Melbourne Village Voice March 2017

by LUCY STEPHENS

A WELL-KNOWN Melbourne outdoor veg stall may have to cease trading after continued abuse of its honesty box system.

Jochen Helbig, whose parents ran The White Swan pub in the 1970s and 80s, fears having to stop selling local vegetables and eggs because his takings have been continually down on what they should have been over the past few months.

Jochen has been selling Melbourne and Ticknall-grown vegetables from outside his home, next to The White Swan on Castle Street, for the past few years; he started doing it as part of the Melbourne Festival.

He has also been selling eggs laid by his own flock of large fowl rare breed chickens for over a decade.

The family operate an honesty box system whereby vegetables, eggs and flowers are priced and customers are asked to put the correct money in the box.

But Jochen and his family have found that over the past few months their takings are considerably down on what they should be.

“Last August I noticed my money wasn’t quite right at the end of the week from what I had left and what I sold,” said Jochen.

“I thought I’m going to get a little bit less because of the fact I’m working on honesty, but at Christmas it got to the point where it’s not even covering the cost of what I’m buying it for.

“I’m £20, £18 down – it’s not great amounts. But I just find it disgusting. It’s a service I’m providing. A lot of people round here really want it, they get fresh vegetables –it’s a sustainable product.”

A passionate outdoors-man who enjoys foraging for wild produce in local hedgerows, Jochen started selling fresh veg grown locally to help keep Melbourne’s market gardening heritage going.

He said: “I love the outdoor life. I have always been picking from hedgerows and I’ve grown to love what nature Continued

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New body rises from the Rotary ashes

FOLLOWING the lamented demise of Melbourne Rotary Club last year, a new project is rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes.

A group of ex-Rotarians have now come together to form ‘Rotex’ in order that much of the good work previously organised under the Rotary banner may yet continue.

Speaking for the new group, Kate Dumelow said: “A lot of people don’t know just how much Rotary did locally, and we are determined that just because there is not a formal club, that should continue.”

Sitting in the back room of the Blue Bell Inn, over a curry and chips meal, the new group reflected on the circumstances many Rotary clubs now find themselves in, with declining membership, very few younger people joining, and the competing pressures on time and family budget.

“So many young people nowadays go off

to university, or travel to get work, and lead independent lives so there is not the same connection to the village there used to be,” said Kate.

Kate hopes that, without the formality of membership dues and regular attendance for meetings, she can attract more people to get involved locally.

“We are intending to still help with the carnival and the festival, and to organise the traditional Christmas carols event. We are also planning to continue the work in schools, with the story writing prize event, and to provide a dictionary for every junior school child, as we have been doing for years.”

Margaret Sharp, who is chairing the new group, said: “The other thing we are keen to continue is the support for Inter Care, the voluntary service which recycles medical supplies to Africa.”

Last month almost 900kg of surplus medical supplies were sent to health units in rural Africa.

“Simple things like nearly out-of-date bandages and plasters, or excess medical items left, for example, after a loved one passes away are collected and then despatched to help others where medical supplies are in very short supply.”

Kate said: “My aspiration is not only to keep on with the good deeds side of it, but I would also like to get more people involved.”

So the plea is going out to get in touch –“we meet once a month in the evenings, and on the first Tuesday every month we will be meeting at a local venue for breakfast”.

Kate’s contact details are katedumelow@gmail or telephone 01332 862666.

– Frank Hughes

n VOLUNTEER litter pickers did their bit to clean the hedgerows on the roads in and around Melbourne on March 4 as their contribution to the Great British Spring Clean.

A report from the civic society said that pickers had “turned out in force to tackle the shameful amount of rubbish discarded in hedgerows”.

Claire Sturges recruited 12 publicspirited Stanton residents to do a

clean sweep of their area. They amassed a huge pile of bulging bags (pictured) for collection by the council.

Likewise a group from King’s Newton, spurred into action by Barbara Simpson, tackled their local roadside verges and collected mounds of rubbish.

These two groups were backed up by regular litter pickers from Mel-

bourne Civic Society, who made sure that Cockshut Lane and roads into Melbourne were cleared.

The civic society said it would like to thank all good citizens who took part in this Great British Spring Clean in the bright sunshine.

They also want to give a special word of thanks to the Clean Team at South Derbyshire District Council who collected the bags.

DISTRICT COUNCIL TAX PRECEPT GOES UP

SOUTH Derbyshire residents will have their district council tax precept raised by 1.9 per cent in the next financial year – the latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council heard.

District councillor John Harrison told the meeting on March 7 that the rise had come after a six-year freeze and that members had only “very reluctantly” agreed to it.

The 1.9 per cent increase will equate to a rise of £2.99 paid in a band D property in 2017/8 – bringing the total district council precept for this band of property to £156.17.

The district council’s precept is just under 10 per cent of the total band D bill of £1,621 for South Derbyshire householders.

Other levies come from the county council, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue, Derbyshire Police and the crime commissioner.

Cllr Harrison told the meeting that the 1.9 per cent rise was within the Government cap of two per cent. He said: “Many other councils have been reducing their contributions to parish councils and other organisations but we value those organisations very much indeed so we are going to come forward with an increase.”

PUPILS and staff from Aston-on-Trent Primary School were in a stripey mood on World Book Day as they went dressed as characters from the Where’s Wally series.

Children took in a £1 donation to Book Aid International, a charity dedicated to changing lives through books.

They took part in Where’s Wally themed activities throughout the day.

Book Aid International yearly sends half a million books to community, public, school and academic libraries in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, to increase access to the best quality books in some of the poorest areas of the world.

Over 300,000 of these books are destined for use by primary and secondary school aged children.

New classroom on the cards for junior school

MELBOURNE Junior School will get an extra classroom in a £350,000 project expected to be delivered next year.

The disused former adult education centre on the Packhorse Road site is to be demolished to create car parking.

Members of Derbyshire County Council’s ruling cabinet agreed the funding for the project at a meeting in February but exact timescales as to when the work will be done are not yet known.

The county council will be paid contributions of £159,000 and £68,000 under ‘Section 106’ funding over the next three years, which will go towards building the classroom and knocking down the adult education centre.

Art ‘first’

AN exhibition of fine art – including the Derbyshire recipient of the Jonathan Vickers prize –is to be held in Melbourne for charity, in the first venture of its kind.

A group called Bunburies Fine Art for Charity is holding its ‘ArtrAid’ show at the Methodist Church in Melbourne on Saturday, March 18.

Open from 10.30am to 4.30pm, the exhibition will feature 13 fine artists.

Half their fees will be going to the charity Children of Fiji, which provides care for many of that island’s youngsters.

brief

Bench bids

PLANS to get benches installed into Melbourne to give people the chance to have a rest as they move around the village have gone a step further.

Melbourne Parish Council now has a benches working party which has come up with three possible locations: the bottom of Queensway, opposite Sainsbury’s; Packhorse Road, opposite the cemetery gates; and on Station Road, outside Toon’s.

Honesty box stall threat

Continued from Page 1 provides. If you know where to look, you can find anything you want.

“There was a need there, because most people didn’t know these vegetables were grown in the village. The food miles are nothing –it’s grown 20 minutes from here. People didn’t realise we grew brussels, carrots and beetroot here.”

But now Jochen fears he may have to stop selling the vegetables. On one occasion, a cauldron of locally-grown flowers priced at £10 was simply taken.

“I’m going to carry on for a while,” he said.

“But if it doesn’t improve, I’m going to have to stop.”

Parasols,

Section 106 money is paid by housing developers to fund the added infrastructure needed in the community because of the extra numbers of people using local services. Often, it’s used to pay for extra classrooms or GP services.

The additional cash is being paid by the county out of its ‘basic need’ fund.

The junior school is being provided with an extra classroom to take its admissions number to 70 – as a result of the fact that Melbourne Infant School’s admissions number expanded from 60 to 70 in 2015 because of the increase in the local population due to housing development.

It is not yet known how many car parking spaces will be created by knocking down the adult education centre.

Melbourne Junior School head Jane Whirledge said she and the school’s governors were “delighted” that the local authority had “recognised the need to further extend the school to accommodate the increase in numbers from development in the local area”.

She said she understood the classroom is likely to be added on to the recent extension at the school and would be completed ready for September 2018.

School governor and Melbourne county councillor Linda Chilton said: “I think it (the new classroom) is absolutely wonderful – we need it. It was always on the cards that we would eventually get a classroom. I’m glad it has been agreed upon now rather than later.”

– Lucy Stephens

As the only privately owned, family run Funeral Directors in Melbourne we are able to offer an extremely personal yet professional service at a reasonable cost, both in Leicestershire and Derbyshire.

Country Living

with Robert Parker

IT’S THE first Monday in March and we’ve spent nearly all day on our annual TB test.

All bovine animals over 42 days old have to be done, which involves giving them small doses of avian and mammalian tuberculosis and four days later checking the reaction.

