Last year, Keep Britain Tidy launched a national campaign to encourage people to clean up their corner of the community. This year, on Monday 15th March, as part of Martinshaw Primary Schools on going community projects, 36 children, aged from 7 to11, along with staff, parents governors and our local Neighbourhood warden Lisa, took part in the Big Tidy Up. Donning bright green tabards and armed with rubbish bags and extending litter pickers the green areas around Forest Rise were attacked enthusiastically and approximately 10 bags of rubbish were collected. The children spoke about how surprised they were at the amount and variety of the rubbish that they had picked up. Speaking afterwards, Teaching Assistant Mrs Dawn Tipton, who led the project, commented on how the children enjoyed the experience and how much they had gained from it.
Owen Lawrence
Double success for Groby Juniors It was celebrations allround at Groby Juniors as their two youngest sides were crowned champions for the 2009/10 season. The Under 7’s won every game to finish with a 100% record. The Under 8’s went into their final game of the season knowing a draw against their main title rivals would be good enough to see them crowned champions. In what was a tense match, with so much at stake, CHAMPS: Groby Under-8s Groby eventually emerged as 4-1 victors in front of a huge home crowd. The fact that Groby Juniors have so many good young teams coming through in many ways is down to the excellent coaching done at their academy sessions on a Friday night before the children reach a playing age. CONTINUED ON PAGE 33
Groby Christmas Lights Survey
Photo: MIKE PRATT
Big Tidy Up with Martinshaw
The Parish Council is keen to hear your views about the provision of Christmas Lights for the village. Would you like to see more lights or would you prefer to see none? Are you happy for your council tax to be spent in this way? Do you think more could be done? Have your say by completing the form in the March edition ot the Groby Spotlight or by downloading the questionnaire from www. groby.com, the link to the Council website. Completed forms must be returned by Friday 16th April. Read more about the consultation on page 18.
Baby Boy for Classic Cuts
Congratulations to Lisa & Sam on the birth of their baby boy LOUIE. He was born on Tuesday 9th March weighing in at 6lb 1½ozs. Mum and baby are both doing well, little Louie is absolutely gorgeous. Lisa & Sam would like to thank everyone for their kindness and generosity.
Lynne
Next issue out on 15th May • Article/Advert Deadline: 1st May
MURDERED TO DEATH WAS A SELL OUT .... PLUS MAKE SURE YOU CAN VOTE Mid-April 2010 Issue - Delivered on 9th-11th April 2010 By Our Dedicated Team of Deliverers
Groby & Field Head Spotlight PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT
Tel: 01530-244069 Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Website: www.GrobySpotlight.co.uk
3,500 copies distributed to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings. Published in the Parish of Groby & Field Head. Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press. The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.
NEXT ISSUE OUT ON Saturday 15th May Advert Deadline: Saturday 1st May ADVERT RATES: PAGE 34
Groby play was a sell out Groby Players’ production of ‘Murdered to Death’ on March 11/12/13 was a sell out, and from all the positive feedback, hugely enjoyed by the audience. The next production, (there is a sequel!) will also be publicised in the Spotlight and around the village, so look out for posters in the coming months.
Raffle prizes unclaimed
The money generated from ticket sales and the raffle during the production is given to the Village Hall Fund, after deducting production expenses. Three of the raffle prizes were not collected after the performance, so if you were in the audience on Friday 12th March and have ‘ ticket 972’ or Saturday 13th March ,’ticket 785 ‘or ‘ticket 911’ in the correct colour, your prizes are waiting. Tel 07790 861033 or email dot@dhollins.freeserve.co.uk
Springtime at Ulverscroft Grange
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Make sure you are eligible to vote WITH a general election only weeks away, people living in the Bosworth Constituency are being urged to make sure they are eligible to vote. In particular, residents who have recently moved and young people who will be 18 by election day are being encouraged to make sure they appear on the Register of Electors by the electoral registration team at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council. Registration forms can be downloaded from the council’s website (www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk), obtained from the Electoral Services office by calling 01455 255830/255835 or can be picked up from the council’s main reception in Argents Mead. Electors are also being encouraged to apply early if they wish to vote by post and do not have a postal vote in place at the moment. Forms can be obtained by contacting the Electoral Services office. Anyone who wants to register – or apply for a postal vote – must do so at least 11 working days before the date of the election.
A fundraising event - Springtime at Ulverscroft Grange - will be held on Friday 23rd April, 2010 between 11.00am – 2.00pm at Ulverscroft Grange, Whitwick Road, Ulverscroft, Leicestershire, LE67 9QB Come and join us in the beautiful surroundings of the Charnwood Forest and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of our Sensory Garden and Water Feature. Admission - £1.50 per Person. Tea/Coffee and Light Lunch Available. Selection of Stalls including a Wooden Craft Stall. Model Railway Open Bird Hide manned by the RSPB. For more information please call 01530 244914. All profits go towards the work of the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation
The checkout sign said eight items or less. So I changed my name to Les.
Groby post office does it again • POLICE SURGERY ON 19TH APRIL
Passport and Identity Checking is Police now available at Groby Post Office Surgery in Groby Sue and Harry Lakhani at Groby Post Office are very pleased to announce that they will be able to offer the full service of Passport and Identity checking and the European Health Insurance Card (formerly E111) at their branch from 19 April 2010. This service is only available at specially selected Post Offices.
Sue says: “Groby Post Office is committed to delivering excellent customer service and has received a number of the nominations and awards over the past two decades. “We want to offer a variety of products to suit everyone’s needs and that’s why we have continued to expand the range of services we offer, from dry cleaning to travel products that now cover all your holiday needs. “As well as passport checking, these include currency exchange at 0% commission and travel insurance. Sue added, “Harry and I have thoroughly enjoyed our 20 years of service so far to the local community and cherish the relations we have developed during this time. “We would love to meet even more people from the local community and beyond and would like to invite anyone who has not visited Groby Post Office for a while to pop in and see us. They will be amazed by the wide range of services we have on offer and we will be delighted to assist in whatever we can”.
A Police Surgery will be held at the Library, Leicester Road, Groby between 11am and 12.30pm on 19th April, 2010. Residents are invited to come along and discuss any local policing issues or problems they may have with members of thier local policing team. Help us to help you make your Neighbourhood a safe place to live and work in. For more information contact PC 918 Kevin Kelly on (0116) 222 2222, follow the instructions to leave a message and when prompted key in the voicemail number 918.
A man goes to a doctor and says: ‘Doctor, my wife recently has lost her voice. What should I do to help her get it back?’ The doctor replies: ‘Try coming home at 3 in the morning.’
People who “put something by each week” are simply not shopping hard enough.
FORTHCOMING COMEDY • NEW BOOK ABOUT SETI
Markfield & Thornton Theatre Group
Happy Campers Markfield & Thornton Theatre Group are busy rehearsing their next production - HAPPY CAMPERS - a comedy by Richard James.
The production - directed by Anne Dobrowolska - is described as a comedy with a bite to it. The play tells the tale of a family gathering in the Yorkshire Countryside where they are meeting to carry out a very important task….but there are revelations all round! Performances run from 19th May to 22nd May at Thornton Community Centre, Main Street, Thornton. Curtain up at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £5 adults/£4 concessions and are available on 01455 822148 or from Sue & Lloyd’s Corner Shop, Main Street, Thornton.
Correction to article in last issue LEROY Moore at Leicester City Football Club has contacted the Spotlight to ask us to correct an item in last month’s issue. He has asked us to point out that the starting age group for Leicester City Academy is at Under-9 level and that no local Under-7 teams had been invited to play against Leicester City youth development centre teams. The Spotlight is happy to put the record straight.
BOOKSPOT
The Eerie Silence: Are We Alone in the Universe? By Paul Davies On April 8, 1960, a young American astronomer, Frank Drake, turned a radio telescope toward the star Tau Ceti and listened for several hours to see if he could detect any artificial radio signals.
With this modest start began a worldwide project of potentially momentous significance. Known as SETI — Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence — it is an amalgam of science, technology, adventure, curiosity and a bold vision of humanity’s destiny. Drake has said that SETI is really a search for ourselves — who we are and what our place might be in the grand cosmic scheme of things. Yet with one tantalizing exception, SETI has produced only negative results. After millions of hours spent eavesdropping on the cosmos astronomers have detected only the eerie sound of silence. What does that mean? Are we in fact alone in the vastness of the universe? Is ET out there, but not sending any messages our way? Might we be surrounded by messages we simply don’t recognize? Is SETI a waste of time and money, or should we press ahead with new and more sensitive antennas? Or look somewhere else? And if a signal were to be received, what then? How would we — or even should we — respond.
AMAZON PRICE: £12.00
Did you know that banging your head up against a brick walls burns 150 calories per hour?
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING • GROBY BIKE PROJECT • PAINKILLERS
THE PARISH OF GROBY
Notice of Annual Parish Meeting
The Annual Parish Meeting of the Parish of Groby will be held on Thursday 13th May 2010 at 7.30pm in The Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester. An agenda will be posted on the Council web-site public notice boards nearer the date. The Chairman will give a report and display boards will be showing future Council projects:
• Marina Park BMX Track
• Quarry Park Community Facility
The Parish Council are proposing to construct a BMX Track on Marina Park. You will be able to hear about the scheme and ask questions.
It is proposed to develop a community facility on Quarry Park. You will be able to hear about the proposal and look at some out-line plans for the building.
What is the purpose of the Annual Parish Meeting? - All Parish Councils in England are required by law to hold an annual parish meeting at this time each year. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the Council to explain what it has been doing over the last year and to enable the electors to have their say on anything which they consider to be important to the parish. Who can attend the meeting? - Anyone may attend but only registered electors of Groby Parish may speak and vote. Will I be able to ask questions and make suggestions? - Yes, any registered elector may ask questions of the Council. These will usually be answered by the Chairman, the Parish Clerk or a designated Parish Councillor. An elector may also make suggestions and comment on anything pertinent to the parish. Who will chair the meeting? - The Chairman of the Parish Council will chair the meeting. Will Parish Councillors be there? - Usually they do attend and will speak if need be. But the purpose of the meeting is to enable the ordinary electors to have their say. Will notes be taken of the meeting? - Yes, a written record of the meeting will be taken and will be presented at a future meeting. How long will the meeting last? - Generally, the meeting will last no longer than 2 hours. Will the press be there? – Members of the press are welcome to attend.
