The Herald August 2020 issue

JOB VACANCY: STANTON PARISH COUNCIL SEE PAGE 9 FOR DETAILS

MID-AUGUST 2020

Progress with the New Methodist Minister Markfield Parish – welcome Judith Neighbourhood Plan: 2020 to 2036 HELLO EVERYONE!

ALTHOUGH the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee has not been able to meet since early in March, that doesn’t mean progress on the plan has stalled.

A huge amount of work has been undertaken to produce a “pre-consultation draft” of the Parish Neighbourhood Plan. This has been submitted to and approved by Markfield Parish Council, but before formal public consultation on it can begin, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council must undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of it. This is a legal requirement and it is expected the assessment will be completed by early September.

If the SEA raises any questions about the plan, they will have to be addressed and approved before the plan can progress to its six-week public consultation stage.

We are hoping the public consultation stage will start mid-Autumn, but because of Covid19 we don’t currently know exactly how it will be managed. The plan will probably be over 100 pages long and, whilst making it available online is straightforward, not everyone has internet access.

Additionally, although questions/observations can be raised via email, or over the telephone, they are often more easily answered by face-to-face discussion, which currently is problematic.

Ideally, we’d like to hold public sessions in either the Community Centre or the Community Library, but that all depends on what the rules regarding meeting sizes, social distancing etc. are in a few months’ time.

Tony Lockley

Chair Markfield Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

SOS - Save Our Snake!

THE MARKFIELD ADDER has grown to almost 1,000 stones - every one of which has been lovingly decorated during the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown, and placed on display along the pathway of Markfield Community Park.

It should be preserved in some form as a Community Memorial of this unique time in our history.

One idea is to make a permanent coiled snake feature to include all of the stones at the Community Park.

To do so will require specialist builder-type skills. CAN YOU HELP? See Dawn Grantham’s article on page 2 for more details.

You may have seen me around occasionally (especially if you sing in Groby Sings or come to their concerts- I live in Groby and have sung 3 seasons with Groby Sings) but if you haven’t, my name’s Judith Lincoln and I’ve just taken over as minister at Markfield Methodist Church following Rev Steve Clark’s retirement.

I’ve been in ministry 2 years, looking after Anstey, Ratby, Enderby and Huncote Methodist Churches: from September it will be Markfield, Anstey and Ratby. I’ve been married to Roger, a homemaker (who is also something of an artist, theologian and railway modeller) for 14 years, and we’ve enjoyed getting to know the excellent walking country round here Before my 2 years’ college training for ministry, I spent 14 years working in a learning disability charity in Nottingham. I grew up in a supportive Christian family, but what drew me into ministry was coming to know for myself that God loves me, and as a chatty extrovert who also believes strongly that our shared humanity is more important than the differences that divide us, I want to share that with others.

We still live in worrying times, no doubt about that. But I have often taken comfort in a Bible verse that says “nothing can separate us” from God’s love (Romans 8:39). I’ve also been drawn to Julian of Norwich, who at a time when the Church was trying to scare people like some of the media are today, wanted to reassure ordinary people in a plague-stricken city, that they were loved. She wrote, “He did not say, You shall not be tempest-tossed…. he did say, You shall not be overcome.” My hope and prayer is that, in these uncertain times, we will keep on loving and supporting each other, and not be overcome.

Judith Lincoln Minister, Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield www.markfieldmethodistchurch.org FB Markfield Methodist Church

this issue HERALD AROUND THE WORLD - 4 • NATIONAL TRUST - 5 SMALL ADS - 6 • THINKING BEYOND LOCKDOWN - 8 MATTHEW LAY - 10 • GO LEARN - 11 • PETER BEDFORD - 12 LOROS CALENDAR - 13 • CROSS HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH - 15 LEICESTER ANIMAL AID - 16 • LOUIS PASTEUR - 17 HELP TO BUY - 18 • LIBRARY NEWS - 20 • MARKFIELD WI - 21 BAGWORTH HISTORY - 22 • COMPENSATION ADVICE - 24 ANDY FURLONG - 25 • MARKFIELD COMMUNITY CENTRE - 27

NEXT ISSUE OUT ON 19TH SEPTEMBER • ARTICLE/ADVERT DEADLINE: 5TH SEPTEMBER

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT Tel: 01530 244069 info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Calling local builders and landscapers

Ssssssssssincere thanks! Please help!

IF YOU HAVE taken a walk at the lovely Community Park in Markfield this Spring and Summer, you can not fail to have noticed the Markfield Adder!

www.markfieldherald.co.uk

The Herald is a monthly local magazine delivered free to approximately 4,000 homes and businesses in Markfield, Field Head, Stanton under Bardon, Thornton and Bagworth.

Contact Mike Wilkinson with your articles, news items or advertising enquiries.

Printed by Norwood Press in Ellistown.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Herald Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. The Herald 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. The Herald reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication.

All contents © The Herald.

None of the articles or adverts contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from The Herald.

The Markfield Adder began during lockdown and local residents of all ages have contributed to make the Community Snake almost one thousand stones and rocks long! The adder has provided hours of fun to many people, not only creating each stone or rock, but also viewing and counting what other people have made!

There have been various discussions and ideas as to what will happen to the Markfield Adder in the future? It would be great to use the adder to making a lasting Community Memorial of a unique time in this village, when I for one am so very proud of how this village has responded to tackle what has been for many people a very difficult period of their lives. The adder is yet another example of how this wonderful community has pulled together.

There is already a memorial arch of trees towards the bottom of the park in memory of local villagers. There is going to be a large rock and the memorial plaque will be turned around to face the pathway and mounted on the rock. There will also be a planter with some roses and daffodil bulbs planted in this area. It has been suggested that the Markfield Adder could also be placed in the ground in this area in a coil shape as a lasting memorial.

Help us save our Community Snake!

THIS IS WHERE you can help! I am not a builder or landscaper!

Do you have any excess building materials or access to a cheap supplier please? Do you have the expertise to advise on the best way to do this please? Do you have a better idea or ideas on designs for what should happen to the Markfield Adder? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated please! This is our community snake and we need a community solution to save this for our village, this will be part of our history!

Please contact me on markfieldcommunitycentre@hotmail. co.uk or 07885 243033 if you would like to share any ideas or are able to offer any help or advice to make this happen! If you have contributed to the Markfield Adder but do not wish to have your stone or rock included in this project could you please reclaim it by the 1st September 2020.

My sincere thanks to everyone that has contributed to make the Markfield Adder and to Tony and Di Lockley, who have been carefully photographing segments of the adder for the future and to everyone that has helped to varnish and preserve the rocks!

Thank you!

Dawn Grantham.

Letters to the Herald

Simple pleasures FURTHER to Yvonne’s appreciation of Markfield’s Community Park in last month’s Herald, I have to say what a joy it is to hear families enjoying the park once again, as I hang out my washing in the sun.

I am also astonished at how work is still being carried out - even the bins are still being emptied and the grass being cut.

They all deserve medals - but I doubt if they will be the ones who get them.

Peter Roberts, Markfield

Where’s our Post Box? CAN ANYONE tell me ‘oh where, oh where has our post box gone?’

For many years it has been positioned near the Old Police House on Main Street, Markfield, nicely handy for a lazy walker like me for posting a small letter to a dear friend, or even a late bill.

There it was, with its little windmill spinning away on the top. I suppose modern technology has rendered it redundant and useful no more.

When I first saw the newly bricked up space where the post box had been, I felt sad that this was one more removal of old Markfield.

Change is inevitable, but a little blue plaque would be a way of remembering?

In days to come, I’ll be walking that bit further to post any handwritten letter ... or maybe write an email instead!

Margaret Pike Markfield

Sleep is the best of both worlds: you get to be alive and unconscious.

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Letter

Thank you Markfield Good Neighbours

I WOULD LIKE to say Thank You to MGN - without your help I would not have been able to follow my husband’s consultant’s advice and self isolate with him from 12 March until at least 1 August.

At the beginning it seemed a huge ask and impossible - how would we eat or get vital drugs?

Help came from a note pushed through the door giving a telephone number - thank you to Angela Berry who coordinated the drug collection from the chemist and Josh Garner and Teleah Stafford who collected and delivered the prescriptions.

We didn’t starve either thanks to our neighbours Karen Whitworth and Kerry Sharpe who did our shopping when they did theirs and MGN volunteer Paul Lemmon who collected my weekly order from the Coop (a brilliant local service).

I’d also like to say Thank You to my friends who formed a virtual pub via WhatsApp - The Bulls Head Belles. They kept me cheered up throughout the long four and a half months and even managed a surprise socially distanced birthday party for me. (pictured below in our front garden.)

Jane Bohen

0116 234 0548 We can take care of every detail, advise and help you on each and every step of the way.

• Qualified Funeral Directors • Floral Tributes arranged • Hearse, Limousines and alternatives available • Monumental Service • Car parking available

• Online tribute and donation profile • Catering suite • Chapels of rest • Funeral plans available • 24 hour service

Funeral arrangements can be made in the comfort of your own home if preferred.

Talbott House, Leicester Road, Anstey, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 7AT Email: talbotthouse@ansteyfunerals.com Website: www.ansteyfunerals.com

I find that the further I go back, the better things were, whether they happened or not.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

I do like to be beside the seaside!

FOR CENTURIES, many doctors have sent patients to the seaside to recuperate, believing that a bit of seaside air was good for them. Now the government agrees: a day by the coast does indeed have a therapeutic effect on you.

A recent study by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has found that people who spend time by the sea reported increased happiness and better general health. They were also more physically active during their visit, compared with visits to other types of environment.

Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, said spending time by the sea “has a welcome impact on our wellbeing.

This makes it all that more important that we take care of our environment.” In England, we make 271million recreational visits to the sea each year, and more than 22million of us live within five miles of the coast.

Local glass fusion business diversifies during lockdown DID YOU KNOW that there is a thriving glass fusion business in the heart of Ratby?

Run by ex-teacher Ali Groschl, family business ‘smARTsy’ began five years ago, when Ali identified a lack of arts and crafts provision in the area.

Initially working with local primary schools in Kirby Muxloe, Groby, and Ratby, Ali ran after school art clubs, as well as setting up a Saturday Art School at her Ratby home. In addition, classes for adults were offered in the evenings.

Most new businesses evolve over time, and now smARTsy is best known for offering affordable and friendly glass fusion workshops to a wide range of people including schools, families, scouting and guiding groups, WI groups and corporate organisations.

Recognition of Ali’s entrepreneurial skills came recently when she was chosen to be one of 365 U.K. women to feature in a book SHECAN#365, which ironically arrived during lockdown.

The instant closure of workshops in March and the loss of 50 customers making their own glass every week meant that Ali had to diversify. Since lockdown, Ali has given her time for free to make over 700 rainbow arches for NHS and key workers but an income needed to be made too, so glass fusion kits to make at home are available to hire, plus glass art is available to buy and commissions welcomed.

Ali has also welcomed the chance to focus on developing a new side to the business which focuses on affordable and very personal fused glass memorials. Along with her daughter, May, Ali has perfected the art of incorporating ashes into glass, and so far between them have made some beautifully bespoke pieces that include the ashes of people and of pets.

All small businesses rely on the support of their local community so please take a look at both smARTsy on Facebook, and the sister page Forget Me Not Fused Glass Memorials.

If you are interested in making your own glass items, have a look at the website www.smartsy.co.uk, or email Ali at smartsy@hotmail.co.uk.

