Melbourne Village Voice November 2016

Oak tree to remember our war heroes

AN OAK tree will be planted to remember fallen First World War heroes at the Melbourne Sports Park on Remembrance Day – because poplar trees originally put in the ground for that purpose are being chopped down.

Councillor Andrew Jackson told the latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council on November 1 that the oak tree was a replacement for poplar trees which were originally planted to remember Melbourne’s fallen from the Great War.

Two of those poplars came down during the creation of the park, and the remainder will have to come out because of a planned new bowling green, which is going to form part of the facilities on Cockshut Lane.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Jackson said: “The Legion has been totally supportive of this – we have got a nice big tree to plant.”

The special service will accompany the planting of the oak tree after 11am on November 11. It will bear a special commemorative plaque.

n THE Hallowe’en experience in parts of Melbourne was a scary event when ghouls and ghosts and all things horrible were spotted in the garden of Simon and Sue Quinn.

The Royal British Legion was also the scene for some Hallowe’en fun and there are pictures on Page 3.

NEWSCHOOLBLOW FloodingriskcitedasMelbournemissesout

by LUCY STEPHENS

SOUTH Derbyshire’s new secondary school has been earmarked for a site near Elvaston and not in Melbourne or Stenson Fields, new council papers reveal.

A report from the county council’s children’s services department says that, after a long-running consultation, the preferred site for a new secondary school is Thulston Fields, close to the new Boulton Moor housing development north of Aston-on-Trent.

A second site near to new houses in Chellaston has also been shortlisted, and education leaders are recommending both be considered.

A new secondary school is needed to educate nearly 2,000 extra secondary-aged pupils result-

ing from 9,794 new homes planned for this part of South Derbyshire. The stipulation is that any site must accommodate at least 800 pupils with room to expand.

Residents were first asked for their views on where a new secondary school should be built in March 2015.

At that time, four locations were on the table: Melbourne, Findern, Stenson Fields and Boulton Moor – with Melbourne ranked last out of those sites based on various criteria including proximity to other schools, flood risk, access and land value.

County council chiefs revealed later that year they were considering other sites for a school and the latest document, revealed seven possible locations which were: Aston, Weston and Shardlow; Thulston Fields at Boulton Moor; Findern; Newhouse Farm (west of Derby City, north of Etwall); Wragley Way at Stenson Fields; Melbourne, and

Lowes Farm at Chellaston.

Sites were ranked according to how much a school in any location would disrupt education in nearby schools – ie, by splitting communities –the viability of acquiring land, flood risk and sustainable development.

Based on that, Thulston Fields comes out as the preferred location, mainly because it is closest to the most new housing development.

Lowes Farm at Chellaston comes a close second, and education planners want both sites to be “notified” – formally put forward as locations for a new school in South Derbyshire’s Local Plan. Another option would be to expand existing schools, with John Port listed as having potential to grow by 500 pupils.

The consultation received 39 responses, of which 30 were from members of the public and 14 from people living in the Melbourne area who wanted a new secondary to be built in the village.

It was pointed out that a new secondary school for Melbourne would offer community benefits such as a swimming pool, and fears were also expressed that not building a school in the village could result in the community’s children being split up.

The question as to whether Melbourne parents would still want their children to attend Chellaston Academy attracted a mixed response, with some asking whether a satellite from the school could be based in Melbourne but others pointing out it may become less popular having lost its outstanding Ofsted rating.

However, some respondents felt that the village lacked the infrastructure to cope with a new school and there was also a risk of flooding.

Education officers ranked Melbourne, Aston and Weston less favourably for several reasons, including the risk of splitting communities and because a suitable site had not been identified.

Remembering Battle of the Somme’s last day

LOCAL people are being invited to go along to a special service at Melbourne Parish Church to commemorate the final day of one of history’s bloodiest battles.

Six residents of Melbourne lost their lives in the Battle of the Somme, which was fought between the Allies and the Germans from July 1 to November 18, 1916.

The Melbourne branch of the Royal British Legion is holding a special service in the parish church at 7pm on November 18 and everyone is being invited to go to pay their respects to the fallen in an Act of

Remembrance. Melbourne Town Band will be providing the music at the service.

The opening day of the conflict, July 1, was also marked in Melbourne at a solemn early morning ceremony outside the church, at which three short whistle blasts marked the moment when thousands of men went over the top and were mown down in their droves.

Anyone who would like to go on November 18, but is unable to make the journey, is asked to call branch secretary Brendan

O’Neill on 07968 126325 to arrange transport.

Brendan said: “As a branch, we are the custodians of remembrance – it’s important to the Melbourne Royal British Legion and the people of Melbourne that we do remember those who have fallen, even 100 years ago.”

The service is part of a series of commemorative events marking a centenary since The First World War, with a concert planned for September next year to mark the end of hostilities.

THE quarterly meetings of the Safer Neighbourhood group and the Local Area Forum took place in Barrow-upon-Trent.

The Area Forum focussed mostly on Swarkestone Causeway, with the problems of heavy vehicles and traffic congestion getting a good discussion.

The problem extended beyond the causeway to roads which had become diversion routes for HGVs and included the problems for Aston/Weston residents turning right out of Aston Lane.

The rationale of a proposal by Derbyshire County Council to spend £48,000 on the problem, by installing a system of weight monitoring was challenged. County Councillor Rob Davison was keen to ensure that whatever was spent was good value for money.

Melbourne Parish Cllr Dave Smith suggested that the real issue with Swarkstone Bridge was not one solely of HGVs but the high volumes of traffic overall, particularly at peak times.

The impact of delays was being seen both up to the A50 roundabout and back to the outskirts of Melbourne. There was a general consensus that something needed to be done.

The police provided an update on local crime issues. There had been a number of successful outcomes where restorative justice had been applied to pay for criminal damage, and some sentences for more serious offences.

There was an absence of crime statistics, as the transfer to a new crime reporting process was causing difficulties.

A lengthy discussion about an abandoned crashed car in

Aston-on-Trent exposed some weaknesses of process, as police were powerless to intervene where a wrecked vehicle was on private land; responsibility for disposal lay between land owner and the registered owner.

This could result in an eyesore and potential risk to children if it was left in situ for a lengthy period.

It was reported that a number of projects had been funded under the safer neighbourhood grant scheme, and two schemes were approved, but there was still money in the pot for any deserving projects.

An interesting development was the introduction of bodyworn cameras for all uniformed police. PC Oliver Priddle explained that the small unit could be switched on to record abusive behaviour and it had

proved its deterrence value with a 93% decrease in abuse. Problems in response to calls to the police on 101 were also raised. It was recognised this was a force-wide issue and the public were invited to feed back any problems encountered and to make use of the online reporting system.

XMAS FAYRE

A CHRISTMAS fayre will be held at Findern Village Hall on Saturday, November 12, from 10am-noon, with proceeds in aid of All Saints’ Church. Bacon/sausage baps will be served throughout the morning. In addition to a raffle with giant hamper, tombola, cakes, bottle stall, bric-a-brac, games of chance and plants, there will be a wide range of items made by local craft people.

n CELEBRATING the success of Melbourne Fete and Carnival 2016 continued in October when 100 people attended a function at the Royal British Legion Club.

The occasion was ‘presentation night’ when cheques totalling £3,200 were presented to various charities and organisations in the town, many that had supported the July event in some way.

In addition to the 35 cheques presented by Carnival chair Tracey Ridley, ably supported by Miss Melbourne and her attendants, a slide show of the big day was presented by Andrew Jansen. A buffet was enjoyed by those attending, and music was provided by two local bands.

The date for the 2017 carnival will be July 8 with the theme ‘Back to the 80s’.

Melbourne wins £80k in flood money

FLOODING experts trying to get to the bottom of why Melbourne is so badly affected by downpours have won £80,000 in funding to help them investigate further.

The news was heard in the latest residents’ flooding meeting, held in Melbourne Assembly Rooms.

Victoria Coombes, flood risk engineer from Derbyshire County Council, told the meeting that a bid for funding had been successful, with £40,000 allocated for this financial year and a further £40,000 for 2017/8.

The funding will be spent on helping investigations, including creating an intricate computer model illustrating all the latest information on why Melbourne floods –which will then be used to bid for more cash

to try to solve the problem.

