December 2019 Groby Spotlight

National Roast Dinner Day

Over 100 attend the Groby Remembrance Sunday Service

For National Roast Dinner Day on Wednesday 13th November 2019, Brookvale Groby Learning Campus arranged for a group of local senior citizens to come and have their lunch with some of our students.

Students and guests chatted over a lovely roast chicken dinner followed by apple crumble and custard! This is something we as a campus would love to continue to do, on a regular basis.

Golfing success at Brookvale

Millen Durham crowned Junior County Captain

ALTHOUGH the weather was good to us as it did not rain, it was still very chilly and the service was held on the ExServicemans Club car park. It was again a very good turn out with about 130 people attending.

The service was lead by the Rev Noel Colley (St Philip and St James) assisted by Trevor Pringle (URC) who lent us thier sound system. It was a good turn out by the local organizations and nice to see so many teenagers and children paying thier respects. A total of six wreaths were laid plus numerous crosses, I would like to thank Brian Rigby (Parish Council) and Ted Hollick (Deputy Mayor HBCC) for attending.

The one person I thought made a real difference on the day was Oli Matthews although nervous he did an excellent job playing the Last Post and Reveille on his trumpet instead of it coming of a memory stick. I would also like to thank Anstey and District Funeral Services for printing the order of service for us free of charge. Lastly I would like to thank everybody who came to the service and hope to see you again next year.

Paul Brudenell and Churches together in Groby.

BROOKVALE YEAR 9 STUDENT, Millen Durham, was recently crowned ‘Junior County Captain’ in Golf!

He also won the scratch and handicap awards in the order of merit, and the ‘County Junior Player of the Year’ at the Leicester and Rutland Junior Presentation Evening on 7th November.

WELL DONE MILLEN! Millen is pictured second from the left in the photograph.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Groby Spotlight Readers, Deliverers, Contributors and Advertisers!

You’re all fabulous!

NEXT ISSUE OUT ON 18TH JANUARY - ARTICLES & ADVERT DEADLINE: 4TH JANUARY

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Have you registered your drone?

THE WAY people have used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), more commonly referred to as drones, has made them controversial.

Love them or hate them they are here to stay, but it is the bad news, such as their misuse at airports, that makes the headlines and gets the publicity.

More control over the use of drones has been called for and a new registration system was introduced at the end of November for drones weighing between 250g and 25kg. If you haven’t registered the advice is not to use your drone outdoors until you have.

An estimated 130,000 people who own or are responsible for a drone or unmanned aircraft were expected to register at a cost of £9 a year, of face a fine of up to £1,000 if their drone is flown outdoors. Members of the British Model Flying Association, Scottish Aeromodellers’ Association, Large Model Association or FPV UK are exempted because the associations will register their members as they renew their association membership.

There are two aspects – • Operator ID’s for those who own a drone - only over 18’s can register for one. The ID number must be shown on the drone and will enable them to be returned to the owners when they are lost in flight, and • Flyer ID’s for anyone who will fly a drone (also £9). To get a Flyer ID you must pass a free theory test with 20 multiple-choice questions.

The rules apply to adults and children. A parent or guardian must register children aged under 13, but the child must take the test.

Go to https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft-and-drones/ to register or for more information.

We know the downside to the use of drones but what are the benefits?

They are too many to list, from emergency responses to disaster relief, conservation, disease control, healthcare, agriculture and more. Take a look at https://www.cbinsights.com/research/drone-impact-society-uav/ to read 38 ways drones are impacting society and the ways companies are harnessing drone technology for commercial purposes across industries.

Norman Griffiths

Remember the Millennium Bug? JUST OVER 20 years ago, there was widespread panic – or at least deep concern – over what might happen when the calendar switched over to the year 2000 on 1st January, and the effect on computers of the so-called Y2K ‘Millennium Bug’.

The problem was that computers so long ago were laughably short of memory, and to save space, years in dates had all been recklessly programmed with two figures – for example 80, instead of the full 1980. So, when they reached 2000, no-one knew what would happen. Would the computers think they were back at 00, the beginning of time, or in some other dimension where time had no meaning?

Possible consequences ranged from the Second Coming to explosions in nuclear plants and aircraft falling out of the sky. Many experts predicted disaster of one kind or another.

But in the end more or less nothing happened. Some put this down to the preventative work done by computer technicians – at a price – while others thought it was never going to happen anyway.

The cost of countering the Y2K Bug threat cost Britain nearly £400 million.

There were problems, but nothing huge – except the sigh of relief.

HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS

Councillor Ted Hollick reports Free of Charge Parking in Hinckley Motorists going into Hinckley on Saturdays 14th and 21st of December will be able to park Free of Charge whilst doing their Christmas shopping. The six car parks which are included in the scheme are:- Lower Bond Street, Druid Street, Alma Road, Holliers Walk, Trinity Vicarage Road and the Thoneycroft Road car parks. The offer which has cross party support is intended to increase trade for local businesses. Another offer has been received from North Warwickshire & Hinckley College on the same two Saturdays where motorists will be able to park for free on their car park too, This car park is situated behind The Atkins Building and can be accessed from Druid Street, this offer is appreciated by the Council.

Can I also remind readers that parking is FREE on all Council run car parks on SUNDAYS throughout the year.

Recharging points It is hoped that in the not too distant future (EVCP) electric vehicle charging points will be installed in 5 of the Council’s car parks and the ones currently being assessed and evaluated are Church Walk, Hill Street, St Mary’s road, Trinity Lane East and Lower Bond Street. For more information visit www. hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/parking.

A Cautious note We have noticed on our Landline in recent weeks an increase in the number of callers asking you to press a number if you DO or DO NOT wish to take advantage of one service or another, I think the best response is to put the phone down because if you do press a number it can leave your landline open to abuse.

The concerns of Primary Schoolchildren I was pleased to receive letters from children at a local primary school who have concerns about issues which they have observed in the village and elsewhere. It is encouraging to note that the next generation is aware of social and everyday problems which include environmental issues. As we are in the Pre-Election (Purdah) period I will reply and follow up the comments and suggestions after the election.

Christmas Lights With my Deputy Mayor’s hat on I was pleased to attend the switching on of Barwell’s Christmas Lights on Saturday November 30th. The event which was very well attended included children’s rides as well as hot food stalls and fairground style amusements. I was particularly impressed with the knitted decorations on the lamp posts and trees.

May I take this opportunity to wish all our residents a Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy and Safe New Year

Emailing Groby Parish Council Residents wishing to contact the Parish Council via email should now use parishoffice@groby.com or parishclerk@groby.com (Not the btconnect one.)

Ratby Road ungritted due to parked vehicles Grit spreading on 3rd December came to a halt on Ratby Road Groby when the gritting lorry was unable to pass between the cars and vans parked on both sides of the road. This again highlights the danger to emergency vehicles.

Councillor Ted Hollick Call: 0116 287 5955 Mobile: 07962 373983 E-mail: ted.hollick@outlook.com Write: 7 Shaw Wood Close, Groby, LE6 0FY

My wife accused me of being self-important. I nearly fell off my throne.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Bridge Over Troubled Water is 50 years old

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All Jewellery Repairs Rings sized, reclawed & stones set

THE ALBUM Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel was released 50 years ago next month, on 26th January 1970.

Chains, earrings and bracelets repaired

It topped the charts in ten countries and sold 25 million records. It was their fifth and final studio album.

The song itself, one of their most widely known, was influenced by gospel music, especially the Swan Silvertones’ version of Mary Don’t You Weep, which includes the line “I’ll be your bridge over deep water, if you trust in my name” – a debt acknowledged by Simon.

Art Garfunkel initially refused to sing lead on the song, but was eventually persuaded, with Paul Simon transposing the key to suit him. Simon wanted a gospel piano sound, and so hired session musician Larry Knechtel. The song was initially two verses long, but he thought it was too short and asked Knechtel to play a third verse, to which he wrote more lyrics.

Despite the many accolades that followed, the duo split up later in 1970, with Garfunkel concentrating on his film career.

Simon and Garfunkel are both Jewish, and many of the later songs written

by Simon have Christian overtones – this stunning song is no exception.

Details of the songs on the LP: Side One: 1.“Bridge over Troubled Water” 2.

“El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)” 3.“Cecilia” 4.“Keep the Customer Satisfied”5. “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” Side Two: 1.“The Boxer”2.“Baby Driver”3.“The Only Living Boy in New York”4.“Why Don’t You Write Me” 5.“Bye Bye Love” 6.“Song for the Asking”

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I just want to be rich enough to threaten to cut people out of my will.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

LETTER

Are you Rachael and Lee’s Dad?

ON 5TH NOVEMBER, we received a Birthday card addressed to ‘Dad’ at our address.

We opened it to see if there was a sender’s address, but there wasn’t.

The only clue was the senders’ names, which were Rachael and Lee. We have made enquiries in our area, to no avail.

We would like to find Rachael & Lee’s Dad to give him his card and the message on it.

Sheila Bailey sheila@aptleicester.co.uk

ARTSMARK GOLD award!

BROOKVALE Groby Learning Campus are incredibly pleased to announce that they have both awarded an Artsmark Gold Award from @Artsmarkaward for our commitment to the arts.

A50 housing site

Developer wants infrastucture obligations to be withdrawn AS YOU may have read in Councillor reports in this issue, the housing developer of the former A50 site off Leicester Road has asked the Borough Council to waive all the infrastructure contribution liabilities that were attached to the planning consent for the land.

The agent making the request said : “The provision of the financial contributions required by the (above) Agreement render an all-affordable scheme unviable.”

Mrs Bearne, Acting Headteacher, BGLC.

There are different formulas for calculating the impact on each of the local services.

Roughly how much of the money does each service get?

• • • • •

Library (to be confirmed) £1.7k (£1,700) Groby health services £16.7k Transport £33.8k Open Space/play equipment/sports provision £73.8k Education £140.7k

Is this what is known as a S106 contribution?

Why is the Transport figure so high?

Yes. Planning obligations, also known as section 106 agreements, are typically agreements between local planning authorities and developers negotiated in the context of granting a planning consent.

It includes £22.6k for bus passes for six months and a Transport Pack for each of the 30 houses, and £4.5k for an overhead electronic display like the one at the Leicester Road Co-op. There is also money for bus stop improvements to make boarding the buses easier.

Why are these obligations required?

When new housing is built the homes increase pressure on existing services. For example, schools might have to accommodate additional pupils, surgeries may have extra patients, and roads and public transport have more users. The S106 agreement provides a means of ensuring that developers contribute towards the infrastructure and services that local authorities believe to be necessary to facilitate proposed developments.

Why has this waiver request been made?

Our journeys started over two years ago as two separate schools and have seen us develop an exciting new cross campus arts curriculum, work creatively with the IT industry on the Studywith. co.uk website, offer arts award at Bronze, Silver and Gold Arts level across the campus and involve students in delivering drama workshops to primary schools on the Whitby trip, as well as many other things.

We look forward to continuing this work within the Brookvale Groby Learning Campus.