Trendy Words HERE ARE a few more of the words being used increasingly in interviews, with dictionary definitions:

The Herald - around the world!

COHORT - a group of people who share a characteristic, usually age: “This study followed up a cohort of 386 patients aged 65+ for six months after their discharge home.”

DISINGENUOUS - not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.

“This journalist was being somewhat disingenuous as well as cynical.”

ALGORITHM - a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problemsolving operations, especially by a computer.

“A basic algorithm for division.”

GASLIGHT - to manipulate (someone) by psychological means into doubting their own sanity.

“In the first episode, Karen Valentine is being gaslighted by her husband.”

TROPE - something such as an idea, phrase, or image that is often used in a particular artist’s work, in a particular type of art, etc.: “Human-like robots are a classic trope of science fiction.”

MEME - a cultural feature or a type of behaviour that is passed from one generation to another, without the influence of genes: “A meme is the cultural equivalent of the unit of physical heredity, the gene.”

DID YOU KNOW that The Herald has some regular readers WELL outside our regular delivery area?

Every month, I upload the latest issue to the Herald website (www.markfieldherald.co.uk) and the magazine is viewable in page-flip form to the world, courtesy of ISSUU. ISSUU identifies the countries where the magazine is being downloaded and read - and the distribution map above shows that The Herald has some regular international readers.

The top countries are United Kingdom, United States of America, Ireland, Brazil, India, Italy and Sweden.

Are YOU one the Herald’s international readers?

If so, please drop us an email and tell us about your connection to this part of Leicestershire.

Mike Wilkinson

My grandmother buried three husbands… and two of them were only napping.

For Advertising Rates & Publication Dates , visit: www.markfieldherald.co.uk

5

National Trust Leicester Association IN JUNE the National Trust began opening some of its estates and gardens to the public. Personally I have visited four properties, the last of which was Gunby Hall, seven miles inland from Skegness.

Gunby Hall was built in 1700 for Sir William Massingberd on the site of a previous manor house. The Massingberds were a long established Lincolnshire family and there is evidence of previous habitation in the area with discoveries of an Iron Age site and medieval villages.

The original Hall was seven bays wide and three storeys high, designed in the style of Christopher Wren and similar to houses in a London square. A two storey, five bay extension was built in two stages between 1873 and 1898.

An attractive range of stables and coach houses were built in 1735.

The Hall was lived in by fourteen generations of the Massingberd family and it became a family tradition that when the house was inherited by a daughter, her husband would change his name to Massingberd.

The whole estate was presented to the National Trust in 1944

after Field Marshal Sir Anthony Massingberd discovered that the Air Ministry wanted to extend the neighbouring airfield right up to the Hall. The gift included the Hall, most of its contents and a 1,423 acre estate. Sir Archibald died in 1947 and his widow continued to live at the Hall as a tenant.

Following her death in 1963 the Hall was again tenanted until 2012 when the Trust decided to open the property to the public.

As the property was occupied by one family for over 250 years the contents included furniture, paintings and other items dating back to 1700. One item is an original signed copy of a poem,

Gunby Hall, Near Skegness dated 1849, by Alfred Tennyson who was a regular visitor to the Hall as his parents lived nearby. Despite its “remoteness” Gunby has an impressive list of regular visitors. Sir Joshua Reynolds visited regularly and a number of his portraits hang in the house. Other regular visitors included Bonnie Prince Charlie, Dr Johnson, Charles Darwin, the Wedgwoods, Sir Joseph Banks, Rudyard Kipling, Edward Lear, Virginia Wolfe and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The property also has a beautiful seven acre garden which includes a wonderful collection of old-fashion roses.

• THE NATIONAL Trust Leicester Association has currently suspended all of its activities.

Please check the Association web site at – www.leicesternt.btck. co.uk for updates, including details regarding Stoneywell Cottage. The Association also runs an extensive second hand book stall with good quality paper backs at 50p and hardbacks at £1.00. All books are now available for sale, in safe conditions, in Groby. Please call 0116 2229133 to arrange to view the books.

Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer NT Leicester Association

RUGS - we are CLEANING SPECIALISTS traditional Persian or Chinese, Gabbeh or Kilim, we even love Wiltons and Shaggy ones!

Hard floor cleaning On site curtain cleaning Rugs, including oriental and antique All types of upholstery, especially leather

01530 244900 Q 07825 795558 www.sjscarpetcleaners.co.uk CHECK OUT QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE ON SJS GOOGLE REVIEWS FOR BOTH LEICESTER AND LOUGHBOROUGH

I often think about my future wife and how lax she’s been about getting in touch with me.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Herald Small Ads • Set of LEFT HANDED GOLF CLUBS, plus GOLF BAG. Price: £30.00.

Tel: 0771 2438515 (Markfield)

£20 million in NEW GRANTS to boost recovery of small businesses •

•

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Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government announces £20 million new funding to help businesses across England get back on track.

Small and medium sized businesses in England can access grants between £1,000 - £5,000 for new equipment and technology and specialist advice Minister confirms new support while visiting businesses and local leaders across Cornwall THOUSANDS of smaller businesses in England are set to benefit from £20 million of new government funding to help them recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government announced at the end of July.

Small and medium sized businesses will have access to grants of between £1,000 - £5,000 to help them access new technology and other equipment as well as professional, legal, financial or other advice to help them get back on track.

It comes on top of an unprecedented package of Government support to help businesses to recover, including the £2 billion Kickstart Scheme which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country, as well as £1.6 billion invested in scaling up employment support schemes, training and apprenticeships to help people looking for a job.

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP said: “We have always said that we would stand behind our businesses and communities as we rebuild following the coronavirus pandemic. This new funding does exactly that.

“Businesses will be able to use these new grants to pay for the expertise, equipment and technology they need to adapt, recover and rebuild.

“Small and medium sized businesses are the beating heart of communities; they provide employment and contribute significantly to local economies and we are determined to give them the support they need to continue to thrive.”

The announcement builds on a £10 million package announced by the Minister earlier this month to help to kickstart the tourism industry and support the visitor economy.

The support will be fully funded by the government from the England European Regional Development Fund and distributed through Growth Hubs, embedded in local areas across England.

Visit https://bizgateway.org.uk for more information.

• Adidas black & gold MAN’S BAG, minor mark on front - £5 • Shark Rider FANCY DRESS COSTUME, worn once, small repair where stitching came undone, but not noticeable. Cost £30 new - £15.

• Mini Cooper R56 LED front FOG LIGHTS. Unopened and comes with all wiring and connectors needed - £100.

• 5 x power 8 AWG WIRING KIT, up to 800 watts, unopened - £5.

• Nerf Centurion DARTS - £2.

• Pioneer Full Range CAR SPEAKERS, 200 watts RMS, 400 watts ACH, 25HZ20KHZ, sensitivity 95DB. Unused and never installed. Comes with all equipment needed to install as standard - £25 • Female AB-TEK BELT in good working order, fully anti-bac cleaned plus carry bag - £8.

Can deliver locally if unable to collect.

Tel: 07801 529250 (Groby) • Set of universal CAR MATS. Price: £5.00.

Tel: 07941 049939 (Markfield) • Early Learning Centre TURTLE SAND PIT with lid, sand (bagged), plus toys.

Price: £20.00 Tel: 07894 870105 (Groby) • 8’ x 4’ single axle GALVANISED TRAILER with separate 5’ ramp and includes hitchlock bolt with 2 keys and waterproof cover. Good condition. Price: £350 o.n.o.

Tel: 01530 244893 (Groby).

• Power tech VIBRATION MACHINE. Very good condition. Comes with instruction book. Price: £90.00.

Tel: 07788 533066 (Groby) • Red leather 2 SEATER SETTEE / SOFA BED. Excellent condition. Only used on half a dozen occasions.Currently resides in the conservatory. Price: £100.00 o.n.o.

Tel 0116 287 4328 (Groby) • TV CABINET & COFFEE TABLE for sale separately or as a job-lot. Both matching solid wood, handmade Indian style carpentry. Good condition but might benefit from polishing. £100 for both or individual price on enquiry.

Tel: 07591 800444 (Groby).

• FOLDING COMMODE - 5 litre bucket with lid. Lightweight but strong. Never used. Price: £20.00. Must collect.

Tel: 01530 242064 (Markfield) • LOUIS VUITTON SHAWL - Ruby Red - originally costing over £400 - size 142.5 x 142.5 cm/56.10 x 56.10 inches combination of wool and silk - in pristine condition complete with Louis Vuitton box.

Price: £75.00.

• BOSE WAVE MUSIC SYSTEM Model AWRCC6. White AM/FM Radio and CD Player. This is a very compact stereo system in pristine condition complete with remote control. Price: £50.00.

Tel: 01530 242318 (Markfield) • Hoover Smart Express VACUUM CLEANER with TOOLS. Good working condition. Price: £25.00 Tel: 01530 249780 (Markfield) • Set of UNIVERSAL CAR MATS. Price: £5.00.

Tel: 07941 049939 (Markfield)

• ELECTRO ACOUSTIC GUITAR Takamine EG 124C Series. Excellent condition. With case. Price: £150.00.

• PICNIC SET - Vintage 1950’s/60’s Sirram 4 Person Picnic Set in Wicker Hamper.Excellent condition. Price: £45.00.

• Vintage 1960’s WICKER ARMCHAIR. Excellent condition.Price: £45.00 Tel: 0116 287 0378 (Glenfield) • ROOF TILES - 350 second hand clay roof tiles - size 7” x 11”. Approx. 100 square feet. Price: £50.00 Tel: 01530 249989 (Markfield) • Set of LEFT HANDED GOLF CLUBS, plus GOLF BAG. Price: £30.00 Tel: 07712 438515 (Markfield) • LE TOY VAN CHEROKEE TIPI - as new, in box. Price: £5.00. Plus TWO FIGURES - 50p each.

• Melissa & Doug’s CATCH & COUNT FISHING GAME. Unopened. Price: £10.00.

• LITTLE CARPENTER’S TOOL BOX as new, unopened. Price: £10.00.

• LE TOY VAN FIRE ENGINE SET unplyaed with. Price: £10.00.

All of the above are suitable for children of 3 years plus, and still boxed.

Tel: 07757 753271 (Groby) • GARDEN TOOLS - 5 items. Price: £15.00 • Two RADIATORS (300mm and 1200mm) Price: £10.00 each.

• FISHING KIT - bag, rods, reels, etc.

Price: £75.00 • COMBO SENSAS BOX NEW - pole bar, side tray, plus foot/plate. Price: £300.00.

Tel: 01530 245754 (Markfield) • Lightweight foldable WHEELCHAIR, plus WALKING FRAME and 3 assorted WALKING STICKS. Price: £50.00 the lot.

• Two WICKER ARMCHAIRS with CUSHIONS. Suitable for conservatories.

Price: £75.00 o.n.o.

Tel: 01530 249171 (Field Head) • HIGH SLEEPER BED - Very sturdy wooden high sleeper bed. Provides great extra play/storage space beneath for children over 6. This bed can be lowered and used without the extensions too. Frame size approx - 207.5cm lg x 101.5cm wide. For use with mattress 200cm lg x 101.5 cm wide. Full original instructions provided.Price: Offers around £110.00 Tel: 0116 2228501 or mobile: 07821 303259 (Glenfield)

IF YOU HAVE any household items which you’d like to advertise FREE in the Herald, please SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone.

