MOUNTSORREL POST YOUR FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
MARCH 2017
www.birstallpost.co.uk
No. 58
Royal visit to heritage centre
PRINCE CHARLES drove a steam train out of Mountsorrel station and met volunteers from the Mountsorrel & Rothley Heritage Centre during a visit to the county in January. He was greeted by hundreds of local school children from primary schools in Mountsorrel, Rothley, Quorn and Swithland. Prince Charles was given a tour of the Heritage Centre on Swithland Lane, walking along the heritage trail and unveiled a plaque. Centre Director Steve Cramp said: “My personal highlight of the day was seeing the Prince take control of the regulator and drive the train out of Mountsorrel Station and up to the Heritage Centre. The look on his face said it all, he was clearly enjoying himself!” He added: “The Prince spent a lot of time meeting and talking to the local school children who were with us to welcome him. He was very impressed Continued on page 2
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Pic: Prince Charles meets local schoolchildren
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with the design of the building itself, which is a great accolade as the Prince is very particular about architecture. He was most impressed though by the hard work of all the volunteers who have spent the past decade restoring the railway and creating the heritage centre site and all it has to offer. He even had time to sample our special Granite’s Afternoon Tea, which Lady Gretton referred to as “epic!” One of the volunteers the Prince talked to was 12 year old Oliver Nuttall from Mountsorrel, who has been volunteering at the railway for five years with his granddad Ray, planting seeds, laying track and helping build the children’s play area. He said: “I felt honoured to meet Prince Charles and it’s something I will be able to remember and share with people for the rest of my life. “I have ADHD and volunteering at the railway gives me something to focus on and be proud of having done for the village, and it’s nice to spend time with my granddad as well.” The volunteer led project has seen a disused section of railway line restored and a heritage centre built over the last 10 years. Steve Cramp said: “We’ve received over 70,000 visitors in the first 9 months since opening. We were expecting 38,000 in the first year so to have almost doubled that already really is quite special. The Nunckley Trail is hugely popular with visitors, as are the heritage rooms. Once the rest of the site opens before Easter, there will be even more for visitors to see and do.” The new Mountsorrel Railway Museum, quarry heritage building, a new nature trail, a den building area and a high level viewing area are all planned to be open by this Easter at the Swithland Lane site. Steve said: “The site will remain free for general visitors. The income needed to operate and maintain the site comes
PHOTO: CLIVE RASIN
Continued from page 1
Pics: Prince Charles waves to visitors as he tours the Mountsorrel & Rothley Heritage Centre
solely from our Granite’s Coffee Shop, so we hope that visitors will stop by for something to eat and drink when they visit. We’ve worked very hard to ensure we provide high quality food at very good value prices and many visitors come just for Granite’s itself.” The next dates for the public to ride a train on the Mountsorrel railway are March 25 and 26.
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Mountsorrel teenager shortlisted for award AN APPRENTICE from Mountsorrel is in line for a top accolade at this year’s Carer of the Year Awards Sixteen year old Ashley Reid is in sight of this year’s title after being nominated by his manager Saida Mawna, who owns Quarry Hill Grange residential home in the village. Ashley began working at the care home as a volunteer two years ago and enjoyed it so much he jumped at the offer of an apprenticeship, joining Loughborough College to begin his studies last summer. He said: “I was surprised to hear I had been nominated for the Leicester Mercury Carer of the Year Awards and then that I had made the finals. But I’ve got my suit sorted and my mum and brother as well as a lot of my work friends are coming along to support me
Improving GP services
MOUNTSORREL POST
MAR 2017
WOULD YOU like to have a say in your local healthcare services? Patients of Charnwood Surgery on Loughborough Road, Mountsorrel are being invited to help shape healthcare services in their area by joining the Patient Participation Group (PPG). “We work in partnership with the GPs and practice staff, to ensure that the patient’s voice is at the heart of your local healthcare services” said Melanie Buchan PPG Interim chair. The PPG give patients a chance to feed back their views, influence services and help raise awareness of the variety of health and social care which is available locally. Melanie said: “PPG members from across the country have reported that they really enjoy being part of their Patient Participation Group. The work is incredibly interesting and varied. It involves everything from looking at ways to improve services and facilities to carrying out patient surveys and organising events to raise awareness about self-management or ways to access the help available for specific conditions. We are keen to recruit more members to represent the catchment area of the practice.” If you would like to get involved or find out more you can contact: • Reception at Charnwood Surgery, Linkfield Road, Mountsorrel Tel. 0116 2375089 • Melanie Buchan (PPG Chair (Interim) and Secretary) Tel. 0116 2376245 email: charnwood.surgery.ppg@btinternet.com
at the ceremony next week, so that will be great. “I didn’t get on well at school but being at Loughborough College is so different. Everyone is really helpful and I am well on the way to my first qualification. The support I am getting is making learning an entirely different experience for me, I want to do it. And what’s more I want to carry on getting qualifications. My ambition is to make Team Leader, then Deputy Manager and hopefully, eventually, get the top job.” He added: “When I walked through the door at Quarry Hill Grange for the first time two years ago, I never imagined I would enjoy being there as much as I do. I just helped out in the kitchens at first but then I moved onto being with the residents and I have such a laugh with them all, whether I am caring for them, sharing activities or on a day trip to Skegness. “Now I’ve been made a Dignity and Care Champion. There are only three including me and the other two are the
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manager and the deputy manager. It involves supervising all the staff and making sure they follow our guidelines on taking time and being respectful and I feel very proud to have that role. “It would be brilliant to manage a care home one day but for now I find what I am doing so fulfilling. All these people have cared for others through their lives and it is only right that we do all we can to care for them.”
