday 20th April, but if unable to do so our future meetings are as follows, • Thursday 18th May Animal Farm George Orwell • Thursday 15th June Secret Life Of Bees Sue Monk Kidd • Thursday 20th July Tender Is The Night F Scott Fitzgerald Our next meeting back after the summer break will be Thursday 21st September Further information about the book club is available from Linda Boyd via email to bookclubgroby@gmail.com or phoneJulia Taylor on 0116 2871895 I have a copy of an article which was in the Spotlight last year about Tony’s book and you used a template of the front cover of the book. I am not sure if you could use that front cover with this article to highlight Tony’s visit. I will leave it to your judgement Thank you for assistance
Linda Boyd Fundraising Charity Event for Cancer Research THERE WILL BE a fundraising charity event at Markfield Congregational Church Hall on Saturday 8th April between 1pm - 3pm. There will be Coffee and Cake, a Raffle and tombola.
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SCF Friendship Circle - A new welcoming monthly meet-up THE SHUTTLEWOOD Clarke Foundation is seeking members to join its new Friendship Circle which takes place on the third Friday of the month at fantastic Ulverscroft Activity Centre, Priory Lane, Ulverscroft, Leicestershire, LE67 9PH from 1.00pm – 2.30pm. Sessions will take place in 2017 on the following dates:- 17th March, 21st April, 19th May, 16th June, 21st July, 18th August, 15th September, 20th October, 17th November, 15th December There is no admission charge and self- serve complimentary refreshments will be available. Helen Baxter, Activities Coordinator at the Foundation said: ‘We are currently seeking members to join our new friendship group. Drop in to our friendly afternoon meetup an opportunity to make new friends and enjoy music, art, friendship, laughter, games and more.’ She added ‘We are an inclusive and friendly setting and pride ourselves on making it easy for people to find a sense of belonging and enjoy time out in beautiful surroundings.’ If you would like to learn more about the activities and services that the Foundation has to offer then drop in to one of the sessions or call Helen Baxter, Activities Coordinator on 01530 244914 or email helen@ shuttlewood-clarke.org
Village Writers
THE VILLAGE Writers regularly meet 7.30 – 9.30pm: 1st & 3rd Weds. of the month: Kirby Muxloe Free Church, in the rooms located on Church Road. We all share a common interest in writing, whether it be recording memoirs, creating poetic verse, inventing short stories or writing articles covering any subject. Our aim is support and encourage members and the evening is always filled with lively discussion and interesting feedback. Each meeting we offer a themed subject to work on but this is entirely optional. During the meeting on the third Wednesday of February we discussed contributions brought to the table on the theme of ‘a school trip’. We welcome new membership, whatever level of writing you indulge in. If you have an interest in putting pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, make Spring the time to come along for a visit to meet us. You can bring something to read out at our table, or simply sit in and listen whilst drinking a cup of coffee. We look forward to meeting you! Contact Derek by email: mcgauley5948@yahoo.co.uk or call David 07552 107 461 or Gail 07929 729544.
I don’t always have time to study,but when I do, I don’t.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Gardening Society News OUR MEETING on 9th February welcomed Katherine Ward and her husband to talk about the history of walled gardens. Katherine proved to be a very pleasant lady who delivered a most interesting presentation. Her husband organised the relevant slides which backed up the talk. Many slides illustrated the large number of such gardens, including a recently acquired one by The National Trust at Tyntesfield near Bristol. Some members will recall this, as we visited it a couple of years ago on our three day trip to Wells. Much of the talk highlighted interesting facts and a flavour of these follows… Clumber Park has one of the largest glasshouses in the country. Built in 1772, it measures 450 feet in length. The central path through the garden was designed for the gentry to walk upon, whereas the
gardeners had hidden paths so that they could work without being seen! The garden at Chatsworth had 46 gardeners in its prime and women were employed to rake, weed and occasionally cut the grass. The head gardener earned 27 shillings a week and worked from 6 am until 5 pm, six days a week. The garden staff were fined 3 pence if they wore a dirty shirt and another 3 pence if their shoes were dirty. (How standards have slipped!) It was common for a one acre garden to have 12 gardeners and the wealthier the owners were, the larger their garden tended to be and the number of staff was proportionally higher. Gardeners were expected to provide the large houses with salads, tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries, every day. To impress guests, these wealthy owners would not hold a party without flaunting their wealth by providing own-grown pineapples. These were grown
in pits on decaying vegetation whose decomposition provided the necessary warmth.
Trips during 2017 There will be three such trips during this year with our June evening visit being the first. This is on June 8th to Ridgewold farm garden near Wymeswold. More details will be available nearer that date for directions and the signing board to give an idea of numbers as the farm will provide tea, coffee and cakes etc. The second trip is our three day trip to Hull. (July 26th, 27thand 28th) Staying at Willerby Manor, we will visit Normanby Hall, Harlow Car gardens and, of course, Hull, the 2017 City of Culture. We finish our visits by a day trip in September to visit Bob Brown’s “Cotswold Flowers Nursery” and Pershore College. More details will be made available at the monthly meetings.
Future Meetings • •
•
April 13th: “Clematis” by Jeff Bates May 11th: “How to win at the show” by Graham & Jane June 8th: Our evening trip (see notice above)
If you like the sound of what we get up to, why not come along to a meeting and try us out. You will be most welcome. Our monthly meetings are held at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of the month in the United Reformed Church rooms on Chapel Hill. Details about membership and the events programme can be obtained from Eric Atherton. (Tel. No. 0116 2876637) or Email e.atherton637@ btinternet.com
Alvar Johnson
Markfield & Thornton Theatre Group News THE YEAR began for us with a romp through pantomime land. A jolly good time was had by all and the audiences who came to see “Goldie Locks and the Three Bears”, written and directed by Muriel Walker, were glowing in their praise. One of the cast members wrote.. Well I’ve spent the last six evenings... Being painted white, Wearing a cushion up my dress, Slapping a bear, Shaking a lollipop, Sniffing a Strong Man, Drinking water from a vase of flowers, Singing “cumma cumma” into a bottle, Conversing with a man wearing pigtails whilst dancing Rock ’n Roll, Drinking sherry, Falling on the floor, And repeating endless lines in sync with my partner in crime! All whilst trying to speak with an Italian accent! That’s pretty much par for the course for any pantomime and maybe explains why we all seize the opportunity to leave reality behind for a while and just enjoy ourselves! Now we look forward to our group’s Spring production which will run from Wednesday 5th
to Saturday 8th April, 2017, at Thornton Community Centre at 7.30 pm nightly. (Doors open at 7.00 p.m.) “MIXED NUTS” is a Comedy Thriller by Wayne Roberts. TICKETS (All £5) are available on 01455 822148 or from Thornton’s Corner Shop. The various offspring of Agnes Hives are summoned to the Old Manor House, as darkness gathers, to hear the reading of her will. It is no surprise that not all will be pleased with the terms expressed in it! It seems that none of them knows the man who purports to be an “old and trusted family friend” who is, he says, the executor of the will. The skeleton staff at the house is hardly what one would expect. The people assembled cannot be described as a close family, as they have not seen each other for years. A more motley crew would be difficult to imagine. Each one may have something to hide, something to reveal, something to gain ... or something to lose. As night deepens, strange happenings abound. Who will survive the night? We do hope that you will come along to see “Mixed Nuts” which has been specially written for MTTG by member Wayne Roberts. Wayne was last seen cavorting around the stage as the rather truculent Baby Bear in our annual pantomime. He is also a member of the Little Acorns Drama Group in Hinckley, and of
The New Theatre Players based at Hinckley’s Concordia Theatre, so you might say that he is an “am dram” enthusiast! This is the first full-length play that he has written, though he has previously written one-act plays. His play, “Job for Life” was nominated for “The Best Original Script” award at the All England One-Act Play Festival 2015. Rehearsals have begun in earnest and Wayne is enjoying seeing his characters brought to life. He says, “It is a pure delight to see life breathed into my characters. However it is slightly concerning to note how easily some of the cast members slip into
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
the various odd personas!” We are always on the look-out for people to join our Group. We meet to rehearse on Wednesday nights at the Centre at 7.30 p.m. You are most welcome to come along to see how we work, to have a “cuppa” and chat with our members who will welcome you warmly. If you want more details of our Group, then ring Anne or Andy on 01530 469 714 or Muriel on 01455 822148. We also have an MTTG Facebook page where you can see lots of photos of our past productions to whet your appetite!
Muriel Walker
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
County Councillor’s Report ... from Ozzy O’shea Budget precept set AT LEICESTERSHIRE’S full County Council meeting on 22nd February, the budget precept for 2017/18 was set, with the county-element of council tax rising by 3.99%, including a 2% levy for adult social care. This year’s 3.99% rise will increase the county’s share of a band D bill by around £45 to £1,172.38 from April 2017. Councillors backed plans to save £66 million over the next 4 years. £43 million of this has already been identified, which leaves a funding gap of £23 million to be filled- either through further savings or extra funding being identified. The Council’s deputy leader, Councillor Byron Rhodes, announced that £1.3 million of bus subsidy savings were to be replaced by increased income from improved collection of Council Tax and Business Rates – but other savings would go ahead. Over the past 7 years the County Council has saved £160 million and repaid £59 million of debt. This means that the County Council saves nearly £5 million per year in debt repayments. The County Council has also put together a capital investment programme of £189 million. This is used to support vital infrastructure projects such as £78.5 million for highways, roads, footpaths and LED streetlights, £37 million for schools, including £22.1 million to provide more school places. The County Council needs to make savings because resources are simply not keeping up with demand and cost increases, including: inflation of £37 million, growth of £25 million, mainly for children’s and adults’ social care. There are also major demographic pressures, eg. from a 60,000 increase in the over-65 population by 2030. Leicestershire is one of the lowest funded County Councils and, if it was funded at the same level as Surrey, we would be £104 million per year better off. Leicestershire’s fair funding campaign, strongly supported by Leicestershire MPs, is starting to bear fruit. We have won the argument that the local government funding system is broken and we intend telling this to DCLG Secretary of State Sajid Javid MP, when we meet his team at Westminster in late March. Residents can be assured that we will continue to fight for fair funding until an acceptable new system is in place and Leicestershire receives its
Never leave garden tools and equipment outside, even if you are just popping back into the house. It only takes minutes for an opportunist thief to take them. Consider fitting a pair of garage door locks that are fitted either vertically or horizontally and can be locked both from the inside and outside of the garage.
fair share. Councillors have been asked to make some tough decisions in order to balance the County Council’s budget over the last 4 years, some decisions are really hard to make, but I made these decisions to protect front line services for the residents of Leicestershire.