Maximum EIGHT items please.

Our postal address is: Herald Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@markfieldherald.co.uk PLEASE ENSURE that you put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (not for publication, just to know where you are).

I’ve been helping Cat Stevens fix his caravan. Awning has broken.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

HootS – Heads out of the Sand – Groby

Thinking beyond the Lockdown AT THE END of June 2019, Janet and I travelled to London to join the mass lobby of parliament ‘The Time is Now’: we met with Charnwood MP Edward Argar to share our concerns about the current climate emergency and to ask the government to take action.

The year that has passed since then is not what we would have predicted, and it is not what any of us would have wished for. As life evolves into a very different normal, we all know that - as well as continuing to deal with the health emergency - there are many repercussions of the Covid pandemic that we still have to face. Many people have, or will, lose jobs and our economy will struggle.

I hope that in all this we can take time to pause and think about the future that we hope for. What do we want our future to look like? The lockdown came suddenly and – amazingly - not only here in the UK but all over the world, humanity responded to a health crisis by adapting lifestyles drastically. It is important to recognise that our experience of the lockdown has not been the same: for some it meant an increase in their work and a more stressful workplace; for some it meant a period of loneliness and isolation; for some it meant being confined in a dangerous situation. Many of us were able to retreat into our houses in relative comfort, make the most of family time, get to know and assist neighbours and make the most of the beautiful countryside around us. But everyone has had to adapt their lives drastically, and this should give us hope. Not only here in the UK but all over the world we have made necessary changes – we have shown that humanity can respond to an emergency by drastically changing our behaviour.

Change is what is needed as we face the climate emergency. And many of the changes that we made in response to the Covid crisis are ones that we need to make in the face of the climate emergency: we have worked together as a community; we have travelled less by car and plane and more by foot and bike; we have shopped locally (our local shops did a fantastic job!); we have learnt to use technology that enables us to have virtual meetings; we have shopped less for things we don’t really need; we have found joy in reading books, baking, gardening and going for a walk; many of us have done a lot less washing!

So as we continue on this journey can I encourage you to take a bit of time to reflect on your lockdown experiences? Think of the things you have learnt and the changes you have made that will lead to the future you hope for, not only for yourself but for humanity.

We need to respond to the climate emergency now and put pressure on those in positions of power to make decisions and investments that have the survival of our planet at their heart. HootS (Heads out of the Sand) – Groby, aims to educate, act and lobby on these issues at a local level. We want to explore what we can do in our village: to make a difference; reduce our carbon footprint; build a resilient community. Along with other local groups, our meetings have been put on hold during this time, but please look out in future editions of the Herald to hear how we will be making changes so we can carry on working together for the sake of our planet.

Ruth Mwenya

Music and MEMORY HAVE YOU ever heard a certain song or tune that immediately takes you back to your youth? It can be a very poignant moment.

When researchers at the University of Westminster examined the choices of 80 different guests on the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs, they found that most guests had chosen music which dated back to when they had been between 10 to 30 years old. This time span was identified as a ‘self-defining period’ in their lives.

The research concluded: “The music we know and love between the ages of 10 to 30 will play a significant role throughout our lives, connecting us as individuals to other people, places and times that become central to our identity.”

What songs trigger the big memories for you?

I would imagine if you could understand Morse Code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy.

9

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NHS better health campaign:

Slimming World here to help you

Cliff Richard: The Great 80

PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND (PHE) & the NHS along with the government have issued a raft of measures to help get the nation fit and healthy, protect the NHS and protect themselves from COVID-19.

By Mike Read

Cliff Richard has been a musical icon for six decades, and this book will be released to help celebrate his 80th birthday in October.

Millions of record sales after his debut in the 1950s Cliff still continues to delight his fans with new music and spectacular live performances. The book is written by ex DJ Mike Read and provides a comprehensive survey of Cliff s life starting with his early performances as a teenager with Cliff Richard and The Drifters.

Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost twothirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesityrelated illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year.

The urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from COVID-19.

Living with excess weight puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as body mass index (BMI) increases. Nearly 8% of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.

This is where Slimming World comes in. We are working with PHE to help you lose weight for good and keep you motivated during these tricky times.

With Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan, you can lose weight without ever going hungry. The great news to share is that the Slimming World group within Markfield is re-opening from the 17th of August.

Tom Farrow, the Slimming World Consultant in Markfield, said “Being able to get back into groups again is really going to help my members. Rest assured; every possible step has been taken to ensure the safety of everyone who comes through the doors to get their journey kick started again following lockdown”.

“The plan is great; my members really enjoy the freedom that the plan gives them. In the first week of joining the plan I have had members lose upwards of 10lbs. The smile on their face is just brilliant when they see just how well they’ve done” He added.

To find out more about the Slimming World plan and how you can come along to our groups, call/text Tom on 07939 565340 or book in to join us in group at www.picktime.com/swmarkfield (booking in is essential to secure your spot in group as numbers are limited for safety reasons).

Want to advertise to THOUSANDS of potential customers in Markfield, Thornton, Bagworth, Stanton & Field Head?

Call Mike Wilkinson at The Herald on

01530 244069

STANTON UNDER BARDON PARISH COUNCIL

Part-time Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer 30.5 hours per month - SC7-12 (£10.14 - £11.19. per hour) (pay award pending)

Stanton under Bardon Parish Council is seeking to recruit an experienced person to carry out the duties of a Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer.

You will be an experienced, competent and organised Clerk who enjoys providing all the legal and financial support required of a parish council. Previous experience within local government would be advantageous. You should be computer literate to a good standard to deal with all office correspondence and confident in disseminating information to the parish’s residents. Knowledge of the legal framework for the operation of parish councils is essential.

You will, from time to time, be required to undertake research work on behalf of the Council.

You should be proficient in book keeping and be able to undertake agenda and minute taking and creation, budget setting, annual audit and have a good working knowledge of payroll and HMRC Basic Tools.

The role is home and office based and attendance is required at evening meetings (usually 12 per year).

Regular visits to Stanton under Bardon Parish Office are essential. You will be employed by the Parish Council.

A Job Description is available on the Council’s website http://www.parish-council.com/stantonunderbardon

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 12 NOON ON 31ST AUGUST 2020.

Please apply via email to subparishclerk@gmail.com providing a CV and a covering letter showing how your previous experience and skills meet the needs of this role. Names and contact details of two referees are also required.

I angered the clerk in a clothing shop today; she asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Planning system shake-up and local government reforms will have significant impact on communities Borough Councillor Matthew Lay writes in The Herald TWO IMPORTANT THINGS happened this week which in time, might be hugely significant to the future development of our communities.

One of these was in the national press and concerned the Government’s proposed shakeup of the planning system, to sweep away supposed obstacles to development and change a system of checks and balances (already weakened) which has been around since 1947.

The other came about in a briefing I had from the Borough Council about possible local government reform which is being championed by the Government to shore up the dire financial position of many upper tier Councils.

Neither of these development brings me much cause for optimism and frankly if I am right, could be hugely damaging and be very much against all I have worked for for so long in our communities of Markfield, Stanton and Field Head.

On proposed planning reforms, I did write in last month’s Herald about how important it was that local communities bite the bullet and allocate housing for future local growth or face it being imposed in more draconian ways than we have seen previously. Well things took a big turn for the worse with the Government announcing major planning reforms which will forever change the way planning decisions are taken and subject the open countryside to hugely damaging developments.

Essentially what is now being proposed, is removing the need to get planning permission from a local and democratic council made up of local Councillors elected by you, for a whole range of developments including large housing estates. In its place will be a new system of land zoning, in which almost all land is designated as either developable or not. Only specific areas of land will be out of the reach of developers and that will only be in tightly defined areas of special characteristics. It will mean that potentially huge swathes of land that exist around our local communities will be opened up to developers who - providing they meet certain design standards - will simply be able to rock up and build on it. It will be land that would never have previously been developed for a host of good reasons and now everywhere will be at risk.

Your local Council will have next to no say on this and the developer will not need permission to do it. I am sure you can see that this is a massive change and deeply concerning.

It is also based on totally flawed thinking because it suggests somehow that it is local Councils who are preventing developers from building more than 200,000 plus houses per year which currently get built. Interestingly almost no evidence has been put up to suggest these reforms will help increase the supply of new houses but its likely to go ahead regardless.

We already have over 1 million outstanding permissions granted for units of housing which have not yet been built, and a record of delivery that tells us that across the UK some 9 out of 10 application for housing are passed by a local authority. That record doesn’t count for much though because big developers have once again somehow managed to persuade the Government that it is local democracy which is the main obstacle to building the numbers of new houses the Government would like to see. That ability to influence the Government and the methods used will I am sure be the subject of further scrutiny but that may unfortunately come after these reforms are introduced.

If these reforms do get through (and there is widespread unease at the scale and impact they will have) gone will be the days of local people, meeting to raise their concerns about development proposals. Also gone will be the transparency and visibility which is a requirement of the present system which increases the checks and balances and ensures we push back against the destruction of the countryside around us which once gone cannot be replaced.

If that wasn’t bad enough alongside removing the need to

“We already have over 1 million outstanding permissions granted for units of housing which have not yet been built.”

get permission the Government also proposes reforming the way developers compensate local communities in the form payments to local schools, GP surgeries etc.

It won’t surprise you that the new proposals are not likely to increase the amount money going into local communities.

If it goes to plan we will be back to getting the begging bowl out and relying on the benevolence of developers, which is no way to plan for any community’s future.

ALTHOUGH not intrinsically linked, the second issue I was briefed on this week has a relevance to the first.

The subject of local government reform has been around off and on for a long time. In fact those old enough in our community will know, that at one time Markfield and Stanton were part of the old Market Bosworth Rural District Council. This was abolished in 1974 and merged in with the Hinckley Urban District Council to create Hinckley and Bosworth Borough.

Well it would seem moves are now afoot to try and get rid of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, and not just Hinckley and Bosworth but all of Leicestershire’s District Councils.

The thinking is that merging Councils together will save money and create greater efficiencies which can be used to plug the funding gap at County Hall.

This may well be correct, although it entails large upfront costs to restructure (money which nobody has) and the evidence of cost savings is not altogether very strong when subject to proper scrutiny, and could be better achieved in other less destructive ways.

What follows the removal of Leicestershire’s District Councils is not yet clear. One could assume it would be a single county authority along the boundaries of the existing Leicestershire County Council, but this does not fit the model being proposed by the Government which has limits on the size any new authority can be, and which Leicestershire would be well over.

It has been rumoured that talks between the leaders of Leicestershire County and Leicester City Council have raised the possibility of Leicester’s own boundary being extended to bring in settlements already on its border like Glenfield, Kirby Muxloe, Birstall

and Wigston to boost its population and in doing so, reduce the County’s so it fits the size required.

It all begins to look a little like a stitch up, and one thing it lacks is popular consent which should be at the forefront of any change.

Locally we stand to lose out for many reasons - not least because Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has traditionally managed its finances effectively and has as a result been able to invest in our communities in non statutory or discretionary ways. Recent developments in both Markfield and Stanton can testify to that with large investments in the Community Park in Markfield and the MUGA in Stanton.

The County Council however is in financial difficulties and while accepting that most of these difficulties are not its fault, it doesn’t give a very convincing reason to jump on board the good ship Leicestershire County Council. In fact it’s a near certainty that the minute that happens, discretionary grants will be one of the first casualties as money is sucked in to keep the operation afloat.

