The Bradgate Magazine - September 2020

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020

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ISSUE 45

GREAT BRITISH GARDEN PARTY BRADGATE

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GREETINGS Welcome to the September/October edition of The Bradgate Magazine.

After a few issues on ice, due to the pandemic, we’re back – and first may we start out by hoping that all our readers stayed safe and well during this time, and secondly, can we take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic advertisers and editorial providers, existing and new, for supporting us with our production, without them, you literally wouldn’t be holding this magazine today!

For this edition we look to a new dawn of sorts – life as we know it, isn’t the same, and may never strictly be the same again for some, but we solider on and it’s great to see so many of our local business and service providers, charities and groups back on good form, despite the adaptations they have had to and will need to continue making.

Take Charity Link’s 3 Peaks Challenge for example, previously an award-winning 16-mile run around the peaks of Old John in Bradgate Park, Beacon Hill and Bardon Hill, participants are now asked to complete their own run between the 12th and 27th September; or the YES Project which has introduced Zoom and virtual group working sessions, in a similar vein to the GREAT project (Getting Ready for Employment And Training) but ultimately these organisations are making it happen, despite the challenges, so they may continue supporting their causes and patrons and for that I applaud them.

So, why not pop the kettle on, put your feet up and take a moment to see what your wonderful community has been doing, and will be doing, to make us all proud this September and coming October.

Regards November/December 2020 edition copy deadline: 02 October 2020

Jo

To advertise contact the editor for prices, details and deadlines

editor

editor@thebradgatemagazine.co.uk 07708 915779 | www.thebradgatemagazine.co.uk

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News, reviews, competitions, events and must-see things to do and hear - add to that the fantastic range of services and products available from our advertisers and you have a publication that puts you, our reader, “at the heart of your community” - just as we have always proudly done, since 2013.

PS

“ Hope is being able to see that there is l i g h t d e s p i t e a l l o f t h e d a r k n e s s . ” - De s m ond Tutu

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Local Freemasons Supporting

NATIONAL PUSH FOR COVID-19 RELIEF

Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons have been playing their part in raising over £1m for the Freemasons Community Fund, aimed at supporting charities and those in need due to the current crisis.

Across the nation, Freemasons have provided over 120,000 people with 300,000 meals and 38 tonnes of food, as well as incredible support and financial aid to the many food banks around the country.

Closer to home, the Leicester South Food Bank, which has been under great strain because of the Covid-19 crisis, received a big helping hand thanks to a £1,500 grant. Geoff Adams, Trustee of the Leicester South Food Bank, said: “We’re very grateful to the Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons for their generous grant, which will help us provide essential food to people who are in real need across Leicester and Leicestershire. The lock-down has caused serious difficulties for many families and this grant will make a real difference.”

A £3,000 grant was provided to Paul Leary and his wife Alison, who run Access Catering, who have been using their existing facilities to provide meals for nurses and other NHS frontline workers at the three main Leicestershire hospitals.

Rearsby Residential Care Home also received a generous donation - of tablet computers - to help residents keep in touch with family members.

The initiative, started by Dr. Durairaj Jawahar, a member of Leicester’s Lodge of the Argonauts, and partner in the care home, was assisted by fellow Freemasons Dr. Thankasamy Sankur and Kalpesh Chauhan to secure the donation from Lodge charity funds.

The skills and resources of some of the members were also put to good use, as PPE equipment started to role off the 3D printers and other manufacturing facilities in the county.

Face shields have been donated free of charge to hospitals and care homes by local Freemason Michael Smart, of Newarke Lodge No. 6794, who has been putting his machinery to good use. Whilst in Melton Mowbray, Chris Parsons has also been manufacturing and supplying face shields and masks to those that need them, where an initial grant from the Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons charity supported an increase in production that has really helped those who were struggling to find the equipment they needed.

Similarly, in Leicester, a member of Tudor House Lodge, Mark Foxall along with his wife Alison received a grant to mass produce face shields and equipment for local hospitals and other front-line workers.

Financial aid has also been provided to local charities in these testing times, with Loughborough based Rainbows hospice for children and young people receiving £7,750 to help them continue their operations.

Peter Kinder, head of Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons said: “With food banks across the UK being used more and more, the pandemic has put untold pressure on this vital distribution network. We are so glad that we are able to help by providing thousands of families across the UK with a hot meal or food donations to help them through the current crisis.

“Freemasons from around the country, and in particular in Leicestershire & Rutland which I am proud to lead, have achieved all of this in just a few months and have also given their time to produce and deliver food to the vulnerable. We will continue to raise money and donate our time until we are able to return to normality.”

Pictured (left to right): Sarah Jawahar of the Rearsby Residential Care Home, Dr. Thankasamy Sankar and Kalpesh Chauhan, Freemasons of the Lodge of the Argonauts.

