Village Voice October 2019 13
WHAT’S ON
Charity gets a kick out of fancy dress contest
BILLED as “probably the greatest sixa-side football fancy dress competition in the world” (by the organisers) the third Jack Radley Cup certainly has to be one of the most bizarre yet most successful events of the year. There is something totally surreal about standing up at the Melbourne Sporting Partnership watching a bunch of ten-pin bowling skittles pitting their footballing skills against a team comprising only Zinedine Zidanes to be followed by a bunch of bananas playing a group of Wayne Rooney look-a-likes! It’s the kind of occasion when you have total respect for the younger generation of the village, all enjoying themselves for a great cause – but you also need to pinch yourself regularly to check you are not still in some hallucinogenic induced daydream! The origin of the now legendary contest
was a fund-raiser to help Jack Radley’s parents travel to Peru after Jack suffered a life changing illness which hospitalised him for six weeks abroad and then required a long and painful rehabilitation back home. The day consists of a rugby match, this year against Long Eaton, a football tournament and an evening event, accompanied throughout the day by plenty of beery refreshments to avoid dehydration and athlete-healthy food snacks of burgers and donuts. With some sponsorship money still to come, this year’s grand total will exceed £3,200 which, organiser and debonair MC for the day Jules Raine described as “beyond incredible”. He added: “We cannot thank Melbourne as a whole enough for coming together for this year’s Jack Radley Cup.” A good part of this total was made up
from an auction and raffle at the evening event, which alone made £700. The beneficiary of the funds this year will be Different Strokes, a charity run to help younger stroke survivors, like Jack himself. Most of the staff, volunteers and trustees of the charity are stroke survivors, family members, or have a close personal connection to stroke. Jack Radley said: “We had a fantastic day and it was great to see the community coming together to raise funds for a great cause.” Jack is now a mentor for young stroke victims himself. If you are wondering – the cup itself was won by Steve Bell’s team ‘David’s Seamen’. If you missed it, plans are already underway for next year and Jack promised: “It will be even bigger and better.” – Frank Hughes
YOUR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN THE AREA Saturday and Sunday October 12 and 13: Food and Drink Fair. Swarkestone Nursery. Stalls, food, drinks and crafts for all the family. Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm; Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm.
Friday October 25: The Sherwin Singers in Concert with Melbourne Male Voice Choir, Melbourne Parish Church. 7.00pm. The Sherwin Singers are a WI choir formed in 2014. Adult tickets: £5; children over 12: £2, from Melbourne News or pay on door.
Sunday October 13: Calke Abbey Apple Day. 11.00am - 4.00pm. Come and celebrate the English apple and orchards in Calke’s gardens with juicing, tasting, puzzles and apple advice. Monday October 14: Melbourne Garden Club. Talk by Zdenek Valkoun-Walker, on ‘Plants for Places’. Head gardener of the Dorothy Clive Garden in Market Drayton, and BBC radio gardening expert. Senior Citizens Centre, Melbourne, 7.00pm. £2 members and £4 visitors. Thursday October 17: Melbourne Footpaths Group, Hartshorne to Smisby Circular. A five mile walk led by Della and Jane. Meet at Hartshorne, Manchester Lane car park at 10.00am. Small charge. Saturday October 19: Making Art with Natural Materials, with Jane Bevan. Whistlewood Common. 10.30 - 4.30pm. Book on website: www.whistlewoodcommon.org Friday October 25: Rocketman. Film showing at Melbourne Film Club at the Assembly Rooms. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7.00pm. Film membership £5 including film showing. Bar open.
Thursday November 7: Repton Area Forum. Public meeting where council and police officials give updates on crime matters and can be quizzed by the public. Repton area includes Ticknall, Findern, Ingleby, Smisby, Twyford, Foremark and Milton. 6.30pm. Milton Village Hall. Saturday & Sunday November 9 &10: Making Seasonal Glass Gifts, with Stevie Davies. Four sessions over two days. Whistlewood Common. Book on website: www.whistlewoodcommon.org Thursday November 21: Bretby Circular Walk. Four mile walk led by Paul from Melbourne Footpaths Group. Meet at Bretby Planters Nursery at 10am. Please park as far as possible from the main building and buy a drink before or after the walk. Small charge.
