May 2023 Your Local Anstey, Thurcaston, Cropston, Newtown Linford, Woodhouse & Woodhouse Eaves

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Carnivore/Ketogenic Diets and Physical/ Mental/Spiritual Health

Article

by Alan Chapman

I report here monthly on the increasing adoption of 'Low Carb' nutrition, lifestyle and education by health professionals and NHS.

The fuller term is 'Low Carb High Fat' or 'LCHF'.

On 22 March 2023, the FREE resources + app of LowCarbFreshwell.co.uk were accredited by QISMET and NICE for use THROUGHOUT the NHS.

My experiences and work in suicide, its prevention and its causes and effectsINDIVIDUALLY and SOCIETALLY - have taught me that NUTRITION and LIFESTYLE, to reduce INFLAMMATION and STRESS - are the keys to achieving and sustaining physical and emotional health - our LIFE BALANCE - for our whole lives - individually, in our families and in our communities.

Everything is connected, and everything is for a reason, especially when we don't understand the reason at the time!

'Freshwell Digital' grew via the success of the Freshwell Low Carb Project in Essex 2019, later extending to Colne Valley Primary Care Network. Freshwell was founded by two NHS (still) practising NHS GPs, based initially on the work of PublicHealthCollaboration.org. Placebo/ nocebo (optimism/pessimism) and consciousness are also significant factors in our healthy life balance, and in determining external realities too!

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In other words, the Freshwell LCHF lifestyle education is now NHS-approved to treat and reverse TYPE 2 DIABETES, PREDIABETES and OBESITY.

This is also reversing the unhealthy alliances between 'Big Food', 'Big Pharma', 'Big Tech' with the misguided politics and education systems, especially in health and community wellbeing.

The successes and budgetary savings of LCHF education/adoption - so that millions of people are now ending their dependencies on expensive pharmaceuticals and so don't become chronically ill requiring expensive operationsare irresistible.

Increasingly we are each taking more responsibility for our own 'holistic health' (mind, body spiritual), and teaching our children too! It is natural and how we are evolved and designed to be!

Prediabetes - which is an early stage of METABOLIC ILLNESS - is commonly indicated if your waist measurement is more than half of your height, although some people can be metabollically unhealthy and be very lean. Each of us is different.

At the root of this is:

• Carbohydrates are sugars, and turn to glucose in our bloodstream.

• Fats such as butter and lard are healthy and DO NOT MAKE US FAT.

• WHAT MAKES US FAT is sugars, carbs, ultra-processed foods and drinks, 'low fat' products', and 'sitting indoors' lifestyles staring at unhealthy screens, esp late at night.

WHAT WE IMAGINE BECOMES OUR REALITIES! And so our optimistic thoughts and feelings help our minds and bodies to heal, and help others to heal too.

When we imagine a peaceful harmonious healthy prosperous local community, so we make it happen!

Alan and Maria's (LiveWildLiveFree.org cofounders) combined life experience will soon be 130 years, across a wide variety of sectors; corporate/employed and multinational; and over 60 years running our own different businesses. We're each highly trained and qualified in nutrition, improving human health, longevity, and societal health too. We're each in excellent natural health, and we rely wholly on our natural immunity, good diet, exercise and lifestyle to keep well, fit, resilient, very active, and physically growing stronger (gym-work and weightlifting, etc); always learning and creating, and in many ways becoming younger.

YOU CAN TOO! Just imagine it!

We are PHC (Public Health Collaboration) Ambassadors, HealthResults.com Practitioners, Nutrition-Network.org Advisors, and Practitioners for The-PHA.org (The People's Health Alliance). We guide individuals, employers and communities in nutrition, natural healthy lifestyles, wellbeing and healing.

Please note: This content is information not clinical diagnosis. Each of us is different, so our genetics and ancestry are also factors in what diets and lifestyles best suit us individually.

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• Sleep is hugely significant for our health, healing and life balance.

• Walking, especially in nature and daylight and sunshine, is hugely helpful for good sleep, and also for reversing/curing our addictions (to sugars, carbs, gambling, shopping, alcohol, tobacco, vaping, hoarding, whatever else, including 'beating ourselves up for not being good enough').

The fact is that we are each doing our best and each of us is perfect in our own ways, as we navigate life and our own sensing of our own meaning and purpose.

Our LIFE BALANCE is ever changing and is a process not a state.

Reference sources: PublicHealthCollaboration. org, LowCarbFreshwell.co.uk, HealthResults. com, Nutrition-Network.org, and other highly qualified NHS practising GPs and dietary professionals, especially in successfully treating obesity, diabetes and other chronic illnesses including depression. If you are under treatment/ on medication, show your doctor the resources here, especially LowCarbFreshwell.co.uk/ freshwell-digital and PHCuk.org.

Alan Chapman has particular experience in suicide prevention and education: healing of addictions, traumas, grief - individually and societally - community wellbeing and empowering healthy transformation. See also LiveWildLiveFree.org/election.

Why Not Come And Visit ‘Mountain Ash’, A Beautiful 2 Acre Garden In Newtown Linford, On Saturday 13th And Sunday 14th May, And Help Us Celebrate Ten Years Of Supporting The National Garden Scheme

Article by Mike & Liz Newcombe

Please spare some time this mid-May weekend to stroll round the garden at ‘Mountain Ash’ and help raise money for the National Garden Scheme’s nursing charities.

Mike & Liz Newcombe’s ‘Mountain Ash’ garden, which is situated halfway along Ulverscroft Lane between Newtown Linford and Ulverscroft, will be open to the public both on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th May from 11.00am to 5.00pm.

This beautiful 2-acre garden has excellent views across a wide area of Charnwood countryside. Near the house are patios, a water feature, flower and shrub beds, a fruit cage, fruit trees, greenhouses and vegetable plots. Lawns slope down to a large wildlife pond with a waterfall, a gravel garden and three small areas of woodland with pleasant walks through many species of trees. The lower two thirds of the garden have been created since 2004, with over 200 conifers and deciduous trees planted. There are several places to sit and relax around the garden. Adding further interest, for all ages, there are also about 50 garden ornaments and statues around the garden.

There will be some stalls to browse and tea & cakes to be enjoyed.

Admission for adults is £6.00, children are free and dogs on leads are welcome. Pre-booking is not required and tickets will be available online on the NGS website or can be bought at the gate.

There is a toilet available with exterior access from the garden. The full address is :- ‘Mountain Ash’, 140 Ulverscroft Lane, Newtown Linford, LE6 0AJ. Parking is on the lane.

For further details and some photographs of the garden, see the NGS website – www.ngs.org.uk – (put Mountain Ash into the garden finder)

Charnwood Forest Geopark Upcoming

May Events 2023

WEDNESDAY, 17 MAY 2023

AT 10:00

Guided Hike - Forest Industry: Shaping People and Landscape

This walk celebrates the physical and human geography of this industrial part of western Charnwood Forest, which has been extensively quarried for hundreds of years. As well as walking around Cliffe Hill and Hill Hole quarries, you’ll learn about the people who worked there in the nineteenth century.

• Booking essential. To book please contact JAttard@nationalforest.org 07976 865450

• 8 miles, 4 hours, 8 stiles

• STARTING POINT: Markfield church, LE67 9WD. On street parking near Markfield church or small car park in the village

SATURDAY, 20 MAY 2023

AT 09:00

Guided Hike - A Trek through Time: Geology of the Charnwood Forest Peaks

Join the Charnwood Forest Geopark team for a trek through geological time! This hike will take you through more than half a billion years of earth history, using the outstanding geological heritage of Charnwood Forest to tell stories of ancient fossils, continental collisions, and icy glaciers.

• Booking essential. Please email jmatthews@nationalforest.org

• 15 miles, 8 hours, 8 stiles

• STARTING POINT: Bradgate Park Main Car Park, Newtown Linford LE6 0HB

SUNDAY, 21 MAY 2023

AT 11:00

Guided Walk - Geological Treasures of Shepshed

Join the Charnwood Forest Geopark team for a guided hike through the amazing 600 million year old history of the Shepshed area. Discover some of the oldest rocks in England, and travel back in time to when Leicestershire lay at the centre of a giant sandy desert!

• 4 miles, 3 hours, 2 stiles

• STARTING POINT: Morley Quarry Car Park LE12 9EU

• For this event no booking is necessary - meet us at Morley Quarry Car Park

WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 2023

AT 14:00

Guided Walk - Forest

Placenames, Forest People

Join the Charnwood Forest Geopark team for a fascinating heritage walk around Thringstone, Whitwick and Swannymote. Using only the evidence from local placenames, we’ll take you back in time more than a thousand years to explore the Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman communities of Charnwood Forest.

• Booking essential. Please contact JAttard@nationalforest.org 07976 865450

• 4 miles, 2.5 hours, 0 stiles

• STARTING POINT High Cademan, LE67 5US Cademan Woods Car Park

Police Matters

preferably where there are people. After all, you don’t know the person who has collided with you; they could well be hijackers. If you’re at all suspicious, consider calling the police.