Thanks also to @MightyCreatives for their continued support during the case study process.

How is this calculated?

In order that readers might fully understand the circumstances the agent was asked to explain the reasons why these changes are needed to make the development viable. No acknowledgement or reply has been received.

However a spokesperson for the Borough Council explained that “Originally it was a mixed scheme of 30 properties of which 40% were going to be affordable housing. The new proposal is for 10 affordable homes and 20 shared ownership homes, so the whole development will now be affordable housing.”

How much money is involved?

If the application is rejected the final figure payable will include indexation adjustments.

Based on the original agreement the overall sum could exceed £265,000.

Am I allowed to comment on the application to waive the obligation?

Yes, because of the election, and other issues that have been raised by local councillors, a decision is unlikely to be taken by the Borough Council until the New Year, after a ‘viability submission’ is considered by Planning Officers. Although we are not being told what they are, the developer may have sound reasons for asking for this change. If you wish to comment you may : •

support the application and agree that the payment towards infrastructure should not be made,

•

suggest that some elements should be negotiable (if this is allowed),

•

request that the application should be rejected as the S106 payment was a condition of the planning consent and the community should not have to lose the estimated £265,000,

•

or make any other comment you feel appropriate.

Read Borough Councillor Martin Cartwright’s report on page 22 to see how to comment.

Norman Griffiths

I’m not one to point out other people’s flaws, but everyone except me does everything the wrong way.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Juniors show their respects for Remembrance Sunday

IN NOVEMBER, the Groby Junior Under 12’s, showed their respects, by displaying poppies of their shirts to remember those who have lost their lives in conflicts around the world.

They looked just like their heroes in the Premier League who also wore their poppies with pride .

The poppies where purchased through the British Legion with all the money going to the charity.

Lady Gaga is so famous, even babies know her name.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

National Trust Leicester Association

125th anniversary of National Trust EARLY IN 2020 the National Trust will celebrate its 125th anniversary as the Trust legally began on 12th January 1895, the date when it was formally constituted under the Companies Act. Initial discussions between Sir Robert Hunter and Octavia Hill regarding a “trust” to own land for public enjoyment began in the early 1880’s but it was almost ten years before more positive action began.

The first formal meeting was held on 16th November 1893 at the offices of the Commons Preservation Society with high level representatives of many different bodies These included the President of the Royal Academy, The Duke of Westminster, the Principal of Owens Collage, Lord Rosebery (a future Prime Minister) and William Holman Hunt.

Future plans were agreed and an initial property was alluded to.

The printed invitation to the meeting was headed “National Trust for Historic Sites and Natural Scenery” and proposed a body to hold lands of natural beauty and sites and houses of historic interest to be preserved for the nation’s use and enjoyment. The invitation was signed by the three founders of the Trust, Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley.

More detailed work then continued. Sir Robert drew up a list of people to serve on the first council who all met on 16th July 1894 at a meeting at Grosvenor House. Canon Rawnsley opened the meeting by explaining the objects of the proposed trust and Octavia Hill then proposed a resolution to form a corporate body to hold land and buildings of historic interest or natural beauty in the national interest. Sir Robert then tabled a draft constitution which was duly agreed.

Following the meeting, Sir Robert drafted the Memorandum and Articles of Association which were sent to the Board of Trade. These were approved, unaltered, on 12th January 1895, as mentioned above. This apparent easy birth of the National Trust is deceptive and hides years of frustration and struggle that lay behind its formation.

After the Board of Trade approval, the first Executive Committee meeting was held on 2nd February 1985. Sir Robert

Dinas Oleu on the Welsh Coast was the National Trust’s first property Hunter was appointed chair, Canon Rawnsley secretary and the Duke of Westminster President. The offer of four acres of cliff top land at Dinas Oleu on the Welsh coast

by Mrs Fanny Talbot was duly agreed and the National Trust had its first property. The NT was reconstituted as a charity by the NT Act of Parliament in1907. Now 125 years later the National Trust owns hundreds of buildings and thousands of acres of land and has a membership of five and a half million.

• THE NT LEICESTER ASSOCIATION has an afternoon meeting on Thursday 19th December when Felicity Austin will present a talk entitled “A Wartime & Austerity Christmas”.

The meeting will be held at St

Guthlac’s Memorial Hall. Holbrook Road, Leicester at 2.30pm.

• THERE WILL also be an evening meeting on Tuesday 14th January at Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm. David Templeman will present an illustrated talk entitled “Lady Arbella Stuart – the Queen in Waiting” Admission to meetings is NTLA members £2.50, visitors £4.00, including refreshments.

For details of the NT Leicester Association and its Talks Service for other organisations please call 0116 2229133.

Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer

LFE Film Evenings - Thursday 2 January

“Yesterday”

JACK MALIK is a struggling singer-songwriter whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading. After a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that the Beatles have never existed and he finds himself with a very complicated problem.

Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, James Corden, Meera Syal Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes.

Venue: the Parish Hall, Kings Drive, LFE, LE3 3JE. On arrival complimentary hot drink and biscuits are provided. As we have no licence, please feel free to bring your own drinks.

Your entry ticket will be put in a draw for a free double ticket for use at any future viewing.

Doors open at 7.00pm; showing starts at 7.30pm. Cost: £5.

Diabetes could ‘bankrupt’ the health service OUR APPETITES are killing us. Hospitals are now treating 5,000 type 2 diabetics a day.

The head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, blames “our everexpanding waistlines”, as obesity is the major cause of Type 2 diabetes.

More than 1.7 million people were admitted to hospital last year with type 2 diabetes. That cost the NHS an estimated £22million a day.

Health campaigners call the trend ‘staggering’, as two in three adults are now overweight or obese.

Overall, more than 10 per cent of all NHS drug spending is now devoted to diabetes.

The NHS Digital Report shows the overall bill to treat diabetics has reached more than £1billion.

Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, warns: ‘The level of diabetes is a national crisis that is blighting millions of people’s lives and could even bankrupt the NHS.” 13million adults are now classified as obese.

How the over-50s are working!

A MILLION more over-50s are working part-time, as compared with ten years ago. In fact, the UK’s parttime workforce is made up of more over-50s than any other age group.

Experts says that the figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that older people today seem keen to avoid cutting themselves off from the working world completely.

This may be due to both increased life expectancy, and changes to the pension age.

But there is also a growing understanding of the health and social benefits that come with working into retirement: from staying active and socially connected, to maintaining a sense of fulfilment.

As one recruitment expert said: ‘The over-50s offer an exciting, talented and up to now largely untapped opportunity for employers struggling to plug a skills and jobs gap.”

I went to the Missing Persons Bureau to make a report. No one was there.

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CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS MONDAY 23RD 11AM - 11PM TUESDAY 24TH 11AM - 11:30PM

NEW YEAR’S EVE! Lisa Pearson and DJ Ozzy Roadshow

Tickets are on sale now!

Members £5 / Non-members £8.

WEDNESDAY 25TH 11AM - 2.30PM

Get your tickets now from the bar staff.

THURSDAY 26TH 11AM - 11PM FRIDAY 27TH 11AM - 11.30PM SATURDAY 28TH 11AM - 11.30PM SUNDAY 29TH 11AM - 11.00PM

FRIDAY 20TH DECEMBER HELP FOR HEROES

NEW YEAR’S EVE TUESDAY 31ST 12 NOON - 1AM NEW YEARS DAY WEDNESDAY 1ST 11AM - 11PM

DECEMBER ENTERTAINMENT Friday 13th No Entertainment or Bingo

70’S 80’S AND 90’S CHARITY DISCO NIGHT DJ OZZY ROADSHOW - RAFFLE FANCY DRESS OPTIONAL TICKETS ARE £3.00 AND AVAILABLE FROM THE CLUB BAR STAFF! LIVE SPORT COMING UP IN THE CONCERT ROOM! Saturday 21st December: Wednesday 1st January: Sunday 19th January: Wednesday 22nd January:

Man City v LCFC Newcastle v LCFC Burnley v LCFC LCFC v West Ham

5:30pm kick off 3pm kick off 2pm kick off 7:30pm kick off

Saturday 14th Andy Lee Marsh Friday 20th Beth Dyson Saturday 21st Zoe Snow Tuesday 24th Ricky Starr Friday 27th Nicky Downs Saturday 28th Lauren May

SATURDAY 11TH JANUARY 2020 IS OUR ANNUAL PANTOMIME

Its Just Entertainment present Sleeping Beauty! Tickets are as follows! Family tickets 2 adults and 2 children is £17.00, Adult is £6.00 And a child is £4.00.

Get your tickets from the bar staff now!

FRIDAY 31ST JANUARY 2020

LEE LARD (Peter Kay Tribute) with support act NINA

Tickets on sale now: £5 Each for Members and £7 each for Non-Members Available from the club bar staff.

THURSDAY YOGA SESSIONS 5.45pm-6.45pm Pay on the door

The Committee would like to wish our Bar Staff, Members & all our Customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

PLEASE NOTE: MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE NOW DUE

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Lady Jane Grey Primary School News Author visit

Charity events

ON 20TH NOVEMBER 2019 Lady Jane Grey Primary School had a special visitor, Grant Koper.

THIS YEAR Lady Jane Grey are supporting a charity that is very close to its heart.

The author read his new book “The Day Granny’s Knickers Blew Away!” to the whole school. The children loved the book and there was lots of laughter in the hall!

Afterwards, Grant took lots of fantastic questions from children across the school. The children were very interested in why and how Grant became an author. The whole school then completed a writing task based on Grant’s book. Thank you Grant for paying Lady Jane Grey a visit!

Gold award WE ARE delighted to announce that Lady Jane Grey have been awarded a gold school games mark for the 2018/19 academic year.

To celebrate this achievement, some of the staff and children, who won a competition to be delegates at the ceremony, attended an awards event at Hinckley Rugby Club, which included a Q & A session with Paralympic champion, Claire Cashmore. Well done to all of the children and staff who made this achievement possible.

Democracy event LADY JANE Grey attended the Local Democracy event in the Hinckley Hub on Friday 15th November 2019.

The children participated in a democratic debate around politics in the local area. The discussion was then extended into national politics and issues. The children met key political figures for the local area and discussed the role of the office that they held.

The children had a very enjoyable day and even got to meet the Mayor.

Earlier in the year our Headteacher, Mr Fitz, lost his wife in her battle against Pancreatic Cancer.

Mr Fitz and his family have campaigned vigorously in raising awareness and funds of Pancreatic Cancer by setting up Carol’s Campaign. Our children, parents and sponsors at LJG have been tremendous in their support by sponsoring our children in the recent Fitness event raising a record £2,177 which has contributed to the total amount raised for Carol’s Campaign to be over £9,000.

Raising awareness of this particular cancer is fundamental in search for a test to aid early diagnosis. Councillor Ozzie O’Shea has supported Carol’s Campaign by organising posters that identify the symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer in the toilets at County Hall. We cannot thank everyone enough for their support and look forward to further events.

