Birstall Post (439) February 2020 by The Birstall Post

the Birstall post Y O U R

C O M M U N I T Y

FEBRUARY 2020

N E W S P A P E R

www.birstallpost.co.uk

No. 439

Coroner calls for review AN INQUEST into the death of a Birstall woman who died following the Allington Drive gas explosion delivered a verdict of “accidental death due to an unintended act.”

Long tradition of panto fun returns A PERFORMANCE of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that is packed full of songs, laughter and comedy is promised when Birstall Theatre Company take to the stage later this month. The cast are currently busy rehearsing

for the show which takes place at the Palmer Tomkinson Centre at the Cedars Academy on Feb, 20, 21 and 22 at 7.30pm. The company has been formed following the end of the Birstall Methodist Men’s Panto Group in 2016. The Men’s Panto group had begun in

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the 1950s and was led by John Valentine and then his wife Jean when John passed away in 1985. Becky Valentine, a director of the Continued on page 2

Pic: (l-r) Sarah Sausage (David Jones) with Snow White (Paige Lowe) & the Chancellor Vic Dolby)

79-year-old Janet Jasper died the day after the gas explosion on December 11, 2017 after sustaining injuries when a roof and wall collapsed on to her as she lay in bed. Gas from a leak under the floor of the house next door, 42 Allington Drive, was ignited at around 7.30am, causing an explosion which destroyed the house and partially demolished Mrs Jasper’s house next door, which she shared with husband John. He suffered only minor injuries in the blast. The verdict was returned following a five day inquest in front of a jury that concluded on January 17, 2020. The gas had built up after a pipe had fractured under the floor of the hallway of number 42. The fracture was caused by subsidence in the concrete floor where the pipe was laid. The gas was ignited when the unoccupied property was visited by Roger Partridge who told the inquest he had smelt gas and was investigating the cooker in his late father’s kitchen when the gas was ignited. The explosion buried him in rubble. He was airlifted to hospital having sufContinued on page 2

Panto continued from page 1

Birstall Theatre Company, and Jean’s daughter, said: “The company then folded in 2016 after Jean also sadly passed away, and the numbers wanting to perform had dwindled right down. My sister Elizabeth and I were then approached in 2019 as people realised the gap this left in the village. We are now both directors of the Birstall Theatre company and are working with a new production team and committee to continue the legacy our parents began by putting on this community led production of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.” She added the company comprises a diverse range of local people, with ages ranging from 14 to 70 years. Tickets cost £7.50/£5 concession and are available from 0116 2207995 or 0778 867 6253 or from Nando’s Gents hairdresser Pic: the cast & crew of Birstall Theatre Company at a rehearsal of Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs

fered a broken elbow, broken ribs, a collapsed lung as well as burns to his hands, face and the back of his head. A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the cause of the leak, a fractured pipe encased in concrete was extremely

rare and they knew of only two such occurrences in the whole of the UK in the post-war era. The inquest heard that the day before the explosion an engineer from Cadent Gas, which owns, operates and maintains the gas network in the area, had visited Mr Jasper’s house after he reported smelling gas. No leak was found but the engineer’s checks did not extend to the next door property where the explosion occurred the following morning. Pic: the scene after the explosion

Tanyka Rawden, assistant coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire, said she will be writing a report calling for a safety review of the properties on the estate, as well as the policy and procedures when checking reports of a gas leak. Speaking after the inquest, John Jasper said: “On behalf of myself and my family and neighbours, I an relieved that this part of the process has been concluded , and pleased that the coroner has agreed with the family to take the very important steps of making a report to prevent future deaths, to hopefully prevent anything like this ever happening again. “It’s been a long process to get to this final inquest, we’ve never had closure, it’s not been easy for the family and neighbours, however I think it’s a great relief that this part of it is over. It’s not finished by any means, but all I can say is it’s not only me who has suffered, and we will slowly comes to terms with this.” Mr Jasper (83) told the Birstall Post: “The inquest has been very intense, listening to arguments and counter arguments

and with long delays - it was mentally very tiring. If I’d been on my own I would have been a nervous wreck at the end of the week but the support I had kept me going.” Mr Jasper now lives on Worcester Avenue. He added: “It’s now been two years, the inquest is over and I can move on and start to rebuild my life. I’m happy in the new house near to my neighbours and we are still in touch.” Mr Jasper said that he thought it should be mandatory when examining reports of a smell of gas that engineers should always check neighbouring properties and he is pleased the coroner has required Cadent to review its procedures.

In line with advice from the HSE, he advised homeowners on the estate to buy a gas leak detector for their home; they cost £10-£15. Another option, he said, was to pay a gas engineer to re-

Pic: Janet Jasper

route the gas within their property, to isolate the section under the floor that is encased in concrete. In December 2018 the HSE issued a leaflet in the Allington Drive area. It reassured homeowners that the risk of a gas explosion from pipe failure is extremely low but that properties in the area may have a slightly elevated risk and that re-routing the gas pipes was an option that could be considered. It recommended an annual service of all gas appliances by a Gas Safe regulated engineer and that anyone concerned about what measures they can take should consult a qualified gas engineer for advice.

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Inquest continued from page 1

Development in “green wedge” planned by City

OPEN SPACE off Greengate Lane has been identified as a site for development by Leicester City Council. The city council’s Draft Local Plan recommends a mixture of housing and employment land for the site, located off Greengate Lane and west of the GCR Railway Line. The railway line, north of Greengate Lane, is the border between Leicester and Birstall. A school has also been recommended for this site, but the number of houses has not yet been made public. The city council is currently building the 3000 home Ashton Green development in Beaumont Leys. The Local Plan

sees the development boundary extend eastwards across Leicester Road towards Birstall. This land is designated as ‘green wedge’. A council document states: “Some green wedge will be lost and public open space reduced. However, there will be opportunities to secure new open space on strategic sites and enhance the quality of existing public open space.” The Draft Local Plan covers the period 2019-2036 and states 21,291 new

Pics: (above) the site near Birstall identified for development; (left) the five sites in the Draft Local Plan

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homes need to be built in Leicester, with 30% affordable housing on greenfield sites. It identifies four other sites for development • land north of A46 western bypass and south of Thurcaston • land west of Anstey Lane • Western Golf Course • land at Leicester General Hospital. The council plans to build 4900 new houses in what is broadly the city centre – it has not yet made public the details for the other sites identified. The next stage of the plan is for it to go out to public consultation in the spring, it is due to be submitted in the summer and adopted in 2021. Chair of Birstall Parish Council Ann Marshall said: “I think it’s appalling. There is already so much traffic coming down Greengate Lane, then Ashton Green, now this will mean more and more and more. They have no conception of what they are doing and no concern for residents. They never consider the infrastructure.” In a statement issued by Birstall’s Borough Councillors and County Councillor, Cllr Roy Rollings said: “We are aware of Leicester City Council’s proposals on land north of Greengate Lane. We are concerned that the proposals would further diminish the area of separation between Birstall and Leicester City. It would result in a substantial loss of green space. We are also concerned about the implications for Birstall residents given the inevitable increase in traffic on Greengate Lane. “The proposals form part of Leicester City Council’s 2019-2036 Local Plan. We will make representations on behalf of Birstall residents during the public consultation and in the future should any planning applications be forthcoming. It is essential that Leicester City Council properly consult Birstall residents.”

