Melbourne Village Voice June 2018

STREET MARKET? WATCH THIS SPACE

THE question as to whether Melbourne will get a street market is up in the air –after shoppers came into the town expecting to see vendors plying their wares but were greeted with an empty space.

A new street market was expected to appear in Melbourne on Thursday, May 17, on a trial basis only it didn’t

Melbourne Parish Council was addressed by district council economic development manager Mike Roylance and Simon Wardle from Swadlincote Market at their meeting back in April about the possibility of holding a street market in the town

The understanding was that, while planning permission was being sought, 10 market days could be held in Melbourne on Thursdays on a temporary basis

The first was to have been held on May 17 but it emerged shortly beforehand that things would not be going ahead as planned

Shopkeepers in the middle of the town reported that shoppers had come to the Market Place specially, expect-

by LUCY STEPHENS

ing to see stall holders busily selling goods

But instead they were greeted by an empty Market Place and no stalls

David Gray, owner of Melbourne Cobbler, expressed disappointment that the street market had not happened as planned, saying it was badly needed to attract more people

I was looking forward to it,” he said “There were four people who were all looking for it – they all came into the town for the market

“We need it We are desperate for it I’ve been here 18 years and since I came here, we’ve lost HSBC, NatWest, the Halifax, the Derbyshire and the bus stop outside my shop – what’s come in return?

“This market would have been the first thing that’s come in and would maybe attract a few more customers to the town’s shops ”

The Village Voice’s understanding of the situation is that planning permission is in fact needed in order for any street market to happen in Melbourne, but that the idea is for an application to be submitted

l Melbourne’s very own Harry and

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Britain’s booming, Melbourne is told

DON’T listen to the naysayers, British highend manufacturing is booming – that was the message from manufacturers who converged on Melbourne for a networking breakfast conference, the first ever held in the village.

The Made in the Midlands meeting was held in the showroom of Melbourne-based SSP Technology, the country’s only importers of various brands of high-end honing and grinding machines for use in the engineering industry

Starting out in a Melbourne dining room a decade ago, SSP is a family business which now has a showroom at the industrial estate on Station Road

Owned by Steve Price with his wife Sheila, SSP is Britain’s sole importer of top-end machines from Switzerland and Taiwan, some operating at the precision of a hundredth of a human hair ’s breadth, which are used in all sorts of industries, from aircraft engines to racing car gear boxes

“It’s good for people in Melbourne to know what’s going on in their village!” said Steve SSP was the venue for a conference organised by Made in the Midlands, an organisation aimed at helping manufacturers meet each other, work together, and generally breathe fresh air into Britain’s manufacturing industry

Made in the Midlands director Ilona Pitt told the Village Voice how the organisation had started “to promote manufacturing, especially after the collapse of MG Rover, to bring passion and pride back into manufacturing”

She said: “That was a quite devastating event,

Village fete

NOTHING says summer like an English country fete – and this year ’s occasion in Findern promises to be no different

The fete is being held in the village on Saturday, June 30, with a daytime event from noon to 4pm followed by an evening celebration from 7pm to 11pm This year ’s theme is Alice in Wonderland

people lost jobs, there wasn’t much support from the Government, manufacturing wasn’t on the agenda We want to promote good news about manufacturing

“There are lots of good stories and the Midlands is the birthplace of the industrial revolution, so there’s a lot of heritage ”

Networking meetings are held weekly and, while this was the first held in Melbourne, there was enthusiasm to come back to our beautiful corner of South Derbyshire

Also important, said Ilona, was to promote the benefits of manufacturing to school children and especially girls

“Manufacturing is a modern and very open sector for young people to come into,” she said

“There hasn’t been enough emphasis at school to explain how level a career you can have in manufacturing

“Over the years everyone has been pushing into the service sector – banking, marketing – but especially what we need are women If you can come into manufacturing, especially as a woman, you’ll have an enormous advantage ”

One thing was for certain, judging by the buzz in the room and the variety of organisations coming together – from Sean Emery from Melbournebased Baldwins Accountants to metals recyclers to workwear makers to labels producers – British manufacturing certainly seems to be booming

“High end manufacturing is growing in Britain,” said Steve

Made in the Midlands is holding its next exhibition in Coventry on June 21

n VOLUNTEER Angie Cooke completed the Derby Half Marathon to raise around £1,600 for Melbourne Community Care Although she managed a creditable 2 hours 17 minutes, Angie (pictured with her trainer Kieron Hatfield, who also ran and was raising money for Mind) said: “I am very pleased with the time and the amount raised – but I vow never to run one again ”

l Midlands manufacturers meeting at SSP Technology in Melbourne.

n STAFF at Melbourne’s Lemon and Lime Interiors spend their working day making homes look beautiful – but on one day in May they were helping those without a home at all

In mid-May the interiors business, which is based above Melbourne Cobbler, held a coffee morning in aid of the Padley Centre in Derby, which raised more than £120

Lemon and Lime held the event because they work closely with national estate agency Fine & Country, whose charitable arm raises money for the homeless

Fine & Country chose a day in May and invited its contact businesses to hold a coffee morning for nearby homeless charities

Owner Elaine Penhaul’s business provides a styling service helping prepare homes for sale.

Sports Park fines threat to dog owners

dogs that need a lot of regular exercise

by Lucy Stephens

DOG walkers risk being fined for allowing their pets off the lead at Melbourne Sports Park.

South Derbyshire District Council has told the Village Voice that it has stepped up patrols and reinforced signage at the Cockshut Lane grounds after receiving complaints about dog walkers not complying with the rules on the land

As reported in The Village Voice at the time, the district council last year put a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) on the sports park which prevents dogs being let off leads

The idea behind the order is to stop dog fouling on ground where sport is regularly played – but some dog owners say the measure is unduly harsh and in any event will still not force owners to pick up their pets’ mess

A statement from the council says: “South Derbyshire offers some stunning areas for dogs to be given the freedom to run, explore and play off the lead However, there are areas in which dogs must be kept on leads In light of this, South Derbyshire District Council has received a number of complaints about dog walkers not complying with the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) at Melbourne Sports Centre

“To comply with the PSPO, all dog walkers must keep their pets on a lead when walking them on the grounds and the curtilage of the sports centre

“The council has reinforced signage around Melbourne Sports Centre to help stress this message as well as increasing patrols around the area ”

Under the rules, if a person admits to not having their dog on a lead, they can pay a

fixed penalty notice of £100, reduced to £75 on early payment If they do not admit to it, the council says it will look to take them to court where the potential fine is up to £1,000

Simon Lavis, a dog owner from Melbourne, has expressed disappointment at the PSPO He said:

“Melbourne does not have a significant grass park, so the grounds of the Melbourne Sporting Partnership continue to be one of the only spaces in the local area that provides a large, flat area where dogs could be given a vigorous run off the lead

“This is essential for elderly and disabled dog owners, and people whose mobility is otherwise limited, for example by pregnancy or having young children, as well as

Beryl, Megan and Christine would like to thank family, friends and neighbours for their kind messages of sympathy and donations for the Nightingale MacMillan Unit received in their sad loss. Thank you to those who attended the funeral service at Bretby and special thanks to the MacMillan Unit and Mr Springthorpe for the funeral arrangements.

“Unfortunately, the current PSPO prohibits this and requires us to drive out elsewhere to give our dog adequate exercise

“There is no doubt this has reduced the amount of exercise we have been able to give him over the winter and, with a toddler and pregnant wife, our ability to go on long walks is also restricted I am sure this is the same for many other dog owners in the village

“If some people are simply not complying with the order, it would be interesting to know whether it has had any significant impact on dog fouling on the MSP, or is only punishing responsible dog owners ”

Robin Peel, who lives next to the sports park and also owns a dog, said he was now having to drive to the Cloud Trail in Kings Newton to exercise himself and his dog

Also irritating was the sight of spectators at cricket matches allowing their dogs to run around, apparently oblivious to the threat of fines

He said: “When I first moved here there were swings and slides at the park – they’ve all gone now If you don’t play rugby, cricket, tennis or football you’re excluded (from the park)

“What happened to our recreation ground? If the sports park worked with their neighbours, life would be easier for everyone ”

Mr Peel also added that even disposing of dog waste on the sports park was hard because there was only one bin for it, which was outside the park on Cockshut Lane

“They’re actually creating their own problem,” he said n What do you think of the PSPO stopping dogs being let off the lead at Melbourne Sports Park?

Do give us your views by writing to us at letters@melbournevillagevoice co uk

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Christian’s honey is the bee’s knees

BEES kept by a Melbourne wildlife enthusiast have won him first place in a county-wide competition to find the best locally produced honey.

The bees are owned by Christian Murray-Leslie, a retired doctor who lives in Melbourne and is passionate about the natural world

With bee hives in Melbourne, Ticknall and Ingleby Toft, his insects can forage for pollen from a wide range of local plants, which Christian says is very good for their health

Now the bees have won him two prizes for his honey at the latest Derbyshire Bee Keepers’ Association Honey Show in Carsington

“This is my eighth year of keeping bees, something I took up on retirement,” said Christian “I’ve always been interested in wild things ”

But, with a large hive housing between 50 to 60,000 bees which need regular monitoring to check their health – not to mention the distinct possibility of getting stung – keeping these fascinating insects is not for the faint-hearted

Christian, however, is relaxed about things

“Sometimes you get colonies which are just not very nice!” he laughed “I’ve been stung many times – there aren’t many parts of

Melbourne Hall

GARDENS & VISITORS’ CENTRE -

In its picturesque poolside setting, Melbourne Hall was home to Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb.

Hall & Gardens Open

Every afternoon in August only (except for the first 3 Mondays) Hall opens 2pm and last entry 4.15pm Guided Tours are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and leave the main entrance every 30 mins starting at 2.15pm Other days stewards are in each room to answer any queries

Gardens open 1.30pm – 5.30pm every afternoon (except for the first 3 Mondays)

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Work on new Calke Abbey hub starts

WORK has now started to create Calke Abbey’s new outdoor hub, a public meeting heard – and it should be open to the public in Spring 2019

Calke’s general manager Stewart Alcock was at Ticknall’s Annual Parish Meeting to provide an update on how the new hub was progressing

The National Trust won permission for its new outdoor hub from South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee in March 2017

The idea is to create new cycling and walking opportunities for the property’s many thousands of visitors in an attempt to dissipate the crowds away from the main house and gardens, plus help people find new ways of enjoying the extensive grounds

Mr Alcock said work had started on the hub, which is being situated in Poker ’s Leys Woodland to the right of the main driveway

The aim is to have the hub open in March or April of next year

The Village Voice has previously reported how the new building will include a café, toilets, cycle hire and staff office, and there will also be a new car park

award-winning honey.

my body where I haven’t!”