In September’s Village Voice, we reported that engineers from Severn Trent were going to put sensors in Melbourne’s pipes network to understand how local sewers reacted to rainfall.

The latest meeting heard that the sensors had not yet been inserted because the more engineers continued to look at Melbourne’s complex drainage network, the more information continued to come to light – including sections of pipes which pass under private land.

This, it was explained at the meeting, sometimes made access difficult and timeconsuming.

Ms Coombes said that a long-term solution to Melbourne’s flooding problem may well take up to a decade. She added that no-

one should expect it would solve all of the village’s flooding issues since Melbourne is built on a steep-sided catchment, which meant it would always be vulnerable to extreme weather.

But she said: “What we can do is limit the amount of times it happens and limit the extent it happens.”

Residents are being urged to go along to the open meetings, where they can ask questions to experts working to resolve Melbourne’s flooding issues, including engineering representatives from Derbyshire County Council, Severn Trent Water and South Derbyshire District Council.

The next meeting is on Wednesday, January 18, at Melbourne Assembly Rooms at 6.30pm.

n Melbourne Royal British Legion played host to ‘Hallowe’en gets Creepy’, a fun-filled family event. Bugs 'n' Bones arrived with tarantulas, snakes, lizards and much more, shortly followed by Barry White, who entertained the kids with magic and games. And finally a fancy dress competition and a family disco with DJay.

Melbourne ‘needs more benches’

A PLEA to get more benches for Melbourne to replace those which are no longer there is to be discussed by village leaders.

The latest meeting of Melbourne Parish Council heard the suggestion from Cllr Mick Usher, who said three benches from the centre of the village were no longer in situ, including one at the end of Queensway and another opposite the shoe shop on Derby Road – and this could be a problem for older people or those with mobility issues.

He told councillors: “As Melbourne gets bigger, people have got further to walk to get into the centre. If you’re struggling a bit or have got a bit of shopping, if you live on Smith Avenue or Nettlefold Crescent there’s nowhere to sit down until you get into the centre.

“When benches get removed, there doesn’t seem to be any plan to put benches into new estates or consider moving them.”

Councillors said they would put the suggestion forward for discussion at committee.

Choir’s church performance

Church Choir presents a liturgical performance of ‘Requiem Mass’ by Gabriel Fauré in the church on Wednesday, November 9, at 7.45pm.

LEFT:

with father Liam get close up to a tarantula spider.

The Marlow Gallery

–Lucy Stephens

Freddie Coffey

ABOVE: Two young scaries dressed for the part at the Hallowe’en event.

MELBOURNE Parish

Country Living

with Robert Parker

WHAT a favourable autumn we’ve had so far and, whether it’s an Indian summer or not, long may it continue.

The fields are very dry, and most of our work has gone on in lovely conditions with little or no interruptions. Even maize harvesting has been done with few problems, and this can often be a dangerous time bringing soil and mud onto the roads from the fields.

Cattle are still out of doors on a lot of farms and, although they seem to have plenty of grass to eat, its quality at this point of the year is very low and needs some supplementation.

n The consequences of Brexit are reaching agriculture and it seems that it’s pain and pleasure.

Imported items like soya for feed and fertiliser have risen in price and it looks like this is going to continue. This may be being countered on some farms with a considerable rise in grain and oilseed prices.

That is not the case for the likes of me who sold quite a lot of crop ‘forward’ months ago, as-

suming the price at that time was a good one. The bottom line loss here will be in the region of £30-£40,000 and that could not have come at a worse time as generally yields of grain were very average.

I’m not quite sure how I’m going to pull out of this one; and another major decision is whether I should sell some of next year’s harvest as prices being offered are very good. Farming’s a tricky job at the best of times but having to cope with this sort of situation makes it even trickier.

The other thing that’s conspiring against us at the moment is milk price. Admitted there is a huge variation from farm to farm with some getting towards 30p a litre, but quite a few only in the mid-teens.

We had a letter a couple of days past saying our price is rising two pence per litre on December 1. Why delay it another month especially when the spot market price (that’s surplus milk sold by auction) is well over 30p per litre?

Recipe for success

THEY grow the food, they cook the food, they eat the food – Grow Cook Share does exactly what it says on the tin.

But there is more to it than that. The innovative food growing and sharing project, Grow Cook Share, based in Castle Donington, is really about trying to help bring people together in an age when many, particularly the elderly, are becoming socially isolated.

Grow Cook Share started two years ago with a £40,000 grant from Leicestershire County Council’s Innovation Fund. There are two main strands: an allotment where volunteers can come and get their hands dirty, and monthly lunches at which anywhere up to 70 people – ranging in age from 18 months to 101 – pay a small fee to go along to chat with friends and enjoy a four-course lunch.

The project has been very successful in reaching out to the town’s elderly, with volunteers from the Castle Donington Volunteer Centre – the group behind Grow Cook Share – picking up many attendees from their homes by means of the pre-existing bus service they run in the town.

Lisa Thorpe, who runs the allotment arm of the project, said: “The thought behind the project was social inclusion – the people who get on our buses, we have people who go the shops every day, not because they need shopping, but because it’s nice to get out of the house. So the idea was to bring those focuses together in a slightly different way.

“If we can get people up here to the allotment who are currently able to dig, then when they become unable to dig they are already in our system.”

The meals cooked under the auspices of Grow Cook Share feature home-grown seasonal vegeta-

bles from the allotment, along with locally sourced meat and other produce.

A regular attendee of the lunches is Connie Hallam, 101 – who on the day The Village Voice went along was marking her 80th wedding anniversary to her late husband.

She said: “It’s a very good thing – it’s very kind of them to put this on for us.”

Volunteer Gill Schofield said: “This is bringing so many people together, so they can sit with their friends and get what may be missing from their home environment. It’s a very good social event.”

Grow Cook Share needs more volunteers so it can keep going: if you would like to help out, you can give the volunteer centre a call on 01332 850526. – Lucy

awards.

Stephens

n THE 101st Derbyshire Horticultural Association annual show was held at Swarkestone Nursery over the weekend of October 22-23 and pictured are some of the successful exhibitors with their produce and

Chairman David Thornton said: “It was probably the best ever in recent times thanks to the wonderful growing season South Derbyshire has experienced.”

l Sue Clarke, Liam Foster and Lisa Thorpe on the Grow Cook Share allotment.

Jawbone Lane D-Day looms

THE final decision on whether developers can build up to 34 homes on Jawbone Lane looks set to be made within the month, after a five-day planning inquiry of intricate legal arguments and bitter words.

The latest decision on whether the hotly contested patch of land in King’s Newton can be developed for housing is listed on The Planning Inspectorate website to be made before December 2.

That follows the inquiry held at South Derbyshire District Council’s offices in October which heard fierce wrangling by barristers and experts on both sides, followed by a site visit.

Under planning law anyone who is turned down for permission to build properties is allowed to appeal to the inspector, who can either override the decision or agree with it.

Ashby-based chartered surveyors Fisher German were appealing after being twice refused permission to build homes on Jawbone Lane.

Another developer, Linden Homes, had also asked to build up to 60 homes on Jawbone Lane and was also turned down.

They too appealed, but were dismissed by the planning inspector.

But Fisher German used different arguments to try to persuade inspector Martin Whitehead of their case.

Their barrister, Satnam Choongh, first of all successfully argued that the appeal should be heard for the building of 34 homes and not 44 –

which had been the original scheme.

But one of the main debates was over a claim by Fisher German that South Derbyshire District Council had not got a five-year housing supply –the council’s position being that it has.

This is very important because the Government wants houses built and until councils can show they have enough development in the pipeline for the next five years, it is very hard for them to argue against new housing schemes.

Summing up the case for Fisher German, Mr Choongh argued that the proposed 34 homes would be seen “within the context of the existing urban edge” of Melbourne and would be “extremely well contained in visual terms”, adding: “It’s difficult indeed to think of a thing being proposed that will have less impact on the area”.

Jack Smyth, for the district council, pointed out that the Local Plan – the document that sets out what houses can be built and where – had been formally adopted four months ago, saying to the inspector: “For you to conclude that the council cannot demonstrate a five-year planning supply so soon after the plan had been adopted is unlikely to boost public confidence in the planning system.”

