Hallaton Harepie Newsletter - April

HALLATON HARE PIE NEWSLETTER

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April Issue 151

Over 700 years of fascinating history of this ancient Inn will be the subject of an

by John Morison Why was the name changed to the Bewicke Arms, 200 years ago?

What did the Inn look like 400 years ago?

Why was Alice Bay before the Hallaton Court in 1378?

Who received 6 months hard labour for stealing a tankard?

What is the Ale Bush and Broaching Sunday?

What was the Leaden Lover?

How did you become the official Ale Taster of the village?

Learn about Hallaton’s Hiring Fairs

Tickets ÂŁ12.50 inc a glass of wine, apply cathymorison@btinternet.com 01858 555416 Proceeds in aid of the St Morrell Fund, Hallaton Church Restoration Trust.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL Meeting 25 th March The Clerk asked that all members of the public were respectful. She mentioned several complaints she had received from public and Councillors after the last meeting of people talking and sniggering whilst Councillors were speaking.

Below are 5 resignation speeches from Councillors at the meeting. Each speech talks about harassment of Councillors and the Clerk. PLEASE NOTE, THIS HARASSMENT IS FROM A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF BOTH PARISHIONERS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN MEMBERS. MOST NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN MEMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS AND HAVE BEEN RESPECTFUL AT ALL TIMES. Peter Crewe Kerry Flavell David James Stewart Richards Jayne Howard The Council were applauded by the Parishioners present.

The clerk asked that one final duty was fulfilled before the Parish Council dissolved, the financial duty of signing the cheques of people that were owed money by the Council.

A final comment was made by a Parishioner to ask if this could be the end of the split in the village. He stressed that the village should be uniting over the huge housing issues we are about to face.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL Peter Crewes Speech When the draft Neighbourhood Plan was presented to the Parish Council in October 2018, we were told it was evidenced based. The Parish Council had no evidence on how the preferred site had been arrived at, or evidence of what sites had been assessed.

Our comment on the draft Neighbourhood Plan initially was the preferred site is a new housing estate of 33 houses which would be isolated, not integrated within the village, basically a carbuncle on the outskirts of a beautiful village. This is still our view.

The Parish Council prepared their own questionnaire which was delivered to all residents over the age of 18 in the Parish, the results of which showed that 78% of the residents who replied did not want Cow Close. This has been rejected by the Advisory Committee and refused to be taken into account.

There has been a change to the limits of developmentwhich has allowed the Housing Theme Group to ensure that their preferred site “Cow Close” meets the highest criteria.

The windfall figure has been amended from 2 to 5 which has allowed the Housing Theme Group to remove the highest scoring SSA sites thus moving “Cow Close” to the preferred site.

The Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee are refusing to take into account a live applicable from Grace Homes at North End which we think is likely to be approved.

This site alone and the windfall sites gives the village its recommended minimum of 30 houses which would be deliverable.

By not taking the Grace Homes site into consideration and continuing to push for “Cow Close” as the preferred site there is a major concern that both these sites could be developed plus the additional windfall sites would see over-development which would change the whole ethos and street scene of the village of Hallaton.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL At the early stages of the Neighbourhood Plan consultations, residents clearly stated that they did not want one large site, however, this has blatantly been ignored and the preferred site goes totally against the wishes of the residents.

The preferred site has good quality ridge and furrow and also a wildlife corridor which should therefore, have scored very low on the SSA and goes against the findings as produced within the draft plan of the Environmental Theme Group.

We have asked the Advisory Committee to reassess the preferred site along with others. This has been refused.

The Parish Council has evidence which clearly shows that the plan has been made to fit and enable “Cow Close” to become the preferred site and despite requests from residents and Councillors the Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee are refusing to amend the plan.

At the meeting with HDC on 28th February 2019, the Parish Council tried to discuss this evidence but in all honesty the overall feeling is that they just want the Parish Council to approve the plan to go to regulation 14 and have been totally dismissive of any objections or concerns.

Yourlocale are refusing to co-operate with the Parish Councillors including the Clerk which makes it impossible to progress the Neighbourhood Plan further.

Coupled with this, myself and other councillors have been subject to a torrent of aggressive and personal emails and the clerk had an anonymous threatening phone call made to her home telephone. What is happening to this village?

Why won’t the advisory committee listen to the parishioners? I am appalled by this behaviour. I personally cannot approve this Neighbourhood Plan to go forward, it does not represent the wishes of the Parishioners of Hallaton. I want no association with it and therefore, resign from the Parish Council with immediate effect.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL Kerry Flavell Speech One of the sites in the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) process was rescored 4 times. This is an extract from the first and second site assessment that was done. A large section of the site is ridge and furrow in a reasonable condition. It is an example of Medieval strip farming and a site of this quality has a historically important weight.

Leicestershire is one of only 11 Counties in England with concentration of preserved sites of this type and this fairly unique field pattern should be preserved. This statement was removed completely from the next 2 site assessments and replaced with the words ‘the site comprises of a large arable field’. This and several other amendments resulted in the site being rescored, but why was this statement removed? I have been unable to find any evidence in Housing Theme Group (HTG) or Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) minutes of a reason for the rescoring of this site being discussed or why the words ridge and furrow needed to be removed.

The words ridge and furrow are still very much present in other site assessments.