Remembrance Day ON MONDAY 11th November our Year 6 pupils performed a special assembly to mark Remembrance Day. The children acted out scenes from World War 1, in particular going over the top in the trenches. They also sang songs that told the stories and feelings from the war. Several children told their personal stories of their family members that served for this country during both World War 1, World War 2 and other conflicts across the world. These personal stories were told with pride and beautifully delivered. Thank you to the staff and children for putting on an emotional and respectful performance.

Die Alone

By Simon Kernick

Alastair Sheridan has it all. Wealth, good looks, a beautiful wife and children and, in the chaotic world of British politics, a real chance of becoming Prime Minister.

But Alastair also has a secret. He’s a serial killer with a taste for young women.

Only a handful of people know what kind of monster he is, and disgraced detective Ray Mason is one of them.

Awaiting trial for murder, Ray is unexpectedly broken free by armed men and given an offer: assassinate Alastair Sheridan and begin a new life abroad with a new identity.

The men claim to be from MI6.

They say that Sheridan is a threat to national security and needs to be neutralised. Ray knows they are not who they say they are, and that their real motives are far darker.

The only person Ray trusts is excop and former lover Tina Boyd, who’s keen to settle her own scores with Sheridan.

With enemies on every side, only one thing is certain.

No one wants them to get out alive.

I’ve never been in a medically-induced coma, but I have been in several that were meeting-induced.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

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Glenfield Christadelphians

New Year – New Beginning CHRISTADELPHIANS are Bible reading and believing people. We believe that there is more to life than the political manoeuvring that we have witnessed over the last three years. The Bible teaches that the Creator has a clear, well defined, plan for the earth and the people living on it.

We meet in the Scout Hall in Stamford Street, Glenfield every Sunday evening at 6.00 pm to talk about Bible teaching and God’s plan for the future. All are welcome to freely join with us on any of those occasions.

Maybe you are unable to meet with us but would still like to read the Bible in a systematic way. To this end if you would like us to send you, no obligation or cost, a Bible Reading Planner which will guide you through your Bible reading in a systematic way with some helpful comments we would be delighted to post you a copy.

• Either email your name and address to glenfieldChristadelphians@gmail.com or write to The Christadelphians, 16 Mountfields Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3JE

The deadline for receipt of article contributions and advertising for next month’s issue is Saturday 4th January 2020.

Please ensure that your item reaches us by this date or you may miss out. Thanks!

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I always get my naan bread from the supermarket. I don’t know why; she’s been dead for ten years.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Community Hub

It’s time to consider what you want from a new community facility in Groby DOWN AT the Groby Parish Council office, members of the Groby Hub Committee are continuing their examination of current community facilities, and the potential to develop a new centre. It involves considering whether there is a shortfall of facilities, and the cost and location of anything new. It’s not the first time that the needs of the village have been reviewed.

Back in 1976, before the large scale housing estates were completed in Groby, the Borough Council put together a District Plan for Groby. The Plan was designed to look at the needs of the residents and looking forward to 1991 land for recreation was allocated in the plan to accommodate • 7 football pitches, • 1 hockey and 1 cricket pitch, • a sports pavilion/club house and car parking, tennis courts, • a bowling green and squash courts, when such facilities are needed.

However, with the construction of a Community College it was thought that the question of the joint use of the recreational facilities should be further investigated. Public use of such facilities would affect the future requirements for open space within the village and the allocation should be reviewed if there was dual use. It forecast insufficient demand for rugby in Groby and it was considered that one pitch at Glenfield should also be sufficient to serve Groby and Ratby.

Groby Parish Plan FOURTEEN years ago, in 2005, the Parish Plan was produced. This was a comprehensive examination of Groby village life based on the 1395 questionnaires returned.

The interests of residents were collated, together with an indication of whether they pursued those interests in Groby/Field Head or outside the Parish. Of the 22 activities listed only three – allotments, walking and cycling – had more residents enjoying the activity within the village rather than outside. Only 4 residents felt that the parish provided excellent facilities for sport. More than 60% took part in activities that were not available in the village such as bowls, golf and swimming.

Providing facilities comes at a cost, but less than half of respondents to a question on fundraising events indicated that they would participate. Another source of income to pay for facilities is higher council tax, but only a third of those who answered the question said they were prepared to pay more. With this in mind the Plan warned residents to be realistic in their expectations of what improvements could be made. Fourteen years later residents are faced with similar choices, but hopefully more external help by way of grant aid is available now.

So what could be considered?

IN ADDITION to a home for Groby Juniors Football Club the Committee has been listing the activities that have been mentioned as desirable from time to time, such as bowling, cricket, rugby, boules/petanque, boxing and a gym.

Then there’s the potential for new Parish Council offices, activities to tempt the lonely elderly out of their homes, or facilities to supplement local healthcare provision. Dancing, yoga, pilates, aerobics, badminton and bridge, the list could go on and on.

But for these things to have a chance of happening the community has to participate. A bowls club, for example, might be great, but someone has to organise it, and whilst the Parish Council may be able to provide the infrastructure it isn’t within the remit of the Parish Council to run clubs and activities. Indeed many of the respondents to the Parish Plan questionnaire indicated that many did not think it was fair for them to contribute to activities they would not use.

The final decision in 2020 IF ALL THE analysis and sums add up you may be presented with a proposal next year for you to vote on.

If you have a particular interest which isn’t currently catered for in Groby, and you would like it to be part of the proposal, now is the time to speak up and state your case. It may not make it to any final proposal but if you don’t act now you may regret it later. It’s time not just to think about what you believe the Parish needs, but to share your thoughts with the Parish Council and consider the part you can play.

Parish Council contact details • •

Write : Council Offices, Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, LE6 0DQ Phone : 0116 287 6985

•

Email : parishclerk@groby.com

Norman Griffiths

Newbold Verdon Jazz Club I’M SURE that everyone who came to the December jazz session at Newbold Verdon enjoyed the evening of great traditional jazz by Baby Jools Jazzaholics.

The evening began with a rousing version of Hindustan and continued with many well loved classics. The usual band line up of Mike Owen, Karl Hird, Brian Mellor. Jim Swinnerton and Baby Jools were joined by guest trumpet player Tony Pipkin who together with Mike and Brian proved he was also a vocalist.

All the band are great musicians and entertained us with a variety of tunes from spirituals such as “When I laid my Burden Down” to Brian Mellor’s “Putting on the Style”. A special moment was Karl Hird’s saxophone solo playing his own composition “Karl’s Blues” accompanied by Brian on banjo and Jim on bass. The evening finished with everyone in the audience singing along to “Those were the days my friend” NEXT MONTH we start the New Year with the Savannah Jazz Band on Friday 3rd January. Do come along and join us at Newbold Verdon Social Club from 8.00pm and enjoy some great jazz.

For more details contact Pauline on 0116 286 5496 or Kelvin on 01455 822 824.

Could your dog be about to injure you?

DOES YOUR dog pull you down the road?

You are not alone - a growing number of people are admitting that walking their dog has become an endless tug-of-war over control of the lead. Meanwhile more and more of us are admitting to having DRIs – dog-related injuries.

Among the most painful is dog-walker’s elbow (or wrist, or shoulder), a repetitive strain injury similar to tennis elbow, caused by a pulling dog. It was first described in 1981 by an American doctor who noticed the symptoms while walking his dog. The proper name is epicondylitis of the elbow, and it is thought to be from overloading the tendon attachments at the elbow from persistent repetitive gripping to control the leash.

An animal behaviouralist at Blue Cross Animal Rehoming Centre in Burford said that often the dogs “have not had any basic training from owners, have not had their needs met, or have simply learned that pulling gets them where they want to go.”

My wife still hasn’t told me what my New Year’s Resolutions are.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

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Could Groby super-quarry be further postponed?

IN THE LATE 1870s two Birmingham businessmen opened a quarry at Cliffe Hill between Markfield and Stanton to provide street setts and kerb stones.

This quarry closed in 1887 but was revived in 1889 by the son of one of the original owners. He equipped the quarry with then modern machinery and it quickly became a commercial success.

In 1983, Tarmac secured permission for New Cliffe Hill quarry and it was intended that operations to recover the reserves of 60 million tons from ‘Old’ Cliffe Hill would continue in the future. This has been facilitated by conveying aggregate via the 700 metre ‘Joskin’ Tunnel, dug in part by Cornish and Australian miners, to the New Cliffe Hill site.

Cliffe Hill Quarry extension?

Midland Quarry Products has already prepared an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and is likely to apply for planning permission next year for an extension which, if is approved, will allow them to continue quarrying for another 20 years, beyond the estimated 8 years needed to exhaust Cliffe Hill.

This will involve them expanding eastwards, which will have an impact on farmland, highways and footpaths.

How does this affect Groby?

Plans for a Groby super-quarry have been put on hold until nearby quarries have been exhausted, so

no development has been expected for perhaps 10 years.

If this application is successful it could be 20 years before extraction resumes in Groby. Perversely not so good news for Markfield and Stanton could be good news for the residents of Groby, but no response or acknowledgement has yet been received from MQP to an enquiry about the potential impact on quarrying in Groby.

However Groby Borough Councillor Martin Cartwright, Chair of the Cliffe Hill Quarry

Liaison said : “Groby quarry has not been mentioned in any of the meetings I have attended recently in respect of the proposals to extend Cliffe Hill Quarry but it has always been general knowledge that Groby Quarry is unlikely to brought back into full use until the reserves at Cliffe Hill are exhausted.

“Whilst MQP plans are in the very early stage of completion they have given commitment to keep the affected landowners, neighbouring residents and surrounding communities fully informed.

“Following discussions at the meeting held on the 13th November the Authority has issued its scoping opinion on the proposal for an eastern extension to Old Cliffe Hill Quarry. The document, and further information, is now available to view on the MQP web site which can be found at https:// www.mqp.co.uk/en/cliffe-hillplanning-application.

“The next stage is a full planning application that could happen as soon as Spring 2020.”

Norman Griffiths

Live Music in Thornton with Brooks Williams Following a sell-out concert at Thornton Community Centre in 2019, Brooks Williams is returning as part of his 30th Anniversary Tour for a Concert on Saturday 8th February 2020 at 8.00pm. Tickets are £15.00 each in advance, with seating allocated in booking order.

The concert will feature songs from his new album "Work My Claim" which will be released in 2020. Guitarist Martin Simpson sums up Brooks by saying "He's a lovely player, a lovely singer and a great writer. Brooks Williams is the real thing".

Thornton Community Centre, 175 Main Street, Thornton, Leicestershire. LE67 1AH Info or Tickets:- Brooks-in-Thornton@btconnect.com Mary Pratt - 07791 831507 Ernie Broadhurst - 07973 304625 www.brookswilliams.com

I once dated a supermarket cashier because she was always checking me out.

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Groby & & Field Head Spotlight Groby Spotlight •• MID-DECEMBER MID-DECEMBER2019 2019••Tel: Tel:01530 01530244069 244069• •Email: Email:info@grobyspotlight.co.uk info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea Former Highway Land Leicester Road Groby 15/00767/OUT I HAVE been made aware that the developer has applied to the Borough Council’s Planning department to modify the section 106 agreement on this application.

