‘WHY PUT A SOLAR FARM HERE?’
RESIDENTS living down a single track country lane near Barrow-upon-Trent have voiced considerable concern over proposals for a solar farm and battery storage facility the size of 80 football pitches near their homes
The plans are for eight agricultural fields of solar panels and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land at Arleston Lane, Twyford, bordered by the A50 and the Trent & Mersey Canal Applicants have said that the solar farm, if agreed, would provide renewable energy to power up 18,000 homes, saving around 20,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually
But residents living along Arleston Lane have aired their concerns about the proposals, saying that while they are not against green power it has not been made clear why the huge solar farm should be taking up valuable agricultural land
They say they feel besieged by development with not just the vast solar farm looming on the horizon but the new A50 junction round the corner too Martin Collins, who lives on the lane, said: “I’m not against green power at all but it seems daft to me that they are going to build a solar farm and battery storage system about three miles from the defunct power station at Willington
“The power station has got road access, it’s got rail access, it’s still got a huge sub station I think all the residents are saying that we’ve got a massive disused power station nearby Why don’t they just build it on something that isn’t going to take away from agricultural land that they’re now taking away?”
Fellow resident Suzanne Britz said: “We’re not against green power but it’s the location of it These solar farms need to be on top of car park roofs, roofs of new builds – which is predominantly driving the need for extra electricity, or placed on unused power stations which cover acres of land and are connected to the grid and have a rail network to transport the huge panels
by Lucy Stephens
“The Government needs to manage this and stop these companies using farmland as cheap alternatives to give these companies a good profit margin There is no-one in Government looking at co-ordination across counties either and before long, the UK will be an island of solar panels with no farmland left ”
Dave Edmunds, from the lane, pointed out that a high number of its residents had shown their commitment to green energy by buying solar panels and heat pumps and there was even a domestic wind turbine along the lane too
He said local people felt that there were a long list of objections against the scheme including practical safety concerns over the number of HGVs which would be needed to access the site along a single track country road during the build
The size of the land proposed for the solar panels is 48 hectares, around 118 acres
If the development goes ahead it would be providing renewable energy to the National Grid for 40 years before being decommissioned, at which point all equipment would be removed and the land returned to agricultural use
The solar farm would provide a capacity of 43 megawatts with the BESS providing an additional 99MW in storage, making it a medium-sized facility compared with others in the UK
Applicants have said the solar farm and BESS would take between 12 and 18 months to build
Commentary has also been received from organisations such as the Canal & River Trust, Cadent Gas, East Midlands Airport and Network Rail
Leaflets were sent to all properties within 1 5km of the development 12 days before a consultation event at Stenson Fields Community Centre, as well as local councillors being informed of the proposals
PHIL Dobby, chair of trustees of Melbourne Community Care, asks for the best price for a squash as part of an auction for the charity conducted at the village produce show in September, which included these ‘hugging carrots’ grown by Scott Harrison which won the wonkiest vegetable category
Full report and more pictures on Pages 10-11
Derbyshire Day back at church
A POPULAR community day has been brought back to Weston-on-Trent Church this month – and organisers say it will be bigger and better than ever
The voluntary group, Friends of St Mary the Virgin Church in Weston, are once again putting on ‘Derbyshire Day’ for the benefit of the community
The event is being held on Saturday, September 20, from 10am to 3 30pm and the public will be able to climb the tower, enjoy stalls and refreshments, hear live music and enjoy sitting inside the historic church
Erica Stocks of the Friends’ group – volunteers working to raise funds to secure the church’s future – said: “We are delighted that we can once more invite the local communities to enjoy Derbyshire Day at the church
“This community-wide day of entertainment has been extremely popular in the past and well-supported by so many people from the local areas
“We were unable to stage the event last year due to a lack of volunteers, but we are fortunate to now have significantly more volunteers and supporters, and that has enabled us to bring back Derbyshire Day for 2025
“Derbyshire Day has community and friendliness at its heart
“In past years so many people came along to shop the stalls and enjoy some refreshments, but then also stayed on to chat with other people, sitting in the pews enjoying the music performances that took place throughout the day It was really lovely to see so many taking the time to enjoy the church and connect with other people – some that they didn’t know or hadn’t seen for a while That’s what community is all about ”
Stalls are set to include ice cream, artisan grocers, candles, soaps, cards, dog treats and more
Depending on the weather, there will also be a rare opportunity to climb Weston’s church tower and enjoy spectacular views of the area
Friends’ tributes to brave Charlie, 33
by Lucy Stephens
FRIENDS of a young woman from Aston-on-Trent who passed away aged 33 from a brain tumour have paid tribute to their “best friend, compass and constant”
Charlotte Hingley – known as ‘Charlie’ – who grew up in Aston and attended the primary school before going on to Chellaston Academy – “lived with a courage and fire that people twice her age could only hope to match”, said friends mourning her passing
James Cooper, owner of The Coopers’ Arms in Weston-onTrent where Charlie worked for many years along with her siblings, said: “I was very saddened to hear of Charlie’s passing She wasn’t just a colleague but someone who brought kindness, laughter and dedication into the workplace She will be sorely missed by myself and everybody else ”
After living with a brain tumour for nearly five years, Charlie passed away in a hospice in the North-East and her family have paid tribute to those
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who cared for her so beautifully in her final days
Today a group of Charlie’s many friends – Jess Tolson, Amy Tatem, Sophie Wykes, Gemma Swann, Lauren Scanlon and Hannah Leivers – have written the following tribute to their friend:
“Charlie was more than a best friend, she was our compass, our constant, and our safe place in this world
“She was only 33, but she lived with a courage and fire that people twice her age could only hope to match Charlie served in the RAF, ran into danger as a firefighter, and faced a five-year battle with a brain tumour with more grace and grit than we can describe She didn’t let the pain define her, she kept showing up, day after day, for the people she loved
“Charlie had a wife who
adored her and a dog who was her shadow She made a life filled with love, loyalty, and laughter, even as her own time was being stolen away
“She was there for us through the dark periods of our life She didn’t try to fix us She just stayed She listened She let us be broken and didn’t turn
away That’s the kind of person Charlie was, always brave, always steady, always holding space for other people’s pain, even when she was carrying so much of her own
“Losing her feels impossible
There’s a silence in the world now where her voice used to be
But we know, deep in our bones, that her spirit is still here In every act of bravery In every moment of kindness In every person she ever lifted up
“Charlie, you were our hero
You are our hero We miss you more than words can hold, but we will carry you with us for the rest of our lives
“Thank you for loving us Thank you for being you
“Rest easy, our beautiful friend ” Love from Amy, Jess, Hannah, Lauren, Gemma and Sophie xx n Full obituary – Page 14
7,000 HAVE A SAY ON COUNCILS’ FUTURES
DISTRICT, borough and city council leaders have thanked the people of Derbyshire for having their say about the future of council services
Over 7,000 people took part in the ‘One Derbyshire, Two Councils’ survey, which asked for people’s views on options to reduce the number of local councils from 10 to two – with one covering the north and one the south
Derbyshire’s eight borough and district councils, and Derby City Council, launched the sixweek consultation to gather as many views as possible from residents, businesses and organisations from across the county
In a joint statement, the leaders of nine councils said:
“Thank you to everyone who has shared their views on our options for the future of local council services in Derbyshire
“People and places across Derbyshire must come first when we think about the future of the councils that deliver their services, and we felt it important to ask residents, businesses and organisations across the county what they think about the plans
“It will take us some time to thoroughly review and collate the results over the coming weeks, and people’s views will be used to inform our final proposal and business case for how local government reorganisation should be taken forward in the best interests of Derbyshire’s communities ”
The consultation closed on August 10 Results will be reviewed and – alongside a range of other evidence – will be used to shape the final proposal, which needs to be submitted to the Government on or before November 28
A proposal put forward through a petition to enable people to have a vote on the reorganisation was quashed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government recently, saying a referendum is not part of the statutory process Under the Government’s current timeline, elections for the new shadow authorities will take place in 2027 and the new councils would start to operate from April 2028
ABOVE: Charlie (centre) on her wedding day with Sophie Wykes and Gemma Swann, and (below) enjoying a day at the seaside
Mast protest signals a service upgrade
THE first steps towards improved mobile connectivity in Aston-on-Trent have begun after a newly installed phone mast went live in August
The battle to improve the mobile phone signal in Aston has been going on for years with villagers having united in a campaign to operators Some 1,500 leaflets were put through letterboxes urging residents to complain to their operators while the parish council wrote to the local ombudsman to raise the issue
BT responded by installing a 20-metre high mast with antennae and dishes on the village’s recreation ground earlier this year, which became operational a few weeks ago
A spokesperson said: “We’re delighted to
by Lucy Stephens
bring EE’s award-winning network to Aston-on-Trent, and hope residents and businesses alike are already beginning to feel the benefits of this enhanced mobile connectivity
“We’d like to thank the local community once again for the warm welcome granted to our teams on the ground, as well as for their patience over the last few months as we completed the build and activation process ” Residents spoken to by the Village Voice were still lukewarm as to the effects of the mast
The device is a unilateral EE mast so currently benefits only EE customers
The mast provides an opportunity for site sharing agreements with other operators, opening up the potential for more to benefit
Those using a mobile phone outside in the village have noted an improvement but others said they were still seeing problems inside
David Cross, landlord of The White Hart, said: “I don’t think people have seen a difference at all ”
Aston resident Owen Hawksworth also said he had not seen much of a difference, and still relied on a landline or WhatsApp to make calls
GROWING numbers of St George’s flags have been adorning lampposts and roundabouts across the UK in recent weeks – and the trend has reached our area.
The rudimentary St George’s flag has been painted on to the roundabout (above) which connects Main Street in King’s Newton and Packhorse Road
We asked Derbyshire County Council, the authority responsible for highways, for its stance on the matter, and got a response from its Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport: Councillor Charlotte Hill – who is also the ward member for Melbourne.