This and several other inconsistencies have resulted in the Parish Council (PC) asking for the site assessments to be redone. This request has been refused. I have, this weekend, asked NPAC to explain why these 4 site assessments changed so much without any meeting minutes. I was sent a very comprehensive reply explaining the process and that this is how Neighbourhood Plans all over the country work.

Rather than help me understand how this happens it just confirmed my personal thoughts that once a site is found its report is adjusted until it fits.

I have seen the evidence that in late June 2018 the windfall figure was changed from 2 to 5, this resulted in five of the top 6 sites being removed as windfall. The remaining site in the top 6 was assessed for 6-8 units, this was still above the windfall figure. By early July, this site had been reassessed as only 4 units, it was now windfall and therefore removed from the rankings. This was argued by the landowners and it was put back to 6-8 units, however, the scoring was then reassessed. It had previously scored as a high green 7, one of the top scoring sites. The reassessment saw it brought down to a low green 1 and once again it was removed from the rankings. This site has also been withdrawn from the Limit to Development (LTD) line.

We have received 3 letters from former HTG members, I felt they all explain very well what I have just spoken about, I decided, with their permission to include them in my statement.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL 1.

Until August last year I was Vice Chair on Hallaton Parish Council. I had sat on the Council for 5 years. I agreed to also be one of the PC representatives on the Neighbourhood Plan in Hallaton. I was then placed within the Housing Group on the NP. For the first few months I would say things were moving along as one would expect but once the theme groups were involved I felt personal opinions were taking over the Housing Group. A planning application went in to HDC for 26 houses on North End and I was surprised at how negative the Neighbourhood Plan approached this. I questioned this and was met by a table of blank faces looking at me as I had gone mad!

As results from landowners questionnaires came in another plot was identified on ‘Cow Close’ this was potentially for 40 houses. (More than the 30 Hallaton are required to build) This seemed to be a favourite route for the NP. The SSA scores started to alter to accommodate this site sometimes without open discussion I felt.

Other sites with similar features continued to score lower.

I would say from August 18’ Cow Close seemed to be the preferred site, totally ignoring the North End site of 26 which already had the application in.

Windfall numbers were also altered from 2 to 5 despite not everyone agreeing including the results of the village consultation which specifically said the parishioners would prefer infill sites and smaller developments.

Boundaries were altered to accommodate Cow Close and eradicate others.

I resigned from the Parish Council and the NP late August as I honestly felt I didn’t want to be associated with the Neighbourhood Plan because of how personal it has become and how decisions were being made. It’s upsetting to see how this has divided the village and how personal and nasty things started to get towards the Parish Councillors. I felt they were totally kept in the dark about decisions being made within the plan from the middle of last year.

My personal opinion is that because of some very strong minded individuals this was no longer the Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL 2. Dear Hallaton PC Having been part of the HTG and attending all but one of the meetings up until August 2018, I was going to make the below points at the PC meeting that was cancelled last week.

Whilst acknowledging all the valuable time and difficult hard work put in by the HTG, it did not appear to be an open, fair or neutral process.

It seemed that when The Preferred site was identified by NPAC, windfall, site assessments, and the LTD boundary were all altered to accommodate it.

The HTG never appeared to attempt to negotiate with Grace Homes at any point, input was only to exclude and object to their proposal, which didn't seem very constructive, if there were two main sites of around, but over, 11units, the Village would have gained a better balance of type of housing and contributions in the form of 106 payments. Some of the identified windfall sites making up the short fall for our allocation.

The Your Locale Lead in the HTG stated that The Draft LTD boundary was clearly contentious, bearing in mind the very close position of the houses of the NPAC/HTG members, and in his opinion the LTD was wrong.

The Lead also stated that certain HTG members should have been allowed to attend crucial NPAC meetings to which they were denied access, I was led to believe these meetings were to be open and inclusive.

After one such NPAC meeting, which certain HTG members were not allowed to attend, windfall numbers were changed. When questioned at the next HTG meeting, why this important decision was taken, the only answer was 'because it’s easier' and the meeting carried on without further debating this massive, pivotal decision.

When requests were suggested to alter The New LTD boundary to include various sites, these requests were ignored.

What should be an open, inclusive process to benefit the Neighbourhood, didn't seem to materialize that way. Whilst appreciating you are going to get conflicts of interest in a process like this, some of them where huge. The majority of the main NP decisions seemed to be made by a closed shop, which seem to go against a process that should be open, inclusive & understood by all.

It’s very easy to criticise, but all residents need to know how this current NP was achieved, before going to a referendum, to make it a fair vote.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL 3. In a letter from one HTG member, dated 16 September 2018 and addressed to the HTG lead from Your Locale, the author addresses the re-scoring of site 11 after a failed attempt to have the same site removed from the NP and placed in windfall for no apparent reason; “Following the correction, it was deemed necessary to re-score the site at the last scheduled meeting, dated 28 August 2018. This was seven months into the process, 3 months after the 18 SSA Reports were sent to Gary and recorded as 'signed off by the HTG'. With three members of the committee excluded due to conflict of interest and one absent it left two members of the committee and yourself, as lead, to conclude that 6 of the 27 criteria had been scored incorrectly. All six of the amendments were reductions in the scoring for the site, some of the amended descriptions completely contradict those made in the previous review. The result was a significant change in the rating from a 'High Scoring Green Site of 7' to a 'Low Scoring Green Site of 1'.

