Rothley Post (156) Sep/Oct 2022

Bradgate

BRADGATE PARK has been awarded a prestigious Green Flag for the very first time.

The Green Flag Award Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain

Tidy, which sets the standard for the management of parks and beaches.

James Dymond, Director of Bradgate Park Trust, said: “This has been some time coming and we’re absolutely delighted that Bradgate passed with flying

colours to become one of the newest Green Flag winners.

“Bradgate is renowned for its unparalleled landscapes and interesting history and in the last couple of years we’ve

A CROPSTON woman was seriously injured after an explosion on Reservoir Road.

Katie Lallo, 30, was walking next to roadworks on Tuesday August 23, where

for Severn Trent were

Martin

Pic:

Mountsorrel Revival: Alpine House Stand

THANK YOU to all our patients (and others) who braved the extreme hot weather and visited us at our stand at the Mountsorrel Revival recently. It was lovely to see you all.

FEEDBACK

Thank you for all the feedback you gave us. We had 95% positive feedback which was great to hear.

In areas you said we could do better:You Said:

1) There are long queues first thing in the morning and sometimes we are forty or fifty in the queue.

2) When we call and finally get through, sometimes there are no appointments left and we are asked to call back the next day which is frustrating.

Our Reply:

1) When you are 40 in the queue please note that (when fully staffed) there are 4 reception staff answering calls each morning, therefore you would only actually be 10th in the queue. Unfortunately we have had

APPOINTMENTS

We continue to receive queries from patients regarding appointments being allocated with other clinicians, as opposed to a GP. At Alpine House we are proud of our diverse and highly skilled clinical team. We are committed to providing you with the best possible health care for your needs. However in order for us to do this it is essential that you speak to or see the most appropriate clinician for your prob-

reception staff leave over the last couple of months due to the increasing pressure that this role brings, and coupled with holidays, sickness and waiting for new staff to join, this has impacted on the wait time on the telephone with fewer reception staff answering the phones. We sincerely apologise for this and are doing everything we can to improve this temporary situation by drafting in staff from other departments, including managers to answer the telephones during these busy times. Please bear with us. You should notice a considerable improvement over the next couple of months once new staff join and are trained.

2) We are aware that we have had less appointments over the last couple of months. Unfortunately this has been due to clinicians leaving and the gap waiting

lem. Alongside our traditional appointments you can also consult with our Paramedic Team, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Minor Illness Nurses and In-house Pharmacists. They are all highly skilled and all fully trained in primary care to deal with a wide variety of problems and can prescribe independently. However please rest assured that they all have immediate access to a GP if further advice is needed regarding your problem. By signposting appointments correctly, this ensures that our GP appointments are used appropriately for patients who have more complex issues and needs such as complex long-term conditions, cancer and end of life care.

for new clinicians to start. Again, you should notice a considerable difference over the coming months when new clinicians join. During this time we are doing everything we can to fill these gaps by employing regular locums. Please be assured that even when we have reached capacity, if your problem is urgent for on the day, reception will seek advice from our duty clinician.

Our staff will always try to help you to the best of their ability by either offering you a pre-bookable appointment, directing you to our pharmacy referral scheme, booking an appointment with our primary care specialist paramedics or our duty clinician. However if your choice/preference is still to have an appointment with a GP on the day and we are at capacity you may be asked to call back the following day.

MENOPAUSE

This is a subject that has been in the media a lot lately. We would like to reassure our patients that all our GP's are fully qualified in consulting and prescribing in this area. However there is a national shortage of some medication in this area, which unfortunately we have no control over.

GENERAL SURGERY UPDATE

The desk in our foyer area (which has been manned throughout COVID) will now no longer be staffed as we return to normal. If you have an appointment, please use the self-check-in machine in the foyer area. If you have a query and need to speak to our reception staff, please use our main reception area.

FLU VACCINATIONS

Once delivery dates have been confirmed by our suppliers, we will be advertising flu clinic dates in the surgery, on our website and texts will also be sent to eligible patients. If you would like to add a mobile phone number to your records to ensure you receive these texts please contact reception, who will be happy to add this to your details.

COVID BOOSTER VACCINATIONS -

LATEST UPDATE

We will be running COVID Booster clinics at Alpine House over the next few weeks. We are currently awaiting further information on eligibility and delivery dates. Please check our website and social media over the coming weeks for further information.

STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS

It is with sadness that we announce that both Dr. Cluley and Dr. Lou have left. We are delighted to announce that we have a new Partner joining us from 5th September and a new female salaried GP joining us from 19th September.

gating a hole in the road.

As she passed by, there was an explosion. She was injured by the blast and falling debris – she has a broken leg, fractured tibia and fibula. Large blocks of tarmac were scattered over the road

Bradgate continued from page 1

seen how parks and green spaces have played a vital role for people, so it’s brilliant that we can now officially say that we’re amongst some of the best attractions in the region.”

The attraction near Newtown Linford is among more than 2,000 green spaces to be added to the list of the very best parks and beauty spots this year.

Bradgate is one of Leicestershire’s most popular parks and the new Green Flag recognition, which also recognises the nearby Swithland Woods, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams that make it a great space for everyone to enjoy.

Bradgate Park now joins Leicestershire County Council-run attractions Beacon Hill Country Park, near Loughborough, Market Bosworth Country Park and Snibston Colliery Park – all of which are already on the Green Flag list.

The park was given to the people of

and in neighbouring gardens.

The two workmen were hurt but not seriously injured.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Severn Trent have launched an investigation into the incident.

Leicestershire by landowner Charles Bennion in the 1920s, to be run in trust for them.

Chair of Bradgate Park Trust Nick Rushton said: “Bradgate Park has long been one of the best parks in Leicestershire, pulling in visitors from near and far.

“We’re extremely proud to have been accredited with this internationally recognised mark of excellence.

“Parks and outdoor green spaces were a lifeline for people during the Covid-19 pandemic, and they continue to be in the limelight supporting the wider environmental agenda.

“We are blessed to have such rich ecology and wildlife across Leicestershire parks, and I’d encourage people to get out and explore the county this summer, taking in the award-winning parks and all they have to offer.” www.bradgatepark.org

Open gardens event

THE THURCASTON and Cropston Open Gardens event ran again in June 2022, with 20 gardens for visitors to enjoy.

In addition, visitors were able to buy plants, books, cakes, and other refreshments.

£2954.10 was raised for the Air Ambulance & £1556.50 was raised for other charities, including several cancer charities, and animal-based charities, Inter-Care, Church, and Ukraine.

Over the weekend the grand total

The next issue of THE ROTHLEY POST will be published on Nov 5. The copy deadline is Oct 21.

raised was £4535.32 across the two villages.

Pic: (above) presenting a cheque to the County Air Ambulance

MOUNTSORREL-BASED charity

Alex’s Wish, set up to conquer Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, is marking its 10th anniversary.

Over recent years, Alex (the face of the charity), now 16, has been on a clinical trial called Givinostat run by Italfarmaco, and the latest data shows the drug is slowing disease progression.

Alex’s mum Emma Hallam founded the charity with the aim of finding new treatments and ultimately a cure for this devastating muscle wasting disease which affects one in every 3,500 boys.

To continue making ground-breaking progress, Alex’s Wish must continue its tireless fundraising. This year, supporters have added tens of thousands to the pot through popular events such as its Charnwood Forest Cycle Ride and Supercars at Whatton House.