“This is a fantastic achievement for Ashley,” said Sarah Hall, Service Industries Work Related Learning Coordinator at Loughborough College. “Every single day he is making a difference to the lives of the residents. He has a great passion for the care sector and it is an honour to be supporting him to achieve the qualifications that will enable him to progress further.”
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Parish Council notes A FULL meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on November 14.
Post Office raided A 51 year old man has been arrested following a violent robbery at Mountsorrel Post Office in January. David Blood, of no fixed address, has been charged with robbery. The incident happened at 5.30pm on Tuesday January 17 at Mountsorrel Post Office on Leicester Road, as the postmaster was closing for the day.
He sustained a head injury during the robbery and witnesses report seeing him running into the street crying for help. Police say a large amount of cash was stolen.
MOUNTSORREL Every year parishioners in Mountsorrel PARISH COUNCIL show their interest and concerns by attending the Annual Parish Meeting. The Parish Council are hoping that the following guests will be attending to answer your questions and hear your ANNUAL PARISH opinions MEETING REPRESENTATIVES FROM Mountsorrel Methodist Church, Church Hill Road, Mountsorrel
Thur April 27th 2017 at 7.30pm.
It was agreed not to allow the owner of 217 Loughborough Road to use the Parish Council car park. Councillors reported an unsatisfactory standard of street cleansing on pavements on Loughborough Road, the bottom of Bond Lane and the entrance to the quarry. It was agreed to ask the County Council what their criteria are for implementing double yellow lines and to write to MP Edward Argar about speeding near to the Heritage Centre. It was agreed to replace the computers in the Parish Office up to a cost of £2,500. It was agreed to make a donation of £500 to the Royal British Legion. It was agreed to award certificates of commendation to parish council Fred Newitt and Mountsorrel butcher Michael Roberts. A full meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on December 12. The chairman reported that the clerk had resigned. Sarah Ritchie, Charnwood Borough Council’s Contracts manager, reported that currently most areas meet the contract standard for street cleansing and
that any areas not meeting the standard will be addressed. It was reported that Charnwood are looking at ways of developing Castle Park. This will involve consultation and possibly forming a Friends group. Mountsorrel Heritage Group have offered assistance. John Doyle, Chairman of Mountsorrel Youth Café, reported on the work of the café and explained the reasons for a request that the Parish Council continue to assist with funding. It was agreed to include the following in the budget for the year 2017/18: • £20,000 from reserves towards funding the Memorial Centre during the first year. • £20,000 from reserves for furniture for the Memorial Centre • £10,000 from reserves for the Youth Café • £15,000 from the Recreation and Amenities budget for new projects to retain funding for the Halstead Road development. It was agreed to renew membership of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust at a cost of £40, and the Society of Local Council Clerks at £177. It was agreed to spend up to £100 on a car park sign for Little Lane. At its meeting on January 9, 2017, the council agreed a precept for the year 2017/18 of £207,276.
Charnwood Borough Council & Leicestershire County Council Tarmac Leicestershire Constabulary Mountsorrel Charities Guest Speaker: Community Heartbeat
MOUNTSORREL UNITED CHARITIES Relief in Need Fund
Do you need financial help? Have you lived in Mountsorrel for 6+ months?
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Leaking paint dumped A READER sent us these photos of leaking paint containers that were dumped off Granite Way. They were left at the end of the slip road off the A6/Granite Way roundabout, used as an access for farm vehicles. The incident on February 15, was reported to Environmental Health at Charnwood Borough Council.
MOUNTSORREL POST
Please phone to make an appointment. You will need to give some financial details but these are kept confidential. Call or text Rachel on 0793 1129 360 Email mountsorrelunitedcharities@outlook.com www.mountsorrelunitedcharities.com
MAR 2017
The Mountsorrel Relief in Need Fund could help by giving you a grant towards items for your home, your health, your garden or other needs.
Local club offers warm lakeside welcome A LOCAL club promises a warm welcome to anyone who wants to try out windsurfing or paddle boarding on King Lear’s Lake at Watermead Country Park.