What new information had come to light that led to such a comprehensive change in the view towards this site and how the scoring system worked? Which other sites were amended in a similar way? It appears as though the figures have been manipulated to create a desired outcome. The formation of the Neighbourhood Plan is supposed to be an open and inclusive process and although the village will have opportunity to consult, the information provided by the committees will form the basis of that consultation. However, I don't think it is unreasonable for me to make it clear that I do not agree with the way that certain parts of this procedure have been carried out.”

The small and passionate group who have taken on the role of forming the NP for Hallaton are in a huge position of trust within the village. Most residents are content for others to compile, analyse and present the mass of information required to produce ‘evidence-based decisions’. It is therefore crucial that these facts and figures are portrayed in an unbiased manner and residents are able to rely on this information in order to make their own independent decisions. Unfortunately, there are numerous examples where this is not the case and views, opinions and suggestions have been ignored or dismissed when they do not fit with, what appears to be, a predetermined ‘preferred plan’.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL I attempted to present an evidence folder to HDC at our meeting with them on Feb 28th but I was not permitted to do so. When I tried to speak about the evidence we and how important it was, that when it came to the regulation 14 consultation period the village would be completely unaware of things that had happened to choose the preferred site, I was told, in an incredibly patronising way, that my passion was admirable but it wouldn’t stop houses being built.

I rang Matt Bills from HDC planning department a few days after the meeting. I couldn’t quite believe what Harborough were saying. It seemed to me that we were being told that they were quite happy to have up to 70 houses in Hallaton. Councillor King reiterated many times during the meeting that 30 was our absolute minimum. I asked Matt several questions. If we move the draft plan to consultation now will it stop Grace Homes – No, it carries no weight at the moment. If we had moved the draft plan forward at the PC meeting in October would it by now have stopped Grace Homes – No, it only carries full weight at referendum. Would it have been at referendum stage by the time Grace Homes came up for planning again – probably not, these things take a long time, and finally once it gets to referendum will it stop Grace Homes – the NP is not about stopping development, it’s about moulding and shaping development.

Basically, the NP cannot stop Grace Homes. With this in mind why has the NP committee opened us up to a further 33 houses and not taken the North End site into consideration and used this towards our allocation to protect us. I feel this has been an incredibly short sited decision on their part and has placed Hallaton in a very dangerous position.

The PC had a meeting with NPAC in early January to try and explore options for a way forward. We were met with a brick wall. The meeting ended with a member of NPAC banging a fist on the table saying this is THE neighbourhood Plan, there is no other Neighbourhood Plan. We later sent an email asking for several things to be amended. Apart from the small concession of reducing the housing numbers by 2 we received a no to every request. One request, to reduce the limit to development line around Cow Close, prompted a reply to NPAC from the land agent to say they weren’t prepared to reduce the amount of the field they developed as this would cause the development to become the carbuncle we were concerned about. I was, and still am, confused as to why the land agent is dictating the placing of Hallatons boundary.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL At our meeting with HDC they suggested we arrange another meeting with Your Locale and one or two people from NPAC to attempt to move things forward. Matt Bills suggested at the meeting, and during our phone call that the best place for us to start, was to ask Your Locale again if they would redo the site assessments. With this in mind we attempted to arrange a meeting with a member of NPAC, 2 members of Your Locale and also invited the housing theme group. The response we received from NPAC was ‘you don’t need to meet with the housing theme group’. An email was sent from Your Locale asking in bold type if our meeting was legal, and the day before the meeting our clerk received a threatening phone call from an unknown caller, this has been referred to the police. We cancelled the meeting for obvious reasons.

Because of the evidence I have mentioned previously, and more I cannot present, I am unable to EVER put my vote to passing this document, in its current form, to the next stage. Despite being given ample opportunity to engage with the Parish Council and villagers to address concerns, they have refused. The Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee are not prepared to listen to the 75 percent of us who answered on our informal questionnaire no to one large development. Evidence should not just be about what statistics and surveys say. It should be about what the people who live here actually want. So much of this plan is about the wonderful opportunity for affordable housing having one large development will provide, but what is affordable in Hallaton? It certainly won’t ever be a £100,000 house that any of our first time buyer children can afford.

We as Councillors are being reported left right and centre to Harborough District Council for code of conduct issues. This Parish Council work incredibly hard, selflessly and effectively, without most people even realising what we do. I am receiving unpleasant emails regarding the Hare Pie and our Clerk has received a threatening phone call. No one deserves to have this constant badgering when they are donating their time voluntarily to work on behalf of their village. What has Hallaton become, it is an incredibly sad state of affairs that somewhere voted within the top 10 places to live has become such a very unpleasant place to live.

I had intended to follow a very different course tonight but unfortunately a week of yet more abuse towards fellow councillors has forced me to do something I don’t want to do.

Anyone who isn’t a part of what has been going on cannot imagine how viscous, personal and poisonous a small minority of people who live in this village can be. For that reason I feel I have been left with no alternative but to resign from my position as Vice Chair and from the Parish Council with immediate effect.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL David James Speech I have been part of this village for over 50 years and for 20 of those I have served on the Parish Council, for the majority of that time there has never been any trouble, but in the last three years we have had constant harassment, malicious e-mails, anonymous letters from a thankfully, SMALL, minority of the village, which has made our job extremely difficult.