But, despite the pains of a sting or two, there is no doubt that looking after bees is extremely important

A significant proportion of the world’s food supply relies on pollination from bees, birds and other creatures which perform this task; without them, we would have less food choice and it would certainly be more expensive, too

With threats to bee populations by such predators as the Asian hornet – which has recently spread to Britain after finding its way to France inside Chinese potted plants – and Varroa mites, there are plenty of dangers for bee-keepers to watch

out for

And that’s not to mention the threats to bees and insects in general from modern life

“We are dependent on insects,” said Christian, “but we are killing them all off at an amazingly rapid rate, which has to do with modern farming practices, pesticides and diseases which have been imported by man, mostly ”

The other attraction to keeping bees for Christian, as a scientist, is simply observing their fascinating behaviour – how they swarm, and how at different times of the year they have access to varying plants which affects the quality of the honey they produce

So, would he recommend a spot of bee-keeping to others? “It’s physically quite hard,” he said “You’ve got a lot of lifting and there’s time involved, particularly during the swarming season

“You have to inspect them every week, you need to check them for diseases, if they’re having a bad summer, or whether they’ve got enough food – because they can starve You also have the problem of robbing – if the colony is a bit weak, other bees can come and rob them “But it’s very, very interesting and it’s a challenge!”

– Lucy Stephens

FORGET Milan and Paris Melbourne Assembly Rooms was the venue for a catwalk model show put on by two local dress agencies

Hosted by Angela Higson, of Best Kept Secret, and Jenny Williams, of Frocks and Frippery, models strutted their stuff at the fashion show held on May 17.

Compered by Margaret Gildea, models showed off outfits from the shops and the whole occasion raised more than £2,000 for Alzheimer ’s Research UK

Carrie Muggleton modelling at the event

Picture: TMS Photography

l Christian Murray-Leslie (left) attends to his bees, which provided double

Little Stars’ £2,000 for charities

THESE young movers and shakers had a grand old afternoon at Melbourne Assembly Rooms, helping raise thousands for sick children

The “Little Stars” disco was held by the Staley family to raise money for foetal medicine and the NICU departments at the Royal Derby Hospital

The event raised £2,142 to be split equally between the two departments

Organiser Alison Staley said: “Sincere thanks to everyone that donated, helped out on the day and came and spent their hard-earned money ”

The Staley family’s total fund-raising this year for the hospital amounts to just over £3,000, including a sale held at the Derby site in March.

Since 2016 the family has raised £5,047, including Gift Aid.

Figuring out the school pupil numbers game

CHILDREN from the new 450-home Chellaston Fields housing development on the southern outskirts of Derby WILL be in the catchment area for Chellaston Academy, a packed secondary school meeting in Melbourne heard

Sue Pegg, head of development for children’s services at Derbyshire County Council, attended the latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council to talk about secondary school provision, with many local parents at the Assembly Rooms to hear what she had to say, along with representatives from the Chellaston community

Talking to the room about how school pupil numbers are worked out, Sue said that while Chellaston Academy had chosen to exclude the new Chellaston Fields development from its catchment, this decision had now been reversed: “Chellaston Fields is now back in the normal area for Chellaston Academy,” she said

Fears about whether pupils from Melbourne will still be able to attend Chellaston Academy have been rumbling on for years, with the school consistently full and local parents wanting their children to access its good reputation and remain with their friends

In its latest newsletter, the academy said it had heard 23 separate appeals for places in the next academic year, and that more than 300 pupils were expected to join year 7 in September – the largest ever cohort in its history

FANCY chasing the fastest bird round Melbourne?

The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is hosting a walk around the village to look at nesting areas for swifts, while offering the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating birds

The walk will in fact not be a swift run but a slow two kilometre stroll around the swifts’ core nesting areas in Melbourne, and will take place in the

Vince has Aston rocking

FIFTIES Rock’n’roll star Vince Eager returned to Astonbury to put on a fabulous show this year Performing in All Saints Church, freshly enhanced with special lighting effects by Tim Davies, Vince had the audience in raptures

Astonbury was, once again, a huge success, raising more than £1,100 for the charities of All Saints Church and the Well Dressing Fund Both venues (the church and the War Memorial Hall) were well attended with an eclectic mix of artists presented both from within the village and from outside Performing alongside Vince at the church were Inside Information, the New Orleans Hot Shots, Jeff Wells, Alison Hurt and Sounds Harmonious with classical music supplied by Ellie Gregson and Cathy Razzell The show was closed by the Rev Tony Luke with his daughter, Charlotte, and his curate, Ed Backhouse, who performed a memorable solo on harmonica imitating a train

The church organ was played by Evadne Robbins and refreshments were laid on in the interval by members of All Saints Parish Church Council

The second concert, held in the War Memorial Hall, offered the Antiques Road Show, Tony Razzell, Drawn Image, Oliver Keane, Emily and Grace Hodgkin, Southern Belle, The Junkyard Angels and Phonic Shock

Thanks must go out to members, past and present, of the Aston Well Dressing Committee who added valuable assistance on the door and front of house The whole event was staged by the Junkyard Angels whose drummer, Nathan Powell, controlled the sound at both concerts

Steve

–

Aynsley

(Festival organiser)

With the school’s space locked in by houses, there are doubts as to how much it could expand

But there was more nuance to the debate as Sue also revealed that on the one side of the scale there were more houses scheduled to be built within the academy’s catchment between now and 2023 – 967, to be exact, producing around 150 extra potential pupils – but there was also a general UK-wide demographic downturn to be taken into consideration

Current projections show that for existing houses, while in 2019 the school’s year 7 cohort is expected to be 315, by 2023 that will go down to 283, falling to 182 by 2028

That presents a finely balanced picture to education leaders with Sue also talking about the second option on the table, which is a planned new secondary school at Lowes Farm near Stenson Fields and the new Infinity Garden Village, which has been previously reported in these pages

But, with a new school taking between three and five years to build, this is certainly not a quick solution

The first and Original Champagne Breakfast

In the meantime, Sue said the aim was for Melbourne pupils to continue to access Chellaston Academy for which they are in the catchment area: “I’ve got to admit, my focus is on getting them (Melbourne children) into Chellaston Academy,” she said “I would prefer to keep them all together ” – Lucy

Champagne Breakfast

Wednesday - Friday 10.30am - 11.45am

Saturday 10am - 11.45am and 1.30pm - 2pm

GOURMET

Fish Evening

Stephens

evening when they are most visible.

The walk takes place at 8 30pm on Saturday, June 23. Places are free but must be booked.

Reserve a spot by contacting the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust on 01773 881188 or at enquiries@derbyshirewt co uk

Participants will learn all about the birds’ amazing lives and why they need our help.

Luncheon

Wednesday - Friday 12 noon - 2.30pm

Saturday 1pm - 2pm

Sunday Luncheon

Thursday 19th July

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Country Living with

Robert Parker

Man’s best friend who is now well over 25

A FARM or any home is not complete wihout a pet of some kind, and a pair of Jack Russells are our said friends. Meg and Raz are mother and son and untypical of their breed – they are not rat and mouse killers unlike my partner ’s dog, Lizzie.

She is mustard and will get bitten by rats to no avail and will not be put off by anything. Meg is a very old dog now, how old I’m not quite sure, but I know that she is well over 25. We have pictures of her with my daughter when she was an early teenager – and Sarah was 40 this year

Life is catching up with her and, sadly, these last few weeks she has been suffering short strokes, at least once a day

She just keels over and whines loudly and after only about a minute she comes round, gets back up and looks around as if to say “what happened then?”

I’ve been told that if a dog is still getting around and eating normally she is not suffering and should be allowed to carry on. Long may this continue.

n May balanced up the weather books and was one of the warmest on record, but a few showers at the end of the month helped all the plants and crops as it was getting very dry

It is always a busy month but this year it was crazy doing jobs we hadn’t been able to do in March and April Spraying and fertilising crops, sowing grain and maize, and silage making right through the month

Now, in early June, we can have a little respite – but there’s still plenty to do. n Once again we have more swallows, and yesterday they were zooming around giving alarm signals that something was amiss

Suddenly a magpie appeared out of the buildings with something in its beak, which I assume was an egg or a baby bird

Of course, this is only nature taking its course but it really does make me angry. Swallows are beautiful harmless birds, and while magpies are also beautiful they are cunning and deadly.

Young farmers’ rally a fun day out

AROUND 1,000 people turned out to a farm in Barrow-upon-Trent to see sheep being shorn and other agricultural highlights at a young farmers’ rally.

The Leicestershire and Rutland Federation of Young Farmers Clubs Annual County Rally is quite a mouthful but that hasn’t stopped it happening each year since 1946 – two years after the federation was formed.

Held in a different place each year, the 2018 event took place at The Grange in Barrow, by kind permission of the Atkin family Rally Committee chairman Alistair Hughes said: “The rally is one fun-packed day full of competitions, teamwork and camaraderie.

“It’s a fantastic event for both competitor and spectator A great day out for all the family.”

The Great British holidays with Roberts

Warners Alvaston Hall Hotel 20th August, 5 Days, £445

we stay in this lovely and comfortable Grade II hotel set in pretty surroundings.

Included in your holiday

• Roberts Gold Service

• 4 nights hotel accommodation, dinner and cooked breakfast

• An excursion to Llangollen

• Entrance to Port Sunlight Museum with guided tour of the village

• Free day to explore Warners and the leisure facilities (some activities chargeable)

Great Railways of Devon & Cornwall

27th August, 5 Days, £475

Llandudno – St Kilda Hotel

Bournemouth, boasting seven miles of golden beach and clear blue sea, is a vibrant cosmopolitan town that has it all.

Included in your holiday

• Roberts Gold Service

• 5 nights hotel accommodation, dinner and cooked breakfast throughout

• Services of a Courier

• Athelhampton House & Gardens

• Day trip to the Isle of Wight and two free days to explore

17th September, 5 Days, £355

You don’t have to be a rail enthusiast to enjoy the wonderful scenery of Devon & Cornwall from a different viewpoint on a train.

Included in your holiday

• Roberts Gold Service

• 4 nights hotel accommodation, dinner and cooked breakfast

• Ride on the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway & the Tamar Valley Line from Plymouth to Gunnislake & the Looe Valley Line to Liskeard

• River Dart ride from Dartmouth to Totnesl

Llandudno is Wales’s largest resort, uniquely situated between the Great and Little Ormes with two wonderful beaches.