Leicester Windsurfing and Paddle Boarding Club has been operating at Watermead for over 20 years and is organising an open day on Sunday May 21. “Everyone is welcome to come along whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced windsurfer or paddle boarder” said club spokesman Tony Richards. There is no charge on the day but you need to inform the club about your attendance via the contact page of its website: www.leicestersailboardclub.co.uk. Tony said: “All you need is a swimsuit, a pair of trainers that you don’t mind getting wet and if you are 18 or younger you must be supervised by your legal guardian.” For those who wish to take the sport further, club membership is £65 a year
for adults and £85 for families. Membership includes the use of the club cabin, boards, sails and paddles, and a car park pass. One enthusiastic member is painter and decorator Ricky Driver (51). He said: “What I enjoy most is family time on the water with my children. It’s a
chance to escape the pressures of life and the club is so friendly.” Martin Higgins (47) is a fork lift truck engineer. He said: “I enjoy getting some exercise on a local lake in the beautiful surroundings of Watermead Country Park. It’s nice to have a picnic by the lake in the sun while enjoying water sports within a few miles of home.” Access to the club and King Lear’s Lake is via the country park’s main entrance from Wanlip Road, near to the Hope and Anchor pub (LE7 1PD)
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Noticeboard all details printed free Birstall Running Club Meet Monday & Friday nights, 6.20 for 6.30 run Birstall School Lane playing fields – showers & toilets available Wednesday night beginners group at Birstall Legion 7pm Speed work sessions also available on Wednesdays for those wanting to improve Contact Deryk on dwoods1@sky.com or Bob 07927 346640 Web site – www.birstallrc.org.uk
Charnwood Walking for Health Group Mountsorrel
All at under half price Cash, cheques & credit cards accepted Mountsorrel Working Men’s Club – Concert Hall Thursday March 9 at 7.30pm Advance tickets only £5 Booking : Sandra 0785 0548826 Fundraising for: Mountsorrel Community Team Mountsorrel Community Team
Fashion Show & Discount Sale Your favourite brands at up to 75% off Dorothy Perkins, Next, Topshop, New Look and more
Windsurfing & Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Pancake Race Sunday March 5 Café, Village Green at 2pm Village fun for all! Races for: Mum, Dad, youth, children, family relay, inter-church team, inter-pub team Pancakes & refreshments on sale in the Youth Café Pick up a leaflet from the Youth Café on the Village Green
Mountsorrel Heritage Group
Twice monthly walks at 10.30am on the1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month At Sorrel Youth Café on the Green Walks are around 2-3miles long All welcome - free Contact 01509 634673
• Sunday May 21 at 8pm by Anne de Graeve, Leicestershire organist Admission is free Donations for Church Development Fund Buffet from 7.30pm
Mountsorrel Library Tues March 14, 7.30pm: Lace Makers and Luddites, Tony Jarram Tues April 11, 7.30pm: The history of the Lancaster Bomber, Patrick Geary Tues May 9, 7.30pm: Antiques – Margaret Manning Mountsorrel Methodist Church Centre presents the following three Sunday Night @ Eight
Organ Recitals • Sunday March 19 at 8pm by Simon Headley, Leicester Cathedral • Sunday April 9 at 8pm by Organ Students of Roxy Summerfield
Beginners, intermediate and experienced are all welcome at King Lears Lake, North Gate, Watermead Park, Wanlip, LE7 1PD off the A46 just north of Leicester. Membership Adult £65/yr Family £85/yr Incl. use of club boards, sails and paddles Website www.leicestersailboardclub.co.uk or e-mail leics-sailboardclub@virginmedia.co.uk Join us at our popular annual
St Patrick’s Ceilidh with live music from local band ‘Turlough’. Held at The Rothley Centre, 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley, LE7
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7PR on Friday 10th March 2017. Arrival at 7pm for a 7:30pm start – Late. Light supper and Licenced bar provided. Generously supported by Soar Valley Lions Club. Suggested donation £10 (Donation not required to attend event) - £10 could pay to treat 50 children suffering from diarrhoea, a leading cause of death in children in Africa. Inter Care sends high quality medical aid to rural health units in sub-Saharan Africa while making use of surplus medicines from pharmaceutical companies and healthcare products donated by GPs. For more information or to book your place please contact Charlotte on 0116 269 5925 or c.wright@intercare.org.uk Charity Bridge Drive organised by Loughborough Lions Club will be held at the Rothley Centre Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley on Wednesday 5 April 2017 at 1.30pm with afternoon tea provided at a cost of £6 per person. To book a table please contact Jackie on 0116 2303317 or email: brianjackie.popple@ntlworld.com Charnwood Orchestra
Concert All Saints Parish Church, Steeple Row, Loughborough, LE11 1PL Saturday 18th March, 7.30pm. There will be an interval bar. The works consist of Beatrice and Benedict overture by Berlioz, Hungarian Dances nos.17-21 by Brahms, Concerto for Clarinet and Viola by Max Bruch, Symphony no.1 ‘Spring‘ by Schumann. Tickets cost £12, £10 (concessions) and £3 for accompanied children under 16. They can be bought via Paypal from www.charnwoodorchestra.org.uk from the Box Office (07718 153117); or judithrodgers155@gmail.com or on the door The Eye Exhibition Project 2017 presents 'Urban/Rural' themed
Leicester’s
Art Exhibition
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Thursday 23 March - Wednesday 19 April 2017 The Old Library Galleries: Basement Gallery 54 Belvoir St, Leicester, LE1 6QL Free Admission Launch Thursday 23 March 5.30pm
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MAR 2017
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– 7.30pm Drinks and nibbles, All welcome The Eye Exhibition Project is delighted to present 'Urban/Rural', the third in the series of art exhibitions where groups of 12 artists each explore a particular theme. 'Urban/Rural' features emerging and established artists, showing paintings, original prints, textiles, digital collage, and more. Gallery opening – term time Mondays -Thursdays: 9am - 8pm Fridays and Saturdays: 9am - 4pm Easter variations to opening times 8 – 19 April CLOSED: Saturday 8 April and Easter Weekend Friday 14 April – Monday 17April Mondays – Thursdays: 9am – 5pm Fridays: – 9am - 4pm website: theeyeleicester.wordpress.com/ev ents Film Presentations Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council "Hunt for the Wilderpeople"
films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Film tickets will cost £5 which will include refreshments and a lucky prize draw during the interval. Advanced tickets may be purchased via the parish office –0116 236 7626 or at the door.