While we have never had any sort of problem in the past there is always the dread that this could be our unlucky year.

TB is a risk to humans by drinking infected animals’ milk and, I think, eating their meat, if they have an advanced form of the disease.

Of course, pasteurising the milk and testing the meat takes all the risk away – but it’s still a very sensible policy to try to eradicate it from our animals. It’s like a war for stock farmers and one which we seem to be losing no matter how much we test.

TB in wild animals is part of the problem and in our area badgers and deer would be suspected of being carriers; we can only assume that on our farm they are healthy, as are our animals. Long may it continue!

Fancy being stuck behind them

A STATELY procession of 29 tractors made their way through Melbourne, Ticknall and Breedon in an event held to raise money for the area’s young farmers.

This was the second year that the Ashby Young Farmers held their fund-raising ‘tractor run’, which was a two-hour round trip starting and finishing at Smisby, taking in Melbourne, Ticknall and Breedon along the way.

Drivers and passengers paid to take part and the day raised £350 for the young farmers’ organisation – whose local chair is Ed Hames from Melbourne.

Lucy Atkin, 20, whose parents farm at Barrow-on-Trent, was one of the participants.

She said: “I think a lot of people enjoyed it – it was something different to see! It went really well, it was a successful day.”

n Spring 2017 seems a little slow out of the starting stalls and, along with the weather, things seem to be upside down.

Dry mild weather has dominated winter until early February and since then it’s got progressively wetter – just when we could all do with the reverse.

I don’t think I’ve experienced a winter with so little frost, albeit it has been cold during the rain. Little work has been done in the fields and the backlog of work building more every day is rather worrying.

To date no nitrogen fertiliser has been applied on this farm and the same applies to the majority in the area.

I don’t think I have experienced this so late before.

Crops and grass did look very well until a few days ago, but lately the rain has started to wash nutrients out of reach of most plants resulting in some yellowing.

I suppose it will come right eventually – it always does!

A DRY autumn after last summer’s monsoons brought bumper crops for Melbourne’s allotment holders – its latest AGM heard.

The Melbourne Allotment Holders’ Association Ltd held the annual meeting at the Thomas Cook Hall where chairman Jenny Starkie said that most plots were well cultivated and the plot holders of those that weren’t “had been spoken to and, in a few cases, dismissed”.

The central tractor way had been kerbed, the car park tidied and the boundary hedges kept under control to keep the site secure. New quickthorn hedging had been planted to seal any gaps. There had been only one minor case of vandalism which the association said had been “quickly and effectively dealt with” by members.

Secretary Mick Robey reported that the site held 83 plots – 21 full and 62 half plots, although two half plots had been taken out of cultivation for the time being due to their poor condition.

During the year, 10 probationers had become shareholders after a year’s “satisfactory cultivation of their plots”, and there was currently no

waiting list.

Treasurer Daryl Garner reported a small loss for the year due to expenditure on the kerbing and the purchase of a second-hand self-powered mower, but said there was a healthy balance in the bank and no major expenditure in the pipeline so annual upkeep fees could be kept at their current levels of £15 for a full plot and £10 for a half.

All the company’s office holders were re-elected for the coming year and minor amendments to the association’s rules and regulations were approved.

Last month’s Village Voice reported that this year’s Melbourne Festival would have a market gardening theme, and that the parish council wanted to encourage people to buy their vegetables locally. Now the association is inviting people to “go one better” and “grow your own food and flowers on Melbourne’s largest allotment site”.

Anyone interested can ring Mr Robey on 07967582442, email robeymick@aol.com or write to 11 The Pingle, Melbourne, DE73 8FB.

Kath, Jason, Angela, James and Sara Tillyard would like to send their sincere thanks to everyone who has given cards and messages of support in the passing of their beloved John. £743 was donated in John’s name and will be shared between Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support. Thank you for your generosity.

They would also like to thank George Simnett and his staff for the care and thoughtfulness they showed to us every step of the way. The flowers from Becky at The Flower Closet were beautiful. Thank you to Carolyn at The Hardinge Arms for looking after everyone at John’s Wake.

THE DAY DORIS BLEW INTO TOWN

STORM Doris hit local villages with ferocious winds on February 23 – causing Calke Abbey to shut its doors for the day.

These images captured by our photographer Tina Baker and Bill Cove from Calke Abbey show the impact of the storm, which could certainly be felt throughout the entire area when it hit.

Calke informed the public that it would be shutting for the day in preparation for the storm, which damaged trees as it gathered full force.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne, resident Hazel Winfield described

how the strong winds lifted her children’s trampoline straight over the six-foot fence separating her garden from the neighbouring alleyway.

She said: “I didn’t see it but I heard it and the noise was quite frightening. I was worried about what was going to happen to the trampoline – it could have blown down the street!”

Hazel’s neighbour is pictured helping recover the trampoline.

DERBYSHIRE Police failed to pick up the phone to more than 100,000 calls to the non-emergency 101 number in 2015 – according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act by Aston-on-Trent Neighbourhood Watch. The information was shared with those who attended the Melbourne Area Forum police meeting in Melbourne Sports Park.

Aston-on-Trent’s Neighbourhood Watch group had asked for a breakdown of the number of answered and unanswered 101 calls using the FOI act. It revealed that in 2012 there were 662,756 calls to the 101 number which were answered by police, while 49,201 calls went unanswered.

The following year saw the unanswered figure rise to 73,424, while answered calls fell slightly to 639,591. In 2014 police answered 622,763 calls to 101, but did not manage to pick up the phone

to 89,393.

And in 2015, the number of unanswered calls rose to 101,525, while the answered calls total stood at 595,713.

The meeting heard from a representative of Aston-on-Trent Neighbourhood Watch who said the figures were “very disturbing”.

Asked by the Village Voice for a response, Chief Superintendent Graham McLaughlin from Derbyshire Constabulary said: “Our call handlers continue to face challenges to meet the expected level of response to 101 calls.

“However, a shortage of call handlers and the introduction of two new crime and incident recording systems have had an impact on performance.

“Last year there were also technical problems, out of our control, that added to the delays.”

HIGH TIDE ... the reservoir next to Swarkestone Bridge.

Still worries over housing as boundary change is agreed

A LONG-RUNNING request to change Barrow-on-Trent’s boundary has finally been agreed – amid new fears the small village could still be swamped with homes.

It has emerged that the Government-backed “Infinity Garden Way” village could bring around 3,000 homes to the area, not the 2,000 many people thought.

In January we reported that South Derbyshire District Council had won £400,000 from the Government for the new “garden village” near the A50, south of Derby.

This included around 2,000 homes as part of the development of Wragley Way which are part of the well-documented Local Plan –the document that sets out how and where local authorities are

n TRADITIONAL singing and beer drinking were the order of the evening as the Melbourne Scout hut was transformed into a German Bierkeller for the night.

The event was put on by King’s Newton Social Group and the hall was packed full of guests, some of them having donned traditional German dress.

Accordion player Rob Burton played for the assembled company who spent the evening exercising their vocal chords with a good sing-a-long.

going to keep up with demand for new housing.

But the “expression of interest” document sent by the district council to the Government also refers to a “potential growth option for a further 1,200 homes”.

Barrow-on-Trent Parish Council had originally asked for the boundary change so their parish would not get any of the Wragley Way 2,000 houses.

This was because local residents felt that would swamp their village of 250 homes and could threaten parish-owned assets such as the community park and a row of 18th century cottages.

Both Stenson Fields and Barrow parishes agreed to the plans and this month a full council meeting agreed the change.

That means that Barrow will transfer around 153.5 acres of its land to Stenson Fields, which will also take in around 197 acres of land to the south-west – currently in the unparished area of Twyford and Stenson.

But now Barrow residents are worried by the extra homes that could come with the garden village, which could give them the same problem all over again.

Barrow Parish Council chair Anne Heathcote said: “I’m delighted about the boundary change – that’s been a long time in coming; it’s been six years since we first asked about that.

“Having seen the original expression of interest from South Derbyshire, I was deeply concerned that the boundary change would not create the parish that we are looking for because of all these extra houses. I await with interest what the final outcome is of the plan.”

South Derbyshire District Council has said the potential extra homes refer to land at Lowes Farm – a site which is not on the Local Plan but was identified in its “Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment”.

A spokesman said: “The expression of interest refers to the potential growth option for a further 1,200 homes and then later in the expression refers to a further potential 1,000 dwellings.

“These are references to Lowes Farm, which has been promoted and identified in the council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment for housing development and was considered through the Local Plan Part 1, but was not taken forward as an allocation. Clearly, it is a site we are aware of and will consider again in the future should further housing be required.

“The Garden Village status does not preclude sites from having to go through the statutory planning process, so the Lowes Farm area being included within the Garden Village area does not mean that it has any greater status than it did before.”

