Melbourne Village Voice February 2013

£250k BooSt for toWN’S SPortS

THE MELBOURNE Sporting Partnership has scooped a huge funding award in its bid to give the town's leisure facilities a much-needed boost.

The partnership has succeeded in its bid for an award of £250,000 from the Derbyshire County Council’s Community Buildings Grant.

The award is one of two large projects being funded in the county, but is by far the biggest. The money is to facilitate the building of a new multi-use clubhouse with space for football, rugby, cricket, tennis and bowls clubs.

Councillor John Harrison, who chairs the Sporting Partnership (and sits on the county council cabinet) said this raises the funds available for the project to £1.3 million.

There are discussions ongoing with the Rugby Football Union and the Football Association to raise the remaining £1.2 million needed for the project.

Subject to public consultation, he is hopeful that work will recommence soon and that the pitches will be available before the 2014 cricket season.

Awarding grants across the county for a total of 12 schemes, Council Leader Cllr Andrew Lewer said: “I am delighted at the response we have had from applicants who want to improve facilities for their community. Community Building Grants are designed to strengthen our commitment to supporting community self-help action where local people are doing their bit to build better communities.

"With the scheme being oversubscribed, priority was given to groups that had already raised their own funds, can get started by December and can demonstrate an ability to support future running costs.”

Among the smaller projects funded was a refurbishment and extension to Milton Village Hall costing almost £20k. The work will include an extension to the hall, kitchen refurbishment, new flooring, electrical installation and drainage work.

A bid from the Melbourne Community Centre running the Melbourne Assembly Rooms did not get through. Chairman Phil Dobby was disappointed not to have been awarded a grant as "our bid was very well supported and met all the stringent criteria".

He added: "However, we are pleased for the Sporting Partnership as both groups are seeking to improve recreational facilities in Melbourne and the grant will help deliver that objective.”

He said that the council has announced another fund for 2013/14 and the team intends to re-apply.

A bid for £70,000 to refurbish the sports pavilion in Aston-on-Trent was unfortunately turned down.

A total of 72 applications were submitted, oversubscribing the £1m budget sixfold.

Short cutS for charity

IT'S hair today and gone today, too, for this pair of Chellaston Academy students. Eve Wingfield and Ally Drury have been doing their bit for the Little Princess Trust – with the help of Melbourne hairdresser Vicky Milward. Find out more on Page 8.

heartbreak for tots –Page 3

Golden day –Page 6

Snow fun –Pages 10,11

Builders award –Page 14

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Lion Court roars to prestigious award

THE Lion Court Business Centre at Staunton Harold has won the Business Centre Association Award as the best Independent Business Centre of the year 2012, and received its award at a glitzy ceremony in London’s Mayfair.

"We are immensely proud to have won the award because it represents all the effort and commitment we have invested in Lion Court,” said Amy Mahon, manager of the business centre.

Set up in 2004 by Tony Cantrill, the Lion Court centre is based in the west wing of Staunton Harold Hall, and is named after the guardian lion statue which sits on the rooftop.

The business provides accommodation for those who want serviced offices or meeting rooms as well as providing impressive ‘state of the art’ facilities for conferences for up to 60 people.

According to Amy the centre won the award because it is unique, offering a very high standard in serviced accommodation, a great level of flexibility and a bespoke service tailored to the client.

The award is based solely on nominations made by clients and their recommendations. The service, including catering, is all provided ‘in-house’ with a focus on providing the best and using local produce to a high standard.

“It's nice to know that all that hard work and dedication is appreciated; to be nominated is an achievement, but to win is fabulous,” Amy added.

Winning out over 1,000 nominations shows that they are certainly doing something right.

No joy in Food and Drinks finals

THE PRESTIGIOUS Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards took place in January. Sadly, the three local businesses short-listed for the finals were not successful on the night.

Councillor Kevin Parkinson, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The standard of entries for

White Hollows Studio

our annual Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards was of a very high quality and Chatsworth was a fantastic venue to host our celebration.

“We’re blessed with some fantastic restaurants, bistros, pubs and cafes, which make the most of excellent food produced

locally to serve delicious food and drink. Our awards give much deserved recognition to some very talented people.”

The Dragon, Willington, can take some consolation having been declared the winner in the 2012 Derby City Food and Drink Awards in the Out of Town Category.

Choir’s church date Singers’ concert

CANTABILE, the chamber choir based at the South Derbyshire Music Centre, is performing in St. George’s Church, Ticknall, on Saturday, March 9 at 7pm.

Guest artiste will be soprano Yvonne Patrick, who has sung with both D’Oyly Carte and Glyndebourne Festival Opera companies. Also performing will be The Lost Chords Quartet and the local cellist, John Miller.

The varied programme will include something for all tastes: old favourites and new arrangements, serious and light-hearted, opera to close-harmony.

The ticket price is £7 (£4 for under 16s), and drinks and canapés will be provided. To reserve your tickets, or for further information contact David Anderson on 01332 864081, or at david.anderson80@talktalk.net.

ON SATURDAY, March 9, at 3pm, Calke Abbey is to host a concert by the highly regarded Derwent Singers Choir.

Directed by their conductor, Richard Roddis, they will present a varied programme of short choral pieces, culminating in a performance of the delightfully entertaining “Wind in the Willows” by John Rutter.

Chairman of the Derwents, Richard Arter said: "The choir is really looking forward to singing in the wonderful acoustic of the Riding School at Calke. In our programme, there is something for everyone and they will love the Rutter. It is very amusing.”

The concert is suitable for all ages, and tickets may be purchased from Calke Abbey reception, Foulds of Derby (01332 344842) or from tickets@derwentsingers.org.uk

Adult tickets are £10, under 16s free.

● Tony Cantrill (Managing Director) and Amy Mahon (Centre Manager) at the Park Lane Grosvenor with their awards.

Fri. 8th March 2013 - 7:45pm

Callous thieves snatch nursery’s charity cash

CRUEL-HEARTED thieves made off with £500 collected for a hospice in a break-in at a Melbourne nursery.

Staff, parents and children alike experienced a variety of emotions when told of the theft from Scallywags Nursery on Monday, January 28..

The thieves grabbed £500, money that had been collected over several months to donate to Treetops Hospice. Mobile hairdresser Ruth Parkinson visits the nursery on a frequent basis and gives her time freely to cut the children’s hair. Families then make a donation of £5 in a special charity envelope to be donated to Treetops. It was this money that was stolen.

Between mid-day Saturday and the early hours of Monday morning, thieves smashed a toughened glass window to gain entry to the nursery office. Internal doors were locked and alarmed so there was nowhere else for the thieves to go.

Anthony’s got a head start

by TOM MILLS

Having ransacked the office the thieves removed the envelopes containing the money and also took a laptop.

The break-in was discovered when deliveries were being made to the nursery by a Medina Dairy employee at 2am. The police were notified and attended the scene.

It was only at 7.30am when staff arrived that they became aware of the incident when greeted with a boarded-up window and a message from the police notifying that an incident had taken place and that a contractor had been called to secure the premises.

Mary Dunnicliff, the owner and manager of the nursery, said: “Whoever did this obviously came prepared because they cut the padlock on the gates. It’s despicable that someone should do this, especially so when the money was in the special charity gift

ANTHONY Ratcliffe certainly has a head for hair.

The 25-year-old NVQ2 qualified hairdresser (pictured right) is currently studying for an NVQ3 at Stevensons College in Coalville and is also an apprentice at Root in Melbourne.

Having previously taken part in a World Skills regional competition and secured a first place, Anthony entered the competition again this year. The competition comprised of three parts.

All the competitors were presented with a mannequin’s head and were required to design a style, colour it and submit photographs of the model. They were assessed by the World Skills board and Anthony was the only Stevensons student to proceed to the next round held at Solihull College. For this stage the competitors were required to give a commercial cut and reproduce a Hair Up style on a mannequin in front of the judges. Anthony was notified eight weeks later that he had secured a place in the finals to be held at the NEC Birmingham and integrated as part of the 2012 Skills Show, which attracted over 100,000 visitors over the three-day event.

Anthony was presented with a second place in the Men's Style and a highly commended in the Ladies Style together with an invitation to return next year to participate in the ‘Advanced’ competition.

envelopes for Treetops Hospice. Everyone is very upset about it, especially the children."