To me the worst thing we ever agreed to was doing a Neighbourhood Plan. In this quintessential village of ours the one big problem was going to be that of development. I still remain against the draft NP on the grounds of the Housing part, the rest of the plan I personally have no issue with. Over the last six months we have worked tirelessly for the residents of our village to try and agree on a way forward but we have been thwarted on all fronts, including that of our district council.

As from this evening I am tendering my resignation as a councillor.

DAVID JAMES

Stewart Richards Speech I have lived in the village for 45 years and during my time on the Parish Council I have always tried to do, what I consider, to be the best for the village. However, recently all the PC have had to endure abuse, threats and accusations suggesting that this is not the case.

The proposed NP surely cannot be the right option for Hallaton. One large estate anywhere in this lovely village will ruin it, but due to the blinkered opinions of the Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee, I feel that we can no longer continue to work with them. Complaints have been made to Harborough District Council and it seems they are reluctant to support us in what we are trying to do i.e. SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE! Therefore, as I feel we have had so little support and are treated as “the bad guys� in all of this, it is with regret that I offer my resignation tonight.

HALLATON PARISH COUNCIL Jane Howard Spech I have lived in this village now for 13 years, I love Hallaton it’s my home and I could never imagine living anywhere else but: I am shocked to know that my fellow councillors and the Clerk are constantly being ridiculed and subject to nasty, vitriolic and personal attacks.

This is totally unacceptable when the PC have the best interests of the Parish in mind.

We face the prospect of two large estates in our village, the larger site of 33 on Cow Close, can be stopped, and the smaller one of 23 houses on North End is completely out of our hands and in the hands of HDC, who are likely to approve it.

And yes if we go to Regulation 14, public consultation, we will end up with both estates and by then it will be too late to backtrack, the damage is done, we will have a new village boundary which dangerously incorporates the whole of Cow Close.

HDC don’t care if we have 60 or 70 houses, they get a pat on the back, a well done and a step up the ladder, meanwhile Hallaton as we know it and love it will be a distant memory. As Matt Bills, the neighbourhood plan “Champion” for Market Harborough, warned, we should be very careful not to “over-allocate”.

The Advisory Committee refuse to alter the Neighbourhood Plan, they either refuse to understand what they are doing or they would welcome 60 to 70 houses, I just don’t know.

It appears members of the Advisory Committee are unable to work with the Parish Council in reaching a solution, or to compromise in the best interests of the Village.

If there is no Parish Council and therefore no Qualifying Body then there is no longer an Advisory Committee, they are now defunct and unable to act.

For that reason I too resign.

NOTICE OF ELECTION Harborough District Council

Election of Councillors for the Parish listed below

Parish Hallaton

Number of Councillors to be elected Six

1.

Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer, The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG on any day after the date of this notice, on Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding bank holidays) but no later than 4 pm on Wednesday, 3rd April 2019.

2.

Nomination papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG, during the times stated above.

3.

If any election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday, 2nd May 2019.

4.

Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG by 5 pm on Monday, 15th April 2019.

5.

New applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG by 5 pm on Wednesday, 24th April 2019.

6.

Applications to vote by proxy at this election applied for on grounds of either physical incapacity or absence in relation to occupation, employment or service occurring after 5 pm on Wednesday, 24th April 2019 must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG by 5 pm on Thursday, 2nd May 2019.

Dated: Friday 22nd March 2019

Richard Ellis Returning Officer

Printed and published by the Returning Officer, The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG

THE STENNING HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Annual General Meeting Stenning Hall Management Committee To be held in the Conference Room at The Stenning Hall at 7:00pm on Tuesday, 9th April 2019.

This meeting is open to the public who are welcome to attend.

AGENDA 1. To accept apologies for absence 2. To elect a Chair and Vice-Chair for the year 2019-2020 3. Annual Report for 2018-2019 4. To elect committee members and receive nominations for new members 5. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest 6. To re-visit Committee Guidelines and Code of Conduct 7. Matters of report from last Annual General Meeting held on 23rd April 2018 8. To approve minutes of Stenning Hall Management Committee meeting held on 4th February 2019 and matters arising 9. Financial Report 10. To consider ideas and events for 2019-2020 11. Open forum 12. AOB 13. To agree items for next agenda

THE STENNING HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Vacancies on the Stenning Hall Management Committee and Recreation The Annual General Meetings of the Stenning Hall Management Committee and the Recreation Ground Management Committee will be held in April, and the HIST Trustees would love to invite community members to join. This is a voluntary role.

What are we looking for?

• Enthusiastic local people who are prepared to meet once a month to help with the day to day running of the Stenning Hall and Recreation Ground and to organise events. No experience is necessary – just a willingness to muck in! Meetings of the Recreation Ground Management Committee are only held between April and November.

• Ideas! New people always bring new ideas to the table.

• Commitment of a small amount of time for helping out with events.

Got any questions?

Do please feel free to talk to us about this to find out more, entirely without obligation. Contact the Clerk at j.aaron@hallatontrust.org.uk or call 07399 326889. HIST is committed to diversity and welcomes enquiries from people of all ages (over 18), backgrounds, and walks of life.

Meet people, have fun, and get involved!

THE STENNING HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Stenning Hall Floor ‘The floor looks amazing and everyone is talking about it.’

