Melbourne Village Voice June 2023

by Frank Hughes

POOL Cottage Care Home, which has provided residential care for the elderly for over 40 years, is set to close as the lease will not be renewed beyond the current termination date in 2024.

Families of residents there are busy seeking alternative accommodation for their loved ones and they understand closure could be only a matter of weeks away

At the moment 13 residents are currently being cared for and their relatives are upset and angered by the decision, impacting on both very vulnerable residents and caring staff

SAD DAY AS CARE HOME CLOSES

The trustees of Melbourne Hall estate issued a statement which outlined the background to the closure and explained that “discussions took place with the management of the home, Pool Cottage Ltd, on the feasibility of paying a market rent,” which “the operators were not able to meet”

The statement went on to add that a fund of £100K was to be set up, to be administered by a committee of nominated persons, to enable grants aimed at the needs of the older community

A spokesperson for the Hall Estate was keen to emphasise that this was an amicable mutual decision made by both the hall and the current owners as the offer of a new lease on a commercial rent was declined

“The estate fully understands the strength of feeling around this difficult decision and the impact on the community,” he added, saying that the offer of the fund by Lord Ralph Kerr, which had been discussed for some months already, would be used to the benefit of the local elderly population

Rumours about turning the home into a hotel or family home were dismissed as “no decision has been taken on its future use”

Family members of residents say their relatives were devastated and upset by the news, and they have had an anxious and distressing time trying to source alternative accommodation for them

They are angered by the absence of any consultation and the apparent lack of compassion in the decision to terminate the lease

Families are also having to find additional funds to cover the cost of new places and high costs (over £600) for ambulance transfers One

‘It’s just tragic’

A FORMER carer at Pool Cottage has spoken out about the devastation and hurt felt by staff and residents at the closure of the much-loved Melbourne care home

“It’s just tragic, it really is,” said Jo Plant, of Melbourne, who has worked at Pool Cottage as a carer for two years

Fighting back tears, she said: “The residents are so settled there – that’s their home For some of them, they have been there for years. They see us every day. We get them up in the morning, we give them personal care That’s what they are familiar with.

“Knowing that they are going to be ripped from there, they are going to go somewhere with people they don’t know, surroundings they don’t know –it’s cruel

“A lot of the residents are 90-plus. To rip them out of their familiarity and their security – and for us, to have to pack their belongings up and send them off to somewhere they don’t know, it has

Continued on Page 5

relative felt sure this could be life-threatening for some

The current owners of Pool Cottage Ltd stepped in in 2013 when previous owners were facing severe financial difficulties and closure seemed inevitable

Mrs Margaret Wheatley said she was keen to avoid any repetitions of the problems created when she took over and had prompted early discussions on the lease She said she was faced with a fait accompli when told that a new lease would not be granted, but if it were to be renewed it would be at a commercial rate

She was fully aware, unfortunately, that conContinued on Page 5

MELBOURNE’S own Kevin Iliffe once again did our town proud with his key role in the Royal British Legion at Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s Coronation on May 6. Kevin, pictured in Parliament Square, London, said it was a “massive honour” to have been part of the historic occasion.

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Big Village Small Town huge hit

FROM the opening night at Amalfi White to the closing concert at the Melbourne Inn and all points in between, the first Big Village Small Town event was a huge success

An estimated 800 plus people attended the various shows, concerts and outdoor entertainment all over one very long weekend at six venues and public places in, well, the Big Village Small Town of Melbourne

The event, supported by county councillor David Muller and sponsored by the East Midlands Airport, the Assembly Rooms and the Spirit Vaults, had hoped to liven up the Bank Holiday weekend and bring people out and into Melbourne to, as organiser Andy Heafield put it, ‘get the tills ringing’

That it certainly did with three sell-out and varied shows at the Assembly Rooms (3 Daft Monkeys, Simply Dylan and Edwina Hayes) and entertainers appearing locally, but it was the roving performers on Bank Holiday Monday that were the highlight The Strummers from MARs, the Black Pig Border Morris Dancers and local duo Burgess & Walker appeared in 15-minute slots at various venues around Melbourne

Crowds flocked to watch and listen at the Alma Inn, Melbourne Inn, the Spirit Vaults and the Bank of Beers, some staying at one venue and others following their particular favourite around

all four

All venues reported a significant uptake in business

The Morris Dancers drew great crowds outside each venue with many wondering whether there could be a group formed locally; after all, dancing, bells, a big stick and beer – what’s not to like: the Melbourne Morris Minors?

Reaction on social media seemed to sum up the day perfectly from ‘an amazing day that’s been enjoyable, fun to see and take part in’ to ‘really enjoyed the event, loved the Morris dancing and sitting in the Melbourne Inn Garden in the sunshine listening to live music’ and ‘the bands were excellent and each venue was bursting at the seams’

A whole host of willing and able volunteers wearing their event T-shirts assisted and there will definitely be a follow-up to the first Big Village Small Town weekend Organiser Andy Heafield said: “How could we not do this again?

“It shows that pubs and venues can work together for the common good, and my thanks go out to those who chose to take part and show commitment to the community

“The reaction and turn-out has been incredible; plans are already well underway for 2024 on the same late May Bank Holiday weekend ”

ABOVE: Simply Dylan on the stage at the Assembly Rooms.

LEFT: The revellers outside the Spirit Vaults.

l Some of the volunteers who helped to make the Big Village Small Town event a hit.

GRIDLOCK Roads misery as Download Festival roars into action

GRIDLOCK jammed roads around Melbourne on June 7 as many thousands of revellers headed to Download, bringing misery to festival-goers and local people alike

Celebrating its 20th birthday this year, Download Festival was a sell-out with an extra day of music put on to entertain vast crowds

But extreme congestion on local roads meant the approach to the event was anything but entertaining

Some festival-goers were forced to wait in their cars for up to nine hours, not getting into the venue until the early hours of the following morning

The issues were so severe they made national news

In Melbourne, a queue of traffic was at a standstill all down Cockshut Lane, Robinson’s Hill, and for a long way down the A587 to Ashby for many hours

Drivers were reduced to standing next to their cars in the sunshine, and some simply got out and walked with their tents to the festival, leaving only the driver sitting in traffic

Councillor Martin Fitzpatrick, district councillor for Melbourne, said he had comforted one poor lady who was sobbing in her car late at night because of the stress Roads began snarling up in the morning, and by early afternoon there were very severe problems in many directions

Chellaston Academy pupils going home were allowed to simply get off their bus and walk from the Breach Lane turn-off – getting back an hour later than normal

Parents picking up children from school could not get there for hours after normal pick-up time, while com-

muters trying to go home from work were taking as much as three hours to arrive after becoming stuck in congested roads

The number two Arriva bus service was not able to serve Melbourne for a time during the afternoon, posting on social media at 3

One of the services was delayed by three hours

Cllr Fitzpatrick said he had first encountered the situation around Download at 6 30 in the morning on his way out of the area, when he was stopped by festival marshals and noticed only a few cars were being let in at a time even at that hour

Going home in the afternoon, he was held up for nearly three hours between Staunton Harold and Melbourne

Later, on his way up to the MSP at around 8 30pm, Cllr Fitzpatrick said he stopped and spoke to drivers jammed on Cockshut Lane and said most had come off the A42 at Ashby and were reporting having been stuck for four or five hours

Late at night he went out again and spoke to drivers still stuck on Main Street in Kings Newton, with that road at a standstill at midnight

“There was a lot of Dunkirk spirit,” said Cllr Fitzpatrick “We were protected in Melbourne town centre because people did follow the signs and they followed the right direction Nobody tried to cheat and go through the centre of the town

“What went wrong? There was something fundamentally that went wrong with the organisation That needs sorting

“I think the local community is quite supportive of Download People were saying ‘poor things’ and trying to help them ”

Chelsea Flower Show winner grown here

A ROYAL garden fit for a King at Chelsea Flower Show was home grown here in Melbourne – and it was designed down the road and taken there by a local business too!

Businesses in our area came together to create a stunning, awardwinning display that was heralded as one of the wonders of Chelsea at this year ’s show

The garden, whose centrepiece was an enormous driftwood dragon, (pictured above) of Eco Garden Design in Shardlow, and the plants used to make it were lovingly grown at W Sharp & Sons of Kings Newton.

Then all the plants were taken down to London – on coronation day, no less – by DG Light Haulage of Kings Newton

The businesses came together after Lee struck up a partnership with the celebrated sculptor James DoranWebb, who is based in the Philippines, and was responsible for the spectacular dragon.

After the passing of Her Majesty the Queen last year, Lee and James began work on a royal themed garden for this year ’s Chelsea Flower

Show

To create the spectacular design which won a top five star accolade, Sharp’s was the setting for the growing of around a thousand ornamental grasses, along with numerous bedding plants These included golden marigolds used to create the King’s Crown which formed the centrepiece of the stunning garden

Martin Sharp said he had suffered a few sleepless nights worrying about whether the plants for the garden would be ready in time, but loved seeing the end result It was amazing to see it in position, with all the garden having been done by Lee,” he said.

“It was quite remarkable! Something to tick off our list ”

Lee said: “I was absolutely delighted! It all came together – everything was just amazing ”

Matt Bonner, from DG Light Haulage, said there were so many plants used to make the garden that they took up an entire eight-metre lorry, which had to be negotiated through central London to get to the event

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Jacqui steps down as council clerk

MELBOURNE Parish Council has announced that the clerk to the council, Jacqui Storer, will be stepping down after almost 11 years in the role

She initially took on the role in 2009, covering for the previous long-serving clerk, Norman Hill, during a period of illness When the full-time position became available in 2012, she applied and was appointed by the chair at the time, Jane Carroll Jacqui, who is a chartered company secretary as well as parish clerk for other parish councils in the district, has decided to ‘slow down’ on the road to retirement, and reduce work commitments to spend more time with her family

During the last decade, Melbourne Parish Council has seen some major changes, including the divestment of the MARS (Melbourne Assemby Rooms) building, and the launch of the Melbourne Sporting Partnership Jacqui made sure that the transfer of responsibilities was managed appropriately and has guided the council on the ever-changing legislation which applies to parish councils, the first layer of Government

Current chair, Cllr Terry Summerlin, said: “Jacqui will be missed on the parish council I wish to thank her for the help and support she has provided myself and fellow councillors, past and present We wish Jacqui and her husband, Andy, a long and happy retirement ”

The parish council will start the process of recruiting a new clerk in the coming weeks

Down on the Farm

FOR all readers who are missing a voice from our farming community following the last Robert Parker column in December 2020, we are proud to introduce our new columnist from local fields: Ben Stanley from Tori & Ben’s.