The council argued that the houses would bring Melbourne and King’s Newton closer together – where they have historically remained separate – and they would impact on the area’s heritage, King’s Newton being a conservation area. –Lucy Stephens

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FOLLOWING on from the successful Spooktacular event held in October on the Melbourne Common site, Whistlewood is preparing for its next event.

You are invited to visit the Thomas Cook Hall, Melbourne, from 2pm-5pm on Sunday, November 27, for an afternoon of wreath-making and Christmas crafting, all made with natural materials. There will also be children's activities and refreshments.

A FUND-RAISING event with the theme ‘Coffee, Cake and Car Wash Do It For Dom’ was held in October at Ticknall Village Hall. The sum of £1,000 was raised, which will help cancer sufferer Dominic Bergin continue his life-saving treatment.

n THE results of a bequest to Melbourne Methodist Church came to fruition over the Art Festival weekend when, during the service, a new font was presented to the church.

The font, decorated with doves, and a new wooden cross were dedicated in memory of former church stalwart, Joe Jackson.

Church members are pictured after the presentation. Seated is Margaret Jackson, Joe’s widow, holding the new font with Mark Dale, Pam Worrall, Joy Young, Alan Brady and Christine Lee, standing.

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l Protesters to the Jawbone Lane planning application make their feelings known at the site visit.

The family of the late Audrey Hicklin.

Linda, Mark and Kerrie would like to thank everyone who sent cards, made donations to the value of £530 for the Air Ambulance and Arthritis U.K, and for all the kindness and support that they received following their recent loss. Also, J. Springthorpe for their professionalism and Marcus Hargis for a lovely service.

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Mobile: 07759 930346

Email: kay@kaybeardsleycounselling.co.uk www.kaybeardsleycounselling.co.uk

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From front room to art gallery

WHILST most of us think about converting a spare room into an office, or maybe a playroom, Melbourne residents Emily and Charles Daley have converted their front room into an art gallery and called it The Marlow.

“The idea came about mainly as it is such a lovely room which we were not using,” said Emily, “and it is just something we have wanted to do.”

Emily has qualifications in design and, with her mother being a well-known artist, she comes from a creative background, so it is a natural progression for her. With threeyear-old twins, it also means she can work from home.

The gallery is ‘by appointment only’ however; because of the location near the parish church, a public retail space was not really viable.

“But,” added Charles “we do not want to create the idea that if you visit you must make a purchase. We want people to come and look at the art, have a lovely cup of coffee and come back as often as they would like.”

The informal gallery will specialise in contemporary fine art and selected ceramics and sculpture. At the present there are pieces by Staffordshire bronze sculptor Dennis Westwood, ceramics by Andrew Rouse, and art by Sandra Blow and Mary Ford.

The couple (pictured) said: “We opened in September, and we were open during the Festival and were just blown away by how many people visited that weekend. Since then most of the visits have come through social media connections. We have had some really positive comments.

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n THERE was a good turnout for the craft, food and gift fair held at Melbourne Assembly Rooms. Organiser Lorna Robinson, pictured with visitors Shirley Hicklin and Margaret Hulse, said she was pleased with the day. “I always try to organise a good mix of stalls to give everyone a variety of choice,” she said, “and Melbourne is always a good place to visit.”

“Our next plan is for a new exhibition starting on November 25, and we will have an advanced preview for invited guests.”

The Marlow name derives from Emily’s great aunt, who had a fashion boutique, and they just wanted to keep the name alive.

Charles is a pilot and the couple returned last year to Derbyshire after seven years in Dubai, where he was operating from, to make their home in Melbourne.

Their aspirations for the gallery are very modest at the moment, hoping that it just gains a good name for itself and becomes known as a great space to exhibit.

– Frank Hughes

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New app-roach to stop food going to waste

FANCY sharing some food for free to stop it going to waste? Then sign up to the latest mobile phone app, which is being launched in Melbourne.

OLIO is a free social enterprise app set up by Londoners Saasha Celestial-One and Tessa Cook which enables people to share food for free to avoid it being thrown in the bin.

Now Sainsbury’s has joined in the revolution through its Waste Less, Save More Campaign.

Organisers behind the app are launching a scheme in Melbourne which, it is hoped, will enable local people to access food from

the local Sainsbury’s branch close to its useby date but which is perfectly edible. But, before that can happen, more local residents are needed to sign up to OLIO.

The scheme works by allowing users to upload pictures of food they would otherwise throw away – for example, if they are going on holiday and have not got time to eat it, or if they feel it will just not be used.

People living locally who have also signed up are then able to access the food for free, and the app allows users to arrange food to be picked up.

OLIO is being launched in Melbourne by Toni Dean, who has been behind setting up

BID TO SAVE ANCIENT HOLY WELL

A BID to preserve a holy well in King’s Newton whose history dates back more than 350 years is to be put forward to parish councillors.

The complex history around the holy well started in 1662 when Robert Hardinge of Donington Hall marked the head of a spring on his land by building an arched stone structure over it.

That lasted for more than 300 years until a nearby ash tree caused it to collapse and the site deteriorated – until Melbourne Civic Society took charge and restored the well in 1985 with a new wellhead and viewing platform.

But Ian Turner, from the civic society, told the latest Melbourne Parish Council meeting that some of the platform had very recently fallen away.

Now the civic society, which has been looking after the well for 30 years, wants the well compulsorily purchased from the owner by the district council so the group can preserve it for future generations.

Mr Turner told the meeting: “If it isn’t restored it’s going to collapse completely and that’s one of your heritage assets gone, and a lot of people do visit it.”

The council will discuss the idea.

the venture in Swadlincote, where it now has 1,000 users.

She said: “Not only is food wasted, it also contributes to the reduction of our resources because of making that food.

“Instead of sending it to landfill, we are getting it in front of somebody in our community who will use it up, whether it’s freezing it or baking or whatever. We need people in Melbourne to start downloading the app and using it in the community.”

If enough people start using OLIO in Melbourne, volunteers will then be sought to arrange collecting surplus food from Sainsbury’s.

Choir’s cuppa

cheer

MELBOURNE choir A Choir’d Taste has donated its “Tea Total” to Community Care, handing over a cheque for £500.

The money has been raised from a small donation per cuppa at every choir rehearsal over the past year.

Choir committee member Stef Hill said: “Our conductor, Paul Marshall, used to invite us to have a tea break halfway through rehearsals, but there never was tea, so I thought we could easily organise that ourselves and raise some money for charity.”

Treasurer of the choir Christine Fox was delighted that so much had been raised and it had been agreed that Community Care was a very deserving local cause.

Ann Harrison, accepting the donation, said: “It was lovely to be appreciated by local people as a deserving cause, and the donation will come in very useful.”

Community Care is completely funded from donations and needs the support of local fund-raising just to keep going.

l A fund-raising event organised by Melbourne WI at Melbourne’s Senior Citizens’ Centre in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care raised £1,300. A cheque was presented on behalf of the WI by Mary Trevena (vice-president) to Gini Smith (Macmillan senior fund-raising manager, Derbyshire).

A Choir’d Taste will also be donating proceeds from one of its forthcoming concerts to charity. The Christmas concerts, “To Bethlehem Come”, are scheduled for December 9 and 10 at Melbourne Assembly Rooms. It is planned that funds from the Friday night concert will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Christine Fox and Stef Hill are pictured presenting the cheque to Ann Harrison, of Melbourne Community Care.

Charles Frederick 'Fred' Heafield

- 1926 - 2016 -

The family of Fred Heafield would like to thank everyone who attended his funeral and are grateful for the support of family and friends. Donations received totalling £436 have been given to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Fire crew’s new machine

THE OLD MAN has been traded in for a newer and bigger model! No, it’s not the latest local scandal, but a positive news story from Melbourne Fire Station.

The previous MAN fire engine has been traded up for a newer, Scania P270 Water Tender Ladder.

Watch Manager Andy Astle described the new vehicle as “much bigger, with loads more storage space, enabling us to carry more and better equipment”.

Some of the kit now carried on the vehicle is quite amazing, including a thermal imaging camera, which enables visibility through thick smoke; a PPV fan, which is used for clearing smoke and providing ventilation; and liquid tight suits to respond to any chemical spillage.