New Hallam Fields community hall opens BIRSTALL’S new community hall at Hallam Fields was officially opened on January 3. all its splendour and completed to such a high standard is wonderful indeed. It has been said that the building enhances the whole area that surrounds it. It is also pleasing to see that there was indeed a need for this venue which is in such popular demand. It ranks as one of the proudest days of my career so far.” There are regular bookings for various groups such as Zumba classes, yoga classes,

Pics: the newly opened Hallam Fields Hall

church gathering, Pilates classes and a mini-trampolining and kettle bell exercise classes, as well as 13 confirmed private bookings during the week and at weekends ranging from children’s and adults birthday parties, a christening and a wedding reception. More bookings are being taken daily.

The building was constructed by Tanwood Construction and designed by Birstall’s David Ives. He said: “It’s something I’m most proud of because it will be used by lots of different people for many years to come.” Chair of Birstall Parish Council Ann Marshall said: “I’m delighted with the building and pleased it is finished, at one stage I thought we’d never get here. It looks great and is going to be a real asset for the village.” If you would like to hire the hall, contact Birstall Parish Council.

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The £622,000 building has been provided by Birstall Parish Council, with £500k of the funding coming from developer Jelson Ltd as part of a section 106 agreement. The hall is located on Hallam Fields Road next to the shops and includes a kitchen and meeting room. The Chair of Birstall Parish Council Ann Marshall cut the ribbon to officially open the building in front of invited guests and members of the public who were welcomed to have a look around. More than 100 booking forms were handed out to people on the day and over the following few days the office staff say they were inundated with booking enquiries. Clerk to Birstall Parish Council Sue Coulson said: “The Parish Council and myself often wondered if this project would ever get off the ground let alone be completed. The reward is to see it in

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Precept increases THERE WILL be a 2% increase in the parish council part of your council tax for 2020/21, Birstall Parish Council has agreed. In 2019/20 the increase was 10%. The council considered its budget for the next financial year at a parish council meeting on January 13 and agreed a precept of £432,255. In 2019/20 it was £420,182. The parish precept is the amount collected from parishioners and is a component of the council tax. Last year the parish council’s charge for a band D property was £93.29. For 2020/21 it will be £95.16 per year, an increase of £1.87. The council also agreed to hold £195,666 in general reserves, which is six months operational costs of the nett revenue expenditure. Sue Coulson, clerk to Birstall Parish Council said: “The Parish Council increased the precept last year by 10%, this was the first increase for four years. The Parish Council took this decision because they are aware and mindful of the pressure placed on higher authorities to constantly save money which often results in cutbacks and the loss of a valuable local service. “This is the third year of a three-year deal that was agreed by the Government to not put the same restrictions on to Parish and Town Councils as they do the higher authorities by capping their precept demands. “The Parish Council realises that if a situation arose where they were asked to cover the costs of a lost and/or devolved service from a higher authority, the Parish Council would need to have a healthy reserve in place to be able to facilitate the requests. “By increasing the precept, it will leave the Council with an amount in reserve that could be utilised for non-budgeted projects and costs that may arise.” After discussing the budget at the January 13, 2020 Council meeting the Council resolved to apply a 2% increase to the precept for the 2020/21 financial year and authorised the Clerk to submit a precept demand to Charnwood Borough Council for £432,255. Parish Councils calculate their precept by setting a budget. This sets out details of expenditure in various categories and also projected income. The difference between expenditure and income is the precept amount. It is divided by the number of properties in the parish that fall into council tax band D. Once calculations have been made to take into account other tax bands, the resulting figure is collected from parishioners. Government figures show that in 2019/20 the average band D precept charged by English parishes rose by 4.9%. Across England, parish councils are raising in excess of £554million, with ten individual councils having a precept demand of over £2million. Birstall Parish Council’s budget categories for 2020/21 include: • admin & wages £312,282 • youth work £13,000 • pubs, cemetery, car parks, public toilets, allotments £85,873 • community events (gala, Christmas lights, Civic Service) £21,100

Pupils’ voices join with thousands at Woodcock Birmingham concert The March issue of

THE BIRSTALL POST will be published on Feb 29. The copy deadline is Feb 14.

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40 PUPILS from Highcliffe school sang as part of a massed choir of 6400 children, taking part in the largest children’s choir concert in the world. The event, organised by Young Voices, took place in front of a packed audience at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on January 15. The Highcliffe children were from

year five and six and had been practising since September in their lunch breaks. Parents watched their children performing at the concert with Tony Hadley, The Shires and Ruti, winner of The Voice in 2018. Comments from the children included: “it was amazing!”, “the best experience of my life so far”, “can we do it again next year!” Pic: Highcliffe children at the arena in Birmingham

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Dedicated youth worker steps down AFTER 37 years as a youth leader at a weekly youth group in Birstall, volunteer Mark Hickenbotham is stepping down.

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Mark (56) has been involved with the St Theresa’s Youth Club since 1982 . The group for 8-13 year olds, met on Sundays and provided games, activities and trips out. Mark felt that due to a lack of helpers, the group couldn’t carry on meeting weekly but he plans to be around to offer help and support so that in future the group may be able to meet monthly and continue to offer a summer trip. On Christmas Eve Mark was given a surprise party at St Theresa’s church to thank him for all his work. He was presented with a celebration cake and a gift. A church spokesperson said: “Many young people and their families are indebted to Mark for his commitment, dedication, kindness and good humour. Mark worked tirelessly fundraising for the group which was a regular feature at the Birstall Gala. “Families were grateful to Mark for giving up a week of his holiday every year to take the young people on trips to place such as Skegness, the Snow Dome and Waterworld. The group has attracted children and young people from all the churches in the village of Birstall. “The church would like to thank Mark for his dedication to the group and to wish him well for the future.” Mark said: “They’ve been like a fami-

Pics: (top)Mark with a group of young people in Skegness & (below) third from left in the early 1980s

Pic: Mark cutting his cake at the surprise thank-you party on Christmas Eve

ly to me, they turn to me for advice and support and it’s been good to give them a bit of fun in their lives.” He added: “Times have changed but young people still enjoy the basic games like hide and seek, granny’s footsteps, murder in the dark or musical chairs.– sometimes they’ve never played them before! “I hope the group can diversify and move on, I’ll be here in the background to offer support and advice.”

