March 2014 groby spotlight magazine by Michael Wilkinson

Support Groby Village Hall

Your Community Needs You! • •

Do you use Groby Village Hall? Did you know there are a wide range of activities that take place there?

Exercise classes, coffee mornings, pre-school playgroups, art classes, the WI, the Village Society, Sunday School, Drama Group, dance classes, the Annual Groby Show, Annual Gardening Society Plant Sale and much more, including private parties and wedding receptions. Have you ever wondered who runs the village hall and keeps the wheels in motion? It is not the Parish Council, but a small and very dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the village hall building and its car park maintained and running smoothly. The Village Hall is a registered charity and no monies from the Council Tax or precept are used for the upkeep. Only revenue that comes from hiring out the rooms and the occasional donation or grant pay for maintaining the building to a high standard and also the ever spiralling utility bills. The management committee now require additional members prepared to lend a hand. If you have a few hours to spare and maybe a skill or two, please contact the village hall via e-mail: grobyvillagehall@mail.com or the Village Hall mobile phone: 07873 722521. Further details and booking information on the village hall can be found online on our new website: http://www.groby.org.uk/community/village_ hall.html

Groby Village Hall Management Committee

LETTER

Looking for a long lost friend in Groby Were you in Groby in the late 80’s? My lovely friend, Jayne Hamilton, lived in Groby around that time, somewhere close to the Stamford Arms, I believe. We first met when we both lived in Leicester, she then lived in a flat on Beaconsfield Road, although she was originally from Manchester. We lost touch and I would very much like to see her again. If you have any information which might help I would be very grateful if you could contact me please. My email address is: flossyfloof@yahoo.co.uk. Many thanks,

Jacqui Newcombe

Groby Parish Council’s Quarterly Newsletter is inside this month’s Spotlight SEE PAGES 14 & 15

Groby Village Hall - could you help to keep it running smoothly?

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Groby & Field Head Spotlight PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT

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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.

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Libraries – every cloud has a silver lining? Norman Griffiths outlines the County Council proposals

The prospective cut of £800,000 per annum in funding for library services could result in the sacking of County Council staff in rural libraries and the possible closure of libraries if parish councils and community groups do not come forward to run them. But County Councillor Richard Blunt does not feel the changes are necessarily bad news. When presenting the plan for a period of consultation on the future of libraries at the County Council’s Cabinet meeting this month, he said that even before the consultation had begun around a third of communities had been in touch to say that they were interested in discussing involvement. “There is some appetite for this,” he told members adding that “If we do it properly we could create a library service that could be an improvement.” He acknowledged the good work done by the current staff now faced with possible redundancy. Readers of the Leicester Mercury may have been confused by the report that Cllr Blunt had said “The rumours that libraries will close is nothing but scaremongering,” which seemed to be at odds with the official County Council position. “I did say we may have to close libraries if we can’t find partners,” explained Cllt Blunt. “I also said that it was scaremongering to say that Libraries WILL close. “Journalists want a sensational story and they sometimes over egg the cake to get the headline they are looking for. There is a big difference between “will” and “might.” The report presented to members said that in order to achieve the cost reductions identified it will be necessary to implement the necessary changes from Spring 2015. There will be a consultation from 7 April 2014 with local communities, Parish Councils, staff, stakeholders and other relevant bodies. A report detailing the outcome will be submitted to the Cabinet in September 2014. The final deadline for receipt of business cases will be 3 January 2015 with implementation between April and June 2015 of Community Managed Libraries or alternative arrangements for service delivery. Savings of £140,000(2014/15) and £640,000(2015/16) will increase to £800,000 in 2016/17. The County Council has now issued details of how it sees the new arrangements working and what support it would provide community libraries.

What the Council will provide Accommodation For library freehold premises these will be leased on an internal repairing basis for a term of not less than 10 years. There will initially be a peppercorn rent payable and a Council contribution to reasonable directly related property operating costs for an initial period of up to five years. These include head rent (where applicable), electricity, gas, buildings insurance, water and rates. Where a library is relocated into an organisation’s own building then a contribution to reasonable directly related operating costs will be made as above to a maximum of the amount currently paid.

Computing facilities The Council would provide a pc for computerised loan issue and returns and library management. And WiFi access and a minimum of one public access PC, though more may be provided subject to negotiation.

Training and support The Council would provide initial and refresher training to all volunteers free of charge. The Council would also provide access to professional advice by phone, email, web based resources and by visits.

Bookstock The Council will loan library book stock to a level appropriate to the levels of service being provided.

Other Equipment The Council will provide use of existing fixtures and fittings such as shelving, tables, chairs and counters.

Transition Costs A one off grant could be available to support any reasonable costs incurred in setting up the service which might include minor alterations to buildings to enable the service to be provided and/or the fees involved in setting up a trust or other legal entity.

Insurance The Council will be responsible for insuring the fabric of the building.

What the Community will provide Staffing The partnership would provide all staffing resources, presumed to be volunteers, to meet the minimum number of opening hours agreed.

Other Equipment The costs of repairs or replacement of existing fixtures and fittings such as shelving, tables, chairs and counters.

Insurance The partnership would be responsible for arranging insurance cover for the loaned book stock and would be required to take out public liability insurance with a minimum cover of £10 million. This document will help communities consider more fully the personal commitment required from volunteers running a Community Library as well as the costs that may have to be met when the 5 year honeymoon period is over and County Council support is reduced. It deals with the key issues but there are many more questions to be asked. In the week that this Spotlight is being delivered initial discussions have been taking place between the County and Parish Councils. Local residents will be saddened by the prospect of library staff losing their jobs but are faced with the stark conclusion of the report presented to the County Council: to achieve the necessary budget cuts there is no status quo. Only time will tell whether the cloud’s silver lining has a hallmark or whether it’s just silver paint.

If you are concerned about the plans to withdraw funding from rural libraries you can add your name to an e-petition on www.leics.gov.uk, the County Council website. Follow the link to e-petitions under the heading ‘do it online’ and sign up by 25 August. The petition reads - “We the undersigned petition the Council to reconsider its decision to close or transfer 37 of Leicestershire’s smaller libraries. We believe the libraries are an essential part of our communities and should continue to be run and staffed by the County Council.”

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

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LETTER

Closure of Santander banking facility in Groby This is a note to record my concerns over the closure of the Santander banking facility in Groby, and which I also understand relates to similar closures in Kirby Muxloe and Glenfield. I went in to the Groby branch on Friday, having received a letter from Santander on Thursday . I was extremely concerned that Gill and the girls in the branch had had no prior warning of the closure, with Gill only being told by phone on Tuesday, and having to inform the others by Wednesday evening, which is in itself appalling treatment of staff, all of whom are apparently to be made redundant. As far as Groby is concerned, I can only assume that Santander did not consult in any way with the District or Parish Councils about this reduction in amenity within the village? They certainly did not consult their customers !!When coupled with the already reduced opening hours of the Barclays’ branch in the village, we will soon be left with no personal banking facility at all. Whilst personally very angry over the lack of consultation with customers/ and public bodies over this proposal,I have even greater concerns for the many more elderly residents of the village ,for whom the loss of this facility will have an even greater effect. Many of them do not have access to computers or the knowledge of technology to use internet banking, and have a great reliance on the support/guidance and assistance provided by Gill, Kathy and Clare. The loss of this personal contact could be devastating for them. The letter from Santander also points us towards using the “nearest big branch” at Beaumont Leys very inconvenient but achievable if you have a car but how easy is it to get there by bus? The once a week service to Tesco’s would seem to be the only alternative, if it can be seen as such. I am writing to ask if at least some form of “protest” to this high handed decision of Santander, taken without consultation with, or consideration of, the hundreds of customers who use this facility, is being organised by our elected representatives , or if it is to be raised through their respective Councils??

Peter Dungworth Groby

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Local Girl selected as a Miss Leicestershire 2014 finalist Local Field Head girl LYDIA FROST (aged 17) has been chosen as a finalist for this year’s Miss Leicestershire competition. Following auditions in January, the contest judges decided on the 20-strong short-list, whittled down from hundreds of hopefuls. The Final is being held on Thursday 10th April at Athena, in the city centre, with the winner getting a fast-track pass into the final round of Miss England which takes place in June in Torbay. “It was extremely hard to choose the shortlisted girls,” said judge and Miss England organiser Angie Beasley. “The standard was really high this year. In fact, it was so high, it almost seems like a semi-final of Miss England”. Determined to dismiss the stereotypes surrounding beauty pageants, Angie said the competition was “not just about being the most beautiful girl”. “We looked for confidence, but not overly-confident, the ability to be photogenic and, of course, they needed to look like a model” In preparation for the final, each shortlisted contestant is now required to complete a series of tasks. One of the challenges is raising as much money as possible for the Miss World charity, Beauty With A Purpose and all of the funds raised will be spent in this country. The contestants, who are all aged 17 to 25, will also be taking part in a boot camp-style fitness day. In addition, each finalist will have to create her own handmade ecofriendly outfit, which she will showcase in the final. Members of the public will be given the chance to vote for their favourite contestant nearer to the final showdown. If you would like to sponsor Lydia and/or donate to Beauty with a purpose please contact her on 01530 242364.

Groby Sings The hills around Groby are alive with the sound of music once more as rehearsals for the third production by Groby Sings are well underway. As a lady of a certain age, brought up with the LP of Oklahoma rattling the flimsy walls of my childhood prefab home, I am revelling in such glories as “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” and “Surrey with the Fringe on Top”. Grease, however, was new to me, but I can now be heard (as the neighbours have probably noticed) bopping round the kitchen singing “Rock’n’Roll Party Queen” and “Greased Lightnin’ ” at the top of my voice – with actions! It’s not too late to join us for this production – we don’t go public until late June. There are no auditions: our wonderful conductor Helen is convinced that everyone can and should sing and her humour and enthusiasm have carried us all along. If you would like to meet up with old friends, make new ones, laugh, sing and eat cake, come along to a rehearsal – you’ll be made very welcome.

