Rothley Post (93) Mar 2012

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MAR/APR 2012

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No. 93

Brookfield Farm: Inspector considers appeal A DECISION on whether to allow 170 homes to be built off Hallfields Lane is expected in mid March.

Builders Charles Church and Rothley Temple Estates want to demolish Brookfield Farm and build on the 6.9 hectare site. The new dwellings would be located next to the 149 homes built off Loughborough Road.

In April 2011 Charnwood Borough Council refused permission and this decision was appealed by the developers. An inspector from the Planning Inspectorate considered the appeal at a two day hearing in February.

The appeal was attended by the

Pic: Vic Parker in his gym

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I’M PROBABLY a bit mad to still be doing it after all these years!” says power lifter Vic Parker, a 71 year old from Rothley who recently took part in a competition to find Charnwood’s strongest man.

Vic, of Templar Way, started body building as a teenager and began competing in power lifting competitors aged 34, becoming Best Leicestershire Lifter in 1974.

Vic trains in his shed at the bottom of the garden and visits Loughborough Leisure Centre’s gym once a week for a 90 minute session.

“I never had a big build” says Vic, “I was 9 stone when I started body building but was always strong so switched from body building to power lifting and won my first competition.”

Vic is 5 ft 9 ins, weighs 13 stone and

Chairman of Rothley Parish Council Percy Hartshorn, who spoke against the development. He said: “It’s hard to say how it will go, I think it’s about 50/50.

The Inspector was excellent, she was on top of the detail and very well prepared.”

The objectors argued that the development would harm the character of the conservation area and that local infrastructure could not cope.

The developers said the development

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2

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

The planned development at Brookfield Farm LD LFIE HAL

ANE SL

Safety of route disputed by parents FAMILIES IN Rothley affected by the County Council’s decision to withdraw free school transport are appealing the decision.

Continued from page 1 was required to meet the need for new housing and would not adversely affect the area.

It emerged at the appeal that the County Council had no objections to the plans in respect of education – because Rothley school is full, children would be taken by bus to the primary school at Cossington.

Continued from page 1 can lift 418 lbs in the deadlift, 352 lbs in the squat and 187 lbs in the bench press.

His latest title was in 2010 when he won the British Masters Championship for his age group.

Vic, a former maintenance man at Loughborough University, has continued to train despite having an injured knee in his 60s and a hip replacement in 1997. He has seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren and was part of the Charnwood Entertainers variety group for five years, performing a ‘strong man’ act.

The Charnwood’s Strongest Man event was held at Loughborough Leisure Centre on February 18 (after this issue went to press). All proceeds from the event went to Rainbows.

Pre-school THURCASTON EARLY Learning PreSchool is expanding and opening in Anstey.

The new pre-school opens on April 16 at the United Reform Church on Bradgate Road.

Owner Lisa Sterland said: “The new pre-school will operate at the very highest standards as all childcare policies and good practices will be adopted from the existing and highly regarded pre-school in Thurcaston.”

The Anstey pre-school will be open Monday to Friday, 9am-12noon.

Parents are invited to a free open day on Saturday March 24 from 10am to 3pm to find out more.

Contact: lisasterland@hotmail.co.uk, 07904 170 196

28 families in Rothley have received letters from the County Council telling them they live too close to Stonehill and Longslade schools to qualify for free transport. They have been offered a bus pass for £400 a year.

The council is only legally obliged to provide transport to those living more than two miles from a primary and three miles from a secondary school. If the route is deemed to be unsafe for a child, accompanied by an adult, to walk, then a free bus pass will be issued.

In June 2010 the county undertook a risk assessment of the route and decided it was a safe route.

Now at least 11 appeals have been sent to the County by affected residents.

Andy Gale of Rothley has one child at Stonehill and one at Longslade and is challenging the credibility of the County’s risk assessment. He said: “Very little mention is made of the A46/A6 roundabout which needs to be crossed by children on the proposed walking route, as well as crossing the A6 slip road, which anyone who lives in the village would acknowledge are simply not viable walking routes due to the volume and speed of traffic.

“Would you be happy for the Council to suggest your children are safe to cross a slip road with no street lighting, no pedestrian crossing, very poor line of sight and with vehicles coming off the main A6 travelling at the national speed limit? It is frankly nonsensical and negligent in the extreme.”

If his appeal is unsuccessful, Mr Gale

says he will take the matter to the local government ombudsman and to a judicial review if necessary. He is also urging all other affected residents to submit an appeal.

A County spokesperson said: “We take concerns about the safety of school children and all other road users very seriously. Assessments of walking routes to school are carried out in accordance with nationally agreed guidance. Following a request, we reviewed the assessment of a stretch of the Rothley to Stonehill/Longslade route in December and concluded that the route was suitable.

“We are currently considering a request received last month [Jan] regarding another section of the route.”

Council working on joint plan ROTHLEY AND Mountsorrel Parish Councils have formed a planning group to progress a Neighbourhood Plan for the period to 2026.

Chairman of Rothley Parish Council Percy Hartshorn said: “We understand and share the concerns of residents with the current influx of building applications.

“At present the councils have to react to applications after they are submitted by developers whereas the councils would prefer to be proactive. Parish Councils are however restricted to criteria set by the borough, who themselves must meet criteria set by central government to meet a building numbers objective over the next 20 years – within which there is a specific planning approval objective covering a 5 year supply target.”

He added: “We will be sending out a newsletter to all properties during March with the current position regarding planning applications and our proposals to progress a neighbourhood plan to comply with the governments Localism agenda.

“We ask you to read this newsletter and answer the questions. You will be able to do this online or on the question sheet provided. We need your views to enable us to move forward with the plan once Charnwood advise the housing numbers in the area.”

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

3

Special Panels will help maintain church teacher’s service SOLAR PANELS planned for the roof of a Rothley Church will help to pay for its upkeep.

THE LIFE of a popular teacher was celebrated by friends, family, colleagues and former pupils at a special service at Rothley Parish church in January.

Sarah Stonehouse (pictured below) was a teacher at Rothley CofE Primary school for 17 years and died, aged 39, on December 13 at the LOROS hospice.

She was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2011.

Speaking at the service, headtacher Mrs Fiona Parr said: [Sarah] was a true teacher, stoic and had a fantastic work ethic to the last. She was never late, highly dependable and gave her all and much more to the children of Rothley in her 17 years.

“She was the school trips education officer. She loved school trips and was often more excited than the children!

One memory is of her falling out of a boat just after her talk to the children on health and safety.

“The school was such a huge part of her life. She has touched the lives of so many children and families. The memories that she has left to all the staff who have worked with her over the last 17 years are of a fun loving, talented adventurous woman. Her dignity, strength, humility and faith are her true gifts to us as her teaching was to her pupils. May she rest in peace.”

Mrs Stonehouse’s funeral was held on December 22. She leaves a husband, Ian.

The £20,000 panels will be installed on the south facing roof of St Mary and St John’s church and any surplus electricity they make will be sold to the National Grid.

The panels were the idea of Terry Sheppard, the church treasurer. He said: “We have some legacy money that earns very little interest, using it to provide the panels will generate a steady stream of income we can use to put into the heritage fund to repair and maintain the church over the long term.

“There’s also the ethical reason, using sunshine rather than burning fossil fuels.”

The panels are expected to generate an income of around £1500-£2000 a year.

The Church of England and English Heritage have both agreed to the plans.

The panels, which will be installed by

Dave Mitton Electrical Ltd, will not be visible from the ground or any neighbouring property.

