July 2022 Your Local Ratby, Kirby Muxloe & Leicester Forest East

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SAVE OUR LIBRARY Ratby Community Library Needs Your Support!

Carey Gardens Annual Fundraising Garden Party Saturday 6th August 2pm - 4.30pm

Major Theft Of Steam Locomotive Parts From The Great Central Railway At Loughborough Quiz Night At LFE Parish Hall Saturday 22nd October Kirby Muxloe Annual Village Show Sunday 28th August

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Artucle by Robert A. Leake

June 12th was a special day for the group to celebrate not only its 32nd anniversary but also the Queen’s 70th Jubilee. As a result members came along to our monthly gathering at the Mary Forryan Centre, Hinckley, wearing red, white and blue, to enjoy tea and cakes and great entertainment from Dave Maylam, a magician and comedian who created much laughter.

A final update on three of our money raising members. The Hot Air Balloon trip by Marilyn and Colin Chappell of Newbold Verdon, after many postponements, has actually happened!

Marilyn finally faced her fears about flying and ascended on June 2nd, raising over £1100 for the Parkinson’s Group. Then Julie, a committee member, was to complete her sky dive at the end of June, raising funds for not only Parkinson’s but also the Motor neurone Disease team at LOROS. At the time of checking she had already exceeded £1000. Donations for this can still be made online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ julie-bailey64. The 64 is for LOROS, but you can type in 58 for Parkinson’s UK. For further information on any of our activities please contact Janet Kavanagh on 07932615233.

For Nordic Walking call Peter on 01455 636776.

So don’t let Parkinson’s dictate how you live your life, come along and join the Hinckley Group and see the benefits for yourself.

Our special visitor complete with Corgi.

Dave Maylam entertaining the group.

A very special guest also made an appearance, but we are left wondering whether it was perhaps a look-alike substitute? Our suspicions were raised when the lady admitted that she did not have a marmalade sandwich in her handbag!

Our meetings continue throughout the summer months. Sundays at 2.30 on July 10 and August 14 at the Mary Forryan Centre; our ‘Challenge Parkinson’s’ weekly exercises at 3.00 at the St. Francis Centre; dance and singing sessions at Elmesthorpe Village Hall on Friday afternoons; our monthly ‘get togethers’ at Dobbies at Stapleton on July 18 and August 15 from 2.00 in the Restaurant Conservatory; and our Nordic Walking on the third Thursday of the month at 11.00 from Acorns Café at Burbage Common.

There are other events arranged too and we have also now have a monthly Carers Meeting. We are certainly a busy group but we are always pleased to welcome new members, who often come along after reading articles like this one.

Loughborough Flower Lovers' Club Article by Heather Cake

Loughborough Flower Lovers’ Club’s next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21 July, when Marie Bradley will be entertaining members with her demonstration entitled ‘Summer Fun’.

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Marie became an Area Demonstrator for the North Midlands Area of NAFAS in 2017 after retiring from a career in the NHS, and embarking upon a professional floristry qualification. She qualified in Level 3 floristry in 2006, since when she has worked as a freelance florist.

After gaining a Certificate in Further Education and a Diploma in Adult Education it was a natural progression to wish to demonstrate her floral art and become a NAFAS Area Demonstrator.

The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the original advertisers & contributors and do not necessarily represent OpenBox Promotions Ltd. OpenBox Promotions Ltd reserves the right to amend or refuse to publish articles or adverts submitted for publication. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. To see full terms & conditions visit www.openboxpromotions.co.uk/terms Magazine printed by Norwood Press, Moore Road, South Leicester Industrial Estate, Ellistown, Leicestershire, LE67 1EU

Why not spend a summer’s evening relaxing and watching a professional arranging lots of beautiful flowers in a spacious and airy venue, with the possibility of winning one of the displays in the raffle at the end.

Meetings are held at the Amherst School, Gray Street, Loughborough LE11 2DZ from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. Doors open at 7 pm. There is parking within the school grounds, and new members and visitors can always be assured of a very warm welcome.

If you would like to know more please ring 01509 853740.

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News From Ratby Parish Church Churchyard Update

Our Churches Together Jubilee Celebrations

We are well aware the grass in the Churchyard is getting a little long at the moment and wanted to assure everyone we are doing what we can to address this.

Our regular contractor has had various problems converge on him and we are working with him and others to see what we can do to get the grass cut back as soon as we are able. But do be aware that the full financial burden of maintaining the churchyard falls on the church members and any financial help towards it’s upkeep would be hugely appreciated—do get in touch if you can help in this way.

We began our celebrations with a Service of Remembering, Thanksgiving and Hope, enabling us to look back on what all we had lost during Covid, but also to give thanks for how we as a community helped one another and to look forward in hope as we celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee. As part of this we dedicated a newly planted Rowan tree in the churchyard and people wrote both what they wanted to remember and also their hopes and thankgivings on leaves which we tied around the tree. Have a look at some of those hopes and reflect on how the most important things are about how we care for one another and ourselves. If you would like to add your own leaf to the guard around the tree there is a box of leaves at the Parish Church, and when the church is closed, there is a supply of leaves and a pen in a purple waterproof box next to the tree.

Article by Joan Hawkins

However, we do hope to turn one part of the Churchyard into a wild area for the benefit of our local wildlife, so this is giving us a flavour of the diversity of plant life in our Churchyard and the beauty of so much of it. The area we would like to turn into a ‘rewilding’ zone is where the new tree has been planted, where there are some of the oldest graves and part of which had previously been a wild area.