Gay Evans, community fund-raiser for Treetops Hospice, said: 'I was very sad to learn of the burglary. The children were so close to handing over the money after a year-long campaign.

"To support local people with life-limiting illness we rely on money from the local community to keep our services going. Each year we need to raise £1.4 million from charitable giving. During this difficult time everyone at Treetops Hospice sends their best wishes to Ruth Parkinson, the hairdresser who gave up her time to cut the children's hair and all the pupils, staff and parents at Scallywags."

Ruth said: "I am really shocked by this, especially after so many of the children donated their money for such a good cause. I only hope the people who took it have a conscience and return it. Sadly, I don't think they will."

Farmhouses of the past

KEITH

Civic Society on ‘Farmhouses Through Time’.

Using a wide range of excellent photographs

conveyed his interest in the way the ancient origins of some farmhouses are still apparent

today.

The next meeting of the Civic Society will be on Monday, February 28, at 7.30pm in the Assembly Rooms when Richard Stone will talk about Woodlands in the Local Landscape and what the study of maps tells us about the past.

Enjoy some fine choral music with the Derbyshire Constabulary

Male

Voice Choir

All Saints’ Church - Aston on Trent Tickets £6

For tickets in advance call Derby 701108 or email holly-bush@o2.co.uk

Helen Burrell

Designer~Jeweller~Goldsmith

Fine Jewellery

Commissions, Reworking of Gold, & Repairs

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Jewellery shop open ~ Friday and Saturday from 11am - 4pm

The Visitors Centre, Melbourne Hall, Church Square, Melbourne DE73 8EN

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

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Quotations given

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At ANY tIMe

Blood, a local Blue Badge Guide, gave a talk to Melbourne

he

● Scallywags Nursery youngsters (l-r) Barnaby Rowan, Hector McLean, Ianthe Standing and Violet Robinson with nursery owner Mary Dunnicliff looking glum after the break-in.

Calling all explorers to Calke

Half Term Family Fun

Days

Saturday 9th - Sunday 24th February, 11.30am 3.30pm

Try some messy indoor and outdoor family activities in our wonderful parkland and Squirt the Stallion’s stable activity room. Find out who’s been making a mess in Calke Park. Wrap up warm and set off for an adventure.

Our restaurant and shop are open too, so why not come and enjoy a seasonal lunch made from local produce and browse our wonderful gifts.

Valentine Tea Dance

Thursday 14 February, 2pm 3.30pm

Be swept off your feet and enjoy an afternoon of sequence, line and party dancing among the treats on offer in our Riding School.

The house and garden open on Saturday 23 February!

New for this year... A Servant’s Bedroom

Step into a below stairs world and experience what it would have been like to wake up at the crack of dawn to serve the Harpur-Crewe family.

The Derwent Singers

Saturday 9 March, 3pm – 5pm

Enjoy and entertaining afternoon of music in our Riding School. The Derwent Singers will perform a varied program from the Renaissance to the present day. Tickets £10 (under 16’s free when accompanied by an adult) Booking required. Visit www.derwentsingers.org.uk

House: Sat – Wed 12.30pm – 5pm - End of Era Tours Thursdays & Fridays 11am – 4pm

Garden: Daily 10am – 5pm.

Restaurant & Shop: Daily 10.00am – 5pm. Nov – Feb: 10.00am – 4pm.

Park & National Nature Reserve: Daily 7.30am – 7.30pm, dusk if earlier

Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke for more information

Normal park admission applies to all visitors.

For more information on what’s on at Calke please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke or telephone 01332 863822

Country Living

with Robert Parker

THE REVELATION that a major supermarket had found traces of horse meat in some of its beefburgers was annoying and worrying for consumer confidence.

Farmers are at the beginning of the food chain and since way before BSE we have had to have controls in place to monitor all our activities. Cattle have individual passports, which have to be obtained before the animals are a month old, and all movements between farms is recorded on them.

All feed and medication is recorded and animal welfare is very strictly policed.

All this assurance is thrown into doubt by some unscrupulous or stupid manufacturer further down the chain.

Tesco has announced that it intends to have DNA testing on all its meat products and it will bear the costs. I think we’ve heard this story before and fear that eventually the cost will be passed back to farmers, who were nothing whatsoever to do with this mess-up.

■ While cattle farmers are enjoying good prices at the moment, which they badly need to offset

very increased production costs, sheep producers are seeing much-reduced prices. This illustrates the volatility in all our end prices and they are not being transferred to the consumer. Lamb on the store shelves has not reduced at all while farmers are seeing up to 40% reductions. ■ January can be a depressing month, but I think 2013 broke some records. Rain and snow continued and in the Midlands we recorded very little frost at all. Sunshine throughout was in very short supply and the dull morose conditions led to a general feeling of doom.

Farmers were hoping for some dry, sunny and frosty times but it wasn’t to be and work out on the land did not happen at all. Crops emerged from the snow looking worse for wear, which is quite unusual, as they always tend to look better.

The work that’s going to be needed in spring to repair the damage to crops is all piling up and we aren’t going to know which way to turn when the time comes.

The sight of snowdrops in flower and daffodils starting to grow reaffirms that spring will come, no matter what!

Grace raises Uganda money

ON JULY 2 Grace Coffey together with 23 other Chellaston Academy year 12 students and six teachers will go to Uganda for a month to work on two orphanages – the John Dickens House owned by Chellaston Academy and Mydel House, which Chellaston Academy supports.

This will be the seventh year the project has been running and is something that Grace has wanted to be a part of since she joined the school six years ago.

Each member of the team has to raise £2,250 to cover the cost of the trip. To raise the money to cover her costs Grace organised a fund-raiser with the help and support of her family and friends. They had a night of musical entertainment by local tribute band Kings Ov Leon (featuring Grace’s cousin, Liam Coffey as the lead singer) and her younger sister, Eve. She was accompanied by Ross Hudson on guitar and sang for a crowd of 150.

Throughout the night, a pie and pea supper was served alongside a bar with local ale by Ed Allingham. There was a raffle for prizes that the shops of Melbourne and friends had very generously donated. Grace was very pleased with the

event saying, “A really great night was had by all and to top it off, £1,600 was raised, all of which goes into my fund, moving me closer to reaching the full cost of the trip.”

“I would like to say the biggest thank you to every single person who helped or supported my fund-raiser in any way, especially my parents for organising everything in such great detail. The band’s performance and my sister's singing were amazing, involving the crowd and giving a really great night to all that attended. The money will ensure I can get to Uganda to help the people that really need our help. I also had an amazing night. It will be a night that that I will always remember." (See also Page 8)

New eveNt for fUN rUN

THE MELBOURNE Fun Run, now in its sixth year, is to be expanded to include a short (3km) fun run for under-12s, on completely traffic-free roads, paths and grassland.

The new event, named the ‘Fit Kits' Run’, will take place immediately before the traditional 12 km “Rabbit Race” and the 6km “Funny Bunny Run”, on Sunday, April 21. (A ‘kit’ is a baby rabbit).

Headquarters for all three events is in the Senior Citizens' Centre on Church Street, and all three runs will start by The Pool, outside Melbourne Hall.

www.facebook.com/NTCalkeAbbey

The Fit Kits' Run will start at 11am, and will loop round to finish at the same point, while the other two events will start at noon, and follow last year's course, to finish outside the Senior Citizens' Centre. “Funny Bunnies” will complete one lap, while the serious runners in the

Rabbit Race will do two.

John Burney, organiser of the Fun Run on behalf of the Rotary Club, said: “We wanted to encourage younger children to have a go on their own, as our small contribution to the Olympic legacy, and to do this we recognised the need to provide a secure course, completely free of traffic.”

■ THE ANNUAL Weston Run will be held on Sunday, February 24. The event starts and finishes in the Ukrainian Centre in Weston-on-Trent.

Spectators will be able to watch the runners complete a circuit of the field both at the start and the finish of the race. The races will start at 11am.

There are two events – a five-mile road race and a twomile fun run. Details of both events together with entry forms are available on www.107derbyscouts.org.uk. It

is possible to enter by post or on the day.

