l Spring water from Melbourne is helping the battle to reduce the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans Page 2
l The story of Bella (right), the Belgian Shepherd dog, captured the hearts of everyone at a glittering pets award ceremony in London. Find out why on Page 9
VULNERABLE members of the Melbourne community have been turning to parish councillors in desperation because they are struggling to access services at the surgery, a public meeting heard.
Parish councillors meeting in Melbourne told how they had been contacted by elderly residents who did not know where else to turn in order to book an appointment
As reported in the January Village Voice, the surgery has temporarily suspended the facility to book advance appointments due to a Government directive for as many people as possible to be given their booster vaccine
Since the end of December, patients have had to call or attend the surgery at 8am in order to be given a same-day appointment
This can mean queuing up outside
the surgery first thing in the morning and then talking to a receptionist over the intercom before being admitted, or waiting – often for a lengthy period –on the phone
Cllr David Smith said: “I have been approached as a parish councillor because I don’t think they know who else to turn to They are coming to us out of pure desperation ”
The parish council has tried in the past to formally complain about the surgery, but were told the process for doing this was that an individual patient had to do so
Melbourne and Chellaston Surgery, when contacted by the Village Voice, has said that to comply with Whitehall’s instruction the NHS workforce needed to do what it could to get the nation boosted; clinicians trained in administering Covid vaccines were
by Lucy Stephens
running booster clinics in the afternoons rather than their routine clinics, while other GPs untrained in vaccines were continuing to see patients needing urgent medical care
The surgery said it had administered just over 400 Covid vaccines in December and January, including GPs visiting housebound patients and care homes This meant 88 per cent of patients eligible for the booster vaccine had now had it Vaccine weekend clinics were introduced in Melbourne and Chellaston to cater for working people, and GPs returned to seeing patients
The surgery did say some people due to attend a weekend clinic had not turned up, which was “disappointing”
Practice manager Alison Coomer said: “The practice is aware of comments made on social media that the GPs are not seeing anybody and just taking money for doing vaccines
“Firstly, we are only able to claim for the number of vaccines given and at no time has a GP that isn't doing a Covid booster clinic been sat doing nothing
“The figures for January prove very much otherwise There was a total of 1,665 appointments booked with a GP by patients needing assistance These will have been either telephone appointments or face to face
“In addition to this our duty GP, of which we have one every day, has had 600 patient contacts throughout January for patients needing urgent medical assistance Some of these will have resulted in a visit, hospital admission, or seeing the patient in sur-
gery ”
In addition, staff have also signed up to work extended hours, said Alison, meaning GPs, nurses and reception staff are working regular Saturday shifts across both sites, for telephone and face to face appointments
The surgery reported that 300 patients were seen outside the core hours of Monday to Friday, 8am to 6 30pm, and these clinics would be continuing “for the foreseeable future” and could be pre-booked online, in person, or on the phone
Additional appointments creating further capacity had also been provided since the middle of January, resulting in an extra 263 patients being dealt with by a GP n A further response from the surgery is featured on Page 3
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The Lounge, Melbourne Assembly Rooms at 7.00pm - All Parishioners are invited to attend -
HOMEGROWN dancing queens – and kings – brought the house down at a show put on at Oakden School of Dance.
The dance school, which meets in Melbourne on Saturday mornings, held its show at Landau Forte Academy in Derby on January 29 and 30
It was the first time the academy had held its show, which normally
happens every year, since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic
The school has been run by Mandy Gregory for the past 25 years. It was started by her parents in Barrowupon-Trent around 20 years before that!
Pupils from Melbourne, Willington and Findern performed in the two shows at Landau Forte, to a selection
of songs including Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran, Black Magic by Jonasu and Jai Ho by the Pussycat Dolls. Mandy said: “They all did so well and performed brilliantly. Myself and Charlotte are so proud of each and every one of them ” Oakden’s next show is being held on March 11, 2023
SOUTH Derbyshire District Council’s Climate Action Plan is the highest scoring district council in the East Midlands in a report released by Climate Emergency UK.
The council’s plan scored 70 per cent, well above the average of 43 per cent for district and borough councils, placing it joint ninth out of all district and borough councils in the UK
Climate Emergency UK have published the council climate plan scorecards – their assessment of councils’ Climate Action Plans where each council is given an overall percentage and a ‘scorecard’
The scorecard shows results from themes including governance, mitigation, targets, diversity, inclusion, education and training
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South Derbyshire District Council’s plan received top marks for ‘measuring and setting emissions targets’, as it ‘clearly measured current carbon emissions in the district and set emissions targets for the whole district’ and ‘highlighted action areas for emissions reductions and not simply carbon offsetting’
South Derbyshire District Council is one of
only 86 councils to have a net-zero target of 2030 or earlier
The council’s plan also scored highly on ‘governance, development and funding’ because it contained ’clearly identified high level responsibility in the organisation’ and ‘included science backed net-zero targets’ and ‘set out a plan for funding and costing’
Communications and community engagement were also commended
Over the last year the council has appointed a climate and environment officer, developed a new climate web page, improved its procurement tendering process, delivered environmental awareness training, business support and open days £170,000 of government grants have been spent on a Property Flood Resilience Recovery Support Scheme and the council has ensured that 99 8% of the 5,000 private rented properties in the district meet new energy efficiency regulations
In June, the council installed 16 new electric vehicle ‘fast’ charging points
SPRING water from Melbourne is being used in an eco-campaign to try to reduce ocean plastic
The water is being sourced from Highfields on Cockshut Lane, and is being put into cans rather than plastic bottles for the “Think Ocean” spring water range
David Smith, of the National Forest Spring Water Company, said: “I’m pleased that the water is going towards being used in sustainable packaging to save the use of single use plastics ” Water from Highfields comes from a bore hole more than 200 feet underground
Fit for human consumption, the water is naturally filtered through the limestone and other minerals in the ground
Derby charity, Think Ocean, started out in 1992 to stop whale hunting in the South Pacific
Since then, they have been working on global environmental projects, and the current mission is to try to end plastic pollution
Around eight million pieces of plastic make their way into the world’s oceans daily Indeed, research suggests that by 2050 there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish
The Think Ocean cans are made from aluminium which can be recycled forever and uses less energy to produce
The cans are intended to be collectable, featuring different species that need help portrayed on the front
PLANS for a 60-space car park on Blackwell Lane and a premises licence for up to 1,000 people at comedy and music events are among the latest plans from Melbourne Hall.