Much water is still to pass under this particular bridge and I shall watch with great interest at how this develops. The essential test for me is a simple one: “Will the communities of Markfield, Stanton and Field Head be better resourced and supported under any new model?”

At the moment I cannot see how that will be possible, but it is looking more and more like it will imposed on us and that in itself is totally wrong and yet another attack on local democracy.

I will bring you more of these developments when they progress further.

Matthew

When I was a boy, I laid in my twin size bed, wondering where my brother was.

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Enrolment now open for adult learning courses

Reach Your Learning Goals This Year CLASSES IN YOGA, cookery, pottery, British sign language, confidence building and many more are now available from Leicestershire County Council’s adult learning service, Go Learn.

Hundreds of part-time day, evening and weekend courses are now open for enrolment as GoLearn continues it’s committed to helping learners to achieve their goals, despite the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

A mixture of classroom-based and online courses are available for enrolment from today (Monday 3 August), with all learners receiving expert help and support, with tutors on hand to provide all the guidance and expertise needed.

Richard Blunt, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for heritage, leisure, and arts, said: “The courses we are offering can make a real difference to people’s lives. There are courses designed to help learners get back into the job market, improve their maths and English, support their children’s learning and improve their health and wellbeing.

We have taken all possible precautions to ensure that our classroom-based courses are safe for learners and all centres will adhere to Covid-secure procedures. There may be many changes because of the ongoing restrictions, but we won’t let them get in the way of people achieving their learning ambitions.

The courses on offer range from one-off two-hour sessions to 15-week or 30-week programmes, and with 20% off the cost if you sign up before 1 September – there’s nothing to lose! Sign up today at: www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ golearn For the first time this year, GoLearn is offering the new Essential Digital Skills Qualification, which is aimed at complete IT novices to help them in the digital world.

There are also free courses available for people who are seeking work and looking to gain basic skills, including planning first steps towards employment, increasing confidence, help with job search, CV writing and interview skills, as well as English and maths GCSE. Benefit recipients or on a low income can get up to a 70% discount on course fees or may be entitled to attend for free.

The Leicestershire Adult Learning Service can also be contacted on 0800 988 0308 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am-7pm) to find out more about the courses, fees or the option to pay in instalments.

I don’t wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

County Councillor’s Report from Peter Bedford Email: peter.bedford@leics.gov.uk • Tel: 01455 824733 • Web: www.facebook.com/peterbedfordmdt Hello everyone, I hope that you are keeping well.

Development ONE OF THE things that I am proudest of as your County Councillor is the good working relationship between myself, the majority of our Borough Councillors, and the Parish Councils in working together for the betterment of local residents; regardless of political party.

As such I wanted to start my article by thanking the Neighbour Plan Steering Groups and in particular Markfield Parish Council for their grown-up approach to development, as outlined by Matthew Lay, in last month’s edition of The Herald.

Most of us recognise that with an aging population, the need for younger people to get onto the housing ladder, and demographic moves way from big cities to rural areas there is a need for housing across the County. I have always been clear that infrastructure must be in place to support development not only to protect those residents already living in our villages, but to ensure such settlements are sustainable.

It would be all too easy, and in my view lazy and politically opportunist, to oppose every single planning application that was received. By taking a pragmatic view, through Neighbourhood Plans, we can ensure that the views and preferences of local residents take centre stage when any housing applications come through.

Whilst applications are decided by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) at HBBC, my role as County Councillor is to ensure that the concerns of local residents be them; Environmental, Highways, Education, Infrastructure etc, are championed and articulated before any decision is made.

One such example is the current Beech Drive Thornton (20/00511FUL) application in which, through collaborative working with Cllrs O’Shea, Boothby and local residents, we have made the case for LCC to raise concerns with the LPA on fundamental issues – which in my view casts significant doubt over the sustainability of the proposed development.

Highways Parish and Communities Fund LAST MONTH I mentioned the County Council’s Highways Parish & Community Fund to assist with social distancing and active travel.

Markfield Parish Council have kindly allocated their £5,000 grant to assist with project/s to make the walk to South Charnwood High School safer - a cause that I have been working with LCC Officers on for a number of months. In addition to this I am exploring other potential grants that could be used to ‘top up’ this funding so that we can maximise any improvements for parents and students.

Unitary Local Government?

IN PREVIOUS articles I have mentioned the work undertaken by the County Council, and indeed Councils across the Country, on how Local Government is administered and delivered.

With the knock-on financial impact of Covid-19 running into the tens of millions of pounds for Authorities such as LCC the financial argument to move towards a more streamlined form of Local Government will, I suspect, become even greater. The Government is due to release a paper on this in September after which I will provide a more comprehensive piece on any proposed changes to our current two-tier structure (Borough & County).

Eat Out to Help Out IT WAS great to welcome our new MP, Dr Luke Evans, to Markfield last month and to discuss the ‘road to recovery’ with local businesses.

Indeed, with so many businesses ravaged by the impact of Covid-19 I very much welcome the Government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme to help kick start our leisure & hospitality sectors.

Under the Scheme: • to get a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner) • every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 3 and 31 August • as many times as you like You do not need a voucher to use this scheme and you can use it at the same time as other offers and discounts. There is no minimum spend.

Participating establishments can include restaurants, cafés, bars or pubs More info can be found: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-discount-withthe-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme Having used the scheme myself, which certainly isn’t helping shed those ‘lockdown pounds’, I think it has been a roaring success so far. There are 64 participating establishments withing a 5 mile radius of the Markfield area – so why not give it a go?! (I am not on commission – promise!)

I hope that you enjoy the rest of the Summer (we’ve had about a week of Sun so far?!); and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of help in any way.

Best wishes,

Peter County Councillor for Markfield, Desford, Bagworth, Thornton, Botcheston, and Stanton under Bardon E: peter.bedford@leics.gov.uk or T: 01455 824733 www.facebook.com/peterbedfordmdt

I had my palm read; I wrote something on it first to see if she would read that too.

13

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LOROS reveals winning photos in its calendar competition LOROS Hospice has unveiled the spectacular winning images in its photography competition to create the LOROS 2021 Calendar.

An urban canal towpath and a very inquisitive cow join more traditional images of a snowy park at dusk, and a beautiful baby deer.

Gary MacMillanDale, retail manager at LOROS said, “These stunning images show all sides of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We hope there’s something for everyone to enjoy here, from lovely sunsets to poppy fields to waterfalls. It’s a reminder of how beautiful our counties are.”

The pictures will form the LOROS 2021 Calendar which will be sold in the charity’s shops to raise essential funds.

The twelve winning images were submitted by local amateur photographers who wanted to use their talents to support LOROS. Many of them had personal connections to LOROS and memories which inspired them.

Dave Capella, whose photo of swans and their cygnets will be June’s image, said, “A good work friend of mine was in LOROS a few years ago. It’s a fantastic cause and I’m proud to be part of this to help raise funds.”

Chris, who supplied May’s image said, “LOROS is a great, local charity. A couple of years ago a close friend of my mum’s died at LOROS. She used to babysit me when I was a kid and I have fond memories of her.”

Gary adds, “Hearing these stories made us realise that LOROS really is at the heart of our community, and people love having an opportunity to show their support. We’re so grateful for that.”

The calendars will be available to purchase from October.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Dogs can mean better-behaved children IS YOUR child naughty?

Consider getting a dog.

A recent study has found that children who grow up with a dog are far more likely to be willing to share and help others.

Researchers at the University of Western Australia in Perth have found that young children who live with a dog and who frequently interact with family members who interact with the pet dog are far less likely to be naughty or uncooperative.

Small children who are taken for a dog walk with their parents and siblings at least once a week even show a 30 per cent drop in being naughty and disruptive, and a 40 per cent drop in fallingout with friends.

“Dogs help children learn about responsibility and unconditional loyalty. But they can also help with language development and verbal skills, while promoting trust and empathy.” Say the researchers. Their study was published in the journal Paediatric Research.

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along...

by Iain Dale Why Can’t We All Just Get Along is part-memoir, part-polemic about the state of public discourse in Britain and the world today.

In an increasingly divided society, Iain examines why we’ve all become so disrespectful and intolerant.

Using experiences from his career in politics and the media, he says it doesn’t have to be this way, and suggests how we can all emerge from tribalism and division and become more respectful to each other and those who govern us.

It is a book that is optimistic about the fundamental decencies embedded in human nature and uses deeply personal anecdotes to explain why we can look forward in a positive way to a better life both in personal and material terms.

Leicestershire Libraries Reopening Update FOURTEEN Leicestershire libraries re-opened their doors for browsing, borrowing and returning books on Monday 3 August using an appointment system, with Oadby and Wigston libraries to follow on Monday 10 August.

The county’s main libraries are operating with an online booking system, allowing members to book a slot to visit their preferred library. There are a limited number of slots available each day to ensure social distancing is observed within the buildings.

To book your slot, visit: www.leicestershire.gov.uk/book-a-library-visit.

Residents who are unable to book a slot online can call 0116 305 2695 to book their timed appointment.

Library users may visit in groups of up to three to browse, borrow and return items. Hand sanitisers are available at all sites and face coverings will be mandatory from Saturday 8 August for all visitors, unless they are exempt.

Councillor Richard Blunt, county council cabinet member for libraries, at Leicestershire County Council, said: “A lot of work has gone into preparing our libraries and I’m very pleased we are now able to offer another element of our service to our communities.

“We know that many residents have been waiting patiently for libraries to re-open and we believe that the measures we have put in place will leave people feeling confident to return.”

Library staff are on hand to welcome customers back to their local library and assist them to use the services safely.

For the time being, toilets remain closed to customers and the use of computers will not be available. The council hopes the service will return in September, once necessary health and safety measures are in place.

The click and collect service continues to operate alongside browsing, also now at Oadby and Wigston libraries, which have until now remained closed. Over 900 click and collect orders have been placed in the first three weeks since launching the service. Visit www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ click-and-collect

THIS WILL be the final of my articles in the Herald, as I am due to officially retire at the end of the month.

It seems hard to believe that my 30 years as a full-time Methodist Minister, the last 8 of which I have spent as Minister of the Methodist Church in Markfield, is drawing to an end. The old saying that “time flies” is one with which many would agree. I never imagined that my final few months as Minister here would happen in the midst of a pandemic, when many of the normal routines of life have been interrupted.

It will be sad to have to leave the area without having the opportunity to meet face-to-face with many of the friends we have made during our time here. Having said that, true friendships are not dependent on geographical proximity. As the writer of the Biblical book of Proverbs states, ‘Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.’ We need to value our friendships, to nurture them and not neglect them. Let me finish with a humorous quote from Linda Grayson, ‘There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.’

Steve Clark Minister, Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield www.markfieldmethodistchurch.org FB Markfield Methodist Church

Catholic Church Of St Wilfrid Of York 53 London Road, Coalville, LE67 3JB The Church will be reopening shortly. Please go onto the Parish website for information when Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning will be resumed. Due to coronavirus, an online booking system has been set up for parishioners to book a place for themselves or their families. Everyone must book as numbers are limited due to social distancing within the Church.

• Just a reminder, Fr. Gabriel is celebrating mass via Zoom app each weekday at 10am. Please feel free to join in. If you would like the code to join, please email susantompkin@yahoo.co.uk.

• Fr Gabriel is available if a priest is needed.

• Please let the Parish know if you, or anyone you know, needs help of any kind. Please call the presbytery and we will do what we can to help. Keep safe and well.