County’s budget squeezed FURTHER CUTS have been announced to the County Council’s budget which will see 1500 people losing their jobs over the period 2010-2016.

The cuts are the result of a reduced Government grant and the loss of funding for schools that become academies – they receive their funding direct from Whitehall.

The County is aiming to cut £74million of its budget over the next four years. One third of this will be in cuts to services with the remainder in efficiency savings.

Areas identified for cuts include: support for public transport, libraries

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and museums and the Children and Young People’s service, due to the development of academies.

Because of an increase in demand, the county says it will spend more on: support for vulnerable children and adults; public health, support for troubled families.

The pay of council staff has been frozen nationally.

The County says it will be able to freeze its share of the Council tax for

another year.

• Between May 2010 and November 2011, the County Council has closed 51 youth clubs and reduced funding to nine • 815 people were made redundant by the County Council between April 2009 and November 2011 • At the end of 2011, the County Council had 22,500 employees (including schools) and 7700 (excluding schools) • The County Council’s gross expenditure for 2010/11 was £1,019,000,000 (£1.019 billion)

4

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

Rothley station’s extended tea room opens VISITORS TO the Great Central Railway’s Rothley station can sample the award winning tourist attraction’s latest completed project.

Parish Council notes A FULL meeting of Rothley Parish Council was held on January 16.

County Councillor Peter Osborne reported that the County’s budget will be cut by £104million over the next few years, with 800-1500 jobs being lost. He said the growing number of schools becoming Academies would result in £24million of lost revenue.

It was agreed in principle to permit Rothley Lions to plant an oak tree in the village subject to a suitable site being found.

Rothley Heritage Trust has obtained charitable status.

It was reported that developers Radleigh Group Limited, who want to build 240 homes and a link road between Mountsorrel Lane and Loughborough Road, have approached Rothley and Mountsorrel Parish Councils for their views on the proposal. While the Brookfield Farm appeal has yet to be determined, both councils are unable to support any new development. Radleigh have agreed to put a proposed public consultation exercise on hold until the Brookfield appeal is determined, which is expected to be in April.

It was agreed to work with Mountsor-

rel Parish Council to formulate a formal Neighbourhood Plan for the two villages.

This would be put out for public consultation to all residents in both villages, hopefully by April. The Neighbourhood Plan sets out the aspirations of the community in respect of housing, education, employment, transport and recreational facilities. Once agreed it becomes a part of Charnwood’s planning strategy.

It was agreed that designs for an information noticeboard, to be sited on Cross Green, be obtained. The notice board and the planting of an oak tree will mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Council felt that a village picnic type event to mark the occasion would be

The popular Ellis’s Tea Room at Rothley station has been extended to cope with demand and was officially re-opened on Saturday January 14.

The tea room only opened three years ago in a building converted from a former grain store at the station. With only 26 seats it quickly became full during busy gala events – the new extension has almost doubled the length of the building.

The majority of the funding for the £35,000 project has been provided by generous supporters of the Great Central Railway through its dedicated charity, the David Clarke Railway Trust. However, £10,000 was provided through a Leicestershire County Council ‘Inspire’ Visitor Development grant after a successful application.

With the original conversion of the building three years ago great care was taken to preserve the character of the building. It isn’t listed, but the station buildings at Rothley, right alongside, are.

The finishing details reflect the original structure but a stepped design indicates where the old building finishes and the extension starts.

The tea room is open 10am - 4pm seven days a week (special event days may vary). welcome and invites any community groups/individuals who would like to organise it to contact the Council. Some funding will be provided.

No minutes from Thurcaston & Cropston Parish Council were available at the time of going to press.

Garden pot broken A GARDEN pot full of spring bulbs was smashed in the road on the night of December 31.

The pot was taken from outside Babington Court on Woodgate.

Pam Floyd said: “The people at Babington court put their money together for this and they are all OAPs, to make their gardens look nice. For someone to do this is appalling, they have no respect for other people’s property.”

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

5

New fire station and HQ WORK ON a new £9million fire service headquarters and fire station at Hallam Fields began in January.

The grand cutting ceremony was attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Jennifer Lady Gretton and Peter Roffey, chairman of the county’s fire authority.

The entrance to the new building will be off Geoff Monks Way. Howard Robinson, Director of Corporate Infrastructure and Efficiency Projects for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This Cutting Ground Ceremony represents a very significant day in the history of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. Plans for a replacement Headquarters started

The Hub Café is a place for 11-14 year olds to come to after school on a Friday afternoon in the Old School Rooms, School Street. Church Youth Worker Tom Brewster said: “The Parish Church wants to support the young people who live in the village and providing a warm place where they can hang out and chat is an essential part of that. The idea behind the Hub Café is not to provide an ‘entertainment service’ but simply a space where young people can come and be with their friends. We know that during the winter months nobody wants to hang around outside, so we wanted to provide an alternative.”

Tom added: “We also want to get to know the young people of the village – we think they’re really important! The Hub Café represents a part of the efforts the local church is making to engage with young people and the issues that they face as they grow up. Most of all we hope that the Hub Café becomes a place that young people really want to go, to spend time with friends, to feel ‘at home’ and to find genuine support from the church community.”

For more information please email Tom Brewster at brewsterth@gmail.com

“This investment on the Birstall site will not only create a new Headquarters building, but will also provide a new Fire and Rescue Station which will ensure that local residents have the best professional response to any emergencies in the local area.”

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Pic: (l - r): Peter Roffey (Chairman of the Combined Fire Authority), Jennifer, Lady Gretton (Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Leicestershire), Dave Webb (Chief Fire Officer, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service), pictured with plans for the new buildings.

6

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

Environment awards ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES who have taken action to improve their communities will be recognised at the first-ever Don’t Muck Around Awards.

Charnwood Borough Council is launching the awards to recognise the efforts of residents and businesses that are helping to improve the environment in Charnwood.

There will be four categories and winners will be revealed at a special awards ceremony to be held at the Radmoor Centre, Loughborough College, in June. The event is being sponsored exclusively by the Council’s waste management partner Serco.

The Awards have been named after the Council’s flagship Don’t Muck Around environmental campaign which last year helped to reduce incidents of dog fouling, fly-tipping and litter.

Councillor David Slater, Leader of Charnwood Borough Council, said: “The people of Charnwood are so aware when it comes to the health and quality of the environment that it is high time they were recognised by the Borough. These awards are not only designed to recognise best practice and innovation but also aim to inspire others to take action in their communities.

“We want nominations from every corner of the borough, no matter how big or small your achievement – it could be that you were involved in a recycling project or local clean up campaign, reduced your energy use, hung hanging baskets, organised a litter pick or you could be a business that has significantly reduced its carbon footprint. These are just some examples but any project that improves the environment could be entered. Every nomination will be considered by our judging panel and scored on its own individual merits.”

The categories are: • Schools and Young People - best environmental initiative • Community - making a difference to the quality of the local environment • Innovation - best innovative or creative solution to protect or enhance the environment • Business - best commercial initiative which has benefitted the wider community There will also be an overall winner award given out on the night.

The deadline for entries is noon on Monday, April 16, 2012. For more information, please call Nicky Gibson on 01509 634576 or email Nicola.gibson@charnwood.gov.uk.

To download a nomination form and for more details about the Awards, please visit: www.charnwood.gov.uk/dontmuckarounda wards

More homes planned DEVELOPERS JELSON Homes have submitted plans to build 315 dwellings on Halstead Road, on the edge of Rothley.

The site will be accessed from Halstead Road and will contain 16 one bed units, 126 two bed units, 126 three bed units and 47 four bed units. A proportion of the development will be affordable housing.