Roger Lowe, of Stable Ales in the Melbourne Hall courtyard, came to Melbourne Parish Council to update members on the hall’s latest plans at its meeting on February 1
One plan is for a car park on a green field at Blackwell Lane, which is proposed to be a paid-for enterprise operating 365 days a year
Mr Lowe said the proposal for the car park would be for it to have a natural look rather than Tarmac, with some additional planting around the area
It would be controlled by a barrier and the hope would be it would also help alleviate the town’s car parking problems
He said: “Having lived in Melbourne for three years now, traffic and car parking is a concern, isn’t it? It can be congested ”
by Lucy StephensAnother application being submitted by the hall is for a premises licence for events in the walled garden
Following on from comedy acts held in the garden last year which featured big names such as Reginald D Hunter, the hall is now applying for a licence to accommodate twice the number of people
Last year ’s events were for 300 to 400 people, and the plan is for between 8001,000 to be accommodated under the terms of a new licence
A series of events is being planned for the walled garden area, including three backto-back comedy nights and a ‘low level’ symphonic orchestra evening – a “West End musical type event”, said Mr Lowe
As regards car parking for events at the hall, Mr Lowe said it had been found last year that most people attended on foot, and there were only about eight to 10 extra
He said it was expected that, as with last year, a high percentage of attendees would be from the local area Also, sound and lighting equipment would be the same as it was in 2021, so there would not be more noise or light disturbance
The proposal is for people to attend events in the walled garden by walking down Pool Road
Mr Lowe said noise management plans would be prepared, and events would be staffed and marshalled
Cllr Joe Ward, speaking in the meeting, said: “I went to the events last year and they were brilliantly put on ”
An application for a pergola for the ‘Sitooterie’ coffee bar at the front of the hall, has already been submitted, and there is also a glamping site proposal next to Common Farm, for which no plans have been submitted yet
The parish council thanked Mr Lowe for keeping them informed on the hall’s plans
MELBOURNE and Chellaston Medical Practice has responded further to complaints raised about the quality of its service in the parish council meeting on February 1
The surgery has said additional appointments had provided further capacity since mid-January, resulting in an extra 263 patients being able to be dealt with by a GP
The surgery has also said that a GP also does much background work, for example: filing blood test results, triaging home visit requests and signing prescriptions
Practice manager Alison Coomer said: “With regards to booking appointments, this is constantly reviewed
“The general feedback from patients is that they prefer this way as it does mean more appointments are available each day, rather than having to wait for a prebooked appointment That being said we totally understand and acknowledge that there are patients who prefer to be able to pre-book appointments, so we will likely offer a few appointments that are pre-bookable
“One benefit of not having so many appointments pre-booked is that when a clinician catches Covid, because they are not immune, we don’t have to let as many patients down by cancelling their appointment
“It also means that the wait time to get through on the phones in the morning is not as long as the reception staff are able to get through the calls quicker, as they have appointments to book in to
n IF events at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms are any yardstick, some form of normality is slowly returning to the area with sold-out notices going up and audiences enthusiastically receiving the entertainment on show
After having to cancel the planned New Year ’s Eve event due to the rapid spread of Covid in the community, development manager Andy Heafield was unsure whether people would respond to coming back. But he has been happily proved wrong over the last few weeks with shows from the Bootleg Bee Gees, the Dolly Parton show and, lastly, the Monster Pub Quiz organised jointly with Melbourne Community Care
Mr Heafield said: “It has been great to see people again and in an environment where they can safely enjoy themselves Our latest three events were all sell-outs and well received with capacity audiences for all of them “
The Monster Pub Quiz attracted 22 teams for an evening which raised over £700 to be divided between MARs and Community Care
Quiz master Joe Ward judged the audience to a tee mixing serious questions with comedy to ensure that everyone had an enjoyable night and went home happy
Pictured are
“There is always going to be one patient that is the first one too late when all the appointments have gone In these circumstance the reception staff will always try and sign post them to the most appropriate place which will be either another clinician at the surgery if appropriate, the Duty GP, the pharmacy or the walk-in centre ”
The surgery also said that now virus cases were beginning to fall again, they would remove the level of speaking via the intercom, but would like to stress that face masks would still continue to be required in any health care setting
They finished by saying they were trying to offer the best service possible by offering more appointments “than we have ever done”
Patients would be welcome to speak to the surgery directly about their individual experience, Ms Coomer said
AND she’s off! Melbourne engineer Ami Hopkins has set sail on her epic three-year voyage as part of an all-female international crew on the legendary Maiden yacht Ami, 28, was previously employed at Des Gosling Mobility in Melbourne but is now sailing round the world after being picked to join the yacht on its epic round-the-world trip
The Maiden came second in its class in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race under skipper Tracy Edwards, which was the best result ever for an all-female crew
Now the boat is undertaking a 2021-24 world tour, sponsored by DP Logistics, to promote and fund-raise for girls’ education around the world
More than 130 million girls around the world are currently not in education It is estimated 11 million more will not return to school or be able to access distance learning after the pandemic, with conflict also taking its toll on female learning
The Maiden’s vision is for every girl in the world to have access to 12 years of quality education
Tracy Edwards MBE said: “Following the uncertainty of the past few years, it is great to see Maiden and her new all-female crew sailing again and resuming her mission of empowering girls through education ”
In January the vessel left its starting point in Dubai with Ami and her crewmates aboard, and is due to arrive in Crete on February 10
Ami has a passion for sailing and has joined the Maiden with a view to developing her skills on the water as a career
The former Melbourne Juniors and Dame Catherine’s pupil has been sailing weekly for
more than 10 years, and has completed sailing training with the Clipper Race team As on-board engineer on Maiden, she is responsible for its electrical systems, engine and generator
The boat has embarked on a 90,000 mile journey, and is due to set sail across the Atlantic in the spring, to arrive in Florida in April
Ami and crew will then work the boat up the East Coast of the USA with stopover hubs in Miami, Palm Beach, Annapolis, New York, Long Island, Boston and Newport In October it will return to Antigua before sailing to Dakar, Cape Town and Maputo
EAST Midlands Airport (EMA) is recruiting more than 150 customer-facing roles within its security, car parks and passenger services teams as the airport anticipates a strong recovery in 2022
The airport reports that the easing of temporary travel restrictions, which were introduced in response to the Omicron variant, has delivered a boost to the travel sector, with consumer confidence rising and bookings surging according to airlines and travel firms
The airport’s recruitment drive is in anticipation of what is expected to be a busy summer season for passenger travel
Filling vacant security officer roles is the airport’s immediate priority as new starters will need to undergo compliance training, while other vacancies will be advertised in the coming weeks
The aviation sector was hard-hit by the pandemic, the airport said
However, a strong and rapid recovery is expected, and East Midlands Airport is forecasting that passenger numbers this year will reach 7580% of pre-pandemic levels If achieved, 2022 will be the busiest year for passengers since pre-
Covid
The passenger airlines that serve EMA –Ryanair, JET2, TUI, easyJet, and Aurigny – connect holidaymakers to popular holiday-hotspots across mainland Europe, Eastern Europe and North Africa The busiest months for passenger travel are April to October during which time two-thirds of annual travellers use the airport Customer-facing roles such as those being currently recruited to are critical not only to ensuring safety and compliance but also for making people’s experience of travel a positive one These roles are ‘front-of-house’ and are ideal for those who enjoy interacting with customers and working as part of a team
Clare James, Managing Director, says: “After two of the most disruptive years in the history of aviation, I am confident that we will turn a corner in 2022 People’s appetite for overseas travel remains undiminished
“We need to ensure that we have the right people in our team to be ready for this so that passengers have a positive start to their trip and that we continue providing a welcoming service for those who enjoy the ease of using our airport ”
l The Maiden crew (l-r) Erica Lush, Ami Hopkins, Marie-Claude Heys (skipper), Alesea Charles, Junella King and Heather Thomas. Photo: Pia TorelliPOLICE are warning residents to beware after a report of a doorstep bogus trader in Weston-onTrent
Officers reported that an elderly woman from the village had been the victim of a bogus tradesman after paying up front for work to her home which has not been done
The local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) team reported that a man had visited the lady who told her she needed work doing to pointing brickwork
The victim paid for the work, which has not been done
The PCSO team said a visit from Safer Homes South Derbyshire had been arranged and crime prevention advice given
Meanwhile, police visited a “vulnerable member of the community” in late January after receiving a report of a doorstep trader in the Peniston Rise area of Melbourne
Officers said they gave appropriate advice to a resident who was provided with No Calling Cards to display in a window or door
Police said they had also received calls about doorstep traders in Swarkestone Road and Barrowupon-Trent, alongside the incident in Weston
Police said: “Bogus tradespeople involve fraudsters trying to scam you after knocking at your door This can take many forms including pressure selling, overpriced or substandard home maintenance or improvements
“There are specific laws about door-to-door sales; many are required to give you a ‘cooling-off ’ period (where you can change your mind or request your money back)
“Bogus tradesmen will offer none of these Even if they do offer it, it is likely their ‘guarantee’ will not be
POLICE advise people not to open the door if they are not sure who is there They suggest never dealing with cold callers or doorstep traders, to use the chain on a door every time it is opened, and always to ask for identification
Action Fraud is the national centre for fraud and cybercrime, to which members of the public should report fraud if they have been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cyber crime
Reports can be made at any time of the day or night using the online reporting tool at https://www actionfraud police uk/ Safer Homes South Derbyshire is a free service working to improve security in the homes of older disabled or vulnerable people living in Derbyshire They give free crime prevention advice and will be able to fit free equipment such as door chains, spy holes, window and shed alarms and padlocks to keep homes secure.