Cllr Hill said: “The council’s highways policy sets out a risk-based approach to managing these sorts of issues, including flags being attached to street lights, so that we can make sure that our roads and pavements are safe for everyone to use
“If we are made aware that flags have been attached to lamp posts we will assess to see if these pose a danger to the public, and only remove them if they do pose a danger. It is highly unlikely that we will remove the majority of flags
“We will take the same approach if flags are painted on roundabouts.”
WITH a Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum – Aston Players have been up to some fun again – this time with a murder mystery evening “A Rum Murder” kept guests entertained not just with the antics on stage but a sit down meal too.
Guests thoroughly enjoyed the fun and the chance to mix with some scurvy pirates
Brenda Mary EARP of Melbourne. Passed away peacefully at her home address of over sixty- ve years, on Tuesday 26th August, aged 90 years.
Born on 23rd May 1935, the cherished daughter to the late Laura and Abraham (Paddy) Cooper, devoted mum to children Susan, Karen and Mark, loving grandmother to Amy, Steph, Daniel, Sophie and Simon, and much-loved great grandmother to Hugo and Phoebe.
e funeral will be held at Melbourne Parish Church, Church Square, Melbourne, at 1.30pm on Tuesday 30th September, followed by a committal at Trent Valley Crematorium, Aston on Trent.
Family owers only please. Donations in lieu of owers if so desired, to Cancer Research UK.
All enquiries to JP Springthorpe and Co Funeral Directors, 17 Potter Street, Melbourne, DE73 8DX Tel: 01332 865511.
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Church service
A SERVICE of thanksgiving for Harvest will be held in Staunton Harold Church on Sunday, September 21, 4 30pm Non-perishable food and monetary donations will be welcomed for Ashby foodbank There will be a talk from Andy Mayo, Chief Development and Technical Officer for HoverAid, a charity reaching the unreachable
As the only privately owned, family run Funeral Directors in Melbourne, we are able to offer an extremely personal yet professional service at a reasonable cost, both in Leicestershire and Derbyshire.
We are also happy to arrange personalised Golden Charter Funeral Plans
Telephone: Melbourne (01332) 865511 AT ANY TIME
900-year church events ‘going well’
CELEBRATIONS to mark the 900 years of Melbourne Parish Church have gone very well so far, according to organiser Jim Hewlett – and there are more events on the horizon.
“It has been very well received, and we are very pleased with the success of events thus far It really has raised the profile of the church and brought in many people who had not visited before,” Jim said A further four events are planned over the next few weeks
On September 22 there is a talk by Dr Rachel Askew entitled “The King, his Chaplin and the building of Melbourne Church ” Rachel is from the Department of Medieval History at Leicester University, and the Civic Society have organised the talk It starts at 7pm at the church, and entry is free, with donations invited
On September 25 (7 30pm) there is a concert called “Stars of the Future” performed by Graham Oppenheimer and Friends It will feature the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky played by outstanding young international players from London and beyond Tickets are available on wegottickets and at Creative Melbourne Gallery
by Frank Hughes
On Sunday, September 28, which is the eve of St Michael’s day, there will be a Patronal Festival starting at 10 30am in the church, led by the Bishop of Derby Also attending will be the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Lord Lieutenant along with other civic dignitaries and former members of the clergy who have served at Melbourne It is anticipated that this will be a religious highlight of the year of celebration
On to October 2 when local historian Philip Heath will be giving another of his renowned talks on the church history As well as being a remarkable example of Norman architecture, of impressive size and scale with much historic debate about its design, its carvings, and the reasons why it was built here in the first place, the talk will cover the many interesting facets of its story beyond the most obvious
It will explore the church’s context within the community and consider how each of its nine centuries has had effects on the church and its surroundings This event is free, with donations invited, and starts at 7 30pm
Village pump given new life
TICKNALL’S very own ‘repair shop’ has been in action to restore one of the village’s interesting pieces of street furniture.
Ticknall resident Bryan Wolsey has taken on the job of repairing the village’s old water pump on Main Street, which is believed to date back to the 19th Century.
Older than the adjacent “tap” – one of 21 such taps or fountains installed around the village in 1914 by the Harpur Crewe Estate to supply clean drinking water to the local residents – the pump had sadly fallen into disrepair
Local resident Andrea Hancock (pictured with Bryan) reported the problem to Ticknall Parish Council, which agreed to fund its restoration.
Bryan said that inside the pump’s box is what is assumed to be the original one-way valve, which was
located at the bottom of the lead cistern.
Hollow and made of turned wood, it has grooves around it for string or thin rope to be wound around, and has a leather “collar” too
On pushing down the handle, water would be drawn by vacuum up into the cylinder. Then, in the opposite direction, the one-way valve would close expelling water from the spout
The upper part of the mechanism and the linkage
to the handle was not present when the pump was restored and are presumed lost.
Bryan used oak planking to repair the box, and the base for the pump was supplied and fitted by Cllr John Bentley, of Chapel Street.
The cast iron taps in the village were used until 1962 when a water supply was brought to Ticknall
The remaining taps are all now on the heritage listed buildings register
On your marks for the next learning curve
LOCAL teenagers are embarking on their next steps after picking up their GCSE and A-level results this summer.
At Chellaston Academy – the catchment secondary school for thousands of families in the area – delighted leaders reported that a quarter of all A-level grades achieved were A* or A, with the average being a B
The average grade across all vocational subjects was a distinction
Head teacher Phil Smith said: “We are delighted with the fantastic examination results achieved by our year 13 students and exceptionally proud of their accomplishments
“It is pleasing to see that their dedication and commitment to learning has paid off We are also delighted that these outcomes match last year ’s strong results and continue to show what a great sixth form we have ”
He added: “Students leave Chellaston Academy ready for the next stages of their lives This success is not possible without the dedication and support of every member of staff, and I would like to thank them all ”
Mark Mallender, Chief Executive Officer, QEGSMAT, added: “It’s exciting to see a great set of results for Chellaston Academy students I would like to wish them every success with their next steps and thank staff for their hard work,
by Lucy Stephens
dedication and support ”
At GCSE, Chellaston reported three quarters of students getting a grade 4 – a pass – in both English and maths, with the average across all GCSE and level 2 entries being a grade 5
Half the students achieved at least one ‘7’ – the equivalent of an A’ grade under the previous system
All Chellaston Academy 300 year 11 students sat exams this year
Phil said: “I am pleased with the examination results achieved by our wonderful year 11 students We are really proud that their hard work has secured successful and exciting opportunities for their next stages in life
“We would like to say a special well done to A Rasul, who has achieved grade 9s in all of her subjects Also, Emily Whitehead, Samuel Wood, Isla Williams, Nathan Biring, Rebecca Mills, Damon Kwok and Jack Williams, who achieved an average grade between a grade 8 and a grade 9 These are phenomenal achievements; well done ”
Annie Smithard, of Melbourne, said: “Although the GCSE period was exhausting and stressful, I am beyond happy with my results, and am really grateful for my hard work paying off! I am excited
to start sixth form at Chellaston, where I will be taking science, English and psychology ”
Over at John Port Spencer Academy, whose catchment area includes Milton, leaders reported 79 per cent of students getting the pass grade of
The school’s A-level results saw a third of all entries receiving an A* or A
RIGHT: Amelie Mantle of Kings Newton is off to Birmingham University to study medicine, armed with three A grades in French, chemistry and biology
ABOVE RIGHT: Andrew Gilchrist of Melbourne celebrating A level results in Art, Geography and English Literature.
ABOVE: Annie Smithard, of Melbourne, was delighted with her GCSEs
l Local teenagers with their GCSE results
ARSTS & ARSANS
This year we are featuring over 150 Artists in 65 Venues in the heart of Melbourne!
CREAVE
MELBOURNE GALLERY
Meet our studio Artists - Sujata Aten, Michelle Holmes, Jenny Stevenson and Patrick Twiss-Prentice.
EMERGING ARSTS AWARD
Exhibition at Melbourne Assembly Rooms.
VE MUSIC &
PERFORMANCE
Catch up with FESTIVITY on tour Music, Poetry and Storytelling in The Rectory Garden and BUSK STOPS at Melbourne Assembly Rooms and Castle Farm.
FANTASC FOOD
Food Fayre at Castle Farm Courtyard, Melbourne Assembly Rooms and the fantastic restaurants, cafes, pubs and charity pop-ups.
FAMILY FESVAL
In the Rectory Drop in to “Make it at Melbourne Festival”, sing and dance at MusicTime with Tracey Ridley or just relax in the Mad Hatters Picnic Space! Join us for Rhyme Time on the Lawn at Book House and stop for a rest at our Story Stops.
ARCHITECTURE TRAIL
Melbourne Festival & Melbourne Civic Society have teamed up to highlight 20 architecturally significant building for our 20th Melbourne Festival.
1000 CRANES PROJECT – “SENBAZURU”
Members of the Derbyshire & Toyota City Partnership are joining us to create 1000 Cranes. “Senbazuru” is a Japanese tradition where folding 1000 cranes is said to bring peace and wellbeing.
FESVAL FRINGE
Scan the QR code to find out about our 2025 programme of music and performances.