A similar application by Jelson in 2010 was refused by Charnwood on the grounds it would harm the character and appearance of the area, the design was of insufficient quality, the highway network could not accommodate the extra traffic, and that the site was too close to Lafarge’s quarry causing disturbance by noise and from dust.

Mountsorrel Parish Council and hundreds of local people objected to the plans.

The planning application number is P/12/0022/2 and full details can be found on Charnwood’s website www.charnwood.gov.uk

ROAD TEAD HALS

NHW news & crime report OVER THE Christmas period things were very quiet with no reports of antisocial behaviour at all and only a few crimes reported.

There were a few reports of damage to motor vehicles, including two on Woodgate overnight Dec 31/Jan 1 If you see anything suspicious call the Police and do not leave valuables on display.

In January there have been a number of burglaries in the area and surrounding villages. Patrols have been increased and extra officers will be out and about.

I have had a number of reports of vehicles parking and blocking pavements completely. Please park considerately leaving enough space for a wheelchair or pushchair to get by. Better news is that there were no reports of antisocial behaviour in January.

Crime Report Dec 1 – Jan 31 Burglary 8, burglary non-dwelling 4,

Suggest sites

Pic: PC Ed Stephenson

theft 5, theft of motor vehicle 1, theft from motor vehicle 2, drugs 1 (stop check on Westfield Lane, male arrested) Due to health reasons, PCSO Nigel Ritchie has given up his role as Rothley’s Police Community Support Officer.

From PC Ed Stephenson 2029. Call 101 and select option 2.

CHARNWOOD BOROUGH Council is asking residents to suggest sites in their locality that are suitable for development.

Sites suitable for housing or employment land will feature in the Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA).

The assessment is a part of the Council’s evidence base for its Local Development Framework (LDF) – a set of documents that guide planning and development in the area.

Residents have until March 16, 2012 to take part in the consultation at www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/urbanc apacitystudy

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

7

LOROS Scouts spend night sleeping rough golf day LOCAL SCOUTS slept rough in cardboard shelters to give them a taste of being homeless.

LOROS ARE holding their annual Golf Day at Rothley Park Golf Club on Friday May 4.

LCM Wealth Management are the main event sponsors. Diane Morris, Fundraising Manager for LOROS, said: “I am thrilled that LCM Wealth Management is generously sponsoring our annual Golf Day. To have a main event sponsor really adds to the success of the event. I am also grateful to Spire Healthcare for sponsoring the lunch, Athena Care the dinner, Mosdorfer CCL the hospitality at the 12th hole. The team prizes have been donated by Next plc and the individual prizes have been donated by SJ Events and Danny Spillane, other sponsors include KPMG, Banner Batteries and Berkeley Insurance Group who are all sponsoring tees.”

The event starts with lunch at 12noon, followed by a shotgun start at 1.30pm and dinner and prize presentation in the evening. The event is normally a sell-out so it is advised that anyone wishing to enter a team does so quickly.

Cost for a team of four is £350.

Contact Diane Morris on 0116 2318431/2 or email fundraising@loros.co.uk if you are interested in entering a team.

Digital marketing tool ROTHLEY BASED Agora Marketing communications has launched a new digital marketing tool.

Steve Thomason, managing director of Agora, said: “Clients were asking us how they could avoid the problem of sending out pdf attachments on emails, without them being seen as spam. They were also looking to use video more in marketing material with reduced downloading time, and exploring new ways to make promotional communication more interactive.

“The Agora digital concept answers all those questions and more with over 50 different features. Simply create your graphic document and save as a pdf or we can do it for you. We import the pdf into our software and add the features you require. All documents are then uploaded to our powerful server and accessed by a hyperlink which can be placed in emails, social network pages, or your own website.”

For a free demonstration and to see examples please email steve@agoramac.co.uk or call 0116 2304967 or visit www.arogae.co.uk

The Scouts have been investigating the homelessness issue as part of their Global Challenge Badge work over the year. Chris Poole of the Sharp Charity came to speak to the scouts about the various types of homelessness and why it happens.

Following Chris’s visit, the Scouts decided that they would like to have a sponsored sleep out to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people, particularly young children. So, in keeping with their promise – ‘Thinking of others before themselves’ - on Friday September 16, with only cardboard boxes as shelter, the Scouts held a sleep out at their meeting place, Richard Hill School, Thurcaston. When the group gathered they where given soup and a roll or hot chocolate and biscuits for supper, before settling down in their shelters for the night. During the night Scouts experienced cold temperatures and even rain as they tried to sleep.

Afterwards, the Scouts reported on their evening, with the consensus being, that it was OK as a one off, but that they would not like to have to do it on a regular basis.

In January David Brazier of the housing charity Shelter Housing Aid and Research Project (SHARP) came along to the 77th Bradgate Scout meeting to accept a donation of £130 following the sleep out.

Chris Poole said: “The importance of leaving a decent home cannot be underestimated, and we welcome this initiative

by Scout Leader Steve Baker and his Scouts. We are also very grateful for this generous donation, coming as it does at a time when many more people are

Pic: Scout Ed Partis is seen here presenting cheques worth £130 to David Brazier of SHARP whilst proudly displaying his Homelessness in the UK project

facing homelessness and finding themselves in need of our services.”

Steve and the Scouts would like to thank the governors of the School for

allowing them to camp overnight in the school grounds and Mr John Cooper, the premises Officer for the School, who gave up his valuable time in helping to organise the event.

Whist drive donation DEREK FARR, organiser of the Charity Whist Drives in Rothley, expressed his appreciation to the small number of regular whist players for their support and generosity during the last 12 months enabling a donation of £100 to Macmillan Nurses Cancer Support.

Charity Whist Drives are held at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of every month at the Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley. Admission £2. New players will be made most welcome.

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8

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

Life on the farm Living & working at Brookfield AS YOU drive down Hallfields Lane in Rothley many people hardly notice the farm gate which leads to Brookfield Farm.

There has been a farm on this site for many years, long before many of the houses which now make up the village of Rothley.

Today Bill and Sarah Wright live at Brookfield Farm on Hallfields Lane. In this and future issues of the Rothley Post, Sarah will be writing about life on the farm: The snow and hard frosts have arrived at last during February.

One Saturday night at 10pm we received a telephone call from the County Council asking for the snow plough to be used. They supply and own the plough attachment which we keep here on the farm. When it is necessary they telephone us to request snow clearing duties and we fit the plough to the front of one of our tractors and they tell us what route to take. Bill left Brookfield at around 10.30pm and prepared to spend the night clearing the roads. Although it is a cold and tiring job, Bill finds it very satisfying to move the fresh snow with the plough, and see the countryside covered in a thick white carpet. Whilst clearing snow in a local village Bill was surprised to find a snowman standing in the middle of the road. There was no room to go round him, so Bill was forced to knock down the poor snowman. A few hours later he returned along the same road to find that the snowman had been rebuilt in exactly the same spot. Again he unfortunately had to clear him away. It is perhaps significant that this snowman was standing in the middle of the road outside the village pub.

Bill eventually arrived back at Brookfield at 4am on Sunday morning and was able to go to bed.

Several people have asked about our

two wayward heifers, Thelma and Louise. They were eventually caught before the cold weather arrived, and have joined their companions in the warm barn. March and April will see many of our cows calving which will keep us busy.

February not only brought the cold weather but a letter from DEFRA, which is the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This letter informed us that our herd was due for a TB test. This involves the vet coming and testing every cow, heifer, calf and bull on the farm. This is a labour intensive job as each one has to be held individually in a cattle crush, ear-tags checked and the test carried out. Persuading lively cattle to co-operate is no easy task.