After a week of reburbishment, the floor at the Stenning Hall is looking lovely. The Trustees are very pleased with the result and would like to thank all those who have passed on their compliments. They hope that with proper maintenance the floor will now last for many years to come.

Nearly 40% of the necessary funds was raised from the generous contributions of the Bridge Drive group, donations, and events organised by the Stenning Hall Management Committee.

The rest has been provided by the Hallaton & Isabella Stenning Trust. Once again, many thanks to everyone involved for pitching in and making a difference!

RECREATION GROUND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Annual General Meeting Recreation Ground Management Committee To be held in the Conference Room at The Stenning Hall at 7:00pm on Thursday, 11th April 2019.

This meeting is open to the public who are welcome to attend.

AGENDA 1. To accept apologies for absence 2. To elect a Chair and Vice-Chair for the year 2019-2020 3. Annual Report for 2018-2019 4. To elect committee members and receive nominations for new members 5. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest 6. Matters of report from last Annual General Meeting held on 11th April 2018 7. To approve minutes of Recreation Ground Management Committee meeting held on 21st November 2018 and matters arising 8. To re-visit Committee Guidelines and Code of Conduct 9. Cricket Update 10. Financial Report 11. To consider ideas and events for 2019-2020 12. Open forum 13. AOB 14. To agree items for next agenda

RECREATION GROUND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Recreation Ground In response to a request from cricket users at the Recreation Ground to refurbish the bowling end and cricket nets, the Trustees are pleased to announce that this has now been done. They hope that the facility will get a lot of use over the coming season and beyond.

‘Well done to The Hallaton And Isabella Stenning Trust for investing in the new extended nets and netting at the recreation ground! Looks brilliant and fantastic facility for the local community’ – Tom Flowers Cricket Coaching.

Bringhurst Primary School PTA in conjunction with

Medbourne Village Hall Restoration Fund

PLANT FAIR Medbourne Village Hall Saturday 11th May 12 – 2pm

Come and buy from a varied and interesting selection of plants for your garden, all ‘home grown’.

Plant Donations Welcomed This lovely community event is now in its 16th year and has raised well in excess of £15,000 for local causes. This year we are raising funds for Medbourne Village Hall Restoration Fund and Bringhurst Primary School PTA. Held at the village hall in Medbourne, the fair offers the opportunity to buy from a huge selection of home-grown plants and cuttings which have been potted up by local gardeners. If you have any spare plants, cuttings or seedlings which are surplus to requirements please do pot them up and donate them on the day.

We sell a huge variety of plants – perennials, vegetables, shrubs, house plants, herbs and annuals – all at competitive prices.

Refreshments are also plentiful - you can enjoy a soup and roll lunch in the village hall and choose from a variety of delicious cakes to accompany a hot or cold drink.

If you have plants to donate or if would like us to help you divide perennials and pot up surplus plants please let us know. Ring Rebekah on 01858 565200 for more information.

Put the date in your diary and come along and support us!

Hallaton Safari Supper Saturday 18th May A safari supper involves hosting one course for 6 people and moving around the village to other houses with different people for the other two.

It’s a great way to meet other villagers and be a part of our brilliant community.

I hope you will join in the merriment and madness with fellow Hallatonians and make it another funfilled evening.

To find out more and get involved please contact Sophie Parker 07771 817771 sophie@sophiei.com

THEN & NOW NO A PHOTOGRAPHIC DISPLAY

CAPTURING PEOPLE & PLACES, PAST & PRESENT

The Tin Tab, Churchgate, Hallaton LE16 8TY

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PETES PUNS I ordered a Chinese takeaway tonight and as I was driving home, I heard the bags rustling and moving!!

I thought what on earth is that. Has something got in the bag trying to eat my supper?

I thought I could see a little pair of eyes peering out at me.... I was driving so I leaned forward, picked up the bag, put it on the passenger seat and there it was again, more rustling and little eyes looking out behind the prawn crackers, I thought its got to be a rat or mouse or something so I carefully pulled the carrier bag down... And there it was ......

A Peeking Duck

NATURE NOTES Hedgehogs Hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines which are actually hollow stiff hairs. These spines are not poisonous or barbed and are merely used as a defence mechanism. They roll into a tight ball causing all of the spines to point outwards. Hibernation occurs during the winter months, usually between November and April. Hedgehogs are rarely seen as they are primarily nocturnal. They have a life span of 2-4 years with a gestation period of 35-58 days and a litter of 3-4.The increase of the badger population (their main predator) has had a marked effect on the hedgehog population.

Rescued hedgehogs are never released where there is a known large badger population. They are very vocal and communicate through a combination of grunts and snuffles.

Allotment holders should be careful when turning over their compost and bonfire heaps. They are the gardener’s friend with a particular liking for slugs and invertebrates. If you are lucky enough to have a hedgehog in your garden, they like meat-based wet dog or cat food and specialised hedgehog food, which can be bought from wildlife shops or the internet. They will also need a shallow dish of fresh water. Do not give them milk, as they are lactose-intolerant.

Eyebrook Eyelights.

A marsh harrier was seen on the 3rd and a female goosander on the 4th. The peregrine falcon is a frequent visitor whilst the kingfisher is only occasionally seen by the bridge. A pair of roe deer were seen from the bridge on the 2nd. An oystercatcher arrived on the 22nd.

