Melbourne Village Voice July 2021

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No. 344 July 2021

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THINGS OVERHEAT AT THE RESERVOIR

A WARM June day attracted so many hundreds of people to Foremark Reservoir that it reached capacity at lunch time and police had to be called to manage the situation.

Temperatures reached 29 degrees on June 13 and residents near Foremark called officers for help in dealing with “inexcusable parking” as well as “inconsiderate conduct and behaviour”.

Officers from Mercia Police Safer Neighbourhood Team reported that they had had to deal with numerous incidents on the day in question.

So many people arrived at Fore-

mark in taxis and private hire coaches that the road became gridlocked and police shut it to protect public safety.

One officer even went over to help despite being on a booked day off.

Police reported 27 drivers had parked on double yellow lines, all of whom were issued with tickets.

Residents in Repton Road had their driveways blocked and litter thrown in their gardens, which officers made the offenders pick up. Cars were also parked in front of farmers’ access points.

One visitor was reported to have “hurled abuse” at a volunteer after

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being told the reservoir was shut, as well as filming her on her mobile phone.

Police also found an unattended young child left in a car “at the peak of the day’s heat”. They found the child’s parent and told them to return home.

Another woman drove through the police road closure, despite a marked police car with blue flashing lights.

Police told how the driver, and her mother, informed officers they would perform the same manoeuvre again.

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vehicle down a grass verge when police arrived.

Writing on social media, police said: “What followed would have brought a chuckle to even the most morose face.

The driver went on to complete a record-breaking 300-point manoeuvre.

Never in human history has the reverse and first gear being used in such close succession.

“Resembling the 1972 electronic game Pong, the driver eventually managed to navigate his car out of the reservoir.

“Officers reminded the driver to observe signage in future.”

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The driver was later visited at her home by police and issued with a section 59 notice. She was told that if she did do it again, her car would be seized.

Police also found youths swimming in the reservoir and littering the beach, and another man urinating in full view of young children and passing motorists.

Finally, officers reported that one family, having not followed signs to leave the reservoir by 8pm, had found themselves trapped in their vehicle behind a 20-ft wide electric gate, with the driver having managed to wedge the

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SONGS OF PRAISE PAYS A CALL TO MELBOURNE

2 Village Voice July 2021

LEFT: Sean Fletcher and Simon Calder in Melbourne Baptist Church. CENTRE: Sean Fletcher and Simon Calder outside Thomas Cook cottages; RIGHT: Simon Calder in Melbourne Baptist Church.

Photos courtesy BBC/Songs of Praise

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MELBOURNE has been featured on the silver screen this month after presenters visited for BBC Songs of Praise.

Presenter Sean Fletcher and travel journalist Simon Calder were in Melbourne to talk about travel pioneer Thomas Cook who was born here.

The programme, broadcast on July 4, saw Sean and Simon visiting the Baptist church, which Thomas Cook attended, and the Thomas Cook cottages on High Street which he founded towards the end of his life.

Viewers were told that Thomas Cook had

always been an inspiration for journalist Simon Calder, who told the well-known tale of how Cook had organised the very first chartered trip, a temperance rally, on July 5, 1841.

Simon said this was “ … probably at that stage the best day they have ever had in their lives”.

He said: “Starting on that principle, he just scaled up.

“He really felt that this was doing God’s work and that, by enlightening and enriching people individually, you would make them better Christians. You could transmit

the message of God much more widely around the world. He was absolutely evangelical about travel and God.” Visiting the Thomas Cook cottages, Simon said: “Thomas Cook’s physical legacy is still here in the shape of these wonderful homes for people who need them, still administered by the Thomas Cook Trust, but his legacy goes so much wider than that, to enable people to get out and see the world, to experience the shared humanity we have: yes, to indulge, but also, I hope, to find some spiritual meaning in their journeys as well.”

Hall bar plan given the green light

by Frank Hughes

REOPENING UPDATE Currently open Wednesday 10am - 8pm Thursday to Sunday 10am - 4pm for breakfast, lunch, homemade cakes, scones and a whole counter full of goodies - Booking is required for Afternoon Tea Thank you all so much for your patience in what will hopefully be the last of many changes we’ve had to make!

Much love, Lou and the team x

A NEW BAR is set to open in the grounds of Melbourne Hall after the district council granted a licence – despite strong objections from nearby residents.

The Brewhouse will be situated in the former charity shop in the hall courtyard, which, coincidentally, was formerly the brewhouse for the estate. It will be allowed to open daily from 10am until 9pm and play both live and recorded music.

Residents had reacted angrily to the plan, some making wild assertions about the impact of another bar in the village, and the council committee heard from one local who believed it would “trip us over into nightly chaos”.

John Williams, objecting to the application, distanced himself from some recently publicised comments, saying he was not a “whingeing Nimby, who thought it would result in ‘hordes of paedophiles’ descending on the village.

Nonetheless he described Melbourne as a place with “tremendous parking problems, where nobody walks” – not even the bell ringers to their weekly practice – and where a Women’s Institute meeting “stops the town”.

He believed that catering for up to 150 visitors to the courtyard would “stop the town dead”.

Another resident objected primarily on grounds of public nuisance, concerned that the noise from events and from people attending them would be a real problem for residents and could impact upon their mental health. A third objector complained that being a conservation area, residents were unable to fit double glazing to screen out noise and said that it seemed businesses could do as they like, while residents were restricted.

A fourth resident complained that there had been no consultations other than those which residents had instigated.

In considering the application councillors decided not to grant the later-hours licence to hold up to 20 events per year, although it was pointed out the applicant could still apply for Temporary Event Notices (TENs). They also imposed conditions that strict noise monitoring was put in place, along with a clear notice advertising where any complaints could be raised and that condi-

tions imposed by the police were to be met.

After the decision, residents said they were “glad we had the opportunity to put our points forward. The outcome has now been determined by the proper authority and we believe the licensing decision is a fair result. It allows this local business to grow whilst putting restrictions and controls in place which should allow local residents to respectfully enjoy their own homes and gardens. We hope that Roger Lowe and Melbourne Hall will also now work to alleviate visitor parking issues in this high-traffic area as this remains a major concern for public”.

Mr Williams also said he was grateful “to have the opportunity to express my concerns … The conclusions from the licensing bench come from careful listening to both parties. Change is inevitable but it sometimes requires a period of discussion beforehand”.

Roger Lowe (above), the applicant, said: “We are pleased with the decision to grant the licence and are looking forward to welcoming our first customers to The Brewhouse later this month, and we would like to thank all those that voiced support ahead of the hearing.”

He also hoped that events would still proceed but would be subject to the TENs, as the council had advised.

Doctor’s long career now comes to an end

MELBOURNE surgery said goodbye to one of its longest serving GPs when Dr James Long retired at the end of June.

We chatted to him about his 33 years in Melbourne and Chellaston, and how he is looking forward to a retirement filled with bees, clocks and a very familiar looking camper van.

AFTER a 45-year career almost exclusively in the NHS, Dr James Long is finally hanging up his stethoscope.

Things have changed greatly for GPs since he arrived at Melbourne surgery in 1988, for his first – and last – job in general practice. For one thing, gone are the days when a doctor would routinely carry medical kit in their car for out of hours calls, this service having been taken away from them under a new contract in 2004.

Dr Long remembers that before that, he would regularly be called out between 30 and 40 times at weekends, at all hours of the day and night.

But some things remain the same: he has seen families grow up, people move on from bereavement or divorce – all while trying to reach out and offer a friendly ear, as well as medical advice.

“You do see sad things, but you see people getting better as well,” he says.

“You see people making a go of things. You see people sometimes come in after a break-up of a marriage.

You chat to people.

“After a bereavement, people find someone else, and you can be happy for them.”

Dr Long started out in medicine by studying dentistry at Birmingham University. He spent his early career as a maxillofacial surgeon, before a spell in Africa. He then decided to change direction into general practice and, having re-trained, spied an advert for job in Melbourne.

“I was looking around this sort of area,” he says. “I am from the Midlands. I grew up in Birmingham. I was interviewed by Iain Black and Brendan Freeman, and got the job.”

An early source of inspiration was a surgeon who, when adjusting the lighting while operating, would say: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

“That comment has stuck with me,” says Dr Long.

“Brendan Freeman had vision and Iain Black had vision. Brendan Freeman was very keen that we had an extra role in primary care, so for 20 years I worked in the plastic surgery department of the Derby Royal Infirmary.”