8. Before owning, check for cloning

Welcome to ‘Police Matters’ for the Dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team that cover Anstey, Thurcaston/Cropston and Newtown Linford. Your main two officers for the area are PC Greg Moore 0330 and PCSO Mitch Jarvis 6093.

News

The local beat team will be putting on some engagement in regards to knife crime awareness week which is between the 15th-21st of May. Please keep an eye out for updates on the Charnwood Police pages on twitter and Facebook for more information.

The crime breakdown shows offences committed between 22nd March to the 23rd of April 2023.

Crime figures (Anstey)

Theft of Motor Vehicle (inc Attempts) – 5

Theft from Motor Vehicle (inc Attempts) – 1

Criminal Damage Dwelling – 1

Theft Store – (inc. Attempts) – 1

Theft Cycle – 1

Theft Property (inc. Attempts) – 2

Crime figures (Cropston) No crime

Crime figures (Thurcaston)

Theft from Motor Vehicle (inc Attempts) – 1

Theft Property (inc. Attempts) – 1

Crime figures (Newtown Linford)

Burglary Dwelling (inc. Attempts)–1

Criminal Damage (non Dwelling) (Business Premises, Shed, Garage Etc) – 1

Theft Property (inc. Attempts) – 1

Crime Prevention

1. Lock your vehicle

Locking your vehicle, even when filling up or parked on your drive, greatly reduces the possibility of it being targeted by an opportunist thief. Even if you have locked your vehicle, check you haven’t left any windows or the sunroof open.

It is actually illegal to leave your vehicle running unattended while you de-ice it or warm it up in cold weather. If someone takes it while it’s left like this, your insurer won’t pay out because you won’t be covered.

If your vehicle has wing mirrors

that fold in automatically when locked, make sure you lock it properly. Criminal gangs are looking for vehicles like these where the wing mirrors are still out because it is clear to them that the vehicle has been left unlocked.

2. Keep the keys safe

Vehicles today are by and large more difficult to steal than ever, unless the thief can access your key or fob to clone them. Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home, and away from your front door. It’s not uncommon for car keys to be stolen from inside your home by thieves fishing for them with a stick and hook through the letterbox.

Keyless entry

Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry.

Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition.

Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car.

How to protect your keyless entry car

• When at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car.

• Put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag.

• Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second hand car.

• Turn off wireless signals on your fob when it's not being used.

3. Be aware of carjackers

The fact that you’re in the car isn’t always a deterrent to someone trying to steal it.

In traffic, drive with the doors locked and when queuing leave enough space in front of your vehicle to enable you to get out of a tight spot. If your vehicle is bumped from behind, wait to pull over – somewhere safe and

If someone threatens you, it’s better to hand over the keys to the vehicle than become a victim of assault. Then call 999 as soon as possible, and ask for the police.

If your car is stolen, some modern vehicle alarm and tracker systems have the facility to isolate or shut down fuel systems, bringing the vehicle to a halt and leaving the thief high and dry.

4. Park responsibly

It’s always advisable to avoid parking in dark and secluded areas. It’s worth an extra five or ten-minute walk if it means your vehicle is left in a well-lit and busier street.

And if possible, always try to park in illuminated and staffed car parks or those with a Park Mark safer parking award. To find one, simply check out Park Mark.

5. Watch for illegal tow trucks

Thieves often attempt to lift vehicles from the street, literally. So, if you see a towaway crew acting suspiciously – especially if their vehicle isn’t branded or if they’re not in uniform – then please report it immediately.

As with every report of suspicious behaviour made in good faith, we’ll never blame anyone for calling us if it proves unfounded.

Car parks with height-restricted entrances help prevent illegal tow trucks and removal vehicles. And fitting a Thatcham rated category 1 or 2 alarm system with tracking, immobilisation, anti-grab and movement sensors can help protect and trace your vehicle.

6. Fit good in-car security locks

Bear in mind that built-in steering locks aren’t necessarily thief-proof. Many can be forced and broken. Fitting a Sold Secure steering wheel, gear lever or clutch pedal security device can give your vehicle added protection.

7. Double-check electronic locking

Electronic devices can be used to jam the electronic signal from your key fob to lock your vehicle. Always manually check your vehicle has locked before walking away.

If unsure, lock it manually, then scan the immediate area for anyone hanging around. If a potential thief who’s watching feels they’ve been spotted, they’ll probably move off.

Changing the identity of a vehicle, known as vehicle cloning, can be as simple as adding stolen number plates. When buying a vehicle, always check the DVLA V5 document and make sure the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the vehicle is the same as on the document.

Make sure you check more than one of the VINs as well as the engine numbers on the vehicle (see diagram).

Check a used vehicle you’re buying.

9. Secure your port

Many modern vehicles are fitted with engine management diagnostic ports, which can unlock and start your vehicle.

If your vehicle has this type of port, consider fitting a lockable cover.

If anybody has any information about the recorded crimes then please speak with your local officers, or if you have any information at all about crime please call CRIMESTOPPERS. Your call will always be free, we won’t ask your name and you may even receive a cash reward. Just call –0800 555 111

Beat Surgeries (20/05/2023) Thurcaston – Leicester Road (Memorial Hall) 09:00-09:45

Anstey – Anstey Library

10:00-11:00

Anstey – Beanies Soft Play 11:15-12:15

Newtown Linford – Bradgate Road/Police Box 13:30-14:30

PS 0882 Mark Smith, PC Greg Moore and PCSO 6093

Mitch Jarvis

Beat NL58 – Anstey, Thurcaston/ Cropston, Newtown Linford Charnwood Dedicated Neighbourhood Team

Leicestershire Police

Spares & Repairs All Leading Makes Serviced - 20 Years Experience Washers ● Dryers ● Dishwashers Fridges ● Cookers GAS AND

NOW

TAKING

South Charnwood High School

Leicestershire LE67 9TB

EXAMINATIONS INVIGILATORS REQUIRED

£10.88 per hour (Plus 12% additional holiday pay)

South Charnwood High School is currently looking for Examination Invigilators to work as part of a team to support our Examinations Officer.

Experience is not necessary as full training will be provided, but enthusiasm is.

Hours are between 8.00am and 4.00pm (as appropriate for the exams, but you will be required to be available for either a complete morning or afternoon or all day as required)

For an information pack and application form, please see the school website at www.southcharnwood.leics.sch.uk or email: exams@southcharnwood.org

As this job is designated as a ‘regulated activity’ an enhanced DBS check with Barred list check is essential

Spring Fun With Thurcaston Brownies

Article by Snowy Owl

We began the New Year with a Resolution to earn the Zero Waste badge. We will learn about the Rs; Repair, Recycle, Reuse, Reduce. An example from nature of recycling is the action of worms as they take dead leaves into their burrows as food and pass it out as nutrients in the soil. We reused clear plastic pop bottles and put layers of compost, sand and wood shavings inside with leaves and worms. Worms are hermaphrodite, (having both male and female parts) so the Brownies gave them names which could be for a boy or girl Robin/ Frankie etc We covered the outside with black plastic to simulate the darkness of soil .We left these wormeries for several weeks before removing the covering to see that the worms had mixed the differently coloured layers and dragged the leaves down.

For two weeks we held our own Repair Shop concentrating at first on sewing, glueing and stapling, followed by using saws, screwdrivers, hammer and nails.

Vicki our Commissioner visited to present Snowy Owl (me) with a thirty years service badge and was on hand to help when we were a leader short (Covid) for our session of Reuse. Barn Owl showed us how to cut pretty pictures from old birthday cards and magazines and stick them on white, plastic bottles to make lovely containers for pencils etc,

We all need to Reduce the amount of water we waste and to be aware of what we can and cannot put down the drains. Wet Wipes are a definite No. We learned a lot about cleaning our water when Brown Owl brought in fake pooh. Brownies squealed. Its really Weetabix and gravy powder baked

into the appropriate shape.

February 22nd for the Guide and Scout movement is Thinking Daythe joint birthday of Lord and Lady Baden Powell. This date had fallen in half term but we celebrated with our candle ceremony on March1st, St David’s day. So we also included a Welsh theme with harp music and heard how LloydGeorge persuaded the Welsh to change the emblem for Wales. Smelly leeks in your button hole are not as pleasing as daffodils when meeting royalty.

On International Women’s Day we heard about the teenager Malala Yousafzai shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girl’s education. The environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, also featured in our work. However I suspect the Brownies mainly remembered that cows and sheep burp and fart the planet-warming gas called methane.

For Mother’s day the Brownies made a plaque and painted bees and flowers made by Pat from modelling clay. More aart work as the Brownies coloured in the patterns on printed Easter Eggs. Katelynn, our D of E volunteer, glued the background grass and woven paper basket to the board so we could put it all together as an Easter display for the church.

For our final meeting we kept our fingers crossed that those dark clouds would not rain on us as we climbed up to Old John. The week before we had wrapped and protected hard boiled eggs Now it was time to roll them down the hill and hope they did not crack. Prizes for the winners, a small chocolate egg for everyone and also their Zero Waste badge achieved during the term.

We meet from 6pm until 7,15pm on Wednesday evenings during term time at the Harrison room of All Saints Church on Anstey Lane in Thurcaston. Girls must be age 7 to start.