The Birstall Post welcomes your views and opinions on any subject. Letters, which must include your name and address, (though not necessarily for publication) can be posted to: The Birstall Post, Unit 109, Greenacres, The Sidings, Leicester LE4 3BR, or handed in at Birstall library or email: editor@birstallpost.co.uk

Thanks Many thanks to everyone who supported the Wreake Valley Rotary Club Santa Sleigh and Asda Thurmaston charity collections at Christmas. The overall total was just over £4,000 which is a very pleasing result. Most of these proceeds will be distributed amongst local charities and worthy causes in 2020. During 2019 donations made included those to: Intercare of Syston, Gunns Community Gym in Birstall, Cauda Equina back charity based in Syston, Leicester General Hospital Renal Unit, Leicestershire Life Education charity and Rainbows/LOROS. We look forward to seeing you again during 2020. Further information can be found at www.wreakevalleyrotary.org.uk Chris Battye

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children. I have never been driven to So on behalf of my son, and all those write to the Birstall Post before, but who use the track, thank you Parish recently there have been two letters council for seeing the bigger picture and criticising the council for providing mon- supporting a wide variety of facilities in ey for the upgrade of the BMX track. I the village. don't want to get into a tit for tat arguAmanda Clarke ment with these residents, we are all Swans entitled to our opinion, I would simply Today we met Julie a volunteer, who like to put forward another point of view. looks after the swans in the Birstall area. My son is 15 and was one of the Julie told us how she monitors the welyoung people who attended the council fare of the swans and liaises with the meeting when the matter was discussed. relevant partners in bird well-being. She I have a few key points I would like did confirm that it was okay to feed to make... The track has been maintained free of bread to the swans during the winter charge by Ben who built it back in 2012 months. Cornflakes were also a favourite. and my son and a group of other young- As many people like to feed ducks and swans, could they take any wrappings sters from the village also help to mainhome or put the debris in a bin. Plastic tain the area free of charge for others. bags left in the area are a danger to I have never complained or bewildlife as it is seen as source of food. grudged the council spending money on facilities I don't use myself. This shows a Could we all try and keep the areas free real lack of community spirit. People are from litter including bottles and cans. Thank you to Julie and everyone who often quick to complain about young helps to look after the swans in Birstall. people in the village, and yet here is the Birstall Resident Conservationist council providing an area for these young people to socialise and keep fit Community Hall and there are people complaining about this too. We had the opportunity to attend the Clearly there will be times when the official opening of the Hallam Fields track is not in use, when the youngsters Community Hall by Birstall Parish Chair are at school, when the weather is bad person Ann Marshall on January 3, 2020. etc. If no one used the public toilets on The new Community Hall is a wonderfulthe park one day, should they be closed? ly designed structure that fits well into I don't think so. its surroundings near to the shops on Although £10,000 seems like a lot of Hallam Fields Road in Birstall. It looks money, this would amount to just a few modern but with a twist of hints to the pence per resident, is that really so past on the outside whereas inside it is unreasonable? clean lined, bright and airy thanks to the I am proud that my son and his large opening doors and series of expanfriends attended the council meeting in sive panes of glass. We particularly liked support of this resource. I doubt there the front foyer with its glass portico and are many other teenagers who feel double height entrance. It gives a sense strongly enough about something to do of arrival and does not disappoint. that. There were only two other memThe hall itself is in our opinion a bers of the public there, neither comgood size neither too big nor too small plained about the track. Perhaps those and next to the hall is a nicely fitted who feel so strongly about how the coun- kitchen with an adjacent small meeting cil spends our money should attend the room. At the front area, off the foyer are meetings too. toilet facilities for men and women with disabled features. When looking out of the windows from the Hall you have appledore pleasant views of the greenspaces and Carpentry & joinery neighbouring structures. Travelling through the patio doors of the main Hall, we were pleasantly surprised to see a Carpentry & joinery, small garden area, which will be a welkitchens, bedrooms, coming place in the summer when it is building work completed. For those not able to walk to the hall Insured there is an unrestricted free car park to City & Guilds Qualified front of the hall next to Hallam Fields Please call for shops. We specifically liked the design a free quotation features to enable those who may have 0781 1391510 mobility issues, or those needing assist0116 3326898 ance to freely access this building as gcrane665@btinternet.com there are no steps or inclines. You are

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Tone I’ve followed with interest the exchange of views regarding the fundraising efforts of Carl Gunns’ gym in the village which I feel miss the point in a spectacular fashion. As a volunteer for another community group I feel a great deal of empathy with Mr Gunns, I understand fundraising to keep charitable concerns going can be a full-time role in itself and can be very stressful at times. I'm sure the gym does very good works and makes a valued contribution to the local community. However, I have to say I was dismayed by the tone of the letters sent in by Mr Gunns criticising Birstall residents for lack of interest in his memorabilia sale. Words have power and the letters I read were not kind and rather entitled. I note Mr Gunns has been in receipt of monies from Birstall Parish Council on more than one occasion including April 2019, when the gym received a grant of nearly £1300. This is funding which residents all pay for through taxation. While I understand completely fundraising efforts need to be ongoing, I also know from experience events can sometimes be disappointing. Instead of attacking Birstall residents, perhaps a better approach would have been to consider alternative ways of raising funds which might be more successful for the gym or to invite residents to make other suggestions to raise funds. People may very much wish to support the gym but not wish to purchase boxing memorabilia. People are never obliged to support every initiative or indeed, to contribute anything at all to charitable concerns. In this time of austerity, many families are financially struggling. All of us in the volunteer sector has to work hard for every penny and to capture the hearts and minds of the public in order to raise funds. It absolutely is not easy. However, every pound we are given is a gift, not a right. I would politely suggest that this seems to have been forgotten in recent letters from the charity and would invite Mr Gunns to rethink his approach to communications in the future. A. Rowley

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able to travel directly through the doors in to the foyer off the car park area. The Community Hall has taken some time to be built but in our opinion it has been worth the wait. We hope that the local and wider community make good use of this now and in the future. A big thank you to the Birstall Parish Council for seeing this project through to the completion and making this an asset for the young, in betweenies and old to enjoy. Mr and Mrs Reynolds

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

YOUR SAY...

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Noticeboard all details printed free Birstall Running Club We meet on Monday & Friday at 6.15pm for 6.30pm run from the Pavilion, School Lane Playing Fields (showers & toilets available) We also meet on Wednesday at the Sibson Road car park at 6.15pm for 6.30pm run Spadework session also on Wednesdays See www.birstallrc.org.uk for more info or contact us: BirstallRC@gmail.com

Councillor Surgery Last Sat of every month 10 - 11am Robert Dickinson Building, 10 Sibson Road Talk to your District & County Councillors to discuss any issue of local concern

Cheeky Cherubs Parent & Toddler Group 0-4 year olds Birstall Methodist Church Rooms 9.30-11.30am Open every Monday term time Separate baby section No weekly commitment £2 for adult & 1 child, 50p additional children £1 additional adults This includes snack for the children & unlimited juice, also unlimited tea & coffee for the adults Craft table

For further information please contact us on 07934 551 563 Hope to see you there

Birstall Food Hub (Food Bank)

Food to last a few days for anyone on benefits or low wages. Collect Tuesday 10-11.30am from St Theresa’s Church, Front Street, Birstall LE4 4DQ (behind the Earl of Stamford pub) Just phone/text us details (name and how many of you) on 07305 093791 by Sunday evening so we can make sure we have enough for you. If you’d like to support us, there is a trolley at the back door of the Co-op in Birstall for donations. We can only store non-perishable items, toiletries etc. No fresh produce, please.

