Mountsorrel Post (78) March 2022

MOUNTSORREL POST YOUR FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

MARCH 2022

www.birstallpost.co.uk

No. 78

Local roads cleaned

Charity’s new Mountsorrel HQ

THE A6 and A46 in Charnwood are scheduled to be given a spring clean next month.

A CANCER charity has relocated to premises in Mountsorrel.

Charnwood Borough Council’s waste partner Serco will be undertaking the clean-up in March which sees litter and debris cleared from central reservations, slip roads and laybys of the A6 and A46 in the borough.

Mesothelioma UK is a national specialist resource centre for the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma.

The charity is dedicated to providing specialist mesothelioma information, support and education, and to improving care and treatment for all UK mesothelioma patients and their carers.

The former local authority building at 235 Loughborough Road has been refurbished and is now home to Mesothelioma UK’s Operations Team, including 12 staff, covering administration, finance, business development, research, events and fundraising.

Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire,

Pic: The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur with Liz Darlison, Chief Executive Officer at MesotheliomaUK, cutting the ribbon at the opening of the charity's new premises in Mountsorrel

Mike Kapur OBE, officially opened the offices on Monday November 22, 2021.

Walter Miles Electrical Engineers Ltd, which has a long-standing relationship with the charity, has made moving to the new office possible. The refurbishment has been completed by them and a number of their associates, some of whom have donated materials, skills and time.

Liz Darlison, Chief Executive Officer at MesotheliomaUK, said: “We’re so proud that our charity is going from strength to strength and very excited to be in new premises. We’ve grown the Mesothelioma UK team, both nurses and operational staff, considerably over the last few years, and this growth, coupled with our amazing new HQ, is the perfect platform to develop the charity and have a greater impact.

“We’re delighted to be making a new home for the charity in Mountsorrel, and no words can express how eternally grateful we are to Walter Miles Ltd and their team, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Jane Hunt MP, Member of Parliament for Loughborough, Shepshed, Quorn,

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Barrow, Sileby, Hathern, Mountsorrel Castle and the Wolds villages, added: “I’d like to warmly welcome Mesothelioma UK to their new home in Mountsorrel. We have a tremendous community spirit here, and we are already home to many amazing people and organisations performing some incredible things. I am sure the charity will find themselves right at home here!”

The clean-up is completed twice a year and usually takes place around the same time as the clocks change.

Litter becomes more visible before the clean-ups are carried out due to grass verges being cut back and the increased daylight.

The clean up is due to start on March 26 and will be ongoing until April 20, 2022.

A rolling lane closure will be in place while cleaning is being carried out and may cause delays.

The full schedule of the clean-up can be found at the Council’s website: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/cleaner_ greener The June issue of the

MOUNTSORREL POST will be published on June 4.

The copy deadline is May 20.

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Alpine House Surgery 86 Rothley Rd, Mountsorrel, Loughborough LE12 7JU Tel: 0116 216 9947

Accessing the surgery & face-to-face appointments As a surgery, we are aware of the continued media interest in the availability of GP appointments, particularly face-to-face, and we wanted to communicate to our patients how we are currently working, why we are doing this and how you can access the surgery.

We have remained open and available throughout the pandemic; however, we have had to make adjustments in order to keep our patients and our staff safe. As an employer we must protect our staff and as a service provider we must offer a safe service for our users. We are proud of the measures we have taken, and so far, have had no outbreaks of Covid at the Surgery.

We are committed to providing you with the best possible health care for your needs and we are proud of our diverse and highly skilled clinical team. Alongside our traditional GP appointments, you can consult with our Paramedic/ANP team who are trained to deal with a wide variety of problems and can prescribe independently or will have access to a GP for prescriptions if required.

Face-to-Face Appointments Our GPs, Paramedics and ANP's (Advanced Nurse Practitioners) all offer telephone consultations in the first instance and will always offer a face-to-face appointment if this is clinically necessary. This will be discussed with you during your telephone consultation, and you will be invited to the surgery, usually on the same day or on a day that is suitable for you.

We have been seeing our patients

face-to-face throughout the pandemic for both acute and routine matters.

We are also aware of the media criticism of GPs "hiding" during the pandemic, this is simply not true. Our GPs and Paramedics are working incredibly hard but are more likely to be seeing patients who are seeking advice with an acute/contagious illness. It is therefore in the best interests of our staff and other patients for these to be dealt with over the telephone in the first instance.

Our Nursing and HCA teams continue to see the majority of their patients face-to-face, the reason for this is that they are seeing generally well people for routine matters.

Access to the Surgery We have recently reviewed access to the building. The front door will remain closed to allow the waiting room to be monitored and socially distanced appropriately, but the rear electronic doors will now be open daily and accessible. A member of staff will be available to greet and direct you. In the absence of a staff member, we ask that you wait at the desk in the hallway and ring the bell for assistance.

Please note mask wearing in the surgery remains mandatory for staff and patients.

We will continue to ask COVID

screening questions and once this is done, you are welcome to wait in the waiting room for your appointment.

However, if you prefer to wait outside or in your car, please advise our reception staff. We have limited space in the waiting room in order to maintain social distancing and we try to stagger our face-to-face appointments as best we can to accommodate this.