Follow FANTASTIC EXHIBITIONS this Autumn at Creative Melbourne Gallery and find out about CREATIVE WORKSHOPS www.creativemelbourne.co.uk
‘WE’RE UNDER ATTACK’
Villagers in fight against multiple developments
by Lucy Stephens
A TRIPLE Paralympic Gold Medal winning canoeist has spoken out about the “consultation fatigue” of fighting off development including a village nearly the size of Ashby which could be built near Isley Walton
Diseworth resident Emma Wiggs MBE fears her East Midlands’ village is being attacked on all sides from multiple planning applications that threaten to decimate its rural landscape
Hundreds of acres of countryside that have been lived on and farmed since Saxon times are now under siege from numerous major developments
East Midlands Airport is behind a planning application to develop agricultural land adjacent to the same village in conjunction with Prologis, a ‘global leader in logistics real estate’
A competing application by another global logistics real estate organisation Segro, is now bypassing normal local planning processes and being considered at national government level under Development Consent Order (DCO) – usually only used for major infrastructure projects such as railways or power stations
Both applications are vying to be part of the East Midlands Freeport’s East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster, also known as EMAGIC Freeports – now known as Industrial Strategy Zones – are designated areas designed for free trade with minimum regulation
Whichever application succeeds, this would mean up to 250-acre area of countryside being swallowed up and replaced by a massive development of giant B8 megasheds on a logistics park
the size of 125 football pitches
On the other side of the village, meanwhile, a planning application has been submitted by North West Leicestershire District Council on proposals developed by Harworth Group and Caesarea Development Holdings for a new town to be called Isley Woodhouse
This will be almost the size of Ashby de la Zouch, with 4,250 houses and an estimated 10,000 residents North West Leicestershire District Council has earmarked 781 acres to the south west of the airport for the new settlement – which will wipe out farmland and fields the size of almost 400 football pitches
Commenting on behalf of Protect Diseworth, Emma Wiggs says: “It feels like Diseworth is being attacked on all fronts Not only have we been tackling the Freeport / EMAGIC applications, but now we’re fending off the development of thousands of houses too
“Add in the 40-acre solar farm that has already been approved at the Moto service station and various local and neighbourhood plans we’ve been asked to comment on and we’re beginning to suffer from ‘consultation fatigue’
“Like most people, I’d rather be doing my day job, which in my case is being out in my canoe, than spending time on consultation exercises Nevertheless, just as I’ve done in my canoeing career, the residents of this village will keep fighting ”
Richard Brackenbury, spokesper-
son for Protect Diseworth, adds: “As a small village of only a few hundred adults, as the various applicants know, we have limited fire power to fight back against all these threats
“What’s more, even if we had all the time and expertise to respond to each of these applications, it seems as if no one is considering the cumulative effects of these multiple developments, not just on our village, but also the surrounding countryside, the roads and all other infrastructure that will be required to support this level of overall development ”
LEFT: Emma Wiggs MBE out in her canoe. BELOW: The planning proposals on the doorstep of the tiny village of
ON OTHER HOMES FRONTS
Residents hand over a protest petition to council
PROPOSALS to create four homes on a plot in central Melbourne have attracted significant objection and a protest petition signed by nearby residents.
The plans to demolish a two-storey building, convert a single storey office building and build three new homes on the plot at 55 Derby Road came under scrutiny at the latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council on September 2
Several residents from areas of Melbourne near the proposed development including Dunnicliffe Lane and South Street attended the meeting to voice their concerns and present a protest petition signed by 28 people
Nearby resident Steve Spear spoke to councillors to outline concerns about the development
He said the proposed buildings did not meet national standards on adequate provision for space
He also said that car parking facilities were inadequate in several key respects including size of the spaces themselves and provision for turning Paul Bigg, from Derbyshire County Council’s transport department, also made the following comment about the proposals: “There is a concern that there is insufficient turning space available within the site to enable vehicles to safely and satisfactorily enter and leave the site in a forward direction ”
Councillors, debating the proposals, voiced their objections too
Cllr Nigel Collyer said: “I think this is an application that’s trying to squeeze too much into too small a space ”
Applicants have applied to create a two-bed; a three-
bed and two one-bed properties on the site
A Design and Access Statement Accompanying the proposals said: “It is considered that the site can easily accommodate the conversion of an existing building to one dwelling and erection of three dwellings whilst not encroaching on neighbouring amenity space, nor privacy
“This report has also demonstrated that the increased number of dwellings can be incorporated without creating any adverse impact on the local highway network, with all dwellings having on-site parking ” n PLANS to build up to 135 houses in King’s Newton fields are being heard at appeal in November
Developer Richborough has appealed against South Derbyshire District Council, which rejected its application earlier this year
An appeal is due to be heard and the date listed on the Planning Inspectorate’s website is November 11
Opposition groups to the plan, including Kings Newton Residents Association and Melbourne Civic Society, have been considering how best to ensure their views are represented at the hearing
No venue has yet been notified for the appeal
People who objected to the application have been notified that they may contribute, and one option is to be a “Rule 6” participant
Another is to comment as an “interested person”
Comments on the appeal need to be submitted by 10 September on the webpage planninginspectorate gov uk, with the reference APP/F1040/W/25/3368728
66 dwellings plan is back on the agenda
THE proposal to build up to 66 dwellings along Jawbone Lane between Kings Newton and Melbourne has reared up again two years after originally being submitted
The application was originally made in 2023 but, following objections to the scheme from Melbourne Parish Council and many others, the developer, Davidsons, has now submitted additional documentation to support the project.
The most recent additions to the application include a revised design for the junction of Jawbone Lane and Main Street – the subject of one of the parish council’s concerns; a revised mix of housing types – although the numbers remain as originally submitted (46 market value dwellings and 20 “affordable”, either for purchase or rent) Ten of the dwellings are four or five bedroomed homes
There is also a rebuttal to Historic England and an assessment of the agricultural land loss
This month Melbourne Parish Council was due to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss its response to the proposal after a limited extension period was granted on the consultation timeline.
Kings Newton Residents Association, confirming they will continue to object to the application, have addressed the argument put forward by the developers on the loss of Grade 2 agricultural land on the basis of historical underuse, suggesting it is not a reason to discount the importance of the land and build on it
They also say the developers’ rebuttal of Historic England’s opinion on the loss of views and reducing the distinct separation of Melbourne and Kings Newton villages is in direct opposition to the Neighbourhood Development Plan, and the new traffic audit ignores the big issue of the northern end of Jawbone Lane at the junction with Main Street
The proposed alterations to introduce kerbs at the junction results in a narrowing of Main Street directly opposite the heritage cross which is already damaged by traffic, particularly HGVs, negotiating the busy junction
One resident has challenged the need for another exit onto Jawbone Lane from the cemetery land as shown in the revised plan.
Diseworth.
Coffee morning gives Red Cross work cash boost
A COFFEE morning in Ticknall to raise money for the British Red Cross’s work in Gaza netted an astonishing £1,800 from donations
Organiser Jose Raine said she was absolutely delighted with the amount raised and wanted to thank everyone who generously donated.
Jose has held similar events previously, and over the six events has raised £12,500 for the work the Red Cross does
She said: “It feels very democratic and inclusive to ask people to donate whatever they feel like, and we get donations from many people who don't actually attend, which demonstrates to me that this is a cause many wish to support
“When there are situations arising around the world that make you feel despair, it can feel good to unite as a community.”
She is particularly supportive of the Red Cross because of its impartiality – they do not take sides and are there to help relieve suffering.
She added: “It was really kind of Ticknall Village Hall to generously let us use the space rent free ”
Jose wanted to thank all of the friends and family who helped run the event, and in particular her husband’s parents, who travelled all the way from Scotland to help out.
Your reporter can confirm also that the cakes were truly scrumptious in every way!
Ben’s on cloud nine after his peak performance
by Frank Hughes
“NEVER, ever again!” said Ben Gotheridge after he completed his fund-raising Three Peaks challenge to raise money for the local ManClub group.
Ben raised over £1,200 to support the local charity, which provides a safe and informal space for men to talk openly about issues including mental health Ben said he knew that the money would go a long way to support the club and thanked everyone who sponsored him
The money raised represents over six months of operating costs for the club
He and university friend Jacob Rowlands joined a group of 41 to complete the gruelling challenge It involves climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours There are 23 miles of walking, 460 miles of driving, and a total 3,064 metres to climb
Ben proudly admitted that his recorded time was 23 hours 52 minutes He was one of only 20 from the group who came in within the time limit, celebrating the achievement with prosecco and beer at the end
Joe Ward from ManClub said: “We are extremely grateful to Ben for his amazing efforts and the huge amount he has raised for us It is through people s help with fund-raising that we can continue to make a difference in changing the conversation on men ' s mental health So a huge thank you and well done to Ben from all of us!"
Ben said: “The worst bit was the walk down Snowdon, it was brutal” – mainly because his boots were digging into his feet at that stage The
best bit for him was the sunset when he was on Scafell Pike
Ben, whose previous charitable endeavours include donating stem cells, has now emigrated to Australia to take up a job as a Behavioural Sup-
port Practitioner, for his next big adventure
Despite vowing “never again” he found the experience both challenging and emotional and would recommend it to anyone who wants to challenge themselves
Hundreds on the trail of some good pints of beer
by Frank Hughes
THE VERY first Melbourne Beer Trail was h-ale-d as a complete success by organiser Matt Gotheridge and the pub landlords Hundreds of visitors were welcomed across the 10 locals around Melbourne and Kings Newton.
Entrants picked up a leaflet at one of the participating pubs and got a stamp at each venue visited The trail was free to enter and there was a prize draw for gift vouchers provided courtesy of the establishments
Entrants also voted for their favourite tipple, and the top three winners of that accolade were Vaults Dark from the Spirit Vaults, Bass at the Hardinge Arms and Bounder at the Bank of Beers
The participating bars were the Hardinge Arms, the British Legion, the Alma, Melbourne Inn, White Swan, Brewhouse, Amalfi White, Harpur ’s, Bank of Beers and Spirit Vaults
Over the four-day weekend all the pubs had a noticeable extra buzz about them Nathan Barnett, manager at the Bank of Beers, said there was a significant increase in business over the weekend, with lots of new faces visiting the bar
Looking at comments on social media everyone involved seemed to enjoy it
One comment said: “The trail isn’t just about beer it’s a celebration of community, local pride, and good company From the first sip to the last laugh, the first Melbourne Beer Trail has shown just how much spirit and character our community can bring to an event Here’s to the next pint, the next pub, and the next year cheers to that!”
Fourteen lucky drinkers won prizes including a hamper, a meal and beer vouchers One of the beer voucher winners was a previous landlord at the Bank of Beers (when it was the Chip n Pin) and there was some ironic curiosity about how he might spend his tokens!