And some of the equipment has already been called into action. Attending a recent road traffic accident in Castle Donington, the Hydraulic Rescue Spreader, which looks like a giant pair of pincers, was used to free a trapped victim. It also carries as standard a hydraulic ram and cutters.

The vehicle is fitted with a water tank, capable of extinguishing a car fire, and digitally controlled pumping equipment. It also has a sophisticated on-board computer which enables the crew to call up detailed street maps, plans of heritage and sensitive sites and designs of most vehicle models.

Whilst on the way to a call-out, the crew can be as best prepared as possible for what they might encounter.

The vehicle is both wider and longer than the old appliance, and Andy is reminding car owners to be considerate when parking: “Narrow roads are a particular challenge – and folding back offside mirrors, and ensuring wheels are not turned outwards can help, particularly along some of the most congested of our streets.”

It is hoped that the deployment of the better appliance is further evidence of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service’s commitment to the local retained station, along with a continuing recruitment drive.

–Frank Hughes

l Andrew Astle (left) with Alan Buxton, Daniel Johnson, Stephen Irwin, Calvin Smith and Liam Moloney and their new pride and joy.

Farm fury after dog leads to a prize cow’s death

A MELBOURNE farming couple have voiced their anger and heartbreak at dog owners continuing to let their animals off the lead while walking on fields where they graze livestock –after being forced to put down the prize-winning pregnant matriarch of their dairy herd, killing her unborn calf, too.

Tori and Ben Stanley, who farm 380 acres of land between Melbourne and Wilson, have been left £5,000 out of pocket after their pride and joy, Blackbrook Rowena, was left so badly injured with a broken pelvis she had to be shot on site.

But they say that is nothing compared to the severe emotional trauma of having to put down a “beautiful, graceful animal”.

Tori and Ben’s problem lies in dog owners who let their animals off their leads while on their land, worrying their livestock – despite notices asking for dogs to be kept on the lead.

In nearly two years since they have farmed there, dogs off leads have caused countless problems with worried livestock, including many lost lambs and one which was chased so much by dogs it hanged itself to death on a fence.

The latest incident happened on the evening of Saturday October 8 when Tori found Blackbrook Rowena lying on a path with a broken pelvis.

“She was on the footpath with her back legs behind her, like jelly,” Tori said. “It was mortifying. Ben and I are grown adults and we just stood in the field and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.”

Earlier that day, Tori had asked two owners to put their dogs back on their leads on the farm’s land. She said that Rowena had been such a strong-minded beast, who was fazed by little, that nothing but a dog let off its lead could have caused her to be stressed

enough to so badly injure herself.

Rowena was part of a 40-strong herd of Pedigree Longhorn cattle and was named Breed Champion at the Derby Show. She was six months pregnant, as well as having a “calf at foot”.

Tori and Ben had to call a vet and the abattoir out to diagnose Rowena and put her down, and their lost revenue includes having her carcass taken away, as well as losing a pedigree calf and the loss of growth of Rowena’s other calf – which will now not be able to milk from its mother.

The law says that dogs should be under control while in public.

Tori said: “That morning, I had to talk to two people whose dogs were miles away from their owners. When you see a dog which is in hunt mode – no-one has got

control.

start for walk

MELBOURNE Footpaths Group

Circular Walk on Thursday, November 17, will start at 10am from Melbourne Parish Church Square, where there are a number of nearby ‘Walkers are Welcome’ venues for a pre-walk cuppa and post-walk lunch.

l Tori Stanley next to Blackbrook Rowena.

Picture by Harry Gladwin.

“For the few which do, if they are gun dogs – they should set an example.

“If you’re on somebody else’s farm, on a footpath, you should respect that, and if that particular farmer wants you to have your dogs on leads, then you should do that.

“I feel completely let down by this. This is my home, my life and my livelihood – somebody has come into my office and burned a lifetime’s work.

“If you lose your dog for five minutes, you then recall them, that’s 10 minutes of not being in control of your dog. The solution is so simple for people with dogs, but for us as farmers it’s impossible.”

The couple say if they continue to experience problems with people ignoring the notices, they will have to consider putting up cameras. – Lucy Stephens

This interesting four-mile walk goes towards Broadstone Lane and Staunton Harold Reservoir, and takes in views of Melbourne Hall gardens. There are several stiles and the walk will last approximately two hours.

MFG requests a donation of £2 from walkers to help towards the group's running costs. n A major part of the work MFG does is repairing and installing footpath furniture, which includes finger posts, stiles and kissing gates.

The space members have been using to carry out preparatory work, since the group was founded in 2012, is no longer available and MFG is now looking for a rent-free workshop and somewhere to store materials. MFG is happy to cover electricity costs.

If you, or an organisation you know, has suitable space, MFG would love to hear from you: 01332 865 720; www.melbournefootpathsgroup.org.uk.

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Echoes of Calke’s Christmas past

Sat 3, Sun 4, Sat 10, Sun 11, Sat 17, Sun 18 December 11am to 6pm (last entry 5pm) Lights, shadows and whispers will bring alive Calke’s Christmas past as you explore the tunnels and catch a glimpse of the house. As darkness falls experience Calke in all its twinkling glory; let the lanterns lead the way to the candle-lit church and see the pleasure grounds in a festive light.

Christmas craft show

Sat 3, Sun 4, Sat 10, Sun 11 December 11am to 6pm unique Christmas gifts to buy.

Sunday 18 December 11am to 4pm provide delicious food and drink to taste and buy – all of which has been grown, raised, from the talented Calke chefs.

Membership of the National Trust is a fantastic way to support the conservation work at Calke – in the House and Gardens as well as our internationally important protected

Calke Abbey winter opening

Restaurant & Shop: Daily 10am – 4pm Park & National Nature Reserve: Daily 7.30am – dusk

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h e l i n e f o r p h o n e b o x e s

IF YOU remember the days of four old pennies rattling in your hand, and pressing Button B, news of the further demise of the public call box will be enough to make you shed a tear into your pint of Watneys Red Barrel!

A further 29 of the 51 public payphones in the South Derbyshire area have been identified and proposed for removal by British Telecom under a consultation scheme which closes on January 8 next year.

Declining use of payphones, and the ubiquity of the mobile phone, means that many call boxes have not been used in the past 12 months. Under guidelines produced in 2005 by the regulatory OFCOM, BT can instigate a consultation process to notify communities of the intention to remove phones.

The list earmarked for removal includes phones at:

Main Street, Ticknall; Crewe and Harpur/Pingle Lane, Swarkestone; Main Street, Smisby; Main Street, Weston-on-

Trent; Main Street, Etwall; High Street, Repton.

And phones in Newton Solney, Walton, Etwall, Thulston, Shardlow and many in Swadlincote are also under threat.

Consultation notices, sent to parish councils, provide ways of appealing against the decision or adopting the phone box.The number of calls is not the only factor taken into account. If maintenance costs are high, and there is good mobile signal in the area and a concentration of payphones, BT will consider if there is a continuing need for a particular phone.

A BT spokesperson said it is committed to providing a public payphone service but, with usage declining by over 90 per cent in the last decade, it has continued to review and remove payphones which are no longer needed.

And where a community does wish to adopt the phone box the process is simple enough. And it just costs £1, which was 60 phone calls in old money …

– Frank Hughes

Group with a double vision for the future

NOT one, but two little bundles of joy – a new group has been formed in Melbourne to help and support increasing numbers of parents having twins.

The birth rate of twins has been on the rise worldwide for the past few decades and it seems Melbourne is in tune with that trend with significant numbers of baby duos arriving in the world.

Now parents of twins have organised themselves into a social group, Melbourne Multiples, and they try to meet on a regular basis to share advice and tips on the unique challenges of managing a pair of babies rather than just one.

“It’s hard enough being a parent anyway, but with the added complexity of managing with two, it’s nice to ask someone who’s been there,” says Kate Jackson, who started the group with some friends. She has one-year-old twins Thea and Xander, as well an older daughter, Isla, aged four.

Feeding two babies day and night, weaning, fitting two high chairs at the kitchen table, getting a wide pram through shop doorways – not to mention narrow pavements, especially on bin day, providing general entertainment for two children … these are all things on which other parents of twins can provide invaluable knowledge and advice.

Emily Daley, who has three-year-old twins George and Alice, said she has found the group invaluable, especially having recently moved to Melbourne.