I AM thrilled to have been asked to bring back this farming and countryside column. The Village Voice helps to bond our tapestry of rural parishes together – and it is an honour to be able to communicate to you all on behalf of the farming community across the region.

Alongside Tori, Bertie (7) and Iona (6), we farm at Park Farm between Melbourne and Wilson I’m looking forward to sharing stories of farming life as the seasons change, so I thought it would be worth setting the scene by introducing you to the many and varied types of farmer who weave our fields into the green and pleasant land we all love

NEW boards have been placed on the River Trent near Swarkestone Bridge reminding people about the tragedy of Thando Ndlovu, who died after getting into difficulties in the water in 2021 Melbourne On-Call Fire Station has worked with Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service to put the boards up, warning of the dangers of open water

People are being asked to take a moment to watch and share a safety video here https://www youtube com/watch?v=2Jz5t3BA6rQ

Some of them are beer and bread-making types, who spend their winters attending conferences about huge and complicated machinery, before unleashing their enormous new tractors in the spring with the boundless energy that can only come from the carbs and ale they produce

Or what about the glorious market gardeners with their attention to detail, their wonder-

ful, colourful fields, and their disdain for those farmers who are obsessed with their huge tractors

Others are long-suffering sheep farmers who don’t care about tractors at all – in fact they hardly even know that the small wheels go at the front –because all their thoughts are reserved for the woolly lemmings in their care and producing nutritious grass-fed lamb

Some of them are dairy people who get up before they go to bed, working 25 hours a day to bring us wholesome milk

Then there are the beef farmers who decide to put a boy cow (bull) with a girl cow (heifer) in the dim and distant hope that four years later you might have

created 1,000 meals for people who could by then have converted to veganism Or the much more intelligent pig farmers who can start the year with four pigs and end the year with over 100!

And of course Iona would never let me forget horses which – despite the fact that nobody eats horses in this country, and we now get about in cars and not carts – seem to be the most numerous and high maintenance of all the farm animals

At Park Farm we are probably best described as the beef types – our main passion is our Old English Longhorn cattle, although we do grow a bit of corn and do some sheeps as well

Whatever our focus, all of us local farmers have a common bond as we beaver away: we are all beholden to mother nature No sensible person would ever go into business with no control over the most important factor that will determine whether they make a profit or not And yet here we are Often it feels a bit like trying to reverse your car, in the dark, at 70mph, without any lights on Usually you’ll end up with bangs and scrapes, and sometimes pretty serious ones, but if luck is on your side, it’s the most amazing, invigorating experience From all the farming community THANK YOU for your support on our bumpy journey Until next month

Castle plans for cafe ‘an abomination’

LONG-RUNNING plans to restore and make profitable Elvaston Castle and Country Park have had a further setback after the latest set of proposals were sensationally thrown out

One councillor at this month’s meeting of South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee said the design for a new café at Elvaston was in her opinion “an abomination”

The committee meeting on June 6 heard a brisk 20-minute discussion on plans put forward by the county council to create a new café at Elvaston Castle plus restore and convert many of its listed core buildings

These plans had previously been put to committee members last October but were deferred so that they could visit Elvaston Castle and see for themselves what was involved

An objection from Historic England has since been resolved and officers at the council had recommended the proposals be granted

But things did not go that way and the meeting heard objections from two councillors, Cllr Daniel Corbin and Cllr Amy Wheelton, who did not rate the design of the café that had been put forward

In addition, Cllr Wheelton objected to knocking down part of an old wall, saying: “Just because you want to drive diggers through it is not a reason to destroy our heritage ”

Cllr Corbin said: “On a personal note, I have to say that I’m not againstthe addition of a new café

but I would have thought if you are going to put a new addition on to such historical buildings (I would have liked to see) something more architecturally beautiful

“I’m surprised something hasn’t been proposed that enhances the site ”

Cllr Wheelton put across her feelings strongly, starting by saying that the site visit had been her first trip to Elvaston

“The buildings are stunning and it’s great that they are being brought back, but the café is an abomination,” she said

Elvaston Castle and Country Park is set in 321 acres of grounds and parkland The castle itself is said to be a “gothic revival masterpiece”

Both the buildings and gardens are listed as they are of special architectural and historical interest

But the estate is badly in need of a revamp as it currently loses the county council nearly a million pounds a year, and seven buildings included in the planning application are in such a poor state they are officially listed on the ‘at risk’ register

The county council created a masterplan to restore and breathe new life into the country park in 2018 Some elements of the proposals – mainly a planned new access road, have been very controversial – but these were not part of the application that has now been rejected

l Ben and Tori with children Bertie and Iona.

Gogglebox brothers’ boost for charity

GOGGLEBOX stars the Siddiqui brothers took a turn around local fields when they headed this way as part of a challenge to run 100 miles in a week for two charities – one of which was Melbourne’s own me&dee.

Baasit and Raza Siddiqui, made famous by the Channel 4 programme on which the family has been a fixture for 10 years, took time to visit the offices of me&dee during their week of running

The brothers undertook to run 100 miles in a week from May 29, culminating in the Derby Ramathon They were also supporting Education Support, which supports teachers’ mental health and wellbeing

Children who are helped by me&dee were at the charity’s’s HQ to help wish Baasit and Raza all the best on their daily run together They were also joined by Derby North MP Amanda Solloway, and Melbourne’s Gemma Forster from business supporters Create Finance of Derby

Baasit said the week’s 100-mile target was not the first running challenge for the brothers, with both of them having previously completed a daily 10k run during the 31 days of August – a grand total of 192 miles

He said: “We do like to set ourselves challenges! I got back into running during Covid This is one of our hare-brained schemes! One of the causes we are running for is Education Support, which supports teachers with their mental health We really wanted to do what we could to help with that

l Baasit and Raza Siddiqui with Laura and Richard Fortey after their run.

“We wanted to help a local charity as well We met Maria Hanson MBE, founder of me&dee, at the Derby 10k What we loved about it was that community feel, that me&dee is just a huge family ”

Raza added: “They are brilliant, and we just wanted to do anything we can to support them ”

The brothers then set off on their day’s run around the local area, choosing to head up to Staunton Reservoir

Baasit said: “It was such a lovely run where we ran to We ran out and about near Staunton Reservoir We did a circle of the reservoir which was just beautiful The run up to it was really nice ”

SAD DAY AS CARE HOME CLOSES

From Page 1

tinuing the business simply would not be economically viable on this basis, given the limited number of residents and the escalating costs of running the home

She said that her main concern was for the residents and the 26 staff, but she was confident all residents would be able to be find new homes and, whilst there may be some redundancies, staff would find new posts

She said she was “deeply saddened but more concerned about everyone else” to think about her own emotions but she was “dreading when the last resident left and the doors are closed for the very last time”

Many Melbourne residents have expressed sadness that such a welcoming and caring facility, run more like a family home than a business, was having to close

‘JUST TRAGIC’

From Page 1 just been awful It’s just so sad

“Some of the residents have got dementia and memory problems They don’t deal with change at all Even taking them out of Pool Cottage and round the pool can upset them.”

Jo said efforts had been made at first not to tell residents what was happening but this soon became impossible once families started moving their loved ones away.

He said the run had been “hilly” but “really idyllic” and they enjoyed relaxing refreshments afterwards at Fortey’s James Liquorish, of Leicester, is one of the many people whose family are being helped by me&dee James, 14, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a life-limiting degenerative illness

James’ mum Mazz, who was there with the family to wave the Siddiqui brothers off on their run, said: “The support me&dee has given us is amazing They are a small charity but they do big things Maria couldn’t do enough for us What Raza and Baasit Siddiqui are doing is amazing ”

“We are dealing with residents who are crying because now they know what’s going to happen,” she said “It’s just so heart-breaking.

“The management team and the carers are just absolutely amazing, to go in there every day knowing what’s happening and still have to put on a brave face for the residents and keep them upbeat ”

Jo, who has now got another job, said she had “absolutely loved” her time at Pool Cottage.

“It’s very rewarding,” she said “Just sitting with residents, just being a friend to them and listening and caring for them – I loved it.

“I grew up in Melbourne, and some of the residents knew my family Just to sit and chat with them and reminisce, it’s just beautiful.

“It’s not a care home, it’s a home ”

KING Charles III was officially crowned this year – and now Melbourne has its own King, too!

The quest to find a ‘monarch’ to lead this year ’s Melbourne Carnival procession resulted in the choosing of a King for the first time.

Harry Roberts, a year three pupil at Melbourne Junior School, was crowned Carnival King at the traditional ceremony held at the Royal British Legion in May

Harry is pictured above at Melbourne Pool with his attendants Harry impressed judges with an onstage cartwheel, and mum Milly said he was really looking forward to being part of proceedings on carnival

a super

MELBOURNE Carnival is next month, and the team busy organising the event say people should get ready for another unforgettable extravaganza

The Fete & Carnival takes place on Saturday, July 8, at the Melbourne Junior School fields, which will come alive with a spectacular display of fun, food, and entertainment

One of the highlights of the day will be the amazing Vander Superhero Space Wheel stunt display, complete with a meet and greet with the superheroes following their aerial spectacle It’s an opportunity you won't want to miss!

The festivities will continue both on the stage and in the arena, with great music and dance acts Plus, food stalls and bars will keep you refreshed throughout the day

day.

