Melbourne Village Voice September 2019

A GROUP of volunteers has come forward expressing an interest in Melbourne Library after Derbyshire County Council (DCC) announced money-saving plans to transfer it to the community last year.

The county council, like many other library authorities, is intending to transfer a number of libraries to community-led groups. Melbourne’s is one of around 20 it wishes to transfer, with the clear aim of making substantial savings on its budget whilst keeping libraries open.

A small team of volunteers, keen to see Melbourne retain a library, submitted an initial expression of interest which was considered and accepted by the Derbyshire transformation team.

The group comprises Phil Dobby, Frank Hughes, Paul Sturges and Azhar Hussain. Phil and Frank are both Melbourne Assembly Rooms (MARS) directors and see this as an opportunity to both retain the library and further co-develop MARS as a community centre.

The intention is that the library runs “at arm’s length” from MARS with a separate management and governance structure. Paul and Azhar have specialist skills and qualifications in library services.

The next step in the process is to develop a sound business case to understand the finances more clearly and show how a community library might be viable.

In order to succeed it is considered that a dedicated business manager will be needed both to develop the concept and to manage a team of volunteer staff from the local community. Volunteers will be running the library, issuing books and providing assistance, and they will be fully trained.

It is hoped that volunteers can be recruited, and some interest has already been received. The main intention is to seek to preserve ac-

cess to books and computer facilities for the foreseeable future, recognising that the county council is withdrawing from providing that service in the long term. For the first year of operation the focus will be the basic aspects of the library service; longer term, to introduce fresh aspects to build on the existing service and be self-sustaining financially

The group says that the logic behind this is that, although there will be continuing demand for the loan of books, the trends of library use suggest that the level of demand will continue to fall (probably till a basic level that is impossible to identify is reached).

For the first five years of operation DCC has earmarked funds to help the group to become established. These payments taper to zero after that. They cover only the cost of rents, rates and maintenance. They will not be sufficient to finance a paid member of staff without additional grant funding or revenue.

Beyond the five-year period the service will need to be fully self-sustaining.

In addition to the five-year payment schedule, and beyond, DCC will be continuing to provide the stock of books, support for the IT systems, training for staff and on-going guidance and support.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Library has escaped a cut in opening hours that is being introduced in 25 libraries across Derbyshire this month to save £400,000 in costs.

It is currently open for 15 and a half hours a week and will retain these hours as it is one of those due to be transferred to community management, and a group has already expressed an interest.

If the new group takes over, they will be able to change the current hours, with the council’s agreement, but they will not be able to reduce them.

l Brian Budd feeds his friend teddy during the Pool Cottage, Melbourne, summer garden party. More pictures and story –Page 3.

Joyce Smith

4.2.1926 - 22.7.2019

Passed away peacefully at Pool Cottage Residential Home, Melbourne on Monday July 22nd, aged 93 and will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.

Thank you to all who attended the funeral and for the beautiful flowers, also for the donations received for the Pool Cottage Amenities Fund. Many thanks to JP Springthorpe and Susan French for all their help and support. Special thanks to all who helped Joyce in her home and in Pool Cottage.

Summer fun for youngsters

BOWER LODGE, REPTON

Stunning 4 bed property in picturesque location surrounded by beautiful gardens and countryside. Original features throughout. Modern kitchen with all integrated white goods. 3 grand reception rooms with feature fireplaces. Downstairs WC. 4 large double bedrooms, 2 with en suite plus family bathroom. Rent includes council tax, water rates and gardener. Pets considered. EPC - D £2,500 PCM (£2,880 DEPOSIT)

CURZON HOUSE, BREEDON ON THE HILL

Charming 2 bed property within the grounds of Breedon Hall. Light, airy entrance hallway leading to a large living room with feature fireplace, smart, modern kitchen and separate dining room. Family bathroom with separate bath and shower. Two good sized double bedrooms. Sunny patio area. ORP plus garage. £795 PCM (£917 DEPOSIT)

49 COMMERCE STREET, MELBOURNE

Spacious 3 bed terraced property. Attractive entrance hallway, 2 reception rooms with feature fireplaces. Smart, modern kitchen and separate dining room. Upstairs are 2 large double bedrooms plus a single/dressing room. Spacious family bathroom with separate bath and shower. Pleasant outside area with patio, lawn and outhouse. Freshly decorated throughout. EPC - E £775 PCM (£894 DEPOSIT)

29 CASTLE MILLS, MELBOURNE

2 bed town house in over 55’s development. Lovely sunny lounge with french windows leading to private courtyard overlooking beautiful wooded area. Modern dining kitchen with light wood units. Downstairs WC plus plenty of storage. Upstairs are 2 bedrooms with fitted wardrobes plus bathroom with walk in bath/shower.

EPC - E £625 PCM (£721 DEPOSIT)

36 HUNTINGDON COURT, MELBOURNE

2 bed mid terraced house close to the village schools. Pleasant living room with gas fire. Modern kitchen with range of units. 2 bedrooms, 1 with built in wardrobes plus family bathroom. Private, enclosed garden with lawned area. ORP for 2 vehicles.

EPC - D £625 PCM (£721 DEPOSIT)

4 WOODLANDS WAY, MELBOURNE

2 bed mid-terraced house in quiet location. Pleasant living room with french windows. Kitchen with range of units and including all white goods. 2 bedrooms plus family bathroom. Private, enclosed garden with lawned area. Orp plus garage.

EPC - D £625 PCM (£721 DEPOSIT)

46 STATION ROAD, MELBOURNE

2 bed mid terraced house. Cosy living room. Kitchen-diner with good range of units and white goods. 2 bedrooms plus good-sized family bathroom. Enclosed courtyard with brick outhouse. EPC - C £625 PCM (£721 DEPOSIT)

Friendly, confidential divorce & family law advice

FAMILIES enjoyed a summer of games available on Mondays over the holidays in the grounds of Melbourne Junior School.

Various activities to keep youngsters happy over the summer break are provided by Active South Derbyshire and

paid for by the parish council.

In Melbourne, young people enjoyed a selection of activities including inflatables, giant games, space hoppers and arts and crafts, while Zara and Jude Thomas with mum Karri-Anneare seen enjoying Connect 4.

‘Musket balls’ fired at bedroom windows

A HOME-OWNER has told of his anger after ball bearings were shot at his first floor windows.

Chris Brookes, of Derby Road, Melbourne, said he first became aware of what had happened on August 9 when his wife, Celia, was cleaning one of the first-floor front bedrooms and noticed a hole in the glass.

On going into a second bedroom, she found another one.

“We thought first of all it was a hole from a stone from a lorry,” he said. “But it’s a perfect circle. We think it’s a musket ball or something like that.”

Chris (pictured) said he had come to the conclusion that the ball had come from a sling shot or similar type of catapult.

He said he did first fear having been targeted but then read of other incidents in the local area in the Village Voice, including Elvaston Church and the bus shelter on Derby Road in Melbourne.

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“The ball bearing is sitting in between the glass in the double glazing,” he said. “It got through the first layer and hit the second layer.”

Although no-one was hurt this time, Chris said that the bedrooms in question were sometimes occupied by his young grandchildren and it could have been a lot worse.

He said: “People who put things through windows like that have got no idea who’s sleeping in that bedroom. Had that been able to go through both of the windows there’s always the possibility that one of the children … you could go on and on … it could have blinded them.

“I was very angry about it.”

Chris said he had also been disappointed with the reaction of police, having tried three times to get through to an officer on

the 101 number, eventually reaching someone after waiting on the line for three quarters of an hour, to be told nothing could be done about it.

In the meantime, he has been left £220 out of pocket in order to pay for the windows to be repaired, it not being worth claiming on insurance.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary said: “We have received several reports of windows being damaged at homes along Derby Road in recent weeks, with two being damaged by pellets between July 31 and August 4.

“The homeowners in this latest case told

us the damage was caused sometime between August 2 and 9.

“We are taking these reports seriously –it’s a crime to carry this type of weapon without good reason and firing them at homes poses a risk of injury and causes cost and inconvenience to the victims.

“Our 101 number can get busy and people may find it more convenient to contact us online and arrange a time for us to call them back.”

Police also said that, with regards to the damage at the bus stop on Derby Road in Melbourne, it was believed this may have been due to hot weather.

Animal farm plan is given the go-ahead

A NEW 10-acre animal farm in Melbourne has been given the green light.

Permission for the animal farm was granted at a meeting of South Derbyshire District Council’s Planning Committee on September 3.

It means that Phil and Carla Shaw, who ran a previous animal farm on Common Lane just outside Melbourne, now have permission to start up their new, much bigger operat ion over the road, next to Whistlewood Common.

The Shaws’ previous animal farm had to close in the spring of 2018 because of lack of car parking space.

The farm had held a special event over the February half-term which attracted so many visitors it was served with a temporary stop notice by the council because of the quantity of cars parked on the busy 60mph road.

Plans for the new animal farm include parking for 42 cars and three coaches plus three new agricultural barns, in addition to structures already on the site.

The animal farm includes a refreshment cabin, indoor play farm, pole barn for stor-

ing hay, demonstration area and “outdoor horticultural experience”.

The Shaws want to more than double the numbers of livestock in their new venture from 40 to 85, including rare breed Southdown sheep, alpacas, goats, pigs, donkeys and ponies.

They also plan to hold felting and spinning workshops as well as using the animals to provide therapies for children and adults with learning and social difficulties. When the plans were submitted to the council, they attracted 13 letters of support and nine of objection.

Supporters said the proposed animal farm would be an asset to the community and would attract visitors to the area, while objections included complaints that sustainable materials were not being used and that the proposed animal farm would be out of character in a rural area.

Neighbours Whistlewood Common –which has nearly 400 members – felt the farm would cause noise and intrusion on to their site.

Councillors took just 15 minutes to hear all the arguments before unanimously

Planning

backing the scheme. District councillor Martin Fitzpatrick, member for Melbourne, had provided a statement strongly supporting the project.

After the meeting, a spokesman for Whistlewood Common said they wished the Shaws well with the project and encouraged them to work with the ethos “demonstrated at Whistlewood to help more people to connect with the natural systems on which all humans depend”.

A business plan for the farm said: “Based on the success we have already experienced for Melbourne Animal Farm at Ivy House we are confident that the business concept works and that there is an untapped need in the area.

It has been identified during peak times that at Ivy House there was limited parking causing problems with obstructing the highways and we feel that our new proposed site will address all the concerns mentioned. The larger proposed site will also allow the business to grow and in doing so will show an increase in revenue which will generate the need for employment.”

– Lucy Stephens

PARTY TIME AT POOL COTTAGE

IT WAS the perfect summer’s afternoon for a cup of tea when Pool Cottage in Melbourne held its annual Summer Sunday Garden Party.

Hundreds went down to the residential home at Melbourne Pool to enjoy a raffle, music provided by singer Colin Jackson, face painting and a visit from the animals at Melbourne Hall.