Lowes Farm has also been put forward as a potential site for a new secondary school.

– Lucy Stephens

THE man who damaged Melbourne’s Christmas tree has contacted police and paid for the damage.

The area’s Safer Neighbourhood Team from Derbyshire Constabulary took to Twitter to inform followers on the social media platform of the news last month.

Their tweet said: “On a more positive note ... the drunken man who damaged the Christmas tree in Melbourne has contacted police and paid for the damage.”

Barry Elliott

Carole, Neil and family would like to thank relatives, friends, neighbours and the people of Melbourne for the cards, flowers and donations which we received on the sad loss of Barry. Thanks go to the staff of Royal Derby Hospital, GE Simnett Family Funeral Directors for giving such a warm and professional service and to Revd. John Lear for his words of comfort.

Mum’s the word for this exercise class

A FIRST-TIME mum has launched a new exercise class to help other mothers get fit, with their babies in tow.

Health and fitness expert

Nicola Armstrong, from Thulston, launched her Bump to Baby exercise classes after noticing how hard it can be to get out and about with a newborn when she had daughter Darcy.

The venture follows a traumatic first few months of motherhood for Nicola. Little Darcy had to be taken to Rotherham Hospital in an ambulance on the day she was born after arriving seven weeks premature –because there were no incubators for her in Derby.

That meant the family having to travel to Rotherham and

spend 11 days there while Darcy, who was born weighing just 4lbs 15oz, was cared for.

Nicola described how she was out swimming when Darcy decided to arrive early, with the little girl making her first appearance in the world on her mother’s 30th birthday.

“They said actually we have got no beds for her any more and we’re going to ring all the local hospitals,” said Nicola.

The nearest hospital with an incubator for Darcy was 45 miles away in Rotherham and the little baby was taken by ambulance while parents Nicola and Alan were asked to make their own way there by car.

Nicola said: “The nurses were absolutely fantastic. Alan and I had our own room on the ward.”

The family were then trans-

ferred back to Derby and Darcy was allowed home in June.

“I think it’s really sad that has to happen,” said Nicola. “I don’t know what the answer is to it not happening; it seems like it’s a very common occurrence and we’re lucky that we got a room to stay there. I don’t know what it’s like at other hospitals.”

Nicola, a sports science graduate from Derby University and former health advisor on Derby City Council’s Livewell campaign, has now completed accreditations in pre and postnatal fitness while on maternity leave.

She said she was keen to provide an opportunity for new mums to get some exercise without having to find a babysitter.

“I just want to make it easier

for mums to get out and do stuff,” she said.

“Being active is really important to me. It’s something I did all the way through my pregnancy and when I had Darcy I realised it’s really quite difficult to get out.

“I’m trying to give mums the opportunity to get out and get active with other like-minded ladies. It can be very lonely being a mum. (In my classes) it’s really nice to hear they are getting to know each other and discussing things they might not be able to discuss with other people.”

Nicola is running her classes in Elvaston, in the castle grounds and the village hall. The first class is free and the cost is £4 thereafter.

Interested mums should contact Nicola on 07989 857188.

Bird flu virus brings labels firm an egg-ceptional amount of work

A MELBOURNE company is making millions of special labels to put on UK egg boxes because of the legislation surrounding free range chickens and avian flu.

Numbers of labels produced by Positive ID Labelling, based on Melbourne’s Industrial Estate, could top 10 million because of the ban on poultry being allowed outside.

The H5N8 bird flu virus arrived in the UK in December and, in response to the outbreak, the Government implemented measures to minimise the risk of the disease spreading into the national flock.

This meant housing birds inside until the risk was deemed to have subsided – a restriction that has now been extended until later in the spring.

Free range egg producers were then left with a problem because regulations stipulate that their products must be laid by hens having daily access to outside open runs with vegetation – a rule that was breached because of the government’s hous-

ing order.

Despite hard lobbying, bodies representing the industry were not able to persuade the EU Commission to give them dispensation for their labelling, which meant that

all labels for free range eggs had to be amended to give customers accurate information.

Positive ID has been busy printing millions of labels for free range egg producers to stick on their boxes.

An article about the labels from the company’s website reads: “Under EU regulations, in order to label eggs as free range, chickens must be able to roam freely outside with access to vegetation and at no less than four square metres per bird.

“Whether free-range eggs taste better or not than barn or caged reared chicken eggs is subjective but there is no doubt from a humane point of view, free range is the kindest and most natural way for commercial producers to care for their flocks.

“Many producers choose to rear their fowl this way not only for the potential premium they can charge but also the satisfaction in providing good husbandry for their flocks.”

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BACP REGISTERED

l Bump to Baby mums outside Elvaston Castle with Nicola Armstrong (far right).

Businesses Boosted by Design on their Doorstep

usiness owners in Melbourne and surrounds have been reporting swells in their sales, citing Melbourne design agency, Think Plus Ink, as the reason.

Headed by local man Paul Messer, Think Plus Ink is a small and perfectly formed graphic design agency that has a simple ethos.

Paul’s mission is to create great design that enables their clients to sell more and achieve even more stability and success.

With of ces in Melbourne and Leicester, Think Plus Ink offers its clients a service that combines top design expertise with a personal touch.

Case Study: How a Baker Made More Dough by Choosing Great Design

Supplying freshly baked bread and pastries to the public and trade, 2017 sees Milners celebrating 50 years of trading.

With the news that a nationwide chain was opening in the same street as their agship store, Milners, understandably feared the future may not be rosy.

Keen to maintain footfall and their share of the market, Milners knew it needed to act and approached Think PIus Ink to help reposition its business.

“To say we have enjoyed increased sales since the rebrand would seriously underplay the success we have enjoyed. The re-brand has been instrumental in maintaining a strong and stable business in what has been for the most part unusual and dif cult trading conditions.” Toby Milner, MD

We’re not suitable for individuals wanting a party invite designed, but are ideal for local companies who value good design and see the bene t of investing in this.”

Owner of Think Plus Ink, Paul Messer, grew up in Melbourne and returned here a few years ago with his family.

“I love Melbourne and wanted my family to experience the lovely town where I grew up.” Since moving back to Melbourne, his business has expanded and he opened up a second of ce in Melbourne 2 years ago, where he now predominately works.

HOW THINK PLUS INK HELPS…

To gain an in-depth understanding of your business TPI work closely with you, to be able to offer design solutions with character and relevance that will boost sales and raise awareness of your company or organisation

Great Design That Achieves Commercial Results

From his days as a child enjoying sketching, Paul is passionate about design.

“Creativity is really important to me, and it res me up to see great design.

Yet all too often I see design that is ‘clever’ and indulges the designers’ whims, rather than achieving what the client needs.”

In contrast, Paul’s team help businesses achieve their sales goals through great design that works commercially too.

“The Helpful Design Agency”

As well as creating great design that provokes a direct uplift in sales, Paul is proud of Think Plus Ink’s reputation for being a friendly and professional agency.

“Many businesses take their clients for granted - without them, they’d have no business!

At Think Plus Ink, we do all that we can to be as helpful as possible, providing an affordable and approachable service.

We like to help our clients feel:

Relieved because we invest time in understanding them and their business

Relaxed because we’re reliable, open and trustworthy

Reassured because we deliver creative design that generates commercial success for them.”

Paul is clear of Think Plus Ink’s strengths in the local area, “Melbourne features a very large, international branding agency, ourselves and a small independent printer. We see ourselves as supporting the mid-ground.

The award-winning agency helps businesses in three main ways:

1 Branding that grabs audience awareness

2 Printed collateral that reinforces your offer and generates sales

3 Digital design that creates interaction and contact. Typical projects may include a complete or partial rebrand, corporate identities, through to websites, brochures and signage and point of sale materials

To discuss any design project you’re considering, please call 0116 253 3455 or 07595 893523, or email Paul at paul@thinkplusink.com.

www.thinkplusink.com

Countdown a day for Rosie to remember

Book festival taster event

A SPECIAL Derby Book Festival “Taster” event will be held in Melbourne’s Assembly Rooms on Thursday, April 20.

The third Derby Book Festival will take place from June 9-17 in venues right across Derby.

The festival celebrates the joy of books and reading for all ages and interests, with a programme featuring great writers, poets, historians, politicians, illustrators, storytellers and musicians. It will be opening with internationally renowned author Sebastian Faulks, in conversation with BBC radio 4’s James Naughtie.

The event in Melbourne will feature author Stephen Booth talking about his hugely popular crime novel series set in the Peak District and featuring two young Derbyshire detectives, Cooper and Fry. It will also include readings from books by some of the other authors appearing in the main festival. The event, which will be from 6.30 to 7.30pm, is free and includes free wine and nibbles served on arrival.

THAT famous ticking clock, Nick Hewer, Susie Dent, Rachel Riley … arriving two hours late after being stuck in traffic on the M6 – appearing on Channel 4’s Countdown is an experience Melbourne’s Rosie Twells will never forget.