In a neat twist of fate, Milly also took a lead role in the carnival when she was crowned Queen in 2003 and is pictured right

Milly said she had been just as surprised as her son had been when she won the honour, and remembered wearing the blue sash on the day

Keen gymnast Harry regularly attends Sharecroft Gymnastics Club in Blackfordby and is playing his first season for Melbourne Rugby Club under nines this year

Harry said: “When I won, I felt really happy. I am really looking forward to sitting in the sports car on carnival day!”

For those seeking a bit of friendly competition, sign up for the tug of war competition and showcase your strength Gather your team and prepare for an epic battle of power and determination

This year, the carnival proudly presents its first-ever King, King Harry, and his attendants, who will lead the spectacular street procession, embarking from Castle Square at 11 45am You won’t be disappointed with this year ’s procession, a cacophony of music, floats, and a spectacular procession of vintage vehicles – it might even be the longest and most unforgettable procession to date!

Please do join in, dressed to impress in your best

'Around the World'-themed costume, to walk with the procession

Calling all baking enthusiasts! Melbourne will host its very own Global Bake-Off competition Submit your best cake or dessert by 1pm on the day and prepare to compete for the highly coveted title of the best cake in the world

Members of the carnival committee will be at Sainsbury’s on the weekends leading up to the Carnival where you will be able to purchase tickets to the event and, for those feeling lucky, enter the raffle with £100's worth of amazing prizes up for grabs

There is a strict no dogs policy, only guide dogs are allowed on the school site So please leave your furry friends at home to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees Additionally, smoking, including vaping, is strictly prohibited on the school grounds

Tickets are on sale now; £5/adult and £2 50/child (under 5s are free!) or you can purchase on the day for £6/adult and £3/child

Celebrating life of Andrew Jackson

THREE years after he died, a large crowd gathered in glorious May sunshine to celebrate the remarkable life of Andrew Jackson – a long-time councillor whose energy and verve helped found many local organisations including this newspaper

The celebration of Andrew’s life took place on May 21 at Kings Newton Bowls Club, fittingly, one of the many clubs he helped get off the ground – quite literally, as guests on the day heard, with his characteristic get-up-and-go, even fitting the bowls green wooden surrounds himself!

Organised by family and friends of Andrew, a crowd of around 150 people heard many tributes to the man whose boundless enthusiasm for getting stuck into all things local led to many thriving clubs today

Among the long list of groups and institutions Andrew Jackson helped found are the Village Voice; Kings Newton Bowls Club; A Choir ’d Taste; Melbourne Town Band and the Melbourne Sporting Partnership

More recently, he brought fire and light to Melbourne in the form of a large beacon whose flames commemorated 100 years since the end of the First World War

It was Andrew’s characteristic speed in all things which many speech-makers at his memorial remembered with a fond smile

Nigel Collyer, who presented Andrew with the honorary Freeman of the Parish of Melbourne award, recalled saying in his speech at the time that as a driver of the Community Care minibus, “I understand that people sometimes dive for their own safety as he manoevres the minibus at speed around the marketplace corner!”

Peter Newbury, Andrew’s business partner, holiday companion and friend for many years, described how, when eating at The John Thompson Inn at Ingleby, staff timed him coming in for his lunch, ordering his drink and meal, eating, drink-

ing, paying and leaving in 18 minutes flat!

Also paying tribute to Andrew on the day was his long-time friend Ron Warren, Terry Summerlin and John Harrison – who told the assembled company of his key role on the parish council in getting the Melbourne Sporting Partnership established

With a welcome from Pete Barton, eulogy by Rev Steve Short, and performances from A Choir ’d Taste and Melbourne Town Band, it could not have been a more fitting occasion to remember a man whose passing during Covid meant a proper tribute was a long time in coming, but was a beautifully organised and wonderfully warm occasion when it did

Andrew’s niece Louise Thompson thanked Pete Barton, the team at Kings Newton Bowls Club for their “beautiful venue and fantastic hospitality”, along with the town band and A Choir ’d Taste for their performances, to achieve a “community effort that Andy would have been proud of”

In the words of Peter Newbury, it was a day to remember a true “one off”, whose legacy in so many institutions and clubs still lives on

Ta-ra, Andrew

Council has a new leader

COUNCILLOR Robert Pearson has been announced as the new leader of South Derbyshire District Council Dr Pearson has served as Labour councillor for Midway ward since May 2011

He said: ”I’m immensely proud to have been appointed leader of South Derbyshire District Council, working alongside an extremely capable group of Labour councillors ”

ABOVE: Village Voice co-owner Anthony Freeman with Peter Newbury.

BELOW: Melbourne Town Band, of which Andrew was also a founder member, played at the occasion

l Guests at Andrew Jackson’s memorial at King’s Newton Bowls Club (seated round the table) l-r: John Harrison, Linda Matthews, Jane Barton, Jeremy Thompson and Louise Thompson.

Poppy Appeal raises

GENEROUS local people have been warmly thanked for their donations to the Melbourne Poppy Appeal which raised a huge amount.

Appeal organiser Brenda Sharratt said: “We have finally received our summary of donations for

Village ‘looked like Beirut’

by Frank Hughes

RESIDENTS had their peace and quiet shattered by “shouts of profanities followed by loud bangs and crashes” when a man attempted to steal a flatbed lorry, crashed it into four parked cars and finally into the wall of a house.

“It looked like Beirut!” said one resident in Church Lane, Ticknall, when she went out to view the scene and saw her car had been shunted into a line of three other damaged vehicles

The lorry had been parked at the entrance to the church, where workmen were doing some stonework and, apparently, a young man had jumped in the vehicle and driven off He had clearly lost control in trying to drive it away “He legged it,” the resident said, “making his escape across a garden ”

Speaking on behalf of her neighbours, the resident said:

“We are all elderly and it has been both emotionally and financially very upsetting, as we have all had to replace our cars ”

She also said she was disappointed that she had heard nothing back from the police as to whether an arrest had been made or indeed if any action had been taken

Luckily, there were no casualties in the incident apart from the house owner ’s dog, who was asleep in the room the lorry crashed into The owner said: “She was covered in dust and traumatised to the point she would not reenter the room ”

A police spokesman has said: “Our Investigation is ongoing and further lines of enquiry are being undertaken

“We apologise those involved in this case haven’t received the service they had expected, and officers are making contact with them to ensure that they are being kept updated about the progress of the investigation ”

TRAIL OF DISASTER ... (above and below) the crash site scene.

Choir gets us warmed up for summer

SUMMER days are now upon us and Melbourne ensemble

A Choir ’d Taste got us all in the mood for warmer weather with an uplifting evening of music for sultry days over two concert nights in May.

The choir ’s Summer Nights A’ Coming programme featured everything from traditional folk songs to musical numbers, not forgetting, of course, their own rendition of Summer Nights from the classic film Grease

Opening with English folk song The Bold Grenadier which featured some lovely harmonies, A Choir ’d Taste moved on to a fabulous rendering of I do Like to Be Beside the Seaside – as you’ve (probably) not heard it before A Choir ’d Taste’s programmes are very thoughtfully put together with lots of change of pace and humour interspersed with powerful emotional songs to keep the audience by turns entertained and moved throughout the evening

There’s also always a great balance of whole choir singing, smaller group ensembles and solo pieces to enjoy.

An early solo came courtesy of Beth Tranter whose beautiful liquid vocals held the audience spellbound with her gorgeous rendering of Lloyd-Webber ’s Tell Me on a Sunday.

We were treated to brilliant piano accompaniment from Alexander Binns, director of music at Derby Cathedral –who has been described as “one of our finest young players” by Organ Magazine His and musical director Paul Marshall’s impromptu piano duet performance of the Percy Grainger summertime classic: Country Gardens even saw

some highly impressive swapping of places!

Paul Marshall’s wardrobe of sparkly jackets and funny stories keep the audience smiling at A Choir ’d Taste’s gigs, as do the opportunity for some participation, with concertgoers on this occasion kept busy with the ‘weller wellers’ during Summer Nights, plus the option of joining in with the tear-jerking You’ll Never Walk Alone by Richard Rodgers.

A Choir ’d Taste benefits greatly from its tenors and basses who showed their talents to great effect in songs such as Irish traditional song Down by the Sally Gardens. With choir members even chanting Cliff Richard’s classic, Summer Holiday, as they sauntered off for the interval, it was a gloriously light-hearted evening of song – beating off competition on the musical front from Eurovision, which was showing on TV at the same time!

– LUCY STEPHENS

Builders seek views on 70 homes plan

DEVELOPERS Davidsons Homes have issued a public consultation about their plan to build 70 new houses on the land along Jawbone Lane between Station Road, Melbourne, and Kings Newton

Some local residents have had leaflets dropped through the door detailing a virtual exhibition on the plan

The leaflet explains that the intention is to submit a planning application to South Derbyshire District Council, but they are keen to seek the local community’s views on the proposal before it is submitted

It also refers to a parcel of land which could provide additional cemetery space adjacent to the existing cemetery on Pack Horse Road but does not make clear if this benefit will be made available only if planning permission is granted or if the local parish council does not object

Although the developers are seeking the community’s view, the recent Neighbourhood Development Plan, endorsed by a public referendum, made it clear that local people want to maintain the separation between Melbourne and Kings Newton, and a similar previous planning application by Linden Homes in the vicinity was

Five arrested after burglary in Aston

FOUR men and a teenage boy have been arrested in connection with a burglary and the theft of three vehicles in Aston on Trent

Electrical items and clothing were stolen during the break-in on Weston Road sometime around 1 30am on Thursday, May 18

Three vehicles parked outside were also taken, two of which were recovered in Nottingham later the same day Four men and a 17year-old boy were arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft

All five have since been bailed pending further enquiries

Police would like to hear from anyone with any information which could help with their enquiries If you can help, contact them on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 23000302176

by Frank Hughes

turned down

Davidsons recently completed the Millbrook Development of 55 homes and are currently developing Mill Gardens with 41 new dwellings

The proposals are to build houses on either side of Jawbone Lane with the whole area in question totalling 7 24 acres – including the proposed cemetery addition

In its consultation documents Davidsons say they consider the site “a logical location for development” with proposals contributing towards housing numbers for Melbourne in the new local plan