Lindy Hardcastle

Rehearsals all at Groby Club Adult choir - Monday afternoon: 1.15pm- 3pm (Childcare facilities) Adult choir - Monday evening: 8pm – 9.30pm Children’s choir - Friday 3.40pm -4.40pm Youth choir – Friday 4.15 pm – 5.15 pm

Performances

Saturday 28th June 7.30 pm and Sunday 29th June 3.00 pm Groby Community College Sports Hall. Contact helen_hayes@btinternet.com or tel. 0786796332

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Jottings News in Brief with Norman Griffiths

Help the Meadow working party on April 6th

Around 60 shareholders turned out on a winter’s evening last month to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Community Interest Company (CIC) that owns the meadow on Newtown Linford Lane. All were very enthusiastic about the project and the progress that has been made. Additional shareholders will be very welcome, so if you are interested, you can get in touch either through the Parish Clerk or by emailing grobycic@hotmail. co.uk. Share certificates are now available from the Parish Council office so anyone who has made an investment of £200 but has received no subsequent communications should use this opportunity to get in touch. The Woodland Trust has provided a quantity of hedging and trees, some of which has already been used to plant a new hedge along the roadside boundary on Newtown Linford Lane. Some hedging has also been planted around the central copse and along the boundary with the old Mineral line. “We have started to clear the boundaries and are looking to set up small working parties between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm on the first Sunday of each month,” explained Chairman Alistair Cooper. “The first one will be on Sunday 6th April. We are looking for volunteers

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to help with litter picking, weed clearing and general maintenance.” The Committee hopes to be able to lease from the Borough Council a small area of land that adjoins the Meadow next to Groby Pool so that the footpaths to Groby Pool from the village can be extended. “We are planning to install a gate and small bridge across the stream about half way down the right hand boundary,” Alistair added. So with Spring in the air there’s the chance to get down to the Meadow, help tidy-up and perhaps make some new friends on April 6th.

Mallard oak gets the OK There’s good news about the oak tree at the end of Mallard Avenue – it has now been officially reprieved from felling. There’s still some surgery to be performed on it, but nothing as drastic as its removal. The Tree Officer at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has taken a look at it following the confirmation that it is the subject of a Tree Preservation Order. “An aged tree with veteran characteristics” is how it has been described. With a diameter of 1.4 metres at ground level it is considered of great importance with high amenity value. Although there is a large open cavity at ground level there is no evidence of fungal fruiting bodies and the canopy is of normal vigour and vitality. Nevertheless accurate mapping of the the extent of the decay at ground level is required but notwithstanding the results of further investigation a crown reduction is felt to be the most appropriate course of action. Good news for our aged friend with veteran characteristics and good news for those who were saddened by the prospect of its imminent demise.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Groby Gardening Society News February Meeting - a fascinating talk from rose specialist Ann Bird It was a pleasure to welcome back Ann Bird who last visited our Society some 10 years ago. As some will recall, Ann is a celebrity in the specialised world of Roses. Her rise to this niche of gardening is quite remarkable as she readily admits she was no gardener when her journey began. Set to tackle a new garden some decades ago, she bought six rose bushes from Tesco. She now knows that these were of a poor quality, but nevertheless they survived her early attempts to cultivate them and her love of these plants was ignited. She soon established a garden of 200 exhibition rose plants and went on to win prizes at prestigious shows and was pursuaded to become a judge of roses. When she joined The Royal National Rose Society, she found a heavily male-dominated “club” which had existed since 1876. She became the first woman president at a time of low ebb for this Society. Not least of her worries was that money was fast running out. Since she felt her position as a woman would be judged by her two year tenure, she decided to give up her job at BUPA and concentrate upon her new responsibilities. This involved travelling for three days a week to her headquarters in St. Albans. Not only did she succeed, she was the first president in the society’s history to be re-elected for a second two year spell. When she finally retired from this post in 2009, she became the vice –president for the Society of Northern Europe. This involved the whole of Scandinavia and Iceland! During all of this time when she was involved with the Society, she managed to judge at all the major shows in Great Britain and Europe. If this was not enough, she maintained her magnificent rose garden at Market Harborough. Her earlier interest in bush roses had long since given way to a passion for old English roses, especially heavily scented rambling roses of which she had twenty eight at one time. As well as entertaining with her engaging description of her world-wide travels on behalf of the Society, she showed a wonderful selection of slides. Most were of roses in various parts of the World, but some, which she had stumbled upon, were of historical interest. One notable one was a poster advertising a London Rose Show of 1858. In this, the band of the Coldstream Guards were promised to entertain and the entrance fee was shown to be one shilling. This princely sum probably meant that only wealthy landowners and their gardeners could attend and, Certainly, those expert growers from our mining communities could not have afforded to visit. Incidentally, the band of the Guards was deemed “too noisy” and were not invited back for thirty years!

Another slide showed a view of the 1933 Chelsea Show. Here we saw Queen Mary being escorted around and Ann had discovered that the organisers were obliged to issue a humble apology to the Queen. This was because as she passed by, some men had their backs to Her Majesty. Such an apparent snub and breach of etiquette was explained by their responsibilities as judges which they were discharging as the royal presence passed by. A reply from the Queen seemed to suggest that she fully understood and was not perturbed by this discourtesy! Gardeners may be interested that one of Ann’s favourite roses is the springflowering “Canary Bird” as it is the harbinger of better times, weatherwise, and her favourite David Austin Rose is “Shropshire Lad”. After her descriptions of visits to North and South America, Japan, Africa, and most European countries, she left us with the thought that she had whilst standing on the Golden Gate bridge in San Franscisco; that all of this stemmed from that purchase of six, poor quality roses from Tesco.

Members visit Hodsock Priory On Saturday 22nd February thirty five members set off for a visit to see Hodsock’s magnificent display of snowdrops. We were very lucky to have a lovely wintry day for our visit and the coach driver took us to Hodsock via the most picturesque route. The snowdrops did not disappoint as they seemed to be at their very best. These, coupled with other winter flowers such as the hellebores, certainly made the trip worthwhile. Over recent years much work has gone into Hodsock to calitalise on their flower displays. A good selection of plants were on sale and the spacious tea room was serving the usual drinks and cakes, plus an appetising range of hot food. Although famous for their snowdrops, Hodsock does promote visits to see their bluebell and daffoldil displays a little later in Springtime.

The Village Show (Saturday August 16th) Although there is still over five months to go before the next show, preparations are already well under way. This year, under the guidance of a small sub-committee, the show schedule has been revamped. This, in part, is in response to some positive suggestions made at the last show. One new class is described as “Grobys’ Gruesome” which is hoped will attract those comically mis-shapen vegetables and fruit. There is also one for the longest runner bean. The entire schedule is available on the Spotlight web site and will be made available from the local library. As always, it is hoped that villagers will support The Show, not only by visiting and viewing, but by becoming an exhibitor. This is not as daunting as some believe as our show is not ruthlessly competitive as some shows can be. There are classes suitable for people who decide to take part as late as the morning of the show! Like all community events, The Village Show will only survive if villagers take part.

Future meetings

• March 13th “Growing for Showing” by Clive Bevan • April 10th “Dahlias” by David Bates Our monthly meetings are held at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of the month, usually in the United Reformed Church rooms on Chapel Hill. Details about membership and the events programme can be obtained from Alvar Johnson. (Tel. No. 01162877870) or E mail anjjmj1@outlook. com

Alvar Johnson Does anyone have plans to stare at their phones somewhere exciting this weekend?

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Jottings News in Brief with Norman Griffiths

We can’t blame everything on the parking The issue of on-street parking is still high on the agenda of our local councillors with talks going on behind the scenes.

Groby WI Programme • •

•

20th March Pudding Taste & Try 17th April ‘You can’t be serious!’ Tales of a Wimbledon Umpire 1988 – 2012 15th May Resolutions

It’s said that the GE Sensing (Druck) car park is now fully utilised and an employee has said off the record that there is a five year waiting list to get a permit. When anything out of the ordinary happens it is tempting to blame it on the difficulties the parking causes, and residents in the Crane Ley Road area may have wondered why one Friday morning the refuse collection truck arrived unusually early. The difficulties of large vehicles negotiating their way through the parked cars on weekdays are well known, so it might have been a reasonable assumption to think that the collectors were trying to avoid the congestion by changing their route. Not so, says the Borough Council. “The collectors have confirmed that they have not changed their route due to parked cars,” explained a spokesperson. “They have said that in some parts of Crane Ley Road there are parked cars, particularly near Chapel Hill, which can make servicing tricky, however they simply work around the problem. Servicing starts from 7am and they have advised that the cars are in situ from when they arrive in the village, so there would be no advantage to changing the route. We do advertise that collections begin at 7am and it is in the residents’ interests to ensure that their bins are out for this time. Routes can change without warning for numerous reasons

(traffic, weather, road works, etc) and we cannot always guarantee to return, if the bin was not available for collection.”

New road signs There really is something for everyone on the internet ... including those whose fascination is roads. The sabre-roads.org.uk website is the home of The Society for All British and Irish Road Enthusiasts. The Society exists for the discussion and education of roads in Britain and Ireland and anyone with an interest in British or Irish roads is welcome to join the current membership of 2000. Groby seems to have a long history of its relationship with roads and in living memory has had to come to terms with the construction of the A50 bypass, the M1 and the A46 Western by-pass. Within the village our road signage has changed this year with the conversion of street signs in the centre of the village to signs more in keeping with the Conservation Area. But new white and blue signs have also popped up. “Six new cycle/pedestrian signs have been installed in Groby at a cost of around £3,000 as part of a wider programme of route signing in the city and county which aims to increase awareness of walking and cycling networks and encourage more people to take up the activities,” a spokesman for Leicestershire County Council explained. “The funding has come from the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport fund and is being delivered by Leicester City Council in partnership with the county council as part of its Fit for Business programme.”