The Little Mix Experience
MOUNTSORREL POST
MAR 2017
Friday 24th March 2017 Birstall Social Club, Wanlip Lane , Birstall One of the UK's leading tribute group s providing an evening which promises breathtaking dance moves and some of the finest vocals in the UK. It's a high energy show from beginning to end, packed with Little Mix's greatest hits. Suitable for all ages! Doors open at 7:30pm. Tickets £10. Contact Victoria Vernon Tel: 0116 2121273 In aid of Teddies for Loving Care (Mar 10, 101 mins) This comedy drama, the most successful film ever produced in New Zealand, with director Taika Waititi, is based on Barry Crump's beautiful novel, "Wild Pork and Watercress". Rebellious foster teenager, Ricky, is dumped at a remote shack with the loving Bella and husband Hector. Tragedy suddenly appears so Ricky and Hector, with their dogs, have to disappear into the bush, ahead of a man-hunt. This is a warm-hearted, yet consistently clever film. "The Girl on the Train" (Apr 7, 112 mins) Starring Emily Blunt and Justin Theroux, this thriller has twists that will have us hanging on the edge of our seats. Having lost her job, Rachel still travels daily by train from which she watches familiar people. Some characters have dark ulterior motives and Rachel becomes involved in the disappearance of her neighbour Megan. Will there be a satisfying final reckoning? "A Street Cat named Bob" will be shown on May 12 Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council will be showing these
Easter at the Anglican Churches, Mountsorrel. Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) 28 February There will be a Pancake Party at Christ Church between 3pm and 5pm. Come along and join us for free pancakes. Any donations will benefit the 'Send-a-Cow' charity. Mothering Sunday (26 March) 10am St. Peter's - Morning Prayer (Book of Common Prayer) 11am Christ Church - Family Celebration for Mothering Sunday Good Friday (14 April) 10am to 12 noon - Open-air witness at the Buttermarket. Come and join us for a Hot Cross Bun. 2pm - 'An hour before the Cross' at St. Peter's. (Readings and Silence for Good Friday). Easter Sunday Services (16 April) 10am at St. Peter's - A service of Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer 11am at Christ Church - A service of Holy Communion and Family Celebration Every Friday from 10am there is a popular Coffee Morning at Christ Church. All welcome to come
along, have coffee and cake and share fellowship. First Sunday of each month at 4pm - Fun@4 We have a 'Messy Church' session . This offers activities aimed at families and people of all ages. We would be delighted to welcome parents, children, grandparents etc. and our new improved space allows us to accommodate many people. The programme includes: welcome, activities, celebration with story, song and prayer followed by tea with sandwiches, nibbles and cakes. Do come along and bring your family. You can expect a very warm welcome
Entrance is free; there will be a bucket collection and a donation will be made to RAINBOWS, a local charity.
The St James' Community Gospel Choir
The Friends of Charnwood Forest
Concert Friday 17th March in St James' Church Birstall at 7pm. There will be a selection of songs old and new, and perhaps even an opportunity to sing along!! Children from Riverside Community Primary School in Birstall will also be taking part.