Police support Groby bike project Leicestershire Constabulary is supporting a pilot project to give school students a chance to learn how to rebuild, repair and maintain bicycles. The force’s Hinckley and Bosworth local policing unit has donated eight bikes to a project at Groby College. The bikes were either stolen or lost, and efforts to trace their rightful owners have been unsuccessful. They were in a variety of states of repair, which has proved perfect for the college’s cycling project. Fourteen students aged 15 and 16 are taking part. Over ten weeks the lottery funded organisation Bikes 4 All, as part of their Family Learning Program, will show the students how to repair the bikes and how to ride safely. Helene Chadwick, the extended services cluster co-ordinator at the college, said the course caught the imagination of the students. She said: “All the students taking part in this project are studying on a vocational pathway and this project has certainly got them all fully engaged and because of the interest they are giving full concentration every week.” She said a number of them were already keen cyclists. “We want these young people to be active and to be
safe, whilst also picking up new skills to repair and maintain their own bikes.” Mrs Chadwick said she hoped eventually all students at the college could be offered the chance to take part in a similar course. The bikes have already been put through their paces during a muddy off-road trek by the students on the scheme. They will now be used by the PE department as an additional resource, and will be particularly useful for students who want an alternative to team games. Mrs Chadwick added: “We are extremely grateful to the police for donating the bikes as without them the project would have been more difficult to arrange.” Local beat officer Kevin “Ned” Kelly said: “This is a wonderful project that brings both the police and youth of the area together. “It is quite clear that the students have taken such a keen interest in this project and this could be the first of many similar types of project that maintains the partnership working of the college, students and the police. I look forward to being part of the project and projects in the future.” One of the students is Ryan Jones, 15. He said: “It has been good, and I have learned a lot. I have a bike of my own and I have learned how to unbuckle a wheel by adjusting the spokes.”
How many painkillers are you on these days? Are you on painkillers for chronic pain? If not, chances are that you know someone who is.
Ten years ago a million prescriptions for strong opioids were filled. Now that figure is more than four million. These days, it seems that more and more of our bathroom cabinets are stocked with painkillers so powerful that one of them, OxyContin, is known as ‘hillbilly heroin’ in the USA. In Britain, some doctors are worried by this. Why should there be ever more generous prescribing of ever greater quantities of addictive drugs into the population? These are serious drugs: opioids, which range from codeine to diamorphine (heroin), all act on the central nervous system, banishing anxiety, inducing a blissful feeling of security and easing pain. The overall figures are startling. According to NHS statistics compiled by Dr Cathy Stannard, author of ‘Opioids in Chronic Pain’, the number of prescriptions for ALL opioids dispensed in England from 1999 to 2008 increased from 6.2 million to a whopping 14.8 million. Why the huge increase? One explanation is that it is a shift in the way doctors are treating chronic pain such as back pain and osteoarthritis. It seems that Patient Power can also be part of the trouble – the idea that the patient, as the ‘customer’, is always right can lead to problems.
I’ve always wanted to be normal, but lately I’ve come to suspect that this is it.
SUCCESS FOR GEORGE BATES • THREE DAY TRIPS • CRAFT FAIR IN MAY
National success is so sweet for local sportsman George George Bates, aged 15, a year 11 Pupil at Groby Community College won the National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Under 19, 10 foot hoop, Finals with the Vikings Junior Team in March. George plays for Leicester Cobras 1st and 2nd Teams and was invited to join the Vikings as Leicester do not have a junior team. The Vikings, based in Merseyside, play in and won the Northern League and the finals were between the top 4 teams from the Northern League and the top 4 teams from the Southern League. George played a key role in the victory with numerous baskets and great defensive plays. George has always been a keen sportsman and has been left in constant pain following a devastating football injury during training for Groby Football Club at the age of 12. At the time, he was also playing cricket for Newtown Linford and North West Leicestershire District. Wheelchair Basketball has allowed George to return to competitive sport at the highest level, a great achievement. If anyone is interested in supporting Leicester Cobras (registered charity 1020100) please visit the website www.leicestercobras.org.uk
The Vikings 2009 Junior team for the Championship Finals were: Danny Cragg – no. 4 (Leicester Cobras), Ben O’Connor – no. 5 (Vikings 2009), Jordan Bright – no. 6 (Exeter Otters), Sean Bramley – no. 10 (Leicester Cobras), George Bates – no. 11 (Leicester Cobras), Stephen Rainey – no. 12 (Greenbank), Adam McMullen – no. 14 (Greenbank), Jack Hunter Spivey – no. 15 (Vikings 2009), Stephen Kewley – no. 18 (Greenbank), Nate Williams – no. 20 (Vikings 2009), Billy Bridge – no. 23 (Vikings 2009), Sue Conroy – head coach (Vikings 2009)
Three DAY TRIPS Paul James have a wide range of interesting Day Trips by Coach available. Just to mention a few: • YORK on June 5th - Cost £20 • JERSEY BOYS/London Theatre on June 8th - Cost £54 • BBC Summer Show in Birmingham on June 20th - Cost £29
Tel: 01530 832 399 or www.pauljamescoaches.co.uk
George Bates (left) in action in the National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Under 19, 10 foot hoop, Finals
Calling All Crafters A Charity Craft Fair will be held at a local venue on one of the Sundays in May, 2010 to benefit Guide Dogs for the Blind. If you are a crafter and would like a table at this event, please contact Ann on 0116 256 3989 for further details.
FENCING
S G S
SHOOTER GARDENING SERVICES
NEW & REPAIR WORK UNDERTAKEN ALL WOOD IS PRESSURE TREATED
CALL JIM SHOOTER . 95 LEICESTER ROAD, GROBY
0116 2879715 / 07814224630 An egotist is a person of low taste—more interested in himself than in me.
BIRDS THEY ARE A-NESTING • OVER-50S COULD DECIDE THE ELECTION
Groby Garden Bird Watching Well, what a long hard winter our feather friends have had. However the last few weeks has seen the birds pairing up and collecting nest material. A useful way to help the birds is, if you have an animal with soft hair, to collect it and put it in a bird nut holder and the birds will take it to line their nests.( Remember - do not use plastic mesh holders) The number of Redpolls visiting the feeding station dropped the first week in March, but this week the numbers have started to increase. There are now regularly four Goldfinches, plus Greenfinches, Chaffinches and two Siskins. Friends staying for the weekend counted thirteen species of birds in an hour visiting the garden, apart from those already mentioned there were Nut Hatch, Dunnock, Robin, Reed Bunting, Great and Coal Tits, Starlings and House Sparrows I thought the number of Blackbirds would decrease but there are still five /six going after the sultanas. For the first time I have a Blackbird nesting in the garden and watched it each morning looking for food and disappearing into the tree. Today there was no sign of them and so I peeked into the tree and the nest was empty, so it appears the first fledglings have already left. Recently looking though the Thesaurus I came across the following collective nouns. I had heard of a Parliament of Rooks but did not know of –a watch of Nightingales, a skein of Geese in flight, a murder of crows, a murmuration of Starlings and a charm of Finches, the latter I think describes them beautifully. There are others but these were the ones that I particularly noted. Do not forget that the birds still need feeding as they need to keep up their strength during the breeding season.
Power to the (old) people!
Older voters could decide outcome of General Election says AGE UK Electoral power lies firmly in the hands of older voters, according to exclusive new research which reveals this group will be more influential in the 2010 General Election than ever before. It shows people aged over 55 will cast four out of every 10 votes and make up the majority in many marginal seats. The ‘Our Power Is Our Number’ General Election campaign marks the launch of Age UK, the new force combining Age Concern England and Help the Aged following their merger last year. The new charity will operate in the UK and globally and will campaign alongside older people for changes in legislation, policy and practice that will bring a better later life. More info at: www.ageuk.org.uk/election or contact your nearest Age Concern.
The Sunday School teacher was telling the story of how when Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah, she turned into a pillar of salt. One youngster nodded in a knowing fashion. “My mummy looked back once while she was driving,” he confided, “and she turned into a lamp post.”
Margaret Purves
Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt.
SCHOOLCHILDREN PUT ON A GREAT SHOW • CRICKETERS WANTED
Martinshaw entertains the ‘Greys of Groby’
Music, especially singing, plays an important part in the school life of the children of Martinshaw Primary School. The School Choir taken from both KS2 and KS1 has a membership of around 50, which equates to about 25% of the School population. They rehearse regularly, in their own time, under the leadership of Mrs Steph Ong and Mrs Catherine Ward. On Tuesday 9th March children from KS2 (7 to 11 years) entertained ‘The Grey’s of Groby’ at the Forest Rise Community Centre to a programme of songs ranging from a harmonic ‘Sunshine’ to a rousing dramatic version of ‘Dem Bones’. Afterwards the children enjoyed some light refreshment with the members. Commenting, Betty Kirby, the Greys Chair, said how very much they had enjoyed the programme and how they hoped that children would soon return to give another performance.
Owen Lawrence
I often quote myself; it adds spice to my conversation.
Ratby Cricket Ratby Town Cricket Club are looking for all types of players. They have 2 teams that play on Saturdays in the Everards Leicester League. They also have an Under-10s side that play on Fridays. Everyone is welcome to come along and give it a go at Ratby Sports Club, Desford Lane Ratby. For more information, contact Andrew Macleod on 07886 028172
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POWER CUTS • BRADGATE TWINNING • ARTISAN FESTIVAL • CHURCHES
Jottings
News in Brief with Norman Griffiths
Utilities -what next?
Have you checked to see if your phone is still live? Surely that must be the next thing to be cut off in Groby. With the work to the gas mains continuing throughout the village many households have experienced temporary interruptions to their supply and when the gas contractors severed a mains pipe the water went off for many local households as well. These included the residents of Ferrers Rise and Chapel Hill, all of whom were blissfully unaware that an electricity supply cut was on the way. When it came unexpectedly one evening late in March twenty nine homes were left without electricity, 16 of them for over 24 hours. Residents are angry that this has happened again as there have been similar problems with the underground cable in this area failing in the recent past. Central networks say there are no plans to replace the cable. The company is required to pay customers who are disconnected for more than 18 hours the sum of £50, but this is little comfort to the 16 residents sat in the cold for a day.
Bradgate Twinning Association Report from Mike Brewer Last year we celebrated our 30th Anniversary in splendid style. We visited our French twins in Plateau Est de Rouen in May where we joined in with their other twinning partners from Burkina Faso, Poland and Germany in a week-end of eating, drinking, making merry and the inevitable speeches, mercifully not translated into three other languages, as has happened in the past. The French came to us at the end of October. On the Saturday we had arranged a magnificent concert given by the Newtown Linford Choral Society and attended by Roger Wilson, Chairman of Leicestershire County Council. At the break there were refreshments and exchange of presents, including an imposing shield from the French, which we are hoping to have hung up in the Jubilee Hall in Anstey. So now we are back to normal, organising the fundraising events, such as quizzes and barn dances, which enable us to give the French a good time when they visit. We have a very efficient and effective Committee and, believe it or not, have proved that fundraising can be fun. Our visit to France this year is already booked. Do you fancy joining us? You don’t have to speak French, just be reasonably good at body language. For further information please contact our Chairperson, Anne Dutton on 0116 2213 786.