Developer contributions were put in place when this application was agreed. I strongly object to such a move denying local residents vital contributions to local services and the County Council funding towards school places. I have asked the County Council’s solicitor to investigate and to object to this application.

I have also spoken to officers in the planning department and will object personally to this application.

The Borough Council should fight this application on behalf of local residents. Builders should not build houses if they are not viable and sustainable. They should not agree to pay developer contributions and then be allowed to renege on their agreement.

Treble Triumph for the County Council’s Performance IT’S A HAT-TRICK for Leicestershire County Council which has again been named the most productive council in the country for the third year running.

The council again claimed the top spot in this year’s table compiled by consultancy firm IMPOWER. The list of 149 councils evaluates council performance by measuring value for money and to what degree each pound spent is improving lives.

IMPOWER compares 149 councils in England and looks at a range of areas including overall performance, older people, housing and homelessness and children’s social care.

Byron Rhodes, deputy council leader, said: “Retaining the number one spot for the third year in a row is excellent news.

“Transformation remains crucial and by driving down costs and still maintaining services we’ve been able to get extra bang for our buck.

Leicestershire’s position as the lowest funded county in the country is an unenviable one. But one that sharpens our focus on squeezing the best results from a smaller pot.

“We remain determined to achieve fair funding for Leicestershire since we can do so much more for people.”

Award for tackling LGBT bullying THE COUNTY COUNCIL has been recognised as one of the country’s leading local authorities for tackling LGBT bullying and celebrating difference in its schools.

The authority has been awarded gold Stonewall Children and Young Persons Service (CYPS) champion status - one of only five authorities to receive the recognition.

The award success is a brilliant boost for the council’s Beyond Bullying team as it promotes Anti-Bullying Week, which ran from 11th November until 15th November.

Ivan Ould, County Council cabinet member for children and families, said the high ranking achieved is a sign of the continued hard work put in by the antibullying team.

“Stonewall is Britain’s leading lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity and the new CYPS Champion award replaces its

Education Equality Index, in which the county council finished third, its highest-ever ranking.

“As a Stonewall CYPS Champion, the council receives full access to Stonewall’s education resources which help tailor the support offered across its children and young people service.

“This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the work being done to promote diversity and equality in schools. With partners, we are leading the way in LGBT inclusion.”

Green plaque awards open for nominations A CALL has gone out for people to nominate individuals and places important to Leicestershire’s past that they feel should be honoured with a green plaque award.

Nominations for the sixth round of the popular scheme, which recognises the impact individuals and places across the county have had on local communities, are now open and will close at midnight on Monday, 23 December.

A dozen of the county’s most famous people and buildings will then be shortlisted by a panel of judges before a public vote to decide on the top six to receive a plaque. The green plaque awards always get a fantastic response from the public, who have the opportunity to pay tribute to people and places who have made a mark on the history of their communities.

We’ve recently unveiled green plaques to a pair of suffragette sisters, a First World War poet and the man who illustrated many of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Ladybird books loved by generations of children. We would love to hear about even more people and places that should be recognised.

I would encourage as many people as possible to become involved in the next round and have their say on who should be honoured with a green plaque.

To be eligible for nomination: • People nominated must have been deceased for at least 20 years; and • If a building is nominated, property owners should be aware of and agree in principle to the nomination.

Amazon Phone Scam

phone call designed to trick Amazon Prime customers into connecting with a fraudulent ‘account manager.

It’s similar in tactics to the ‘Visa fraud department‘ call, which also instructs victims to ‘press 1’ to be connected.

From here, it’s highly likely scammers will attempt to extort bank details and/or personal data from you.

To find out exactly what you need to watch out for, I spoke with a resident who received the call on his landline earlier this month. He was told by an automated voice that this was a ‘reminder’, and that his Prime account was being renewed at a cost of £39.99.

It went on to tell him that he should ‘press 1’ to speak with an ‘account manager’.

The resident was indeed an Amazon Prime customer, however he’s never associated his home number with his Prime account.

This would suggest that the scam is targeting members of the public at random, rather than Prime customers directly.

If you’ve received this call, hang up immediately. Amazon will never contact you in this way, and the call being completely unsolicited should also set off alarm bells.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank residents for your continued support during this difficult year. I would also like to wish you all a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and a very Happy Healthy and prosperous New Year.

Remember I am only an Email or a phone call away.

Kind Regards

Ozzy O’shea Working for you Cllr Ozzy O’shea

Tel 0116 239 4336 or 07808 585825 Email ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk Email: ozzyoshea@hotmail.com

I HAVE been made aware of an automated scam

Cats may think they’re clean, but really they’re just covered in cat spit.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

A very successful year for Newtown Linford Gardening Club 2019 has been a very successful year for Newtown Linford Gardening Club with membership high and a full hall at our meetings.

We have welcomed some prestigious speakers during the year. Our two celebrity evenings saw an audience of 150 listen to Matthew Biggs in February and Chris Beardshaw in October. In addition we had excellent talks from Alan Power from Stourhead Arboretum, Timothy Walker from Oxford University Gardens and Julie Attard from the National Forest.

Our two visits took us to David Austin’s Rose Nursery at the height of flowering in June and Leicester University Botanical Gardens in August. Those events, coupled with a Summer Garden Party when the weather was at its finest in July, and a Christmas Party to end the year, made it one of our best years ever. We even had some members weaving willow dragonflies under the watchful eye of Katharine Wright from the Leicestershire Craft Centre in Marker Harborough.

2020 will be equally full. As well as some highly entertaining local speakers, we have visits from Jim Buttress from the Britain in Bloom Organisation, Stella Exley, a gold medallist with her camassias and Jack Willgoss, the national authority on violas whose nursery we will visit in August Our two celebrity speakers will be Helen Yemm, gardening correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and James Alexander-Sinclair, who has appeared regularly on Gardeners’ World and Chelsea. We are pleased to welcome visitors to these two occasions and tickets for Helen Yemm’s visit on Tuesday March 24th are now available. They can be obtained from the secretary for £12.

Anyone interested in our activities can contact the secretary (tel.01530 242452) or e-mail us at 32couling@gmail.com , or else come along to one of our meetings as a visitor (£3). If you would like a copy of our programme for the coming year, we will be pleased to send one to you.

Anne and David Couling

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I always keep emergency flares in my car. You never know when you’re going to be invited to a 70s disco.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Surgery Patients Newsletter

Find out how to reduce the risk of falling

Friends Forever

by Gary Susman and Jeannine Dillon

WHEN WE set out on life and take our first steps we tend to fall over a lot.

A FULLY illustrated and authorized episode guide celebrating the twentyfifth anniversary of the hit-television show Friends, including a look behind-the-scenes of cultfavourite episodes, brand new interviews with show creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and set designer John Shaffner, and more.

The beloved show Friends introduced the world to six young New Yorkers living together, falling in love, breaking up (cue Ross’s “We were on a break!”), and getting into hilarious shenanigans, which became an instant classic formula. No sitcom has ever come close to the series that started it all, spawning iconic looks like “the Rachel” and timeless catchphrases like “How you doin’?” while creating a cultural sensation that catapulted the cast members to instant mega-stardom.

This fully illustrated episode guide will treat readers to nostalgic flashbacks of the top one hundred episodes and sneak peeks of how popularly referenced lines from the show came to be. Friends Forever also boasts new interviews with show creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman - on how the show got its start - and set designer John Shaffner who reveals his inspirations behind the iconic looks behind Monica and Rachel’s apartment and Central Perk.

Luckily we are pretty flexible in those early years and are very quickly back on our feet to try again. But as the years pass we can lose that flexibility, have further to fall and take a lot longer to recover.

For the older generation a fall has the potential to be a life changing event.

By the time we are 65 the risk becomes a growing problem, with around a third of people falling at least once a year. The older we get, the higher the risk. Once we have made it to 80 years of age we have a 50% chance of falling once a year. In Leicestershire thousands of people are injured each year in falls.

If you are worried that you are at risk of falling, or you have a friend or family member who is at risk there are a couple of actions you can take. You can speak to your GP, pharmacist, or care worker if you have one for further help and advice.

You can also watch a short film demonstrating a series of simple exercises designed to help you improve their health and wellbeing and reduce their risk of falling.

All of the exercises can be done at home. There are also tips on walking correctly and advice on what to do in the event of a fall.

You can find the film and more information online at http://www. healthandcareleicestershire.co.uk/ preventingfalls/ or if you don't like typing long links just google grobylinx, click the first result, and you'll find it listed under Groby Spotlight Links.

Here are some useful tips to help prevent falls.

Look after your feet • Ensure your shoes/slippers keep your foot firmly in place.

Avoid narrow heels, open backs or worn soles.

Stay Well • Eat healthily and regularly and take your medicines on time

Julie’s Pet Care SERVICES

and as prescribed.

Look after your eyes • Have your eyes tested regularly– it’s free if you’re over 65.

Stay active, stay steady • Be active – try to do 30 minutes of moderate activity every day to help you maintain balance and muscle strength – this could be split into 3 x10 minute sessions across the day.

Look after your home • Replace worn floor coverings, remove clutter and ensure your home is well lit.

Christmas Surgery Opening Hours The surgery will be closed on December 25 and 26, and on New Year's Day 1 January. If medical attention is required outside of normal surgery hours • ring 0116 2313331 • or contact 111 by phone or online • or ring 01509 611600 to contact the Urgent Care Centre at Loughborough Hospital, Hospital Way, Loughborough LE11 5JY. (Open throughout the holiday period).

• In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency Out-of-hours services are generally busy so please think carefully before asking to see a doctor and only do so if you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.

Norman Griffiths

for Groby Surgery Patients Group

Search your sofa IF YOU are feeling hard up for money as the New Year begins, it may be worth checking your sofa.

It seems that there are still millions of old one-pound coins loose in our homes across the country.

The Royal Mint has reassured people that they will still accept the old coins – just take them to your nearest bank. “We expect there to be some returns for a number of years to come,” said a spokesman.

Murder next March Groby Players’ next production will be on March 26th,27th and 28th 2020, in the Village Hall ,Groby.

So ‘ save the date’ for a ‘gripping’ evening’s entertainment ,when the curtain goes up on murder!’

Dot Hollins

From £5

Pet Minding

Tel: 07934 686692 Email: Julie.petcareservice@gmail.com

Dog Walking CRB Checked I think unicorns are just horses that are not very adept at eating ice cream cones.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

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East Midlands farmers silently suffer scourge of FLYTIPPING AN AGRICULTURAL expert is warning of the hidden financial and emotional cost of flytipping on the region’s farmers, after it was revealed 69,237 flytipping incidents were reported to East Midlands councils in the last 12 months.

According to Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) statistics, flytipping incidents increased in 2018/19, with 767 more incidents reported than the previous year1 . (see table at bottom of release for East Midlands flytipping incidents by council) Of the total incidents, 314 took place on agricultural land but Will Kendrick, of Farmers and Mercantile Insurance Brokers (FMIB), warned this figure does not reflect the full scale of the problem for the region’s farmers, as most cases on private land go unreported – with victims left to foot the clean-up bill.