For more details on the service, call 01283 219761, email projectsupport@sdcvs org uk or visit www.sdcvs.org.uk
honoured as often false identity or contact information are provided, making it impossible for you to identify or contact them
“Even if your monetary loss is returned to you via your bank or insurance the emotional distress and anxiety this can cause can take some time to recover from ”
ANYONE with unwanted bikes is being urged to recycle them to raise money for Treetops Hospice.
Paul Wilcox, dubbed ‘Pushbike Paul’ will arrange for the bike to be collected; he will make it roadworthy and pass it on, in return for a donation to the hospice.
Paul (pictured) set up the scheme in 2018 and has raised £50,000 to date, helping fund a night of hospice at home care for 460 people in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
He said: “The scheme has been far more successful than I ever anticipated We have a great team of volunteers which keeps everything running.”
Paul was rewarded for his efforts with a Derbyshire Beacon of Hope award
Anyone who wants to recycle their bike can do so by emailing him on pushbikepaul4treetops@gmail com
FEBRUARY 7-13 is National Apprenticeships Week, and to mark it, the Village Voice talks to two local apprentices who are flying high in their roles.
Jobs, careers, what to do after school – it can all be daunting for a young person these days There are so many choices, so many pathways, but which one is best?
This year the theme of the 15th annual National Apprenticeship Week is ‘Build the future’, and it’s all about how apprenticeships can help people “develop skills and knowledge for a rewarding career, and businesses to develop a talented workforce”
Building the future is certainly appropriate for one young apprentice from Melbourne –or perhaps it might be better to say, learning to re-build the past
SAM COPELAND, 17, is currently around six months into a three-year long apprenticeship at ASBC Heritage & Conservation Ltd, where he is undertaking an NVQ level 2 apprenticeship in bricklaying
When he completes it, he hopes to carry on and train under the expert eye of Alan Staley and his team on how to perform traditional heritage work on the buildings for which Alan’s multi-award winning company from Kings Newton has made its name Windsor Castle, Belton House, Calke Abbey and Melbourne Hall are all in its impressive portfolio of work
For Sam, learning on the job is infinitely preferable to sitting in a classroom Having left Chellaston Academy with his GCSEs under his belt, he joined ASBC Heritage & Conservation last summer and hasn’t looked back
“Personally, for me, I learn a lot better practically and doing things, than I do reading from text books,” he says
“When I was working here in the summer, the amount I learned in a small amount of time, just by watching, was a lot more than I could learn in the same amount of time from text books
“I really enjoyed it I really enjoy working with the lads – it’s a completely different atmosphere to the school environment ”
As part of his apprenticeship, Sam spends one day a week studying at Derby College – and Alan says the team are already missing his valuable contribution when he’s not on site with them
“He’s now, already, valuable to us as he is!” says Alan, who himself undertook a bricklaying apprenticeship with the Blunt family
It's one thing to see the benefits of apprenticeships for those undertaking them: the chance to learn the skills of a trade, and good employment prospects among them But what about the benefits for employers?
For Alan, having an apprentice who will – after his three-year course in the trowel skills needed for bricklaying – learn the traditional heritage skills for which his company has become famous, is invaluable too
“These skills are dying,” he says “We do struggle to find people with the right skill set
“Most young people want to come in and do general building They haven’t got the interest in the heritage side of it Historic England need to train young people in these existing skills so there is that skill set out there
“ASBC is proud to be in a position to offer an apprenticeship Not only is an apprenticeship an incredibly valuable way to learn a skill, it also helps young people adapt to the world of work and earn some money too
by Lucy Stephens“This helps them to be much more employable in the future ”
In order to try to encourage more young people to learn about the skills required for heritage conservation projects, such as working with traditional lime mortar, ASBC is this week holding stonemasonry demonstration days at Lichfield Cathedral, where its team is currently working on the high-level South Nave buttresses
The two-day skills events on February 8 and 9 will give visitors, including secondary school pupils, the chance to go along to meet and interact with ASBC’s highly skilled masons
As Alan says: “Looking around Lichfield Cathedral, it is easy to see what makes it such a beautifully constructed building It is important that the next generation look after and learn to maintain and repair these iconic buildings ”
With the event open to anyone interested in traditional building construction, visitors will be able to see first hand the work that usually goes on behind the scenes or high up, which is crucial to the long-term care of the cathedral and historic buildings like it
Apprenticeships come in all shapes and sizes and include our four-footed friends, too KATIE BAKER, 18, of Derby, is loving her one-year apprenticeship at Dog Hairs Grooming Salon on Derby Road, Melbourne, where she is learning a lot
“I bathe and dry the dogs, get their knots out, clean their ears and their paws ready for Sacha to groom,” says Katie, a former Noel Baker Academy pupil who, like Sam, has one study day a week
Why dog grooming?
“I wanted to work with animals but I wasn’t sure what to do,” she explains
“I did some research about the kind of things you can go into and this seemed interesting ”
Also like Sam, Katie appreciates the opportunity to learn practical skills away from a classroom setting
“I feel like it’s better because you’re learning at the same time – it’s more practical but then, you’ve still got the course to do, and you’ve got the knowledge ”
Katie says she would love to progress into dog grooming after completing her apprenticeship She explains why: “It’s part of the dog’s health –they need grooming, because they can get matted and their skin can get tight, which is uncomfortable for them ”
For Dog Hairs Grooming Salon owner Sacha Walsh, having an apprenticeship is a great way to train up the next generation in the skills needed to groom dogs to the highest standards
“The training is provided through Government support,” she explains
“For me, finding experience has been very difficult I wanted to have an apprentice so I can train them really well
“Katie is great – she’s conscientious, punctual, she works well with difficult dogs She won’t say, ‘I can’t do it’ if a dog is acting up!”