Carl Gunns’ Community Gym 18th Birthday Party Birstall Village Hall Sunday Feb 23, 2-5.30pm Admission free All welcome Disco, singers, food To thank everyone for their support of the gym Mountsorrel Methodist Church Centre Presents the 2nd in the 19th

series of Sunday Night @ Eight

Organ Recitals on Sunday February 16 at 8pm By Thomas Keogh of Holy Cross Priory, Leicester Admission free Donations for Church Development Fund Buffet from 7.30pm

personal reasons and expresses his apologies for raising any hopes. An equivalent, existing drop-in service can be visited between 9.45 and 11.45am at The Hub Cafe, High Street, Syston on alternative Mondays. The adviser will be there On January 20, February 3 etc

Birstall Flower Club Wed Feb 26, 2020 at 7.15pm In Birstall Village Hall. Title : My Favourite Things. Demonstrators : “In House” Visitors welcome - £5 -contact : Sylvia 0116 2674206 or Mary 07704398017

Rothley/Birstall Birdwatching Club presents: Living Wild In South America by Mike and Paula Webster. Mike and Paula are both wellknown local naturalists who now spend much of their time in South America. During their stay they work closely with local organisations and support and talk to schools about bio-diversity and the need for conservation. They are very enthusiastic about the area and will tell us about their work and progress they have made along with their adventures whilst living in the wild. Tuesday, February 11th. at 7.30 p.m. in The Rothley Centre, 12, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley, LE7 7PR. Ample free car parking on site. Members free. Visitors £3. New members and visitors are always welcome. More information from Jack on 07913 129497

St. Leonard’s Church Swithland

Snowdrop Festival Weekend 15th/16th February See the snowdrops in the churchyard and a spring bulbs display in the church. There will also be a springtime art exhibition. Refreshments available Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm. On Sunday there will be a Eucharist service at 9.30am and a Songs of Praise Service at 4pm

Birstall & District Local History Society

The proposed independent

Careers Service move to St Theresa's RC Church, scheduled to start from February 11, will not be taking place either then or in the future. The careers adviser has had to withdraw for

The next monthly meeting takes place on Thur 13th Feb 2020 commencing at 7.30pm. The evening starts with our Annual General Meeting followed by a talk on the "History Of Antique And Collectable Glass" The talk will be given by Mr. Derek Holloway. We welcome visitors to come along and join us for this talk. There will be parking available on

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

the night on the Birstall Playing Fields through the School Lane entrance

and 17th. March meetings are 2nd and 16th. We aim to provide friendship and help to anyone affected by Alzheimers, Dementia and Parkinsons, just to natter about things that might help families and friends. Don't sit at home isolated and lonely, come and join us, we are all in a similar position. Finding who and where to turn to for advice is part of what we are. Ring Barbara

Birstall Tea Dances St James Birstall Village Hall Birstall Road Leicester LE4 4DH Fridays 14th & 28th February 2020 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm £4 each Tea / coffee and cakes included All welcomed Further information contact: Jackie 0116 2248278 / 07908607405 Email: jackielucas957@hotmail.co.uk

Soul Games Come and play board games (with or without friends!), and think about some of the issues. Your own games are welcome – always good to increase the range available… First Sunday of every month, 36pm, Birstall Village Hall Facebook: Birstall Soul Games 07848 144169

Japan - land of the rising sun An illustrated travel talk by Sue Ablett At Wanlip Church and Community Hall, Church Road, Wanlip. 7.30pm Friday 28th February. Tickets £5 to include refreshments from Beryl on 0116 2674913 or Gill on 0116 2675086 Film Presentations Thurcaston and Cropston Parish

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Birstall Royal British Legion Smith, Imelda Staunton and Hugh Bonneville. We see the exciting preparations for the success of a visit by royalty, King George V and Queen Mary to the country mansion of Lord and Lady Grantham. “Fisherman’s Friends” will be shown on April 17 Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council will be showing these films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Film tickets will cost the usual £5 which will include refreshments and a lucky prize draw during the interval. Advance tickets may be purchased from Richard or Diana or via the parish office –0116 236 7626 or at the door

Birstall Methodist Monday Group Prog for Feb 3 Feb: Eileen Smith from Travel Eyes 10 Feb: Joyce Godfrey – Kaleidoscope. - Thrift Stall 17 Feb: Shirley – “From Strength to Strength” Shirley’s Mum was a Parkinsons disease sufferer 24 Feb: No meeting but… Wed 26 Feb – Skittles Night

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Coffee Morning "Green Book" Feb 14, 130 mins Another amazing true story will be our biographical comedy drama in February. This film brings to light the racial division in American society during the 1960's. When a club bouncer falls on hard times, he becomes the concert tour driver for a talented African-American concert pianist. Having won three Oscars and three BAFTA'S, this film is a warm and joyous tale about loyalty and companionship. “Downton Abbey” Mar 13, 122 mins In March, we are showing the latest drama from Lord Julian Fellowes. This film shows the much anticipated happenings at Downton Abbey, starring Dame Maggie

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The Rothley History Society will be meeting on Wednesday 19th February at 7.30pm at The Rothley Centre Our Speaker will be Peter Liddle on the topic of "Monasteries to Mansions". Guests and new members always welcome

Cedar Care Circle Our group meets at Ruth's Lambourne Cafe Birstall at 2pm, the next ones for February are the 3rd

1st Kris Garrick 8th Laura-Rachel 15th Chris Ford 22nd Sarah Sheldon 29th Phil Bingo every Tuesday starts at 9pm Quiz every Wed starting at 8.30pm Sunday quizzes 9th and 23rd Acoustic Sunday 16th Food served Sat 12 till 2pm Wakes catered for ring 01162674817 New members very welcome

Birstall & District Art Society Tuesday, 11th February, 7pm You are invited to join us at the Palmer-Tomkinson Centre at Cedars Academy, Wanlip Lane, to see renowned professional artist Chris Tkacs demonstrate ’Abstraction in Landscape’ in oil on canvas. Newcomers and visitors most welcome. Refreshments available at the interval. Demonstration ends at 9pm Members £2; Guests £4. Free raffle. Ample parking and wheelchair access

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Parish Council notes A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council was held on January 13. Sgt Michael Young reported that there had been a slight increase in crime which was typical for the Christmas period. An ongoing problem was the theft of number-plates and van break-ins. He said that shed break-ins were now recorded as burglary dwelling. Sgt Young reported there had been a theft at the Co-op store in Birstall. Three masked men jumped over the cigarette counter and stole cigarettes and alcohol. He described it as a one-off incident. Sgt Young said current police priorities were theft from motor vehicles and identifying the riders of motor bikes that are being ridden dangerously and anti-socially in the village. The council was presented with a revised budget for 2020/21. It agreed to make a 2 per cent increase in the precept, bringing it to £432,255. The parish council’s charge on a band D property will be £95.16 per year. In 2019/20 it was £93.29 per year. The amount held in general reserves will be £195,666 which represents six months operational costs of the nett revenue expenditure. Cllr Julian Howe suggested that three months costs, half the sum, would be a more appropriate figure.