“Flytipping is a scourge on the farming community and their plight is not reflected in these figures as they exclude the majority of privateland incidents,” said Will.

“Councils spend millions every year on clean-up costs but private land-owners, such as farmers, are suffering in silence with little or no assistance or recourse.

“The burden of dumped rubbish falling squarely with farmers as they are liable for clearing it up at their own expense, or face prosecution.

Moving the mess on to public land will not solve the issue, but exacerbate it, which farmers need to be mindful of.

“In one incident we encountered, a farmer was unwittingly branded

a flytipper after falling victim to the crime.

“After finding tyres dumped over his hedge, he moved them on the other side of the hedgerow and informed the authorities. Although the waste was collected, he was slapped with a prosecution order for flytipping.

“Farmers are already faced with a myriad of difficulties, from economic uncertainty to market volatility, and having to fork out dealing with someone else’s mess just compounds these stresses.”

According to the latest National Rural Crime Network, flytipping is now the most common crime experienced by ‘specific rural business owners’, mainly farmers.

For victims of flytipping the average financial impact to the business owner was over £1,000 a time.

Despite the increasing blight of flytipping, Will said that a small number of farmers make claims for flytipping, as many have the kit and manpower to deal with such incidents.

But he stressed the importance of having sufficient protection for farming businesses, particularly in the case of repeat offences. Many combined farm insurance policies cover the cost of flytipping – generally around £5,000 per incident and capped at £15,000.

“If a farmer’s land becomes a flytipping ‘hotspot’, costs can quickly escalate and the crime can soon turn

from being a nuisance to crippling,” added Will.

He explained that, although any farmer can fall victim, there are a number of preventative steps farmers can take to deter wouldbe flytippers from targeting their land.

“Ensure that fields, particularly those by the roadside, are secure, with locked gates where possible and create physical barriers, such as earth mounds, boulders and tree trunks, around the perimeter so that vehicles cannot gain access,” he said.

“Flytippers do not wish to draw attention to themselves, so ensure good visibility, by cutting back hedges and installing exterior lighting in strategic areas.

“If you witness someone in the act of flytipping, do not approach them as this can pose a safety risk.

“If you fall victim to a flytipping incident, be cautious, as the waste could be potentially hazardous.

“Thousands of the DEFRA incidents reported this year included asbestos, clinical, and chemical waste – and we have seen claims for asbestos and commercial refrigerator waste, which need specialist treatment, being dumped on farms.

“Secure the waste, so that animals and the public are not exposed to potentially dangerous material, and also to discourage further flytipping.

Record as much detail as possible, take photos and report the incident to your local council.

“Finally, and most importantly, make sure that any rubbish dumped on your land is disposed of properly. Only use reputable, registered waste companies to help with disposal, and if you take the waste to a licenced waste site yourself, make sure you are registered as a waste carrier.”

Don’t forget to send us your news.

Email: info@ grobyspotlight. co.uk

I’ve narrowed it down. Getting up was where I went wrong today.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Gardening A ghost story for Christmas Did a Groby couple see a Society News

ghost bus one foggy night?

November meeting THE COLD, rainy weather resulted in a smaller number than usual attending the meeting.

Either that or word had spread about the level of difficulty of the Quiz night! Either way, those who ventured out on such a stormy night should be applauded. I wasn’t able to be there, but I’m told the quiz was well received, challenging but not so difficult as to be impossible, and the impressive prize – a family-sized bag of a popular brand of assorted chocolates - for the highest score was awarded to Molly Matson’s team.

Congratulations to them, and I promise to make the questions harder next time!

By the time this article appears in the Spotlight, Christmas will be almost upon us. The opportunity to over-indulge will doubtless appeal to some, plenty of sprouts will be consumed, either home-grown or shop-bought, followed possibly by the good intention to join a gym in January!

It’s worth reflecting on the Society’s year, which saw a new committee formed in January. We had 7 speakers throughout the year; Alan Tyler presenting a talk about Stoneywell in February, then Andrew Ward talking about Woodland Gems in March. April saw our Easter Bonnet competition, and in May the Historic Gardener Michael Brown gave an insight into the work of garden designer Capability Brown. We visited Crossfell House in Great Dalby on a soggy evening in June; possibly the harbinger of the very damp autumn we’ve had this year. In July Celia Sanger talked to us about Calke Abbey, and the Society’s annual trip saw us visiting Hampton Court, Kew and RHS Wisley. The Village Show was in August, and Jeff Bates gave us his thoughts on the great gardens of Great Britain. September saw us on (another!) damp day out to Winterbourne House and Gardens, and Jeanette Merilion gave a talk on Tints of Autumn. Our final speaker in October was Andrew Mikolajski with a talk garden designs (and garden gnomes!). Hopefully there was something to appeal to everybody.

Talking of sprouts, love them or loathe them, each person will eat an average of 14 sprouts at Christmas, part of the 82,000 tons produced each year in the UK, which is enough to cover the City of London, apparently.

For comparison, the QE2 was around 72000 tons! I couldn’t find a statistic relating to cranberry sauce, but the average calorie consumption on Christmas Day is around 6000, about the same as three more normal days.

That gentle stroll on Boxing Day isn’t going to have much impact – sorry!

Our monthly meetings are held at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of each month in the United Reformed Church rooms on Chapel Hill, Groby.

Entry is £2 for non-members (an annual subscription is just £15), and you’ll be sure of a warm welcome, along with a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit. The new year starts with a talk on January 9, when volunteers from Bradgate Park will be telling us how the park is managed for wildlife.

The Society’s AGM will be held on February 13, by which time next year’s program of events will have been finalised.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Keith Poole

ONE WINTER’S night close to Christmas, not so long ago, a Groby couple had been out visiting some friends for dinner.

It was a jolly evening, but because it involved a 10 mile car journey the driver ensured that they consumed no alcohol. After hours of chat and laughter the evening drew to a close long after midnight. It was a cold night, but on a clear moonlight night driving conditions were good.

The roads back through Leicester were deserted and visibility was excellent until they reached County Hall and the Shell service station. But as they passed over the swirling waters of the Rothley Brook they drove into a fog patch, presumably caused by the interaction of the water and the cold night air. There were no other vehicles around at that time of night but it was still prudent to change down a gear and drive more slowly. They were surprised when a red traffic light emerged from the gloom as they did not think they had driven far enough to reach the A46 roundabout.

And they hadn’t, the red light was at the bus gate that allows passenger vehicles to cross the A50 and join the Leicester bound carriageway without negotiating the A46 roundabout. They were puzzled, as they knew that the lights were activated by the buses or any anyone using the pedestrian access across the A50. But here were no scheduled buses at that time of the night and not a soul to be seen.

They peered into the fog. Was that the 10.55pm bus to Leicester running over 2 hours late that they thought they saw for an instant, passing silently across the interchange? Or was it a trick of the light? Or perhaps a phantom ghost bus? As they approached, the lights turned green and there was nothing to be seen.

A nice tale but a spokesman for Leicestershire County Council has an explanation of the red light which eliminates the likelihood of paranormal activity down on the A50.

“The traffic signals are configured to revert to a condition described as ‘rest in all red’ during the overnight period,” he explained. “This is a method used widely throughout the United Kingdom to improve road safety. During the quieter overnight period when traffic flows are light all signals displayed to vehicles and pedestrians will be red, this encourages drivers to approach the signals more cautiously. When an approaching vehicle is detected the traffic signals will automatically change status to allow right of way to traffic with minimal delay.”

Norman Griffiths

Abel Camps to benefit from Co op community funding ABEL CAMPS, Camps for physically disabled children and young people has been chosen by the Co-op local community fund to benefit from funds.

The funding round opened on 27 October 2019 and close on 24 October 2020.

Every time a member buys selected own-brand products and services, 1% of the money they spend goes to local causes in the community, To support Abel Camps you can go to https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/31908 where you can find out how to become a member of the co-op, and also find out more about Abel Camps, Abel Camps has been running for over 40 years, we take physically disabled children from Leicester and Leicestershire on a weeks camping holiday to Tal-y-bont, near Barmouth, Wales.

All assistance is provided by volunteers, included a nurse. Each camp in themed, ranging from Boot Camp, Space, World Cup etc. We have a range of activities in camp, and external activities, including fairground and beach trips. and everyone who comes to help are volunteers, that are DBS Checked Abel Camps cause is linked to a community of one or more Co-op food stores.

The Stores are: Groby (Laundon Way) and Birstall (Wanlip Lane).

Phil Cox Fund raiser for Abel Camps

ABEL CAMPS, provide camping holidays for physically disabled children from Leicester

Yawning is you body’s way of saying 20% battery remaining.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Are your teenagers even more grumpy than usual?

IT MAY be social media is to blame.

17

Letter A lovely time was had at The Stamford!

A research study has found that 13 to 19-year-olds who started using social media early in their lives are now showing signs of ten mental health symptoms, including anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and insomnia.

They are also more irritable, procrastinate for longer, and reveal low self-esteem.

The study was undertaken for the private health provider Bupa.

It found that overall, social media made teenagers more stressed as more than half of them admitted that it distracted them from homework, which then made them more concerned about their declining academic performance.

Is it dark?

HERE’S A New Year’s question for you: is it ever really dark in your house?

Environmentalists are increasingly concerned at the amount of artificial light to which we are all exposed.

Last year National Geographic reported that the excess light “we dump into our environments is endangering ecosystems by harming animals whose life cycles depend on dark.” The magazine went on to warn: “We’re endangering ourselves by altering the biochemical rhythms that normally ebb and flow with natural light levels.”

Light and dark are key to our circadian rhythm (body clock).

But light pollution disrupts the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep patterns. And poor sleep has been linked to everything from lower productivity, to sickness, obesity, impaired memory and worse mental health.

ON WEDNESDAY 27th November 2019 a group of twenty members of the Markfield Mayflower Club descended on the Stamford Arms, Groby for a “Lunch with Vera Lynn event”.

On behalf of members of the Club and myself, I am writing this letter to express how much we enjoyed the event. The food was great and the singer Lucia was fantastic. The glass of prosecco wine went down a treat and we were all soon singing along to the music.

We explained to the landlord Brian Rigby what we do at the Mayflower Club and much to our surprise he made a wonderful gesture of donating the proceeds of the raffle to the club. This donation will go towards the purchase of a New Age Curling set so that we can now start an indoor curling club at Markfield Community Centre in January.

Brian and all his staff were all very pleasant and helpful and we will certainly pop along to the Stamford Arms for similar lunch time events.

Many thanks to you all for a wonderful time it was much appreciated.

Ron Grantham and members of Markfield Mayflower Club

Join us this Christmas at Ratby Methodist Church Saturday 14th December 10.00 am Christmas Coffee Morning with Carols

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Tuesday 17th December 6.15 pm Christingle Service for All

Sunday 22nd December 6.00 pm Family Carol Service

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18

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Martinshaw Primary School News from Owen Lawrence Armistice Day 2019 from Owen Lawrence AT 11AM on the 11th day of the 11th month the school held it’s Remembrance Service led by the Reverend Ed Bampton.