As for Sam, he is looking forward to learning about heritage building skills once he has his apprenticeship
“There’s no need for me to be leaving the heritage side – it really does interest me, all the different jobs involved,” he says
“I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere any time soon ”
WE’VE been busy at Whistlewood Common planning for this spring and summer – and there are some really exciting events in the pipeline
There’s a mixture of wellbeing, arts, music and inclusive events, and we’ve been eager to get back to our usual provision of sustainable and sustaining learning opportunities
One major event we’ve missed over the past couple of years that will return in 2022 is our Mid-Summerish Music Festival
In 2019 we’d used our new stage and had great musicians, food and drink; it was a great day I think we are all well up for partying this year
As for most of our events, they will be posted on our Facebook page We also have a newsletter we send out each season as well as our regular Common Touch articles here in the Village Voice
I think that in the pandemic it has been difficult for people to connect and it’s great to have the support of our amazing local paper to really
keep the area’s community spirit alive
The future changes we must make that will come with adapting to climate change rely on our strength of community, supporting one another and co-operating The value of a local paper to bind us together cannot be underestimated
I think we at Whistlewood rely on the strength of our co-operative share holders and supporters to keep us going forward and we value the support of our local community
We also welcome new volunteers and supporters – so keep your eye out on our social media for exciting new possibilities, training, skill shares, festivals, craft workshops, food sharing and growing, health and wellbeing, personal empowerment and growth
We look forward to having and making face to face connections with everyone once again
KATHERINE PARRISH
l Dan Webber in full flow at the launch of the trail The words of the 33-line Whispers from the Woods poem are written on wooden markers (below)
IF YOU go down to the woods this winter you will get a big surprise…
The latest Melbourne Festival project “Whispers from the Woods” lets you hear the voices of young people through the poetry of Dan Webber
In spring 2021 young people were invited to share their experiences connecting and reconnecting with nature during lockdown and their words have been transformed into a 33-line poem and painted onto wooden markers lining the route
Over 40 people attended the opening of the trail on a fresh January morning, with South Derbyshire District Council members and representatives of the National Forest, who supported the project through a grant, all in attendance
Director of Arts Melbourne Sharon Brown said the opening event was “absolutely amazing” and said the installation would be there until at least the summer for people to enjoy She also thanked the Dunnicliff family for permitting the trail to be located on their land at Brown’s Field
Phil Dobby, chair of Arts Melbourne, said that the reading of Dan’s poem “matched the morning perfectly”, with the sound of the wind whistling through the trees and the sun kissing the frostbitten ground, quoting lines from the poem
Cllr Martin Fitzpatrick said it was a wonderful mix of the creative arts blending with the reality
by Frank Hughes
of the last couple of years, making one realise just how connected and interconnected things are Dan Webber, who created the poem, said:
“We ve been working on this project for over a year with young adults from Melbourne and the surrounding area and it’s fantastic the trail can now be seen and enjoyed by local people As nature changes around it the trail will be different every time it’s seen and we hope people will find something to relate to in the poem ” The trail can be entered from either the Brown’s Field entrance on Penn Lane or from the Bare Hills entrance on Ashby Road Details of the walk and more information about the project are on Melbourne Festival’s webpage
Pictures: TINA BAKERA DOG lover from Ticknall has been thanked by broadcaster Nicky Campbell for being a “fantastic, beautiful human” at a glittering ceremony in London
Maggie Mellish was lauded at the The Mirror ’s People’s Pets awards for providing the loving final months to an elderly Belgian Shepherd, Bella, which miraculously survived after being thrown in the River Trent with a rock round her neck
Maggie and her partner, Charlie, took in Bella, who managed to stay alive after she was hurled into the water with a plastic bag containing a large rock tied around her neck
Bella, who has now passed away peacefully in the arms of her second owners at their home in Ticknall, was seconds from death when she was pulled from the freezing waters of the river in Nottinghamshire
Believed to have been aged around 11, Bella had been in the river for several hours
The case came to court and a woman, who was five months pregnant at the time of the incident, was handed a community order and fined for failing to stop her partner from drowning Bella – although he himself was not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence
It took 14 months for Bella to be rehabilitated at the RSPCA Radcliffe
Animal Centre at Radcliffe-on-Trent, but the old dog showed her remarkably resilient spirit and she was eventually re-homed with Maggie and Charlie in 2021
Maggie, who has had German Shepherd dogs in the past, said she and her partner had read about Bella’s case and visited her at the animal centre before taking her into their lives
Severely underweight when she was pulled from the river, Bella suffered from various health problems and could not bear to be near other dogs This meant she could only ever be walked away from the house after dark, and mainly lived out her days in the Mellish’s house and garden
Such was Maggie’s devotion to Bella that she cooked all her meals from scratch, making tasty dishes such as chicken, sausage, pasta and brown rice to try to keep her healthy and happy
Bella also enjoyed boiled eggs, melon, corned beef and even Spam!
Sacha Walsh, who runs Dog Hairs Grooming Salon in Melbourne, visited Bella in her home on a few occasions so she could be combed and brushedaway from other dogs
With Maggie’s daughter, Clare Lusher – a keen photographer – posting pictures, Bella began to achieve fame in her own right and by the time of her passing had 95,000 followers on popular online platform LADbible
Maggie said: “She just needed constant watching We were very happy to do that It was no problem for us to spend the time with her We got very, very attached to her ”
All who knew Bella have told of her lovely na-
by Lucy Stephensture, and how she would always rush to greet any human who approached, despite her appalling treatment at the hands of her former owners
Bella finally passed away in November 2021, having been nominated to win the Rescue Dog of the Year at the People’s Pet Awards
After the dog’s death, Maggie attended the ceremony at The Grosvenor in London, also attended by the cast of The Great British Bake Off alongside a host of other famous names
She and the two ladies responsible for rescuing Bella appeared on stage to receive the award from broadcaster Nicky Campbell, who said: “I think what’s amazing about this story, what’s remarkable about it, is that it shows us the worst of our species, but we have also seen the best of humanity
“Maggie, you are a fantastic and beautiful human being and thank you for what you did ”
Maggie told the Village Voice: “It was a really lovely night I was in tears right the way through!
“We are still upset, mainly because of what Bella went through and how lovely she was She was a brilliant dog
“She had a beautiful personality She loved people, although she couldn’t be near other dogs She was fabulous with people, so friendly ”
n A special ‘Bella Fund’ has been set up at the Radcliffe Animal Centre in memory of the gentle dog who went through so much
Ella Carpenter, from the centre, said Bella’s rehabilitation was among the hardest she had done in 30 years of doing the job, the animal having been brought there in a “pitiful” state
She said: “It was really difficult to rehabilitate her and bring her back
“You just looked at this very matted, bedraggled, elderly dog and you just thought, ‘how could somebody do that’?”
Ella said that, due to Covid, the home was seeing higher than usual numbers of dogs which had been passed round several owners before ending up at the centre This, she said, was because of the fact that puppies were often now going for high prices with £2,000-plus not unusual New owners would then try to recoup some of their costs by selling the dog on, should they find they could not cope with the animal Like with children, having to constantly adapt to new environments and regimes is not ideal for young dogs
Maggie said: “I just want to make one gentle plea This centre is one of many that are taking in all the animals that are now being off-loaded, that were bought during lockdown and are now being taken to the recovery centre The Bella Fund has not had many donations – the money will pay for proper medication Even a small donation from people would be welcomed ”
To donate to the Bella Fund, visit www rspcaradcliffe org uk
THE FIRST comedy night of the year, saw a packed club room at Melbourne Sporting Partnership all out to enjoy themselves with the added freedom of no Covid restrictions
Four professional comedians from the stand-up circuit entertained the audience with a different mix of styles, but all spending a bit of time reflecting on lockdown themes
First up, Micky P Kerr, who was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, treated us to a few one-liner songs and an insight into his minimalist lifestyle
Middle act Clayton Jones talked about his love of a bargain, sporting running shoes he had bought for 50p, even though he never goes running Headliner Markus Birdman, who’d had a difficult time of it lately with personal health problems, had some sharp (but amusing) words for some of his pet hates – anti-vaxers, vapers and vegans and Boris Johnso
One of the joys of a festival comedy night is the engagement with the audience, and compere Paul T Eyres did a brilliant job at that
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l Joanne Bellamy (left) and Jane Harper, who rescued Bella from the River Trent, are pictured at the People’s Pet Awards with Maggie Mellish (centre). Maggie’s partner, Charlie, was unable to attend the ceremony for medical reasons. Maggie also paid tribute to the care given to Bella by Hartshorne Vets, and Sophie Major at the Radcliffe Animal Centre. Picture of Bella courtesy of Clare Lusher
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ABOVE: A Royal British Legion meeting from the 1950s
(Photo courtesy of Melbourne Historical Research Group)
RIGHT: Mick Eccles behind the bar in 1992.