Dr Long’s work in plastic surgery involved removing moles from people’s skin; he is also a specialist in dermatology.

As part of the surgery’s vision for GPs to have specialisms to add to the practice, he has also undertaken several diplomas over the years, in obstetrics and gynaecology, and advanced therapeutics – which involves studying the latest medicines.

Despite the stresses of administering clinical care, Dr Long says he has never lost his enthusiasm for medicine: “I have loved it,” he says. “I wouldn’t have stayed had I not loved it.

“People around here are lovely. I think the area is lovely.”

“It can be very stressful. Not a day goes by when you’re not making important deci-

Night noise and bins on the council agenda

Village Voice July 2021 3

ABOVE: Dr Long (left) pictured with Dr Brendan Freeman (right) and patients from the practice who raised money for nebulising equipment by doing a fun run.

NIGHT noise from aircraft and the results of a consultation about the proposed removal of recycling bins – including in Melbourne – are on the agenda of a council committee next month.

Melbourne district councillor Jim Hewlett told members of the parish council that the results of the ‘bring to’ recycling bin consultation would be an item on the agenda for South Derbyshire District Council’s Environmental and Development Services committee on August 12.

Residents were asked what they thought of proposals to remove recycling bins from Melbourne’s High Street car park.

Also on the agenda at that meeting will be a discussion on how to answer a questionnaire from the Department of Transport about night noise from aircraft.

Cllr Hewlett told councillors in a written report: “It will examine the difficult balance between the adverse effects of night noise and the benefits they bring to the economy.”

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sions about people. That’s the clinical decisions. You have got other things which are stresses in administration of the practice and the running of it.

“During Covid we have had to adapt to a very different way of providing medical care … because we have been told to do it that way. It has become a telephone consultation or a video consultation.”

Now 72, Dr Long has plenty to occupy him in retirement.

At his home in Stanton-by-Bridge, he keeps bees, enjoys tinkering with old clocks,

and has another unusual project currently on the go: having bought the former Melbourne Community Care bus, he is giving it a new lease of life as a camper van.

Reflecting on his 45-year career, he says he mainly just feels lucky.

“I’m very fortunate working with such a really good set of doctors over the years I have been here,” he says. “I’ve been doing a job I have always wanted to do. Lots of people scratch their heads and think, what are they going to do?

“I didn’t have any doubts.”

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... and, sadly, that’s the end of the News

Police warning after sheep are killed

Village Voice July 2021 5

POLICE have re-iterated pleas to dog owners to keep their pets on leads near livestock after sheep were killed in the local area in June.

Officers are appealing for information after two incidents of dogs being out of control which led to the deaths of four sheep.

The first occasion was on June 4 at Calke Abbey, where police received reports of three sheep having been killed due to a dog owner failing to keep their dog (or dogs) under control when near livestock.

Police want anyone who was in the area between 9am and 3pm that day to make contact, quoting incident number 21000312452.

Then, on Monday, June 28, a flock of sheep in a field at Stanton by Bridge was attacked by a dog – or dogs.

Police said that a lamb had sadly died from its injuries following the incident.

Officers said: “It is important to know that the offence of livestock worrying is an offence with or without injury being caused.

If a dog worries livestock on any agricultural land then the owner/person in charge of the dog at the time is then guilty of the offence under the protection of Livestock Act 1953.”

Anyone with information or any witnesses are asked to get in touch, quoting reference 21000361374.

The definition of worrying livestock means either attacking livestock; chasing it in such a way as “may reasonably be expected to cause injury, suffering, or, in the case of females, abortion or loss of or diminution in their produce”, or “being at large” – meaning, not on a lead or under control, in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.

You can contact police by sending a private message to DerbyshireConstabulary on Facebook; direct messaging on Twitter on @DerPolContact, completing the online form on the website or calling 101.

by Lucy Stephens

IT IS the end of an era in Melbourne with the closure of the village’s newsagent, where newspapers have reportedly been sold since 1880.

Margaret Wheatley, owner of Melbourne News, shut up shop at the end of June, bringing to a close 141 years of news selling in the same spot.

After years of 4am starts, Margaret said she was ready to retire but would miss her customers.

Margaret (pictured right) has been at Melbourne News since 1992, having come from her previous job in a law firm in Derby.

Initially, the plan was to run the newsagents for 10 years.

Before her, Melbourne News was run by various people including former Derby County footballer Will Carlin, along with Maurice and Edna Edwards.

Originally, the premises was two, shops, one being a newsagent and the other a bakery and confectioners. It was opened up to the space it is today in the 1970s.

“It has never not been a newsagent,” said Margaret.

Since 1992, which is also the year the Village Voice started, Melbourne News has been open seven days a week, with very early morning starts for staff receiving deliveries of papers.

“The Derby Telegraph had two editions,” recalled Margaret. “It used to be delivered on the bus. We used to pick it up from the Market Place.”

Margaret said she enjoyed being in the heart of the community for so many years, and will still be occupied with Pool Cottage now she has retired from the shop.

But the changing face of news, with monopolies increasingly taking over, has meant deliveries have become much harder to manage for independent newsagents, with competition from supermarkets also a factor.

“The Village Voice is the one paper customers come in and say they read from cover to cover!” said Margaret.

John Dallman, 88, of Melbourne, has been getting his papers from Melbourne News for years. He remembers going into the shop in the 1960s, and his father before him.

“As you see it now, it was two shops,” he said. “There were two doors.

“All I can remember on the newsagents’ side is you went through the door, there was a wooden counter and it looked very dark in there.

“It was only open from Monday to Saturday. For the Sunday papers, you went to a private house.

“It’s sad to see it shut,” he added.

The Melbourne This picture was taken by Edward Martin, a Melbourne based photog- News premises is rapher, in about 1900. Thanks to Melbourne Historical Research due to be put up for sale.

Group for allowing us to publish it.

PLANS FOR THE NEXT WALK

MELBOURNE Footpaths Group is holding its next walk, the Melbourne to Breedon-on-the-Hill circular, on Thursday, July 15.

Walks are approximately five to six miles, and numbers are limited to 18 walkers, in “pockets” of six.

Places must be booked by email and

the starting location will be provided.

The group asks walkers not to invite anyone who has not booked.

A donation of £2 is asked for to cover insurance and the group’s work on the footpath network.

Email melbournepaths@gmail.com to book a place.

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MP backs medicinal cannabis campaign

6 Village Voice July 2021

SOUTH Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler has backed a campaign to look into medical cannabis.

Mrs Wheeler said she was backing the “I am Billy” campaign to introduce trials to treat various medical conditions with legally prescribed cannabisbased medicines.

Medical cannabis is legal but there is no ongoing Government-funded clinical research into its efficacy.

Currently, few people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis, according to NHS UK. It is only likely to be prescribed for severe forms of epilepsy; to help adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy; and for muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis.

The ‘I am Billy’ campaign aims to open patient access through publicly funded cannabis prescriptions. It is managed by Billy and Charlotte Caldwell.

Mrs Wheeler said she was delighted to hear of a meeting between Billy and Charlotte Caldwell and the Department of Health, saying it was a “historic step forward”.

VILLAGE PUB MAKES ITS MARQUE

So, you think you know your pubs

l Jayne Walls and John Pankhurst, co-landlords, behind the bar of The Staff of Life.

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IT’S official – you can get a great pint in The Staff of Life.

Jayne Walls and John Pankhurst, licensees of the Ticknall pub, have been awarded Cask Marque accreditation for serving the perfect pint of cask conditioned ale.

John said the award was “a great endorsement”.

He said: “A lot of our customers visit the pub especially for the cask ale and it is really gratifying to know that we are getting the formula just right.”

Backed by 50 of the country’s leading brewers and pub companies, Cask Marque accreditation is only awarded to licensees whose ale passes a series of rigorous independent quality audits of both the beer and the cellar standards.

Since its foundation in 1998, Cask Marque has inspected over 750,000 pints of beer and accredited over 10,000 of the country’s 40,000 pubs estimated to serve cask conditioned ales.

Cask Marque director Paul Nunny said: “John and Jayne should feel justifiably proud of this great achievement, which not only recognises the effort they put into serving the perfect pint but also acts as an independent guarantee of quality for customers.

“All too often, publicans don’t appreciate the care and attention cask beers require and then run the risk of losing custom by serving pints that are below par.”

John and Jayne said they had seen some great support from local people since being allowed to open again in 2021.

“We have had a fantastic re-opening,” said Jayne.

They took over The Staff of Life in May 2020.