• The parish website below contains links to the live streaming of Masses and devotions as well as links to prayer and scripture resources.

Parish Contact Parish Priest: Fr Gabriel Offor – 01530 832098 www.stwilfspriest@gmail.com Parish Website: www. stwilfscoalville.blogspot.co.uk School Details St Clare’s RC Primary School, Coalville: 01530 837747 www.stclares.leics.sch.uk De Lisle RC College, Loughborough: 01509 268739 www.delisle.leics.sch.uk Markfield Masses Congregational Church Hall, Main Street, Markfield (next to the Chinese takeaway) Wednesday,16 September at 7 pm Cancelled Village Contact: Margaret on 01530 243292

THANK YOU TO THE HERALD ADVERTISERS Your support has made publication of this issue possible.

I used to buy lottery tickets every week until I realized you could watch it on TV for nothing.

15

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~ News from Cross Hills Baptist Church ~ Serving the villages of Thornton & Bagworth plus the surrounding area OUR CHURCH building may be currently closed, but since the start of lockdown we have been enabled to embrace the technology available that has allowed us to pray and say; ‘Normal Services Available’.

Sunday Services As we all gain more experience of the Zoom platform our ‘Sunday Services’ have had a new and different dimension added to them. Allowing more members to contribute to the services by; Reading, Praying, Sharing a Message, Video Singing; plus we have still managed to retain our ‘All Age Talk’ normally led by Ruth, with – Puppets, Videos and some wonderful Story Telling. Normally on a Sunday at Cross Hills following the service we gather for; coffee, tea, biscuits and most important of all – a chat. Surprisingly, we have been able to keep this tradition going by each household making their own tea and coffee, but still having that important catch up time for a chat and sharing with each other, highlighting the importance of shared fellowship. Another added benefit of our Sunday Zoom service is that you no longer have to be local to take part, allowing, family and friends to join us from many different locations such as, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Bristol, and we have welcomed Earl Shilton Independent Chapel to become part of our Zoom church family, with their members also taking an active part in Sunday Zoom Worship. Each week, the order of service complete with hymn and song words is emailed to all participants, plus we all also know who has ‘volunteered’ to pray or read during the virtual interactive service. If you would like to come along to a service without leaving your home, then please use the contact numbers for how to join us in worship.

We are also supporting those without the technology both at Cross Hills and Earl Shilton, by posting our weekly Cross Hills Church Newssheet along with Garry’s weekly letter of Encouragement. We are now exploring recording our Zoom meetings and creating a DVD to share with those without internet access. If you would like any more information about the above or would like to be added to our mailing/email listing, then again feel free to use our contact details.

Tuesday Prayer meetings Each Tuesday we meet on Zoom

at 7:15pm for a time of prayer.

We believe that in the current pandemic prayer is more than essential, it is vital to bring to God all that is important to life today.

Please if you would like us to pray for your own situation or would like to pray alongside us then we invite you to again use our contact numbers.

When will Cross Hills Re-Open?

The Trustees regularly review the Covid-19 advice and guidelines issued on a regular basis by the Government, the Baptist Union and our local East Midlands Baptist Association. Currently the Trustees having taken into account the restrictions (i.e. no singing and all Health & Safety rules) plus taking into account the safety and welfare of all age groups feel it is too early to safely open the church yet.

When the advice and regulations allow the Trustees to open the church, we will make sure all concerned are notified.

Awesome Holiday Club Due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19 and the closure of our building, we sadly found that it would not be possible to run our annual holiday club. However, our younger Awesome leaders weren’t to be beaten and, looking into using technology they found that this would be possible by using our Cross Hills Facebook page!

There was also the advantage of being able to run this over 5 days instead of our usual 3 and the video clips will remain on there for anyone who missed part or all of it.

The theme was the ‘the Fruit of the Spirit’ - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol and daily there was an introduction by Ruth, a short message about one or more of the ‘fruits’ by ‘Douglas Talks’, our ever popular and amusing Leader’s Challenge, Robert with his Memory Verse, crafts with Bekki, our wellknown Awesome Holiday Club theme song, and a closing prayer with Pastor Garry. If you’ve not already visited our Facebook page, please take a look, especially if you have children at home looking for something different to do during the last few weeks of their school holidays.

Bible Study Our bible studies were brought to an abrupt halt with the pandemic.

We had just started looking at ‘Revelation’ with Rev. Dr. Anthony Thacker a study course we will resume when the situation allows. However we will soon be introducing a Zoom/Facebook bible study course that has been designed for use on those platforms – Watch this Space for when and where!

Stay safe and strong in these difficult times, value and look after each other and we pray that love and compassion will shine through as we move towards a new tomorrow and the longed-for discovery of an effective vaccine with which to fight this destructive virus.

Contact Numbers Pastor - Garry Kelly:

01455

457802/07816 616189 Secretary - Lynda Kelly: 01455 457802/07910 440243 Treasurer - Glynis Straw: 01530 230272

Glynis Straw Treasurer - on behalf of the Cross Hills Church family

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Thanks!

I only drink to steady my nerves… sometimes I’m so steady I don’t move for months.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Space 2069

By David Whitehouse NEARING half a century since the last Apollo mission, mankind has yet to return to the Moon, but that is about to change.

With NASA’s Artemis program scheduled for this decade, astronomer David Whitehouse takes a timely look at what the next 50 years of space exploration have in store.

The thirteenth man and the first woman to walk on the Moon will be the first to explore the lunar south pole – the prime site for a future Moon base thanks to its near-perpetual sunlight and the presence of nearby ice.

The first crewed mission to Mars will briefly orbit the red planet in 2039, preparing the way for a future landing mission. Surviving the round trip will be the greatest challenge any astronaut has yet faced.

In the 2050s, a lander will descend to the frozen surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa and attempt to drill down to its subsurface ocean in search of life.

Based on real-world information, up-to-date scientific findings and a healthy dose of realism, Space 2069 is a mind-expanding tour of humanity’s future in space over the next 50 years.

Working from home?

Interactive noise generator Calm Office lets you bring the familiar sounds of work into your home https://mynoise. net/NoiseMachines/ openOfficeNoiseGenerator.php

WHILE SOME people have difficulty working in a noisy environment, others feel the opposite.

Once you have acquired the ability to concentrate in ambient noise, you may find it surprisingly difficult to work from a quiet home. Here is an interactive sound generator that will allow Teleworkers to create their ideal work ambience!

A big ‘Thank You’ to the local Community - from Leicester Animal Aid, Huncote LEICESTER Animal Aid (LAA), Huncote, would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all the wonderful people in our surrounding communities who have been supporting us throughout the Covid crisis.

It has been, and still is, a challenging time for all of us and we are touched by the messages of support that we have received.

As at the time of writing (21st July), LAA Huncote is still able to both take in, and to re-home, cats and dogs. For more details on our new procedures, please go to: https://www.leicesteranimalaid.org. uk/news/news/post/256-update-rescue-and-rehoming Telephone: 01455 888 257 Email: info@leicesteranimalaid.org.uk Attached are photos of two of our current residents, Buttons and Percy. If you are interested in adopting any of the animals on our website, or on our Facebook page, please visit our website: www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk and complete an Interested Parties Form or, alternatively, telephone our Centre on 01455 888 257.

Many members of our local community have contacted us to ask if they can help with dog walking. Unfortunately, due to social distancing, we are unable to accept these kind offers at this time. However, the support of our local community has made a real difference (and will continue to do so) in the following ways: • Coming forward to become Members of Leicester Animal Aid • Using our Amazon ‘Wish-List’ when you shop online • Individual donations of money and pet food • Corporate donations of food • Participation in our Pawsome Online Pet Show • Face-mask making (by children and adults) and selling handmade craft items to raise funds • Using our charity shop onsite in Huncote (open from 10am until 2pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11am until 2pm on Thursdays) We would like to say a special thank you to the local children who have been raising funds for our animals. There have been some really inspiring efforts, from socially-distanced yard sales to mask making, and even using money earned through good behaviour and helping with chores to buy treats for our animals. For any young people who enjoy helping and learning about animals, we do have a special Club that meets four times a year called the Huncote Hound Club. If you know any children under 14 who love animals and would like to support LAA by becoming a member of the ‘Huncote Hound Club’, please read about it at: https://www. leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/huncote-hound-club/huncote-hound-club We look forward to welcoming them when circumstances permit.

Adopting a Pet If you are considering adopting a pet, and you could offer a home for life to a cat or dog from Leicester Animal Aid, please do get in touch by phone or email. We’ll talk you through the process.

Visitors We are not yet able to accommodate visitors who wish to walk around our Centre and view the dogs and cats. Our kennels and cattery can only be accessed by our staff, but please do keep looking at our Website and Facebook page for regular updates).

Helen Wilber and Jane Walters Leicester and Leicestershire Animal Aid Association, Elmwood Farm, Forest Road,Huncote, Leicestershire LE9 3LE Note! Motorway users please exit the M69 at Junction 3, or the M1 at Junction 21, and then follow the signs for Narborough and Huncote (Pavilion).

Fortunately, my earbuds got tangled back in March so I’ve had something to do for the whole pandemic.

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Pasteurisation has saved many millions of lives…

Louis Pasteur – ‘father’ of microbiology A TINY INVISIBLE thing that brings disease and death …. where have we heard that before?!

But Louis Pasteur, who died 125 years ago next month, on 28th September 1895, was not interested in a virus from China, but in tiny living organisms that brought disease and death in other ways.

Pasteur made some outstanding breakthroughs. He discovered the principles of vaccination, and then created the first vaccines for anthrax and rabies.

His medical discoveries provided support for the germ theory of disease and nullified the theory of spontaneous generation.

But Louis Pasteur is best known for his invention of the technique of treating milk and wine to stop bacterial contamination, a process that was named after him: pasteurisation. In doing so, he saved the French beer, wine and silk industries.

All in all, this gifted French biologist, microbiologist, and chemist well deserves his title as the ‘father of microbiology,’ and to be seen as one of the three main founders of bacteriology.

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What I look forward to is continued immaturity followed by death.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Has lockdown damaged

YOUR EYESIGHT?

ARE YOU suffering from ‘coronavision’? It is perfectly possible.

Lockdown led to many of us staring at our television or computer screens for long periods of time. And that could have strained our eyes, warns the College of Optometrists.

By this summer one in five adults in Britain had reported a deterioration in their eyesight.

Symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty in focussing, and red or painful eyes.

As one optometrist explained: “Working from home, video calls with friends and family, watching more TV, time spent looking at your phone – all that screen time adds up. The good news is that this is unlikely to cause any permanent harm to your vision.”

Nevertheless, the College urges people to get their eyes checked if they feel on-going discomfort.

They also advise that when you are looking at a screen, you rest your eyes every 20 minutes, blink regularly, use eye drops, position your screen below eye level and increase the size of the text.

Enjoy reading the Herald?

If so, please pass it on to a friend or relative when you’ve finished with it.

It’s great to share!

Help to Buy extended

Planning Apps

THE GOVERNMENT has confirmed an extension to the Help to Buy equity loan scheme in England to ensure buyers do not miss out due to delays after the pandemic.

LISTED below are some recent planning applications local to our area:

The government has announced that the deadline for homes to be finished in order for buyers to benefit from the equity loan scheme had been extended by two months to 28 February 2021.