And there’s lots more to look forward too, including a Golf Day and a Sky Dive in September as well as the charity’s popular annual fundraising ball in November.

Emma said: “We are eternally grateful to everyone who has supported our mission over the years. We

couldn’t have taken such huge strides forward without you. With your support we’ve been able to fund 32 projects from early-stage research, clinical trials, to technological advances and funded five clinical posts to ensure children can access trials in the UK. But there’s still some way to go before a cure is found, so please get involved if you can.

“One way of supporting us is by signing up to our ‘Be More Alex’ regular giving campaign for just £7 a month. Celebrating Alex’s adventurous spirit, you’ll receive a monthly postcard to keep you updated. Most important of all though, it raises money for Duchenne, giving boys like Alex a better quality of life and hope for a longer future. You can also check out our website for event details and ways to get involved. Thank you.”

To find out more, go to www.alexswish.co.uk

Pic: the scene of the accident on Reservoir Road

Brownies plant flowers

LOCAL BROWNIES visited a Rothley care home, bringing flowers to plant in the gardens.

Residents at Mountview care home in Rothley, operated by Ideal Carehomes, were excited to welcome their local Brownies group to help out with an annual gardening competition.

Staff and residents at Mountview are currently participating in the Ideal Carehomes’ Gardens in Bloom contest, which aims to engage teams, residents and the local community in creating wonderful outside spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Each member of the Brownies gener-

meeting some of the residents. They are looking forward to returning and spending more time there in the future.”

Stacie Weaver, the Home Manager at Mountview, said the residents were “full of smiles” during the visit and that they “love sitting in the gardens, especially

Plans to extend life of quarry

TARMAC, OPERATORS of Mountsorrel quarry, have indicated they want to extend the lifespan of the quarry by 18 years.

The quarry has permission to operate until 2040, but demand for minerals means that reserves could run out in around 15 years.

now it’s blooming!”

To help Mountview with the Gardens in Bloom competition, please contact the home directly on 0116 303 3303 or email mountview@idealcare homes.co.uk.

Tarmac has submitted a scoping opinion request to Leicestershire County Council that sets out its plans, which will see the expansion of the quarry workings, but within the site’s existing boundary.

Tarmac wants to extend both the north and southeast edges of the existing extraction zone.

Rothley Common, next to Bond Lane, would be lost as a community green space if permission is granted, but a new common would be erected on an adjacent area of land, with a new bridleway linking to Cufflins Pit Lane, and replacement woodland.

The application does not seek to change the intensity of the operations, so there will be no change in operational practices, working hours, or the number of lorry movements.

Tarmac says it will run some public consultation events this autumn before submitting a planning application.

If permission is granted by Leicestershire County Council the working life of the quarry will be extended by 18 years until 2058.

Details of the proposal, with maps, can be viewed on the planning pages of the County Council website.

The reference is:

plant to each resident and then set out to fill the garden with various beautiful flowers.

Mountview resident and former primary school teacher, Ruth Buckingham, said: “It brings back so many memories, and it’s lovely seeing the children coming in to help. They all looked so excited!”

Shireece Webster, the Brown Owl for the Mountsorrel Brownies, said the girls have been doing various activities around Mountsorrel and Rothley to help others in the community as part of a new ‘Kindness’ project. She said: “The girls really enjoyed getting stuck in and

Rothley junior cricket thriving

THE FUTURE of cricket at Rothley Park Cricket Club certainly looks bright, thanks to its thriving junior section.

Young people at the club have enjoyed a successful summer, which has seen hundreds involved in training, matches and summer camps for boys and girls aged from 5 to 17.

The club has almost 250 juniors registered who have enjoyed developing their cricketing skills at the picturesque setting of Rothley Park Cricket Club. Five hardball teams have competed in league competitions against other sides from across Leicestershire, and this season has seen the club build on the success of its senior women’s team by entering a junior girls' under 13s softball team into the inaugural countywide league.

Training and matches have been spread throughout the week, but the highlight for many young players is the Friday junior cricket night which allows primary school-aged juniors to learn the game through organised, coachled sessions and matches. The fine weather has allowed for many enjoyable nights, with most weeks seeing more than a hundred play-

league teams, and we have been very proud to see a large number of our juniors progressing into senior cricket and representing the club’s men’s and women’s teams on Saturdays and Sundays.”

He added: “Friday nights have been really busy, and the teams of volunteer coaches and parents have worked together to make it all work on and off the pitch. The club offers a warm welcome

Birdwatching club

BIRSTALL BIRDWATCHING Club

has resumed its meetings and would welcome new members.

Club spokeswoman Cynthia Baker reports:

Like many other groups, Rothley and Birstall Birdwatchers Club, established in 1978, had to suspend its monthly meetings due to Covid-19.

When the pandemic was deemed to be manageable, and other clubs could meet again, this local bird watching club found that their winter months meeting hall, the Rothley Centre, was closed for improvements.

Several months passed as the centre suffered delays and had to stay closed. The post Covid-19 shortage of materials and even tradesmen held up many building plans. Finally, in the spring of 2022, the news was good. The Rothley Centre was taking bookings again.

The committee met to restart the club. The monthly summer walks through local areas known for their wildlife started again.

In July, the walk was through Watermead Country Park (see photo).

In July, the club also visited Cossington Meadows, and in September, we plan to walk around Thornton Reservoir.

In October, the club has indoor meetings until April, on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the Rothley Centre, 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley LE7 7PR (large free car park), to listen to speakers talking on varied wildlife topics. May-Sept we have monthly walks through various local wildlife spots.

Membership is £15 per annum, or you can come and listen to our speakers as a guest for just £3 per evening. You can also join one of our summer walks for free.

Our calendar for the winter months is:

Tues 11th Oct “Birds of the Outer Hebrides” – Nigel Slater

Tues 8th Nov “Birds of the Ide Valley Notts” – Gary Hodson

Tues 13th Dec Christmas Party - Members show their films and have a buffet party

There is no better setting to enjoy cricket than at Rothley Park, and we are already looking forward to next summer.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can visit www.rothleyparkcc.co.uk, follow @RothleyParkCC on Twitter, or follow RothleyParkCricketClub on Facebook. The club offers cricket to juniors from school year 1 and above, and it is always happy to hear from anyone who can offer support through coaching, volunteering or sponsorship.

Pics: summer training camps at the cricket club

Woodcock

Tues 10th Jan “Birdwatching in Leics with night sound recordings – Carl Baggott

Tues 14th Feb A Valentine Day’s talk on “For Love, Photography and Birds”

– Cynthia Baker Tues 14th Mar “ A Trip to Greenland”

– Andy Smith Tues 18th April (3rd Tues due to Easter) “The Devil’s Darning Needles”, a talk on dragonflies with Kevin Reynolds

Why not come to one of our talks and see whether you like us? You would be very welcome.

For more information, contact Jack Wootten on bingbongwoo@gmail.com

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YOUR SAY... Noticeboard

all details printed free

Saturday 22 October,7.30pm

De Montfort Hall

Leicester Symphony Orchestra

Gala Concert

Join LSO for this landmark performance - 100 years to the day since the orchestra first performed at De Montfort Hall.