Patients who have COVID symptoms or are COVID Positive: Patients who are experiencing COVID symptoms or are positive for COVID and have another unrelated condition which needs medical attention, will be assessed first via telephone and if deemed clinically necessary to be seen, will be invited to be seen in the isolation room, you will NEVER be refused an appointment or treatment because you have COVID19.

Contacting the surgery There are a number of ways you can contact the surgery: By telephone on 0116 216 9947.

Please bear in mind, that unless you require a same day appointment, you can call any time between 8am and 6pm. If your query or appointment request is routine, it’s always best to call after 10am Our website has recently been upgraded and you can find us at: www.alpinehousesurgery.co.uk

You can also follow us on Twitter: @AlpineSurgery or find us on Facebook We also now offer an Online Consultation Service. You can ask clinical or administrative queries. These are for routine, non-urgent requests and you will receive a reply in up to 5 working days. Therefore please do not send any urgent queries.

To access this service, visit our website for the link or type the following into a search engine: https://florey.accurx.com/p/C82095

APPOINTMENTS 74.8% of our Total Appointments were Face-to-Face in the last 4 weeks (10th January 2022 – 6th February 2022)

FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENTS

Last 4 weeks , Previous Year (10th January 2021 – 6th February 2021)

Pics: a recent flu clinic at Alpine House Surgery 2

3568 1435

DNA’S (did not attend) have reduced Dramatically to only 3% with our current appointment model

MAR 2022

(10th January 2022 – 6th February 2022)

MOUNTSORREL POST

Last 4 weeks , Current Year

News from the Mountsorrel Community Team The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2nd – 5th June 2022 Street Parties Street parties will be held around the nation for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the extended Bank Holiday weekend of June 2-5, 2022 – and Mountsorrel is no exception.

Have you already made plans for your street party?

If not, the Mountsorrel Community Team will be sharing information on how you can organise your street party on their Facebook page. So follow the MCT Facebook page for useful hints, suggestions and templates.

Also keep an eye on news from The Parish Council and the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre for other events happening in Mountsorrel to celebrate over the weekend.

In just 90 minutes, nine black bags were filled. Two lots of fly tipping were also sorted and reported. Send the Community Team a message through their Facebook page if there’s somewhere you think they should go next time they’re out - and don't forget to say hello and give them a wave if you see them.

Pancake Day Sunday February 27 saw the return of the village pancake races, held in the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre. Organisers, The Mountsorrel Community Team said that they had been overwhelmed by the attendance this year. It was a noisy and chaotic afternoon, packed with smiles, fun and laughter. There were fresh pancakes on sale with a range of toppings and all children taking part received a cone of sweets, with certificates and medals for the winners.

The MCT wanted to thank everyone Continued on page 4

Pics: Falls and spills were part of the fun at the village pancake races

MOUNTSORREL POST

MAR 2022

Litter Pick The Mountsorrel Community Team enjoyed some winter sun on their January litter pick.

It was a family affair for team member Ross, whose daughter and granddaughters also helped out. They started at the top of Watling Street, went along Crown Lane, through the quarry public footpath to Bond Lane, and down to Stonehurst Farm.

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Continued from page 3

Parish Council notes

who came along and joined in the fun, particularly the Church Groups and most especially all the children who joined in so enthusiastically.

Pic: Harry Slingsby - best decorated house

Pic: Rose Cottage

The Hair & Beauty Gallery – Karen & Mandy • Best Sustainable decorations – Olive & Mabel Snell • Most Magical Outdoor Display – Zak & Mel Onions • Best decorated house – Harry Slingsby • Best children’s window display – Isobel & Connor Stewart There were also special awards for the amazing display at Rose Cottage and the fabulous display set to music by Steve Ratcliffe on Rockhill Drive.

Thank you everyone who joined in the fun.

From The Mountsorrel Community Team

Pic: Zack & Mel Onions

Pic: Best Decorated Business: Karen & Mandy, the Hair & Beauty Gallery

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ANNUAL PARISH MEETING Memorial Centre 105 Leicester Road Mountsorrel

Thur April 21st 2022 at 7pm

REPRESENTATIVES FROM Charnwood Borough Council Leicestershire County Council Tarmac Leicestershire Constabulary Mountsorrel Charities

Chairman Kate Walker thanked Councillor Steve Haywood, who is resigning, for his many years of service on the council. She welcomed the new manager of the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre, James Nelson.

She said there was excellent progress at the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre: panto ticket sales are doing better than in 2019, room hire is busy, and a major dance festival is booked for summer 2022.

Jake Atkinson of LRALC spoke about his report on the council's two strategic planning days. He said it was good practice to move to longer-term planning and budgeting and that this could happen after next year's budget.

Long-term planning is defined as three or more years.

This year‘s budget should relate to shorter-term priorities. The council has a role as a community leader and should be confident in setting out its priorities for the village, which can be put out for a wider public consultation in the summer of 2022.

The council agreed to produce a detailed plan as part of the budget process for next year and to consult more widely on a longer-term plan in 2022.

Councillor Megan Pirt was appointed as the council's representative to Mountsorrel United Charities for four years.

It was agreed to continue to support Steve Haywood in his role as Armed Forces champion.

It was agreed to open the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre cafe as an in-house operation for a period of 12 months, and that a financial report on the cafe is presented at every meeting of the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre committee.

A meeting of the finance and general purposes committee was held on November 15.