We will manage this carefully and hope this will be somewhere the community can come to appreciate the wonderful biodiversity we have locally.

Prayers and blessings to you all.

Rev’d Ed Worship during July and August 17th July 10am Communion 24th July 8am Communion, 10am Morning Worship 31st July 10am Communion 7th Aug 10am Communion 14th Aug 8am Communion, 10am Morning Worship 21st Aug 10am Communion 28th Aug 8am Communion, 10am Morning Worship There is a telephone church every Sunday except 10th July at 11.15am for anyone who has difficulty getting to church All you do is Tel. 0333 0164 757- Room no.

10336316#- Pin no. 1920# - calls charged at local rate, online Compline every Tuesday 9pm via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ StPandStJ and 9.30am Communion at Groby Parish Church every Weds.

We also have Zoom Morning Prayer every Thursday at 9am - contact Rev'd Ed tel: 01162396520 for joining details.

Other activities through July/August for senior citizens Cinema club 1-30 pm 19th August - Venue Parish Church Sunday 31st July - Lunch Club 12-30 FOR 1pm Holiday at Home (activity and fun) Monday 15th Aug and Friday 19th August (10am -3-30pm) For further details about any of these activities contact Joan Hawkins – Tel no: 07545909868

Pictures of Senior citizens enjoying the celebration lunch

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Article by Rev'd Ed

In the afternoon our amazing bellringers rang a full peal in honour of the Queen’s jubilee, an incredible feat and we are so proud of them for achieving this. In the evening a beacon was lit from the Church tower, joining thousands of others across the country and we sang the National Anthem together.

On the Friday we held a tea party for children and families and lots of people came along and enjoyed crafts, wonderful food and the simple joy of being together and sharing happy times.

On Saturday we held a Jubilee themed coffee morning at the Church Rooms and then an afternoon cream tea at the Methodist Chapel, enjoyed very much by all who came.

On Sunday we held a special service to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee in the Parish church, reflecting on her dedication, love and service, all founded on her faith in Jesus Christ and using some of her own words throuhout her reign as part of the service. This was followed by a Jubilee lunch club in the Church Rooms, attended by many of the older members of our community and a wonderful time was had by all, with food, friendship and some rousing singing! To conclude our celebrations there was an evening service at the Methodist Chapel to round off a wonderful extended Bank Holiday weekend of joy and celebration as part of all that the people did to give thanks for HM Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years as our Queen. A huge thank you to everyone involved and to HBCC and Ratby Cooperative Society God bless you all.

Rev’d Ed

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SAVE OUR LIBRARY - Ratby Community Library Extraordinary Public Meeting Held on the 28th June and open to all this was an important,very well attended meeting. Called to discuss the future of the library, the trustees welcomed a full venue and the positive and supportive atmosphere was a clear sign that the village of Ratby wants to SAVE OUR LIBRARY! Over the past few months the library has been struggling to keep income ahead of running costs. Projections have not been kind and we have made a huge effort to increase our monthly takings whilst all around, costs have risen.

16th December 2022 is when our lease ends unless our finances improve.

The cafe is the main source of income for the library: it has made over £3,000 in the last year but that can't cover all our bills so do call in, enjoy your visit and help keep the library open.

The meeting was open to debate and suggestions from the floor came thick and fast. Income streams from providers using our space to run exercise classes, sell craft items, run children's music and movement classes, chair exercise, library friends' lottery, improve IT facilities, register for Smile Amazon and Easy Shop to earn percentages of the sale at no added cost to the customer...

The Co-op have given us a grant to improve our kitchen equipment.

The National Lottery have granted us nearly £10,000 to provide a better outdoor area but in their terms and conditions, we have to be a viable organization or else hand it back : with your help we can do it! We can stay open! We can keep this invaluable village space for you, your children, your community. Please get behind us and make it happen! Thank You

Dr Luke Evans, MP and CC Ozzy O'shea Trustees are in discussion with local politicians and have an appointment with Dr Luke Evans, MP and CC Ozzy O'shea in a week's time where we will stress how the loss of this precious facility would be a blow to our community.

We're recruiting.

Volunteering in any capacity will all contribute to retention. Some like to work with books, others enjoy the cafe, some offer services from a distance or come in when they can to help: our garden area was recently cleared and made ready to open up as an outside cafe area. Keith has offered to maintain it on a regular basis. Would you be able to help in the garden with planting for example? The more volunteers we have, the more we can provide to our community.

Local businesses and some further afield have been approached, so far we have been offered £300 from Benlowe's and Langan Homes. We thank these benefactors for their generosity and will remain in contact, sharing how their donations have been put to use.

How Can The Village Help?

Realistically, it is a steady, consistent increase in our income which will save the day: a commitment of a small sum of money a month, made by many will achieve this. We are setting up a Crowd funding page and working on a club style organization for regular contributions. Using our facilities to run classes, drop in for coffee, printing, photocopying, meetings, will all support and retain our library.

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Bradgate Rotary Club is supporting us with advice and publicity materials.

This organization does a huge amount of charity work nationally and we are delighted to be in touch with them and working on a range of ideas .

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Modern Policing (1908 Revision)

By Ben Moore

Article by Liz Collinson How time flies by! We can hardly believe that the days are getting shorter.

We are busy making plans for the autumn so that we can get off to a good start – more of that later. In the meantime, we hope that our readers will have a fantastic summer and not have to spend too much time sitting around in airports getting all het up – we speak from personal experience here!