Council Approved

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Small Ads • Ladies dresses size 8-10, more for going out in. Would suit teenagers 18 plus years. All my daughter’s clothes, some jeans, couple jackets, leggings, shorts, all size between 8-10. Price: £3 per item or can make offer for all of the items. Also few handbags as well. • Man’s hoodie, colour charcoal, size xl, never been out of the bag, not worn, as new Price: £10. Tel: 07870 466884. • Two rolls of chain link fencing, plastic coated - 1.7 metres x 25 metres, including straining wires. Cost £230 per roll, Sell at £100 per roll. Unused. Tel: 01455 845180 • Clear glass-frontage MAHOGANY CORNER UNIT - 4 shelves plus lights, height: 173cm, width: 84cm - good quality and condition. Price: £100. • Single, fold-up Z-BED - no mattress. Price: £20 Tel: 0116 223 5720 • Ex-military WOODEN BOX dimensions: 26” x 16” x 12” Price: £3.00 • World at War DVDs - 18 in total. Price: £5.00 • WANTED: Good quality SLIDE PROJECTOR in good working order. Tel: 0116 287 5973 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. Our postal address is Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Groby Police News There are a few issues I would like to rise in Groby this month. Firstly, there have been a number of reports regarding suspicious activity around the Groby Pool area. Can I please ask that if people do witness suspicious activity that they contact 101 as soon as possible with the relevant details. Officers have increased their patrols in the area which seems to be having a positive impact. Secondly, I have been made aware of parking issues regarding the surrounding streets of G E DRUCK LTD. The Police have been in the area on a daily basis and have dealt with vehicles that have been causing obstructions, however, there have been a number of reports made to the Police about illegal parking, when officers have arrived this has not been the case. There have been very few cases that officers have attended and had to any form take action. We fully appreciate that the road is very narrow however we have been given very little evidence of illegal parking. I have been to a meeting with staff at DRUCK along with members of the council. I would just like to take this opportunity to tell people that DRUCK have been proactive and keen to solve this problem, and have welcomed ideas to try and improve community tensions regarding the parking issues. They have already put measures in place to try and make the parking situation better, and they have plans for the future which should improve the parking. If anyone does witness any vehicle obstructions please contact the Police on 101. Lastly, there have been a number of sheds/outbuildings that have been broken into in the village. Again, can all suspicious activity please be reported via 101. There have been extra offices deployed in the village during the times of these crimes. There is also a proactive burglary team who work from Hinckley who will be assisting with patrols in the village. There will be a beat surgery held at Groby Library this month, date still to be confirmed – they will be advertised at the library and on the Leicestershire Police website.

PC 4675 Katie Harris

Groby Players are looking for new members Groby Players next production will hopefully be in November, but we are looking for new members to help us cast the production. If you have any aspirations of acting on amateur stage, or would like to help behind scenes, we would be happy to see y ou at our next meeting, which will be sometime in April. We put on a play once a year in Groby Village Hall, usually in the Autumn, and rehearse twice weekly on Mondays on Thursdays approx 12 weeks before the play. There is lots to do backstage, including building the stage! So if you wish to have more information, please contact Linda on 0116 2877373. or email dot@dhollins.freeserve.co.uk .

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Letter

Letter from Uncle Eustace

Running in the London Marathon for a Leicester Hospital Charity My husband Steve George and his friend Pat Green (pictured right) are running the London Marathon in April 2014. They have a target of £2,500 to reach to go towards the Leicester Hospital Charity, ‘Baby Loss Appeal’ who are trying to raise £65,000 toward creating a bereavement delivery suite. Leicester General Hospital have 4,600 babies delivered per year in the maternity unit. Sadly 1 to 2 babies per week are identified as having foetal abnormalities or have died (inter uterine death) resulting in a still birth. This is probably one of the most traumatic times for a mother and her partner and great sensitivity and empathy are required which is the case as far as our staff are concerned, but the facilities could be vastly improved to avoid the unnecessary distress of hearing or seeing other newborn babies. The project is all about creating a bereavement delivery suite on the border of the birthing centre which will eliminate any chance of a bereaved mother seeing or hearing a newborn baby. We will have a large delivery room overlooking a courtyard garden with French door access. There will be an en suite wet room and a separate area with a curtain across for the deceased baby. Mothers tend to want to see their baby and then have him or her taken away because it gets too distressing for them; but they do want their baby close by and ultimately have time to hold them and take photographs. Please help this good cause if you can - any amount would be gratefully received. Below is the link to their sponsorship page http://www.justgiving.com/Patrick-Steve

Excellent support for The Book Club at The Stamford The Book Club hosted by the Stamford Arms, and run by Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland and Groby Library was once again very well supported at the February meeting. Around 21 members met up to enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat in the relaxed and warm surroundings, and took the opportunity to discuss how they had enjoyed the previous months book choices and also to exchange ideas for future reading. The next meeting is on March 27th when the books under discussion will be The Ghost by Robert Harris, The Workhouse Girl by Dilly Court and the books by Jojo Moyes including The Horse Dancer. New members are always welcome and we start our meetings at 2pm. Some members like to arrive earlier to take advantage of the Stamford Arms GOLDEN YEARS menu. For anyone wishing to talk about the ‘Classics and Poetry’ we are exploring the possibility of also meeting fortnightly at Groby library on a Wednesday from 2 til 3.30. Further details will be available from the library after our 27th March meeting. The book club is an open event for all men and women over 50, so why not come along and join in the chat or just listen and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. You will be very welcome. For more information, contact either Jean Collins on 0116 2871969, jean.collins123@gmail.com or Kate Webb on 01455 619519, kate.webb@ ageukleics.org.uk.

On why a church should always resist change The Rectory St. James the Least My dear Nephew Darren I am not the least surprised you have got yourself into trouble; innovation is never to be encouraged. New ideas tend to cause revolutions. The move from incandescent light-bulbs to energy saving ones may ultimately change the Church of England. Change is something everyone claims to be in favour of – provided it has no measurable effect on their own lives. I remember as a young curate once suggesting that at the Harvest Supper, tables might be enlarged so that eight people could sit together rather than the traditional six, thus helping more people get to know one another. The response would have been similar if I had suggested we travel to London to murder the Prime Minister. I was firmly told that tables for six had been perfectly adequate for parishioners in Queen Victoria’s day. For the rest of my curacy, I was regarded as a revolutionary, to be watched carefully. So at your last visit to our Church, to suggest that our 11am Mattins may be moved to 10.30am, in order to encourage those who wanted have more of the day free to themselves, certainly lobbed a hand grenade among the post-Service coffee cups. The only person who was mildly in favour was Colonel Wainwright, who quickly realised that it would give him an extra half-hour at the gin and tonics before lunch. Should you ever feel that people lack imagination, you should watch them in action when they find reasons for resisting an unwelcome suggestion. One said that the time couldn’t be moved, since it would then be too early for the local bus – omitting to mention that none of our congregation travel to church by bus and that the service doesn’t run on Sundays anyway. Another pointed out that it would confuse those who didn’t attend church – not explaining why if they never attended, it mattered what time the Service was. A third, rather touchingly mentioned that it wouldn’t give the rector time to enjoy his breakfast after the rigours of the 8am Service. Your suggestion did, however, serve one useful purpose; it brought our congregation together in united opposition. They may not necessarily always know what they are for, but they certainly know what they are against. For that, I thank you. Your loving uncle

Eustace

New Afternoon Social Group On Monday 10th February a group of us were invited to a free lunch and games afternoon at the Community Centre on Forest Rise to discuss with representatives from Hinckley Council the possibility of starting an afternoon social group. Using the Centre as the base, activities could include Art & Crafts, Bingo and/or other games, but they need someone to organise it. The initiative came from Barbara Flynn (tel: 0116 222 5239) who would love to hear from you if you can help in any way.

Jean Collins

AgeUk Home is where the wifi connects automatically.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Jottings News in Brief with Norman Griffiths

Face the fax at Groby library The days when the fax machine buzzed happily away all day in the office are long past as technology has moved forward. But although there are other ways of sending documents electronically if you don’t have a scanner function on your printer there can be times when you fall back on the old technology and the fax machine. Groby library has taken delivery of a new fax which is available for public use, so if you ever need one you’ll know where to call. Although we’re told the economic recovery is underway there are many whose incomes have not grown at the same rate as prices overall and ways of reducing outgoings can be very welcome. Although you can no longer read any daily national newspapers at the library you can still read the Leicester Mercury there. Although the Mercury may not feature news of Groby every day it is the best local source of Leicestershire news and information. It depends on the cover price and the income generated from advertisers to cover costs so if you do switch to reading the library copy remember that you can continue to help the business by supporting their advertisers and letting the advertisers know that

you saw them in the Mercury. The same is true of the Groby Spotlight, though in this case the whole cost of the publication is covered by the advertising revenue. So when you buy something from an advertiser make sure you mention the Spotlight.

Santander closure The plans by Santander to close it’s agencies seems to be attracting universal condemnation. Groby residents are being advised by the company that their nearest branch is at Beaumont Leys, but this branch has no direct public transport link with Groby. There are also concerns about the loss of the cash machine at the agency and Sarah Davies, Head of Business Partner Communications at the company, could offer no comfort regarding this aspect either. “Santander does not operate ATMs at any agencies, so agencies that do have ATMs do so in agreement with a separate provider,” she said. “Therefore you would need to check with the agency regarding any future plans for the ATM service it offers.” Although cash withdrawals and cash deposits can be made at the post office many transactions currently take place outside working hours when the post office is closed.