Concert of classical favourites in-

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, Unit 109, Greenacres, The Sidings, Leicester LE4 3BR, or email: editor@birstallpost.co.uk

Corts

Corts is a pretty, little shop on the corner of Rothley Green and in my many years as a resident of Mountsorrel, the shop has always had exactly what I wanted. I have bought lizard vivarium bulbs, chicken wire, an axe, bamboo canes of any size, a sharpening stone… the list is endless. In fact, it has become a challenge to see what Corts does not stock… Last week, my shopping list was 20ft bamboo canes, an obscure type of bulb and a question about my hand scythe. All needs were met within the Aladdin’s cave of the shop, but not only that, I had

some valuable advice about my scythe. It is clear the employees don’t just work there but are full of fascinating information too. Despite the shop’s modest size, there seems to be a nook or cranny for everything!

Corts is a refreshing alternative to the bleak airport-type hardware chain stores like B and Q. There is something strangely nostalgic about the shop but moreover, it symbolises the beating heart of a village community. It is on the doorstep of residents of Rothley and Mountsorrel, it is unbelievably well-stocked and the people working there are knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. No one even rolls their eyes when my husband asks for “Four candles..” for the fiftieth time. Next time you need strimmer wire, human rat catchers or simply flowers for your garden, pay a visit to Corts and support this valuable asset to our community.

Lisa Fortescue-Poole

cluding Finlandia, Spartacus Adagio, Nimrod, Yeoman of the Guard, Swan Lake Waltz and many more

Tickets £20, £16, £5, family £42 & £35

Pre-loved Clothing

Jumble Sale!

Sunday 25th September

Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane 11-3pm. Entry fee £1 per adult (children free).

Fill a standard carrier bag for £3 (some items individually priced). Donations of good condition, preloved clothes, coats, footwear, sports kits, rucksacks, handbags, school uniform, belts, hats can be dropped off at the Rothley Centre from 8am on the day of the sale or beforehand to 40 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley, LE7 7PR. Sweets, refreshments, Children’s activities on offer.

Same weekend as Rothley Village Scarecrow Trail!

All proceeds to a local Ukrainian Refugee fund

For more info go to GoFundMe, https://gofund.me/f2f494ee

Coffee Morning/Sale

Saturday 29th October 2022

The Rothley Centre 10am to 12 noon

in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Stalls to include Plants, Cakes, Books, Bric a Brac, Gifts, NewToys, Plants, Tombola and Raffle £1 admission to include Coffee and Biscuits.

Everyone is Welcome Please Support Cancer Research Uk

All monies go to research In Leicester University/Hospitals

Rothley Community Library Rothley Village Scarecrow

Trail

September 24 & 25, 10am – 4pm

TO ENTER A SCARECROW and be included on the trail map go to www.rothleycommunitylibrary.co. uk or visit our Facebook page to complete an online entry form. Paper entry forms also available from the library

Rothley First Friday Film Club

After a lengthy break the popular Film Club based at the newly refurbished Rothley Centre is to return with a FREE showing of the film

The Duke on Friday October 7 at 2pm

Sixty-year-old self-educated working class Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent) appears at the Old Bailey, pleading not guilty to charges of stealing Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington and its frame from the National Gallery in London. Six months earlier, in spring 1961, he sends a script to the BBC from his native Newcastle upon Tyne. Soon afterwards he is jailed for 13 days for watching TV without a licence. Although he can afford one, he refuses to do so as part of his campaign against pensioners having to pay for it, part of his wider strong beliefs about supporting the common man

Cedar Care Circle

Hi everyone, how quickly the days pass by! Our meetings for September are on Monday 12 and 26. The venue is Brunchies café, Hallam Fields Road Birstall, at the new time of 1pm.

A warm welcome is extended to anyone caring for a dementia sufferer. We are an informal group, offering friendship and support to both the carer and the cared for. Contact me, Barbara, on 07905760556 if you'd like to chat

Friday Night Films in

Thurcaston

“Death on the Nile- 2022 Version”

Sep 9 (127 mins)

Holidaying aboard a glamorous Egyptian river steamer, Hercule Poirot, played by Sir Kenneth Branagh, is caught up in a terrifying search for a murderer. With stars Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Letitia Wright, there are many unexpected additional twists to the original Agatha Christie mystery.

“The Duke”

Oct 14 (96 mins)

Our October film is a delightful UK comedy crime drama, starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. This is an uplifting true story where an idealistic old-age pensioner steals

a Goya masterpiece which he hides in his wardrobe! You will return home smiling.

We will be keeping the hall well ventilated and there will be room for us to space out.

Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council will be showing these films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Film tickets will cost the usual £5, which includes a lucky prize draw and refreshments during the interval. You can pay for tickets at the door, if there are any left or pay in advance from : Richard 0116 2363 066 or Diana 0116 2362 619

The Charnwood Group Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust

“More than meets the eye” a talk by Steve Woodward about the wealth of wildlife found in and around Grace Dieu Priory. A survey first started there in 1962 and the Loughborough Naturalists Club has discovered fascinating wildlife there ever since, including rare items which had been “lost” for over a century.

The talk takes place at Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall, Main Street, LE12 8RZ on Wednesday September 14 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £2.50 for Trust members, £3 for non members and children enter free of charge.

Talks are regularly held on the second Wednesday of the month from September until May, and further details can be found on the Trust's website www.lrwt.org.uk/local-groups

The Rothley History Society will resume monthly meetings on Wednesday September 21 when the topic is 'The Women's Land Army' and our speaker will be Cynthia Brown.

On Wednesday October 19, the topic is 'Legal Leicester' - a look at the solicitors and barristers, past and present, in the Greyfriars area of Leicester, with Iain Jones. All meetings are at 7.30pm at The Rothley Centre

*

Claire Grocock and her fellow musicians are pleased to return along with some special performances by talented young musicians.

The programme will include an eclectic range of pieces spanning the ages, including Bach’s Concerto for two violins, Elgar’s Chanson de Matin and Handel’s Music for Royal Fireworks and more modern pieces Bird’s of a Feather composed by Hewitt-Jones and Bor’s McMozart.

Tickets are £10 and include light refreshments during the interval. There will also be a raffle. Please book your tickets from: Jane Westby 0116 2352226, Douglas Gilmour 0116 2362503, & Claire Grocock strings4adults@gmail.com

Proceeds in aid of Motor Neurone Disease and All Saints’ Church

Charnwood Orchestra will be performing popular works at Holy Trinity Church, Barrow on Soar on 24 September 2022, with the concert starting at 7.30pm The orchestra will perform; Haydn Overture: ‘L’isola disabitata’ Schubert Entr’acte and Ballet Music from ‘Rosamunde’ Hummel Trumpet Concerto Mendelssohn Symphony No.4 ‘Italian’

Solo Trumpet will be performed by Anthony Thompson. The Orchestra will be conducted by Nic Fallowfield.

Tickets will be available via orchestra website www.charnwoodorchestra.org.uk, and/or may be reserved via email tickets@charnwoodorchestra.org. uk

Tickets will also be available via Taylor’s Florist, 17 High Street, Barrow upon Soar LE12 8PY

Messy Church

The School of Baroque String Quartet Autumn Concert Friday September 30, 2022 7pm for 7.30pm at All Saints Church, Thurcaston.

News from Rothley library

Opening Hours

The Library is now open on Saturdays 10am-2pm, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2.30-4.30pm, Thursdays 10am -12pm and 2.30-4.30pm.