It was agreed to donate £1025 to the Mountsorrel Community Team to pay for its insurance costs this year.

It was agreed to authorise expenditure of up to £24,000 to pay for the cost of the planning application for the Cufflins Park project, and that financial support for the scheme would be limited to this amount.

A full council meeting was held on January 10, 2022.

The council considered its budget for the year 2022/23. The council agreed a precept of £524,201, an increase of 2% on 2021/22. The Parish Council component of the council tax for a band D property in Mountsorrel will be £173.41 a year. This is a rise of 6p a week.

At least 1% of the increase will be ring-fenced to provide additional support to young people in the village.

MAR 2022

A FULL meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on November 8, 2021.

MOUNTSORREL POST

The 2021 Mountsorrel Christmas Decoration awards Christmas seems a long time ago now, but hopefully the memory of the fabulous Christmas lights and displays around Mountsorrel can still be brought to mind.

The Mountsorrel Community Team had great fun walking around the village to see the amazing displays. As always it was difficult to pick winners. The 2021 Mountsorrel Christmas Decoration awards were presented to: • Best decorated Business window –

Choir prepares for joyful return to stage A CHOIR of local singers will be making an enthusiastic return to the stage with a free concert in Mountsorrel in May.

Pics: (above) the choir performing; (left, l-r) Nest Harris (accompanist), Caroline Sharpe (Musical Director) and Pauline Needham

the retiring collection raised well over £1,000 for Cancer Research and I asked Caroline if we could arrange another concert the following year. This was duly booked, but then the pandemic struck, and now, three years later, is the first opportunity we have of holding another concert!

“Why not come along and support your local singing group, enjoy a programme of mixed and varied music, and let’s try to make a really worthwhile contribution to Cancer Research through the retiring collection.”

Mountsorrel Memorial Hall 7.00pm Friday May 20, 2022 For more details about the choir go to: www.singingforfunem.com

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MAR 2022

Singing for Fun is, as the name suggests, a local group of people who really enjoy singing and have fun at the same time!

It was founded back in 2008 by Anne Hughes, but since 2018 it has been in the very capable hands of musical director Caroline Sharpe. There are rehearsal sessions in Rothley, Quorn, Tilton, Thurmaston and Woodhouse Eaves.

Member Pauline Needham said: “Our repertoire is very varied ranging from folk and traditional songs, musical theatre numbers, to sacred and well-known

popular pieces. During the pandemic we continued singing via zoom expertly co-ordinated by Caroline.”

The concert on Friday May 20 is free, with a retiring collection for Cancer Research.

Pauline said: “In May 2019 we held a concert in aid of Cancer Research at a time that marked a special milestone in my life as it was 40 years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was 32 years old, was told it was a very aggressive tumour, I would need radical surgery and further treatment and even then, the outlook was very uncertain. I had two daughters aged six and four, so I am sure you can imagine, it was a very tough period in my life.

“But there is no doubt in my mind that the reason I am still here, apart from the prayerful support of my family and friends, is because of the amazing work done by Cancer Research and I feel sure that there are many, many people who share my gratitude for this organisation. At the end of the concert in 2019

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Museum of local history in restored wagon MOUNTSORREL AND Rothley Community Heritage Centre is creating a museum of local history in a railway wagon.

Pic: a wagon will house the museum

New group for children Pic: volunteers at work on the Jubilee Garden

EARLY COMMUNICATION sessions for children aged 0-4 will be running from Rothley Community library, starting in April.

Heather Wilson, mum and Early Years Practitioner with over 25 years experience, will be offering the sessions on Mondays from April 25.

She said: “Telling stories and promoting early communication, giving parents the techniques to create chatty children, is my passion. I created @thecowshed back in 2017, running small groups for parents and children from my converted garage to promote the importance of early communication.”

She added: “Working with children in a pre-school setting recently has highlighted the impact of the pandemic on children’s development, particularly in personal, social and emotional development, as well as communication and language, and I am relaunching @thecowshed – this time out in the community!”

Sessions include songs, stories, play and activities.

Heather said: “My website and social media is currently being developed. please send enquiries, or to express an interest in sessions, to heather@thecowshed.me

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new circular path with a planted area at its centre, new ornamental trees and a bench on the far side. The garden will be completed and ready for opening for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend at the beginning of June.

MAR 2022

an old item made in the village, just things that were part of everyday life from 50 or more years ago. If you do please get in touch as soon as you can as we’ll soon be finalizing the display and recording the audio descriptions.”

Heritage Centre volunteers have started work on a new garden in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Standing at the side of the Peace Garden, before you reach the Botanical Garden, the Jubilee Garden will feature a

MOUNTSORREL POST

Spokesman Steve Cramp said: “Our volunteers are working to turn the inside of our restored LMS wagon into a museum of local history. A viewing booth has been created just inside the doorway of the wagon, effectively turning the inside space into a giant display case. They’ll be audio buttons to press so you can learn about the items on display and they’ll even be a working 70 year old train set!”

The museum will be ready to open for the Queen’s Jubilee bank holiday weekend at the beginning of June.

The Centre is appealing to residents for items they could borrow for the museum. Steve said: “Do you or anyone you know have any old items of interest in the loft or shed that you might like to loan to the Heritage Centre for display in the new museum? It doesn’t have to be

Colourful Christmas trees fill church CHRIST CHURCH on Rothley Road, Mountsorrel, had a popular Christmas Tree Festival in December, with 42 trees on display.