The Klondyke Appeal Update A REMINDER that the Appeal against the Borough Council’s refusal to grant lawful use on the Klondyke site has now been rescheduled to take place at the Borough Council’s Offices in Hinckley, on the 4th and 5th April 2017.
Weight Restriction Ratby Lane, Field Head I AM PLEASED to announce that a Weight Restriction has been secured for the residents of Ratby Lane, Field Head. I had been contacted by both residents and the two parish councillors who represent Field Head. I arranged a site visit with Highways officers, who agreed with me that a weight restriction was required due to the amount of HGVs using this road as a cut through. Ratby Lane is a main walking route for school children. I have been assured the works will go forward in the 2017/2018 financial year.
Brambles at Wolsey Close, Groby I ARRANGED for Highways to remove the blackberry bushes adjacent to Lady Jane Grey primary school. I did have them cut back last year, however I requested their removal in January and Highways have now removed them. This is the main footpath used by children and parents walking to school. The area will be grassed after being weeded.
County Council Elections 4th May 2017 If you have moved address and are not registered to vote at your current address, you can register to vote on line at the following
Tel 0116 2394336 or 07808 585825
Email: ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
address. www.gov.uk/ register-to-vote You can register up to 13th April 2017. You can register for a postal vote up to 5pm on the 18th April 2017. You can also ring the Electoral Officer at Hinckley and Bosworth Council 0n 01455 238141 to also register to vote.
I would like to thank residents and councillors for your continued support. It has been an honour and pleasure to serve you over the past 4 years. Thank you for putting your faith in me. Should you need my help or advice on any matter or issue, I pride myself on always making myself available to residents and councillors and getting straight back to you. Remember I am only a phone call or email away. Kind Regards
Ozzy O’shea Working for you Cllr Ozzy O’shea Tel 0116 2394336 or 07808585825 Email: ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE CRIME PREVENTION • Garden Crime
Don’t let green fingered thieves spring clean your shed. Many people take a great deal of trouble securing their house and the property within it, but what about sheds and garages? With the array of lawnmowers, power tools, garden equipment, bicycles, sports and other valuable equipment kept in them, security measures should certainly be put in place. Gardening tools and garden furniture are not cheap - what’s more they are very saleable items for the thief. Don’t make it easy for them to be stolen and remember that tools stolen from your shed could be used to burgle your house. Postcode or property mark anything in your shed or garage that is value and might be stolen, for example, lawnmowers, garden furniture, bicycles, and sports equipment. Take photographs of expensive items - they may be useful to police to identify the goods and return them to you, should you be unfortunate enough to have them stolen.
The British have a reputation for keeping calm even when there is no crisis.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Parish Council
Chairman’s Bulletin AT THE Groby Parish monthly meeting it was agreed that the we should see the return of our summer hanging baskets. These will firstly follow the Christmas lights locations and will be a great addition brightening up our village. Hopefully over the next two years this will increase to other locations within the Parish. I have since contacted local businesses in the area and asked whether they would join our display with a high take up on our offer of sourcing, maintaining and planting on their shop frontages. This is a fantastic response and is the first step in local businesses working together and will ensure an amazing display. I would also like to thank those people who attended the Vintage Fair in February at the village hall. Two hundred people enjoyed a cream tea watching the dancing displays with the eighteen local stall holders reporting busy trading. I would like to thank your local Bradgate Rotary Club for organising this event and congratulation them on raising over £1200 for local charities.
Cllr Brian Rigby
Chairman, Groby Parish Council
Puppy love
WANT TO make a hit with a puppy? Use babytalk. In recent tests, using a gentle, more highly pitched and gentle ‘sweetie pie’ voice was found to be very attractive to puppies. Researchers from the University of Lyon and St Etienne discovered that puppies took it as ‘an invitation to play’, and responded more warmly than they did to normal adult voices. Older dogs, on the other hand, were not so impressed with babytalk.
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Groby Wine Circle GROBY WINE CIRCLE is a very sociable group which usually meets on the third Monday of the month at Groby Community College. Speakers are invited to give talks on a variety of interesting topics after which there is a chance to catch up socially over a drink with a cheese and French bread. Throughout the year we organise fun nights out such as skittles, quiz nights, meals out and visits, etc. Our February meeting, Monday the 20th, was, as usual, well attended. The Guest Speaker was Colin Reynolds who gave us a most interesting talk about the background of the Leicester Company “Gents” and how they won a major contract in 1907 to build, deliver and install the largest (25 feet in diameter) multi-dial electrical pulsed clock for the Liver Building in Liverpool at a cost of less than £2,000. Cutting edge and innovative technology was needed for those days. The clock was commissioned in 1911 on the same day as the coronation of King George the V (22 June 2011). Electrically generated chimes were added later. It is still in working order although, after 107 years, the clock is in need of a major overhaul. Gents are now part of the Honeywell Empire. Future guest talks include: • Monday 23 March – Lost Canals • Monday 24 April - Bits and Bobs (a fun night with things from our past). There is a skittles night (including supper) on 7 April, at the Red Lion, Huncote. Starts at 7PM (please reserve your tickets in advance). If you feel you would be interested in coming along or would like more information about our Wine Circle please contact either: Dave Cooper (0116 2392844) or Robbie Grundy (0116 2393853).
I’m so fat, I was diagnosed with a flesh eating disease and the doctor gave me 13 years to live.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Library World Book Day and our first AGM
ON THURSDAY 2nd of March our fortnightly Wriggly Reading group and customers were greeted with balloons, biscuits and a refreshing drink in celebration of World Book Day. Anyone about the village, around the time of the school run, would have been treated to a parade of children making their way to school dressed up as their favourite book characters. Not to be out done some of our little Wrigglies came dressed up too. We had Jack and his beanstalk, princesses, a witch, super heroes and Buzz Lightyear! There was such a lovely atmosphere and it was a real reminder of what we are trying to achieve at the library, giving the community a place to meet, a place to relax or just somewhere to escape to. Wriggly Readers is such a lovely group which is organised and ran by local mums and has grown over the years. The children really enjoy the stories which are read, as well as the songs and rhymes. The session runs from 10.30 till 11am on a fortnightly basis and is completely free. The next date is advertised in the library window.
Annual General Meeting Please support our advertisers when you can! They make publishing the Spotlight possible. Thanks!
ON THURSDAY 27th April, at 7.30pm in the library, we will be holding our very first Groby Community Library Group AGM. All our volunteers, members of the community and anyone interested in volunteering or finding out what we are all about are welcome to come along.
By the time they’d diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect ‘Hungry’.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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More cat news from Lindy DAVID AND I have been together for over six years now. All my adult life has been spent caring for children – my own and other people’s – and tending my garden and allotment.
By Shelley Smith, Assistant SENCO WE DIDN’T think that it was possible to spread anymore kindness at Elizabeth Woodville, but we were delighted to celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week this year, scattering even more kindness across the whole school! At the start of the week, we launched our kindess ‘bucket filling’ challenge to celebrate our acts of kindness. KS1 performed a beautiful ‘feelings’ song in assembly, our four very brave volunteers particpated by telling others how talking has helped them, Year 1 painted emotion stones which will be displayed in our school garden, Year 2 created a kindness paper chain which is getting bigger by the day, Year 3 celebrated how we are different through their wonderful Elmer collages and KS2 had lots of fun playing friendship games, learning all about their strengths & favourite things. Wow, what a week! The kindness didn’t end there either! Staff also spread lots of kindness and gratitude with our new staff ‘shoutout’ board and the winner of our staff kindness prize draw is… Our school is also now a proud supporter of the Heads Together campaign, showing the importance of our mental wellbeing as well as our physcial health. Our digital leaders will shortly be making a video in support of this to highlight all of the exciting things we have been doing. Watch this space! “It is great to have you on board and we’re really looking forward to working with you over the course of the campaign” said Sophia Sullivan, Heads Together, The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry Our mental health website is now live! Here you will find lots of information, useful links and can read all about the emotional support we offer to our pupils and parents. Finally, we wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of the charity ‘Place 2 Be’ to inform her of all of the wonderful things that we have been doing, here is her reply: “Thank you so so much for your note, that is just fantastic to hear and wonderful that you are signed up as a Heads Together Supporter too! “My warmest wishes and please don’t hesitate to let us know anything we can provide to be of assistance to your school. “My warmest wishes and real appreciation.” said Catherine Roche, Chief Executive Officer, Place 2 Be
Don’t just sit there – do something!
KEEP MOVING. That is the simple message for any older person who does not want to age significantly quicker than they need to do. A recent study of pensioners has found that those who kept to a sedentary position for 10 hours or more a day and who did less than 40 minutes of moderate physical activity had the bodies of people eight years older. Experts advise that older people should aim to stand up and walk around every 20 minutes, if possible. The study was carried out at the University of California. A spokesman for UK Active warns that: ‘With health and social care budgets stretched to the limit, it’s time to end our love affair with the chair and get people moving again… it is never too late to get active. Simple things at home, such as carrying the groceries, climbing more stairs and pottering around the garden can play a huge role in staying healthy and independent as we get older.’
David’s adulthood –and I use the term very loosely – has been devoted to Rugby League, motor bikes and the pub. Our only common interests are the Guardian crossword and cats. Regular readers may recall that we were down to one cat as Olaf had driven his sister into exile in Yorkshire. David was keen to have another and he reckoned our best chance of finding one who would not be intimidated by Olaf was to look for an unneutered tom kitten. A few days ago he returned from the pub after watching his team Leeds being hammered with the happy news that the one of the staff at the Stamford knew of a litter of five farm kittens who needed homes. Little Peter was duly delivered here next day. He is a very pretty kitten – ginger with white paws, bib and tummy. He is about two months old, already well grown and his polar bear paws, bat ears and long tail suggest that he will be very impressive when he reaches his full size. He sulked for the first twelve hours or so but is now gaining in confidence by the minute, eating voraciously and exploring every inch of the house. As I write he is killing a raffia wastepaper basket he claims gave him a funny look. And Olaf? Well, the theory seems to be working so far. He is ignoring Peter completely. Early days. Stand by for next month’s exciting instalment …
Lindy Hardcastle
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Broken promises don’t bother me at all. I just wonder why they keep believing me.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
News from Elizabeth Woodville Primary School We are scientists!
Year 4
Year 2 Children in Key Stage 1 worked with Mrs Taylor to test the laws of gravity!