Matt said he was delighted with the turnout and success of the event
Thanking everyone who participated and the venues involved, he said he was looking forward to doing it all again
next year!
Kate Freeman, manager at the Spirit Vaults, said: “It was great to see many new faces in The Spirit Vaults during the first Melbourne beer trail The event really got people talking and enjoying the village I’m sure the beer trail will become a well established annual event in Melbourne’s calendar
“Thank you to the organisers and for everyone who participated, especially those who voted for the trail’s winning beer – our Melbourne-brewed Vaults Dark ”
HISTORY group volunteers in Aston-on-Trent have voiced their delight after being awarded funding to help digitise their extensive archives
The village’s local history group has been granted “significant funding” from East Midlands Airport Community Grant Scheme
The group, which formed in 2004, has amassed a substantial archive of several thousand documents, photos and audio recordings in order to provide a lasting archive and heritage of this ancient village for future generations
But the digital age has caught up and the group needs new and updated resources to ensure the public access records are in a format that can be enjoyed by all Volunteers said the grant would enable more of the archive material to be digitally stored so it is freely accessible to residents and anyone interested in local history Group secretary John Holloway said: “We have a reputation for being innovative in our approach to local history and want to fully engage people in discovering more about the village in which we live Our informal weekly Open Archive sessions are increasingly popular with visitors dropping in to view our collection and learn more about Aston on Trent
“The EMA Community Fund grant is timely and greatly appreciated; we now have the funds to bring our hard-copy records into a digital version for easier access ”
Practice
AUCTION HOUSE FILMING AT ASSEMBLY ROOMS
ANYONE who fancies the chance at being on the telly is invited to get themselves down to Melbourne Assembly Rooms this month
Filming for series three of The Derbyshire Auction House has begun – the series which follows Melbourne antiques expert Irita Marriott and her team.
Produced by STV and shown on the Really channel, each episode sees Irita help her customers from clearance to auction in order to make them some money out of their treasures.
The first filmed auction takes place at Melbourne Assembly Rooms and members of the public are being invited to go along and be in the room as the live auction takes place – with the chance of featuring in the new series.
Irita, whose shop front is on Derby Road, said: “We can't wait to welcome everyone back to the Assembly Rooms to watch our auctions in person
“We’re all really excited to be filming a new series of The Derbyshire Auction House and we couldn’t do it without all our lovely clients. Not only is there the chance to be on TV but there's free tea, coffee and cake too – even more reason to come and join us!”
Irita, who is pictured left being filmed for an episode of The Derbyshire Auction House, launched her own auction house in June 2023 following more than 10 years working in the industry It is one of a small number of femalerun auction houses in the UK
The auction will take place on September 10 and 11 from 9.30am.
CHEERS Matt at the British Legion (above) with Ella May Winfield and Amy Winfield and (left) with Kate Freeman at the Spirit Vaults.
LEFT: Visitors admiring the produce.
ABOVE: Phil Dobby holds aloft a prize example of a
IT’S SHOW TIME
WONKY vegetables, beautiful bunches and a very long runner bean – Melbourne Produce Show came back this September with plenty of local growers keen to show off their green fingers
With the driest Spring that many allotment holders can remember, followed by a hot summer – things have not been easy for growers this year
That meant organisers were all the more delighted to see nearly 200 entries grace the tables in Melbourne Parish Church on September 6
Judges this year were drawn from the local area to help decide who grew the best potatoes, onions, trusses of cherry
tomatoes, edible squashes, cooking apples and many more, along with the most beautiful bunches of flowers; scones and jams There were even categories for under-11s to show off their baking and growing skills
With first, second and third certificates in the categories there was plenty of pride and competition on the tables, and the overall Fred Dowell Cup for Best in Show went to Mike Starkie Louise Smith, who organised the day with Rachel Hewitt and Jenny Starkie, said: “It has been an incredibly dry year Those of us with allotments can’t remember seeing a drier spring It’s been so hot and sunny and dry and the plants – both
by Lucy Stephens
flowers and veg – were all very early
“In the context of that, I’m very pleased with how much effort people have made to get involved It must have been very difficult for farmers in this environment
When you look at the harvest it was completed weeks ago ”
Two allotment holders from Melbourne were so keen to enter their produce in the show that they came back early from their holiday specially!
Kay and Mike Ward, who are new to Melbourne, realised their holiday in Cornwall overlapped with the Produce Show
and cut it their best first prize for their le Louise s long, stron and it’s got The Produ of the cele it back bri and the im ment
“I think bit, how m people do tant it is ” Melbou
E AGAIN
short to rush back and enter veg – being rewarded with a for their peppers and a second eeks
said: “I think Melbourne has a g heritage in market gardening t strong allotment communities
uce Show was always a big part bration of the seasons To bring ngs some of that heritage back mportance to the local environ-
it goes under the radar a little much gardening and growing in Melbourne and how impor-
rne Produce Show organisers
would like to thank everyone who helped support or taken part in this year ’s show
This year ’s judges were: Sharps Nurseries, who decided the winners in the fruit and vegetables; Sue from Melbourne Flower Shop, who judged the floral entries; Melbourne Tea Rooms, who awarded prizes for the best baking and preserves; while Lydia Ramsden and Maureen Anderson presided over the under-11s entries
After the show’s entries were judged and admired, an auction of produce was held and the proceeds from that, the raffle and other goods sold off at the end of the event will all go to Melbourne Community Care
TOP: A very curly marrow.
ABOVE: A vegetable selection.
ABOVE: Scott and Hazel Harrison
BELOW: Jenny Starkie (right) and Claire Barker from Melbourne Community Care.
BOTTOM: Phil Dobby with floral bouquet. ash.
FAR LEFT: Christine Fox
LEFT: A children’s allotment
ABOVE: Plates of peppers
BELOW: Flowers galore
Giving our bench a new lease of life
THOUSANDS of people have sat on benches next to Melbourne Pool, admiring the beautiful view DIANA ELEY from Melbourne Inner Wheel – a branch of the global women’s voluntary service organisation that promotes friendship and community service – provides this interesting update about one of them
IT HAS been a beautiful summer, and what could be more pleasant than sitting on a bench overlooking Melbourne Pool. We hope you have been sitting on OUR bench.
In May 1984, after much fund-raising, the members of Melbourne Inner Wheel presented the community with a wooden bench which was situated by Melbourne Pool by kind permission of Lord Lothian It was to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland
According to the Melbourne Mercury, and the photograph on the right shows, the presentation took place by the Pool in pouring rain, with the members of the Inner Wheel Club, chairman of the parish council Ron Hatton, seven other councillors and wives present Inner Wheel President Mrs Doreen Baker officially handed over the seat to Mr Hatton, who received it on behalf of the community
Afterwards those present retired to the leisure centre for birthday cake and wine
Since then, hundreds of people will
have sat on the bench and enjoyed the peace and quiet and the view across The Pool
Sadly, over the years the bench became weatherworn and dilapidated, so Inner Wheel members came to the rescue with more fund-raising to pay for its refurbishment
Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy finding an expert to carry out the work but at last Martin Harvey, a local tradesman, came up trumps and the present members of Melbourne Inner Wheel are delighted with the result
The Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in GB & I is now 100 years old, and in May this year, in glorious sunshine, President Rachel Cooper and some members were able to show off the new look bench to the community We hope OUR bench will be enjoyed for many years to come
If you would like to know more about the activities of Melbourne Inner Wheel Club please contact our secretary Rachel Cooper on 07973 895951 or you can email innerwheelmelbourne@outlook com
THE Cosy Club in Derby is to be found in the building previously known as the Royal Hotel,
closed during 1951
Following an extensive refurbishment, the venue opened as the Cosy Club in 2016 Retaining a lot of character and charm, it offers breakfasts, brunches,
evening dining times, whilst being surrounded by elegance and history
All dietary preferences and requirements are accounted for, including gluten free and vegan choices To
(Parmesan and truffle mayon-
gave no doubts about the experiences coming from the kitchen area
having perfect cooking and presentation, justifying my enthusiasm for further delectations
I favoured Pan-Fried Fillet of Sea Bass (Braised fennel, caviar & dill white wine sauce, crushed baby potatoes) from the main course choices Well cooked and with an admirable plate setting, ‘Compliments to Chef ’ were an-
menting flavours, plus succu-
A selected dessert of Lemon & Raspberry Semifreddo
a splendid finish Wines and drinks
2025: (l-r)
Doris Britton, Judith Rosser, Ros Bell,
Mary Starkey, Judith Sadler, Diann Jacob's, Bal Purewal
Doris Britton, Doris Gill, Doreen Baker (
) , Ron Hatton (Chairman of the Parish Council), John Britton, Audrey Moore,
Stafford, Vera Shone
The Cosy Club, Royal
Storm that led to two Melbourne girls’ deaths
IN JANUARY 1884 the UK experienced a storm that was notable for a meteorological record that still stands today
William Marriott of the Royal Meteorological Society wrote that The Great Storm ‘was remarkable for its violence and large area, as well as for the unprecedentedly low barometer reading at its centre’
He tracked the storm as it moved at around 30mph in a north-easterly direction across Scotland, reaching the east coast about midnight
The lowest reading of the barometer was 27 26 ins which, according to Marriott, had never before been so low and that ‘this storm may be considered as one of the most remarkable that has occurred in the British Islands’
The associated weather was capricious with reports of very violent gales, snow, heavy rain, and vivid lightning from a line of thunderstorms on the south-eastern side of the depression
While storm damage on land was considerable, causing injury and loss of life, ships at sea had no warning and no opportunity to seek the relative safety of a harbour Several foundered in the ferocious gale and their crews drowned
But it was not by any barometric record that The Great Storm would be remembered by the residents of Melbourne
It claimed the lives of two young girls on the evening of Saturday, January 26
Details were reported in the press, specifically those of the inquest, which was held in the New Inn on Monday, January 28, by Joseph Sale, coroner for Appletree and Repton and Gresley
Evidence was adduced and reported from just two witnesses; William Adcock, who lived at Pool Cottage, and his servant Annie Fitchett
Adcock was a farmer and miller and worked at the Flour Mill, some 100 yards from Pool Cottage
On the evening of Saturday 26 January 1884, at around five minutes past six, he reported that 13 year old Mary Smith, who was in the service of Adcock and at the house with her friend Sarah Vickers, aged 11, had just measured off the milk and was about to get food ready for the cat and dog at the mill
Adcock told Smith that she must not go out
by Paul Brooks
while the storm lasted and he then left to take the milk to the station
According to Fitchett, soon after six both girls left the house by the back door into the garden to take food to the mill for the cat and dog
When Adcock returned sometime later he did not see the girls and assumed they were at the mill Fichett assumed the same
At around 6 30, Sarah s father, Joseph Vickers, who was employed by Adcock as wagoner, came to enquire as to the whereabouts of the girls but there was no sign of them
After a lantern search of the garden and water ’s edge they found the bodies of both girls in the corner of the Pool against the wall near the public road
It is impossible to determine exactly what happened, and additional reporting is speculative It is suggested that on the approach of a thunder storm and being frightened out of their wits by a very vivid flash of lightning,’ the girls ran away, ‘and tumbled into the mill dam’
Another report suggested that they were ‘blown into the Pool’ Fitchett made no mention of thunder or lightning although she remained in the house for the duration
She also made no mention of Adcock’s guidance to Smith, so either he did not give any, or the girls disobeyed and stepped out into the hostile and disorientating environment in almost total darkness, there being no significant moonlight, and probably no fence at the water ’s edge
The tragedy was undoubtedly a product of fright, panic, disorientation and very cold water and all in a matter of minutes
The girls’ funeral was reportedly attended by many people, and workshops throughout the town were closed for an hour for people to show their respect A memorial stone of white marble was placed to the memory of the girls with an inscription: ‘They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death were undivided’
The stone was funded by subscription from the townspeople, the cost of the monument being 10 shillings
FIVE young people who started a fire in Melbourne’s public toilets at Lothian Gardens face restorative justice for their actions
The youngsters were clearly identified from CCTV after the incident earlier this year
The fire caused extensive smoke damage and meant the toilets had to be closed.