The Cowshed

Children’s communication and language development & baby massage @ the Cowshed

Heather who has been working in the library on Mondays will resume her sessions at the beginning of September. These focus on communication and language development & baby massage. To find out more and book onto sessions visit Heather’s website www.thecowshed.me Summer reading Challenge is almost done …but not quite!

This is free and there is still time to complete the challenge which ends on Saturday September 10.

Scarecrow trail

made preserves and jams; cards, unwanted baby/toddlers toys and equipment

* Donated books sale

* Ice-cream van

* Refreshments at the library

* Raffle – tickets available all weekend. Prizes drawn on Sunday 25th at 4pm

Sunday Sep 25

* Scarecrow trail 10 – 4pm

* Scarecrow Trail maps

* Raffle

* Refreshments

* Scarecrow competition prize winners 4pm

* Rummage Sale in aid of Ukraine Fund – Rothley Centre

Outdoor screening

Friday September 23, 7.45pm

parents to share with their children whilst they are enjoying being in the park. The selection of books is changed regularly.

We would be grateful if you would return the books to the box once you have shared them, so that they are there for others to enjoy!

If you have books that you would like to donate to the library, then you can do this during the times when the library is open. We are always grateful to receive them

First Friday Film Club

included on the trail map go to www.rothleycommunitylibrary.co.uk or visit our Facebook page to complete an online entry form.

Due to popular demand we are holding another outdoor screening on Friday September 23 with the film Encanto, a Disney production with lots of songs to sing to. Tickets for this (£5 for a family

After a lengthy break the popular Film Club based at the Rothley Centre is to return with a FREE showing of the film The Duke on Friday October 7, 2pm

Starring Jim Broadbent Helen Mirren, Anna Maxwell Martin and Matthew Goode

(See the Noticeboard section for further details)

Agency has partnered with the Science Museum Group to create ‘Gadgeteers’, inspiring children to use their curiosity.

starts at 7.45pm and ends at 9.25pm. Refreshments available.

Gates open from 6.30pm.

Community Book boxes in the parks in Rothley

We have put community book boxes in all the parks in Rothley. These contain a range of books for children to read and for

The films are shown on a large screen and there will be a short break during the film for free refreshments and a raffle. All films start at 2pm.

The dates for the rest of 2022 are as follows

Friday November 4: Operation Mincemeat (2021), starring Colin Firth

Friday December 2: Downton Abbey (2022),starring Hugh Bonneville and Maggie Smith.

The films for 2023 will be chosen by the audience at the December showing. In order to make it easy to remember, all films will now be screened on the first Friday of each month.

Book Group news

The book group has met every month since the library opened, and we’ll celebrate with a special meeting on September 14. We'll meet in the library at 7-8pm to talk about Deborah Install’s novel, A Robot in the Garden, and at 8pm we’ll be talking to Deborah herself on zoom.

Everyone is welcome.

On October 12, we'll talk about Black Widow, by Chris Brookmyre. Newcomers are welcome again, and we’ll be gathering suggestions for the next list of books. Each person brings two book ideas, with a short paragraph about the book if that’s possible. Books which didn’t get picked up last year can be put forward again. Members of the group vote (privately) to choose one out of each person’s two choices. November 9’s meeting is Walking on Sunshine, by Giovanna Fletcher, and our Christmas read on December 14 will be Gifts by Laura Barnett. You can put titles forward by taking your choices to the library. We aim to read a wide range of books, and meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 7-8pm. Come and give it a try!

Brownies’trips discovering local history

THURCASTON BROWNIES have been exploring local history.

As we meet in Thurcaston, we began by walking by the old thatched cottages to the probable birthplace of Bishop Hugh Latimer. He was martyred in Oxford in 1555 for preaching Protestant beliefs when Queen Mary, a Catholic, came to the throne. We also looked at the memorial to Hugh Latimer in All Saints Church, Thurcaston. Throughout history, churches have played a big part in village life, and church bells summoned people to worship. The following week it was very brave of the Brownies

headed for the Millennium Mammoth on the hilltop. The huge statue was built to commemorate the discovery of woolly mammoth remains when Watermead was a quarry. Next, the nearby playground and the rope tunnel over the water channel; we were having so much fun that we had to hurry back to meet the parents in the car park.

The Sculpture Trail is in The Outwoods, between Woodhouse Eaves and Nanpantan. Many parents and dogs joined us to admire the fantastic willow weave and ceramic structures on the modern-day theme of climate change, pollution and the environment. There were also 70 small ceramic little men high above our heads that were not easy to spot. Seventy figures for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The Brownies were very tired, especially at the thought of the uphill climb back to the car park, but made remarkable recoveries and soon were climbing, swinging and sliding on the play equipment.

big companies, and our railway joined LMS (London, Midland and Scottish) until nationalised into British Railways. Unfortunately, The Dr Beeching axe closed most of the line, but protests by many people saved a section to become a heritage steam railway called the Great Central. Our footpath led to a small tunnel under the GCR and then across Rothley golf course.

an orienteering map, and in small groups, we found all the controls and completed a course around Castle Hill Park from the Gynsill Lane entrance.

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee featured in our crafts as we made red, white and blue items, bunting and crowns for the Church fete, Open Gardens and garden shows in Glenfield and Thurcaston.

and (some of) the leaders to climb the very steep ladder to the Bell Tower, where Peter taught them about the history of bell ringing The original bells do not survive. The oldest bell (tenor) still hanging in the tower dates from 1525 and weighs as much as a small car.

Next, we met at Broombriggs car park, Woodhouse Eaves and climbed uphill through the trees to the remains of the windmill. The mill no longer has sails but has been converted to a viewing platform. Michael had opened the windmill, especially for us. We marvelled at the extensive views of the surrounding valleys and listened to how villagers of the past brought their wheat to be ground into flour; Michael even had an easy bread-making recipe. We made our way downhill through the old parts of Woodhouse Eaves to the playground on Main Street and played until parents came to the adjacent car park and took them home.

From the main car park in Birstall, we walked by the old houses (counted 19 ceramic butterflies in a pretty garden), and noted the separate entrances for boys and girls at the old National School. We visited St James the Great churchyard to see the grave of Sergeant John Hannah, the youngest airman in World War II to be awarded the Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery. We learned a little about canals and barge transport as we crossed the locks by the White Horse pub and then back in time to the Ice Age in Watermead Park. We

Our final local history outing was to walk from The Wheatsheaf, Thurcaston, across the fields to the Great Central Railway line. Built in 1887 to transport corn and coal to London and Manchester it later carried passengers.

After almost 40 years, the many small UK railways were grouped together as four

In Rothley village, we bought chips from the helpful staff in The Pizza Inn and sat to eat them on the seats of Cross Green.

Parents appeared to take home Brownies with sticky ketchup fingers.

To collate our local history discoveries, we made stickers to place on our maps to include all the places we had visited and our own house.

We have also been learning to read

We were sorry to say goodbye to our 10-year-old girls as it is time for them to move on. So we have spaces for new girls; minimum age 7.

We meet on Wednesdays in term time, 6 until 7.15pm in the Harrison Room of Thurcaston Church. For more details, contact Brown Owl, Louise Keran

Report by Snowy Owl

University of the third age

ARE YOU working part-time, nearing retirement or already retired? Does the thought of time without a work routine seem daunting? Is there time in your life to fill?

