PILOTS taking part in the King’s Coronation flypast were urged to relax and enjoy the moment, by a 93year-old retired RAF squadron leader from Melbourne, who did the honour himself for the late Queen at her coronation 70 years ago.
Terry Devey Smith is one of the last Queen’s pilots who took part in the flypast at her coronation on June 2, 1953.
Read his fascinating account of that big day on Pages 10-11.
l A ‘King’ is crowned at Melbourne Infant School Pupils Arthur, Nathaniel, Noah and Sofia are pictured with the Bishop of Repton, the Rt Rev Malcolm Macnaughton, and Melbourne Parish Church rector Rev Steve Short at the ‘coronation’ of ‘King’ Charlie Story on Page 3
l Terry Devey Smith reading his old logbook and (below, third left) celebrating with members of his squadron after the flypast
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11 THE MEWS, POTTER ST, MELBOURNE
A FUND-RAISING Promise Auction raised over £6,500, with the proceeds going to help Melbourne Tennis Club provide floodlighting for its courts
Organiser Sallie Allen said she had set her sights on maybe raising £3,000 so she was completely blown away by the final tally
Auctioneer Charles Hanson (pictured in action left), who had been held up because of TV filming for Bargain Hunt running late, made an immediate impact when he auctioned not one, not two, not three but four lots of a trip to be in the audience of his TV programme with lunch at Bishton Hall, the home of Hanson’s Auctioneers At £400 a lot, that swelled the coffers!
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of driveway parking. Open plan dining kitchen with utility. Patio doors out to an enclosed garden. 2 reception rooms. Downstairs wc. 4 bedrooms, 1 with en suite. Modern family bathroom. EPC - C £2000 PCM/ DEPOSIT £2300
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26 DERBY ROAD, MELBOURNE
Attractive 2 bed property in central location. Recently renovated to a high standard throughout including new kitchen and bathroom. 2 reception rooms, 1 with a log burner. Hallway with cellar and pantry. Large enclosed garden at rear. EPC - D £895 PCM/ DEPOSIT £1030
Stand-in guest auctioneers from the audience did a great job holding the makeshift gavel (a spectacle case) pending his arrival
With more than 70 lots on the catalogue the bidding ran late into the evening, with the atmosphere getting more frenzied in proportion to the bar sales! Some items, such as Wimbledon tennis tickets, were extremely popular and fiercely contested between rival bidders.
Sallie thanked the many people involved, especially those who generously donated items for sale and, most importantly, the audience members who bought them!
COUNCIL planners are being asked to agree proposals to remove graffiti from a church so ancient some experts have suggested it could even be the country’s oldest intact domestic dwelling.
Leaders of the Transforming the Trent Valley project have asked South Derbyshire District Council if they can remove large amounts of graffiti from the historic Anchor Church, whose origins go back to the ninth century
The grade II listed series of caves in a peaceful spot bordering the River Trent, between Foremark and Ingleby, has a legendary association with St Hardulph, who it is believed may have lived there
There had been conjecture that the caves may have actually been 18th century follies but a recent survey by the Royal Agricultural University’s Cultural Heritage Institute found they were much more likely to date back 1,200 years
Now Mark Knight, cultural heritage officer for the Transforming the Trent Valley Project, has applied to remove graffiti from the ancient monument, saying the issue seemed to have got worse over the past couple of years
In a statement to council planners, he said: “Anchor Church has long suffered from being defaced by graffiti but this seems to have increased since the end of 2021
“This coincided with the end of outdoor restrictions following the pandemic, but whether there is a direct correlation between the two is conjectural
“The hope is that graffiti damage will return to lower levels in the future
“It is also the hope that the removal of current graffiti ‘tags’ will also remove the incentive for other vandals to overwrite or further damage the monument ”
Project leaders are asking to remove the unwanted paint through the use of low pressure high temperature steam equipment, which they say “has proved its efficacy elsewhere”
A small site trial will be needed to ensure no damage is done by steaming off the graffiti
As well as paying for the removal work, the project team is also planning to introduce an information board outside the building to point out it is precious and that “acts of vandalism are discouraged”
In concluding that Anchor Church is likely to date back to the ninth century, archaeologists used a drone survey and a study to reconstruct the original plan for the rooms, finding that the way the church is constructed closely resembles Saxon architecture
It is thought St Hardulph may have been the deposed King Eardwulf, who is buried at Breedon-on-the-Hill, and has lent his name to the local primary school
IT WAS a Labour gain and one Conservative hold on South Derbyshire District Council for Melbourne with Martin Fitzpatrick being elected for the Tories and Jane Carroll elected for Labour.
With the Melbourne ward seeing a turnout of 42 per cent – the highest in the district – Cllr Fitzpatrick took 741 votes and Cllr Carroll 708
Cllr Carroll said she was “absolutely delighted to be elected to the district council and very grateful to the people of Melbourne” who voted for her
Cllr Fitzpatrick said he was ”absolutely honoured that the people of Melbourne have elected me for four more years”
On the overall result he said: “The people of South Derbyshire have spoken, which is disappointing for me, but that is what democracy is all about ”
After standing down as district councillor for Melbourne, Jim Hewlett stood in Church Gresley – a stronghold for Labour – where, unsurprisingly, he did not get elected He said: “It has been a pleasure and an honour to represent the people of Melbourne, Kings Newton and Stanton-byBridge for the past 16 years I have met lots of interesting local residents and have enjoyed doing what I could to help them ”
In Repton ward, covering Ticknall, the two Conservative candidates were
elected, Kerry Haines with 1,060 votes and James Lowe with 855 votes
In Aston all three Conservative candidates were also elected, Neil Atkin (1,156 votes) Daniel Corbin (1,086) and Peter Watson (1,124)
A small army of counter clerks, checkers and supervisors began counting at 10 30am on Friday and by 1 15 pm returning officer
Ardip Sandhu declared the first result for Hatton, with only 540 votes to count
In fact that turned out to be the closest vote, where there was a dead heat of 270 votes each so the two candidates names were put into a draw of a lot The winning candidate was Labour ’s Julie Jackson, over probably the youngest candidate standing for the Conservatives, Oliver Samuel Wilford Clark
Although there were some anecdotal issues of problems with the new I D requirement, no figures were provided for how many voters were turned away In most areas the turnout was slightly higher than in 2019 although in Woodville it was just over 20 per cent
The normal fevered atmosphere of the count was somewhat subdued as one of the Conservative candidates, Gillian Lemmon, from Hilton Ward, had tragically passed away that very morning The returning of-
ficer declared her decision to abandon the poll for Hilton, in view of the circumstances, with another election to be held later Conservative leader Peter Smith said: “It is very sad, and I totally respect and understand the decision that has been made ” The final result for the district was a huge swing to Labour, who will not only retained control of the council, but increased their majority, with Labour gaining 23 seats, Conservative nine and Independent one
Outgoing leader of the council Kevin Richards said: “This is an outstanding result for Labour, the best since 1999 ”
South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler said: “There are some wonderful Conservative councillors who are no longer going to be here, but they will come back But today we mourn the tragic loss of Gillian Lemmon, taken far too young We will do our best in her name in the forthcoming vote in Hilton ward ”
In Ticknall Parish Council six of those standing were elected, with Susan Browne not reaching the requisite threshold, and in Melbourne all but one of the candidates standing were elected Only Guy Crawford did not reach the required number to be elected
SPRING is in the air, and with it comes the urge for a spring clean – which in April saw members of Melbourne Civic Society taking to local roads in their bi-annual litter pick of the area
Civic Society chair Martin Keay, who was out litter picking with wife Alison (above), said: “The whole ethos of the Civic Society is to improve the appearance of Melbourne Removing litter – that’s very much in the society’s ethos to do that ”
For this year ’s spring litter pick 12 society members collected about 15 bin bags of rubbish in Kings Newton, Melbourne and on the Ashby Road south of Woodhouses
Martin said: “Most of the litter in my bag, collected in Cockshut Lane, was aluminium cans, plastic bottles, paper cups, crisp packets and cardboard boxes, but sadly drugs paraphernalia had to be picked up in the streets around Sainsbury’s
“Every time we do a litter pick, someone will stop and say thank you; on Saturday it was a runner and last autumn it was a group of cyclists ”
FRED
The family would like to thank all friends and relatives for their kind words and messages of support on the loss of their dad. It is appreciated and will always be remembered. Thank you also to J. P. Springthorpe & Co., Revd. Steve Short, Simon and the choir at St Michael with St Mary’s Church and Sandra at the Royal British Legion.
Fred was a well-known Melbourne man and he will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him.
IT WAS an occasion fit for royalty at Melbourne Infant School when the Bishop of Repton conducted a solemn ceremony to anoint King ‘Charlie’ himself!
The bishop, the Rt Rev Malcolm Macnaughton, made a very splendid addition to the school hall when he went along to conduct its very own ‘coronation’ assembly on May 5 – the day before King Charles III’s coronation in Westminster Abbey
A child at the school by the name of Charles was the perfect choice to represent our new King of the same name, and did the honours absolutely beautifully.
The bishop was joined by Melbourne Parish Church rector Rev Steve Short to deliver the coronation assembly which was complete with trumpet fanfares, an anointment with holy oil, a canopy, and music befiting the solemnity of the occasion.
Bishop Malcolm said: “It’s a hugely significant time for this country, and indeed for the world, as millions of people around the world are going to be watching what happens Obviously the school wanted to do something special.