Birstall & District Local History Society Thursday 9th March 2017 Birstall Village Hall, Birstall Road, Birstall at 7.30pm. The subject of the talk "The Home Front in World War One" Speaker - Nick Marshall All visitors are very welcome to join us for this talk. Parking will be available on the night on the Birstall Playing Fields through the School Lane entrance
English and Welsh Wine: the local connection Talk by Liz Robson of Kingfisher’s Pool Vineyard, Rothley & Annual General Meeting Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall Monday March 20 at 7.30 p.m. We have been pleased to invite Liz
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Life saving defibrillators
Continued from page 7 Robson, who will explain how she first became interested in viniculture. Having taken over a 5 acre property in Rothley, she planted the first 6 rows of vines in 2008. More vines were planted and Liz joined the Mercian Vineyard association. She also became editor of “ The Grapevine”. Until then the cultivation of vines and the production of home-made wine had been a mere hobby. After winning several trophies for her wine, Liz took retirement to concentrate on Rothley Wines Ltd. 2016 was the first year of commercial production of red, white and sparkling wines. At this meeting members and visitors will be able to taste a selection of the excellent sparkling wine and their best-selling white wine, King Richard. Non-members are welcome; £5 at the door. The talk will be preceded by a short AGM. Further information Peter Bertram 01162 100 572
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NEW VOLUNTEER drivers and a new minibus will help Syston and District Volunteer Centre continue providing services to elderly, infirm and lonely people in the local area, including Mountsorrel.
Pic: The defibrillator on The Green - the phonebox will be repainted
rescuer using step-by-step voice instructions. The British Coating Federation’s members will provide a paint system of undercoat and traditional red topcoat to every local community that installs a defibrillator in their phone box. Whilst the British Coatings Federation will provide the paint system that will revitalise the kiosk, BT will take on board the cost of maintaining the electricity supply to the phone boxes, so the equipment will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Centre is about to take delivery of a new 12 seater minibus, thanks to a grant from the Department of Transport. The Centre’s volunteer drivers also use their own cars to drive service users to doctors, hospitals and other kinds of appointment for those in need of transport. A Centre spokesman said: “In addition to individual and group transport, we offer a range of disability aids for hire, we organise a monthly community lunch and a regular programme of excursions to places of local interest. Our small staff are always available to listen to problems and to direct those involved to specialist support services in appropriate cases.” Planning for the development of a community garden also continues. Anyone interested in volunteering their services to help meet community needs should contact Centre Manager, Mark Smith, for full details, 0116 2607 888. Full details of centre activities and services can be found on our web site: www.syston-vc.org.
Library staying open A CHARITABLE trust is set to take on the operation of Mountsorrel library. A spokeswoman for Leicestershire County Council told the Mountsorrel Post: “The County Council continues to work constructively with the owner of the library building, who has developed plans for a comprehensive range of community facilities within the village, including the library. “Prospects for the library building and service are looking very positive, and the council anticipates that a charitable trust will be in a position to take over management of the library building in the near future. The County Council continues to operate the library, pending the outcome of current discussions.”
MAR 2017
The defibrillators are located in the telephone box on Rothley Road (opposite the top of Danvers Road), in the telephone box on The Green and on the
outside wall of The Waterside Inn on Sileby Road. The red phone box on The Green is due to be refurbished under the scheme, courtesy of free paint from the British Coatings Federation. The defibrillators can deliver vital medical treatment in the first crucial minutes following a cardiac arrest. The installation was arranged by the Community Heartbeat Trust which is aiming to create a national network of two and a half thousand defibrillators. Following a cardiac arrest the chances of survival drop dramatically every minute. The UK Resuscitation Council recommends that a defibrillator should be available when medical treatment is more than five minutes away, which would include most rural locations in the UK. Inside the phone box, in place of the telephone unit, the defibrillator is housed in a lockable steel box. When someone dials 999, they will be told there is a defibrillator in the local phone box/the location if not a phone box, and will be given the code to open the box. Once the electrode pads are attached to a casualty, the defibrillator will identify if a ‘shock’ is needed and will instruct the
MOUNTSORREL POST
MOUNTSORREL PARISH Council has paid for 3 defibrillators to be installed throughout the village with the help of a contribution of £3000 from Tarmac.
Growing volunteer service
Tennis club’s open day
Money saving lighting
ROTHLEY IVANHOE Tennis Club is your local friendly tennis club, offering competitive and social tennis opportunities all year round, and has an open day in March.
A COUNTY council project to install 68,000 LED street lights across the county and save £1.5 million a year is midway through its completion.
Group or private tennis lessons are available from head coach Tim Stanton throughout the year. A club spokesman said: “Absolute beginner? No problem. Tim offers a range of coaching sessions for all abilities. He even runs an ‘express tennis’
Heritage festival A HERITAGE Festival in May aims to celebrate the history of Charnwood Forest and the towns and villages that surround it.
MOUNTSORREL POST
MAR 2017
A large exhibition will be the centrepiece of the festival – it will showcase some of the research compiled by over 600 volunteers working with Charnwood Roots, a lottery funded project supported by the University of Leicester. The exhibition will cover the history of Charnwood Forest from medieval times to the present day, presented through a combination of text, images and archaeological and document displays. Guest speakers will deliver talks, there will be films of the community digs held in Rothley, a children’s area and local history groups will be on hand to chat to visitors. The festival will be held on Sunday May 21 at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse from 10am -4pm. www.charnwoodroots.org
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6-week course, designed for beginners to learn all the basics in a fun, sociable way.” For those who wish to play competitive tennis, the club offers the most extensive opportunities in Leicestershire. With regular Sunday club tournaments running from Spring-Autumn, floodlit tennis league throughout winter and a winter singles league, in addition to seven men’s, five ladies’ and four mixed team summer league entries and winter inter-club leagues there are ample opportunities for you to get involved. The club is hosting their annual open day on March 18. “With free coaching taster sessions running all afternoon, a bouncy castle, BBQ & refreshments, open courts to play on, and half price adult membership on the day for new members – just £75 for the year, what reason is there not to check it out?” said a club spokesman. The open day will run from 12-2pm. For more information on the club and their open day, go to their website: www.rothleyten nis.info, email them on enquiries@rothl eytennis.info, or search Rothley Ivanhoe Tennis Club on Facebook and send them a message.