(Photo by Peter Clough)
he Royal British Legion (RBL) celebrate the y of its formation, on May 15, 1921, writes Andy mation of four existing charities: The National Assoed Sailors and Soldiers, The British National Federand Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, The Comrades nd The Officers Association ablished to care for those who had suffered as a result e First World War and has been helping the armed nd their families ever since ollowed suit and started its own branch, one of the ire, in February 1922 An article in the Derby Merranch was started by a Mr T Warren as chairman, cretary, Mr H Worrall as treasurer with Mr J Crane, r J Pass as committee m was created in Blanch Croft Within three months on Derby Road, the existing site of the current club, ater the club moved to its current location out as an old army hut before being rebuilt to modover time It’s a point of note, that the snooker table me one from when it was originally built uggled over the Covid period but continues to thrive, om for weddings and other events Entertainment is lar basis It is family friendly and still maintains a hop window of the RBL in Melbourne, but there is ppens at a branch level which you may not see or apmain focuses of the branch is, of course, November
This is a busy time for the branch as Poppy Appeal nd preparations are made to run the Remembrance alf of the parish council andson of one of the founding members, has overseen ears he branch functions the whole year round It meets st Wednesday of each month where we discuss ondeas and deal with welfare of local veterans that need mit this may be over a pint or two ooking for new members If you feel you can help, etary (details at the bottom of this article) ence within the legion does not cease at its borders rs Melbourne has participated nationally Current evin Illiffe has stood as county, regional and national well as county and national parade marshal Current arer, Andy Boardman, has also served as county stanmpeted at national level branch has travelled overseas on its duties In 2018 ance and Belgium to find every war grave or memoWorld War, of a Melbourne man The standard parous 8pm service held every day at the Menin Gate: a he Melbourne standard was carried through the 0, a recreation of the Grand Parade 1928 when thoumen returned to Europe to honour the fallen ub have stood side by side for 100 years Certainly, it running establishments in Melbourne Let’s hope in l be people who can celebrate again h Secretary Andy Boardman 0774 887 3966 or dyb72@hotmail.co.uk for more.
THE Melbourne branch of the Royal British Legion is celebrating its 100th birthday this month, with a series of events
A formal church service will begin proceedings at 6pm on Saturday, February 26, in Melbourne Parish Church.
At this service, the official re-dedication of the Melbourne RBL branch standard will take place. Everyone is welcome to attend
Following the service, members of the Royal British Legion and their guests are invited back to the legion headquarters, where members of the Nottingham Band of the Royal Engineers will be performing to complete the evening’s celebration
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A number of events are planned for the weekend, including, on Sunday, February 27, a performance by three artists to help celebrate 100 years of the Melbourne Royal British Legion Running between 3pm and 6pm, tickets are available from the Royal British Legion and include a light buffet
Penny Diamond has performed across Europe and has appeared in ITV’s ‘Stars in their Eyes’ as Debbie Harry; Vicki Lambert is well known for her Dusty Springfield tribute and has performed on Royal Yacht Britannia; Jane Allen is a talented singer who will be performing hits from the 60s to the 90s
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SIGN OF THE TIMES (l-r): Lin Freeman, Ed Green (chair of Weston Parish Council), Chris Scott, Robin Than, Lindsey Riley, Graham Harper, Phil Steadman, Paul Newman and Aline Nixon (the artist).
Come and join our group and enjoy the benefits of normal walking but with poles that increases whole body muscle activation by at least 70% and improves cardiovascular health. Not only is Nordic Walking good for mind and body, it’s a great way to socialise, meet new people and enjoy the stunning scenery of Derbyshire and the surrounding area.
Nordic Walking is suitable for all levels of fitness & abilities. COME AND TRY US - We’re a friendly bunch.
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Please call Alfie on: 07941 102 660 or email: alfiebirch@hotmail.com
YOUR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN THE AREA
Saturday 12th February - Sunday 13th February:
Snowdrop Festival
at The Dower House, Melbourne, as part of the National Garden Scheme. 10am – 3.30pm. Light refreshments, served outside, dependent on the weather. Adult: £4. Child: free. Beautiful view of Melbourne Pool from terrace. Hidden paths and di erent areas for children to explore.
Thursday 17th February:
Melbourne Footpaths Group Guided Walk
10.30am: Meet at Ticknall car park for this circular Calke Walk. Distance: 5.5 miles. Full details melbournefootpathsgroup.wordpress.com
Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th February:
Central Musical Theatre Company present... Company
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
The Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton NG10 1EF Tickets £12/£14
See main advertisement on P14 for more information.
Saturday 26th February:
The O cial Re-dedication of the Melbourne RBL Branch Standard to mark the Melbourne Branch Centenary. Melbourne Parish Church, 6pm. All welcome.
Saturday 26th February:
Centenary Entertainment featuring members of The Band of The Royal Engineers.
Melbourne Royal British Legion 7 - 11pm. RBL members & their guests FREE / Non members £1. Tickets required and are available from the RBL.
Sunday 27th February: A Centenary Concert
Celebrating 100 years of the Melbourne Royal British Legion Branch & Club.
Melbourne Royal British Legion - 3pm onwards. Tickets £3 from the RBL
Featuring Penny Diamond, Vicki Lambert and Jane Allen.
Thursday 3rd March:
Melbourne Area U3A
A Talk on French Wines from Jean-Pierre Hourlier.
Melbourne Assembly Rooms, 2.30pm. Contact madu3ainfo@gmail.com www.u3asites.org.uk/melbourne-area
artist Aline Nixon’s three children all attended Children progress from a tiny wren to a large eagle as they move up the school Aline, whose grandparents were from Weston and lives in the village, created a shield design and painted scenes which have been incorporated on the finished sign
The cast iron structure was made by Village Sign People in Norfolk, and is at-
Photographs by: EDITH STEPHENS tached to an oak post Aline, who lives in the village, is descended from the Henshaw family whose residence in Weston can be traced back to at least the 1600s She created a shield design and painted scenes that have been incorporated on the finished sign
FUND-RAISERS from Aston-onTrent have helped to give a break to needy Derbyshire children.
Members of Aston’s WI handed over £1,190 to the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre through fund-raising between April 2020 and December 2021
Fund-raisers had managed to achieve the total despite Covid disrupting many events it had planned
However, the group said coffee mornings and the sale of knitwear donated by James C Brett Yarns, sold at its garden party, had made up most of the funds
The WI would like to thank all those who supported its events
Elaine Quinney, from the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, thanked WI members when accepting the cheque at their January meeting,
by Lucy Stephensand gave a short presentation on the history of the charity
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre’s roots go right back to 1891, when a highly energetic individual called Harry Sykes noticed two boys playing with a sailboat in a puddle in a very deprived area of Derby at the time
Thinking it would be nice to take the boys to the seaside, Harry acted straight away and within two weeks the two lads plus 12 more were travelling with him to Skegness
The charity very quickly established a specialist children’s holiday centre in the seaside town and children have been going there ever since
Today, children nominated for a hol-
iday at the centre come from homes where there is hardship, deprivation or abuse The charity pays for them to have a week by the seaside as they would otherwise not get a holiday at all
With a prestigious Queen’s Award for Volunteers, the holiday centre is expertly run to provide children with a
A CREATIVE writing competition for Derbyshire young people is running until the end of this month but stories have to be no longer than 50 words
The county council’s library service is launching the contest to celebrate National Storytelling Week Libraries want stories of no more than 50 words based on young people’s experiences of their local area and community
There are two age categories, seven to 11, and
12 to 16, and the prizes will be goodie bags including books for both winners and runners-up
The deadline for entries is Sunday, February
27 The winning story will be published on the county council’s website and social media channels
Entries should be sent to ask library@derbyshire gov uk along with the entrant’s name and age, and a contact number or email adress for their school
Plan your spring days out
With snowdrops peeping through the ground and the promise of spring around the corner, now is the perfect time to look ahead and plan some great days out at Calke. With lambs coming to the walled garden, Easter family trails in the park, and the house preparing to open its doors soon, there’s lots to look
nationaltrust.org.uk/calke
relaxing week free from the pressures of their lives, which may include elements such as caring for relatives
Last year, the former Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Willie Tucker, of Aston-on-Trent, became a patron of the charity alongside Sir Henry Every, 13th baronet of Egginton
To find out more about the centre
and how you can support it, see https://www dchc org uk/ Members of the Aston-on-Trent WI choose a different charity each year, which is voted on at their meetings
The organisation’s next charity is Derby Mountain Rescue, for which a jumble sale will be held on February 19 at 2pm in the War Memorial Hall
l Elaine Quinney accepting a cheque from Anne James, president of Aston-on-Trent WI.March 8, 1945 – January 3, 2022
BORN to Kathleen and Bill Woodward, Jackie grew up in Melbourne with her sister Viv and brother Andrew She was a very spirited child, always up to something, even getting thrown out of the Brownies for swinging off the curtains when no-one was around She left Melbourne to become a publican, firstly in Coalville, then spending 10 happy years running two successful pubs in Nottingham, one of which played live music seven nights a week She was a brilliant landlady, well-loved and the life and soul of the pub, putting everybody right with cigarette holder in hand
May 1945 – December 2021.