She said: “We moved here last year and to meet all these other twins and their mums is so helpful for me … I’ve never been part of a twins’ group before.” Melbourne Multiples is a Facebook group

you can ask to join; the group also tries to meet at Little Wesley’s café on Potter Street and has suggested any new parents of twins wanting to join them could try contacting them through there. –LS

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GUITARS

POLICE have released photos of two guitars that were stolen from a house in Melbourne.

The instruments – a Columbus E335 and a Vox Apache teardrop design – were taken from a property in Blakemore Avenue.

It is thought they were stolen between September 12 and October 15 and could possibly have been sold between those dates.

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PUMPKIN HEADS

IN preparation for Hallowe’en, Heaths of Woodhouses held a special pumpkin harvest.

Organiser

Brian Heath said: “We were completely overwhelmed with the popularity of the day and thanks to all who supported it.”

The event was a new twist on the popular ‘Pick your Own’ normally reserved for soft fruits in the summer months.

Many visitors were spoilt for choice and for some the occasion went to their head.

ABOVE: David and Karen Dunn use their heads.

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TOP

one cops a load of at the Wakes

ORGANISERS and police at Melbourne’s Wakes said this year’s event had a great “family atmosphere” with plenty of people young and old coming out to enjoy themselves.

The Melbourne Wakes is a chartered fair – which means it was originally established by Royal Charter, many of which date back to medieval times –and is run by the Holland family, who are now in their fourth generation of organising such events.

The Hollands come to Melbourne directly after running the Goose Fair in Nottingham.

Albert Holland said: “It was a good year for us; we had fine weather. There were a lot of teenagers on the Friday and Saturday nights and families on the Saturday.

“People always come out for Melbourne Wakes. It’s a nice environment.”

PC Oliver Priddle, Safer Neighbourhood Officer for South Derbyshire, said: “It was a great year for policing the Wakes this year. There were no arrests made directly related to the Wakes and only a handful of calls for service for nuisance youths.

“There were no crimes recorded in Melbourne as a result of the event. As we were on foot all weekend we were able to respond quickly and I’m sure everyone will agree it was a great family atmosphere.”

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Eleanor wins fine art award

MELBOURNE Hall hosted the official announcement of the winner of the prestigious Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award –Eleanor Watson.

The theme for the seventh residency is once again 'Sense of Place', with a focus on 'The Changing Faces of Derbyshire'. In addition to creating paintings in response to this theme, Eleanor will also work within the University of Derby and the wider community as part of her residency.

Eleanor is proof that perseverance pays off. She has been shortlisted in 2012 & 2014 but applied again this year.

She has recently completed the Drawing Year at the Royal Drawing School and graduated from Wimbledon College of Art in 2012 with a First Class Honours BA in Painting. Eleanor has previously exhibited in London, Miami and New York and was selected from a very high quality field.

Eleanor says she is looking forward to getting to know the county and re-visiting the many places she remembers from childhood holiday. Her work will be exhibited at Derby Museum and Banks Mill in Derby next year and it is hoped to see her at Melbourne Festival.

Fashion show a model fund-raiser

MELBOURNE models strutted their stuff down the catwalk in a home-grown fashion event which raised more than £600 for Melbourne Assembly Rooms.

The fashion show was held at the Assembly Rooms by Melbourne’s two dress agencies – Best Kept Secret, in William’s Yard, and Frocks and Frippery, based on the High Street.

A total of 13 models volunteered their services for the occasion, wearing clothes from both shops, with the whole occasion raising £664 for raised seating at the venue.

Everyone who went was given a goody bag sponsored by Fortey’s, Melbourne Deli, No.11, Dandelion Stationery, Tetley tea-bags and Avon.

Hair and make-up was provided for the evening by Elysium in Melbourne’s Market Place.

Angela Higson, from Best Kept Secret, said: “The event was for the community that we work in and it’s good to give something back. The feedback from the audience was that they loved it because it was real women of all ages.”

Pictured at the fashion show are Angela Higson and Jenny Williams from Frocks and Frippery.

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Old mattresses lead to a top award for business owners

BUSINESS owners based in King’s Newton, Wilson and Aston-on-Trent have covered themselves in glory at a major national rural awards scheme – including a prize for a local project to recycle hospital mattresses for fuel rather than take them to the tip.

Gravity Digital, a marketing agency one of whose directors, Sharon Stevens-Cash, lives in Aston-on-Trent, and DG Light Haulage – a transport firm with warehouses in King’s Newton and Wilson – both emerged with honours at the Rural Business Awards, a UK-wide scheme specifically for the countryside sector.

Gravity, which has offices in Derby and Bakewell, beat off competition from the whole country to be named Britain’s Best Rural or Creative Media Business, after impressing judges who felt it was a “very professional and well established creative business with strong rural roots”, running a wide range of charity initiatives benefiting the local area.

Meanwhile, DG Light Haulage took the runner-up spot for Rural Innovation of the Year for its pioneering scheme to recycle hospital mattresses.

Owner David Guilford came up with the idea after being asked by another haulage company to dispose of some hospital mattresses by taking them to landfill.

He researched other options and found two sites in the UK where mattresses could be turned into environmentally friendly fuel.

DG Light Haulage has now recycled more than 5,600 mattresses and works with NHS Trusts across the country.

The company was also named runner-up in an-

other category of the awards: Rural Employer of the Year, because of its £80,000 growth programme which has seen the number of employees grow from two to 10 since 2014.

David said: “I’m very chuffed with the awards. With our hospital mattress recycling scheme, the mattresses used to go to landfill and I found two companies which could turn them into fuel – I just thought there had to be a better way of doing it than taking them to landfill.

“The people that I’ve got really are a good team. Haulage is a difficult thing to do because you are not often together and you need to come together as a team. We have a drivers’ shortage in the UK and to get such a good team as I have is great. It’s a scarce skill set to have somebody who can deliver the customer service as well as drive lorries. My business would be nothing without the team.”

Gravity director Sharon Stevens-Cash said she was “delighted” to win first prize for rural creative business, adding: “We work so hard and it means the world to us.” – Lucy Stephens

Italian job

DAVID Keith Jones was the speaker at the October meeting of Melbourne Civic Society. A professional photographer, David led his audience on a spectacular journey to see some of the beautiful sights in Ravenna and Florence.

The next meeting of the Civic Society will be on Monday, November 28, at 7.30pm in the Assembly Rooms. Ian Morgan will talk about The Foss Dyke. This will be followed by the annual Winter Social.

Comedy is back

COMEDY is returning to the British Legion in Melbourne for another night of fun and laughs, under the Melbourne Festival Banner.

Headlining will be musical comedian Christian Reilly. Supporting him is John Gordillo.

Compere James Sherwood and Lynn Ruth Miller, who you might just know if you are a big Britain’s Got Talent fan, complete the line-up.

The fun starts at 8pm on Friday, November 25. Tickets are available at Forteys, the RBL, online at wegottickets, or call 862243. All profits support the Festival.

Century of singers

A COMMUNITY performance of Handel’s Messiah with 100-plus local singers joining together will take place at St Edward’s Church, Castle Donington on Saturday, November 19. There will be a rehearsal at 2pm with the performance at 7.30pm.

“The event was planned as a prelude to all the busy-ness of the Christmas season but now has perfect timing as a way to raise money for Save the Children’s work with Syrian refugees,” says Vicar, Rev Andrew Micklethwaite.

Tickets (£5) are available at the door.

TOP: Sharon Stevens-Cash, Rachel Aylot, Andy Smith, Debbie Porter and Becki Castle of Gravity Digital.

RIGHT: Dave Guilford and wife Liz, of DG Light Haulage.

OBITUARY

Church welcomes its new minister

AUDREY Hicklin passed away peacefully at the age of 90 at the Royal Derby Hospital.

Originally from Woodville, Audrey was the eldest of six. After marrying her beloved husband George in 1946, they came to Melbourne in 1948 and never moved away.

After the birth of daughter Linda in 1950, Audrey set to work with Ken and Mildred Perry in the market garden fields bordering the village. This was often gruelling work especially in harsh winters, followed by trips to Ripley market, making for long days after an early start.

When George took over the stewardship of the Liberal Club in the 1970s Audrey followed and threw her energies into supporting him, the club and its members. They were very much a team and quickly became established as the life and soul of the club. They enjoyed the regular dances and many other social functions as well as their commitments to running the club.