“The garden party is massively supported by the community which we’re obviously very grateful for,” said Pool Cottage deputy manager Matthew Buckley. “It’s been going for so many years.”

Matthew thanked the volunteers who helped out on the day of the party.

The day raised around £1,500 for the residents’ amenity fund at Pool Cottage, which pays for trips out, visits from entertainers and other enjoyable extras.

LEFT: Animal magic at Melbourne Hall with (l-r) Annie, Libby and Alice Robinson and some golden Guernsey goats.

BELOW: Visitors busy at the cake stall.

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History group gets £7k boost for project

ASTON-on-Trent local history group is celebrating a £7,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for an “exciting project for the village”.

The history group is committed to maintaining and developing its archive of several thousand documents and photos recording the history of the village, and members say this one-year project will add substantially to that knowledge.

The project will see the second publication of residents’ tales of the village plus accounts of past shops and industries.

With an increase in the number of family history enquiries, group members will be trained to assist in increasing requests for information.

Village residents and school children will be asked to suggest items for a time capsule, and a major two-day photographic exhibition of Aston’s past decades will showcase how the village has changed over time.

History group chair Carole Bagnall said: “We’re delighted to receive this grant which builds on our commitment to our heritage. Recording the past is so important for future generations, particularly in rapidly changing times.

“As the quote goes, ‘A people without the knowledge of their past is like a tree without roots’. We are very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their generous support.”

Iain challenges council decision

BARROW-UPON-TRENT resident Iain Davidson is challenging the recent decision by South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC) to grant planning permission to Elephant Holdings to develop a business park on the edge of the village.

He has recently referred the issue to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s office, as he feels the planning process was not followed correctly.

As reported in Village Voice (June 2019) he feels that he and other local residents were not fully and properly informed of the application. The council has a duty to write directly to those neighbours meeting certain criteria and he thinks that should have included him because of the visual intrusion on his property and because the drainage from the development runs adjacent to his property, putting him within the

normal four-metre threshold for direct communication.

He has also found the process “incredibly frustrating” since finding out about the application only on the day it was due to be considered. “I hope the council will reconsider the decision or that at least there will be an amendment to it,” he said.

“I have had a telephone call from the chief executive of SDDC, Mr Frank McArdle, who was able to ensure I was finally provided with the neighbour notification policy which I had requested several times. He apologised for the failure to supply it earlier.”

Iain is also concerned about the impact of more traffic on Sinfin Lane and Swarkestone Road (the A5132).

“There was a bad accident very recently and a few years ago a man was killed when a car

THE marriage of Philippa Howard, formerly of Highfield House, Melbourne, to Dr Nick Brown of Ascot, Berkshire, took place on August 10 at Melbourne Parish Church (St Michaels with St Mary’s).

The rector of Melbourne, Rev Steve Short was unfortunately away on holiday with his family for this occasion but he arranged for his father, The Rev Canon Tim Short, previously the Bishop of Carlisle, to come out of retirement and preside over the ceremony.

Philippa and Nick spent their honeymoon in the South of France.

The bride's hair was done by Elysium in Melbourne, the bride’s flowers were provided by Blossom Tree in Melbourne and her make-up by Catherine Cliff in Ashby.

left the road. The planning meeting was told there would be a four or five per cent increase in traffic but this was discounted because of the economic benefits,” he said.

A spokesperson for SDDC has reiterated that “the site notice was placed on a lamp post opposite the site entrance, a number of neighbours were notified directly by letter, an advert was placed in the Derby Evening Telegraph, and the parish council notified.

“Our publicity of applications is controlled by legislation and our Statement of Community Involvement, both striking a balance between notifying interested parties and using public resources effectively.”

The decision of the ombudsman is expected to take several weeks.

VE Day celebration set for Melbourne

A SPECIAL VE Day celebration event is to be held in Melbourne next year, the latest meeting of the town’s parish council decided.

Members of Melbourne Parish Council discussed hosting an event in 2020 to mark 75 years since VE Day.

Councillors decided they would like to commit to spending money on such an event, saying it was an important celebration and would bring the community together.

Details have not been finalised, but the proposal is for a concertstyle event to which people could go with picnics and listen to music.

The parish council heard that such an event – including staging, hiring a band and putting up portable toilets – would cost up to £10,000.

The meeting heard debate on the matter, with some feeling that this was too much money to spend on such a celebration and the cash would be better spent on other things.

It was felt by those that Melbourne had held a very successful series of centenary events commemorating 100 years since the end of the First World War in 2018, and that a 75-year anniversary was not worth spending the money on.

But others in the room thought that VE Day was worth marking and it would be a shame if Melbourne did not hold some sort of event when other communities would.

Cllr David Smith said: “I think it’s well worth a celebration of 75 years. £10,000 is a great deal of money, but I still think this parish council ought to support the celebrations in some way, shape or form.”

Later, he added that many people would have memories of the Second World War, going back through the generations, whereas with a 100-year celebration this was a lot less likely.

After weighing up the pros and cons, councillors decided they would go ahead with the celebrations for the benefit of the community.

It has not yet been confirmed where the concert will be held.

VE Day stands for Victory in Europe. It marks the day when Nazi forces surrendered in May, 1945. Next year the traditional early May bank holiday is being put back by four days to coincide with the anniversary.

– Lucy Stephens

Funds have been provided by Melbourne’s county councillor Linda Chilton and the parish council.

– FRANK HUGHES

A NEW defibrillator is on its way to Melbourne. The defibrillator is to be placed somewhere in the area of the parish church and the hall.

Films launch for new bus appeal

MELBOURNE Community Care is launching an appeal to raise funds to replace the ageing minibus. The appeal starts on Saturday, November 9, with a showing of short films starring the minibus and produced by St Michael’s Players.

Those who travel in the minibus will know that it is now beginning to show signs of age, with rattles and bumps, squeaks and clunks that do not make for the most luxurious of rides.

“We want to have a more modern vehicle, to make loading and unloading easier, particularly for the wheelchair use,” said Alison Thornhill, from Community Care.

“Drivers do struggle with some of the older features, such as the seat anchors,

and it makes sense now to make an investment for the future.”

The bus is used regularly for weekly shopping trips but also it is used by many local groups, including Pool Cottage, the United Reformed Church, the WI, junior school, the Ticknall lunch group and U3A (University of the Third Age).

Community Care also runs regular day trips in the bus which are always popular.

The launch day at Melbourne Assembly Rooms will feature four timed showings of a series of films by St Michael’s Players.

Without giving away any spoilers, the films will feature humorous escapades based on and around the bus. There will

be a café open all day for light refreshments and information about the appeal and Community Care will be on display. It will be free entry and tickets will not be required – it’s just turn up when you wish!

Community Care estimate that more than £30,000 is needed to replace the bus. The appeal has had a “kick-start” with a very generous donation from the Melbourne Activity Group which disbanded earlier in the year. They divided up the funds between three good causes.

BLAZE SHUTS VILLAGE PUB

A POPULAR pub has had to be closed after being gutted in a serious fire.

Fire crews were on scene at The Bull’s Head in Wilson for nearly 17 hours after flames broke out in the early hours of August 7.

Melbourne firefighters were first there and crews from Leicestershire arrived at 1.55am after receiving several calls from members of the public.

Breathing apparatus and hose reel jets were used to bring the fire under control.

Paramedics from East Midlands Ambulance Service arrived at 1.58am and two patients were taken to Royal Derby Hospital.

Firefighters finally left at 7.15pm.

A Facebook message the following day said the pub was closed due to the fire. It was not known when it would reopen.

More than 100 comments on social media have been posted, expressing shock at the news and wishes that the pub can reopen again soon.

Hughes

Alison said: “We benefited with a donation of just over £8,000. With that and some reserves from previous fund-raising it is hoped that the appeal will help us to take delivery of a new bus as soon as possible.” – Frank

The Bull’s Head has been under its current management since 2016, and has attracted many positive comments for its food and good beer.

l It was tea and cakes by the river in aid of St James Church, Swarkestone. The event was held at the home of Pauline and Brian Sims. Pictured (l-r) are David Morton, Ann Morton, Sandra Cork and Neil Cork.

Protecting keyless cars from theft

DRIVERS of keyless cars who live or work in South Derbyshire are being offered a way of protecting their vehicle from a highly sophisticated type of theft.

The Safer South Derbyshire Partnership, a body made up of the district and county councils, police, the voluntary sector, probation services, firefighters and the NHS, says there have been several cases in the district of keyless cars being stolen by the “relay” system.

Victims and others are being offered a special bag called a “Faraday bag” in which to store their keys to combat this type of crime.

The partnership reports that nationally, there

has been a marked increase in the theft of keyless cars, with criminals using the relay system to get into vehicles and start them without needing to use forced entry or a key.

Keyless entry cars allow the driver to unlock and start the car with the key fob still in their pocket. Only cars with this type of system can be stolen using “relay” equipment.

Anyone who lives outside the Swadlincote area or struggles to get to the district council offices during opening hours can request one from their local police Safer Neighbourhood Team by emailing South.Neighbourhoods@Derbyshire.pnn.police.uk

l The Community Care bus in 1992

(photo: Pete Clough) and (below) the current vehicle.

Country Living with

Robert Parker

We’re weather beaten

AT THE turn of the month the end of harvest eludes us. I didn’t expect to be finished some crops like the spring sown beans, but August has been rather disappointing with, I estimate, only half the days fit for harvesting.

Extreme heat alternating with heavy rain have been the order of the day, and a good five days would see the job completed.

Yields so far have been good with the exception of oilseed rape which, after 25 years, we are giving a miss. The withdrawal of one particular agrochemical and the scourge of wood pigeon damage have made this crop very risky – a risk we don’t believe we can take in future. The crop fitted well into the rotation, being harvested early before most cereal crops are ready, and wheat can be sown fairly early afterwards.

Alternative break crops are sparse, but we have decided to grow a few more beans which do leave some residual fertility for the following crop and are a good deal cheaper to grow. I fear

for the price if other farmers do the same.

The weather has given us another problem of late. The county footpath officer has been complaining about paths being blocked by crops knocked down by the heavy rain.

We live in a very intolerant society and everyone seems to want everything at once. Here we are, up to our necks in work, at the busiest time of year. Why can’t walkers bear with us for a few days?

n A strange thing happens here in the middle of August which I can’t quite get to grips with. Ten days ago, the farmstead was literally smothered with house martins.

There must have been a few thousand of them. Obviously, they are preparing to fly south for the winter, but as I said before we never have any nesting here. Every building inside and out and cables across the yard were covered in the cheeky little birds.

Does anywhere else get this happening?

LAST month the Welcome Café finally shut its doors. Its family owners – founder Sid Gregson, his daughter Jo and her son Alex –served the local community for a grand total of 71 years. We take a look back at the history of the café, some of the people who worked for Sid and his business, the customers, and the changing food fashions over the years.

The café culture that Sid started

FORAGED food, a fondness for offal, plenty of home-grown vegetables . ..