Council tax CHARNWOOD BOROUGH Council has agreed to raise its share of council tax by 9p a week for a Band D property.

The increase was agreed at full Council on Monday February 21 where 31 councillors voted in favour of the increase and eight voted against.

The increase will see the annual charge for the Charnwood element of an average Band D property rise by £4.61 (3.52 per cent) to £135.69 from April 1, 2022.

The Charnwood element of council tax bills accounts for less than 10 per cent of the total average bill.

Over 300 people visited, and they were invited to vote for their favourite trees. There was a one-way system to keep everyone Covid-19 safe.

The favourite tree from Mountsorrel Primary School was named Kingfishers and was decorated with reindeers made from cheese-boxes.

The favourite tree from a community group came from Rose Cottage Rest Home.

Churchwarden Peter Hodson said: “Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who took part.”

Christmas at Memorial Centre MOUNTSORREL’S CHRISTMAS lights were switched on at a festive event held at the Memorial Centre.

Our picture shows Rose Cobley (7) with her brother Oscar (10) meeting Father Christmas.

Get ready for REVIVAL 2022

MAR 2022 MOUNTSORREL POST

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THE NEXT Mountsorrel REVIVAL will be held on Sunday August 14, 2022.

A spokesperson for the Mountsorrel Community Team, organisers of the event, said: “After having to cancel REVIVAL in 2020 and 2021 the team are excited at the prospect of being able to once again put on our event. The theme this year is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”

They added: “We have now booked most of the attractions and have already sold a record number of stalls and pitches. We are also asking for volunteers who can help on the day. So if you can spare anything from an hour up to 5 hours, we would love to hear from you.

“Of course, the most important part of the day is you, the Mountsorrel community. Keep an eye on the Mountsorrel Community Team Facebook page for how you can be involved. There’ll be

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www.1-4-all.co.uk lots of competitions, from the traditional baked goods to fancy dress and the forever popular soapbox racing. You can get your pooches in training for the fun dog show, or maybe you or your group would like to be in the parade? The louder and more colourful, the better, especially if it is in line with the Jubilee theme.”

There are lots of ways to contact the team, via their website www.themct.co.uk, by Messenger or WhatsApp, through the links on their Facebook page, or by email to media@the-mct.co.uk.

The June issue of the

MOUNTSORREL POST will be published on June 4.

The copy deadline is May 20.

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that the council could not demonstrate it had met its target of a five year supply of housing land, so permission should be granted, as the benefits of development outweigh the adverse impacts.

The developer will pay the following section 106 contributions to mitigate the impact of the development. £128,492.00 towards remodelling and improving capacity at Christ Church & Saint Peter's C of E Primary School. £181,180.00 towards remodelling and improving capacity at Rawlins Academy. £1,510.00 towards library facilities at Mountsorrel Library £13,333 towards enhancement of nearby the LEAP facility £47,700 contribution towards new or enhanced young people’s provision within the adjacent Cufflins Park development or other nearby provision. £16,469.00 contribution towards off-site outdoor sports facilities £5,646.00 contribution towards off-site provision or enhancement of allotment facilities in Mountsorrel £25,315.62 towards providing additional clinical accommodation at Alpine House and Charnwood Surgery, to meet the needs of the additional residents £2,584.00 contribution towards the enhancement of Mountsorrel Waste and Recycling Centre.

Details of the application can be viewed on the planning pages of Charnwood’s website. The planning reference is P/20/2361/2

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The application received dozens of objections from residents, as well as from Mountsorrel Parish Council.

Developer Jelson has submitted the plans for a plot of land on Halstead Road, next to the site they are currently developing. That site received planning permission in 2014 for 200 homes – Jelson describes the new plans, for 50 homes on the site immediately to the west, as phase 2.

The application site is 3.1 ha and is currently used as a paddock. The proposed scheme is a mix of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, with 30% (15 dwellings) designated as affordable.

A 20 m wide green corridor, with newly planted trees, would be provided along the entire eastern boundary of the site.

A new vehicular and pedestrian access would be provided off Halstead Road. A footpath will link the site to the phase 1 development.

Issues raised by those objecting to the plans include: The site falls outside the allocated development areas Loss of attractive open countryside Loss of wildlife habitat Drainage and flooding Schools and other local facilities are already oversubscribed Increase in local traffic.

Charnwood’s planning committee met on November 25, 2011 to consider the application, and voted 10-1 in favour.

The planning department's report recognised that there were harms from the development in terms of “a loss of countryside and agricultural land, and the impact on ecology." It concluded

Trouble with your figures?

New defibrillator installed at school LIFE-SAVING defibrillators have been installed at Mountsorrel primary school after a successful fundraising effort and support from a local heart charity.

The life-saving devices at Mountsorrel school have been funded by the staff, pupils, parents, and generous donations from community members.

The school’s journey to create a heart safe environment began a few years ago when a group of staff went on a first aid training course. The course highlighted the importance of having a defibrillator on-site and accessible in case of an emergency. The school then decided to carry out some fundraising activities to buy a defibrillator. This included a hugely successful cake sale and a non-uniform day in school. In addition, the school’s AED campaign received donations from local businesses and the school's Parents, Staff & Friends Association (PSFA).