And while Rosie, 21, may not have won her round of the cult numbers and letters show – still filming five episodes a day in its 76th series – she did score a highly respectable 71 as well as achieving something arguably even more memorable: a nine-letter word.

“That nine-letter word – I think I’m going to hold on to that for the rest of my life!” said former Chellaston Academy pupil Rosie, who graduated from Birmingham University last year with a degree in English.

For those who didn’t catch the show when it was aired last month, Rosie’s nine-letter word was “disagrees”.

So what made her decide to go on Countdown?

“I’ve always liked quizzes and general knowledge and that sort of thing,” said Rosie, who grew up watching the show with grandad Roy, from Melbourne, who is a big fan.

“I just saw the advert for Countdown in a paper and thought ‘why not give it a go’? I really didn’t expect to hear anything from it.”

Rosie was called for an interview and then invited to appear on the show itself, which filmed in November.

But things did not quite go smoothly when the family found themselves caught in a huge traffic jam on the M6 which made her two hours late.

After phoning the producers to warn them of her late arrival she eventually made it to the studio in Manchester, only to be whisked straight into hair and make-up before the show was filmed pretty much straight away.

“For the first three or four games it was almost as though my heart was going to come out of my chest,” she recalled.

l Rosie with Countdown’s Rachel Riley and (top) in action.

“You’re just conscious of the ticking sound of the clock and the music and the famous last five seconds. It’s very loud! I suppose it’s part of the Countdown experience and I wouldn’t change it.

“When I watched it back from behind a cushion with my mum and dad, I was picking words out and thinking ‘why didn’t I spot that at the time!”

But now, after her Countdown experience, Rosie is embarking on an even greater numbers and letters adventure: she is training to be a primary school teacher.

“I’m looking forward to the challenges and the rewards,” she said.

–Lucy

Stephens

Joining forces at the British Legion

THE women’s and men’s sections of Melbourne’s Royal British Legion have joined forces for the first time – after the former was disbanded nationally.

Royal British Legion chair

Kevin Iliffe welcomed women

onto the committee – the first time this had happened.

The first fund-raiser organised by the new committee will be a bingo night at Ticknall Village Hall on Wednesday, April 5, starting at 7pm.

Prizes include wine, Easter

WELCOME TO MELBOURNE … These beautiful daffodils looked the picture of spring one morning in early March. The bulbs were planted along Blackwell Lane in Melbourne by the civic society.

Liz Fothergill, current High Sheriff of Derbyshire and festival chair, said: “Our Melbourne Taster aims to enthuse even more people about the joy of books and reading.” The Festival programme is published on April 11 when tickets go on sale for all events.

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eggs and chocolates; refreshments will be provided and the event is open to everyone.

At a date to be arranged the Standard of the Women's Section will be “laid down” in Melbourne Parish Church following a short service.

● Short

long term ●

Angela prepares for a tearful goodbye

“THERE will be tears,” predicts Revd Angela Plummer as she prepares to say goodbye to the good friends she has made in her time as curate in the parish.

“My last service in Melbourne is on 2nd April and I am known to wear my heart on my sleeve,” she said. She is leaving to take up a post as parish priest in Kenton, a suburb of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Angela joined the parishes of Melbourne, Stanton, Smisby and Ticknall on July 1, 2013, and, “it has been a huge privilege to accompany so many people at significant times in their lives, baptisms, marriages and of course the sad occasions of funerals too. It has been great as a training benefice for me as well.”

She confessed to an epic fail on one occasion, though.

“It was my very first wedding ceremony and as I was offering the groom the bride’s ring the book I had placed it on tipped, and the ring went rolling down the floor. Oddly the groom had joked at the rehearsal about dropping the ring down the heating grating just under his feet. Fortunately, we found it to continue the happy occasion.”

The 30 or so weddings, and similar number of baptisms she has conducted since then have passed without incident.

Angela had a former life as a florist be-

fore she was called to the church.

“It was the weirdest thing,” she said. “At Christmas 2002 I was at a Christmas Eve service and all the messages just seemed to speak to me.

“I remember saying to John, my husband, I could never do that. Puzzled, he asked what she meant, and she said she could not do what the vicar was doing at the front of the church.”

Little did she know that a few years on she would be doing exactly that.

E a s t e r

“The challenge of the new job will be mission and community outreach, building on the work of my predecessors. That is about how the church can engage and have a presence in the local community.”

With a population of about 11,000, the congregation numbers less than 100, so there is plenty of work for Angela to do.

“It is very different from the semi-rural parish of Melbourne with its ancient church, and what is exciting will be working with the people there, and achieving the vision they want to see for their church.”

She is going to miss the many friends and relationships she has built in this area.

“I have so many people to say thank you to as well – notably former rector Mark Powell, for all the training help and support, and to the church wardens in all the four churches, particularly over last year or so without a rector in place.

“I shall also miss the congregations of all four parishes and the people of the wider communities immensely, with services like Christingle where the church is packed with over 400 in a wonderful chaos! I am really sad to be going.”

But she has the best wishes of her friends to take with her – one well-wisher sent her a message of support saying, “it’s cold up North” and another has provided her with a “Larn y’self Geordie” book.

– Frank Hughes

WI award for Jane

MELBOURNE Women’s Institute member Jane Cox was awarded the Dorothy Malone Trophy for being the member of the year for 2016.

Jane organised what members felt was a “very full and enjoyable trip” to Cromford and is also responsible for the home de-

livery of a personal birthday card to each member.

President Jenny Starkie (pictured left making the award) added that Jane was a true asset to the institute –“extremely organised, efficient and very hard working and a worthy recipient of this award”.

Baptist Church - Chapel Street

Palm Sunday10.30 amPalm Sunday Service

Good Friday 6.00 pmGood Friday Service

Catholic Church - Church Street (862631)

Palm Sunday10.30 amBlessing of Palms, Procession and Mass

Maundy Thursday7.00 pmMass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday3.00 pm Liturgy of the Lord's Passion (at Castle Donington)

Holy Saturday9.00 pmThe Easter Vigil Liturgy and Mass

Easter Day10.30 am Mass of Easter Day

Methodist Church - Church Street (405286)

Palm Sunday10.30 am Palm Sunday Service

Good Friday2.00 - 4.00 pm Children’s ‘Easter Eggsperience’ Party

Easter Saturday7.00 pm ‘Chosen’ - A drama production about Mary

Easter Day9.00 am Communion - followed by Church Family Breakfast

10.30 am Easter Day Family Celebration

Parish Church - Church Square (864741)

Palm Sunday10.30 am Eucharist with Blessing of Palm Crosses and Procession

Maundy Thursday7.30 pm Eucharist of the Last Supper (at Stanton by Bridge)

Good Friday2.00 pm Liturgy of Good Friday

Easter Saturday8.00 pm Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter

Easter Day8.00 am Holy Eucharist

10.30 am Family Eucharist (with Easter Egg Hunt)

United Reformed - Church High Street (865426)

Good Friday 7.00 pm An Hour at the Cross

Easter Day 8.00 am Easter Communion

10.30 amEaster Family Celebration

6.00 pmEaster Songs of Praise

After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Now go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28 v 1-7

Seven-month nightmare is finally over for flood victims

AFTER seven months of an emotional and stressful roller coaster, flood victims Deborah and Douglas Keith have finally managed to get back into their home.

Events of 15 June last year are indelibly marked in Deborah’s memory.

She said: “I woke very early that morning with a sense of foreboding as it had been raining constantly for 24 hours, and at about 6am I saw standing water in the back garden.”

At the front of the house, on Main Street, Breedon, neighbours were up and sweeping water into the road and even putting down sandbags.

“Then, at 6.45am, there was a sudden surge of water running into the garden which swept under the back door, and started coming out under all the appliances. I thought this cannot be happening. I was in a total daze after that just not knowing what to do.”

The flooding which, according to the investigation report, was ‘due to the intense rainfall which fell within the catchment and exceeded the capacity of the ordinary watercourse, and the design capacity of the highway drainage system’, caused severe damage to properties along either side of the brook, along Main Street and Worthington Lane.

The water quickly ended up being about two feet deep.

“It was heart-breaking to see your furniture and your valued possessions just floating around, and there is nothing you can do,” Deborah said.

Since then it has been seven months of emotional turmoil.

“It might have been shorter than a pregnancy, but it was far worse!” she joked.

They stayed in hotels for the first week but then managed to get a short rent in Melbourne.

“For the first three months or so, it was awful because nothing was happening as the property needed to dry out. There were weeks when we did not know if we would ever get back some of the more precious items of furniture.”

After that, though, when the schedule of works was drawn up and plaster was being removed from the walls there was more of a sense that

things were moving again.

Deborah also spoke of the emotional strain such a catastrophic event has: “I had given up doing things I enjoyed, like going to choir and being involved with school governors. I kept telling myself it was just ‘stuff’ we had collected, but it really did impact on me.”