Included in your holiday

• Roberts Gold Service

• 4 nights hotel accommodation, dinner and cooked breakfast

• Scenic tour of the North Wales coastline

• Visit to the Welsh Slate Museum

‘Good’ Ofsted report for school

STAFF and governors at Weston-onTrent Primary School are celebrating after they were officially judged “good” once again

The school is seeing record numbers starting this September after a new classroom was unveiled in Autumn 2017 as part of a £300,000 development

Ofsted came calling in May and published its latest inspection findings at the primary school on June 4, saying it was continuing to provide a “good” standard of education

Inspector Andrew Lakatos made particular mention of the school’s “effective strategic planning” and “clear expectations” for teachers

Chair of governors Lynne Clay said: “We are thrilled that the Ofsted inspector has been so perceptive in building up an accurate picture of the quality of teaching in the school and the impact this has had on our pupils

“The inspector was impressed with the overall vibrancy of the school, the behaviour of the children and the quality of their work – and it was clearly evident that our pupils are responding to a learning environment that stimulates and challenges them

“Whilst the judgement has been a fantastic team effort, head teacher Ben O’Connell rightly deserves some of the plaudits because he has never wavered from setting the highest standards and occasionally having to make difficult decisions for the benefit of the school’s continued progression ”

As reported elsewhere in this month’s Village Voice, Mr O’Connell has now left the school and been replaced as head by Sarah Burns, who was a teacher at the school

Ofsted has said it now wants to see Weston Primary getting more pupils achieving higher standards in reading and maths

Go-ahead for 41 new village homes

DETAILED proposals to build 41 more homes in Aston-on-Trent have been given the go-ahead.

The parcel of land on Moor Lane, Aston, had been earmarked for development in the Local Plan and at their latest meeting on June 5, members of South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee agreed the proposals as to how the development will be set out

Outline permission – which gives agreement in principle for a development to happen – was green-lit at a meeting last year

The plans, put forward by Lichfield-based CT Planning, will see a mixture of one to four bed homes built

Of those, 12 will be affordable – ranging from one-bed maisonettes to three-bed semis – and the remainder will be private housing with 19 fourbedroom detached properties

A total of 103 car parking spaces have been allocated in the development with at least two per

house and up to four for the larger homes

However, the planning application did still attract objection from the local community, with Aston’s parish council voicing its own criticisms along with those by members of the community

Planning officers received 27 letters about the proposals, outlining a mixture of objection and support

Some of the objections were regarding the height of the houses with comments that the proposed buildings are too high where they overlook other existing homes

Other concerns were to do with access to the new development

But planning officers recommended the development should be allowed to go ahead, concluding in their report: “The proposal’s high quality design reflects the character of properties within the village, and layout provides attractive new streets without significant impacts on the residential amenity of existing properties adjacent ”

Lucy Stephens

–

EAST MIDLANDS GATEWAY TAKING SHAPE

THE COLOSSAL infrastructure project adjacent to East Midlands Airport moved a step closer to completion with the installation of a new bridge across the M1 and the confirmation that some big named firms are signed up to move into space there

The East Midlands Gateway, which combines a strategic rail freight terminal with “big box” warehousing and road trans-

port connectivity is a “game changing multi-modal scheme” according to Andy Guildford, the chief operating officer for SEGRO, the property investment company developing the site

Mid-May saw the overnight installation of a new bridge across the motorway which will form part of the A6 Kegworth bypass due for completion in March 2019

Meanwhile, the work on the first of the “big box” warehouses saw a significant step forward with the first steel structure now in place, ready for occupation this September Companies are joining the growing list of names ready to move in

The scheme will also deliver a major new rail freight terminal and a public bus terminal has recently opened at the new entrance to the site

Gearing up for the carnival

STUNT motorbikes, an Elvis tribute act, mini GI Joe Jeep vehicles, a Wild West bucking bronco, miniature railway plus dance and singing acts, stalls and tombolas expect it all at this year ’s Melbourne Fete & Carnival

The event, to be held on July 14, has a United States of America theme this year

Anyone interested in a stall

should download a form from www melbournecarnival co uk or email melbournecarnival@hotmail co uk Also see the website for details on joining the procession Tickets will be available in advance from Melbourne News and Sainsbury’s each weekend in the three weeks leading up to the carnival, or on the day at the main gates

Sophie’s memory lives on in bike ride to help save others

PEDAL power is helping raise thousands of pounds to save lives – and it’s all in memory of a brilliant young scientist whose parents live in Melbourne.

On June 2 a group of 31 riders plus a support group set off at 6 30am from Melbourne Pool to cycle their way to Cambridge University in memory of Dr Sophie Miller, who died of a blood disorder in 2016

The riders were raising money and awareness for the Anthony Nolan Trust, whose work includes providing a stem cell matching service

Sophie was a young scientist with a first class Cambridge degree in Natural Sciences who had herself been working in stem cell research before she became ill with Myelodysplasia, a disease in which the body does not make enough healthy blood cells

The Anthony Nolan Trust found a near-perfect stem cell match for Sophie from a donor in America but, unfortunately, the small imperfection meant her body rejected the donation and she died in 2016

Organised by Sophie’s friend James Robinson, this is the second year that the ride has

taken place in her memory at around the time of her birthday, with twice the number of cyclists taking part

Sophie’s brother, Sam Miller, a medical student at Warwick University who joined the ride this year, told the Village Voice before setting off: “The charity means a lot to us – Anthony Nolan match up individuals who are willing to donate their stem cells to people who are desperately in need of stem cell transplants

“The money and awareness that we raise will improve things for someone who finds themselves in the situation that Sophie did ”

Sophie’s mother, Liz Miller,

said she would particularly like to thank Rev Steve Short from Melbourne Parish Church who opened up the church hall so that eight of the cyclists could sleep there before they set off, and other local residents who provided beds

She also thanked Life Cycle UK, a national charity with a Derby branch which lent six bikes to riders free of charge Life Cycle recycles thousands of old bikes for re-use by people who really need them, such as job seekers, and provides qualifications for prisoners who are taught how to strip them down and re-build them

Derby Life Cycle manager Jon Hughes said he had been

happy to support the ride, and that it was also very important for the prisoners who had worked on the bikes to know they were being put to good use

“Our work with prisoners is about contributing something positive back to society when all responsibility has been taken from you,” he said

“The thing they are always really interested in is what happens to the bikes afterwards

“Liz Miller came in to see whether she could hire bikes, but when I heard about what the cause was for I was quite happy to lend her six bikes for free ”

Liz said the whole event had been “brilliant” with all riders –

Walks to keep you happy

despite some having very little experience – completing the 94 miles across Britain an hour under schedule, arriving in Cambridge at 5 30pm with two small punctures and a loose chain the only minor hiccups en route

What was very positive for team Sophie is that people stopped them along the way to ask about Anthony Nolan and its work

“We just want people to realise that with Anthony Nolan they can save a life – if you’re between 16 and 30 it’s all on their website, just a cheek swab is all that’s needed and if you’re a match for somebody it’s a really simple process to give stem cells,” said Liz

“What a fantastic thing it would be to think you’ve given somebody the gift of life Sadly it didn’t work for Sophie but that was very rare most times people go on to live a normal life after a stem cell transplant ”

Find out more about the Anthony Nolan Trust by visiting their website: https://www anthonynolan org/

You can still sponsor the riders by visiting: https://goo gl/SyALxo

ANYONE who likes getting their walking shoes on and striding out into the countryside in the company of a group of people might enjoy two forthcoming walks led by Melbourne Footpaths Group

The first, on Thursday, June 21, is an evening walk to St Brides Lasting 4 5 miles, this walk starts at Melbourne Assembly Rooms at 7 30pm

The next is the “Ten Years of Struggle” walk – referring to the decade of negotiations surrounding a small section of path next to Swarkestone Causeway which now means that people don’t have to walk on the dangerous causeway itself

This Melbourne to Swarkestone circular walk takes place on Thursday, July 19, takes 6 8 miles via the new pathway and starts at Melbourne Assembly Rooms at 10am

Road closure

DERBY Road in Melbourne will be closed between Chapel Street and Queensway from August 2224 for water works to take place

The works are scheduled to take place between 9am and 5pm but it is thought they will take less time than has been allowed for

History made as our football clubs merge

FOOTBALL in Melbourne

will see a momentous occasion this month as its adult club – Dynamo – unifies with the junior side, United, to become one club for the first time

The new club’s age range will start at six years old running right up to adults, with a total of 18 teams coming under the banner of Melbourne Dynamo next season

Senior football in Melbourne saw various teams play under the Melbourne name including Melbourne St Michaels in the 1920s, Melbourne Athletic in the 1930s, Melbourne Amateurs and Melbourne Youth Club in the 1940s But it was in 1949 that Melbourne Dynamo was formed via an Under 18s team which became Melbourne Dynamo Senior side in 1950

There were many local pub sides such as Alma Inn, White Swan and the famous Melbourne Hotel football side of the 1970s but Melbourne Dynamo continued into the 1990s with this side being particularly successful, winning the Derby Senior division two, one and then premier league in successive seasons as well as numerous cups Former semi-professional players such as Steve Adcock, Mark Winters and Mark Carlin all played for the club

But last season was the most successful in the club’s history with four trophies: Dynamo Reserves in fact doing the treble with both the first team and Reserves winners of their respective Derbyshire Southern Cups Melbourne United FC was

formed in 1986 when local parent Graham Moore wanted a place for his son Garry to play locally with his friends

So, with the help of several mums and dads, Melbourne United was formed and has grown to the 15 teams it has today, along with a very successful Saturday morning soccer school where the youngest players are just four!