NHW news

& crime report Membership still only £1 There are around a hundred-and-fifty Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators in Birstall and Wanlip, covering over three thousand households. Registered members receive our monthly newsletter and have access to advice and security devices, either free or at cost price. Each year the Watch receives a generous donation from Birstall Parish Council, for which we are very grateful, but the bulk of our income relies on membership donations. In February, Birstall Members will receive an envelope asking them to contribute for another year. Once again, we suggest just One Pound per household, although we are always pleasantly surprised by those who choose to give a little more. Wanlip Members have their subscriptions paid directly by their Parish Meeting. These contributions pay for: • Lamppost signs to warn potential criminals that the residents of that street are alert to their activities • Our monthly Newsletter – Village Watch News • Our Watch Phone and Advice Line • Our dedicated Website and Email Alerts • Stationery, postage and general running costs • Free leaflets, door stickers, bank card protectors, purse chains and other items available to members • A free security marking service for cycles and similar items at our monthly Advice shop • Useful security products, such as per-

sonal alarms, shed alarms, fence spikes, television simulators, time switches, cycle locks, car key blockers and many other items that we sell to members at cost price in our Advice Shop. The Watch contributes towards the upkeep of our local Police Office on Sibson Road, a resource we would not want to lose as so many other villages have done. We also pay for the legally required annual calibration of the speed gun used regularly by our Beat Team to monitor traffic through our villages. Some members have been able to negotiate reductions in home insurance premiums on production of their Membership Card. Please return the envelope to your Coordinator who will subsequently deliver your membership card. If yours is one of the few households that are still not members, please contact us by telephone or email if you would like to be included. Alternatively, call in and see us at our Advice Shop, open every third Saturday of the month between 10 a.m. and 12 noon in the Robert Dickinson Building, 10 Sibson Road, opposite the Garden Centre. The next date it will be open isFebruary 15. More information at: www.villagewatch.co.uk Email: watch@villagewatch.co.uk Tel: 0756 2422 756 From Birstall & Wanlip Village Watch

Crime update We have had a total of 46 crimes reported to us in December, which is slightly up on November when we had 40. The number of assaults reported has risen slightly from seven offences in November to 11 in December, however this is mainly as a result of one incident on Christmas Eve when several people were involved in a fight, resulting in a number of people being assaulted. Thefts from vehicles has also risen again, back up to 11 reports compared to just six last month, three of which related to number plates being stolen from vehicles. This seems to be an ongoing issue so please consider fitting anti-theft screws to your

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Relief Premises Officer (Lettings) Hours of Work: Casual basis (Weekends) Salary: Pay point 9 (currently £9.93 per hour) Responsible to: Site Manager Job purpose: As a member of the extended Premises Team, be responsible for assisting and supporting individual hirers of the facilities, out of school hours. The duties will include basic maintenance, security and cleanliness of all academy premises and grounds, to ensure all users have a comfortable, clean safe, well maintained environment in which to undertake their agreed activities.

number plates to avoid them being stolen and possibly used in crime. There have been five house burglaries reported, which is up slightly from four in November and we have also had two nondwelling burglaries reported to us. Lastly, we have had seven reports of damage (including two where vehicles were damaged), four ‘other thefts’, four Public Order offences, one drugs offence and one report of robbery. For further crime information please visit: www.police.uk/leicestershire/NL60/

Crime Prevention Advice As stated above, we have had a robbery reported to us where a male was assaulted and had his wallet stolen whilst walking through School Lane Park. This is a very rare occurrence in Birstall and enquiries have been completed to try and identify the suspects, however at this time none have been identified. Please consider taking the following advice to avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable situation: 1) When out walking alone, try to stick to well-lit paths and be aware of your surroundings. 2) Avoid taking short-cuts if they take you through dark alleyways or through wooded areas etc. 3) Consider taking a panic alarm with you which you can activate if you feel afraid or in fear. 4) If possible, let someone know where you are going and when you will be back, so they can try to contact you and will know where to look if you don’t return when expected.

Neighbourhood update This month the beat team have been conducting enquiries to try and identify the riders of two off-road motorbikes that have been riding round the village in a dangerous manner. We have been given a name for one of the possible riders and efforts have been made to locate him and speak to him, but so far without success. If you have any information with regards to who is / was riding either of these bikes, please get in touch, as if they continue it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured. During the Christmas period we have also had a number of drivers stopped and breathalysed, with two drivers subsequently being arrested for being over the limit. Remember that if you are driving the best thing to do is to simply not drink, as being over the limit is not only dangerous, but can also have serious long-term consequences if you lose your licence. Remember: Neighbourhood link is a free and easy way of finding out what the Police are doing in your area. It only takes a few minutes to sign up and you can choose what you receive information about. Sign up now at www.neighbourhoodlink.co.uk From PC 1759 Dave Jaeckels, PCSO 6611 Mark Butler NL60 – Birstall Police Office. http://www.leics.police.uk Tel: 0116 2677355 (Please note this is an advice line only – Please use 101 or 999 to report crime)

Grant funding COMMUNITY GROUPS in Charnwood are being urged to contact their local borough councillor to help them access up to £1000 grant funding for projects. The member grants scheme is run by Charnwood Borough Council and enables each borough councillor to award up to £1,000 to projects in their ward each year. Cllr Jonathan Morgan, leader of the Council said: “The member grants scheme helps spread funding to projects right across Charnwood, in each ward. “We want to encourage groups who are making a positive contribution to their community to contact their local councillor about the grants.” In 2017/18 the four Birstall Borough councillors awarded a total of £4000, supporting the following local groups: Birstall United Junior Football Club £800, Birstall RAF Air Cadets £570, Birstall Scouts £700 and Acorns Under Fives Nursery £1930. Cllr Shona Rattray said “ We were really pleased to be given the opportunity to award these grants within our community and are very happy to be able to do it again this year. These grants help make a real difference to Birstall Community groups and the residents that participate in them.” Any Birstall Community groups wishing to apply for a grant can find details on the website www.charnwood.gov.uk/member_grants Feel free to contact your local Borough Councillor if you wish to discuss a specific project. Each Councillor can support projects with grants up to £1000, and for larger projects groups can apply to more than one Councillor. The deadline for applications for the 2019/20 Member Grants is February 28, 2020. Birstall Parish Council also has a grant scheme to support community groups and projects. The Parish Council will consider an application for grant aid from any local, voluntary or charitable organisation where the group’s activities can be seen to be of benefit to the Parish. To find out how to apply go to Birstall Parish Council’s website.

We are looking for people to act as a Relief Premises Officers on a casual basis, to work mainly over weekends. You will need to be a good communicator, be able to work with minimal supervision and, be able to stay calm in potentially challenging situations.

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THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

Watermead park IMPROVEMENTS TO Watermead Country Park feature in Leicestershire County Council’s country parks and open spaces strategy. It is recommending the following for Watermead Country Park (target dates in brackets): • Develop a catering offer for visitors (2020/21) • Rationalise car parking and improve visitor access (2020) • Develop the children’s maze and improve the dinosaur trail and play equipment (2021) • Refurbish visitor toilets and washroom (2020/21) • Improve the reedbed area as a well-being area (2020/21) • Introduce a program of Park runs and a three Park challenge event (2020) • Develop the nature reserve, improve habitats, create more opportunities for wildlife watching (2020/23) • Offer a range of school activity days (2021) • Design and build an education/interpretation facility to provide a new focal point for the park (2020) • Continue to develop and expand volunteering opportunities (2020/23) The strategy identifies that the country parks are not a statutory duty of the council but they are important to the public, and need to generate more income. In 2018/19 total expenditure on country parks was £770,000 and total income was £440,000 resulting in a net cost of £330,000. The first country park café opened at Beacon Hill in 2019 and has been successful.