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THE following is a review by TIM WINTERS of Melbourne Pubs Past and Present, produced by Melbourne Historical Research Group.

I AM delighted to have been asked to review this publication, Melbourne’s Pubs Past and Present.

I have drunk in most and worked in a few and, prior to reading the book, considered my knowledge of the subject to be fairly extensive.

HOW WRONG I WAS! Most people know where the White Swan is, and where the White Horse was … but where was the White Lion? Did anyone ever roll out of the Roebuck and sample the offerings of the Three Tuns and the Bull’s Head before turning the corner to the left for the Castle or to the right for the White Swan?

Who would envisage an admittedly time-travelling pub crawl through King’s Newton, starting at the Sir Francis Burdett and taking in the Packhorse, the Ring o’Bells, the Hardinge Arms and the Chequer, before finishing at the Railway Inn on Station Road?

As a child, I lived in King’s Newton. The Hardinge Arms was known as “Eva Stafford’s”. I used to visit Leon Astle’s house on Sunday mornings with my dad and, when older, called at Butch Earp’s house, further up the village.

How fascinating now to realise that I had been

standing in the Chequer and the Ring o’Bells, respectively!

I also remember one of the village’s matriarchs walking through the street every night, enamel pitcher in hand, black cardigan over her head in a bid to stop the bat colony dive-bombing her!

I secretly wished that she WOULD get dive-bombed, since in my childish imagination she was certainly a witch!

The book gives extensive coverage of breweries, malt houses and offlicences and has many interesting references to characters who have sadly passed but are still remembered by old Melbournites.

Who would have thought that Hair’s Breweries’ Chief Brewer’s wife would act as part-time barmaid at the Barm Tub? Most of us remember her principal position as a legendary junior school-mistress!

This is an excellent publication, deserving its place on anyone’s coffee table.

Whether you’re new to the village or Melbourne born and bred, why not buy a copy and take a walkabout to trace the lost pubs and beer houses of Melbourne?

The book can be purchased directly from Jean Grimley, priced £14.95, by emailing Jeanp108@aol.com or texting 07904 245789 or telephoning 01332 863385.

Nurse Helen in marathon fund-raiser

A MELBOURNE palliative care nurse at Royal Derby Hospital is stepping up to a challenge with a place in this year’s London Marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer.

Helen Gregory, whose role at the hospital is partly funded by Macmillan Cancer, is embarking on her first ever marathon, which is scheduled to take place in the capital on October 3 – pandemic restrictions permitting.

Having only started running five years ago and recently moved from Nottingham, she has already signed up to Melbourne Joggers.

“What I am going to do is easier than what families are going through,” she said.

“We have had a really tough year because of Covid.

“It has been really challenging, challenging for our patients and their families that are going through cancer diagnosis. Not having families around, we are doing the best we can. It has been such awful circumstances.

“It has been really difficult for us all, although we are used to dealing with palliative care, but not on this scale.”

Helen said that her training runs were helping her relax and clear her head after tough days at work and she is very much enjoying discovering the beautiful countryside in this area.

VIRUS CASES ON THE RISE

Village Voice July 2021 7

MELBOURNE’S run of no virus cases has been broken with increasing numbers in the local area from mid-June.

Up until June 11, the area including Melbourne had seen no recorded positive cases of coronavirus for two months.

But the latest information reveals quite a different picture with 18 cases in the Melbourne area between June 19 and July 2.

The Melbourne area includes Kings Newton, Staunton Harold, Ticknall, Calke and Smisby.

Over in Aston on Trent, an area which includes Barrow, Weston, Swarkestone, Chellaston, part of Boulton Moor, Shardlow, Great Wilne, Ambaston and Elvaston, there were 21 cases over the same period.

In South Derbyshire, cases have gone up sharply since mid to late June, with 312 recorded over the same fortnight.

A month previously, between May 22 and June 4, there were 13 cases across the whole of the district.

Three testing sites in South Derbyshire are seeing positive cases at around one per cent of everyone seen.

Latest figures show that the highest rates of the virus in Derbyshire at the end of June and beginning of July were in High Peak, with South Derbyshire fourth highest in the county in terms of cases.

by Lucy Stephens

Favourite routes include the Calke Abbey estate and the path along the canal which she sometimes jogs on her way home from work.

While things have been hard for health care professionals in all sorts of ways during the pandemic, not least with having to wear large amounts of PPE, Helen said that some respite was available via the “Captain Tom” rooms at the hospital. These break-out spaces are available to give staff a fiveminute break from work, and were funded by the efforts of Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised more than £30million for the NHS in 2020.

Helen said she is very much looking forward to taking part in the marathon. She won a place through Macmillan Cancer, which is this year’s London Marathon official charity.

So far, Helen has raised around £700 of the £2,000 she needs to take part in the marathon, and says her fund-raising efforts have been somewhat curtailed by the fact she has decided to volunteer in giving Covid vaccinations on her days off!

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8 Village Voice July 2021

GRANTS of up to £1,500 are being offered to help Derbyshire residents learn new skills in the alternative energy industry.

Derbyshire County Council has set aside £100,000 to launch a Green Entrepreneurs Scholarship scheme.

Run with the University of Derby, the aim is to support green economic recovery across Derbyshire.

Leader of Derbyshire County Council Councillor Barry Lewis said: “We’ve had a positive response to the Green Entrepreneurs Fund so far from businesses looking for financial support to help turn game changing proposals to help tackle climate change into reality.

“As well as helping to reduce Derbyshire’s carbon emissions in the future, by helping these projects get off the ground we’re bringing wider benefits to local communities and local economic conditions to create high quality jobs driven by utilising the local skills base in engineering and manufacturing.

“We’re looking forward to announcing the successful applicants soon for funding announced so far, as well as opening up applications for our new Scholarship Fund which will help to skill-up the alternative energy workforce of tomorrow.”

Pandemic heroes are recognised in awards

HELPING with shopping, picking up prescriptions, volunteering and selling books for charity – many people have gone above and beyond to try to make life better during the coronavirus pandemic.

This year’s South Derbyshire Community Heroes awards, held virtually for the first time, have honoured those who played starring roles in the “massive community volunteer response to the pandemic”.

Local faces are among those who have been recognised in the awards, run by South Derbyshire District Council.

On this year’s roll of honour is Sue Fox, of Kings Newton, who was put forward by her daughter, Laura Jackson of Swarkestone Nursery.

“My mum has been a star throughout the Covid pandemic,” said Laura.

“She has been doing the food shopping for three other households, collecting prescriptions, driving people to hospital ap- l Laura Jackson and mum Sue Fox at Swarkestone Nursery. pointments, and entertaining and work raising money for Feeding Britain So far, the book stall has raised £5,245 looking out for my Nana”. through a book stall. for Feeding Britain, which provides “My mum is one of the kindest, most Margaret started offering books and meals for hungry children. selfless people I know,” she added. jigsaws outside her home on Penn Lane Another recipient is Andy Heafield, Margaret Gildea, of Melbourne, is also in return for donations, after libraries who was recognised for setting up the on the roll of honour for her charitable shut last year. weekly Thursday market in Melbourne.

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“I’ve had it commented to me many times how enjoyable a trip to the market is and to catch up and see familiar faces,” said Sheila Hicklin, chair of Melbourne Parish Council.

Helen Adcock, of Findern Help Group, was honoured for creating a food bank, doing food shopping, picking up prescriptions and befriending, as well as organising a pen pal scheme between children and older villagers, and supporting people coming home from hospital.

The volunteers of St Wilfrid’s Church in Barrow were also recognised, for working towards the completion of a £1million Heritage Lottery funded restoration project for around eight years, and completing the restoration on time and budget during the pandemic.

District council chief executive Frank McArdle said on an accompanying video that volunteers were “priceless”.

“If you try to recognise a volunteer by calling them a hero, you embarrass them enormously, but these people need to be embarrassed because their contribution has been fantastic,” he said.

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A BRAND new restaurant in an iconic Melbourne building opened to diners this month after a lengthy refurbishment.

More than £200,000 has been spent on renovating the building inside and out and Kana Kazana restaurant opened its doors on July 7.

Owner Ibrahim Yasin and his business partner, chef Sheikh Nunu Miah, are planning to offer a range of Indian cuisine ranging from traditional dishes to higher end fare.

Ibrahim comes from a background in engineering and banking and has previously run Mint restaurant in Mount Sorrell and Red Veil in Leicester.

So what drew him to Melbourne?

“This classic, beautiful building!” he said.