With the development of the Melbourne Sports Park on Cockshut Lane and the fantastic facilities now available for football in Melbourne, representatives from United and Dynamo have been working together to unify football in the town

From next season the new Melbourne Dynamo junior division will sport brand new kit

with a fresh new club badge designed by competition winner Jake Greene, a player for the Under 16s

Both clubs have grown in recent years as the adult side boasts more than 50 players and a brand new Sunday side; Melbourne United’s membership now stands at nearly 300 children – a huge increase from less than 100 in the 2011/12 season

Having a single club presents one identity to provide football from under six right up to the seniors, offering a pool of local players available to feed into the adult sides and a goal of competing at high level for aspiring Melbourne juniors

Club chairman Mark Jackaman gave his thoughts on the merger saying: “It’s a really ex-

On the trail of strange scarecrows

THEY’RE scarecrows but not as you’ve seen them before

This year ’s Weston-on-Trent Scarecrow trail is happening on the weekend of June 16 and 17 and, although it is not known what on earth is in store for visitors, one thing is for certain – there will be plenty of surprises

Weston’s annual scarecrow trail has been running since 2002 with last year ’s event raising £1,500 for Annabel’s Angels, a charitable trust improving lives for people with cancer in Derby

Proceeds from this year ’s trail will be shared between Weston’s village hall and the Padley Group, which provides services to the homeless and vulnerable

Fairytale characters, stars of the stage, horses, giant Lego figures –local residents in Weston seem to have a limitless imagination when it comes to designing scarecrows, the wilder and wackier the better

The scarecrows will be on display from noon on the Saturday until the evening of Sunday Visitors can pick up a trail map and quiz sheet from the village hall, and follow the trail to view the scarecrows and answer fun and fiendish clues to win prizes for both adults and children

It will soon be Tick-tock-nall

citing time for the clubs to come together; both are in great shape, attracting new players and winning trophies Recognising the history and the standard at which Dynamo compete we agreed it was right to maintain their name

“Melbourne United has provided many great memories for players, coaches and all supporters of all ages that will live for years to come Graham and his family can be very proud of what he started over 30 years ago

“We have ambitious dreams, great facilities and a growing number of volunteers prepared to give their time to the club ”

On Saturday, June 16, the club has arranged a Family Fun Day to celebrate the merger with many of the new club’s teams playing in matches over the course of the day, along with four World Cup games being televised at the MSP followed by a race night in the evening with chilli being served

Tickets for the race night are available from any club official or via either club's Facebook page

– Alex Slater

THE clock at St George’s Church in Ticknall has not chimed for several years But now, thanks to a National Lottery grant of £11,500 alongside donations from Ticknall Preservation and Historical Society and the parish council, it is set to be restored to full working order

The clock dates back to 1813 and was made by John Whitehurst, a renowned clockmaker from Derby

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the clock is being removed and taken to Smith of Derby for a full restoration and repair When it returns at the end of the summer, it will also be fitted with an electric winder eliminating the need to manually wind the clock as has been done for the past 200 years.

In fact the clock pre-dates the church, having been on the previous building

The current St George’s Church was built in 1842 after the previous one was blown up because it was not deemed large enough The atmospheric remains of the old church still stand in the graveyard. The old church clock was saved from the blown-up church and moved to the current St George’s.

Churchwarden Mary Hirst said: “Thanks from everyone at St George’s for the support given by the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the project – we look forward to hearing the clock chime once again!”

Supported through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the project will also undertake a programme of events documenting the clock’s history and its restoration

A series of talks will engage and inform the community about the importance of the clock The project will also link up with Dame Catherine’s School to deliver a project about time.

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l Melbourne’s Under-7 youngsters, named The Magic, taken before their first game of the season, during which they won 11 games.

l Flowerpot jeans one of the unusual sights on a previous scarecrow trail in Weston

Tribute to Private Hatton

FOR a few moments in the spring sunshine, all that could be heard in Melbourne Cemetery was the solemn sound of the Reveille as a final dedication service was held at the grave of Wallace Hatton –nearly a century after he died

As previously recorded in the Village Voice, Private Hatton of Melbourne fought in the First World War but died of his injuries shortly afterwards

He had been married in 1916 and, poignantly, his only son William also gave his life for his country when he was killed in the Second World War in France in 1940

Local researcher Adrian Earp presented Wallace’s story to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission so that his grave could be properly marked with a headstone – previously, it had been unmarked

Then, on May 6 this year, a special service organised by the Royal British Legion was held at his

grave Melbourne Legion vice-chair Brian Budd gave a welcome address before Mr Earp talked to the assembled company Melbourne Parish Church vicar Rev Steve Short also gave an address and blessed the headstone, before Cathy Lester from Melbourne Town Band played the Last Post

A member of the Notts & Derby Regiment of the Sherwood Foresters, Private Hatton had been a market gardener before joining up in 1914

He was injured in the eye in 1918 and was operated on in Germany as a prisoner of war After coming home he continued treatment at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary but died from septicaemia

A Derby Telegraph report at the time tells how he was awarded a full military funeral in Melbourne’s Wesleyan chapel

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Library service strategy under fire

DERBYSHIRE County Council (DCC) is facing growing opposition to its Library Service Strategy which would see many libraries reducing opening hours, and the transfer of the least used 20 – including Melbourne – to the voluntary sector to run to make cost savings The strategy is now open for public consultation.

A petition, posted by MP for High Peak Ruth George calls upon DCC to continue to support the libraries and maintain them as part of the council managed service It has already attracted nearly 2000 signatures, with another month for Derbyshire residents to add their names

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Coming this Summer: Outside fire kitchen

Butchery workshops

Pop up supper club

Steak night with Sven-Hanson Britt

Pick your own pumpkin party

Sheep Showing workshops

Tractor race course

Giant Sandpit & corn pit

‘Play in the garden’ activities

Fresh fruit smoothies

Bluebells ice-cream

Pick your own herb garden

Pick your own veg party - with scarecrow making and other activities

Meanwhile, the consultation period is in full swing, and library officers visited Melbourne branch on May 17 to explain the plans Concerns were raised about the continued financial support should a voluntary group come forward to run the library, as the current plan provides continued support for only four years Any takeover group would have to find the equivalent of £10,000 per year to meet costs at current levels

Another main concern raised with the officers was the alternative options if a voluntary group did not come forward The consultation referred to a range of other options, which included closure of libraries and outsourcing

One elderly visitor to the drop-in event in Melbourne said she could not understand why we cannot afford to keep them open: “After the war we had all these new libraries and schools and facilities when we were much worse off and now we are told we can’t afford to keep them ”

Other visitors expressed concerns about the impact on staff, who it is expected would either be transferred or lose jobs Many library staff have been on short-term contracts for some time, anticipating this kind of staffing reduction

The county council says it is having to look at different ways of managing libraries because of budgetary challenges and a decline in usage

Council leader Barry Lewis said: “We know how important our libraries are to communities across Derbyshire and are doing all we can to ensure that everyone knows about our proposals and has the opportunity to have their say

“We are confident our plans will secure the future of our libraries but we’re open to alternative suggestions on how the service could be run and encourage everyone with an interest to get involved ”

The consultation runs through until July 30 Another consultation event is planned for Melbourne Library on June 14 between 2 and 4pm

There will also be a community libraries’ focus group session in Melbourne, in which residents are told they will be able to give views, “discuss the practicalities and challenges” and “decide if you want to take your interest further”

The Melbourne focus group has been arranged for Thursday, June 28, from 6-8pm, in the library – Frank Hughes

n See Letters on Page 18

Animal farm in bid for a bigger and better return

FROM rare breed Southdown miniature sheep to Angora goats, from alpacas to lavender Pekin chickens a selection of more than 40 further furry and feathered creatures could be coming to Melbourne as part of the village animal farm’s expansion proposals now lodged with district council planners

Melbourne Animal Farm had been based at Ivy House until February this year when it was shut down because of too many cars parked on the fast Melbourne to Ticknall road, called The Common

The farm had held a pig-based half-term attraction which had drawn visitors from as far away as Chesterfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham But the success of the week highlighted the fact that the existing premises were not big enough to accommodate large numbers of cars parking on the side of the road

The district council issued the farm with a temporary stop notice but now owners Carla and Phil Shaw have applied to recreate and expand the farm on a field they own over the road, next to Whistlewood Common

Their plans include increasing the number of animals from around 40 to 85 on the 10 5-acre site; the drawings also include room for 42 cars including six disabled spaces, plus an area for overflow parking if needed

The Shaws are proposing incorporating an indoor play farm (in an existing barn on the site) giving children the opportunity to get up close to creatures alongside offering animal boarding on the same site

The plans include temporary accommodation for an on-site manager to be on hand to help tend the animals, plus a refreshments cabin and two barns – one giving access to a horticulture area and the other for storing straw and fodder

Other planned enterprises include demonstration of wool spinning from the Southdown sheep – which are part of a UK programme to expand rare breeds – as well as breeding alpacas and of-

fering therapies for people with learning and social difficulties, through interaction with animals

In their business plan submitted to planners the Shaws said: “Based on the success we have already experienced for Melbourne Animal Farm at Ivy House we are confident that the business concept works and that there is an untapped need in the area It has been identified during peak times that at Ivy House there was limited parking causing problems with obstructing the highways and we feel that our new proposed site will address all the concerns mentioned The larger proposed site will also allow the business to grow and in doing so will show an increase in revenue which will generate the need for employment ”

The couple told the Village Voice that they were excited about their proposals and hoped they would be given permission to fulfil them

The plans are currently available to view on South Derbyshire District Council’s website

– Lucy Stephens

School’s Lego lessons

IT WAS time for the parents to take over school in Astonon-Trent – when pupils and teachers finished the latest half-term on a high.

On ASPA Day the PTA (known as Aston School Parents’ Association (ASPA)) take over the school and run lessons based around a particular theme.

This year ’s theme was LEGO and building, which was particularly appropriate as the children have spent the last two terms watching a new classroom take shape.

The children were lucky enough to enjoy workshops run by Bricks 4 Kidz where they built racing cars and fairground rides out of LEGO, junk modelling sessions with prizes for the best robots and tallest tower Parents were invited into school to see what the children had been doing and enjoy tea and coffee and homemade cake at the ASPA tea party, proceeds of which will go towards new equipment for the school.

Mayhem on the streets of Melbourne

MELBOURNE MAYHEM might sound like a great Friday night out in the village, but this was the theme for Melbourne Historical Research Group’s latest exhibition

Stories of Murder, Misdemeanours and Malefactors had been comprehensively researched and clearly displayed

The Rawdon Street murder in 1885 and an incident at the Roebuck in 1828 featured in the murder section, while a robbery in 1906 of the Birmingham and District and Counties Bank, which stood on the

Market Place features amongst the misdemeanours

There was an assault on cyclists, illegal use of a catapult, and an incident at a public auction of land in 1919, where there were threats to a prospective purchaser to “drop him from the window ”

Featuring in the general mayhem section was the strike at Loake’s shoe factory in 1913, where workers had been dismissed for wanting to join a union and agitate for better pay, as the factory paid 8 shillings below the nationally agreed rate of

22 shillings per week

Also on display was the story of how the Derby Hangman was recruited around 1660 John Crosland, his father and brother were found guilty of the capital offence of horse theft and to escape punishment the father and elder brothers were in turn offered pardon if they agreed to hang the others Whereas father and elder brother declined, John had no scruples and hung his own family He was subsequently given the job of county executioner!