Education contributions

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

CONTRIBUTIONS OF £17.6 million towards education should be paid by the developers of the 1950 home Broadnook Garden Suburb, north of Birstall. A planning application for the first phase of the development is expected to come before Charnwood soon. Section 106 developer contributions are calculated according to a formula and their function is to mitigate the impact of development on an area. Leicestershire County Council say the contribution towards education should be: • Secondary school (358 place required): £6,486,288 for remodelling the Cedars Academy. • Primary School (630 places): £8,896,250 for a new school • Specialist schools: £1,038,303 • Early Years Requirement: ££1,476,335 Developers, the Palmer Tomkinson Trust, have disputed the figures produced by the County Council.

Family of swans are reunited

A PAIR of swans are raising a family on the Hallam Fields ponds. The balancing ponds at the entrance to the development off the A6 were designed to catch surface water run-off during heavy rainfall, to prevent flash flooding. They have also become a rich wildlife habitat. Julie from Watermead Swans has been monitoring the birds’ progress and reports that recently the female was taken away by the RSPCA for treatment. Separating a pair of swans is a risky business, says Julie, with the possibility they will reject each other when re-united. When the female was returned to Hallam Fields there was a period when they ignored each other, before they

Pic: a family of swans at the Hallam Fields ponds

successfully reunited. Julie said: “She’s made really good progress. Everybody helped keep an eye

on her and it’s been a fantastic show of community support with a very happy outcome.”

Generous donations to food hub BIRSTALL FOOD Hub is offering thanks for the generosity of people in Birstall. Chair Gill Chester said: “The staff at Hallam Fields Primary School had a ‘reverse Advent Calendar’ before Christmas and delivered us a couple of boxes of goodies, the Methodist Pre-school had a collection for us as did children at Riverside Primary School. Arnold Lodge in Humberstone donated items not just from the staff but also gathered them from local businesses. Apologies if you donated to us and I have failed to mention you. Donations were coming in so thick and fast it was difficult to keep up! “Thank you all so much. Your donations meant that we were able to supplement the normal food parcels with special Christmas fare – mince pies, chocolates, special toiletries, presents both for children and adults alike. Our clients were very grateful for all your gifts, saying things like: ‘I didn’t know how I was going to cope with Christmas.’ ” Birstall Food Hub is dependent on the Soar Valley Community Food Project in Rothley for the regular provision of food

Pic: volunteers with Birstall Food Hub

parcels for clients. Gill said: “The volunteers in Rothley work hard to pack up our parcels for us

and we really appreciate all that they do for us. Any donations that are surplus to our immediate requirements are taken over to Rothley to supplement their supplies, quite a lot of which then makes its’ way back to Birstall! A volunteer from Rothley regularly collects the items from the trolley you fill up in the Coop. Thank you.” For details of opening times and arrangements for donating and receiving food, please see the Noticeboard section of the Birstall Post.

Bowls club’s new president THE ANNUAL General Meeting of St Margaret's Co-operative Bowls Club marked the end of John Clarke's year as President. John brought his term to a close with the presentation of £2000, raised by the club over the year, to his chosen charity LOROS. John is succeeded as club President by Pat Phillips who has been a keen

WI news 34 LADIES including four new visitors met on January 6 at the British Legion for our first meeting of 2020. As usual we sang Jerusalem and thanked everyone who helped in our Christmas events. We heard about the many future workshops and outings available through the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation. The annual ACM in March gives ladies across the county the opportunity to enter competitions for writing, music, art, poetry, crafting and of course cookery! We also discussed which of the prospective resolutions we might wish to support this year. During the evening the room was filled by the scent of diffusing essential oils provided by our speaker Elizabeth Scott who talked to us about the health and well being properties that they can provide. Elizabeth is a practising pharmacist who is an advocator of using essential oils alongside conventional medicine to help many ailments and promote a healthy immune system. The purpose of the WI is to ‘Educate and Inspire Women’ and Elizabeth’s scientific background definitely gave us a greater insight into the way these oils work on the body and mind. We meet again on February 3 when Clive Matthew will talk to us about his ‘Life and Times in Farming’ and the competition will be a Valentine poem or limerick. From Birstall & Wanlip WI

Motorbike A MOTORBIKE was stolen around 9am on Jan 9 on Wanlip Lane in Birstall. The owner was just parking it up when he was pushed over and the motorbike stolen. It is a white Suzuki 125, registration FJ69LZU. If you should see the bike, contact the Police via 101 quoting incident number 131 of 9/1/20.

Greengate Lane GREENGATE LANE will be closed to traffic in both directions on Feb 18/19. The County Council are doing “patching works” near the school. A diversion route will be in place. The road will be closed between 7.30am – 5.30pm.

bowler for an amazing 45 years. She started bowling at Thurmaston and for a time she also bowled at Syston. About 15 years ago she moved to St Margaret's. Pat acted as Match Secretary at all three clubs. Her chosen charity is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. She has always admired the fabulous work they do, often at great personal risk. It is well known that most of the people taking these risks on our behalf, are volunteers. Pat has not bowled for a couple of seasons now but nevertheless wants to support the club in every possible way.

LOCAL GROUPS and individuals can apply to Birstall Parish Council for grant aid.

“I am really looking forward immensely to my year as Club President. I have many friends at the club and am very proud to be playing my part” she said. From St Margaret's Co-operative Bowls Club

Pics: (top) John Clarke hands £2000 to Bruce Smith of LOROS; (inset): Pat Phillips is the new Club President

Space Park underway WORK ON the construction of the £100million Space Park Leicester began in January. Located off Abbey Lane on the site of the former John Ellis college, the facility will design and manufacture satellites and process the data they provide. It is expected to create 2,500 jobs and contribute around £750 million to the economy of the region. Work on phase one and phase two of the project is expected to be completed before the end of next year. Phase one will provide a research centre for analysing data from satellites. Phase two will feature laboratories for the design and development of low cost satellites. A planned third phase will see the construction of a satellite production line, making 6-10 satellites a year at a cost of £2m - £50m each. The Space Park is a partnership be-

Grant aid

tween the University of Leicester, Leicester City Council and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. It has attracted the involvement of aerospace and technology companies Airbus, HP and Amazon.

Each year the council makes awards of grants that aim to help community and voluntary groups flourish, or for projects that will benefit the whole community. The amount set-aside for 2020/21 is £2000. In the past three years recipients have included Gunns’ Gym, Acorn Under fives, Girlguiding Birstall, Birstall United Juniors Football Club, the Big Birstall Yard Sale and the Birstall Methodist lunch club. For details of how to apply visit the Parish Council website or contact the office on (0116) 267 6191.

Cars damaged OVERNIGHT, BETWEEN Jan 3 and Jan 4 the Police received four reports of vehicles being damaged on Hallam Fields Road in Birstall. Three of the vehicles had their bodywork scratched and the fourth vehicle had a wing mirror broken off. Between Jan 4 and Jan 5 a silver 2007 model Yamaha motorbike was also stolen from Wanlip Lane. If you have any information about who was responsible please contact the Police via 101 or via the Leicestershire Police website, and if you see any people acting suspiciously round vehicles late at night, contact the Police

Burglaries THERE WERE two burglaries reported over the weekend Jan 11/12 in Birstall.

As well as employment opportunities, Space Park Leicester will provide education and training opportunities at under graduate and post graduate levels as well as apprenticeships. For more details and to watch a fly through of the site visit the Space Park pages of the University of Leicester’s website.