WHEN a man is described as “larger than life”, it is a term used to describe someone who brought more than the usual amount of energy and character into his life
Norman Hill (“Ben”), brought a strong appetite to life, for family, for friendship, sport and work He worked hard and he applied an equal vigour to his retirement, to his hobbies and to his friendships He was a big, gregarious and cheerful man with an insightful and honest approach to business, a love of sport (both as a player and as loyal follower), a man who brought fun and fellowship to parties and holidays
Norman had been adopted as a baby and, perhaps as a consequence, he invested a great deal of energy and time in providing his own young family with fun and care He was always pleased to say that wooing and winning his wife, Lynne, in 1974, was one of his best achievements It was very clear that Norman used his early years to learn some important lessons about life, work, marriage, family, honesty and loyalty These were rules he kept all his life
ropean Controller, running not only the Melbourne works but also works in St Albans and Telford
He once described how being the boss of this group felt like being the head of a family, the father of the company
Thus, the skills he acquired in early life served him well throughout his career, an honest dealer with strong values in work as well as in his family life
By now Norman and his family were living in Barrow on Trent and he took on the additional role of clerk to Melbourne Parish Council, a post he held for over 37 years a record unlikely to be broken Successive chairmen and women of the council remember him in the same way that his colleagues elsewhere remember him, as plain speaking, hard working with a strong sense of humour and using common sense as a guide He enjoyed the company of others, he loved any party which gave him the chance to be a raconteur and he got the job done
She returned to Melbourne after her mother, Kath, died to help take care of her terminally ill father, Bill Since then, she has been a strong member of the community, always helping others and joining in with community events She particularly loved going to see any Elvis tribute!
Jackie was especially proud of her two daughters, Jayne and Liz, and her six grandchildren, William, Jake, Ruby, George, Lily and Isobel, whom she would talk about at any possible opportunity
The family would like to thank the Florence Nightingale Hospital, London Road, and her friends and family for all of their support
As a boy, growing up in Duffield, he acquired interests which lasted One was a fascination with steam trains He spent early days as a schoolboy trainspotter, cataloguing the express trains roaring through the curve in Belper On his 50th birthday his family arranged for him to drive the locomotive “Duchess of Hamilton” out of Leicester station His obvious joy ensured that he was asked to return the following year
He answered to two names To his family and close friends he was “Ben”, a nickname given at Strutt Grammar School at 11 years of age To all his many other friends and acquaintances he was “Norman“ who trained as an accountant after leaving school Working hard to qualify in his professional life he also applied himself very seriously to another new love in his life golf
June 13, 1933 – December 2, 2021
BORN on Sinfin Lane in Derby to May Caroline and Edwin Joseph Smith, Margaret had a very happy childhood The family later moved to Allenton
Margaret met Reg at the ‘Trocadero’ on a night out dancing with best friend, Merle Reg was from a farming family at Staunton They married in the early 1960s and moved to ‘Rock House’ in Penn Lane, Melbourne
Margaret and Reg had two sons: Michael, born in October 1966, followed in July 1970 by Terry Margaret was so proud of her sons
As a junior member of the Chevin and Kedleston golf clubs he worked hard on improving his game, winning the Derbyshire Boys championship at the age of 16 and representing Derbyshire for many years
The sporting genes are obviously strong in Hill blood since his son, Ben, has become a professional golfer, as even the televised football match on Sunday TV took on a special significance for him, coming as a part of a family ritual, watching the match with his daughter and grandchildren
When grammar school ended he began to train as an accountant In retrospect it offered an ideal career based on all those principles he had first learned as a boy: honesty, fellowship, hard work and loyalty to family
He was employed first in Derby but by 1971 he was working at Melbourne Engineering (which would later become Brown and Sharpe) His capacity for hard work, his clear insight and his loyalty were rewarded when he finally took the post of Eu-
This life of achievement and enterprise almost reached its end in 2009 when he suffered a ruptured aneurism on the brain and the prognosis wasn’t good Yet the strong life force in him brought him back, to the joy of his family and friends and to the surprise of his physicians
Understandably, he decided to retire from Industry and from the council In retirement he guided the members of Melbourne Probus as president, he spent time with his family, he groomed his garden to resemble the manicured greens of a golf club
If there was a roar of laughter at a party then Norman was there If there was a festa in a Majorcan restaurant bar then Norman was there
He was larger than life He enjoyed life He was proud of what he had achieved But if you are larger than life, then your departure is also harder and bigger
He will be much missed by Lynne and all who knew him
Sadly, Margaret lost Reg in 2003 He had retired and left the farm around four years before and they had spent more time together than in the rest of their long marriage, so it hit her hard
She was supported by neighbours in Penn Lane and attended Melbourne Parish Church most Sundays The house in Penn Lane became too much and needed upgrading so she reluctantly sold it and moved to a more modern property in Jubilee Close
Margaret was a proud nanny to all of her grandkids, Max, George, Conor, Sian and Grace, and took an active role in their young lives
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There were often tough times, experienced by a lot of families in the 1960s and 70s; this was compounded by the fact that Reg spent long hours on the farm, so looking after the boys fell largely on Margaret with support from her mum and dad
While Margaret wasn’t necessarily the best cook, she did make the best egg ‘n’ chips ever
She used to peel potatoes in world record time, then slice them up into proper ‘thick cut’ chips Then, out of the fridge came the pot of designated chip lard which she scraped out into the chip pan, black from previous chip days! She was also a dab hand at breakfast fry-ups Most days the boys would leave the house on the minimum of bacon and egg but more often the full Monty Sundays were always a day for watching the old films that Margaret loved She would name all of the actors and actresses she’d grown up watching at the picture house at the Cavendish
Margaret also loved listening to music, a particular favourite being Nat King Cole She also liked Jim Reeves and Glenn
Miller
Margaret loved Ken Dodd She and Reg would take the boys to watch him in Derby and in pantomime in Nottingham Family holidays would be spent in Blackpool, Great Yarmouth, Bridlington or Cromer, to fit around harvest
The boys never wanted for anything, Margaret would work part-time doing all sorts of cleaning jobs to ensure they got the Adidas Samba trainers and Levi jeans One of these was to clean the then Midland Bank in Melbourne every evening She was supposed to take two and a half hours, but she was so efficient and fast she could do it in just over an hour, depending on the boys! She would mostly have to take them with her as Reg would still be at the farm and, as quite young boys, they would wreak havoc!