Presentations of prizes and raffle 3pm

Refreshments available for entrants and visitors

Cake stall

Stenning Hall Saturday 31st August 2019 Entries 9 – 11am (No entries after this time) Judging from 11.30am Opens 2 – 4pm We welcome you to the Annual Flower & Produce Show and look forward to your wonderful support again this year 25 pence per entry with junior classes free CLASS A – Vegetables & Fruit Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Section 10 Section 11 Section 12 Section 13 Section 14 Section 15 Section 16 Section 17 Section 18 Section 19 Section 20 Section 21 Section 22 Section 23 Section 24 Section 25 Section 26 Section 27

4 Potatoes (any variety, same shape & size) 2 Parsnips (foliage trimmed to 2”) 3 Carrots (foliage trimmed to 2”) 4 Runner Beans 1 Cabbage 3 Onions (dressed) 2 Leeks (foliage trimmed to 6”) 6 Shallots (dressed) 2 Courgettes (same size with flower) 1 Marrow 2 Sweet Corn 3 Tomatoes (any variety same size with stalk) Tomatoes (any variety on the vine) 3 Beetroot (same size foliage trimmed to 2”) 6 Spring Onions (as grown) 1 Cucumber Basket of mixed vegetables Plate of Sweet Peppers Plate of Hot Peppers 1 Squash Any other variety of vegetable Any funny shaped vegetable Plate of single variety fruit - pears Plate of single variety fruit - plums Plate of any single variety fruit - other Plate of any single variety fruit - berries Plate of single variety fruit – apples

CLASS B – Flowers Section 28 Section 29 Section 30 Section 31 Section 32 Section 33

Vase of cut flowers (sweet peas) Vase of cut flowers (dahlias) Vase of cut flowers (asters) Vase of cut flowers (roses) Vase of cut flowers (any other) An Autumn Flower arrangement CLASS C – Homemade – (all entries will be sampled)

Section 34 Section 35 Section 36 Section 37 Section 38 Section 39 Section 40 Section 41 Section 42 Section 43 Section 44 Section 45 Section 46 Section 47 Section 48

Victoria Sandwich cake (jam filling) 4 plain Scones Bottle of homemade wine, beer or spirit Bottle of homemade soft drink Pot of Chutney Pot of Whole Pickles Pot of Sauce Pot of Raspberry Jam Pot of any other Jam Pot of Jelly Pot of Marmalade Pot of Curd Pot of Honey Homemade tin loaf Basket of 6 uniform eggs

CLASS D – Juniors - ages up to 7 and ages 8 – 11 & Teenagers 12-16 Section 49 Section 50 Section 51 Section 52 Section 53

Miniature garden not exceeding 45 cms square (Age 7 and under) 4 decorated fairy cakes (Age 8 – 11) Collage A4 size with garden theme (Age 7 and under) Painting of 3 flowers – A4 size (Age 8 – 11) Painting of the Buttercross (Age 12-16)

Plus: Cake stall – anyone willing to bake some cakes for sale, please bring to us on the day.

Raffle and refreshments will be available for entrants and visitors Why not beat the rush and come early if you only have a few entries!

For further information, please contact Darryl Saunders (555304), Marcus Kirby (555444) or Sue Davies (555609)

MEDBOURNE

VILLAGE STORES NEWSPAPERS · CARDS ALCOHOL · ICE CREAMS HOT & COLD DRINKS HOMEMADE CAKES CHOCOLATES · GROCERIES FILLED ROLLS AND BAGUETTES SERVED MON-SAT, ORDERS CAN BE RUNG THROUGH

01858 565928

NEW! DELICIOUS CROISSANTS & PAIN AU CHOCOLATE FRESHLY BAKED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING

3 Spring Bank, Medbourne, Market Harborough LE16 8EB

OPEN MON to FRI 8.00am until 5.20pm · SAT 8.00am until 2.00pm · SUN 8.00am until 1.00pm 5.30

HALLATON & DISTRICT WOMEN’S INSTITUTE HALLATON & DISTRICT WOMEN’S INSTITUTE Wednesday 10th April 2019 7.30 PM in the Stenning Hall WORKSHOP: making Leicestershire (Richard 111) mini-medieval tiles with Karen Slad Visitors welcome £4 Information about joining the WI, Pat Wood 555739 or Elaine Kilby 555313 Subjects for Future Meetings in 2019: Writing and self-publishing Making the most of your bulbs The myths of belly dancing E. Midlands Immediate Care Scheme

HALLATON EVERGREEN Thursday 4th April 2019 Stunning Hall 2 - 4:30 with afternoon tea + Raffle Thursday. 18th April Lunch Fox Inn 12 - for 12:30 + Raffle Thursday 2nd May Lunch Fox Inn 12 - For 12:30 + Raffle

Dates for your diary Monday 15th April

Curators’ Evening

Monday 22nd April

Museum open 2.30pm – 5pm during Bottle Kicking

Saturday 27 April

Official museum opening event 2.30pm – 5pm.