Firefighters attending the scene confirmed that had members of the public not intervened in the nick of time, the incident would have been much more serious.
The latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council heard how the perpetrators will now be paying the consequences of their crime via a restorative justice scheme.
The meeting also heard that the five young people would not be carrying out their community payback in Melbourne, but somewhere else.
l The headstone funded by Melbourne residents as a mark of respect.
OBITUARY
CHARLOTTE HINGLEY (CHARLES)
21 September 1991 –
15 June 2025
CHARLIE sadly passed away after more than a four-year battle with a brain tumour, in Butterwick Hospice, Stockton on Tees, aged 33 years
Charlie was born to John and Joan Hingley, of Aston on Trent
She has three brothers; Ollie, twin brother Ed and Will – the four Hinglets!
She attended Aston Primary School then Chellaston Academy where she was part of the 2009 Uganda Team She worked at The Malt and The White Hart in Aston and for many years at The Coopers Arms in Weston
She began her career as a firefighter in the RAF in 2014 and was posted in the UK, The Falklands and Cyprus where she and her wife Jen lived for 14 months
Returning to the UK she became a firefighter at Brighton City Airport She then trained as a PCSO for Sussex Police
A move north to Eaglescliffe in Stockton on Tees in 2023 saw her become a member of Cleveland Fire Brigade as a youth engagement co-ordinator, providing fire and road safety education in schools and teaching BTech courses
Outside of work, Charlie and Jen travelled far and wide, liv-
ing life to the full Last year
Charlie ran The Brighton Marathon and The Great North Run
Charlie faced her illness with such strength and courage Her funeral was a happy event planned by her in detail Over
£6,400 was raised for her charities: The Brain Tumour Charity and the amazing Butterwick Hospice, who cared for her during her last 10 days, enabling her to have a good death’
John and I would like to thank everyone for the many beautiful cards, letters, flowers and charity donations which have made such a difference to the whole family
BOOK LOVERS can hear from three local authors at a “Criminal Minds” evening at Melbourne Sporting Partnership on Friday, September 26, at 7 30pm The
From ale to aisle for village pub couple
by Frank Hughes
IT MUST have been one of the shortest journeys ever between church and wedding breakfast when Simon (Deej) and Jodie were married at the United Reformed Church in Melbourne It was literally across the road for the newlyweds, who run the Melbourne Inn on High Street
The couple are originally from Nottingham, but they have made their home at the pub in Melbourne and many locals were on hand to help them celebrate the occasion
The wedding itself was a bit out of the ordinary, from when Jodie walked down the aisle to Deej singing the Enrique Iglesias hit “Hero” until the couple walked out of the church under an arch of sabres light-sabres from Star Wars being held aloft
The pair have known each other for around 15 years but only became involved about two years ago after previous relationships had ended They had met as employees at the Galleries of Justice in Nottingham where Deej was the ‘Sheriff of Nottingham’ and Jodie a serving wench!
In fact, his proposal was quite dramatic – he had suggested a meal out in Nottingham and fabricated a disappearance to the loo, but instead he was dressing up in his old sheriff ’s costume in the banqueting hall at the Galleries of Justice She was later ushered into the room to find him on bended knee
She said: “I thought it was an old poster of him actually so didn’t realise at first Then I was absolutely gobsmacked!”
She said ‘yes’ obviously!
The couple have been running the Melbourne Inn since December 2024 and have transformed the venue to offer a relaxed environment which caters for families, couples, walkers and diners As well as the wide drinks offer, for which the pub received a Cask Marque Award, they now have a varied menu, mostly their ‘around the world’ burgers, but with platters, jacket potatoes, beer-battered fish and chips and a specials board
It’s a family centred business too, with Jodie’s son the chef
pub also has
VILLAGE VOICE Postbag
What a sad state of affairs
BEN Stanley’s August article “Down on the Farm” left me with an overwhelming sense of sadness and dread at what is happening to our countryside in the haste to throw up yet more houses
As he says, once built over the countryside is lost for ever
Not only will we lose the solace that green fields, hedges, woods and living steams bring, but we will also suffer the very significant environmental consequences of covering over ground with concrete
These include soil that can no longer be a living medium, no longer absorb and store carbon, soil that can no longer soak up rain water to prevent flooding, vegetation that will no longer exist to both take up carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for a healthy biosphere
Then there is the overall loss of nature and natural habitats, when England already has become one of the most nature depleted nations in the world
No doubt the house builders at Isley Walton will claim that they are building ‘sustainable housing’, in the hope that this will reassure us even though the term as used will probably
have no sensible meaning
One would hope that in the light of the impending climate catastrophe the opportunity to build 4,000 houses adjacent to Isley Walton would be a stimulus to build carbon neutral houses incorporating rain water capture and storage, roof top solar panels with a local electricity grid along side the installation of heat pumps, ideally air to air pumps, so the houses can also be cooled in summer
Additionally the building of so many houses would be a great opportunity to create excellent public transport links to reduce car use, provide local shops, doctors’ surgeries, recreational facilities and schools Maybe land could even be set aside for growing vegetables
Such a development could act as an exemplar of good practice and be an inspiration for other developments
To some this might sound like some impractical Utopia, but I would say it is all perfectly doable and practical providing the will is there and that not to do it will be yet one more nail in humanity’s coffin
Christian Murray-Leslie
The
regular entertainment – often featuring country music, given Deej’s predisposition, regular quiz and race nights, a free jukebox and even a book swap They also now have Sky Sports
back to watch the big sporting events, and have plans for increased use of the garden at the rear Deej
DOWN ON THE FARM
With Ben Stanley
CHANGE is inevitable Anticipating and embracing change are all key elements of succeeding in business and in life; you can’t stand still, or the world can move on without you.
When the world around you changes you need to be prepared to be nimble and adapt so you don’t become overwhelmed and expendable and wish you’d seen change coming
With a global business empire, spanning six decades, Weight Watchers was going just fine until a couple of years ago Promoted by the ultimate celebrity ambassador Oprah, millions of subscribers paid their membership fees to have the epiphany delivered that if you eat less and move around more you could lose weight
And then Oprah did a TV special and said she was on the jab And now everyone is just on the jab and nobody goes to Weight Watchers anymore I guess they should have seen change coming
Date night back in the day was going to Blockbuster on a Saturday night and renting a film on VHS There would only be a limited number of the new films in each store and you felt cooler than Hugh Grant with Liz Hurley on your arm, in that Versace dress, when you walked into the very busy shop, straight to the counter and asked Kevin the assistant for your reserved copy of American Pie
Weeks later, crestfallen, you would stand in front of a very smug Kevin as he handed you an enormous fine for having not taken the film back the next day Getting Netflix felt like revenge, they should have seen change coming
Marvin goes to Windsor Castle for his OBE
MELBOURNE’s Marvin Cooke OBE DL has received his investiture at Windsor Castle
The honour was presented to Marvin by HRH The Princess Royal for Services to Automotive Manufacturing Marvin was joined by his wife, Angie, and their sons.
Angie said: “It was an incredible moment, one that shall never be forgotten ”
After over 33 years of service to Toyota Motor Manufacturing in the UK and Europe, the honour reflects Marvin’s dedication to the industry
Currently a professor at the new business school within Derby University, Marvin also volunteers for Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance with Angie Marvin and Angie are pictured with his award.
You used to have to prise open the back of the camera, take out the film, put it in a special bag, hand it in at the chemist and then a week later collect your envelope of photos You would then open it up as quickly as possible once you got back in the car with enormous anticipation and flick through your pictures Your thumb would be over five; out of focus five; too far away five; everyone has red eyes five more
If you were lucky, you would get four decent pictures Then the clever people from Nokia produced the 7650 phone, with a built-in digital camera Kodak saw change coming but failed to adapt and that was that
Between every village, hill, church and river there was a mosaic of small family farms across the UK In Derbyshire and Leicestershire many farms were mixed, farming corn and cattle, sheep or pigs
A natural system that apart from the advances in agricultural technology had essentially not changed for hundreds of years Muck from the animals to feed and regenerate the soil and straw and grain from the corn to feed them in the winter
Rural communities knitted together by family farms, having been on the land for generations with a common purpose, proud people producing good food to feed the people This story has still to play out but could it come to a sudden end like Weight Watchers, Blockbuster or Kodak?