OUR SUMMER PLANS Summer Reading Challenge First and foremost, we are embarking on the Summer Reading Challenge.

Many of our readers will be familiar with this. Lest you are not, this is a scheme devised by the Reading Agency to engage children in the joys of reading books and making productive use of the summer months to do this. It is for children aged 4-12 and involves children in reading (or having read to them) six books. The theme this year is Gadgeteers, very loosely interpreted. Just about any book will do, physical or digital! We’re more concerned that children should enjoy books, whatever the theme. All you need to do is to come into the Library from July 2nd on and register by completing a simple form and collecting stickers. The second visit involves showing us what you have read so far and collecting more stickers and a pencil. On the third visit at the end of the summer holidays, children who have read six books will receive a certificate, a medal and yet more stickers!

How exciting is that? We look forward to signing your children up.

Activity Mornings We will be running two Activity Mornings for children up to the age of 12 on Thursday 28th July 10.00 – 12.00 and Wednesday 17th August 10.00 – 12.00. All sorts of craft activities will be on offer, including Hama beads, paper weaving, Lego and Duplo building, simple science experiments, paper craft, flying model aeroplanes, and more. There is no charge for these sessions and refreshments for purchase will be available. Do come along!

New Library Book Group This will meet on the third Tuesday of every month and will start on Tuesday 19th July from 2.15 – 3.30. If you are interested, ring 07758 595 366 for further details, or leave your own details at the Library and we will contact you.

Scrabble Group We have been asked to see in anyone is interested in forming/joining a Scrabble Group based at the Library. We would like to go ahead with this, so if you are interested, please ring 07742 379 296 or again leave your details with the Library. Sounds like a jolly good idea!

PLANS FOR THE AUTUMN We’re thinking ahead to the Autumn and have in mind a quiz evening, a N’Ukes gig, and of course our participation in the Scarecrow Festival. If you have any thoughts about what you would like us to do, or indeed if there is something you would like to offer, do contact us. We are always open to new ideas. We see ourselves as providing an opportunity for community activities, in co-operation with other organisations, so do stay in touch with us.

We are also in the process of finalising plans to help the community through the difficult autumn and winter months ahead, in particular with rising energy prices in mind. We will be publishing these plans in the next edition of The Local, so keep watching and keep reading!

AND FINALLY...........

JUNE COFFEE, CAKE AND CHILDREN’S CRAFT MORNING THIS WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY JULY 23TH 2022 FROM 10.00 – 1.00 AT THE LIBRARY COME AND JOIN US AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

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Look up! Look towards the outlines of your murder room and you will find your answers, gentlemen. Let old Chief Inspectors and whistling flat foots have all below: the boot marks, the blood drops. Here, we deal only in thoughts, for thoughts are the only forensic evidence of intent. Underline that in your books, please. Intent. Marks of arrowed emerald on refined Park Lane coving? Why, I’ll be thumped flat if that is not the badge of old Mother Envy. And just how old is your arrow; is it only hours-aged? How bright of shade? How flat are its edges? For your thought lines can be impasto if one finds the site early. Disparate patterns: the marks of your victim and the marks of your murderer ¬– it is oldfashioned to deny what science finds as fact. Now, a recent case only five months past was solved on rare lines of fern. Check your charts – maternal fear. A flat, Shoreditch. The deceased thrashed with the flat rump of her own coal shovel. A landmark in modern policing as the two lines discovered above the corpse of the old crone mingled, a phenomenon only afore recorded at birth. You will find thoughts both grave and blithe confined.

Every chamber is a search-box, every flat stain a moment, gaoled in time, as only the resigned fly can sympathise. Each mark, be it lava rage, marmalade faith or the good old chestnut billow of pluck, matters in our line.

Today marks progress. Out! Out with the old!

The Earth is not flat, phrenology is not a line of enquiry. Find intent, and intent only.

'The Village Writers' Article by David Schonveld

The VILLAGE WRITERS group is looking for one or two new writers.

At the moment we meet via Zoom twice a month.1st & 3rd Wednesdays@7pm. (Members are sent a link) You don't have to have any standard of writing.

Anyone who writes, enjoys writing, or who wants to get better at it is eligible. We read the writing we've done as homework & get helpful, creative 'feedback' from our friendly others.

The Writers'WORKSHOP group is also looking for one or two members. It's an in-person group, and focusses directly on the many techniques of writing.(eg.description, dialogue, short story,memoir etc) All writing is done at the meeting.

Find out more about either group: text or email David: 07552107461 or aschons98@gmail com

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Leicester Forest East Parish Council Article by Holly Mann

General Power of Competence LFE Parish Council is delighted to announce that it’s Clerk has obtained the CiLCA qualification. This means she has a broad knowledge of all aspects of Clerking. As a result, the Council now has the General Power of Competence which means it, generally, has the power to do anything an individual can do (as long as it does not break the law). In other words, the Council is now able to spend money on a far wider ranging list of things to help to community.

Wildflower Garden Update The Parish Council has been successful in securing a grant of £4,000 towards to cost of installing a path on the new Wildflower Garden from Blaby District Council. This is great news and shows support for the project from the District Council.

Grant Policy Reminder The Parish Council's Community Grants Scheme is now open!

Applications from community groups, for a specific project, are welcomed.

For more information please visit: www.lfeparishcouncil.org.uk/uploads/ grants-policy-1.pdf

There’s no need to replace the window - we will replace the glass unit for you Just cal our small, friendly firm - whether it’s one window or a full house - with approximate sizes, and we’ll give you a price OVER THE PHONE or a free call out if you prefer.