It sounds like a trendy, pared back menu for an upmarket modern restaurant, but these are exactly the lines upon which Sid Gregson ran his Welcome Café on Derby Road when it first started out just after the Second World War.

In an interview with Melbourne Historical Research Group in 2012, he had this to say about what he used to cook when the café first opened up in 1948: “Rationing was still on, so we were very limited in what we could do – very restricted.

“Henry Knowles helped me with offal – off ration. Bacon could be served with something else, but not egg. You wouldn’t ever serve all things like bacon, egg, sausage. We’d perhaps make it up with mush rooms,

fried bread, potato cake – WITH bacon OR egg, but not both. I used to stretch it out like that.

“Cooked, baked heart or stuffed marrow,

sausage or liver, if you could get it. There were always plenty of veg in Melbourne. Chocolate pudding, bought in. Trifles, because I’d bake my own sponge. Fruit – if you could get it. Milk puddings: rice, tapioca, sago – if you were lucky enough to find it in the shops.

“We’d collect windfall apples and gather blackberries. You used to have to be very thrifty in them days. Wild damsons we used to gather from Ashbourne airport on a Sunday afternoon. Deep freeze and chill freeze were available then.”

The Welcome Café started in 1948 when Sid Gregson opened up shop in the former Toon’s butchers’ shop on Derby Road.

Having been a bakery and confectionery apprentice in Derby before serving in the Second World War, he then went into outside catering as well as running the café.

Christine Hind, her husband Kev and sister Barbara, of Melbourne, remember many happy years working for Sid, mainly helping with the catering side of the business, particularly weddings during the late 1960s – many of which were held in Melbourne at the old Liberal hall, now Amalfi White’s.

They remembered loading up the van with

l A bull in front of the old Toon’s butchers’ that was previously in the Welcome Café premises. The bull would have been driven down the entry, between the Post Office and Sutton’s shop that is now Andra Health, to Toon’s slaughterhouse. (Photo and caption: Melbourne Historical Research Group).

large crates of plates and food, all of which were then carried up the precarious back steps of the hall.

“A lot of people used to have Sid doing their weddings,” said Christine.

“I remember learning how to do brussels at the back of the café,” added Barbara.

“And ham cobs – he always sliced them down the top so you can see the fillings inside.”

Christine and Barbara began working for Sid and The Welcome Café when they were teenagers, following in the footsteps of their mother Rene, who was taken on by Sid after she lost her husband Tom.

Christine’s children, Emma, Laura and Nicola, all worked for the cafe too, and when it shut in August her grand-daughter Abi was also working there!

“It was always a happy time,” said Christine. “It was hard work but it was always enjoyable doing it.”

Barbara could also remember that when a pupil at Melbourne Junior School, she was allowed up to Sid’s to have fish and chips for lunch on Fridays!

Welcome Café regular John Williams’ memo-

ries are of the warm welcome that the café provided – always living up to its name: “I remember that it was afternoon in winter and it was raining. Inside the cafe the windows were steamy and the drops of rain twinkled in the car headlights outside. The air held that scent of familiar food, the blackboard on the wall showed the prices.

“And it was warm. Outside was cold and February. Inside was warm with steak and kidney and rhubarb crumble.

“My coat dried on the radiator as I ate. For me at that moment and for so many other Melbourne people, this place offered a temporary haven and a real warmth. It was special. We will miss it.”

With thanks to the Melbourne Historical Research Group.

l Tracey Reynolds, Sid Gregson, Alex Slater and Jo Slater (nee Gregson) in front of the café in the early 1990s (Photo: Pete Clough).

Welcome Café circa 1950 (l-r): Grace Wilkinson, Nora Gregson, Sid Gregson, Deborah Pepper. (Photo: Melbourne Historical Research Group).

New plea to help stop church vandals

FRESH calls are being made to gate off the road to Breedon church at night after a vehicle and sledgehammer attack left its centuries’ old door smashed in.

The Priory Church of St Mary and St Hardulph at Breedon-on-the-Hill is a grade one listed building which is a wellknown beauty spot and visitor attraction with its proud position, lovely views and Saxon carvings.

But the 1,000-year-old church is also a regular target for anti-social behaviour and in the latest incident in August, a vehicle was driven right into the door and a sledgehammer taken to the ancient stonework.

Those responsible got away empty-handed.

Now Breedon-on-the-Hill Parish Council is making renewed pleas to the district council to gate off the road leading up to the church to stop vehicles going up there at night.

Parish council chair Ray Morris said: “The door is hundreds of years old and is smashed –it’s almost impossible to restore.

“Where they have used a sledge-hammer on the 1,000 year old stone, it has splintered and there’s a pile of debris.

“Obviously, we are horrified that this has taken place. However, as a parish council we have been working for years to have a Public Spaces Protection Order put in place. It would mean that you could gate the road at the bottom of the hill during the hours of darkness. This gate would prevent vehicle access once the church is locked up in the evenings. It wouldn’t stop pedestrians. It would mean someone would have to walk the last 300 metres up the hill.”

Cllr Morris said local residents binned takeaway containers and other less savoury items left around the church on a

Public traffic exhibition delayed

A PUBLIC exhibition about traffic flows in Melbourne has been delayed.

daily basis.

There have also been much more serious incidents including, a few years ago, the theft of priceless Saxon silver

Other vandalism has included air rifle pot shots which have currently left ten holes in the windows, plus three separate incidents of lead thefts from the roof, which has now been fitted with a low-value equivalent.

“In a thousand years of history to the church, on our watch in 15 years all of this has happened,” said Cllr Morris, who said it was felt that if people could not get to the church at night in a car, a lot of the damage could be prevented.

Following the vandalism which happened between 6.20pm on August 7 and 9am the following morning, an online appeal was set up by the church which raised £2,500 to beef up security.

Cllr Morris said calls had been made to get a PSPO on the road for the past decade. Parishioners had been asked to write to the council, but he said a lot of these letters had been disregarded because they did not include a personal impact statement.

Councillor Andrew Woodman, portfolio holder for community services at North West Leicestershire District Council said: “There is a fine balance between ensuring this historic place of worship is both accessible for the public to enjoy and is at the same time kept safe and secure.

“We haven’t received enough evidence in the past to legally justify issuing a Public Space Protection Order which the county council would need in order to consider the closure of a public highway. We are disgusted by this mindless act of vandalism and we will continue

to work with the parish council and the police to look at ways the church can be kept safe and secure.”

Sergeant Lindsay Booth from Leicestershire Police said: “This attack on an old and valued building is devastating for the community and we are carrying out enquiries to find the people responsible.

“This includes officers speaking to people in the area and working on CCTV enquiries.

“We urge anyone who has any information to make contact with us. If you have CCTV from around the area please check this to see if you have any information which could help.”

Anyone with any information should contact 101 quoting incident 19000419228.

– Lucy Stephens

Harry Potter star at literary festival

FANS of the Harry Potter films and Game of Thrones may be interested to learn that actor David Bradley is one of a few famous names to be appearing at a newly fledged local literary festival.

David, who played the grumpy caretaker Argus Filch in the Potter films and Walder Frey in the HBO series, will be interviewed about his acting career at the Repton Literary Festival at the end of October.

The festival was piloted last year and is being held again, with the not-for-profit event on October 25-27 raising funds for a local National Literacy Trust project.

Programme director John Cavey said: “I’m really very, very excited that David’s coming. He’s very much regarded with the breadth of the parts that he has played, from Shakespeare to Game of Thrones and not forgetting Harry Potter!

“He’s going to be interviewed about his acting life, how it started and how he keeps going at an incredibly grand old age!”

Other speakers at the event include actors George Rainsford, who plays Jimmy Wilson in Call the Midwife, and Nick Burns, of Nathan Barley. They are both former pupils of Repton School.

Derbyshire county councillor for Melbourne, Cllr Linda Chilton, said the ongoing traffic review for Melbourne was now with statutory undertakers, which meant the public exhibition on the matter had been held up.

Proposals to introduce a oneway system in Melbourne were first mooted in February last year when they sparked considerable debate in the local community

Derbyshire County Council had two proposals. One was to re-route HGVs around Melbourne so they did not go through the centre and the second was to introduce a one-way system with added double yellow lines.

Many people wrote into the Village Voice commenting –some negatively – about the proposals.

The county council has said it will hold a public exhibition on its current plans for traffic in Melbourne.

The exhibition is still expected to go ahead, but a date is not available yet.

l The damaged door and stonework.

To gain further information, or progress your interest in these homes, contact Ashley Adams (Melbourne) whereby Penny, Abigail or Robert will be delighted to assist you.

Exhibition that’s proving to be a real work of art

THE DAME Catherine Arts exhibition has been a highlight in the Ticknall calendar for over a quarter of a century now, and each year the show hosts an impressive collection of artists and their work.

Over 1,000 individual pieces from 180 artists were on display in the gallery over the bank holiday weekend in August, housed in the village hall and the adjacent school building.

More than 200 guests turned up for the champagne preview night to rub shoulders with some of the artists and have the chance to “red spot” favourite works for purchase. Canapes, supplied by Jose Raine Catering, were also works of art in their own right!

Organiser Deborah Bates described some of the work behind the scenes to put on the exhibition.

She said: “We start in about April by working through the list of artists and to try to compile the brochure, which this year runs to over 50 pages. We start building the exhibition about a week in advance as it takes six full days to mount all the artwork.

“Then we have a team who do the administration, a team looking after the sales and computerisation; a team doing the door and ‘in house’; in all there are about 40 helpers to pull it all together.

“One of the hardest tasks,” she said, “is after the event in trying to get all of the work collected and back to the rightful owners with the appropriate payments.”

But having done the task now for 26 years the team clearly does a fantastic job!

Amongst this year’s featured artists were Giles Davies and Jane Bevan. Giles, who creates stunning landscape collages from recycled magazine cuttings, said it was the first time he had been involved in the exhibition.

“As one of the Peak District Artisan group, I had heard of what a good reputation the exhibition had. It has been brilliant, and I have been so impressed with the mix of work,” he said.

Local artist Jane Bevan, who specialises in creating works of beauty from natural materials foraged during daily walks, and also a featured artist, said she “loved coming to the exhibition – it is such an amazing range of artists, each with a talent for creativity in all its forms. With the workshops, it is also such a family friendly event too”.

Man fined for hunting hares with his dog

A 25-YEAR-OLD man has been found guilty of hunting hares with a dog, following an incident in Weston-on-Trent.

Thomas Stark, of Sandiacre, was found guilty during a trial at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court and was sentenced on Thursday, 18 August.

Stark was handed a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order which prohibits him from trespassing on private land with dogs. He was also ordered to pay more than £3,700 in fines and costs and his dog was seized and made the subject of a forfeiture order, meaning it will be rehomed.

The incident happened on December 12 last year.

In August, Derbyshire Constabulary reported that a new, dedicated rural and wildlife crime team was now operating across the county to tackle issues affecting rural and farming communities.

Police said the team’s priorities included acquisitive crime such as theft of farming equipment, preventing the persecution of protected species and the illegal trade in endangered species. The team had previously only been focused on the Derbyshire Dales area.