The first occurred between 9.15pm and 9.30pm on Sunday Jan 12 on Woodgate Drive. Entry was gained to a property that is being renovated and a number of tools stacked up as if they were about to be taken, however it appears that the intruders were disturbed and left without actually taking anything. The second occurred on Wanlip Avenue between 12.45pm on Jan 12 and 2.45am on the 13th. Entry was gained by forcing a side door and then an Audi A1 car was stolen, registration YC11LMK. If you have any information about either of these, please contact the Police via 101 or via the Leics Police website.

Glasses from recycled plastic Farm may close SPECTACLE FRAMES made from recycled plastic recovered from the sea are now available from opticians Henry Smith & Hamylton on Sibson Road. Sea2See was started in 2016 by entrepreneur Francois van den Abeele who was concerned about the amount of plastic pollution in the sea.

He set up 27 collection points in Spanish ports where marine fishermen deposit discarded plastic waste – they collect an average 500 kg per day. 90% of this is recycled, and 25% of this is reformed into pellets which are then melted and used to make glasses by Sea2Sea’s partner in Italy.

GORSE HILL City Farm in Leicester is set to close. The firm used to receive £60,000 per year from Leicester City Council, but this was reduced this financial year to £30,000 and in two years’ time will be cut to zero A fundraising drive started by the farm has failed to raise enough to keep it going – it raised £10,000 but it needed £50,000. The farm has sold animals, reduced staff and introduced a £3.50 entry fee in a bid to boost its income and cut costs. www.gorsehillcityfarm.org.uk

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

News from the churches CHRISTMAS, WITH all the planning, family gatherings and celebration of Christ's birth, is now a (hopefully) lovely memory, buried in all that gift wrapping and tinsel. New Year has also gone and we are well launched into 2020. It is always wonderful at Christmas and at other times of rejoicing or remembrance to see so many people from Birstall and beyond join together in our churches for acts of worship. It was, at times, standing room only! January sees the week of Christian Unity, with much interaction and affirmation of faith between Birstall's three main churches; 'swapping' clergy for the day, with St. James' Canon Anne officiating at the Methodist Church, Reverend Paula Hunt at St. Theresa's Catholic Church and St. James hosting Father Ted at the Healing Eucharist service. There is also a 'Bring and Share' lunch at St. Theresa's Church, sharing food, friendship and prayer, all of which reaffirms our Christian Unity in Birstall. Canon Anne Horton is putting together, and would welcome articles and contributions for the Spring edition of the 'Keep in Touch' magazine. The magazine covers the months of March, April and May, running from Lent through to Pentecost. If you would like a copy of the magazine, please contact St. James Church, on 0116 2671797 and leave a message, or, whilst our parish is in interregnum, please call 07570 198810 to contact a church warden. The magazine has articles to interest everyone, informative, amusing and topical. In Wanlip, Old Nick's Coffee Shop is 'open for business' as usual on the third Tuesday of every month. Make a scrummy cake a monthly treat! There are absolutely no calories involved, so no guilt trip! Sue Ablett is giving us a talk, with slides, on 'Japan - land of the Rising Sun' on February 28 in Wanlip Community Hall. The entrance fee of £5 includes wine/juice and (quite substantial) nibbles. So, as we whizz into 2020, with the trials and tribulations, joys and celebrations unknown and yet to come, we wish everyone a Happy New Year from St. James Church. From Birstall Parish Churches

World day of prayer

THE BIRSTALL POST FEB 2020

THE WORLD Day of Prayer is an international inter-church organisation which gives voice to the thoughts of women from all parts of the world, their hopes, concerns and prayers The Day of Prayer is celebrated in over 170 countries. It begins in Samoa and the same service in native languages travels throughout the world - through Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas before finishing in American Samoa more than 36 hours later. Women of Zimbabwe have prepared this year's service. This year on Friday March 6 at St. James The Great Church, Birstall, there will be two services, one in the afternoon and one in the evening to which all are invited. The afternoon celebration will start with a simple lunch at 12 noon (donations gratefully received) followed by a short presentation on the country of Zimbabwe. At 2pm the service "Rise, take your mat and walk" will begin. The service will be repeated at 7.30pm and light refreshments will be available afterwards.

Sunday Club Every Sunday, except for the first Sunday in the month when we all join together in church, we have a club for children from 10.30-11.30am and it includes breakfast. This is a lively and fun group with various activities and we learn a lot about the Bible in an engaging way. Contact Mary for more information 07928864586

New Local Preacher We were delighted on Sunday January 12 to welcome Juliet Kisob as a Methodist Local Preacher. This is a significant achievement and represents a great deal of work including practical preaching experience and academic assignments. The church was full for this joyful occasion which included singing from a Cameroonian Choir.

Coffee Shop. The Coffee Shop continues to be a popular part of the community life in Birstall. It runs Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10-12noon with tea, coffee and delicious cakes. Why not come along and enjoy a tasty treat and relaxing with friends old and new? From Birstall Methodist Church

Sunday services Our visiting speaker this month is John Tonks (Leicester) on 23rd and the other Sundays will be taken by Graham Bunkall. There is a children’s meeting available during these services. Please come and join us in Room PT1 at the Cedars Academy (LE4 4GH) at 10.45am.

Your Questions Answered We are preparing to run our free, sixsession series of meetings, Introduction to Christianity, soon and invite you to join with us. Perhaps you are one of the hundreds of people with whom Simon has spoken about life’s big questions and perhaps left literature for you to read, as he has been working with the church over the last ten years. Maybe you still have some questions to which you’d like answers or the chance to discuss important issues and this series is a good opportunity to do this. Please contact the number below for further details and to express an interest.

Evington Winter Lectures The fifth lecture at Evington Chapel (LE5

6FH), in the series ‘The Gospel [good news] of the Grace [unmerited favour] of God’ (Acts 20:22), is on Saturday February 15 at 7pm when Jonathan Davey (Old Hill, Sandwell, West Midlands) will speak on ‘The Gospel among the Exiles’. Admission to these meetings is free and all are welcome. (A lift is available to reach the lecture room.) Enquiries about BIBC: please ring 0116 221 4883. From Birstall Independent Baptist Church

Concert The Christmas Concert at St Theresa's was once again a splendid evening's entertainment which raised just over £1000 for the Salvation Army. Major Marta Ager expressed her thanks and spoke about the very valuable work that the Salvation Army, often working in partnership with the statuary agencies, are doing to support people in acute need across the borough of Charnwood. The varied programme of carols and seasonal music involved two choirs, a soloist, a band and a wind ensemble, with plenty of hearty audience participation, too. Thanks to Chris Lowe who not only arranged much of the music but conducted, accompanied and performed on the night!

Christmas On Christmas Eve, a group of our young parishioners presented the story of Jesus' birth at the Crib Service. Well done children, for a moving enactment. Later in the evening, at both churches, the Vigil Mass of Christmas was celebrated, followed on Christmas Day by the usual morning Mass. Thanks go to all those who prepared the churches for the celebrations, in particular to the flower arranging teams, and to Fr. Ted, who celebrated Mass in both parishes over the two days.

Youth Group After many years running the Youth Group, Mark Hickenbotham has sadly stepped down. Such dedication did not go unnoticed, of course! The young people showed their enor-

mous gratitude with a surprise party and gifts 15 and at the social after Christmas Eve Mass, Mark was presented with a gift on behalf of the Parish. The picture shows him cutting the celebratory cake.