“Obviously, you go for location, location, and clientele, and you try to put something bespoke out there, which we are trying to do.”

Ibrahim and his team have spent nearly a year and around £145,000 doing up the inside of the building to transform it into a sizeable restaurant on the first floor.

Heritage features such as the original factory machinery have been preserved in keeping with the heritage feel of the building.

– Lucy Stephens

l Emma and Andy Mantle, of Kings Newton, were the first diners to enjoy the new Kana Kazana restaurant.

George Dunnicliff, of Dunnicliff Bros who have spent more than £75,000 on the outside of the building, said it was good to

l Features from the original shoe factory are clearly visible.

see life being breathed back into the former factory.

“I think it looks fantastic,” he said. “We are really pleased with how it’s turned out. Hopefully, Melbourne people will support it and it should be a success.”

The first diners to enjoy the new restaurant were Emma and Andy Mantle, of Kings Newton, who said they had “just fancied coming along to the first night”.

The building was run as a shoe factory until 1974, when it was closed for 25 years before re-opening as a gym until 2017.

Village Voice July 2021 9

And this year’s winners are ...

l Matt Morgan, co-owner of The Spirit Vaults on Church Street, receiving the award from Neil Wright.

PROJECTS which enhance Melbourne’s street scene have been recognised in this year’s civic society awards.

Each year Melbourne Civic Society awards “most outstanding” examples of new buildings, renovation or landscape conversions completed in Melbourne and Kings Newton over the past 12 months.

Previous winners have been an attractively designed garage on Ashby Road and the Davidson’s Millbrook development on Station Road.

This year’s judging took place on March 30 with the awards split into

l Neil Wright presents the award to George Dunnicliff with sisters Sarah and Mary (above); and (right) to Alan, George and Henry Dunicliff.

renovation, new build and landscaping projects.

The replacement of the public toilets on High Street was given the civic award for best new build. Judges were impressed with the “level of design and detailing,” including “smart discrete new signage”, which showed commitment to replace the old dilapidated toilets in the centre of the town.

Commended in the same category was a new house on the High Street car park, which won admiration for its workmanship and detailing, replicating some of the features of the background housing on Blanch Croft.

The award for best renovation was given to the new restaurant on 71 Derby Road.

Judges particularly liked the paved forecourt with “sensitively renovated front walling”, “new stone capping”, and “low railings” to match the original.

It was felt these helped to restore the character and appearance of the original building on the edge of the conservation area.

Commended for renovation was the former Blue Bell pub, now the Spirit Vaults, for its “reinvention and overall crisp new appearance”.

Words: LUCY STEPHENS Pictures: TINA BAKER and LUCY STEPHENS

Also commended was the work to rerender the Rectory on Church Square, which was considered to have been done to a high standard, smartening up a prominent corner building at the entrance to Melbourne Pool.

“Parkland” style tree planting on Browns Field and Barehills at the southern approach to the town at the edge of the Conservation Area was given the civic award for landscaping.

Judges said they were sure this would over time be a major feature alongside similar, previous planting on either side of Robinson’s Hill.

Commended in the landscaping cat-

egory was the parish council’s project to upgrade Lothian Gardens playground, judged to have been “a welcome improvement to the facilities”.

Alan Dunnicliff, whose family received two awards, for the landscaping at Browns Field and Bare Hills, and the renovation of 71 Derby Road, said his family were delighted.

Matt Morgan, of The Spirit Vaults, which underwent renovation over 14 months, said: “It’s really nice to get the recognition.

“We were keen to make sure that people in the village appreciated it and liked it.”

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l Members of Melbourne Footpaths Group setting off on their first organised walk, led by Barry Thomas, pictured in the car park of Ticknall Village Hall.

LIFE has been very quiet for over a year for the many groups of activities in the local area – but with the easing of restrictions some have started to meet up again whether it is to play, sing or walk.

On June 17, more than a dozen members of Melbourne Footpaths Group met in Ticknall for their first organised walk together in a year and a half.

Group secretary Barry Thomas said: “It’s brilliant – we haven’t walked for a year and a half. It’s so good that we have managed to return.”

Walkers who had assembled for the group’s first outing together since before the lockdown in Spring 2020 said it was great to be back again.

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Other groups organised by Melbourne’s U3A have also been able to get together again with the easing of restrictions.

Melbourne U3A chair Margaret Whitehead said: “We are absolutely delighted, as soon as we were allowed, adhering strictly to government guidelines, to meet again.

“Not every group has been in a position to meet outside, they have carried on meeting virtually. We have been meeting virtually, one way or another, for a year.

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12 Village Voice July 2021

Making our life hell

VILLAGE VOICE Postbag

Community care back in business

VOLUNTEERS are back behind the counter at Melbourne Community Care, which opened its office again in this month.

The charity’s office on Derby Road had been shut since the pandemic started but, as from July 6, is open for two hours daily from Monday to Friday.

Volunteer Adrienne Towle (pictured above) said the charity was a lifeline for many people and she was very glad to be back.

She said: “I moved to Melbourne about six years ago. I’m a widow. I walked down the road one day and I thought ‘I’ll see what they do and I thought I would volunteer’.

Members of the Parish Council Chair Sheila Hicklin

01332 865726

Vice Chair Terry Summerlin

01332 864643

Highways David Smith

01332 862699

Burial Grounds Terry Summerlin

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Planning and Strategy Jane Carroll 01332 863269 Finance & HR Sheila Hicklin

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“It’s very helpful. It’s a big contribution to Melbourne and I think everybody that uses it has really missed it and they all appreciate it.

“I’ve met people, I’ve met friends through community care.”

Adrienne said the charity had kept in touch with people throughout the pandemic: “They have not abandoned anybody.

It’s like a lifeline to a lot of people,” she said.

Melbourne Community Care received a grant that allowed them to buy a new reception desk and screens for volunteers.

The office is now open on weekdays from 10am to noon.

Melbourne Parish Council Chair’s Report - June 2021

Firstly, I would like to thank my fellow Parish Councillors for voting for me in May to serve for another year as Chair.

As the world seems to be gradually getting back to normal, it's lovely to see businesses in the parish reopening. Plans for local events are hopefully back on the agenda, the Festival in September and the Wakes are scheduled for October.

A local food and drink guide has been produced by Andy Heafield and the design and layout is by Mick Usher. The Council are proud to be one of the main sponsors. Hopefully this guide will create more footfall into the villages of Melbourne and Kings Newton.

The Parish Council held the first face to face meeting in June with Covid secure measures in place at the United Reformed Church as under the current restrictions our usual meeting place didn't fit the criteria, due to number restrictions on the room.

The new Council website is up and running. Any information that you should require, minutes, agendas, councillor's contact are all available to see at www.melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk. The Neighbourhood Development Plan has also been adopted and is on the website. There is also a questionnaire on the site as to whether residents would like to form a working party to take over the running of Queensway Park.

If you think this is something that you would like to get involved in then please fill in the questionnaire.

Robert Holman the Sexton at the Cemetery has worked throughout the epidemic to maintain the Cemetery grounds to a very high standard. It has been sad to witness people having to lay their loved ones to rest under these Covid restrictions but unfortunately the measures were necessary as we had to follow Government guidelines. Work has also taken place to remove trees and tidy up the Old Burial Ground. Although the ground isn't owned by the Council it is our responsibility to maintain it to a decent standard.

Anthony Hicklin, our Lenghtsman, has also worked throughout the epidemic. He has worked tirelessly to keep the litter under control. It has been a mammoth task with the amount of takeaway items that are just abandoned in the streets.

Work is just beginning to tarmac the Common and various pot holes have been filled in around the village.

Jacqui Storer - Clerk 07734 939292 clerk@melbourneparishcouncil.gov.uk

Concerns have been raised at the Council about cars driving along the pavement at speed on Derby Road. This is something that is worrying and the Council are investigating different ways to ease congestion on this road.

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Instead of hanging baskets this year the Council has piloted a new scheme of planters around The Market Place. All the planters are covered by the CCTV system and should this year prove successful we will look to extend it next year. The planters have been planted by a local company Sharps, they certainly add a splash of colour to the High Street and Market Place area.

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The new equipment at The Lothian Gardens proves to be very popular. It's lovely to see the Gardens being used by so many families. We did have one incident of vandalism where one of the new picnic benches was ripped out of the ground. The CCTV image was crystal clear and the Police have acted quickly.

Lastly, save the date,Thursday June 2nd 2022, the Queen's 70th Anniversary. Plans are underway for the Parish Council's event to take place at the Melbourne Sports Park or the Cricket Field as it is still fondly referred to by some. More details will be announced over the coming months.