The road race is over a fast, officially measured course passing through Weston-on-Trent and Aston-on-Trent villages. It is covered by a Road Race Permit from UK Athletics, and all finishers will receive an engraved tot glass memento.

The winner of each of 11 categories – junior, senior and veterans (male and female) – and the winning team will also receive an award.

The fun run will start just after the road race. It passes through the quiet lanes of Weston-on-Trent, and all finishers will receive a medal.

This event will generate a contribution towards the running costs of the 107th Derby Scout Group, which caters for young people mainly from the villages of Aston, Weston and Shardlow.

Good news on the Athenaeum front

THERE WAS good news for the young people of Melbourne at the February Parish Council meeting.

Mark Dale gave an update on the current status of the Athenaeum, advising that the committee had received funding from the Methodist Church for three years to enable a full-time youth worker to be employed.

The parish church has also made a contribution. A café manager will be employed to run the coffee bar on club nights. There will also be an opportunity for the use of the café to be extended during daytime hours.

There is likely to be a change to the way the youth club is run. The previous open door policy whereby young people could come and go at any time during opening hours will be stopped.

In its place, once young people have arrived at the club, there will be no re-admittance should they leave during the evening. The club is likely to target members from school years 7-10. There may also be age specific or gender specific nights.

The feasibility of these thoughts will be determined once the worker has been appointed.

Potholes and puddles featured with Cllr John Harrison advising that the developing hole in the middle of Derby Road has been reported to County Council Highways department. They in turn have advised Severn Trent that there is a suspected fracture in a mains water pipe that requires urgent attention.

Responding to a member of the public, Cllr Harrison said that potholes are a consequence of the weather and that current policy is to fill dangerous potholes temporarily and return later to do a proper job.

With regard to gritting, there is a daily gritting of A roads but there is no time, capacity or money to grit side roads.

● THE PARISH clerk and councillors were invited to view the current status of the Davidsons housing development on Station Road in January.

TOM MILLS reports from the February meeting of  Melbourne Parish Council

Nominations for the Cllr Dr Freeman Annual Community Award have been received by the parish council and the winner will be announced at the annual parish meeting on March 4. The nominations are: Kate Dumelow, Clare Bampton, Paul Fox and Adam Seal.

The much discussed proposal for the introduction of a one-way system in Melbourne has moved on. A scheme for public consultation is planned to be available by the end of March. A public meeting is proposed to discuss this.

The improvement to broadband speeds is now likely to become a reality in Derbyshire. The Government has offered £7 million to facilitate this but, because of the high costs involved, the county council is required to match fund. With no businesses willing to contribute, the county council has allocated £1 million and has made a loan of £6 million to kick-start the process.

Other items of interest included:

■ A public consultation will take place to discuss the drainage proposals and problems relating to the Cockshut Lane recreation ground.

■ County Highways are to install new cameras at each end of Swarkestone Causway.

■ There is a need to review the implications of including broadband connections before installing the Melbourne CCTV.

Pictured (l-r) viewing the play area installed as part of the development are: Sarah Dunnicliff, Jaqui Storer, Nigel Collyer, Jane Carroll, Wendy Earp and Jason Glover, operations director. Use of the play area is on hold awaiting a decision on who will be responsible for commissioning and maintaining it.

Crime figures still on the decline

THE NORTH East Area Safer Neighbourhood and Area Forum meetings took place in Melbourne.

Sergeant Steve Todd said that crime continues to fall on a year on year comparison. However, violent crime and sex-related domestic violence were both up. There have been eight instances of drug crime. Incidents relating to thefts from vehicles are primarily the result of unlocked vehicles or items left on show.

Thefts of vehicles generally are the result of domestic burglaries where car keys have been stolen. Inspector Paul Cannon said he holds a weekly tasking meeting to direct the teams to short-term priorities.

With regard to speeding, a resident from Aston reported that since obtaining a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) it has been operated in six different locations and generates a vast amount of data. However, the mean speed over 12 months for traffic in 30mph zones has been 44mph.

In Melbourne during the recent speed-watch

campaign 530 vehicles were scoped, of which 35% were travelling over 35mph.

The SDDC Safer Neighbourhood team reported that they will be holding a roadshow on April 18 at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms. Representatives from the Domestic Violence, Victim Support and Next Step teams will be in attendance together with other teams and organisations during the daylong event.

The start-up of a youth engagement programme has been agreed and will commence in the near future.

It was announced that the Safer Neighbourhood funding allowance has now been spent with the final allocations being £150 to Barrow Parish Council for youth club development, and £585 allocated to Melbourne Assembly Rooms for improved door security. A further £4,000 will become available in the new financial year.

The policing priorities for the forthcoming quarter will be speeding traffic in specific locations in Aston, Melbourne and Shardlow.

Welldressers’ annual tea

ASTON on Trent Well Dressers are holding their annual afternoon tea on Sunday, March 24 (2.30-5pm) in the Memorial Hall, Chellaston Lane. Entry is free.

There will be a number of stalls and children's games plus the opportunity to find out more about the chosen beneficiaries for this year.

Afternoon tea will be served at a cost of £2.50 for tea/coffee and cake.

Golden memories for Margaret and Bill

MARGARET Anne and Ronald William (Bill) Sharp celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a party for family and friends at Ticknall Village Hall.

Generous donations totalling £500 in lieu of gifts were divided equally between DLR Air Ambulance and the Fragile X Society, both charities close to their hearts.

Margaret and Bill were married in 1963 at the Methodist Church in Melbourne. The Revd Eric Cox conducted the ceremony.

Margaret Warner, as she was before the wedding, was attended by Rosemary Sharp (Bill’s sister) and Barbara Warner (Margaret’s sister). Best Man was Bill’s good friend Norman Jackson.

Their reception was held at the Pack Horse, Kings Newton, which was very different then to what it is now.

The couple first met three years earlier when Margaret had called on Bill’s sister with a message and Bill was in his finery, in the yard, covered in black pitch from painting the barn. It must have been an impressionable meeting because they met again that night and walked out together.

And so started their three courting years. Margaret was only 16 and parents were strict in those days, so it was always an early return.

Bill worked with his father and uncle in the family market gardening business and Margaret at the Star Tea Co., a grocery shop on Derby Road. Walking featured a lot during their courting days and they recall regularly walking from Kings Newton through Calke village to Ticknall long before the reservoir was built.

Cinema excursions on Saturday nights to Derby featured greatly with names such as the Regal, the Odeon and the Gaumont recalled as being regular haunts. For mid-week cinema visits it was the Broadway in Allenton.

The couple moved into a house in North Street, Melbourne, after the wedding and later to Victoria Street. They moved to their current home, to continue the family business when Bill’s parents died. The

hall tea rooms

01332 864224 07525 331654

breakfast served 9.00 - 11.30am lunch from 11.30am afternoon teas served daily daily specials

business started in 1898 and is now in its fourth generation.

The bungalow was built in 1953 and was named Corbeth by Bill’s mother, to mark the occasion of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

Bill has continued to work the family business and is still happy to be actively involved in it. Margaret gave up her work at the shop when Martin, the first of their five children was born. Colin, Julie, Bryan and Kathryn followed.

Both Bill and Margaret have led full lives in addition to raising the family and running the business.

Margaret has been associ-

ated with the Melbourne Guide Company for 30 years and set up guides, brownies and two rainbow units in her role as guide leader.

Bill was always roped in as an approved helper with the brownies at their summer seaside camps for 15 years.

Margaret has been a parish councillor for 22 years and a past chairman, a member of the Staunton Harold WI for 44 years, treasurer for 30, and is president of the Senior Citizens’ Centre.

Bill has been a member of Melbourne Male Voice Choir for 30 years and still enjoys his singing.

He recalls many memorable occasions with the choir, including concerts at Cardiff Arms Park with Shirley Bassey, and Hyde Park when joined by Vera Lynne and Cliff Richard.

On a choir visit to Mulheim in Germany during Margaret’s term as parish council vicechair, she was called upon to make a public speech, her first, and to make a presentation to the Burgermeister in the Rathaus.

Bill and Margaret are still enjoying their married life together. “It can’t be 50 years yet,” they claim with smiles on their faces and still very much in love.