Joining a local U3A is a fantastic opportunity to meet other people, and participate in a wide range of activities.

‘Syston & District U3A’ is open to everyone, including those living outside the Syston area. There are U3A Organisations all over England and some overseas countries as well, which you can pop into while on holiday or spending time with family and friends elsewhere.

Our website www.systonu3a.org.uk offers information on almost 40 different group activities from which to choose and includes Bird watching, Painting, Singing, Walking Football, Snooker, Photogra-

phy and many more. Unable to find anything which interests you there? Answer - join ‘Syston & District U3A’ for £15 annually (29 pence per week) and form a new group to share interests, knowledge and skills or simply ‘have a go’!

Included in the membership subscription is the option to attend a monthly meeting with fascinating speakers, re-

Most activities cost approximately £2 to attend, which covers room hire and are usually two hours in duration. Outdoor activities offer car-sharing possibilities too. In addition, there are also unique workshops, theatre visits and days out at additional cost.

ceive U3A quarterly magazine delivered to your door and enjoy a perfect opportunity to try something new, meet a diverse range of people and have FUN.

‘Syston & District U3A’ covers many local villages (including yours), so look on our new, comprehensive, easy-to-use website www.systonu3a.org.uk for more information. Take a chance, contact the Group Leader of your choice and arrange to join a ‘taster’ session OR attend our monthly meeting at ‘Syston Community Centre’ on the second Wednesday of each month from 10am to 12 pm, and talk to others to find out more. Everyone is equal, and a warm welcome is assured.

The rest, like life, is up to YOU!

From Syston & District U3A

Pics: Thurcaston Brownies out and about exploring

Local History Society news

JULY 19 was a historic day, both locally and nationally, with the highest temperatures ever experienced in the UK.

A weather station at Mountsorrel recorded 40.1°C. In the circumstances, we decided to call off our visit to the Framework Knitting Museum in Wigston, and we hope we can re-arrange it for a future date.

You probably know Ashby de la Zouch for its fine main street or perhaps for its castle but here is more to the town that meets the eye, as members of the Society discovered during a visit in August.

We met at the impressive little museum, where Ken Hillier gave an accomplished summary of the town’s history. The name Ashby implies that it was a Danish settlement. The Zouch family, which originated from Brittany, supported the Norman invasion and became lords of the manor in about 1150. Ashby remained an unimportant place until the 1460s, when Edward IV gave control of the Midlands to his friend William Hastings. Hastings chose to make Ashby his headquarters and built a substantial castle on the site of the former manor house. The newly important town developed in a distinctive manner, with shops and inns lining Market Street and long, narrow “burgage plots” extending back from them to North Street and South Street. In the English Civil War, the Hastings family supported the King. The castle was besieged by Parliamentary forces and eventually surrendered. The defending force was allowed to leave honourably but the castle was slighted.

The Industrial Revolution largely passed the town by, with developments happening at Swadlincote and Coalville instead, but in about 1800 Ashby unexpectedly became a spa. There was a brine spring at Moira but, because of nearby coal mines, no-one wanted to visit it there so instead the water was hauled to Ashby in tanks. The Ivanhoe Baths were built, named after the popular novel by Walter Scott, which had just been published and was partly set in the area. Although Thomas Cook’s second excursion was from Leicester to Ashby Spa, in the end it was the railways that put an end to the venture by making seaside holidays possible. Eventually some industry did come to Ashby, including biscuit- and soap-making. Many of the factory workers and their families were housed in narrow “courts” crammed into the old burgage plots.

Ken led us on a walking tour of the town, where we saw surviving examples of the courts as well as elegant terraces associated with the spa. We also took detours to pass through the churchyard of St. Helen’s and to view the outside of the castle. If you haven’t explored the town, it’s well worth the short trip.

Meanwhile, we are looking forward to our event in September, and we need YOU to make it a success! We want to record how life in Thurcaston and Crop-

ston has changed within living memory, so please come along and share your recollections with us. Did you go to school here? Do you remember shops or pubs, clubs or societies that have disappeared? Was there a rivalry between the two villages?

Were there local characters that stick in your mind or incidents or events that you look back on? We hope as many people as possible will come and take part, to get a lively discussion going – or

even a debate! You do not need to have lived here for decades: even more recent memories will be interesting to newer residents, and we can record them for future generations too.

There will be no charge for visitors, so please come along to the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday September 22, and encourage your friends, neighbours and family members to do the same. We look forward to seeing you, whether you have memories to share or would just like to listen in.

From Thurcaston & Cropston Local History Society www.thurcastoncropstonhistory.org.uk

Malcolm Law remembered

A DEDICATED volunteer at Rothley & Mountsorrel Heritage Centre has died.

Malcolm Law (1948-2022) joined the project to restore the Mountsorrel branch line as fundraiser in 2010, but quickly extended his help into pretty much all areas of the project.

Centre spokesman Steve Cramp said: He was extremely passionate about our project to create the Heritage Centre, seeing the benefit it could bring to the well-being of the communities in the area. Malcolm played a key role in obtaining grants totalling just over a million pounds to restore the railway and build the Heritage Centre. He wasn’t a wealthy man, but he donated generously to many of the projects around the Heritage Centre site that we have developed since opening, so much so, that much of what visitors enjoy around the site today simply would not be here were it not for his generosity and attention to detail with grant applications.

He was a familiar face volunteering around the site; you would find him laying track, cutting the lineside, build-

ing fences, running the garden railway, operating site tours, and acting as a visitor guide, to name just a few. Whatever needed doing, Malcolm would be there. All of this he did while suffering the effects of long-term cancer, and even as his battle was coming to an end, only a few weeks ago, he was out on the Granite’s patio operating his visitor information table.

His death has touched all of our volunteers, so much so that two of our volunteers, who have been with us since the beginning of the project, have decided to do a sponsored cycle

ride to raise money for the Heritage Centre in Malcolm’s memory.

This is no ordinary bike ride though! Tony and Chris decided to cycle all the way from London to Edinburgh! If that wasn’t enough they are then going to cycle all the way back to London again! That’s 945 miles in total, in five daysthat’s an average of 189 miles every day!

Tony and Chris are funding the bike ride themselves so all sponsorship money raised will go towards creating more of the wonderful things you enjoy at the Heritage Centre site.

It is such a wonderful and kind thing for them to do in Malcolm’s memory, and I’m sure he will be looking down on them with a huge smile on his face. He would probably have some jokey comment about legs like spaghetti to spur them along as well!

* The bike ride got underway on Sunday August 7 – Tony completed the ride, but Chris had to pull out because of the heat. They raised £1200. Pics: (top) Malcolm at the railway opening weekend 2015; Malcolm greets HRH the Prince of Wales 2017; (left) Fundraising cyclists Tony & Chris

Pic: St Helen’s Church, Ashby

560-million-year old fossil is first animal predator

“A few years later, a boy from my school found one and proved the experts wrong. He was rewarded by his name being given to his discovery. Now I have — almost — caught up with him, and I am truly delighted.”

Sir David is referring to Roger Mason, after whom Charnia masoni was named.

The discovery of Auroralumina, reported in Nature Ecology and Evolution, throws into question when modern groups of animals appeared on Earth. Dr Phil Wilby, palaeontology lead at BGS, is one of the scientists who made the find.