PARISH OF GROBY CONFIRMATION OF BYELAWS Notice is hereby given that the Parish Council of Groby intends after the expiry of the period mentioned below to apply to the Secretary of State for confirmation of byelaws made by the Council with regards to pleasure grounds, public walks and open spaces. Copies of the byelaws will be kept at the offices of the Parish Council at Groby and will be open to inspection without payment on any weekday during the normal office hours for one calendar month from and after the date of the publication of this notice. Copies of the byelaws will also be supplied on receipt of an application accompanied by a fee of not more than 10p for every 100 words contained in any copy supplied. Any objection to the application for the confirmation of the byelaws may be made by letter addressed to Communities and Local Government Byelaws Section, 5/G10 Eland House, 3/J1 Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DY or email byelaws@communities.gsi.gov.uk [no later than one week after the closing date for inspection] before the byelaws are confirmed. Signed: Beverley Greenwood Proper Officer of the Council Dated: 15th March 2014

Letter

Need to solve the parking problem soon I am writing to ask how long it will be before the major parking issue in Groby is solved? I am a member of the local Groby Greys/Age Concern and when we begin our outings, we will have to somehow get ourselves down to the village library to get on the coach, because it can’t come up to the Community Centre due to all the parked cars on Forest Rise and nearby areas. Also, the parking has now stretched to Lawnwood Road and I have difficulty getting on the bus because it can’t get up to the kerb. Likewise, getting off at the top of Stephenson Way. I do hope that something is done soon - otherwise the elderly and disabled will not be able to get out anywhere.

A Long Life Senior Disabled Resident If you’d like to advertise in Groby Spotlight, phone Mike Wilkinson on 01530 244069 or email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

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County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea Council Tax 2014/2015 Council tax has been frozen for the fourth consecutive year. Councillors agreed the freeze at the Budget meeting held on the 19th February. The average Band D property will continue to pay £1063 County share. However, Police Commissioner and Fire Authority will raise their precepts by 1.5% (£176 and £60 respectively).

Santander Agency Groby

up and raise it in their respective houses of parliament, both in England and also in Europe. Emma McClarkin visited Groby on Friday morning 7th March and spoke with local residents, she also signed the petition. Emma was followed by our Local MP Stephen Dorrell in the afternoon who also spoke with local residents and business people in the village. Stephen Dorrell has agreed to present all the completed petitions. I would urge all residents to sign the petition in order to help us in our fight to save this valuable facility for Groby.

Wallace Drive planning application Here is an update on Planning Application 13/01029/COU Gypsy Caravan site Wallace Drive, Groby. Councillor Peter Batty and I are due to meet again with Nic Thomas the Chief Planning Officer on the 11th March to discuss this application again with him. We intend to discuss further new evidence that we have been able to bring to the officers’ attention, including the significant finding of a Great Crested Newt within the close proximity of the site. We still have the 1st April marked in as the date the Planning Committee will decide this application. Objections can still be sent into the planning department. However after the discovery of the Great Crested Newt a detailed survey must now be carried out, an approved scheme for the protection and in some cases the relocation of these protected creatures has to be submitted and approved. This could well put the application back. We will keep residents updated.

Leicestershire Green Plaque Scheme

I was very concerned to learn that Santander Bank were proposing to close all 11 of its agencies across Leicestershire including the one in Groby and I will do anything in my power to try and stop it closing.

Residents are being asked to vote on the County’s most notable people or buildings with historical interest.

It being a Large Bank this is going to be difficult but we cannot stand by and let this happen without trying our best. I have put a Notice of Motion (in my name) to the next LCC Full Council meeting on 19th March 2014 which has been lodged. It will call on Santander to reconsider its withdrawal of all agency banking facilities across the County, with Groby, Kirby Muxloe and Glenfield all in the firing line. I have also had a motion passed at the last full Borough Council meeting asking Santander to reconsider its withdrawal of Groby’s agency branch. This was seconded by Councillor Peter Batty and received the council’s full support. A letter has also been sent by the Council’s chief executive to the CEO of Santander. I have been working with Cllr Peter Batty and we have put petitions in the following stores in Groby: Post Office, Stamford Arms, Wilsons Newsagents, Budgens and the Hairdressers at Lawnwood Stores and GE Sensing. We would also like to thank Sam who started a petition at Pricegate stores. Peter Batty and I have also raised this with our local Members of Parliament and also our MEP Emma McClarkin, in order that they can take this issue

The County Council is working with its partners in the City Council and Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to support plans for economic growth and jobs, particularly in our Borough with the LLEP at the MIRA Enterprise Zone and the creation of up to 5000 jobs.

A shortlist has been drawn up and 6 people or places will be chosen to receive a commemorative plaque displaying their historic connection to the County. More information and voting details online via http://www.leics.gov. uk/www.leics.gov.uk/greenplaques

Strategic Economic Plan and City Deal

LCC is required to submit a Growth Plan to Government, which in turn will allow the transfer of some powers from Government to local authorities, e.g. to name a few, planning, employment and skills, transport infrastructure, to support local economic growth plans. Our Plans are supported by Treasury/Cities Minister Greg Clark and will be signed off in due course.

Consultation on changes to libraries The Cabinet agreed on 5th March 2014, to run a consultation between 7th April and 30th June 2014. Included in the consultation will be the public, library users, all Leics District, Borough and Parish councils; Arts Council England; The Big Lottery. LCC is looking to community groups (including parish councils) to run our 36 smaller libraries with help from LCC. £800k is looking to be saved from the £5.5m budget (so £4.7m still in budget). I would like to thank residents for your continued support and remind you that I am only a phone call or email away.

Ozzy O’shea Cllr Ozzy O’shea Tel 0116 239 4336 or 07808 585825 Email: ozzyoshea@hotmail.com

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Parish Council Office Village Hall Leicester Road Groby Leicestershire, LE6 0DQ Opening Times Mondays 11.00am to 2.00pm Tuesday s 11.00am to 2.00pm Wednesdays 11.00am to 2.00pm Thursdays 12.30am to 3.30pm Fridays 10.00am to 12.30pm Outside these times by prior appointment Parish Council meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7.00 pm in the Council Chambers within the Village Hall. Planning Committee meetings are held every two weeks, usually on a Wednesday evening at 7.30 pm. Forthcoming Meetings April 7 Full Council Meeting 9 Planning Committee 14 Parks & Cemetery 14 Finance & General Purposes 23 Planning Committee 24 Scouts Liaison May 7 Planning Committee 8 Annual meeting of the Parish 12 Annual meeting of the Full Council 21 Planning Committee June 2 Full Council meeting 4 Planning Committee 18 Planning Committee July 2 Planning Committee 7 Full Council meeting 14 Parks & Cemetery 14 Finance & General Purposes 16 Planning Committee 30 Planning Committee 31 Scout Liaison All meetings are Open to the Public.

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS A word from the Chairman of Groby Parish Council – Cllr. Jim Coley

The thrust of this quarters' newsletter is about two subjects over which we in Groby Parish Council have no direct control but which affect all of us in the village to some extent. Street Parking and Groby Library, but first some good news regarding something we do control.

Groby Parish Precept

As you may have seen previously reported, Groby Parish Council has been able to freeze the Parish Precept for 2014/15 (the small part of your council tax which comes directly to your Parish Council) and still maintain the previous level of services we fund directly. This has only been possible because firstly, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council unlike several other Boroughs, has continued to pass on the Government Grant as in previous years and secondly, through careful financial management within your Parish Council. There is a caveat for the future in that because of the massive cuts indicated by LCC for the following year if we have to take on an element of funding for what are currently County services such as Libraries for example, that will undoubtedly impact on our budget for 2015/16!

Parking in Groby Village

As I reported in December, the parking restrictions in the centre areas of the village have certainly improved both the availability of spaces for casual short term parking in the village centre and reductions in road hazards for residents, shoppers and visitors. However, we in your Parish Council realise that for quite a few Groby Residents it is quite a big “However”, the parking by some drivers travelling to Groby for employment has now been driven into other residential areas. This was always going to be a possible issue and your Parish Council together with your County Councillor, Borough Councillors and LCC Highways are looking at various ways to improve the situation. Apart from making the whole of the village a restricted area, which is not a practical solution, or making large areas “resident only parking” which would require funding from LCC Highways which is not going to be available in the short term, we have been addressing some of the issues at “source” so to speak. In addition to the discussions between LCC Highways and your County Councillor, some of which have been reported in Cllr. Ozzy O’Shea's reports here in the Spotlight, the principal employer in Groby has written to Groby Parish Council requesting us to set up a working party to look at relieving the issue of employee “on-street parking”. This group, which now comprises members of the Parish Council, Borough Councillor and our County Councillor, together with two senior members of GE (Sensing) Management, have met to start to explore the issues, options and possible solutions. This is still in the very early stages but I believe that there is a real intent on all sides to improve the situation but I'm afraid at this time it's “watch this (parking) space”.

Groby Library

To be exactly correct I suppose I should call it “The LCC Libraries department branch Library, located in Groby”! There have been many articles already, both about the swingeing cuts in the LCC budget and what affects these cuts are going to have on local services including local village libraries. At our February meeting, Groby Parish Council set up a working party to work with our County Councillor and also hopefully LCC Libraries department, with an aim to preserve a library service in Groby but there are still many unknowns. Here is the story so far…..

Quarterly Edition - March 2014 What we do know:  There are massive cuts in LCC Budget and this WILL affect LCC library services!  This will happen from April 2015!  Smaller local Libraries including Groby have been identified as bearing many of those cuts!  Staffing costs are up to 70% of library costs!  “Some” Library service management should still be provided from the larger LCC libraries in the County  We WILL need the help of volunteers to run any resultant library service in Groby.  We may require support from local business in order to fund any local library service. What we don't know:      

What the actual cuts appertaining to Groby library will be? Will the Groby Library building continue to be maintained by LCC ? Will the Groby Library Services, electric bill, rates, internet, etc be still supported? Will we in fact need to find another location for the Groby library Will free training be provided to any volunteers? What actual body will run the resultant Groby library service?

So you can see that there are still many really important unknowns but one thing is certain, we will be needing volunteers in one form or another and we will be needing some finances in one form or another, so if you feel you may be able to help and want to add your name to the growing list of local volunteers please contact the Groby Parish Office.