Einstein eat your heart out! Elizabeth Woodville became super scientists in a very special ‘Mad Science Day.’
They made paper and card spinners to test the gravitational pull. We had great fun racing our spinners against each other to find that the heavy card spinners hit the ground first. At the end of the lesson, the children loved seeing how astronauts cope in space without gravity – even the space cat was enjoying floating in the air!
All children in the school embarked on several scientific challenges including; sending eggs to space, explosive chemical reactions, flame rockets and much more. Read on to find out more about each experiment and how our pupils used their scientific knowledge to analyse the results.
Year 1
Year 6
In Mrs Rathbone’s class the children had to become science detectives and use their senses to solve scientific mysteries.
Foundation Stage Miss Smith’s class had the opportunity to investigate gravity and air resistance. The children created their own plastic bag parachute and enjoyed testing these both inside and outside.
Gorse Hill Farm trip Let’s go fly a kite! Thanks to storm Doris, the children in Key Stage 2 had the perfect conditions to test out how adding a tail to a kite affects its flight. The children designed and made their own kite, flew it and then added a tail to investigate the impact. Shyam Ghaghda explained during an assembly, “Adding a tail added much needed weight to the kite which increased the drag force!”
Year 5 In Mr. Coleman’s class the children had the opportunity to investigate rocket power. Learning about chemical reactions and flammable gases produced some amazing results. Year 4 pupil Amelia Bishop described what happened to the gases that were created, “The flammable gas reacted with the flame to produce a chemical reaction, which shot a blue and yellow flame out of the bottle.”
Mr Price’s class were investigating which materials were the most durable. After choosing two out of a variety of materials, they designed and created a space capsule for an egg, which was then launched high into the sky on the playground. After a number of cracked eggs, Year 5 were declared the most successful engineers with five successful landings!
Year 3 A range of chemical reactions were in store in Miss Jarman’s class, the children enjoyed mixing a variety of household items such as cola and vinegar with explosive results! Intense concentration was needed to ensure measurements were followed exactly and pupils worked in teams to make predictions. They were amazed by the results.
Foundation’s topic this half term is Do Cows Drink Milk? For our memorable experience, we visited Gorse Hill Farm. At the farm we fed the goats, sheep, cows and pigs. We then found out information about the rabbits, guinea pig and rats and the children got the opportunity to stroke all of the animals. We also met some baby lambs that were only one week old! We had a fantastic day!
Age and knowledge don’t always come together. Sometimes you just get the age ...
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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SCF Friendship Circle A Grand Year of - A new welcoming Harmony Ahead Monthly meetup THE SHUTTLEWOOD Clarke Foundation is seeking members to join its new Friendship Circle which takes place on the third Friday of the month at fantastic Ulverscroft Activity Centre, Priory Lane, Ulverscroft, Leicestershire, LE67 9PH from 1.00pm – 2.30pm. Sessions will take place in 2017 on the following dates:- 17th March, 21st April, 19th May, 16th June, 21st July, 18th August, 15th September, 20th October, 17th November, 15th December There is no admission charge and self- serve complimentary refreshments will be available. Helen Baxter, Activities Coordinator at the Foundation said: ‘We are currently seeking members to join our new friendship group. Drop in to our friendly afternoon meetup an opportunity to make new friends and enjoy music, art, friendship, laughter, games and more.’ She added ‘We are an inclusive and friendly setting and pride ourselves on making it easy for people to find a sense of belonging and enjoy time out in beautiful surroundings.’ If you would like to learn more about the activities and services that the Foundation has to offer then drop in to one of the sessions or call Helen Baxter, Activities Coordinator on 01530 244914 or email helen@ shuttlewood-clarke.org
Turning the tables!
Looking for a job this summer?
THE NEXT time your application for a job is rejected fill this letter out and send it back. Dear [Interviewer’s Name]: Thank you for your letter of [Date of Interview]. After careful consideration I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me employment with your firm. This year I have had been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates it is impossible for me to accept all refusals. Despite [Firm’s Name]’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet with my needs at this time. Therefore, I will initiate employment with your firm immediately following graduation. I look forward to seeing you then. Best of luck in rejecting future candidates. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Grand Central Chorus is coming to your area in April. Hope is high that this year will match the excitement and satisfaction of 2016. It started in April with a drive to Derby Theatre to celebrate the Chorus’s 25th anniversary. Silver medals in May were the next pulse racer when we hot footed it to Harrogate to come second in the National Barbershop Competition. It got even better with a cracker in Cork where we took the gold medal in the Irish International event. In between we entertained in the East Midlands including two outdoor events in Derby celebrating ‘Furthest from the Sea’. One hot (August) and one cold (Xmas). The mention of which brings us to Trent College and the Christmas Show which finished our year with a flourish. Preparations are now in hand for two huge events in the next few months. First a concert in Loughborough in April and then in May its Barbershop in Bournemouth where the Chorus will try to improve on the silver medals gained last year. Everything crossed, the competition is fierce! The Loughborough concert is in the College Arts Academy at 7pm on the 8th April. In addition to the Chorus it will feature three top class quartets, ‘The Locksmiths’, ‘Finest Hour’ and ‘4 On Demand’ plus one further guest act. Tickets £10 (£6 child). See the website at www.grandcentralchorus.com or contact us on publicity.gcc@gmail.co.uk If you want to see a rehearsal or try singing then visit Harrington School, Derby Road, Long Eaton, NG10 4BJ, any Wednesday evening from 7.15. pm. We are always looking for new recruits.
Waste of time (and still no space to park the car) YOU ALWAYS knew this: that hunting for somewhere to park your car is a big waste of time. In fact, it is an astonishing waste of time: British drivers are wasting an average of nearly four days every year, simply looking for parking spaces. In London, drivers spend almost eight minutes searching for a space after each journey. That compares with five minutes in the East of England and East Midlands, according to research by the British Parking Association. According to the BPA’s research, the average time a motorist spends looking for a space is 5.9 minutes, adding up to 90.5 hours – or four days – over a year, based on the national average of 921 car journeys a year. It all takes its toll. Drivers report growing stress and anxiety as they miss appointments, or are late for work and activities, simply because they cannot get out of the car. They loath other drivers who carelessly park across two spaces, and vilify car parks that are difficult to navigate.
Beware of becoming a cuckoo family IF YOU have found love later in life, and are in a second marriage, beware of having your own children move back into the family home with you and your new partner. It seems that children can act as ‘cuckoos’, and without meaning to, can drive the stepfather or stepmother out of the nest. Put in more mundane terms, a rising number of second marriages are collapsing under the tensions of having adult children from a previous marriage living under the same roof. One solicitor with Hall Brown Family Law reported seeing a fivefold increase in such divorces in the past three years
At an ‘All-You-Can-Eat’ restaurant, is there a penalty for eating less than you can?
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Adventures with Year 4
From Polar Explorer to a Viking Day to ‘The Great Groby Bake Off ’. It’s all happening in Year 4. ‘Viking Day’, a real Viking re-enactor visited along with his weapons, chain mail, clothing and everyday items. The children were allowed to practice with the various weapons, not too enthusiastically I might add. They learned that the Vikings were, in fact, mainly peace loving people as they were taught and then played the games that the children from all those years ago would have done, which included an addictive bowling game which was played in the playground.
Faine, Reece, Joey and Olivia represented their class and the school, along with other Jnr Bakers from all the local Primary Schools at the ‘Great Groby Bake Off ’ held at Brookvale High School.They baked ‘Pizza Pin Wheels’, which I am assured tasted fantastic, plus revelled in the opportunity to work in the school’s extensive kitchens.
Life in Freezer
Year 1 became Polar Explorers for the day. After making and donning their own Explorer badges, they studied the plants and animals living in the Polar Regions.They were visited by a Polar Bear, thanks to Mr Crowhurst from ICT and an iPad app.They were then tasked to find
Their funds paid for the refurbishment of the library and bought books, bought the iPads and the packages that go with them and paid for the new kitchen, which is used on a daily basis. They also subsidise the coach trips to keep down costs for parents and many other things. Without their sterling efforts, none of the
and free frozen animals from polar ice, hidden around the school premises, by deciphering clues which pointed towards their location then, when discovered, free them from the ice. Various methods were tried - however, the most successful was suggested by Maddison; gently melt the ice using warm water. All the animals, I’m glad to say, were safely rescued. Then using designs produced in ‘Design and Technology’ lessons they made Polar Snow Buggies out of recycled material. In the afternoon, out into the freezing Martinshaw woods to build Polar shelters, drink hot chocolate, and roast marshmallows over an open fire.
Once upon a Time You’re happily sitting on the Foundation Stage carpet, hanging on every word of your teacher, Mrs McKain, when a booming voice echos around the classroom,’ Fe Fi Fo Fum I smell the Blood of an........... Before the sentence is finished, CRASH, a pair of legs appear through the classroom ceiling, just above the recently built beanstalk. Were the children worried, of course not, this giant was not dealing with a few wimps, he was dealing with the intrepid, fearless members of Martinshaw’s Early Years Class. Up they leapt, shouting, ‘Go away you horrible Giant, we’re not frightened of you’. The Giant immediately burst into tears of fear, realising that he had met his match and also that he was stuck. He begged for help but was told that he would have to wait until Mrs Wyatt came back on duty. However, being kind children they fed him a few mouldy potatoes and soggy crisps in an effort to change him into a vegetarian. From that day onward, you occasionally hear a whispering voice saying, ‘Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum I smell the aroma of a Soya, sausage’. The End.
Martinshaw School Association The Martinshaw School Association (MSA) are made up of a few dedicated parents/ helpers to raise funds for all the little extras that unfortunately, however essential, are not provided by the education authority.
above would have happened, certainly not in the time frame that it did. The latest fund raising activity was a ‘Racing Night’. A £5 entrance fee was converted into £500 of monopoly money. Using films of races all over the country, horses are paraded, odds are fixed, bets are laid and off they go. Someone was heard to say, having won about £3000 in the first few races, that he ought to try this for real as he obviously had a talent for betting. Needless to say, he was stoney broke at the end of evening. Along, I might add, with yours truly. A lot of laughter and a lot of fun. Great night.
World Book Day
World Book Day was a complete success, although most of the children need little encouragement to read a good book. Children and teachers dressed as the various fictional and none fictional characters from their favourite books, which encompassed everything from fairy queens to Cruella de Vill. A number of parent, grandparents and carers accepted the invitation to come into the school and read some of these classic tales with their children The children paraded their costumes in front of their respective class mates and then voted for the best character depiction. Mrs McKain’s eyebrows and teeth dressed as Miss Trunchbull, in Roald Dahl’s Matilda was worth a prize on their own. Later, a pupil from year 1, wearing a brilliant and realistic Queen’s dress, complete with realistic looking jewelry who I was reading with, thought I should call her your Majesty. I agreed, just this once.