He said: “It’s generally held that modern animal groups like jellyfish appeared 540 million years ago, in the Cambrian

Dr Frankie Dunn from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History carried out the detailed study. She said: “This is very different to the other fossils in Charnwood Forest and around the world.

“Most other fossils from this time have extinct body plans, and it’s not clear how they are related to living animals. This one clearly has a skeleton with densely packed tentacles that would have waved around in the water, capturing passing food, much like corals and sea anemones do today.

“It’s nothing like anything else we’ve found in the fossil record at the time.”

Dunn calls the specimen a ‘lonely little fossil’ and thinks it originated from shallower water than the rest of the fossils found in Charnwood.

She added: “The ancient rocks in Charnwood closely resemble ones deposited in the deep ocean on the flanks of volcanic islands, much like at the base of Montserrat in the Caribbean today.

“All of the fossils on the cleaned rock

The 560-million-year-old specimen is the first of its kind, but it is related to the group that includes corals, jellyfish and anemones living on the planet today.

The palaeontologists who discovered it have named it ‘Auroralumina attenboroughii‘ in honour of Sir David Attenborough. The first part of its name is Latin for ‘dawn lantern’, in recognition of its great age and resemblance to a burning torch.

It was found in Charnwood Forest,

which is famous for its fossils. In 1957, a fern-like impression in stone turned out to be one of the oldest fossilised animals, Charnia masoni.

Sir David Attenborough said: “When I was at school in Leicester, I was an ardent fossil hunter. The rocks in which Auroralumina has now been discovered were then considered to be so ancient that they dated from long before life began on the planet. So I never looked for fossils there.

Rothley Park hole

A HOLE-IN-ONE is every golfer’s dream, so it’s no surprise that there was a great deal of celebrating on and off the course at Rothley Park when Jon McCreedy did just that on the tricky par three fourth hole.

“Well it was very windy with an awkward front pin between the two bunkers so I opted to go with a punchy 8 iron to control the ball through the wind,” said Jon.

“It was a good strike and as it was flying towards the green it stayed straight on the flag stick. It pitched about 18 inches before the hole then bounced forward and rolled in at dead weight.

“Our initial reaction was ‘it’s gone in’ and this was confirmed by Matthew Clarke’s group on the fifth tee as they were watching while waiting to tee off, and they gave a big cheer and starte clapping, so we knew exactly then it had gone in. I was playing with Jim Longstaff and James Gamble, and they congratulated me with some handshakes and high fives - with a lot of smiles and laughing we approached the

hole and there it was lying in the cup. There were a quite a few people about, teeing off on the 14th and approaching the 13th green so there was a fair amount of cheering and congratulating.

“And then a lovely touch from Mario Del Grosso, CEO of Marjolo, fourth hole

Explosion, but this predator predates that by 20 million years.

“It’s the earliest creature we know of to have a skeleton. So far we’ve only found one, but it’s massively exciting to know there must be others out there, holding the key to when complex life began on Earth.”

Palaeontologists still flock to the forest to examine its Ediacaran Period fossils, aged between 635 and 538.8 million years. In 2007, Phil Wilby and others from BGS spent over a week cleaning a 100 m-square rock surface with toothbrushes and pressure jets. They took a rubber mould of the whole surface and captured the impression of over 1000 fossils — and one stood out from the crowd.

surface were anchored to the sea floor and were knocked over in the same direction by a deluge of volcanic ash sweeping down the submerged foot of the volcano, except one: A. attenboroughii. It lies at an odd angle and has lost its base, so appears to have been swept down the slope in the deluge.”

A. attenboroughii was dated at BGS’s headquarters in Keyworth, Nottingham, using zircons in the surrounding rock. Zircon is a tiny radioactive mineral that acts as a geological clock: it assesses how much uranium and lead are present. From that, geologists can determine precisely how old the rock is.

sponsors, who presented me with the bottle of champagne back in the clubhouse.”

Pic: (l-r) Jon McCreedy, Mario del Grosso

GEOLOGISTS HAVE found the fossil of the earliest known animal predator in Charnwood Forest.

Pic: An artist's impression of the new fossil. BGS © UKRI

Pic: Geologists at work in Charnwood Forest

News from Sustainable Rothley

Changes

Sustainable Rothley is looking for new energy and people to take on the role of organisers. There’s plenty to do, all of it enjoyable and important, and there may be new and different ways to take the group forward.

Lots of local people have been involved, and they may well continue to support specific events. Maxine is stepping back for health reasons.

It took two years to establish Rothley as a Plastic-free Community, and a new local contact person needs to continue this, or the status will lapse.

There is an active litter-picking group, which recently helped identify someone who had left lots of rubbish on Farmer’s Way. The group was involved in events and other activities to support people who want to live more sustainably. There was a monthly stall at the market, climate canaries were made for Big Green Week last year, and much more.

This is an opportunity to reshape Sustainable Rothley and take it forward in challenging times.

On September 24, Sustainable Rothley

Advice on benefits

CITIZENS ADVICE Charnwood is concerned that people with a longterm physical or mental health condition or disability may be particularly at risk as fuel and food costs continue to soar.

It is important that they access the help available but may be unaware of the benefits to which they are entitled or struggle to complete complicated application forms. Citizens Advice can help with this.

There are two main benefits which provide help with living costs for people who, because of their condition, have difficulty with certain everyday tasks, or with getting about. They are Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for working-aged people and Attendance Allowance (AA) for people of pension age. These benefits are non-means tested and can be claimed while in employment or in receipt of other benefits. They may also give access to other support. For example, people who receive Attendance Allowance may become eligible for benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. All PIP claimants and AA claimants will also receive the Disability Cost of Living Payment from September, in addition to the Energy Support grant if they have a domestic energy meter, and a one-off cost of living payment if on a means-tested benefit or receiving the state pension.

At Citizens Advice we can help you assess if you are eligible to apply for either PIP or AA and then assist with your application. We will go through the task descriptors on the application form and help you to put into your own words when and why you need assistance, even if you are not getting it, for example with cooking a meal, managing bills, or getting to an appointment. We can fill in the form on your behalf if you

have difficulty with writing.

We can also help with the ‘Capability for Work’ form. This is sent to people who are claiming Universal Credit or New-Style ESA because they are unable to work due to disability or a long-term illness.

If you receive PIP or AA and someone helps with your care, they may be eligible for Carers Allowance. This benefit is paid to people who provide 35 hours or more of care each week and are not earning more than the minimum earnings threshold of £132 per week. They will also receive an additional carers element if in receipt of Universal Credit. People already receiving the State Pension, however, cannot receive the full amount of both benefits.

To find out more and to arrange an appointment with an adviser please call our Local Enquiry Line on 01509 649605. We can help with your application over the phone, or you may prefer to come into one of our offices for a face-to-face appointment. If you live in the Syston area you can make an appointment to see one of our advisers at the Syston Volunteer Centre. Ring 0116 260 7888.

Citizens Advice Charnwood Enquiry line on 01509 649605 is open Monday 9.00am to 3pm, Tuesday 9.30am to 12 noon and Thursday 9.30am to 3pm.

Further information about benefits, with guidance on how to apply, can be found on our website at www.charnwoodcab.org.uk. Benefit information is also available on the government website www.gov.uk

From Citizens Advice Charnwood

will have a tabletop stall at the library, and any help is welcome. It’s also an opportunity to talk about possibilities.