More details from Brown Owl 07711-422350 but please avoid work hours.

Football County Champions

Article by Lizzie Newel

We are thrilled to announce that our Year 9 Football Team has emerged victorious as county cup champions! The competition was grueling, but our team played consistently well throughout the season, culminating in an outstanding performance during the final game held at Aylestone Park Football Club on March 27th.

Our team displayed exceptional skill and determination, fighting hard for every ball, and managing to secure a 1-0 lead going into halftime. The players emerged even stronger after a motivating pep talk from their managers, dominating the game and securing a crucial second goal thanks to Alfie's impressive skills.

We are immensely proud of our team and their representation of Martin High School. We extend our gratitude to all of our supporters who cheered the team on throughout the season. Additionally, we would like to give a special shout out to our outstanding football managers, Mr. Charlesworth, Mr. Hickling, and even Mr. Davies!

Friday Night Films In Thurcaston

Article by Richard & Diana

Mrs Harris goes to Paris” will be shown on May 12th and lasts 115 minutes.

In our May life-affirming drama comedy, Oscar nominee, Lesley Manville, plays a widowed cleaning lady who, in the course of her duties, falls madly in love with Lady Dant’s Christian Dior dress. With the help of her late husband’s war pension, Ada Harris ventures to Paris to buy the luxurious dress of her dreams. This is a delightful “rags to regalia” tale that you should not miss.

“The Lost King” will be shown on June 9th and lasts 108 minutes. With Leicester director Stephen Frears, our June U.K. film is an incredible Leicester story which is nearly all true. Over five hundred years after the last Plantagenet King, Richard 111, was slain at the Battle of Bosworth, Phillippa Langley, played by Sally Hawkins, became convinced that she had discovered his resting place. This is the story of her resourceful and exciting research.

Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council will be showing these films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Film tickets will cost the usual £5, which includes a lucky prize draw and refreshments during the interval. You can pay for tickets at the door, if there are any left or buy in advance from:

Richard 0116 2363 066 or Diana 0116 2362 619

whilst

Thurcaston And Cropston Gardening Club

Article by Richard Elks

‘Waving in the Wind’ – Gardening with Grasses with Steve Lovell Grasses – probably the most important plant in the world. This was the view of Steve Lovell, the April speaker at the Thurcaston and Cropston Gardening Club.

One of the reasons that grasses are so important is that grasses ‘feed the world’ with wheat, oats, and many other cereal crops. But Steve also suggested that by using ornamental grasses in the garden, they can greatly improve garden design and planting.

Grasses add texture, movement and are very durable. Steve talked about the various groups of grasses and their required growing conditions. Care and pruning were also covered.

There are many groups of ornamental grasses available to gardeners. These include Stipa, Miscanthus, Carex, Molina, Penniseturn, and many others. In addition, there are many cultivars of these grasses – so the choice is vast. Throughout the talk Steve showed photos of the different grasses which showed their different form and texture. Steve also provided a very useful plant list so that members could do their own research of grasses that would improve their gardens.

Many of the images in this illustrated talk showed how grasses can be used in planting schemes with other plants.

Steve Lovell is a professionally qualified garden designer and soft landscaper with 30 years’ experience, specialising in gardens for wildlife. His talk was informative and entertaining, and it created a lot of interest amongst the audience.

The Gardening Club meets in the Thurcaston and Cropston Memorial Hall

Whether an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner we are sure you will find something of interest in this year’s programme. New members are made most welcome. What’s more, it’s excellent value!! The membership fee is still only £12 for the year (pro rota) or £3.00 per meeting. So, if you are interested in

gardening - come and give the Club a try.

For more information about the Club, please contact

Dave Haddon (0116) 235 9758: david.haddon20@ntlworld.com Or Richard Elks (0116) 236 8313: cropston161@hotmail.co.uk

Wed 10th May

Plants for the Connoisseur

Simon Gulliver

Simon is a Gardens & Parks Consultant for the National Trust, responsible for advising on the development of 20 historic gardens in West and North Midlands.

Simon trained at Pershore College and worked at the RHS Garden Wisley for two years as the horticulturalist at Plant Heritage (administering the National Plant Collections Scheme). He also trained in Biodiversity and worked for ten years at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and became the Horticultural Lecturer and Plant Collections Manager there.

Plants for the connoisseur is Simons favourite selection of beautiful plants that are a little different, interesting, unusual and/ or a bit more challenging to grow. It also covers how to grow them and enjoy them.

This is an Illustrated talk and there are plants for sale.

Wed 14th June

Top 20 Tips from a former Head Gardener

Pip Smith

Top 20 tips from a former Head Gardener - Pip shares some of his favourite tips from his time as a Head Gardener. It’s an eclectic mix that includes ideas on how to save water in the summer to his favourite plants for those tricky to grow spots in your garden. There is something for everyone!

Pip Smith is a landscape designer with over 13 years’ experience. He trained in horticulture at Pershore College and has an MA in Landscape Architecture from Birmingham City University.

He's held the post of Head Gardener at several private and public gardens, most recently at the highly acclaimed Wollerton Old Hall in Shropshire. In 2020 he set up his own landscape design studio based in Worcestershire and uses his previous experience to create imaginative, sympathetic and long-lasting designs for clients.

This is an illustrated talk.

A Night At The Oscars – In Newtown Linford!

Article by Peter Sayer

The members of Newtown Linford Choral Society are looking forward to presenting their next concert in the Village Hall, which features songs from Oscar winning or nominated films. They’re confident that audiences will be familiar with all of the songs, which will include classics such as ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ and selections from ‘Mary Poppins’, Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘La La Land’.

There will be a licensed bar, and tickets are priced at £12 for adults, and £6 for children and students in full time education. Performances will be on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th June, starting at 7.30 pm –but optionally you can bring a picnic or nibbles (but drinks only from the bar please) at 7 pm to enjoy before the concert starts. For tickets please ring 01530 243822.

Charnwood Local Group Of The LRWT Raises £1000

Article by Linda Tomlinson

Dave Robinson, chair of the Charnwood Local Group of the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, recently handed over a cheque for £1000 to the C.E.O. of the Trust, Mat Carter, at their recent AGM.

Donations had been raised by group members organising talks, walks and fundraising events to support vital nature conservation work carried out by the Trust in Charnwood, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Talks about wildlife and nature conservation are regularly hosted by the local group at Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall on the second Wednesday evening of the month from September to May. There are also walks and other activities throughout the year.

For further information about the Wildlife Trust and the Charnwood Group's events and activities see the website wwww.lrwr.org.uk

Miscanthus planted with perennial flowers.

A grass border with a variety of ornamental grasses.

Stipa gigantea with herbaceous perennial. Carex ‘Bowles Golden’

and we will get back to you asap.

Cropston And Thurcaston Cropston Evangelical Free Church

Article by Maja Tompkins

The Suffragette Movement

Mr Derek Holloway, one of our regular speakers, held our rapt attention as he told us the fascinating story of the UK women (and some men) who fought for more equal rights in areas such as voting, and equal pay for equal work. There were literally thousands of people who helped to bring about changes in the law, which took decades to achieve.

The campaign began in Manchester. One man called John Stuart Mill was elected to Parliament in 1865, when British society was very male-dominated. He tried to introduce legislation regarding equality of the sexes, but was outvoted. Women who wanted the vote were called Suffragists. Nothing much changed during the next 40 years, although similar Bills were presented almost every year. In March 1872 Doctor Richard Pankhurst spoke at a meeting in Manchester. Known as the Red Doctor, he was a barrister and social reformer. In the audience was his future wife, Emmeline. Her family was politically and socially aware. Her grandfather witnessed the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, where hundreds of peaceful protesters were injured and about a dozen killed, and she had been brought up attending frequent meetings. They married in 1879, and had three surviving daughters --- Christabel, Sylvia and Adela. In 1889 they founded the Women’s Franchise League. At that time the family lived in London and was quite affluent. Emmeline was a Liberal until 1892, but later joined the Labour Party. After Dr Pankhurst died in 1898, the family struggled for money. (Emmeline herself died just before suffrage was achieved in 1928.)`

Christabel trained as a lawyer (although this was a profession where women were not accepted). She returned to Britain when her father died in 1898. She helped to found the WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union) in Manchester in October 1903, which was a radical branch of the union. Their slogan was “Deeds not Words”. They heckled politicians (then unheard of) and even stormed Parliament, enduring prison and hunger strikes. The police and the public initially treated them with ridicule and anger, and a 1905 Bill failed in Parliament.

Christabel was not allowed to practise law, and left the country when the so-called Cat and Mouse Act was passed. In 1914 she was sentenced to three years in prison. She also wrote a book called “The Great Scourge and How to End It.” In 1918 she actually stood for Parliament. Then she worked in America from 1921, returning to England in the 1930s. In 1938 she was made a Dame of the British Empire, and she died in 1958.