Street Conservation signage

Groby Parish Council is made up of 16 unpaid members. They are supported by a full time employed Clerk, a part time Admin Assistant, the Cemetery Sexton, a Grounds man and two other part time Grounds Maintenance Operatives. Parish Councillors Cllr. Jacqualyn Batty - 2912284 Cllr. Peter Batty - 2912284 Cllr. Sylvia Beck - 2876716 Cllr. Jim Coley – 07860523567 (Chairman) Cllr. Richard Douglas. JP - 2877065 Cllr. Liz Emmerson - 2312111 Cllr. Rob Fraser - 01530 244175 Cllr. Ted Hollick – 2875955 Cllr. Barry Jones - 07877697484 Cllr. Sandra Jones - 07977746108 Cllr. Helen Lindsay - 2314487 Cllr. Eileen Marvin - 2876799 Cllr. Norman McCausland - 2321165 Cllr. Leigh Quilter – 0772523033 Cllr. Cathy Thompson 01530 249203 Cllr. Keith Yarwood – 2870252 Parish Clerk Beverley Greenwood. MBA.BSC.AILCM 0116 2876985 parishclerk@groby.com

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Councillors Cllr. Peter Batty - 2912284

There is a remarkable consensus about signage among conservation practitioners: too many signs clutter up our historic towns and obscure historic buildings and townscapes. The new street signage recently installed in the conservation area of the village provides local distinctiveness, is well designed with careful lettering, offering a diversity of imagery and expression that enriches the village.

New Councillor is welcomed onto the Parish Council In January 2014, Barry Jones was co-opted onto the Parish Council. Cllr. Jones has lived in Groby for over 28 years and has three children who all attend local schools “I am looking forward to working with like-minded people on the Council who want to achieve things for the village”.

Quarry Park – works on the new car park at Quarry Park have commenced and are near completion. The construction of the floodlit multi use games area (MUGA) will follow within the next few months.

Cllr. Martin Cartwright – 2874500 Leicestershire County Councillor Cllr. Ozzy O’Shea – 0116 2394336 / 07808585825 Member of Parliament Mr Stephen Dorrell - 2608609

We hope you will find the newsletter and our website interesting, informative, useful and easy to access. Whether you are a resident, newcomer or visitor to the parish, don't hesitate to contact us.

This newsletter is also available on the Parish Council website www.groby.com

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Newtown Linford Gardening Club

Is it really the beginning of spring? We still have had no snow and very few frosts. As we drive around the area there are daffodils in full bloom even though the snowdrops have not yet finished. We have also seen hedgerows showing the first sign of greening up and leaf buds appearing on several shrubs. Surely there will be something to bring us up short but, at the time of writing, there are no such signs yet. However much pruning is being done at this time, taking advantage of the rainless spells we are having at the moment, so the lull in gardening activity of the past months is coming to an end. After a packed evening learning all about the huge range of plants called ‘daisies’, plus some that look like daisies but aren’t, we turn our attention, in March, to fruit and vegetables. The full title for our speaker, David Thornton is ‘Healthy eating Aspects of Fruit and Vegetables’. David Thornton is a national expert on the subject. He is the long-serving secretary of the National Vegetable Society and we are privileged to be able to welcome such a prestigious speaker. We are holding a plant fair on Saturday April 26th at the Sunday School Rooms in Newtown Linford from 10.00am to 1.00pm. There will be a wide range of plants for sale and also home-made cakes. We welcome all comers to see what we have to offer. We can also give advanced notice of our celebrity event in the autumn. On November 4th Adam Frost will be coming to Newtown Linford. He has already won gold medals at Chelsea for garden design on four occasions (perhaps five by the time he comes to speak to us!) and is now one of the newly established experts in this subject. He appears on our screens at regular intervals and has a reputation as a fascinating speaker with an innovative gardening brain. As last time, when Christine Walkden came to our village we will invite members of other gardening clubs and interested visitors to join us. Put the date in your diary and look out for further details in the near future. We have welcomed a large number of new members this year and will be pleased if others want to join us. If you are interested in our activities just contact the secretary (tel. 242452 or e-mail 01530242452@talktalk.net) , or come to one of our meetings to see how you like it before making a commitment (£2 for visitors). Alternatively give us a ring and ask for a copy of our programme for the coming year and we will be pleased to send one to you.

Anne and David Couling

National Trust Leicester Association News All National Trust properties are now fully open for the season and most properties in the Midlands have new exhibitions and displays for 2014. At Hardwick Hall, near Chesterfield, this year sees the 400th anniversary of the death of Robert Smythson (1535-1614), the man who designed the great house for his patron, the Countess of Shrewsbury (aka Bess of Hardwick). To mark this event the NT have a year long celebration of his work and the craftsmen who contributed to Hardwick’s unique appearance and design. Smythson was born in 1535 and is believed to have trained at the Mason’s Company in London. Along with Harwick he designed other great houses including Longleat House in Wiltshire, Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire and Burton Agnes Hall in East Yorkshire. With his innovative and bold style he designed Hardwick to be seen and to wow those who saw it. Therefore a large part of the celebrations will be based outdoors, including commemorative benches for visitors to sit and reflect on the architecture, perspective points in the enclosed garden and contemporary art centred around craftsmanship and architecture. In the house visitors will learn how the Hall was constructed, the challenges Smythson’s innovative design style set (there is more window than wall), the work of the other craftsmen, as well as how the Trust cares for Hardwick today. The NT Leicester Association has an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 26th March at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester, at 2.30pm, when Jess Jenkins will present a talk entitled The Plight of the Framework Knitters. The Association will hold its AGM on Tuesday 8th April which will be followed by an illustrated talk on An Apothecary in the 1640’s by Trevor Parr. The meeting will be held at Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm. Admission to the March meeting is NTLA members £2.50, visitors £4.00 including refreshments and admission to the AGM is free. For details of the NT Leicester Association and its Talks Service for other organisations please call 0116 2229133.

Alan Tyler, Chairman

Join Leicester’s Biggest Girls’ Night Out on 26th April The LOROS Twilight Walk There is one night a year which unites sisters, mothers, daughters, friends, partners and colleagues across the county. This night is known by many as the LOROS Twilight Walk - an annual 10km Sponsored Walk when ladies take over the King Power Stadium and take to the streets of Leicester. The circuit is an amazing loop which includes some of Leicester City hot spots. Walkers will definitely enjoy the mysterious New Walk, illuminated by the lanterns, nooks and crannies in the oldest part of the city as well as the pink and violet lights of the modern building of the Curve Theatre. My dad, Mick, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in October 2011. He very gradually lost the use of both legs and became wheelchair bound. He was under the care of a wonderful consultant at LOROS, Dr Luke Feathers, who often went above and beyond his duty to do all he could for not only my dad but our family as well. Through LOROS my dad received many services including hypnotherapy and acupuncture to try and Twilight Walk 2014 ease his suffering. He also spent 5 days in LOROS and the staff there did everything they could to make him as comfortable as possible. Sadly, on 27th November 2013 my lovely dad passed away. My family and friends are Saturday 26th April taking part in the Twilight Walk as a team to raise money to give something back to LOROS so other families can receive the care, attention and services that our family did at a very difficult time. King Power Stadium We look forward to seeing all the ladies creative ideas in this year’s fancy dress! The theme “999 Emergency” calls for Doctors, Nurses, Firegirls, Policewomen and many more emergency service themed outfits. Merchandise for this event is available on the event’s registration website. To see more details about the event, the course map and to register please visit the website at www.thetwilightwalk.co.uk. Any queries, please call LOROS Fundraising Department on 0116 231 8431/2. Although this is a ladies only event, men are encouraged to be involved either in cheering the ladies on or as a volunteer on the evening. There are plenty of opportunities for volunteers on the night. Please call the LOROS Fundraising Department on 0116 2318431/2 for more information. This year is sure to be the BIGGEST GIRLS NIGHT OUT Leicester has ever seen and the BIGGEST Twilight Walk yet! We will do this together!

Tracey Deeming What do you call a lady with big teeth that sleeps in the afternoon? Siesta Rantzen.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

All the latest news from Groby WI Roxanne Dinsdale amazed us with her display of belly dancing. She began dancing and swirling around as a child and has been entertaining professionally for thirty years, taking part in sixty TV programmes as an extra and before an audience of 700 as part of the Bollywood Dance Troupe. Her father was her mentor; she described him as a Del Boy character who was on the Club circuit as a performer. He quickly realised her potential as a dancer and her popularity as the other half of a double act. The eastern dancing came after she saw a group of dancers from London, but how to learn the basics? There was no way of logging on to Google for instructions. The only information she found was on an LP from the library. It was a hard slog, but perseverance paid off and it brought in work from weddings, parties etc. When she removed her outer clothing revealing the perfect figure moving to control, especially if there is a sensuously to the music there breeze. If, at a Turkish wedding the was silence in the room. I was veil is lifted coquettishly, this can fascinated observing our members result in monetary gifts from excited sitting open-mouthed, each one a male guests. replica of the figure in the painting Another eye-catching prop ‘The Scream’. was a pair of silver bird’s wings Belly dancing began as a classic attached to a neck collar. When eastern dance, originating in Turkey fully extended on the arms the graceful movement of these was in 1983, each village having its own beautiful. At the moment Roxanne style and in some countries it is tribal. Roxanne demonstrated the is attempting to perfect the stick shimmy which we are all familiar dance. This involves balancing a with. The movement actually long stick on hips and head whilst gyrating the body; not an easy starts from the knees and included manoeuvre. footwork portraying a swan gliding. This was followed by the hip drop, The costumes can have as many where the hips snap into place in as 3,000 beads sown on, In Turkey time with the music, which is very the flesh between the bra and skirt special, so called pop music would has to be covered. Roxanne had not work at all. Veil dancing is a kind of string vest material to really hard work; we were invited bridge the gap. There was a book to handle the decorated material of costumes, apparently the fashion and I can vouch for the fact they goes back to ancient Egypt. are very heavy to swirl around. There is a partner in this act, a They are great for exercising and snake called Plissken. This reptile almost guaranteed to prevent was bought initially for a pet the development of ‘bat wings’ because it was not living in very on arms. The veils can be deftly good conditions and Roxanne has a draped around the body, mummysoft heart. Her dad quickly saw how like and reformed into a inner this could be an exciting addition tea bag effect. The veils can be of to the act. The new member of the pure silk but this can be difficult family was not approved by mum

who first had eye to eye contact with it when she was locked in the toilet. They can squeeze into the smallest space as proved by a neighbour who discovered him in her airing cupboard. ‘He’ turned out to be a ‘she’ when eggs were laid, fortunately for all concerned no male was around to fertilise these, Plissken has now been renamed Plisskenella. Dad then persuaded his daughter to have a go at fire-eating. Burnt lips, singed eyebrows and eyelashes were part of the learning curve, tasting and smelling like toast! The next suggestion was a Bed of Nails. The answer was an emphatic ‘NO’. Our February meeting was certainly different and very entertaining. Unfortunately, I imagine a young start is essential. Most of our members have a rounded figure and wiggling the belly would not be a pretty sight. My advice is don’t try this at home, husbands and family are not likely to be impressed.