The housebuilder also says the proposed cemetery extension would “take pressure off the existing cemetery” and “provide multiple benefits to the area creating a multi-functional space with opportunities for community involvement in addition to remembrance”

The virtual exhibition is online until June 19

To send in comments, either fill in the form at h t t

Open times 7.30am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday

Get on the council’s pothole hotline

LOCAL residents are being urged to report road potholes using the county council online tool County and district councillors for Melbourne, David Muller and Martin Fitzpatrick, are making the plea to residents after hearing at Stantonby-Bridge’s annual parish meeting about significant sized potholes at the road junction to the village

Cllr Muller said: “At the meeting we learned that residents had some serious concerns about the size and location of these potholes so straight after the meeting Cllr Fitzpatrick and I went and inspected and photographed the potholes in question ”

Cllr Fitzpatrick continued: “The same evening I reported

the potholes using the county council online tool and uploaded the photos I had taken The

process was simple and took around five minutes per location

“Within 10 days local residents were already congratulating us on how quickly the holes had been filled and how the road junctions were now much safer to use, and I had received an email from the county highways authority confirming that the work had been completed ”

The councillors are urging residents to photograph and report potholes using the online tool which can be found by searching Derbyshire County Council and Potholes

Cllr Muller added: “Reporting the potholes will ensure they are filled in as a matter of urgency ”

See shorturl at/knry2 for the link to report potholes

BRENDA’S THANKYOU

MELBOURNE is full of kindness – that’s the message from Brenda Bentley, who has thanked whoever posted a letter she thought was lost to her friend

Brenda explained how she always posts a copy of the Melbourne United Reform Church newsletter to her friend Noreen Travers, who is now looked after in Rykneld View nursing home in Derby

But this month, having gone to the post office in Melbourne to send off the newsletter as normal, she discovered she must have lost it some-

where en route

Brenda said: “I’d got it in an envelope, addressed and stamped, to send to my friend But I must have lost it on the way because I got to the post office and I hadn’t got anything to post ”

Dismayed, Brenda contacted her friend to say she would send her another copy of the newsletter, only to receive a phone call from Noreen two days later saying it had arrived after all!

Brenda said: “I couldn’t believe that she’d got it! Somebody kind must have picked it up and posted it Thank you so much to them ”

The peony drops for Elonor

WHAT do you do when you have a piece of land in Osgathorpe? Grow peonies on it, that’s what!

That’s the decision made by Breedon-on-theHill’s very own peony farmer: Elonor Tivey

Growing peonies is a long game and it takes three years from planting the flower crowns to being able to cut them for commercial sale

Throw Covid into the mix and for Elonor it has taken longer still – but she is now the proud custodian of thousands of stunning British grown blooms which she sends out to florists all over the country

So why peonies?

“I got bitten by the gardening bug in my 20s,” explained Elonor “I did the RHS Principles of Horticulture as an adult learner

“My partner and I wanted to be growers We tried to think of something we could do that we could sell We started looking at flowers – we thought about aliums I was walking around my garden one morning Some of my aliums had come up There was a red peony in the front garden – everybody loves peonies!”

The “peony” having dropped – as Elonor ’s friend put it! – in 2017 she planted just under 5,000 crowns and did her first commercial cut in 2021

Today the farm has 7,500 peonies in four colours: red, coral, white and pink, along with hundreds of newsletter subscribers and a cool 4,200 followers on Instagram She has also won a monthly spot at the prestigious Chiswick Flower Market in London

A big part of the appeal, Elonor feels, is growing awareness of sustainability and the importance of British-grown, not just for food but for flowers too

It’s something that our new monarch, King Charles III, is also passionate about, having re-

quested British-grown flowers at his coronation

“People are starting to understand all this stuff they get in the supermarket is not very good ethically or for their carbon footprint,” said Elonor “Supermarkets are working with companies in Israel, Ecuador and Africa – the majority are not grown very ethically The carbon footprint of your average bunch in a supermarket is quite eye-watering ”

The Peony Farmer is now in full swing and Elonor has moved from full-time teaching to winter supply work to do it – spending three hours a day in peony season cutting thousands of stems by hand with secateurs

The tight buds are then refrigerated before being packed off in boxes of 50 to florists

As many gardeners know, peonies can be somewhat temperamental however How does she keep them happy?

Elonor ’s expert advice is to plant peony crowns “quite shallow” – with about an inch to an inch and a half of soil above them

They also need “at least six hours of sun a day”, she said, and must have good, well-drained soil:

“What will kill them is wet feet ”

But when peonies have the conditions they like, as a commercial enterprise they are extremely viable – coming back each year with the potential for sticking around for up to a century!

For Elonor, she couldn’t be happier with her change in career, and she’s proud to be doing her bit to champion British-grown

“People want sustainable, they want local,” she said “We’re trying to get people to understand that in Britain we can grow our own flowers, quite beautifully But you can’t have roses in January – and you can’t have a bunch of British roses for Valentine’s Day either People need to be more aware of what is in season ”

BLOOMING GOOD SHOW Elonor with her peonies

FILLED ... the Stanton pothole

A RIGHT ROYAL DO

THE phrase “rain did not dampen spirits” may be a well-worn newspaper cliché – but there is none more apt to describe the exuberance of a crowd of thousands who turned out to Melbourne Junior School grounds to enjoy the coronation concert laid on by the parish council

Skies may have been overcast but local people turned out in huge numbers, pitched up chairs and picnic blankets and took to the field to dance the night away to top-notch tribute bands Gertcha, as Chas & Dave; Tony Scarth as Tom Jones; Abba Fever and Absolute Bowie

A fireworks display sponsored by Dunnicliff Developments and Scallywags

Nursery provided a fitting end to the day

Welcoming visitors, parish council chairman Terry Summerlin said: “12 months after the platinum jubilee festivities, come rain or shine, you never let us down! Our local parish has joined the rest of the nation to mark the Coronation

“Thank you all It would not be a success without you all here I hope you really enjoy yourselves

“Putting this together has taken a lot of planning and I personally want to thank the working party for all their hard work I’d also like to thank Melbourne schools for letting us use their fields ”

Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Derbyshire, Griselda Kerr, said: “What a great occasion I don’t know about all of you but I was glued to the TV!

“It’s lovely to be asked to open this celebration because I get all the fun and none of the work! All the work has been done by lots of volunteers, Joe Ward, and by lots of other members of the parish council including Guy Crawford

to all, huge thanks ”

Further thanks were paid to the immense hard work put in by parish councillors in organising the occasion, at its annual general meeting held at Melbourne Sports Park

Re-elected chair Cllr Terry Summerlin said: “I’m very, very pleased with how it went Thanks to Cllr Ward and all the councillors that were involved with it, and Guy Crawford It was an excellent event which we put on for the public so well done to all involved ”

Cllr Sheila Hicklin added: “I know just how much time and effort this takes People were jumping, they were bouncing and I think the people of Melbourne appreciate everything we did that day ”

Councillors were out in force volunteering on the day, while Cllr George Dunnicliff was thanked for the spectacular fireworks which a crowd gathered on Brown’s Field to watch later in the evening

Meanwhile, around the area, it was a sea of red, white and blue as many in local villages gathered to hold street parties commemorating the historic coronation over the weekend

Congregation members at Melbourne Parish

Church gathered in the sunshine after their Sunday service to enjoy lunch together outside, while in Weston-on-Trent, party goers went along to the village hall to enjoy a “fantastic relaxed afternoon of merriment”, said Jayne Williamson

Guests provided food and alcohol and enjoyed tea, coffee and home made cakes too

Entertainment came from the Aston Ukuleles group who got guests Googling lyrics so they could sing along too!

With donations for refreshments, the day also raised more than £100 to be divided between the Prince’s Trust and St Mary the Virgin Parish Church

Locals celebrate King’s Coronation in style

l Children from Puddleducks Nursery in Melbourne enjoying a slap-up Coronation tea.

l Cllr Terry Summerlin, chair of Melbourne Parish Council, with Griselda Kerr, Derbyshire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant, opening the celebrations.

l This little chap is enjoying the ities

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RIGHT: Kurt Hurrell, Julie Dunn, Brian Ward and Melanie Holmes enjoying the spirit of the day at Melbourne concert.

LEFT: These ladies took to the dance floor – field – enjoying the music of Chas & Dave Tribute Gertcha.

l Laura and Doris Jackson enjoying the Kings Newton Social Club coronation celebrations at Melbourne Assembly Rooms.

elbourne Parish Church sat down to street party.

l Elaine Scott, Jenny Bexon and Doreen Cook getting into the patriotic spirit at the Melbourne Parish Council Coronation Concert on May 6.

purpose built, heated dog kennels and cat chalets in Ingleby. Large, secure, grass exercise paddocks for resident dogs, allowing active or sedate to be exercised to their requirements.