All information correct at time of going to press. Please check before travelling.
VILLAGE VOICE Postbag Blocked footpaths report
I ALWAYS particularly look forward to Village Voice's 'Country Living' column by Robert Parker, for its combination of nature notes and accounts of the farming life. September’s instalment was no exception with the fascinating story about the thousands of house martins visiting the farm. On a less cheerful note, he noted the amount of weather damage to crops. However, it is possible that Robert's comments about the county footpath officer’s complaints that paths were blocked by ruined crops knocked down by heavy rain might be misinterpreted. A reader might assume that Melbourne walkers, or the Melbourne Footpaths Group was the original source for these complaints. This certainly isn’t the case. Melbourne Footpaths Group did not make a report of this kind and, as I understand it, no report
was made from Melbourne or the immediately adjacent parishes. I hope local walkers wouldn't ever be this insensitive and would indeed, as Robert suggests, ‘bear with us for a few days’ until the blockages are cleared. In my eyes, farmers are heroes for their often lonely battle with weather, diseases of crops and livestock, and unpredictable market conditions. It is a pity that walkers and farmers don’t always get on better, but Melbourne Footpaths Group is deeply grateful to the agricultural community for their management of our wonderful landscape. Of course there will be occasions when the footpaths group will feel the need to use the prescribed channels to take up problems with footpath access, but this was not one of them. Paul Sturges, chair of Melbourne Footpaths Group
Stamps now helping the blind
I WAS thrilled to bits to read in the August edition of Village Voice the appeal from ‘Hoarder of Sweet Leys Way’ who, like me, used to save used stamps for the late Mrs Brame, who collected them for the Leprosy Mission. I now collect on behalf of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) any used stamps with a minimum of one centimetre of paper around their edges. British and foreign stamps need to be separated, with Channel Islands and Isle of Man counting as foreign. The Post Office large gold labels are not of use. I am happy and willing to arrange collection or Jean will hoard for me at 37 Sweet Leys Way. If you collect a lot, you may wish to send directly, and expandable prepaid envelopes are available by telephoning 01413 289357 or by emailing rnib@xchange-master.co.uk.
I understand that in 2018 the RNIB raised £14,000 from the collection of used stamps, so please bear in mind this worthy organisation when you receive your Christmas cards. Jane Lakin (née Brookes) 01530 413733
Church collects too
I READ with interest the letter printed in the September edition of The Village Voice, ‘Used Stamps Anyone?’ Melbourne Baptist Church collects used stamps, coins and foreign currency in aid of the Baptist missionary society. Anyone with any of these things can drop them off to me at 28 Chapel Street, Melbourne. Anne Dando Melbourne
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Where are we?
We are based on the site of Scallywags Private Day Nursery in Chellaston (Rowallan Way, DE73 5WX). Please use the Scallywags car park and you will find the entrance to Titchy Town off Rowallan Way by following the signs. Disabled and pushchair access is available.
How w it works
Titchy Town works onn a roll up, pay and play basis with sessions lasting 90 minutes. On your first entry you will be issued a loyalty card and a for every nine sessions you attend you will receive your 10th entry free of charge! Payment is cash only until we establish tablish if a card machine is required.
Opening Times Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
Morning 9.15 – 10.45 9.15 – 10.45 9.15 – 10.45 9.15 – 10.45 9.15 – 10.45 9.15 – 10.45
Mid Morning 11.15 – 12.45 11.15 – 12.45 11.15 – 12.45 11.15 – 12.45 11.15 – 12.45 11.15 – 12.45
Sun
Closed
Closed
Afternoon 1.15 – 2.45 1.15 – 2.45 1.15 – 2.45 1.15 – 2.45 1.15 – 2.45 1.15 – 2.45 Private Par ty Hire
Closed C
C a l l us o n 01332 705070 Em a i l us o n t i tc h y t o w n@ @s c a l l y wag s n u rs e r y. c om Please note that Titchy Town is thoroughly cleaned at the end of each session before it iss set up for the start of the next session.