The school’s fundraising campaign managed to raise enough money to buy not one, but two defibrillators (AEDS).

One of the AEDs has been installed just outside the school premises so it’s easily accessible 24/7 for the school and local community, should it ever be needed.

The additional AED is kept within the

Pic: (l-r) Mrs Clare Clay ( Headteacher) Jo Wardle ( learning mentor), Alan White (JHMT Trustee & Lead Trainer) Louisa Bird ( a parent and chair of our Parents, Staff + Friends Association ) and Richard Shepherd (a local business owner who donated to the appeal) along with a small group of pupils from the school.

school and can be taken on any organised trips.

Clare Clay, headteacher at Mountsorrel primary school, said: “As a school, we are delighted to now be a heart safe environment for our pupils, parents, staff, visitors and our local community. We hope we never have to use the defibrillator but feel very reassured to know we have it in case the unthinkable ever happens.

“We would like to thank the Joe

Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) for guiding us through this whole process, from helping us decide which defibrillator to buy to kindly donating a cabinet for our 24/7 defibrillator and for already training some of our year 6 cohort. We are planning further training in the future and hope that as many staff as possible, and our new year 6 children, will be able to benefit from this.”

As well as providing free CPR and defibrillator training, the JHMT works to

raise awareness of sudden heart deaths, helps to provide community defibrillators and runs Inspire, a local grants scheme for inspirational young people, 13 –21 years old.

Dr Mike Ferguson, JHMT Trustee, said: “A cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack: in a cardiac arrest the heart stops beating and the person will die within minutes unless resuscitation is started. The young, and seemingly fit, can be struck down – at least 12 young people die every week in the UK from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). CPR is a vital life-saving skill that is easy to learn and gives the person a fighting chance to live. An AED can restart a heart after a cardiac arrest, and it is essential that one is readily accessible. Every second counts and Mountsorrel school making an AED available 24/7 could save lives.”

The Leicestershire charity was set up after the tragic death of Rothley teenager (14 years old) Joe Humphries in 2012, who died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) while out on a run close to his home.

To find out more about the work of the Trust, apply for training and support, or to help with the charity's work, visit the website at www.jhmt.org.uk You can also follow the Trust on Facebook at facebook.com/JHMTorguk and Twitter @JHMTorguk

Wildflower meadow’s marker Rotary donations

A GIANT three-tonne rock of Leicestershire granite now marks a tranquil wildflower meadow that – come spring – will be ablaze with glorious colour to delight residents.

MOUNTSORREL POST

MAR 2022

The stone, donated by Tarmac’s Mountsorrel Quarry, carries a plaque explaining that Navins Wildflower Meadow is a public space, boasting dozens of wildflowers, for all to enjoy.

Located next to Christ Church and near to the quarry, the meadow was the brainchild of members of the Mountsorrel Heritage Group – part of the Mountsorrel Museum & Heritage Trust – led by the late Mr Ken Wiblin, who was the village Wildlife Heritage Warden. The meadow has since been nurtured using organic and traditional methods into a small wildlife haven.

John Doyle, chairman of the trustees of the Mountsorrel Museum & Heritage Trust, said: “The meadow started as just a patch of land which was maintained by a small team of volunteers. During the pandemic, more people have been expressing their appreciation of the many varieties of flowers that bloom during spring and colour.

“There were so many questions about the meadow that we decided to create an information board. Having got all the necessary clearance from the local authorities, we approached Christ Church & St Peter’s Primary School to get the pupils involved in the design and artwork.”

Tarmac, which has strong links in the community, delivered the three-tonne stone as a plinth for the board.

THE ROTARY Club of the Wreake Valley held several successful Christmas fundraising events over Christmas 2021.

Pic: Mick Stevens with the granite rock at Navins Wildflower Meadow. Children from neighbouring Christ Church & St Peter’s Primary School provided the artwork for the plaque.

“On behalf of The Heritage Group may I express our thanks to all at Tarmac,” added John. “We could not have undertaken that work without the support of Mountsorrel Quarry, who carried out the initial rotavating, making it possible for us to weed and seed the site. This was followed by the provision of the boundary stones and now, of course, the site information board and stone.”

Flowers that can be found at the meadow include: Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Field Scabious, Oxeye Daisy, Plantains, Cowslip, Campions, Oxeye Daisy, Red Clover, Teasel and Ragged Robin.

The meadow is also visited by a huge variety of wildlife including muntjac deer, voles, shrews, toads and frogs, and butterflies.

Mick Stevens, estates manager at Mountsorrel Quarry, said: “It has been a real team effort to transform this small

patch of land into a lovely haven for flowers and wildlife – for the enjoyment of everyone and we were happy to be able to play our part in supporting Mountsorrel Museum & Heritage Trust in their initiative.”

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These included street collecting with their Santa’s Sleigh, bucket collections at Asda and Dunelm in Thurmaston, and the “Watermead Winter Warmer” charity run at Watermead Country Park.

Rotary Club President Graham Packwood said: “Our members and volunteers worked really hard over the Christmas period to raise such a fantastic sum. The result would not have been possible without the generosity of local residents and support from nearby Asda and Dunelm stores. The club believes that as the money was raised locally, most of it should be spent locally. Thank you to everyone who supported us.”