More fun and games at the Assembly Rooms

THE TEAM at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms is continuing to push forward its remit to promote greater community use of the venue.

A programme to re-kindle interest in squash and racquetball has been agreed with South Derbyshire District Council and gives youngsters the opportunity to try the sport during the Easter holidays.

A professional coach will be holding two taster sessions on April 2 and 9 in the main hall, followed up with coaching sessions the following Saturdays. Squash is undergoing something of a revival at the moment, and this gives local children the chance to try out a new sport at a cost of only £1 per child.

Table tennis has seen a surge in popularity with a group of 25 now attending the regular Tuesday night training sessions. It is hoped that a competitive team will be ready to compete in a

MELBOURNE Photographic Society will be holding a photographic print exhibition and coffee morning on Saturday, March 2. The event is to launch the recently acquired exhibition screens. Starting at 10.30am at the Assembly Rooms, admission is free. There will also be a sale of pho-

league this September.

On the wider community front the hall is being booked for Chellaston School Uganda Trip fundraisers. One event on February 23 will be called the Site Party where the room will be dressed as a building site, echoing the rationale for the Uganda trip, to build a home for orphans.

A food fair has been scheduled for March 3 to promote local food produce, with the emphasis on produce from a radius of no more than 20 miles and a Valentine's evening event is booked for February 14.

Finally, following the success of the pop-up pub last year, the intention is to hold a “Pop- up St Patrick’s night” on March 16 with a Celtic theme for drink, food and entertainment. Full details of all these events are available from the centre manager, Andy Heafield, and the website. www.melbourneassemblyrooms.co.uk

tographic prints and cards during the morning.

On Friday, March 8 (7.30pm), at the Melbourne Assembly Rooms, Charles Hanson will deliver a talk entitled ‘The Life of an Auctioneer’. Following his talk, Charles will spend time discussing items taken along that evening by visitors.

Festival off to a grand start

IT WAS a great start to 2013 for Melbourne Festival when Festival Director Sharon Brown was presented with a grant of £1,000 from Melbourne County Councillor John Harrison’s Community Leadership Fund.

To celebrate the event and to thank Cllr Harrison for his support a photo shoot took place at Swarkestone Nursery where Artists@ Arts Melbourne member, Mary Smith was holding an exhibition of her work.

The award will enable the workshops for local people to resume and continue the commissioning programme which has had to be put on hold over the past two years due to lack of funding.

It will also help support their work with the South Asian community through Derby-based Surtal Arts. This project started in the autumn with the Sari Exhibition in Melbourne Library and Indian Classical Dance.

Eight-homes plan appeal is rejected

THE APPEAL to overturn South Derbyshire District Council's rejection of Adam Devey-Smith's proposal to build eight dwellings on the site of 55 Derby Road, Melbourne, was rejected by the representative of the Planning Inspectorate.

In a closely argued, four-page judgement, the inspector, Alison Lea, firmly rejects the appeal and gives her view succinctly: "I conclude that the proposal would fail to provide sufficient on site parking to serve the development, and that this would lead to a demand for parking in an area which is already heavily parked and congested...this would be likely to be prejudicial to highway safety, and the free flow of traffic and would have a significant adverse effect on the living conditions of the occupiers of properties in adjoining streets.”

This judgement endorses the many objections made by local residents and confirms what many regard as the very serious traffic and parking limitations within the central part of Melbourne. The decision firmly vindicates the many residents who had pointed out the unwelcome consequences of the proposals.

Mr Devey-Smith referred to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) "as a golden thread running through decision-taking in favour of sustainable development".

But the Inspector writes: "Due to the lack of site parking and lack of amenity space, I conclude that this development would not function well and the harm that would be caused outweighs the benefits of this proposal.”

The Festival team has also finally had its application for an Arts Council Grant approved. The grant will help Melbourne Festival support the local creative economy with two public art commissions, and plans are underway for creative writing projects with local author Gregory Heath and an Indian writer.

Bollywood dance and creative workshops to make a ‘Melbourne Wall hanging’ are also planned.

Compiling the briefs for commissions and confirming how and when they are going to run the workshops is a current priority.

Although the Arts Council grant pays for the artists' fees, the team now needs to obtain sponsorship to pay for workshop materials, venue hire fees, etc. If any local people or local artists would like to be involved please contact the Melbourne Festival Office.

Low-down on astrantia and auricula

BOB TAYLOR, of Field House Nursery, Gotham, Nottinghamshire, kick-started the Ticknall Garden Club’s New Year with a talk on the nursery’s National Collection of Astrantia and Auricula in January.

Both of these national collections are vast, with around 150 varieties of astrantia and 800 varieties of auricula to choose from.

Bob demonstrated the range of plants available and pointed out his favourites, the special varieties to look out for and the doppelgangers –whose only difference is their name!

Advice for growing these plants was given. Members had an opportunity to catch up over tea and biscuits after the talk and to purchase plants from the collection.

The next meeting of the Garden Club will be on Tuesday, February 12, when Jeff Bates (RHS Master of Horticulture), Robin Allan (ex-Hardwick Hall gardener) and Tom Pope (ex-Haddon Hall gardener) will be available to answer all your gardening questions at ‘Question Time’.

Meetings are held at Ticknall Village Hall, 7.30pm (visitors £3; members £1).

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Girls’ hair-lift for charities

TWO PUPILS at Chellaston Academy, Eve Wingfield and Ally Drury, have had most of their hair cut off in aid of three charities.

Primarily, the 15-year-olds are fund-raising for the Chellaston Academy Uganda Project, which is now in its sixth year and maintains an orphanage in Kampala for former street children.

The hair, however, will be re-used by The Little Princess Trust, which supplies real hair wigs to boys and girls with alopecia or who are recovering from hair loss following chemotherapy.

Both girls have always had long hair but they were determined to help raise money for several great causes.

Melbourne hairdresser Vicky Milward, from Cuts 4 All, seemed more nervous than the girls when it came to the big cut day.

Eve and Ally are indebted to Vicky and her mum for the support they have offered in collecting donations from her salon clients and for making the new hairstyles special for the girls.

If you would like to donate to the Uganda project, call Eve's dad on 0774 263 4581 or alternatively donate on-line to Eve's just Giving Cancer Research UK webpage: http://wwwjustgiving.com/EveWingfield

Young musicians contest on the way

THE ROTARY Club's Young Musicians' competition and concert will be held on Saturday, March 23, in a new venue, the hall of Melbourne Junior School.

The afternoon will be dedicated to the qualifying rounds of the competition, for all grades of young musicians under the age of 18.

The leading contestants will perform in the evening concert, at which all the grade winners and the overall Young Musician of the Year will re-

ceive their awards.

Entries for the competition close on Friday, March 8. Entrants may compete in more than one grade, playing different instruments, for a single entry cost of £5.

This is a great opportunity for the young musicians of the district to perform, perhaps for the first time, in public. The most talented will go forward to Rotary's regional competition, and ultimately the national finals. Melbourne Rotary Club will

support them all the way.

This event will be an opportunity for the people of Melbourne, as well as parents and friends, to attend a wonderful evening of music, of all tastes, and to hear just how well these young musicians can perform. Entries should be submitted to the event organiser, Douglas Keith, at 2 Main Street, Breedon, DE73 8AN, who can also be contacted by e-mail at douglas.keith@btinternet.com, or phone, on 864464 or 07733 107283.

HAIR TODAY ... Vicky gets to work on Eve and Ally.

Green light for vegetable stall

WHAT a triumph for the 550 people who signed a petition to keep open a popular fresh produce stall in the Melbourne Lamb Inn car park entrance.

South Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee has given the green light to the proposal, so the stall is now free to continue.

The stall stopped abruptly in November, having gained an enviable reputation for its fieldfresh vegetables, provided by the family firm of F. M. Heath and Son, of Heath's Farm Shop and Nurseries at Woodhouses, which this year sees it celebrate its centenary.

It was stopped because of an anonymous complaint to the district council, whose planners instructed the smallholder to put in a planning application to regularise its situation at the rear of the back garden to Philip Heath's home in Blanch Croft.

Mr Heath, an officer at the district council, put in an official application for continuance of the stall, opened in a limited number of hours each week.