“The service itself, although it’s about the coronation of the King, says something about everybody, especially everybody having a challenge and a huge responsibility, and that we can’t do it without God’s help That’s really what the service is all about, to ensure the children can feel special and especially part of what’s going on nation-
ally.”
Rev Steve Short said: “We’re delighted to have Bishop Malcolm with us and we hope that this will be a good news story for the school, the children and the community ” Head teacher Charlotte Gibbs said: “This is a historical event in the lives of our children and something that they will not have seen before! We felt it was important to mark the event in a special way. All week in school we have been doing coronation crafts, lessons and workshops and today’s coronation ceremony will top off our celebrations!”
‘King’ Charlie said he found the whole occasion “very exciting”, adding; “The best bit was when the crown was put on my head ”
Asked what he would do if he got to be King for the day, Charlie said he would visit every class in the school and take part in their lessons.
Melbourne Infant School has spaces across all year groups and any parents or carers who would like to know more can contact the school office to arrange a tour.
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Frank Hughes at the local council elections count in SwadlincoteTHREE more aircraft are being added to the East Midlands Airport base of tour operator TUI at the end of this month as it prepares for peak summer season
TUI currently has two aircraft based at the airport but is adding three more at the end of May
The operator has announced its largest ever flying programme from East Midlands in the summer of 2024, with a sixth craft due to be added to its local fleet next year Six TUI aeroplanes will allow the operator to fly 85 flights a week in the peak summer months of 2024, taking passengers to 27 destinations in 10 different countries.
That means 100,000 extra seats for passengers with a packed programme including 31 weekly flights to Spain; 25 a week to Greece, and 10 weekly trips to Turkey TUI is also introducing a new route to Sal, Cape Verde, an island off the coast of West Africa
The airport has reported confidence that passenger numbers are returning to pre-Covid levels, with the expectation of four million people going through its doors this year.
ON Monday, May 22, Richard Brackenbury will be speaking to Melbourne Civic Society on “Protecting Diseworth” at 7 30pm in the Wesley Hall, Potter Street, Melbourne. Non-members are welcome to attend
See village protest song on Page 9
CHILDREN in Ticknall have been given new play equipment as a gift from America donated by a family with a fascinating connection with the village
The village’s recreation ground now benefits from a brand new wooden climbing frame, see-saw and springer for local children to enjoy
The play equipment has been donated by the Johnson family from Vermont in the United States in memory of their father, who inherited the Harpur Crewe Estate – the legacy of the former owners of Calke Abbey before it was taken on by the National Trust
The Johnson family made the donation to mark the 100th birthday of Ticknall Recreation Ground last year
The ground, home of the village’s successful cricket club, was leased to the village’s parish council by the Harpur Crewe family in March 1922
Known as The Grange, it was intended for villagers to enjoy for recreation pursuits
In the 1920s and 30s, football was the main sport on the field, with villagers also enjoying the annual visit of the Wakes fair A wooden pavilion was put up around this time
As the decades went on cricket developed in popularity; swings were installed and events started being held on the ground Cricket developed in the 1970s with one team expanding to three in the 1980s
The club won the Derbyshire & District League in the 1980s, Central Derbyshire in the 1990s and the Derbyshire Premier League in 2018 Today, it has eight junior sides between the ages of nine and 19
The club raised funds for a new pavilion which was put up in the 1990s and then extended It was named after and dedicated to Charles Harpur-Crewe, of Calke Abbey, who had been a keen supporter and president of the cricket club until his death in 1981
With the death of Charles, Calke Abbey passed to his brother Henry and was then taken over by the National Trust in the 1980s in lieu of death duties – a campaign taken to Parliament by the then local MP Edwina Currie
With the death of Charles and Henry’s sister Airmyne Jenney in 1999 – neither of whom had any children – the residue of the estate after taxes were paid passed to the rightful successor, who proved to be Andrew Johnson in the USA Andrew was a descendant of Edmund Lewis Harpur Crewe, the younger brother of Sir George Harpur Crewe, the eighth baronet, who was in his day South Derbyshire MP and died on New Year ’s Day, 1844
l Olive Wardle, of Ticknall, consultant archivist to Harpur Crewe LLC, with grandson Charlie McCrae, 14, on the new see-saw, and the new climbing frame.
Marking the donation of their equipment, the Johnson family said: “To commemorate the centennial of the Ticknall Recreation Ground in 2022 the Johnson family, whose long history in the lumber and sawmill industry thrives in Vermont, USA, donated the climbing frame, see saw and springer in memory of their father, Andrew, who inherited the Harpur Crewe Estate in 1999 from his great-great grandfather Edmund Harpur Crewe, brother of Sir George Harpur Crewe ”
THE ‘Under New Management’ sign has just gone up at Melbourne Community Care, with both previous managers standing down and the appointments of Claire Barker and David Goalen (pictured)
Claire has been volunteering in the office for over four years, so it is a change of role for her, but David is new to the organisation and will be looking after finance and administration.
Claire said she was delighted to be appointed and “to continue the amazing work done in the local community and to join a great team of fantastic people” David said he was keen to help in the community and was bringing many appropriate skills to the role
Both wanted to pay tribute to Alison Thornhill and Katrina Shipway, who had both stood down recently Claire said they both did a fantastic job and will be greatly missed, although Alison will still be involved on the regular Coffee and Co events and behind the scenes
Although still settling in, their first
thoughts are to try to increase the number of organised minibus trips, which had been suspended during Covid An initial trip to Solihull has already sold out, but they are planning more. A recruitment drive for more minibus and car drivers is an imperative in order to meet the level of demand.
PARTICIPANTS at the Whistlewood Common Earth Day were fascinated to encounter what may well be the largest labyrinth created in Derbyshire for many thousands of years!
The design, known as The Rekalibrator, is based on ancient symbols carved into prehistoric rocks across the British Isles It was created by enthusiastic
Whistlewood Common members taking the site’s “contribute, don’t just consume” principle to heart.
The design consists of a single pathway through three 12-metre wide spirals that provide a meditative walkway Walkers are encouraged to consider their relationships with three basic ethics as they undertake the journey: Earth Care, People Care and
OH dear what can the matter be –
by Lucy StephensFair Shares, but the labyrinth is a tool for any sort of contemplative thinking or reflection.
Alas, the labyrinth is only a temporary feature of Whistlewood Common, but if you would like to experience this remarkable structure before it vanishes into the growing grass, contact the group through info@whistlewoodcommon org
MELBOURNE Churches will again be supporting Christian Aid Week from May 14 to 20 Christian Aid was set up by British and Irish churches in response to the humanitarian and refugee crisis following World War Two Since then it has provided humanitarian relief and long-term development support worldwide and campaigned to end poverty
The focus for the appeal in 2023 is on Malawi where farmers are paying a harsh price for the global cost of living and climate crises, farmers like Jen Bishop who appears on the donation envelopes that will be delivered to all the houses in Melbourne
Last year donations from envelopes, online donations and fund-raising events raised just over £3,500 in Melbourne Envelopes can be dropped into The Athenaeum Letterbox on Potter Street You can also donate online by searching Melbourne Christian Aid Week 2023 at www justgiving com Or go along to one of the fund-raising events this year, which include a Yard Sale on Saturday, May 13, at 80 Derby Road 10am-noon and a breakfast on Saturday, June 3, at Wesley Hall, Potter Street 10am-noon
To mark the start of Christian Aid Week there will be a service at the Baptist Church on Sunday, May 14, at 6pm
two teenage boys had a longer stay than expected in Melbourne’s public toilets after they were accidentally locked in!
The boys had been sheltering from the rain in the public loos next to Lothian Gardens on April 27 when they found themselves locked inside for around an hour
The toilets are now locked every night by Melbourne Parish Council, which is in charge of their upkeep
Cllr Sheila Hicklin, from the parish council, told its latest meeting how she came by the loos to lock them up at around 6 25pm, on her way to a meeting at Melbourne Assembly Rooms
Having called inside to check noone was in and not getting an answer, she told the meeting she then locked the door
But when she was sitting inside the meeting, she was disturbed by a phone which was ringing
Speaking to the Village Voice after the meeting, she said she had left the meeting to answer the phone, to be
told by an employee of Bank of Beers over the road that two lads had been locked inside the toilets!