Pics: Rothley Ivanhoe tennis club
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is still required if you are selling or renting out your house. Call David Jackson on 0781 5519490 to arrange your EPC
The energy saving and cost efficient technology is being installed by Leicestershire County Council to provide an economic, safe and sustainable way of lighting up towns and villages in the area. So far, nearly 37,000 low and high level lights have been installed as part of a £25 million investment programme. This includes replacing existing street lights and removing unnecessary highway sign lighting. The new lights will be controlled centrally and remotely with an installed central management system, enabling those in part-lit areas to be switched back on temporarily during the evening to help the emergency services at incident scenes. According to Leicestershire County Council Highways team, figures show that the council’s street lighting energy use from April to December 2016 is almost 2.2 million kwh (kilowatt) less than the same period in 2015, which translates to around £263,000 and 900T of carbon. The council’s full street lighting installations are expected to be completed in March 2018. Once the programme is completed, the new lights are expected to save around £1.5 million per annum through a combination of reduced energy bills and lower maintenance costs, as the reliability of the LED bulbs is significantly better than traditional street lights, say the County.
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Museum will double visitor numbers Charity THESE ARE the latest images of the £18 million railway museum that will be built at the Leicester North station of the GCR, near Birstall.
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the 50 year life of the railway. It will help us to further the preservation of the heritage of the GCR whilst at the same time create a new tourist attraction in Leicester, contributing to the ongoing regeneration of the city.” The finished museum will see the construction of an additional platform and a turntable big enough for the largest locomotives. “Like many new designs, our museum will take time to get used to” said Roger Shelley, the museum’s head curator. “It doesn’t try to hide or blend into
THE CHARITY Guide Dogs is currently looking for life changing volunteers to help people with sight loss get out of their homes, reducing their isolation and enabling them to become more mobile and confident.
the landscape – quite the opposite – its elevated position gives spectacular views out to the city and its landmarks. The museum will give us the home we need to shout our story – the significance of the Great Central, the powerful upheaval that railways brought to Leicestershire, the wonder of the workings of railways and locomotives that we all share, and what it means to work on, and with The initiative is part of Guide Dogs railways, both in the past and today.” ‘My Guide’ He added: “The museum will act as a scheme, which beacon, visible from a considerable matches blind distance – during the day, enhanced by ‘gateway’ locomotives parked on the front and partially concourse, and at night, from the south, sighted people with dramatic lighting. It will need many with a volunteer to get out and hours of hard work and effort, the supabout two-three hours per week. port of you as residents, and we are Jackie Elshaw, My Guide Ambassaparticularly interested to hear from potential volunteers to research themes and dor, said: “Our volunteers spend a few hours a week guiding their vision imobjects. paired partner on trips in their local “We’re optimistic that the scheme will area to achieve their agreed goals. meet the requirements of the Heritage Journeys could be to the shops, to a Lottery Fund, and when finished it will café or perhaps to the local gym or give the Great Central Railway and peoswimming pool or any other activity ple of Leicester the first purpose-built railway museum in Britain.” that their partner wants to achieve. The To enquire about volunteering contact volunteer will also help them to estabmuseum@gcrrailway.co.uk lish lasting relationships with community members who can, in turn, help them get out more. Becoming a sighted guide really allows a volunteer to see the life changing impact they are making week to week.” BIRSTALL YOUTH CAFÉ A My Guide recipient in the local area said: “This service has given me the confidence that I can get out of my 2 X Part Time Youth Workers home, maybe not straight away, but in time it has given Hours: Min. 3 per Week • Pay Rate: £8.50 per hour. me the confidence to face my Have you the enthusiasm and energy we need to help us drive forward our other problems. commitment to delivering an educational and fun service for the young people Interestingly, I of Birstall. used to be in hospital every Birstall Parish Council is seeking to recruit two motivated people who are three months but looking to play a key role within an existing team of youth workers and I just haven’t volunteers, helping us to manage and maintain the excellent standard and been recently - thanks to getting out condition of the Birstall Youth Café, a facility which is delivered by the Parish and a very positive attitude. The confiCouncil for 8 - 11 year olds on Monday and Wednesday evenings, 5:30pm until dence that I can get out of my home 8:30pm in the Sports Pavilion on School Lane Playing Fields. has just transformed my life.” Anyone can become a My Guide For an informal discussion please contact Sue Coulson on 0116 267 6191 volunteer, as long as they are over eighteen and able to commit to a miniAn information pack is available to download from the Parish Council's website mum of two hours per week. The charion: www.birstallparishcouncil.org.uk Or you can telephone the office to request ty will provide all of the training a hard copy of the application pack to be posted to you or for you to collect from necessary. the Council offices, or you can email admin@birstallpc.org.uk to request a copy. For further information on volunteering or to find out more about the Please do not send in your CV, they will not be considered. scheme, contact Jackie Elshaw at jackie.elshaw@guidedogs.org.uk or Closing Date for applications is : 3pm - 13 March 2017 call 01189838882
Birstall Parish Council
MAR 2017
Roy Morris
Pic: a view of the museum from the Station Road bridge
MOUNTSORREL POST
The museum is expected to double the number of visitors to the GCR from 130,000 annually to 250,000 and contribute £44million to the local economy. The building, designed by architectural practice Wilkinson Eyre, will house locomotives from the collection at the National Railway Museum in York. The new building will be constructed opposite the existing Leicester North station building, which will be retained. It will have three two-storey exhibition halls and a glass wall will allow visitors arriving by train to see into the museum. Andy Munro, Chief Executive of the Great Central Railway, said: “This is an important project for the Great Central Railway and represents a new chapter in
seeks new volunteers
Plans for city museum ABBEY PUMPING Station Museum could be set for a £500,000 revamp as part of improvement works designed to increase visitor numbers and better showcase its historic collections.