The scheme was originally due to come to a close for new buyers on 31 December 2020 but there were concerns buyers could “miss out” if they face a delay in construction due to the coronavirus. Buyers will still need to legally complete their purchase by 31 March 2021 to qualify for an equity loan.

David Hannah, Founder and Principal Consultant of Cornerstone Tax, discusses the implications of the extension of Help To Buy: “This extension is undoubtedly positive for first-time buyers looking to get onto the property ladder after the disruption caused by the COVID lockdown. Since its inception, 81% of first-time buyers have used the scheme, boosting housing supply by 74% since its introduction. These types of schemes are vital to helping to get the property market moving again after a slowdown.

“Other incentive schemes such as stamp duty changes or relief have historically done very little to get the market moving again and there is no reason why it would help this time around either. It has been and still is a poor tool for managing market behaviour.

“Other ways to help these people get on the property ladder could include government-backed purchase mortgage guarantees for borrowers. I believe this would be a great way to reinstall confidence in the lending market.

“If the term of these guarantees were for five years, for example, the inflation of the housing market during the medium term would wipe off any negative equity on those properties. This would give the market some security again, help buyers, and get the market moving again.”

Single storey rear extension at 31 Anstey Lane, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DA Creation of 2 Juliet balconies to first floor, use of existing flat roof as balcony and installation of 0.9m and 1.8m high screens - at 11 The Paddock, Markfield, Leics.

LE67 9RR. Approval of reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout & scale) of application number 19/00680/OUT for the erection of 168 dwellings - at Springfield Riding School, Groby Road, Ratby, Leicester LE6 0BS. Roof extension, single storey side and rear extensions and front porch - at 17 Marston Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DY. Rear extension and alterations to front fenestration - at 215 Leicester Road, Field Head, Near Markfield, Leics. LE67 9RF.

The Midnight Library

By Matt Haig WHEN NORA SEED finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right.

Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren’t always what she imagined they’d be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

They say time flies when you are having fun so if you want to live longer, suffer.

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Mental health and Covid-19 IT IS IMPORTANT to be as kind and patient as possible with other people this autumn.

Covid-19 has turned many millions of lives upside-down, and the resulting distress, anxiety, fear, grief and economic meltdown means that now widespread mental illness is inevitable. So says the new president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Adrian James warns of ‘multiple layers’ to the fallout from the pandemic, both for people with pre-existing mental health conditions and also for those who have never suffered before. NHS front-line staff will need support, while those who have had a serious case of Covid-19 may suffer anything from post-traumatic stress disorder to a full-blown psychosis.

Dr James says: “There will be very significant mental illness consequences of Covid, and we need to be ready.”

Meanwhile, up to one in five Britons may have contemplated selfharming during lockdown, according to some separate research by University College London.

How to Disappear

By Gillian McAllister You can run, you can hide, but can you disappear for good?

Lauren’s daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime.

But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara’s identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

To keep Zara safe, Lauren will give up everything and everyone she loves, even her husband.

There will be no goodbyes. Their pasts will be rewritten. New names, new home, new lives.

The rules are strict for a reason.

They are being hunted. One mistake - a text, an Instagram like could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

They can never assume someone isn’t watching, waiting.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy. Staying hidden is harder . . .

I lent a friend of mine £10,000 for plastic surgery and now I don’t know what he looks like.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

All the latest news from

WELCOME BACK!

SENSORY GARDEN

So many people are touched by demen We were the recipient of WE WERE able to cautiously reopen the Community Library on 21st July and we have been delighted to welcome old and new members.

a Hinckley and Bosworth ‘Making a Difference in the Community” grant in 19/20 as a Voluntary and Community Sector Organisation.

PLEASE COME TO OUR FRIENDLY COFFEE MORN at MARKFIELD LIBRARY at 11am We match funded the grant from our own funds.

Our project was on Wednesday 18th January.

Margaret Beck and Julie Irons staffed the first shift and we were very busy and have continued to be since. We were delighted and surprised at the support we received from the village Co Op led by Elaine and assisted by colleagues from their Head Office.

They provided a scrumptious hamper of goodies to sustain the volunteers over the next few weeks whilst working and helped with social distancing signs and sanitiser.

They also left us vouchers to replenish our stocks of tea/coffee etc. This is very much appreciated by our volunteers as we all know it has been scary to come back into the workplace and scary for out members too. We have done everything we possibly can to make a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment.

We intend to remain opening 6 hours per week for the foreseeable future.

Leicestershire County Council are continuing to supply new book stock, but we regret we cannot access books from the rest of the County just yet. By the time you read this, Government Guidance dictates that from 8 August 2020 the wearing of face masks by members of the public using the library is mandatary and enforceable by law. You do not need to wear a face mask if you have a legitimate reason not to. I would ask that all members of the public help our volunteers by doing so as they do not wish to get into any confrontational situation and please respect that they are community volunteers working for the community.

to further improve the Sensory Garden at the rear of the Library.

The Garden lacked the attraction of colour and the paths were looking worm and shabby. The paths have been resurfaced and the edging boards replaced. The final phase will take place this Autumn with the planting of shrubs for colour and scent. We are very grateful to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council under their arrangements with the Voluntary and Community Sector. These arrangements promote and encourage growth of direct delivery projects through collaborative statutory and voluntary sector partnerships.

We are also very grateful to Mrs Ann Aveling, former Secretary and Trustee who had the vison for this project and has seen it through from the application stage.

Finally, Markfield Day Nursery (Amy) have donated a splendid picnic table to finish off the garden.

2 photos to follow

Would you please spend just one hour understand a little more about demen It could help you, family, friends, neighb - our whole community.

Our free, valuable and interesting Dementia Fri Information Session is just about asking everyo understand a bit more about dementia and how w make life that bit easier and more pleasant for t Margaret Bowlerwho live with it. people Chair – Markfield Community Library

Please do be a Dementia Friend.

Sean sets up a new football coaching enterprise in Groby Hi, my name is Sean Wilton from Groby and I have just set up my own 1-2-1 football coaching business within the village and surrounding area.

Over recent years I have coached in numerous places for numerous teams gaining experience at many different levels. During lockdown I had the idea of setting up my own business. It took a long time planning and thinking things through but I am now in a position to launch.

Alongside my business, I study at South Wales University learning about football coaching within communities. This covers areas of sports science, nutrition, P.E. teaching and football coaching itself.

I am studying for my degree with Derby Community Trust - this is also who I now work for, as I coach with their Girls Regional Talent Centre, where I have learnt a lot.

Many friends and family have supported me along the way, I really appreciate it and thank them - I could not have done this without you all!

I have been lucky enough to meet and coach alongside Danny Bray and Ryan Hamilton.

Both these lads have been fantastic in supporting me on my new venture and I cannot thank them enough.

I am hoping to help other coaches and players progress with their needs.

I would love for people reading this to check out my social medias where I will be posting content as the weeks go by.

For more information you can get in touch with me through these platforms, or give me a call.

Instagram: @swperformancecoaching • Facebook: SW Performance Coaching • Tel: 07443 939559

So I’m at the wailing wall, standing there like a moron, with my harpoon.

21

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Latest News from Markfield WI

Free Fall in Stilettos FOR OUR virtual July meeting our speaker was Catherine Tinker who talked about her book Free Fall in Stilettos.

Always Day One

by Alex Kantrowitz AT AMAZON, ‘Day One’ is code for working inventively and urgently, as if it were the first day of your startup.

The book is a contemporary romance featuring a flight attendant. Catherine’s talk took us through the writing of the book over many years of putting it aside, taking it out again and then eventually getting the finished novel through the publishing process.

Catherine grew up in Countesthorpe and now works as a personal trainer. As well as being a successful sportswoman and previously working for a regional airline it was always her ambition to write a book and she started making notes for the novel during hotel stopovers. She gave us a fascinating insight into the publishing business through all the proof-reading and deciding on the cover design. One of the publisher’s suggestions was that sex sells and perhaps the book could be spiced up a bit! After all her hard work the novel was finally published and has received good reviews. If anyone is looking for a good holiday read or a present idea the book is published by Matador and is available at book sellers under the author’s name of Catherine Louise.

Our members are still producing their rainbow projects and we have now had beautiful examples of tatting and mobiles.

One talented member has made a fox in a nurse’s outfit for her granddaughter. One of our rainbow stones with the WI logo has been placed in the rock snake at the Community Park.

Members have also been meeting up informally in groups of up to 6 in one another’s gardens. The idea was introduced as it was obvious how much meeting up in person meant to those who had felt quite isolated. Phone calls and zoom can only go so far and it is hoped that there will be more meet-ups in future and more members will be able to participate.

Our zoom meetings continue on 19 August at 7.30 with Gay Evans talking about the history of the postcard and quizzing us on mystery household items. As ever we would be pleased to welcome anyone who would like to join our meetings.

I’ve got a shirt for every day of the week… it’s blue.

Day Two is, in Bezos’s own words, ‘stasis, followed by irrelevance, followed by excruciating, painful decline, followed by death.’

Amazon and its fellow tech giants are under fire for their size and power, but there’s more to their story than anti-competitive practices and tax avoidance. These companies have kept ahead of the competition by embracing a new leadership model, one built for an age where companies can spin up new products and services at record speed.

On the inside, these tech giants operate nothing like the corporate giants of the past - the likes of Exxon and GM - which built core advantages and did everything they could to defend them.

For these new goliaths, it’s always day one.

Don’t forget to send us your news!

Thanks.

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THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

More Bagworth History - from Bob Austin

Barlestone Road, Bagworth

Ron Knifton talking about growing up there, from 1933 to 1957

A

T ONE TIME there would have been 320 people living in Barlestone Road, families ranged from 3 to 8 members and on the whole were good and happy people.

I was born at Barlestone Road but for the first 5 years we moved about in Ellistown. At the age of 5 I had just started school there when we had to move back to Barlestone Road number 94.

We settled in at 94 - we had no electric or running water and the toilet was a wooden seat with a tub underneath. Mr. Bowden emptied these once a week at midnight with a horse and cart, it was then taken to the fields away from the village.

We had oil lamps and I always liked the patterns they made on the ceiling.

The water came from the pump in the entry between the houses.

Cooking was the done from a large fire with an oven on one side and a hot water boiler on the other, a large hook hung from the chimney and this held a pot for boiling.

There was also a steel plate fitted to the bars and this is what the irons were heated on for pressing the clothes. The fireplace was black leaded and it gave of a lovely shine.

The house had 2 rooms upstairs and 2 rooms downstairs, the pantry was under the stairs, kitchen come bathroom with a tin bath and the door locked. There was a copper in the corner of the kitchen for hot water, for boiling clothes and 12 Christmas puddings but not all at once. The washing of clothing was done in the yard in a dolly tub and pegs; also the toilet was at the end of the yard. The main washing was done on a Monday so no fires were lit out doors or paths swept or we would be in trouble for getting the clothes dirty. Even the pigeons were kept in until the washing was dried and if it was a wet day then the towels would be dried by the fire.

A few years went by and we became modernised with electric, water taps in the house and even water toilets. But still the tin bath had to be used even though there were showers at the pit for the men to use.

Youngsters had old clothes and school clothes, which were used for best. The old clothes were used most of the time which were either your brother’s or your sister’s hand-me-downs or our mams had

to make them out of anything they could get there hands on at the time.

The men had work, best and casual clothes. They wore their best clothes to go to the working men’s club on a Saturday night.