Parish Councillors Wanted The Parish Council are responsible for a range of services within Leicester Forest East, including Christmas Lights, Forest East and Kings Walk Parks, the Multi use Games Area (MUGA) and running the Parish Hall. If you are interested in joining the first tier of local government and becoming a Parish Councillor, please contact the Clerk (Holly Mann) on 0116 239 0039 or clerk@lfeparishcouncil.org.uk

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Kirby Muxloe Fun Day & Scarecrow Trail

Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th September WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT RAINBOWS We are delighted to announce that all our profits this year will go to The Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough. Often being part of organising an event is as much fun as attending it. You can be an important part of our weekend in September.

Can you make a scarecrow to display at the front of your house? The theme is Children’s Book Characters. The more scarecrows, the more fun our weekend will be. (Contrary to public rumour they do NOT have to made of straw – use any materials you like!). It doesn’t matter in which part of the village you livewe would just love your involvement. Pick up a form from The Library, AA Moores, Thompsons or The Royal Oak and return by JULY 31st.

Can you help at The Fun Day on Sunday September 11th by giving up a little time to help set up or clear up on the day, running a stall or donating a prize to the raffle?

Can you spread the word and invite your friends along to share the fun?

Please tell your nearest and dearest, use Facebook and share on other social media sites and encourage others to join in.

MAKE THIS A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER , SUPPORT RAINBOWS AND ...

BE PART OF IT !

TO REGISTER SUPPORT FOR THE SCARECROW TRAIL AND THE FUN DAY ON SEPTEMBER 11TH OR FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Sue at 07725 023586 , Amy at amymcdowall@live.com or Rosemary at rrmrsteady@aol.com

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The Kirby Muxloe Local History Group Article by Judith Upton

The Kirby Muxloe Local History Group generally meets 6 times a year, and membership is open to all.

Details of the dates of meetings, together with the topics that will be covered, are shown on the notice board in Kirby Muxloe Library and on our website, which is www.kirbymuxloelocalhistorygroup.org Covid precautions will apply. For further details, please see our website.

“Memories” meetings unfortunately remain suspended, pending our assessment of the effectiveness of our anti-virus procedures.

On Tuesday 12th July we will be visiting Swannington Heritage Trust for a private guided tour of Hough Mill and Califat Spinney. The suggested donation is £3 per person. Booking is essential either through our email address or by telephone to Val Knott on 0116 2394476.

Games We Played On Tuesday 17th May, our History Group met in Kirby Muxloe Church Hall to listen to Peter Liddle talk about the Vikings. Later, after a glass of wine and some nibbles, we returned to our seats to take part in our A.G.M. We finished off with a group discussion about the games we used to play as children. Memories were coming thick and fast, with lots of exciting memories of frogspawn, snobs and faggies and many more.

Sometimes as we become older, we look back at our childhood and recall the fun we had and the games we played. For most of us, this was a time before videos, play stations, laptops, iPad and so on. In fact, some of our readers of advanced age can remember the time before T.V., when everyone gathered around the radio listening to the news or maybe a play. I can certainly remember when my family purchased our first television. There was a very small screen, a speaker next to it, all built into a cabinet which had bookshelves underneath. The occasion of the grand purchase was in order to watch the Coronation of our Queen, Queen Elizabeth II. I can recall a number of our neighbours coming round to watch the processions; we were crowded into one room like sardines in a tin!

Returning to games that many of us took part in during the 50’s until the 70’s, it is clear that we all spent much more of our free time outdoors. We often spent a whole day with a group of friends, up in the woods or in the fields before our villages became more built up. Everyone seemed to think it was perfectly safe, our parents didn’t worry about our whereabouts and we all returned intact at the end of the day. Maybe then people were more naive or simply more trusting of fellow human beings.

Back to the games – outdoor games first. Many people talked about collecting frogspawn, either in a glass jar with string tied around the top to create a handle or in a clean, empty baked bean tin. There were stories of falling into a pond and emerging covered in frogspawn – all green and slimy; mothers were not impressed. Arriving home with a jar of frogspawn and putting it into a fish tank in the child’s bedroom, only to wake up one morning and find tiny frogs all over the floor!! Whilst fishing with our nets, we also caught newts (many newts are now protected, especially the great crested newt which it is officially illegal to capture or disturb), sticklebacks and other smaller fish. Collecting birds’ eggs – this has actually been illegal since the Protection of Bird’s Eggs Act in 1954, although I remember throughout my childhood seeing lads with bird’s eggs – not a good thing to do. Hopscotch, where all that was needed was a pavement and a piece of chalk. We often played marbles in the school yard, using the dips in the manhole covers as the target. Other people played using a simple chalk circle drawn on a solid surface. I remember the different sizes, some very large (we were very proud to own such a marble) and various other sizes all in a myriad of colours and designs. Do you remember playing Whip and Top and throwing a ball or balls against a wall? Two ball was the most common but some people could manage to use three balls very successfully. There was over ball and under ball, these games were played mainly by girls, maybe too tame for the boys.