He added: “In January 2022, a meeting was held to make the difficult but pleasant decisions as to how the monies raised should be allocated. Over £9,000 will be distributed this year due to the generosity of residents.” £2,500 was awarded to Rainbows Hospice. Further donations are being made, including: Living Without Abuse in Loughborough, Soar Valley Outreach (which runs the Soar Valley Foodbank), Leicestershire Life Education charity, MIND mental health charity, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance Service, and various local dementia and Scout/Guide groups.

9

Free Guided Tours of Leicester Guildhall

is looking for new members.

My grandson recently asked me why I played bowls “coz isn’t it just for the old peeps?”

I told him “Actually our latest member is 12 years old and is shaping up into a cracking little player and don’t forget the health benefits”. Playing bowls burns calories, increases muscle tone, improves concentration, reduces stress and you can soak up natural vitamin D, not to mention the camaraderie and social side of things. He laughed and said, “ok nan”.

We are a small friendly club and are fortunate to have some dedicated members, a very talented coach, and a super green. However, no club can survive without new members, new ideas and new talents.

If you are interested in joining us why not call in to our “buddie nights” beginning in April on Tuesdays 4.30 -7pm, or drop into our open days for new members on Saturday and Sunday 9th & 10th April. Membership is free to all new bowlers. For further information call Dave 07729 235155

Volunteers needed!

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This is a big call out to anyone who could spare a couple of hours of their time every now and then to help keep Rothley Community library open. This valuable community resource is highly regarded by local residents, and in order to assist the process of expanding our hours of openings back to pre Covid levels, we need additions to our team.

Training is available and this is a chance to serve the community while having a good time, enjoying the company of a fantastic team of volunteers. For further

Join our wonderful tour guides and explore the history of Leicester's oldest medieval building.

Find out about the characters who have passed through it's historic doors and discover the role its played in Leicester's history.

Tour Dates: 13th and 27th March.

Tour times: 11:30, 13:00 & 14:30 Tours are FREE, booking advised the-guildhall@leicester.gov.uk 0116 253 2569

Birstall Tea Dances St James Birstall Village Hall, Birstall Road Leicester LE4 4DH Friday's 11th & 25th March 2022 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm, £5 each Tea / coffee and cakes available All welcomed Further information contact: Jackie 0116 2248278 / 07908607405 jackielucas957@hotmail.co.uk

Birstall Flower Club Wed March 23rd 2022 7:15pm Birstall Village Hall Demonstrator: Shirley Henderson Title: Around the World in 80 Minutes (ish) Visitors welcome £5 Queries to Sylvia 0116 267 4206 or Carol 0116 267 1437

Volunteer Drivers needed We help older people in the communities of Birstall, Syston and the surrounding district by taking them to various appointments, anything from the hospital to the hairdressers. All volunteer mileage costs are covered at £0.45/mile and will not affect any benefits a volunteer may currently receive.

In the main, drivers use their own cars to transport members We are entirely dependent on our volunteer drivers and any time that they can offer us. So, whatever time you can offer whether it is one day a month or five days a week we can use you. We are also very conscious that you are a volunteer, the clue really is in the title. If you don’t want to take people to hospitals or go shopping, we’ll accommodate your wishes. Most importantly you’ll also be helping people who sometimes have no one else to turn to.

Help others Driving expenses paid at £0.45/mile Volunteer your time only No benefits affected Syston Volunteer Centre Phone 0116 260 7888 The Alpine Garden Society

Flower Show & Plant Sale Saturday 12th March Iveshead School, Forest Street Shepshed, LE12 9DB Open 11am – 3.30pm Admission £3

Support LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY Council has money available specifically to help people struggling with rising costs, from the £3.6 million it has been allocated from the Government’s Household Support Fund.

In February, parents of children eligible for free school meals got a £15 food voucher to spend at half term. In all, nearly £250,000 has been made available by the county council to fund February’s school meal vouchers.

The February half-term food voucher initiative in Leicestershire follows similar programmes of support in the October half-term and over the Christmas Holidays, which in total saw £750,000 committed to feeding children in need.

Half of the £3.6m is ring-fenced to be spent supporting families with children, with the rest available to other homes needing support this winter.

The money is available to help those most in need with the costs of food, electricity and heating bills.

The opportunity to access extra support comes with energy costs set to rocket by hundreds of pounds a year for many households after regulators Ofgem recently raised the cap on annual bills.

Struggling eligible households can also apply for food vouchers worth £40 per adult and £30 per child, with single households potentially being able to access £50 vouchers.

Fuel vouchers are also available – worth £49 to family households and £28 for people who live alone, More information is available on the council’s Household Support fund web pages (www.leicestershire.gov.uk, then search for Household Support Fund) Guidance on support for families who do not have children eligible for free school meals is also available via the link.

St Leonard's Church Swithland

Bluebell Service On Sunday 24th April at 3pm in Swithland Woods by the Great Pit Join us for this unique celebration of the blessings of Spring in the beautiful local surroundings of Swithland Woods.

After the service you are invited to St Leonard's Church to share tea, coffee and cakes.

All donations collected are to be given to The Children's Society

Singing For Fun Community Choir Spring Concert with Chris Hill Jazz Free Entry Retiring collection for Cancer Research Friday 20th May 2022, 7pm Mountsorrel Memorial Hall

We understand that people experience times which can be tough. If you need help, if you are in financial need or physical hardship, please contact us.