Owen Lawrence
Old bricklayers never die, they just throw in the trowel.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby lad Chris Wilson stars in Rock of Ages in Loughborough GROBY LAD Chris Wilson went back to the era of classic 80s rock when he starred in Rock of Ages at Loughborough Town Hall. Chris performed the show with LAOS, playing the part of narrator Lonny. And that means, he was seldom off the stage, appearing in some way in almost every scene or big company number. Chris has played leading roles on the Loughborough theatre scene for several years now, but he was particularly looking forward to this one. The show featured a whole host of classic 80s rock anthems by the likes of Bon Jovi, Poison, Whitesnake, Foreigner, Journey, Europe, REO Speedwagon, Joan Jett, David Lee Roth and many more.
Chris as his character Lonny in the show
Happiness is warm feet in bed If you have never discovered the cosy bliss of wearing socks in bed, you are in for a real treat. According to experts from the Global Council on Brain Health, wearing socks in bed helps ensure uninterrupted slumber. In a recent report, the Global Council was stressing the importance of getting sound sleep in order to stay sharp in later life. And so it offers various tips to the over-50s. They include: keep pets out of your bedroom, avoid late-night rows with your family; allow 15 minutes of ‘settle time’ before you switch off the light; avoid food, alcohol and drink for three hours before bed; keep your smartphone and tablet in another room; have a warm bath; and swap white or blue lights for warmer, restful colours. Sleep well!
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Cabinet to consider speed camera trials PROPOSALS to trial speed cameras in seven locations across the county have been discussed by Leicestershire County Council. The county council’s ruling cabinet will consider the introduction of average speed cameras in four villages and on three key main and rural routes which have various issues and concerns around speeding and safety, says a report. “We’re very aware there are communities whose lives are being blighted by the daily effects of speeding motorists,” said Council leader, Councillor Nick Rushton. “We believe average speed cameras could be a digital solution towards addressing these concerns. However, testing their effectiveness in various situations is vital and these trials will help us with some exploratory work we’re doing around the wider use of cameras.” The areas chosen for the trials are: • The villages of Sharnford, Woodhouse Eaves, Measham and Walcote, which have long-standing community concerns over speeding; • The B676 Melton to its county boundary with Lincolnshire, which has a higher accident rate than the national average for the type of road; • The A6 Harborough Road at Oadby; • The A50 Field Head to its boundary with the city of Leicester. The report says the A6 and A50 are key routes with high numbers of speeding vehicles. Subject to cabinet approval, the trials will start in the autumn and will cost in the region of £500,000 to introduce, with the funding coming from underspends. The findings will then be reported back to a later meeting of the cabinet. The authority would then be looking to potentially widen out the camera programme, should the proposed approach receive Government support. The council has asked the Government to consider allowing cameras to be funded through driver education workshops and speeding fines - income which is currently retained in full by the Department of Transport.
Switch your lights off for Earth Hour Earth Hour 2017 will take place on Saturday 25 March at 8:30 p.m. local time. Around the globe, millions of people, businesses, and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, switch off their lights, and make noise for climate change action. Log on to www.earthhour.org to know more and read additional stories and individuals using the Earth Hour movement to shine a light on climate action.
It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Bus service cuts, bus stops and 1964 timetables Norman Griffiths has reader’s comments and more WHEN ARRIVA recently announced ‘improvements’ to the bus services on the Leicester to Coalville routes little was said about the withdrawal of the 28, which terminated in Groby. Even less was said about how the new timetables would affect Saturday services from the village. On the old timetable there were 5 buses an hour into Leicester from the centre of the village, but with the withdrawal of the 28 and 29X the Saturday service from the post office has been reduced from five buses an hour to three. Although the 29X has been replaced with a 29 on weekdays it has not been replaced on Saturdays. The 26 continues to run hourly from Monday to Saturday. Having managed to reduce the costs Arriva must be pleased to see some of the buses now almost overflowing with standing passengers. No enthusiasm for more parking spaces Last month The Spotlight Point to Ponder asked for reader’s views about the bus stop outside the Cooperative store on Leicester Road. The southbound stop now only serves the hourly 26 service, and if the 26 is re-routed down Pymm Ley Lane this stop will be redundant. The question posed was what alternative use could it be given to, for example more on street parking spaces. This is very much a case of ‘what if ‘ as there is no plan at the moment to remove the stop. Reader Richard Riley has given it some thought and suggests another alternative. “If the bus stop is to be removed I would not want to see the space used as a parking bay but instead would like to see the carriageway narrowed and the pavements on both sides of the road significantly widened,” he explained “The pavements could be resurfaced with high quality conservation grade paving, with better lighting, seating and trees introduced. As the photo in the February Spotlight clearly illustrates, this is a very broad section of bland tarmac that not only looks dull, right in the heart of the village and the conservation area, but is an uncomfortable distance for pedestrians to cross over, especially in the face of fast moving traffic during the morning and evening rush hours. I think it’s the least the County
Highways department could do to compensate for its recent scheme to the A50 that saw delays and disruption for over a year and at a cost of millions to the only section of the A50 that seemed to work perfectly well. In fact there seems to be no discernible difference in traffic flows along the A50 now that all the work has been completed.”
Move the bus shelter? With regards to the future of the bus shelter if the stop is ever removed it was suggested at the March Parish Council meeting that it could be relocated to the other Coop stop on Laundon Way. Mr Riley’s views are broadly shared by another reader, and she wrote agreeing that if the stop is ever removed it should not be used for more on street parking. “What a ridiculous suggestion,“ she said. “A better idea would be to put a nice long bench under the shelter so us poor souls can sit and rest before walking to the next bus stop.” She adds that for those who live at the top of Ratby Road, or on the side streets and Markfield Road, it is quite a long walk to the next stop. She fears that the changes to the bus services will lead to older people becoming more isolated. “It is sometimes a treat for them to get into town to meet friends and have a coffee. Not everyone has a car or can buy online on the internet and part of the joy is being able to choose your own groceries and talk to people, instead of looking at four walls and the TV. We need to use the village.”
Re-route the 26 or the 27? Although a proposal to re-route the 26 service down Pymm Ley Lane would be welcomed by some residents others are glad to have their streets bus free once again. This reader objects for a different reason. “That would put extra time on the hourly bus service, so Thanks but No Thanks,” she added. No doubt there will be consultation
Withdrawn services weren’t removed from electronic departures board before the changes, although the promised consultation with stakeholders before the February changes never materialised. A spokesperson for Arriva said they would have to review how the 26 is running before making a decision. An alternative put forward by another resident is to put the 26 back on its old route down Laundon Way and bring the 27 through the village. As there are 2 buses an hour the service could be split into 27A which would run down Pymm Ley Lane and Glebe Road, and 27B which would run to the Stamford Arms, then on to Stephenson Way and Woodbank Road back to Ratby Road. This might be welcomed by some but probably not those who catch the 27 from the Laundon Way area.
A website for enthusiasts Whilst the good folk of Groby have been quietly getting on with their lives, jumping on and jumping off buses, they never realised that the local bus service has been under observation for some years. A website blog dedicated to public transport has reported on all the ins and outs of our local services.
You can Google Publictransportexperience Groby and follow the links. The author knows what he’s talking about as he has a friend locally and has seen our buses first hand. You’ll find that the Groby articles are full of the things you probably never thought about. If you were around in 1964 you might get all nostalgic about the timetable he reproduced in his article on June 4th 2015. In 1964 the buses reached the Stamford Arms in 17 minutes off peak, compared to 18 minutes on today’s congested roads. During the rush hour journey times are inevitably much longer and the current timetable reflects the conditions. His friend provides the blog host with first class information and observations, picking up on the detail, for example the differences between some of the timings on the new printed timetables and the bus stop timetables. As he rightly points out they were all in place ready for the switch, but sadly the electronic signage at St Margaret’s bus station still gave hope to some travellers that the defunct 28 and 29X would appear if they waited long enough. Hopefully everyone arrived home safely eventually.
When I was a child I always had my nose in a book. My parents couldn’t afford Kleenex.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
THE MAN WHO DRANK THREE BEERS A MAN who had just moved to a village in County Kerry walked into the local pub and ordered three beers.
The bartender raised his eyebrows, but served the man three beers, which he drank quietly at a table, alone. Next day, the man came back to the pub and ordered three more beers. This happened again and again, until soon the village is all whispering about the “Man Who Orders Three Beers”. Finally, about a month later, the bartender broached the subject on behalf of the town. ‘Ah,’ said the man. ‘You see, I have two brothers. Long ago, one went to America, and the other to Australia. We promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank, as a way of keeping up the family bond.’ The bartender and the whole town were pleased with this answer, and soon The “Man Who Orders Three Beers” became a local celebrity. Then, one day, the man came in and ordered only two beers. The bartender poured them with a heavy heart. The word flew around town, and prayers were offered for the soul of one of the brothers. Next day, the bartender said to the man, ‘Folks around here, me first of all, want to offer our condolences to you …’ The man pondered this for a moment. ‘You’ll be happy to hear that my two brothers are alive and well. It’s just that I, myself, have decided to give up drinking for Lent.’
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‘Safer driver’ event highlights mobile phone dangers VISITORS to a ‘safer driver’ event held in Hinckley last week (Wednesday 1 March) had a chance to try out the latest and most advanced car crash simulator in the UK.