ROBERT HENRY HASTINGS

December 13, 1934May 18, 2023

HENRY was the first of three children born to Fred and Isa Hastings and was born and brought up at 11 Blanch Croft, which was then an off-licence

He was rather a handful, and his amusing booklet, ‘Boyhood Memories of Melbourne’, written in 2007 (inspired by being wrongly diagnosed with only six weeks to live), sold extremely well locally

Like his two sisters, Dorothea (Doh) and Margaret (Pud), Henry passed his scholarship and he attended the Joseph Wright Art School in Derby His love of painting lasted throughout his life and he raised thousands of pounds for charities with his yearly calendar of local scenes in watercolour

Whilst waiting for an apprenticeship as a coach builder, he worked at Melbourne Hall and on Saturdays at Adcock’s bakery from 5am to 7pm At the age of 18, Henry joined the RAF for three years, training in West Kirby, Liverpool and Catterick Within 12 weeks he was on his way to the Suez Canal zone, then Malta, Cyprus and Libya After service in the RAF, he worked at Qualcast in Derby for many years

After meeting at ‘The Rink’, the local hop in Swadlincote, Henry was happily married for 64 years to Val to whom he was devoted They had four children including David, who died in infancy in 1957, and Julie, who passed away a few years ago He is survived by his daughters, Diane and Debbie, four grandchildren, one great grandson and a sister,

Where outdoor learning is a class act

Doh

Henry lived life to the full and was well known for his droll humour and sharp wit Until recently he was a member of Breedon Priory, where he swam six days a week, and a stalwart of Kings Newton Bowls Club He also enjoyed a visit to the races and a pint

Although physically frail, Henry enjoyed the last year of his life when he moved from Chellaston back to his beloved Melbourne where he could be seen regularly on his mobility scooter with his little rescue dog, Ella

He will be sorely missed by his loving family and many friends

A GOVERNMENT education inspector conducted one of her more unusual visits when she came calling on a Melbourne pre-school where children take their learning outside – come rain or shine

Roz Phillips, who runs Derby Forest School based at Whistlewood Common, says children who come to her outdoors school very rarely head inside because they love learning in the fresh air too much

And when an inspector from Government watchdog Ofsted came on an official visit, she gave Roz’s pre-school the official thumbs up with a ‘Good’ rating and a glowing report

Inspector Rachel BarsbyRobinson said: “Children show excitement when they arrive at the outdoor setting and greet their friends The learning environment inspires children's curiosity Children are keen to lead their own play They explore the forest area and investigate the activities staff provide Children use critical-thinking skills to build a waterslide with pieces of a drainpipe They discuss with their friends how to use rocks to angle the pipes and change the direction of the water flow ”

Derby Forest School has around 24 pre-school aged children on its books, who come to Whistlewood for their learning over the two weekly sessions it operates

Coming from a background with an early years’ university qualification, registered childminder Roz set up the educational setting armed with Forest School training, having enjoyed a carefree outdoors childhood

herself

She said: “I grew up in rural Lincolnshire and we had a very outdoors upbringing, so life has come full circle for me really I know the benefits that had on me and my family and I hope to pass that on to the next generation ”

As well as young children, Derby Forest School also caters for youngsters up to the age of 11 who are being homeschooled, and it runs sessions in the school holidays too

The school day up at Whistlewood is seven and a half hours long and lessons revolve around nature and the outdoors

There is a campfire every day around which children enjoy snacks Activities include pond dipping, gardening and fruit

picking, and Roz says youngsters become physically strong as they carry around heavy logs as part of their normal school day

“I’ve got three year olds who can lift a huge amount of stuff, because they are dragging logs around all day and picking up rocks!” she said “What I love about it is seeing how they see nature for the very first time You get a real sense of awe and wonder, they will lift a log and they’re just fascinated by the worms underneath ”

Roz said she and her team of four staff were “over the moon” with their inspection report

She said: “Especially with having had lockdown, it felt like such an achievement to have someone else say ‘Yes, this is a good setting’ That felt amazing ”

Meanwhile, Roz, from Derby, said she loves coming to Whistlewood and teaching children in the great outdoors

“The fact that Melbourne came together and bought the piece of land at Whistlewood is fantastic,” she said “Everybody up there works so hard – the volunteering is remarkable

“It’s 10 years old in October and it feels like a proper woodland Considering there was nothing there 10 years ago, it’s incredible It has got a very special feel to it I think the people of Melbourne are very lucky to have it on their doorstep ”

by Lucy Stephens

LEFT: Roz Phillips playing with Rocco and Lorenzo.

ABOVE: Cara having fun at school.

Ross in epic run for charity

by Lucy Stephens

MELBOURNE’S Ross Danby has completed a remarkable 113-mile run around some of the UK’s most beautiful terrain in memory of his wife Jacqui – and raised thousands for charity in doing it

Ross undertook the epic Lake District challenge over the May bank holiday weekend, running around all 26 of its main lakes, waters and meres

Taking just over 46 hours to complete the whole distance, including 23,000 feet of ascent, Ross said he was happy to have achieved the arduous feat

Support from Lee Partington, also from Melbourne, meant he was able to run just with water and food for legs of between six and 12 miles

Further support came from the weather which was very helpfully “glorious”, he said – if anything, too hot!

“Anyone will tell you it’s so much easier when the weather ’s in your favour,” he said

But running 113 miles around The Lake District was still a very tough gig to take on

“I thought that if I managed to get through day one, I’d have a chance,” said Ross “There were three big climbs in and out of valleys and over mountain tops It hurt by the end

“There’s a photo of me arriving into Thirlmere and I look totally exhausted My thighs hurt a lot It’s the running down steep gradients that completely does you My legs were like jelly ”

Day two of the challenge involved covering 41 miles and two big mountains, after which, Ross said, he “could hardly move”

He said: “I was wondering how I would manage day three It started slowly, but just got better and better Once I’d ascended the last big mountain range I was running freely and by the time I arrived back at Grasmere, my starting point, my legs were turning over freely

“It was a beautiful clear blue sky day and I jumped straight in the lake when I got there!”

The earliest person to take on the challenge in the 80s did it in just over 35 hours, and the fastest time was under 20 – which noone since has even got close to

“I’m just happy to have managed it at all!” said Ross

The challenge was in aid of Macmillan Cancer and Treetops Hospice, both of which supported the Danby family through the illness and passing of Jacqui in 2022

So far Ross has raised around £3,000 for both charities and his fundraising pages are still open until the end of June, for any Village Voice readers who would like to donate

The fundraising pages can be found here: tinyurl com/mv7rjspk and here tinyurl com/muteh72y

Delay to start of the £20m flood project

THERE was an unusually strong public attendance for June’s Melbourne Parish Council meeting, writes FRANK HUGHES.

Representatives from Severn Trent attended to advise the public and the council that a flood alleviation project, costing £20m, which had been expected to start in the near future, had been pushed back to the next investment period, and no start date could be provided

The public will see some work starting around Castle Lane Industrial Estate as the plan is to put in some additional storage capacity there There will also be work on pumping stations in Ticknall and Breedon

The meeting left some attendees feeling frustrated that issues were not fully aired given the statutory limit on the time for public speaking

The public questions centred on the Pool Cottage closure and on the proposed development on Jawbone Lane Whilst councillors explained they were unable to intervene in what was essentially a commercial matter, one resident said that she thought there should be a more holistic approach to support for the elderly, given closure of both the care home and the Senior Citizens Centre

Similarly, councillors were unable to comment on the (Davidsons) housing development, as no application had been submitted yet It was pointed out that the local neighbourhood development plan was still current and did limit development in that area County Cllr David Muller also pointed out that conditions to pay for infrastructure (Section 106 money) could be imposed on developers if the application was approved

Another similar question was asked by Cllr Sheila Hicklin, concerning the new noticeboards which clearly gave undue prominence to Kings Newton It was agreed that the board on Potter Street should be changed as a matter of urgency

The chairman reported on the memorial event for Andrew Jackson, saying “we did him proud” and thanks were also given to the organisers of the recent Big Village Small Town event

HOW do top craftspeople use their hands so well?

You’ll get a chance to find out at a new festival celebrating the talents of artists and crafts people at the Ferrers Centre in Staunton Harold next month

The Summer Showcase, “Celebrating British Handmade”, is being held at the Ferrers Centre on July 1

The day will give visitors the chance to see talented artists at the centre giving live demonstrations of their chosen crafts

Talented makers will be showing the skills they use to make handmade pieces in a marquee

On from 10am to 4pm, the showcase will also feature live music, workshop tours, open studios and food and drink from Staunton Deli and The Stables Coffee Shop

COLD? ... Ross dips his finger in one of the lakes.

Mortgage Broker of Year award

A SPECIALIST mortgage broker whose director lives in Melbourne has been awarded a top prize for its work

Create Finance, whose director Aaron Forster is from Melbourne, was awarded ‘Mortgage Broker of the Year ’ at the Mortgage Strategy Awards

The awards were held in London and are seen as the pinnacle of success for those in the UK mortgage industry

Aaron (pictured with the award) said: “Although we are a nation-wide mortgage brokerage, we are proud to still have our roots firmly in Derby

“Each of our business owners are Derby-born and we are proud to employ a local workforce at our city centre headquarters, as well as having more than 17 brokers from across the country Established in 2015, Create Finance continues to grow, and we are proud to have been recognised at this years’ Mortgage Strategy Awards ”

Create Finance is a specialist mortgage brokerage dealing with clients who are struggling to find a mortgage, including those who are self-employed, have bad credit or are first time buyers They are often able to help clients to obtain a mortgage where other banks and brokers have failed

T V TV AER AERIAL SER SERVICE SERVICES

VILLAGE VOICE Postbag Change, but not for the better

MELBOURNE has existed for centuries and change has inevitably taken place here

Time has brought us the sprinkling of agriculture and light industry which we recognise today

Time has been, thus far, gentle in these changes, so that those of us who lived in these old streets were able to identify the strong roots of the place and the human scale of history in Melbourne Visitors would often remark that Melbourne felt somehow special, human and civilised when balanced against other localities where the march of progress and time have been unsightly and ugly Melbourne was a place to live a quieter life and a place where one might expect to grow old in a settled and peaceful community

It is, therefore, not surprising to find that, in such a place, any change needs time to be considered before it is taken on Visitors who came here often remarked that they liked Melbourne because it retained things which other places have lost Newspaper polls chose Melbourne as a special place to live in Chiefest among the virtues

they found here was a sense of community, a place where the march of progress had not destroyed human values of friendship and support

Then, recently, change came It came brutally and quickly and took little notice of our community The Old People’s Centre was among the first to be taken along with the bowling green The centre had once been promised to the elderly residents of Melbourne so that they might have a place for themselves and their interests Melbourne Hall became a place of showbusiness concerts, cramming the visitors at night cheek by jowl with the sleeping residents and filling the streets with their parking A selection of defunct vehicles sits in the fields now to attract “glampers”

All these changes have brought little extra of value to the community except stress and traffic Yet they were described, even in the Village Voice, as a “field of dreams” If this was the case they were bad dreams for the many who live in the heart of the community

From the promoters of these events, I

have heard that they are popular with the public If you live elsewhere and have no attachment to Melbourne then such things are fun But it is a very different story for many residents for whom the “Field of Dreams” myth is growing thin