The proposal is that the stall may be used for "the sale of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs", and that the stall area is pushed back further into Mr Heath's outbuilding, to "avoid overspill of customers on to the car park".

The stall had originally been on "a low key basis", and it "had not come to the Planning authority's attention until October".

Because Mr Heath is an officer of the council, the full planning committee was summoned to make a decision on the application.

There was one objector, saying that people using the stall presented "a hazard and a danger". In addition a new fruit and veg shop had been opened, so the stall "would not be needed".

Two letters supported the application.

Heath's is one of the very few survivors from the heyday of Melbourne's market garden industry, and was originally founded by Marson Gregory in 1914. As with many other gardening families, ancestors of the Gregorys had already been in Melbourne for a long time. Marson was a direct descendant of Thomas Perkins, one of the first ministers of Melbourne Baptist Church in 1760, and grandfather of Thomas Cook, of travel agent fame.

The business was based at Rawdon Street from 1917 and transferred to Woodhouses in 1960. It passed by marriage to the founder's son-in-law, Frank Milner Heath, and is now conducted by F. M. Heath's son, Frank E. Heath, and grandson Brian, with great grandson Eric Pounder among the employees.

Brian said: "We're getting ready to welcome our customers to an improved and enlarged stall when we re-open on Friday, March 1. In the meantime we're very grateful for the fantastic support which the Melbourne community has given us.”

Chimney fire drama

THE WEEKLY Tuesday night drill night for the Melbourne retained fire service officers turned out to be a little different on Tuesday, February 5.

Training was interrupted with a call at 8.45pm from the control centre in Derby, alerting them to a chimney fire in Castle Square. The incident was at Castle House, a tall building adjacent to the White Swan pub.

The aerial ladder platform was requested to tackle the fire from a high level.

Quick thinking by the householders, who doused the ground floor fire, prevented a more serious incident leaving the emergency service to deal with the chimney blaze.

Thermal imaging cameras were deployed and additional smoke alarms were fitted in the premises before the crews left the scene at 11pm.

Caroline Helbig, who had been in the house with husband Peter and son Jochem at the time of the fire, told Village Voice: “I did not feel frightened at all and when the fire officers arrived they were calm and confident, and did an excellent job.

“I would like to thank my neighbours for their help in mopping and cleaning up.”

Sanderson ★ Hardys

BROWNS Field was a popular venue for sledging in Melbourne following the first snowfall of the year.

So, you thou

WITH THE very cold weather in January, with ice and snow causing traffic disruptions and school closures, it's a salutary lesson to learn that it was a tougher world back in the 19th century, with no central heating, no double glazing, and possibly winters colder than we normally experience.

Kilvert's Diary, written in the 1870s is said to be a minor classic. Robert Kilvert was a curate in the small parish of Clyro, in Radnorshire, on the Welsh/English border.

10Village VoiceFebruary 2013 28 Market Place, Melbourne, Derbyshire 01332 863619 Visit us to find a wide range of beautiful fair trade gifts including jewellery, scarves, crafts, toys, food and much more. Opening times: Tues to Fri 9am to 4 pm Sat 9am to 1pm Think before you buy ... choose Fair Trade FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 10TH MARCH 25TH FEBRUARY WENDY’S Made to measure curtains, valances, pelmets, tie-backs and cushions, etc. Velvets, prints and plain fabrics by . . . ★

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Snow upends the quiz

MELBOURNE Quiz got off to a slow start on opening night, falling v to the snow. Only four of the eight teams were able to compete.

The Old Young Farmers were the first to make it through to the se round having played Young, Gifted and Back. They were followed b Rest of The World, who beat Lythgoe’s Legacy.

A friendly between Sad Anoraks and 4Under Par concluded evening.

Wins for Clerical Errors, Kings Newton Bowls Club A, Rugby Clu and Pintless at the alternative venue, Melbourne Assembly Rooms the next four teams through to the second round.

and B team that l to the

ught it was cold, did

out the cold at Christmas 1870, an account that makes a modern ader cringe with shock! unday Christmas Day 1870

s I lay awake praying in the early morning, I thought I heard a sound distant bells. It was an intense frost. I sat down in my bath upon a eet of thick ice which broke in the middle into large pieces whilst sharp ints and jagged edges stuck all round the sides of the tub like chevaux frise, not particularly comforting to the naked thighs and loins, for e keen ice cut like broken glass.

The ice water stung and scorched like fire. I had to collect the floating pieces of ice and pile them on a chair before I could use the sponge and then I had to thaw the sponge in my hands for it was a mass of ice. The morning was most brilliant. Walked to Sunday school.

So cold it might have been in January this year, but just spare a thought for our forebears.

Poor Robert Kilvert married in 1879, but only a month after his marriage in August of that year, he died at the age of 39.

Swinging time at Ticknall

TICKNALL Parish Council says that swings have now been installed in the play area on The Grange, for the use of children from five to 12.

A generous £500 donation towards the cost came from Calke Abbey whose property manager, Stewart Alcock, said: "We are very happy to support community projects where we can.” Ticknall Cricket Club also made a donation.

● BURN’S Night was celebrated locally at the Hardinge Arms.

TherApeuTic STArT To yeAr

BREEDON on the Hill WI started 2013 off with a bit of complementary therapy with Maria Jackson, a practitioner of Elemental Shiatsu.

The members learnt that the word shiatsu translates as ‘finger pressure’ and is a Japanese form of body work, a medicine which can involve strong manipulative pulling and stretching as well as precise pressure on specific points on the body or gentle subtle movement.

The therapy adapts to the person’s needs from spiritual, emotional, mental or to relieving physical pain. Maria explained she had successfully worked with people experiencing grief, also the menopause as well

Art exhibition

TICKNALL Art Group will hold its yearly art exhibition in the village hall on Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9, between noon and 4pm. Admission is free.

as physical problems such as bad backs or shoulders.

At the end of the session she lead the

group through a 10-minute exercise; you could have heard a pin drop as members concentrated on posture and breathing until they had to bend and then knees cracked around the room – loud and clear!

In February members are in for a treat, again, this time making chocolates. Jane Melen of Breedon WI won ‘best in show’ for her handmade confections at the Ashby Show 2012, so tuition will be from an award-winning expert.

New members are always welcome at monthly meetings so why not make a date in your diary for Wednesday, February 27 (7.30pm) in the community room at Breedon School for a bit of chocolate heaven.

Village Voice postbag

unfair comments on young drivers

I FIND the comments made by your reader titled 'Making Life Difficult' in the January issue regarding young drivers extremely unfair.

I have on many occasions witnessed drivers of all ages parking in the Market Place in areas that are not designated for parking, usually on corners or very near junctions making it very difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to negotiate the Town centre.

In fact the most memorable occasion was when an inconsiderate and frankly dangerous elderly driver thought it was appropriate to park opposite the Old Wool Shop on the corner of the Mar-

ket Place facing up towards the High Street whilst he waited for his wife to visit the chip shop. On this occasion a delivery lorry was parked on the opposite corner making it impossible to negotiate the parked car and lorry from either direction, quickly resulting in a build-up of traffic from both directions.

All drivers – young, old and in-between – need to be more considerate when parking their cars in the Market Place. After all, there are two free car parks adjacent to the Market Place.

Melbourne resident (Name and address supplied)

Free poop bags for dog owners

I AM writing in response to the letter featured in January's issue from Julie Carr. I would sadly have to agree with Julie, as a responsible dog owner myself, that there are indeed a small minority of owners who don't seem to worry about the mess their pet leaves behind.

With a hope to solving this issue in some way, from now on Golden Paws Pet Boutique of Potter

Street will be stocking packs of 50 biodegradable 'poop bags' FREE OF CHARGE to any dog owner who may have popped out without them, or run out of their own supplies.

There really is no excuse for people leaving their pets mess, so we would encourage any dog walkers to call in and pick up their free bags.

Rosie Dale

Pictured (l-r) are Joe Coffey, Chris Baggott (chef), John Rogers and Michael Coffey.

Doctor who’s still a nurse at heart

by DAVID BELLIS

"MY DOCTORATE does not remove me from the real work of nursing,” says Wendy Wesson about her recent academic attainment of a doctorate awarded by the University of Derby. "I am still very much a nurse as well as an academic.”