After George passed away in 1992, Audrey continued working at her beloved Liberal Club until ill health forced her to retire at the age of 72. In retirement, she devoted time to several local social activities including the Wednesday Club, which she attended regularly for 25 years.

Another of her favourite pastimes were trips out on the Melbourne community bus with her daughter. Her 90th birthday party in March at the Tea Rooms brought her immense joy.

Throughout her life and time in Melbourne she was also a regular member and supporter of the United Reformed Church congregation.

Audrey was a kind, gentle and warm human being. Her loss has been keenly felt, not least by her siblings, daughter and grandchildren but by those in her community and social circle. She was devoted to and adored Melbourne, place and people, in equal measure.

Audrey’s funeral was held at the United Reformed Church, Melbourne. The church was extremely well attended as was the function at the Tea Rooms afterwards and serves as a mark of the affection in which she was held.

SATURDAY, October 1, was a special day for members of Melbourne’s United Reformed Church. It was the day that a special service of worship and celebration took place for the induction of the new minister, the Revd Marcus Hargis.

The church was filled to capacity and the new minister was inducted into his new post by Deputy Moderator, Revd Geoffrey Clarke.

The Revd Hargis will be taking on the pastoral ministry of the church in Melbourne, the URC at Little Eaton, and the role of Mission Enabler for the East Midlands Synod.

The Revd Hargis has come to Derbyshire from a North Staffordshire ministry in the Potteries where he participated in a joint ministry covering a range of churches from inner city to country chapel for eight years.

Marcus now lives in Melbourne with his family, wife Jaya and son Joshua aged two. On his arrival he had good news announcing that a new arrival is expected to join the family in January.

With the announcement Marcus added: “It’s good that the church will be going through a happy time after experiencing the tragic death of my predecessor Jane Barron and the long wait to fill the post.”

It is Marcus’s hope that he can lift the congregations in Melbourne and Little Eaton as well as being part of village life.

“With Melbourne being so compact it’s good to be able to walk everywhere, which will also give me the opportunity to meet people and engage with local businesses.”

In his previous life Marcus was a solicitor and had worked in a number of different practices in the Midlands. Before joining the ministry he attended the URC’s college in Manchester where he studied and graduated in theology in 2007 to add to his degree in law and criminology.

BAZAAR FUND-RAISER

A CHURCH bazaar will be held in Milton Village Hall on Saturday, November 19, between 10am and noon. Entry is £2 per person which includes coffee or tea and mince pie.

The village hall has a homely atmosphere and lends itself to this kind of event which will include a craft stall, tombola, raffle, cake and jam table and a gift stall. The proceeds of the bazaar will go towards the upkeep of St Saviour's Church at Foremark.

Remembrance plans

AS Remembrance time approaches arrangements have been put in place for public participation in Melbourne.

On Friday, November 11 – Armistice or Remembrance Day – a short service commencing at 10.55am will be held at the Melbourne Memorial in Church Square allowing the Two-Minute Silence to fall at 11am.

On Remembrance Sunday, November 13, Melbourne Royal British Legion will hold an open-air service at the Melbourne Memorial. The parade will muster at the RBL, Derby Road, at 11.20am and, via Derby Road and Church Street, proceed to the parish church. The Service of Remembrance will begin at approximately 11.45am.

Any individual wishing to lay a wreath, should contact branch secretary Brendan O’Neill on 07968 126 325.

After the service the parade will return to the RBL via Castle Square, Potter Street and Derby Road for an informal concert given by Melbourne Town Band.

l Melbourne Church Elder Mrs Christine Hind presents Marcus Hargis with hymn books for use in his new role.

Concerts for all tastes courtesy of Festival

THE concert programme for the 2016 Melbourne Art Festival continued into October with performances in several venues around the town.

n An afternoon of Tea and Poetry took place at the Senior Citizens’ Centre. The poetry was read by Ali Betteridge and Samantha Kellett of Derbyshire Library Services and featured light-hearted material inspired by Derbyshire and in the main written by, but not exclusively, various Derbyshire Poet Laureates.

n Boleyn, The Death and Life of a Queen, was performed in the Melbourne Assembly Rooms by Derwent Theatre. The writer, George Gunby introduced the play and a trio of musicians that set the scene with incidental music arranged to imitate that played during the period. The performance was strong and delivered by a cast that obviously enjoyed their roles.

n Chellaston Academy students, members of its theatrical group Cast brought ‘The Exam’ to the Assembly Rooms.

This production was first class and delivered with verve and enthusiasm by a strong cast in their various roles. Even with a bare set and few props, the characters were believable in their settings and the tensions brought on with exams and the relationships with parents obviously connected with the audience.

n A Choir’d Taste delivered their festival repertoire over two nights in October with their concert titled Last Night of the Proms. The talented mixed voice choir with Musical Director Paul Marshall, performed a rousing collection of popular songs.

n Jazz came to Melbourne in the form of the Gascoyne/ O’Higgins Quartet in the unlikely setting of Melbourne Parish Church. The venue proved to be ideal musically for the whole ensemble and for the individual musicians when showcased. It was an unusual treat for Melbourne jazz lovers.

n Melbourne Operatic Society hosted a successful drama workshop entitled ‘Finding the Character’ at St Mary’s Catholic Church Hall. The workshop was led by Melvyn and Jean Edwards, regular principals in MOS performances.

The society’s next concert in Melbourne is on Friday, December 16.

ABOVE LEFT: Members of Derwent Theatre at Melbourne for their performance of Boleyn.

ABOVE RIGHT: Melbourne Art Festival Director Sharon Brown with Ali Betteridge and Samantha Kellett at the Tea and Poetry event.

RIGHT: Chellaston Academy students on stage ready for their performance of The Exam.

l Lining up before their set are (l-r): Seb de Krom, Geoff Gascoyne, Robin Aspland and Dave O'Higgins.

The Boot is a choux-in for top pub award

IN LITTLE over 18 months the Boot at Repton has gone from a near derelict building to an award-winning pub.

It has just received the highly prestigious AA accolade Pub of the Year - England.

Owner Heidi Hammond said it was “a fantastic feeling, just incredible to win the award and a tribute to the hard work by all of the team involved”.

She added: “It is all evaluated by secret inspectors and I was ‘dumbstruck’ when I heard.”

Head chef, and Heidi’s son Robert Taylor, described the awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London’s Park Lane as “just fantastic” and “such an honour to be in the company of so many high profile chefs”.

The AA Hospitality Awards is a highlight in the

industry calendar attended by world-renowned chefs, prominent hoteliers and restaurateurs. The event recognises and rewards the excellence in the industry.

The Pub of the Year winners stand out as excellent all-round pubs or inns, successfully combining a great pub atmosphere, a warm welcome, a high standard of management and the provision of enjoyable food.

Robert said: “Standing side by side with top chefs like Simon Rogan and Daniel Clifford, who had been crowned Chef of the Year 2015, really felt we had arrived.”

He said that top chefs were like football stars to him, and it was such an honour to be recognised and to have the chance to chat with celebrity chefs like Michael O’Hare.

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LEFT: (l-r) TV celebrity Hugh Dennis, Graham Townend, Bespoke Inns marketing director, Rob Taylor, head chef, a representative from sponsor Cobra, and Kirsty Lloyd-Jukes, AA marketing director.

BELOW: Robert Taylor with mum Heidi Hammond.

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Heidi paid tribute to all of the staff involved at the Boot: “We have a fabulous core team, who all share in delivering the highest of standards for the business, and share our pride and passion for every aspect of it.”

Twelve of the team were able to be at the awards dinner and enjoy the success.

She had a special word for son Rob too: “We are all so proud of what he has brought to the business. To get to be head chef at the age of 22 and lead a team of nine is quite amazing.”

Summing up the success of the Boot, she said: “Our aim is that everyone coming to us has a warm welcome and a fabulous experience. The menu is amazing and the bar has a superb selection of wines and beers, many of our own, to cater for everyone’s taste.

“We have made sure we have gone for quality throughout The Boot, including our nine boutique bedrooms which offer charm, style and comfort. We are an independent family run business rather than a chain and everything we do reflects that.”