The procedure has to be repeated 3 days later to check if any of the cattle have reacted to the test. Fortunately none of the herd reacted and we were given a clean bill of health. However, it would seem that due to the stress of the procedure, one of our pregnant heifers went into premature labour before the calf was in position. This resulted in the vet having to do a cesarean section.

While the arable side of the farm has been fairly quiet during the winter months, March and April will see a steady increase in the work. The crops will have to be fertilized and sprayed and straw shorteners applied. These

straw shorteners stop the wheat growing too tall and being susceptible to damage from heavy rain and wind. It also ensures that the maximum amount of energy is put into the ears of the wheat rather than in producing long stems. A

fungicide is also applied at this time.

Hopefully the next few months will also bring the birth of some Falabella foals and we will then feel that summer is not too far away.

Women’s Institute ROTHLEY WI has now adopted an earlier meeting approach to facilitate young mums and grandmothers being able to come to WI meetings, as visitors or potential members.

They would then still be in time to meet children out of school, at the close of our afternoon session . As before our meetings are held at Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane Rothley, LE7 7PR on the first Wednesday of each month.

From January 4 all meetings start at 1.45pm with the business discussions.

Guest speakers give their presentations starting at 2.15pm and are encouraged to complete them by 3pm, with tea/coffee and biscuits to follow with question time and a vote of thanks to the guest speaker.

Our members welcomed for their first speaker of the year, Jayne Good who demonstrated a technique known as ‘wet on wet’ with oil paints, a method that goes back well into the history books of famous artists, a method used in and before the 17th century by some well known names when a ‘quick ‘ painting of a subject was required. This technique has been used by Jayne after long studies of the Bob Ross style of painting with oils some eight years ago.

Jayne mesmerised members with her swift and exact technique, completing a snow covered mountain scene with a lake and trees within 45 minutes. There were lots of questions to be asked of her and most of the members enjoyed looking more closely at previously completed paintings , some of which were being sold at a discounted price. It was an interesting and stimulating afternoon.

For our next meeting members will welcome Sue Marriott who will bring us the story the Samaritans on February 1, 2012. Anyone interested and would like to learn more of the Samaritans work, you will find a warm welcome at Rothley Centre, at the earlier time of 1.45pm.

We look forward to seeing you.

From Maureen Bulmer, Rothley Women’s Institute

THIS MONTH’S speaker was Mrs Pauline Fitchett who gave a talk entitled “Mining Memorabilia and Afternoon Tea”. She also brought along some of her own personal memorabilia for us to see.

Pauline was born into a mining family in New Swannington, North West Leicestershire. She talked about life in the 1950’s when there were still nine working collieries in the county. We learned how hard a miner’s lot was in those days and how her family often struggled to get by.

She also reminisced about Saturday afternoon tea back then, when salmon sandwiches, jelly and blancmange were all served and the best china was always on the table.

This was an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

Our next meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday March 1 at the Memorial Hall, Anstey Lane, Thurcaston.

This will be a group meeting.

From Thurcaston & Cropston WI

Get involved „ Send your stories... „ Send your pics... editor@birstallpost.co.uk

Elizabeth Qualified Mobile Hairdresser Appointments available weekdays, evenings & weekends

Tel: 2672142 Mob: 0780 380 2895

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

9

Equipment that saves lives LEADING FIRST aid training provider St John Ambulance has cut the cost of a vital piece of emergency medical equipment in a bid to encourage more businesses and organisations in Leicestershire and Rutland to help save lives.

To coincide with National Heart Month in February, St John Ambulance has introduced a new price for a package of a defibrillator and comprehensive training for up to eight people for £1,695.

St John Ambulance wants to see more Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) available at businesses and locations like doctors and dentists surgeries, leisure facilities and shopping centres where they could save someone’s life if their heart stops beating.

An AED is an importance piece of equipment that can save lives in the minutes after someone suffers a cardiac arrest. The machine shocks the heart back into action and can be operated by anyone, regardless of the level of their first aid knowledge.

In the UK one person dies every six minutes from a heart attack and as many as one in three will die before they reach hospital. Thirteen per cent of all workplace casualties are cardiac arrest victims and for each minute that passes without defibrillation, the chances of survival fall by up to 10 per cent.

Mel Fox, Regional Director for commercial training at St John Ambulance in the Midlands, said: “St John Ambulance believes that no one should die because of a lack of first aid when they need it. The survival rate increases by more than 50 per cent if an AED is used within the first four minutes, so immediate defibrillation could be the difference between a life lost and a life saved. This is a fantastic package offering all you need to have an AED on site with confidently trained staff, but in an emergency anyone can use a defibrillator as the machine talks you through the process. The more AEDs that are located throughout the county the more lives that can be saved.”

Anyone interested in purchasing an AED, or to request more information about first aid training through St John Ambulance, should contact St John Ambulance on 0844 324 5535.

AED training and requalification courses can be delivered through any of St John Ambulance’s training centres in the Midlands, including locations across Leicestershire.

Bell shooting at pub THE VICTORIAN sport of Bell target shooting has been revived at a Thurcaston pub.

The Redhill Revolvers have been shooting at the Wheatsheaf Inn fortnightly on Monday nights from 7.30pm.

Bell target shooting is an indoor sport using .177 air weapons shooting at an all steel bell target at a range of 6 or 7 yards. For more details call Steve on 0116 2676252 (daytime).

Pic: Redhill Revolvers target shooting at The Wheatsheaf, Thurcaston

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Planning applications P/12/0333/2: Tower House, 4 School Street, Rothley – erection or orangery to rear of dwelling P/12/0195/2: 64 Kingfisher Road, Mountsorrel – conversion of garage to habitable space P/12/0244/2: Park Farm, 81 Town Green Street, Rothley – erection of 4 dwellings with associated parking, garaging and access. Conversion of farm buildings to 2 dwellings P/12/0075/2: St Mary's Church, Church Street, Rothley – installation of solar panels P/12/0225/2: 145 Swithland Lane, Rothley – removal of 1hawthorn tree and 1 pine tree P/11/2845/2: 11 Brownhill Crescent, Rothley – erection of a garden room and raised patio area to rear of dwelling P/11/2828/2: 6 Fowke Street, Rothley – pruning of 1 silver birch and 1 apple and felling of 1 leylandii and 1 poplar P/12/0287/2: 45 Station Road, Cropston – erection of porch to front and single and two-storey extension to side of dwelling P/12/0166/2: 77 Rectory Lane, Thurcaston – felling of 1 bay laurel and 1 purple plum tree

P/12/0165/2: 46 Anstey Lane, Thurcaston – felling of 1 horse chestnut tree P/11/2839/2: 92 Station Road, Cropston – erection of a detached dwelling with altered vehicular access following demolition of dwelling and summerhouse to the rear.

P/12 0103/2: 64 Latimer Road, Cropston – erection of two storey extension to front of dwelling P/12/0045/2: 27 Latimer Road, Cropston – two storey extension to rear of dwelling

WOO’S WILLOW CATTERY Licensed Boarding Cattery in garden setting Indoor sleeping area with covered outdoor run Inspections Welcome

Contact Lesley: 01509 412119 53 Hawcliffe Rd, Mountsorrel

Rothley Ivanhoe Tennis Club Open Day, Saturday 24th March 11.30 - 1.30

50% off adult membership plus coaching vouchers if you join on the day Friendly local tennis club with lots of playing opportunities (social and competitive) and coaching for juniors and adults.