At the ‘safer driver’ event are (left to right): Sharon Stacey (HBBC Director of Community Services), Cllr The VF4 simulator was just one of several Chris Boothby, Insp Dan Eveleigh (Neighbourhood interactive aids that proved to be very popular Police Area Commander) and Paul Mortimer (Hinckley at the event, which was staged to coincide with Fire Station Manager). the introduction of tough new penalties for those who use a mobile phone whilst driving. It was organised by the Blaby and Hinckley and Bosworth Community Safety Partnership and focused on the four main causes of death or serious injury on the roads, which are: driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and drugs, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt. In addition to the VF4, there was a chance to test response times on the BATAK machine, which helps people to understand how much slower their responses are after alcohol by completing the challenge with and without beer googles on. Another extremely popular experience on the day was the VF4 360, which provided a virtual reality experience of a real-life crash from the passenger’s perspective using the latest technology. Users were given viewing headsets and earphones to provide a realistic, immersive experience of a car accident. Professionals were also at the event to raise awareness of the impact of smoking and substance misuse on driving ability. Meanwhile, the police speed van gave people an insight into police enforcement and the chance to have a go with the cameras that they use. Various agencies, including the Borough Council, Leicestershire Police and police volunteers, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and Leicestershire County Council, were on hand throughout the event to offer awareness and prevention advice to those who went along. Paul Mortimer, the Station Manager at Hinckley Fire Station, said: “This was a great opportunity to address road safety in a collaborative way with our partners and we were delighted with the excellent attendance on the day. This awareness work is important so that we can continue to work towards reducing the number of road traffic collisions and fatalities on the roads.” Councillor Chris Boothby, Chair of the Blaby and Hinckley and Bosworth Community Safety Partnership, added: “we were delighted to host this event at the Hinckley Hub. The event managed to get across some really key messages to attendees in a really interactive way. “We welcome the new harsher penalties for driving whilst using a mobile phone and this event managed to highlight the devastating results using a mobile phone whilst driving can have. We all have a part to play in shifting attitudes and making sure that using mobile phones whilst driving becomes socially unacceptable.”
Set aside half an hour every day to do all your worrying. Then take a nap during this period.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Glenfield Millennium Hanging baskets to return Green News to the village centre THE DAFFODILS are making a fine show on the Millennium Green and hopefully herald the beginning of better weather.
The heavy rain we have experienced during the last few months has led to flooding in the garden area and damage to some parts of the perimeter path. The Trustees will be putting together a bid for a grant to pay for any necessary repairs. In the last Spotlight it was interesting to read the problems associated with looking after our environment, or organising events for ‘good’ causes. As mentioned then many groups are finding it hard to recruit new (younger) people to help on a regular basis. So it is with regret that it was decided at our last meeting that we would not be having an Easter Egg Hunt this year on the Millennium Green. This was endorsed at our AGM in February, which was as poorly attended as usual. We are having our annual Plant Sale in May. If you are sowing some seed for your own garden please sow a few more than you need and donate these extra plants to us. More details nearer the time. Last year we held a Picnic on the Green to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. We would like to have another picnic this year, probably in June, but ideas for a theme would be welcome. One event that was very popular was our evening of music provided by ‘Go Ukulele Crazy’. They would like to come and entertain us again, possibly in July. So watch this space! Also in July we will be having a Garden Party in the area. We will advertise all events on the notice boards on the Green and around the local villages if we can. The gardening group continues to meet monthly on the Green and their help is invaluable for keeping the Green in good order. The next two sessions are on April 1st and May 6th from 10am – noon. Refreshments are provided at 11 am. If you would like to know more about the Green you could visit our website – www.glenfieldmillenniumgreen.org or phone 0116 2991868.
GROBY is set to look a lot more colourful this summer following a decision by the Parish Council to re-introduce flower baskets on lamp standards.
The cost has been estimated at £3,500 per annum, though it could be less if it is possible to sign a three year contract with a termination clause if the Council considers the quality is not as expected. Not all members were in favour and the question was raised about the fairness of having flower baskets only in some parts of the village. One member pointed out that all residents pay the same council tax and it could give rise to complaints like those levelled at the expenditure on Christmas lights by those who live in areas such as Field Head. Defending the proposal it was argued that most people visited the centre of the village and it was legitimate for the focus of the expenditure to be in this area. The Chair said that businesses in the village should be asked to support the example set by the Parish Council, though some members felt that based on previous experience this would be a lost cause. The issue of maintenance and watering of the baskets was raised and members were told that the price quoted was fully inclusive of all costs. The medium density baskets have water reservoirs built in to reduce the need for frequent top ups. Although it wasn’t unanimous members supported a proposal to spend £3,500 for up to 40 baskets on Markfield Road and Ratby Road. If a 3 year contract is signed any increases will be limited to inflation only.
Norman Griffiths
Letter
Latimer Players
Dear Spotlight
Re: A Point to Ponder in last month’s Spotlight AS I WAS a regular 28 bus user, I think it was a bad idea to remove this service as it has literally split the village in two. The 27 skirting to the left and the 26 bus to the right and never the twain shall meet. In the middle, the 29s use the bypass to come into the village from Coalville to Leicester. Good old ‘Arriva’ for saying buses every 10-15 & 20 minutes along the roads - that’s okay as long as you live on the main roads, but not round the village - and Groby is hilly, didn’t you know! The elderly have a job to walk far, thus restricting travel to the doctors and the Post Office, and also across to the Community Centre at Forest Rise. Also, people living on the Woodbank Road side are unable to walk to the other side of the village to visit family and friends, or get to the other Co Op on Laundon Way, as the bus doesn’t go to Pine Tree Avenue any more. Walking takes 20 minutes to get there at a good walking pace. With regard to the 26 bus going around Pymm Ley Lane/Glebe Road, that would put extra time on the HOURLY bus service, so thanks but no thanks. Just bring back the 28. Is there any hope of a smaller bus on this route - or a different bus company? But I suppose this is all due to lack of subsidies. Also, the 28 did mean we had half-hourly services with the 26, which did get us up the Ratby Road even if we did have to trundle our shopping a bit further! As for the removal of the bus stop at the centre of the village - what a ridiculous suggestion. It should remain for posterity on the demise of the disappearing buses, which just shoot through the village. A better idea would be to put a nice long bench under the shelter so us poor souls can sit and rest before walking to the next bus stop. It’s only perhaps a few minutes for you, but if you live at the top of Ratby Road or side streets, it is quite a walk to the next stop. The cars parked would just clog up an already congested village so I say a big No No to this suggestion. I am really concerned about this bus change as older people will become more isolated and although people can’t always get about so often, it is sometimes a treat for them to get into town to meet friends and have a coffee. Not everyone has a car or the internet to buy online, and part of the joy of shopping is being able to choose your own groceries and talk to people - instead of looking at four walls and the TV.
Mrs V K Blick
Murder in the Memorial Hall! THE LATIMER Players are having fun in rehearsal for their forthcoming production ‘Secondary Cause of Death’ which is the sequel to the comedy thriller ‘Murdered to Death’ written by Peter Gordon. The action takes place in 1939, as the “storm clouds are gathering over Europe”. Again we meet the inept, aptly named, Inspector Pratt, who delivers grim news to Colonel Craddock, the owner of a country house hotel This is just the beginning of our story - Who is the strange Polish Count? Is Henrietta really an army captain? And where does the flamboyant thespian Cardew Longfellow fit into the picture? When Cynthia Maple, sister of amateur sleuth Joan Maple, arrives to stage a murder mystery evening, it is not long before Inspector Pratt’s visit turns into a chaotic nightmare as the bodies pile higher than ever! The production takes place in The Memorial Hall, Anstey Lane, Thurcaston on 27th, 28th and 29th April. Tickets cost £7 each and are available from Christine Deavin, Telephone 0116 237 6855 Email christinedeavin@btinternet.com
My biggest problem is that I believe almost everything I tell myself.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
I have appealed to my friends to help me out writing articles for Spotlight and am delighted to say that they have turned up trumps, as usual. It is very difficult writing about events if you haven’t experienced them. The first two reports are from Judy who reports as follows. Ten of us went to a hilarious afternoon to see Ceri Dupree. He changed into many beautiful costumes of female artists, through a screen, he even donned tights standing up – it’s years since I was able to do that! He sang various artists’ songs sometimes using his own words and making jokes. Several members of the audience were targeted, we kept our heads down. He would ask questions such as who was the carer and did you come in coaches. An elderly lady kept replying to all his questions, very funny. We laughed through the whole show. He came on at the end and sang a beautiful rendering of “My Way”. It was difficult to believe it was the same person, an amazing afternoon.
Skittling Judy is also our skittles organiser and the team found themselves in the final of the Skittles Competition, our opponents were Anstey. She reports that they were in a great position of being able to pick a team from the 15 who went, so 8 names were picked out of a hat. Although they lost, all had a very enjoyable evening, with great food at the Royal Oak, Cossington and good company. Judy informed the passengers in her car that there was no pressure except to tell them, that if they didn’t knock the skittles down, they were walking home! All look forward to starting again in April.
Rainbows Talk Julie Feechan, a Rainbows Ambassador, was our speaker this month. Julie is a trained nurse and worked for years on the Childrens Ward in LRI. There she met a young patient Laura Moore who had come in for a blood transfusion. Her father said she was desperate to go home for Christmas. Fortunately she had her transfusion and so was able to go home. Laura died and Julie said she was really affected by her death. Her parents Harry and Gail Moore founded the charity COPE to build a children’s cancer unit at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and The Laura Centre - a bereavement counselling service for those affected by the death of a child and for bereaved children. Harry Moore also wrote of his experiences in a book entitled “White Christmas”. All the money raised from this book and
Groby WI News
Groby WI went to see female impersonator Ceri Dupree subsequent books went towards helping children’s cancers resulting in the Rainbows Centre. July didn’t want us to think Rainbows was a miserable place, it was a very happy one. Originally they took only up to 18 years of age but thanks to medical improvements, patients are often able to survive to beyond 18. Before, the only alternative was LOROS which is mainly for older patients. A great emphasis is placed on helping the family. Often parents struggle to make sure siblings enjoy life as well. So help is provided for the parents and siblings if necessary. Each patient has an individual symptom control plan, preventing pain etc., and especially end of life care. Looking after a sick child often causes great marital problems, as you can imagine. Champneys Spa Resorts is just one of the many firms to donate and they do this by giving parents a free day together at their resort. Everything is geared up to giving children a great time. One place has a rainbow glass wall, the glass panes were all individually donated making the area shine as though it is a rainbow. Each individual room has the child’s special name plate and is adapted to what the child is interested in. So a girl’s room could have “Frozen” bedding and pictures if she loves that film or the boy could have his favourite football team bedding and pictures. There are many different areas for children to enjoy themselves, a roundabout especially adapted for wheelchairs in the garden and a
soft play area, which is very popular as children can play together there. In the hydro therapy pool, children on ventilators can go in, each child having three helpers to assist. The playroom has a beach where they can “go on holiday”. There are special bathrooms, some with jacuzzis, where the water is always kept to a certain temperature as it usually helps with muscles and pains. I can quite see why Julie insists on saying it’s a happy place, everything that is done there is for the children, even down to cooking individual fish fingers if that’s what the child fancies. Well done Rainbows.