Rob added that the food always needs to be something special. He is led by flavours and wants his customers to come with an open mind to try something a bit different, whilst also catering for those less adventurous with good quality choices.

“We do limit our capacity too, to ensure every customer gets the best experience they can”.

He also emphasised the part staff play – “they are the unsung heroes”.

Clearly, the Boot has found an excellent recipe for success, having previously won an AA Rosette and a 4 Star Gold Award for the standard of accommodation. The on-site micro-brewery, producing aptly named beers (like Tuffer’s Old), has also built a very good reputation for its real ale, which

has become well established in little over a year.

The Boot and sister venues, Harpur’s of Melbourne and The Dragon, Willington, have also come up with some tempting and novel ideas such as the “Tour’met” night, where you can tour the three establishments, having a course in each restaurant. And they have established the “Booze Carouse” where you can catch a free bus to tour the pubs.

No wonder it is a winner!

–Frank Hughes

Parish church fair

MELBOURNE Parish Church’s autumn fair will be held on Saturday, November 19, from 10am to noon at the Assembly Rooms. There will be brica-brac, books, tombola and raffle prizes with goods for sale on other stalls.

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info@dqpantiques.co.uk www.dqpantiques.co.uk

Couple’s stunning house that ticks all the eco boxes

“BOIL a cup of tea, and you’re using 50 per cent more power than is used to heat this entire house,” says Howard Joynes, looking out of the top floor window of his home to a magnificent panoramic view of Staunton Harold Reservoir.

So green is this fully insulated, steel and timber clad building on the banks of the water that it has been built under “paragraph 55” status – a special privilege for homes built in the country-

side which achieve such high standards in either architectural or ecological innovation that they win planning permission on that basis.

There are only a handful of such homes across the UK, and the Joynes believe theirs is the only one in Derbyshire.

It is a fascinating twist that the view they enjoy every day over the reservoir is one that Howard experienced in a very different way as a child: his grandparents, Fred and Kathleen Bentley, were tenant farmers at Calke Mill Farm –from which they were evicted in the 1950s to pave the way for the reservoir.

And, as a civil and structural engineer, Howard worked extensively on the treatment works on the water’s eastern bank.

But back to their house.

Originally owners of an arts and crafts period home in Ticknall, the Joynes’s road to Grand Designs-style perfection began with the desire to create a retirement-worthy home on land the couple already owned, having farmed it for some years.

Planning permission was granted for a newbuild that ticked every ecological box, and the result is a stunning, airy, open-plan home complete with a lift, that is worlds away from their previous one.

Among its eco features are 56 solar panels providing 150 per cent of the house’s electricity – the rest they export back to the National Grid – a ground source heat pump system with 600 metres of pipes to provide heat from the ground, and a design that is almost entirely glass on the south-facing side, and entirely without it on the other, so that the building loses virtually no heat, whilst capturing masses of solar energy.

But, say Howard and Jo, while their home is

undoubtedly one of their “finest achievements” in life – and they pay enormous tribute to the locally sourced craftspeople, architect and builders who made it all possible – they are most proud of the 22,000 trees they planted before even a stone was laid.

“The trees are our legacy,” says Howard. “It’s the trees that have driven us when we’ve been doing this.”

But, just for fun, the Joynes are planning one more green feature before they finally hang up their tools and settle into their beautiful new home: a pico hydro-electric system to harness water energy from all storm and domestic water run-off from the entire site and from a small culverted brook on their land.

As for their building, it is certainly a bold statement, and, environmentally speaking, a clever one too.

“I think some of the bravest people involved in this have been the planning officers,” says Howard.

“If we’d have got it wrong in any way, it would have reflected badly on them. Granting permission for a project so different out in the open countryside is quite something.”

Time to Stamp and Deliver

DERBYSHIRE Scouts’ Stamp and Deliver scheme will once again be running next month. It starts on Friday, December 2, with the last collection, 2pm on Thursday, December 15.

All cards posted will be delivered by Christmas Eve. Stamps cost 25p and can be purchased from over 200 outlets, details of which are on the website www.stampanddeliver.com

All cards must be posted in one of the Stamp and Deliver iconic yellow post-boxes located in stamp sales outlets. Cards are collected, sorted and delivered by local Scout Groups in the delivery area, who receive a proportion of the sale of the stamp.

The scheme has been running since 1982 and has raised over £1million for local charities. The 2015 version raised £5,000 for the BBC Radio Derby Colin Bloomfield Melanoma Appeal.

This year, it will be supporting two charities –Umbrella and Children First Derby.

FROM a childhood spent at a farm now at the bottom of a reservoir, to a new house overlooking the same water that is so cutting-edge it is one of the few of its kind in Britain – the recently built home of Melbourne’s Howard and Jo Joynes is an architectural and ecological marvel.

LUCY STEPHENS takes a tour of a building where everything, from the 22,000 trees in the garden to the very design of the home itself, can truly be said to tread softly on the planet.

PAINTERS AND DECORATORS

Andy WESTON DECORATING Ltd.

Interior and Exterior Painting and Decorating

Tel: 01332 862876 or 07721 494555 email: weston18@btinternet.com

“Brushing aside the competition”

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS

TOWNLEY

A family run business who bring you the finest bespoke joinery. We supply and fit kitchens, staircases, windows, doors, conservatories etc and specialise in listed building work. For more information on what we do, please visit our website www.townleyjoinery.co.uk

Graham Twells

Carpenter & Joiner

Over 35 years of experience in conservation and renovation

All types of external & internal woodworking Fitted kitchens, windows & doors Laminate Floors, book case & cupboards, wardrobes & stairs Timber repairer & furniture repairs

Tel: 01332 864257

For all your electrical needs

SITUATIONS VACANT

An opportunity has arisen for a FULL TIME TRAINEE DENTAL NURSE at Melbourne Dental Practice.

Training will be provided for the right applicant, leading to a qualification in dental nursing.

This role will be suitable for someone looking to progress in a dental career.

For further information please call 01332 862942.

the 1st XV kind

MELBOURNE Rugby Club 1st XV travelled to Newark for their first ever league game against them.

Melbourne could have won the game as they were held up over the line once and had a late score disallowed, but they secured a losing bonus point in a narrow 2422 loss.

Tries came from Foster, W Judge and Page with seven points from Holden.

The next game saw the arrival of bottom of the table Notts Casuals; however there are no easy games in this league.

Melbourne were under the cosh at scrum and lineout and living off scraps but took the lead with a Nicholson try. Holden converted.

Two experienced Horticultural/Agricultural engineers required to work at our Barrow on Trent depot.

Acorn Tractors are a small, friendly but progressive Turf-Care machinery dealership having Iseki, BLEC & Snowex as their main franchises.

In addition, Acorn Tractors sell quality used tractors & machinery across the UK. The successful applicants must be prepared to work as part of a small team and demonstrate the ability to diagnose & rectify problems on all types of tractors and professional mowing equipment. We would consider taking on one workshop trainee who is committed to obtaining a college quali cation in either Horticultural or Agricultural engineering. Very competitive salary & happy working environment.

Please email your CV to julian@acorntractors.co.uk or call 01283 704664

PEACH HOUSE RESTAURANT within Staunton Harold Nurseries require a WEEKEND ASSISTANT

Main duties to be food preparation, serving customers, clearing tables etc. Ideal for students, minimum age 16. Wage according to age. Saturdays and Sundays 10.30 to 4pm.

Please phone Dawn Brierley on 01332 865155 or email: mark@maetradingltd.co.uk

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.

Fry BDS & Associates, Helen Baker BDS

Casuals were always just a score away and kept plugging away. Pearce had a yellow card for kicking a ball away.

Melbourne stretched their lead with a converted try in the second half, but Casuals took the lead for the first time with five minutes to play. In a tense finish, Melbourne won a penalty off a lineout, which Holden converted for a 17-16 win.

For the next league game Melbourne travelled to high flying Southwell. Melbourne started strongly with a converted Pearce try and two Holden penalties before Southwell gained the lead.

Stringer scored for Melbourne before Southwell struck again. Pearce then got his second try with Holden converting for a 2519 win.

THE STAGS won their cup match with

Long Eaton conceding. Next up were Notts Casuals 3rds in the Pennant, Melbourne winning 27-0. Tries came from Macken, Moorcroft, Bell and Butler (two).