The difficulties of the situation then worsened when the key wouldnot play ball when it came to unlocking the door and letting the boys out
“This key is so temperamental and it wouldn’t unlock it!” said Sheila A small crowd gathered to try to rescue the boys from their plight Sheila said they were very much seeing the funny side of the situation from the other side of the door
One of the boys’ dads, who had been called up by his son to alert him of his whereabouts, even offered to post his homework under the door to keep him occupied while efforts carried on to get the door unlocked
Eventually Cllr Hicklin was driven to retrieve another key from “Bammy” – who works for the parish council – and the boys were freed from their ordeal
POLICE had to be called to Calke Abbey to look into a car when what looked like two skeletons were spotted inside Police said an officer had had a report of a “suspicious vehicle” at the National Trust property
The vehicle contained “what appeared to be two very realistic skeletons in the back seat”
Thankfully the skeletons turned out to be fake
“Contact was made with the keeper of the vehicle to prevent further concern from members of the public,” police said
POLICE are asking if anyone has information that could help them with their inquiries after a burglary in The Lilypool, Melbourne
The incident happened between midnight on April 19 and 10 54am on April 21
Police have asked if anyone saw anything relating to the incident, or if anyone lives nearby has CCTV that has captured anything between the stated times
If you can help, call 1010 or report on www derbyshire police uk quoting crime reference number 23*239333
A HUGE slice of national and local history has been brought to a quiet end with the last domestic coal delivery by a Melbourne fuel business that has been running for over a century
With little fanfare, a ban on domestic coal in England came into effect on May 1 which means the traditional household fuel is no longer being delivered by John Smith Melbourne Ltd
The business on Bog Lane has been going since 1921, delivering house coal for a large proportion of that time For many years, the coal delivered by John Smith had been mined from local collieries, the nearest being at Lount, and others at Cadley Hill and Rawdon
But it is now illegal to sell traditional house coal to households in England, which means that merchants like John Smith must supply smokeless fuel made from anthracite dust instead
Eileen Smith, whose husband John is the grandson of the business’s founder of the same name, said: “It’s no longer legal to sell coal in this country It is still legal in Wales and Scotland, but we have got plenty of other fuel to supply our customers with so we will be carrying on ”
The business was started by John Smith with a Model T Ford –one of the first lorries in Melbourne
In the early days it was based at White Hollows, Ticknall, and delivered milk from local farms to Melbourne railway station along with fresh produce from the area’s many market gardeners to wholesale markets
After years of doing these sorts of deliveries, the business began only delivering coal which was extensively mined in this area
Operating for more than a century, the business has always been a family affair with its founder employing three of his six brothers He went on to have six sons himself, of whom four also worked for him
Today, John Smith Melbourne is run by the founder ’s great-great
For BOOKING and more information please email stwilfridsbarrow@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page at St Wilfrid’s Barrow.
Anne Boleyn with Lesley Smith
Friday, 1st September 2023 | 7:30pm | £15 per ticket including a glass of prosecco and chocolate on arrival.
In this portrayal of Anne, she will appear in her execution gown during the last 45 minutes of her life in the Tower of London.
George Turner Exhibition
Saturday, 16th September 10:30am – 4pm & Sunday, 17th September 11:30am – 4pm.
The renowned artist George Turner lived in Barrow upon Trent, come and see giant prints of his work around the village and an exhibition in the church. Cream teas available.
Lantern Workshops
Saturday, 18th November | 1.30pm - 3.30pm and Sunday, 3rd December 10am - 12 noon.
You can also collect a kit during the above times, to make a lantern at home.
Village Lantern Procession
Wednesday, December 20th | 6pm | FREE ticket
Bring along your lantern made at our above workshop and join we will join together for our usual carol singing round the tree.
Wednesdays at 7pm | No need to book £3 including light refreshments
For BOOKING and more information please email stwilfridsbarrow@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page at St Wilfrid’s Barrow.
with Elizabeth Whatnall
Saturday, 1st July 2023
10am – 12:30pm & 1:30pm – 4pm | £35.00
Join Stone carver Elizabeth to create two types of carving. A re-run of last year’s class because people loved it so much.
Stained Glass
with Kat Christou
Saturday, 29th July 2023
10am – 1pm & 1:30pm – 4.30pm | £25.00
Make some wonderful pieces of stained-glass decoration using the foil method.
Medieval Embroidery
with Jill Bishop
Saturday, August 26th 2023
10:30am – 3pm | £20.00
Create your own piece of embroidery and take away a little kit to complete it. All abilities.
with Maggie Cooper
Saturday, 30th September 2023
grandson Tom, along with the current John Smith and his son-in-law Mike John’s daughter, Donna, is also involved in the administration side of the business
With great swathes of pit closures from the 80s onwards, John Smith was latterly delivering coal that had come from countries like Columbia and Poland
The anthracite dust that is now used to create smokeless fuel comes from South Wales, also a huge coal mining area back in the day, as well as
ABOVE: The original founder, John Smith.
LEFT: John Smith bagging the last lot of house coal
BELOW: Four generations: John Smith, Tom Hunt with baby Toby, and Michael Hunt.
from other countries
Sales of domestic coal and wet wood have been banned in England because of the high levels of smoke they give off, with smokeless fuels and kiln dried logs deemed a better alternative for the environment
Eileen said: “Obviously we want to help keep the climate clean, although for a lot of people in rural areas, coal was quite a lot cheaper than smokeless fuel so a lot of people are a little bit unhappy about it ”
July
& Drink
5th www.stwilfridsbarrow.org St Wilfrid’s Barrow
12:30pm – 4pm | £20.00
THE Melbourne Assembly Rooms has been chosen as one of the venues for the legendary Fairport Convention’s Autumn tour of the UK.
Fairport have been entertaining music lovers for over half a century, with 2023 being their 56th anniversary. They have won a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award and Radio 2 listeners voted their groundbreaking album Liege & Lief 'The Most Influential Folk Album of All Time' Their story has been celebrated with television documentaries on BBC Four and Sky Arts.
The current line-up features founding
member Simon Nicol on guitar and vocals, Dave Pegg on bass guitar and vocals, Ric Sanders on violin, Chris Leslie on bouzouki, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and vocals.
Assembly Rooms manager Andy Heafield said: “When I got the call from the band, I was amazed, astounded and staggered in equal measures; to be hosting a band of the stature of Fairport shows just how highly thought of we are amongst performers and bands ” Fairport are appearing on Sunday, October 16, and tickets are available from the Assembly Rooms or online at www ticketsource co uk/mccl
A MELBOURNE photographer has used her biology background to create a fascinating series of images that have landed her an international accolade
Having studied applied biology at university, Claire Tupman’s former career was as an agronomist, which saw her working with farmers around the UK, developing crop sprays
Now she has fused her passions for science and photography to create fascinating images that are created by photographing everyday
household products at a microscopic level
One of Claire’s latest series of works, called ‘Effloresence’, sees beautiful flower-like images that are actually created using mixtures of sweetener and cough mixture She then uses polarising filters along with the microscope to, in her words, “reveal a spectrum of beautiful vivid colours which wouldn’t normally be seen by the naked eye”
The series have won her third prize in the Experimental Amateur category of the Fine Art Photography Awards – an international competition of more than 5,000 image-makers from around the world who competed to showcase their work
Claire, who is now training as a teaching assistant at Melbourne Infant School, has over 15 years in landscape photography and children’s portraiture However, her current style of work came to the forefront during the Covid lockdowns when restrictions made outdoor photography difficult
She said: “I’m never without a camera in my hand – it’s a real passion My photography has grown really organically where the lines of photography, science and art blur I love how with my photographs you don’t realise what you’re looking at – these things are simply beautiful It’s just like a magical world
“Achieving third place in such a prestigious competition has given me reassurance that I’m doing something that people like and respect It’s getting that professional approval ”
Now Claire is hoping to be able to show her work at Melbourne Festival and one day have her own exhibition
MELBOURNE’S Creative Gallery is putting a callout for volunteers to help in the community venture Manager Kay Maddocks said they were looking for volunteers to expand the friendly gallery team “It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills and be part of a team where you can help out, particularly if you have an interest in art or would like to be part of an organisation involved with the wider creative community,” she said
The volunteer roles are very flexible and full training will be given
She added: “If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or would like more information, contact us on 07765819428, email gallery@melbournefestival co uk or just drop in to the gallery on Church Street ”
The gallery has an interesting programme of both exhibitions and workshops over the spring and summer, with the current exhibition Meadowlands bringing a bold splash of colour after the drabness of winter, with trees weighed down by pastel pink blossom, woods full of bright bluebells, fields of daisies and the first poppies of summer
The exhibition continues until May 20
l Claire Tupman at the microscope and (left) one of her images
THOUSANDS turned out to Ticknall on May Day to enjoy all the fun of a classic English village fete.
Despite only being set up a few years ago, the Ticknall May Day Fete has rapidly gained a foothold in the local calendar and is a very popular day out for thousands of local families
Rain helpfully stayed away on May 1 and around 2,000 people went to the village hall, gardens and car park of Dame Catherine’s School where they enjoyed fairground rides, sat on hay bales, ate and drank, saw children’s faces painted, were entertained by a magician, and generally had an enjoyable bank holiday Monday
Vicky Roberts, from Flamingo Paperie, had a stall at the fete for the second year running “It has been really good, it’s a really good turn-out,” she said, adding: “And it hasn’t rained!
“It’s nice to see people out after Covid and enjoying themselves ”
Another stall holder was Ig Oliver, who was there selling copies of his children’s books,The Butterfly Bee Lady and the Bee and its sequel, complete with large models of a dragonfly and a bee to add to the atmosphere of
“It’s been brilliant,” he said “I honestly didn’t realise how many people were going to turn up today!”
Maria Hanson MBE, Ticknall resident and founder of Melbourne memory-making charity me&dee, also had a stall on the day
“The Ticknall May Day fete for us is absolutely brilliant because we live in Ticknall and our base is in Melbourne,” she said “I’m quite in awe of the organisers of this because it’s such a huge event! For us, it’s a lovely day and a chance to let people
know that we are here ”
Bria Adlington, one of the organisers, said: “The day was amazing! We’ve had so many positive comments from visitors, stallholders and villagers It’s such a lovely community event, which we hope to continue for years to come
“We are keen to hear from Ticknall residents and local community groups who wish to be involved next year Please reach out by email to bria@damecatherines org ”
The day was expected to have raised around £4,000 for Dame Catherine Harpur ’s School
l Charlotte Cooke, eight, was crowned May Queen at the fete. ABOVE: Stalls at Dame Catherine Harpur School car park BELOW: Inside Ticknall Village Hall. l Visitors checking out the art exhibitionTHE EASTER Bunny seemed to be popping up all over Melbourne generously giving out Easter Eggs as he/she/they went
First appearance was at Pool Cottage, much to the excitement of the residents there One resident said: “It makes such a difference, thank you so much ”
Then later at the garden of the Melbourne Inn there was a crowd of young children eagerly awaiting Bunny’s arrival laden with chocolate! Pictured are Talia Insley and Zoe Fernando receiving eggs
Without giving away any secrets, Jayne Sloman, who arranges for the Bunny to visit, said she and her family had been involved in giving away eggs for about 10 years
“I love putting on events just to make kids happy – we just enjoy it,” she said
This year they gave away more than 300 eggs and she thanked everyone who had helped in any way.