Find out more at mountsorrelcsf.org.uk Contact us: 07931 129360 info@mountsorrelcsf.org.uk Follow us: Charity number: 217615

Working name of the Mountsorrel Relief in Need Charity

MAR 2022

Thurmaston Bowls Club

information either call into the library and leave contact details with one of the volunteers, leave a message on 0116 237 6162 or email info@rothleycommunitylibrary.co. uk You will receive a very warm welcome

MOUNTSORREL POST

Noticeboard all details printed free

Popular club welcomes new members “IN MANY ways, tennis has been one of the bright lights of the last two years,” says Anne Mumford, Chair of Rothley Ivanhoe Tennis Club.

“It is a great game for all ages and, with being outdoors and naturally socially distanced, we have done what we can to get people involved and active, includ-

ing our “bubble doubles” enabling some competitive tennis within the Covid rules!”

The club, located behind the library in the centre of Rothley village, has six floodlit courts and tennis programmes for all running throughout the year.

People can join in social club play, attend coaching, play matches and arrange their own tennis with a convenient online court booking app.

Rothley bowls club hosts open day AFTER A disruptive two years, Rothley Bowls Club is happy to announce that its green will again be open for play from the beginning of April.

MOUNTSORREL POST

MAR 2022

Carole Law, Secretary Rothley Bowls Club, said: “Now that the better weather is hopefully on its way, why not take the chance to get active in the fresh air and meet new people and make new friends.

Why not come along and join us?

“Bowls is a great sport for all ages, and Rothley Bowls Club is the perfect place to do just that. We are located off Mountsorrel Lane in Rothley, just behind the library.”

The club is holding an Open Afternoon on Saturday April 16, from 1pm to 4pm.

Carole said: “A warm welcome is extended to anyone who would like to visit us for a chat to find out more about the game and the club or to have a go.

All you need to bring with you is a flat pair of shoes, we provide all the necessary equipment to get you started!”

She added: “In addition, our Social Bowling afternoons are open to all.

These are held from 3 to 5pm on Wednesday afternoons from May onwards and are a great opportunity to get down and active whilst having fun and meeting new people. We suggest that you telephone Sue Lewin (0116 2106661) to confirm that the session is running the week you would like to attend. You can also contact any committee member – contact details and further information can be found on our website. Other times can be arranged on a one to one basis to suit availability.

“For just a £10 joining fee for the first year for those new to bowling, there is

little to lose? Why not give it a go?” www.rothleybowlsclub.org Pic: Rothley Bowls club’s clubhouse

Free in-store demos

Pic: Tennis played under the club’s floodlights

The club runs men’s, women’s, mixed and junior teams in the Leicestershire leagues. A popular coaching programme is run for juniors and adults throughout the year and is headed up by Tim Stanton, one of the GSM coaches.

Although members are looking forward to playing in warmer conditions, the cold rarely stops play.

The club was recognised as Tennis Leicestershire’s Club of the Year in 2021 – the second time the club has received this accolade.

Anne said: “A priority for the club this year is to encourage local women who may not have played for a few years

to return to tennis – maybe you used to enjoy tennis as a junior or played matches before having a family and are keen to find a local and welcoming club and get tennis-active again. The club will create a personalised induction for you as a new member and link you with key contacts and direct you towards opportunities for getting back into playing, including through some free group coaching.”

Information about the club can be found at: www.rothleytennis.info and any questions can be emailed to: enquiries@rothleytennis.info

ROTHLEY GARDEN centre Dobbies is relaunching its free in-store ‘Grow How’ demonstrations on the first Saturday of every month.

Grow How offers customers an interactive opportunity to learn from Dobbies’ horticultural experts and finesse their gardening skills. Sessions will cover sustainability and growing your own, working with the seasons to maximise your outdoor space, no matter how big or small, and how to create sought-after landscapes.

Sarah Murray, Dobbies’ Partnership and Events Manager, said: “Dobbies’ Grow How educational sessions are built to be flexible, fun and interactive, taking around 10-15 minutes.

Customers in Leicester can look forward to a live demonstration with a Dobbies’ horticulture expert and an ask the expert section, where the floor will open to relevant questions.”

SThe demonstrations will take place in Dobbies’ Loughborough Road store on the first Saturday of each month at 10:30am.

Topics for March-September are detailed below, but may be subject to change depending on customer feedback: March: put the spring into your pots April: create an Alpine garden May: sustainable gardening June: caring for roses July: instant summer colour and lawn care August: grow your Christmas dinner September: grow your own fruit bowl

11

Social supermarket’s two new stores see how you could benefit from becoming a Your Store member. Everyone’s situation is different, and we understand asking for help can be the first difficult step, but support is available, and change is possible.”

Your Store Mountsorrel, partly funded by the Mountsorrel Community Fund, is available every Thursday between 11am1pm and can be found at the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre.

Your Store Shelthorpe is located at and supported by volunteers of The Good Shepherd Church Hall and is available to members of Your Store every Saturday from 11am-12pm.

For more information about Your Store, including the pop-up shops please visit https://yourstorecharnwood.org.uk/

A SOCIAL supermarket which is helping people in Charnwood access affordable shopping has opened two new pop-up stores in Mountsorrel and Shelthorpe.