Field games were played, such as rounders and field cricket; climbing trees was very popular, particularly with the boys in the 1950’s, sometimes

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assisted by iron rungs fixed into the tree trunk by the home guard in WWII. “What’s the time Mr Wolf” was a game enjoyed by all, often in the school playground; cat’s cradle also played in the playground, this was quite a difficult game played with a piece of string or elastic, I believe it is still played today. Do you remember “kiss chase”, again often played in the school yard, blind man’s buff and snobs. Conkers is a great game but losing popularity as some schools have banned conkers due to health and safety reasons. It was such fun trawling around the streets finding a horse chestnut tree and collecting the ripe conkers. This is still done but not as avidly as years ago.

Indoor games remembered were tiddly winks, snakes and ladders, piddle sticks, Cluedo, Beetles, Bagatelle, dominos, clackers, snap, ludo, happy families, Twister, shove halfpenny and lastly Yoyo. In The 1930’s Yoyo was so popular that competitions were held. I remember my mum telling me about Arthur Stevenson in Ratby, who was the Yoyo champion in the 1930’s.

One game that I do not remember but others do, especially men is a game called “Faggies”. Played with either a flattened cigarette carton or cigarette card, it appears that the game was very popular. The idea being to flick a card or carton up against a wall, the next player flicks his card and tries to land upon the original card. When eventually someone flicks a card and it does land on top of the original card that person then wins all the cards.

Lastly a game called Escalado, I haven’t heard of it but others have. It involved a rachet that would shake a plastic sheet on which small model horses ran. The way the rachet was designed meant that the horses moved along the plastic sheet course, first horse to the end was the winner.

Many thanks to all the people who were at the Kirby Muxloe Local History Group meeting on 17th May; you were all a tremendous help to me in writing this article. In future times we would like to discuss food of the 1940’s to the 1960’s, clothing and household goods. Get your thinking caps on!

Carey Gardens Annual Fundraising Garden Party Date: Saturday 6th August Time: 2pm - 4.30pm Venue: Carey Gardens, Main Street, Kirby Muxloe Free entry, donations please to our charity of the year: 'Baby basics', supporting needy families in Leicester.

Cream Teas, Books, Tombola, Jigsaws Etc.'

Kirby Muxloe Parish Council Article by Bettina Atkinson

Tree Wardens Kirby Muxloe now has three dedicated tree wardens appointed by the Parish Council: Tony Deakin, Amanda and Joern Steinert. These volunteers will be receiving training from the County Council and working in partnership with the Parish Council in order to look after the trees in the area. Their duties will include surveying existing trees for signs of disease such as ash-dieback.

They will also be monitoring trees covered by TPOs (tree protection orders), of which there are a significant number in Kirby. Looking to the future, they will also be identifying parish land which is suitable for planting trees and hopefully organising tree planting. It's a great example of residents working with the Parish Council to make the environment greener and more pleasant for everybody.

Being A Reader Leader Volunteer A Personal View By Helena Abbey I became aware of Leicestershire Shared Reading (LSR) during lockdown, and immediately felt a connection with its aim to “run shared reading groups which engage people (especially those who are older or isolated) with great literature at a deep and personal level, enabling them to form social connections, improving their mental wellbeing, and providing stability and support.”

Whether I could help in achieving that aim was another matter …. I joined lots of different groups to get a feel for the experience and I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it. I was hooked. I must have attended 7 sessions in 2 weeks and was committed to the idea of running a group myself. LSR happily accepted my application, and I was signed up for the training course, run by The Reader, a long-established national charity that is “building a Reading Revolution, bringing people together and books to life in order to make warmer, healthier, stronger communities.

I found the course inspiring and couldn’t wait to get stuck in. I’d forgotten how pleasurable it is to read aloud and I hadn’t properly looked at a poem since leaving school over 40 years ago but best of all this was about sharing the experience, not doing it in isolation and not trying to be a literary critic.

The pandemic obviously meant I couldn’t meet with a group of people face to face, but LSR had already established several Virtual Groups in Leicestershire and I was enthusiastically welcomed to join the team of Reader Leader volunteers. An added bonus was I managed to persuade my 85 year old house-bound mother to grapple with the technology and she now has a host of new friends that she joins online each week.

What I love about shared reading groups is that everyone is welcome and everyone is valued, reading sessions are accessible to all and are non-judgemental. The story or poem is always kept at the centre of the discussion, which enables the group to get the most out of it. What’s important is people’s personal response, it is not literary criticism, there are no right or wrong ways to respond, it is what someone feels in the moment and as a group we can explore shared meanings together. As a Reader Leader I can be bold in the choice of material – we read stories and poems that have something to say, even if they are challenging or uncomfortable.

I know it’s been a good session when I come away both exhausted and exhilarated.

Happily the social distancing rules are now relaxed and I now meet with a group face to face as well as continuing with a Virtual group via Zoom, I won’t pretend it isn’t hard work, researching and preparing material every week but the sense of reward is more than worth it. If you’re interested in being a Reader Leader or just want to join in the shared experience of reading and/or listening you’ll find more information on the Leicestershire Shared Reading website – I can highly recommend it. www.leicestershiresharedreading.org

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Wildflower Verge The wildflower verge, located at the village end of Glenfield Lane, was surveyed by local ecologist and wildflower expert David Nicholls, at the end of May. His findings were very positive and encouraging and revealed a number of interesting plant species that are often found in quality meadows, including cuckoo flower, meadow buttercup and red clover. Overall, David identified 56 flora species which represents a significant diversity for a verge of this size. The habit is also enhanced by its proximity to a multi-species hedge. If you want to find out more about the wildflower verge or any other wildlife in Kirby Muxloe, visit: www.naturespot.org.uk/Kirby_Muxloe Progress with Kirby Meadows The transfer of the "amenity land" near the new Kirby Meadows Estate (between Barry Close and Station Drive) from Taylor Wimpey to the Parish Council is progressing in a timely manner; informal discussions are taking place between the Parish Council and the developer. Taylor Wimpey have now replaced the dead trees and hedging, installed the bat boxes, bird boxes and the hibernaculas (to encourage newt species). Fingers crossed that we have sufficient rainfall this year for the new trees and shrubs to get established. There are still some issues regarding the seeding and mowing schedule for the wildflower meadows which will hopefully be sorted out in the coming months. If you have not already visited Kirby Meadows, then please take a moment to explore: it is a really lovely, tranquil area and easily accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs, with a network of paths through the fields.