If nobody comes forward, at the end of September, the current connections with Surfers against Sewage and the Climate

Coalition, the Facebook page and the email address will be wound up.

Thanks to everyone who’s taken part so far. Something else, something better, might emerge. In the current situation, there’s certainly a need.

sustainablerothley@gmail.com

Prospecs celebrates 30 years in business

PROSPECS EYEWEAR on Sibson Road is celebrating 30 years in business.

“We’ve been on Sibson Road, next door to Boots, since 2018, but the business was first established in Rothley in 1992 and traded there for 26 years until we decided to relocate,” says director Mike Keily.

Mike and Teresa Keily own and run the practice, and you will find them there most days, 30 years after they started working together. They are supported by a small team of staff: Gary, Declan (their son), Dawn and Louise. Not to forget the two regular optometrists Nitin and Reema.

Mike said: “We still find the job very interesting, and enjoy finding solutions to please our customers. Over the years, there have been great advances in spectacle lens technology. Varifocal lenses, in particular, are much more advanced, and we offer specialist lenses for driving, office and screen use, and sports.”

One of the recent and most exciting developments is Myopia control lenses for children. Teresa explains: “Studies show there is a global problem of rapidly increasing numbers of children being shortsighted. Unfortunately, it’s the modern lifestyle of far too much screen time and not enough outdoor activity that seems to be causing the issue. These lenses help reduce the progression of short-sightedness. My youngest two boys now wear these lenses too. Come in and see me, and I’ll explain more.”

Prospecs only started to offer eye tests in late 2018 and now offers tests three or four days per week. You can book your eye test by contacting the practice or book online from the website www.prospecs.co.uk.

tomers tend to be from an older age group, but we would really like to encourage the younger generations to come and see what we have to offer, and discuss their requirements with us. We are official stockists for many of the current designer brands such as Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Rayban, Armani, Ted Baker, and Tommy Hilfiger, to name a few.

“We have a relaxed atmosphere in the practice. Customers should feel at ease coming in for a browse, and we will be available to offer advice if re-

He added: “We are very grateful to the people of Birstall for supporting us and for the many loyal customers who have continued to use us since we moved from Rothley. To contribute a little back to the village, we sponsor Birstall United Foxes U11’s football

Prospecs are running a 30-year anniversary promotion up until the end of October. See the advert on the front page, call into the practice or see the website for more details.

Pics: (above)Niall getting tested for his Myopia control lenses

Left: Mike & Teresa being presented with a team shirt

Pic: Prospecs on Sibson Road

Monday Club

THE LAST time Monday Club members and their guests were able to meet for a strawberry tea was in July 2019.

How our lives, and the world, have changed during those ensuing three years!

Looking back at records of previous meetings, we had regularly chosen the Blue Bell Inn, Rothley, as our preferred venue for our strawberry tea, and 2019 was the fifth consecutive year we had enjoyed the pub’s hospitality. So, on a glorious summer afternoon, with the outside temperature nudging towards 30 degrees, it was with pleasant anticipation that Club members and guests were able to gather again in 2022 at the Blue Bell to indulge in a traditional English afternoon tea.

The staff made us very welcome, there was an abundance of scones with jam and cream, plus sweet and juicy strawberries, and a plentiful supply of tea and iced water were provided to quench our thirsts.

A raffle was held, raising £45 towards Club funds. After a most enjoyable afternoon, sincere thanks are due to Sue Wakerley for making the arrangements for the event and the staff at the Blue Bell for their attentive services.

For our August meeting we were delighted to invite member Christine Burnett to present her talk entitled: “My Woolly Journey – A Hobby or an Obsession?”

She started by telling us how, at the age of about eight, she learnt to knit at school. She would have to sit at her desk and knit a row and then take it up to the teacher to be inspected. If the same number of stitches were present she would be sent back to knit another row. Along with a bit more teaching from her mother and grannie, she developed a real liking for knitting. The first thing she really remembered knitting was a big baggy cardigan in the early 1960s when huge knitting needles seemed to be a fashion. It was in her school colour - bottle green and real chunky wool - nice and warm. Then followed the story of how she, along with three of her school friends, snuck out of school one lunch time and all ended up falling through ice on a local canal. Christine was the last to get out owing to her lovely chunky cardigan weighing her down. She was eventually rescued by a local shopkeeper with a long pole. She also remembered knitting a Mary Quant dress in the 1970s which she wore a lot to work and also lots of baby clothes and toys as her children came along, always being drawn to tweedy and textured wool which she would pick up in sales and charity shops. This, of course, was a familiar story to most women of a similar age as most ladies in the audience could knit and relate to it - knitting and dressmaking was actually cheaper than buying ready-made clothes. However, there the journey for most women ended. Fast forward to retirement and many visits to Scotland and the Outer Hebrides where Christine fell in love with Harris Tweed. She would buy pieces and set to work turning these lovely bits of fabric

into glasses cases, pouches, bags etc. and lovingly sewing on the authentic labels supplied with the fabric, examples of which were produced. Christine then fancied weaving her own tweedy fabric; enrolled on a couple of weaving workshops and managed to buy quite a bit of the wool after a tour of one of the Harris Tweed mills on a visit to the Outer Hebrides. Christine then gave us a brief description of the processes the fleeces (which had to be from Cheviot sheep) go through - the washing, dyeing, carding and blending of colours before being spun into cones of beautiful coloured tweedy yarns ready to be sent out to the weavers on the Isle of Harris to be turned into the famous cloth. The woven cloth is then returned to the mill for inspecting and mending of flaws before being washed, fulled and pressed. Only then would it be stamped with the authentic Harris Tweed label and rolled into bales of fabric ready to be sent out to customers and shops to fulfil their orders. There it would be turned into all manner of clothes and accessories or sold by the yard.

Christine then acquired two rigid heddle weaving looms and set about weaving her own version of tweeds.

She showed us some examples of the different designs she developed and samples of brooches, scarves, bags, cushion-covers and purses she had made. She also had ‘a dabble’ at spinning with a drop spindle using some of the small bits of fleece she acquired on a visit to Orkney. This proved to be very slow, so during lockdown she ‘bit the bullet’ and bought a modern spinning wheel and various types of fleece and taught herself to spin inspired by what she had learnt from her tour of the Harris Tweed mill. Also during lockdown, she really managed to indulge her hobby of knitting, weaving and spinning. Many shawls, scarves, cushion-covers, hats, gloves, socks etc. were produced from her wool stash which had grown over the years resulting in two huge bags of all manner of woolly stuff.

Christine recently bought two alpaca fleeces from Anstey Alpacas in Cropston and said she is currently experimenting, trying to turn them into the lovely tweedy yarns by mixing different fibres and is also having a go at dyeing - again drawing from ideas picked up on the mill tour. She showed us some examples and explained how difficult and lengthy the process is but said that while her woolly journey has slowed down because of it, she didn’t think it would totally end. Christine did, however, conclude her talk by stressing she would draw the line at acquiring her own flock of sheep!

Whether as “A Hobby or an Obsession” members and visitors certainly enjoyed an afternoon travelling with Christine on her “Woolly Journey”.

Meetings start at 2.15pm, and potential new members and visitors are most welcome.