Police have been able to expand this area of their work by extra funding from the increased council tax precept.

The rural crime team is based in Matlock and comprises seven PCs led by a rural crime sergeant and led by an inspector. Other special constables and police staff volunteers provide further support, and the team also has dedicated drones, two additional 4x4s, and a Polaris Ranger Utility Task Vehicle (UTV).

Anyone who suspects that rural or wildlife crime is taking place in their area is asked to report it to police.

Derbyshire Police have a rural crime team Facebook page but people are asked not to report crime via this route as it is not monitored all the time.

FUNERAL COSTS INCREASE

Naturally the exhibition has a serious charitable side. “Our target is to sell around £15,000 worth of art, although we sold more than that last year. That helps to raise about £10,000 to support the school,” says Deborah. It has been run by parents and supporters since it was closed by the local education authority in 1987.

Along with the exhibition there were several workshops, demonstrations and children’s events, as well as a café continuously stocked with some of the best cakes for miles around.

– Frank Hughes

MAKING A VISUAL IMPACT

SPECTACLES donated by Melbourne residents have winged their way to Africa in a recycling scheme.

Around 150 pairs of glasses have been recycled through the Melbourne Cobbler’s shop to Africa, where they are in huge demand.

Distribution was organised by Rotex,

through the Derby Lions Club, who already recycle many more from the town.

David Gray, who collects the glasses in his Cobbler’s Shop in the Market Place, said: “It’s good to help in this way, and I’m always happy to receive unwanted specs, so that they can be re-used where there is such a great demand for them.”

l Organisers Amanda Harmer (left) and Deborah Bates (right) with featured artist Jane Bevan at her art workshop. Joining in the fun are Isla and William, visiting from Oxford.

Academy’s A for Amazing results

CHELLASTON Academy executive head teacher Kevin Gaiderman warmly congratulated sixth formers for their “resilience, dedication and hard work” when they collected their A-level results.

At Chellaston, whose catchment includes Melbourne, Barrow, Aston and Weston-on-Trent, a quarter of all grades achieved by the 161 young people sitting A-levels were at A* or A, while just over half (52 per cent) were at A* or B, and just under three-quarters at A* to C.

Mr Gaiderman said: “We have some amazing successes. Two students are going to Oxford University, a number are going on to do medicine at Russell Group universities and medical training hospitals.

“It’s a really pleasing set of results.”

He added: “The day of your A-level results is a day you never forget.”

Katie Dolman, 17, of Melbourne, said she was

sad to be leaving Chellaston Academy but looking forward to the next challenge: studying psychology with criminology at Nottingham Trent University.

Harry Briggs, of Weston, was joining her at Nottingham Trent to study broadcast journalism, with three Bs in history, politics and sociology under his belt.

“I did better than I thought I was going to do!” he said.

Benjamin Wilson, of Melbourne, took the time to thank his teachers Mr Barr, Ms Farmer and Miss Messom, after receiving his results – ABB in business studies, biology and pscychology: “I’m grateful for everything they’ve done. The teachers have pulled through and motivated me to get them.”

Benjamin is going on to study business management in Sheffield.

Patrick James, of Melbourne, was delighted with his A*, A* and A in psychology, art and maths, and is going on to read game art at Sheffield Hallam University

Lily Shields, of Aston, was also “pretty chuffed” with her ABB in English literature, French and history and is going on to read English literature at Birmingham University.

Alex Gilchrist, of Melbourne, is to study marine biology with A-levels in geography, English and biology, while Daniel Rutherford, of Melbourne, is preparing to study adult nursing with his Alevels in biology, psychology and sociology.

Across Derbyshire, around 2,100 students received their A-level results this summer, with an overall pass rate of 98 per cent, and the average grade a ‘C’.

–Lucy Stephens

GCSE pupils are also shining exam-ples

GCSE results at Chellaston Academy were significantly above the national average, with nearly a third graded at one of the top three levels – the equivalent of the old A grades.

This is the second year that numerical grades have been used to mark pupils’ results at GCSE level, replacing the previous alphabetical system.

Widely said to be tougher than before, the new 9-7 grades are the equivalent of the previous A and A* star grades, with a ‘standard’ pass now a level 4, and a higher pass a level 5.

Across the country, the number of GCSEs at level 7-9 was 20.8 per cent.

But at Chellaston Academy, executive head Kevin Gaiderman was delighted with the fact that 30 per cent of the school’s GCSE results were at 7-9.

“Our GCSEs are slightly up on last year,” he said. “Our progress this year is better than last, with another strong set of GCSEs.”

Aside from a 30 per cent achievement at grades 7 to 9, 80 per cent of pupils taking GCSEs at Chellaston achieved a standard pass (level 4) or above in English and Maths combined, with 90 per cent getting their English standard pass and 84 per cent gaining their Maths standard pass.

In John Port Spencer Academy, which takes pupils from Milton and Repton, 78 per cent scored the combined English and Maths standard pass with 88 per cent passing English and 82 per cent passing maths.

We caught up with some pupils at Chellaston who were pleased with their results, with many now going on to the sixth form at the academy.

They included Eva Wright, of Melbourne, who was considering going on to study economics, geography and art and at A-level.

Across Derbyshire, 76 per cent of year 11 students achieved grades of 4 and above in English, and 60 per cent grade 5 and above in the same subject.

When they leave year 11, options for today’s students are either to carry on in full-time education, go on to an apprenticeship, or continue with part-time education or training if they are employed, self-employed or volunteering for more than 20 hours a week.

A Skills Festival, Derbyshire’s largest careers event for young people and aimed at students aged between 13 and 19, will be held at the Derby Arena on September 25 and 26, from 1.30pm to 7.30pm.

Lots of training providers, larger employers and the county council’s community adult education service will be on hand to talk to young people. They will also be invited to take part in a range of have-a-go activities. More information and a list of providers can be found at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/skillsfestival

More general information for young people is available at www.derbyshireyouthinc.com

Students who do not pass their GCSE English or maths can choose to sign up at a county council adult community education centre to re-sit them. The centres also offer personalised study programmes.

For more information you are advised to visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/adulteducation

l Melbourne 16-year-olds Zoe Tomlinson, Sidney Kinzett, Eva Wright and Anna Gilchrist receiving their results at Chellaston Academy.

ABOVE: Lily Shields, of Aston-on-Trent; Fraser Radcliffe, of Stanton-by-Bridge; Harry Briggs, from Weston-on-Trent, plus Benjamin Wilson and Patrick James, from Melbourne. LEFT: Alex Gilchrist and Dan Rutherford, from Melbourne.

More success on the cards for Jo’s stationery business

A FLOURISHING Melbourne business has beaten off competition from 14,000 other entries to be named a finalist in three categories of a major UK-wide awards scheme.

Dandelion Stationery, formerly part of Melbourne Print, is in the running for three different awards at the Henries – the national greetings card awards which have seen 14,000 entries this year.

It’s a huge accolade for the local business, which has gone from monthly card sales of 500 to 50,000, reaching a national and international market with a local workforce of more than 20 people.

Dandelion Stationery has been named a finalist for Best Christmas Counter Range, Best Contemporary Words & Sentiments Range, and Best Relations & Occasions Range at the Henries, having been picked out by judges from large greeting cards retailers including John Lewis and Waitrose.

“It’s amazing,” said Dandelion Stationery founder Jo Wilson. “It would be amazing to win but just to have the cards visible

by such high-profile buyers is great.”

Dandelion Stationery has been entering designs into the Henries since 2014, reaching the finals four times and winning one of the categories in 2016.

The greetings card industry is a tough market in Britain but, with the UK public spending £1.7billion on cards in 2017, it can also be a lucrative one for those who find their groove and do it well.

With its fresh designs – drawn by Jo on an iPad – and funny, insightful messages which are brave enough to tap into all sorts of areas of life that few other

greetings cards manufacturers do, such as cancer diagnosis, it seems that Dandelion Stationery has hit upon a winning formula.

Not only is the company prepared to tackle tough subjects, its own printing arm at Melbourne Print means it can experiment with small print runs that larger manufacturers cannot.

“I don’t think there are many companies that touch on some of the trickier stuff,” said Jo.

“When it comes to the words on some of our cards, it might be that someone is going through a situation and you don’t know what to say to somebody – a card can help you say that. We have

one that just says: ‘I am here for you’ – that is appropriate for so many situations: divorce, illness, death.

“We try really hard as a business to be a little bit different to the norm.”

Other markets that Dandelion is able to sell into include America, where its Hallowe’en range does very well – the spooky happenings on October 31 are not nearly so celebrated this side of the pond.

Dandelion is up against designers large and small in its three categories at the Henries, including Noel Tatt and Woodmansterne.

The winners are set to be announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel in London on October 3.

– Lucy Stephens

RIGHT: Jo Wilson, founder of Dandelion Stationery, celebrating the company’s win at the 2016 Henries.

ABOVE: Two of the Dandelion cards.

Local growers produce the goods yet again

MORE people than ever went along to see which runner beans were the longest, which onions the largest and which vegetables the most amusingly shaped at the third annual Melbourne Produce Show.

Held at the Senior Citizens Centre on August 17, it was a packed room which gathered to admire the large array of different types of produce, preserves and flower arrangements that had been grown in the local area this year.

Started up in 2017 by Melbourne Garden Club, the produce show is becoming an increasingly popular fixture each summer, with many locals keen to show off their green-fingered skills but, perhaps

more importantly, reconnect with the earth, Melbourne’s market gardening heritage, and their own families – past and present.

This year, a new trophy was awarded for Overall Best in Show in memory of Fred Dowell, a lifelong grower himself who kept an allotment in Blackwell Lane.

“It’s all my dad did, from when he was 15,” said his daughter, Chris Astle, who won Best in Show herself for fruit.

The trophy was presented by Fred’s grand-daughters Sharon Bush and Jo Smith.

The inaugural winner was Jane Winters, who had entered several categories in this year’s show, winning first places for her courgettes, cucumber, amusingly shaped veg, best late summer colour arrangement, best foliage arrangement, also taking away Best In Show for baking with her outstanding swiss roll!

“I’m quite shocked!” said Jane.

“We’re doing this for granddad,” said Jo. “We want the trophy to be passed on every year. Gardening was his life, it was his job, it was his hobby, it was everything.”

Fred’s great-granddaughter, Aimee Bush, was also a winner herself in the children’s section of the show.

It was another family affair for the Bancrofts of Melbourne, who entered a single rose stem from a bush that had been owned by Jim Bancroft, former Melbourne lengthsman who loved his garden and passed away earlier this year.

Jim had entered the produce show himself in the two

previous years it has run in Melbourne.

It was a touching tribute that a own bush won ‘Best Single Stem’ in especially as roses had been his favourite Lesley Hough, chair of Melbourne thanked Scallywags Nursery which competition, whose results decorated members of the garden club “for all to support us to put this show on in Lesley said: “The show continues ularity, with more of the public coming and better attendance at the auction, totals were up on last year.