Platinum Jubilee, Picnic in the Park On Thursday the 2nd of June, to celebrate Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee, the Parish Council organised a "Picnic in the Park". This was a really super event and very well attended and appreciated by the public. Youngsters had an opportunity to practise their gymnastics and circus skills and there were so many princes and princesses! Some of the traders later commented on how polite the children and young people were, which was very nice to hear. The Big Band, Junction 21, really added something special to the occasion and made the afternoon go with a swing; all in all, it was a lovely event with a very happy relaxed atmosphere.

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T: 0116 2394336 M: 07808585825 E: ozzyoshea@hotmail.com Temporary Traffic Regulation Order Main Street, Ratby.

Leicestershire County Council Highways has agreed to a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order at the above location. A road closure is required on Main Street, Ratby between Markfield Road and Stamford Street, Ratby on the 18th July 2022 for 2 weeks. The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented for public safety for STW and their contractors to undertake the installation of new water mains. The proposed alternative diversion route will be via: Dane Hill, Station Road, Main Street and vice versa.

During the closures, alternative routes available to all traffic can be viewed at https://one.network/?tm=GB128818374 Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) draft Joint Carers Strategy 2022 – 2025 Consultation runs from the 6th June to 31st July.

Have your say on how the council recognises, values and supports carers in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Looking after a person that you care about is something that many of us want to do. Caring can be very rewarding, helping a person develop or re-learn skills, or simply helping to make sure your loved one is as well and supported as they can be.

The draft Joint Carers Strategy 2022-2025 sets out a shared vision and priorities for recognising, valuing and supporting carers by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council and the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

The strategy reflects recent legislation and national guidance with regards to the role and duties of Local Authorities and NHS bodies towards carers. The strategy also seeks to respond to the issues related to caring that have been highlighted locally and set out how the partners signed up to this strategy will work together to address these.

You may recall last year we asked for your help to review the carers strategy and provide information on key areas important to you. The responses we received highlighted which priorities people feel are important within the strategy, and what areas require further focus. This information can be viewed under the header Carers strategy review spring-summer 2021.

What are we consulting on?

We are consulting and seeking feedback on the refreshed Joint Carers Strategy 2022-2025 and Leicestershire’s action plan. We are seeking feedback about our priorities and our commitments in relation to those priorities.

The draft strategy sets out 8 key priorities to support carers across LLR to continue in their caring role and to maintain their own health and wellbeing, these are: • Carer identification • Carers are valued and involved • Carers are Informed • Carer friendly communities • Carers have a life alongside caring • Care with Confidence • Carers can access the right support at the right time • Supporting Young Carers Each of these is explained fully in the strategy along with the proposed actions.

Each partner will support these key priorities through their own individual action plans, based around their carers offer.

Drop-in event For anyone interested in the strategy and caring locally, there will be a drop-in event at The Hub, Leicester City Football Club. It’s a chance to have your say, meet other carers and representatives from the councils and Public Health, as well as to enjoy some free food and drinks and enter our prize draw for LCFC tickets or an Alexa.

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Let us know your views A 6-week public consultation is taking place from 6 June to 31 July 2022, seeking views from Leicestershire residents about the draft Joint LLR Carers Strategy. Feedback from the consultation will be incorporated into the final version.

As mentioned above, there will also be a drop in public consultation event at Leicester City Football Club on 13 July 2022, 1pm - 3pm.

More Details can be found on the County Councils website follow this link www.leicestershire.gov.uk/have-your-say/current-engagement Beware of fake BP fuel cards Rising fuel costs are on scammers’ radars, inspiring them to create new ways of tempting you to part with your money. Please be aware. The scam Facebook advert appears as ‘Discounts on 200 fuel litre cards’ and is a ‘sponsored’ post. It uses an image of a crowded BP petrol station with a hand holding a BP fuel card. The text above the image states: 'BP is leaving Russia and redirecting leftover fuel to the UK, giving you the chance to get a 200 litre fuel card for just £1.78.’ It claims that you could win this fuel by following a link to a website to complete a survey - tricking victims into handing their details over to these scammers. Another version of the scam sees the same image under the text: 'Due to the current rise in fuel prices, BP is running a promotion for its customers, allowing them to get a 200 litre fuel card for £1.78.' Underneath the image, a button labelled ‘Order Now’ leads to a dodgy website designed to take your details. When the link in this particular scam ad is clicked on, you're sent to a dodgy website that uses the BP logo and says: ‘Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in the BP promotion! The government in cooperation with “bp” announced the distribution of fuel cards on 200 litres at 1.78£ [sic] to the British.’ It then asks three questions: Are you from the United Kingdom? How much gasoline do you use per month? Do you use BP gas stations? Once these are answered, you're given three attempts to choose the 'correct box' with the fake fuel card prize in it from 12 onscreen gift boxes. If the correct box is selected, you're taken to a page that offers you the non-existent fuel card for £1.78 and asks for your personal details including name, address and email.