Artisan Festival 2010
You may enjoy a visit to Leicester’s Artisan Festival on Sunday 25th April between 10.30am to 4pm at Leicester Market. It is a Free-to-attend spectacular, showcasing 200+ arts, crafts & collectables stalls. Hot & cold refreshments available, art exhibitions by leading local art groups, workshops and entertainment and a ‘Valuation Zone’ – so bring your hidden treasures (Watches & Clocks valuations only available for a short while in the afternoon) www.leicestermarket.co.uk
Churches Together in Groby Fair Cuppa: an opportunity to meet with friends at the village hall. All tea/coffee is fairtrade Every Thursday, 10.00—11.30am. Urban Saints During term time, held at the URC chapel: games, friends, crafts and a Christian basis to discussions. - for 5’s to 14’s on Mon evenings at 3.45pm, 6.30pm or 7.45pm - for 15-18’s on Wed evenings at 7.30pm - for 15-18’s o Fri at 7.30pm More details on the church websites Sunday services: please see websites and church magazines St. Philip and St. James www.bradgateteam.org.uk Revd. Louise Corke 231 3090 United Reformed Church www.grobyurc.org.uk Mrs Norma Whittaker 287 6606 Children/Youth Worker Deb Goodhead 07730 596309 Christian Aid Week is 9th – 15th May and the churches will be distributing and collecting envelopes as in previous years. The Groby collections are always very successful; last year we raised £4395.98 …let’s beat that in 2010!
I have great faith in fools; my friends call it self-confidence.
10
Yea Guara r
ntee
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GROBY WI ENJOY CHOCOLATE, VISIT THE TOWN HALL & DRESS UP
I shall take you into my confidence. In the past I have eaten my share of chocolate although looking at me you would never guess. Another confidence about me is that I tell lies. My reason for these confessions is that I just drooled as I listened and watched Tom Philips from Quorn explain the history of chocolate. Cocoa pods are harvested at their peak of ripeness, the beans removed from the pods, about 45 of them. The beans are left for about five days to ferment and dry out in the sun. Tom passed around a fruit as he called it, resembling I thought, a coconut. When the manufacturers receive the beans they are roasted to develop their flavour. They are then ground adding various ingredients including vanilla and sugar. At no time is water added. The paste as it has become is then heated to a specific temperature and it is then ready for the moulds etc. This heat process is called tempering and gives the best chocolate a lovely shine. Tom also specialises in wedding cakes as well as being a chocolatier having over 30 years of experience in both teaching and practising the art of sugarcraft. By this time after all this explanation, and watching him actually making the chocolate (he would persist in stirring and lifting the chocolate from a great height – I was positively dribbling) he began to fill the various moulds. Small individual ones, the shape of little cars, (in both dark and white choc and which was given to members to sample), a lovely dog demonstrating how he gets the nose, paws etc and finished up with a large marbled egg decorated with bows on a chocolate setting. He spread a thin layer over plastic bubble wrap, when set removed it giving a lovely decorative base for the egg. A visit was arranged to the Town Hall but unfortunately I could not make it. Thanks to the kindness
History of Chocolate! Margaret Gamble’s report from the W.I.
of Anne H., I give a resumé of that visit. Members were met by Caroline a Blue Badge guide. She gave a history of the building which was started in l874 but was hindered from the beginning by a labourers’ strike. It was finished in l876 and that is why there are two dates on the building. On the right hand side of the main entrance are two carvings. They are supposed to represent day and night – representing the Councillors who are working for you! On the left side there is another very ornate plaque supposedly to mark the visit by Queen Victoria but the Queen apparently didn’t want to go in the “common entrance” so a new one was built for her and is still called Queen’s Entrance. The Square in front of the building was a Cattle Market (the Swine Market being held in High Street). Councillor Israel Hart bought the land in front of the Town Hall and gave it back to the people of Leicester in perpetuity. The clock is on the right hand side of roof, not in the middle, because many people didn’t have a clock and it was thought to be the best place to be seen and get people to work on time. The plaque on the floor in front of the main steps is a Wyvern dragon.
The spots on its wings are to represent the blood of the Knights of Leicester in battle. Along the side of the stairs are large brass plaques with names of notable Leicester people such as Thomas Cook and Gary Lineker. When the Magistrates Court moved to Pocklington’s Walk, the Coroners Court took possession. Our members were unable to enter because unfortunately it was in session. More plaques are in the reception area representing every Lord Mayor. The Mayor’s chain was designed in l861, this was done because visiting dignitaries could not distinguish who the Mayor was. The chain has the word “Leicester” in gold but the Mayoress’s is far more valuable having 104 diamonds set in it. Of course nowadays the Town Hall has lots of functions including citizenship and marriage ceremonies. In the Council Chamber the Lord and Lady Mayor made a grand entrance with the Mace Bearer carrying a most ornate mace and all in full robes. There have been four maces over the years, one was sold in auction in a pub; the landlady bought it and gave it back. Another was melted down to buy arms during the Civil War. The robes, by the way have extensions in Velcro
I’m not into working out. My philosophy: No pain, no pain.
to allow for various size Mayors. At the end, in the reception room used for weddings etc., a photo was taken of the Mayor and of our members. Everyone said it was very memorable and enjoyable visit. As I have probably told you before, we belong, along with five other Institutes to the Bradgate Group. Each year one Institute hosts a meeting, well this year it was us. We chose a great speaker - Notty Hornblower - who is famous for her fantastic collection of clothes from different eras. We picked for her topic the twenties and thirties. So, to set the scene, there was the Committee dressed in black with a white short apron and a “nippy” white band with a black stripe around our foreheads. As Notty remarked, we looked just like the waitresses in the old Lyons Corner Tea Houses. To keep the atmosphere, tables were laid with white cloths, tea pots, sugar bowls and jugs and we served dainty sandwiches and cakes. Whilst this was going on, Notty paraded her two very sylph-like ladies in a series of fashions of the day. All the costumes originally belonged to notable ladies of the day. They were absolutely wonderful and extremely elegant, we see nothing like these nowadays. Of course, they were the clothes of the rich and, by the way, just for the information of the younger generation, “Nippy” was another word for waitress. In between their changes she wore a variety of hats, passed around wonderful shoes and explained the intricacies of each item. It really was, I thought, a lovely evening. Next month’s meeting on the 15th April is a non-fattening one. Marion Channing is talking on her experience as a Toastmaster, perhaps she will bring something for us to toast to or perhaps not.
Margaret Gamble
TALENTED SINGERS & MUSCIANS ENTERTAIN TO RAISE FUNDS
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Local choirs and musicians entertain a capacity audience at Ratby Church Ratby Church recently hosted a musical gem. For over a year the musical skills of many local people have been brought together and nurtured by local musician and conductor Lesia Smaditch. This was the latest of several concerts that have taken place in the area demonstrating the latent musical talent found within the community from our primary school children to our senior citizens. The Ratby church setting, steeped as it is in history going back to pagan times, gave the evening a wonderful sense of place and tradition. Several groups contributed to the success of the evening including two community choirs, a school choir, a hand bell ringing group and local young musicians. All sang and played to a capacity audience. The quality of the performances was excellent especially as the participants are unauditioned, usually meeting for rehearsals only once a week. The performers deserve praise for the time they choose to dedicate to singing together and to entertaining others. Money raised by this event has been donated towards Rainbows Children’s Hospice, Blaby District Befrienders and Elizabeth Woodville Primary School for the purchase of musical instruments. Musical Village raised £2,000 for charity in December. The two adult choirs involved, Unity and Affinity are part of a larger group of community singers called Musical Village which also consists of Synergy Community Choir. The choirs are currently preparing for their next concert on 21st and 22nd May 2010 to
be held at Brockington College, Enderby featuring ‘Songs from the Movies’. New members are always welcome. For more information please contact Lesia Smaditch on 07894 073621.
Pupils of Elizabeth Woodville Primary School in Groby proudly show off a cheque for £250 donated by Musical Village.
Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone.
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THOUGHT • AIR AMBULANCE COFFEE MORNING • FILM PREVIEW • LETTER
Thought for the Month Make it true What you tell yourself most frequently, you will believe. What you truly believe, you will incorporate into every aspect of your life. It doesn’t matter if it is objectively true or not. What you continue to tell yourself, day after day, becomes true for you and has a profound effect on your life. Great power lives in the fact that you can choose what to tell yourself, again and again, in the thousands of moments that make up each day. With focus and intention, you can upgrade your beliefs about yourself. You can upgrade your beliefs about what is possible for you. And by so doing, you will in fact expand your access to the very best of your possibilities. You’ll go precisely as far as you believe you will go. So there’s every reason to believe the very best. With what you tell yourself, choose to sell yourself, again and again, on your best possibilities. For when you consistently believe something to be true in your life, you will indeed make it true.
Copyright 2010 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. Used by permission. Originally published in “The Daily Motivator” at www. dailymotivator.com
Coffee Morning in Groby for Children’s Air Ambulance Charity
The Children’s Air Ambulance Charity is to benefit from the proceeds of a Coffee Morning that is being held at 8 Wallace Drive, Groby on Sat 24th April. Come and enjoy a coffee, cake and a chat between 10am and 1 o’clock. There will be a raffle, tombola and more, as well as Karen’s Krafts for sale. The Charity’s aim is to provide life saving flights to any child between the ages of newborn to 16 years who require immediate transfer to a “hospital of excellence” in order to receive treatment. For more information visit the website at: www.tcaa.org.uk
FILM PREVIEW The Ghost Writer Releases April 16th 2010 Roman Polanski – at the age of 76 - directs this suspenseful and seductive nightmarish political thriller, that shows off the director’s fine filmmaking craftsmanship and even though it lacks depth it is still one of his better films in recent years. Based on the novel, The Ghost, by Robert Harris, it is about a successful British ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) who agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang. His agent assures him it’s the opportunity of a lifetime but the project seems doomed from the start — not least because his predecessor on the project, Lang’s long-term aide, died in an unfortunate accident. The Ghost flies out to work on the project, in the middle of winter, to an oceanfront house on an island off the U.S. Eastern seaboard. But the day after he arrives, a former British cabinet minister accuses Lang of authorizing the illegal seizure of suspected terrorists and handing them over for torture by the CIA — a war crime. The controversy brings reporters and protesters swarming to the island mansion where Lang is staying with his wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams), and his personal assistant (and mistress), Amelia (Kim Cattrell). As The Ghost works, he begins to uncover clues suggesting his predecessor may have stumbled on a dark secret linking Lang to the CIA — and that somehow this information is hidden in the manuscript he left behind. Was Lang in the service of the American intelligence agency while he was prime minister? And was The Ghost’s predecessor murdered because of the appalling truth he uncovered? The film was shot under the unusual circumstances of the European house arrest of Polanski over a statutory rape charge from over thirty years ago in the States - whereby Polanski got permission to finish the film, but like the film’s protagonist was restricted in his travels. Because Polanski’s travel was legally restricted, he used Berlin for London and the island of Sylt in the North Sea to be a substitute for Martha’s Vineyard. Lang has an obvious connection to former British prime minister Tony Blair and his support of America in their Iraq War, and how close he was to the bumbling American president. The acting is superb by this talented cast. McGregor is perfectly cast as the smart and aggressive lightweight with a surprising conscience and a commitment for professionalism to his craft, who unfortunately is in over his head – while Pierce Brosnan nails it as the smug charmer politician who excels in duplicity.