Sylvia attended the Royal College of Art. She was the official artist for the WSPU, and started making suffragette jewellery. One of her posters featured a suffragette represented as Joan of Arc. She was militant and was imprisoned, but she wanted more improvements. She was a pacifist and anti-colonial, and was opposed to the Great War. In addition to setting up food banks in London, feeding hundreds of people a day, she started a factory which made toys for poor children. Later she went to live in Ethiopia, and she died in Addis Ababa in 1958. She was so well respected for her work there that she was given a state funeral.

Adela Pankhurst, educated at an all-women horticultural college, was also left-wing and a pacifist, and committed to the cause. She was sent to prison and went on hunger strike. On release she went to Australia, and never saw her English family again. She founded the Communist Party of Australia (although later she became anticommunist). She married, but was imprisoned for her pro-Japanese views, and was released in 1943. She died in 1961.

The initial negative reactions to the WSPU slowly changed, aided by the judicious use of photographs taken at every opportunity to show female protestors chained to railings, etc. At that time, women were not even allowed to enter the Parliament buildings, let alone listen to debates. The Liberal party expected to win the next election, and the family moved to London and targeted the MPs. In October 1905 Emmeline Pankhurst and Annie Kenney disrupted a meeting where Mr Winston Churchill and Sir Edward Grey were speaking. They had smuggled in WSPU banners and flags, but the women were thrown out of the meeting, arrested, and fined in court. There was a huge amount of publicity in the newspapers.

In 1906 the Daily Mail newspaper used the term “suffragettes” for violent protestors. The Liberals won the election as expected. The WSPU moved to Clements Inn in London, and there was more sympathy for their cause (in New Zealand, women were already entitled to vote). They also gained

support from the newly formed Labour Party. In 1907 the WSPU newspaper was founded, and the following year they chose their three distinctive colours of purple, white and green which were used in many items including their jewellery, sashes and banners. Women secretly sympathetic to the cause might ask their husband to buy them jewellery in purple, white and green … Crowds frequently gathered in Hyde Park on Sundays to hear various speakers, and sang a song called “The March of Women”.

Up to 200 women protestors a day were sent to Holloway Prison, a terrible and degrading place. They were searched, stripped, and put into a bath. They spent 23 hours a day in their cells which were only 9 x 6 feet. Women prisoners were cruelly treated and sexually assaulted, and many of them were left traumatised for years afterwards. The WSPU gave some of them a Holloway badge and a medal inscribed “For Valour”. On release, the WSPU took them to a hotel for a good meal, and invited the Press to publish their picture and write a report.

In 1907 the King’s Speech was expected to mention rights for women, but this did not materialise. Afterwards 324 women were arrested, and many sent to Holloway Prison. Prime Minister Asquith was generally reviled for letting them down. A board game was invented to highlight the history of the protests, loosely based on Snakes and Ladders. Postcards were produced, highlighting the point of view of both sides.

In the same year a newspaper was founded called Votes for Women. Women chained themselves to railings, and their photos were shown in the papers; early cinema newsreels also began to mention them. In 1908 a big protest was planned for June in Hyde Park, organised by a large formidable woman called Flora Drummond. Seven groups of marchers were to meet up, and around half a million people attended the rally. The publicity generated was enormous, and public opinion began to turn in their favour. In October another protest was organised for Trafalgar Square. Around 60,000 women faced 5,000 police, who issued many summonses. Press photographers had been briefed and did their job. In 1909 an exhibition was held which included a mock-up of a prison cell. PM Asquith rejected the Bill again, and Cabinet Ministers were attacked. Violent protest became more common. Some women on hunger strike came close to death and might have provided the cause with a martyr, which worried the authorities greatly. MI5

Special Branch became involved, and force feeding of stubborn prisoners was introduced, which had previously been used in mental hospitals. Mary Leigh was the first subject. Women were tied down during force feeding and were often assaulted. A rubber tube was forced down through their nostrils into the stomach, and a mixture of milk and raw egg poured in. Many victims were sick afterwards, and sustained injuries and mental scarring. Some women were force fed over 200 times. The Government eventually had to stop what essentially amounted to torture. For about a year an uneasy truce was observed, but when yet another Bill failed, things got ugly again. On Black Friday (18th November 1910), 300 women marched on Parliament. The police had been given free rein to act, and assaulted and arrested many of those protesting. Mr Winston Churchill, the Home Secretary, refused to hold an enquiry. One dedicated journalist interviewed every single woman arrested, and published his findings. The WSPU became very secretive.

In 1912 there was a massive campaign of smashing shop and office windows, which led to 200 arrests, with some women going to jail for nine months. Another campaign began, where people’s mail was intercepted and post boxes were destroyed, and the public became afraid to use the postal service. Someone took an axe to a Velasquez painting of a nude female in a picture gallery. The tea house in Kew Gardens was burnt down. Women started to make bombs. In 1913 a house being built for Lloyd George suffered damage, when one of two bombs planted went off.

A new Act of Parliament directed that imprisoned suffragettes could be released if their health deteriorated … but they would be arrested again when their health improved. This became known as the Cat and Mouse Act.

Miss Emily Wilding Davison, a teacher, was a militant and dedicated woman, who had been arrested and force fed many times. Just before the census was taken in 1911, she slipped into the Houses of Parliament and hid overnight in a cupboard. She then filled in her census form, giving that as her address. In 1913 she went to Epsom Racecourse and tried to attach a WSPU banner to the saddlecloth of the King’s horse. Waiting at the rails, she stepped forward as the horse galloped past, bringing down horse and jockey, and died soon after from a fractured skull, with her return rail ticket in her pocket. King George and Queen Mary were very upset. Around 5,000 people lined the streets for her funeral.

During May and July 1913 there was a bombing campaign, which particularly targeted buildings associated with men, such as cricket pavilions.

But world events soon dominated all other considerations, and when the First World War began in 1914 Emmeline Pankhurst suspended the WSPU campaign for the duration of the war. Two million women now did jobs previously done by men, which could be hard physical work, and dangerous jobs such as working in the munitions factories, where their skin turned yellow. In their free time women began playing football, and huge crowds attended the matches, but it was banned in 1921! In 1918 a Representation of the People Act was passed which broadened who could vote, and in March 1928 the vote was finally extended to all women aged over 21.

A statue was erected in the city in 2018 to Leicester woman Alice Hawkins, who had worked in the boot and shoe trade, and campaigned for women’s rights.

Several people had questions for Mr Holloway at the end. After we had enjoyed our tea or coffee and biscuits, the meeting closed at about 4 p.m. This whole subject is most interesting and complex, and you can find more information online or from your local library.

Our meetings start at 2.15pm, usually on the second Monday of each month. However, this year our Club outing will be a trip on a Peter Le Marchant canal boat on Friday, 5th May, just before the Coronation. On 12th June we shall hear about the work of InterCare, which is medical aid for Africa. Membership costs just £13.00 for the year, with an entrance fee of £2.00; and it is only £4.00 for visitors, to include tea / coffee and biscuits or cake. New members and visitors are most welcome to meetings – just turn up on the day.

Mrs Maja Tompkins

Saturday For all your Plumbing, Heating & Maintenance needs 572581 13

Anstey Latimer Primary School

Article by Lynsey James

Keep Britain Tidy’s Eco-Schools programme is a great way to engage young people about environmental issues.

Anstey Latimer Primary School were awarded the EcoSchools’ green flag, with merit, in July 2022.

Teacher, Mr King and his eco committee, are now working towards getting the silver award for their school. The eco committee is made up of 8 school children, across years 3 – 6. Having involvement across all these year groups helps to highlight that this is something that even the youngest of children can get involved in; raising awareness about environmental concerns.

The Eco-Schools programme provides the platform and tools to steer young people to where they can make immediate and tangible carbon reductions within their school. It aims to influence improvements more broadly in their communities and at home too.

The school have been involved in many projects since launching their eco committee.

For example, the school have planted saplings around one edge of the school field, which will grow into a new hedgerow. It will provide the perfect environment for our mini beasts, pollinators and wildlife.

They have undertaken big ‘switch off’ days at school to reduce the energy used in class and highlight the need to reduce our energy consumption.

Classrooms are also awarded points for ensuring that all lights and PC’s and devices are turned off in classrooms and other areas at the end of the day. Our lovely cleaning staff help to monitor this each day.

They have had another school wide project aimed at reducing litter in our local area, with a poster competition. You will have seen the posters around the village encouraging people not to drop litter.

The school are currently working with The Loughborough Building society in The Nook and have completed an Easter themed project, aimed at raising awareness about reusing, repurposing and recycling. Please look out for the children’s Easter crafts in our local shops around the village around Easter time.

Eco committee member Thea shares her thoughts: “Being in an eco-school is important because the changes we make will impact children more than their parents or grandparents. I also like being on the eco committee so we can think of fun ways to teach children how to look after our planet. The Easter sculpture competition for example led to lots of family discussions at home about recycling, the children enjoyed the arts and crafts and the competitive nature meant we all worked really hard to try to win!”

To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy’s eco-school’s environmental programme, check out their website: www.eco-schools.org.uk

Hopefully you’ll be inspired to get your school involved too!