Because right now our farmers are facing a perfect storm of change, unprecedented in three generations Not since the 1930s has
farming looked so bleak Maybe we should have seen it coming, but farming has never faced so much change at the same time
Corn prices and yields are at a record low, costs are at a record high We are breaking various extreme climate records every year, including the extreme drought we are currently living through Then on top of all that we have a government that has gone after farmers with a cynical tax and removed all support
You might be reading this and rolling your eyes because, whilst the supermarket shelves are full of cheap food, does anyone really care?
Farmers are renowned for moaning right? But change is happening; if you flick through the back pages of the Farmers Weekly you will see an unprecedented amount of farms and machinery for sale, with farmers looking for an exit strategy
In a recent survey by the Country Land Owners Association 80% of farmers said they feared their business will not survive the next 10 years And they’re the lucky ones who own their farms, let alone us poor tenants who don’t
Farming is the bedrock of the nation – you build a strong country from the bottom up – it is too important to fail Food security and nutrition should be the basis of government policy, not bottom of the list
We are all only one meal away from chaos, our just-in-time food system nearly collapsed with a medium level flu epidemic for goodness sake
In his recent book Professor Tim Lang ex-
Members of the Parish Council
Chairman
Andy Dawson 07811 586049
Vice Chairman
Nigel Collyer 07831 540538
Facilities & Events Committee
Chairman Vacant
Highways & Environment Committee Chairman
Vacant
Planning Committee Chairman
David Smith 01332 862699
Finance, HR, Risk & Strategy
Committee Chairman
Andy Dawson 07811 586049
Councillors
Kate Beckett
Dave Calvert
Jane Carroll 01332 863269
Nigel Collyer 07831 540538
Andy Dawson 07811 586049
Freya Doswell
George Dunnicli 07780 806267
Matt Gotheridge
Kevin Guilford
Sheila Hicklin
Caroline Roberts
David Smith 01332 862699
Terry Statham
Terry Summerlin 07528 884778
Angela Tillyard
Clerk
Vicky Roe (WhatsApp only) 07824 634604
clerk@melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk
Assistant Clerk
Kate Bedford 07966 461416
Useful Numbers...
Aircraft Noise & Complaints 0845 1088540
Clean Team ( y tipping) 0800 5872349
Street Lighting Faults 0845 6058058
Potholes 0845 6058058
www.melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk
plains the only food security we have in this country is travelling on the motorway in food lorries
According to a recent report we spend £268billion in this country on food-related illness and yet the government has just disbanded all agricultural support for farmers and stopped the comparative fraction of £2 4billion in regenerative friendly support for farmers
A new pathway of funding that had started to encourage sustainable farming methods An investment into the six inches of soil on which our health and survival depend
The health of the land, what we eat, and the health of our people are not exclusive But is it any surprise that a nation whose diet is made up of over 50 percent ultra processed foods, doesn’t care about farming?
No We are failing ourselves in spectacular fashion; our food culture is broken and the narrative is all wrong Governments are weak and vulnerable to lobbying from giant food corporations and manufacturers that would have you believe that climate change is caused by farting cows, not their own obscene carbon footprints We need a food system that helps us all access and consume healthy foods from local and sustainable farms It is madness to think that food, farming and the environment aren’t all inextricably linked
Change is inevitable but I just hope that my children Bertie and Iona don’t talk about what their daddy used to do, like I talk about nostalgically hiring video tapes and taking pictures
Melbourne Parish Council
Chairman’s Report - September 2025
The Parish Council are pleased to welcome two new Councillors; Freya Doswell and Caroline Roberts were co-opted and joined in time for the September meeting.
Property and Planning matters were once again a feature, not just for the Planning Committee, but also at the full council meeting. Members of the public attended to present their case against Planning Applications for residential developments on Derby Road and North Street. The Parish Council agreed that these proposals were unreasonable and have forwarded our objections onto the Planners at South Derbyshire District Council.
The large-scale development of 135 new build houses on Kings Newton Lane will have a Public Inquiry and Appeal held in mid-November, where the property developers will present their case. The Parish Council, continue to oppose this. Additionally, amended plans have been resubmitted for the 66 new build houses on Jawbone Lane, this application will be reviewed later this month.
The council awarded £10,000 grant funding to the Melbourne Sporting Partnership, towards the repair and re-purposing of the old cricket pavilion. MSP will be working to restore this building to its former splendour in the near future as part of their ongoing programme to deliver the best possible sports facilities for our community.
Approval was also given to invest in an upgrade of our village/town centre CCTV system and this project will be progressed as a priority.
The 5 young people identi ed as responsible for the re which damaged the public toilets, have been dealt with by the Police and their punishment will be to perform unpaid work in the community.
...and nally - in readiness for the Arts Festival later this month, the Parish Council have agreed a urry of activities to ensure that our large village/small town is beautifully presented to the expected in ux of visitors.
Best wishes, Andy Dawson Chairman, Melbourne Parish Council
Mastering Melbourne
AS I’M writing this September column it is a year today since TAS and I moved into the village. We can’t believe how quickly time has flown by and how many people we have met and been introduced to over the last 12 months
Something else new to Melbourne was the Beer Trail, which prompted us to invite my sister and brother-in-law over on the first day, Thursday, to keep TAS company in his attempt to collect his 10 stickers over the four days and enter a prize draw
The boys started off strong while we went for a lovely walk and met them in pub number five to hear how they had got on Brilliantly apparently, and neither could fault the various pints at the ticked-off pubs
There were many out on the trail, including a couple from Ashby who had been home once already to let their dog out Not sure how pleased the appointed driver was about this, but they were planning to come back over the next few days to finish, as they were most impressed with the venues
The following day we decided to visit Amalfi White, which led to an amazing PornStar Martini cocktail – one of
the best I’ve tasted It was a perfect aperitif before walking down the high street to the old Welcome Café that had already closed when we moved here It has taken on a new role with Ellie and Molly opening their doors as Dabble & Mooch
It does what it says on the tin, bringing beautiful works from local artists to admire and purchase plus a space for workshops, for people of all ages to dabble in a new or much-loved hobby On being welcomed in we were able to raise a glass to their venture and, although TAS didn’t acquire a sticker here, he does now have a new print to look at in the kitchen to remind us of our ‘Friday Cocktails’ night
The Beer Trail continued slowly over the weekend, and we met some new faces while out and about Sticker sheet complete! Did TAS win any prizes over the weekend? As if he’s going to tell me!
Although we didn’t partake in any Guinness during the trail, we did manage a pint or two over a fact-finding mission in Ireland the other week I have now experienced another excellent bus service albeit pre-day break, the number 9 to East Mids Airport: a £2 ticket and an 11minute journey To be in and
through security within 25 minutes of getting on the bus was a successful start to the few days spent in the Emerald Isle
On the Sunday after we returned, we went down to St Michael with St Mary Parish Church to listen to a talk and walk around the church with Philip Heath It was part of the 900th year celebrations which have been going on throughout 2025 There was a good turn-out and some interesting history to be learnt
It is funny how many times
I have walked past the building without noticing the bricked-in archways that had been a previous structure to the church We were allowed up the tower and a look across at the gallery Having noticed a Christmas tree and boxes of lights etc up there, I was secretly delighted that the church itself keeps its decorations in the equivalent of their loft too It appears we really are all equal in the eyes of the church
We were down in the Church Square area for a walk around the Old Deer Park, between Melbourne and Breedon, with the footpath group last week With the sunsets drawing in noticeably earlier, the fading sunlight on the many harvested fields was
by Naomi Duffree
beautiful to see The fields look so sharp and tidy when harvested – and in their golden glow were quite ethereal
Unable on this occasion to join the group in an after-walk refreshment, we sadly missed out on a visit to the nearby pub afterwards I say nearby, there are so many in Melbourne, each with their own character and vibe that one is never too far away from a watering hole, wherever you stand
Come to think of it, the same could be said about churches, footpaths, independent businesses and friendly people
There could be a sticker trail for so much in the village as there really is so much to discover about the place
Here’s to many more years of that!
What’s On
YOUR REGULAR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN OUR AREA
Friday 12 September:
Festival Funhouse Comedy Club
Melbourne Sporting Partnership, Cockshut Lane, Melbourne DE73 8DG. 7.30 for 8.00pm. Irish comedian and actor Paddy Lennox, a naturally funny man that oozes Charm, with his laugh-a-minute gags his gentle Irish lilt. With the dynamic, award-winning musical comedian and songwriter Friz Frizzle, the appealing and perceptive Barry Dodds. Compere for the night will be Stevie Gray with his boundless energy and mix of news and comedy. Tickets: £14 from www.wegottickets.com/events/669649 or 07506 303247
Saturday 13 September: Island Spirit Musical
A young Polish woman returns to Scotland to trace her roots, discovering the story of her mother, and the father she never knew. This Edinburgh Fringe-style performance offers original songs from the musical, written and performed by “Beyond the Blue” who are a Derby-based songwriting duo.
Thomas Cook Memorial Hall, High Street, Melbourne DE73 8GF 6.30 for 7.00pm. Tickets: £10 ww.ticketsource.co.uk/beyondtheblue
Saturday 13 September: Coffee Morning
Baptist Church Schoolroom, Chapel Street. 10am - noon.
Tuesday 16 September: Israel and Palestine, what’s going on? and why should we care?
Wesley Hall, Potter Street, Melbourne at 7.30 pm.