Not only were all the names of the people who gave their lives over the two world wars read out and honoured individually, but Rev. Ed spoke in detail about one particular family, the Burdetts, three of whom, from our village, gave their lives in WW1. Considering how small our village was in the early part of the 20th Century, it helped to bring home to all that were listening the absolute devastation these conflicts brought to, not only the whole nation, but especially small communities like ours.

Year 6 students read the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ written by Canadian John McCrae after the death of his close friend.

The whole school was decorated by paintings and individual poppies made by all the pupils.

Democracy Event TWO OF OUR year six students, Roan and Desani, were chosen to represent Martinshaw school at a ‘Local Democracy Event’ at the Hinckley and Bosworth council offices, along with other year 6 students representing schools from around the Borough. The main aim was to encourage young people to learn more about the running of their local council and gain a first hand insight into how local democracy works.

The representatives were first ushered into the Mayor’s parlour for an informal chat with the current Mayor, Councillor Linda Hodkins, resplendent in her chain of office, where she showed the children how every Mayor, at the end of their term of office, had their name engraved onto the chain.

They then moved into the Council Chamber itself, where every representative pair were allocated their own chair and desk complete with their own microphone. The Council’s Chief Executive gave a short introductory talk and invited questions before introducing a number of Councillors present to talk about themselves and briefly explain their roles.

The students then asked their own questions, took part in a number of activities, which included what qualities they thought went into the making of a good leader. The students went on to take part in various debates and question and answer sessions. I am reliably informed that questions

were particularly encouraged by the fact that when you spoke into the microphone a camera zoomed in on you and your image appeared on screens all around the chamber.

The consensus was that the day had been well planned, interesting, informative and enjoyable. The Council are to be congratulated for this whole child friendly event.

Trees BEING SURROUNDED by Charnwood Forest, it should come as no surprise that the school takes a lot of interest in trees of all shapes and sizes. What is probably not widely known is that the school, a number of years ago, planted, at the back of the school playing field, a number of Norwegian Spruce, which have now reached maturity.

Headmaster Neil Elson applied for and received a grant from the National Forest and he used it to replace some of the spruce with native and traditional trees such as Willow, Larch, Silver Birch and Hazel. The school then used them as a learning opportunity to teach and involve the whole school from pre-school to year six in land management and environmental issues, Everyone set to work removing the spruce which will be sold as Christmas trees to parents/carers and local residents. The money raised will go back into school funds hopefully to be used for future projects.

The new trees, with the support of a land management expert, were all planted and hopefully, at least, will mature and grow strong leaving the students with a feeling of A job well done’ and for the younger children the opportunity to witness that growth during the six or in some cases seven years that they have left at the school.

Not to mention, of course, the opportunity to splash about in your ‘wellies’ for an hour or so !!

Change for Life Festival YEAR 1 took a trip to Green Towers in Hinckley to participate and compete in the ‘Change for Life PE Festival’ along with other Primary schools from the local area. The Festival is an opportunity for children to try activities and sports that they would not normally come across, working with and competing against children of a similar age but from different parts of Leicestershire.

The aim is to teach, by using the children’s skills, in balance, running etc. teamwork, communication and playfulness. Year 1 entered enthusiastically into all the various scenarios and games. However the favourite was the ‘Bean Game’, the idea being to make lots of funny shapes with your body (I can feel myself creaking at the very thought).

With lessons on healthy eating and keeping fit, a ‘win, win’ day all round and, as an added bonus, they all came home with a smile on their faces having had a great day.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

19

Make your views known

Does Groby need a Juniors Rugby Club?

TELEVISION coverage of sporting events often results in an increase in interest in the sport and more people deciding they want to give it a try.

club’s support for the concept of a Groby Community Hub that could provide for both sport as well as accommodation for other activities or community services.

In recent years women’s football has been ‘on a roll’ and the England Women’s World Cup defeat against the United States in July was watched by an average of 8.8 million viewers on BBC One. The recent Rugby World Cup in Japan also generated a huge amount of interest and ITV reported that viewing figures peaked at 12.8 million as England was beaten by South Africa in the Japanese city of Yokohama. It was the UK’s most watched sporting event of 2019.

Groby Juniors Football Club has been a terrific success and has outgrown the available capacity in the village, failing to find a suitable site for a home for the club. It wants to continue its expansion, build the girls football side of the club and perhaps offer football to other groups, for example the disabled or the older generation.

This, together with the need for improved changing facilities, more pitches and an administrative home, explains the

In order to survive every sport needs to encourage young people to get involved. Rugby is no exception, but it seems there are no facilities for training or playing in the village.

Who knows, those that manage to get involved may just have a life enjoying their pastime or they may excel and play for the Leicester Tigers, or even become our sporting heroes.

Groby Juniors Football Club encourages everyone to enjoy the game and in the rugby world Age Grade Rugby reflects the same philosophy. It ensures that every player is able to enjoy rugby in a safe environment where they can develop their personal and social skills as well as a wide array of transferable multi-sports skills.

“This results in their holistic development as well as their life long involvement in rugby and other sports,” explains Rugby England. “Age Grade Rugby is the

But what about rugby?

game for all players aged 6 – 18 in clubs, schools, colleges and within the representative pathway and it incorporates the rules of play, regulation, competition formats and the structure of the season. It is based on the principles of being player centred, development driven and competitive, supported with the wants and needs of young people at its heart.”

What kind of pitch?

Where space is at a premium an artificial pitch for more intensive use is an advantage and with careful scheduling of matches and training it is thought that rugby could perhaps be shared with teams such as Groby Juniors Football Club.

When considering the best way to complement the existing facilities in Groby, if the proposed Community Hub is approved and developed, the Juniors have decided that an artificial all weather pitch should be the aspiration.

There have been huge technological advances since artificial pitches were introduced.

The latest 4G pitches remain soft during cold snaps, and they don’t freeze like earth does. Every blade

of artificial grass on a 4G pitch has a solid spine that allows it to snap back into position when it is trodden on – ensuring it always looks good. Ball bounces are true, and it’s claimed there is sufficient give in the modern artificial pitch to minimise injuries.

FIFA has given the technology the highest possible rating and allows matches in the Champion’s League to be played on the surface.

A 4G pitch isn’t cheap, but grant funding is a possibility, and if the use is shared might be available from more than one source, though that is pure speculation. Groby Juniors Football Club is unable to comment as the idea has not yet been discussed by their management committee.

For the moment the question is whether or not Groby needs a Juniors Rugby Club. If you think the answer is ‘yes’ you need to be making your views known now. There may not be another opportunity.

Parish Council contacts Write to Council Offices, Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, LE6 0DQ or phone 0116 287 6985 or email: parishclerk@groby.com

Norman Griffiths

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20

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

NEWS FROM GROBY ALLOTMENTS FIRSTLY, may I wish you all a very Happy Christmas! I hope you all have a lovely time and eat lots of healthy vegetables from your garden or allotment!

We, at the Groby Allotments held our Christmas social gathering on Sunday 1st December, our last one of the year and the last one until next Spring. We had some mulled wine and mince pies along with the usual bacon cobs and tea or coffee for our two-hour Open Shed Sunday gettogether. This is our main fund-raising event and held monthly between April and October, with a special one at Christmas. We have a few stalls, with a Tombola, bric-a-brac, a plant-produce or plants stall (depending on the season), a pre-loved garden implements stall and the chance to have a chat with fellow allotment tenants.

This year we have managed to fund our new storage building with the help of a very welcome 50% grant from the Hinckley and Bosworth Parish Community Initiative Fund. So, we are very grateful to Hinckley and Bosworth for supporting us, as we had not only outgrown our old storage building, a former pig sty, but it was in great danger of falling down each time we entered it!

Christmas Vegetables ON THE allotment itself, this is a quiet time of year.

We have those staples of the Christmas dinner to harvest, parnsips and sprouts. The recent frost will have helped the parsnips, which become sweeter after the cold as the starches inside them turn into sugars. In fact, parsnips were used as a sweetener before the introduction of cane sugar to sweeten various foods. I also read recently that parsnips were thought to be an aphrodisiac, but I have no evidence to back that up! Before the weather gets really frosty and the ground too hard to dig, you can dig them up, and then loosely heel them in the ground again so they are easier to harvest later.

The sprouts are coming along nicely, and I have already picked a few from the bottom of the stalks, making sure I leave enough for the day itself.

Sprouts also become sweeter after the first frost and can be left all winter to harvest as needed. New varieties are meant to have a much sweeter taste. However, they really are a ‘Marmite’ vegetable, you either love them or hate them. I love them but my grandchildren are not keen. It’s a shame as they, along with parsnips are really good for you, full of minerals, antioxidants and fibre. However, none of that is going to convince my grandchildren to eat up!

I’ve also brought one or two of my chilli plants in the house now, to grace a sunny windowsill. They will still keep on growing and producing chillies to add to winter warmer meals and when they turn red, they look very festive too! Merry Christmas!

Carol Lincoln

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Price: £110 • SNOOKER TABLE, 6ft with folding stand, pool and snooker balls, cues etc. Price: £100 o.n.o Tel 0116 291 0887 (Groby).

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• Vintage Wicker DOG BED. Suitable for small dog or a cat.

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

Maximum EIGHT items please.

Our postal address is: Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@grobyspotlight.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).

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

21

The Great Big Groby SpringAPPROVAL Clean OVER THE past few years, mainly since David Attenborough’s Blue Planet, we have all become aware of the huge issue of how damaging plastic is to the environment.

Groby is surrounded by wildlife which needs protecting, so next April our aim is to Spring Clean Groby and invite you to join us.

At our very first HootS meeting, one of the concerns raised was about litter and the affect it has on the environment. Small groups of residents have been doing there own litter picks and have found that the majority of the litter is plastic.

The litter that is discarded not only gets imbedded into the soil or hedgerows, but can enter our waterways via the drains, ending up in the rivers and eventually the sea. Plastic bags get swept up into our trees. Drink PRINT HxWmm cans get crushed into the ground and as they erode and crack the sharp DIGITAL WxHpx edges become dangerous to small feet and inquisitive noses. Crisp packets take over 80 years to degrade, plastic bottles over 500 and cigarette butts over 10. Our litter, if left affects the ecosystems around us.

Our hopes for the Groby Spring Clean is to pick up as much litter as possible within our village, in particular the areas of woodlands and meadows. We want as many people and groups as possible to join us over a two week period at the end of April. We are hoping to get the schools, local clubs, groups, families and individuals involved.

The Spring Clean will hopefully help to educate and change people’s habits, while reconnecting with the environment we live in. We are going to look at which areas have the worst litter problems and look at how this can be changed. We will look at the number of bins around the village and hope to get the local council onside with the introduction of recycling bins, particularly around food outlets.