She also enjoyed a friendship group in Chellaston where she made new friends; she was a very sociable lady
Margaret went on to meet Peter, who lived nearby, they both had a dog; they became companions and shared holidays to Jersey, Malta and South Africa
They would also walk to the Welcome Café for breakfasts and lunches and travel into Derby, taking advantage of their free bus travel
Margaret was diagnosed with Alzheimer ’s disease in around 2009 and, as her memory deteriorated, Peter was a good companion to her and supported her to live independently for much longer than she would have done without him She was also supported at home by Home Instead but still managed to get to the Welcome Café to meet her friends in there
In 2017 the tough decision was made for Margaret to leave her home in Melbourne and relocate to Bluebell Park care home in Chellaston
She spent her remaining four and a half years living at Bluebell Park where she received the most amazing care She even met new friends, and passed away peacefully there
A DERBYSHIRE charity is appealing for outdoors enthusiasts to help protect and maintain a heritage walking trail that includes countryside near Elvaston and Ambaston
The Derwent Valley Trust, which set up the 55-mile Heritage Way along the River Derwent in 2002, is now asking for keen volunteer rangers to help look after it for more people to enjoy
The trust says the popular route has seen more wear and tear due to increased numbers of people enjoying going out walking during the Covid pandemic, and now needs looking after
The walk follows the route of the River Derwent from Ladybower Reservoir to its mouth near Shardlow One section takes walkers from Borrowash Bridge to the mouth of the Derwent, following fields to Ambaston
Now the trust is looking for a group of rangers to help maintain different sections of the path so it can continue to be enjoyed by walkers
The trust says the role is an “ideal voluntary job for anyone who enjoys getting out and about in the fresh air”
Being a ranger would involve checking over a specified section of the route roughly three times a year
The trust wants rangers to walk along the path to check it is passable Volunteers would also be asked to help out with tidy-ups, clearing overgrown vegetation, reporting issues such as broken stiles, as well as helping out any passing walkers who might ask for directions or other in-
December 4, 1932 – December 5, 2021
John Henry Allsopp Dallman was the first son of Carl Dallman and Bessie, née Allsopp Carl was the head brewer at John Hair ’s and Bessie was a teacher at Melbourne School Both lived in Melbourne all their married lives
John attended local schools until 1940, when he and his brother were evacuated to the maternal grandparents, farmers near Ashbourne There was a parental fear for their safety after a bomb was dropped in Church Street, Melbourne, causing fatalities
Both John and his brother remained there for a couple of years which, no doubt, instilled an interest in rural matters, both having to work on the farm and in the fields
They continued their schooling in Melbourne, John leaving at the age of 14 years, when he found employment in the market gardens
In his late teens, John was a member of Derby & County Athletic Club, and was a very successful cross-country runner, winning a number of trophies at racing events
At 18 years-old, John wished to join The Royal Navy to accompany his friend Bob Long, but his father vetoed this idea
John married June Langstone in 1954, having two daughters, Lesley and Patricia
As a result of John going to the rescue of a cat lodged in a large tree on Packhorse Road, and the fire service being called to attend, it was suggested John joined-up as a retained fireman –
formation about the area
Derek Latham, chair of the trust, said: “The Derwent Valley Trust created the Heritage Way as part of our mission to improve sustainable access to the whole Derwent Valley We encourage residents and visitors to cherish, protect and enjoy the huge variety of attractions in the valley by using their cars less and walking, cycling, paddling or using public transport more
“During Covid we have witnessed an upsurge in activity along the way as people protect and improve their health by exploring the historic landscape of this beautiful valley In turn this creates more wear and tear on the Heritage Way and a team of rangers is now needed in our 20th anniversary year to help maintain the way annually, and act as occasional ambassadors of the route for tourists ”
Derwent Valley Trust is hoping its group of volunteer rangers will be up and running by April Full training will be given at an induction weekend in March Training and kit such as hi-vis jackets will also be provided
Anyone interested is asked to contact Derek Latham at chair@derwentvalleytrust co uk, or phone 0785 085 2171 Or you can email walk@derwentvalleytrust co uk or 0781 055 1322
something that a person had to be invited to do at the time This completely changed his working life
His market garden employer being due to retire and John, with his locally gathered knowledge of fire and safety, applied successfully to join the fire service at Rolls Royce in Derby
He worked in various departments at Rolls Royce at locations mainly in Derby, but also at their other sites in the country This was in an advisory capacity on fire and safety of premises and personnel John then progressed to become the chief fire and safety officer at Rolls Royce On taking his refresher course, John was given a full pass, being fitter than younger men taking part!
In retirement, John continued with his market garden skills on a smaller scale at home in Church Street –he was very much a ‘veg’ man, no flowers allowed!
For most of his life, John was a keen caravanner, spending many days in various parts of the country He loved Scotland, and latterly enjoyed travelling to the East coast, from Scarborough down to Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea, and Cromer
He also enjoyed the call of the sun, and so darker days of winter in England were spent in Tunisia and Turkey
Having resided in Melbourne for nearly all his life, John was knowledgeable and well informed on local matters, being called upon to advise on and settle many queries
John leaves his wife, Jean, whom he married in 2001 and two daughters by his first marriage
Weekdays plus occasional Saturdays, for busy mixed NHS/private practice in Melbourne, South Derbyshire.
Applicant must have full GDC registration, although, an experienced trainee may be considered. A knowledge of R4 computer system useful, but not essential, as full training will be given.
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MEMBER OF STAFF WANTED FOR CLEANING, JANITORIAL AND MAINTENANCE DUTIES
For further details telephone: 01332 863522 or email:
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Closing date for applications: February 18th
MELBOURNE Derby County fan Ollie Wiles turned out to support the Rams in their emotionally charged meeting against Birmingham City on Sunday, January 30, which was preceded by a march attended by thousands of fans in support of the beleaguered club Derby County continue to fight back both on and off the pitch
The troubles of the cash-strapped club are well documented, with the nervous wait for a new buyer set to continue
Despite all the off-field issues, the team, led by Wayne Rooney, has been showing character and recently managed to climb off the bottom of the table, despite a massive 21-point deduction
On January 30, the Rams faced Birmingham City in another important game in their fight to survive relegation
But before the game, it was the fans that were fighting back, in a show of unity by a march from the Assembly Rooms to Pride Park
A staggering 9,000 Rams fans turned up to the march, which was organised with the intention to show what Derby County means to everybody connected with the club
Bathed in sunlight, the large crowd was filled with emotion, the fans singing and chanting as they made their way towards the stadium The words “We’re Derby County, we’ll fight to the end” rang around for all to hear
The message of the day was clear: people carried signs that read “Save our club” and the large banner at the front of the group stated “A founder member of the Football League With 138 years of football heritage #SaveDerbyCounty”
Once they reached the stadium, the crowd gathered around the statue of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor and continued to voice their passion, before heading inside to cheer on their team Derbyshire Police were there to ensure the safety of all involved, and a statement from PC Roger Brown QPM on the Derbyshire Police website read: “Yesterday’s march showed the absolute best of football supporters, with those from the home and away team coming together in support of DCFC ”
The game was a sell-out, with over 30,000 fans there to cheer on their team Pride Park was rocking with the noise from the Rams faithful
A local fan who attended, James Dickinson, 24, from Melbourne had this to say: “The atmosphere all around the ground was incredible, you could feel the passion and pride that everyone has for the club The build-up to the match was filled with so much emotion it was almost overwhelming ”
The electric atmosphere was quickly silenced as Birmingham raced into a 1-0 lead, before making it 2-0 shortly after half-time However, the Rams continued to show their fighting spirit right to the end, with a 95th minute equaliser ensuring a 2-2 draw which took Derby another point closer to achieving an incredible escape
l Ollie Wiles (left) and James Dickinson outside Derby County’s Pride Park stadiumOVER what has been another challenging season off the pitch, football has provided the local community with an escape from reality, exercising with their team mates on a weekly basis, all through six-a-side
Season nine of the Melbourne Six-a-side League has seen 12 teams compete for the illustrious title of league champions Trantonians were crowned premier division kings for the second time, after first winning the league in season seven
They impressed throughout the campaign as they won an impressive 19 of their 22 games! Previous champions Surreal Madrid secured the runners-up spot
Trantonians’ team captain, Lee Scott, said: “To win the premier division twice in three seasons is a testament to the commitment and quality of our players; achieving 19 wins from 22 games this season is better than we could’ve ever imagined!