Visitor’s entrance fee - £4 per meeting

For further information, contact Mrs Maja Tompkins on 07709 201881 or Mrs Jenny Kennington on 0116 2365402

From the Monday Club – Cropston & Thurcaston

sites open to the public

DOZENS OF Leicester’s historic sites and buildings will be revealing their stories and offering behind-thescenes tours for a series of Heritage Open Days this month.

The annual festival – which this year runs from Friday 9 to Sunday 22 September – is a once-a-year opportunity to find out more about the city’s hidden gems and its rich 2,000-year history.

As well as opening up buildings or parts of buildings not normally accessible to the public, there will be over 40 individual events on offer including guided tours, walks and open days. Everything is free to attend, and although booking is required for activities, others are open for people to drop in to on the day.

Highlights include the opportunity to tread the boards and go behind the scenes at De Montfort Hall and a chance to tour Glenfield Railway Tunnel, which was the longest railway tunnel in the world when it opened in 1832.

Stoneygate Tram Depot, on London Road, will be opening its doors and offering visitors the chance to take a heritage road trip on a vintage bus.

There will also be a special opportunity to take a guided tour of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara, on East Park Road, learn more about the Sikh faith and enjoy a meal in the temple’s community kitchen, or Langar.

The city council’s museums service will be offering guided tours of key sites including the Magazine Gateway, the medieval Guildhall and Abbey Pumping Station. Heritage tours of City Hall and the historic Town Hall will also be on offer.

The University of Leicester will be inviting people to discover the architectural heritage of some its key buildings, including the Brookfield campus on London Road – as well as finding out more the recent archaeological discoveries telling the story of Roman Leicester –on Saturday 10 and Saturday 17 September.

There will also be a chance to find out more about the At Risk War Memorial Project, highlighting more than 45 different war memorials across the city, county and Rutland which have been taken into care and would otherwise have been lost. Past visitors have discovered ancestors and seen their family

members honoured. Drop in to view the project from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 September at the Chancel, behind All Saints Church on Highcross Street.

The festival will also feature a number of themed walking tours. These include a three-mile tour from Jubilee Square exploring the ‘Coal and the Industrial

Revolution in Leicester’; a walking tour of the historic Greyfriars legal quarter; and, ‘We Are South Highfields!’ – a residents-led tour from Prebend Gardens to Melbourne Hall Evangelical Free Church.

A full programme of events, with details of dates, times and how to book, can be found online at the Visit Leicester site.

Printed copies will be available from the Visit Leicester Information Centre, at 4a St Martins, and at Leicester museums.

Information about events taking place around the country as part of the national Heritage Open Days festival is available at www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Pic: inside Glenfield Railway tunnel

Florist delights gardening club

OUR AUGUST meeting saw the village hall full to capacity with members and visitors, all happy to be part of what was one of the best nights for the Gardening Club.

Thurcaston and Cropston Gardening Club was host to one of the country’s most widely acclaimed florists, Jonathan Moseley. From early spring to late uutumn, Jonathan travels the country demonstrating his exceptional floristry skills at all the major horticultural shows and foremost private and public floristry events.

Jonathan is an ambassador for seasonal British grown flowers. He has been gardening all his life but has lived near Chesterfield, Derbyshire for the past 20 years. Here, he devotes his third of an acre garden to growing flowers and foliage for his demonstration needs.

He arrived with a huge amount of plant material, all from his garden. During the evening, he used this material to create several wonderful creations.

Jonathan’s demonstration was enthralling.

Standing on the stage surrounded by his home-grown flowers, he put together three arrangements, while conversing with the audience in his humorous and

friendly style.

Jonathan still has a passion for growing plants. Because he attends so many RHS Shows, there is always the temptation for him to buy and try new plants. As well as flowers, he also grows a lot of foliage material for his displays, not least as imported foliage has become more expensive to buy in recent years.

He went through a delightful non-stop dialogue, with helpful tips, as he created a “Fragrance Bouquet” a “Colour arrangement” and an “Urn arrangement”. A top tip for all flower arrangers when cutting flowers from your own garden; take with you a bucket or bowl containing a small amount of water, always use a very sharp knife or hardened steel ‘flower snips’. These will give a ‘perfect’ cut causing less stress to the stem. Immediately place them in your container of water, this avoids any ‘airlock’ which would be detrimental to the life of your flower.

Fitness training for over 65s

LOCAL RESIDENTS are being invited to fitness sessions at the Mountview care home on Loughborough Road.

The Mountview Motivator sessions cost £3 and are held between 10-11am

care home’s residents, says the home’s manager, Stacie Weaver.

She said: “It’s really important to us that our residents and neighbours have access to new and fun ways to keep fit, make friends and have a laugh.’

When local resident Patricia Chapman heard about Mountview Motivator, she decided to give the session a try.

Since then, Patricia has taken part in several events at Mountview and booked a respite stay in the home. She said: “I really enjoy the fitness class at Mountview it’s very enjoyable.”

88-year-old Betty Allen, a resident at Mountview, also enjoys keeping fit with Mountview Motivator. She said: “It’s ‘Ideal’ to have an exercise class for us older ones. It’s not too strenuous, and we also have a good laugh which is important as well. It’s a lovely way to meet our neigh-

The Mountview Motivator class is led by Nicola White from Move it Mobility, who delivers a range of activities to care

homes, schools and nurseries. Nicola said: “I’ve been coming to Mountview for three years now. I have fun every time, and the residents enjoy the health benefits of fitness classes.

“It’s so nice to see so many people get involved and become friends with each other. Mountview is the perfect place to visit for a good cup of tea!”

To see updates, news and upcoming events from Mountview, follow their page on Facebook.

Pics: (top) Kath McNally with some resistance bands: (left) Nichola White from Move It Mobility

A simple straight cut is all you need for the best results. The addition of a quality commercial flower food to the water, both when cutting and arranging, will keep your flowers in good order for a lot longer.

The bouquets that Jonathan created were quite superb. In all of them, he used different foliage to very good effect. The foliage included Pittosporum, Lilac, Eucalyptus, Physcocarpus, Sarcococca, and Privet to name a few. Different flowers were also added to each bouquet including Phlox, Echinops, Verbena, Sedum, Lavender, Hostas, Ferns, Helianthus, and many more. When talking about the plants he used, he also gave tips on the best ways to grow them and different cultivars to try.

To the delight of everyone, he kindly offered his wonderful creations in the raffle.

Jonathan’s relaxed style, vast knowledge, skill, and experience made this a night to remember.

The Gardening Club meets in the Thurcaston and Cropston Memorial Hall

Whether an experienced gardener or an enthusiastic beginner we are sure you will find something of interest in this year’s programme. New members are made most welcome. What’s more, it is excellent value! The membership fee is still only £12 for the year (pro rota) or £3.00 per meeting. So, if you are interested in gardening - come and give the Club a try.

For more information about the Club, please call

Dave Haddon (0116) 235 9758: david.haddon20@ntlworld.com

Or Richard Elks (0116) 236 8313: cropston161@hotmail.co.uk

The next club events are:

Wed October 12, 7.45 pm: Running a Nursery, Alan Dayman Wed November 9, 7.45 pm: Brighten up the Shade, Jeanette Merilion

From Thurcaston and Cropston Gardening Club

Pics: Jonathan Moseley with one of the arrangements he created; (below)an arrangement made by Jonathan during his talk