A Talk by Linda Rose, an experienced International Youth and Community Worker, who frequently visits Israel and Palestine. She will explain the history and the current conflict with a thought provoking presentation with Qs & As. Admission free, but donations to the registered charity Medical Aid for Palestinians would be welcome
Friday 19 September:
Melbourne Community Care Stroke Support Group
Melbourne Assembly Rooms in the Lounge. 10am to 12pm
A friendly group for those that have had a Stroke or TIA and ones that support them. Free refreshments available.
Saturday 20 - Sunday 21 September:
Melbourne Festival
Art & Architecture Trail 10am - 5pm. See ad on Page 6.
Saturday 20 September: Coffee Morning
United Reformed Church Hall, High Street. 10am - noon.
Monday 22 September:
Melbourne Civic Society Present
The King, His Chaplain and The Building of Melbourne Church in 1125
Melbourne Parish Church - 7.00pm
A talk in the Parish Church by Dr Rachel Askew, University of Leicester, Department of Early & Mediaeval History
Refreshments available. Entry is free and donations welcome.
Thursday 25 September:
The Friends of Melbourne Parish Church present “Stars Of The Future”
With Graham Oppenheimer & Friends
Melbourne Parish Church, Church Square DE73 8JH
7.00 for 7.30pm. Tickets: £15 (£10 for under 18s)
An exciting musical journey from an intimate Mozart duo to some of the most dramatic music of Beethoven and ending in the lush full sound of a Tchaikovsky romantic masterpiece, played by outstanding young international musicians. ww.wegottickets.com/event/659691 Kindly sponsored by the East Midland Airport Community Fund.
Friday 26 September:
Magical Mayhem Magic Show
For 5 - 11 year olds - 5.00 - 6.00pm Circus Skills Workshop
For 8 - 18s - 6.30 - 7.30pm
Melbourne Parish Church, Church Square, DE73 8JH
Tickets: Children £4. Adults free, warden@melbourneparishchurch.co.uk or 07752 686000
Friday 26 September: Criminal Minds
Meet three crime writers!
Melbourne Sporting Partnership, Cockshut Lane, Melbourne DE73 8DG 7.00pm. Tickets: £5 from 07506 303247
Saturday 27 September:
Coffee Morning
Catholic Church, St Mary's Hall, Church Street. 10am - noon.
Tuesday 30 September:
Melbourne Community Care Memory Cafe
Melbourne Assembly Rooms 1.30pm-3.30pm. For people with dementia & their families & carers or experiencing memory loss.
Thursday 2 October:
Melbourne Civic Society Present A Chequered History of The Church Over 900 Years
Melbourne Parish Church - 7.30pm by well-known local historian Philip Heath with slides. Licensed bar. Entry is free and donations welcome.
Friday 3 & Saturday 4 October:
A Choir’d Taste’ Autumn Concert
Melbourne Assembly Rooms, High Street, Melbourne DE73 8GF
Tickets: £12 from Choir Members
Saturday 4 October: Coffee Morning
Methodist Church Wesley Hall, Potter Street. 10am - noon.
Tuesday 7 October:
Melbourne Community Care Coffee & Company
Melbourne Assembly Rooms, 2 - 4pm.
Saturday 11 October: Coffee Morning
Baptist Church Schoolroom, Chapel Street. 10am - noon.
Friday 17 & Saturday 18 October : St Michaels Players present...
900 Years of Hysterical History
Melbourne Assembly Rooms, High Street, Melbourne DE73 8GF 7.00 for 7.30pm.
Tickets: FRIDAY: www.wegottickets.com/event/668001
Tickets: SATURDAY: www.wegottickets.com/event/668002 or 07432 246264.
Wednesday 19 October: Melbourne PROBUS
Community Coffee Morning in aid of Treetops Hospice. 10:00 am.
The Royal British Legion, 87 Derby Road, Melbourne DE73 8FE. Includes a presentation about their work by Natalie Goodrich, the Relationship Manager and Community Engagement Officer for Treetops. Open to all. No charge but donations to Treetops to help support their work. All enquires to andrewbaldwin2012@gmail.com
Every Tuesday:
Melbourne Community Care Bereavement Group
MSP, Cockshut Lane, Melbourne DE73 8DG 10am -12pm. Friendly group for anyone affected by a bereavement.
We are happy to include events in this listing free of charge, but the Village Voice costs money to produce every month. If your organisation has found this listing helpful, please consider contributing to enable us to continue producing YOUR local newspaper.
Let’s get ready to Gallop
CALLING all runners – The Golden Gates Gallop will take place on Sunday, September 28, in the beautiful grounds of Elvaston Castle Country Park
Organisers say it offers something for everyone from serious runners to fun-seeking families
Now in its 39th year, the event attracts hundreds of runners each autumn Organised entirely by volunteers, the Gallop raises vital funds for Blood Cancer UK, with every penny of profit going directly to the charity
There are two routes to choose from: a five-mile race, popular with club runners and casual joggers alike, and a two-mile fun run designed for families and younger participants
Both routes showcase the park’s stunning woodland paths and take runners beneath the iconic golden gates that give the event its name The post-race village, based at Elvaston Cricket Club, will be open throughout the day with refreshments, music, a charity raffle and local stalls creating a great day out for runners and spectators alike
This year ’s finisher medal comes with a special local twist It’s been designed by Hugo Roberts, aged just seven, from Shardlow Primary School, following a school art competition run by the organisers Every runner whether they complete the five-miler or the family fun run will receive a copy of Hugo’s medal at the finish line
The 2025 Gallop is sponsored this year by Oxygen Active Play at Pride Park, who are supporting the event and helping spread the word Every runner who takes part will also receive a special discount voucher for Oxygen, giving them the chance to enjoy some post-race fun and fitness with family and friends
Event spokesperson Alan Armstrong said: “The Gallop is all about community running together, supporting a good cause, and enjoying the amazing setting of Elvaston Castle Whether you ' re aiming for a PB or just a morning out with the family, we’d love to see you on the start line this September ”
Organisers are keen to encourage new participants this year and are offering a £2 discount to local running clubs to help get even more people involved
Entries are open now and filling fast For more information and to register, visit www goldengatesgallop org
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE TO BE GRANTED UNDER THE LICENSING ACT 2003
MCNEIL & ROWE Ltd
Melbourne Delicatessen and Kitchen, 37 Derby Road, Melbourne, Derby DE73 8FE
Summary of the proposed licensable activities (hours and activities applied for):
Supply of alcohol for consumption o the premises:
Monday - Saturday: 09:00hrs - 18:00hrs Sunday: 10:00hrs - 16:00 hrs
Date of application: 18/8/2025
The register can be viewed during o ce hours at South Derbyshire District Council, Civic O ces, Civic Way, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 0AH.
Please contact 01283 221000 in order to make an appointment. Alternatively, the full application can be viewed at: www.southderbyshire.gov.uk.
Any representation relating to this application must be made in writing to the Licensing Authority by 15 September, 2025.
or call 07584 025 852
Borrington a two ton-up star
by David Fox
TICKNALL Cricket Club 1st team had scheduled five league games in August and at the end of the month had won three, lost one with one abandoned
They commenced with a difficult away game at Chesterfield played at Queens Park, once the home of Derbyshire county cricket I was Ticknall scorer for the fixture, and found myself seated in the pavilion
My mind went back 60 years as I remembered summer school holidays sitting three rows in front of where I now sat, with my grandad, watching Derbyshire, having caught the train daily from Derby with my bag full of food lovingly prepared by my mum and my score book to record those days of cricket
Now back to the present Ticknall won the toss and chose to bat However, regular wickets were lost but thanks to opener Paul Borrington making 118 not out batting the full 50 overs and a 68run ninth wicket partnership with Joe Wilson Ticknall managed a competitive 225 for eight in their allotted overs Chesterfield found batting
even harder and with Wood taking four wickets for 24 in his 10 overs they were bowled out for 127, giving Ticknall a fine 98-run victory
Next up was another long trip to North Derbyshire and Cutthorpe Fighting relegation, the home side decided to put Ticknall in to bat after winning the toss
Ticknall battled on a difficult pitch and once again Paul Borrington showed his class by making another century, only failing by a few balls to carry his bat through the innings He was well supported by Tarrant (51) and Cork (70) in Ticknall’s good score of 260 for five
Cutthorpe never really troubled this total and, although Perera made 85, Wilson’s four for 23 helped to bowl out Cutthorpe for 192 and Ticknall had another fine away win by 68
It was back to The Grange for their next game and a potentially difficult one against last year ’s champions Alvaston and Boulton, who won the toss and decided to bat A fine bowling performance by all Ticknall bowlers quickly reduced Alvaston’s batting, all contributing with wickets to bowl them out for 100 in the 39th over Ticknall soon reached the winning total, Wood top scoring with 47 and winning the game by nine wickets
After these three wins, Ticknall were on the road again, this time to Sandiacre, who were lying third in the league
Ticknall were without three first teamers including an opening bat and two bowlers This compounded what was always going to be a difficult game Ticknall won the toss and chose to bat
Thanks to a fine 136 not out by Wood managed 243 for seven in their allotted overs However, with bowlers short Sandiacre had no problem reaching the winning total losing only two wickets in the process, McNeill making an unbeaten 105 and inflicting Ticknall’s first defeat of the month
The team’s final league game of the month at home against Belper Meadows was curtailed by rain arriving during Ticknall’s innings An hour later the umpires decided that no further play would be possible and the game was abandoned Ticknall therefore had a good month and established their position in the premier league; hopefully with two games left a mid-table position would be a really good return for the season Ticknall seconds, like the first team, had a good August and hopefully staved off the threat of relegation Again they had five games in the
sports pavilion
month and similar to the first team won three, lost one with one abandoned
They started with a home win against Dunstall by six wickets whereby they restricted them to 213 for seven and then surpassed the winning total in the 38th over, Howard Hall top scoring with 47
Next game up was another home fixture against Risley but this ended in defeat Risley made 175 all out and, although Ticknall seemed on course to get the total, they lost the last six wickets for just 39 runs to lose the game by 32