Going for a walk There have been three walks this month. Kathleen and 7 others, luckily on the day before storm Doris hit, went on the bus to Abbey Park. They very much enjoyed seeing the snowdrops and aconites whilst walking round the grounds and abbey ruins. Another group made their way to Glenfield Country Market and my friends and I did the annual snowdrop walk from Staunton Harold. Believe it or not it was a lovely sunny day, a bit on the cold side but considering the rain the previous days it was great.
Nottingham Theatre Royal trip Five cars went to Nottingham to go on a guided tour of the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall in Nottingham. Our guide was quite a dishy gentleman who called himself Ezekial Bone, dressed in a white short smock shirt, leather
trousers and a belt with pouches, very theatrical gear plus his long flowing locks. He took us around the very grand Theatre explaining, usually very dramatically, its history etc. Eventually we found ourselves in the adjoining Concert Hall which was the old Empire Theatre. In between is a passage way which can take two lorries for costume deliveries etc. One entrance will take you into the Concert Hall and the other into the Theatre. Ezekial told a story of a magician who was appearing in the Empire whose act was a disappearing trick. He ‘disappeared’ but had about 20 minutes before making his magical return. The only trouble was he wandered around, went in the wrong door and found himself on the theatre stage, of course he should have been on the Empire stage. On our tour back stage we could see how this could happen, it is a warren. The old Empire was completely pulled down and now it is a state of the art hall just the opposite of the very grand Theatre. He also explained the origins of various theatrical words such as ‘limelight”. Of course we understand that it means the centre of attention but originally it came from calcium light which was used as stage lighting for years, a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen making it hot and adding lime which resulted in a blinding white light, this was just one of the many theatrical expressions Ezekial gave us. Altogether we had a really interesting and enjoyable visit. By the way we used the Park and Ride and much to my amazement, for the first time I actually found it without going via the Queen’s Medical Hospital which until now was my usual route, I feel quite proud of myself. Another bit of great news is that we now have two new Committee members, Michelle and Annette. So our new President, Angela welcomed them to the Stamford Arms for our meeting where we had a lovely meal and then actually got down to Committee business, that’s the way to do it, is there another way?
Margaret, Judy and Kathleen
During the war, my grandfather could not stop scribbling. He got hit by a Doodlebug.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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Were you a scholar at King Spoilt Edward VII Grammar FOR choice School Coalville? IF SO then make a note in your diary for 14th October 2017. We are organizing another reunion, and very much hope you will be able to attend. It will be held at Newbridge High School on Forest Road the old school building. Parking is available there. We have sent out letters and emails to people on our data base but our contacts are limited so if you or anyone you know would like to attend please let us know, preferably by email, at CGSReunion@ clubmember.org or Geoff Haines Tel 01162546591 CGS Reunion 13 Brampton Avenue, Leicester, LE36DA. Venue - Newbridge High School Forest Road, Coalville Date - October 14th 2017 1pm to 9pm. Cost £4.00 or a further £6 if you require a Ploughmans meal (This must be pre booked) It would be helpful if you could tell us if you are coming if possible but you can just turn up on the day and pay at the door. Do try and come share your memories and make new friends. You will be made very welcome.
Are YOU organising a school or works reunion? If so, tell us about it and we’ll publicise it in The Spotlight for you. Fab!
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Word Search Puzzle CHOCOLATE BAR Wordsearch
3/12/2017
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IF YOU can find 12 CHOCOLATE BARS in this issue’s Wordsearch puzzle, you could win yourself a meal and Solutions for Districts a drink. This month we are offering a tasty prize of: A Main Course for Two, plus Free Resources A Bottle of House Wine at The FieldHead Hotel.
Teachers To go into the draw, What We Offer all you have to do is find - andWho We Are mark a line through - 12 WELL-KNOWN TYPES OF CHOCOLATE BAR. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). Send Mmmmm! Mars Bar. your entry to: A MARS A DAY, Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Saturday 1st R E K C E D E L B U O D E F S S U April 2017. Remember to include your name and address. The first M Y Y B F Z A S G L U Y N T V B F all-correct entry drawn out of the hat will win the priz e. Good luck! W I P L O O Q P F D B O O W R R S D I L H R E A A S R E R R A H A U H G D K N U B K E I T K E A U Q A P I V L Y B W I M G W I L J Y W U B D R O O W H Y I X A E B X M H P F M N U M C A W L S K Y O H U X L G O N X N Y K Y M R N D T Y T A C T T X U N X X K P K U K D S G P I Y P R R T E W B Z L I C B I W A P K C G P T V H N B S I N U R F U O O X S N I C K E R S I Q U F S L T R Z K T U Q U X R O W O O H A L T B Q W C M E C A F B F F K B S D P Y R R T K X M J Y H B Y L H Z P J F T A K T I K L A C G R B Q V U N
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Last Month’s Wordsearch Winner The first correct entry drawn out was from: MRS. M. HUTT of Jacqueline Road, Field Head Congratulations! Your prize will be with you soon.
Publicise your forthcoming community events in The Spotlight! Let us know what you’re planning and we’ll give you a free mention! Amazing!
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Years ago, I used to supply Filofaxes to the Mafia - I was involved in very organised crime.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
New Exhibition by Paul Dexter CHARNWOOD ARTS is delighted to present a new show at Loughborough’s Queens Park Cafe by Charnwood based artist Paul Dexter. He spent his formative years as a graffiti artist gaining a reputation and following as CAPER. Over the last few years Paul has developed his bold graffiti style into strong and characterful landscapes. He still uses his local environment as his main inspiration but also paints scenes from his holiday locations. Charnwood Museum manager Cassandra Costello said: “We are really pleased to be hosting an exhibition of Paul Dexter’s work here at Queen’s Park cafe. The artworks are vibrant and varied and add a real splash of colour during these winter months.’ Paul has exhibited widely, including at the Graff HQ, the Cank Street Open and the YMCA in Leicester, Bradgate Park, Melbourne Festival Art Trail and every Albert Street Artists show since 2009. Paul will also be taking part in Urban Rural at The Eye Leicester soon. Paul is a member of Loughborough’s contemporary art group ArtSpace, Leicester Sketch Club and has his studio at Albert Street Artists in Loughborough. His Loughborough exhibition is open during all Queens Park cafe opening times until April 30th. All of the paintings are for sale via Charnwood Museum’s main desk. Paul also undertakes commissions. Contact him via Jemma Bagley at Charnwood Arts on 01509 822558 or by email to jemmab@ charnwoodarts.com
If you enjoyed reading this issue of Groby Spotlight, please pass it on to a friend or relative after you’ve finished with it. Thanks!
Groby WI - Not All Jam, Jerusalem and Naked Calendars THE TRADITIONAL view of the Women’s Institute is one of jam making, knitting and mature ladies listening to dull speakers on boring subjects such as the ‘History of the tea Towel’. The 2003 ‘Calendar Girls’ film raised the profile of Knapely Women’s Institute with one of the highlights being the publication of their charity naked calendar raising millions for Leukaemia research. The WI was formed during World War 1 to encourage countrywomen to get involved in growing and preserving food to help increase supply to the wartorn nation. It has always been associated with craft and cooking, but education and the sharing of skills has been at the heart of the WI, together with the desire to make a difference both locally and nationally by getting involved with campaigns on issues that affect women. In the 1920s Jerusalem, with its association with the fight for women’s suffrage, was considered appropriate for the emerging WI movement. Although often sung at the start of meetings it has never formally been adopted as the WI’s official anthem. There are more than 212,000 members in approximately 6300 WIs across Britain and Groby WI has been in place for 64 years with a current membership of more than 60. Recently, there has been increased interest in starting up new WIs with a branch opening in a women’s prison in 2012. Groby WI forms part of the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation and with 6 other institutes the smaller Bradgate Group, which provides the opportunity to participate in wider events including competitions in darts, skittles and more. We have held the Winners’ silver cup in skittles many times which fortunately doesn’t involve much polishing as it is only 4 inches high. We are very active socially with regular visits to Curve, de Montfort Hall, Kilworth House outdoor theatre as well as walks and outings; we recently visited Middleport Pottery which is the host of the Great Pottery Throw Down. Being a member also provides access to Denman College which is a short-stay residential adult education college in Oxfordshire offering day schools and residential courses. Crafts and cooking are still in evidence today and each year we join together with the Gardening Society to host the Annual Village Show giving all ages the opportunity to display their crafts, cooking, preserving
and gardening skills. This year’s event takes place on Saturday 19th August and schedules will be available in April; so look out for these in various venues around the village and consider having a go. I have submitted some interesting exhibits in the past and enjoyed success with first prizes for my photography but also suffered the ignominy of being disqualified for my lemon curd. A definite room for improvement there. We meet at 7:30 every third Thursday of the month in the Groby Village Hall and aim to have speakers or demonstration that will appeal to all ages and interests. This year’s speakers include: April 20: Delia Bennett: Reflections in Rhyme May 18: Social Evening June 15: Matthew Copley: Love Food Hate Waste July 20: Janet Roe: Judge and Jury August 17: Julie Ede: Edith Piaf Sept. 21: Prof Gavin Murphy (Glenfield Hospital): Cardiac Surgery Research October 19: Maxine Geary: Making Hedgehogs out of an old diary November 16: AGM: Social Evening December 7: Christmas Special: Social Evening
The programme is devised well in advance and bookings for 2018 are well in hand. There are plans to celebrate our 65th birthday and definitely no intention to retire. More details will be issued later in the year but so far we aim to tickle those taste buds with a demonstration and tasters from the Cocktail Shaker Boys, hold a glass fusion workshop and of course eat plenty of cake. Consider coming along and giving us a try. Annual membership currently stands at £39 per annum but you can visit for £4 and we will do our best to make you welcome. If you have any questions, please contact any of the committee or our Membership Secretary, Fran Wilson on 0116 2245479. We will hope to entertain, educate and encourage friendship with no threat to appear in a Groby WI naked calendar – well at least not yet.
Angela Taylor President Groby WI
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT
Telephone
01530-244069 Email us at: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk Visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 3,500 copies distributed 11 times a year (no issue in July) to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings. Compiled and published in the Parish of Groby & Field Head. Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press. The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.
NEXT ISSUE OUT ON: 15th April 2017 DEADLINE: 1st April
In certain parts of the world, people still pray in the streets. In this country, they’re called pedestrians.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Borough Councillors’ Monthly Report Klondike Appeal
reminding residents that they will need to renew their subscriptions by 31 March.
A new barrister has been appointed by the Borough Council following Marrons Shakespeare pulling out of representing both the Borough and Parish Council at the upcoming appeal. The first conference with council took place on 9th March at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council. Cllr Hollick and Cllr Cartwright were both present. The appeal itself takes place at the Hinckley Hub on 4th and 5th April 2017. The appeal is open to members of the public and we would encourage Groby residents to attend.