Plans to improve Clock Tower area THE AREA around Leicester’s Clock Tower is set to be transformed by proposals announced by Leicester City Council. The £7million scheme will remove traffic from the streets from 11am until 5am each day – in line with the rest of Leicester’s pedestrian zone. To pave the way for the streets’ pedestrianisation, a new road would be created, linking Belgrave Gate with Mansfield Street and providing a quick route out of
MOUNTSORREL POST
MAR 2017
The museum is in a prime location next to the National Space Centre on the growing technology hub known as Pioneer Park, but has had no significant investment for 20 years. It currently attracts about 50,000 visitors a year, and showcases the city’s industrial past with artefacts from the days of steam power, four huge steam pumping engines, and a large collection of historic vehicles, including an extremely rare early car built in Leicester in 1908. Leicester City Council has drawn
up a £500,000 programme of works, which would improve the building and its grounds, as well as enabling it to house industrial heritage items from Snibston Discovery Centre in Coalville, which closed in 2015. The work includes spending £75,000 on improving the museum and pump house buildings, and £160,000 to enhance the museum grounds, including a better external visitor area and interactive play facilities. “The museum’s Transport Shed is so full of important vehicles that it is impossible to access or display them properly, so £65,000 would be spent on improving the shed to make more space for visitors to enjoy the displays” said a council spokesman. The proposed works are estimated to take two years to complete – the improvements to the museum and its grounds, along with new signs etc are expected to be done during 2017/18, with works at the Transport Shed likely to be completed in 2018/19.
the city centre for buses leaving the Haymarket Bus Station. The new link road – for buses only – would remove the need for buses to use Haymarket and Church Gate. Together with an upgraded Sandacre Street, it would also form a new pedestrian route between the Haymarket bus station and St Margaret’s bus station. New investment in the area will allow two popular shopping streets – Belgrave Gate/Haymarket and Church Gate – to be reconstructed with high quality materials, similar to those used on nearby Silver Street and Guildhall Lane, say the City Council. New trees on Belgrave Gate would further enhance the approach to the Clock Tower. The scheme is part of the City’s Connecting Leicester project, which is improving routes through the city centre for pedestrians while making it more attractive to investors and developers. “It’s vital that we regenerate this highprofile part of the city centre and create a safer – and more attractive – environment for pedestrians in the area around the Clock Tower,” said City Mayor Peter Soulsby. “By removing the buses, and by upgrading the environment on Belgrave Gate and Church Gate, we will give private developers the confidence to invest in the shops and businesses in the area – and that’s something that I’m sure will be welcomed by local traders.” If plans get the go-ahead, bus stops in the Clock Tower area would be relocated to the new link road, taxis would pick up and drop off near the steps to the Haymarket Theatre, while parking provision would be made elsewhere in the area for Blue Badge holders.
Scheme is supported by the Government’s Local Growth Fund. Proposals to restore Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre – which requires significant investment to bring it up to the standards required for a modern performance and training venue – are included in the city council’s Economic Action Plan. The City Mayor announced his intention to support plans to reopen the theatre as a space for live music and performance last June. The consortium that will run the venue also hopes to host e-sports events, filling the 800-seat auditorium with enthusiasts who will pay to watch professional gamers on a big screen. Before the building can reopen to the Subject to planning permission and public, works to restore essential servicthe acquisition of the required land, es will need to be carried out. work on the new link road could get The auditorium will be refurbished – under way in April 2018. Once work with new seats and new sound and lightstarts on site, the new road would take ing systems – and a café/licensed bar around eight months to build. The pedes- will be installed. The foyer and entrance trianisation of Haymarket/Church Gate areas will be modernised, while retaincould then get under way in 2019. ing the original look and feel of the old The Belgrave Gate and Mansfield Haymarket Theatre. Street Link Road and Improvement
War time service MOUNTSORREL HERITAGE Group organised an exhibition in 2014 to mark the outbreak of WWI and are now working on material to be used to mark the centenary of the Armistice in November 2018. Spokesman John Doyle said: “In addition to continuing work on identifying any further village casualties of the war the study has widened to try and identify all those from the village who served.