Now, with hardly any notice, comes word that we might expect up to 1,000 Download Festival campers to camp next to us Apart from their arrival they will be ferried in buses into Castle Square each night 1,000 youngsters in buses We have now become a bus station for the “Field of Dreams”

The latest news is hearing that the elderly residents of Pool Cottage have to leave a place that for many is their home Pool Cottage once cared for an ancient friend I saw for myself the care and support given to him and was deeply moved Now the Pool Cottage residents must try to find somewhere in another place, out of their home village, without their companions and probably at more cost

Perhaps these elderly people are too frail to try “glamping”

John Williams, Melbourne

Age matters, so take note

THE future of Melbourne’s elderly community is at serious risk

Firstly, we lost the much-loved Senior Citizen’s Centre, because the centre’s management team were advised that when the lease came up for renewal, it would be increased to a ‘commercial rent’, something that the centre just couldn’t afford

Now, most recently, we have the awfully worrying news relating to whispers and increasing rumours and it has since been announced that the management of the much-loved Pool Cottage home are unable to continue keeping this wonderful haven open, due to the increased prices that will be imposed when the lease comes up for renewal in August 2024

It is obvious that little thought or regard has been taken when considering the devastating impact this will have on the wellbeing of the very vulnerable ‘victims’ in what is in effect, their safe haven and home This was also the case for the mainly elderly people, meeting friends in the ‘safe haven’ of the Senior Citizen’s Centre that I would add, was ‘run’ by volunteers who cared deeply for the many visitors

People of all ages should be alarmed at what is taking place in what is seen as a very caring village Some members of the community may not be alarmed by what is happening, but be warned, some time in the future, age creeps up on everyone When the proposed closure of the Senior Citizen’s Centre was being actioned, I personally wrote to the current owner to express my serious con-

cerns The letter was sent by ‘Special Delivery’ so that I was able to track that this letter had been received and signed for, which I did However, it would seem that my letter wasn’t deemed to be sufficiently important enough as I received no acknowledgement or response from the recipient

I fully understand the need to generate income to ‘balance the books’ by the introduction of other commercial activities, as have been seen recently However, I am greatly concerned that the members of the community being affected the most, just happen to be the elderly and most vulnerable and it is they that will be hit the most

I have heard talk of a Community Fund, possibly up £100,000, being generated for what is called, ‘at risk people’ but how can our elected representatives on the Parish and District Councils be part of this proposed plan when previously, residents have lost their community hub and by next year or sooner, elderly residents at Pool Cottage, who are happy, safe and secure, are going to lose what in effect is their home At this home, they are safe and have wonderful staff who as well as tending to their needs, are also their companions and friends for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The heading that I chose for this piece of writing is ‘Age Matters’ so some would do well remembering this, going forward into the future as next time it could be you

Colin Barker, Melbourne

Blessed to have this society

MELBOURNE Operatic Society were performing to a full-house at the Duchess Theatre and I and family members were there on April 20 and, with fellow audience members, we were not to be disappointed

I could write all night about this MOS presentation, last performed by them in 2006

We are truly blessed to have such an array of quality thespians in our midst and supported by the orchestra, front of house and behind the scenes staff; we were definitely on to a winner

The capability to perform such a diverse performance and genre with 30-plus people on what is not the largest stage is a wonder to see Especially as there was such a ‘buzz’ in all areas of the Duchess Theatre

Unfortunately, I am not qualified enough to comment on whether the amazing, epic individual acting was in any way due to the suspicious taking of ‘enhancing substances’ during the performance, but whatever it was, it worked wonders

Frequently hilarious quips and innuendoes, without a doubt produced huge smiles and laughter from the cast as well as the extremely appreciative audience

Following the performance of ‘The Sorcerer ’ you could feel such a positive warmth and gratitude to so many dedicated people, without whom it would have not been possible It was so wonderful to have seen such an appreciative audience, having such a magical, enjoyable evening at the theatre

This was a superb presentation by the multi-talented Melbourne Operatic Society and it is amazing that they dedicate so much of their spare time and as ‘amateur

performers’ they continually strive to bring such quality entertainment to a wide range of people

In conclusion: On behalf of my family members and the audience, sincere thanks to everyone who worked so hard to entertain so many people and in closing, the official show programme was of very high quality and a very interesting read Colin Barker, Melbourne

Bench unveiled to remember Ida

A NEW memorial bench has been unveiled in Tonge in memory of a true community stalwart who was born right opposite its siting, 100 years ago.

Family and friends of Ida Wright, who died last year aged 99, were present to dedicate a specially commissioned bench in memory of the lady dubbed the “Boudica of Breedon” who lived life to the fullest – even learning sailing in her 80s!

Friends and family helped fund the new bench which is situated next to the new post box on Breedon Lane in Tonge, alongside the house where Ida was born on February 17, 1923, and also opposite the Lord Nelson, her home for many years

At the dedication ceremony, Ida’s friend of 40 years Sue Dore spoke about Ida’s long life and in particular her role in the “Battle for Breedon”, a fight for the village’s community centre which famously went all the way to the High Court

The protracted battle was eventually lost by Breedon Community Association, of which Ida was a key member All groups which ran there closed down, including Tiny Tots play group, a children’s sports club and an afternoon tea club for the over 60s

But despite the loss Ida’s indomitable spirit was not forgotten

Sue said: “During the five years leading up to the case and beyond the result Ida was always there with sound counsel and support She was a very special person who you knew would never let you down ”

Ida was born at White House Farm in Tonge and began work aged 14 at Langley Priory

During her long life she was variously a farmer, barmaid at Tiffany’s nightclub in Coalville, and trained cook

A keen traveller who had many adventures abroad including in New Zealand, Sierra Leone, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, Ida was just as busy at home with many community roles including church warden at Breedon Priory Church and

Don’t miss out on these grants, says councillor

MELBOURNE district councillor Martin Fitzpatrick is encouraging local community groups and businesses to apply for grants that will soon be available from South Derbyshire District Council

Cllr Fitzpatrick said: “South Derbyshire District Council has launched two new grant schemes, backed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund

“The first is the South Derbyshire Community Grant Fund Scheme and is aimed at community and voluntary groups, third sector and not for profit organisations delivering community facilities, projects and initiatives in South Derbyshire The fund has £350,000 available over the next two years

“Capital grants of between £2,000 and £25,000 are available with a minimum project cost of £2,500 Match funding of 20 per cent required Applicants must demonstrate that their project meets one or more of the Shared Prosperity Fund outcomes

“The second fund is the Business Grant Fund and this aims to encourage business development and job creation by supporting private investment in growth-enhancing activities Grants will be targeted at smaller businesses, helping them to increase productivity, purchase equipment, introduce new processes or techniques, start or grow their exports, or introduce new products or services

The grant scheme aims to enhance business resilience, stimulate enterprise and innovation, enable businesses to access new markets and encourage green growth ”

The first call for applications for both funds will end on June 30 and full details on either scheme can be found on the SDDC website

Cllr Fitzpatrick also added: “From the previous community fund, which was set up in 2019, groups in Melbourne did particularly well in receiving nearly 40% of all funds allocated across the whole of South Derbyshire and I am very eager to help groups or businesses with their applications for the new funds

“I can be contacted at martin fitzpatrick@southderbyshire go uk or on 07710 030187 ”

keen gardener whose home-made alcohol was legendary!

Sue said: “Anyone who knew Ida will never forget her, whether it was galloping up the steps to raise the flag on the church tower at over 80 or abandoning her car on the highway to remove ragwort or rubbish from the hedgerows or climbing the ladder to trim the climbing rose outside her bedroom window

“Ida Wright could easily be said to be the Boudica of Breedon She was strong-willed, honourable and direct with a laugh that was never forgotten Neither can her unerring kindness, gardening skills and unfailing ability to turn elderberries into a lethal alcoholic potion which surpassed the wine served at the Millennium Ball in Wilson It could clean copper, brass and one’s teeth with equal power A bottle of elderberry wine was actually removed from her person by security guards at the High Court in London and not many 80 year olds can claim that!!

“Ida was simply unique and a proud, dedicated member of our community

“She will be remembered and fittingly commemorated by this bench that has been placed in the village she loved so much ”

BENCH MARK Ida’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren join friends at the unveiling of the bench in Tonge, and (below) Ida Wright.

T he Common Touch...

Anniversary party time

JUNE is a special and very busy month at Whistlewood Common; we have lots of people hiring the site for birthday parties and celebrations as well as lots of courses and wellbeing events going on

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a festival; this year our Midsummer-ish Festival is on Saturday, June 24. Being our 10th anniversary year we’re planning a big, big party As a not-forprofit co-operative ‘for the benefit of the community’ we’re run on a bit of a shoestring, which is why we are extremely grateful to everyone who buys tickets and to those who help with our main fundraising event in the year – our festival

You can buy shares in our co-operative too and be part of our membership, which also helps us fund our site

The music is the main focus of the day and the programme of bands is curated by our own Roger Spencer, who is a local musician and always provides us with a line-up of varied bands and choirs including lots of local acts and young musicians Some of the acts for the day are, Calling Time, A Choir ’d Taste, Our local ukelele group, The Roster, The Telephones, Charlie King and Andrew Horth

There is an open mic spot too, so if you want to attend and give us a song on the stage let us know The times for our festival are midday until 11pm We like to think of it as Melbourne’s answer to Glastonbury, with an opportunity to camp over on the Saturday night if you want the full-on festival experience, but still near enough to walk (wobble?) home to bed if camping isn’t your thing!

I’ve been to Glastonbury and I’d like to put it on record that our toilets are much nicer than theirs and this year we have a brand new additional composting toilet to share with you, we have the poshest eco toilets in South Derbyshire, real loos with views!

There are a limited amount of dog tickets for well-behaved dogs on short leads attached to well-behaved owners

There’s all the fun of a festival including various food stalls, homemade cakes, eco glitter face painting and a bar. We’re also planning lots of festival games and events too which we’re keeping under our festival hats We’d love to see you wearing your festival hats and best party outfits, people are welcome to bring their gazebos and make a big friends and family day of it

Our Duke of Edinburgh volunteers are always a great help to us at festival time and it’s nice for the local teenagers to have a chance to attend such a local festival at a site they’ve helped care for Whistlewood in June looks beautiful, we have great sunsets and the stage in front of the strawbale roundhouse makes it such a beautiful venue We’re looking forward to celebrating with you!