ART EXHIBITION and SALE

(Alongside Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardens)

Saturday June 24th – 3pm to 6pm

Sunday June 25th – 2pm to 6pm

Local artist John Crewe will exhibit many of his original canvases.

Place: The Memorial Hall, Anstey Lane, Thurcaston , Leicester LE7 7JA Soft drinks available

All paintings will be on sale at very reasonable prices – a chance to select your own original work of art. Further details - contact Sylvia or John Cole on 0116 -2352873

“THE BEST OF BRITISH”

Enjoy High Tea and music by the choir and harpists from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Christ Church, Dumbleton Avenue, Leicester, LE3 2EG

Saturday May 13th at 4pm £15 admission by ticket only from Joy: Tel 01162874042

Linford Gardening Club

Article by Anne and David Couling www.newtownlinford.org.uk/ gardening-club.html

Our speaker in March was Don Witton from near Sheffield. He is a retired schoolteacher who has become a horticulturalist of some note. He holds the national collection of euphorbias on a large allotment near his home and he grows them along with many other flowering plants which he sells to local people and to gardening clubs where he delivers his talks.

His talk this time was about spring flowering perennials and euphorbias which flower from now until the end of June. To assist us, he distributed a list of the plants he would feature in his talk, so we could make notes and then go to his stall to buy them for our gardens. He also showed us which plants would be at their best during the different months of spring, so we could consider our planting strategy to ensure a continual display of colour.

Some of the plants he suggested were well-known ones which many of us would already be growing in our gardens such as hellebores, geums, lupins, geraniums and oriental poppies. However he did introduce us to some more unusual ones, which would enhance our traditional borders.

In April, he suggested erythroniums, trilliums and epimediums, all of which come in a wide range of colours depending on the variety you choose.

In May, of particular beauty was corydalis ‘Tory MP,’ which is a striking blue colour but which he found difficult to grow, because of its name!It also sold well in some areas of the country but not at all in others!!!! He also recommended polemoniums and erodiums.

June brought us fresh varieties including campanula glomerata, many beautiful peonies, a blue mecanopsis and astrantias.

He could not resist moving on to his main passion of euphorbias, which are especially lovely through the spring. He did, however, warn us to take care whcn handling these plants. The sap contains a potent irritant, which, if got on to the skin, would cause a high level of pain. He recommends they always be handled wearing gloves.

Our May speaker is continuing this particular theme. Justin Harrison is showing us a wide variety of plants which will be at their best during the summer months and we will also have the opportunity to buy.

After that, we will embark on our traditional summer activities visiting gardens of interest, both local and further afield and holding our Summer Garden Party.

More details of our club can be found on the internet or by contacting us on 01530 242452.

An Evening Of Summer Music

At All Saints’ Church Thurcaston

Friday 16th June 7pm For 7.30pm

Article by Jane Westby

Come, sit back, relax and enjoy an evening of entertainment by the singing quartet Cantare and Jude Richardson a Classical and Jazz Pianist. Songs will be interspersed with the All Saints’ Handbell ringers playing a range of ‘sky’ songs including Singing in the Rain, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Catch a Falling Star.

Cantare is a group of friends who simply love singing. Val, John and Roger have all sung in choirs that Carolyn has conducted, Roger in Highcliffe Harmony, John and Roger in Moira Male Voice Choir and all three of them in Yavana. Carolyn is more than happy to get back to singing after many years of conducting. They will be singing songs you know and love including, I Believe, Yesterday and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.

Jude joins us all the way from Bermuda via Aylestone to play a couple of pieces. His playing is a delight and so effortless. During the interval wine, soft drinks and nibbles will be served, along with a raffle.

Tickets are £10 for adults, children free. They are available from: Jane Westby mowestby@virginmedia.com or 0116 2352226, Eleanor Lloyd Jones eleanorlj@aol.com or 0116 2362503 and Carolyn Muggleton carolynam62@yahoo.co.uk

We look forward to a great evening of good music.

We Need You!..

Article by Karen

Attention all adults! - Are you looking for a fun and rewarding activity to share and shape the young people of the future? Then look no further than the Scouts!

Scouting offers an incredible opportunity for young people to develop new skills, make new friends, and challenge themselves in ways they never thought possible. By joining the Scouts, young people have the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun and engaging activities, from camping and hiking to learning new skills like first aid, knot tying, and outdoor cooking. BUT…. we need help from adults who are willing to help lead this with us.

24TH JUNE THE DUCK RACE RETURNS!

On a personal level I have been involved with the Cubs section since November last year and I haven’t looked back, progressing from an occasional helper up to Section Assistant Leader within a very short time period. The more I participated, the more I wanted to be involved. It is a very rewarding role and not one that I ever imagined I’d be part of. It’s a case of don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! I’m so glad to be part of the team and not only is it fun for the young people, its also very fun as an adult. I’m joining in on excursions and activities that I wouldn’t usually get to do. At the end of a session where you can see the fun that’s been had, you go home with a big sense of achievement and a beaming smile.

Duck sponsorship available Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and leadership team. Tickets available on the day! duckrace@40thleicester.org.uk

So far this year we have participated in numerous activities including a swimming gala, laser force, bird box making, crafting, cooking and a visit to Duxford Air Museum where I was invested under Concorde! These are to name a few and there are lots more planned.

As an adult involved in Scouting, you'll have the chance to spend quality time, participating in activities and creating memories that will last a lifetime. You'll also have the opportunity to meet other volunteers and form lasting friendships with people who share your values and interests. So, what are you waiting for?

Joining the Scouts is an incredible opportunity for young people to develop new skills, make new friends, and grow into responsible, well-rounded individuals. And as an adult, you'll have the opportunity to get involved and make a positive impact in your community.

40th Leicester Anstey and Newtown Linford meet every term-time for Cubs on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm, for Scouts on Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm and for Beavers on Thursday evenings from 6:00pm.

Get in touch today to learn more about how you can get involved. Contact Paul on dc@charnwoodscouts.org.uk

By Karen – Cubs Section Assistant Leader at 40th Leicester Anstey and Newtown Linford

Sponsor a duck

24TH JUNE 2023 THE DUCK RACE RETURNS!

Prizes to be won!

Find out about Scouting Family Games

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Duck sponsorship available from Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and the leadership team. Tickets also available on the day! duckrace@40thleicester.org.uk

ANSTEY 40TH LEICESTER SCOUT GROUP CELEBRATES THE RETURN OF THE ANNUAL DUCK RACE. JOIN US FROM 10AM AT THE ANSTEY SCOUT HUT, LEICESTER RD, ANSTEY LE7 7AT

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You are invited to a Morning with the Cancer Research UK East Midlands Team

Hear about the charity & the research being funded in the East Midlands

Visit our health awareness stands & meet the Senior Health Awareness Nurse

Quorn Village Hall,  64 Leicester Rd, Quorn, Loughborough LE12 8BB

Tuesday 27 June 2023

10am until 12.30pm

This event is free but please RSVP at rebecca.elphick@cancer.org.uk by 12 June as refreshments will be provided

David Snartt

Borough Councillor for Forest Bradgate

T: 01530 244804

E: cllr.david.snartt@charnwood.gov.uk

Climate and Nature Pact. Charnwood Borough Council has signed up to the Climate and Nature Pact with other Councils and organisations in Leicestershire.

The Pact is based on the principles of the Glasgow Climate Pact, signed by the UK Government in November 2021. It supports national and international efforts to tackle climate change and bring together the businesses and private sector, voluntary, community and social enterprises, universities, the education and research sector, the public sector and the people and communities of Leicestershire, to drive local action and work towards a number of shared environmental aims.

The core requirements of the Pact include the need to act quickly on reducing the impacts of climate change, reducing carbon emissions to net zero, halting ecological decline, supporting climate recovery and working together to deliver effective action on climate change.

Including in the first 18 signatories to the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact are Charnwood Borough Council, Loughborough University and The National Forest.

Charnwood Borough Council has reduced its own carbon footprint over the years, with more to be done. The Council are also drawing up a new climate change strategy which sets out how they will help lead local communities, residents, organisations and businesses to reduce their impact on the environment and climate change.

May 4th Election. I have previously communicated details on the new requirement to show photo ID when voting at the Borough election on May 4th 2023. I thought it was important to remind voters that photo ID will be necessary before you will be able to vote in person at the polling station. The most common forms of photo ID are a driving licence (including provisional driving licence) passport, bus pass, and blue badge. You can still use your photo ID if it is out of date, so long as you can be

identified from the photograph.

All the information about voting in the election, including details of acceptable forms of photo ID can be found at www.charnwood.gov. uk/pages/electoralservices or for further help and advice telephone (01509) 634546.

Tenant Garden Competition. Charnwood Borough Council tenants are being encouraged to enter an annual garden competition, the event is run by the Council and is open to its tenants who once again are being urged to showcase their skills in the garden. There are eight categories to enter, which include: Fruit and vegetable garden: Hanging basket: Window box and balcony: Children’s garden (entrants must be under 16). A full list of categories can be found on the Council’s website.