Barclays Bank You may have heard about an application by Gem Wines to store wine in the vault of what was Barclays Bank on Ratby Road. This application has been withdrawn with effect of 7 March 2017
Borough Council Tax Increase The Borough Council will increase its council tax charge for 2017/18 by a little over four per cent - following a decision of the full council at its budget-setting meeting on Thursday (23 February). This means the average Band D council tax (including the Special Expense Area) for the Borough Council will increase by £5, resulting in a charge of £122.09 for the year. This figure will be supplemented by the charges levied by Leicestershire County Council (£1,172.38), the Police and Crime Commissioner (£187.23) and the Fire Authority (£62.84). Last year the Government gave dispensation to those councils who have low levels of council tax (in the lowest quartile) to enable a rise of up to £5 a year, in recognition of their prudence. The Borough Council for 2016/17 had the 11th lowest council tax set by district councils in the country and will remain well within the lowest quartile, even if it maintains increases of £5 a year for the next three years. The council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy, covering the period up to and including 2012/21, also includes a commitment to make efficiency savings from the restructure of management of £290,654 a year from 2017/18, as part of an agreement with central
Martin Cartwright Call: 0116 287 4500 Mobile: 078 50 70 70 50 E-mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk Write: Maverick House, 10 Pine Tree Avenue Groby, LE6 0EQ government to secure a four year ‘deal’ to ‘lock-in’ levels of government grant. Overall, this package of measures will enable the council to plan ahead with much more certainty over the next four years, to operate a balanced budget, to maintain and improve services year on year, and to deliver other priority projects and initiatives suggested by local communities.
Cllr Chris Boothby’s Letter in Spotlight last month In response to the letter from Cllr Boothby whereby he claims Cllr Hollick and I misguided you in our previous Spotlight Article (January 2017) regarding the Public Space Protection Order. The article he refers to and takes issue with was a direct reprint of the administrations press office at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council. Therefore any issues he has with it were produced by the Borough Council itself and he should have chosen to take the issue up with his own administration rather than attempt to convince the readers of the Spotlight that we had mislead you. I can assure you there was no attempt to do that by Cllr Hollick or myself.
Cllr Cartwright’s Request for Registered Charities to Receive a Dispensation from the Green Waste Charge During the budget meeting for the Borough Council I discovered that the green waste charge has been a massive success (can’t say all residents are happy though) resulting in more
Ted Hollick Call: 0116 287 5955 Mobile: 07962 373983 E-mail: ted.hollick@tesco.net Write: 7 Shaw Wood Close, Groby, LE6 0FY
people subscribing than the administration initially anticipated. The result of this is they have raised more money than they anticipated. Some of this money is going into the Parish’s Community Fund but at the council meeting when the budget came up it seemed the right time for me to ask the question why some of this goodwill can be returned to deserving charities and community groups who by the maintaining of green spaces brings more community benefit than the charge does in financial terms. Needless to say my suggestion was rejected but then there is the old saying “if you don’t ask you don’t get” For clarity the response I received is enclosed below Dear Martin Following the request at Council to consider the charges for the garden waste service for charities, I can advise that this was raised today with the lead member for the service Cllr Mark Nickerson at his briefing session. I can confirm the charge for garden waste for charities was discussed – agreed charge to continue for all users: cost is low, charities can compost if they don’t want the service, and technically it is likely it is commercial waste. All fees and charges will be reviewed for 18-19 later in the year. I can also advise that Rugby DC have just introduced a charge for their garden waste service at £40 again with no concessions. Unfortunately I am a rate payer to them. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me. Regards, Rob Parkinson
Reminder to renew Garden Waste Collection Service ALMOST a year after the introduction of a payment-based garden waste collection service in Hinckley & Bosworth, the Borough Council is
To ensure the service continues uninterrupted, subscriptions should be renewed as soon as possible because bins that do not display the correct 2017/18 sticker will not be emptied after 1 April. Therefore residents are advised to make payment by 17 March to allow 10 working days for the sticker to be delivered. Renewals can be made online at www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/ gardenwaste, where the council has made significant improvements to the system that was used 12 months ago. Alternatively, call the council on 01455 238141. Payments can be made by either credit or debit card, but residents should be aware that a small surcharge is made for credit card payments. The price has been frozen and remains at £24 for 2017/18. Those who have already set up a direct debit don’t need to do anything, and should receive their new bin sticker soon. The sticker can be placed on the bin as soon as it is received. So far, 74 per cent of households that previously used the garden waste service have continued to do so since the introduction of the charge. Garden waste is still collected on a fortnightly basis, closing only for two weeks over Christmas and New Year. This means that each collection costs just 96 pence. Payment for the service can be made at any time throughout the year. For those who choose not to subscribe to the service there are other options for disposing of their garden waste including: 1. Composting at home - garden waste and other material can be recycled by purchasing a low cost compost bin from www. getcomposting.com 2. Taking garden waste to a Leicestershire County Council Household Waste & Recycling Site (see www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ environment-and-planning/wasteand-recycling)
We Are Here To Help You Should you have any comments or problems you would like us to mention in our articles please get in touch. Please remember if we can ever be of service to you or your family please do not hesitate to contact us, our details are listed above. Kind regards
Martin Cartwright & Ted Hollick
Every 10 seconds, somewhere on Earth, there is a woman giving birth to a child. She must be found and stopped.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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Invitation to information event
New staff volunteering scheme set up to support local communities
LEICESTERSHIRE Partnership NHS Trust is launching a new social good scheme called WeCitizen, which allows its staff to volunteer some of their time and skills to help communities living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This scheme arises from LPT’s refreshed Corporate Social Responsibility goals, and a commitment to go above and beyond to support local communities harnessing the worthy efforts of its socially conscious workforce. The Trust is holding an information event on Thursday 23 March 2016 at the Leicester Arena, open to any organisation or community that works for social benefit to learn more about what the scheme can offer, how it will work, and how to sign up. Rob Melling, Head of Community Development and WeCitizen Lead explains: “We want to build relationships with organisations that do fantastic work in the local communities across our city and county. We want to add value to what is already happening by donating staff time and skills to support local organisations. We hope that the WeCitizen initiative will help to continue and create new opportunities for local people to lead healthy, happy lives” The WeCitizen scheme has been designed to be flexible to the needs of local organisations, giving LPT staff two days pro rata a year to spend on community volunteering. The volunteering opportunities can range from the big to small: whether it is IT support or painting a facility, for example. The event is an open invitation for organisations to come and find out more about the scheme and suggest what types of volunteers would be helpful. The WeCitizen information event will take place on Thursday 23 March 2017, 13:30 – and 15:30 (registration at 13:30, event starting at 14:00) at Leicester Arena, 31 Charter Street, Leicester, LE1 3UD. To attend, please RSVP by contacting the WeCitizen Team at WeCitizen@leicspart.nhs.uk
Exploring the strange journeys that words take EVER WONDERED why we pass news on ‘through the grapevine’, or why it is a shock to ‘let the cat out of the bag’? The origin of hundreds of everyday words and phrases can be found in a vast and fascinating guide called ‘The Etymologicon’. Here you can discover many of ‘the strange back alleys and extraordinary and ridiculous journeys that words take,’ to quote the compiler, Mark Forsyth. Hence, ‘through the grapevine’ began as the ‘grapevine telegraph’, a phrase used in the US Civil War, which described the unofficial, word-ofmouth network used by Confederate soldiers while drinking wine, or by slaves while picking grapes from vines. ‘Let the cat out of the bag’ dates back to medieval markets in Britain, where piglets were sold in bags (a pig in a poke). But a common con was to switch the valuable piglet for a worthless cat or dog: hence buyers were either ‘sold a pup’ or, when they discovered the ruse, ‘let the cat out of the bag’. To give someone the ‘cold shoulder’ came from the sort of mutton leftovers given to unwelcome house-guests. A ‘hoax’ grew from hocuspocus, a Protestant taunt of the rite of consecration used in the Roman Mass: Hoc est corpus meum (This is my body). ‘Winging it’ comes from actors learning their lines in the wings; ‘in a nutshell’ comes from Pliny, the Roman writer who claimed there was a copy of The Iliad so small it could fit in a nutshell. ‘Average’ comes from an old French term avarie, meaning ‘damage done to a ship’. Vessels were often co-owned, and when repairs were done, the owners were expected to pay an equal share, or the average.
Newbold Verdon Jazz Club THE MARCH jazz event at the club saw The Sopranos entertaining a large audience of traditional jazz fans, including a lot of new faces which was great to see.
Next month sees a return of The Wabash Jazzmen who are always very popular. Do come along to Newbold Verdon Social Club on Friday April 7th at 8.00pm and join us. Admission £9.00 with drinks and rolls at club prices. For more details contact Kelvin on 01455 822824 or Pauline on 01162 863496 or see the clubs website: newboldverdonjazz.wix.com/home.