A NEW protest song is spearheading a campaign to save a pretty rural village from the threatened SEGRO development, part of the Freeport plan, which would destroy 250 acres of farmland
Not only is Diseworth facing the Freeport development, to the northeast of the village, some 780 acres are also being considered for a completely new housing development to the west – a settlement potentially bringing 4,700 houses to fields between the village and Isley Walton
The song, written by Neil Curling and put to a video film by Dave Fenny showing the beautiful wildlife of North-West Leicestershire, includes the line “Don’t concrete over where we grow our crops!” a sentiment that will be echoed by many trying to preserve the rural nature of local villages
The Freeport site is shown in the “Designated tax site” map for the East Midlands and Gateway and Industrial Cluster (EMAGIC) and extends on the south side of the A453 opposite the airport, from the Grimes Gate junction down as far as Long Holden to the east of the village and bordering Donington services
CONGREGATION members young and old at Melbourne Methodist Church have raised more than £1,400 to help Ukrainian refugees who have fled over the border to Poland
At a meal and presentation evening in April, members of the church welcomed Pastor Zbwigniew Chojnacki from The Church of Christ in Ostroda, Poland
Pastor Zbwigniew is housing Ukrainian families in Poland and also working with the Noah’s Ark charity which is taking muchneeded supplies into the war-torn country
Members of the church heard of the pastor ’s work with refugees when he visited Melbourne Church members reported on social media: “We had an amazing evening hearing from Pastor Zbwigniew and his wife Lydia from Poland We heard about the incredible work his church is doing to support Ukrainian guests during this terrible war ”
A meal at the church plus donations raised £1,250, while junior church members raised £155 from selling Easter crosses to support Ukrainian refugee families
byFrank Hughes
The Protect Diseworth group are anticipating that the planning application for the site will be submitted in June and are busy fund-raising to try to resist the plan; with potential costs of up to £50,000 they are seeking donations to add to their fighting fund
A spokesperson for the campaign group said: “Whilst the new settlement currently technically remains within the local plan review process, it seems that NWLDC (North West Leicestershire District Council) has no other site it is actively considering, so ‘Protect Diseworth’ will also be heavily involved in this proposal
“The potential effects both on local infrastructure and the wider area (including Melbourne) are obvious How this can be even considered when the SEGRO application is outstanding and where HS2 is still projected to carve through the parish, is beyond us ”
Anyone who wants to donate to the fund can go to www protectdiseworth com and click on Donate Now'
MORE than 42,000 potholes have been fixed by Derbyshire County Council this year alone, as the authority continues to put extra resources into highways maintenance
A recent national survey found that the council had fixed more potholes than any other highways authority in the country
The council has mobilised extra road worker gangs, who have been working weekends and longer hours in a bid to
tackle potholes reported on the county’s roads
Three Jetpatcher machines have been taken on to help, and they are mainly being used on rural roads The Jetpatcher uses a high velocity air stream to clear existing holes of any debris and water as well as laying and compacting new Tarmac
The council normally has 18 pothole-fixing gangs Since the beginning of the year the aim has been to increase the number of gangs to 30 including the three Jetpatcher machines
Extra gangs have been created by moving road workers from other jobs
The constant freezing and thawing then rainfall at the beginning of the year has led to roads cracking, resulting in a significant rise in the number of potholes and carriageway deterioration
The council has fixed 42,036 potholes from January 1 to May 1 In the year from March 2021 to April 2022 the council fixed 96,000 potholes
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BREEDON
TERRY Devey Smith, who too part in the flypast at the la Queen’s coronation in 1953, r members it was a day beset b “poor weather”.
But, while typically Briti June showers might have be damp for the crowds in the capit they were surely far more anxiet inducing for Air Vice Marshal t Earl of Bandon
The man responsible for the f past, Terry remembers the ea standing on the roof of Buckin ham Palace, “smoking cigaret after cigarette”, waiting go enough weather for the 16 Mo quito aircraft of 56 Squadron take off and do their duty f Queen and country
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ABOVE: Terry in the cockpit a year before the flypast
BELOW LEFT: At RAF Cranwell with Wing Commander Howard Leader.
BELOW: As a young man out of uniform.
But the skies brightened an the moment came, and it was experience Terry describes quite “wonderful”
“You never forget it,” he sa adding that pilots taking part King Charles’ coronation, “ a very lucky They’ll never forget either They should enjoy it ” Terry’s coronation flypast is ju one experience in his illustrio career in the RAF His 30 yea service have seen him breaki the sound barrier, and score a h toric victory over the American a force while flying in the Roy Flush 5 NATO aerial reconna sance competition – the first tim the UK had ever beaten t United States in the contest
The son of an RAF pilot and se ond cousin, through his mothe side, of the famous First Wor War flying ace Albert Ball VC D and 2 Bar, MC whose No squadron Terry was also to joi Terry says it was not family co nections that inspired him to f but a seat in the cockpit of a We land Wapiti
Having stolen up to the plane secret while living with family India, it was a lightbulb mome when a kindly officer, rather th issuing remonstrations, suggest he might like to climb in
ok te eby sh en al, tyhe lyarl ngte od osto or nd an as id, in re it ust us rs’ ng isair yal isme he ecr ’s ld DS 56 n, nly, stin in nt an ed
Meet the Artist with Carole Baker
26th – 29th May
7 Derbyshire Artists exhibiting as part
by Lucy Stephens
“It was 1936 and I was seven years old at the time,” he remembers “From then on, I knew full well ”
It would be years later before Terry would experience another first: breaking the sound barrier while flying a Canadian F86 transonic jet fighter as part of an exercise training gunners
He described opening the throttle to up the speed to maximum, causing the plane to judder more and more, before: “Suddenly the noise of the juddering stopped, and it goes very quiet, before you close the throttle”
The following years saw him instructing the CIA at Fort Brag in the United States on military intelligence and surveillance techniques
After three decades with the RAF, Terry may no longer be in the cockpit, but he has never forgotten the feeling of freedom it brought, especially while performing aerobatics in the skies
This year Terry attended the rehearsal of the King’s Coronation flypast at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire
He said: “It was never just about the aeroplanes, ground crews or the pilots, it was and still is, about the spirit of service and dedication that drives us to do what we do To serve our country To honour our King As pilots, we know that our actions can affect the course of history, and have the power to inspire others, and today, 70 years on from my last coronation, we hope to inspire a new generation to reach for the skies and guide us all to achieve our dreams ”
Terry Devey Smith is raising money for the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Benevolent Fund (DMRC), a charity supporting military patients
You can donate here: https://tinyurl com/mr2udcjf
EACH year Melbourne Historical Research
Group puts on a two-day exhibition in the Melbourne Assembly Rooms main hall, lounge and foyer
This year ’s will be a nostalgic look at Melbourne in Film and Photograph, concentrating on a slide show and prints of the best of the late Richard Heath’s collection
There will be tiered seating in the main hall and the exhibition will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11, from 10am to 4pm both days with free admission Refreshments will be available
In 2021 the group was very pleased to receive
from Derbyshire County Councillor Muller ’s Community Fund a grant towards a special scanner as they had received many slides of Melbourne from the middle of the last century, particularly the huge Richard Heath collection Since the scanner ’s purchase, 1,300 slides have been meticulously cleaned with a special photographic solution to remove mould and dirt, then scanned, named and indexed A further 400 are still to be processed
Some of the pictures are suitable for future publications and, as with all other photos in their archive, these will be available for the public to view, by arrangement
3rd June to 22 July
Featuring work by: Patrick Twiss Prentice, Howard Johnson,
Family
For
l Melbourne celebrating the coronation of Edward VII in 1902MORE than £6,000 was raised for charity with the latest opening of Melbourne’s Dower House gardens – now Griselda Kerr will be opening up again in June
Around 900 people went to see the lovely gardens set against the backdrop of Melbourne Pool during their traditional opening in February, raising a huge amount for worthy causes in the process.
The Dower House gardens next open to the public on June 10 and 11
Mrs Kerr said the garden would be literally “blooming” for the occasion
She said: “There will be roses, there will be clematis tumbling off tripods, there will be sweet peas scrambling up their supports, poppies blousy in their taffeta petals, Amsonia providing a rare touch of pale blue in the firmament of colour
“Delphiniums and foxgloves will, I hope, be looking like young spires and candelabra primula will be smothering the bog
“Huge globes of Allium christophii might be spotted lounging over a large Hosta
“Deutzia will be weighted down by its flowering boughs whilst philadelphus wafts its scent around.
“The gardener will find it hard to stop and sit, pause and think of nature’s wonders – which is just what the visitor needs to do – to let time stand still for a moment. There are lots of benches in the garden ”
There is no pre-booking needed for the garden opening, for which is entry is £5 and free for children and dogs on short leads.