Entries for the Tenant Garden Competition need to be submitted by Friday 2nd June and judging will take place between 10th July and 14th July. The winners and runners-up will receive high street shopping vouchers as prizes. Due to the changes in the weather throughout the year and the effects that this can have on gardens, applicants can also submit pictures of their gardens between now and the judging dates to ensure that they are being judged at their very best.

The Council has around 5,500 properties and the competition is one way of celebrating tenants pride in their homes and communities. I understand I have around 100 properties within my Forest Bradgate Ward. To enter, tenants can call the customer engagement team on 01509 634679 or 01509 634955, or e-mail involvement@charnwood. gov.uk for an application form. Alternatively apply on line or download an entry form via www. charnwood.gov.uk/gardens

If you need to contact me on any issues please write to 10 Groby Lane, Newtown Linford, Leicester. LE6 0HH e-mail cllr.david.snartt@ charnwood.gov.uk or telephone 01530 244804.

Thurcaston And Cropston Coronation Bell Ringing And Picnic At All Saints’ Church

Article by Jane Westby

Sunday 7th May 1pm to 3pm The Coronation of King Charles III

A Parish Picnic will be held in the Church Garden and you will be greeted with a celebration peal of bells from the Tower from 12.30pm.

An event for everyone so bring your own picnic and join the celebrations for the Coronation of our new King. There will be games for the children and those young at heart, and we will be entertained by patriotic music from our handbell ringers.

Hot drinks and cake will be available. If the weather is poor then we shall go into the Church, as we did for the Jubilee last year. We will not let a drop of rain dampen our celebrations.

A very special peal will be rung from the Tower on Monday 8th May from 10am, do listen out for it.

Saturday 10th June 1.00pm until 4.00pm All Saints’ Garden Fete in the Church, Churchyard and Harrison Room.

There will be zip wire teddies, various stalls including tombola, raffle, brica-brac & books. Plant stall with annuals, perennials, shrubs and vegetables. Homemade cakes and preserves. Then relax with tea and cake whilst listening to QUO, not Status but the Quorn Ukulele Orchestra and the Marydene Guitar society.

Items are needed for all the stalls so if you are having a spring clear out, please put suitable things to one side ready to bring down to Church or ring Jane on 0116 2352226. If you are planting at home, please do a few extra both flowers and vegetables for the plant stall. Homemade cakes and preserves are very welcome.

We will be setting up on Friday evening 9th June, from 5pm to 7pm, and are happy to receive items at Church at this time.

Looking forward to a sunny afternoon and lovely community event.

Paul’s Decorating Service

You’ll get value for money because our pricing is competitive

Returning Customers account for 74% of our work - that says it all about the quality of our work and the friendliness in our service

We give you five years guarantee on our labour

We’re NICEIC registered - so we’re assessed on a regular basis to ensure the highest standard of care are always met

Always leave things clean and tidy

All our team are smartly uniformed and we train them to always be prompt, polite and professional (and they smile a lot)

We’ll turn up when we say we will

see what

want here we’ll probably do it – just ask”

Deborah Taylor

Borough Councillor for Anstey

T: 0116 2350126

E: cllr.deborah.taylor@charnwood.gov.uk

We both hope our residents enjoyed the Easter celebrations and are looking forward to watching King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s Coronation.

At the time of writing and submitting our report, the local elections are just about to be held. The results will be published on our website: www. bradgateconservatives.org.uk and social media platforms as soon as we can after the count has been completed.

We just wanted to thank all our volunteers and supporters who have helped deliver our message across the village in these important local elections.

Due to restrictions during the pre-election period, the council reduces the amount of work it does, so we have taken the opportunity to promote some of the wider work of the council. We hope to be back next month with a fuller report if we are successful in being re-elected!

Loughborough Town Hall

Loughborough Town Hall welcomed back audiences on Thursday, April 6th following the fire in the town centre last month.

Charnwood Borough Council has been busy getting the Grade II listed building ready for customers since the blaze at the neighbouring HSBC bank on 15th March. It caused some fire damage to the Town Hall roof and some smoke and water damage to other parts of the building.

Since then, the Town Hall has had thorough inspections, with all seats in the main hall auditorium and other parts of the building being thoroughly cleaned and repairs and maintenance carried out to the air handling and air conditioning units.

The doors to the Box Office and Sock Gallery opened on the Thursday morning and the first show back took place that night. The Town Hall programme will now continue as planned in April.

For any more information, please visit:

www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk

Climate and Nature Pact

The Leader of Charnwood Borough Council has supported a pact to tackle climate change, nature decline, and carbon reduction in

Leicestershire. The Leader signed the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact along with other councils and organisations in the county.

The pact is based on the principles of the Glasgow Climate Pact, signed by the UK government in November 2021. It supports national and international efforts to tackle climate change by bringing together the businesses and private sector, voluntary, community, and social enterprises, universities, the education and research sector, the public sector, and the people and communities of Leicestershire, to drive local action and work towards a number of shared environmental aims.

The core requirements of the pact include the need to act quickly on reducing the impacts of climate change, reducing carbon emissions to net zero, halting ecological decline, supporting climate recovery, and working together to deliver effective action on climate change.

The pact was officially launched at a signing ceremony at Leicestershire County Council’s headquarters.

Leicestershire County Council is calling upon other organisations and groups across the county to sign up to the Pact and play their part in combating climate change and nature decline. A number of other organisations have already informally pledged their support, ahead of going through the formal decision-making process.

Contact netzero@leics.gov.uk to find out more.

Tenant Garden Competition Council tenants are being encouraged to enter the annual garden competition.

The event is run by Charnwood Borough Council and is open to its tenants who are being urged to showcase their skills in the garden.

This year, there are eight categories to enter:

• Best newcomer

• Fruit or vegetable garden

• Hanging basket, window box, and balcony

• Sheltered court garden

• Communal or shared garden

• House or flat garden

• Children’s garden (entrant must be under 16)

• Greener garden (must show

Paul

Baines

Borough Councillor for Anstey

T: 07977 178869

E: cllr.paul.baines@charnwood.gov.uk

the use of upcycling, recycling, planting of wildflowers, environmentally friendly).

Entries for the tenant garden competition need to be submitted by Friday, June 2nd and judging will take place between July 10th and 14th. The winners and runners-up will receive high street shopping vouchers as prizes.

Due to the changes in weather throughout the year and the effect that this can have on gardens, applicants can also submit pictures of their gardens between now and the judging dates to ensure that they are being judged at their very best.

The Council has around 5,500 properties and the competition is one way of celebrating tenants’ pride in their homes and communities.

To enter, tenants can call the customer engagement team on 01509 634679 or 01509 634955 or email involvement@charnwood. gov.uk for an application form. Alternatively, apply online or download an entry form via www.charnwood.gov.uk/gardens

police and key workers, including from the Council’s waste partner Serco. Partners who worked with the Council during the pandemic, such as Leicestershire County Council and Loughborough University, also attended, as did members of the Loughborough Town Deal Board.

Over one tonne of molten metal was poured into a mould for the Hope Bell. The mould will be broken open a few days after being cast before the bell is completed in the foundry’s workshop.

The Hope Bell will be a clock chime installation with five bells. The main Hope Bell will sound the hour and the quarter bells on the quarter hours.

It will have a stone base and a band of gold-coloured metal will be wrapped around the top, encircling the bells, and giving a visual feeling of sound emanating from them. The structure will stand around seven and a half metres high.

It is anticipated the Hope Bell will be installed in Queen’s Park in 2024.

Walking

Now the clocks have gone forward, and the sun is slowly starting to shine, it is good to get out in the fresh air.

The Hope Bell

A bell which will mark the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Charnwood communities was cast in Loughborough on 16th March 2023.

The Hope Bell will remember those lost in the pandemic but also pay tribute to the NHS and key workers while being a beacon of hope for the future and a reminder of how communities came together to support each other in challenging times.

Charnwood Borough Council has commissioned the bell which was cast at John Taylor & Co in Loughborough, the last major bell foundry in the UK. It is part of a wider project to better link the town centre with Queen’s Park, all of which is being funded by the Loughborough Town Deal.

A number of guests gathered to watch the casting including the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur, and representatives from the local community, NHS,

Active Charnwood have plenty of opportunities for all levels of walking abilities to get outside and enjoy a walk with some nice company. We have highlighted a few of the walks coming up, but there is plenty of walks available on their website, so why not take a look: www.active-charnwood.org/ guided-walks

Discover Charnwood

Discover Charnwood was launched just over a year ago. Whether you want to learn about Charnwood's fascinating history or see where you want to explore next in the borough, Discover Charnwood is the place to visit. Find out more here: discovercharnwood.co.uk

If you have any issues or concerns, we are here to help.

Deborah and Paul

Scan here for updated news:

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 15 –Sunday 21 May 2023. The official theme for this year, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is 'anxiety'.

Evidence suggests that regular walking can reduce anxiety

nature & spending time in green spaces

Deborah Taylor

County Councillor for Bradgate Division

T: 0116 2350126

E: deborah.taylor@leics.gov.uk

As we head into the local elections, the work of councils and events slows down, to allow for candidates to campaign.