Wendy, well known as a district-nursing sister between 1999 and 2004 at the Melbourne medical centre, completed a 72,000-word thesis in 2012 to qualify as a Doctor of Education, in the Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences, at Derby.

A Derby woman, who did A-levels at John Port School, Wendy started her nurse training in 1982 at Walsgrave –a leading hospital in Coventry. On qualifying, she turned down a post at the coronary care unit Walsgrave, in order to pursue a career in district nursing back in Derby.

Born in Chaddesden, the family moved to Findern when Wendy was six. She was the youngest in the family, with two brothers and a sister. Her mother still lives in Findern.

She always wanted to be a district nurse, and after Walsgrave she became a community nurse in Swadlincote, followed by 17 years as a districtnursing sister in Derby. As the nursing profession moved towards becoming a graduate profession, Wendy got her first degree in 2001, and qualified as a nurse teacher in 2004.

She married John Wesson in 1986. The couple have two daughters, now 19 and 22. Having lived in Swarkestone for 25 years, the family are now at Wilson, although Wendy maintains her connection with Swarkestone church, through her membership of the Parochial Church Council. She is also a community governor at Chellaston Academy.

Wendy recognises that her family have helped her enormously over the years, particularly her husband, of whom she says: "I could not have achieved what I have without the help and support of John."

Described by one Melbourne colleague as someone destined for the top of her profession, Wendy has progressed in her career through stages up to her present elevated position. "I consider myself as both a nurse and an academic, and I believe that nursing is still about care and compassion.” Those who have experienced her caring professionalism know that her priorities remain as they were when

she started training as a nurse over 30 years ago.

Wendy is secretary of the Association of District Nurse Educators. She keeps close to the grass roots of her profession –to the nitty gritty of district nursing, by regularly visiting practice placements to support the new generation of district nurses and their assessors. She still works as a Hospice at Home Nurse for Treetops hospice due to her love of palliative and end of life care. As she says: “It is difficult to teach the role unless you continue to be involved in it.”

A confident, highly motivated professional, Wendy is the modern face of nursing; skilled in nursing, because she has the gift of empathy, and skilled, too, in being able to pass on her experience and her knowledge. She has learned the skills of lecturing, but is clear: "I am not removed from the challenges and realities of today’s nursing practice".

She is a modern busy woman but has time to jog, and reads novels for relaxation. The family have a haven for holidays in their cottage at the farthest extremity of the west of Ireland, where she and John can relax, and her husband can exercise his great gift for atmospheric photography.

Barrow gets a defibrillator

BARROW on Trent Parish Council has installed an automatic external defibrillator (AED) in the parish –in the old phone box on Twyford Road.

The council has been able to install it with the help of a £1,000 grant from the Community Action Grant scheme via Derbyshire County Council.

A defibrillator is a life-saving machine that gives an electric shock when applied in cases of cardiac arrest.

When someone has a cardiac arrest, defibrillation needs to be prompt. For every minute that passes without defibrillation chances of survival decrease by at least 14%.

The AED is available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In cases of emergency users should dial 999. They will be given a code, which will enable access to the AED. The units can only be opened once the correct combination has been obtained from the emergency services (on ringing 999).

The Community Heartbeat Trust and Barrow Parish Council are holding an awareness/training event on Tuesday, February 19 (6-8pm) at the Brookfield Club, Barrow upon Trent.

and Ticknall may have one, too

AT THE January meeting of Ticknall Parish Council a member of the public asked the council to back his suggestion that a defibrillator should be installed in the village.

The preferred site for the defibrillator would be outside the village hall.

The council was advised that the Village Hall Committee is in support of the idea.

The cost involved would be approximately £2,100, £700 of which may be available as a grant from The Community Heartbeat Trust.

The remainder of the money

would have to be raised through local organisations.

The piece of equipment has a lifespan of 10 years, with regular changes of battery.

The proposal will be included in the agenda of the next parish council meeting which takes place on March 5.

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Council fined £1,250 for unroadworthy vehicle

SOUTH Derbyshire District Council has been fined £1,250 for allowing a vehicle on the public highway in an illegal condition.

At a meeting of the Environmental and Development services committee on January 31, members were told of the circumstances arising from a snap inspection by VOSPA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) at Walsall on June 21, 2012, and the consequent prosecution which came before Walsall Magistrates Court on January 21, 2013.

The SDDC vehicle was found to have three defective tyres, in that the tread depth was below the 1.6mm minimum depth, and, in addition, one front wheel had three loose wheel nuts.

The driver of the vehicle was also charged with the offence.

The district council's senior officer at the hearing at Walsall was Director of Operations, Mark Alflat, who successfully asked for the charge against the driver to be dropped, because "the systems were not robust enough to place the blame on the driver".

The council's solicitor told the court that improvements had been installed, with increased levels of inspection, an increase in servicing levels, and a daily driver inspection system, with clear responsibility being outlined to all drivers and staff.

The council was fined by the judge 10% of the maximum available, and gave credit for the measures introduced since the incident, and also for the fact that this was the first time the council had been prosecuted for such an offence.

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MELBOURNE-BASED building company Alan Staley Building Contractors has scooped a prestigious Master Builder of the Year Award, taking the Large Renovation Projects in Yorkshire and Trent prize.

The Master Builder of the Year Awards, a nationwide search to find the best builders in the UK, is unique because nominations must come from a satisfied client. Builders are judged on their technical ability together with their customer service skills.

Alan Staley Building Contractors is the winner for their major project, undertaking the re-roofing and completing high-level re-

pairs to grade 2 listed Melbourne Hall.

Having been chosen by the region’s judges to win the Large Renovation Projects prize they will now go through to compete in the national finals.

The national winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London on March 20.

FMB Services Director for Yorkshire and Trent Phil Parkinson said: “The Master Builder of the Year Awards give clients the opportunity to celebrate a job well done and to thank their builder.

"Alan Staley Building Contractors should feel justly proud of their achievement in winning this prize, and we wish them suc-

THE STANDARD of the comedians at Melbourne Festival’s comedy club at The Legion just seems to get better and better.

At the January 'Burn’s night' gig all the comics and the compere had a very warm reception from the capacity crowd.

Heading the bill was the very affable Andrew Bird. His comedy about life with his foreign girlfriend and his ‘pet human’ seemed to connect well with the Melbourne audience.

Northampton-based Pete Teckman, covering the middle section, brought his “glass half empty” reflections on life as a “short, fat, bald Jewish comic” – so hardly any material to have a go at there!

The third act was the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, a one-man show by Kevin Sock. His very clever and fast-moving dialogue delivered via his sock puppets was wholly engaging, and highly enjoyable.

The Burn’s night theme extended to the compere – Scott Bennett, making his second visit to Melbourne. Once again he showed his very sharp wit in affable banter with the locals.

The next comedy night on March 29 sees a huge comedy name come to visit, in the shape of Gary Delaney. He is a regular in the line-up of Mock the Week, One Night Stand, on Dave, and Loose Ends on Radio. Tickets £7.50 from Frank Hughes (01332 862243).

cess in the national competition.”

Alan Staley told Village Voice “how delighted” he was to win the award.

He said: “The award was a testament to the huge team effort, so a big thank you to the ASBC team and everyone involved with the winning project.

“I would like to say a big thank you to our client for giving us the privilege of working on such a prestigious family home and for nominating us for this award.”

“I would also like to thank the FMB association and all it represents.

ASBC is extremely proud to have our work recognised and to be associated with the Federation of Master Builders.”

Players’ panto fun

YET ANOTHER excellent performance from Aston Players was seen over the last two weekends in January, at Aston Memorial Hall.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Peter Denning was a fastpaced traditional panto. It was full of lovely scenes between the dwarfs, Snow White and the Prince. There were plenty of opportunities to boo and hiss at a scary Queen, with extra fun from Muddles. The Henchman also gave a very entertaining performance.

It was Steve Aynsley’s debut as a director, and he brought out the best in the performers. The children’s chorus was full of energy, whilst the dwarfs were clear, funny and full of character.

About 500 people came to see the show, raising over £2,000 for Rainbows and the British Heart Foundation. Aston Players can certainly be proud of their achievement.