Finally they got the keys back on January 19 and since then have been getting the house back to normal.

“One real positive was getting things back from ‘The Furniture Medic’, who was able to restore items like my grandmother’s lampstand, and a bookcase we had. They really did a fantastic job.”

She is also replanting the garden, in which she is pictured, hoping that it will come alive again.

With a total cost running over £100,000, Deborah advises everyone to ensure that they are adequately insured.

“In the six years we lived here, and indeed in the history of the house, dating back to the 18th century, there had been no history of flooding –and thank goodness we had insured ourselves properly,” she said.

Deborah also wanted to thank friends and neighbours who have been so helpful during the period.

“I just could not have got through it without all the warmth not only from friends and neighbours, but also the ‘guys’ involved in the work itself.”

– Frank Hughes

Cycle hub on hold

A PROPOSAL to install a “hub” at Calke Abbey as part of the new cycle trail expansion has not yet been decided.

The new hub was on the agenda at South Derbyshire District Council’s latest planning meeting, but it was put on hold after councillors said they should conduct a site visit first.

The hub is to provide “visitor orientation, café, toilets, cycle hire and staff office”.

FUND-RAISING Victoria’s £6,000 charity target

THIS Melbourne teenager has plenty to smile about – having raised nearly £4,000 towards the charitable gap year she hopes to fund when she leaves school this summer.

But for Victoria Cook, 18, the fundraising hasn’t stopped; she still has some way to go to reach the £6,200 target she needs to take part in a Project Trust adventure which starts in August.

Victoria, a pupil at Chellaston Academy, is hoping to study medicine and be a doctor, but that is after a year spent with the Project Trust charity, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

She said: “They came into school and did an assembly about a year ago and talked about all these amazing projects you could do in 20 odd countries around the world.”

Victoria doesn’t yet know where she

will go or what she will do, but she hopes to work with young children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida brought on by maternal alcohol abuse – a project run by the trust in South Africa.

Fund-raising since September, she has collected her impressive total so far by holding yard sales, playing carols on her euphonium with brass playing friends at Derby railway station in the run-up to Christmas, holding a “soup and a roll” event at Melbourne Methodist Church, and making an awful lot of cakes.

She said: “Medicine is a five-year degree, which is crazy. I was attracted to Project Trust because it’s a whole year. A lot of gap year projects are three months, which is not the same as living somewhere for a whole year.”

Anyone who would like to donate to Victoria’s efforts can do so by logging on to: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/victoriaforsouthafrica

ise to print all photos we get, but lovely or unusual (or both) images showing everyday life in our corner of South Derbyshire are always welcome. Send any pictures to news@melbournevillagevoice.co.uk with your name and contact details. We need a resolution of 1MB or above.

THIS atmospheric picture of a double rainbow set against lowering black clouds and the sunlit red brick of The One Off on Derby Road was taken by Martin Stephens, while out for a walk on March 4. Why

FIENDISHLY tricky Harry Potter questions netted a hellaston Academy student £750 towards his Uganda p money in a quiz night held in Aston-on-Trent.

Josh Hyde, 17, from Aston, held the quiz night to ise funds towards travelling to Uganda this summer part of the school’s orphanage project – which has w been going for more than a decade.

Josh needs £2,500 in total for the trip and the sell-out arry Potter quiz was his first fund-raiser.

His next venture is a vinyl night to be held at the meorial hall in Aston on April 22, to include a pea and supper and the chance to listen or play some vinyl. Also on offer on the night will be a raffle of a baking mper including a Great British Bake Off book signed 2016 finalist Andrew Smyth – who works at Rollsyce in Derby.

For tickets, which cost £10 including food, you can mail Josh at josh.uganda@hotmail.com or call 01332 2046.

Josh is pictured with parents Steve and Tash at the trance to the fund-raising quiz night.

Large,

Tom goes Down Under on his bike

TOM Line is on a mission to raise funds to help find a cure for cancer which is taking him to the Melbourne ‘Down Under’ as part of a cycling challenge.

Tom, from Melbourne, has been living in Australia since 2015 when he moved from Derbyshire to Sydney sponsored by his employer, Deloitte. This year he has signed up for the “Tour de Cure” – a sponsored ride of 1,200 kilometres from Mount Hotham in Victoria to Hobart in Tasmania.

He is one of a team of 100 cyclists taking part in the nine-day gruelling ride, which is one of the best known cycling events outside the professional racing tours. The event is in its 10th year, and during that time has raised 25 million Australian Dollars (about £16m) for cancer research.

The route has some spectacular scenery and involves a ferry crossing from the port of Melbourne to Tasmania. Along the way the riders also focus on raising awareness that cancers are preventable. The team visits local schools and through the “Be Fit, Be Healthy, Be Happy” programme aims to educate over 5,000 children that making simple lifestyle choices can reduce risk.

Tom said: “Sadly, cancer has touched

both my family and friend’s families, and raising money for research is something I am very keen to do.

“In 2015 a group of friends and myself completed a sponsored ride from Barcelona to Nice and we raised £5,000 for Cancer Research UK, so I was naturally inspired to continue this and join the Tour de Cure team. I have set myself a challenging target of A$15,000 for this event.”

When he was only six years old Tom lost his father to pancreatic cancer and in January last year the family were rocked again when his sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.

His best friend’s father was also lost to skin cancer in 2014.

“Whilst sitting with my sister waiting for her rounds of chemotherapy treatment it was eye-opening to see the number of people being treated every day, and we need to make all efforts to raise funds to stop this illness and the pain it causes,” he said.

His ride starts on March 24 and he is hoping his friends and people from home will support him.

The webpage for donating is www.tourdecure.com.au and you can then search for team member Thomas Line.

– Frank Hughes

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Why a library can still be a novel idea

AS Melbourne library approaches its 40th anniversary in its current home at the Assembly Rooms, LUCY STEPHENS looks at how this important local service has changed over the years, why only 11 per cent of Melbourne is registered, and why former librarian Pat Robey couldn’t imagine a life without reading …

BEHIND an unassuming green door on the outside of Melbourne Assembly Rooms, you’ll find the village library, which next year marks 40 years in its current home.

But, according to figures collated by the Derbyshire Observatory – a county council body which gathers statistics on a wide range of topics from GCSE results to mortality rates – Melbourne has one of the lowest library registration rates in Derbyshire at only 11 per cent. This equates to 1,392 registered users from the village’s electoral roll.

By comparison, in Matlock just over half the electorate are registered library users and Ashbourne’s figure is 40 per cent.

Pat Robey, who ran Melbourne library for many years in its former home at Thomas Cook Memorial Hall and its current premises at the Assembly Rooms – where it moved in 1978 – says she can’t imagine life without books.

“I can’t understand why people don’t go to the library, because it’s a marvellous service really,” she says. “I have always loved books, for free! I just can’t imagine life without reading.”

But things have changed a lot since the early days.

“When I first joined the library it was at Thomas Cook Memorial Hall just along the High Street,” she remembers.

“It opened twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays and a caretaker came in to put the books out. They weren’t changed very often but it was always very busy. It wasn’t the service it is today.”

Many will remember the not-so-distant days when library books would all be recorded under a card system and had to be stamped in and out, while today a computerised system has replaced all that.

Free wifi, free e-magazine access on devices at home, free ancestry searches, a Friday afternoon rhyme time for tots, one-to-one help with computer use or benefits claims … in many respects it’s a far cry from what it used to be.

But some things don’t change, and libraries are still what they have always been – a place where

Countryside walks at the double

MELBOURNE Footpaths Group will be leading two walks over the coming months for anyone interested in a healthy stroll in the countryside.

The first walk is taking place on Thursday, March 16, and starts from Ticknall Village Hall at 10am. It is a circular walk to Hartshorne and is about 6.5 miles long.

The second walk is an evening ramble as part of the National Forest Walking Festival and starts at Melbourne Parish Church at 8pm on

May 25. Participants are advised to take a torch for this three-miler.

Melbourne Footpaths Group requests a donation of £2 from walkers to help towards the group’s work and running costs.

More information about the group and its activities is available on the website www.melbournefootpathsgroup.org.uk; www.facebook.com/MelbourneFootpathsGroup; and Twitter @melbournepaths

anyone can access knowledge for free.

Angie Lomas, senior library manager for South Derbyshire, says: “It is surprising what a library can offer these days – there is so much between the covers. I hope that libraries always come across as non-judgemental place, for anyone to spend time and meet a friendly face.”

Plans are afoot to offer the library as a community space with the possibility of a monthly craft club for grown-ups. But, as Melbourne librarian Jane Cox says, people are needed to support this local resource.

“I would like it to be more well used – it is a free facility,” she says. “I feel a lot of people don’t know it even exists and it’s lovely and friendly.”