They then travelled to Notts Moderns with a large squad, lending players to the opposition and winning 49-7. Tries from Richardson (two), Bancroft (two), Martin,

Butler and Wiseall.

THE KNIGHTS went away with 12 players to Ashby and lost 41-12. They then became a 2nd XV and played Ilkeston 2nds at home, losing 21-22. A predominantly young side competed well in the second half with tries from Wiseall, Ballington and Richardson.

l Paul Bignall, of PB Landscapes, has sponsored post-match shirts for Melbourne RFC senior players. He is pictured being presented with his shirt by 1st XV coach Matt Derbyshire and 1st XV captain Euan Holden.

THE Maximum Response Academy Karate Club in Melbourne is celebrating its 16th year and held a black belt grading examination at the Assembly Rooms.

Eight students took part in the grading and were tested by chief instructor Mark Rotherham 5th Dan and guest examiner Dave Allan 8th Dan on their skill of Wado Ryu karate/Defence.

The grading consisted of a combination of drills, katas, blocks and sparring. Mark said: "The students deserve congratulations for their achievements. They have been training hard with dedication and commitment for the last five to six years, which is how long it takes.”

Pictured with the examiners are the successful students: (back row, l-r) Dominic Slee 2nd Dan, Dave Allan 8th Dan, Mark Rotherham 5th Dan, Steve Miles 1st Dan, Luke Spear 1st Dan; front row Jake Croshaw 3rd Dan, Reiss Vandra 1st Dan, Ricco Vandra 1st Dan, Mitchell Lane 1st Dan and Alex Miles 1st Dan.

Golden girl Leah

AN 11-year-old girl from Smisby is fighting fit after winning a national judo championship.

Leah Whitby, who trains with Ashby Ivanhoe Judo Club under the tutelage of dad Darren, took to the mat in October when she won gold in the under 32 kilograms category of the Bushi Judo Club Championships in Birmingham –beating off competition from the whole of the UK.

This was not the first time Leah had competed in the sport, having also taken the top spot in a national championship for under 26 kilos

when she was only seven.

Darren said he was “very proud” of his daughter, adding that she had competed in three rounds of the competition in order to win gold.

He said: “She hadn’t fought competitively for about two years – but this didn’t faze her at all.

“Her last fight was against the Amateur Judo Association’s national champion and it was going to be an uphill battle for Leah to get the better of her opponent. But she threw her for an Ippon to take the gold medal.”

Leah’s older brother, Jake – now

17 – was also a national judo champion when he was younger.

Leah, who is a green belt in judo, said she would continue with the sport with the ultimate goal of getting all the way to the Olympics.

She said: “I enjoy it – it’s quite challenging when you do competitions. I do it with a couple of my friends.

“I do like to win the competitions and I do enjoy the training; we do really fun stuff like play games.”

Leah does judo training on Monday evenings, and also takes part in gymnastics and football outside school.

Badgers look for budding football stars

THE Barrow Badgers Football Club has new openings for eager young footballers aged between six and nine.

The Badgers, based at Barrow-upon-Trent, have recently celebrated their first birthday with the news they have been awarded charter status from the Football Association (FA).

Now the club is calling for boys and girls who would like to play to go along, in the hopes of setting up a new under-nines team in the New Year.

The club currently runs one under nines team which is sitting at the top of the Derby Junior Football League U9s Cup League, Group B –having remained unbeaten at the time of going to press.

Head coach Chris Holt said: “I’m unbelievably proud of our club – unbeaten this year. The boys are getting better and better with their confidence but they’ve become really good positive children and that’s what playing football is all about.”

The Barrow Badgers play matches at Derby Racecourse every Sunday, either at 9.15 or 10.30am.

The club would also like to thank George Simnett and Family Funeral Directors of Chellaston, who have sponsored the team kit for the 2016/7 team season, along with Barrow Parish Council for their support and use of the village’s playing field; Mike Whelan at Whelan’s Hairdressing and Chellaston Butchers, who have supported the club with sponsorship funding.

Any boys or girls who are interested in joining the Barrow Badgers are asked to contact coach Lisa Hood on 07490 127230, Chris on 07789 277224, or check out the Barrow Badgers JFC on Facebook. Budding coaches are also welcome to get in touch.

Work on the green

KING’S Newton Bowls Club finished its summer season of bowling with work to improve the condition of the green in preparation for the 2017 season.

There is also every hope that, with good weather, there will be a very green playing surface in a few weeks that should be ready for the annual Boxing Day competition.

At a recent meeting the captains and vice-captains were appointed for the 2017 season.

There is also a possibility that another mixed league team will be set up to play in the Saturday Burton League (4pm start) which may need new members and players.

In the last club competitions of the 2016 season Barry Woodman beat Rob Philipson in the final of the floodlight singles competition, while, in the doubles, the pairing of Janet Jardine and Dave Lyons beat Bert Maddock and Steve Raine in the final.

Runners’ golden £2k boost

THIS year’s annual Golden Gates Gallop five mile run and two mile fun run took place on a glorious sunny autumn Sunday morning.

Over 150 runners took part in the event ,which was organised and marshalled largely within the community. The event was very successful with a sum of £2,000 anticipated to be raised for the charity Bloodwise, formerly known as Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

l Melbourne Dynamo Reserves: back row (l-r) – Paul Lakin (coach), Conor Poynton, Toby

Dynamo power their way clear at the top

MELBOURNE Dynamo Football Club continued its good early season form into the month of October with both sides featuring high in their respective leagues. The first team ended the month seven points clear in its division.

Dynamo's first team won all four of their matches and began with a home 2-1 win against Matlock United in the Junior Cup with Lee Sanders and Josh Burton getting Melbourne through to the next round.

In league action a week later, Gavin Salisbury's men entertained Little Eaton and, thanks to Dave Brough's double plus a Callum Horton strike, came away with the three points and a 3-2 win.

The good run continued the following week away at Sherwin Athletic. A brace from Jack Goodband, a Carl Alsop header and a Dave Worger finish earned Dynamo

the points.

The first team ended the month still unbeaten in the 2016/17 season with a tough away trip to Chesterfield Town. Melbourne can claim possibly their best win of the season so far with goals from the league’s leading goal scorer, Dave Brough, and another Dave Worger strike leaving them well clear at the top.

Melbourne Dynamo Reserves lie in a healthy fourth place in division two. They began October with a Junior Cup game, going down 3-0 away to Rowsley 86 Reserves, a team in a division above them.

A week later the reserves stormed to a brilliant 5-2 home win against top of the table and previously unbeaten Burton Town. A double from Callum Horton, and singles from Jack Goodband, Toby McCabe and a late finish from substitute Alex Slater secured the all-important goals.

This was followed with a 9-3 thrashing of Punjab United with leading goalscorer Dan Stanley leading the way with a hat-trick. His brother Ben chipped in with a double as did striker Paul Swallow. A long range effort from Toby Foxon and goal of the game by Paul Lakin completed the rout.

Greg Salisbury's men rued late defensive mistakes as they let a 4-2 lead slip to draw 4-4 away to Rolls-Royce Leisure the following week. Alex Slater rolled back the years with a superb hat-trick and a clinical Paul Swallow finish accounted for the other.

The Reserves ended the month with a 24 home loss to a decent Willington Sports side. Twice Melbourne equalised from set pieces as headers from Ryan McLaughlin and Shaun Hayes brought them level, but they couldn't hold on as the visitors scored two late goals to end their unbeaten league run.

n TO MARK the opening of the new sport facilities known as the Melbourne Sports Park, a trio of Melbourne Rugby Club members took on the challenge of the Robin Hood running event.

Running in ideal cool but sunny conditions, Dean Sylvester and Colin Topliss completed the half marathon in two hours 19 minutes and one hour 50 minutes respectively, whilst

ran on to complete the full marathon in four hours 41 minutes.

They are pictured with their finishers’ medals.

McCabe, Andrew Smethurst, Greg Salisbury (manager), Charlie Edmondson, Callum Horton, Jack Goodband, Adam Dolman, Ryan McLaughlin, and Eddie Dale (assistant manager); front row – Jack Scothern, Toby Foxon, Lee Sanders, Scott Radley, Vinny Hallifield and Alex Slater.

Nick Parkes