Six courts (3 floodlit) located behind the library at the side of the school in Rothley.

For more information call the membership line

0775 7833 360 www.rothleytennis.info

10 THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

YOUR SAY...

The Rothley 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, Longslade College, Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GH, or handed in at Rothley library, Rothley Post Office, Woodgate or email: editor@birstallpost.co.uk

Steam crane The Historic Steam Crane Society of London and Sydney, Australia seeks assistance in finding persons with knowledge of the steam crane makers

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and foundry engineers named ‘Joseph Jessop’, ‘The London Steam Crane & Engine Works’ and ‘Joseph Jessop and Son’ from about 1866 until about 1896, then becoming ‘Jessop & Appleby Bros’ until 1900 or so.

Steam cranes made by Jessops were important throughout the world. One in New Zealand was made in 1898 and still in constant use loading coat at the end of the 1970s.

It seems Joseph Jessop came to Leicester from Manchester about 1862, but nothing more is known of him. The obituary of George Jessop (1852-1907), Joseph Dessop’s son, says only that he was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a member of the Engineering Employers’ Association.

The Society proposes to publish a history on the steam cranes of Leicester, and their importance throughout the world, so wishes to make contact with anyone who can assist with family information, history of companies, drawings, photos of cranes and works, or anything which can help. They will pay all reasonable costs in advance, credit all copyright ownership and provide copies of the history when published to every respondent to this request. Contact in the first instance is to the research historian, whose email is Steam_Crane_Society@hotmail.com Danea Cowell

Thanks I would like to offer a big ‘thank you’ to your readers for their generous contributions to our Santa Collection.

Each year Soar Valley Rotary Club members accompany Santa around the local Soar Valley villages, as well as spending weekends at Budgens in Mountsorrel, collecting for our charity appeal. In this way, we are able to help many good causes including LOROS, Rainbows and this year other worthy local charities.

Those we visit always donate generously and Santa’s sleigh is greeted with delight by young and old – indeed it is not always the children who seem most excited!

This year was particularly noteworthy since, despite the difficulties of the credit crunch, we raised an impressive £5157.

So thanks again to all who were able to contribute and especially to the Kia Motor company, based at Mountsorrel, without whose support Santa would have to rely on reindeer power alone.

We look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Alastair M Wood President – The Rotary club of the Soar Valley

Thanks Many thanks to all local residents who supported Wreake Valley Rotary Club’s Santa Sleigh so well in December.

Many, mainly local causes will benefit from the proceeds. During the last year those organisations we have supported include: Birstall ATC, Birstall Juniors and Community Football Clubs, Thurmaston Guides and Brownies and Syston Youth Project.

Don’t forget to look out for details of our upcoming 8th annual Charity Real Ale Festival which will be held at Syston Community Centre from April 19 to 21.

The Wreake Valley Rotary Club

Noticeboard all details printed free New Age Kurling An adaptation of original curling and played indoors on a hard surface Teams compete with the aim of rolling their Kurling stones closest to the centre of the target The stone can be rolled from a seated or standing position and can be pushed using your hands, feet, stick or ramp All abilities welcomed!

Active Together are also offering local residents the opportunity to represent Charnwood in our County Wide Kurling Competition, so if you think you’ve got what it takes or want to try something new then why not come along to a session at Soar Valley Leisure Centre Every Friday from Feb 24-March 23, 2-3pm A session costs just £2 per adult For more info contact the team on 01509 632535 or email activetogether@charnwood.gov.uk •••

Coffee Shop Rothley Methodist, Howe Lane Every Tuesday morning, 10-11.30am Come rain or shine Now open : Book exchange Everyone welcome Tea, coffee, biscuits, toasted tea cake Proceeds for the Methodist Church •••

Coffee Morning Methodist Church, Howe Lane, Rothley March 10 From 10 to 11.30am Proceeds in aid of Air Ambulance and Methodist Church funds Raffle, tombola, cake stall, white elephant Entrance fee £1 Inc tea and coffee, biscuits ••• Barrow Panto Group’s annual production The (fairly) traditional tale of

Puss in Boots Fri March 2 at 7pm and Sat March 3 at 2pm & 7pm At Humphrey Perkins Community Centre, Cotes Road, Barrow LE12 8JU Tickets will cost £7 and £5

either from The Paper Shop, High St, Barrow or direct from Judith by email: Rodgers_david@hotmail.com or phone: 07718153117 The side-splitting script has been written by a local author and tweaked for Barrow audiences so it’s topical and terrific entertainment – all the ingredients for a really fun trip for the whole family •••

Birstall Birdwatching Club presents

Fluttering Jewels

by Steve Houghton Looking at Steve’s project to photograph the entire butterfly species in Leicestershire & Rutland Tuesday March 13 at 7.30pm Travelling Light

by Nigel Slater No suitcase needed by these travellers as we look at how birds make long journeys overseas and how we can track them in real time. This will be a fascinating travel experience from a very enthusiastic naturalist Tuesday April 17 at 7.30pm Both evenings at The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley Visitors welcome £2 Contact Ken Goodrich 0116 2674813 ••• The Rothley Centre 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley LE7 7PR Friday April 27 at 7.30pm presents

The upBeatles in a Charity Concert in aid of The Leicestershire & Rutland Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association Registered Charity 294354 Tickets £6 From John on 0116 2674040 •••

Can You Help?

Rothley History Society is arranging an exhibition, to be held later this year, which will illustrate the physical changes that have taken place in the village since the enclosures of 1780.

In more recent years farming and industry, which were major activities in the village, have all but vanished and the land they used is now occupied by residential development.

To illustrate the earlier uses we would like to borrow photographs showing factories, farms or the peo-

THE ROTHLEY POST

ple who worked in them.

If you can help please contact John Brooks on 0116 2302625 or email brooksja@talktalk.net ••• Avoid being targeted by rogue traders Put your mind at rest and visit the Age UK Business Directory, where you will find a large selection of trustworthy traders and businesses which have been checked by local Age UK staff who are available to help www.aubd.co.uk If you do not have a computer we will happily search the Directory for you – just call us FREE on 0800 5999435 Leicestershire & Rutland Age UK •••

Charity Craft Fair Loughborough Lions Club Sunday April 15 Indoor Bowls Centre, Browns Lane, Loughborough 10am to 4pm Entrance fee £1/adults, 50p/children over 5 and concessions Free parking, numerous stalls, refreshment plus activities for children •••

Charity Bridge Drive Organised by Loughborough Lions Club The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley Wednesday April 18 at 1.30pm 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 ••• Mountsorrel Methodist Church presents the Third in the Eleventh Series of Sunday Night @Eight

Organ Recitals on Sunday March 18 at 8pm

by Josef Laming & Jack Thompson Admission free Donations for the Church’s Development Buffet from 7.30pm •••

Charity Whist Drives Held on the first Thursday of every month at the Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley at 7.30pm. Admission £2 The next whist drives will be held on Thursday March 1, April 5 & May 3 organised by Derek Farr •••

Film Presentations From Thurcaston & Cropston Parish Council ‘One Day’ Friday March 9 (107 mins) Based on a best-selling novel by David Nicholls, this film is an epic funny but sad love story. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play Emma and Dexter who graduate on St Swithin’s Day, vowing to remain good friends for

ever. They occasionally meet up while dealing with the joys and heartbreaks of life in teaching and in television, during the next 20 years.

Then their fates unexpectedly entwine.