What is a cryptocurrency scam?

A cryptocurrency scam is a type of investment fraud that involves criminals stealing money from people hoping to invest in digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency is accessible to everyone and with any budget, meaning anyone can fall victim.

Most firms advertising and selling investments in cryptoassets are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means that if you invest in certain cryptoassets, you will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if things go wrong.

How can I protect myself?

Know the warning signs and make the right checks. It’s almost that simple.

• A celebrity endorsed investment in cryptoassets, or cryptoasset-related products doesn’t mean it’s a genuine endorsement or a legitimate investment.

• Don’t allow anyone to set up a cryptocurrency wallet, upload ID documents or manage investments on your behalf remotely.

• Avoid uninvited investment offers whether made on social media or over the phone. If you’re thinking about making an investment, thoroughly research the company first and consider getting independent advice.

• Don’t fall for pressurised sales with limited timescales and promises of too good to be true returns.

• Use the FCA website fca.org.uk - to look up the company who you’re buying crypto from and check they’re a legitimate registered firm, not unregistered, or a clone or fake. Then call them using the number on the FCA website when you both set up a payment and every time you make a payment, even if you think it’s going to the same place.

• Use FCA ScamSmart, an online tool to help you identify if your investment is a scam or not. Answer four questions with drop downs for multiple choice and get a clear picture on the potential investment and the potential risks.

Finally I would like to thank you all for your continued support and remind you that should you need my help or advice, I always pride myself on making myself available to residents. Remember I am only a phone call or email away.

Ozzy O’shea.

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The Future, Now With Pictures!

New Great Central Railway Reunification Bridge Visualised For The First Time Article by Andy Fillingham

The Friends of the Great Central Main Line is offering supporters of the award-winning heritage line a glimpse into the future! A brand-new bridge over the A60 road in Loughborough is set to be built in October as part of the GCRs ambitious Reunification project.

Thanks to sponsorship from the Friends group, high quality computer visualisations of the new bridge have now been produced, by HBPW of Retford, the consulting engineers for the scheme. VolkerLaser are the lead contractor for the construction.

Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line said, “Friends has driven forward the fundraising for the Reunification project.

As a thank you to everyone who has donated money for the work to replace the A60 bridge, we’re delighted to have these images produced. They show the brand-new bridge, which is sure to become a local landmark.”

The existing 120-year-old structure has been struck many times by over height lorries.

Replacing it with a twin track structure, will allow freight trains from the national rail network to use the line again as well as paving the way for heritage trains to run between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire as part of the Reunification project. This will reconnect two halves of the GCR to create an eighteen-mile heritage line for steam and diesel tourist trains with far reaching benefits for the East Midlands economy. Two parts have already been completed, the new A60 bridge is the third.

The new bridge will cost more than a million pounds and has been part funded by public donations and the David Clarke Railway Trust, the charity supporting the Great Central Railway.

An appeal, launched by Friends at the start of the year raised £220,000 towards the A60 bridge replacement, with more donations still being received from well-wishers all over the world.

“With costs of raw materials rising, we were delighted to receive such strong and timely support from so many people,” continued Andy. “Their generous donations helped close a funding gap between what we had available and the total cost of the new structure. The Reunification project has captured imaginations. We said 2022 would see another piece of the jigsaw in place.

The superb images show what it will look like! We hope that will inspire others to support this part of the project or find out more the rest of the Reunification scheme and contribute. The more of us getting behind the plan, the sooner it will be completed, and we’ll unlock the economic benefits.”

Donations for the A60 bridge replacement can be made online at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify or via cheque through the post made payable to the ‘David Clarke Railway Trust’, to DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL. Please write on the back of the cheque A60 / Reunification.

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Major Theft Of Steam Locomotive Parts From The Great Central Railway At Loughborough Article by Michael Stokes

In between the hours of 11.30pm and 3.30am last Friday, 1st July, a storage container at the locomotive repair facility of the Great Central Railway, Warners Way, Loughborough was broken into. A representative of the railway has made an initial estimation that the theft of copper piping, steam boiler valves and fittings, expansion link to name a few has a replacement value of up to £50,000.00. Most of the parts are for the locomotive, Boscastle, owned by Boscastle Locomotive Ltd which is currently undergoing a major restoration in the workshops of the Great Central Railway and have little value as scrap metal. The restoration of steam locomotives requires most of the parts to be manufactured for that restoration requiring highly skilled engineers to carry out the works.

The team carrying out the restoration are devastated with the theft after all the long hours they have put in manufacturing the parts. The police have attended the site and we are currently awaiting any information from them.

If anyone has any information, we are hoping to be able to offer a reward for any information that will help us to catch the thieves and retrieve the parts.

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Talbott House, Leicester Road, Anstey, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 7AT Email: talbotthouse@ansteyfunerals.com Website: www.ansteyfunerals.com

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A Class Act!

stress-relieving to strengthening bones and toning muscles.

Dance Sensation School of Dance, Launches their Latest Addition, Dance SENDsation, Inclusivity Class.

The class also offers an opportunity for feelings of achievement and possibility, improving wellbeing in a variety of ways with a friendly and nurturing environment.

Article by Lindzi Mayann

Welcoming all special education needs and disabilities, Tuesday June 7th marked the first of these weekly SEND classes taking place at the Groby Ex-Service Mens Club, Leicester Road, Groby.