“We’re all really good mates off the pitch and the six-a-side league is a brilliant way to socialise, and the fact we can win the league too is a bonus! We’ve been runners-up a couple of times already so we’re looking forward to using all our prize vouchers in the next couple of weeks for a celebratory team meal at Zeerah’s Indian Restaurant in Melbourne ”
Season nine runners-up, Surreal Madrid, are one of the founding members of Melbourne league An impressive 12 wins from their final 13 games saw them claim second place Surreal’s team captain, Warren Nicol, said: “We simply love the Melbourne Six-a-side League; we’ve been here since the start in September 2017 and haven’t looked back! We enjoy the community atmosphere the league has and wouldn’t want to play anywhere else
“The lads have had another brilliant season and we’re hoping to go one better and win the league again in season 10 ”
Steve Hollingsworth, chairman of the Melbourne Sporting Partnership, said: “It’s impressive to see Melbourne Six-a-side League continuing to get over 100 people playing every week and bringing our community together through sport ”
The open age adult six-a-side league plays on the state-of-theart 3G artificial grass pitch at Melbourne Sports Park every Sunday evening (5:30-8pm), all year round
All standards are welcome Does your team have what it takes to win the Melbourne league? To join, interested teams and single players can contact the league (affiliated to Derbyshire FA) on 07513 30 6000, melb6aside@outlook com or via Facebook
MELBOURNE Dynamo FC definitely clocked up the miles in the month of January They began the new year with a long trip to Harworth but came away with a hard earned 2-1 victory in the President’s Cup
A double from Jack Goodband paved the way for the Dynamo win but it was secured thanks to a last-minute penalty save by
Tom Cox A week later the first team went on a 180-mile round trip as they travelled to 780 JLC FC in Scunthorpe but came away with a disappointing 3-0 defeat in the league cup
Melbourne Dynamo Reserves moved to the top of the table with two victories in January and began 2022 with a convincing 5-0 home win against bottom of the table
● Family Dental Care using latest techniques and materials ● Friendly and caring service
● Cosmetic Dentistry including tooth whitening and Invisalign Naomi Fry accepts child orthodontic N.H.S. referrals.
We are continuing to provide quality dental care whilst following recommended Covid 19 guidelines to ensure the safety of all our staff and patients. If you wish to contact the practice, please call 01332 862942
Castle Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 8JA
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Unit 2 Station Yard, Station Road, Melbourne
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SOUTH DERBYSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
Your County and District Councillors surgery is on Saturday 5 March, at The Assembly Rooms, Melbourne They are also available on phone or email: JIM HEWLETT (District) - 07979 976860/01332 863927 jim.hewlett@southderbyshire.gov.uk
Sherwin A double from Joe Shadbolt plus goals from Conor Poynton, Harry Foxon and Toby Foxon secured the points
The Reserves moved four points clear as they ended the month with another home win, this time 2-1 A Toby Foxon corner went straight in plus a goal for birthday boy Finn Charles earned the vital three points for Adam Dolman’s men
Ages 6 to 13 - Sunday afternoons 4 - 5.30pm
Ages 14 - 17 - Friday evenings. Qualified coaches - quality fun sessions.
Elvaston are creating a girls only cricket team for all ages and invite girls of any ability to come and join our club and be part of the team.
Why not come along to Elvaston Cricket Club on Sunday 10th April for our JUNIOR REGISTRATION DAY where we will have a kids v parents game, barbecue and bar open as we kick off the season!
For more information - contact Jackie 07891 226680 elvastonjuniors@gmail.com
MELBOURNE Tennis Club (MTC) has a rapidly growing junior section with nearly 100 junior members
The growth in this was helped when at one point between lockdowns in 2020 tennis was one of the sports which could be played. Luckily, the club has kept these junior players.
Junior coaching sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays are “going from strength to strength” under the management of lead coach Gareth Haddon.
However, the club says its biggest growth has been the number of junior teams entered in the Derbyshire Junior League In 2017 a mini-red team was entered into the league and this year it has nine junior teams entered in the winter league and will be entering the same number in the summer one
MTC tennis camps are always popular during the school holidays and will be run over the February half-term (21st, 22nd and 24th).
For information regarding the junior section, please contact Sallie Allen: Sallie allen@hotmail co uk
Pictured are (l-r) Josh Smith, Eva Jon, Charles Mahon and Lizzie Cowley of the Mini red team who played on Sunday, January 23
BRIDGE
SWARKESTONE - WILSON - STAUNTON HAROLD
GE - TWYFORD - ISLEY WALTON - WESTON - ON -TRENT
ELVASTON - THULSTON - AMBASTON - BARROW- ON -TRENT - BREEDON
SMISBY - MILTON - MELBOURNE - KINGS NEWTON - TICKNALL
UNT - STANTON - BY- BRIDGE - SWARKESTONE - WILSON - STAUNTON HAROLD
GE - TWYFORD - ISLEY WALTON - WESTON - ON -TRENT
ASTON - ON -TRENT - ELVASTON - THULSTON
AMBASTON - BARROW- ON -TRENT - BREEDON FINDERN - SMISBY - MILTON
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MELBOURNE Rugby Club’s first team began February sitting second in the division with Long Eaton just pushing in front on 58 points.
January was a month of varied fortunes for the club with some hits and misses
Victory for the first team against Lincoln came on a cold and frosty day, with the green and golds in good spirits after their victory against Ilkeston post-Christmas
The visiting side were under pressure with Melbourne looking dangerous Although Lincoln played well in the second half, Melbourne emerged triumphant with a finishing scoreline of 29-7
The following week, the green and gold firsts faced Southwell in a re-arranged fixture, with some turnarounds in the side including Jimmy Burrough returned to hooker
Melbourne received the kick from the first whistle and soon began to assert themselves on the game Southwell were feisty in the contact and, as the visiting team, Melbourne had to quickly look to capitalise on good possession and territory
With a line-out on the home side’s 22, the green and golds set up a maul, which was initially halted before a second wave saw them drive the home team backwards This allowed hooker Burrough to score his first try of the game, with Watson converting Melbourne’s set piece was strong as they had the upper hand in both the line out and scrum, allowing them to play some neat rugby
A second score was soon on the match card, the ball being moved wide to allow Livesey to sprint out of his own half, before neatly stepping inside and out to disorientate the covering defenders, as he went over wide left: 0-14, converted by Watson
Melbourne’s strong defence and ruthless attack, when the opportunities came, saw them trounce the opposition with an impressive final scoreline of 53-0, with two tries apiece from Burrough, Livesey and Smith, plus further tries from Mallet, Page and Rosamond Watson scored three kicks and Saffell one; the man of the match was Charlie Livesey
Melbourne firsts’ fortunes were reversed at the end of January, however, with a loss of 36-5 to Long Eaton
The seconds fared less well with two losses in January, narrowly to Paviours and 49-0 to Oadby Wyggs, The Academy side ended the month well with a victory of 57-0 against Repton School under 18s