To date we have identifies 412 men either born or were resident in the village at the time who served during the war. “We have also identified ten ladies who served in the village St John’s Ambulance Voluntary Aid Detachment. Whilst most of these served locally helping receive the wounded from Hospital Trains arriving at Leicester railway stations and supporting them at 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester, four of them served in Military Hospitals elsewhere in England and also in France. “Our WWI Studies Team would welcome any information and in particular photographs concerning those from the village who served during WWI. We can be contacted through our website and Facebook pages at http://mountsorrelarchive.org/ or you can contact the team directly through johncdoyle@talktalk.net.” 11
Broadnook garden suburb plans
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1650 NEW homes are planned for land to the south of Rothley and a planning application for the first phase of the development has been submitted to Charnwood Borough Council. The Broadnook Garden Suburb plans have always included four pitches for travelling show people but when the planning application was published online, this read as “traveller sites”. Charnwood have now amended the wording to “travelling showpeople sites”. Travelling showpeople are defined as a distinct group that does not include gypsies and travellers. They are: “Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows.” Many showpeople are members of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain and are required by the guild to follow a strict code of practice regulating their use of sites. Travelling showpeople sites often need to combine residential, storage and maintenance uses. Typically a site comprises areas set aside for the showpeople’s accommodation – usually caravans and mobile homes – and areas where
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vehicles and fairground equipment can be stored, repaired and tested. Rothley Parish Council is objecting to the plans. It says they are unsustainable for traffic reasons and will erode the separation between the settlements. The existing slip road from the A6 into Rothley will be lost and replaced with a traffic island that will direct Rothley bound traffic part way into the development and then out again, increasing journey times. The Parish Council has also identified concerns that the A46/A6 roundabout will not be able to cope with the additional traffic, and is likely to be gridlocked at peak times. In their response to the application
the Environment Agency had identified concerns regarding water pollution as the site was used as a tip from 1994 to 1996, which can generate both methane and carbon dioxide gases. It requires a risk assessment and detailed site investigation to be carried out. The Environment Agency also has concerns that the new development will be impacted on by odour generated by the Severn Trent Water Treatment Works at Wanlip. As the lead local flood authority, Leicestershire County Council are recommending the application be refused as the plans do not show an appropriate assessment of the management of surface water within the development. Section 106 agreements are developer contributions that are negotiated between local authorities and developers. They aim to mitigate the impact of developments on the local area and are payments from the developer for things such as new schools, medical facilities, highway improvements and leisure facilities. The County Council say they require a contribution of £13,199,333 for education. This includes the cost of a new 420 place primary school (£6.6million), plus £5.9million for additional secondary school (11-18) places and £579K for special school places. The contribution for medical facilities (GP practices) is £903K Broadnook Garden Suburb: planning reference P/16/1660/2
The June issue of the
MOUNTSORREL POST will be published on June 10. The copy deadline is May 26 .
AMLI DESIGN Architectural Consultancy. Plans drawn and submitted. Extensions, conversions, new build. David Ives B.Sc.(Hons) FBEng MCIOB 0116 2674395/07974807111 www.amlidesign.co.uk
Planning P/17/0226/2: 109 Leicester Road – change of use of public house (class A4) to dwelling (class C3). Erection of single storey extension to rear with alterations to roof and fenestration P/17/0220/2: 5A the Osiers – loft conversion to dwelling and installation of roof lights to front and rear elevation P/17/0177/2: 37 Grange Lane – erection of summer house to rear of dwelling P/17/0022/2: 2 Swallow Close – erection of 1st floor side extension to dwelling above existing garage P/16/2832/2: Harbys Haulage, Granite Way – change of use of land from waste handling facility to lorry and vehicle parking P/16/2709/2: 75 Leicester Road – change of use of 1st floor from retail (A1) to Residential (C3) to form 1x2 bedroom flat P/16/2670/2: 130 Rothley Road – erection of single storey extension to rear of dwelling P/16/2624/2: The Green House, 19 Loughborough Road – change of use from residential to mixed residential and commercial use enabling use for showroom & storage P/16/2579/2: 8 Meadow Road - erection of low carbon energy detached dwelling P/16/2620/2: 43 Walton Way – erection of single storey side extension between existing detached garage and bungalow P/16/2563/2: 45 Hawcliffe Road – erection of single storey extension to front of dwelling, two storey extension to rear and single storey extensions to side & rear
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MAR 2017
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