The women had everyday and best clothes. When all these clothes were finally finished with they were boiled and washed, cut into strips and given to Mrs. Vickers to make into rugs. We had one pair of shoes for best and a pair of boots for school. We went to barber Len Spencer for a hair cut every 6 weeks but on Fridays and Saturdays it was men only.

Almost everyone had a garden and an allotment; the gardens were at the back of the house mostly for hens, rabbits, pigs and pigeon lofts.

There would be about 40 pigs killed 10 weeks before Christmas so the hams and bacon would be ready for Christmas. The pigs were huge and killed with a stun gun outside a shed and laid on a carrying bench.

Their throats were cut and the blood caught in a jug to make black puddings. With the hot water the surface skin and hair was scraped clean off the pigs, they were then hung up in the back shed by their back legs.

They were then cut down the middle and their intestines were put in a tub. The heart, liver and lights were separated to make faggots.

The bladder was given away to be blown up for a football.

The pigs were then cut into sections, heads, ham sides and feet.

There was an inch thick layer of fat all round the stomach this was cut into cubes put in the oven and melted down for pure lard. It was nice on toast. The feet were cooked as pig’s trotters and the head to make brawn. The hams and sides of bacon were put in a wooden trough filled with salt for about 4 weeks, then taken out and lightly washed, then hung in a muslin for another 2 weeks to dry. There were hooks on the walls on the stairs in the house and they hung there until required. We had ham or bacon and eggs each morning. During the war we had ration books for the other things. I sold eggs to people but I had to have their ration coupons so I could buy food for the hens. I also sold a pig to the government when I was 14. I also had geese.

One year I had 12 cockerels ready to sell at Christmas but forgot to lock them up one night and the fox killed 9 of them. People wanted duck eggs so I went to Leicester cattle market; I was 15 at the time.

When I got to the market there were rows of boxes with 4 boxes in each stack. Twenty five day old birds in each box. When it came to the ducklings I bid twelve and six. I thought it a bit expensive but I didn’t know I’d brought all four boxes making a hundred ducklings.

I had a bit of a problem with the bus conductor on the bus going home but thanks to some Bagworth ladies he let me on the bus. I didn’t tell mum about the ducklings until I’d sold some. The ducks that I’d kept did very well. I let them out in the morning after they had laid their eggs. They were on the pond in the next field all day and came home at night to be fed, the eggs sold very well.

I also had a lot of rabbits I was always buying and selling things.

On the gardens too there were sheds for motorbikes and my granddad had two cars which he used as taxis. Mr. Statham had a very large shed, which he used, as a salon for hairdressing. Mr. Bowden had a stable for his horse and cart and there was one apple tree, which belonged to Freddy

Twigger. After the war when the ration books had finished we didn’t keep pigs anymore we just got the meat from the butchers so I made my sheds into pigeon lofts.

We would have a few bets on the pigeons and on the racing dogs.

The dog would be in a box trap and there was a long rope with a rabbit skin tied to the end. This was fastened to the back wheel of a bike, which was raised off the ground, and you had to pedal like mad. The dog was released and had to chase the rabbit skin.

The other good thing was bonfire night. The grass on the Rec’y was not cut so it was very long and dry.

So we set fire to a bit at a time to keep control of it, as the council never did anything to it. And also playing on the Rec’y you had a knife and fork in your pocket for digging up pignuts. Kite flying - we made our kites out of newspaper cane and string and it was glued together with flour and water paste.

The bigger the kite the longer the tail. Other games played near the house were marbles - Esther Statham was the queen of marbles

I will never give up; I’m in my 14th year of a ten-day beauty plan.

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- she would sell you six for a penny then win them all back. There were also snobs. Skipping was very good - I liked it when we had a long rope there would be six or more skipping whilst a child at each end turned the rope. The girls were best at this.

We played cricket in the entry between the houses with the dustbin lid as the stumps.

Tinalerky was played in the entry this was tin thrown away one of us would go and find it the others went to hide so they had to be found by the one who fetched the tin. And while he wasn’t looking if you kicked the tin away he would be on again. Spirit wrapping by tying cotton to a doorknocker and then hiding behind the hedge over the road you pulled the cotton until it broke and the person answering the door would never find anyone there. Another game was whip and top. You could make the top go along way on the road, a good thing about these times there were not a lot of traffic on the roads. If we could get hold of a bike wheel

or lorry tyre from Mr. Bateman, while some of us were in the lorry tyre being bowled along the road the others were bowling the bike wheels for a race. Prams wheels were in demand for making trolleys, and if you were brave enough you went down the Thornton Chapel Hill run.

In the winter we would slide on the ponds and on the road you could go a long way with studs on your boots. Sledging down the crew field until late at night the sledge would be anything you could sit on - like a sack bag or old rug - and we did make wooden sledges. And before we went home at night we put water down the sledge run so it would freeze for the next morning. In the summer we went walking in the fields we knew every field and hedgerow within a two mile radius. On the road were the best fish & chips I’ve ever had at Webster’s fish shop. You had a three-penny worth or a six­penny worth or a fish and six for one and three. There was always queues

and the one in front of you would want fish and six five times and two large cod which meant you would have to wait longer.

There were the deliverymen, bread, meat, fish, fruit, ice cream, coal post & papers and the co-op for other things and a ton of coal was delivered. Mr. Ruddin came with his trolley to get the coal in for you. Two shilling it cost and he took the slack home with him.

I’d go to Wanes shop for a bottle of Tizer and a ration book for sweets. I was looking for wood for my shed and I was in the Co-op where they had that many orange boxes. It was good wood at that time. They said they had that many boxes they were beginning to become a problem, so I ordered 75 at 3d each they was delivered to my garden. They were so good that everyone wanted them. They paid 6d each until they were gone.

The tailor called every week Mr. Harding he was called; you could get anything you wanted. When I was working I paid my board and said I’d pay Mr. Harding seven and six a week until I wanted something and after a while I had £18 he couldn’t take anymore until I’d used this money. I had a suit, an overcoat, shirts and underwear all for the £18.

Then as we got older, we went to the pub or the workingmen’s club with your parents on a Saturday but at fourteen it was The Plough.

Rosie the landlady would give you a shandy in her kitchen for weeding the garden or sweeping the yard. But when you were eighteen you went out of the kitchen and into the pub. We learnt to dance at Madame Selby’s, so at the weekend it was the pictures at Coalville, dancing at the baths

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23

or the grand also at Coalville and the Institute at Bagworth. Singing around the piano at The Barrel or The Plough some of the old people didn’t need to leave the village very often as they had good neighbours, good food and good pubs and everything delivered to their door.

At one time a doctor would come once a week and the nurses were always around.

Barlestone Road was thought of as scruffy kids. One day I saw a posh woman stop in a car at Wane’s shop for lemonade and she was talking about scruffy kids, and Mrs. Wanes soon put her in her place by telling her the children were turned out nice and clean each morning and washed each night but played about in the garden and Rec’y in between times. If the posh lady was so bothered she need not come back. We could argue amongst ourselves but anyone calling Barlestone Road people would be defended by all on Barlestone Road.

Christmas time was party time and it started a week before Christmas.

The puddings were made first with lots of different recipes, beer in some and milk stout in others and wine also went into some as well. I liked to help mum mix the pudding and we would make a wish as we stirred the pudding. There would be about twelve on trays or basins.

They were tied up in cloth and boiled in the kitchen copper. The saying was the older they were and the darker the colour, the more mature they were, a bit like wine or cheese.

When the big day came Christmas Day - we got mainly clothes, we did get a bike once.

The main part of the day was the dinner with all types of vegetables, a goose, two cockerels and a piece of pork and then the pudding and custard. We did not want to go far after that so it was a game of Snakes and Ladders, Ludo or Draughts. For tea it was mince pies, cakes or jelly. I have never known anyone to like jelly as much as my dad.

Boxing Day at eleven o’ clock the men went to the club and two o’clock the women went. Before mum went down the table was set out with all the food. We could have friends in but we had to behave ourselves.

The other special party day was Bagworth Wake when relations would come over and spend the night at the fair and the pubs did a lot of business.

I left Bagworth and Barlestone Road at the age of 24. I was very happy growing up with the people of Barlestone Road. Things changed and subsidence made the houses unsafe to live in. The road is still here but the houses, gardens and Rec’y are gone.

But the memories will live on.

My wife can’t cook at all. She made chocolate mousse; an antler got stuck in my throat.

24

THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

One year left for violent crime victims to claim compensation under ‘Same Roof’ rule VICTIMS of violent crime who were previously denied compensation under the ‘same roof’ rule have less than one year to make fresh applications for financial redress, an expert personal injury solicitor from law firm Nelsons has warned.

The controversial rule blocked victims who were living together with their attacker as members of the same family at the time of the assault from claiming compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. It was changed in 1979 to enable future victims to access compensations, but not retrospectively, meaning victims from before that time were still refused awards.

After the Court of Appeal found the rule unlawfully discriminated against applicants, the government scrapped it on 13 June 2019 – and anyone previously denied compensation under the rule, or anyone who was previously ineligible to apply under the scheme because of it, may now make a fresh application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

What to eat when you drive HERE IS a way of staying awake at the wheel on those long motorway drives: avoid heavy foods such as hamburgers, chips and cakes.

They only encourage drowsiness, which accounts for 23 per cent of fatal car crashes, according to France’s motorway companies.

Instead, choose a meal high in water content, with some bitterness and acidity to round it off. For example, how about: some radishes, a lentil dish, and then kiwi fruit and dark chocolate, washed down with water? This sort of meal has a low glycaemic index, which means there is no sugar rush followed by a drop in your alertness.

“If you were the victim of a crime at the hands of someone you lived with between 1964 and 1979, you may now be eligible to make an application to the CICA.” Dianne Collins

It is estimated that as many as 7,500 victims could apply for financial redress totalling up to £126m, according to a government impact assessment.

Dianne Collins, senior associate and expert personal injury solicitor at Nelsons, who specialises in applications to the CICA, said: “The same roof rule was deeply unfair and has caused significant injustice.

Over the years, thousands of victims have had their applications for compensation refused – simply because they lived with their attacker at the time.

“It massively disadvantaged child abuse victims who had no choice but to live under the same roof as their abuser and it has prevented the survivors from claiming compensation for decades.”

There is a two-year time limit on the applications – meaning victims have until 13 June 2021 to make a new or fresh application to the CICA. A dedicated team has been set up to provide extra support with the claims process, including a named contact to ensure applicants do not have to repeat their traumatic experiences to multiple people.

Dianne added: “If you were the victim of a crime at the hands of someone you lived with between 1964 and 1979, you may now be eligible to make an application to the CICA due to the rule being scrapped. You must already have reported the assault to the police.

“While no amount of compensation can make up for the immense suffering caused by such appalling crimes, the abolition of the longstanding rule, which has caused significant injustice over the years, will bring muchneeded relief to those who had previously been locked out of the system.”

For more support from Nelsons’ expert personal injury team, please visit www.nelsonslaw.co.uk/serious-injuries/criminal-injurycompensation or call 0800 024 1976.

The idea is based on research done by the French insurers’ federation Assurance Prevention.

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I bought a book on how to speed read. I’ve already cut down my reading time by not reading it.

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Borough Councillor Andy Furlong’s SHORTLY after the start of the COVID19 lockdown, my elderly mum was admitted to a care home in Pembrokeshire.