‘Jane Eyre’ Friday April 13 (120 mins) Mia Wasikowska had never seen an earlier version of this film when she took on the role of Jane Eyre. We swing from the strange happenings in the house out in the wilds back to Jane’s hard childhood and then to the electrifying attraction between her and Mr Rochester. However, secrets threaten that glimpse of happiness.

‘My Week with Marilyn’ Friday May 11 (99 mins) In 1956 Marilyn Monroe came to Pinewood studios to make a film costarring Lawrence Olivier and Dame Sybil Thorndyke. Although Marilyn was the greatest movie star in the world, there rose a clash of culture with Olivier’s intensity and punctuality. Played in our memorable film by Kenneth Branagh, Olivier quipped “Teaching Marilyn is like teaching Urdu to a badger!”

‘The Iron Lady’ Friday June 8 Thurcaston & Cropston Parish Council will be showing these films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall. Starting at 7.30pm, tickets cost £4.50 and concessions are £4. The price includes refreshments and a lucky prize draw.

Advance tickets can be purchased via the parish office, 0116 2367626 or at the door.

•••

Photography Evening Wed April 18 Ellis Tea Rooms, GCR Station, Rothley Improve your digital SLR and Photoshop skills Contact Lesley Peasant 0116 2302234 (evenings) •••

Aspergers Syndrome Find information and sources of support at www.assupportgrouponline.org

The next issue of

THE ROTHLEY POST will be published on Apr 28.

The copy deadline is Apr 13.

MAR 2012 11

Summer stroll in parish gardens THURCASTON AND Cropston residents are being invited to open their gardens to visitors this summer.

Thurcaston & Cropston Open Gardens event will this year take place over the weekend June 30/July 1.

Spokeswoman Linda Bennett said: “The event is becoming a popular annual outing for residents of our villages as well as for visitors from further afield.

However, it would not take place without the fantastic volunteers who open their gardens for people to come and visit and we are now looking for those volunteers!

“Maybe you have opened your garden every year so far, maybe you have once or twice or maybe you’re plucking up courage to do so! People who have opened before have really only good things to say about the experience, which is why so many people continue to open each year.

“We can only encourage you to give it a try and see what you think. All gardens are welcome, big or small, simple or elaborate, immaculate or a little more ‘natural’!”

Gardens will be open on both days but volunteers can only open on one day if they wish. There is no obligation to provide refreshments or a plant stall.

For more information visit www.tcog.org.uk or contact Linda 0116 2363872, Jane 0116 2357980 or email richardhillpta@aol.com

Home Carers Required

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Like varied work & job satisfaction?

Join our team of carers in the Mountsorrel, Cropston, Quorn, Sileby, Syston, Birstall & Wymeswold areas.

Flexible shifts, 10-40 hrs per week, & mornings, evenings and weekends available.

No experience required as all training will be provided.

Up to £7.25hr, plus travel expenses. Telephone essential. Ring Debbie between 8.30am & 4.30pm for more information on

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General Garden Maintenance

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Funerals arranged in the comfort of your own home or at our unique 17th century thatched cottage

0116 2607500 www.gamblefunerals.co.uk Prop: Mr Richard Astill, resident of birstall

12 THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

History Society news

Marching brass band looking for new members A MARCHING brass band is looking to recruit new members.

Thurmaston Marching Brass Band meet once a week at the Scout and Guide HQ in Thurmaston and regularly take part in local and national events from parades and carnivals to competitions and royal performances.

No experience is necessary to join and an instrument and uniform is provided.

New members must be 7+ (no upper age limit) and belong to any Scout or Guide Association.

Contact Richard Warrington on 0116 2353812 or 07831 105648.

Ian Roe General Building BUILDING MAINTENANCE HARD & SOFT LANDSCAPING & FENCING etc INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING

0116 2303222 07847 003554

AT THE January meeting we were entertained by Graham Fortey, who took us on a guided imaginary ‘mystery tour’ of London.

From the purchase of the coach ticket (from Wallace Arnold 1921) we headed directly to the department store belonging to Derry & Toms on Kensington High Street to visit the roof garden, and see the Edwardian March Box Holder, which had originated from there.

Other places of interest included, Swann & Edgar at Piccadilly Circus, London Shoe Co., D.H. Evans, Dickens & Jones and many more, which brought happy memories to a lot of people. Each of the ‘visits’ were accompanied, by an item which had either been manufactured by, supplied by or used by the various businesses.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday March 21, when the theme will be ‘Ships of Yesteryear’.

On Wednesday April 18 the speaker for the evening is Dr Wendy Freer, who will be talking about the framework knitters of the East Midlands. This is most appropriate to Rothley, as a large number of the community were framework knitters in the late 1800s.

The meetings are held at 7.30pm in The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley. £3 for visitors & £2 for members. All will be made welcome!

From Linda Poole Programme Secretary, Rothley History Society

OUR FIRST meeting of 2012, on January 17, was well attended to hear Professor Marilyn Palmer’s entertaining presentation about the network of railways countrywide that serviced our industrial past.

The origins of railways began in mining in Germany, and we saw an illustration, dating from 1556, of miners pushing trucks along rails. Even then, coal and copper were being extracted, and so, in the mid-16th century, German miners were invited to England and Wales to assist in developing copper mining here (at that time, Sweden had the monopoly in mining copper). With the growth of the mining industry, so began the development of railways to provide the vital transport for moving the products to where they needed to be. All the earlier railways were of wooden construction. One exception was at Haytor on Dartmoor where the construction was in granite which must have been a phenomenal task to achieve.

The coalfields of North-east England were the first to be developed, serviced by the establishment of the first railway network in 1604. Coal was transported by rail to the Rivers Weir and Tyne, where it could be loaded onto boats to be taken to London and other major cities around the coast. By the 18th century, with the development of ironware production, one of the country’s prominent manufacturers was the Butterley Company of Derbyshire. Numerous designs for types of iron tracks and rails evolved and there was much rivalry between different design engineers such as Benjamin Outram and William

Jessop. Unfortunately, this led later to inconsistency in the gauge of the countrywide rail tracks and hindered the progress of their growth.

In the latter part of the 18th century, the first generation of canals was served by the installation of horsedrawn railways at the ends of each canal in order to transport goods from their source, load them on to barges and, at their destination, off-load them for final delivery by rail. The combination of the canals and railways as forms of transport led to many entrepreneurial landowners making full use of them to enrich their estates and their pockets! As well as the Harpur Crewe family at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, developing and earning excellent revenue from their lime yards, the neighbouring estate of the Ferrers family at Staunton Harold, Leicestershire, did likewise.

The Dimminsdale lime quarries remain on Ferrers’ land today. Between 1815 and 1816, after commissioning William Jessop for its design, a railway was constructed for the Duke of Rutland, for supplies of coal to be brought from the Grantham Canal to his residence, Belvoir Castle.

There was much competition between the Derbyshire and Leicestershire coalfields throughout the 18th century and Derbyshire pits seemed to have the advantage with the ease of distribution of their relatively cheap coal. During this period, the main North-west Leicestershire pits were at Swannington and Coleorton (Coalville did not exist then), so in 1791 the Charnwood Forest Canal – evidence of which can be seen today near the ruins of Grace Dieu Priory – was constructed with railways at each end in order to thwart their Derbyshire rivals and convey supplies of Leicestershire coal to Leicester, but it was not a wholly successful venture.

By the early 19th century, it was clear that a more efficient means of transport was needed, so the engineers, William Stenson and John Ellis, visited the renowned George Stephenson, who was working in North-east England at the time, to enlist his expertise to conduct a feasibility survey into the possibility of constructing a railway line between the city of Leicester and the coalfield at Swannington. With a positive outcome to this survey, construction duly began and the first section of the Leicester to Swannington Railway opened in July 1832. Interestingly, the Glenfield Tunnel was one of the longest tunnels in the world at that time.