Snowdrop Walk A group of us did the Derbyshire snowdrop walk around Dimminsdale Nature Reserve. We could not believe that we did the same walk a year ago, talk about time flying. The snowdrops were fantastic, better than ever I thought. We were accompanied this time by Utah, a huge, soppy, brown teenager of a dog. He took Kathleen along, a long standing member. Kathleen has puppy walked in the past for Hearing Dogs but Utah is from the Canine Partners, a registered charity that trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities in the UK. He behaved perfectly even in the Restaurant at Calke Abbey, although Kathleen did provide a large chewy for him. Unfortunately the picture of Utah

includes yours truly (not at my best!) as Kathleen wanted to take a photo of him. She takes one in the various situations Utah finds himself in. Actually as I am writing this Kathleen is on her way with Utah to visit the Duchess of Rutland. Utah will be wearing his newly washed jacket and lead, what Kathleen will be wearing I don’t know. Another lovely walk in great company. Quite a few of us visited the DeMontfort Theatre to see Pricilla, Queen of the Desert. I had never seen it before but several had seen it several times and I could see why. Everyone came out saying what a great night out. Some of our ‘ladies’ really got with it, clapping along, waving and were what I call “really gone”. Our March meeting on Thursday 20th March is a Pudding Taste and Try Evening. Hopefully we will be, as usual, filling our boots with different puds and we are asking the cooks to write down their recipes. You will be very welcome providing that you will forego dieting for the evening.

Evelyn and Margaret

The first time I sang in the church choir; two hundred people changed their religion.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Local Dancers Open West End Variety Show! Forty four members of True Blue Dance Crew have just about come off cloud ‘9’ having had the most amazing experience. On 26th January 2014, 7.30am, at a very cold Ratby Village Centre, True Blue dancers left the village by VIP Coach bound for London. The all girl group, were selected to Open a Variety Show at Her Majesty’s Theatre in front of crowds of over 1,000. After six months hard work, and tiring rehearsals the girls were finally on their way to ‘Live Their Dream’. On arrival at Her Majesty’s Theatre, the dancers were shown to their dressing rooms - the night before, these were all filled with the Phantom Of The Opera Cast ... how amazing! Onto the stage, the girls looked very nervous, but were met with a West End Star, Gary Weston, who has appeared in Saturday Night Fever, CATS, Les Miserables, Evita and Mama Mia and many more. Gary put the girls through their warm up and stretch session, then off to dressing rooms for the first rehearsal. The squad aged 7 -21 years, all got glammed up and hit the stage, all the rehearsals throughout the day went well, and it was soon time for curtain up! The girls opened the show with a Modern Megamix kicked off by Will I Am, and our 198 supporters in the audience were clearly heard! We had about 40 minutes to prepare for our next routine, our Lyrical. Hair and make up re-done, changed and ready again. The girls bought tears to many eyes with their elegant lyrical routine, all dressed in Topaz Blue. Coach Angie Phillips said, “My mum makes all our outfits and had many sleepness nights making 44 evening dresses! Angie continued: “This has always been my childhood dream ... to watch my dancers, including my two daughters out there on a West End stage was totally breathtaking. Each and every dancer has been totally brilliant, and I am so pleased with their performance. What an amazing experience for all the Dancers, a day they will never forget.” The Group are already in talks for a Return visit to London next year, and have their Annual Show in March. The Group are a Community Team, based at Ratby Village Hall and Fosse Neighbourhood Centre and have been running for over 16 years. Head Coach Angie Phillips, Assistant Coaches Megan Williams and Alex Pool Saturday Assistant Sadie Hurst would make you very welcome at classes - Should you wish to find out more about the teams or wish to have a free taster class and the chance to perform in the West End, please email Angie Phillips at tbdc1@yahoo.co.uk.

New chairman for local Conservative branch At the Annual General Meeting of the Groby Conservative Branch held on Tuesday 25th February, Leigh Quilter, a Groby Parish Councillor and longstanding Conservative Party member, was elected to serve as the new Chairman of the branch following on from fellow Councillor, Helen Lindsay, who has served for the past three years. Leigh is possibly the youngest Chairman in the history of the branch at 27 and has pledged to help rebuild the branch membership by attracting more younger members and by restoring a traditional Tory focus.

RSPCA Car Boot Sale: 12th April Leicestershire RSPCA are holding their first car boot sale of the year at the Woodside Animal Centre Scudamore Road, Leicester on Saturday 12th April from 11 am to 3 pm. To book, ring Rebecca on 0116 232 4932 or Ken in the evening on 0116 220 7552. The animal centre needs £12,000 a week to cater for the thousands of domestic and wild animals which have been ill treated, abused, neglected, abandoned or injured.

Some sad news from Australia... the inventor of the boomerang grenade died today.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Cash boost for local schools SNIBSTON EVENT The money given to schools to help children from poorer backgrounds is set to rise again in Hinckley and Bosworth. The Pupil Premium - aimed at providing extra money to support youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds - is expected to increase in Hinckley and Bosworth to £2,582,000 in September 2014. Among the Markfield schools set to benefit are South Charnwood High School who are due to receive £83,925 in Pupil Premium money, Stanton Under Bardon Primary School who are set to receive £13,000 in Pupil Premium funding and Mercenfeld Primary School who are set to get £53,500 Pupil Premium funding. The announcement came after figures also revealed the attainment gap between children eligible for Free School Meals and their peers continued

The Bricklayer’s Arms 213 Main Street Thornton T: 01530 230 808 QUIZ Nite: Thursdays We now have SKY and ESPN Ask about our new menus! www.bricklayersarms.net The Club, Thornton Main Street. T: 01530 230251 Open To Non-members Sat 15th March: Karaoke Sat 22nd March: Rock Band Called To Be Confirmed Sat 29th March: The Dirty Water Band Sat 5th April: The Splinters Fri 11th April: End Of Term Children’s Easter Party FREE ROOM HIRE AVAILABLE. Sky Sports In Both Rooms, Bingo Every Tuesday Evening. www.facebook.com/thethorntonclub The Queen’s Head Ashby Road, Markfield. T: 01530 242 496 Pub Quiz - last Thursday of the month. ALL SKY SPORTS & BT SPORTS Bagworth Working Men’s Club, Station Road, Bagworth. Tel. 01530 230205 Find us on FACEBOOK - search Bagworth WMC New members welcome. Live entertainment – last Saturday of the month Andy’s Charity Quiz £1.50 each - last Friday of the month - and RAFFLE - with excellent prizes. Sequence dances Sunday Nights. £1.50 admission 8 pm Tea Dance Wednesday afternoon 2 – 4 pm. £1 admission. Ask about our free room hire for those special family occasions. The Field Head Hotel Markfield Lane, Markfield Tel: 01530 245454 Tribute Nights/£2 Entry after 7pm. See advert on page 26.

The Bulls Head Forest Road, Markfield T: 01530 242541 Saturday 22nd March: CHICK - a terrific 60s night of Motown & Memories All FREE Entry! Garden & Pub Games etc. POKER NIGHT - Tuesdays starts at 8pm The Coach & Horses Leicester Road, Field Head Tel: 01530 242 312 KARAOKE Nights Every Fortnight:- Next two are Saturday 29th March and Saturday 12th April with ‘King of the Road’. Saturday 22nd March: MICHAEL VICKERS Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 1809 www.grobyclub.co.uk Friday 14th March: Capone very good male duo. Saturday 15th March: Limited edition - very good local trio. Sunday 16th March: Super Sunday ‘50’ bingo and quiz. Friday 21st March: Louise Leferure - quality female vocalist. Saturday 22nd March: EXIT - very good male duo. Sunday 23rd March: Super Sunday ‘50’ bingo and quiz. Friday 28th March: Lee Richards - quality male solo. Saturday 29th March: MIchael Jay - local solo artist. Sunday 30th March: Super Sunday ‘50’ bingo and quiz. Friday 4th April: T.B.A. Saturday 5th April: D.Smoove - excellent male singer. Sunday 6th April: Super Sunday ‘50’ bingo and quiz. Friday 11th April: Ali - by Request - great lady singer. Saturday 12th April: T.B.A Sunday 13th April: Super Sunday ‘50’ bingo and quiz

National Science and Engineering Week 14 -23 March 2014

Visit Snibston during National Science and Engineering Week and take part in these fantastic family events! • Saturday 15 March, 11.30am-2.30pm Albert Einstein’s Birthday Come and celebrate Albert Einstein’s birthday by taking part in some fun and freaky science activities and experiments. Prebooking not required. Price within general museum admittance. • Sunday 16 March Engineering Challenge Is your family ready for a challenge? Come and use your engineering know how to construct towers and rafts out of household items. And then test your creations against other contenders. Prebooking not required. Price within general museum admittance. • Saturday 22 March Dangerous Science of Mining* Come and watch Snibston’s interactive science show to learn how dangerous mining really was! 2pm (Show duration:1 hour). £2 per place (plus museum admittance). Book on 0116 305 3480 or buy on the day. *Places limited for this event. • Sunday 23 March, 11.30am-2.30pm A World of Colour Come and explore the colours of the spectrum with us through simple chemistry activities and let your little ones unleash their creativity by painting their own rainbow fish. Pre-booking not required. Price within general museum admittance. For more information call 0116 305 3424/0116 305 4114 or email snibston@leics.gov.uk Snibston Discovery Museum Ashby Road, Coalville, Leicestershire. LE67 3LN