The exhibition was also an opportunity to launch MHRG’s latest publication “School’s Out” – a history of Melbourne Senior School The book is a comprehensive account of the building, the origins and architecture as well as the staff, pupils, memories and educational side of its history A nice touch is that it is dedicated to Richard Heath, a founder of the group, whose account of his school days is featured The book is available to buy (see website for details www mhrg org uk)

l Ben and Thomas playing with bricks

Photo: TINA BAKER

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LEFT: Pupils from Sale & Davys School celebrating the Royal Wedding

RIGHT: The Rev Steve Short was on hand at Melbourne Infant School to help the children stage their own Royal Wedding.

FAR RIGHT: Children at Weston Primary School celebrated the Royal Wedding al fresco as they welcomed new head teacher Sarah Burns.

DIDN’T WE A

SO, HARRY married Meghan on May 19 and around the local area different groups of people chose a variety of ways in which to mark the occasion

At Melbourne Infant School, children staged their own version of the forthcoming proceedings on Friday, May 18 – officiated by the Rev Steve Short of Melbourne Parish Church himself! The occasion attracted a special report on BBC Radio Derby and children enjoyed an al fresco wedding feast afterwards

Head teacher Charlotte Gibbs said: “It was excellent We did it because we think an event like that should be something we celebrate in school Some of the children probably hadn’t even been born when there was the last Royal Wedding! I think it was one of my favourite days we’ve ever had in this school ”

Meanwh were asked senting mo challenge w from the G cricket Scallywa a whole day ing hand d first dance, toasting th tant disco t The child ding card Duchess of The Scou with Union chose to ma

2.

(Photo: IAN HODGKINSON/Pictureit)

l Pupils at Melbourne Junior School were tasked with dressing in attire representing modern Britain.

l Children at Scallywags Nursery in Melbourne.

ALL ENJOY THAT WEDDING!

ile, at Melbourne Juniors, children d to dress in their own clothes repredern Britain – and they rose to the with a variety of costume ideas ranging Great British Bake Off to nursing to gs Nursery marked the occasion with y of different activities including makyed wedding bouquets, practising the making confetti, racing wedding cars, e bride and groom and the all-imporo round things off dren had also designed their own wedwhich they posted to the Duke and Sussex ut hut on Packhorse Road was awash flags as Puddleducks Pre-School also ark the day by staging their own wed-

LEFT: Children from Kangaroos had a right Royal tea party

RIGHT: Children from Puddleducks Nursery are pictured holding their own mock-up Royal Wedding ceremony

ding Children dressed in their party outfits, held their own role-play ceremony and then enjoyed a special feast finished off with wedding cake

At Melbourne pre-school Kangaroos children also enjoyed a right Royal tea party, while over at Sale & Davys School in Barrow-upon-Trent both staff and pupils dressed to the nines for the day as if they were in Windsor itself

The school said: “To embrace British Values in the curriculum and celebrate the event of the Royal wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle pupils and staff dressed in wedding attire for the day, we even had a vicar!

“During collective worship pupils watched parts of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge comparing and contrasting the ceremony to that of a traditional Sikh wedding which might take place in Britain today

“Some staff brought in their wedding dresses and pupils enjoyed guessing which dress belonged to which member of staff Pupils designed wedding memorabilia, wedding breakfast menus, wedding dresses and enjoyed a ‘street party’ style celebration out in the afternoon sunshine ”

Things were just as celebratory over at Weston Primary School where children enjoyed an afternoon party, which also served to welcome their new head teacher, Sarah Burns, who takes over from Ben O’Connell Sarah has been a teacher at the school since 2002 when it was in its previous building – seeing it grow from a handful of pupils to today’s number of 121

On the day of the wedding itself, there were different celebrations around and about, including a large street party in Melbourne’s Spinney Hill

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Top honour for two Girl Guides

TWO committed Girl Guides from Weston-on-Trent achieved high honours when they received their Baden Powell Awards –making them some of the top performing in the whole of Derbyshire

Elsa Cooper and Mia Lawson were recognised for their efforts when they were handed their awards at a special ceremony in Weston’s village hall

The Baden Powell Award is the highest in guiding and each year around 60 girls receive it in Derbyshire – out of 8,000 guides

The awards have not been given to any Girl Guide in Weston for at least a decade

The two 16-year-olds, who attend First Aston and Weston Girl Guides, have been working towards their Baden Powell honour for the past 18 months

To achieve it, guides must complete 10 tasks, which can include anything from organising guiding evenings, going on a residential trip somewhere new, learning first aid or doing something to help the environment

Mia and Elsa, who have been members of the brownies and guides movement since starting Rainbows when they were six, were presented with their Baden Powell Awards by county

commissioner Annette Heartfield

Annette said: “This is the highest award that you can get while you are a guide It’s something to be very proud of because not many girls get it, you have to work hard

“Although you get the support of your guide leaders, it’s something you have to lead

“Well done to both of you because it’s a big achievement ”

Receiving her award, Mia told the group of guides: “I really recommend this to all of you because it’s a great experience It makes you meet new

Iain’s epic trek in the Himalayas

FORMER Melbourne GP Dr Iain Black has returned safe and well from his challenging trek in the Himalayas, featured in April’s Village Voice. Here, he tells of his epic travels in aid of Treetops Hospice

“I travelled to Nepal to meet a group of 11 fellow trekkers, in the bustle and dust of Kathmandu We would trek for the first week up a deep melt-water river valley through foothills, following a circuit of the Annapurna mountain range We stayed in ‘teahouses’, small but comfortable lodgings with communal dining area, walking usually 12-20 miles a day in between each lodge. Porters, called Sherpas, carried our luggage, so walking was fairly easy

easier walking downhill!

“Overall, the mountain scenery is fantastic, the trekking is demanding, the country is full of contrasts, wild, inhospitable and remote in the north; green and fertile in the south, and people are welcoming and kind but my delicate constitution and their diet didn’t really get on well!

“I would also like to thank all of those who have already donated to my fundraising cause, Treetops, and donations are still welcome on w w w j u s t g i v i n g c o m / f u n d r a i s i n g / i a i nblack01, where you can also view some stunning pictures of the scenery.”

people ”

Mia and Elsa undertook a variety of challenges to get their awards, including completing lots of different badges such as water safety and cooking, along with running their own guiding sessions for members

“Doing this badge gives you more confidence and the ability to meet new people,” said Elsa

First Aston & Weston Guides always appreciate more volunteers to be guide leaders Anyone interested is welcome to contact the group on westonguides@gmail com

Lucy Stephens

“After seven days we started the serious ascent and the thin air and altitude started to tell on the group I was pretty breathless for the crossing of the Thorong-la, the highest point at 17,800 feet, and a couple of the group needed to be carried by ponies on the last stage. One of our number needed an oxygen cylinder to assist breathing, helped by my medical encouragement!

“But everyone succeeded in making the crossing of one of the highest passes in the Himalayas, surrounded by fantastic snow covered and glaciated mountain peaks

“The rest of the walk took us down the deepest gorge in the world, again following another river bed between Dhaulgiri and Nilgiri (summits in the Annapurna range) and through rhododendron tree forests to lakeside Pokhara It is so much

l MELBOURNE Rugby Football Club held its annual awards dinner for 100 people at the Melbourne Sporting Partnership, hosted by chairman Peter Ilott and president David Smith, and pictured are this year ’s winners

Something for everyone at fun day

GET ready for summer with a village fun day to be held in Breedon-on-the-Hill on June 24

The day begins with a gentle guided walk from the village green at 9am, which will take participants to the 12th century village church This will be followed by a guided tour and a light celebratory service

The activity then moves to the village green from 11am with school children opening the event The new Breedon heritage trail will be officially opened and the day’s fun will include children’s entertainment from Wigston Mini Fire

Engine, a climbing wall in the afternoon and face painting, plus lots of games

There will be a classic car show, live music on the green and a barbeque with beers and cold drinks to take away from the Hollybush Inn

There will also be stalls, a caricaturist, crafts, representation from local charities, tea and cakes from the WI, plus a bake-off

There will also be a dog show

The day will finish with the legendary duck race through the village at 4 45pm when 300 ducks will float to the finishing post

–

l Elsa Cooper (left) and Mia Lawson with their Baden Powell certificates.

HELP YOUR FAMILY BY MAKING A WILL

l Pictured with her arrangement depicting the Great Fire of London is Ros Baker (seated) with grandaughter Amelie. Standing (l-r) are Christina Openhiemer, Jeff Collett, Mary Hirst, Dave Armstrong, organiser Maggie Fenby-Taylor and Melanie Payne

VISITORS to Ticknall were entertained with two sorts of art over the first May Bank Holiday as imaginative residents showed their creative side in paint and in flowers

Ticknall Art Group held its summer exhibition–the 24th year it has been held, having started in 1994

Plenty of people came to visit the exhibition and group members sold many paintings Over the same bank holiday, St George’s

Church in Ticknall held its biennial flower festival

Traditionally operating on a theme, this year ’s show was entitled “A moment in history” with contributions ranging from the Great Fire of London, the plague, Women’s Suffrage, Nelson Mandela and the contribution of Ticknall’s WI in the First World War

The flower festival raised £1,100 for the church

Walking to give something back

MELBOURNE best friends and health professionals

Helen Spencer and Clare Johnson will be putting their best feet forward this month – by taking part in a gruelling endurance challenge to give something back to the hospice which cared for the whole Spencer family through the death of Helen’s husband, Tim, last year.