As the railways rapidly developed and expanded and, by the beginning of the 20th century, road transport gradually began to improve, the canals slipped into decline as a means of transport. Then, in the 1960’s, the railways were decimated by the widespread closures initiated by the infamous Dr Beeching! However, many heritage groups around the country today are working hard to try to restore some of these impressive parts of our industrial past.

From Jennifer Kennington Thurcaston & Cropston Local History Society

THE ROTHLEY POST

Gift to cancer charity THE MAIN focus of the Meeting for January 2012, was the presentation of our cheque for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Charity and we were very pleased to welcome Mrs Joan Rampton, the Chairperson of the Fund Raising Sub Group of Marie Curie.

Joan said that a lot of Marie Curie nurses were required to look after the five million or so people currently in need of their help and care. She outlined the costs involved in placing nurses with patients, the patterns of the various hours worked, now both day and night, and how the nurses were trained and appointed and said that the charity was not only involved in care, prevention and treatment and hospices, but also in research, including palliative care research. Other diseases such as Huntingdon’s, Motor-Neurone, epilepsy, diabetes and Parkinson’s were now considered to be of extreme concern alongside cancer.

On a lighter note and to round off her talk, Joan then told one or two funny stories and one involved a nurse taking care of her patient during the night and writing up her notes on a sofa in a warm, dimly lit room. In the morning the patient’s son entered the room and asked how Fred was. “Fred”? queried the nurse. “Yes, Fred” answered the son. “Fred, the python”! Thankfully as the room was quiet and warm, Fred had slept soundly all night draped across the back of the sofa the nurse had been sitting on, writing up her notes. We can only imagine the nurse’s thoughts. The looks of shock/horror registered on the faces of the members, including mine, said it all!

Following Joan’s talk, in recognition and appreciation of the charity’s magnificent work, The Monday Club Committee were proud to present Joan with our cheque for £525.34 Our next Meeting will be on February 13 when we shall welcome a representative from the NSPCC, our Charity for 2012. Do come along, as we hope for a very interesting meeting.

From Ann Farndon, The Monday Club: Anstey, Thurcaston, Cropston & Rothley

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MAR 2012 13

King of compost THE NEW Year opened for the Gardening Club with its 29th Annual General Meeting.

Dave Haddon was elected chairperson. The first guest speaker of the year talked about a subject close to the heart of many gardeners – composting.

Rod Weston, Leicestershire County Council’s ‘master composter’ gave an illustrated and humorous talk about composting and also bought with him visual aids and many leaflets.

Rod talked a lot about garden composting, but also about general compostable waste. For example, it is estimated that each of us produces over 100 kg of botanical waste per year.

This includes the fact that, on average, we throw away about a third of all the food we buy.

Rod talked about how much of this waste can be composted and reused in the garden. He showed us examples of food cones and wormeries for food waste. He also talked about and showed many examples of compost bins – for any size garden – and the merits of each.

He made the point that anything that has lived can be composted. He also talked about the science of composting and the importance of getting the right balance between ‘green materials’ (nitrogen) and ‘brown’ materials (carbon), as well as different types of composting, for example, ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ composting.

There were clearly many people at the meeting who are keen composters, as it was a very lively meeting with many questions and comments throughout the talk. A very good start to the New Year!

Programme of Events for 2012 There are 13 events planned for 2012, including a trip to the Malvern Spring Show. Whether an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner we are sure you will something of interest in this programme.

Wednesday February 8 – History of the Walled Garden – Kate Ward Wednesday March 14 – Growing for Showing – David Thornton Wednesday April 11 – Seasonal Plants – Helen Osborne The membership fee is £12 for the year (pro rata) or £3 per meeting.

Why not come along and give it a try?

We meet at the Memorial Hall, Thurcaston.

If you would like more information, please call Dave Haddon on (0116) 235 9758 From Thurcaston & Cropston Gardening Club

Bicycle ride’s second spin from Rothley FREE HOME-MADE cakes are promised to those who cross the finish line of the second Charnwood Forest Cycle Ride.

More than 100 cyclists took part in the 20 mile ride in 2011 – this year the ride will again take you through a circular route along the leafy lanes and pretty villages of Charnwood, starting and finishing at Rothley school.

Organised by Rothley School PTFA the event is raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and new play equipment for the school.

Spokeswoman Emma Hallam said: “Huge thanks go out to our event sponsors: Taylor Bloxham Printers, Bradley’s Superstore and the Woodies pub in Rothley, meaning 100 per cent of all money raised will go direct to the charities.”

Halfords will be selling helmets and offering free bike checks and there will be a crafts and games area for children under 14, accompanied by an adult.

The ride is suitable for all levels of ability and families are welcome – young

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people aged 14-18 can take part if accompanied by an adult. There is a £15 registration fee. For more details and entry forms call 0116 2374867 or visit: www.charnwoodforestcycleride.co.uk

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14 THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

Rise in burglaries A SHARP rise in burglaries has seen the Police in Charnwood launch a campaign to tackle the problem.

Club’s birthday bash SOAR VALLEY Rotary Club celebrated its 35th ‘birthday ‘with a Charter Anniversary dinner at Rothley Court Hotel on January 30.

Soar Valley welcomed representatives of many local clubs and friends of Rotary and Roger McDermott, past District Governor, described the work of Rotary

over the years commenting on the enormous efforts that Rotary had made to rid the world of polio.

The evening concluded with an address by the Rev Canon Alan Haydock in which he delighted the audience with a series of anecdotes and stories, all of which he claimed were true! Over many years Alan Haydock has contributed tens of thousands of pounds to good causes, largely funded by the fees from his afterdinner speeches.

Pic: The Rev Canon Alan Haydock, Soar Valley President Alastair Wood and past District Governor Roger McDermott join hands to celebrate Soar Valley’s Charter evening.

The next issue of

Since January 1, 2012 there have been 56 burglaries across the policing area – an increase of 22 compared to the same period last year. 17 of the burglaries have been committed in Birstall prompting the police to believe they may be being committed by people travelling out of the city. The other offences have occurred in the larger villages such as Rothley, Mountsorrel, Anstey, Quorn and Thurcaston. On six occasions the homeowner’s high value cars have been stolen as well.

In response, the police have launched an operation using high visibility and plain clothed operations. They are increasing the use of Automatic Number Plate Technology (ANPR) ensuring coverage on all the main arterial routes into and out of the borough and they are carrying out enforcement days to arrest people wanted by the police to disrupt their criminal behaviour. They are also sharing information with colleagues in the city and other Forces to see if known offenders are travelling into the county to commit crime.

In the last four months, 25 people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary in the Charnwood area.

Officers are also running a crime prevention campaign promoting the use of forensic DNA property marking, immobilise.com and general crime prevention advice. A new leaflet campaign is also being launched and messages are being sent out on Facebook, Twitter and Neighbourhood Link.

Inspector Duncan Southall, Commander of Charnwood Local Policing Unit, said: “The Charnwood policing area cov-

ers one hundred square kilometres which is a very large area for officers to cover.

There is no pattern to these burglaries and no one method of entry is being used either so establishing a pattern isn’t easy. We think ten of the recent burglaries may be linked and on six of those occasions the car has been stolen as well.