If my memory gets any worse I’ll be able to plan my own surprise party.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

GROBY ALLOTMENT SOCIETY NEWS It’s Sunday morning and the sun is shining! Yes it is still early March and although the weather has been atrocious we have been luckier than some. The winter plot is still giving up some of its bounties; we shall sit down to Sunday lunch with a plateful of home grown veggies. Potatoes & parsnips from the stock cupboard, Brussels & carrots fresh from the plot and peas from the freezer, and if the boss is very lucky an apple crumble to finish. During the week many nourishing soups are made with whatever winter root vegetables can be added to the store of potatoes, onions and garlic that we are still lucky enough to enjoy. Winter on the plots is not all cold fingers and an aching back – a pleasant winter’s afternoon can be productively passed gazing through the many seed catalogues that seem to drop through the letterbox on a weekly basis. Plot rotation plans can be made and last year’s notebooks can be reviewed – what grew well – what didn’t – what needs moving and what we hope for the coming season. Dreams of long bunches of runner beans, green and verdant and juicy red strawberries basking in the summer sun can easily fill in the odd few minutes with a cup of tea in front of the fire. Already potatoes are ‘chitting’ autumn sown broad beans are through and onion sets are showing signs of life. Cabbage seeds are set as are cauliflower, onion seeds and spring broad beans, thankfully spring is around the corner and a new season will soon be starting. The plots did not escape all the bad weather, one shed was blown over, however within minutes of this being noticed the plot holder was contacted and within the hour a work party of neighbouring gardeners arrived to put right the damage. There are always friends on the plots to help and give advice.

The AGM was held recently and although poor weather put off some attending a good crowd enjoyed tea & coffee before the meeting got under way. The chairman & Secretary’s reports were both informative as was the financial statement. The Society is continuing to move forward in a very positive way – the waiting list is quite small so anyone thinking of taking on a plot or wanting to get in touch with the society please use the new web site: grobyallotments. tk The village show was discussed and allotment holders were encouraged that an entry into the show could be fun and rewarding – the show schedules will be available shortly through the Gardening Society and available at the open shed.

Forthcoming Events The community shed will be open on the first Sunday morning in every month on the Ratby Road Site from 10am – 12pm for teas, coffees, bacon butties and garden related sales - please come along and support our fund raising/social events and find out what is going on at the plots.

Recipe of the Month Sunshine Carrots • • •

A bundle of winter carrots 25 grams butter 1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup • 2 tablespoons of orange juice • 1 teaspoon of either wholegrain mustard or mild horseradish sauce. Peel the carrots and cut into batons, place in a medium-sized pan and add enough boiling water to barely cover. Place a lid on the pan and cook for 5 mins. Whilst the carrots are cooking, melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat with the maple syrup. When the butter is liquid, stir in the orange juice and either the mustard or horseradish. Drain the carrots and tip back in pan pouring the sauce over them, shake gently and leave for a few minutes for the carrots to take up the sauce. Finish with a twist of black pepper.

Jane Marston

I do all my own stunts, but never intentionally.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Truck, trailer or car? Norman Griffiths has an update on the Parish Council dilemma The issue of whether the Parish Council should lease or purchase a drop side vehicle for use in ground maintenance activities was not resolved at this month’s meeting. The Council had earlier considered whether to buy a trailer or invest in a modest Chinese DFSK Loadhopper Single Cab Pickup. The purchase of a trailer would cost between £600 to £1500 and would need the Council’s employee(s) to agree to having a towbar fitted to their own vehicle(s). The trailer capacity would be restricted by the type and size of the employee’s vehicle. Currently they are reimbursed for using their cars for official business at the standard Council mileage rate and there would continue to be a mileage allowance plus incidentals such as business insurance for the vehicles and an allowance for wear and tear. The current use may be something straightforward like opening the gates on the parks or less straightforward like filling their car boots with building materials. Some things, such as fallen branches, don’t fit in a boot. And others, which would fit comfortably in a trailer or a pick up, might need multiple journeys to move a large load by car. The Loadhopper drop side vehicle could be bought on hire purchase at a cost of around £255 inclusive a month for 36 months and at the end of that time would be owned by the Council. Although the Loadhopper range comes with a three year warranty and servicing, a three year anti- corrosion perforation warranty and one year’s DFSK UK roadside assistance it was not considered by some councillors as up to the job and it was agreed that further alternatives should be investigated.

What about a Citroen? The new alternative presented to the March meeting was a Citroen Relay drop side truck which could cope with a heavier workload than the smaller Loadhopper. This is nearly twice the price and would cost £10 short of £14000 plus annual running costs. The purchase of

either vehicle would probably mean an annual amount to be set aside for depreciation to fund replacement in due course. At this point in the meeting the discussion became heated, with the focus changing from which option to go for to “do we really need to buy a vehicle at all?” The Council disposed of a pick up truck with around 40,000 miles on the clock and had a grand sale of surplus equipment when it reorganised and outsourced the grounds maintenance activity some years ago as a result of a best value review. Residents who recall those changes may wonder whether the vision which members had at that time of the way in which the Council would provide parks and cemetery services has changed in the intervening years. Talk of more outsourcing to reduce costs has been replaced by some members now suggesting less outsourcing to reduce costs. Circumstances change, and no-one would have forecast, for example, that the Groby in Bloom volunteers would have withdrawn their unpaid labour. The overheads of a vehicle, especially during the winter months, were raised as well as the issue of security as it would be parked at the cemetery. And the question of how it would be used was asked, which was followed by the suggestion that for this year a vehicle should perhaps be leased in order to establish whether or not a purchase was the most economic and practical option. The steering wheel on this controversy has now been passed to the Finance Committee who have to decide whether to press the accelerator or apply the brakes. Whatever recommendation they come up with they will no doubt seriously consider whether the status quo of hard working people having to move Council materials in the boots of their cars, or having modifications to their vehicles to tow a trailer, is something that an organisation with a budget of well over £100,000 that is pursuing Quality Parish Council status should entertain.

LETTER

Celebrate with a Giant Wiggle! I am writing to encourage readers with children under five to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Eric Carle’s beloved children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by hosting their own Giant Wiggle. Leading charity Action for Children is setting little ones in Leicestershire a very wiggly challenge – to raise sponsorship by forming giant caterpillar conga lines at their children’s centre or nursery on 20th March, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day. The Giant Wiggle is a brilliant opportunity for tots to have fun with friends, get some exercise and raise money for a great cause. Action for Children is a great charity that does very important work with children and families, helping to give them a happy and healthy start in life. My little one will be taking part, so join us, Action for Children and The Very Hungry Caterpillar – and let’s get wiggling! For more information about The Giant Wiggle, including how to get involved, visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk/giantwiggle Yours sincerely,

Angellica Bell Action for Children supporter & TV presenter Do not worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older it will avoid you.

Too busy to stay in bed When did you last have a lie-in? Almost half of us never enjoy one, because of our busy lifestyles, a survey has found. Although many of us dream of spending longer in bed, few of us are prepared to sacrifice time with our family, friends or TV for sleep. 44 per cent of us therefore never sleep in. Young people aged 18 to 24 sleep in the most, while those 55 and over are the least likely to stay in bed late. The survey was done by Silentnight, the bed manufacturer. A sleep therapist at Capio Nightingale Hospital in London warns: “Sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on people’s lives.”

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Appeal for new cricket players I am associated with Ratby Town Cricket Club and we are looking for new players at both junior and senior level. We accept juniors aged from 6 - 10 for our kwik cricket teams. Children aged up to 13 can play in our Under 11 and under 13 hardball teams. Our junior section boasts five ECB level 2 coaches. we practice at Groby Community College; hardball on Wednesdays 6pm-7pm and Kwik cricket on Thursdays 6pm-7pm. All abilities welcome! Our senior teams are currently playing in division 4 and 5 of the Everards Leicestershire County Cricket league and practice at Bosworth Academy (Bosworth College) in Desford on Monday nights at 8pm-9pm. For further information contact:

Rory 07872 023945 or Eddie 07752 750705

Rory Stevenson-Leggett

Sports Educator, North Warwickshire School Sports Partnership

Bradgate Flower Club News • Bradgate Flower Club is marking 25 years since its founding with an Anniversary Dinner. This will be held from 6.30 pm on Wednesday 2 April in Newtown Linford Village Hall (LE6 0AE). The evening includes a presentation, “Karaoke to Cabaret”, by the very entertaining speaker Tony Cleaver of York. Members, former members and their guests are all welcome to join in the celebrations! Tickets £15 - in advance only - details from Lilian Coleman on 0116 2363191.

• Have you wondered what lies behind the creative genius of the flower arranger? Journey “Back to the Future” with Bradgate Flower Club and be enthralled by the skill and repartee of an experienced demonstrator. Lee Berrill (pictured above) is the guest for our special Open Meeting at 7.30 on Wednesday 7 May. The venue for this meeting is Groby Community College (off Ratby Road LE6 0GE). Visitors and guests are welcome entry fee of £8, payable at the door. Details from Lilian Coleman on 0116 2363191.

Geraldine Abbott

I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Dentures At Home Bradgate Lions Club News Emergency Mobile

Emergency Denture Repair Service 7 Days a Week

We held a very successful “Night at the Races” at Botcheston Village Hall on Saturday Feb 22nd which was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and after all expenses £170.00 was raised for our charity account.