I have attended a few training events on various matters this month, and I am currently leading a working group at the council, trialling some new software to enable all elected members to keep track of their personal casework they do for their residents. This software will improve how we work for our residents

I attended a regional meeting with my East Midlands colleagues in my capacity as Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Panel. This is a useful opportunity for us to share issues affecting us all and to share good practices. I always find I get a lot out of meetings with my peers.

On Tuesday 28th March, I was delighted to attend a concert at De Montfort Hall by Leicestershire Music Hub (leicestershiremusichub.org).

Leicestershire Music Hub is a fantastic organisation that inspires young children of all ages in Leicester and Leicestershire to make music. We enjoyed music from the Big Band, the Symphony Orchestra as well as the orchestra from Robert Smyth Academy and much more ending a fantastic 2 hours of brilliant music.

Beacon Hill

After two successful years of creating a thriving environment

Anstey WI

Article by Marian Driver

Does your will need updating?

You might think this was rather a gloomy topic for the WI but not at all. Kayleigh Browne, a solicitor with Wilson Browne solicitors, gave a very lively and informative talk regarding wills and lasting power of attorney. She stressed how important it is to make a will and review it every five years in line with different events in life, such as children and grandchildren. She encouraged us to consider how to protect loved ones and to include new people or to take out people in your life. She talked about the £320,000 allowance per person for inheritance tax and ways in which gifts to people and trusts can be set up. Gifts to people fall into your estate for 7 years. She mentioned the two parts

for nature at Beacon Hill Country Park, visitors are being encouraged to continue supporting Leicestershire County Council’s conservation initiative.

Jewels Hill in the country park was first closed during the peak season in 2021 to help improve the conservation of the fragile heathland and ultimately protect the wildlife.

Restricting access to the beauty spot in Beacon Hill between 1st April and 1st August has been a success, with ecologists monitoring the area seeing the undisturbed grass and vegetation creating small micro-climates ideal for insects, birds, lizards and plant growth.

Beacon Hill welcomes more than 250,000 visitors per year and this year will see events being held on the park that explains more about the Jewels Hill conservation work and the wildlife that attracts so many people every year. This closure area amounts to just 3% of the total area of Beacon Hill.

Childcare

You could get help paying for your childcare. Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support from the Government to help with childcare costs.

There are lots of different age groups with different criteria, so visit this website and see if you are eligible for any support: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

• Tax-Free Childcare – Age 1 -11

or 16 if disabled

• 15 Hours Free Childcare – Age

2,3 & 4

• 30 Hours Free Childcare – Age

3 & 4

• Tax Credits for Childcare – Age

0 – 15 or 16 if disabled

• Universal Credit for Childcare

Age 0-16

The Big Help Out

All residents of Leicestershire are being urged to join in a nationwide volunteering project as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of His Majesty the King.

‘The Big Help Out,’ taking place on Monday 8th May, has been launched by the King and Queen Consort to encourage people across the UK to try out volunteering and join in the work being undertaken to support their local areas, as well as highlighting the positive impact that volunteering has on communities.

The Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire Mike Kapur OBE has launched his ‘Big Help Out’ pledge and is urging people of all ages across the county to sign up to it.

He is hoping that the ‘Big Help Out’ will act as a launchpad to increase the number of volunteers

to Lasting power of attorney; property and finance also health and welfare. She said they were important and both may be needed. WI members had many questions to ask and these were answered fully. Questions from members related to free wills, trusts, gifts of antiques and jewellery, common law marriage and care homes. The wine and cheese following the talk was very much appreciated. As you can see, we also had an Easter bonnet competition. WI meets every second Wednesday in the month, 7.30 pm at the Jubilee Hall. New members always welcome.

across Leicestershire, by giving people a taste of volunteering and encouraging them to continue helping their communities after the celebrations are over.

Mr Kapur has made his own pledge to take part in a litter pick on 8th May and is now encouraging people of all ages and from all walks of life in Leicester and Leicestershire to sign up to the pledge.

Volunteers can sign up for The Big Help Out on the Lord Lieutenant’s Coronation web page on the Leicestershire County Council website: www.leicestershire.gov. uk where details of volunteering opportunities in Leicestershire can also be found.

If you have any issues or concerns, I’m here to help.

Deborah

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St. Mary’s Church Anstey

Do come and join us for a ‘Bring and Share’ Community Lunch on Sunday 7th May in the Church Rooms, 12.00 noon. All Welcome!

DESIGNER BATHROOMS

Tel: 0116 251 0363 - sales@ designerbathroomsleicester.com

www.designerbathroomsleicester.com - 74 Bradgate Street, Leicester, LE4 0AW

With an in-house team of experts who are all fully trained and qualified to the highest standard, Designer Bathrooms can ensure total customer satisfaction.

Specialising in beautiful bespoke bathrooms and en-suites, specifically tailored to meet their customers’ requirements, they strive to create a bathing experience second to none. Just walking around their exquisite showroom, you have the opportunity to see a variety of over 35 room settings, each perfectly showcasing many industry top brands, as well as a taste of the Mediterranean with Italian and Spanish wall and floor tiles.

From speaking to the team at Designer Bathrooms it’s clear that they want everyone to be able to have a relaxing and inspiring bathing experience. As such they are proud of their quality of service, products and their single level showroom plus they also specialise in accessible

bathing. Their displays include walk in level floor showers, fold down shower seats, grab rails, digital push button showers, lever taps and comfort height toilets.

At Designer Bathrooms it is perfectly clear that they understand just how important it is to make the right choices, for what should be, one of the most relaxing rooms in your home. As such they listen to your requirements and will guide you through the entire process, from first thought to final tile.

So when you’re next considering a new bathroom or en-suite make over, why not pay Designer Bathrooms a visit? You’ll receive a warm welcome as well as expert advice.

Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturdays from 9am to 4pm Private car park available

They look forward to welcoming you soon….

from first thought to final tile

NEW EXTENDED SHOWROOM - OVER 35 ROOM SETTINGS TO VIEW

NEW EXTENDED SHOWROOM - OVER 35 ROOM SETTINGS TO VIEW

Designer Bathrooms are a family business with two generations of experience based in the heart of Leicestershire.

The Wednesday Hub – A Warm Welcome In Thurcaston

Article by Eleanor Lloyd Jones

The Thurcaston & Cropston Good Neighbours group has joined forces with All Saints Church in Thurcaston to set up a weekly warm space meeting. Every Wednesday afternoon from 2-4pm the Harrison Room (at the Church) is open for anyone to come and drop in.

The Wednesday Hub is free to attend - come along for coffee, cake, chat and a warm welcome! We also have puzzles, games (such as cards and Scrabble), books or you can bring your own activities with you. WiFi now available too. For further details please call 07834 483850 or email us on Wednesdayhub3@gmail.com

Anstey Parish Council

Article by Liz Hawkes

King Charles III Coronation 6th May 2023

Bring a picnic and come along to the Recreation Ground at Stadon Road and watch the Kings Coronation live outside free on the BIG screen. Bring a picnic, or buy an afternoon tea or a drink at the bar and enjoy free entertainment of live music, bouncy castle, facepainting and royal crafts. Live coverage will begin at 11am – 3pm.

Anstey Local History Society

Our next meeting will be held on: Wednesday May 17thth 2023 at 7.30.p.m. at The Jubilee Hall, Stadon Road

Made in Leicester

(Discover some of the items that have been manufactured in Leicester)

Speaker: Felicity Austin

Members: Free Non-members: £3.00 www.ansteyhistory.com Tel:07870197958

Cropston Cricket Club

Article by Brad Peake

With the weather improving it must mean that the cricket season is just around the corner. Cropston Cricket Club will once again be running junior coaching sessions throughout the summer.

Sessions are open to both boys and girls.

Our coaches are all ECB qualified and DBS checked. All equipment will be provided.

We are running teams in the Leicestershire Youth League at Under 10,11,13,15,17 & 19.

We also run three senior sides on a Saturday and one on a Sunday.

Please contact Brad Peake on 07777 649412 or Dave Jones on 07757 424561 for further details.

Yard Sale

Saturday 22nd July 2023

10am to 2pm

For the first time Anstey residents are invited to join a village-wide Yard Sale.

By holding a Yard Sale from your own front yard, drive-way, garage or doorway, it is a chance to have a clear out and sell your unwanted toys, clothes, bric-a-brac, plants, household items and make some extra money for yourself or a Charity.

We will be producing a village map with all the Yard Sales plotted, if you would like to take part and add your own sale to our village map please contact the Parish Office with your address.

As lots of sales will take place on one day, it gives people the opportunity to walk around the village and purchase pre-loved items.

Councillors

Councillor Stuart Booth and Matt Rogers have both stood down as Councillors for the next coming term. We would like to thank them both for their commitment and time over the last four years.

The Council now has 10 members, which means there are currently 4 vacancies which need to be filled. If you are interested in becoming a Councillor or finding out more information about what is involved, please contact the Parish Office.

Parish Council Meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Jubilee Hall starting at 7.30pm.

Details of meeting are shown on the website, the agendas for meetings are published on the website at; www.ansteypc.org.uk/council-meetings.html all members of the public are welcome to these meetings.