Sheila Hicklin, Chair Melbourne Parish Council

WE HAVE a neighbour from Hell. They ruin our sleep every night. They are quiet all day but then at bedtime the noise starts coming in through the walls and windows. Very often it continues intermittently all through the night until morning.

We can’t have our windows open when it’s hot.

We’ve complained to them, but to no avail. We just get platitudes. They just don’t care. To make matters worse they are paid to be antisocial!

Hopefully by now you are shocked that a neighbour could behave in such a fashion and disgusted they are being paid by someone to do so. You might think that there must be a law against this. Perhaps the council or police could issue an ASBO or we should get our MP involved.

Who is this neighbour? It is East Midlands Airport, owned

by Manchester Airport Group, and those paying them are DHL, UPS and several other cargo airlines.

EMA informed me it has an

average of 1933 flights a month between the hours of 11pm and 7am. They know that sleep disturbance caused by night operations has adverse health impacts on overflown communities, but don’t care. Profit first, people second.

Only Heathrow airport exceeds EMA in freight volumes.

The huge difference between EMA and Heathrow is that night flights at Heathrow Airport are restricted. There are absolutely no freight flights from 11.30pm to 6am.

The Civil Aviation Authority state on their website that at night an average of 57db is “significantly annoying” to the surrounding population, yet EMA sets its maximum between 81dB and 92dB. Why is EMA allowed to do as it likes when even the largest airport in the UK has restrictions?

Who has given EMA the green light for flights all night?

Who are they answerable to?

Why does DHL/UPS/Couriers

put profit before people’s health by flying at night?

The planes not only ruin our sleep but ruin our air quality.

Each month tons of burnt kerosene are dumped on Melbourne, Wilson, Kegworth, Castle Donington and surrounding areas.

Also of great safety concern are the age of the freight planes which average around 24 years (flown 42 million air miles). The most ancient, polluting, end of life planes flown are 35 years old (flown 61 million air miles).

Frightening, considering they often fly over Melbourne at just over 1,000ft. Another disaster waiting to happen.

We have a basic human right to be able to sleep undisturbed by aircraft.

My demand and of those living near to EMA is that night flights cease between the hours of 11pm and 6am.

If Heathrow can do it so can EMA. Melbourne resident (Name supplied).

Airport’s response

AIR cargo has been a staple part of the East Midlands Airport (EMA) operation since it opened in 1965.

Today, the airport is the UK’s most important airport for express air cargo and is home to global logistics giants who have invested millions of pounds into the airport and created thousands of jobs for local people. EMA’s catalytic effect on the region’s economy generates over £1bn of GVA a year for the East Midlands.

We are very aware of the impact the airport has on neighbouring communities and that’s why we have in place strict measures to limit the disturbance the operation has on local people, particularly noise at night. These are listed in our Noise Action Plan 2019-2023, which has been adopted by Government.

We also have in place statutory forums which hold the airport to account for the actions we take to limit the impact of the operation on people and the environment and who receive regular performance updates.

In their letter, ‘Melbourne Resident’ raises specific points which are inaccurate, and I’d like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. n The number of night flights (between 11pm and 7am) during 2020/21 was 20,538 (an average of 1,711/month) which is 10% lower than the prior year. We do not recognise the higher number of 1,933 a month. n The comparison between noise controls at EMA

and Heathrow Airport is misleading. Most of the goods flown in and out of Heathrow are on passenger aircraft and some of these flights do operate at night. n Our air quality monitoring data informs us that the airport is within the acceptable targets set by Government. Once aircraft are above 1,000ft, their contribution to local air quality is minimal. In the UK, road traffic is the dominant contributor to poor air quality – this is reflected in the air quality management areas introduced by local authorities. There are no such areas in Melbourne. n Safety is our number one priority. Airports and airlines are highly regulated and adhere to national and global standards. In the UK, this is overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority. n The author compares two different noise metrics. The 57db figure refers to average noise levels over time, expressed in the form of a ‘noise contour area’ or ‘band’. The EMA figure mentioned is a maximum noise limit which, if exceeded at any point during a departure, would result in an aircraft operator receiving a financial penalty.

We are happy to engage with anyone who has concerns about the airport operation. These can also be raised through our community forums and independent consultative committee.

Phillip Morris Operations Director, East Midlands Airport.

Thank you doctor for your dedication

JUNE 2021 was a sad end to an era at our local GP surgery, when Dr James Long retired.

In his early years at the surgery, at the junction of Church Square and Church Street, James worked as part of an illustrious team that included Dr Brendan Freeman, Dr Iain Black, practice nurse, Jane Carroll and later, the addition of Dr Joe Zammitt.

Dr Long is the last to go, but he leaves a lasting legacy of excellence in patient care, which hopefully, will continue for years to come.

James has been a highly professional, knowledgeable, helpful, dedicated and approachable clinician.

His expertise with particular interest in skin complaints and minor surgery has spanned four

generations of our family.

On behalf of our family and, hopefully, many other patients, I express sincere thanks to Dr Long, for his dedication to our community and wish him a very well earned retirement.

I sincerely hope that ‘Post Brexit’, James will be able to enjoy life to the full with his family and friends.

Colin Barker, Melbourne

Village Voice welcomes your opinions. Email them to letters@melbournevillagevoice.co.uk

Harriet opens the doors of her cafe vision

THE TRANSFORMATION from Jack’s Café to Meak’s of Melbourne is just about complete but has not been without its teething issues, says new owner Harriet Bird.

With a background in events and hospitality, Harriet (pictured right) was made redundant because of Covid in 2020 and was strolling through Melbourne with her partner seeing the café was still closed. She made a remark that she would love to run a place like it and that very evening saw the news that it was up for sale.

“I had such a vision for what I could do, I just went for it,” she said. “It was just fate!”

She said she wanted it to have a welcoming Melbourne feel, hence the mural on the wall of the Pool, and the Historical group’s prints of Melbourne.

She also wanted it to be welcoming for everyone, with family orientated breakfast menus and more comfortable seats.

“I also wanted to have locally sourced food as much as possible and make the menu appeal to everyone – whether it’s just for a coffee, a treat or a meal,” she said.

WHISPERS from the Woods, Arts Melbourne’s Creative writing project for young people, has been “on tour”.

This year Arts Melbourne received a National Forest Arts Grant to work with young people to record their stories and experiences of connecting and reconnecting with nature during the coronavirus lockdowns. Writer Dan Webber has used their responses to form the basis of a poem.

Dan and the Arts Melbourne young ambassadors were invited to take the 33-line poem, entitled ‘Everlong/Evergreen’ on tour to Timber Festival in Moira over the weekend of July 2-4.

The poem was installed “under the canopy”, a woodland glade on the Fearnedock site near Moira, for Festival visitors to find followed by a magical performance by Dan Webber at the campfire stage in the ‘Under the Stars’ area of the site on Sunday evening where he shared the story of the project and performed Everlong / Evergreen and other poems inspired by nature.

The poem has been painted onto locally and ethically sourced wooden slices by young ambassadors involved in the project and will be installed around Melbourne later in the year, creating a self-led poetry nature trail to be shared at the Melbourne Festival Art & Architecture Trail and set up in their final home after the festival in September.

“I could not really call it Bird’s, for obvious reasons, so went for my mother’s family nickname, which is Meakin, shortened to Meaks!”

At the age of only 29 Harriet has had an interesting past.

After school in Leicester, she went to study Criminology and Psychology in Liverpool, then lived variously in Aberdeen and London before travelling across Asia and the Far East. She then moved back to the Midlands and worked for an events agency in Leicester.

Opening up has not been without teething problems, she said. In common with many hospitality businesses finding staff has been difficult, and she was still advertising one vacancy.

“It has been a steep learning curve,” she said, “but still very exciting!”

As the cafe is open seven days a week it has been a bit tiring, she said “ … and only this week was I brave enough to take an afternoon off!”

Harriet has great plans for the café too, as she wants to start doing Sunday roast lunches soon and has plans for opening more in the evenings as well as doing private parties.

Swimmers in hot water with the police

EIGHT men were issued with warning notices after police caught them jumping into Staunton Harold Reservoir despite warning signs.

Members of Mercia Police Safer Neighbourhood Team reported the incident which took place over the weekend of June 5 and 6.

The “scantily clad men” who had travelled from Chaddesden and Oakwood were approached by officers after vaulting over a locked gate, before climbing on a reservoir dam wall, pier and bell tower.