When Helen and Clare take part in the Manx Telecom Parish Walk – a tough endurance challenge in which participants trek 85 miles around the Isle of Man’s 17 parishes in the space of 24 hours – it will be for many reasons

They are raising money for Treetops Hospice, which provided unparalleled care and support for the Spencer family through the final weeks of Tim’s illness and beyond

The place is important, too: The Isle of Man has long been associated with motorbikes through the TT Races – and motorbikes were Tim’s lifelong passion He even left his own bike to his eldest child, daughter Grace, and George Formby’s Riding in the TT Races greeted mourners at his funeral

As Helen put it, taking part in the Manx challenge seemed entirely fitting

Writing on her fund-raising web page, she said: “Tim, my husband, was diagnosed with lymphoma in September 2016 and underwent chemotherapy early 2017, but unfortunately the cancer was too aggressive and in the April he came home to die

“I would not have been able to look after Tim if it had not been for Grace, Seth and Stanley

“My three amazing children

all took turns to sit with Daddy, Grace would often stay awake at night in case she needed to help me pick up Daddy after a fall, Seth would make copious amounts of tea for me and keep Daddy up to date on the Derby scores, and Stanley was in charge of cuddles and would spend hours in bed just hugging

“Tim passed away on May 10 at home in bed just how he wanted, with all four of us holding his hand

“Losing Tim was such a lifechanging event for us all, and the children have been able to cope emotionally with the support of Treetops Seth and Stanley have regular counselling, enabling them to make positive memories about Tim, and has given them a safe and secure place to talk about their fears and hopes for the future

“Our journey is still ongoing but, as a family, this experience has made us closer and stronger As a family we would like to give something back to Treetops as a thank you ”

Close friend Clare said she also wanted to thank Treetops for their support for the Spencers – and she has also seen the hospice’s work with other families, too Working at the Parkinson’s service in Derby, she has seen the benefits of the hospice’s non-cancer day for people with long-term progressive conditions with services such as massage and counselling, plus offering a respite to hard-working carers

This is not Helen and Clare’s first long walk together; as reported in The Village Voice at the time they also completed the Yorkshire Coast to Coast challenge a couple of years ago in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust, a charity which was also close to their hearts during Tim’s illness

To contribute to Helen and Clare’s walk, which takes place on June 23 and 24, you can visit their fund-raising page at: https://www justgiving com/fun draising/helen-spencer13

– Lucy Stephens

l Tim Spencer on his beloved motorbike with Grace, Seth and Stan (in front).

Online chance to buy a new home

NEW homes being built on Melbourne’s Jawbone Lane will be up for sale as soon as the end of this month – with the housebuilder re-iterating its pledge of more than a quarter of a million pounds in the local community.

Miller Homes has told the Village Voice that it is proud to be investing £274,500 “in such a beautiful area” – a promise that has been noted locally after the builder put up a large noticeboard on site detailing its payments under Section 106 planning regulations

The builder has also revealed that, as part of its investment, a payment of £18,765 will be paid to local ecological project Whistlewood Common

The Jawbone Lane development, to be called Victoria Gardens, is made up of three, four and five bed homes and is open for online reservations as early as June 28 – the first of the builder ’s Midlands developments to be operating this online system so that buyers can secure a property before the marketing suite opens

Miller Homes has said its payments to the community will include more than £100,000 in the growth of Chellaston Academy plus £80,000 towards facilities at Melbourne Infant and Junior schools

A statement from the builder says: “Additionally, Miller Homes is supporting the much-loved Kings Newton Bowls Club with a grant of £14,244, with £25,612 going towards Melbourne

Sports Park Also, Melbourne and Chellaston Medical Practice will see a £13,000 injection of funds ”

Alastair Parsons, area sales director for Miller Homes Midlands, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be investing in such a beautiful area, supporting its current growth and therefore ensuring Melbourne continues to be an enjoyable place to live for families in the future We believe these developments will help to bring the townspeople together, giving its residents a great sense of pride in their community ”

Whistlewood Common’s board welcomed the payment, saying the money would be put to “good use developing the community garden project –that will enable residents of Melbourne, children and other community groups to learn about growing food sustainably, working with the natural world”

Whistlewood have also won a £2,000 grant from Greggs, which will be used to re-shape its ponds, creating a seating area and creating an educational space around the pond for pond dipping studying wildlife, with a multi-purpose bird hide also planned – all in 2019

Since 2013 Whistlewood members have planted more than 4,000 trees, creating new orchards, ponds and habitats and are about to build a new hub building for which local people have collected thousands of wine bottles which will be used to provide under-floor insulation

01530

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Centenary painting unveiled

MICHAEL COOK’S painting

“Swords into Ploughshares” was unveiled at Melbourne Assembly Rooms in front of an appreciative audience

The artwork was commissioned by the parish council as a permanent commemoration for the WW1 Armistice Centenary and it will now go on tour around the village so that as many residents as possible get to see it

Cllr Sheila Hicklin, chair of the council, thanked Michael and others who had helped to bring the idea to fruition and said she was both proud and honoured to unveil the picture

Michael said he was pleased with the finished work He said it had been an interesting challenge trying to work within the three-section framework for it to be transformed into a stained

glass window

He felt that he “succeeded in fitting together the three themes of the Biblical Quotation, the War and Market Gardening ”

The work was well received by the audience One visitor described it as “very moving, it brought tears to my eyes ” Another very young viewer said Michael “had done a really good job!”

A limited number of prints of the original work are also being snapped up Purchasing a copy, Joanne Raven said it was a present for Father ’s day “My grandfather came back from WW1 to become a head gardener in Gloucestershire, he was very disturbed to have shot someone and his work in horticulture helped him to recover, so the themes in the work are

very poignant ”

The picture will be on display until May 25 at MARs, before moving to 11 venues across the village, including the junior school, Community Care office, the library and the cemetery chapel

Michael is still hopeful that the artwork will be translated into a permanent stained-glass window for the chapel, but this is very unlikely to happen until the project to refurbish the building is funded and completed

Shooting arrests

l Jane Carroll, Andrew Jackson, Sheila Hicklin, Michael Cook, Mick Usher and Carol Fearria with the painting.

Village Voice Postbag

RESIDENTS will be aware from April’s Village Voice that Derbyshire County Council has to significantly reduce spending on the library service, and this will have a detrimental impact on Melbourne library

A public consultation is currently underway to help the council decide where the library cuts should fall The council’s preferred option is for the 20 least-used libraries, including Melbourne, to be run entirely by volunteers with no professional library staff on the premises

Of course Melbourne is a wonderful community and no doubt a band of public-spirited volunteers will offer their services to keep the library going However, it is less well publicised that, having handed the running of the library over to volunteers, the council proposes to progressively reduce funding for Melbourne library so that after four years funding will cease altogether According to figures published by the council, it costs around £9,600 per year to run the library building Who will pay for this once council funding has been withdrawn?

Although the council claims that no libraries will close, the future of Melbourne library looks uncertain

I am therefore appealing to all local residents to fill in the council’s consultation questionnaire, to demonstrate that the people of Melbourne and the surrounding villages value our library and want the council to continue to support it

Even if you don’t currently use the library, you may find that at a different stage in your life –perhaps when you have young children or when you retire – the library becomes important to you

In fact, I would recommend to anyone who has-

n’t investigated the library yet that you pop in and see what a friendly, welcoming place and what an asset to the village it is

The questionnaire can be found on the council’s website at www derbyshire gov uk/librariesforderbyshire or paper copies can be picked up from the library The closing date for responses is July 30 Please take five minutes to fill one in and support our library!

Our library needs YOU Motorhome

Gill Williams Spinney Hill, Melbourne

n Derbyshire County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism Councillor Barry Lewis said: “In Derbyshire, unlike some other authorities, no static libraries have closed in recent years and a number of new, replacement libraries have been built in South Normanton, Heanor, Glossop and Ashbourne Another is planned for Belper in 2019

“But by 2020 we need to save £53m due to pressure on services and reducing funding from central Government

“The proposal is for some services to be run by community groups with funding from the council reducing over four years from 110% in Year 1 to 40% in Year 4 We would closely support groups during this time with the aim of helping them to become self-funding by year 5

“But no decisions have been taken We’ve launched a public consultation to find out what local people think of the proposals and we’d really like to hear from as many people as possible

“A drop-in session is being held at Melbourne Library on Thursday, June 14, from 2pm-4pm and we hope that people pop in, talk to us about the proposals, ask questions and find out more ”

Help us mow down plastic lawns

WE WOULD like to draw peoples’ attention to the very worrying trend to use artificial plastic lawns in Melbourne (and elsewhere)

Laid down “as an alternative to grass” presumably because plastic is said to require less maintenance and provide all-weather utility, these ‘fake grass’ surfaces are worse than paving over gardens They are thoroughly bad for the environment because:

1 They reduce natural habitat for wildlife, including insects, amphibians, hedgehogs, birds etc, which are already under enormous pressure from housing development and modern agricultural methods (Ultimately we humans depend on the natural world for the food we eat and the air we breathe )

2 Over time the plastic will inevitably wear and degrade, leading to further and significant

plastic waste, which ends up in landfill or as literally millions of small green plastic fragments contaminating the soil, rivers and oceans (Did you not see “Blue Planet 2” on TV?)

Currently there are some really encouraging positive actions being taken to improve the plastic waste situation with reductions in plastic wrappings and improved plastic recycling, although there is still a very long way to go Covering the ground in plastic seems like a terrible backward step In view of this, we urge fellow residents to avoid the scourge of artificial lawns, no matter how persuasive the advertising or the salesperson Gardens are critically important wildlife sanctuaries in an increasingly hostile environment and need to be made as wildlife friendly as is possible Melbourne Area Transition

You can write to us with your comments, views, ideas, questions etc at letters@melbournevillagevoice.co.uk or by post...

The Village Voice, 11 North Street, Melbourne DE73 8FZ

Please include your name and address, not necessarily for publication.

prize at carnival

THERE can be few people left in Melbourne who do not know of the plight of Clive and Yvonne Karusseit, who are battling the Home Office so that they may be allowed indefinite leave to remain in the UK

The support group formed from local people with the aim of raising funds to support the family’s legal case is offering visitors to the Melbourne Carnival in July the chance to win one of the most valuable raffle prizes ever offered at the event

The support group will be offering raffle tickets with the chance that one lucky winner will get four days’ free use of a four-berth motorhome The motorhome will be equipped with the essentials for a long weekend getaway and will even include a full tank of diesel The four-day hire could be worth up to £1,000

The motorhome will be on display during the carnival and is sure to impress with its style and usability The long week-

end break will offer the winner

the chance to “get away from it

all” and experience the joys of the British countryside and will offer other carnival attendees the chance to contribute to a very deserving cause

The Karusseit Support Group looks forward to welcom-

ing all those attending the Melbourne Carnival to our stand for what we hope will be a great day

Martin Fitzpatrick

(On behalf of Karusseit Support Group)

15 Earp Way Melbourne

Easter bonnet photo memory

THE black and white Easter bonnet picture in April’s edition would have been taken in 1981

My son, David Holt, is at the far left of the picture, and that

was the year he started school We left Melbourne in 1983 and, unfortunately, David doesn’t remember any of his former classmates, but I do remember

THANK you to the anonymous donor who gave the gold chenille table cloth to our kitchenalia collection; it was so kind of you and very much appreciated Linda and Jack Iliffe, Melbourne

Joanne and Ian Nadin (twins), third and fourth to David’s left, and Rebecca Crossley (front row, fourth from right ) Anita Holt

GEORGE RICHARD HEATH 1937-2018

RICHARD was born in 1937, son of George and Alice and the eldest brother to Clifford, David and Gillian He grew up in Windsor Avenue, Melbourne

After leaving school Richard went to work for the family building firm He was also of a generation to be one of the very last to do compulsory National Service and spent a period in the Royal Engineers

Being what brother Clifford described as “of the less practical side” as a young man Richard decided to study further He then did part-time work teaching at Sudbury prison and eventually qualified through the Open University to lecture in construction

He left the family firm and spent the remainder of his working life teaching and guiding apprentices at Wilmorton College of Further Education, where they fondly knew him as ‘The Farmer ’

Following retirement, he turned in earnest to his passion for local history, giving talks to the community, leading walkabouts and writing books and ar-

ticles for the Village Voice A self-educated man, Richard often joked that if he had received a formal education he would have been dangerous!