For those children aged 5 to 8 we are also registered with the England and Wales Cricket Board as an ‘All Stars Cricket Centre’. As such from mid-May we will be running weekly sessions providing an introduction to cricket in a fun environment. Further details on this can be found at allstarscricket.co.uk

Your Councillors

Your Councillors can be contacted through the Parish Council Office:

Tel: 0116 2362646

Mobile: 07458 305025

Email: clerk@ansteypc.org

Jubilee Hall, Stadon Road, Anstey, Leicester, LE7 7AY

National Garden Scheme Leicestershire Open Gardens

May 2023

Article by Carol Bartlett

Late spring is a great time to our visit gardens and we have gardens opening all over Leicestershire.

On Sunday 7th May Burrough Hall, Somerby Road, Burrough on the Hill, Melton Mowbray, LE14 2QZ is open from 2-5pm. Originally a hunting lodge, the house has a large established Wisteria covering the front of the Hall. An extensive mature garden with fantastic views of the Leicestershire countryside.

Burrough Hall Wisteria and Alliums

Opening both days of the weekend 13th & 14th of May there are four gardens opening Hedgehog Hall, 8 Hinckley Road, Mountain Ash and Westview.

Hedgehog Hall, Loddington Road, Tilton on the Hill, LE7 9DE opens between 11-4 pm and is ½-acre garden which is an organically managed plant lover's garden with a walled terraced border filled with shrubs, perennials and bulbs. There is a lovely patio seating area where you can enjoy far-reaching views over the valley.

8 Hinckley Road at Stoke Golding, Nuneaton, CV13 6DU opens from 12-4 (Sat) and 12-3 (Sun) This south west facing garden has a water feature and borders filled with colourful shrubs and perennials. Many of the garden perennials are represented in the plant sale.

Westview at 1 St Thomas's Road, Great Glen, LE8 9EH opens both days from 11-4pm. This is a small, walled cottage garden is stacked full of interest and unusual planting. The garden includes a formal box parterre, a courtyard garden, a small wildlife pond, a greenhouse, and productive fruit and vegetable garden. The garden is managed organically and benefits from a restored Victorian water-saving system which collects rainwater from the roofs of outbuildings. Quirky garden ornaments, some made from recycled materials, add to the interest. Garden owners are beekeepers and welcome visits from fellow apiarists as well as plant enthusiasts.

On the 20th of May Goadby Marwood Hall, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4LN opens from 10.30-5.30. This is a large garden with a chain of five lakes (covering 10 acres) with swans and flowering spring blossom trees. There are several ironstone walled gardens all interconnected and a lovely lakeside woodland walk and a C13th church nearby.

The last garden to open in May is Westbrooke House on Sunday 28th from 10-4.30 at 52 Scotland Road, Little Bowden, Market Harborough, LE16 8AX. The gardens comprise 6 acres in total with a tree lined driveway of mature limes and giant redwoods. There is a walled flower garden, walled kitchen garden, fernery, lower garden, wildlife pond, spring garden, lawns, woodland paths and a meadow with a wildflower area, ha-ha and hornbeam avenue.

Enjoy visiting one of our gardens knowing that at the same time, you are also donating to nursing and cancer charities. In 2022, thanks to the generosity of garden owners, our volunteers and garden visitors The National Garden Scheme donated over £3.11 million to our best-loved charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.

For further details of our open gardens, accessibility, directions and admission details visit www.ngs.org.uk

Burrough Hall Wisteria and Alliums

And Cropston Local History Society

Article by Peter Smith

The Society does not hold an event in April because the third Tuesday too often falls during the Easter holiday – so what can you do to feed your desire for local history until next month? If you have access to the internet, there are many websites that are well worth a browse. Why not start with our own site at www. thurcastoncropstonhistory.org. uk? It has articles about various aspects of the history of our two villages, as well as reports of all our talks and outings during the past six years. (Find the archive under “Programme”.)

Other sites about the histories of our neighbouring villages include:

Anstey https://ansteyhistory.com

Rothley

www.rothleyparishcouncil.org.uk/ village-history.html

Woodhouse wwe-historygroup.org

Quorn http://quornmuseum.com (2358 exhibits at the last count)

Moving slightly further afield, Lynne Dyer’s blog contains all sorts of information about Loughborough’s past, including themed trails that you can follow virtually or on the ground. https://lynneaboutloughborough. blogspot.com

You have surely noticed the “Story of Leicester” panels springing up all over the city but you can read them online too. The City Council also posts historic photos

almost every day on its “Story of Leicester” Facebook page. (You don’t need a Facebook account to view it.)

www.storyofleicester.info

https://en-gb.facebook.com/ storyofleicester/

Do you have fond memories of old drinking dens in the city? Or maybe church crawls are more your style than pub crawls! Check out one of these directories to find your favourites.

https://pubhistoryproject.co.uk

www.leicestershirechurches.co.uk

Bob Trubshaw has spoken to the Society several times and his YouTube channel has a growing collection of videos. They range from Little-Known Leicestershire and Rutland to gargoyles, Swithland slate, place names, the Anglo-Saxons and much more. www.youtube.com/@ BobTrubshaw/videos

We cannot finish without mentioning two of the countywide societies in this field. The website of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society (LAHS) includes copies of its formal Transactions dating back to 1862, as well as many issues of the more readable “Leicestershire Historian”. The Leicestershire Fieldworkers is less venerable but its website includes recordings of recent talks and details of its annual Festival of Archaeology.

www.le.ac.uk/lahs/ https://leicsfieldworkers.org

We hope you will find something there to inspire you or at least occupy a wet afternoon. If you come across any other interesting local history sites, do share them.

Our meetings resume on 16th May, when Mick Rawle will be making a return visit to tell us about the extraordinary history of Melton Mowbray. You will be very welcome to join us at 7.30pm in Thurcaston Memorial Hall. The charge for visitors is £4.

Art Group In Anstey

Article by John Morfey

We are a small, friendly group who have different interests: drawing, lino-cutting, 3D paper pictures, painting…

We each do our own thing, and support and encourage each other. We meet every Tuesday from 1-3pm, and we use the upstairs room at the Methodist Church in Anstey. It’s a large airy room with lots of space for social distancing.

If you want to make a bit of time for something (anything!) creative, you’d be welcome to come and have a cup of tea and meet us. Or contact John on 07808143772 or jandbmorfey@ hotmail.com

Get Your Lawn Ready For Summer

Article by Ian Walker

With warmer, longer days on the horizon, the beautiful bright colours of your garden are best enjoyed alongside a lush, green lawn. As the centrepiece of your garden, GreenThumb Lawn Treatment Service will ensure your lawn reaches its full potential as a weed-free, healthy, and well-loved lawn.

Our ‘Summer Ready’ Treatment is applied between April and June and features a fully coated fertiliser designed to give your lawn a timed release of nutrition over several months, feeding your grass and stimulating growth. This sophisticated treatment also includes a weed control to help eradicate those which are unwelcome on your lawn, keeping your lawn looking its best ready for summer.

An added benefit of our ‘Summer Ready’ Treatment is that you’ll also receive an application of our fantastic water conserver,

Oasis. Now is the perfect time for an Oasis Treatment as it helps your soil to make the best use of any available moisture, meaning you’ll need to water up to 80% less. Our popular Oasis Treatment now features an innovative, highly concentrated seaweed extract which has proven to have an almost immediate visual effect on the colour of your lawn.

At this time of year, we also recommend implementing a regular mowing regime to help your lawn be the best it can be. Dry, sunny days are the best conditions for mowing, however it’s important that your mower blades are kept sharp or replaced when needed to avoid causing damage to the grass plant. It is also important, especially during the summer months, that your grass isn’t cut too short as this will weaken it, attracting unwanted weeds. When dry, we advise raising the height of your cut from 1” up to 2” and give it a good drink the day after mowing.

Let’s create the lawn we both love.

Contact your local GreenThumb branch today 0116 269 4019 or email leicestershirewest@ greenthumb.co.uk

Loughborough Flower Lovers' Club

Article by Lynne Loughborough Flower Lovers Club this month looks forward to welcoming Sue Hodgson, a NAFAS area demonstrator who is based in Barrowby Lincolnshire.

Sue is a florist by day and a flower arranger by night who runs flower arranging workshops from her home base. She loves working with flowers and producing new designs. Her demonstration entitled “ Super Sleuths” sounds fascinating!

If you would like to find out more why not join us at Amherst School, Gray Street, Loughborough LE11 2DZ on Thursday May 18th from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Parking is free in the school grounds and just outside the venue. Visitors are always very welcome. There is no need to pre book just arrive on the night and for a small fee of £6 enjoy watching beautiful flower arrangements being created by an expert. At the end of the evening all the arrangements are given as raffle prizes.

For more information ring 01509 853740 or email loughboroughflowerloversclub@hotmail.com

We look forward to seeing you.

LOVE LIFE WITH A LUSH LAWN

Lawns do wonders for our wellbeing. That’s why we’ve devised three programmes of year-round treatments to keep your grass a cut above.

From controlling weeds to bringing out the green, we’ll help you to look after the lawn that looks after you.