LETTER So there is to be an assessment of the risks involved in visiting the cemetery. I imagine this will be expensive, may find a couple of wobbly memorials, which a bag of ready mix concrete could sort out - but never mind the expense, I’m paying. During the bad weather of the past months there was snow and ice on the footpaths around the senior citizens’ bungalows on Forest Close.This I would think posed a considerable risk to the people living there. Was there an assessment? Was anything done to clear the ice? Well not that I noticed. There is surely a question of priorities here. Where is the need the greatest? Answers on a postcard to the council.
Chris Leet, Groby Lead us not into temptation. Just tell us where it is; we’ll find it.
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JOTTINGS FROM NORMAN
Jottings
News in Brief with Norman Griffiths
Yes, that helicopter is low
If you are startled by a low flying helicopter in the middle of April and think it looks as if it’s landing in Groby you’ll be quite right. Channel Four’s Time Team is visiting Groby Old Hall for a dig. If you’re sitting waiting for a red light to change at a hole in the road you’ll probably feel that Tony Robinson and the production team have the right idea.
All change at two local projects The BMX track planned for Marina Park is too close to neighbouring gardens it seems. The track needs to be 30 metres from the nearest garden and as a result it has to be repositioned slightly, using the car park as a buffer. The ball court which was to be included may have to dropped from the scheme. Funding for the project isn’t as easy to find as it was a few years ago but preparations are still underway and a planning application is being prepared. Jamie West, the local resident who is a key player in the project, now has interest from over 100 people and is working on a Groby BMX website. There has also been a change to the positioning of the proposed community facility at Quarry Park in order to minimise the distance from utility services.
Parish Council election The Parish Council has been told that the election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Deputy Chairman Len Smith may be delayed because of the imminent General Election. A local election date of May 27th has been provisionally pencilled in.
Cemetery parking Councillors have been discussing parking issues on the cemetery car park following reports that parents have been using the cemetery as a drop off and pick up point for children going to Brookvale school.
Groby Amateur Boxing Club
The planned boxing club has moved a stage further even though premises aren’t yet available in Groby. Scott Cooper, who is promoting the club, continues to put his time into the venture. The club now has a constitution and a bank account and has found premises on Merrylees Industrial Estate which might be suitable. Scott is keen for the club to provide a minibus facility to collect and return local children who want to participate, so offers of financial help to the club to finance this would be greatly appreciated.
Bluebell Drive public open space The saga of the adoption by the Parish Council of land owned by David Wilson Homes may be coming to an end, as the Council had given notice to the company that if the matter was not finalised by 31st March they would withdraw from the adoption process. The meeting on 29th March was told that with just two days left there had been no satisfactory resolution.
My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.
LATEST UPDATE FROM THE GLENFIELD PROJECT
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News from Friends Of The Glenfield Project THE FRIENDS of The Glenfield Project, which is based at 154 Station Road, Glenfield, provides short breaks for about 35 young people with severe disabilities and associated health care needs. The Project is a support group made up of volunteers who raise funds to support the young people using the Project.
Silke raise £86 Silke held a Classical Concert at Glenfield Methodist Church for budding young musicians, and raised £86 for Friends of The Glenfield Project. Well Done Silke and Thank You.
We’re on Facebook We now have a Friends of The Glenfield Project page on Facebook, so if you type us into the Facebook search box, you should be able to join. We will be posting up to date news of events, photos (but not of the young people who use the project) and have discussion topics related to fundraising. If you or someone you know is into Facebook, please do have a look and join up. So far we have 77 members online.
Event at The Brant Inn On 23rd April 2010 we have a special event at The Brant Inn. A college based band called The Guthlaxtones have kindly agreed to play for us and The Brant Inn have let us use their room for free. I went to see the band at The Musician and they are fantastic and for all ages. We have only 120 tickets at £5.00 each, so get them quickly from Garry Rollins or Vicky Glover at the Project. It will be a great evening. The Brant Inn has supported us in many ways and our thanks always go out to them.
Young Person’s Party On the 1st May, Jo and Mick have organised our annual young person’s party with food, disco and games. Everyone who uses the Project or who has used the Project is always welcome, along with their families. The Party starts at 6pm and will finish around 9pm, and will be at The Glenfield Memorial Hall near the Scouts Hut on Dominion Road/ Main Street.
Garden Tidy-Up With summer coming up we need to get the garden tidied up. Due to the incredible work done in previous years by our volunteers there is less
to do this year, but we still need your help. If you want to do some gardening for us our gardening weekend will be May 8th and 9th. As usual, refreshments and bacon and sausage sandwiches will be provided. Please do come and help us if you can.
New Minibus Friends of The Glenfield Project have committed to raising up to £60 000 over the next 18 months towards the purchase of a new minibus for the Project. This is a huge undertaking for us, but one about which we are very excited. Praxis Care will donate £15,000 towards the cost, and we have just in excess of £5000 from our funds. As part of this new challenge, we are writing to companies and grantmaking bodies for sponsorship and grants. If you know of any business that may sponsor or raise funds for us, or of any grants that are available which we may be able to tap into, please talk to Garry Rollins or Peter at the Project. In addition to the Minibus Appeal,
Friends of The Glenfield Project will continue to help with funding towards parties and summer activities for the young people, continue to hold the Garden Fete each year and make sure the young people continue to have a great time at the Project through extra activities. As always, take care and thanks to you all for supporting us, for giving us ideas, for organising events for us and for putting us in touch with others who can raise funds for us.
If anyone would like to be involved or raise funds, please contact Garry Rollins on 07981 439278 or at garry. rollins@ntlworld.com
The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them.
THE PARISH COUNCIL NEEDS YOUR VIEWS ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
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2010 Groby Christmas lights: spend nothing, £5,000 or £10,000? Norman Griffiths reports that you still have time to vote The postman probably has no complaints about the response of the residents of Groby to the public consultation organised by the Parish Council on the question of Christmas lights in the village. There has been no sack of mail too heavy to carry and no heap of questionnaires in every corner of the sorting office. And with only 83 responses by March 29th it would not be surprising if the Parish Council was disappointed.
No surprise But no-one should be surprised, as although the people of Groby will respond magnificently on issues like housing development, travellers, football pavilions or buses through the housing estates, they have often not been as enthusiastic to
get involved with less controversial issues. The Speedwatch campaign to try and increase road safety locally only needed 200 signatures to get it started but by the initial closing date it only had fourteen supporters. A consultation by the Borough Council on teenage play provision in Groby in 2007 attracted responses from just 3% of households and only 2 Groby residents attended a presentation by the Borough Council on the Core Strategy and Local Development Framework which has been the subject of so much subsequent controversy. Perhaps most share the view of the resident who told a Parish Councillor that villagers elected councillors to take care of these decisions.
Need to know But sometimes your councillors feel they need to know how
residents feel when they are considering issues which involve additional expenditure on new or existing services. The Groby Christmas lights fall into this category, for although for years the Council has supported the Carols around the Tree the trend for smaller villages to erect lights at Christmas is relatively new. At one time it took a trip to the larger towns or cities to see the lights but technological advances have brought displays within the grasp not only of smaller councils but also keen householders. At the Parish Council members have compared notes on what they have seen in other villages and which was the best and decided that Groby was getting left behind when it came to bringing a bit of Christmas cheer to those dark days of December. So last year a plan was hastily put in place to provide lights for the
village and carry out a consultation afterwards to assess the feelings of villagers. Councillors had no reason to anticipate that a handful of the enterprising young people of Groby would steal the tree and, it is said, one of them would climb inside and walk up Leicester Road. The walking tree was recovered and re-erected at a cost of £150 but may be out of the running for next Christmas if residents opt for illumination of the trees next to the library instead.
How much are the lights worth to you? The expenditure figures are approximations but the lights are said to have cost around £2 per household last year. Provision has been made to double this amount to £4 next Christmas if residents approve. To put it into perspective
Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the
There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DECISION TIME • HISTORY OF CRIME FICTION PODCAST a typical Groby household will pay between £50 and £60 this year to the Parish Council in Council Tax. The questionnaire is designed to discover not only what residents thought of the 2009 lights and to determine if they feel that taxpayers money should be used for lights, but also to find out how much they think the Council should spend each Christmas. So you can choose to freeze the budget for the 2010 lights at the Christmas 2009 level (£5,000) or increase it to £10,000, the amount the Council has set aside just in case this is your preference. You can also indicate how much you would be willing to pay for future years.
A cautious approach or enjoy a mid winter boost? Some residents may not want to spend anything or may feel that they are happy with just £5,000 after comparing it with other things the Council spends money on. “At £10,000 the cost of the lights for a few weeks would be more than three times the money the Parish Council gives the Groby in Bloom volunteers and twice what the Council plans to spend on footpath improvements,” said one local resident who had clearly examined his Council Tax bill.
Although there are few certainties in life one of them is that whichever party wins the general election cuts will follow and taxes may rise to deal with the aftermath of the banking crisis. Council taxpayers may have less disposable income. So the more cautious may argue that now is not the time to increase spending on the lights as there may be more pressing needs if financial pressures increase. But on the other hand many householders may feel that they don’t mind whether the lights cost them £2 or £4, as they bring some Christmas cheer to the darkest days of winter in a period of economic gloom. For anyone who doesn’t travel far from the village it may seem a small amount to pay to be taken out of the daily routine in the run up to the Christmas holiday. “Let’s not forget the children,” said a local mother, “what price seeing the joy on the face of a young child when the lights are switched on and the tree illuminated?”
The Council needs your help
It is important for as many residents as possible to participate in the consultation that the Parish Council has set up. Councillors need your guidance on how you think they should proceed and
Whodunnit? – Elementary, my dear listener! A podcast produced by Leicestershire Library Service will give listeners the opportunity to hear the history of crime fiction – at the click of the mouse! The 2009 Christmas Tree the amount they should spend on lights. If you want more spent on the lights and haven’t voted by the closing date don’t be dismayed if the consultation result says ‘no thanks’. If you don’t want Council Tax money being spent on lights at all but haven’t voted don’t complain if the majority of votes are in favour of maintaining or even increasing the expenditure. The closing date for returns is 16th April, so it’s not too late. The Council is happy to accept the original page from the Spotlight, a photocopy, or a response by email. If you no longer have your March Spotlight you can download the questionnaire from www.groby. com following the link to ‘news’. You can then send in or email your response.