All welcome

th

Forthcoming Fundraising Activities and Events: 18th May

Safari Supper

September (date to be confirmed)

Gilbert and Sullivan evening

9th November

Call My Wine Bluff evening

29th February 2020

Race Night – with a difference

10th March 2020

AGM

Do you have…

Our 2019 exhibition features the development of photography. We would like to exhibit cameras from different decades. If you have an old camera of any type – plate, film, polaroid, digital - that you would be willing to lend to the museum for the duration of the exhibition, please contact us on museumhallaton@gmail.com and we will collect the camera from you. Thank you in advance!

Become a friend of Hallaton Museum We are very lucky to have an award-winning museum in our village, and to keep it alive and well, we need to cover our costs. If you would like to contribute to the museum’s future by becoming a Friend of Hallaton Museum, we ask just £7.50 per person. If you’ve not already paid your subscription for this year and would like to support this valuable village resource, please complete the slip below and return it with your cheque (made payable to Hallaton Museum) or cash to: The Treasurer, Cross Farm, Hallaton Yes please, I/we would like to become a friend/renew my membership of Hallaton Museum.

Name(s): Address: Email:

Telephone Number (optional):

TINA POLE Mobile Hairdresser

HairCare In the comfort of your own home Business Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00am till 7:00pm

Tel: 01858 555240 Mobile: 07523 183859

IMPORTANT DATES 2019 April Monday 22nd - Hallaton Bottlekicking (www.bottlekicking.com) May Wednesday 1st May – “The Story and History of the Bewicke Arms” an illustrated Talk. The Stenning Hall 7.00pm.

Saturday 11th May - Medbourne Plant Fair August Saturday 31st - Plant & Flower Show

FAMILY OR FAVOURITE RECIPES

Lighter toad-in-the-hole recipe Ingredients - 100g plain flour - 2 eggs, beaten - 150ml skimmed milk - 1 tbsp chopped sage leaves - 2 red onions, cut into 8 wedges each - 1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into 8 slices - 1 tbsp olive oil - 8 Cumberland sausages - 8 cherry tomatoes - 75g fresh or frozen peas, defrosted - 220g pack Tenderstem broccoli - 1 chicken gravy pot (from a 112g pack) Method 1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Put the flour in a bowl, season, and gradually whisk in the eggs and milk to make a smooth batter. Stir in the sage and set aside.

2. Put the onions and pepper in a 22 x 28cm ovenproof baking dish and drizzle over the oil. Roast for 10 mins, then add the sausages, tomatoes and peas and roast for a further 10 mins. Remove from the oven, pour over the batter and cook for a further 30-35 mins until puffed and golden.

3. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 5-6 mins until tender. In a small pan, mix the gravy pot with 220ml cold water and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

Simmer for 1 min. Serve the toad-in-the-hole with the broccoli and gravy.

NOTICE BOARD Two bags full of litter picked up from our dog walk this morning! If everyone picked up something on their dog walk think how clean our village would be!! #keepourcountrysidesclean Credit: Nina & Tracey Clark

BOTTLEKICKING Come join us litter picking at the hare pie field on Tuesday 23th April at 9:30am.

Help us clean up after the bottle kicking celebrations and keep our countryside clean.

Don’t forget to bring bin liners!

Hallaton Youth Theatre Presents

Hallaton’s Got Talent th

Saturday, 11 May 2019 6 pm onwards at the Stenning Hall Proceeds go to Hallaton Youth Theatre and Hallaton Primary School Entry fee: £4 adults; £2 children For tickets, please contact Eva on 555 661 or at hallatonyouththeatre@outlook.com Want to enter? Contact Kirstie on 07990 506843

Internal

HALLATON PCC News from the PCC Lent Lunches at Tugby Church Every Thursday during Lent 11.30am — 2pm. Everyone most welcome. For details please telephone Janet on 0116 2598497 or email madeleine.v.wang@gmail.com The Grand Day Out : Save the date!

A Peter Le Marchant boat has been booked for the now annual Benefice Outing for Monday 23rd September.

There will be a meeting to plan for this on Tuesday 14 May at 2.00pm at Bridgford House, Horninghold. If you would like to be involved please come or contact Mary Twidell on 01858 555204 or at mary.twidell@gmail.com. All help most warmly welcomed.

Hallaton Group Mothers' Union Tuesday 9 April at 7.30pm at Silva, Main Street, East Norton. Wendy Nye will be speaking about “Customs, Traditions and the Stories behind them”. All welcome

Benefice Boots Thursday 11th April. Meeting at the Wheel and Compass at Weston by Welland at 10am for a walk, 12.30pm for lunch. Please contact Gill Pawley on 0116 2598442 for details

Musical Soiree: Tugby Church, Friday 17th May with Kevin Downham. Contact Madeleine Wang: madeleine.v.wang@gmail.com At Launde this month

For all Bookings: telephone 01572 717254 info@launde.org.uk

Taize Wednesday33rdrdApril April8pm 8pm Taize Service Service Wednesday Classical Concerts (3.00pm followed by (op�onal) cream tea at 4.15pm) Classical Concerts£15 (3.00pm followed (optional) cream tea at 4.15pm) £10 for concert. for concert andby tea. £10 for concert. £15Amy for concert and tea.

Sunday April 14th Green, Saxophonist & Vera Fonte, Pianist Sunday April 14th Amy Vera Fonte, Pianist Literature Lectures andGreen, LunchSaxophonist (Lectures at&12.30 followed by two course lunch at 1.30pm) with Dr Jane Mackay) £20. A series throughout the year on the 1st Friday of each month.