Police said they arrived at the scene to see the men diving head first into the water.

They said owners Severn Trent Water did not want individuals or groups entering restricted zones in the parkland and are concerned about the structural integrity of the dam walls.

by Lucy Stephens

Officers told how they had tried to explain the dangers of very cold and deep water to the swimmers.

“When officers explained that rangers at the reservoir had advised of the potential impact on lower reproductive parts due to the presence of significant concentrations of alkaline in the water, they quickly became animated,” said police.

The swimmers were asked to go to the police station and were issued with community protection notice warnings which order them not to enter reservoir waters in the future.

Notices last 12 months and if not adhered to can result in a full notice, which carries criminal sanctions and fines.

Meeting to help boost the economy

A BUSINESS event as part of a nationwide series aimed at boosting the UK economy is being held at Melburne’s Royal British Legion this month.

Brendan O’Neill, who runs Midlands Music Services, is an

Arts project poem goes on tour

Village Voice July 2021 13

ambassador for the Entrepreneurs Circle, which has members across the UK. The event is aimed at exploring modern methods of marketing and how to run a profitable business.

The meeting to be held from 6pm to 8pm on July 21 is free to attend for Entrepreneurs Circle members, while non-members can apply for a trial membership by visiting ECLocal.co.uk/Derby.

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Cross-country charity ride successes

14 Village Voice July 2021

IN the June edition of Village Voice we reported on two different charity rides by motor-bike and cycle across Britain. Here is Chris Brown’s account of his trip, pedalling from Land’s End to John O’Groats and raising £1,700 for Treetops Hospice.

A BIG thank you to all those who supported the Treetops cause, a facility we hope we will not need but the reality is quite different. Also, a big thank you to all who followed the route on social media and other ways. Your support and interest was invaluable.

The ride itself surpassed all expectations with changing scenery encompassing seascapes, moorland, rivers, towns and cities. The bridges were a feature in themselves with the Clifton, Severn and Forth bridges particular highlights.

The group was a mixed group of 19 cyclists from all over the country and the camaraderie helped each of us at times.

Passing from one end of the UK to the other in one go is, at times, a magical thing to do – it gives you a snapshot of our not so shared experience.

We passed from the stark and barren countryside of Poldark’s Cornwall to the lush and unforgiving headlands of coastal Devon and then up over Dartmoor and on down to Exeter where we dropped into my mother-in-law’s for coffee. Day four passed via Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury,

shee ski resort and then the Lecht with its 20 per cent gradient hill. The mountains were decked in glorious yellow flowering gorse. Between the two Cairngorm resorts lie Braemar, Ballater and Balmoral – a beautiful area of tranquillity with towering forests and busy towns; it is obvious why the Queen likes it. We stopped by a waterfall only to see the salmon repeatedly jumping. From Inverness northwards the scenery gets flatter and more barren. We cycled to the Crask Inn, a famous old inn in the middle of Sutherland – their local whisky tasted very local but other brands were available!

Day 14 and on to John O’Groats. Last day and a long day in strong winds. The road to Bettyhill and the Pentland Firth from the Crask is a 30km downhill but then the final section across the top of Scotland is a bit “lumpy”. John O’ Groats beckons for a mug of Champagne, a quick photo opportunity and then out for a final group meal.

In all it was an unforgettable ride, a true “bucket list” thing to do as I expected. The support of the group and the support and interest of people back home helped both in the training and on the ride. The donations to Treetops were, for me, the icing on the cake – thank you again for that, Treetops are very grateful.

You can still donate to Chris’s ride here: www.justgiving.com/Chris-Brown190

the Clifton and Severn Bridges, Tintern Abbey and into Wales – too many highlights for one day!

From there the undulating hills of the Welsh Borders was a comparatively easy day, past green fields and clear rivers. We were joined by three old friends who fancied a day on their bikes. Then a long flattish day to Runcorn, past Shrewsbury and through gentle Cheshire.

Then another harder day in mixed traffic past the Liverpool/Manchester conurbation to Lancaster, taking in the hills North of Bolton and Blackburn – beautiful moorland scenery with views of the great cities. From there it was skirting the Dales and through the Howgill fells with views of the Lakes to the West and stopping in Penrith.

Day nine was a transition day – from England to Scotland with the novelties of the border sign and Gretna Green.

Of 14 days we spent five days wholly in Scotland. Moffatt to Kinross, two places I had barely heard of, sound innocuous enough until you realise it is through the centre of Edinburgh and over the Forth Bridge.

Days 11 and 12 from Kinross to Inverness were mountain days; first the Glen-

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ALEX Harris, of Melbourne, also travelled the length of the UK from Land’s End to John O’Groats last month. As reported in the June Village Voice, Alex was taking part in the Cancer Research UK ‘Longest Day Up’ challenge.

This charity feat saw participants completing the journey on June 21 in under 24 hours, on a bike costing no more than £300.

Alex (left) said he and friend Ian Richardson completed the distance in 23 and a half hours, arriving at John O’Groats at 3.30am.

“We had rain at the start which drowned us all even with waterproofs,” said Alex.

“The daytime was changeable, especially around Manchester way and going from cloud to sunshine at the drop of a hat. When we got

to Dunoon in Scotland we had more midges than you can imagine, ending up on our visors, and temperatures that eventually got down to near freezing.”

The sight of John O’Groats as the sun was rising was “thoroughly welcome”, he said.

As for his bike, a Honda Bros 400 which prior to the ride had not turned a while in 10 years – how did it go?

Alex said the trusty vehicle had “only broken down twice” during the trip, adding that “a gentle walloping of the fuel pump” had been all that was required to get it on the road again.

Across the country, the Longest Day Up challenge had raised nearly £60,000 by the end of June.

The Common Touch...

AT THE beginning of July, Melbourne Area Transition (MAT) was due to have a stall at the Melbourne Market. The focus of the stall was ‘Repair’. There used to be three key ‘R’s’: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle; but more R words have been added to help us focus our minds to simple actions we can take to help reduce our personal impact on the environment and global warming.

The new additions are Refuse, Repair, Re-purpose, Refill, Rot and Rethink.

I think they are really useful in guiding buying decisions as well as how we can manage the things we already own.

Lots of transition towns have started up ‘Repair Café’ events where local people who are confident in fixing things donate their time and skills to help people fix their broken items or worn out clothes, broken jewellery and such like.

We also want to find out where local people get stuff repaired and then share

that information to others. There has just been a ‘Right to Repair’ law introduced, which will mean manufacturers of some electrical items will now have to provide spare parts; this is to encourage people to get their items fixed and increase the life of electrical goods by about 10 years.

We want to give people the confidence to try to fix items rather than throw them away. We’re also becoming more aware of how clothing is a big problem for landfill, with approximately 336,000 tons being thrown away every year.

If you want to more info on how to reduce your textile waste check out loveyourclothes.org.

Melbourne Area Transition has a Facebook page and we encourage you to post where you get things fixed.

On Saturday, July 17 (12-4pm) MAT will be inviting local people to enter the Transition Time Machine and take a trip to the Melbourne of 2030. This will be part

of the Transition Network – Bounce Forward funded events which are taking place all over the country.

We’ll work on what positive changes we want to see, which will help us become Carbon Zero and adapt to climate change.

We’ll engage our collective imaginations to rethink our village, and create artwork, poems, stories, news articles as if we are in 2030!

That’s only nine years in the future, so change needs to start now. We need to try to stop the world from heating up by 2-4 degrees centigrade, which is where we are heading.

Rapid change is much more difficult, which is why we need to catch up and start projects now. We need to treat this climate crisis as the emergency it is. If you’re interested in being involved with local projects that effect positive change, come and see us at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms on the 17th.

– Katherine Parrish

Rations couple raise £1,700 for refugees

A COUPLE who completed a week living on basic rations raised £1,700 for refugees.

As reported in our May issue, Janet and Paul Gibson – owners of Green Man Ceramics at the Ferrers Centre – took part in the Ration Challenge.

Organised by Concern Worldwide, the challenge saw participants spend a week eating the same rations as a refugee living in a camp in Jordan.

These were a 420g bag of rice, 170g of lentils, 85g of dried lentils, tinned sardines, and a tin of kidney beans.

The cleverly constructed challenge allowed people to buy extras such as more rice and 400g of flour, plus unlock more supplies such as one spice, eggs, a tin of tomatoes and a vegetable, through gaining sponsorship.