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Leicestershire Library service has responded to the great popularity of crime fiction by producing a history of this popular form of literature in the form of a podcast that is accessible via the library website. The podcast is being added to the library website in four parts, and the first part, including the invention of Sherlock Holmes, is available now at: http://www.leics.gov.uk/listen. htm. Further parts will be added in May, June and July. Written and recorded by Development Librarian John Martin, the production is being used to showcase the use of the Learning Transformation Fund, a government initiative to support informal adult learning. For more information please contact John Martin on 0116 3053813 or visit www.transformationfund.org.uk
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WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWN ON THE ALLOTMENT
Groby Allotment Society News From John Thornton
Where there is muck there is growth
O
ne way of achieving good crop growth is with good old-fashioned farmer’s muck. Unfortunately, against the opinion of experts, the government has relicensed the chemical Aminopyralid. This kills weeds on the animals grazing fields, the grass is eaten, passes through the animal still containing the active ingredient. It can remain active for up to two years, being powerful enough to destroy your crops. We raised this point with our muck supplier last year and we were assured that he never uses the chemical. So be aware if you are buying from another farmer check that it is free from this chemical. Muck from an organic origin should be safe to use. Other manures can be used and on the list horses must come second to cows. But here again there can be problems. Some veterinary products administered to horses are so potent that they prevent decomposition of the bedding. Wood shavings are a common bedding material but the shavings do reduce the nitrogen content, which is one reason why we apply muck on our plots. Eric wheeling and tipping Hens supply the highest nitrogen content but muck, he will save this under beware it may be too high for most of us to use cover for next year by which time straight from the hen house. If you can get it it will be well matured. save it in the open, let the fire wash out of it for a few months. We use chicken pellets but these have been treated so are safe to use. Pigs even beat hens for nitrogen content but who has pigs in their back garden today? We kept pigs at home during the war. If you have never tasted home cured bacon you have a treat in store. Ours wrapped in muslin hung on my bedroom wall from the picture rail and you cut off the amount required, fried in deep fat with our own eggs, now that was living, I am still here. We had surplus eggs so we swapped them for soap, which like most things was rationed. Fortunately every village had its black market organisation. You may be interested to know that there are still the remains of a pigsty on one of the Ratby Road plots, now converted into a shed cum greenhouse. Muck, if it is fresh, is better left to rot for a season but we must keep it covered, as the rain will wash out the very nutrients that we had it tipped for. Also if it is spread on the surface and left without digging in much of the goodness will be lost. The Kitchen Garden magazine gives a guide for spreading muck: One standard wheelbarrow contains enough to cover ten square yards.
George Rushin, our youngest member buries his muck into the digging trench. His new plot has been mucked for some years so it will benefit. We all admire the enthusiastic way he works his plot.
Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes.
PARISH MAG SNIPPETS • ST GEORGE’S FESTIVAL • GADGETS ARE BAD
Snippets from the Groby Parish Magazine Team Parish News
Parish Walk and AGM on Sunday 25th April. The walk will start in Ratby at 2pm, and will take the usual route through Martinshaw Woods, over the A50, through lady Hay Wood (hopefully with some bluebells) and on to Newtown Linford, where we will have tea. At approximately 4pm, we will gather in All Saints for our Parish AGM, some worship and prayer.
Tissington Well Dressing
An ‘Ascension Day’ Trip by Coach has been arranged for a visit to Tissington on Thursday 13th May.
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Your child needs sleep, not a gadget!
Are gadgets keeping your child awake at night? If so, the lack of sleep could be affecting their growth, appetite, and ability to concentrate at school. Children who do not sleep enough have less energy, gain weight, are irritable and often behave badly. When the BBC programme Newsround recently ran a survey, it was found that half of youngsters aged nine to 11 are being kept awake at night by televisions or computers in their bedrooms. Dr Paul Gringrass, a paediatrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, says “Children aren’t just little adults. There’s a huge amount of brain development that’s going on,.... there are certain hormones we produce more of when we’ve had a bad, disruptive night, which make us hungrier. And we have this obesity epidemic. It’s a vicious cycle.”
The coach will depart from The Bull’s Head in Ratby at 8.30am and return from Tissington around 3pm. To enjoy the experience you will need to be able to go around the wells on foot. Bring sandwiches or purchase lunch at destination. Coach fare is £10 ~ payable on booking ~ which must be made by phoning Jo Mangham on 0116 239 5218 or email: joke16@talktalk.net
St George’s Festival Events in Leicester
The St George’s Festival will take place over the weekend of Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th April. The St. George Enactment is on Friday 23rd April 11am and repeated at 12 noon in Leicester Market. •
St. George’s Family Day is being held on Saturday 24th April between 1pm and 5pm in Orton Square, St. George’s Heritage Area. (Near Curve) Enjoy an afternoon of traditional performances, dance, music, poetry and much more. • (Jewry Wall Museum has a ‘Happy Birthday Will Shakespeare’ event from 11am – 4pm on Saturday 24th April) • An annual parade by Leicester City Cubs and Scouts takes place in the City Centre on Sunday 25th April at 3pm. www.leicester.gov.uk/stgeorgesfestival
You can always spot a well-informed man – his views are the same as yours.
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THIS MONTH IN HISTORY • UNCLE EUSTACE • PLUS OTHER TITBITS
APRIL
happenings from the past 150 YEARS AGO • 7 Apr 1860 • Birth of W.K. Kellogg, American breakfast cereal manufacturer. 125 YEARS AGO • 3 Apr 1885 • German mechanical engineer Gottlieb his single cylinder engine design. 40 YEARS AGO • 10 Apr 1970 • British rock musician Paul McCartney announced that he had left The Beatles and the band would never perform together again. 40 YEARS AGO • 13 Apr 1970 • An oxygen tank exploded onboard Apollo 13 as it neared the Moon, crippling the spacecraft and putting the lives of the crew at risk. The mission was abandoned and the crew returned safely on 17th April. 25 YEARS AGO • 8 Apr 1985 • Bhopal disaster: India filed a law suit against Union Carbide for the deadly gas leak of 3rd December 1984 which killed approximately 15-20,000 people and left over 100,000 with long-term health problems. 25 YEARS AGO • 23 Apr 1985 • The Coca-Cola Company announced that it was changing the secret formula for Coke. Negative public reaction forced it to resume selling the original version in July 1985. 20 YEARS AGO • 24 Apr 1990 • The Hubble Space Telescope was launched, aboard space shuttle Discovery. 15 YEARS AGO • 4 Apr 1995 • Death of Kenny Everett, British radio DJ and TV comedian. 15 YEARS AGO • 19 Apr 1995 • Oklahoma City bombing: a truck bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in
Letter from Uncle Eustace
On the perils of a Scout camp The Rectory St. James the Least
My dear Nephew Darren It seems that the basics of parish ministry are no longer taught in theological colleges. Don’t you know anything about consulting your diary in public? When you are asked if you are free on a certain date, accepted practice is to open it so that the enquirer cannot quite see. You then shake your head sadly, saying you are committed to blessing a new tea urn, or on some other vital ecclesiastical activity that day. Then you regretfully give your apologies. You do not open the thing in full view of your enquirer, so he can see the blank pages! Really, it serves you right that you are now committed to going on Scout camp. The last time I agreed to pay the Scouts a visit was when I found that there was a splendid restaurant only a mile away from their camp. I arrived and parked my car by the side of the river where they were all canoeing, wound down the car window and made encouraging noises for some minutes before explaining I had to find a garage for petrol. Several hours later, after an excellent lunch, I drove to where they were now rock climbing, wound down the car window and made encouraging noises for some minutes before explaining that I had a standing committee to return to that evening. It was a splendid day. You, however, will experience the charms of two days under canvas. Whatever site for your tent you choose will be the one that floods first. The early hours will undoubtedly find you wading about in water in the pitch dark, retrieving your sleeping bag and clothes – which you will then have to wear for the rest of the day. Watch out for the food, as well: all camp food contains grass and usually sheep droppings. This will make you ill, though for some reason Scouts thrive on it. Whatever the weather and whatever activities you do each day, you will end up wet, chilled and bruised. At least your evenings will be warm – for you are bound to spend them at Casualty, with youngsters suffering from sprained ankles or dislocated shoulders. My only advice is to use those hours in Casualty to practise the art of opening your diary in a way that only YOU can see it. Your loving uncle,
Eustace
The Man Who Cycled the World In 2008, adventurer Mark Beaumont broke the world record for cycling solo around the world. ‘The Man Who Cycled the World’ is Mark’s story of his adventures, a personal rollercoaster of mental and physical endurance as well as a fascinating insight into the world we live in. On Sunday 25th April starting at 7.30pm Mark will appear at Loughborough Town Hall. This is suitable for an audience aged 14 yrs and over. Tickets cost £13 and are available online at www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk or by phoning 01509 231 914.
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Teenagers – THINK before you post! How much information is your teenager giving to other people on the web? According to a recent EU Study, 50% of European teenagers give out personal information on the web - which can remain online forever and be seen by anybody. So the European Commission has called on Social Networking Companies to improve child safety policies. And at a recent Safer Internet Day, the Commission’s message to teenagers was, “Think before you post!”.
Take a Cake Break in Anstey The Multiple Sclerosis Society is holding a Cake Break fund-raising event at their new premises in Anstey on Tuesday 27th April. Do come and join them for a slice of cake and a cup of tea between 11am and 1pm at 27 Latimer Street. If you can make or donate any cakes, please contact Jane on 01509 414201.
Stoughton Village Fete
There will be a Village Fete in Stoughton on Saturday 8th May organised by St Mary and All Saints’ Church. There will be a Barbeque, Teas, Brass Band, Amusements and Stalls. Admission is free.
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plant sale on 15th may • FORTHCOMING PLAY • CHEAPO CHILLING
Groby Gardening Society NEWS Our March 11th meeting saw the welcome return of Linda Smith. Her talk was entitled “Water Gardening in small spaces”.
Many people will know of Linda as she runs “The Waterside Nursery” at Sharnford. Linda is nationally well-known and exhibits at all the major gardening events. She is a fountain of knowledge of all things aquatic and her talk was full of stimulating and interesting ideas. These were pitched at the small garden owner who has no room for the more extensive water features commonly displayed on television and in magazines. Linda’s contention is that ALL gardens have room for some water feature and once established they will not only enhance the garden, but be extremely beneficial to wild life. She placed considerable emphasis on the planting surrounding the features as well as the aquatic plants themselves. Our thoughts are already turning to two major events in The Society’s calendar. The first is The Plant Sale which takes place in the village hall on the morning of Saturday 15th May. This is a wonderful opportunity for villagers to obtain their summer bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials and many varieties of vegetable plants. As very many are produced by Society members, the prices are very competitive. The second is The Village Show on Saturday 21st August. Although this is still quite distant, preparations have to start early. The show schedules (lists of the classes you can exhibit in) are now being prepared and it is hoped they will be ready for collection at the plant sale and thereafter from the village library. A preview indicates some interesting new classes. This year, for example, you can exhibit a bucket of home made compost or exclusively for male exhibitors; a plate of five rock cakes. In the photographic section there are classes for “A fantastic fungus” and a “A smile” The signing up process is continuing for our trips and if members cannot attend one of the next few meetings a quick phone call to Alvar would reserve places on the Malvern trip, the evening, local garden visit and the overnight trip to the Hampton Court Flower Show
May 7th May 13th May 15th June 10th
Trip to the Malvern Spring Show (There are still some places available) “Plants for Shady places” Des Martin Plant Sale at The Village Hall Evening visit to a local garden
If you feel like becoming involved and sharing in our activities, we always welcome new members and casual guests at our monthly meetings that are held at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of the month, usually in the United Reformed Church rooms on Chapel Hill. Details about membership and the events programme can be obtained from Alvar Johnson. (Tel. No. 0116 287 7870) or Email alvar3@talktalk.net
Alvar Johnson
Chill out – for less Stressed out? Before you book an expensive massage or even thermotherapy (in which arms and legs are wrapped in warm towels), why not just go into your living room, take the phone off the hook, turn down the lights, and listen to relaxing music? You can do that for free, whereas other ‘relaxation treatments’ can cost up to £90 an hour. In a recent study, it was found that all three methods were equally effective at easing anxiety. Scientists at the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle said that simply listening to relaxing music in a quiet peaceful place can calm anxiety and reduce worry and depression. HOW DO YOU CHILL OUT? Do you have a cut-price method of calming your frazzled nerves? Share it with Spotlight readers - send details to: RELAX, Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Bradgate Drama Society
Love Begins at Fifty Bradgate Drama Society presents ‘Love Begins at Fifty’ by Raymond Hopkins on May 13th, 14th & 15th in the Village Hall, Main Street, Newtown Linford. For 28 years Clive and Anita Debanks have tolerated their loveless marriage. Clive has never been unfaithful, but as his 50th birthday approaches he yearns for a final fling. He chooses three ladies from the ‘Lonely Hearts’ column in the local paper and arranges for them to come round whilst his wife is away. Unbeknown to him, his wife has entered them in a ‘Perfect Marriage’ competition in the same paper. A reporter arrives and takes photographs of the happy pair. And then Clive’s problems really begin…… Tickets £6, available from Gillian Bates on 01530 242375. Doors open 6.45pm, curtain up, 7.30pm.