Melbourne library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Good start for questionnaires

AROUND 250 Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) questionnaires have already been filled in – says the parish council working group responsible for sending them out.

Every household in Melbourne and King’s Newton has had a copy of the questionnaire delivered and the group is hoping that a high proportion of residents will respond.

“So far we have had over 150 returned as well as nearly 100 completed online, which is a great start,” said chair of the working group Jane Carroll.

There are collecting boxes in Sainsbury’s, the Community Care office and the newsagents.

The group says the online version of the questionnaire is also proving popular. It can be

accessed at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/melbournendp1

Documents supporting the plan are all available on the parish council webpages too, and questionnaires can be printed off from there if more copies are needed. Residents are also advised that they can phone or email Jane for further copies, on 01332 863269 or janedunstercarroll@gmail.com.

Facebook addicts can also click on the link on the Melbourne Neighbourhood Development Plan page and see what others are posting about it.

All residents over the age of 16 are being invited to provide a response and express their opinions.

The NDP sets out policies for housing and use of land from

now until 2028.

The closing date both for returns and the end of the online survey will be the end of March.

Off the ground

TWENTY people have signed up to become members of Melbourne’s new gardening club, which has held its first meeting.

The meeting heard what the club hopes to be involved in, including activities and talks involving all aspects of gardening such as encouraging wildlife, container gardening, growing vegetables, plants and flowers and even houseplants. Meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month from 7pm at the Senior Citizens’ Centre.

ABOVE: Melbourne library taken for the Village Voice by Pete Clough in 1992, shows (left to right) Pat Potts and Pat Robey serving former Melbourne district nurse Betty Leech. LEFT: Pat Robey in Melbourne library today.

DROP-IN OPEN

Friday March 24th from 6.00 pm 9.00 pm

TOP SHOTS ON SHOW

BEAUTIFUL images by an award-winning local photographer will be among those on show at a ‘mini market’ being put on by Melbourne Photographic Society this month.

The mini market is the first venture of its kind for the society, which is one of the oldest voluntary organisations in Melbourne. It has been going since 1921.

Images by society member Steven Fairbrother will be among those available to buy at the market, which is being organised to raise funds for the club to buy new equipment for its members.

Steven’s work has been featured in wildlife and photography magazines and his ‘Resting Shag’ won the portrait category in the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition 2014.

The mini market is being held on Saturday, March 18, at the Assembly Rooms between 10am and 3pm. Entry is free and there will be more than 20 stalls for visitors, from crafts to food, plus music from ukulele group Off the Record between 1 and 2pm.

Fabric fun

CREATIVE sorts who would like to have a go at tie dying and batik can go along to a ‘fabric fun’ morning at Whistlewood Common.

Marianne King, who has a background in textiles and art, will be leading the session in which participants will learn how to use some common plants to dye fabrics at home.

The basics of making patterns with wax, string, flour and water will also be covered on the day, which takes place on March 25 from 10am to 2pm.

Village Voice Postbag

Careful ... toads are on the

THIS year the annual toad migration to their spawning grounds has started three weeks early with some warm damp weather around February 20, but then slowed down again with the advent of colder windier weather.

move

eye out for crossing toads and try to avoid them.

It is quite possible to see toads in car headlights on quiet roads providing the vehicle is not travelling too fast and the driver is alert to the fact that toads are crossing.

Toads can be expected on our roads on warm damp evenings, although they tend to avoid moonlit nights and dislike wind.

The Melbourne Sports Pavilion is the perfect venue: Fully licensed bar Modern function suite catering for up to 100 State of the art kitchen Two large screens for presentations Separate meeting room, with screen, for up to 20

ARE YOU HOSTING A PARTY, MEETING OR EVENT? WHY NOT COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF?

March is usually the month when toads emerge from hibernation and slowly make their way to the pond, where they were hatched from spawn. Locally, the major centuries old spawning water is the lake at Foremarke Hall.

To get there, toads have to cross several roads, in particular the one between Ingleby and Milton, which passes close to the lake and here toads run a very substantial risk of being run over, especially in the first few hours after sunset.

Other hotspots, where toads seem to cross in substantial numbers, are Rose Lane between Ticknall and Ingleby and the road across Melbourne Common.

It is important that motorists try to keep an

Unfortunately, toads are in serious decline and face many threats including intensive agricultural practice with sprays, cultivation at night when they are moving, habitat loss and increasing road traffic.

Anything that can be done to help them is important in maintaining the natural balance of the countryside and a natural control of garden pests. We are always looking for volunteers to help patrol the crossings.

Anyone interested should ring 01332 862921.

Christian Murray-Leslie

Thanks for your calendar support

THROUGH your paper, I would like to thank all the generous people who subscribed to my calendar. Special thanks also to the businesses who sold them.

Over the last 10 years the support has been amazing, several thousands of pounds having been donated to cancer research.

Unfortunately, I lost my eldest daughter to cancer last year. But this has not deterred me from continuing my efforts to tackle this disease through research.

Thank you all again.

Henry Hastings Chellaston

THESE two stunning shots, plus the one on Page 1, are by Steven Fairbrother.

Bats having to make way for ‘overpaid footballers’ houses’

A DISUSED former vicarage currently only lived in by bats is to be knocked down and replaced with two five-bedroom homes described in a public meeting as “suitable for highly overpaid football players” –but someone has to tell the bats.

The Barrow-on-Trent vicarage is a 1950s building set back from Twyford Road next to the war memorial, but it has not been inhabited by a member of the church for some years since the village lost its permanent vicar.

Members of South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee were divided at their meeting on February 28 as to whether developers should be allowed

to knock the building down and create two five-bed homes on the site – which currently has a large garden.

Despite four councillors voting against the scheme it was given the green light.

Barrow Parish Council chair Anne Heathcote asked councillors at the meeting whether they might be prepared, “instead of having two very big houses which will overpower the conservation area, that we ask that you consider putting in smaller two, three or four (bed) family houses…”

Committee member and local councillor Peter Watson said in the meeting that the proposed homes were “completely out of context”.

Mo is a hoot down at the pub

CUSTOMERS at the Blue Bell in Melbourne have been getting a little something extra with their Sunday pint – a chance to meet Mo, the owl.

Mo is a 17-year-old Indian Eagle owl owned by regular customer Steve Williams, who has taken to bringing her to the watering hole on Sundays when the weather is nice.

The Blue Bell reports that customers have been getting to know Mo and have been enjoying taking selfies of themselves with her.

Alan Blockley, who runs the pub with his wife, Sandra, said the presence of Mo at the pub was proving a “real talking point”.

Pictured with Mo (l-r) are Steve Williams, Colin Lavender, Alan Blockley (landlord), Naomi Lavin, Christine Williams and Andrew Bainbridge.

Street lights to be repaired

He said: “Barrow-on-Trent doesn’t need buildings like this, and people who wish to live in Barrow wish to have two or three-bedroom family houses, not houses which I would describe as suitable for highly overpaid football players.”

But other councillors felt that the scheme was perfectly suitable.

Councillor Martyn Ford said: “These (homes) are smaller than the original building that’s on the site and, as one sits pretty much behind the other building, I don’t see a problem with it.”

As part of the preparatory work to present the scheme to the council, surveys were undertaken on a range of mat-

ters including whether bats are using the former vicarage as a roost.

One survey found high evidence of pipistrelle bat activity at the building with signs of roosting, and myotis bats were also heard.

Numbers of bats are declining in Britain so they are protected by law.

That means that anyone planning on destroying areas where they inhabit must apply for and get a licence from Natural England.

A “mitigation strategy” for bats comes with planning permission which includes things like providing alternative roosts for them.

– Lucy Stephens

MELBOURNE should no longer be quite so dark at night after repairs to six broken street lights.

The Village Voice asked Derbyshire County Council whether work had been done to fix eight street lights after reports they were not working – plunging some areas of the village into blackness at night.

We were told that four broken street lights on Derby Road had all been mended at the end of February and beginning of March, with a further two on Packhorse Road and Queensway due for repair on Thursday, March 2.

There was a delay to another broken light on Derby Road, which we were told would need to be fixed over a weekend.

Street lights across Derbyshire are scheduled to be replaced with LED bulbs, with this work due to happen in Melbourne over the spring and summer of this year.

Village hall solar panels

SOLAR panels could be installed on the roof of Ticknall Village Hall – if planners agree.

Proposals to put a single array of panels on the roof have been submitted to South Derbyshire District Council.

The application form says the panels are planned for the south-facing roof slope of the hall, which is “well set back within its own grounds” and around 40 metres from the nearest residential properties.

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OBITUARIES

JOHN GRAHAM TILLYARD

1944 – 2016

JOHN was born in Leicester to parents George and Jennie, the fourth of five boys, on June 4 1944.

He left school and went to work with his dad at Shaws, producing sheds and garages. John met his future wife, Kath, while on holiday in Great Yarmouth in 1965.