She suffers from dementia, and self-isolation proved to be just too much for her to handle. The COVID19 restrictions have been stringent in Wales, and the good news is that mum’s care home has remained free of infection.

On the downside, visiting has been out of the question. I haven’t seen her for over five months.

Understandably, I’ve been thinking about her a lot. I’ve reflected on her funny little habits and well-used catchphrases. Some of these would cause raised eyebrows in today’s more enlightened times. Still, others remain valuable and serve as good advice for modern living. One of her favourites was, “Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves.”

In other words; don’t forget the small stuff; it’s crucial.

These words take on real significance for me in my role as a local councillor. Little things really matter to people. What might seem irrelevant to many can be a burning issue for those directly affected.

Consequently, when I get a phone call or an email from a local resident, I remind myself that this is probably the most important thing in their life right now. I try to respond appropriately. Of course, the big stuff matters too more on that in a moment, but I thought I’d start this month’s column with an update on some of the smaller issues that I have gotten involved with over the summer months.

Binbag build-up in Forest Road, Markfield

25

UPDATE Tel: 01530 231377 Email: andy.furlong@ hinckley-bosworth. gov.uk Rest in peace - noise problem resolved THE THORNY issue of noise from shooting at Lodge Farm appears to have been resolved.

HBBC’s environment team has informed me that Spa Vale Shooting Ltd. has ceased trading on the land and that all the assets are in the process of being sold and removed. It may take time for the equipment to be removed from the property.

The 28-day temporary use of the land has been used up for 2020. Any further shoots are at the landowner’s risk. This is welcome news for nearby residents and local businesses including the Natural Burial Ground on Markfield Lane. The owner had contacted me about the impact of the noise, and I accepted an invitation to take a closer look at the site. I was impressed by what I saw. I’ve read that natural burial is a gentle and environmentally friendly option for those who are thinking about their funeral arrangements. Those who want their final resting place to have as little impact on the environment as possible can be laid to rest in a quiet and protected corner of Leicestershire. Over 100 people of all faiths and none have been buried at the tranquil site since it opened in 2016. It’s a good example of a sustainable rural business in our area.

No news yet on developers’ big plans MOVING onto the bigger issues, I can report that there has been no movement with any of the major planning applications that are hanging over our heads right now.

MY ATTENTION was drawn to a growing mountain of bin bags beside Forest Road in Markfield.

The root cause of the problem was COVID19 related. The recycled clothing bin near the Bull’s Head pub was full and overflowing. Lockdown clear-outs had placed enormous pressure on the system, and the collection process was struggling to cope. The unsightly mess prompted concerned residents to get in touch and, following a few quick phone calls, the problem was fixed. Sadly, the best way of preventing the mountain reappearing was to remove the collection bin for the time being. I am talking with Leicestershire Air Ambulance about its relocation.

Anti-social behaviour IN THE July issue of The Herald, I wrote about anti-social behaviour problems in Markfield following the relaxation of the COVID19 restrictions.

I spoke with the neighbourhood police commander, and some changes were made to local patrol strategies with positive results. A watchful eye is being maintained on several hotspots and our new beat sergeant, Andy Cox, encourages any resident with concerns to share information by calling 111 or using the Leicestershire Police on-line reporting portal.

Disability access problem caused by vegetation A DISABLED resident living off Launde Road in Markfield contacted me regarding the difficulty that she was experiencing travelling on her mobility scooter to and from local services on Chitterman Way. Overgrowing hedges and vegetation were obstructing her regular route in several places, forcing her to steer dangerously close to the kerb. I called Leicestershire County Council and was pleasantly surprised at the speed of their response. By the time you read this, the problem should be resolved.

I have initiated a conversation with the Parish Council regarding footpath access for people with disabilities.

There is nothing further to say on Crown Crest, Bardon 3, proposed housing developments or the worryingly titled ‘A511 Growth Corridor’ being put forward by Leicestershire County Council. It’s said that no news is good news, but there may be trouble ahead. At the start of August, the government published a Planning White Paper. The intention is stated as: “We need to make sure that enough land is released in the right places and that the best possible use is made of that land, and that local communities have control over where development goes and what it looks like”.

I feel very uneasy about this. As always, the devil is in the detail. There are rumours that the government intends to further weaken the planning powers of democratically elected local councillors like myself who have voted against unwanted housing developments in places like Barlestone, Desford and Ratby. The planning system is already stacked in favour of the developers – and it’s no secret that property tycoons have given more than £11m to the Conservatives since Mr. Johnson became prime minister. What are they getting for their money?

From small beginnings ...

FINALLY an update on ‘Dawn’ and ‘Jo’.

After a few sticky moments courtesy of the local snail population, both sunflowers have been transferred to a flowerbed in a sunny corner of my garden. ‘Jo’ remains in the lead by about 20 centimetres. Watch this space for a declared winner in September.

As ever, if you have any worries or concerns, big or small, please get in touch.

Andy Furlong Contact me on 01530 231377 or via andy.furlong@hinckleybosworth.gov.uk

I went to fist-bump someone who had tried to shake my hand and I felt like such a loser cos paper beats rock.

26

THE HERALD • MID-AUGUST 2020 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

What’s Been Happening at Markfield Community and Sports Centre October 2020, please keep donating your much needed blood and register your details with the National Blood Service online if you can help, thank you!

Mayflower Club THE WEDNESDAY afternoon Mayflower Club has restarted and it is lovely to see the “old faces” slowly coming back to enjoy socialising and meeting up with old friends once again.

Indeed we have some new members who, having felt rather lonely and isolated over the past few months, are now coming along and joining in.

It’s still very strange having to socially distance the sessions and it makes it hard to find safe things to do. We even had to whisper the song Happy Birthday to one of our new members Paul as the COVID19 Guidelines prohibit loud singing. But we are coping and have managed to bring a lot of cheer with a Prize Bingo session, a quiz afternoon and a hilarious game of Play Your Cards Right.

Friendship Club We are open again!

Carol’s Community Cafe

IT HAS been a long lockdown for everyone, but we were delighted to reopen the centre on the 4th July!

WE HAVE been running Carol’s Community Cafe throughout the summer from Monday to Friday, 11am to 3pm.

We have gradually reopened and it has been great to welcome back both old and new customers and friends.

We currently have the Friendship Club, Mayflower Club, Weight Watchers, Simply Dance Ballroom Dance Lessons, Junior Football sessions, Curling, Pilates, HIITS, Walking Football, Mum and Mia, Tai Chi , Yoga classes and New Age Kurling running. We are also taking bookings for badminton, basketball and football sessions.

All bookings and class attendances are strictly by pre-booking, numbers and entry to the centre have to be limited, we operate a strict track and trace system and two metre social distancing policy. Face masks have to be worn except when taking refreshments or participating during dance, sport and exercise classes. There have been many changes to adapt to for our staff and customers alike, but we are still managing to have a lot of laughs and to keep the centre running in a safe way! Please observe our Covid 19 Secure measures at all times when using the centre, your safety is our priority!

In September we will have the classes and clubs already mentioned running, along with J/T Keep Fit, Baby Belles, Art Club, Metcalf Junior Sports, extra Tai Chi, Keely-Anna’s Dance Studio, Somatics and Mini Bikers!

For the contact details to book a place at any of the clubs or classes please contact the centre on 01530 242240 or 07885 243033 or email at markfieldcommunitycentre@hotmail.co.uk We also offer help and support to new classes and clubs starting at the centre, if you have a good idea, please share it with us, we will help wherever we can!

THE MONDAY afternoon Friendship Club remains open but activities are rather limited at the moment.

This is a great opportunity to grab a cuppa, a light meal or something stronger (the bar is open!), particularly if you would like some company, but would prefer to sit outside on the patio! We do have indoor seating available for limited numbers when the weather is not so good. It is also a great way for parents to grab some refreshments when spending hours wearing their children out on the park!

Community Park ALL OF the areas on the Community Park are now open, subject to capacity limits.

Please ensure that you bring hand sanitiser and/ or wipes with you when using the equipment on the park! The Community Park has proved to be a huge bonus for the village throughout the lockdown period and beyond. It is wonderful to see many local people using the park for social meetings and exercise!

Please note that the Community Park does now have an active Public Space Protection Order in force. Please adhere to the conditions listed on the signs, they are there for safety and enjoyment of everyone using the site, thank you!

National Blood Service THE CENTRE has hosted three sessions with the National Blood Service so far since April.

We have a further session booked on the 25th

I must mention one of our members Gabriella who has knitted a wonderful scarecrow doll (pictured above).

It took her about four days to knit and she has donated it as a fund raising raffle prize.

Many thanks to you Gabriella – I am sure that there will be many people wanting to buy raffle tickets to win this wonderful prize.

Pronouncing numbers correctly is not my forty.

For Advertising Rates & Publication Dates , visit: www.markfieldherald.co.uk

27

Words and pictures from Ron & Dawn Grantham Tel: 01530 242240 • www.markfieldcommunitycentre.com We are now planning future sessions including a VJ Day commemoration an indoor treasure hunt and other activities that can be done with social distancing.

So, if you would like to come along and join in please feel free to do so.

We will make you most welcome.

Sessions are as follows:

• • •

Friendship Club Monday afternoons 2pm to 4pm Mayflower Club Wednesday afternoons 2pm to 4pm Sessions only cost £1.50p and includes a cuppa and biscuits

THE COVID19 ROCK SNAKE GROWS and GROWS IF YOU HAVE taken a walk at the lovely Community Park in Markfield this Spring and Summer, you can not fail to have noticed the Markfield Adder!

It has been suggested that the Markfield Adder could also be placed in the ground in this area in a coil shape as a lasting memorial.

For more about this great idea, together with details of how you can help, read Dawn’s letter on page 2 of this issue of The Herald.

MARKFIELD GOOD NEIGHBOURS SCHEME THE WONDERFUL members of the Good Neighbour Scheme continue with their amazing work! They have performed countless acts of kindness and caring and continue to do so! Thank you also to everyone who has donated food and other supplies for the scheme to distribute!

If you are unable to get out and about due to age, illness or self isolation and require any help with the collection of prescriptions, posting mail, shopping or you are lonely and would appreciate a call, please contact 07885 243033.

A huge thank you to all of the members of the Good Neighbour Scheme, we really don’t know what we would have done without all of your help!

There are a lot of other pockets of activity around the village who have worked selflessly throughout this pandemic as well. Your Parish, Borough and County Councillors have all been working very hard on behalf of this village and other local areas! The local churches, the Markfield Community Association and other local organisations have been working hard and often in partnership to offer local support.

We have had great support from the Ratby and Groby Community Response Forum and the Coalville Food Bank when we have needed emergency food support for families that have faced financial difficulties due to job losses or income reduction or self isolation.

We have also had great support from our local Medical Centre, Chemist, the Markfield Community Library, Fusion Restaurant, the Herald and local shops.

There are members of the community making scrubs, headbands and face masks and all sorts of items, at the same time they are raising funds for charities and the NHS! It has been important for the various community groups and organisations to link up and work together throughout this time. Many friendships have also been formed as a result, as well as a much greater awareness of who our neighbours are and how we can help each other. It has been an amazing experience to witness this community really pulling together to help and support each other.

Our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you!

Ron and Dawn Grantham PLEASE REMEMBER that if you would like to join our band of volunteers or need some help please contact us at markfieldcommunitycentre@hotmail.co.uk or ring us on 07885 243033.

My poker skills are amazing now with this face mask.

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