ANSTEY & DISTRICT FUNERAL SERVICES
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT
As part of our aftercare service, we now offer a monthly Bereavement Aftercare & Support Group, which has been set up to provide a FREE support service, not just to our clients, but to ANY bereaved person, irrespective of their age, creed, religion and length of bereavement. The group meets on the 1st Saturday of every month (except at Bank Holidays) in the catering suite at Anstey & District Funeral Services between 10am and 12noon.
Next dates: Sat 10th April 2010 and Sat 8th May 2010 ARRAN BRUDENELL, Tel: 0116 234 0548
TEAMWORK... means never having to take all the blame yourself.
HOUSE HUNTING IN GROBY? Check out this website • MUD PHOBIA
Website Worth A Visit:
Zoopla
ZOOPLA (www.zoopla.co.uk) If you’re looking for property in Groby - or thinking of selling yours - you should have a look at the Zoopla website first. The website is very easy to use, and within a few clicks, you can see how much properties properties are being sold for in your area. For example, in Groby the average price paid for houses over the past three years is £184,725. A total of 304 properties were sold in this time. Change the time scale to the past year and you find that the average price has dropped slightly to £181,898, based on 86 sales in the last 12 months. The website holds details of sales prices dating back to 1995. If you’re looking to buy a property, simply type Groby into the property search slot and around 40 properties currently for sale are identified, with prices, photos and links to the selling agent. The site also includes a guide to the average values of different types of properties. The Zed-Index shows that in the past year, values of all types of properties in Groby have increased, with detached properties going up in value by an average of £14,106. While this is good news, the table also shows that this is still over £26,000 lower than the high values of 2007.
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Are you afraid of the countryside? A recent study has found that middle class mothers are too afraid to take their children rambling because they struggle to read a map, and are worried about mud and danger. The study, by Hertfordshire University, found that middle class mothers are “obsessed with injury and dirt”, and doubt their children would make it on a five mile walk. Paul Christensen, chairman of Natural England, says: “Our research shows that contact with nature has halved in a generation, and that the overwhelming majority of children now want more opportunities to play outdoors.” Instead, most parents limit excursions to country parks and farms that cater for families.
Make three correct guesses consecutively and you will establish yourself as an expert.
lowe’s
plumbing & heating
Central Heating Breakdowns and Repairs Boiler Installations / Replacements Free Quotes 30 Years Exp. Landlords Gas Safety Certificates No Callout Fee 10% Off for OAP’s System Power Flushing 0116 2879760 / 07925 802265 Servicing info@lowesplumbingandheating.co.uk
Don’t Forget to Send Us Your News! Drop a line to Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leices. LE67 9ZT or email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
NATIONAL TRUST • ISAAC NEWTON • DVDS TO WATCH AT HOME National Trust Leicester Association
Visit the Auricula Theatre at Calke Abbey, then drop into Isaac Newton’s home Spring finally appears to have arrived and during May there will be carpets of bluebells at Calke Abbey for your enjoyment.
Spring flowers will also be in full bloom in the formal garden at Calke Abbey as well as at other NT properties. Of special interest in the walled garden at Calke will be the Auricula Theatre. These “theatres” were devised in the mid 1700’s and comprised a roof over a bank of staging, or shelves, with an open front for displaying Auriculas and other pot plants. The Auricula theatre at Calke Abbey has been fully restored and is the last surviving example in England and houses a full display throughout the season. • At Woolsthorpe Manor, the home of Isaac Newton, 10 miles east of Melton Mowbray, there is a brand new permanent exhibition in the Discovery Centre. The exhibition includes display panels and a large number of hands on exhibits where visitors can try out and learn for themselves about Newton’s discoveries in maths, light, forces, planetary paths and telescopes. The experiments are incredibly simple and enlightening and my whole family came away declaring “That’s the first time in my life I’ve understood all that”. If you can drag yourself away you can also visit the whole of the manor house and the small tea room. The NT Leicester Association is a club for NT members, volunteers and staff and is now into its summer programme of outings to places of historical interest. Our winter programme of meetings will commence again in September. For information on the Association call, 0116 2229133.
Alan Tyler, Chairman, NT Leicester Association
Sir Isaac Newton: a very brainy chap Sir Isaac Newton (4 January 1643 - 31 March 1727 was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian who is considered by many scholars and members of the general public to be one of the most influential men in human history.
His 1687 publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (usually called the Principia) is considered to be among the most influential books in the history of science, laying the groundwork for most of classical mechanics. In this work, Newton described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion which dominated the scientific view of the physical universe for the next three centuries. Newton showed that the motions of objects on Earth and of celestial bodies are governed by the same set of natural laws by demonstrating the consistency between Kepler’s laws of planetary motion and his theory of gravitation, thus removing the last doubts about heliocentrism and advancing the scientific revolution. Newton also built the first practical reflecting telescope and developed a theory of colour based on the observation that a prism decomposes white light into the many colours that form the visible spectrum. He also formulated an empirical law of cooling and studied the speed of sound. In mathematics, Newton shares the credit with Gottfried Leibniz for the development of the differential and integral calculus. He also demonstrated the generalised binomial theorem, developed the so-called “Newton’s method” for approximating the roots of a function, and contributed to the study of power series. Newton remains uniquely influential to scientists, as demonstrated by a 2005 survey of members of Britain’s Royal Society asking who had the greater effect on the history of science and had the greater contribution to humankind, Newton or Albert Einstein. (Source: Wikipedia)
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New & Future Releases on DVD The Descent 2 (18): This sequel to Neil Marshall’s surprise shocker of 2006 promises to make audiences scream as much as its predecessor did. Begin ning just moments after the end of the previous film, THE DESCENT 2 follows a rescue mission to save a group of women who disappeared in the Appalachian Mountains. A sole survivor, Sarah (Shauna MacDonald) comes out of the caves, but a local sheriff makes her go back into the dark to aid in the search. This time around, Jon Harris, the editor of THE DESCENT, is at the helm. Avatar (12): Avatar is the story of ex-Marine Jake, a paraplegic war veteran, who finds himself thrust into hostilities on a distant planet - Pandora - filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human consciousness in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people. Those from Earth find themselves at odds with each other and the local culture. The Girlfriend Experience (15): Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh invites you into the world of a high class New York call girl in the thrilling and sexy The Girlfriend Experience, starring adult film star Sasha Grey in her mainstream breakthrough. Chelsea is an ultra high-end Manhattan call girl who thinks she has her life totally under control. She feels secure because she runs her own business her own way, makes $2,000 an hour and has a devoted boyfriend who accepts her lifestyle. But when you’re in the business of meeting people, you never know who you’re going to meet... 44 Inch Chest (18): British hardman Ray Winstone reunites with SEXY BEAST screenwriters Louise Mellis and David Scinto for this intriguing gangland thriller in which a scorned husband enlists his friends in a plan to kidnap the lover of his adulteress wife. Up In The Air (15): With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him. Starring George Clooney. Book of Eli (15): In a post-apocalyptic America where the once-picturesque countryside has become a desolate and violent wasteland, one man (Denzel Washington) fights to protect that sacred tome that could hold the key to the survival of the human race in this futuristic thriller.
By the time a man realises that his father was right, he has a son who thinks he’s wrong.
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JOBS FOR YOUNGSTERS • GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE AT REDGATE FARM
New Government Scheme
Young people offered council jobs by HBBC
A NEW government scheme aimed at helping jobless youngsters to find work has enabled the Borough Council to employ 10 young people on fixed term contracts. Five of them will be doing admin work for the council while the other five have been recruited as trainee gardeners. They will be initially employed for six months under the Future Jobs Fund scheme but it is possible that their contracts will be extended if further funding is made available. The Future Jobs Fund is run by the Department for Work and Pensions in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Local Government and Jobcentre Plus. It is primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for nearly a year and seeks to provide them with an offer of a job, work experience or training.
Training & Work Experience All of those employed by the council will receive training, in addition to valuable work experience, with the gardeners being eligible to receive an appropriate horticultural diploma at the end of the six months period. Councillor Don Wright, Executive Member responsible for Corporate Services and Equalities, said: “ I very much welcome the council’s decision to take on 10 young people for training and work experience in administration and gardening. “This government funding is a sensible use of public money and if the investment continues I shall encourage further moves to offer similar opportunities in the future.”
Do you love animals? Would you like to gain work experience with a local Charity?
Redgate Farm Animal Sanctuary, near Stanton under Bardon, would love to hear from you if you could volunteer, even for 1 -2 hours a week or just every now and again. Training is provided and you will meet some very nice people! Could you help in any of the following areas:• With animal care - helping to look after a wide range of animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses & ponies, goats, pigs and wildlife. • Dog-walking – perhaps you love dogs and cannot have one of your own? • In retail - in the on-site charity shop. You would be sorting donated goods, pricing and displaying stock and serving customers. • In the very popular café – preparing food and drinks and serving customers • Fund-raising – helping with preparing goods and organising stalls for fêtes, craft fairs etc. • Driving – anything from taking an animal to the Vet’s to collecting Bric-a-Brac donations • Painting and DIY • Gardening
There are always jobs to do with animals about – and we need you! If you could help, or if you would like to chat about the options and the benefits that volunteering can bring both to you and the animals, please call us on 01530 243 925.
COUNTDOWN 2012
Transformational Energies Of The Venus/Earth/Sun Alignment Speaker: Mr.Chris Kasparis Sun 9th May 2010 11am – 5.30pm Markfield/Super Venue Cost: £20 Booking Essential (Pay on the Day from 10.30am) www.leicesterlectures.co.uk
Confidence is the feeling you have before you understand the situation.