– KATHERINE PARRISH

Wal k t h i s w a

y

–f o r 2 3 0 m i l e s !

A RETIRED history teacher from Swarkestone joined a former colleague in what is reputed to be the most arduous walking trail in the country – traversing 230 miles of rugged and remote terrain in the wilds of Scotland

Mark Field and Peter Shuttleworth, respectively former history and geography teachers from Trent College, took on the hugely challenging Cape Wrath Trail, running from Fort William in the Highlands all the way to Cape Wrath, the most north-westerly point of Scotland

It was all in aid of Derby Mountain Rescue and along the way Mark and Peter camped out for most of their two week trip, carrying all their own provisions, endured days of rehydrated meals, fell in a loch, encountered a tick, traversed rugged and sometimes pathless terrain – but also spotted a Golden Eagle!

Recounting his experience, Mark said: “We were thrilled to have completed the 230 miles in a time that was a day and a half ahead of our most optimistic forecast of 16 days, into which we had built a contingency of another week

“It was a walk of spectacular beauty but also required digging deep into our reserves of endurance On the evening of day four for example, on the approach to Kinloch Hourn, I simply had to stop about a quarter of a mile from our scheduled evening destination for an energy bar to get me over the line

“I wasn’t aware of it at the time but I had ‘hit the wall’ It seemed a very apt expression at the time to describe how I was feeling No less apt than the unscheduled and relatively luxurious stop that followed, thanks to a very recently opened Bed and Breakfast, which, given the remoteness and inaccessibility of the spot, must have been virtually dependent on Cape Wrath Trail hikers ” Mark, 62, is no stranger to big walking challenges having also completed Wainwright’s Coast to Coast, The Pennine Way, Offa’s Dyke, Glyndwr ’s Way, The West Highland Way, The Limestone Way in the Peaks and, last year, the Cambrian Way

But he said the Cape Wrath Trail, which was a long time in the planning – including hours of discussion on what would be the best type of eating implement to bring (a long handled teaspoon!) – had been particularly challenging because of its remoteness and the need to carry food supplies for the whole distance, adding considerable weight in back packs

As for the charitable element, Mark said raising money for Derby Mountain Rescue was an obvious choice

“Loving walking and the great outdoors as I do, I have often felt reassured while out on the mountains and fells that there is a group of volunteers on call 24/7 365 days of the year willing to come to my and others people's aid should they run into trouble,” he said “Having retired and so with some extra time on my hands I thought that it would be good to combine my passions and at the same time help out a voluntary organisation close to my heart ”

To donate to Mark and Peter ’s extraordinary expedition, see tinyurl com/muycae5r

CAMPING OUT ... Mark Field pitches his tent at Loch Calavie.

Paul’s firm helps boy play in garden

A BIG-HEARTED landscape gardener from Melbourne stepped in to help an eight-year-old quadruple amputee take himself off to play in his garden for the first time.

After years being mainly stuck inside, Taylor Lewis, eight, of Ilkeston, can now take himself out to his garden to bounce on his trampoline and whizz down his slide for the first time after Paul Bignall of awardwinning PB Landscapes of Melbourne volunteered his top-notch services for the job

Taylor fell ill with meningitis and sepsis aged eight months and had to have both legs and hands amputated He has since undergone 86 operations, has had multiple and ongoing complications, and goes to hospital twice a week

He gets around using a combination of a wheelchair and blades, but at home prefers to move himself about on just his stumps as it is much less painful

That has meant he has been unable to take himself outside to his garden since the family moved into their bungalow five years ago Not only is the garden on two levels, it also has lots of uneven surfaces which meant Taylor could not use it on his stumps, and his blades would not have worked either

In addition, attempts over several years by family and friends to try and fix the garden meant there were lots of rocks heaped around the space, adding to an already unsuitable surface for Taylor

But now Taylor can head outside himself and manoeuvre himself on to his slide and his trampoline after PB Landscapes of Melbourne came to Ilkeston and sorted out the garden for the family once and for all

The company heard of Taylor ’s plight through the memory-making charity me&dee

Paul and his team spent two days levelling out the space in Taylor ’s garden, laying down grass and sprucing up the rest of the area so the whole family can enjoy the space

Paul said: “Although you always know there are people badly off in the world, you don’t appreciate it until you see it Maria who founded me&dee is brilliant – I did her garden for free too

“It’s a good service I’m happy to do For me to see the smile on Taylor ’s face, being able to use his garden, is worth more than any money to me ”

Mum Terri said: “Paul coming to finish off our garden for us once and for all has made me feel so overwhelmed Just to know that Taylor can finally be himself outside the house again is wonderful Thank you so much to him and to me&dee for put-

What’s On

YOUR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN OUR AREA

Every Friday 2.00 - 3.00pm

T'ai Chi classes

at the Royal British Legion, Derby Road, Melbourne Contact Jean for information on 07904 245789

Continuing until 22 July

Creative Melbourne Gallery Exhibition Coast

Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne.

Open: Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm. See ad on Page 13

Saturday 17 June:

Coffee Morning

10am - noon. United Reformed Church Hall, High St, Melbourne.

Saturday 24th June

Whistlewood’s 10th

See ad on Page 13

Midsummer-ish Music Festival

12:00 - 23:00 (camping overnight also available), 10 great local bands, bar & food stalls at Whistlewood on The Common. Details and tickets at www.whistlewoodcommon.org

Saturday 24 June:

Coffee Morning

10am - noon. Roman Catholic Church, St Mary’s Hall, Church Street, Melbourne.

ting us in touch

“We’ve lived here for five years and he’s always just had to play on the drive or be carried down

“me&dee has been wonderful for us It’s more a case of what haven’t they done? They have just become family to us That’s what they are now

“Taylor goes through such a lot and now he’s got the warmer days outside to look forward to, it will help him forget things a bit ”

Materials for Taylor ’s garden makeover were donated free of charge by Browns Builders Merchants Ltd of Derby

ABOVE: PB Landscapes’ team join Taylor and Terri in their garden with Maria Hanson MBE and Mark Harrison from me&dee

LEFT: Paul Bignall receiving a me&dee certificate of appreciation from Taylor

Maria Hanson MBE said: “I was so happy when Paul and his team did such a beautiful job of finishing off Taylor ’s garden This is a family that has been through some of the most challenging times imaginable and our charity exists to try and bring some light through the dark times, listening to people’s needs and trying to make things a bit easier in whatever ways we can Our charity offers very bespoke support, comfort and memory-making experiences This garden makeover is the perfect example of the type of work we do, and how we try to be there for families who need help

“We’d love to hear from more businesses who would like to offer their support, either by volunteering their services or through signing up for a monthly sponsorship There are thousands of people like Taylor and his family who need help – it would be great to support many more ”

For more on how to help families like Taylor ’s through its good work, see www meanddee co uk

Sunday 25 June:

Come down to Kings Newton Bowls Club

to watch the Derbyshire County merit nals. All welcome to watch high quality bowling, have a drink and enjoy the barbeque. From 11am.

Friday 30 June:

‘Putting on the Ritz’

An evening of cabaret style musicAlexander Binns (Piano) & Dora Chatzigeorgiou (Violin).

7.00 for 7.30pm. The White Ballroom, Amalfi White. Tickets £12.50 - Contact: Creative Gallery or wegottickets.com

Saturday 1 July:

Coffee Morning

10am - noon. Methodist Church Wesley Hall, Potter Street,

Saturday 1 July:

Summer Showcase

Celebrating British Handmade, Ferrers Centre, Staunton Harold. 10am –4pm. Live music, workshop tours, open studios and refreshments.

Saturday 8 July:

Melbourne Carnival

n FIRE safety in the home was the hot topic when members of the Melbourne and District WI visited the local fire station.

WI members (pictured left) enjoyed a cuppa and cake when paying a visit to Melbourne Fire Station in May.

Watch manager Andy Astle said: “We are working hard to keep our community safe with our Fire Kills campaign.”

Smoke alarms should be regularly tested to ensure they still work

See ad on Page 10

12pm – 5pm, Melbourne Junior School playing elds. Procession starts at Castle Square at 11.45am. Vander Superhero, Space Wheel Stunt Display, music, and dance acts. Cake competition - enter by 1pm. No dogs please.

Tickets available from www.melbournecarnival.co.uk or on the day.

Saturday 8 July:

Coffee Morning

10am - noon. Baptist Church Schoolroom, Chapel St, Melbourne.

Sunday 9 July:

Ashby Show

Cattows Farm, Heather, Leicesteshire. See ad on Page 18 Melbourne

To include your event here please email ads@melbournevillagevoice.co.uk or call 07584 025 852

End of an era for two dedicated football coaches

TWO much loved coaches were recognised for their dedication to Melbourne football after 12 years of loyal service.

As a final farewell to junior football, Melbourne Dynamo Football Club U18 players, parents and coaches celebrated the end of the season with a meal out in the town

The evening marked the end of an era for coaches, Andy Walsh and John Lewis. Both have been coaching the team for 12 years, with the majority of the boys playing in the original U7 team back in 2012.

As with all football teams, there have been highs and lows but parents said Andy and John had “maintained a brilliant team spirit” throughout and that “ their dedication and

commitment has been unquestionable”

Andy and John were presented with ‘Top Coach’ trophies and their respective wives received bouquets on behalf of the club, to thank them for their outstanding contributions.

Sara Oxspring, whose son Freddie has been playing with the side, said: “Players and parents cannot thank Andy and John enough for all that they have done over the years.

“They have made junior football an absolute pleasure and friendships have been forged that will last a lifetime.