It takes all sorts to put on a pantomime, and there are many people working tirelessly behind the scenes. If you would like to get involved, perhaps sewing, painting scenery, putting posters up or treading the boards, then do join us. It’s just as much fun backstage as it is in the audience ... Oh yes it is!

Rehearsals for next year’s show start in October, Wednesday evenings 8-10pm, at Aston Memorial Hall.

● Alan Staley with his wife, Alison, on the roof of Melbourne Hall.

IF YOU were asked to list the things Derby was known for, Positivity and Happiness of the locals would not likely be at the top. Stolid, saturnine or plain miserable might be adjectives more attached to many of the city’s dwellers.

Local author Andrew Cope is on a mission to try and change all that, and to make Derby “Brilliant.”

Andrew has teamed up with Derby City Mayor Lisa Higginbottom to bring happiness and positivity into Derby schools.

“Brilliant Derby is a massive social experiment with the aim of inspiring children to inspire their schools, families and communities. Quite simply, it has never been tried before,” says Andrew. “It is a world first.”

Andy, who lives in Kings Newton, is already well known for his Spy Dog series of books and he is studying for a PhD at Loughborough University. Out of that course has come The Art of Being Brilliant that he has already delivered to many businesses and schools.

To try to roll out the science of happiness to an entire city is a fantastic challenge.

Lisa Higginbottom wants to ensure that her tenure as Mayor really makes a difference to the young people of the city, and this

is a way of trying to improve the image of city schools, especially after the city’s primary schools came second last in Ofsted 2012 league tables and senior schools had slipped to eighth from last.

The project begins this spring when Andy, Lisa and the ‘Brilliant’ team will deliver workshops at venues throughout the city. Each primary school will be invited to send a group of year 5 (age 9 to 10) children. There will be three half day sessions. Session one will be ‘The Art of Being Brilliant’. Session two will be ‘Staying Brilliant’ and the third session ‘Brilliant Communities.’ In the final session, each group of children will be tasked to come up with a plan to design and deliver their own ‘Brilliant Derby’ workshops across their school and wider community. Local BBC television is also taking a keen interest.

The project will culminate in a gala event in June 2013. Each school will be invited to present what they’ve achieved and how far the ‘Brilliant Derby’ effect has rippled.

There will be prizes for the schools and children who’ve had the biggest impact.

And who knows, this could be just the tipping point needed to cheer up the whole city.

OBITUARIES

MARY EDITH POWELL 1940 – 2013

MARY Edith Ottewell was born March 2, 1940, the youngest child of James and Florence Ottewell of Old Parks Farm, Ashby, a sister for Ernest, Gordon and Sylvia.

Mary lost her father when she was four and her mother died when she was a teenager.

Her early years saw Italian and German prisoners of war helping to farm Old Parks. With her natural inquisitive nature, Mary got to know them well and soon spoke more German and Italian than English, which infuriated her father.

As Mary grew up, she developed a sense of good taste of fashion and style. Travel captured her imagination. At the earliest opportunity she was off to London and became a couture model for The House of Worth.

During her early twenties Mary returned to Ashby and, whilst working as a volunteer at the Leonard Cheshire home, she met John Blunt. They were married at St Helen’s, Ashby, and set up home at Castle Farm in Melbourne. They had four children in five years – Richard, Charlotte, Rebecca and Edward – and they enjoyed memorable times together at Castle Farm.

Mary had a sense of good fun that re-

SIMON LEE 1972 - 2012

IT WAS a surprise to many people when Simon “Wiggy” Lee died aged just 40 on December 1. He had been progressively ill for most of the year but had kept his illness a secret, which was typical of his independent spirit. He didn’t want anyone to treat him any differently by making allowances, and he carried on working as long as possible.

Melbourne Parish Church was packed full for the funeral, with tributes by John Williams for the family, Superintendent Gary Parkin on behalf of his police colleagues, and a third by Charlie Loake on behalf of his friends.

Simon loved to be with people, and they loved to be with him because he had an infectious zest for life. With a sharp wit and sense of fun, he enjoyed nothing more than socialising with family and friends at a party, a summer barbecue, or in the pub.

As Charlie said: "If you walked past a pub and heard that distinctive laugh, you realised straight away that Wiggy was in there, and you just had to go in."

mained throughout her life and the youthful spirit was the bridge between the “grown-ups” and the children. She was and remained “captivating” to the generations of youngsters and particularly to her grandchildren, who adored her.

Able to turn her hand to most things, and as well as being a model, Mary spent time

as a travel agent and she once had a small antiques shop. She was always busy –never still – working and playing equally as hard. Following an amicable divorce, Mary continued to live in Melbourne.

On February 29, 1984, Mary and Christopher first met and that was the start of their wonderful time together. They settled at Claverdon and Mary’s house on The Lilypool in Melbourne.

The opportunity through Chris’s work to live in the Middle East was a challenge Mary took up with great delight. Chris and Mary spent 18 of their 29 years together in the Middle East. During that time and on their return to England, Mary saw all her children married and took an active part in the lives of all her grandchildren.

Mary loved photos and always took pictures at family gatherings – often posting them at a later date – with an observation or two!

She also loved reading, adored music and recently took to dog walking most enthusiastically.

Whether you knew Mary as Ottewell, Blunt or Powell you will know that there was no-one else like her. She was overflowing with an irrepressible and magnetic DNA that lit up a room and the lives of those who came in contact with her. She will be sadly missed.

force. He trained as a policeman but specialised in intelligence, playing an important role in several undercover operations. The great respect for him among his colleagues was obvious from the splendid turnout on the day of his funeral.

One of his final acts, done with characteristic humour amongst the face mask and tubes, had been to pose proudly in his hospital bed for a photograph with helmet and truncheon, holding his newly-presented long service award (20 years).

Simon Christopher Lee was born in January 1972 to parents Eric and Christine, and was the youngest of the four Lee children. The elder children had adapted to their parents’ accustomed way of life, forever working on a property and moving up the ladder to a bigger and better one.

But for Simon his childhood home was always “The Hollow” on Penn Lane where the family finally settled in the mid 1970s.

Chief among his hobbies were skiing, football and his allotment on the Hilly Field.

Fewer people knew about Simon’s responsible position with the county police

Simon was a devoted father and husband, and a loving brother and son. Latterly of the Lilypool, he leaves a widow, Sarah Jane, stepson Lewis and children Oliver and Felicity.

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

The Assembly Rooms, High Street, Melbourne

Tuesday 5th March, 2013 at 7.30pm ALL WELCOME.

Melbourne’s U14s team suffers a rare setback

MELBOURNE’S U14s suffered a rare defeat at the hands of the renowned Droitwich U14s. North Midlands Champions, Droitwich were expected to be a tough fixture, but the comprehensive 43-5 defeat was difficult to witness.

Some uncharacteristic slack tackling resulted in Melbourne arriving at half-time trailing 19-5 with Derice Laing scoring for Melbourne.

Melbourne had little answer to the ballwinning skills and attack of the Droitwich backs as they plundered another four tries without reply in the second half.

The New Year saw the U14s travel to another top Midlands side, current Staffordshire champions Tamworth. Keen to put into practice the training changes that have been made recently, Melbourne scored first with an electric blindside break by Ben Goddard as he put Connor Hooper away

and whizzed in for a score. Joe Todd unluckily hit the woodwork with the conversion.

Tamworth struck back by exploiting a ‘guard gap’ before Rhys James used explosive footwork to power over for a score. Tamworth replied again, unusually outpacing Melbourne out wide.

Melbourne had a number of chances to increase the lead but a combination of ‘pass avoidance’ and committed defence saw Tamworth hold their line intact to bring up a 10-10 half-time scoreline.

In the second half, Tamworth came out blazing but Melbourne gradually exerted a grip on the game.

Another half break by Goddard allowed John Cooke-Rogers to dummy and burst his way through for an impressive score.

Another surge from Arjun Nath saw James Askew spin wide and this time Joe Bhalay linked expertly to allow Jacob Taylor to give Jack Ashcroft a chance for his

maiden ‘A’ team score. Tamworth came back strongly, but despite repeated possession phases Melbourne held firm and fully deserved the 20-10 win.

Forward of the day was Jack Slater with a superb technical and energetic performance, and James Askew who put in a mature and intelligent display orchestrating the backs.