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I tried some of that revitalising shampoo. My hair was awake all night.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Scout Group News ANOTHER busy month at the 73rd Groby Scout Group. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t been particularly kind and this has kept many of the activities restricted to indoors – not something most Scouts like too much! – far better to get outside and have fun! However, the weather can’t stop the group from keeping active. At the beginning of the month the Cubs went out to Tesco in Hamilton to take part in the “Farm to Fork” trail. This activity involves them having a tour of the store and learning about where our food comes from and how the “supply chain” works. A fantastic evening was had, with multiple ‘tasting’ opportunities, and rear of house tours – including a tour of the bakery – Cubs also learnt about food groups and healthy eating – many thanks to the staff of Tesco’s who made it such an enjoyable evening. Success at the North East District Swimming Gala for the Group! On a cold Saturday evening in February Scout Groups from all over the North East Leicestershire District congregated at Cossington Street Swimming baths to take part in the bi-annual swimming gala. A hugely successful and well attended event organised by the North East District management team produced an evening of fun and excitement for all. Groby Scout Group made us all proud - Scouts placed second in their group, Cubs also placed second and the Beavers put in a sterling performance representing Groby but were unfortunately unable to secure a top 3 position in their group. On a Friday night meeting 30 Scouts and 10 Explorers formed 9 teams to participate in the “Crisis Command” event which was organised by 5 Leaders (aka The Brain). This involves dealing with the crisis of a fictitious road accident involving several vehicles and casualties. Teams were provided with information throughout the night on the reports coming in to the Police Control Room from the scene and witnesses. At the end of the event they completed the Police Accident Form to see how much they had observed and recorded. The event was designed to give them “hands on” experience in dealing with emergencies and also to hone their observational and reporting skills – the development of life skills being a critical aim of the scouting community – a great evening was had by all - Thanks to Ordnance Survey who produced the original activity, and to all the Leaders for organising the event. Pancakes! What would February be without pancakes? Beavers,
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Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers all turned their hand to making pancakes under the watchful supervision of their leaders. Pancakes were flipped vigorously – although not all returned to the pans as anticipated! – and countless pancakes were eaten by voracious kids! Next month sees the first Group Camp of the season, and we’ll bring you a full report as soon as we can – let’s hope the weather sees fit to be kind! THIS MONTH’S SCOUTING FACTS – things that you probably didn’t know about Scouting! • During World War II over 50,000 Scouts trained to undertake National War Service jobs, including acting as police messengers, firemen and stretcher bearers. • 31 million people are active in Scouting across the world – that’s equal to the population of Peru. • Scout Groups in Merseyside hold the current world record for the longest handshake chain. • Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys has sold 150 million copies since 1908, making it the fourth bestselling book of all time after The Bible, The Koran and Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book. • In the past one hundred years, over half a billion men and women have taken the Scout Promise. • In January 2012, Scout Bryony Balen became the youngest ever Briton to ski to the South Pole at 21. • To mark the centenary of Scouting in 2007, Scouts planted half a million trees across the UK. • There are only five countries in the world that do not have Scouting – China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Andorra. • Scouts were the original
• Green Tilt FISHING UMBRELLA, complete with sides, pegs etc., Very good condition. Price: £21.00 • FISHING KIT: Rods,reels,rod bag,landing net,tackle box with hooks, weights,lines and accessories. Complete with Fishermans bag. Price: £18.00. Tel:
Olympic Games Makers. During the 1948 ‘austerity’ Olympics in London, Scouts were described as ‘The Oil within the Wheels of the Olympic Games Organisation’ – performing tasks like serving tea, running messages and carrying placards in the opening ceremony. • Gilwell Park, the Scouts’ UKHQ is home to part of the old London Bridge designed in the 19th Century by John Rennie. The rest is in Arizona. • Each day 100,000 people in the UK take part in Scouting activities – more than the capacity of Wembley stadium. • The first World Scout Jamboree in 1920 was attended by 8,000 Scouts from 34 countries as well as an alligator from Florida, a baby crocodile from Jamaica, a lioness cub from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), monkeys from South Africa, a baby elephant and a camel. If you would like to get involved, as a Leader or Helper, then please contact The Group Scout Leader – gsl@grobyscouts.org.uk – we are always looking for volunteers who can help so that we can continue to grow the group and offer the scouting experience to even more children. YIS (Yours in Scouting)
Andy Stone – ACSL
• Lady’s TROUSER SUIT M&S (Per Una) Size 12 Long. Deep purple. Worn once. Price: £20.00 • Lady’s SKIRT and Matching JACKET Size 10. Dark Brown. Never worn. Cost £60.00. Accept £20.00. • Charmax 7X Magnifying LED lighted MAKE-UP MIRROR. Unwanted gift. Price: £10.00 Tel: 0116 287 4920 IF YOU HAVE any household items which you’d like to advertise FREE in the Spotlight, please SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum EIGHT items please. Our postal address is Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk. Please put ‘Small Ads’ in the subject line, and include your postal address (not for publication).
To Advertise in Groby Spotlight, contact Mike Wilkinson on 01530 244069 or send an email to: info@ grobyspotlight. co.uk
I bought some travel sweets but they were useless. I ate the whole packet. Didn’t go anywhere.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Sunday 19th March at 3.30pm
Market Bosworth unveils special tribute to Richard III A SPECIALLY-COMMISSIONED artwork to commemorate the final journey of King Richard III is to be unveiled in Market Bosworth later this month. The unveiling of a commemorative stone will take place on Sunday 19 March, close to the place in the Market Place where the mortal remains of the king rested on their journey between Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Leicester Cathedral two years ago. The project has been led by Market Bosworth Parish Council, which commissioned artist Damian Witty of Loughborough to carve the stone. Damian has been working on the project from his studio in Coleorton since last year. Fund-raising from the sale of the “Bosworth Rose” and other community activities back in 2015 have contributed to the costs of the work, as has a financial donation from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. The unveiling will take place in the Market Place at 3.30pm and the dedication of the artwork will be accompanied by singing from the community choir and children from St Peters Academy. During the afternoon, from 1pm until 5pm, there will also be a host of community activities taking place - including falconry, a group of reenactors, medieval musicians and a mobile cinema. Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Market Bosworth Society will also have stalls. John Wasteney, Chairman of Market Bosworth Parish Council, said: “For me, 22 March 2015 was a memorable day here in Market Bosworth, as it was for many people, and it is pleasing to be able to commemorate that historic event with the unveiling of this special artwork for local people and visitors to our village to see”. Councillor Stan Rooney, the Borough Council’s Heritage Champion, said: “We are proud of the heritage of our Borough and delighted to be part of this special event dedicated to Richard III in Market Bosworth. We value the history of the area and are pleased to support ways to recognise this for our residents and tourists alike ”.
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LEADER helping local rural businesses to grow
Grants of up to £35,000 for existing and start-up businesses if they have:
an idea to grow their business under 50 employees are in the LEADER area (includes businesses from all sectors)
For more information contact: The LEADER Team Email: leaderproject@northwarks.gov.uk Tel: 01827 719 271 Website: www.englandsruralheart.org Facebook: /NWHBLEADER Twitter: /NwhbLeader
BR F A SH IRST ND NO OW FL NEW W RO OO OP OM R EN
Come and see our exciting new displays of beds and bedroom furniture
Coalville Furniture Superstore, 79 - 81 Belvoir Road, Coalville LE67 3PH (former Co-op department store) Tel: 01530 833311 Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm, Sunday closed. Car park at rear.
The challenge of retirement is how to spend time without spending money.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Another contender for Leicester’s worst view
Reader Richard Riley gives his nomination to Norman Griffiths IN THE JANUARY Spotlight readers were asked if the recently exposed rear elevation of the Corn Exchange is the worst view in Leicester.
R
EADER Richard Riley doesn’t think so, and his nomination will be applauded by all who travel the A50 into Leicester.
“Those of us who commute into Leicester city centre every day will be able to testify that the derelict bomb sites in Woodgate and Frog Island present a truly depressing impression to everyone entering the city along this important gateway,” he said. Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby agrees, adding that “the poor appearance and lack of investment in sites in this area makes a poor ‘front door’ for visitors to our city.” Wikipedia says that the site was not an island before the late-eighteenth century, and was created by the completion of the improved Soar Navigation between Loughborough and Leicester in 1794. This involved constructing a new section of canal to by-pass a meander in the River Soar. The area enclosed by the river and the canal, and road which crosses it is what we know as Frog Island. The author of this Wikipedia item explains that the island was historically partly covered by the Abbey Meadows, which were too marshy for construction. In 1877, the meadows were drained and incorporated into Abbey Park. “The purpose of the Leicester Navigation was to make the River Soar navigable to commercial traffic, and particularly to allow the transportation of coal produced in the Leicestershire region. Upon the completion of the Navigation in 1794, goods could be taken by boat down the Soar to the River Trent. Moreover, the opening of the Leicester to Swannington Railway in 1832 meant that the coal fields of Leicestershire were even better linked with the Soar and the Grand Union Canal, which extends as far as London. Frog Island is located at the epicentre of this connection, and as a result much of the island became highly industrialised in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By the mid-twentieth century there were several large mills on Frog Island. These manufactured clothing, machinery (particularly for the production of textiles)
and materials demanded by the city’s hosiery trade, such as spun wool and dyes. Frog Island had easy access to water from the river and canal, which was particularly important in the dyeing industry. It was also provided water for the operation of steam and waterpowered milling equipment. The western tip of the island was crossed by the Great Central Main Line, which linked Leicester with Sheffield and Nottingham in the north, and Marylebone Station in the south. The line was closed as part of the Beeching Axe reorganisation in the 1960s.” The island’s prime location at the intersection of several transport routes made it an important location for industrial activity but many of the large factories built have closed, become derelict, damaged by vandals and by fire, or demolished. For years it seems to have been redevelopment promises, promises, with ambitious plans for the area scuppered by the financial crisis. But now something seems to be happening, though completion will take many years.
New homes and new work spaces planned
“My vision for the waterside is to attract new investment to create a vibrant and thriving new neighbourhood with new homes and new work spaces,” said City Mayor Peter Soulsby. “Leicester waterside is a hidden gem. The area is located to the north west of the city centre between the A6 and Rally Park and contains the river Soar and Grand Union Canal. These waterways are an underused and often under appreciated asset, cut off from the rest of the city by historical industrial development, some of this area suffers from high levels of vacancy and dereliction. The regeneration of the Waterside is an opportunity to turn the area around, bring in new investment and create a vibrant and thriving neighbourhood with new homes and new workspaces. The project will make the most of the City’s waterways and open up opportunities for many more people to enjoy them.”
The City Council has received £25 million of funding over five years to help kick-start development and are moving ahead with plans to regenerate the Waterside area. This will see around 300 new homes, new offices, shops, green space and canal-side paths. The homes will be a mixture of town houses and flats. New public squares and play spaces will be integrated into the streets to provide a connection between homes and waterways. The plans for the area submitted in May 2015 were subsequently granted planning permission, but due to constraints on the site development must take place in phases. The funding the Council has received is to acquire and prepare the site. A resolution for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) was made as the first step and the Council has been negotiating with affected landowners since June 2015. It now owns most of the site through voluntary agreements. There is likely to be a public enquiry this year with the acquisition and vacant possession of the full site following if there is a favourable decision. A number of businesses, including National Grid and Western Power Distribution, have lodged objections to the Compulsory Purchase proposals. On the A50 this first redevelopment will run from the Soar Lane/Sanvey Street junction with Great Central Street north to the Grand Union Canal opposite Kubek Furniture. The western boundary will be River Soar and the island between the river and the canal. This includes New Henry Street, Pingle Street and Swan Street. It will also include streets south of Soar Lane down to All Saints Road. Keepmoat Homes, chosen as the Council’s development partner, will be obliged to complete at least 100 homes and over 1,850sqm of new office space by 2020. New office development on the A50, from Sanvey Gate to Frog Island should provide a more attractive gateway to the city centre, but we’ll have to wait and see how long it takes to remove the eyesore completely. It could take some time.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-MARCH 2017 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
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