“Modern cars are very difficult to steal without the keys so criminals are breaking into houses, stealing large items such as televisions and using the homeowner’s car to get away. We are carrying out a number of plain clothed operations and using the latest technology to help us identify possible suspects. We are stopping lots of vehicles travelling along the main roads particularly late at night or in the early hours of the morning to ask motorists to account for their movements.

“We need the public to help us by securing their homes and cars; keeping their car keys out of sight when they are at home and using their garage if they have one. Registering property free of charge on immobilise is an excellent way of deterring criminals and ensuring we can return property to its rightful owner if we recover any. By working together we can stop this current increase in burglaries and hopefully reduce crime.”

Anyone with information about these burglaries is urged to call Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is free and anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

You can register your property free of charge at www.immoblise.com and sign up to Neighbourhood Link to get the latest information from your local officers at www.neighbourhoodlink.co.uk

THE ROTHLEY POST will be published on Apr 28.

The copy deadline is Apr 13.

the

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Walking is free A PROGRAMME of guided walks has been announced by Charnwood Borough Council.

Most of the walks are free and range from gentle family rambles to five mile hikes, all in the Charnwood countryside.

Last year 2301 people took part in the programme. One of those was Derek Fox from Sileby who attended over 80 per cent of the walks. In his early 70s, Derek says he enjoys all lengths and

types of walks and has met a number of new friends as a result.

This year’s programme includes an introduction to Nordic walking and geocaching.

For more details go to www.charnwood.gov.uk/walking or call Nita Pearson on 01509 634594

THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012 15

Ambitious plans for business park PLANS FOR a lakeside hotel on the site of the old Wanlip Country Club feature in a local developer’s plans for Watermead Business Park.

Raynsway Properties wants to build offices, industrial units and leisure facilities on the northern edge of Watermead Country Park.

The multi-million pound plans on the 58 acre site could create up to 3500 new jobs. If permission is granted, Raynsway say development could start in June 2013.

The plans include: • playing field/sports pitches and changing rooms/club room for use by the local community • a pub/café/restaurant • extension to bus services to serve the site • division of an existing public footpath along a safer route • provision of a new section of towpath • creation of a new bridge across the Grand Union Canal linking the site to Watermead Country Park • refurbishment/replacement of existing toilet facilities in the County Park with disabled parking • contribution towards biodiversity improvements in the County Park • potential sponsorship of a County Park ranger in connection with joint working on ecological management of the site The first phase of Watermead Business park is occupied by Bentley, Flogas, Lafarge, SWA and AMEC and Interserve.

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LAPTOPS, MOBILE phones and PCs were at the top of many people’s Christmas lists this year. But expensive gadgets are also a major attraction for thieves and Neighbourhood Watch, Leicestershire, are urging people to consider making use of free software to protect their property against theft.

One option available that can be used is Prey, an application that helps track and find lost or stolen computers and phones. The free software can be downloaded directly onto a device and allows owners to trace the whereabouts of the item if it is stolen. It also provides a screenshot of a computer’s running desktop and takes a picture from computers with built-in webcams.

The software also allows users to trigger a range of actions, such as sound an alarm, send a message to appear on screen, or even lock the device from being used. The Prey software requires an internet connection to work and will attempt to log on to the nearest WiFi access point available.

It can be downloaded free from

www.preyproject.com Anyone receiving valuable gifts like bikes, phones or computers this Christmas are also being urged to register their goods on a secure web based national database. The immobilise register allows police to reunite rightful owners with their property and is a powerful tool in the fight against theft.

To register your valuables free of charge, visit www.immobilise.com “By just taking a few moments to register valuables on the free immobilise database and to download the free Prey application, people could increase the likelihood of having their goods returned to them, and assist in providing evidence for potential prosecutions” said Marion Lewis, from Leicestershire NHW

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16 THE ROTHLEY POST

MAR 2012

Greengate Lane a traveller site?

PEOPLE ARE being asked for their views on potential new authorised gypsy and traveller sites which are being considered in Leicester.

The three new possible sites are at Greengate Lane, Beaumont Way and Red Hill Way. The Greengate Lane site has been occupied by a traveller family for some time.

Leicester City Council is carrying out a consultation on the three new potential authorised sites. It follows confirmation that more than £1.5m of Government money has been granted to create new Gypsy and Traveller sites in the city.

The city's one existing authorised site, at Meynells Gorse, is already full. Without additional authorised sites, other travellers visiting the city often camp illegally elsewhere, causing problems for residents says the City Council.

Now the council is looking at creating new sites to cater for both long-term tenants and for gyspies and travellers passing through the city for short peri-

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The sites would each contain between six and 10 family pitches. Livestock will not be permitted on site, and no business avtivity will be permitted.

A citywide investigation into potential sites looked at their suitability in terms of landscaping and screening, impact on neighbours, access, distance from local facilities, availability in the short term, flood risks and impact on the local ecology.

Once this work was completed these three sites were considered to be the most suitable ones as potential authorised gypsy and traveller sites.

The consultation will began on February 17, and will last for six weeks, during which time people will be able to have their say over the proposals.

Questionnaires will be available online at Leicester City Council's website, with paper copies available from Customer Services Centre at New Walk Centre, Leicester Central Library, and all public building in the Beaumont Leys area, including its library, leisure centre and neighbourhood housing offices.

There will be a community meeting at 6pm on Tuesday February 28 at the Tudor Centre, Bewcastle Grove and at 6pm on Wednesday March 7 at Christ the King Church, Beaumont Way. The cost of developing the sites will depend on the findings of surveys and investigations, as well as the final design of the sites.

Leicester city mayor Peter Soulsby said: "Residents have raised with us their concerns over the numbers of unauthor-

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ised gypsy and traveller camps in the city, which cost a great deal of time and effort to the council to deal with.

"Moving travellers on from these unauthorised camps doesn't solve the problem - it just moves it to a different part of the city.

"By creating enough space in authorised, well-managed travellers' sites, we can help ensure they are properly run and secure sites, where residents will pay rent, council tax and charges for gas, electric and water.

"We've spent a great deal of time looking at what sites across the city could accommodate these needs, and the three we've identified are the most suitable.

"I'd urge people to take part in this consultation and be part of the decisionmaking process on this important issue."

For more information or to take part in the consultation visit www.leicester.gov.uk/gypsyandtravellersit es

Small Ads Small ads are 25p for the first 16 words.

17-32 words: 50p. Enclosing payment, post your ad to us or hand it in (inside an envelope) at Rothley library or Rothley Post Office on Woodgate.

Trade/business rates for small ads are 25p a word. You are liable for the trade/business rate if you are offering a service for which you are asking for payment, or if you are advertising new goods for sale. All text will be printed bold. Box outline £1 extra. Max 50

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China talk A TALK on Modern China was given by a lecturer from Leicester University at the Rothley Centre in January.

Dr Michael Lynch put 21st century China into a historical context at the event, held in January and organised

by Charnwood Conservative Association. A further talk in February had as its subject the Middle East.

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THE ROTHLEY Post is delighted to receive contributions from residents.

You can send us: Details of a community event such as a rummage sale, fete or coffee morning for free publication on our ‘Noticeboard’ page.

Items of news - we’re interested in everything: club and society news, prizewinners, charity events, church news, complaints, praise, new projects, new facilities, trips, sport, crime, anything that concerns or interests you.

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How you can contact us: Email: editor@birstallpost.co.uk Phone or Fax (0116) 267 4213 Hand in your items at Rothley Library, Birstall Library or Rothley Post Office on Woodgate.

Write to us at The Rothley Post, Longslade College, Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GH The Rothley Post is an independent newspaper

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THE ROTHLEY POST will be published on Apr 28.

The copy deadline is Apr 13.