“Special thanks to Vera Dowell and viding the annual, overall best in gether with all their support.

“It was nice to see members of all lotments taking part and the colourful vided by Scallywags nursery and summer An auction of produce was held show.

l Sharon Bush and Jo Smith, grand-daughters of Fred Dowell, present the overall trophy in his memory to best in show winner Jane Winters.

Melbourne. a bloom from his this year’s show, favourite flower Melbourne Garden Club, which held a colouring decorated the show, and all they have done in the first place”. ontinues to grow in popcoming in to view auction, entries and and family for proshow trophy, toall Melbourne alcolourful artwork prosummer school.” at the end of the

ABOVE: Award-winning growers: Best in show category winners (l-r): Chris Hough (best in show: preserves); Ann Harrison (best in show: beverages); Jane Winters (overall best in show); Lesley Hough (chair of Melbourne Garden Club, who presented the prizes); Aimee Bush, seated (best in show: children’s section); Chris Astle (best in show: fruit); Alayne Stone (collecting on behalf of Ian Stone, best in show: vegetables) and Duncan Miller (best in show: flowers).

LEFT: Sean Doherty and Florence Stephens with John Beadall’s awardwinning pumpkin.

RIGHT: The Bancroft family’s winning single rose stem.

PICTURES by PETER CLOUGH and ANDREW JACKSON.

Retirement day for Father Anthony

A LONG-STANDING member of Melbourne’s clerical community is retiring after 14 years here.

Father Anthony Axe, priest at the Catholic church, will conduct his last service in Melbourne on September 15 having reached his 75th birthday, the age of retirement for Catholic priests.

But, as he says, once a priest, always a priest.

“You don’t stop being a priest when you retire – you stop being a parish priest, but you don’t stop being a priest,” he says. “I know I will be called upon to do supply work when others are ill or on holiday.”

Originally from South Yorkshire, Father Anthony (as he prefers to be known, feeling that ‘Father Axe’ is perhaps a little threatening), joined the Dominicans in 1976 after being a primary school headmaster in Northumberland.

“The Dominicans were religiously and politically progressive,” he recalls. “It was one of those things that you feel if you don’t try it, you feel you’ll always regret not trying it. Luckily, in those days if it hadn’t worked out, I could have jumped straight back into teaching.

“I’ve never regretted it. I miss teaching because I love teaching as well – it was a pity I couldn’t have two lives at the same time!”

Becoming ordained in 1982, Father Anthony was based as a friar in Edinburgh for 19 years and came to Melbourne in 2005 – where he has been in charge of the Catholic church here and in Castle Donington.

He says he has always favoured a more relaxed style of dress in his role as a priest, preferring to wear his clerical garb as little as

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possible: “I’ve done my best to be one of the community,” he says. “I never wear clericals unless I really have to. I’ve always wanted people to relate to me as me rather than in my role, particularly as the role has come in for some opprobrium lately – quite rightly.”

So what will he miss about the job?

“The people,” he says, “and I love the liturgy in church, particularly at Christmas and Easter. I’ve enjoyed working with other churches in Melbourne too – this is a very ecumenically active community.”

It is often said that church congregations are dwindling, but in the Catholic church in Melbourne it is not uncommon to see around 70 people including young families in the pews on Sundays, with numbers actually having risen slightly over the years.

Father Anthony leaves Melbourne for Mickleover in September, and, despite claiming he would like to do “as little as possible” when he retires, he has plans to travel and catch up with longstanding friends in Wiltshire and Edinburgh whom he has not had much chance to see over years of being a busy priest.

In February next year, he will also be taking a tour of around 40 people to see operas performed across Europe.

He has led the annual tour for years and it now has some regulars from this area, as well as people coming from Scotland and further south.

Father Anthony’s replacement will be Dr Chijioke Joel Nwalozie, a lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester

–Lucy Stephens

Amazon fires are a burning issue

THE Amazon rainforest on fire is yet another man-made environmental disaster, says Melbourne environmentalist Christian Murray-Leslie.

Sadly, the attempts to put out the many thousands of – it would seem –separate and deliberately started fires seems doomed to failure as nothing appears to have been done to remove the incentives for starting the fires in the first place.

The current populist president of Brazil, with a staggering contempt for the international community, removed the environmental protection measures which had been holding at bay the destruction of the world’s greatest rainforest.

In doing so, he has pushed the planet yet further towards the climate ‘tipping point’ and consequent disaster for humankind, not to mention the majority of species currently alive.

This is truly an environmental crime of the worst kind and the forest so destroyed will in all probability not regenerate to anything like its former glory for hundreds of years.

The Amazon creates 20 per cent of the oxygen we breathe and is an enormous carbon sink for the billions of tons of carbon dioxide (currently the most important greenhouse gas) man is generating each

year.

Despite almost continual warnings by climate scientists, which have often been on the conservative side, and also in part due to frequent denials and deliberate misinformation by politicians and fossil fuel lobbyists, the situation continues to deteriorate.

So far from levelling off or reducing, green house gas emissions are continuing to rise and we are accelerating towards the so called ‘tipping point’, when it is no longer possible for us to do anything about increasing global warming and the process accelerates and spirals out of control with horrific consequences for all life on earth.

The release of methane currently stored in the ground from millions of years ago in regions where the ground is at present permanently frozen will be a major factor in reaching the tipping point, which comes ever closer.

Methane is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. There is an awful lot of it stored in the ground and it is starting to come out now.

Only the most determined and concerted action at national and international level will avert catastrophe in the next two decades.

Recently the City of Derby and Derbyshire councils have declared climate

emergencies, although highly regrettably not the Derbyshire County Council.

It is now imperative that they act on their words and urgently introduce serious and effective carbon reducing measure themselves and by their contractors and service providers.

Clearly there is a vital international element to averting climate disaster. It is up to our government to work determinedly to influence recalcitrant nations. It is a time for internationalism not isolationism, but we must also act as a nation.

So how about our government making a start with taking the VAT off solar panels and restoring the subsidies for installing them, which they removed a few years back, and how about making it a requirement for all newly built properties to have solar panels fitted?

Groups like Extinction Rebellion work tirelessly to persuade politicians to act and to act urgently, but we individually need to come out of denial, take our heads out of the sand and alter the way we live so as to reduce our carbon footprint. The situation is extremely serious and time is short.

The next few generations, and yes, the children and grandchildren of many of us will face the terrible consequences of inaction.

l Father Anthony pictured in the garden at St Mary’s Rectory in Church Street.

Pupils’ giant parrots set the scene for Festival

SCHOOL children from Melbourne have been busy creating ahead of this year’s art festival by helping to make eye-catching giant parrots.

The parrots have been made by artist Anna Roebuck, who uses recycled materials in her work, with the help of year six children at Melbourne Junior School.

In July each year, artists from the festival work with children from Melbourne Infant and Junior schools along with local Rainbows and brownies groups.

Anna will be at the festival over the trail weekend on September 14 and 15 with the parrots she made with the children’s help, as well as showing her other work.

Other fun for children at this year’s festival can be found in the gardens at Melbourne Vicarage (Rectory) and Pool Cottage which have been turned into a jungle themed oasis for children over the festival weekend with animals, birds and bugs by local children and plenty of space to play.

The vicarage is also hosting Music Time with Tracey Ridley at 2pm, which organisers say is “a great opportunity for grown-ups to enjoy tea and cake or visit artists in St Michael’s House”.

There is story time at Pool Cottage at 3pm or back at the vicarage at 4pm with jungle themed stories by Meg. Elsewhere around the trail are ‘story stops’ at Melbourne Hall and Chantry House and a special story stop with more school art at the fire station.

At this year’s festival there will be 150 artists in lots of venues plus food, live music and classic cars around the trail, all for a £5 trail guide.

Festival director Sharon Brown said: “Don’t forget to try the Park & Ride at Tori & Ben’s if you are coming from out of Melbourne.”

The festival fringe continues with concerts through to mid-October.

Nineteen parking offenders charged in three months

NINETEEN penalty charge notices were issued for parking offences in Melbourne in the three months leading up to September.

Cllr Linda Chilton, county councillor for Melbourne, updated the latest meeting of the town’s parish council on September 3 on how the local authority had been carrying out on-street enforcement for parking offences.

Her report from Derbyshire County Council told how the Matlock-based authority’s on-street enforcement team had carried out 120 patrols in Melbourne between June 1 and September.

During this time, 19 penalty charge notices were handed out.

The county council’s team patrolled Chapel

DAWN HOLDING (née Pipes) 1927-2019

DAWN was born in Melbourne on August 15, 1927, and died in Castle Donington Care Home on August 22 aged 92.

Dawn was very well known in Melbourne as she had lived there all her life. She was one of six children born to Fred and Bertha Pipes.

Dawn (pictured aged 19) married Bill Holding in 1945 towards the end of World War Two. Bill was a soldier billeted in Kings Newton. After the marriage Bill was sent to the Middle East and, on his return, the first of four children was born. In 1949 they moved into a

Street, Church Street, Derby Road, High Street, Market Place, Potter Street, South Street and Station Road.

The council said other streets about which concern had been registered did not carry restrictions that would be enforceable by the county council. Where there are no waiting restrictions on a road, only the police have the power to determine whether a vehicle parked on a footway or junction is causing a danger or obstruction.

There are two levels of charge in a penalty charge notice: a higher charge of £70 for things like parking on double yellow lines, or a lower level of £50 for offences such as overstaying in a limited waiting bay.

OBITUARY

brand new house on Packhorse Road and, as Dawn would have said ‘New house, new baby’, because baby number two was born.

As was the custom then, she

was a stay-at-home mother. In 1956, another baby was born and in 1963 the last baby, so that was Sandra, Roger, Vicky and Joanne.

In 1969, Bill died suddenly. From then Dawn’s life changed. She started work and for most of that time until she retired she worked for Mike Johnson either at The Hardinge Arms or The Bull’s Head at Wilson. She cooked Mike’s famous carvery meals and loved working for him.

After retiring she was very much a hands-on nana and loved looking after her two youngest grandchildren. She had seven grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family

EAST Midlands Airport has been reminding travellers on social media about the consequences of excessive drinking in the airport departures lounge.

The campaign ‘One Too Many’ was launched in 2018 but has been rolled out again on Twitter and Instagram to warn travellers of the consequences of excessive drinking and disruptive behaviour. September and October are traditionally months when “party” groups take advantage of cheaper travel costs.

It warns that any passenger deemed unfit to fly may be denied boarding, with the consequential loss of a holiday. A prison sentence of two years is the penalty for being disruptive on a flight. Delaying a flight from taking off can attract a £5,000 fine which can rise to £80,000 if a mid-air incident results in a diversion.

A complete airline ban can result if a disruptive passenger causes a flight to be cancelled.

All major airport groups have signed up to the code of conduct and a Civil Aviation Authority report shows that there are around 400 such incidents per year.

l Sophie Short and artist Anna Roebuck with parrots Polly and Peter by the Pool.