He moved to Melbourne in 1966 to live with Kath and her parents. They were married in March 1967 and moved into a flat above a clock shop in the village. Their only child, Jason, was born on July 14 1970. As a family they then moved into a house on Quick Close.

John worked at Pirelli in Burton for a short time before he got his job at Rolls-Royce as an onsite fireman. Around this time he also joined Mel-

ELAINE BARKER 1928-2017

bourne Retained Fire Service.

The majority of John’s time off work was spent taking Kath and Jason to Matlock Bath or Skegness for day trips.

John was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1988. He retired in 1993 from Melbourne Retained Fire Service and then in 1996 from RollsRoyce. After his retirement from work he got an allotment which he loved. Unfortunately he gave up this allotment a couple of years ago, but was able to take on a small piece of Jason and Angela’s garden for his vegetables.

Jason married Angela in 1994. John’s two grandchildren soon followed: James in 1995 and Sara in 1999. John loved his grandchildren and would spend all his spare time with them.

John was a person full of life, generous to a fault and whose glass was always half full.

THE funeral of Elaine was conducted by Reverend Steve Short on February 17 at Melbourne Parish Church, followed by cremation at Bretby.

Elaine was born in Castle Street then moved to Packhorse Road, Melbourne, the only daughter of Joe and Doris Rodgers.

From leaving school she worked in Ley’s shop and bakery, next to The White Swan, Castle Street, until 1959. She met George, a Royal Engineer from Liverpool, who was stationed locally and they married in 1946. Their daughter, Margaret, was born in 1947 and Veneita in 1959.

Elaine’s jobs included being the Lollipop Lady and working in the canteens of secondary schools at Melbourne then Chellaston.

After George passed away in 1986, Elaine joined many local groups and, except when she was on one of many coach holidays with close family members or friends, her weeks were mapped out. Monday – shopping; Tuesday –Mothers’ Union; Wednesday – Wednesday Group and Repton Whist Drive; Thursday – early Communion, helper at the Activity Group and fortnightly Melbourne Whist Drive; Friday –grandchildren, a hairdo, dinner, a glass of wine and cards at Margaret’s; Saturday – chapel coffee mornings and jumble sales, a tasty lunch and a Breedon

or Ticknall Whist Drive.

When not out and about, she enjoyed sewing and crafts.

As a member of the RNLI Tamworth branch, Elaine once ran a tombola stall at Melbourne Fete & Carnival, and thoroughly enjoyed their whist holidays. She attended the Dedication of a Lifeboat at Barrow in Furness: ‘Vision of Tamworth’.

Elaine was pre-deceased by husband George and brothers, Joe, John and Peter. Her family wish to thank everyone for their kindness and attendance at the funeral.

Donations in memory of Elaine are to be given to Melbourne Activity Group and the Patients’ Fund at Netherhall, where Elaine peacefully passed away.

FAMILIAR SIGHT .... Elaine, the Lollipop Lady.

Alex gets her skates on for Canada

MELBOURNE ice skating sensation Alex Lewsey will be flying the flag for Great Britain after winning a spot in a synchronised team heading to Canada to represent this country in the junior world championships.

Alex, 14, is a pupil at Chellaston Academy and this is her second season with “Team Icicles” –the synchronised skating team who train at Nottingham Ice Rink and are current under-18 British champions for the sport, after beating off competition from other UK teams in January.

Now Team Icicles, who have featured on CBBC’s Ice Stars, have been selected to fly to Canada to try their luck in the world championships this month.

Alex first learned to skate at the age of nine after visiting Nottingham Ice Rink with her family.

Taking to the ice straight away, her parents signed her up for lessons and, before long, Alex was asked to join the rink’s synchronised skating squad.

The sport has now taken her abroad, for competitions across Europe. She trains between 15 and 20 hours a week on top of her school work – including at weekends and up to three nights a week.

Alex, who has been given a week off school to travel to Canada for the world championships, said: “You get to go to

all these different countries and travel with the team – there’s something about it that I really enjoy.

“When you get to see all the new dresses before the competi-

tions it’s really exciting, because no-one gets to see them until just before.”

When they take part in the junior world championships –which will have taken place just as the Village Voice hits the streets – Team Icicles will be up against formidable opponents from America, Canada and Finland, countries which have traditionally dominated the sport and have financial government backing because of it.

Realistically, Team Icicles aim to get in the world’s top 10. Because there is no funding available for these young skaters to travel and families

are having to shoulder £18,000 between them – about half the cost of the trip – there is a fundraising page available for anyone who would like to contribute.

Alex’s mum Jennie said: “The team work so hard and train relentlessly. Synchronized skating is fast, exciting and brings young people together in a team sport and requires considerable commitment from the skaters aged from 13 to 18.”

You can donate by logging on to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/teamicicles

– Lucy Stephens

MELBOURNE is to get a new community building made from straw bales after the village’s ecological project at Whistlewood Common won a £10,000 grant.

Whistlewood was awarded the grant from a charitable trust called Power to Change and the money will enable the organisation to finish its plans for a straw-bale, timber-framed roundhouse on the site.

If all goes to plan Whistlewood will start construction on the roundhouse in the autumn or next spring.

The work is being done with a company called StrawWorks and volunteers will get the chance to go and help.

The team at Whistlewood says that the new roundhouse will be a venue for “…local organisations, individuals and families to enjoy, and for Whistlewood to run its programme of educational workshops and activities to promote ways of living sustainably”.

Helen Saunders, from Whistlewood, said: “We’re so excited that a Power to Change Community Shares Booster Programme grant has been awarded to us and that we are in touching distance of creating this innovative building in a beautiful woodland setting.”

Whistlewood came into being in 2013 when a group of nearly 200 people became shareholders and the land was bought.

Now Whistlewood is planning to once again offer local residents the chance to become shareholders by asking them to invest in the project, including the roundhouse.

Chair Sarah Spencer said: “For the next phase of the project we will again be asking local people to invest – this time in the roundhouse and the additional infrastructure needed.

“We are on track to open the share issue at the end of March and will be asking people to commit to becoming shareholders by the end of June.

“We are thrilled that any money pledged will be matched by the Community Shares Unit, thereby multiplying the impact that each individual investor can have. And each investor becomes a member with a vote in the future of the organisation, too.”

LADIES from Breedon Women’s Institute celebrated their 13th birthday with a uniquely sartorial challenge when they fashioned a series of outfits from household bin bags.

There was even a practice run through for Laura Carrick, who modelled a fetching bridal gown before her forthcoming wedding a few days later.

The members then enjoyed a supper prepared by the committee.

The ladies have a fund-raising venture on April 7 when they are hosting a 40s evening at the Assembly Rooms in Melbourne.

The entertainment will be provided by Natalie Nightingale and supper will be included in the £15 ticket.

ABOVE: Poetry on ice ... Team Icicles, the British champions hoping for a junior world title. LEFT: Alex Lewsey.

Minibus trips...

Wednesday 29th March -

Woodlands Garden Centre (Ibstock) £5

Tuesday 4th April - Burton on Trent £4

Monday 10th April - Bakewell £8

Monday 24th April - Fosse Park £5

Price is per person for a return trip.

For more information or to book a place please phone: 01332 863585 or call in at

for sporty pupils

Community Care

SPRING term at Melbourne Junior School (MJS) began with its busiest ever sporting week with 37 different children participating in external sporting competitions across five different sports.

Five table tennis players took part in a tournament in Uttoxeter – with both boys’ and girls’ competitions won by pupils from the school, and four players going to take part in the School Games County individual finals.

Two teams of girls and boys took part in the South Derbyshire Schools indoor cricket league where school PE co-ordinator and teacher Jim Jenkinson said they performed “very well” with “a number of children playing cricket for the first time”.

The following day the school experienced another sporting first when three boys took part in the South Derbyshire Schools Boccia tournament – a paralympic sport similar to bowls.

The next day saw the local round of the English Football League Kids Cup, organised by Derby County Community Trust. Two MJS teams competed with 18 others for just two places at the local final and one team made it through.

And, on the final day of the same week, the girls’ high-five net-

ball squad played one of its regular fixtures against Etwall school, continuing the winning streak with a 6-0 victory.

Mr Jenkinson said: “It has been our busiest ever week and, without the support of everyone in school and parents to help with transport, it would not be possible to do so much.

“The children thrive on these experiences and you can really see the difference it makes when they are back in school. It also inspires the younger children to develop their sporting skills during curriculum PE. I feel privileged to enable these opportunities, especially for those children who would not otherwise be playing sport competitively.”

Pictured are some of the school’s sporty youngsters.

Bulls eye for Tim Chairman Neil steps down

KING’S Newton Bowls Club held a well-attended AGM at the clubhouse and, after five years as chairman, Neil Hill decided to step down. Graham Leech was elected to the post.

Gayle and Terry Sumerlin are to continue as secretary and treasurer with the rest of the committee voted in en bloc.