More information about the Groby Spring Clean will follow in the new year, but if you are interested in getting involved we would love to hear from you. Contact us at HootS-groby@hotmail.com We wish you all a lovely Christmas.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS

Councillor Martin Cartwright reports

2019 – Thank You As 2019 draws to a close I am left wondering where the year went despite the many challenges that it posed, some of which were featured in my Spotlight articles. Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read my updates and to the editor of the Spotlight for the opportunity to keep you all updated. Groby has many volunteers in varied roles a heartfelt thank you to you all as Groby residents would be so much the poorer without you and your volunteering.

Leicester Road former Highway Land – New Homes I wrote fairly positively in my November article within the Spotlight around the provision of 10 Affordable Rent and 20 Shared Ownership homes about to be completed on Leicester Road, Groby by Hello Homes.

That positivity was very short lived as only days later I learned of an application being submitted to HBBC planning department to remove all the S106 (Section 106) money originally agreed to.

S106 Money is agreed and given to the Schools, Parish Council, Library, and Doctors etc to mitigate the impact the new homes have on the community in which they are located. Without going into too much detail the application to remove all the money to be paid in the form of S106 monies will deny Groby and its infrastructure the vital money it needs to be sustainable.

The reason for the application from Hello Homes for this is that they now say this money is unaffordable and they can prove this by a viability assessment.

The two points that I wish to express are: 1. That the planning committee at HBBC determined the planning application in the first place so the planning committee at HBBC should also consider and determine this application to remove the money payable by legal agreement 2. Where is the negotiation? They have gone from Hero, agreeing all the contribution’s in the original application to Zero requesting that all the monies agreed in respect of S106 money be removed.

In respect of point 1 above I have called this into the planning committee at HBBC as ward member and this has been accepted. The December planning meeting at HBBC has been cancelled due to the General Election so the first opportunity for

the planning committee to come to a decision on this application is the January 2020 meeting.

By the time you get to read this the consultation period would have expired so you will not be able to make comment online.

Following my talks with officers it has been agreed once the application documents are online and HBBC have had the opportunity to have the figures submitted by Hello Homes Independently inspected then there will be a further 21 day consultation period before the application goes to the planning committee, that basically means February 2020 meeting as the earliest possible date. You have up until the day before the planning committee meeting to make your comments.

Either e-mail your comments to the case officer for this application Jenny Brader jenny.brader@ hinckley@bosworth.gov.uk or write to Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council at: Hinckley Hub, Rugby Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 0FR In either case please add the reference number 19/01060/S106 to your correspondence.

HBBC office closing times Borough Council services at the Hinckley Hub will close at 12 noon on Tuesday 24 December and re-open at 8.30am on Monday 30 December.

Borough Council services at the Hinckley Hub will also be closed on Wednesday 1 January 2020.

In an emergency call 01455 251137.

Refuse & recycling arrangements All Groby’s refuse and recycling collections will continue as usual during the Christmas and New Year period. However, the garden waste (brown bin) collection service will be suspended for two weeks during the Christmas and New Year period (last collection Friday 20 December and collections starting again Monday 6 January 2020). There will also be no collections of large items (bulky waste) during the same dates. Residents can find full details of collection dates on-line at http:// www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/ collections

Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.

3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary for Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to achieve the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and to implement best practice methods to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius.

4. Report to Council within six to nine months with an action plan, outlining how the council will address this emergency. The action plan will detail the leadership role HBBC will take in promoting community, public, business and other council partnerships to achieve this carbon neutral 2030 commitment throughout the borough. The action plan will also outline the staff time and resources required to undertake the actions to achieve the targets.

5. Investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment.

I am here to help you Should you have any comments or problems you would like me to mention in my article please get in touch.

Please remember if I can ever be of help to you or your family please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact details are listed below.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Kind regards

Cllr Martin Cartwright Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, Climate Change, Rural Issues & Klondyke Community Hub

Call: 0116 287 4500 Mobile: 07850 707050 E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome. co.uk

Climate change plans Earlier this summer, councillors declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ and pledged to: 1. Declare a ‘climate emergency’.

2. do what is within our powers, to work towards making Hinckley &

Open Church at Christmas

On Saturday, 21st December, from 2pm to 4pm, the Parish Church in Groby will be open for a time of quiet and an opportunity for those who have lost loved ones recently to remember them at this special time of year.

During the afternoon, there will be an opportunity to place cards with prayers or loving words on a Tree of Remembrance and to light a candle in their memory.

While you are there, if you find that you would like to speak to someone about how you feel, members of the Church’s Ministry Team will also be available, if asked, ready to lend a listening ear.

If you are around at that time, please do drop in. Tea and biscuits will be provided!

Keith Wignall Residents newsletter promoted by Cllr Martin Cartwright, Maverick House, 10 Pine Tree Avenue, Groby, Leicester. LE6 0EQ

0116 2311439 Lay Minister, St Philip and St James Church, Groby

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

GoLearn adult learning courses open up new horizons for 2020

How older people can boost brain power

HUNDREDS of part-time day, evening and weekend courses are now open for enrolment from the county council’s adult learning service.

Courses are available on a wide range of subjects, and at venues across the county. Classes begin in January and are open for enrolment now at www.leicestershire.gov.uk/golearn Courses on offer range from one-off two-hour sessions to 15-week courses and full 30-week programmes. They include languages, english for speakers of other languages (ESOL), British Sign Language, computer skills, art, fused glass, jewellery making, knitting, patchwork and quilting, and confidence building.

Richard Blunt, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: “With 2020 on the way, a lot of people will be thinking about learning a new skill or taking up a new interest. These adult learning courses offer the ideal opportunity to turn that resolution into reality.”

Free courses are also available for people seeking work and looking to gain basic skills, including planning first steps towards employment, increasing confidence, help with online job searching, CV writing and interview skills. As well as traditional English and maths GCSE, functional skills, first aid, food safety in catering qualifications plus many others aimed at giving learners the tools to progress.

Anyone who enrols on a course before 31 January 2020 will receive an early bird discount of 10 per cent off the tuition fee.

People in receipt of certain benefits, or on a low income, can get a 70 per cent discount on tuition fees, or may be entitled to attend for free.

For more information, visit the website www.leicestershire. gov.uk/golearn or pick up a brochure from any Leicestershire library or learning centre. Advisors from the adult learning service can also be contacted on 0800 988 0308 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am -7pm).

IF YOU are a pensioner, and you spend two hours a day learning new skills, you can reverse any cognitive decline by the equivalent of up to 30 years.

That is the conclusion of researchers at the University of California Riverside. They found that pensioners who practised a new language, or attended drawing classes, boosted their memory and reasoning. The good effect on 58 to 86-year-olds could be seen within six weeks.

Furthermore, it was found that the older people could also maintain their new abilities while learning multiple new skills.

As one scientist explained: “The message is older adults can learn multiple new skills at the same time, and doing so may improve their cognitive functioning.”

The Silent Patient

by Alex Michaelides Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect.

A famous painter married to an indemand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety.

The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him...

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I bought some travel sweets but they were useless. I ate the whole packet. Didn’t go anywhere.

24

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Letter

SINGLE

Local raffle raised over £1,200 for the Starlight Children’s Foundation

By K.L.Slater

I CAME UPON the Starlight Children’s Foundation charity when I was in hospital with my little boy Zachary. We have been in and out of hospital since he was born so it has not been a fun ride, and it will be life long.

‘I keep feeling like I’m being watched – dropping the boys off at school, choosing wine at the supermarket – but when I turn around there’s nobody there… ’When single mother Darcy’s son falls from a rope bridge at a local playground, life stands still.

She clutches his small, limp body, frozen, until a pair of strong hands push her aside, and she watches as George, a local doctor, saves her son’s life.

George is a single parent too, and with his twinkling hazel eyes, easy charm, and lack of wedding band is almost too good to be true, but coffee becomes lunch, lunch becomes dinner, and soon they can’t go an evening without seeing each other.

When he invites her to move into his beautiful home with its sprawling garden for her boys, Darcy doesn’t hesitate. But as Darcy is settling in, she receives a bunch of flowers with a chilling message.

George says they’re from an obsessed ex-girlfriend, Opal, and days later Opal turns up at Darcy’s son’s football match. She claims to have shocking information that could threaten George’s custody of his daughter. Darcy doesn’t know who to trust, but she’s starting to suspect that, whatever the truth, she might have put her beloved boys into terrible danger …

TO ADVERTISE IN GROBY SPOTLIGHT

Contact Mike Wilkinson on 01530 244069

For his 1st birthday (30/11/19) I organised a raffle to raise funds for Starlight.

I went around all of the local businesses and asked if they would help. As you can see by the list below, they were very generous and some even helped sell the tickets. For Zachary and his friends all picked out the winning numbers. This event and amount raised just showed me what a fantastic community we have and I thought it would be lovely if you could perhaps put a piece in to help advertise the charity as they are fantastic for the children who are poorly in hospitals.

They have been lovely towards my son and even sent him a birthday present which he loves.

I grew up in Groby and moved back in August this year as I love the area and it’s home.

We would like to say THANK YOU for everyone’s help in raising money for this great cause. All the businesses below who donated for the raffle and everyone who helped. The total raised was a fantastic £1220.70.

Sterling Silver Diamond Earrings – Cathy Stephens Meal for Two – Stamford Arms Fish & Chips for two – Groby Fish Bar Chinese for two – Groby Chinese Treat Hamper – Bradgate Stores Box of Roses – Wilsons Convenient Store Gnome garden light – Pricegate Body Shop Hamper – Ethical Beauty with Nicola £20 Meat Voucher – Chaplins Butchers Groby Bed head Gift Set – Studio J Free Cut & Blow Dry – Jades Hair Design £35.00 Treatment Voucher – Natural Elements Hot drink & Cake for two – Groby Library

Groby & Field Head Spotlight PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics.

LE67 9ZT

Telephone

01530-244069 Email us at: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk Visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 3,500 copies distributed 11 times a year (no issue in July) to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings.

Compiled and published in the Parish of Groby & Field Head. Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press.

The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication.

All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight.

None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.

Dinner for two – Groby Club 2 x bottles of sparkling grape juice & luxury Italian chocolates Co op Laundon Way (formerly Budgens) Silver earring & necklace set & tea set – Toddlers Nursery Pretty & Pink girls play trolley & misc toys – Groby Nursery School Foxes tin of biscuits – Co op Styling Kit – Classic Cuts Regenerative cream duo – DLS Clinic Groby Gift bag and cards – Groby Post Office Wine tasting experience – Pattersons commercial Law Ratby

Chloe Bell, Groby

NEXT ISSUE OUT ON: 18th January 2020 DEADLINE: 4th January 2020

That first kiss in the morning is so special, and the dog enjoys it too.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Cat & squirrel news WHEN OUR kitten Sammy was very young, he went to stay with my daughter-in-law Aldabra and grand-daughter Kathy while we were racing in Belgium.

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Are you taking a MID-WINTER BREAK? IF YOU are preparing to take off for foreign climes, do keep an eye out for signs that have English words… but perhaps not an English meaning!