THE U14 Saxons travelled to Southwell and, in freezing conditions, struggled to cope with Southwell's attack and conceeded a number of tries to be behind 40-5 at half-time.

A spirited second half display saw the Saxons run in four tries, but the victory was beyond them as Southwell finished as 4529 winners.

Try scorers for the month were: Derice Laing, Connor Hooper, Rhys James, John Cooke-Rogers [2], Jack Ashcroft [3] and Henry Kaszmarczyk [2].

TUES

Walks at Hopton Hall, Derbyshire 2:30 onto Carsington Water for lunch

Please look out for our Minibus Questionnaire. We would appreciate your views on our service and welcome your comments and suggestions. Copies will be available from next week either from the Community Care o ce or on the minibus.

● Melbourne U15s: (l-r, rear) Paul Loakes (coach), Steve Wilson (coach), Arthur "Speedy" Henry, Jon Dowd, Alex Hotchkies, Jamie Wilson, Jarrad Hurst, George Loakes, Ben Bradley, Jake Stoddard, Charlie Ellis, Sam Walton, Louis Chapman, Phil Milton (Coach), Charles Henry (coach); (front) Joe Cuthbertson, Dan Stalmeisters, Ben Milton, David Westmoreland, Dan Swainston, Luke Merrey, Tom Partington and Ben Pye.

Naomi Fry BDS & Associates, Helen Baker BDS

Melbourne Parish Council

Junior cricket on the up and up

JUNIOR CRICKET at Melbourne Town Cricket Club grows with success.

The junior side of the game has long been a priority at the club and now, with the success of the club as a whole and particularly the junior section, more teams are being added to enable more junior players from Melbourne and district to enjoy the sport.

In 2012 the club had great success with the senior sides. The first XI were crowned champions of their division by nearly 100 points and reached the Wright Cup final. With the introduction of a third

league team, there is a clear pathway for junior players to develop within the club from kwik cricket through to adult league cricket.

For the 2013 season the club is pleased to announce the introduction of an under-11 hardball team and an under-15 league team to add to the established kwik cricket and under-13 teams.

The club is seeking sponsorship for the two new teams (under11s hardball and under-15s). Businesses that may be interested in displaying their logo on the front of the playing shirts should contact Alex Slater on 07966933583.

Always on the look-out for new players of any standard, the club would welcome anyone interested and invite them to join in winter coaching or in the coming season. Under-13s will be especially welcome.

Melbourne Town Cricket Club is proud to have been awarded the coveted clubmark accreditation from the Derbyshire Cricket Board in 2012.

This award highlights the club's priority for junior development.

Continuing this development, the club now has one ECB level two coach and two further coaches completing their level two courses this winter. This is in addition to the existing four ECB level one coaches.

Dynamoes into last eight

MELBOURNE Dynamoes beat the appalling weather in January to secure a last eight spot in the Challenge Cup.

With a comfortable 4-2 away victory against Mickleover RBL, a brace apiece from Matt Brian and Tom Ballard ensured their place in the next round.

The first team had only one league game in the month and came out of an exciting encounter 5-4 winners against Matlock Sports. A double from Adam Ross plus strikes from Dave Brough, Lee Scott and Tom Ballard earned the three points.

Dynamoe Reserves lost one and won one of

their two league games in January. They began with a 3-2 defeat at home to Shardlow St James with Farrall Scott getting both goals.

A superb team performance saw the reserves beat high-flying Newton 3-0 away from home with Farrall Scott, Dom Saniera and a rare Jimmy Wilcox strike securing the win.

TICKNALL Rangers only had one league game in January and a poor performance saw them go down 5-1 at home to Greenfield Royal Oak with veteran player-manager Alex Slater getting the consolation with a sublime free-kick to roll back the years.

For any information contact Julian Humpidge on 07543815727 or julianhumpidge@btinternet.com

● Melbourne Dynamoes 1st XI (back row, l-r): Jack Stanley, Danny Guild, Mark Croake, Lee Scott, Dave Brough, Matt Jones, Adam Ross, Jack Purkiss; (front row) Connor Betteridge, Steve Bryram, Alan Buxton (asst manager), Carl Allsop (capt), Matthew Brian and Jak Ward.

MICK BALE, chairman of South Derbyshire District Council, visited Melbourne Rugby Club’s Minis and Minxes (the girls section) for one of their training sessions at Chellaston School.

Peter Ilott (Melbourne RFC chairman), Nick Brown (Minis and Juniors Chairman) and David Smith (MRFC President) welcomed the councillor and talked to him about the Melbourne Sporting Partnership and its relevance to improving the recreational facilities in Melbourne as well as the importance that the Sporting Partnership will have in providing youth sport.

The councillor spent over an hour with the minis and girls teams, chatting to coaches, parents and players.

Pictured are Peter Ilott, David Smith, Councillor Bale, Nick Brown, Tess Gaunt (U7 coach) and some of the U6 and U7 players and their coaches.

Council chief drops in on training session

Mighty Melbourne ease way up into second spot

MELBOURNE RFC 1st XV continue to press for promotion following two strong performances in January. However, the adverse weather put a stop to their momentum.

First up in January was a visit from Mellish, with Harpurs of Melbourne sponsoring the match ball. Mellish were flying high in the league, having won five games on the bounce and with Melbourne’s winning streak up to nine, many feared a close game.

However, Melbourne proved to be worthy winners, recording a 26-0 victory in wet conditions under-foot at the Melbourne Recreation Ground.

The first try came in the first minute. Mellish failed to deal with the opening kick-off, with the ball put in the hands of Sam Stuart, who went careering through the tackles of the Mellish defence. The ball was then spun to Will Judge to crash through the gain-line hold onto the ball to allow Melbourne to recycle the ball once more and put Dale Bilson away into the corner.

Melbourne started to get a strangle-hold on the match, spending a lot of time in the Mellish half and this strong start to the game was a good sign for Melbourne, who often struggle in the opening period of games.

Further scores for Dale Bilson, Rob Foster and Al Judge, with Euan Holden kicking three conversions, saw Melbourne establish a 26-0 half-time lead. Melbourne were keen to ensure they left Mellish scoreless. They did so in emphatic fashion, with a strong defensive showing in the second half which left Mellish battered and bruised. Although Melbourne did not score again, the bonus point had been secured and there were strong performances from all involved.

Melbourne next travelled to Lincoln to face a side brimming with confidence after an away victory over second-placed Kesteven the previous weekend. This suggested a potential banana skin for Melbourne, but they came out worthy winners in a convincing 35-13 victory.

Melbourne lost the toss and played down the slope in the first half, giving the away side the opportunity in the opening period to put some points on the board. Melbourne obliged, putting together a first-half performance which has to go down as one of the best of the season.

Set-pieces functioned well, with the front five giving a great performance at scrum-time, giving the backs the platform to play some good rugby deep in the Lincoln half. Tommy Howard, Kier Biggins and Matt Smith all scored tries with Euan’s tactical kicking pinning the home side in their own half.

Melbourne were well aware of the advantage that the slope could give to the home-side in the second half. If the first half performance had been clinical, then the second was most definitely resilient. Tight defending around the break-down coupled with an excellent drift defence in the midfield saw Lincoln struggle to spend any time in Melbourne’s half. An interception try from Tommy Howard secured the bonus point win and the final score was a just reflection of the match. With Kesteven losing, Melbourne are now second in the league.

The second XV finally managed to field a side for two weeks running and would have done for the whole month without the weather intervening.

First up was a trip to Matlock thirds. Despite a slow start, Melbourne fought back with tries from Jack Pearce, Tom Line and Morris Hall. Two were converted by Scott Buxton. However, it was not enough and Melbourne went down 19-38.

For the trip to Belper, Melbourne took a very young side and won 33-14. There were tries from Scott Buxton, Danny Lawson (2), Sean Moran and Danny Stanniforth, with four conversions for Scott.

The U18s have not played, with the weather affecting all their fixtures. The U17s (currently playing with Ashby) beat Oadby Wyggstonians in the Leicestershire league and stand a good chance of qualifying for the National cup.

The U16s had a good win in the mud against Oadby Wyggstonians, winning 38-0.