Melbourne Dental Practice

-

TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE

To try and reduce the amount of clinical time lost due to missed appointments and late cancellations, the practice is now o ering a text messaging service. Any patients who wish to receive these will need to complete a text messaging consent form, available at reception. Please note, we cannot o er this service unless a consent form has been completed.

Naomi Fry BDS & Associates, Helen Baker BDS

● Family Dental Care using latest techniques and materials

● Friendly and caring service

● Cosmetic Dentistry including tooth whitening

Castle Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire Telephone 01332 862942

After-school club blow as Milly says goodbye

A POPULAR after-school club in Melbourne will no longer be available for year six children when term starts up again this year.

The Athenaeum Youth Club had been available for children in their last year at Melbourne Juniors to go along to on Wednesdays after school.

But youth worker Milly Roberts, who had been employed by Melbourne Methodist Church to run the service at the Wesley Hall, has now left to train as a midwife.

“I can’t wait now!” she told the Village Voice.

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“I’m looking forward to helping women make the best choices for them.”

During her four years working for the church as a youth worker, Milly had the idea for setting up Little Wesley’s toddler group, which features soft play for little ones and the chance for parents to enjoy a sit down, a conversation, and a cup of tea.

Little Wesley’s is continuing to run, as is a more limited youth club service.

Milly’s father, Mark Dale, told how the Athenaeum had been

set up to give young people somewhere to go in Melbourne as there were reports at the time of fighting in the street.

It was started after £80,000 was raised by the community to kit out the room, and was very popular.

“We had 80 in here one night,” he remembered.

“It was almost too popular for a while!”

Over the years, he said, the youth club had opened and closed, and he felt it would open again when local young people were “ready” for the service once more.

Milly was warmly thanked by the church for running the

club, as were all the “fabulous” staff who had helped keep it going for the young people of the local community.

A special thank you leaving do was held for committed volunteer Tim Margett, who helped run the Athenaeum’s second session for years seven to 10, as well as regularly helping out at the year six session.

He said he “loved every second” at the Athenaeum.

“I found it really rewarding to see the kids blossom and grow into incredible individuals, right from year six to year 10,” said Tim.

“Working with Milly and all the volunteers has been amaz-

ing and I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

“It is vitally important for our young people to have a safe haven to escape to, if only for a couple of hours, where they can relax, have a bite to eat and drink and meet with friends, knowing that we were there to listen to them if they needed us.

“I will miss all the team and especially the kids who have passed through the Athenaeum. I would like to say a massive thank you to Milly, the Methodist Church, the children and the wardens who gave me a terrific send off when the cafe closed for the last time.”

– Lucy Stephens

TICKNALL SHOW WINNERS

THE winners of this year’s Ticknall Show held on August 31 were: in the produce section, Jen Woodhead, who won the plate for her apple pie; Dave Armstrong, who won the cup in the vegetables section for his prize onions; and Susie Mal-

lett, who won the rose bowl in the flowers section for her dahlias.

The produce show is in its eighth year and organisers said they would like to thank those who entered, those who supported the event and the judges.

l Tim Margett, a volunteer at the Athenaeum, pictured with his wife Jo and Rev John Hartley, minister at Melbourne Methodist Church, after being thanked for his hard work helping run the club.

l Milly Roberts (pictured centrally, holding her leaving present: a toy medical set), with sons Josh and Harry).

NOTHING says summer like an outdoor barbeque with friends, and that was what these residents of Staunton Harold were enjoying when they held their annual picnic. The get-together for people living in Staunton Harold and their friends happens every year on the lawn outside the main house, by kind permission of John and Jackie Blunt.

it was started by Harold Heath, former chairman of Staunton Harold Parish Council, as a non-fundraising event purely aimed at getting people in the community together.

Around 60 people turned out to enjoy themselves this year.

VILLAGE VOICE Postbag

Story behind village hall saga

FURTHER to the article “Free village hall comes with 43 new homes” (Village Voice August) I am afraid the article did not cover the whole story.

In 1955 Leicestershire County Council could only afford to build a two-classroom school in Breedon to replace the three-classroom school that had health and safety issues at the side of Breedon quarry.

The Village Hall Committee had raised £3,000 since the Second World War and Mr Stuart Mason, the director of education for Leicestershire, negotiated to add the village hall and community centre to the new school; this would allow the school to use part of the village hall as a third classroom. The whole project would cost £8,250 and the Village Hall Committee would give £3,000 towards the cost.

The Village Hall Committee (later BOTHCA) which included the head teacher/warden was responsible for running the community facilities at all times: day, evening and week-

WHAT’S ON

YOUR GUIDE TO EVENTS IN THE AREA

September 9 - October 14: Pilates for wellbeing class at Whistlewood Common. Join Chloe from Andra Health for this six week class, to learn moves to strengthen, tone and stretch muscles and calm the mind. 1-2pm. Book in advance at Andra Health (01332 863922, info@andrahealth.com) or Whistlewood.

September 14 and 15: Melbourne Festival Art and Architecture Trail. Trail guides: £5 for both days. Enjoy art by 150 artists in 70 venues.

September 21: Hot House Jazz at Melbourne Festival Fringe. 7pm for 7.30pm, Melbourne Assembly Rooms. An evening of inspirational jazz with the Hot House Jam Band and Screaming Kicks Big Band. Sponsored by High elds Drinks Groups. Tickets £10 and available from... www.melbournefestival.co.uk/performa nces/ or Forteys.

September 28: Prosecco and Puds

Charity Quiz Night at Aston Recreation Centre. From 7pm, In aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Get a team together for the quiz and, if you like, bring your favourite pudding or a bottle of prosecco as a donation. Give what you would on a night out. Let Maisy know you’re coming on 07794 248767 or maisyh@live.co.uk.

September 28: Beer & Gin Festival, Melbourne Rugby Club. Live entertainment. Food available. 12pm till late. Melbourne Sports Park.

September 29: Red Joan. Film showing at the Film Club at the Assembly Rooms. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm. Film membership £5 including lm showing. Bar open.

October 1: Bat and Chat, Melbourne Assembly Rooms. Casual table tennis session. 2pm-4pm and subsequent Tuesdays. Cost: £3 to include refreshments.

October 4 and 5: Melbourne choir A Choir’d Taste present their tenth anniversary concert: Happy Together. Doors open 7pm for concert at 7.30pm.

October 5: Choros Amici, Melbourne Parish Church. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Former winners of Sainsbury’s choir of the year. Tickets £10. For tickets contact 07765 819428.

October 12 and 13: Food and Drink Fair. Swarkestone Nursery. Stalls, food, drinks and crafts for all the family. Saturday: 9am-5pm; Sunday: 10am-4pm.

October 25: Rocketman. Film showing at Melbourne Film Club at the Assembly Rooms. Doors open at 6.30pm for 7pm. Film membership £5 including lm showing. Bar open.

All information correct at time of going to press. Please check before travelling.

ends. A voluntary treasurer was appointed and they were responsible for billing the user groups each month. There was no free use other than PTA meetings and BOTHCA committee meetings.

Overall, 32 groups used the facilities and playgroup, Tiny Tots, the children’s sports club and the Community Arts Theatre Group were all subsidised by BOTHCA. Only two groups remain today: the parish council and Breedon WI and this has been devastating for the village.

Around 2003 the Labour Government decided that all primary schools in England would teach children up to the age of 11 and, therefore, Breedon school needed an extra classroom. Would they build an extra classroom or would they take the community facilities?

Certainly, County Hall started to make life difficult for BOTHCA making the head teacher/warden position redundant among many other restrictive measures.

Leicestershire County Coun-

THE late Mrs Brame used to collect used stamps, which I believe went to the Leprosy Society, but certainly some worthy cause. Does anyone locally collect such used items; re-use being better than recycle, I understand?

Hoarder, of Sweet Leys Way, Melbourne

cil (LCC) employed a barrister, who established that a trust did exist and BOTHCA did have beneficial ownership. The director of education did not accept this finding and BOTHCA was forced into litigation.

By this time 57 other schools in Leicestershire whose communities had all paid for their community facilities attached to schools, were waiting to see the outcome of the court case. If BOTHCA won, for LCC to pay out what could have been in excess of £60million would have been prohibitive.

Sir Philip Sales, a judge who had worked for the Government since 1997, was appointed to take the case in the High Court in London and found against BOTHCA in favour of LCC. The cost of the case was £886,000. BOTHCA was evicted from the premises they had paid for and run for over 55 years, immediately after the court case, and the community equipment had to be stored at two local farms.

Mr David Shields was a supporter of BOTHCA and, knowing how essential a village hall is for a community such as Breedon, he was very keen to provide a replacement for the village along with the new development.

Sue Dore Chairman of BOTHCA

Mother and daughter team at RBL Club

MOTHER and daughter team Sandra Blockley and Amy Winfield are planning to revitalise Melbourne’s Royal British Legion Club with a family focused approach.

With more than 35 years in the pub trade between them they think they have the right qualifications to “bring new life and heart into the British Legion”.

They are planning family fun days for events like Hallowe’en and Christmas and have already started bringing in barbecue days and bouncy castles to sit alongside regular bingo sessions on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

“But we do want to focus on big sporting events too,” said Amy, who is the new bar manager. “We have four big-screen televisions to show the full package of Sky, Eurosport and BT games.”

Sandra, who took over as stewardess of the club three weeks ago, said they also want to appeal both to members and non-members. “I want to say a big thank-you to all of the existing customers, but also I look forward to welcoming non-members too. “

The club has just switched the licensing arrangements from a private club to a public licence, which means members of the public can now freely use all of the facilities, not just the function room. “We are also making the function room free to hire,” Sandra said “… to encourage parties and weddings.

“Obviously, we would wish for new members to join the Legion, and it does have a financial benefit with discounted prices for drinks, and it’s now easy to join via the Royal British Legion website. At the same time, we want to make it a family centred hub for the village.”

“I had actually retired,” Sandra said, “when I was approached about the job but I thought about it carefully and said yes. We are doing a job share, so that works for us and now both of us are really looking forward to a new chapter in our lives and for the club.”

Committee chairman John Goodband said the new committee have welcomed the new pair with open arms. “We would also like to thank Yvonne (Young) for everything she has done in the past 20 years and we wish her all the very best with her new venture,” he said.

–Frank Hughes

ONE CUBIC METRE DELIVERED: TWO CUBIC METRES DELIVERED: THREE CUBIC METRES DELIVERED:

SUMMER DRIED These prices are inclusive of VAT at 5%

SUMMER may be on the way out – but county council officials are already starting to think about the snowy season.

Volunteers throughout Derbyshire are being called on to help clear snow and ice from roads and pavements this winter.

Town and parish councils and other community groups are being asked to rally people to join the council’s Snow Warden Scheme.

Each council or group will get a free delivery of up to a tonne of bagged grit, be given training and advice on how to clear snow and ice safely and be kept up-todate with specialist weather reports.