When we picked him up Kathy presented us with a bag full of cat toys. None of our previous cats have shown any interest in toys – mice, birds, frogs –yes. Toys, no. Sammy loves his – especially the one with a bell. He carries it around in his mouth – it’s like living with Santa.

We think Sammy must come from a long line of alley cats – his attitude to food is competitive and predatory. David cooks chicken for our cats. Yes, I know. He was cutting up a chicken breast for their supper when Sammy climbed up the side of the kitchen cupboard and swiped it. He ran off growling. Our peaceful morning routine – breakfast in bed, the Guardian crossword – has become a battleground – porridge, toast, home-made strawberry yoghurt – Sammy covets them all. To be fair, when he succeeded in stealing a very well buttered slice of toast from David – growling again- he did only lick off all the butter. He left the toast for David.

Olaf, our senior cat, seems to have resigned himself to the fact that Sammy is here to stay. As winter kicks in, the appeal of a warm bed to sleep on and an unlimited supply of food have won him over.

Cyril the squirrel is very pleased with his new metal seed feeder. He spends many happy hours emptying it, hanging upside down by his tail.

There is still plenty left for the blue-tits, great-tits, robins and sparrows.

In hotels and train stations and airports all over the world there are polite little signs that will bring a smile to the lips of even the most exhausted traveller. For instance, how about these*: Switzerland: We have nice bath and are very good in bed.

Romania: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time, we regret you will be unbearable.

Russia: If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

Italy: If service is required, give two strokes to the maid and three to the waiter.

Spain: Our wine list leaves you with nothing to hope for.

Denmark: In the event of fire, open a window and announce your presence in a seemly manner.

Canary Islands: If you telephone for room service you will get the answer you deserve. *From ‘Lost in Translation: Misadventures in English Abroad’ by Charlie Croker (Michael O’Mara Books, £9.99)

TAKE A RIDE ON GROBY’S POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN TO SEE SANTA!

Local stalls for crafts and gifts

HOT FOOD AVAILABLE CANDYFLOSS & POPCORN LEICESTERSHIRE FIRE SERVICE VISITING

POST YOUR LETTERS TO SANTA IN OUR VERY OWN POSTBOX

AT THE DRUCK SITE, EVERYONE WELCOME

IT’S FREE NO BOOKING REQUIRED JUST TURN UP

Lindy Hardcastle

I tried some of that revitalising shampoo. My hair was awake all night.

1 GE Title or job number 10/30/2019

09/12/2019 Word Search Pu Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

26

RESOLUTIONS Wordsearch FIND 12 POPULAR NEW RESOLUTIONS in this issue’s Wordsearch puzzle, you could win yourself a meal and a drink. This month we are offering a tasty prize of: A Main Course for Two, plus A Bottle of House Wine at The FieldHead Hotel.

D G E T I N S H A P E B I W Y S L

G O N U A E J N S P E P M A E K U

S T O Z X Z E I T M G E J T P O Z

L K L F G C P Q O N E E U C Q O Z

S V P N R F B R Y T Z L S H K B N

S B E O I E E S N A H S E L S E Y

T W O Y H P I E P D S E F E I R O

A B K Z O Y W H Q S J R J S R O B

To go into the draw, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - 12 of the most popular New Year Resolutions. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). IMPORTANT: You MUST address your entry to: RESOLUTIONS, Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Saturday 4th January 2020. Remember Y F X E B E G Y R to include your name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out C U T F L R I B E of the hat will win the prize. Good luck!

S L K P W Z T K P O Z S Z M B

I I E B M K I L T M U T A D J

K O X T N K C M A T P V Q A K

P L U F E T A R G E R O M E B

O F B V C R S K P G H M J R U

E I D I T E M O C E B T H C M

V E U P S M O K I N G P A K N

B O H W E N A Y R T W Y F E D

D U C E S T R E S S R I Y D G

Here are the 12 RESOLUTIONS you have to find:

BECOME TIDIER • BE MORE GRATEFUL • BE MORE POLITE EAT HEALTHIER FOOD • GET IN SHAPE • GET MORE SLEEP GIVE UP SMOKING • MEET NEW PEOPLE • READ MORE BOOKS REDUCE STRESS • TRY A NEW HOBBY • WATCH LESS TV

Name: .................................................................................................

Address: ................................................................................................ .................................................................Postcode: .............................

LAST MONTH’S WORDSEARCH WINNER

CLOSING DATE: SATURDAY 4TH JANUARY 2020 BECOMETIDIER BEMOREGRATEFUL BEMOREPOLITE EATHEALTHIERFOOD WE LIKE to think that the Spotlight is a half-decent village GETINSHAPE magazine but there is always room for improvement and GETMORESLEEP development, so we’d be grateful if you could spend a GIVEUPSMOKING few moments filling in your answers to the following two MEETNEWPEOPLE READMOREBOOKS questions, and posting or emailing them to us.

REDUCESTRESS TRYANEWHOBBY Which of the following regular features do you usually read: WATCHLESSTV • Local news items • News from local community groups / societies / WI • Local charity news items Created by Puzzlemaker • Borough Councillors’ reports • County Councillor’s report • News from local schools/colleges • Gardening Society News • Allotments News • National Trust Association News • Book Spots • News from Groby Community Library • Letter from Uncle Eustace • Small Ads • Groby Surgery Patients’ Group News • Wordsearch Competition • Jokes • Letters

The winner of last issue’s Wordsearch Competition was:

MRS J LEVELL OF SYCAMORE DRIVE, GROBY.

Congratulations! Your prize voucher will be sent to you soon.

Help make the Spotlight better!

at DiscoveryEducation.com

Are there any features, not currently included, which you’d like to see in the magazine?

Thanks for helping!

Mike Wilkinson I met my wife at an arthritis support group ... you know when two people just click?

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-DECEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Letter from Uncle Eustace

Elizabeth Woodville School News Spotlight time again! This month, we’re reporting on how we’ve been inspired by the change in seasons from autumn to winter to produce fantastic art work and creative writing. There was also time for a treat… as Year 3 and 4 were finding out about the origins of chocolate!

Talking the Talk!

Three children in Year 5 were very excited about representing the school at the Talk the Talk event at the Brookvale Groby Campus.

We would like to thank all the children who auditioned for the event and took a lot of time and effort to prepare an interesting and sometimes amusing presentation about their chosen subject. They were all amazing and extremely brave to present their chosen topic to the whole school in assembly.

The girls who attended the event chose to present ‘The Science of Cakes’, ‘Snowboarding’ and ‘The Navy (a family perspective)’. Well done to everyone involved!

Leaf Man Class 2 have been using the story ‘The Leaf Man’ in their English topic. We have read the story and written a diary entry describing his journey as the Leaf Man. The children thoroughly enjoyed getting into the character!

After this, we decided to make our own leaf characters as we were learning all about the seasons. We discovered that lots of leaves would be around the playground at this time of the year, so we put them to good use! Here is a photo of one of our fantastic characters!

Our changing seasons This half term, Year 1 have become experts in seasons, weather, day and night. In science, we have built up our knowledge to answer questions about how the different seasons can affect humans, animals and trees. We created animal hotels, made fat balls for our local wildlife, and investigated where other animals migrated to in the colder months of the year.

For our English lessons, we read ‘The Night Box’ story by Louise Grieg, and the children demonstrated their retrieval and inference skills. We learnt what verbs are and how we could use them in our writing to add more detail to our sentences. Finally, at the end of the unit, the children spent a week creating their own version of The Night Box before illustrating their final piece.

‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’ Year 3 and 4 have been delving deep into Aztec history, exploring the origins of chocolate! We have spent time learning about the phenomenon that was Tenochtitlan;

27

On how to mix town and country – or not The Rectory St. James the Least My dear Nephew Darren Your idea for our two churches to hold a combined New Year’s Day walk was an admirable one, although I could sense a certain clash of cultures when your party arrived at the starting point with boots, waterproofs and GPS equipment.

the great Aztec city. Included in this, children have been becoming explorers, developing their geographical knowledge of the continents and oceans, as well as a more specific knowledge of Mexico, or as it was formerly known, Mesoamerica. Children have had the opportunity to unleash their imaginations, picturing the sights, sounds and smells that they would have experienced, walking through this magnificent Aztec city. We have also investigated the way Aztec society was structured, comparing it to the way our society works now, considering if things were fair back then, and asking questions to challenge each-others’ viewpoints.

The children then had a great time tasting lots of different types of chocolate. They were asked to look at the chocolate and smell it before tasting it to discuss the different flavours and textures. This is part of a Design and Technology unit, where they will design their own chocolate bar and packaging. We already have lots of ideas for some wonderful creations.

Our own group, rather anticipating tottering between tea shops, with a little light shopping in between, sported tweed suits, shopping bags and furled umbrellas.

Even the two sets of dogs seemed bemused with one another, with your Westies and King Charles spaniels making enough noise to scare all the wildlife in the county, and our Retrievers puzzled why the pheasants were not dropping from the sky. Dear Miss Mill’s miniature poodle, with the painted toenails, will probably need life-long counselling; the furthest she had walked previously was from her bed to beside the dining room table.

The electronic navigation equipment brought by members of your group made me think that if only the wise men had had these blessings, they wouldn’t have had to follow anything as unreliable as a star. Although I suppose that instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, they would then have arrived with an MP3 player, a mobile phone which would have been obsolete before Jesus’ first birthday and a CD of Madonna’s greatest hits.

I do concede that our two congregations learned much from one another.

Our ladies were most interested to hear about the latest in personal trainers, while yours discovered how to bring a pan of jam to a rolling boil. Your men seemed impressed to hear of squirrel shooting while ours gathered useful tips for caravanning abroad. And poor Miss Mill’s poodle learned that the great outdoors was a parallel and hostile universe.

By mid-afternoon, however, the balance of power shifted. When the leader of the walk from your group lost his SatNav, our members felt the need to assert themselves. The gentlemen navigated using wind direction, moss on trees and angles of the sun, while our ladies, with tweed skirts furled somewhat higher than one would have wished, showed yours how to wade through peat bog without complaining.

Perhaps town and country really can learn from one another. But if Major Bullock’s wife arrives for Mattins next Sunday sporting the latest gym gear, you will have much to answer for.

Your loving uncle,

Eustace

Every Saturday morning 10.00am—12.30pm CATCH meets for play, craft, story & chat for pre-school children with a parent or carer 9.30-11.30am every Friday at Groby URC Chapel Hill

Fair Cuppa for FairTrade refreshments in fairly traded mugs.

Every Thursday 10.3012am at the Village Hall

Weekly in term time for children for 6’s to 14’s on Mon evenings, at 6.00pm or 7.45pm. We meet at the United Reformed Church on Chapel Hill.

Along with our work in schools, these are run by the two churches in Groby under the group name EXTEND.

For further information please see websites and church magazines St. Philip and St. James Rector – Rev Ed Bampton 01162396520 www.grobychurch.org.uk United Reformed Church Phil Holmes (Church Secretary) 0116 225 3335 www.grobyurc.com Youth, Children's & Families Colin Udall 07776 157511 colin.udall@ntlworld.com

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