Memorial Garden As has been well reported, the Memorial Garden in Allington Drive was officially opened in memory of Janet Jasper. Janet was a former parishioner of St Theresa's and Fr Ted led a short, moving service which was attended by her husband John and family and many local residents.

Forthcoming events: February 7: Family Hub evening February 13: Fish and Chip Supper Further details can be found in the newsletter or on the parish website. From St Theresa's, Birstall and Sacred a Heart, Rothley

You have probably started January 2020 boldly with resolutions or commitments to make a difference to something that’s going to benefit you. For some of you it may have ended as quickly as it started and for others you are still going strong. We all want to make a change for the good and its always worth having a goal or target to work towards. Have you considered what life will be like as a Jesus follower. I can assure you and many others will agree that knowing Jesus and having faith in him will be the best thing ever to happen to you. You may have questions like “Is there more to life than this” or “Who is Jesus” or “Why did Jesus die” or “How can I have faith” or “How and why should I pray” or “Why I should read the Bible”. If that’s YOU then why not join us for a light meal and discussion about topics such as this. We are launching our second Alpha Group in February 2020 and this will be a fantastic opportunity for you to join with a group of people who have the same questions as you and be able to discuss these topics. Interested then email me for further details (andre.timothy@trinitylifechurch.org.uk) Life in Trinity Life Church offers many opportunities and we would love to see you visit our Sunday service or one of the other events we host during the week or month. Trinity Life Church is linked with Open Hands. Open Hands is TLC’s compassion charity and if you would like to volunteer to serve the poor in Leicester or would value some support yourself simply go on our website where you will find all the information you need www.openhandsleicester.org.uk Sunday Services: every Sunday at the Birstall Village Hall from 11am till 12:30pm for all ages. Includes an interactive Kids program, great praise and worship and inspiring teaching. KIDS HUB – following the successful launch we are going ahead with hosting a regular KIDS HUB for 5 to 11yrs at the Village Hall. We will be at the Village Hall each Thursday evening from 6pm till 7pm. Life Groups: are held on a Thursday at local homes and you are more than welcome to join one. From Trinity Life Church

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Birstall BAG’s cancer corner When cancer can’t be cured Part 1 (Feelings and Questions) Daily there are improvements in cancer care; more and more treatment options are available and the possible outcomes for patients, the improvements in quality of life and survival are increasing. But, sadly still for some the cancer cannot be cured, whilst treatment might contain the cancer for a period of time or reduce the symptoms, ultimately the cancer comes back or progresses and the patients and their family will face the most challenging of times. Birstall BAG’s wanted to bring the issues of when cancer cannot be cured out into the open a little. It helps to talk about how this effects everyone involved and we hope this article stimulates positive conversation about a very difficult and emotive issue. Advanced cancer When cancer is advanced it means that it can't be cured. Doctors and nurses might also say that the illness is terminal. This means that it is likely to cause death within a limited period of time. How long is difficult to predict, but it could be weeks to several months. This upsetting news can affect you and the people close to you in different ways. How you might feel There is no right or wrong way to react when your doctor tells you your cancer is too advanced to cure. Everyone responds in their own way. For most of us of course, this is very shocking news and it can be hard to bear. Even if you thought it might happen, actually hearing it from your doctor can still be extremely upsetting. Some people go silent. They can't believe what they are hearing and they don’t know what to say or do. Others start to cry and feel as though they won’t be able to stop. Some people become angry and scared. Or they feel numb, as

though they have no emotions. These are all very common and natural reactions. You might find that many questions like these come into your mind. • Why me? • Do I deserve this? • Why can't you find a treatment to help me? • There must be something that will stop this cancer - can't you just try anything? Give yourself the time to take in what is happening. You might want to be on your own. Or you might need to spend time with your partner, family or friends, to help you deal with the news. Of course, they are also likely to be very upset. They might not know what to say. But even if all you can do at first is get upset together, that can be a huge help. If you don’t feel like talking straight away, you don’t have to. Just let the people around you know. As hard as it can be, try not to push your emotions aside completely. At some point, it’s better to express how you feel if you can manage it, even if it's uncomfortable and hard to cope with. Talk about your feelings Sharing your fears and sadness with people you love and trust might be a great relief for you. Many people say that talking about their feelings helps them to cope. It also helps your friends and family to understand more about your situation. In turn, this can make it easier for them to help and support you. Or you might find sharing your thoughts and emotions too difficult, and you might prefer to keep things to yourself. It’s important to do whatever feels best for you. Don’t let other people pressure you into talking if you don’t feel ready. This is a very personal, emotional time. You can choose how you handle things. But if you would like to talk, make sure you choose people you

can talk to easily and will be able to support you. If you still feel overwhelmed after some time and feel that you can’t cope, try speaking to someone outside your immediate family and friends. You might want to try some counselling. Also, there are various organisations that can give you information about coping with grief, terminal illness and dying with cancer. Staying hopeful It can help people nearing the end of their life, and those close to them, to be aware of what is likely to happen. But only if they want to know this. Everyone needs to have some sense of hope for their future. When you are dying, this hope could be that you can visit a place that you love. Or you might hope that you can enjoy being with your family and friends for a time. Some people believe that there is life after death and find that this gives them hope. It could help you to share your hopes with other people, so they can help you fulfil them. Many people hope for comfort, dignity, friendship and love to surround them in their final days. Difficult questions when you are dying You might have difficult questions that you want to ask when you know you only have a short time left to live. Probably the most common question is 'how long do I have' and 'what will happen'. No one can predict the future, but your doctor and nurses should be able to help with these to some extent. How long have I got left to live People with cancer and their families often want to know how long a person is expected to live. Your doctor won’t be able to give you an exact answer. Everyone is different and no one can say exactly how long you will live. But do ask if you feel you need to. You can explain that you don‘t expect them to be completely accurate, but that you need to plan the time you have left. Your doctor might be able to give you an estimated time, based on how long other people with your type and stage of cancer have lived. Remember that your doctor’s answer is an estimate. The actual time could be shorter or longer

CHURCH DIARY

than they say. What will it be like when I am dying? Dying from cancer is usually a process that happens a bit at a time. Your body will get weaker and eventually start to shut down. This may happen over weeks and then days in the final stages. Many people worry that they will be in pain or discomfort when they die. But your doctors and nurses will focus on keeping you comfortable and pain free. Some people want to know who will be with them. And they want to know what will happen to their body once they die. Other questions You are likely to have many other questions for your medical staff and for close friends and family. Some of these will also be very hard to answer. But it is very important to talk about your concerns. Even if you know there are no complete answers to these questions, you might still feel it’s important to ask. You might also have other questions, such as: • How will my family cope without me? • What will happen to my children? • Where will I be looked after? • Will I be conscious at the end? • What will happen at the very end? Don't be afraid to ask your healthcare team any questions that are concerning you. Next month part 2 of this article will talk about planning ahead and making decisions. For more information:www.cancerresearchuk.org Or contact:- University Hospitals of Leicester Cancer Information Centre on 0116 258 6189 For more information on the funds we have raised, projects we support and forthcoming events see www.birstallbags.co.uk or look us up on facebook - Birstall Bags Contact the BAGs by email birstallbags@hotmail.co.uk

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