The club has said that, despite spending quite a large sum on the green, it is in a healthy financial position thanks mainly to increased bar turnover and profits.

The club said it had also been in contact with the parish council

after noticing it had not been included as a green space on the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

The men’s first team captain for the coming season will be Peter Balfour, taking over from Neil Hill, with Norman Williams replacing Graham Leech as second team captain.

All other ladies and men’s team captains will be unchanged.

The green is due to open for the new season on March 25 and anyone wishing to try crown green bowling will be made most welcome.

AS THE Melbourne Darts League enters the final fixtures of the winter season, Tim Jones has taken the title with a game to spare, which puts all the attention on the race for second place.

Three points separate the next three players. Terry Brazier and Robert Hatton have been swapping positions for the last few weeks, and so it goes to the last game to see who can take the runner-up position.

The ‘most 180s’ and ‘highest checkout’ of the season winners awards are up for grabs.

The summer season will be starting at the end of April with official date to be confirmed.

New players are welcome, so if you are interested email melbournedarts180@gmail.com

Melbourne just too good for rivals in top of table encounter

SOUTHWELL, second in the league, turned up on a cold February day for the clash with Melbourne RFC with the pitch very heavy.

As expected for a first against second game it was a tight affair. Melbourne had six unavailable so welcomed back Burchell and Whitten.

Academy player Josh Toplis made his debut on the wing.

Melbourne never looked like conceding a try and have now gone three games without doing so. Withstanding

early pressure resolutely, once they had the ball, they made ground and created an opportunity to burst over after seven minutes. Holden missed the conversion.

A couple of other try-scoring chances went begging.

As the pitch deteriorated both sides tried to keep ball in hand and cut out errors and it was a tight attritional affair. Half-time saw a narrow 6-5 lead to Southwell.

The second half continued in the same vein and Holden controlled terri-

Coaching camp

RUGBY players from across three counties came to Melbourne Sports Park for a halfterm camp.

The three-day camp was run to give girls playing the sport the opportunity to increase their skills and play together.

The group of more than 20 girls aged from eight to 16 took part in training sessions.

As well as that, some of the older participants were able to take part in extra training to help them towards becoming coaches.

Nick Woodland, who manages Melbourne Minxes, said the camp was a “great opportunity” for girls from different counties and of different ages to get together during half term.

Pictured are players from Melbourne, Nottingham and Leicestershire.

tory with his kicking. Three penalties were scored by him for Melbourne to stretch their lead to 16-6.

Melbourne still created chances without being able to convert. Southwell had one breakaway with Joe Stuart making a great one on one tackle to turn the ball over. Final score 14-6.

MOTM Joe Stuart.

Melbourne then had their longest trip of the year to Spalding. A delay in Grantham saw a late arrival and minimal preparation.

Melbourne dominated most of the

game and secured a 46-0 bonus point win. Four tries in each half with Walker (2), Howard (2), Page, A Judge, Foster and Holden all scoring, with Holden converting three.

MOTM was Dan Walker.

The seconds had a welcome run-out at Burton 3rds. With Steve Bell and Rob Foster as experience, the rest of the side were no older than 23 and included three Colts.

After a tight first 15 minutes, Melbourne scored three quick tries, all from Sam Hancock. Two were from

close range and the other followed a sweeping move. Foster converted two.

Burton hit back with two tries of their own and, as conditions deteriorated, Melbourne had to wait for the last play for Andy Martin to score. Foster converted again for a 26-12 win.

The Stags had a fine 22-19 win against a strong Rolls-Royce team. Tries came from Butler, Bigland, Bilson and Cooper.

Then they welcomed Moderns 3rds and ran out 65-3 winners with 11 tries from Ballington, Butler, Mallett (2), Hughes, Callaghan, Askew, Wiseall, Brill and Hancock (2).

Melbourne took on Mansfield 3rds in a top of the table clash in the mud. Mansfield were very strong and won 27-7 with Melbourne’s score coming from Simon Brown, converted by Perry.

The academy lost narrowly to Derby 19-12 before narrowly beating West Bridgford 12-10.

The academy went on tour to Huntingdon and Peterborough and had a fantastic game, narrowly losing 12-15.

With sources stretched to the limit in the last weekend of February, a weakened team lost heavily at Repton School 48-7.

A strong U17 squad took on Newport Salop in the National Shield regional quarter final. Melbourne dug deep in muddy conditions to win 3-0. – Peter Ilott

n YOUNG footballers from Melbourne are performing better than ever before after winning through to the last eight in the Derby Junior League Cup for the first time.

Melbourne United’s under-9s boys’ side have won through to the quarter finals and are due to play their next match on March 19.

The team trains twice a week under coaches Paul Duffy and Andrew Foster.

Nearly 40 teams from across Derbyshire entered the junior league cup and Melbourne United’s players beat the Stanton Ilkeston Blues side 6-4 to get to their current position in the tournament.

Paul said: “I’m extremely proud of them – they’re playing really well and they’re working hard.”

Pictured (with coach Paul Duffy) are Henry James, Austin Rutherford, Lucas May, Ethan Clint, Fin Duffy, Harry Forster, Oscar Gardiner, Charlie Smith, Harry Foster, Thomas Spencer, Connor Docherty, Oliver Green, Joe Clennell and Samuel Spencer (Not present but in the team are Archie Mardon and Stan Spencer).

Jack becomes a ton-up goal star for Dynamo

JACK Goodband has become only the sixth player to score 100 or more goals for Melbourne Dynamo FC – and he’s only 21.

Jack’s hat-trick in a cup game took him to the landmark achievement in a month that saw fixtures hit hard.

Both Dynamo teams saw the majority of their scheduled matches postponed due to the awful conditions.

Melbourne Dynamo first team did all they could, though, as they won both the games they were able to play in the month, starting with a comfortable 4-1 home win against Moira United in the league.

Adam Ross proved to be the match winner with all four goals.

This was the first team’s only league game of the month and they still stand at the top of the table going into March.

They also progressed to the semi-finals of the Junior Cup by trouncing Little Eaton 13-0 with Ross again leading the way with four goals aided by that hat-trick from Jack Goodband.

A double from Dave Brough plus strikes by

Carl Allsop, Lee Sanders, Shaun Hayes and a very rare goal from veteran Jak Ward completed the rout as Gavin Salisbury’s men finished the month in good form.

Melbourne Dynamo Reserves also played only two games in February, both being in the league, and they maintained their second-place position in the table by drawing one and winning the other.

Away to high-flying Willington Sports, the reserves were staring at defeat as they were 3-1 down with 20 minutes to go.

But a screamer from leading goal scorer Dan Stanley plus a free-kick equaliser by Alex Slater earned them a point with a 3-3 draw. Earlier a Ryan McLaughlin header had pulled Melbourne level at 1-1.

The week after a stunning 12-1 away win against bottom of the league Dimple saw front duo Dan Stanley (4) and Alex Slater (3) lead the way with seven of the goals along with a brace each from Shaun Hayes and Callum Cocker. A stunning left foot strike on his debut by Olly James completed the rout.

THE Melbourne Sporting Partnership (MSP) has put pen to paper on a deal that will see state-of-the-art sports facilities in the town come under its management.

The agreement involves South Derbyshire District Council handing over the lease for Melbourne Sports Park to the MSP, which will steer the future

direction of the site for the next 25 years.

The £2.5 million development came to fruition in September last year and has included the creation of a new pavilion, two high-quality football pitches, three floodlit tennis/netball courts, a floodlit artificial grass pitch, the installation of floodlights on a rugby pitch and new car parking space.

It followed years of effort by the MSP, which as well as the district council includes representatives from local rugby, football and cricket clubs and Melbourne Parish Council.

Melbourne Sporting Partnership chairman John Harrison said: “The MSP management committee much welcomes the responsibility and challenge of managing this magnificent new facility for the ongoing benefit of the local community on behalf of the parish and district councils and Melbourne RFC, the other landowner.”

Cllr Jim Hewlett, chairman

of the district council’s Housing and Community Services Committee, said: “The council was committed to helping to deliver these fantastic sports facilities for Melbourne and, once complete, the intention was to hand over management responsibility to the MSP.

“We’re delighted to now be able to do that – it is a milestone we have been working towards.

“Melbourne Sports Park is, quite rightly, a source of great pride to the MSP and the community and is already inspiring people to take advantage of the many opportunities it offers.”

The Sports Park project was kick-started by initial funding of £1million from the district council from the sale of Bretby Crematorium and topped up by grants and contributions from the Football Foundation, Sport England, Derbyshire County Council, Melbourne Parish Council and the local community.

l Signing the MSP final paperwork are (l-r) Tom Williams (Melbourne Rugby Club), Cllr John Harrison (MSP chair), Mike Starkie (Melbourne Town Cricket Club) and Steve Hollingsworth (MSP operating committee chairman).