Opening times are 10am to 5pm Tea, coffee and cake will be served and there will be a plants sale too.
WORMS, the joys of composting, and why soil is seriously under threat … those were the hot topics when an innovative and inspiring pirate gardening group went to talk to a packed WI meeting.
Neville Portas and Rachel Hughes from Down to Earth Derby – a growth organisation in every sense of the word – went to the village hall in Weston to talk to members all about the simple joy of home composting and why it’s important for people to know where their food comes from
With a table full of different compost types for WI members to admire, the meeting heard an impassioned talk from “self-confessed compost nerd” Neville all about why the group wants to reconnect people with the food they eat
He said: “Down to Earth Derby is a collective of people who are trying to make nature more accessible ”
The group has big plans for an abandoned site in central Derby – formerly home to Princes Supermarket – involving turning the land into a public garden and entertainment area
Backed by the Eden Project in Cornwall, Down to Earth members also work with school children on nature reconnection programmes
With a forthcoming UK ban on peat sales to gardeners, along with a grim UN forecast that if current intensive farming practices continue, the
destruction of soil will be of so great a scale that there are only 60 harvests left if nothing is done, groups like Down to Earth Derby are trying to highlight the importance of finding ways of gardening and growing food that are less environmentally harmful
Step forward the natural benefits of homegrown compost – but how can we tell if we’ve made the good stuff?
Neville said the best tool was the human nose
“If it smells good, it is good,” he said
In addition, good compost will look but not feel wet; be cold to the touch, and be a rich dark brown in colour Treat anything black or dark tan with suspicion
As a result of Neville’s talk, Weston WI president Rebecca Lacey said two members of the group had bought wormeries by first thing the following morning!
The group, which was set up last year after the previous one was disbanded more than 20 years ago, is flourishing with lots of women going to listen to a wide range of talks, as well as enjoy tea and cake
In November Weston WI members are due to hear from a team at East Midlands Ambulance Service who will be demonstrating CPR and discuss the benefits of community defibrillators
SOUTH Derbyshire District Council has a new chief executive following the retirement of Frank McArdle after nearly half a century’s service
The new chief executive is Dr Justin Ives (left), who has 20 years of experience in local government, having spent the last seven years as chief executive of Hambleton District Council
He takes over from Mr McArdle, who retired on March 31 following 23 years as the council’s chief executive and a total of 47 years’ service to the council
Dr Ives said on his appointment: “It is an honour to be appointed as South Derbyshire District Council’s next chief executive
“I look forward to working with officers and councillors to build upon the council’s success and help deliver the aspirations of the residents and businesses of South Derbyshire ”
He was due to take up his new role as chief executive and head of paid service on May 2
l Ann Harriman, of Aston-on-Trent, sampling some compost with Neville Portas and Rachel Hughes from Down to Earth Derby.FROM teenagers up, dedicated Poppy Appeal volunteers of all ages were recognised for their long service at a ceremony in Aston-on-Trent
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old ” The Poppy Appeal long service awards began in traditional fashion at The Malt in Aston with a reading of The Exhortation by John Lawson, chairman of the Aston and Weston Branch of the Royal British Legion Jane Archer, who has been the organiser of the Poppy Appeal for the past 13 years, then handed out certificates honouring those who have collected money for the past decades in the Aston community
For one family it was a team effort with Devin Bethell and his children Grace, 16, and Logan, 14, all picking up 10-year awards for doing the job
Devin has been a standard bearer representing the Aston and Weston branch of the Royal British Legion at the Albert Hall in London
Grace, a year 10 pupil at Chellaston Academy, said: “We went to the Royal Albert Hall so we got to see the work that we put in and what it was going towards ”
Beverley Shaw, Vicki Nye and Barbara James all picked up certificates for their Poppy Appeal collections over the past 30 years, while Katie and Jane Archer were
ANYONE own a classic car or bike and want to show it off a bit?
Or perhaps you have an eye-catching outfit from “Around the World” hanging up in your wardrobe you’d love a reason to wear?
recognised for 15 years of collections along with Anne Dickenson
Vicki said: “Both I and Beverley worked at the White Hart where they used to have the meetings so we just volunteered to do it
“We both had serving fathers in the Second World War so we do it thinking of them ”
The Royal British Legion started in 1921, the first year of the Poppy Appeal and two minute silence The first appeal raised more than £106,000 to support World War One veterans with employment and housing In Aston on Trent, the Poppy Appeal raised more than £6,000 in 2022
If so organisers of this year ’s Melbourne Carnival would like you to take part in this year ’s procession.
The 2023 Melbourne Fete and Carnival takes place on Saturday, July 8, and the theme this year is “Around the World”.
Organisers are putting a call out for any owners of vintage vehicles such as a classic car or bike to join in the fun by taking part in the procession which kicks off proceedings at 11 45am in Castle Square
They are also encouraging anyone in the Melbourne community to join the procession dressed to impress in their best “Around the World” costume
Organisers have said: “When it comes to choosing your best ‘Around the World’ costume, the options are endless!”
Suggestions include a Scottish kilt, jacket and sporran, Bollywood-inspired outfit or colourful Mexican poncho.
“No matter what you choose, make sure to have fun and embrace the spirit of the event!” said the carnival team.
Local shops are also invited to take part in this year ’s shop window competition.
Shopkeepers and vintage vehicle owners wanting to know more can email the carnival team at melbournecarnival@hotmail co uk
Early bird tickets for the carnival are on sale until May 14 See www melbournecarnival co uk for details
A MAN has been fined thousands of pounds for fly tipping near Swarkestone
Russell Thornton, formerly of Sitwell Street in Derby, was fined £2,000, ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge plus £1,055 52 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to three fly tipping incidents
That brings the total amount to pay to £3,245 52
The rubbish was left on quiet country lanes and farming land near Swarkestone in the summer of 2021
Council officers spotted the fly tipped waste on a routine patrol The material consisted of construction, household, and food waste The officers quickly identified similar material in three different locations
Investigations showed that
the material had come from a property in Derby which had been recently renovated It was established that the owner of the property had paid Thornton to dispose of the waste
Thornton repeatedly provided false information to investigating officers and failed to turn up for interviews Officers
were eventually able to trace him to his employer ’s address Thornton had also used his employer ’s vehicle to transport and dump the waste
Matthew Holford, the council’s head of environmental services, said: “The council has remained focused on stopping fly tipping for the last four
years We know that it causes a blight on our countryside and causes huge costs to our farming community
“The case demonstrates that the council and its officers are totally committed to stamping this out It also shows that we’re willing to get on the front foot to help farmers and landowners
“Once again it shows how important it is for anybody who disposes of waste to make sure that it’s being handled by a legitimate waste disposal contractor
“All proper businesses collecting waste should have a Waste Carriers Licence To check if a waste carrier is licensed, you can telephone 08708 506 506 or check online ”
IT HAS been a very busy year so far for the 200 or so members of the local U3A (University of the 3rd Age) from Melbourne and the surrounding villages With around 20 activities going on every month and 23 groups with topics ranging from art to whist, it has become a social engine for those no longer in full-time work
One plucky group has taken up the latest fun net-based craze – Pickleball A cross be-
tween ping-pong, tennis and badminton, it is a court-based game played at a fast pace with a hollow ball and a ‘paddle’ bigger than a table tennis bat but smaller than a tennis racquet
The ‘short breaks’ group headed off for four days in Holland and visited Amsterdam and Lisse to see the beautiful blossoms and tip-toe among tulips in Keukenhof botanical park Among many other high-
lights, March’s monthly meeting featured guest speaker “Wildlife Kate” MacRae, who appeared on Springwatch with the first live footage of a wild badger giving birth April’s meeting featured a speaker on our own Thomas Cook and Son
A full list of activities is on the MADU3A web page and a date for your diary is June 1, when the AGM is taking place at Melbourne Assembly Rooms
l The long service Poppy Appeal volunteers pictured outside The Malt in Aston-on-TrentWHISTLEWOOD is a great space for letting the imagination run free, for relaxing and really being at one with nature for wellbeing
May is full of craft, art and wellbeing here at Whistlewood There are craft sessions involving natural materials, walking stick making, pine needle baskets, making useful things in willow and hazel.
Taking the time to create a useful product from materials found in the woodlands can really be a turning point for how you think about the ‘stuff ’ you need in your life. The objects in your home are often made from plastic and materials that have been taken from the earth and humans have treated them as unlimited resources – without a thought of where they’ve come from and what effect on the environment the taking of these resources has had
We can’t suddenly get rid of all these ‘things’ we have accumulated, but starting to be aware of them can lead to better decisions being made in the future when it comes to buying new products.
If you can replace something with a sustainable locally made product (perhaps made by your own fair hand!) it will enhance your environment and you’ll be benefiting the planet
May here also sees us creating positive spaces for mental health and wellbeing with a Forest Bathing walk as part of the National Forest Walking Festival, a Green Connections Ecotherapy day, Breathwork for Wellbeing and regular Yoga sessions on site.
We have a watercolour art session this month when we’ll be inspired by the nature around us at Whistlewood, connecting with nature by studying the beauty all around us and having fun creating our own representation of what we see
Derby University is leading studies on the benefits of Nature Connectedness and its direct link to health On their website they say “There’s no wellbeing without nature’s wellbeing. Climate warming and wildlife loss show that the existing relationship between people and the rest of nature is failing ”
They have a free short course available to all, so check out their website for details The course content is informed by nationally recognised research and written by Professor Miles Richardson, a Professor of Nature Connectedness, together with colleagues from the Nature Connectedness Research Group Lots of Whistlewood folks have done this course and linked in with Miles to work on this course
Make May a time of renewal for your own health and wellbeing.