“So much more than football coaches, they have played a massive part in developing our little boys into the young men they are today, and for that, we will always be grateful ”

n WINNERS of the Packhorse Trophy played for at Kings Newton Bowls Club, Peter Barton and Neil Hill, who beat Kirsten Reece-Tarpey and Steve Hall in the final Full report on Back Page

Your County, District & Parish Councillors’ surgeries are on SATURDAY 1 JULY at The Assembly Rooms, Melbourne - 11am - 12 noon

MARTIN FITZPATRICK (District) 07710 030187/01332 862323 martin.fitzpatrick@southderbyshire.gov.uk

ABOVE LEFT: The original under-7s side, and (ABOVE) the under-18s team they became, celebrating in Melbourne BELOW: Coaches Andy Walsh and John Lewis

Not a very merry month of May for Ticknall ...

TICKNALL Cricket Club’s 1st XI went through May losing all four league games and ending the period in a relegation position, writes David Fox

The month commenced on a wet Coronation Day with a home game against local rivals Swarkestone The game was in doubt due to the weather but, as the rain receded in the late afternoon, a reduced 30-over game was possible

Ticknall were put into bat but conditions were difficult with a wet pitch and outfield They managed 155 for six thanks to a fine 86 by Cork and a 90-run partnership with Fazal Conditions improved for Swarkestone and a quick fire 39 off 17 balls by Alex Hughes ensured that they got to the total in 22 overs losing only two wickets

Ticknall’s next opponents were Rolleston away A team, weakened by unavailability, Ticknall were put into bat but could only manage 104 with Cork again top scorer with 33 Rolleston made

short work of reaching the small total in the 32nd over, losing just two wickets in the process

The next game was at The Grange against Alvaston and Boulton For the third match on the trot Ticknall lost the toss and Alvaston chose to bat A competitive total of 236 was posted for the loss of five wickets, largely due to a knock of 77 by Gary Park

Ticknall never really bothered the required total, although Hobson made 56, and they were bowled out for 148 in 46 overs

The last league game of the month was away at Spondon and, with more or less a full strength team, there were high hopes of turning the poor form around Spondon chose to bat and a good tight bowling performance saw Spondon reach 167 for seven However, five dropped catches and a 79-run partnership took them to 242 without further loss Ticknall started slowly in their innings but it appeared to be working until spin-

ners Harrison (six wickets) and Gorbet (four wickets) took charge, bowling Ticknall out for 148

Ticknall’s team did have a little success in limited over competitions Although getting beaten in the National ECB cup by Cavaliers & Carrington, a young inexperienced side led by Paul Borrington showed fight and pride in defeat and did the club proud against a top national side Two fine wins in T20 in the brewery Cup and premier league cup against Abbots Bromley and Alrewas ended the month with a little smile on supporters’ faces

Ticknall 2nd team had three league games in May with one cancelled The month started with a fine win against Chellaston by 37 runs In a total of 228 for four, with Shakil making 89, Chellaston were bowled out for 191 with Joe Jacques taking five wickets

However, this win was followed by two defeats

The first against Alvaston and Boulton by 21 runs saw Ticknall all out for 183 chasing a total 210 The second defeat was against Elvaston Ticknall put on 227 for seven with Paterson making 56 and Siddiqi 58, but their opponents passed this total in 36 overs for the loss of four wickets

Ticknall 3rd team also had three games in May, drawing two and winning the last game The first draw saw their opponents Swarkestone make 251 for seven in 40 overs and Ticknall held out making 180 for seven after their 40 overs thanks to Read making 74

The second draw was against Victory CC, who made 213 for eight in 40 overs Ticknall replied with 133 for eight thanks to Hetherington’s 60 Their only win of the month was against Darley Abbey Ticknall made 242 for five with Hetherington making 60 and Iqbal 51 Darley Abbey were bowled out for 65 with Lucas taking five wickets for nine runs

And Melbourne’s month was not that great either

SOFTBALL FESTIVAL SUCCESS

MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club (MTCC) hosted its very first ladies softball festival at the MSP on May 14

Thankfully, the sun was out and it was great to see so many people enjoying the day It is only the second season of ladies’ softball at Melbourne and so to put out two teams was a fantastic achievement

A great deal of planning had gone into creating a fun and memorable day for both players and spectators: including music, the pop-up food outlet ‘Let’s Taco About It’, complimentary sports massage provided by JJ Heath, fantastic raffle and guess the weight of the cake competition (SJ Cakes). The day was kicked off with a group aerobics warm up of over 50 ladies!

There were seven teams entered in total, including the two development teams from MTCC Both teams played well throughout the day, with a number of ladies playing their first ever match Coach Scrimmy recognised that there is still a lot to ‘tweak’ but the potential and enthusiasm is definitely in abundance.

At the end of the day each team was awarded a ‘Prosecco/choco-

lates Moment’ – a particular cricketing highlight as decided by the umpires Well done to Amy Fleming and Emily Brooks of MTCC

The ladies will be playing at more festivals throughout Derbyshire over the summer and also at the MTCC summer event at the MSP on Sunday, June 25. If any ladies are interested in going along to see

what it’s all about, training is on Tuesdays from 5.15-6.30pm at the MSP

Special thanks to Alex Slater, the MSP team and MTCC volunteers who helped with preparation of the ground, umpiring and ensuring that the day ran smoothly.

Pictured are some of the softballers enjoying the day

MELBOURNE Town Cricket

Club were hit by the wet weather at the start of May with the first team’s first two games of the month against Abbots Bromley and Hartshorne rained off They did manage to get on the pitch a week later as they hosted Spondon third team, who amassed 192 all out as Alex Slater (3-18) and Muhammad Nadeem (3-57) led the way with the ball

Solid batting saw Melbourne knock the runs off for a six wicket win with over 15 overs to spare, Mark Rossi top scoring on 67 not out

Town travelled to Burton for their last league game of the month Nadeem led the way with the ball taking 3-63 but the home side scored a substantial 263-6 Only Ash Elwell stood firm with the bat, scoring 53, as the first team fell to a 66-runs defeat in being bowled out for 197

The second team began the month with a rained off game against Clifton and were well beaten a week later by a strong Allestree first team The seconds fell to 131 all out with only Ash Elwell (52) and Ranjit Rathore (29) getting a score of note as the visitors claimed a 10-wicket victory Elwell (31) and skipper Sam Adcock (25) were the top scorers a week later as the seconds were bowled out for just 106 and, despite 2-18 from Tom Richmond, Winshill seconds claimed a six wicket victory

Town ended the month with a much-needed win at home to lowly Muggington with 3-32 from Gurwinder Singh plus two wickets apiece

by Manjinder Singh, Tom Bagnall and Tom Richmond bowling the visitors out for just 112 Singh capped a good game with 64 not out in a ninewicket success

The club’s third team has seen many of their youngsters making their senior debuts In their first league match of the season away to Winshill thirds it was 13-year-old Isaac Walker who led the way with a remarkable 3-9 from his five overs plus 4-20 by Nathan Smith This helped see the hosts shot out for just 100 Town edged to victory by just two wickets with several players chipping in

A week later visitors Kirk Langley seconds scored a handy 223-8 off their allotted overs with Isaac Walker once again leading the way with 3-29 supported by two wickets from debutant Kartheek Mylapally

The thirds struggled in reply and were bowled out for 57

A very strong Brailsford thirds team were the next visitors to the MSP as they smashed 379-9 but figures of 4-48 by Raman Batchu plus three wickets on his debut for 13 year old Ed Jones stood out

Opener Chetan Patel (29) and Dharani Ronanki (27) stood firm in Melbourne’s reply as they ended on 108-7

The final match of the month for John Collins’ men was away to Lullington Park 4ths, who scored 323-3 Town were within three balls of salvaging a draw as a superb 60 by Adam Walker led the rearguard action but ultimately they fell to another defeat

BOWLS CLUB GOING WELL

BOWLS clubs may be struggling for members – but at Kings Newton players are bucking the trend

Kings Newton Bowls Club on Packhorse Road now has more than 60 full playing members and around the same number of social members

The club has recently held its first internal competition of the season, the Packhorse Trophy

The competition was entered by 17 pairs and won by Peter Barton and Neil Hill, who beat Kirsten Reece-Tarpey and Steve Hall in the final

The club is competing in eight leagues this season from Monday to Friday

Only a few matches have been played with varying results So far most teams are around mid-table in their league

On June 25 the club will be hosting the prestigious Derbyshire County merit finals

This will see 32 bowlers from around Derbyshire competing for the title of Derbyshire champion Club president Graham Leech said: “Being awarded this tournament shows the high regard the club and green are held in by the bowls’ associations; they know that we will do a great job

“Spectators are most welcome to come along to watch some high quality bowling, have a drink or two and enjoy the barbecue ”

CHAMPIONS

MELBOURNE Dynamo Football Club’s men’s first team has been promoted to the highest level it has ever been in 73 years after triumphantly winning the league!

The team won the Central Midlands League Division 1 West by four points, ahead of Mayfield FC

Dynamo’s first team travelled up to watch Mayfield play on Wednesday May 3, with the side’s draw against Holbrook Angels confirming our local heroes as champions!

Conor Raynor, chair of Melbourne Dynamo Football Club, said: “Despite getting off to a slow start to the season, losing their first two games, the lads then went on an unbeaten League run of 12 games from August to April, which saw them rapidly climb up the ranks in the league ”

The team then rounded off a fantastic season with a 7-1 victory over Kilburn, where they were presented with a trophy following the match

Now the team has been promoted to Step 7 football in the Central Midlands League Premier Division South, the highest level the club has ever been in its 73-year history

Conor said: “This is a massive step for the club, and shows we’re heading in the right direction The target in the next five years is to get to Step 6 football, as this is where the money is to really develop the club facilities for all ages Now we’re only one league away from that, and I’m really excited to see what the future holds for this great club

“I’m really proud of Gav (Salisbury) and the lads for what they’ve achieved, and want to thank them all for their hard

work and commitment to the club throughout the whole season

“Having some of junior graduates playing a massive role in the adult team becoming league champions, it goes to show how strong our pathway is for our junior players, and gives them something to aim for in the future

“We want to develop our juniors from a young age, right through to the adults, so that they can also bring even more success to their local club ”

Pictures of the Dynamo players enjoying their moment of glory provided by BRIAN TIPTREE