THE BOYS AND GIRLS IN BLUE ARE ON THE CASE
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POLICE Neighbourhood Newsletter Listed below are the priorities you told us about three months ago and how we tackled them: You told us... Youths gathering at key locations namely, Budgen’s and Groby village centre, using intimidating behaviour, which can be drink-related, affecting local residents and businesses. These problems are usually between 6pm and 11pm. We responded... We met with local young people and identified areas where anti-social behaviour was taking place. They were then invited to talk to local residents and staff members at some of these locations which helped everyone appreciate the impact that some of their behaviour was having on members of the community. The more problematic youths were engaged by our Joint Action and Quality of Life team (JAQUAL) that resulted in some being prohibited from entering certain shops and premises. We also worked closely with local schools and students were given information about the negative impact of anti-social behaviour. Plans for a BMX track in Groby are now also underway with the local Parish Council.
Our priorities
Our local Pledge to you is that during the next three months, we will tackle the following local priorities: Continue to target and reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB) , including intimidating behaviour and under age drinking. This involves groups of youths within Groby village centre near to the local retail premises and public spaces. This will build on the results from the previous priority and continue to reduce incidents of ASB. Prime locations include Leicester Road,Ratby Road, Rookery Lane and the area near to Budgens store. Priority patrol times being between 6pm - 11pm at weekends. For more information about our Policing Pledge, visit our website at www. leics.police.uk/policingpledge or pick up a leaflet at your local police station.
Contact your neighbourhood team Your neighbourhood team members are:
PC (4338) Sadie Harlock, PC (334) Justin Hayes, PC (918) Kevin Kelly, PCSO (6128) Russell Leech, and PCSO (6552) Mo Musa. Telephone (0116) 222 2222 - follow the instructions to leave a recorded message and when prompted, enter the officer’s identification number (shown in brackets).
Anstey & District Funeral Service Independent Family-Run Funeral Directors
We take care of every detail, advise and help you every step of the way. • •
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www.ansteyfunerals.com
Whenever people agree with me, I always feel I must be wrong.
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75 Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicestershire LE7 7BP Tel: 0116 234 0700 Fax: 0116 234 0300
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Someone asked me the other day, ‘What was your favourite fast food when you were growing up?’ ‘We didn’t have fast food when I was growing up,’ I informed him. ‘All the food was slow.’ ‘C’mon, seriously. Where did you eat?’ ‘It was a place called ‘home,’’ I explained. ‘Mum cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn’t like what she put on my plate, I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.’ By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn’t tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table.
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PICK UP A BARGAIN • PLUS FIVE MINUTE FICTION FROM LINDY
Murder in the Dark
Small Ads TILES White 150 8”x 8”. Price: £15, Pendelfin FIGURES 17 off, 1970’s-1980’s. Price: Assorted. T: 0116 231 3149. AIRBEDS with pump, used once, 1xDouble Price: £20, 1xSingle Price: £10. T: 0116 223 5720. LAWN MOWER Electric, Flymo Venturer 32, g.w.order. Price: £35. T: 0116 287 8694. DOORS Interior flush, with Rothley brass fittings, Widths1x21”, 9x27”, 2x30”. Price: £6 each, Assorted Brass HANDLES for door, drawer & cupboard. Price: £10. T: 0116 287 4531. BIKE Ladies Gemini Outrider, 10 speed, 26” wheels, riden twice. Price: £50 ono. T: 0772 552 2524. CAMCORDER JVC Digital, 4x60min DV cassettes, 3 batteries+charger, all video leads & Samsonite camera bag. Price: £80. T: 0116 287 5912. Dutch RABBITS & HUTCH, 2 male (immunised), large outdoor wooden hutch, waterproof thermal cover & other accessories, 6 mths old. Price: Taking offers £50-£100. T: 0116 232 1348. Advertise your items for sale FREE. Send us the details, cost of item and your contact phone number for the display box, together with your home address for our purposes only (not for publication). Max FOUR items, please. Max price asked: £300 Our address is: Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
A friend of mine dropped out of medical school. It was tragic. He really wanted to be a doctor, but he just couldn’t stand the sight of cash. I had to kill my psychiatrist. He helped me a lot, but he just knew too much.
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A Short Story by local writer Lindy Hardcastle
T
o the casual observer, there was nothing about Stanley Barraclough to identify him as a potential mass-murderer. Indeed, he was noted amongst his few friends and many acquaintances as a particularly mild-mannered, self effacing sort of chap. It drove his wife wild. “Just wait till your father gets home!” she would warn the children when they were younger; and when Stanley got home he would murmur soothingly that he was sure there were faults on both sides, that boys will be boys, and he was sure they wouldn’t do it again. Then he would slip the lads a couple of bob to go and get some sweets, make Mary a cup of tea and bore her with tales of his uneventful day at the bank. “You’ll never get on if you don’t push yourself, Stanley,” Mary would say. She was quite right: he never got beyond senior clerk, whilst younger, more ruthless, ambitious men were promoted over his head. “No drive,” the top brass would say, “No killer instinct. But absolutely sound, of course, Splendid chap.” They gave him a barometer when he retired. Apart from his work, no one had ever heard him comment about anything but the weather in forty years. It was his mother’s fault, of course. It always is. She brought him up to be a little gentleman. He must always be kind, unselfish and considerate of the feelings of others. He must never fight, even when sorely provoked. “Turn the other cheek, Stanley, like it says in the bible.” So he did, and got thumped twice over, but the bullies soon got bored with such an impassive victim. She had been so soft-hearted, his mum. Frightened to death of mice, wasps, spiders, but could not bear to see anything hurt, so Stanley learned early to catch the tiny interlopers gently in his cupped hands or an empty jam jar and escort them out of doors. Mass-murderer? Yes, I am coming to that. Even a worm will turn. As Stanley saw it, he was the victim of a most cruel and unwarranted persecution. He had borne it as long as he could, but the reckless destruction, the savage attacks on the weakest and most vulnerable, the pitiful laying waste of all that was dearest to his heart had become more than he could stomach. He thirsted for revenge. “Thou shalt not kill” it said in
Direct physical assault was out of the question. His enemies were too numerous and he was anyway too squeamish to contemplate the severing of flesh, the spilling of blood. the bible, but any court of law would acquit a man who killed in self defence. Strictly speaking, of course, it was not he himself who was directly under attack, but surely it was even more justifiable to kill in defence of those too weak and helpless to defend themselves. The last war, which he dimly remembered, had been fought in that spirit - to defend the weak and helpless from a ruthless and implacable foe. Theology had never been Stanley’s strong point, but he had prayed for guidance and was fairly sure that God would approve of his proposed course of action. He was not so sure about Mother, but as she had been dead for fifteen years, her influence was waning. Yes, he would do it! His cause was just. But how? Contemplation of methods of mass destruction kept Stanley awake for many nights and haunted his dreams when he finally, fitfully slept. However sure he was of the moral justification for the slaughter he proposed, his sensitive gentle soul shrank from the act itself. Direct physical assault was out of the question. His enemies were too numerous and he was anyway too squeamish to contemplate the severing of flesh, the spilling of blood. Poisoning was a possibility. Stanley was a secret, guilty reader of murder mysteries and he knew that poisoning was a cowardly way to kill. Well, that was fine, Stanley was a self confessed coward, but there were dangers here too. Certainly the means to poison half the population could easily be purchased from the nearest hardware shop or garden centre, but the person who served him would surely guess his intentions immediately. Though resolved to go ahead with his plan, Stanley still felt shamed at the thought of detection. There was always the risk too that poison might miss its mark and some totally innocent victim could be killed by mistake. Unthinkable!
No, guile and cunning were called for. Death by drowning had always held a particularly horror for Stanley. Too timid as a child to brave the rough and tumble of the municipal swimming baths, he had clung shivering to the sides and never learned to swim. He only went under when cruelly yanked by the legs by some mindless, laughing lout. He could still feel the pressure on his lungs and the blind terror as he fought to get his head above the water. He hardened his heart. It was no more than they deserved, Gradually he was beginning to see this one uncharacteristic act of revenge as a way of settling a lifetime of old scores. He would get them drunk, lull them into a false sense of security and watch them drown. Buying beer was almost more of an ordeal than buying poison would have been, A lifetime lemonade man, Stanley stumbled and blushed over his purchase of half-a- dozen cans and left the shop to cheery encouragement to “Have a good party, granddad! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” If only they knew. It was a perfect night for it, Calm, warm and damp. By the light of his torch, Stanley filled the dishes and placed them carefully at the scenes of the most recent crimes, by the newly planted lettuces, the trench of celery, the freshly sprouting young carrot plants. At the last moment, his nerve failed. He could not stay to watch the slugs take the bait and fall into his beer traps. They were, however improbably, God’s creatures and part of his Great Plan. Stanley fled down the path towards his trusty get-away bicycle and home. His enemies would be vanquished but already bitter remorse was setting in. Would he ever be able to enjoy a lettuce sandwich with an easy conscience again?
I married Miss Right. I just didn’t know her first name was Always.
WIN A MEAL OR DVD VOUCHER • WHAT’S ON AT THE PUB
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WORDSEARCH COMPETITION 1st Prize: Win a £20 Dining Voucher to spend Word Search Puzzle at Broughtons Coffee Lounge, Anstey! 2nd Prize: Win A £10 DVD Hire Voucher to Spend at Glenfield Moviezone!
U H J N R I A L B Y N O T B E N
M A A S W N U O X R M J W H M E
F C M R M O K W Z Q O Z T Q O D
E Y E Q O R R X G H O A C N H E
U Z S Z H L H B N S E G A T S Y
J H C O O X D M N H Q G G Q A N
Z O A D T V A W D O V B S U L O
A V L B G J V R I D D Q G L G H
A X L A O D A X B L S R T D U T
S A A R Y W G W D Q S L O L O N
B Z G Q D D U X T A T O U G D A
K W H E D Y T A A T S J N Q C G
H Y A C L E M E N T A T L E E X
W I N S T O N C H U R C H I L L
R E H C T A H T T E R A G R A M
N A L L I M C A M D L O R A H T
................................................................................................. Name:
ALECDOUGLASHOME ANTHONYEDEN Address: ................................................................................................ CLEMENTATLEE EDWARDHEATH GORDONBROWN .................................................................Postcode: ............................. HAROLDMACMILLAN HAROLDWILSON If you can spot the names of 12 British Prime Ministers in the JAMESCALLAGHAN Wordsearch grid above, you could win a £20 Dining Voucher to JOHNMAJOR spend at Broughtons Luxury Coffee Lounge in Anstey (see ad onMARGARETTHATCHER page 30) - or a £10 DVD Hire Voucher to spend at Glenfield TONYBLAIR Moviezone (see ad on page 21). AllWINSTONCHURCHILL you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line through - the names of 12 Prime Ministers. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). Send your marked entry forms to: ORDER, ORDER! Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Saturday 1st May 2010. Please remember to fill in your name and address. The sender of the first correct entry drawn out of the hat will win the Meal at The Fieldhead Hotel and the sender of the second will win the Moviezone DVD hire voucher. Good luck!