Janet and Paul (pictured) said that, while they were hungry during the week, they were sustained through rice – but the whole endeavour did open the mind to the hardships being suffered by people in cri-

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sis-hit parts of the world.

Janet said: “We were so careful in the beginning, really, really careful, because we were really terrified of running out of things.”

The Gibsons’ culinary week heavily featured ‘congee’ – a kind of rice porridge.

“Once you got your head around it, it was very much a mental thing,” said Janet.

“Not forgetting, we were able to go to bed at night, bathe when we wanted.

“It made us very mindful, it really struck home to us how awful it must be … to watch your children be hungry must be awful.

“At this moment in time, these rations are saving people who are there. It’s a very positive thing to have been part of.”

After their challenge, Janet and Paul enjoyed an ice cream at an 18th birthday celebration.

Paul said: “The thing I found really interesting at the end of it was that I went to the supermarket; it just felt so decadent, everybody just having whatever they wanted.”

The couple said they were very grateful for all the support and donations they had received.

Fund-raising is still open until the end of this year, so anyone who would like to contribute to the Gibsons’ efforts can do so by visiting them at Green Man Ceramics.

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Comedy nights make a happy return hearsed routines was a bit like a familiar, tried and tested first course; enjoyable and tasty enough but maybe needing just a bit more spice!

Middle act was a young comic from Romania, Radu Isak, whose comedy was a bit darker and more personal as he described, in a heavy Aleksandr Orlov-like accent, his difficulties interacting with the opposite sex. He also told of his humorous experiences moving to the west, including waking up in the middle of the night in panic that he had not thanked everybody enough, as British people do!

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PLANTERS instead of hanging baskets are brightening up Melbourne this summer.

Melbourne Parish Council decided to decorate the town with the planters rather than baskets which they have done in previous years.

Cllr Jim Hewlett, who represents Melbourne on South Derbyshire District Council, said he had heard positive comments on the new scheme.

Meanwhile, the parish council is currently consulting with the community over the possibility of a local group taking over the running of Coronation Close playground.

Parish councillor Joe Ward told the latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council on July 6 that the idea had seen an enthusiastic response from local people about the proposal.

The Coronation Close playground is owned by South Derbyshire District Council.

COMEDY and live entertainment returned to Melbourne with a slightly stranger feel to it, sticking to social distancing guidelines.

A smaller crowd than usual attended the Melbourne Festival comedy night held at the Sporting Partnership bar on June 24, where masks, table service and distancing were in evidence despite the hope that the June 21 “freedom” day would have enabled a return to more normality.

First up was El Baldiniho a magic and props comedian whose one-line puns interspersed with some well-re-

Village Voice July 2021 15

Final act for the night was a brilliant Irish/Iranian comic – and there are not too many of them on the circuit – called Patrick Monahan, who managed to weave his humour from interaction with the audience, fuelled by an endless supply of enthusiasm and energy.

Mysteriously he seemed to have a pop at the wealth of our middle-class village, where we hide our bitcoins under the rugby pitches, PE teachers, newly-weds, people from Grimsby and many more in an utterly charming and hilarious way.

Tony Coward’s compering

kept the whole show going with a back-pack full of one-liner jokes and great engagement with the audience.

What was probably the biggest kick of the evening was hearing an audience laugh, seeing people for the first time in over a year and the genuine warmth of the comedy-goers out to enjoy themselves. Credit too, to the MSP, for facilitating the event in these trying circumstances for hospitality venues.

Next comedy night will be on September 17 with headliner Scott Bennett.

– Frank Hughes

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End of a very long campaign

18 Village Voice July 2021

MELBOURNE Dynamo Football Club seniors finally finished their stop/start 2020/21 season by the beginning of June with all four teams playing well into the summer months.

The highlight of the season was their Saturday Reserve side getting to the MRA Division One cup final. Unfortunately Adam Dolman’s men came up against a strong Derby Uni and went down 5-2 in their hunt for silverware.

Dynamo first team began the month of May with a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Long Eaton Academy but a morale boosting 6-0 home win against PNG was thanks mainly to a Matt Brian hat-trick alongside goals from Carl Allsop, James Smith and Matt Savage.

A comfortable 3-1 away win against Ripley

Town was thanks to a double from full-back Jack Goodband plus a Jack Bodill finish. Gav Salisbury’s men completed their first season in the Central Midlands league in runners-up spot as their final game of the season saw them fall to a 2-0 away defeat at champions Long Eaton Academy.

Dynamo Reserves made it through to the semifinals of their divisional cup as they beat Burton United 3-0 with goals from Dom Hurst, Harry Foxon and Dave Brough securing the win. In that semi-final they crushed Bargate Rovers 4-0 at home with doubles from Joe Shadbolt and Callum Horton doing the damage.

In the final against Derby Uni, Melbourne actually took a first minute lead through Ryan Mclaughlin but that did not last long as two

quick Uni goals saw them take the lead.

A smart Joe Shadbolt finish drew Dynamo level at the break. But a strong second half showing by Derby saw them score three unanswered goals to take the trophy and leave Dynamo Reserves as runners-up.

Melbourne Dynamo Development side finished their first ever season by just missing out on a divisional cup semi-final position as two defeats in their last two games cost them. The first was a 3-1 loss to Willington Reserves with Olly Williamson getting the consolation; then a 6-3 defeat to Punjab United finished off Melbourne’s season with Gav Spencer, Conor Poynton and Finn Charles scoring.

Dynamo’s Sunday side, in what turns out is their last season, ended up sixth in the Taveners

Division One. They began May with a resounding 4-2 home win against Alvaston Rangers as Liam Orme hit a hat-trick plus there was a Rob James finish to complete the scoring.

An entertaining 3-3 draw in what proved to be their last home game, was earned thanks to a Rob Lowrie double and another for Liam Orme against Derby Town, but a 4-1 loss to high flying Eaton Angels followed with Phil Mellors getting the consolation goal.

A Liam Orme penalty secured a 1-1 draw away to Holbrook St Michaels, and Ross Carcary’s men ended their time as a Melbourne Dynamo team with an 8-3 away loss to AFC Mackworth reserves with goals from Phil Mellors, Will Armstrong and a rare Sam Adcock finish.

LEFT: The Wildcats’ Under 11s coach Simon Hoddinott with Ava, Sarah, Anna, Amelia and Ruby.

RIGHT: The Under 9s and 10s with coach / manager Nelly Mardon and trainer Archie Mardon.

Wildcats strike gold

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SOUTH DERBYSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL Your County and District Councillors surgeries will resume on

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Until then they are available on phone or email: DAVID MULLER (County) - 07415 720360/01283 384112 david.muller@derbyshire.gov.uk MARTIN FITZPATRICK (District) - 07710 030187/01332 862323 martin.fitzpatrick@southderbyshire.gov.uk JIM HEWLETT (District) - 07979 976860/01332 863927 jim.hewlett@southderbyshire.gov.uk

MELBOURNE Wildcats, the girls’ section of Melbourne Dynamo Football Club, celebrated its 2021 end of season with one 18month unbeaten run, a Derbyshire County Cup and 120 members.

Now the fastest growing girls’ football club in Derbyshire, the Wildcats have seen amazing growth since starting up in 2019 with the aim of attracting 30 players.

The 2020/21 season saw five teams playing in the Derbyshire Girls’ League.

It has been a highly successful season with the under-9s and under-10s both unbeaten for a three-month run, playing a match a week. Meanwhile, the under-11s were unbeaten for an impressive 18 months, as well as being the current holders of the Derbyshire County Cup. Not only that, but the club is also running a highly popular soccer school for players from reception age to year two, which sees 30 to 40 girls turning out each week.

Older girls and boys are also lending a hand by coaching.

The club had a fund-raising celebration in June to celebrate its remarkable success, with a cake sale and tuck shop; trophies were handed out to each player.

Nelly Mardon, whose daughters Florence, nine, and May, five, both play with the club, is a manager for the under 9s and 10s team and also helps run the soccer school.

She said the club was attracting players not just from Melbourne but further afield, with girls coming from Barrow, Willington, Foremark and Chellaston.

Of new starters coming along, 90 per cent kept coming back, she said.

“I think what I most like about it is the positive impact it has for girls in Melbourne to have the access to team sport,” she said.

“They are really enthusiastic. They are really positive. The atmosphere is really fun. There’s never any negativity. Everyone helps each other and encourages each other and whatever level you are, there’s a place for you.

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“I think to give girls an equal opportunity to play in a team sport and the benefits that come with that are really important … when they are running around and loving it and they have got these massive smiles on their faces!”