Literature Lectures and Lunch (Lectures at 12.30 followed by two course lunch at 1.30pm) with Dr Jane The Screwtape Le�ers: C S Lewis Friday 5th April Mackay) £20. A series throughout the year on the 1st Friday of each month.

Quiet Day th 4 May 10am to 4pm: A special quiet day inspired by Graham Sutherland’s pain�ng “Deposi�on” Friday 5 April The Screwtape Letters: C S Lewis which will be exhibited at Launde during the day and throughout the following fortnight. £35 per head Quiet Day 4 May 10am to 4pm: A special quiet day inspired by Graham Sutherland’s painting “Deposition”

A Celebra�on of 900 years of Launde : June 21st - 24ththe 2019 which will be exhibited at Launde duringAbbey the day and throughout following fortnight. £35 per head See h�ps://www.laundeabbey.org.uk/special-events/launde-around-the-world/ for full details of all the A Celebration of 900 years of Launde Abbey : June 21st - 24th 2019 events.

HALLATON PCC See https://www.laundeabbey.org.uk/special-events/launde-around-the-world/ for full details of all the events.

SERVICES FOR APRIL AND MAY 2019 Sunday 7th April 8.30am East Norton Sunday 14th April 10am Slawston Sunday Friday 19th April Good Friday Sunday 21st April 8.30am East Norton Easter Sunday th Sunday 28 April 10.00am Tugby Sunday 5th May 8.30am East Norton Sunday 12th May 10.00am Slawston Sunday 19th May 9.30am Hallaton Sunday 26th May 10.00am Tugby

10.00am Hallaton

4.30pm Hallaton 10.00am Hallaton 10.00am Hallaton

10.00am Tugby

11.30am Horninghold 10.00am Hallaton 10.00am Tugby 11.00am Tugby 11.30am Horninghold

5.00pm Slawston 5.00pm Tugby 4.30pm Hallaton 6.30pm East Norton 5.00pm Slawston

For enquires about Baptism, Confirmation or Weddings please contact:͒ Rev Canon Cynthia Hebden͒Phone: 0116 2242761 / 07740 433871͒ Email: Cynthia.hebden47@gmail.com Instagram: Hallaton_Teatime_Service Website: ourbenefice.btck.co.uk Information: Victoriabuckingham1@gmail.com, 555284

5.00pm Tugby

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR. Please email, harepienewsletter@outlook.com to submit your content or if you have any information you would like to include please email us. DEADLINE 20th of each month.

We don‘t check these emails until the deadline date, so don‘t worry if we don‘t reply.

Please also send all artwork or content in via PDF and in black and white, unless it‘s a colour photo going on the front or back cover.

We also encourage the various groups in Hallaton to put content in the newsletter each month. You will notice we also have a new section called Trade, Important Dates and a noticed board.

The Trade section will hopefully encourage village to sell/trade their old items with other villagers.

Important dates will be a quick diary page showing upcoming events.

The notice board page will be a quick way to see was events are on this month.

We also want to encourage villagers to go around Hallaton taking photos. A photo will then be hand picked at random to go on the next cover of the Hallaton Newsletter, the idea behind this is to engage the community.

Thank you for everyone who has been sending their photos in, we have recieved some lovely pictures, unfortunatley we only have one front cover each month! Please keep sending in your photos as we will print a picture gallery in the coming months. Please note if your photo is submitted as landscape it will be cropped to fit the portrait magazine.

Useful Contacts The Rev. Canon Cynthia Hebden Tel: 0116 224 2761 Email: cynthia.hebden47@gmail.com Parish Council Clerk: Rosemary Warne Tel:01536 770917 Email:r@warnefamily.co.uk Stenning Hall & Rec bookings: Jane Aaron Tel:07399 326889 Email:j.aaron@hallatontrust.org.uk HIST Clerk: Jane Aaron Tel:07399 326889 Email:j.aaron@hallatontrust.org.uk Goodman Charity Grant Applications Victoria Buckingham Tel:555284 Email:Victoriabuckingham1@gmail.com Hallaton Cemetery (Stewart Richards) Tel:07759 852 147 Email:stewartrichards48@btinternet.com Hallaton Cricket enquiries (Rob Mobsby) Tel:07889 923 001 Email:mobsby.robert@gmail.com Hallaton Field walking group: Debbie Frearson Email:hallatonfwg@yahoo.co.uk Hallaton Museum Julia Whittome Email:Julia@PawsChe.org Evergreens (Muriel Noble) Tel:01858 555 611 (Joyce Eales) Tel:01858 555 762 Hallaton Primary School Tel:01858 555 629 Email:office@hallatonprimary.leics.sch.uk District Councillor Michael Rickman: Email: m.rickman@harborough.gov.uk Hare Pie Advertising: Email: harepienewsletter@outlook.com HIST Premises Officer Pete Simons:Tel:07929 977231 Hare Pie Newsletter is edited and printed on behalf of Hallaton Parish Council. Edited, produced, designed and printed on behalf of Hallaton Parish Council by GG DESIGNS & PRINTERS LTD © Copyright 2017 Hallaton Parish Council. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate and up-to- date, Hallaton Parish Council, the editor and publishers take no responsibility for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed in editorial contributions to this publication are those of their respective authors and are not necessarily shared by either Hallaton Parish Council, the editor or Publishers.