Farmers and others with ploughing or gritting equipment are also being asked to work as contractors to help keep their local roads on the move from October to next April.

Groups interested in volunteering can find out more at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/snowwa rdens.

Print firm’s office plan for water tank

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HIGHLY unusual office space could be on its way to the local community, if council planners agree to proposals to convert a former water storage tank on the outskirts of Melbourne into commercial premises.

The striking plans have winged their way to South Derbyshire District Council’s planning office from Melbourne Print, which needs new office and meeting space to accommodate its expanding business.

The owners of the highly successful print studio want to turn the redundant water tank on Common Lane into a “creative hub” with space for three to six members of staff.

The business bought the old water tank, which is set in around a quarter of an acre of land, when it was sold off by Severn Trent Water via online auction in 2017.

Severn Trent was selling off two of its former water tanks in Melbourne at the time. The other, on Bog Lane, was being planned to be turned into a home.

Melbourne Print says the office in the water tank, if granted, would be a satellite and that the company would still continue to operate at its premises on Derby Road, next to Sainsbury’s.

A letter from Melbourne Print to the council explained how they had been trying since 2016 to find additional office space for the business.

Despite asking all the main commercial agents in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, nothing suitable could be found.

Preparing for snow FRESH CUT£171 (-) £246 (-)

THE first step towards getting new toddler equipment for Lothian Gardens playground in Melbourne was made after parish councillors agreed to commit £10,000 to the job.

The latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council heard from clerk Jacqui Storer about replacing the existing equipment.

In a letter sent to council planners, Melbourne Print said they wanted to keep their office space close by so as to retain their long-established workforce.

The letter said: “The proposal seeks to make the new office space into a creative hub for Melbourne Print through the creation of an additional satellite office to the existing premises on Derby Road, where the retail business and all our print equipment will be retained and continue to operate.

“The current premises do not have either sufficient space or the necessary creative appeal to further develop the company’s digital offering. In addition, the lack of suitable meeting spaces in which to meet new and existing customers and businesses has become a real issue for business growth.

“The new office space will also enable the directors to separate out services to visiting members of the public, and their commercial customers. The brief is to create a unique creative working space by retaining the tank in its original form, both internally and externally, as far as possible, as these are the features which give it a unique appeal and will help to promote Melbourne Print as a memorable but forward-looking company.”

The plans are still with the district council and no decision has yet been made.

If the proposals are granted, Melbourne Print plans to create bike storage so as to encourage cycling to and from the site.

She said it was planned to move the date of the annual safety inspection to earlier in the year, so that if equipment in the playground was found to be faulty, the repairs would be less likely to impinge on the summer holidays when they were most in use.

Councillors agreed they would spend £10,000 towards funding new equipment for the

toddler area to replace what is there at the moment.

That follows on from a replacement of the piece of equipment in the area of the playground used by older children.

It was decided to apply to South Derbyshire District Council for a grant for another £10,000 which would fund the total cost.

l Amy Winfield and Sandra Blockley.

Why Mick loves to suffer hanging off a mountain

FORMERLY a resident of Kings Newton, Mick Fowler has had his third autobiographical book “No Easy Way” just released as an audiobook. As well as detailing his thrilling climbing experiences, the book describes how to balance extreme adventure with the more workaday aspects of life.

“It’s partly about dealing with the things that get in the way of mountaineering,” Mick said wryly, suggesting that you can substitute his passion for exploratory mountaineering by your own passion, whatever that might be.

Labelling himself as “the climbing taxman” Mick specialises in small and remote expeditions and has been at the forefront of a pioneering approach to climbing for over 30 years, balancing

family life and his full-time job as a senior tax official. From home in Kings Newton he used his weekends and annual holidays to explore remote corners of the Himalayas which most people will never see, yet alone climb.

Life dealt him a tough blow, when shortly after retirement in 2017 and “downsizing” to Matlock he was diagnosed with cancer.

He spent a year undergoing treatment only to see a recurrence requiring further therapy and invasive surgery.

Notwithstanding that he spent last April in the Himalayas and is planning another trip this September

He said the book also explores what inspires people like him to suffer the discomfort of “being at the end of a rope, hanging off a mountain in a cold, unpleasant place” when most of us would baulk at the thought!

As he put it: “You have to suffer a little discomfort to extract maximum joy.”

His adventures have won him three prestigious Piolets d’Or (The Golden Axe) in 2003, 2013 and 2016 and he was voted as the Mountaineers’ Mountaineer in The Observer.

In the book he recounts a series of technically challenging climbs, including unclimbed lines on Shiva in India, and Gave Ding and Mugu Chuli in Nepal.

“No Easy Way” is described as a charming account of how a pioneering mountaineer’s ambition allowed him to overcome challenges both at home and abroad, including his battle with cancer

Mick is sponsored by Berghaus and his book is published by Vertebrate Publishing.

– Frank Hughes

The Common Touch...

Growing healthy inside and out

WHISTLEWOOD is mainly a food-growing project that has arisen from a vision of a new way to produce food: agroforestry.

How can we produce a large variety of different foods in a small space encompassing trees, bushes and ground cover, making the most of all the layers of a forest of food for diversity and efficiency?

There’s also an amazing amount of food available to the forager of wild plants and fruits.

You may collect blackberries and sloes, but there are hundreds of other plants that can add minerals, trace elements and vitamins to one’s diet. We run foraging courses at Whistlewood a couple of times a year. It’s important only to pick and eat wild plants you can identify and that will not have been sprayed with pesticides (we grow organically at Whistlewood). Try adding a few dandelion leaves to a salad. We all know what they look like, don’t we?

The ‘fresh’ food we buy at supermarkets is very often not fresh at all and has been kept in cold storage. Everyday, it is losing its nutrient value. The fruit will have been picked unripe, packed and travelled a long way, it won’t have the same ripe flavour as freshly picked fruit.

Film club membership tops 200

THE Film Club at Melbourne Assembly Rooms (MARS) has just topped a membership of 200 with a core of them now regular filmgoers.

Over the past year or so it has been running, one film has been screened every month with some “blockbusters’ being sell-outs.

“Our intention from the outset was to try and achieve a regular membership of around 50 so this has exceeded all expectations,” said Frank Hughes, a director at MARS.

“What is particularly pleasing to see is that some of our audience who would not generally get out to a cinema either because of the distance or the cost can get to see a film locally soon after general release.

“We want to achieve a good mix of films including both mainstream and some independent, to appeal to the membership,” Frank said.

The schedule for the remainder of the year is ‘Red Joan’, featuring Judi Dench, to be screened on Sunday, September 29; the new Elton John movie ‘Rocketman’ on Friday, October 25; and ‘Yesterday’, the film based on the premise that noone remembers the Beatles, which is on Thursday, November 28.

Members can get to see a film for just £5, sometimes with free popcorn included. New members are always welcome, and the cost to sign up is also only £5, which includes your first film for free!

Older people know that a lot of what we eat now doesn't taste as good as it used to and so it’s important to learn how to grow your own to experience the full flavours that are possible from fresh produce!

Eating locally grown produce is a fantastic option that we have in our area so you can get the benefits of nutrient rich fruit and veg even if you don’t have a garden or green fingers!

Growing for health can also mean inside our own bodies. On the fifth of October, we will be celebrating all kinds of fermented foods. Growing a healthy gut flora for our wellbeing by incorporating fermented foods in our diet is something more of us are trying.

Health benefits can be had by eating probiotic and prebiotic foods and increasing the amount of beneficial bacteria inside your tummy. Kimchee, sauerkraut and drinks like kombucha and kefir are less familiar to most, but surely sourdough bread is a fermented food we've all tried and love?

It’s easy to produce these items at home so come and learn how to make your own fermented foods.

TOP RIGHT: Mick bivouacking while on his first ascent of the north face of Changabang in India.

ABOVE: during the first ascent of Gave Ding in West Nepal.

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Coldspur are hot stuff

MELBOURNE’S six-a-side football league marked their second-year anniversary by holding their first ever tournament in August – and it was a family affair for the winners with three brothers playing for the same side.

After group games and knockout stages at Melbourne Sports Park the tournament champions were Hottenham Coldspur, who showed they meant business from the first whistle, claiming back to back wins to start off their tournament. Losing to Melbourne Blazers in their final group game meant they progressed to the knockout stages as group runners-up. A nervy semi-final was to come as they came up against Chellbourne United, but a single goal from Leo Ricci proved enough to send them through.

Organisers said the tournament final produced “football at its finest”. Warren Nicol opened the scoring for Surreal Madrid after a swift counter-attack. A

Minibus trips

well worked short free kick saw Niall Harrison of Hottenham Coldspur slot home the equaliser into the bottom corner. With more chances for both teams, the game looked destined for penalties but up stepped big game player Ricci to smash in the winning goal.

The Hottenham Coldspur team has four brothers playing in it: Jay, Brad, Ryan and Luke Robinson, from Kegworth – but Ryan was away on holiday when the tournament was played.

Jay Robinson, stand-in captain for Hottenham Coldspur, said: “It’s brilliant to win the tournament after finishing in second and third positions in the last two seasons. Football runs through the veins of our team with four of us being brothers, we’re definitely a family team.”

The Golden Boot Award for the player scoring the most goals in the tournament went to Warren Nicol, captain of Surreal Madrid. Consistent performances and finishing throughout the tournament saw Warren

score in all five games. Warren said: “It’s all down to good teamwork, the positivity, drive and energy of all the players and perhaps an element of chance too. We’re looking forward to the challenges of next season and will have our eye on lifting the trophy in next year’s tournament!”

Teams had great support from their local fans and families, including tiny tot footballers, who enjoyed a sunny Sunday evening of fine football and refreshments arranged by Alex Slater and the MSP’s pavilion catering team.

Steve Hollingsworth, chairman of the Melbourne Sporting Partnership, said: “We’re pleased that the Melbourne sixa-side league has grown from strength to strength over the last two years and is delivering social cohesion through grassroots football in the Melbourne

community. Having a Derbyshire County FA affiliated small sided league helps to deliver our goal of offering excellent football “For All” at the MSP and makes a positive contribution to the delivery of our football development plan.”

The open age adult Mel-

Coffee

& Company

bourne league plays on the 3G artificial grass pitch at Melbourne Sports Park every Sunday evening, from 6-8pm, all year round.

ABOVE: The winning Hottenham Coldspur team.

RIGHT: Warren Nicol with the Golden Boot award.

Tennis team make it a third promotion

MELBOURNE Tennis Club’s men’s A team are continuing their climb through the divisions with their third successive promotion in three years –in a very busy couple of months for the club.

The team has successfully won all seven of their matches to become division champions, securing promotion to division four of the Derby Area Tennis League.

Team captain Ian Ward led the way along with players Howard Cheshire, Andy Fleming, Rob Wright, Alistair Leckie, Andy Foulds, John Cowley and Simon Brenchley, who all played their part in the triumph.

Melbourne’s Men’s A team that compete in division four of the Burton League are currently second with two matches to play at the time of writing.