He lived a life that was simple and good but also very significant in the local community He gave his time and service to many

At various stages in his long life he was chairman of the Rotary Club, president of the cricket club, chairman of Probus and founder member of the Civic Society He was a member of the historical society and chairman of the Thomas Cook Trustees He also showed a keen involvement developing young minds in his work at Melbourne Junior School

One of his greatest passions was recognising our armed services and he was heavily involved in the local branch of the Royal British Legion, of which he was president for many years He always felt humbled to march on Remembrance Day and felt honoured to read the Act of Homage at the annual service

He was also a devoted family man, beloved husband to Jenseen, proud father to Jonathan and Clare, and de-

voted grandfather to James, Olivia and Kieran

His grandchildren often referred to him as Mr Melbourne, or Professor Piecrust – much to his delight

Richard will also be remembered by them for his wonderful sense of humour; he often told his grandchildren that life is worth nothing without laughter and he was famous with them for a constant stream of terrible quick puns and humorous anecdotes

One of his favourite lines was to honour his apprentices with the Order of the DCM (do not come Monday!) And to quote

4,000 knitted poppies later

him “as a bricklayer you’re a complete and utter failure, but as an idiot you’re a resounding success”

Richard also loved the outdoors and nature – gardening and walking in the local countryside – and spent many a Sunday as “Red Leader” striding out with his family pointing out the trees and birds and handing out the odd Polo mint to keep them going

He was a smiling, jovial and immensely friendly man, who loved nothing more than to stop in the village and chat and chat and chat

In the last few years as Richard’s health began to fail it is to his great credit that he still cared, loved and looked after his wife Jenseen proudly and without falter

It gave the family great comfort that Richard passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 2, when his family were all around him

To quote from the Eulogy read at his service: “It does not matter what we bought or what we had What matters is what we built, what we gave to others, and what we shared with them ”

This epitomises Richard

Melbourne man through and through

IT IS WITH immense sadness that we report on the passing of another Melbourne stalwart (George) Richard Heath

As Councillor Hicklin, chair of Melbourne Parish Council, said: “Richard was a Melbourne man through and through The groups he belonged to read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Melbourne societies ”

Colleague Colin Nicklin, who worked with Richard for many years at Derby College, said: “Richard was an excellent lecturer and what he did not know about Melbourne was not worth knowing He always had the town at heart and made sure things were done in the interest of the town ”

In 1974 he was a founder of Melbourne Civic Society and a past chairman Current chairman, Dr Paul Grimley, wrote: “Richard was a founder member and past chairman of Melbourne Civic Society At our 40th anniversary meeting 2014, he regaled us with the tale of the early years of the society A group of “Angry Young Men” set up a steering group to prevent the demolition of Chantry House in Church Street, the felling of all the trees and the building of houses on the site Needless to say, this was successful: Chantry House is still standing, and the steering group became the civic society We remain grateful to Richard and his gang of ‘Angry Young Men’ for founding the civic society ”

He was also four times chair of the local parish council, in 1987, 89, 94 and 96 Cllr Nigel Collyer paid tribute to him: “Like many people from the village, I’d grown-up always knowing Richard, as a regular attendee at family events and an ever-present at village events and community gatherings

“He was of my parents’ generation, he

proudly pointed out houses that his family firm had built, including mine, and he often talked about his own home on Salisbury Lane, with its immaculate garden

“When I joined the parish council, words of wisdom were forthcoming, and again when I was elected chairman in 2010 – his own experience of the role having been at a time of strong debate, like mine I got to know him far better in recent times as the chairman of the Thomas Cook Almshouses Trust on High Street, where his knowledge of building intricacies and the history of the building were absolutely invaluable, and his work there will be sorely missed ”

Along with gardening and walking one of his sporting passions was cricket, and he was the president of Melbourne Town Cricket Club for the last 26 years Current chairman, James Hogwood said: “He was elected in 1992 and he is the only president most of the current players have ever known He regularly represented the club on formal occasions and was always on hand at the end of the season to present awards to the players for their performances throughout the season His knowledge of Melbourne was endless, he was a true gentleman, an MTCC stalwart and will be dearly missed by everyone at the club ”

Richard was also a founder of the Melbourne Historical Research Group in 2000 to promote the documentation, interpretation and understanding of Melbourne’s history He had an extensive knowledge and was well known for his anecdotes Philip Heath said: “Lots of anecdotes were of human eccentricities and foibles Often incidental and of little consequence in themselves, they were always entertaining and made the past seem very real and present -

M E L B O U R N E knitters have come up trumps and stitched more than 4,000 scarlet poppies as part of this year ’s commemoration of the end of World War One

When Melbourne Festival announced in February that its latest project was to knit 4,680 poppies to commemorate the 4,680 Grenadier Guards killed in WW1, organisers felt it seemed like a tall order!

Three months on Melbourne’s knitters have rallied to the call and at the last count 4,044 poppies had been handed in The

Knit & Natter sessions will be replaced with Sew & Sip sessions in July to pin or sew the poppies to camouflage netting ready to display them behind the benches by Melbourne Pool

If you drop off finished poppies or would like to help attach them organisers will be at Pool Cottage 2 30-4 3pm on Thursday, July 5; Melbourne Library on Friday, July 13, from 10 3012am; or Tuesday, July 17, from 10-12 at the Senior Citizens Centre

and fun For instance, he told a tale about Joe Barton, another Melbourne builder, who built the bungalow at the bottom of Chapel Street called ‘Marula’

“While Marula is a joinery timber, Joe was often heard to say ‘where’s ma ruler?’, so the name was a pun Once the bungalow was finished and the name plaque was put up, his friends and family joked that he couldn't lose his ruler again ”

Terry Harrison said Richard will be remembered in Probus for his fellowship as well has his many anecdotes

Terry added that Richard was also known for his impromptu talks – at monthly meetings if a speaker had failed to show, or had not been arranged, Richard would stand in with little notice and give an interesting talk, often on history, by far his most favourite subject

He was also a former president of the local Royal British Legion, and a keen supporter of the armed services Cllr Hicklin said: “It is a great shame that this year, more than any other when we commemorate the centenary of the Armistice, Richard will be missing from the familiar faces at the Remembrance parade, where he always read the ode ‘Fall the Fallen’ ”

Richard was also a friend of Melbourne Junior School, sponsoring the Year 5 project prizes for many years He felt passionately that children should be encouraged to develop their interests and, as a published author, recognised how the seeds of future learning and interests can be sown early

Honoured in 2016 with the Dr Freeman Award and referred to locally as “Mr History”, there is no doubt that with his passing the book is closed on a very long chapter of Melbourne village life

– Frank Hughes

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Ticknall quick to top table

TICKNALL Cricket Club has reported a “near perfect start to the season” with the first XI top of the table with 156 points out of the 168 offered so far this season

They started with a comprehensive victory away to Denby as Joss Morgan (67) and Aidan Wheeler (6-24) proved too much for the home team Week two saw an abandoned game away at Sandiacre before Paul Borrington’s team hosted league newcomers Wirksworth and Middleton

Borrington led from the front compiling a well-made 70, before Jack Gorbert (3-25) and Aidan Wheeler (4-30) did the damage with the ball

The following week away to Chesterfield, half centuries for both Tom Taylor (55) and Aidan Wheeler (60) allowed Sam Trotman (433) to roll through the home side’s batting line-up

Next, Elvaston travelled to Ticknall and they were met with a vintage century from Paul Borrington (108) that, accompanied by another five-wicket haul from Aidan Wheeler (5-45), guaranteed victory

Week six meant Swarkestone hosted Ticknall for the local derby and a fighting innings from Tom Wood (88) created a solid platform for Wayne Madsen (48) to put on an explosive display

Waseem Fazal (4-32) blew through Swarkestone’s top order, though Ticknall could only manage to take nine wickets, Swarkestone holding out for a losing draw Then league favourites Spondon travelled to the Grange and left with only three points Bowling first, Wheeler (3-46), Trotman (3-41) and ex-Spondon player Jack Gorbert (2-35) made light work of the visitors’ line-up Set 173 off 55 overs, Borrington (47) played a controlled innings supported by Joss Morgan (49) and Richard Brown (30)

Annual charity day

MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club is holding its annual Bob Marshall Charity Day along with a 20km sponsored bike ride on Sunday, June 24, at the Melbourne Sports Park The fun starts at 10 30am with the bike ride under way at 11am

The day will take the same format as the previous four with a BBQ, bar, bouncy castle, stalls including a tombola and a raffle plus a Dads vs Lads junior match after the club’s under 11s have played their league match against Elvaston

Cricket club sides soon into their stride

MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club has made a superb start to the 2018 season as all three teams sit towards the top of their respective divisions

The first team began their campaign with a great 35-run victory at home to Etwall 1st Xl Town were bowled out for just 93 in their first innings of the season as only Alex Slater with 45 reached double figures Brilliant spells from new signings Adam Swain with 5-22 and Waseem Sajid with 29 ably supported by Slater taking 3-15 gave Town their first win of the 2018 season A rained-off game at home to Elvaston 2nds was followed by a narrow three-wicket defeat away to Abbots Bromley as Melbourne were shot out for just 91, Muhammed Nadeem top scoring with 23