Melbourne Dynamo Girls is continuing to train this summer with the soccer school running on Mondays at the Melbourne Sports Park (5-6pm), and training for older girls runs from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on Fridays.

The club offers the first three sessions free of charge.

Due to the rapid expansion with new girls joining up all the time, support would be appreciated from companies willing to provide sponsorship for match kits, or from parents who would like to get involved with coaching or managing a team.

Anyone who would like to find out more information can call Nelly on 07903 103 580 or fellow manager Jamie O’Toole on 07943 400 907.

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Tennis tourney a charity success A TENNIS tournament fundraiser was played out in fabulous early summer sunshine in Melbourne and raised over £1,000 for charity.

The event was in memory of Ian Ward, who was the tennis men’s A-team captain from 2017, when the club started competing in Derbyshire and Burton Leagues. Ian passed away in December last year after being diagnosed with cancer.

Ian was also a member of the club’s committee and was a participant in all organised activities, including winning the same competition in 2018.

Village Voice July 2021 19

Stunning start for men’s team Club secretary Sallie Allen said: “We thought that an American Doubles tournament was a fitting tribute to such a charismatic character, and we intend it to be an annual event where funds raised will be given to a charity.”

The event raised an amazing

MELBOURNE Tennis Club has now begun both its Derbyshire and Burton league fixtures and it was the club’s men who have led the way.

They won all of their eight league matches they played in June with the Derbyshire Men’s A team starting with a close 6-3 home win over Lakeside 2. The pairing of Howard Cheshire/Andy Fleming secured three wins as did George Bull/Jesse Goscomb.

A 9-0 thrashing of Rolls-Royce 5ths followed as the pairings of Howard Cheshire/Simon Brenchley, Jesse Goscomb /Andy Dawkins, Andy Fleming/Stu Boardman all completed three wins.

The team finished the month with a 7-2 away win at Denstone with Andy Fleming/Stu Boardman recording two wins, George Bull/Paul Hill three wins, and Jesse Goscomb/Andy Dawkins two wins, completing a good start for the team.

£1,070 which has been donated to the Nightingale Macmillan Unit Staff Fund.

The competition is a “round robin” mixed doubles where partners are initially paired at random and is decided on games won overall. It is a fun rather than serious contest as

The men’s A team in the Burton league went one better in winning all four of league games, starting with a 4-0 home success against Lichfield Friary E. The two pairings of Howard Cheshire/Andy Fleming and George Bull/Andy Dawkins won all their sets. This was followed by two more away 4-0 victories against Abbots Bromley and David Lloyd B respectively. Andy Fleming/Stu Boardman and Rod Maskerey/George Bull were the successful pairings in the Bromley game and Andy Fleming/Si Brenchley plus Howard Cheshire/Finn Spencer against David Lloyd.

They completed the month with a home match against Burton C and came away with 4-0 victory this time as Andy Fleming/Stu Boardman secured two wins and the Jesse Goscomb/Andy Dawkins pairing also won both.

The men’s B team competing in the Burton

T V AERIAL SERVICES

players of very differing abilities join in, making for interesting viewing for spectators.

This year’s winners were Andy Fleming and Judith Hancock with Roger Spencer, Emma Guest, Paul Hill and Lesley Heath reaching a playoff in the finals.

Ian’s close friend, Karen Chinn, who nominated the charity, said the staff at the Nightingale were “all beautifully kind and dignified – even meeting Ian’s request for M&S diet American Dry Ginger Ale! He had great care and the donation would show apprecia-

league won one and lost one of their matches in June. They began with a 3-1 away win against Ashby Castle as John Cowley/Jonny Oates secured two wins and Rob Wright/Graham Oppenheimer one win, but ended up getting beaten by their own C team 3-1 in their only other league game.

The C team, after beating Melbourne B team, then went on to draw 2-2, their other two games with Alrewas B and then Ashby Castle.

In the Ladies section Melbourne A team beat their own B team 4-0 with the pairings of Karen Brenchley/Lesley Heath and Nicola Tomlinson/Judith Hancock winning in the A team’s only league match of the month.

The Ladies B recovered well to beat Burton B 3-1 and Ashby Castle B by the same scoreline and ended the month with a 2-2 draw away to Denstone.

tion of the wonderful people they are”.

Sallie also said: “It is great to give something back into the community as the club has had amazing support from the local community, businesses, grants and members in raising the money for the new courts.”

The club’s Ladies C team in the Burton league beat its very own D team 4-0 at the start of the month but lost their other league match, away to Netherseal B, 3-1.

There were also a couple of mixed Burton league matches as the club’s mixed B team lost 3-1 against Ashby Castle C but Melbourne’s Mixed C team beat its D team 4-0.

Finally back to the Derbyshire league and Karen Brenchley’s ladies lost their only league match 6-3 against Ripley as the pairings of Lesley Heath/Karen Brenchley plus Sallie Allen/Mair Vater and Judith Hancock/Lucy White all won one point each.

The only Derbyshire Mixed match saw Melbourne get well beaten by Ockbrook 7-2 with Rob/Laura Clarke and Karen Brenchley/Roger Spencer winning one point each.

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20 Village Voice July 2021

SPORT

BOWLS TROPHY WINNERS

MARC Holland and Peter Barton (pictured) were the winners of the Packhorse Trophy at Kings Newton Bowls Club, defeating Graham Leech and Henry Heath in the final.

It was the first internal competition the club had held in the season.

The club reported a good number of entries and said the final had been held on a lovely sunny afternoon.

Kings Newton Bowls Club members play in several leagues, which have all now started up again.

While the club has not entered as many teams as usual, players are still taking part in fixtures on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

There has also been a good influx of new playing and social members.

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only manage 145-8 off their allotted overs. Julian Humpidge led the way with 3-28 plus two wickets for James Hogwood, and an unbroken third wicket stand of 83 took Town to victory thanks to Ash Elwell (62 not out) and Ben Radcliffe (35 not out) and a seven-wicket win.

The seconds completed the month with their best batting display of the season after Elvaston 4ths had scored 195 all out. Sohail Hussain took 3-17 plus two wickets each for Sam Barker, Alex Roome and Ranjit Rathore. Openers Sam Adcock (65) and Matt Grimmett (61 not out) led the reply along with Rathore’s unbeaten 33 to take Melbourne to a stunning ninewicket win with 16 overs to spare.

Melbourne’s Third team began June with a convincing 93-run home win. Town totalled 183 all out, batting first, as Chetan Patel top scored with 44. A score of 33 from Archie Turton plus 30 by skipper Tony Papas took Melbourne to their total and the 4-29 from Paul Scrimshaw plus two wickets apiece by juniors Lara Shaw (212) and Joe Jenkinson (2-17) completed the win.

Top of the table Darley Abbey 4ths were the next team to travel to the MSP and the opposition scored 196-6 with two wickets for Will Jackson. Despite a superb 78 not out by Tim Jackson plus 55 by Papas, Town fell just short on 181-7 and claimed a losing draw.

A run fest away to Nutbrook 3rds saw the hosts score 217-9 batting first with Paul Scrimshaw taking 3-30 along with two wickets from Archie Turton and Will Jackson.

In reply a quite brilliant 59

not out by Turton plus a return to form by Bruno Rost with 55 saw the thirds again fall just short on 196-4 for a second successive losing draw.

Melbourne’s first team had a terrible month, losing all four league games which began with a hugely disappointing eightrun defeat away to Walton first team.

The home side somehow scored 241-4 off their allotted overs after Matt Briers (2-31) and Alex Slater (1-20) had both bowled their opening spells straight through.

In reply openers Tom Shearsby (36) and Zale Wood (49) led the way and skipper Slater weighed in with 48 plus 34 from Briers, but a lower order collapse saw Town fall just short.

Melbourne then entertained Winshill 1sts who scored 226-6 with two wickets apiece for Matt Briers, Muhammed Nadeem and Matt Smith. But Town fell to an awful 103 all out in reply.

Melbourne’s batting got no better a week later away to Etwall 1sts. A spell of 3-26 from Nadeem managed to keep the home side to 215-8, but Town’s batting failed again as they were shot out for a paltry 64.

The first team ended the month with another disappointing display at home to Barton as they could only score 102 all out as only Zale Wood (28) contributed and the away side won easily by eight wickets with 22 overs to spare.

The club would like to thank the month’s ball sponsors. These were Scallywag’s Nursery (twice), Doves Garages, Albert Wood, Steve Malkin and Broadview Financial Services.