A handful of youngsters attended the 7pm session held in the spacious and comfortable function room, enjoying a vibrant forty-five minutes that involved games, groovy moves and plenty of giggles.

The class is open to all children and teens with SEND including but not limited to Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, dyspraxia and sensory processing disorders.

The team leading and supporting the SENDsation squad include a diverse and impressive range of complimentary skills and experience, ensuring everyone feels safe, supported and most importantly of course, has fun whilst learning some new dance moves.

Dance teachers Miss Shannon and Miss Caitlin are joined by Special Olympian silver medalist gymnast, Grace Coward, 18, who was part of such a dance class as a young child in Dubai.

Both her and her mum credited the class as a catalyst in Grace's development, confidence and ultimately her amazing successes so far. As part of her ongoing quest to gain work experience as she becomes a young adult, she provided both support to the tutors and offered a role model for the collection of aspiring dancers.

Dancing has all sorts of amazing benefits from mood-boosting to

"We've been waiting for this for ten years!"

Parent.

Dance SENDsation is built on a foundation of first-person experience, a range of integral credentials and a wealth of understanding and knowledge.

Both dance teachers hold roles within sectors supporting the development, education and health of young people, as well as their commitments to the performing arts sector.

Bev Sankey, Independent Arbonne Distributor and Healthy Living Coach, provides sponsorship for the practical running of the class as well as brings an extensive background in nutrition, finance, ADHD and wellbeing.

Also aligned with the mission is A Different Human Design, the free, alternative mental health platform.

Founder Lindzi Mayann has been in the specialist education industry for over a decade and is an ADHD and ASD advocate.

Koi Sports CIC director, Dave Johnson-Rayner, responsible for growing grassroots organisations coordinated the community collaboration, connecting Dance Sensation School of Dance Principle, Sarah Hawksley to each individual.

The blended skillset of the full team creates a holistic approach, capturing many important aspects with purposeful businesses that add up to creating a happy and healthy life.

We all look forward to welcoming you to Dance SENDsation.

The Show Must Go On!

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Bobbin Lace

Article by Susan Marlow Bobbin lace is a craft that is slowly seeing a revival along with other crafts such as knitting and dressmaking. As with most crafts, having someone to help you with the basics is a big help.

Bobbin lace classes are being held at Groby Village Hall, Leicester Road , Groby, LE6 0DQ on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. They are suitable for beginners and those with some knowledge.

Equipment can be borrowed for a short period to see if bobbin lace is for them and the first week is free as a taster session.

A beginners bobbin lace kit is available for purchase from the tutor as it is difficult to purchase from Leicester shops.

The cost of each session works out at £3 approx per week for 34 weeks.

For further information, email susanmarlow47@btinternet.com or phone 0116 2365789

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Refugee Welcome Schools Article by Neely G, Year 12 student

On Friday 24 June, myself and six other students from Bosworth Academy attended the Citizens UK Refugee Welcome Schools event at St. James The Greater Church in Leicester.

The event included all schools who applied to become a refugee welcome school delivering a three-minute speech on how they have started acting on change that would support refugee students. There were also talks from Leicester City Council, faith and education institutions and local unions.

In our three-minute speech we outlined aspects from our welcome, awareness and action plan that formed our application to become a refugee welcome school that we believe make Bosworth Academy a welcoming place for refugee students that need a place of education.

There was an amazing atmosphere on the day, having 22 establishments who were all as passionate about welcoming refugees, creating a welcoming and positive environment that was enjoyable to be a part of.

We got to take our four Ukrainian Refugees we have welcomed at Bosworth Academy to enjoy the day as well. They had a picnic in Victoria Park before sitting and listening to the speeches made by all the schools.

At the end of the day, Bosworth Academy was accredited in becoming a Refugee Welcome School! It is an accreditation scheme to recognise and praise schools helping refugees to integrate into the community and it is only just the start of the action we will take at Bosworth Academy in helping people who are less fortunate than we are.

The event made me feel optimistic in that we can help as many refugees as possible not only just in Bosworth Academy but across the LiFE MAT and across the many other schools and establishments that were accredited. We cannot wait to see what we can do with this newest accreditation.

Leicester Animal Aid

Article by Jane Walters It’s all go this summer at Leicester Animal Aid, a dog and cat rescue charity, based in Huncote.

Work is underway to refurbish our outside cat sanctuary thanks to a grant from the Pets at Home Foundation. Some cats that come into the Centre are completely unused to being indoors, and whilst our Cattery is pretty plush, some cats just prefer the fresh air. The new area will allow these cats to spend most of

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their time in surroundings that they feel more at home with.

Over the holidays we are running workshops aimed at helping to raise children’s confidence around dogs and to help them understand how to behave around dogs. The sessions are suitable both for children who are comfortable with dogs and want to learn more about them and those who are a bit more unsure and would benefit from meeting a dog in a safe, controlled environment.

The two-hour sessions, which are for children aged 5 to 16, are held at our Centre and led by a trainer who is qualified in working safely

with children and dogs. Thanks to the help of the Co-op Local Communities Fund, the workshops we are able to offer them free of charge. To find out more visit the Events section of our website.

We’re also busy caring for cats and dogs who are looking for new forever homes. You can pop along to the Centre to seem them on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10am and 2pm (11am – 2pm for the Cattery) or visit our website to find out more about them and the types of homes they are looking for.

Leicester Animal Aid www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk

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