Despite 5-30 from Matt Briers, Town fell to their first defeat of the year

At home to Barton, Melbourne again batted first and scored a creditable 169 all out thanks to contributions all down the order with Mark Rossi top scoring with 32 Once again Adam Swain bowled the first team to victory, taking 4-39 ably supported by Waseem Sajid, who took 3-31 in a 32-run victory

An away win against Winshill saw the same pattern as their early season games with the first team bowled out for just 123, thanks mainly to 33 from Muhammed Nadeem Then the two in-form bowlers Swain (4-21) and Sajid (3-14) took Russ Allaway’s men to another 32 run victory

Town ended the month with a disappointing one-wicket defeat at home to Risley Melbourne scored 155 all out with Nadeem again top scoring with 44 Despite 4-10 from the same player plus 3-26 from Faren Price, they couldn’t quite force a win which left the first team lying in fourth place at the end of the month

Town’s second team began with a comfortable seven-wicket away win against Dunstall third team The home side were bowled out for just 92 with James Hogwood leading the way with 3-16 and Ranjit Rathore hitting 31 not out, to complete the easy win

A week later the second team held on for a losing draw in their first home match of the season against Uttoxeter seconds

The visitors scored 160 all out with Rathore 4-36 and Hogwood 3-58 bowling well and, despite 71 from Matt Grimmett and 33 by Ian Roberts, Town fell just two runs short on 158-6

Dan Marshall’s men got back to winning ways away to Alrewas third team as the hosts were bowled out for 93 thanks to a superb 7-33 by Alex Blackhall A swift 42 not out by Phil Maddocks took Melbourne to an easy seven-wicket victory

A heavy seven-wicket defeat followed away to a strong Mickleover second team, as Town were bowled out for just 116, which included 36 from opener Simon Fletcher Mickleover won in just 15 overs but the seconds got back to winning ways as they ended the month in some style

A remarkable spell of 7-8 by James Hogwood saw Quarndon thirds bowled out for just 66 and the seconds knocked them off in just 18 overs for a six-wicket victory, leaving Marshall’s men in third place at the end of May

Melbourne Town’s third team also began the season well, although they started with a heavy 78-run defeat away to Clifton thirds The home side scored 157 all out with Alex Blackhall leading the way with 4-21, but Town were bowled out for just 79

A quite remarkable spell of 7-7 from Ashley Elwell helped bowl Tutbury thirds out for just 24 as Melbourne secured a sevenwicket victory which was followed by a hard fought losing draw at home to Kirk Langley 2nds

A 4-31 spell from Toby McCabe helped restrict the visitors to 167-8 and in reply 32 from Alex Blackhall helped the thirds to relative safety on 121-8

Andy Holden’s men ended the month with a five-wicket away win against Brailsford thirds as Elwell continued his good form in taking 4-21

Izzy Anjilliath, in his first game of the season, hit 42 to take the thirds to a simple victory, leaving them in fourth place at the end of the month

The club would like to thank its match sponsors for the month of May, these being Melbourne Dental Practice, J P Springthorpe & Co, Scallywags Nursery, East Midlands Self Storage, Albert Wood and P B Landscapes

l Melbourne Town CC 1st XI: Back row (l-r) Muhammad Tayyab, Anthony Barnes, Adam Swain, Faren Price, Matt Briers, Muhammed Nadeem, Alex Roome (scorer); front row (l-r) Lee Tallis, Andy Potts, Russ Allaway (captain), Alex Slater and Waseem Sajid

KINGS Newton Bowls Club

was delighted to be selected to host the veterans (over 55s) match between East Midlands and Yorkshire (pictured)

On a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon, a good crowd turned up to see a victory for the Yorkshire team

Two of Newton’s bowlers

were representing the East Midlands with Ian Jardine winning his game and Roger Timmins narrowly losing his.

On the bowling front, the various leagues the club has entered are now in full swing

The best performing teams so far this season are

Shirts treat for bowls club

the ladies’ seniors, men’s seniors first team, Friday men’s first team and the Burton Saturday mixed team, all of which are near the top of their leagues

The Packhorse Trophy was won by Richard Robinson and Ben Roe, both winning their first trophies since joining the club.

Bowls Club has now started the summer season playing on its green at the Senior Citizens Centre in Church Street

They play on Wednesday evenings at 6pm and Saturday afternoons from 2pm throughout the season

As the club nears its 50th year, members said they were

excited to be sponsored for club shirts by local businessman Adrian Wagstaff (pictured above after handing them over to club captain Meg Smith)

Mr Wagstaff said he was happy to be supporting the local bowls team as he sees them playing on a regular basis when he’s passing Club chairman Keith James

said: “We are thrilled to have the shirts and will wear them with pride

“Anyone interested in playing bowls on a social basis is welcome to come and have a go at normal club sessions, as long as they wear flat soled shoes or trainers Bowls is a gentle sport and the club bowls are available to use ”

Summer service is under way

MELBOURNE Tennis Club’s

2018 summer season is well under way with the club having eight teams in the Derbyshire and Burton leagues

The women have two teams in the Burton competition and Melbourne’s A side began the campaign with a 2-2 draw with CURC followed by 4-0 victories against Spital B and Denstone B

A 2-2 draw at home to Ashby Castle and a 4-0 away win versus Spital B saw Karen Brenchley’s ladies top division three, four points clear with half their matches played Melbourne ladies B team began the season with a 2-2 draw against Netherseal with Karen Brenchley and Mair Vater winning both their rubbers In the month’s only other

game they beat Spital C 3-1 with skipper Sallie Allen and Lesley Heath winning both rubbers and Laura Clarke and Emma Guest winning one to leave both ladies’ sides still unbeaten

The men also have two teams in the Burton league and Melbourne’s A team also made an unbeaten start, drawing 2-2 with Church Broughton both

home and away to go with a match against Denstone which stands at 2–1 and is to be finished at a later date

Melbourne’s B team has struggled and began the season with a 0-4 defeat away to Lakeside, but claimed a creditable 22 draw away to Rolls-Royce with Paul Hill and Simon Middleburgh winning both their rubbers

The Burton mixed A team has yet to start its season but the Mixed B team has played one match, losing to Burton tennis club with Lesley and Bill Heath winning one rubber Despite Steve Allen making a rare appearance partnering wife Sallie they fell to a 3-1 loss

In the Derbyshire leagues

Melbourne’s sides have struggled with the men’s team losing

7-2 against Denstone and 6-3 to Woodlands fifths, while the mixed team lost 8-1 away to Wingerworth

n Meanwhile, eight Melbourne

Tennis Club members joined Woodlands (Allestree) Tennis Club’s 2018 trip to La Manga

Tennis Resort

Tim Shone, Anne Shone, Sallie Allen, Steve Allen, Karen Brenchley, Marjorie Tunnicliffe,

Laura Clarke and Rob Clarke joined 35 other tennis enthusiasts for five days of intensive tennis coaching headed up by Phil Wilcock, Melbourne’s head tennis coach, together with three members of his coaching team

The members concerned are now hoping that their standard of tennis was good enough to be invited back next year

FORGET Wimbledon – Melbourne Tennis Club is holding its own open day on Sunday, July 8, and you can even get yourself a glass of Pimms and some strawberries and cream before attempting to return a serve or two.

The event is being held at the club’s courts on Melbourne Sports Park from 2pm to 5pm Players and non-players are all welcome to “come and experience our friendly club”

The club says: “Come and meet our tennis coaches who will be available to discuss and demonstrate coaching drills and techniques Racquets and balls will be provided

“There will be fun and games for children and adults, including ‘Hit the Target’, ‘Return the Coach’s Serve’, ‘Single Point Shootout’ Other activities include: supervised bouncy castle, face painting, colouring competition, tombola and raffle and much more ”

In the spirit of Wimbledon, refreshments will be available including strawberries and cream, along with jugs of Pimms from the MSP bar

l Melbourne Dynamo Reserves show off their three trophies after winning the league in the 2017/18 season

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WHAT A CORKER OF A SEASON!

MELBOURNE Dynamo Football Club completed the most successful season in its 68-year existence.

The Reserves achieved an unprecedented treble to go with the first team winning the Derbyshire Cup and finishing with a creditable third place in the MRA premier division Dynamo Reserves secured the Drayton PACS division two trophy thanks to a Toby Foxon free kick as they beat Newhall United Development 1-0 at home

They finished their 2017/18 league campaign unbeaten as they thrashed Sherwin 7-0, with Harry Foxon leading the way with a

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hat-trick He was ably supported by his strike partner Joe Shadbolt, who ended the season with 36 goals, an Andy Shepard finish and an absolute screamer from Ash Smith to complete a memorable season for Duane McClellan’s team

Melbourne Dynamo first team had a busy May to catch up on their back-log of fixtures and began with a midweek trip to Newhall United, coming away with a 4-0 victory thanks to a Michael Tristram double, plus strikes from Jack Goodband and substitute Joe Shadbolt

They followed this up with a stunning 4-2 home win against the

previously unbeaten Derby Singh Brothers A young Melbourne side saw Toby McCabe hit two goals plus a long range Toby Foxon strike and a Jack Goodband tap-in to virtually secure third place for Gavin Salisbury’s men

A superb 6-1 away win against Castle Donington was thanks to four goals from the league’s leading goalscorer, Adam Ross, aided by Harry Foxon and Joe Shadbolt

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This proved to be Melbourne’s final win of the season as a depleted team finished the season with two defeats A Toby Foxon goal was all Dynamo had to show for a 1-4 home defeat to Shirebrook Rangers and a Joe Shadbolt goal was the consolation as the first team were well beaten 7-1 at home to league champions Rowsley 86

The club would like to thank their main sponsors for the 2017/18 season which were Harpur ’s and Adrian Wagstaff Wealth Management

These are exciting times for the club with the merger with Melbourne United (see Page 9) being celebrated on the World Cup fun day on Saturday, June 16, and a brand new adult Sunday morning team being formed

Anyone wanting to get involved with the club through playing, helping behind the scenes or sponsorship opportunities should contact Alex Slater on alexslater72000@yahoo co uk or 07966933583

TEENAGER Jake Whitby represented his country at the Amateur Judo Association’s (AJA) European championships in Holland in May – emerging fifth out of his pool of 13

Proud dad Darren, who is also a senior instructor at the Ashby Ivanhoe Judo Club where Jake trains, said the 18-year-old would be working on his moves in the hope of progressing even further at the same championships in 2019

Jake, from Smisby, was competing in the Europeans having taken gold at the British AJA championships in Birmingham in March, competing in the senior men’s under 66 kg weight category