Don’t forget ‘No Mow May’ where you don’t cut the grass (or some of the grass), embrace our native wildflower species and spread positive benefits to the insects of Melbourne Their health is our responsibility, and our lives literally depend on them –
KATHERINE PARRISH
l Tyler Bloomhill and his father, Simon
A BRITISH Army veteran is using his military training to serve communities and the environment after setting up a waste management company with the aim of helping people get rid of rubbish in the most planet-friendly way
Tyler Bloomhill, from Breedon, says his training and service with the British Army’s 4 Armoured Medical Regiment are now helping him in his new venture: waste management company Kwiktip Limited
Tyler says his time in the army has helped him realise the importance of decluttering and having tidy habits for his own mental health and productivity
Now he wants to help businesses and residents to dispose of their waste in the most responsible way, learn to live with less, make a social impact, and help our beautiful, green planet Earth at the same time
“I was quite messy and wasteful before I went into the army,” says Tyler “But the army really does teach you some excellent habits When you’re out on exercises in the field, you’re trained so that you operate at your absolute best You have a pack called a ‘bergen’ that you might have to carry for one or two weeks, which has the bare essentials of what you need
“It teaches you to cope You learn that when you have more than you need, it actually just weighs you down
“The other thing about moving around all day carrying only what you need is that it means you make the most of what you do have, and you make sure you care for what you do have too
“For example, you have to carry the things you eat with, so you
by Lucy Stephensget used to looking after them, and you can’t afford to get ill
“That training has impacted all areas of my life now It’s a simple thing but I always make my bed every morning without fail now It’s just a great start to the day And if I buy something, I make sure it’s going to last ”
Tyler ’s military service was of a different kind from what might be expected: he was stationed on the battlefields of 2020, the Covid wards manned by military personnel where – right at the start of the pandemic – he underwent 13-hour shifts in Covid ICU, assisting nurses and doctors in helping dying, intubated patients and their families with final goodbyes via Skype
Now he wants his company, which has a large client-base across the East Midlands, to help other ex-servicemen, service leavers and reservists with career transition and through employment, as well as veterans’ charities, residents and businesses to dispose of waste responsibly
Kwiktip, which Tyler runs with dad Simon, works with direct customers and large national waste brokers to dispose of a whole range of different types of rubbish, including clinical waste produced by the NHS, electrical goods being disposed of by businesses, sofas, mattresses and fridges that are thrown out, shop refit construction waste, kitchen and bathroom waste created when developers or landlords are giving their properties a re-vamp, and much more, “ everything you can think of!” says Tyler Simon says: “When we go into businesses and meet householders to talk about their waste disposal needs, in just a quick 15-minute conversation we can really help them save money and implement quick easy wins that don’t cause inconvenience We can be responsible citizens, and contribute to our community by just giving them simple advice on how to sort out their rubbish before we come to take it away Just doing that can have a huge accumulative impact
“We have all the expertise and knowhow to take the waste to where it can be re-used or recycled in the best way for the planet Rather than dumping sofas in landfill, for example, they can actually be disposed of in such a way as to re-use many of their components
“If you’re a business and you want reliable consistent collections, save money and sleep better at night knowing you’re doing a good thing for the environment, we’d recommend taking a bit of time to talk with a registered, responsible company about your waste disposal ”
Now Kwiktip wants to perform a role in the wider community by educating people about what happens to waste when it leaves their property or premises
Waste, and what we do with it, is becoming an increasing environmental problem
Much publicity has been given to the vast issue of plastic waste, especially in waterways, but there are many other issues such as the amount of methane gas that is produced from landfill sites, the burning of rubbish in some parts of the world that emits huge amounts of additional CO2 into our already rapidly warming atmosphere, not to mention the vogue for electronic cigarettes which are very environmentally harmful when thrown away
Tyler and Simon believe that by educating businesses and residents about where and how waste is disposed, and by providing some quick ways of recycling so that waste that can be recycled is not contaminated, they can play a vital role in helping fight back against climate change
Tyler says: “My time in the army was hugely beneficial and it taught me a lot about myself and also about how we can all look after our mental health by just cutting down on our consumerism ”
“DRUG fuelled garden party leaves rural villagers bewitched and bewildered! Vicar faces investigation for supplying pot!”
That would be how the plot of the Melbourne Operatic Society’s 2023 Gilbert and Sullivan production of The Sorcerer might be reported in the tabloids, after the supply of a love potion to the entire village of Ploverleigh in Dorset results in amusing mismatches upsetting the social applecart
MOS set their production performed at The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton in the Happy Days of the 1950s and the backdrop was the country garden of Sir Marmaduke Pointdexter, played with proper pomposity by Mike McGhee The colourful costumes and characterisation lit up the stage right from the joyful opening chorus, celebrating the betrothal of Marmaduke’s son, Alexis, to Aline Sangazure, clearly from a French blue-blooded family line!
The Sorcerer was the third G&S collaboration, according to the programme notes, and the lyrics and script references can occasionally bemuse the contemporary listener with satirical jibes much more relevant back in Victorian days
by Frank HughesSimilarly, the social conventions and pomposity which the operetta satirises, are quite alien to the 2023 audience The “gay Sally Lunn” reference, for instance, probably meant little to most in the stalls, as it was referencing a culinary scandal in the news in 1877, when the opera first opened
That said, the Operatic performance was joyful, with the principals all deserving great credit for their delivery of tonguetwisting lyrics and tuneful ballads Mike McGhee and Helen Blatch’s “patter” duet in “Welcome Joy” was excellently delivered; John Torr as the Sorcerer gave a really accomplished performance throughout, especially in his introductory solo, ‘My Name is ’; Melvin Edwards and Joanne Robinson, as the betrothed couple, were always delightful on stage; and the choreography for Melvin’s lovestruck traversing of the stage, and Joanne’s, cavorting when smitten by the love bug, were unforgettable
Mike Tebbutt was great in the tragicomic role of the vicar, and Jenny Smith and Jean Edwards (on Thursday’s perform-
YOUR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN OUR AREA
Saturday 13 May:
ance) were well suited to their roles as mother and daughter
Mention must also be made of the Notary, (Vaughan Saxby) who, despite having relatively few solo lines, managed to impress particularly with that lowest (E flat?) note you are likely to hear in a G&S piece
The added script references are always a quaint feature of an Operatic show and Twitter ’s CEO, an errant prince and Tesco Club Cards all got picked up by the attentive audience
As ever with the Operatic, choruses were well rehearsed and the orchestra under the baton of David Henshaw kept the show lively from Overture to Finale Director Gary Askam, the entire production and front of house teams deserve great plaudits for bringing the show to the stage for a thoroughly entertaining evening
It is great credit to MOS that they can fund such lavish productions at a great venue every year and let’s hope they continue to do so
The next MOS show will be the summer concert “Song from the Shows”, on July 20 and 21
Vintage and Handmade Fayre
Melbourne Parish Church. 11am - 3pm.
Continuing until 20 May
Creative Melbourne Gallery Exhibition
Meadowlands
Sat 20 May: Meet the Artist: Carole Baker
Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne.
Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm. See ad on page 11
Saturday 20 May:
Coffee Morning
10am - noon. United Reformed Church Hall, High St, Melbourne.
Friday 26 - Monday 29 May:
Creative Melbourne Gallery Exhibition
Derbyshire Open Arts See ad on P11
Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne. 10am - 4pm.
Saturday 27 May:
Coffee Morning
10am - noon. Roman Catholic Church, St Mary’s Hall, Church Street, Melbourne.
Toasted Teacakes, Homemade Cakes, Various Craft Items.
Thursday 1 June:
Melbourne Area Derby u3A
AGM plus local speaker.
Melbourne Assembly Rooms. 2pm. madu3ainfo@gmail.com; www.u3asites.org.uk/melbourne-area
Saturday 3 June:
Coffee Morning
10am - noon. United Reformed Church Hall, High St, Melbourne.
Friday 12 May and Saturday 13 May: A Choir’d Taste
Spring and summer concert. Selection of popular songs celebrating spring & summer. Assembly Rooms, 7.30pm.
Saturday 3 June - Saturday 22 July:
Creative Melbourne Gallery Exhibition
Coast
Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne.
Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm. See ad on page 11
ON SONG ... The Melbourne Operatic Society’s cast of The Sorcerer.