A trip to Tutbury followed which again resulted in a fine win for Ticknall Batting first they put on 270 for the loss of six wickets, Paterson top scoring with 66 All Ticknall bowlers contributed in Tutbury’s reply and bowled them out for 180 It was back to The Grange for their next game against Ockbrook Putting Ockbrook in another fine bowling display saw them bowled out for 71, Akram taking four for 27 and Khan taking four for 29 Ticlnall soon polished off the winning total without losing a wicket
The final game of the month for the Ticknall team was abandoned as the breakdown of the hot summer took its toll with rain
Ticknall third team continued their good form in August by winning one, having two winning draws and losing one
GENERATIONS of sports lovers
have got changed in the old pavilion at Melbourne Sports Park (MSP) over the years – now it is going to be restored at an estimated cost of just over £20,000
Malcolm Roseburgh, who heads up the MSP’s Business and Operations Committee, attended Melbourne’s parish council meeting on September 2 to ask for financial help in restoring the old pavilion
He told how the pavilion was in need of rescuing as it had fallen into disrepair
Having been the original changing room at the site – before the present facilities opened in 2016 – the pavilion has been being used for storage but, with a leaky roof, this has become a less viable option
Faced with the option of either rescuing or demolishing the building, the MSP’s leaders felt they would
prefer to keep it and asked the parish council for help in conducting essential repairs
Parish councillors, after hearing from Mr Roseburgh how well used the MSP is – by around 2,000 people each year – agreed to fund half the cost of the building’s restoration with a grant of £10,000, with the MSP finding the rest of the estimated cost
The hope is to make the building into a safe and useable space which would once again provide useful storage – with the potential for other uses in the future such as a dance studio
Councillor David Smith said: “I think the people of Melbourne have got to realise what a great facility the MSP is I don’t really think a lot of people realise just how many people use it ”
Councillors unanimously agreed to approve the funds
The two winning draws came at the beginning of the month away at Clifton and at home to Etwall At Clifton Ticknall batted first and put on 169 for eight, Clifton hanging on for a draw by making 163 for nine with Lucas taking four for 27
The second winning draw was so close to a win Ticknall put on 239 for nine, Norman top scoring with 77 Etwall came nowhere near and clung on, losing nine wickets in making 162, again, Lucas taking five wickets for 36 in his nine overs Ticknall’s win of the month followed away at Brailsford, who put on 227 for eight Ticknall got the winning total in the final over of the match, losing seven wickets and Deciacco top scoring with 58
The final game of the month ended in defeat at home to Tutbury A grumpy affair saw Ticknall make 227 all out with top scorer being Tee on 57 Tutbury scored the required runs with two overs to spare, losing six wickets
A good month for all Ticknall’s senior sides: out of 14 games played, losing only three between them
TREBLE CHANCE FOR TOWN’S CRICKETERS
MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club had a great month of August and go into the last two weeks of the season with all three senior sides having a chance of promotion
The club’s third team look the best chance as they sit 21 points clear in their division with just one game to go They began the month with a tense two-wicket home win against Kirk Langley 2nds The visitors were bowled out for just 112 Adhir Christi and Ed Jones took three wickets apiece, while there was a tidy spell of 2-22 from Khalid Mahmood In reply Town looked to be cruising on 82-4 but the loss of skipper Liam Landers-Sung for 35 and Michael Rennocks (29) caused a collapse It was left to Sunny Dhiman to score the winning runs with Melbourne eight wickets down
A week later, travelling to third place Clifton
4ths it was again the bowlers who stood up as seven different bowlers took a wicket including two of the club’s U13s, leaving the thirds chasing just 153 A third wicket stand off 111 from Landers-Sung (65 not out) and a first half century by Ben Dawson (50 not out) saw Town to a comfortable eight-wicket win It was a trip to high-flying Hilton 3rds next where the home side recovered from 109-8 to post 156 Christi again led the way with 5-41 supported by 3-48 from Oscar Jones, but the Hilton late order runs proved crucial as Town fell from 101-2 to 126 all out despite another half century from Dawson (56)
Full 27 points followed as Yoxhall 2nds conceded and the thirds completed a 54-point weekend to finish the month with a convincing eight-wicket win at home to Winshill 2nds The league’s leading wicket-taker, Ed Jones, was in good form with 3-30 with 3-37 Ben Dawson rushing Winshill to 166 all out It was that partnership of Landers-Sung (88 not out) and Dawson (34 not out) who this time put on an unbeaten 93 to cruise to victory and leave the Thirds with a great chance of claiming the 10 South League Trophy
Melbourne’s First team began August with a disappointing display at home to Kings Bromley 1sts They never really recovered from 40-5 but an innings of 59 from Muhammad Nadeem (59) and some late order hitting by Qadir Zadran (42) managed to see them reach 201 all out Kings Bromley reached the total with over seven overs to spare with Nadeem finishing a good allround game by taking 5-52, but Slater s men got back to winning ways in some style the week after
Away to top of the table
Trentside 1sts, Melbourne batted sensibly in scoring 199-8 off their allotted overs with handy contributions from Slater (39) and Nadeem (33), but a remarkable spell of bowling from Dadurrahman Ghani changed the game
Taking three wickets in his first seven balls, Ghani bowled very quickly in taking an amaz-
ing 8-29 as the home side were shot out for just 74 giving Town a 125-run victory
The first team's batting came to the fore against Chellaston 2nds as a second wicket stand of 140 between opener Muhammad Nawaz (78) and Alex Slater (74) took them to 301-7 with some middle order hitting from Lara Shaw (34) and Ghani (31 not out) making up the total Chellaston fell short on 248-6
Another good batting performance at home to Muggingtin 1sts was thanks to Uzzy Awais (88) and an unbelievable partnership of 91 in just seven overs by Faisial Mehmood (76 not out) and Dadurrahman Ghani (50 not out) on their way to 312-6 It was that man Ghani again with the ball as he took 5-68 as the visitors made a decent reply ending on 277 all out in the last over
The first team ended the month in disappointing fashion as they were bowled out for just 123 in difficult conditions away to second placed Draycott 1sts ending in a nine-wicket defeat
Melbourne Town 2nd team managed to pull themselves into a chance of a promotion spot by the end of August but started the month with a seven-wicket loss away to a strong Kirk Langley 1st team as a weakened Town scored 188 all-out with a superb 50 from Adam Walker holding the innings together Despite two wickets from Amol Apte the visitors eased to victory
MELBOURNE Dynamo Senior Football Club began their 2025/26 with renewed optimism and, with plenty of exciting projects planned, it looks like being a season to remember
The first team began August with a tricky run of fixtures and were unlucky to lose 1-0 to Graham Street Prims at home, which was followed with another home 3-1 defeat to a strong Borrowash Vics side Issac Nkrumah scored the consolation goal
A third straight defeat, 1-0 to Wirksworth Ivanhoe, was soon forgotten with a 6-0 home drubbing of newly promoted Mickleover Athletic as a double from Tyler Withers plus finshes by Elliott Dawson, Jake Peverley, Jack Goodband and Jack Griffiths secured the first team their first three points of the season
A trip to high-flying and unbeaten Mickleover RBL was next on the list for Dynamo and they put in a great performance to come away with a 3-0 win thanks to Dylan Muir, Jack Goodband and an own goal
A third straight win followed as Mickleover Reserves were well beaten 6-1 thanks to a Jack Goodband hat-trick along with goals from Elliott Dawson, Regan Bickerton and Ollie Grimshaw
A brilliant career best 117 not out from Bali Chohan was the highlight of the Seconds’ 250-6 a week later at home to Packington, supported by 35 from Ranjit Rathore Three wickets apiece from Adam Walker (3-7) and Rathore (3-30) took Melbourne to a comfortable 99-run win
A four-wicket victory win at home to Ockbrook 4ths was after the visistors amassed 175-6 but Jules Raine (42), Ranjit Rathore (39 not out) and Abdullah Dar (38 not out) rushed the 2nds home Town made it a third straight win away to Rosehill Meths 2nds and scored 280-6 batting first Chohan continued his good form with 57 not out along with Issac Walker (55), Ranjit Rathore (53) and Abdullah Dar (45)
A disciplined bowling display led by Sam Raven (3-31) aided by two wickets apiece from Manj Singh and Chohan saw Rosehill bowled out for just 133, giving Town a huge 147-run victory
The final week of the month fell foul to the rain
Another superb batting performance saw the 2nds score 266-7 off their allotted overs with contributions from Abdullah Dar (69), Harvinder Singh (66) and Gurwinder Singh (66) at home to Derby Congs 2nds who in reply were 82-1 when the heavens opened to abandon the game and leave the 2nds in fifth place with just two games to go
A home game against Holbrook St Michael's turned out to be a tough affair with the scoreline 1-1 going into the final minute but a wonder strike from Regan Bickerton flew into the top corner to break Holbrook hearts Then a Jack Goodband strike with the last kick of the game really rubbed salt into the wounds
Earlier Ollie Grimshaw had put the first team 1-0 up but this is where their good run ended as Adam Dolman's men ended a busy month with a 2-1 away defeat to a young Gresley Rovers Reserves with leading scorer Goodband getting what turned out to be a consolation
In complete contrast Dynamo Reserves have had a quiet start to the 2025/26 season playing just two league games They began with a superb 3-2 away win against Eastwood & Kimberley on a very difficult pitch with substitute Riley Moore impressing with a hat-trick
Under the new management of Conor Raynor and Stuart Upritchard the Reserves’ only other league game was against a strong Wirksworth Ivanhoe Reserves which ended in a 4-1 defeat at home
The in-form Riley Moore grabbed the consolation
l Melbourne Town Cricket Club’s third team (sponsored by Adrian Wagstaff Financial Planning): back row (l-r) Ben Dawson, Selvapandian Sarangadaran, Michael Rednecks, Mark Gregory, Jake Wright, John Collins; front row (l-r) Reuben Golsing, Ed Jones, Liam Landers-Sung (captain), Harry John, Jethro Holden (Absent: Chet Patel)
Photo courtesy of Marshall Payne.