Created by
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT There’s always lots happening at your local pubs and clubs. Rather than sitting in front of the goggle box, why not nip out for some live entertainment, or take part in a quiz, or play Bingo!
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Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287-1809 www.grobyclub.co.uk NOTICE TO MEMBERS New Members Welcome Fri 9 April: NEIL TIMOTHY Sat 10 April: ECHO 12 Sun 11 April: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 16 April: CHRISSY Sat 17 April: KARL HOWARD Sun 18 April: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 23 April: GARY DEE Sat 24 April: SIMON HENLEY (Elvis) Sun 25 April: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 30 April: AXIS DUO Sat 1 May: OPEN ROAD Sun 2 May: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 7 May: PREMONITION Sat 8 May: Expressive HARMONY Sun 9 May: Super Sunday ‘50’
The Stamford Arms Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 5616
Sat 10 April: VINYL Throwbacks Sat 17 April: TAKE THAT 2 & Party (£10 Ticket ~ Pre-Buy) Sat 24 April: FIRE & SKILL Sat 1 May: FINGERS & FUMBS Sat 8 May: STONEPARK Sun 9 May: JAZZ ~ Steve Fearns’ Jules Gypsy Swing Band 3-6pm Sat 15 May: HAZZARD KARAOKE ~ Every Wed OPEN MIC ~Every Thurs JAZZ ~ Every Sun 3-6pm QUIZ – General Knowledge + Find the Joker ~ EVERY Sun QUIZ – Music ~ EVERY Tues
The Brant Inn Leicester Road, Groby LE6 0DU T: 0116 287 2703 Fri Fri Fri Fri
9 April: KARAOKE 16 April: FATHER TED (Live Band) 23 April: KARAOKE 7 May: ALAN JONES
ELVIS Tribute by Simon Henley at Groby Club on Saturday 24th April
The Field Head Hotel Markfield Lane, Markfield Tel: 01530 245454 TRIBUTE Nights All £2 Entry after 7pm. Fri 16 April: BRYAN ADAMS Fri 30 April: UB40 Fri 14 May: MOTOWN Every 2nd Tues: QUIZ Nite
The Coach & Horses Leicester Road, Field Head Tel: 01530 242 312 KARAOKE Nights:Sats: 17th April & 1st May (’King of the Road’) Sundays: QUIZ Night
The Plough Inn Burroughs Road, RATBY. T: 0116 239 2103 EVERY Tues ~ QUIZ www.ploughinnratby.co.uk
The Charnwood Arms Bardon. T: 01530 813644 ABBA/TRIBUTE NIGHT Fri 30 April: £10 Ticket (Includes Supper & Disco) Every MON Night:- POKER (Tournament) Free~Starts 7pm.
Old Thatched Inn, Stanton-under-Bardon Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com T: 01530 242460 Bagworth WMC Sat 17 April: BJ Duo Station Road, Bagworth Fri 23 April: QUIZ with £50 prize T: 01530 230 205 (St. George’s Day)
Here are 12 Prime Ministers you have to find: ALEC DOUGLAS HOME • ANTHONY EDEN • CLEMENT ATLEE EDWARD HEATH • GORDON BROWN • HAROLD MACMILLAN HAROLD WILSON • JAMES CALLAGHAN • JOHN MAJOR MARGARET THATCHER • TONY BLAIR • WINSTON CHURCHILL
Wed 28 April: Charity RACE Night (On BIG Screen) Sat 1 May: UNDECIDED (Local Lasses)
New Members Welcome Sat Eve Entertainments. Every Wed: Tea Dance 2-4pm £1 Incl.Tea & Biscuits.
Last Issue’s TWO Winners Last issue’s first prize winner was MRS. ANITA BAKEWELL of Bedford Drive, Groby. You win a a main Course for Two, plus a Bottle of House Wine at The Fieldhead Hotel. The winner of the second prize - a £10 DVD Hire Voucher to spend at Glenfield MovieZone - was Mrs. OLENA MARTIN of Percival Way, Groby. Congratulations! Your vouchers will be with you within 21 days.
I’m quite easy to get along with, once you learn to beckon at my every call and yield to all my desires.
FOOTBALL STARS OF THE FUTURE • DON’T BE A TWEETING TWIT
Groby Juniors - from page 1
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ENJOY DRUM LESSONS • Full Ebony/Gold Plated Premier Signia Kit Provided • All Grades (Trinity Guildhall-Rock School)/All Ages/All Areas • • • •
Roses are red, Violets are blue. Some poems rhyme, This one doesn’t.
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Many thanks to Rob Reid, Carl Greenwood, Sammy McIlroy, Daz Barrett, Josh Smith and all the other helpers for their unselfish efforts. Both championship winning teams are looking for sponsors for next season, so if you know of anyone who would like their company logo or name on the shirts, details, along with times for future academy training sessions can be found on the Groby Juniors website at ww.grobyjuniorsfc.co.uk
Scott Upton
Do you tweet and drive? At the same time? If so, you are foolish – but not alone. It seems that one in 20 motorists has used a social networking website such as Twitter or Facebook while at the wheel of their car. Now a survey has found that three years on since much tougher laws were introduced, many of us are still not only making and receiving calls on our mobilies, but also texting, using the internet and even checking messages on Facebook and Twitter – all while at the wheel of our car. 28 per cent of us confess to have read a text while driving – and a frightening 18 per cent have even sent a text – while driving. 5 per cent have read a post on Facebook or Twitter, and 2 per cent have made a post. Some motorists claim they only use their mobile phones while in stationery traffic or at red lights, but any use is still illegal.
It is as well to remember the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.
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TWO BITS OF NEWS FROM ITV
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Garden Services ( Shooter) P.35 Gas/Heating/Boilers (UK Gas) P.22 Hairdressing ( Classic Cuts) P.12 Hairdressing (Snips) P.30 Interiors/Coffee Lounge P.30 Jewellers (Sykes) P.35 Landscape Gardening (Groby L.G) P.22 Landscape Supplies (Sunningdale) P.3 Meat (Little Markfield Farm) P. 20 Man & Van (Steve) P.2 M.O.T Testing (Cropston Garage) P.18 M.O.T Testing (Service Garage) P.33 Moviezone P.21 Parish Council P.5 Plans (Martin Design) P.2 Plasterer (M. Hoyland) P.13 Plasterer (A. Merrall) P.19 Plumbing/Flushing/Etc.(N.Clapham) P.30 Plumbing/Heating/Solar (P. Farthing) P.7 Plumbing/Heating etc. (C. Foulds) P.12 Plumbing/Heating/Etc. (Knight) P.16 Plumbing/Heating/Etc. (Lowes) P.26 Plumbing/Tiling/Heating (MRM) P.29 Plumbing/Heating/Etc. (G.Weisner) P.2 Property Maintenance (M.Brewin) P.32 Property Maintenance (IDC) P.28 Property Maintenance (Sanders) P.11 Property Maintenance (J. Wait) P.18 Seminar (Countdown 2012) P.28 Shoes (Tutsi) P.22 Skip Hire (Anstey) P.18 Skip Hire (Map Waste) P.8 Slimming (Hazel Hickson) P.3 Solicitors (Dodds) P.15 Taxi (Area Link Travel) P.9 Tea Rooms (Little Acorns) P.29 Therapy (Bodytalk) P.16 Therapy (Cognitive Behaviour) P.33 Travel Agent (T. World) P.25 Tree Care (Hunter T. Care) P.26 Tree Care (Martin Page) P.36 Tyres & Brakes P.30 Upholstery (S. Shuttlewood) P.33 Veterinary Services (Leggett) P.19 Vinyl Records (Jonny) P.28 Wigs & Hairpieces (V.H. Wigs) P.16
Loadsamoney!
People’s Lottery Millions Up For Grabs For ITV Central Communities The People’s Millions 2010 competition opened its doors in March for projects in the ITV Central region to put in their bids to receive up to £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG). It is the sixth year of The People’s Millions competition, allowing communities across ITV Central to improve facilities or get more enjoyment from their local area. Five bumper Big Lottery Fund grants are on offer in ITV Central, with a total of £250,000 to be awarded to community projects in the region. The People’s Millions, a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and ITV, aims to improve communities across the UK and gives the public the chance to vote on which local projects should receive lottery good-cause funding. Shortlisted projects will be showcased on local ITV evening news where they will have to convince the public why they need the cash. It will then be up to the public to vote for groups to win the funding. This year a new streamlined online entry form will mean that applying to the contest will be even simpler. Entry forms became available from 10 March at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. Entries need to be returned to the Big Lottery Fund by the deadline, 12 noon on Friday 14 May 2010.
ITV recommissions Doc Martin ITV has commissioned a new series of the incredibly popular Doc Martin, starring Martin Clunes as Dr Martin Ellingham and set in the picturesque Cornwall village of Port Isaac.
With ratings topping 9 million viewers for the series screened autumn 2009, Doc Martin is considered one of ITV’s most successful drama series. Eight x 60 minute episodes will be produced in 2011, as the series goes into production every two years due to Martin’s commitment to existing drama and factual projects. The series is produced for ITV1 by Buffalo Pictures, the independent production company owned by Martin and his wife Philippa Braithwaite, who also produces the series. “We’re delighted so many viewers enjoy the series, as much as we enjoy filming and producing Doc Martin with the beautiful backdrop of Cornwall. Our vision is to ensure this series continues to be as fresh, different and bold as when we first went into production,” said Philippa. “Martin loves playing Doc Martin as he’s so loathsome and grumpy and can get away with speaking his mind! But he also loves the fact he’s playing a brilliant surgeon with a blood phobia! That’s a real dilemma for him, and creates enormous conflict for the character. He’s the GP in our fictional Cornish town of Portwenn, because he really can’t cope with the sight of blood,” she added.
I decided to take an aerobics class. I bent, twisted, gyrated and jumped up and down for an hour. But by the time I’d got my leotard on, the class was over.
I have gone to look for myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.
THE HOME LIBRARY SERVICE - HELPING READERS
Try the Home Library Service! It’s great!
If you live in Leicestershire, love to read but find it difficult to get to the library, the Home Library Service is what you need! This FREE service can deliver books, CDs, DVDs (special interest only), and talking books to your home on a regular basis by registered volunteers. They will visit you to discuss your choice of books and deliver them to your home. Friends or relatives can also collect books and other items on your behalf. We have a good selection of books in large print for people who find ordinary print too small. We also stock a collection of talking books - often read by famous actors and celebrities, and in many languages. These are available on tape cassettes and CDs. Is this you or someone you know?.... • “I used to come to the library every week but since my stroke I don’t get out much.” • “Since my sight went, I can’t read so easily.” • “Large Print books are so heavy I can’t carry them home.” • “I would love to get to the library but I look after my wife full time so it’s difficult.” • “I’ve had an operation and it will be months before I can get out and about again. As I live on my own its really difficult.” • If the answer is YES, just contact the Home Library Service and start reading! For further information contact your local library.
A toddler was found chewing on a slug. After the initial surge of disgust his mother asked, “Well . . . what does it taste like?” “Worms,” was the reply.
I installed a skylight in my apartment. The people who live above me are furious.
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