Your Store – how it works Pic: (l-r) Mary Bullivant - services manager (prevention and wellbeing) at The Bridge East Midlands, Rachel Trivett – financial education officer for Mountsorrel at The Bridge East Midlands, Cllr Leigh Harper-Davies, lead member for community support and equalities at Charnwood Borough Council, Rachel Wood – food poverty assessment officer at The Bridge East Midlands and Gemma Skevington – food poverty development officer at The Bridge East Midlands

Store website, the main shop or a popup store to complete an initial application to check if they are eligible.

In addition to one shop each week, a £3 weekly Your Store membership gives members access to a wide range of support to address any areas of concern they may have.

The Your Store assessment team work with members to develop a personal plan, identify concerns and help them access support. Support is available across a wide range of areas including budgeting, debt advice, struggles with health and wellbeing, employment, family life and loneliness.

Joe McSharry, chair of the Charnwood Food Poverty Group, said: “If you are experiencing crisis or would like to build capacity, I would encourage you to

Charnwood charity ride THE ANNUAL Charnwood Forest Cycle Ride returns this May, after a two-year break.

The event is organised by the charity Alex’s Wish, which is dedicated to finding new treatments and ultimately a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that affects one in every 3,500 boys. Founded

by Emma Hallam, the charity is named after her teenage son, Alex, who lives with Duchenne. Its slogan, Be More Alex, is in recognition of Alex’s positive outlook on life.

Emma said: “The charity turns ten this year and hopes even more people

12

will ‘Be More Alex’ – getting on their bikes to help raise money and celebrate this milestone birthday.”

This year’s ride is on Sunday May 15 and starts at 7.30am from the Rothley Village Centre. To allow for all fitness levels, cyclists have the choice of riding 10 miles, 20 miles or 50 miles.

The 2022 cycle ride is being sponsored by Spirit Healthcare, Next, Two New Street Chambers, Greens Consultancy, KRS Estate Planning, Bradleys, Ben’s Kitchen, Nuffield Health, Flexpress, Pedal Power and Jay Webb Consultancy.

Emma said: “Our sponsored cycle ride through beautiful Charnwood Forest is always great fun and very wellsupported. We’re so grateful to our wonderful sponsors, and of course to all our cyclists, some of whom have taken part in this event many times before.

We look forward to seeing them again and to attracting new riders as we celebrate

our 10th birthday.”

Free parking in Rothley village is available to all members of Team Alex’s Wish. Riders will also be offered refreshments along the way and complimentary homemade cakes. All riders will receive a unique 10th Year medal when they complete the ride.

To register online or for more information, please visit alexswish.co.uk or email zoe@alexswish.co.uk

MOUNTSORREL POST YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Unit 109, Greenacres, The Sidings Leicester LE4 3BR Editor: Mr Jerry Jackson

MAR 2022

offering support by helping to run the shop.

Your Store shelves have been filled thanks to the support of companies such as Samworth Brothers, Fairshare, Everards, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and local Co-ops and pubs. There has also been fantastic generosity shown by members of the public and local community groups, schools and churches with additional support through grants and other funding.

Eligible Your Store members were initially identified through local food banks as part of the support from the Charnwood Food Poverty Group, and over 250 households in the borough have already registered as members.

Members are being referred through local agencies but can also visit the Your

Your Store is a social supermarket based at John Storer House in Charnwood offering its members an affordable shop alongside a wide range of support and advice Charnwood Food Poverty Group assess people currently using foodbanks and if suitable, offer them the opportunity to become members of Your Store Membership costs £3 per week when they visit and includes one weekly shop at Your Store. Each shop will be made up of a range of food items, that would be around a quarter of the cost in a similar shop from a supermarket. Members will also be able to buy additional items such as cleaning, personal hygiene and baby products at affordable prices.

Each member will receive a one-toone assessment and will be given a personal support plan to help them with things like debt advice and support, budgeting, health and wellbeing, adult learning, employment support, cooking and volunteering opportunities.

Your Store Loughborough will be managed by John Storer House and local volunteers, and it is hoped Your Store members will also volunteer to become part of the team.

The food and goods on the Your Store shelves will come from a number of sources including FareShare, supermarket and community donations alongside food purchased through funding.

Your Store will also focus on reducing food waste both through FareShare deliveries and other initiatives.

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Your Store was created last year by a partnership involving Charnwood Borough Council, John Storer Charnwood, The Bridge East Midlands and Charnwood Food Poverty Group. It aims to support people who are eligible, and may currently be using food banks, to transition to more independence by becoming a Your Store member.

Over the first three months around 140 households have carried out a weekly shop either at the main Your Store shop at John Storer House in Loughborough or one of the two new pop-ups in Mountsorrel and Shelthorpe.

Cllr Leigh Harper-Davies, the Council’s lead member for community support and equalities said: “Your Store is the result of fantastic partnership working between a number of organisations and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved for their help and dedication to the project. A huge thank you also goes to the many businesses and volunteers that have kindly donated their time and services to help get this project up and running.

“The Council is committed to creating healthy communities and these pop-ups will ensure more residents across the borough can access affordable shopping.

Your Store also provides an additional layer of support to help people with issues around budgeting, health and wellbeing and employment support.”

Many local businesses have been involved with the project including supermarkets and local trade services which helped to build the Loughborough store.

A group of volunteers have also been