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All monies collected during our financial year, July- June, are accrued and then donated to our chosen charities. Our next fund raising efforts will be our “Easter Prize Draw Baskets” in about a dozen local hostelries during April and a bucket collection with our “Easter Bunny” at Glenfield Co-op on Saturday 12 April. On April 26 we are holding a “Night of Nostalgia” with local band “Sounds like Swing” playing your favourite music from the 50s & 60s and requests, at Newtown Linford Village Hall. Tickets are £8.00 and are available now, from Roger on 01530 242912 or e-mail roger.gamble@ talktalk.net and at Broughtons Ironmongers in Anstey. If you require further information about the above event or about Bradgate Lions just get in touch with Roger, or give our President Jill a call 01450 822008.

30 years experience to the TRADE

Roger Gamble

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Bowls club invites new members Following a very successful 2013 season, Kirby Muxloe Bowls Club is looking forward to strengthening its bowls teams.

David Smith - 1 The Burrows, Narborough

0116 275 0101 (home) 07880 973 742 (mobile) Fair Cuppa:

an opportunity to meet with friends at the village hall. Every Thursday, 10.30-12.00

Ladies, gentlemen and young people - whether experienced or complete novices - are invited to visit the club on Station Road, Kirby Muxloe, to see what’s on offer. The club has a thriving social section with regular monthly sell-out evenings and events. Tuition, if required, is available by qualified instructors, free of charge. For more information, contact Des Smith on 0116 238 6617.

CHURCHES OPEN

- Need a space where you can step aside for a while? - Got things you would like to say a prayer for? - Like the chance to think without interruptions? - Facing something that daunts you? The churches in Groby will be open at the following times to give you that space. You can be alone, write and leave a prayer request, speak with someone or just use some of the prayers and readings available. URC Tuesdays 6.00-8.00pm St. P&J Saturdays 10.00-12noon

Urban Saints is held during term time, at the URC chapel: there are games, friends, crafts and a Christian basis to discussions. - for 5’s to 14’s on Mon evenings at 3.45pm, 6.30pm or 7.45pm - for 15-18’s on Wed evenings at 7.30pm - for 15-18’s o Fri at 7.30pm More details on the church websites

Youth Worker Ruth O’Connell 07759 087804

Catch

meets for play, craft, story & chat for pre-school children with a parent or carer. Catch meets every Friday in term time, 9.30-11.30am, at the URC. For further information please see websites and church magazines St. Philip and St. James www.bradgateteam.org.uk Revd. Louise Corke 231 3090 United Reformed Church www.grobyurc.com Revd Sue McKenzie 232 1733 Youth Worker Ruth Cross 07759 087804

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Groby Village Society

Preservation ~ Conservation Communal Interests

Forthcoming Events Thursday March 27

A.G.M.

Thursday April 24

Samuel Deacon World Famous Clockmaker Born Ratby 1748 Mr John Thornton Thursday May 22

Malaysia and my Chinese Family Mrs Sally Leong

Thursday June 26 Bess of Hardwick’ Mrs Sally Henshaw Thursday July 24

My Life as a Submariner Mr John Deeth

Thursday August 28

Made in Leicester

Mr Brian Johnson Meetings are held at Groby Village Hall Starting at 7.30pm. For Further Details Contact Hon. Secretary Mr. P. Castell Tel. 0116 287 9842 e-mail:- groby. villagesociety@tiscali. co.uk Non Members are Welcome

Millennium Green Spring 2014 News At the Annual General Meeting of the Millennium Green Trust, held on 24th February, the Chair reported on a quiet year after the rather hectic one the year before when we celebrated our 10th Anniversary and the Jubilee with special events. Support for the Easter Egg Hunt continued to be strong and the Picnic was again popular. The Treasurer reported reduced balances after we had spent money helping to raise the pathway around the edge and build a soak-away to relieve flooding. A grant from Blaby District Council had helped us to do the work. Officers were thanked for the work they had done during the year. There was also a gardening report from David Fawkes who organises the Saturday morning sessions on the Green. More helpers are always welcome. Come along on the first Saturday of each month and help to keep the gardens in good order. Several of the plots are now looked after by individuals or families who prefer to work in their own time. If you want to know more you can talk to David Fawkes on 0116 2255712 The 100 Club continues to be one of our main ‘fund-raisers’ and helps to pay for mowing the large grassy area. It only costs £2 a month to become a member and this year the monthly prize was £70. There are numbers available for the next 12 months. Find out more details from John Springthorpe on 0116 2991868. Our first community event on the Green for 2014 will be the Easter Egg Hunt which takes place on Saturday April 19th from 10.30 am to 12.00 (noon). This is primarily for younger children and their families with the chance to win an Easter Egg and other prizes. Full details will be available at the beginning of April. The daffodils are gradually coming into bloom in the Marie Curie Field of Hope on the Green. There are not as many as usual, perhaps after such a wet winter. We are identifying gaps and hope to plant more in October. Before then don’t forget our Plant Sale which this year is planned for May 24th. If you are sowing seeds at the moment plant a few extra for us to sell on the day. It is one of our main fund-raising events so we value your support. This year we are also having a Garden Party on July 5th. Full details of all our events are published in the local press, on Parish Notice Boards or in shops.

Chris Tordoff

Letter

Brant Inn Memories I have just read your article about the demise of the Brant Inn. My parents Alan (Nobby) and Lilian Clarke were tenants at the Brant Inn (or Branting Hill Hotel, as it used to be ), from the time it first became a hotel after the war until the 80s. I was born in room 10 at the hotel. My brother, sister and I were brought up there and lived in the Lodge for a number of years. We have lots of photos of the Hotel in its prime and lots of memories, including the night of the fire. Having moved away from Groby when I was 19, I moved back 12 years ago.

Helen Robinson

Pocket money You will know this already: mothers are a softer touch than fathers when it comes to getting some pocket money. Across the UK, more than a quarter of fathers link their children’s pocket money to errands, compared with just over 22 per cent of mothers. Youngsters now typically receive around £6.50 a week. The study was carried out by the Halifax.

Calling all antiques lovers ... If you’re interested in antiques and collectables, why not pay a visit to the Kibworth Antiques Centre on the main A6 Leicester Road, Kibworth.

Kibworth Antiques was opened by Sharron and Trevor Andrews just over a year ago, after searching within a 30-mile radius for space to rent in an antiques centre. When they found that all of the existing centres were fully booked they decided to open their own 40-dealer centre. Since then, trade has been so good that the owners have recently increased the floor space to accommodate an additional 20 dealers. The centre is an Aladdin’s cave of unique, beautiful antiques, vintage finds and classic retro collectables. Refreshments are also available at AJ’s Coffee Room in the main building, and there is parking available on site. Opening times are 10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sunday.

Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.

ord Search Puzzle

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

Essential Oils Wordsearch

W V E N I M S A J X V L C C T

D Z Z D Z D I Y Y F H N G N G

D O O W R A D E C C V O I R H

K B O E Z T S M Y W B M J E E

BERGAMOT CEDARWOOD CHAMOMILE EUCALYPTUS JASMINE LAVENDER MARJORAM PATCHOULI PEPPERMINT ROSEMARY SANDALWOOD TEATREE

F S H W I R E Q P O R S N H O

N X O C L V E A T E N U X P O

L B S H Z A T D P B N T A Y O

J Z L A B C D P N T R P Z R F

F V B M H E E N E E C Y L A D

Find 12 ESSENTIAL OILS in this month’s Wordsearch puzzle and 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. To go into the draw, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - the names of 12 popular essential oils. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). Send your entry to: FRAGRANT, Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Wednesday 2nd April 2014. Remember to include your name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out of the Editor’s umbrella will win the Meal for Two at The Fieldhead Hotel. Good luck!

Y G A O W P R A A L V L P M Y

A G U M U J T G G S W A B E F

L L E I P R Z R A Q K C L S Y

I X R L E H K B H M M U S O E

Z S P E B H M M D C O E Y R M

M A R J O R A M R B M T V T A

Here are the 12 ESSENTIAL OILS you have to find:

BERGAMOT • CEDARWOOD • CHAMOMILE EUCALYPTUS • JASMINE • LAVENDER MARJORAM • PATCHOULI • PEPPERMINT ROSEMARY • SANDALWOOD • TEA TREE Name: ................................................................................................. Address: ................................................................................................ .................................................................Postcode: .............................

Last Month’s Wordsearch Winner The winner of last issue’s Wordsearch competition was: DEREK WALNE of Beaumont Green, Groby Your prize - a Voucher for a Main Course for Two plus a Bottle of House Wine at The Fieldhead Hotel will be sent to you within 21 days.

Ratby Village Society

March and April meetings will be held in Ratby Village Hall, Main Street, Ratby on the third Tuesday of each month at 8pm. Admission: members £1.60, casual guests £2.50 including refreshments. Non-members very welcome. • 18th March: EGYPTOLOGY - Dr Susan Tebby • 15th April: TECHNOLOGY OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE - a talk by Wendy Freer. May and June meetings will be held in Ratby Sports Club Room, Desford Lane, Ratby on Thursday 15th May and 19th June, starting at the earlier time of 7.30pm. Admission: members £1.60, casual guests £2.50 including refreshments of wine or orange juice. Non-members very welcome. • 15th May: Antiques expert and TV personality CHARLES HANSON (pictured right) will deliver a talk and value your antiques - two items per person for valuation please. • 19th June: GILL SMART from the Heart Link Charity, Glenfield Hospital, will deliver a talk, together with a display of photos, on the work of the charity. Monies collected for the charity throughout the past year by RVS will be presented on the night.

Created by Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com

Jane Rayne

Gardening is good for you Here is good news as Spring gets underway: DIY or gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack by one third, and prolong the lives of adults over 60. Routine activities such as gardening, DIY, car maintenance and even blackberry picking can be just as good as exercise for older people. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that those with a generally active daily life have a much lower risk of heart problems.

I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MARCH 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069

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The only time I ever enjoyed ironing was the day I accidentally got gin in the steam iron.

Michael Wilkinson

Published on Mar 14, 2014

March 2014 groby spotlight magazine

Published on Mar 14, 2014

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