ALAN
Melbourne Assembly Rooms
EVERYONE knows at least ONE Steely Dan song – and can probably sing a bit of it too If you can play an instrument to any of those songs, then you are a competent musician
Extend that to the whole song catalogue, then you are something really exceptional
The 10 members of tribute band Stanley Dee proved they are just that, at the ever-improving MARs Not only was the musicianship and singing such a joy, but the band were very happy in their work, and friendly with their audience
Singer Cavan played a welcoming MC who could actually sing Sincere, with the odd witty crack here with controlled exuberance whilst singing, in the uber-cool style of Donald Fagan
Constant back-up Katie & Jen sounded just like you had heard on records Katie took the lead on “Dirty Work”, and showed that “Do it again” was also just as well suited to a female voice That song also showcased the keyboard of Keith with its spooky howling
tone Jen got her solo vocal spot on ”Only a fool would say that” in a beautiful voice, and all the band shone on “Josie” the doom-laden guitar intro belying this joyous celebration of the return of ‘The pride of the neighbourhood’
Everything lead guitarist Jon played could be a “how to play ” tutorial The sitar sound on “Do it again”, cascading runs in “Black Friday” and squawky clip-clop chops in “Haitian Divorce”, he added his feeling to what are guitar classics Dan’s other half, Walter Becker, auditioned EIGHT different musicians for the solo in “Peg” before he settled on the 30 seconds of string melting ecstasy by Jay Graydon Jon took it all in his stride, putting his heart and soul into getting it right
The original founders of Stanley Dee were Mark on bass, and on drums, Don, who stepped barefoot into the mighty footprints of Bernard Purdie, getting the ‘fast but slow’ shuffle on “Babylon Sisters”, perfectly Mark was a typical true anchor of the band as bass players have to be His real showcase was keeping the steady reggae of “Haitian di-
vorce” whilst peppering it with pretty little figures
The horns provided a soulful, seductive ensemble, with fluid sweet alto solos from Derek, crackling staccato tenor ones from Paul and mellow flugelhorn or muted trumpet from Steve The swell in “Dirty work” convinced me I had come to the right place There can’t be a brass player in the land who would not give everything to play “Bodhisattva” with these fellows
Pete Gough did an amazing job balancing all those instruments and voices The band said it was the quickest sound check they’d ever had They liked the “civilised” idea of sitting at tables So a BIG thank you to Andy Heafield for having the cojones for putting this event on and getting a full house
People took to the floor and let go to that final song, itself 51 years old From the “I’ll name that tune in one” sound of the guitar, joyful soloing, sweet harmonising of all their voices, the rich filling of horns, perfect rhythm section, we came to love this subtly reborn version of the band, the years well and truly “Reeled in''
Saturday 10 June:
Coffee Morning
10am - noon. Baptist Church Schoolroom, Chapel St, Melbourne.
Saturday 10 June and Sunday 11 June:
Melbourne Historical Research Group Exhibition
Melbourne Assembly Rooms' Main Hall, Lounge and Foyer . A nostalgic look at Melbourne in Film and Photograph, Slide show and prints of the best of the late Richard Heath’s collection. 10am to 4pm both days with free admission. Everyone welcome. Refreshments will be available.
Saturday June 10 and Sunday 11 June: Open Garden at The Dower House, Melbourne.
10-5pm. Teas, coffees, cakes and plant sale. Proceeds to charity. £5 entry; children and dogs on short leads free. No pre-booking required.
To include your event here please email ads@melbournevillagevoice.co.uk or call 07584 025 852
WESTON-UNDER-FIVES PRE-SCHOOL WESTON-ON-TRENT
Our Manager will be retiring from her role in July 2023 and we are currently looking to recruit for the position. Applicants must hold an approved Level 3 quali cation or above and should have at least 2 years’ experience of working in an early years setting, or have at least two years’ other suitable experience. is post will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. Our setting is Committee led and operates from the Village Hall in Weston-on-Trent during term-time only. Our operating days and times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.45am3.15pm Our children’s age range from 2 - 4 years.
For further information about this role please contact our Manager, Kath, via:
Tel: 07786 751230 or email: kiddykat56@gmail.com
Weston Under Fives
Closing date: Friday 26th May, 2023 N.B. Previous applicants need not apply.
Tuesday 6 June 2023
Melbourne Assembly Rooms 2 – 4 pm
Meet friends... bring friends... make friends.
Chair Terry Summerlin 01332 864643
Vice Chair Nigel Collyer 07831 540538
Highways
David Smith 01332 862699
Burial Grounds
Terry Summerlin 01332 864643
Planning and Strategy
Jane Carroll 01332 863269
Finance & HR
Terry Summerlin 01332 864643
Facilities, Recreation and Events
Joe Ward 01332 493578
Sheila Hicklin 01332 865726
Dave Calvert
Andy Dawson 07811 586049
George Dunnicli 07780 806267
Matt Gotheridge
Sarah Hardy 07855 645163
Rob Hatton
Robert Parker 07973 297404
Mick Usher
Jacqui Storer - Clerk 07734 939292 clerk@melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk
Aircraft Noise & Complaints 0845 1088540
Clean Team ( y tipping) 0800 5872349
Street Lighting Faults 0845 6058058
Potholes 0845 6058058
www.melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk
RIGHT: Hats off to these participants in the Woody 7s rugby weekend
BELOW: A match in full swing
BOTTOM: Rugby festival-goers enjoying the occasion.
Community Care Melbourne
Office Opening Hours are: Monday – Friday 10am to 12 noon
As I write, you will be preparing to go to the polls, and when you read this report the new Parish Council will have been decided. This is the rst occasion in more than a decade that you, the electorate, have decided on who your Parish Council should be. There are a good cross section of candidates, old and young, from all walks of life, and going to a vote can only be good for our Parish. The new Councillors will look forward to working on your behalf.
Again as I write, preparations are well underway for the celebration event to mark the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Our little Parish will have joined the rest of the Nation in those celebrations so my ngers are crossed that the weather has been kind and you have all had a truly enjoyable day. Our thanks go to the working party for organising this event, to Dunnicli Developments and Scallywags for the reworks, to Melbourne Schools for allowing us to put on the event on their playing elds, and to you all for joining in and making the day a success. A special thanks to Griselda Kerr, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, for kindly accepting the invitation to open the event.
Finally, if you have seen in the press recently, Melbourne was nominated as one of the best places to live in the Midlands, along with the likes of Great Malvern, Market Harborough and the county of Rutland, and Leamington Spa, the ultimate winner. There will be some who are critical of this, and yes, Melbourne has its issues like most places, but what an accolade to be considered for the nominations. Along with our sibling village of Kings Newton, we should be proud of this recognition.
Terry Summerlin Chair, Melbourne Parish Council
WESTON on Trent is known for being many things but a hub for girls’ rugby is not something of which everyone is aware
But for one weekend every year, the village sees around 300 junior girls rugby players from across the UK descend upon it, with similar numbers of club members, to take part in the Woody’s 7s rugby weekend
The event is run by Nick Woodland, an ex-TA and Sports coach from the village’s primary school, and that link is not forgotten as he invited their PSFA (Parents, Staff and Friends Association) to join in with this year ’s weekend in April to raise money for the school
“I have been involved within girls’ rugby now for over 10 years and as much as there are events similar to this for boys there just wasn’t enough, in my opinion, for girls,” said Nick
“So, instead of moaning about it, I created W7s
and with the support of my rugby family we found a solution to the problem
“As the event is not for profit it only seemed logical to offer local groups a chance to raise funds for their causes and, having worked at the local primary school and having my son currently there, they were a simple choice ”
The event is so female-driven that not only does it give away any profits to other female sides across the UK in an effort to grow the game, but also boasts an all-female referee team who officiate the whole weekend, as part of Nick’s effort to promote females within rugby
Nick is already in the planning stages for next year and would like to invite local groups to reach out to him regarding joining the event next year, as part of their efforts to fund-raise, and for any companies who would be willing to help sponsor the event
MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club is hosting its very first ladies softball festival at Melbourne Sports Park on Sunday, May 14
These events are championed by Derbyshire County Cricket Club and have proved to be highly enjoyable for both players and supporters
The day will start at 11am and finish around 3pm
Local ladies’ teams will be competing, including our very own Melbourne Mavericks, who are embarking on their second season
There will be music, refreshments, food outlets, an ice cream van (weather permitting), raffle and entertainment for the children
Sara Oxspring from Melbourne Mavericks said: “The games are fast paced and good fun; it really is a game for everyone and a perfect family day out
“We look forward to enjoying a great afternoon with all members of the community ”
Anyone who would like to get involved should contact Sara on 07469395889
TICKNALL Cricket Club has started the season well with the first and second teams both having wins under their belt, writes
David FoxThe first team commenced the season in the ECB national championship at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire In a 40-overs a side game Ticknall batted first and after a slow start where a couple of chances were given but not taken, openers Paul Borrington and Rahim Ali put on an opening partnership of 138 with Ali out for 50 and Borrington eventually for 75
This partnership enabled Hobson and Cork to score a quickfire 42 and 27 respectively; Ticknall put on a very competitive 267, losing only five wickets
With tight bowling and regular wicket taking
Woodhall were always behind the rate required and apart from the brief resistance of a seventh wicket stand of 66 they never put Ticknall under pressure and were bowled out for 166 in the 34th over Ticknall won the game by 101 runs
All leagues commenced on April 2 with Ticknall first team having a difficult start at home to Sandiacre On a difficult early season pitch Ticknall were put into bat and the very first ball produced the first wicket
Batting was always hard and Ticknall found themselves 55-5 A 72-run partnership between Cork and Fazal with Cork making 79 managed to get the total to 150 but was felt not enough
However, a good bowling performance made Sandiacre work hard for the runs and only a 68 from Scott Mcneill saw them home but losing eight
MELBOURNE Tennis Club marked another milestone in its history by hosting the first ever Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Accredited Tournament
Eight boys and eight girls entered the competition, for ages 14 and under, with players coming from as far afield as Manchester
Carolyn Crocker and Sallie Allen, who have recently qualified as LTA referees, hosted the event. Both of them said the day, while a bit stressful, ran very well for the club’s very first tournament, and there was an excellent standard of play in both boys’ and girls’ groups.