One last push will see them also promoted for three years in succession.

Melbourne’s mixed A team who play in the Burton League currently lie in fourth place but with four games in hand. They beat Etwall 4-0 with the pairings of Andy Fleming/Leslie Heath and Simon/Karen Brenchley winning all four rubbers.

The same pairings repeated the same feat against Ashby Castle, and ended the month with a 2-2 draw against Barton with Simon/Karen Brenchley and Leslie Heath/Rob Wright both winning one rubber.

Melbourne’s Burton ladies A team lie in second place with three games to play as they won away to Ashby 3-1 with Julie Chamberlain and Karen Brenchley winning both rubbers and Pat Milham and Pam Oliver winning one rubber.

They ended the month with their first defeat of the season, away to Spittal, leaving

it all to play for.

Derbyshire ladies A team had two good wins over Duffield and CURC (a club in Littleover) leaving them in third place with three games to play

The Derbyshire Mixed A team completed their season in third place as they finished with two good wins against Little Eaton and Duffield with Leslie Heath/Andy Fleming not dropping a set and Simon/Karen Brenchley also not dropping a set in the two matches.

Melbourne’s men’s B team in the Burton League had two wins, a draw and a loss, leaving them in third place in the table. A 3-1 against Rolls-Royce was thanks to Bill Heath/Roger Spencer, who won both rubbers, and Paul Hill/John Cowley winning one.

A 2-2 draw against Alrewas was down to Spencer/Heath and Simon Middleburgh/Jesse Goscomb both winning one each. A 3-1 win against David Lloyd followed as the Spencer/Heath pairing won one and Paul Hill/John Cowley won both runners, but the 4-0 defeat against Etching Hill ended the month’s tennis.

Playing in the same league, the club’s C team are just behind in fourth place as they won 4-0 against Rolls-Royce with Andy Dawkins/Paul Fox and John Mayers/Rob Wright winning both their rubbers.

A 4-0 success against David Lloyd’s Lichfield followed as Rob Wright/Gordon Hughes and Andy Dawkins and Andy Ryley led the way, but a 4-0 defeat against Etching Hill left it everything to play for in the last month of the season.

The club’s ladies B team had a 2-2 draw against Lichfield Friary B but then went on to win their next game 3-1 with Mair

Vater/Lesley Heath winning two and Emma Guest and Marjorie Tunnicliffe winning one of their matches.

The club’s mixed B team in the Burton League are currently top of their division as they won three consecutive matches, starting with a 3-1 against Netherseal. Gaz Haddon and Sallie Allen won two and Emma Guest and Ian Ward won one.

A 4-0 win against Etwall was thanks to the Allen/Haddon partnership, along with Mair Vater with Bill Heath, and the team ended August with a 4-0 victory against Alrewas as Emma Guest with Rob Heldreich plus Allen/Haddon again won both their matches.

The newly formed Melbourne C team have nearly completed their first season in the Burton League division four The team was formed to introduce new players to league tennis and support the A and B teams. The team has played some good tennis over the last nine matches, which is not always reflected in the final score.

Having lost the first four matches of the season, the C team with Emma Guest, Carolyn Crocker, Allison Noble and Marjorie Tunnicliffe drew 2-2 with Ashby Castle C team away

Two more losses were then followed by another draw to Netherseal B team away 2-2 with the team that day being Emma Guest, Carolyn Crocker, Lisa Gilchrist and Marjorie Tunnicliffe.

The C team finally achieved their first win against Spital C away, winning three matches to one.

The team was Emma Guest, Carolyn Crocker, Lesley Winter and Marjorie Tunnicliffe.

Town still on target for the title

MELBOURNE Town Cricket Club continued their good form into the month of August with the club’s first team leading the way. They now need just one win from their last three games to secure the division four south title.

Matt Briers’ men started with an away match against Alvaston and Boulton seconds and, batting first, they scored a huge 261-7 with Briers (59) and Liam Glenn (53 not out) leading the charge, ably supported by Alex Slater (38) and Adam Swain (36).

They had the hosts in trouble on 160-7 when rain threatened the result. Going back out for just eight overs, Town took the last three wickets with Muhammad Nadeem grabbing 6-47 to claim a remarkable win with five balls left.

Again away, this time against Lullington Park, the home side limped to 128 all out with Tom Shearsby taking 3-33 plus two wickets apiece from Briers, Swain and Nadeem doing the damage.

A brisk 50 not out by Muhammed Tayyab secured a comfortable seven-wicket win.

Back at home the following week against second placed Winshill first team, Melbourne claimed promotion as, batting first, they scored 154 all out with Shearsby (33), Briers (32) and Nadeem (32) being the main contributors.

Winshill were going well on 89-3 until an inspired spell of 5-27 by leading wicket taker Nadeem left the visitors short on 133-9.

The first team ended the month away at Dunstall seconds and they hit 278-5. Opener Tom Shearsby (114) scored his first ton for the club and skipper Briers added a quick fire 70 not out from just 39 balls along with Mark Rossi (31) and Anthony Barnes (36) also scoring well.

A spell of 3-4 by James Hogwood plus 3-24 by Nadeem secured a comfortable 176-run win as Dunstall were shot out for just 102.

The club’s second team ended the month in a very creditable fifth place. They started August with a winning draw against local rivals Ticknall thirds as Melbourne scored 196 all out, batting first as Bruno Rost (56) and Matt Grimmett (54) led the way.

A spell of 3-44 from Alex Roome plus 2-32 from Julian Humpidge kept the visitors to just 149-8 in reply.

The seconds held on for a losing draw as high flying Muggington hit 232-8, batting first. Only Roome with 4-38 did any real damage and skipper Alex Blackhall (50) and Ranjit Rathore (42) then stood firm with the bat to secure the draw on 131-7.

A quite stunning 10-wicket win followed the week after for the seconds as 3-42 from in-form Roome plus 2-25 by Humpidge left Winshill seconds in tatters as they were bowled out for just 134. Alex Winter (63) and Ash Elwell (59) knocked off the runs without losing a wicket.

A second consecutive 10-wicket win ended the month for the seconds as Walton seconds were bowled out for 95. Naveen JosephMatthew took 4-29 and in-form Winter hit 59 not out along with Matt Grimmett, who scored 26 not out, to end a good month for Alex Blackhall’s men.

The club’s third team started August at home to Kirk Langley seconds and scored 148-5 off their allotted overs with Bruno Rost top scoring with 49. Despite two wickets for Ash Dodsworth, Kirk

Langley secured a comfortable five-wicket win.

l Melbourne Town CC 3rd team (back row, l-r) Matt Barker, Archie Turton, Lara Shaw, Darren Poyser, Toby McCabe, Rob Turton, Ash Dodsworth; {front row l-r) Paul Scrimshaw, Tony Papas (captain), Bruno Rost and James Smith.

A week later away to Stainsby Hall thirds, Melbourne held the hosts to just 136-9 as the league’s leading wicket taker Alex Roome took 5-26 supported by Dodsworth, who took 3-52. A superb knock of 69 not out by Bruno Rost along with Archie Turton with 29 saw the thirds to a decent five-wicket victory.

Tony Papa’s men ended August with another comfortable win, this time away to Mickleover thirds as the hosts were bowled out for just 126. U15s star Joe Jenkinson took a quite brilliant 5-21 along with fellow junior Will Jackson, who took 2-35.

Paul Scrimshaw led the reply with a brutal 73 not out along with fellow opener John Mayers, who rolled back the years with a stubborn 28. It leaves the club’s third team looking at finishing in its highest ever league position with one game to go.

The club would like to thank the month’s matchball sponsors: Alex Slater, A.R.C, Cricket-box, Compartment Fire Limited and P.D. Labelling.

Sailor Kate’s on the crest of a wave

A LOCAL sailing teen is on top of the world after claiming one of the leading spots at global competition level.

Kate Robertson, 15, of Aston-on-Trent, recently returned from Holland where she was competing in the Topper World Championships.

Amongst around 200 competitors, Kate managed to finish as the top girl, and second overall.

On her experience in Holland, Kate said: “I went there aiming to finish around top 15, so to finish second was great and I’m very happy

“We were there for about a week; we arrived on Thursday, trained on Friday and Saturday and had a rest day on the Sunday before the competition began on the Monday.”

Kate is a member of Swarkestone Sailing Club and has been sailing since she was around eight years old.

“I started competitive sailing when I was 11 and have been racing Toppers for the past three years,” she said.

“As a member of the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) na-

tional squad, my training days run from eight to five, I start with land-based fitness work and then spend the rest of the day out on the water. There are also around eight camps that run between October and April. I also help the club by doing some coaching for beginners.”

She has dedicated herself to sailing in recent years, travelling the country with her family to take part in national competitions. Specialising in one-manned dinghy sailing, she has competed in the national series throughout the year, in which she finished as the top girl and seventh overall.

In a recent competition in Scotland, Kate finished sixth after competing against 200.

When asked about the format of the races, Kate said: “It’s dinghy sailing, so a one-man boat. In each race there will be around 200 competitors overall. They are split into four fleets, so each race has around 50 boats and there are four races a day. They take place at sea and each one lasts for about 45 minutes.”

Kate’s mum Louise said she is “… extremely proud of Kate and the work she has put in to get to this stage. After travelling around the country and spending most weekends away from home, it has been a tiring rollercoaster of emotions.

“We knew it was going to be a big summer, and we are so happy for Kate and her achievements.”

On her future plans Kate said: “Next I will be moving to a higher class two-man dinghy called a 29er. I will train over winter in the 29er and also in a Laser (one-man dinghy) in preparation for national competitions next summer

“The 29er is a smaller version of the Olympic class 49er, so as I get older, I would of course like to try for the Olympics, if the opportunity became available.”

– Oliver Wiles

Chance to try table tennis

A NEW casual table tennis session is being launched in Melbourne to give more people the chance to give the game a try.

The new “Bat & Chat” sessions are being started by Melbourne Swifts Table Tennis Club in October.

The idea is to give adults the chance to meet and try out table tennis in a non-competitive environment, with all equipment provided – as well as tea and biscuits.

Club secretary Carl Barcock said: “Melbourne Swifts are setting out to make table tennis available to all and we already have a thriving competitive side to the club which includes eight teams for the coming season.”

“The ‘Bat & Chat’ session is aimed at casual play and providing an opportunity for a social gathering, along with g entle exercise within a fun atmosphere.

“There is research evidence that shows that activities involving co-ordination are particularly beneficial in helping to stay healthy.”

Seven of the teams playing for the Swifts club will be in the Derby league, from division four to premier, with the remaining team playing for the Loughborough league.

With Bat & Chat, Melbourne Swifts is hoping to create a similarly thriving casual session to that which meets in Aston-on-Trent on Thursday mornings.

The first session is happening on October 1 at Melbourne Table Tennis Club in the Assembly Rooms, from 2-4pm, and every Tuesday after that.

The cost is £3 a week to include refreshments.

l Kate Robertson at the Topper World Championships in Holland and (left) competing in Weymouth.