There were two players from Melbourne Tennis Club who had entered the tournament, Oliver Clarke and Layla Sherriff. Layla was runner-up in the main draw of the girls’ tournament, being beaten by Miya-Karina Pradeesh Oliver went through to the consolation draw which he successfully won.
The boys’ main draw was won by Benjamin Wicks after a very close match against Lucas Hamilton who, although he does not live in Melbourne, has close ties as his granny’s house backs onto the courts.
Sallie said: “This is a very positive step for the club’s continual growth especially now we have two qualified LTA referees.”
More tournaments are planned during the year, with the next on June 4, again an Under 14 event.
Meanwhile a programme of fixtures for the men’s, ladies and mixed teams in the Burton (RTP) League and the Derby Summer League will see four teams competing in each category. Supporters and spectators are always welcome up at the club
wickets in the process
The following week Ticknall took the long trip to Eckington, always a difficult place to go Ticknall chose to bat first but on a wet pitch and outfield struggled A small total of 134 was posted thanks to another half century by Cork
Rain was threatening throughout but the seam attack of Cork, Smyth and Fazal took eight Eckington wickets for 91 and when the rain came to stop the game Ticknall had done enough to win by 27 runs under the Duckworth Lewis protocol
The second team started the season well, winning both their opening games First up was a trip to local rivals Melbourne Ticknall batted first and a splendid 88 not out by Holdgate got the team to 179 for 5
The batting performance was backed up by
bowlers Kilgour and Payne both taking four wickets apiece, and Melbourne were bowled out for 76 giving Ticknall a fine 103-run victory
This was followed by another win, this time at home to Ockbrook Ticknall posted 200 for six in their innings, mainly due to the first century of the season by Shakil making 115 not out Again, this good batting performance was backed up by the bowlers with Siddiqi, Magill and Magson taking three wickets each, bowling Ockbrook out for 128 and giving Ticknall a good 72-run victory
Ticknall thirds had their first game cancelled due to weather conditions The second was at Kirk Langley, who put on 195 for 7 with Bola taking four wickets In reply with Bunyan making a fine 85, Ticknall finished their 40 overs on 138 for eight thereby drawing the first match
MELBOURNE Dynamo FC’s first team ended April needing just a point to claim the league title, at the time of writing
They started with their first defeat since late August as Mayfield won 1-0, but Adam Dolman’s men soon got back to winning ways with a 3-0 home win thanks to a Macauley Jones double and a Joe Shadbolt finish
Another 3-0 win, this time against Castle Donington with Oscar Supple, Jack Goodband and Mac Jones netting, opened up a sevenpoint lead at the top of the table Dynamo played the same opposition a week later, this time coming away with a 5-0 victory: an Oscar Supple double plus goals from Jack Goodband, Mac Jones and an outrageous 45-yarder from Lewis Hughes
A midweek trip to Heanor Town Reserves saw the first team losing 2-1 with 20 minutes to go but James Smith, Mac Jones and Oscar Supple got on the scoresheet to claim a vital three points
Dynamo Reserves are looking to secure a top five spot in the MRA premier division and started the month with a superb 2-1 home win against Punjab United with Finn Charles and Joe Shadbolt getting the all-important goals
The Reserves’ only other match in April was away to league champions Mickleover Athletic and a 4-0 defeat followed to leave Dynamo just one more game in their season
RIGHT: Layla (left) and Miya-Karina.MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club began the 2023 season with the first team at home to Ticknall 2nds Town bowled first, a superb spell from Sohail Hussain (3-14) reducing the visitors to 23-3 Despite two wickets for Faisal Mehmood, Ticknall recovered to 179-5 The first team struggled in their reply Only Mehmood got into double figures scoring 44, hitting five sixes, as Melbourne were shot out for just 76
Alex Slater ’s men posted a much better performance in their last game of April as they travelled to Chellaston and bowled their hosts out for just 100 New signing Wasim Sajid led the way with 3-37 supported by two wickets apiece from Qadir Zadran, Sohail Hussain and Slater himself
In reply Melbourne were in trouble at 22-3 but Mark Rossi (27),Usama Awais (25 not out) and Fraser Radcliffe (24 not out) eased them home by six wickets with more than 18 overs to spare
Melbourne seconds began with a close game away to Rosehill Meths 1sts as the home side posted 153-9 off their allotted overs, Gurwinder Singh leading the way with 3-16 plus Ash Elwell who chipped in with two wickets
A quite superb innings of 81 by Singh with Elwell again supporting with 26 was unfortunately in vain as the seconds slipped to a threerun defeat after needing eight off the final over
Sam Adcock’s men finished April with a run fest at home to Chellaston thirds The visitors amassed a huge 255-3 with skipper Adcock taking two of the three wickets to fall
Opener Ash Elwell led the reply with a brilliant 77 and there was some late entertainment from Adcock (56 not out), Sunny Dhiman (28) and new signing Jules Raine (17 not out) as the seconds ended up on 226-6
A TRUE stalwart of Melbourne’s footballing scene was honoured with a surprise presentation of a highly valued memorial trophy.
Donal Miller, long-standing coach of Melbourne Dynamo Football Club, found himself being presented with the Tony Coffey Memorial Shield after finishing a training session on April 22
MELBOURNE - KINGS NEWTON - TICKNALL
LEBY - FOREMARK - LOUNT - STANTON - BY- BRIDGE
SWARKESTONE - WILSON - STAUNTON HAROLD
to spring the emotional surprise on Donal
GE - TWYFORD - MELBOURNE - WESTON - ON -TRENT
Each year Donal himself is behind the presentation of the shield, which is given in memory of Tony Coffey, who is remembered for being an inspiring coach to many young Melbourne footballers in the 80s and 90s –Donal included Tony’s son, Liam, said this year the family could think of no better recipient of the shield than Donal himself
ELVASTON - THULSTON - AMBASTON - BARROW- ON -TRENT - BREEDON
Handing over the shield with his children – and Tony’s grandchildren – Freddie and Rae, Liam said: “Donal played for my dad’s team when he was a young player My dad would have been so proud of how Donal has conducted himself as a coach and as a player “The legacy that he carries on with the values that my dad held dear my dad loved him to bits, he really did, and I think Donal also put the hard work into keeping my dad’s name alive in the club, which my family were blown away by ”
The presentation ceremony heard from fellow coach Conor Raynor, who told how Donal’s commitment to bringing on young footballing talent at Melbourne knew no bounds
Conor said Donal had done particularly wonderful work in keeping together last year ’s under-15 side which had been rocked to its heart after the death of Thando Ndlovu who had got into difficulty in the river near Swarkestone Bridge
Having coached that team for many years, after it disbanded Donal then returned to the club to take on the youngest children at Melbourne Dynamos
SMISBY - MILTON - MELBOURNE - KINGS NEWTON - TICKNALL
NGE - TWYFORD - MELBOURNE - WESTON - ON -TRENT
A crowd of family members, plus many coaches from Melbourne Dynamo, gathered by the Astro turf at Melbourne Sports Park
UNT - STANTON - BY- BRIDGE - SWARKESTONE - WILSON - STAUNTON HAROLD
ASTON - ON -TRENT - ELVASTON - THULSTON
AMBASTON - BARROW- ON -TRENT - BREEDON FINDERN - SMISBY - MILTON
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AFTER 53 years not out, Ticknall Cricket Club’s long-standing chair John Dumelow has had a great innings
Now 80, John has handed over the chairmanship of the club to Paul Bunyan
John, whose family are well known for their expertise on the cricket pitch, took over being chair of Ticknall Cricket Club in 1970
His first visit to the village’s recreation ground – known as The Grange – was some years earlier, in 1953, on the occasion of Her late Majesty the Queen’s coronation
“I think it was a wet day,” he recalled “There were no TVs in those days They had got one rigged up in the church for people to watch ”
Handing the shield to Donal, Liam added: “You absolutely are the epitome of what this trophy represents, you really are ”
Donal said: “This trophy means a massive amount to me I never expected my name on it ”
With a severe shortage of referees in Derbyshire, Donal has also taken on the refereeing whistle to help football matches go ahead
“He had really dug us out of a hole to be a referee,” said Conor “He is a club legend ”
which burnt down in 1969 ”
A lottery grant has since enabled the club to put up a pavilion that fully caters to the club’s expanded needs
On his role overseeing the club over the years, John said: “The chairman’s job is to make sure everybody else does their work!”
competitive!”
John first picked up a cricket bat aged about 11 while at school in Ashby, moving on to join the club in Ticknall
“We were a very small club in those days,” he said “The pavilion consisted of a wooden shack
Having played himself for many years, cricket has always been a big part of his and the Dumelow family’s life – brother Rob took 100 wickets in one season at Ticknall, and nephew Nathan went on to play professionally for Derbyshire
“It’s just enjoyable if you’re interested in sport; no matter what sport you play, if you’re interested, it’s enjoyable,” he said, adding: “I’ve always been quite
After more than half a century at the helm of Ticknall, John said it was not onerous to be handing over the reins as he is vice-captain of Willesley Park Golf Club, where he will take over as captain next year John said: “It hasn’t bothered me to give it up because at 80, I’d got to give it up at some stage, so if it’s done in an orderly fashion that’s much, much better ”
Among the many highlights of John’s time leading Ticknall Cricket Club was the first time entry into the premier league, and in 2018 the club’s winning of the premier league as well as the Derbyshire Cup – a joint victory which has not been achieved since
PROUD DAD (left to right): Freddie and Rae Coffey with dad Liam, Donal Miller and Conor Raynor