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CHARITY ASKS YOU TO JOIN ‘STRIDES APART’ TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED Charity Link has launched its new ‘Strides Apart 2020’ event and is looking for people across the county to take part to help provide essential items for vulnerable people experiencing hardship.

Charity Link usually runs its popular and award-winning 16 mile Leicestershire 3 Peaks Challenge each September, which follows a unique route taking in the peaks of Old John in Bradgate Park, Beacon Hill and Bardon Hill (Leicestershire’s highest point).

However, unable to run the challenge in the usual format this year due to the pandemic, Strides Apart 2020 asks people to take on their own 16 mile challenge between the 12th and 27th September; to feature fun elements such as photo, i-spy and fancy dress competitions, all funds raised through the event will ensure that local people in need – including those directly impacted by the pandemic - are provided with the food, clothing and other essential items they desperately need.

Susan McEniff, Director of Marketing and Fundraising at Charity Link, says: “We are facing a 40% loss in fundraising income this year having already had to cancel a number of events due to the pandemic. We know that many people were looking forward to supporting the Leicestershire 3 Peaks and whilst we can’t run the event in its usual format this year, and we will miss seeing everyone on the start-line and walking with you, we are really excited to launch Strides Apart 2020.

“Those taking part can navigate around our usual Leicestershire 3 Peaks route through the beautiful Charnwood countryside or design their own walk anywhere in Leicestershire. They can also be imaginative about the 3 ‘peaks’ they include and can take on 16 miles in one go or split their challenge across a number of days, or even organise a relay with friends, family members or work colleagues. We’ve got a special event cup to present to the business which we feel best supports the event too.”

Everyone taking part will receive an exclusive challenge t-shirt and welcome pack. Full details on the event can be found at www.charitylink.org/strides-apart or by calling 0116 222 2212. The charity is also interested in hearing from those who may be interested in offering sponsorship for the event.

Pictured: Susan McEniff of Charity Link, who will be taking on the Strides Apart Challenge and is asking others to do the same.

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DEVELOPERS CALL FOR ASSISTANCE FROM DISABLED COMMUNITY WITH EMPOWERING NEW APP

A trio of Leicestershire tech-entrepreneurs have launched an

The team have big plans for the future of the app too, with a

appeal to Leicester’s disabled community to get behind a brand-

national roll-out on the cards, as well as heightened user features

new app that aims to share knowledge within the county and

to follow.

improve accessibility.

At the same time as empowering the disabled community, it

The app, Access Rating (CIC), hopes to empower both users and

is hoped that the review function of the app - alongside direct

venues by listing and independently reviewing which of our city

outreach from the Access Rating team - will encourage more

and county businesses are truly accessible to those with mobility

business owners to improve their accessibility for disabled

needs. Fundamental to the app is the unique ability for users to

customers, and there is a clear financial, as well as moral, reason

post reviews and comments about venues they have visited and

for doing so: the collective spending power and influence of the

experiences they have had.

disabled community is called the ‘purple pound’.

Developed to act like a Trustpilot for the disabled traveller, the

It is estimated that one in five working adults has a disability in

aim is for the app to create a real-life, real-time knowledge bank

the UK and there are 13.3 million disabled people in the UK. These

for disabled users by disabled users – and to, ultimately, make life

households have a spending power of over £249 billion, a number

easier, as the more users get involved and post their reviews, the

that is growing, as more people are given greater knowledge,

more that knowledge multiplies, for the greater good.

visibility and access - thanks to apps like Access Rating.

It is hoped that these bank of experiences will then empower more

Whilst lockdown and enforced shielding has allowed the creation

people, helping them overcome obstacles often unseen by more

of the app, with venues reopening and life starting to get back to

able-bodied individuals – be that as seemingly simple as drop

a new normal, the app’s future development and success does

kerbs, accessible lifts or suitable toilet facilities. Their slogan is: “The

hinge on the disabled public getting involved and adding their

power to improve disabled access, one rating at a time”.

real life reviews.

Free to download and easy to post reviews, the app has been

The app can be downloaded from Apple and Android stores –

founded and developed over lockdown by a trio of Leicestershire-

search Access Rating (Disabled Access Review App).

based entrepreneurs, all with their own personal mobility needs: Richard Copson, Jignesh Vaidya, and Mark Esho – an award winning entrepreneur and number one ranking author.

Pictured (left to right): Access Rating (CIC) Founders: Jignesh Vaidya, Mark Esho and Richard Copson.

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BIKE RIDE IN MEMORY OF MUM A fundraising bike ride in memory of Francina Christmas by her son, Gary has raised over £1,300 for Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland.

After his Mum passed away in June this year, after suffering from Alzheimer’s Dementia for 15 years, Gary wanted to raise money for the charity who had been such a great source of support for his mum.

Francina used to go to Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland’s Gloucester House in Melton Mowbray three times a week. Living at home on her own with dementia, after her husband passed away in 2005, could have been extremely isolating, so going to Age UK LS&R became the highlight of her week.

Gloucester House gives older people the opportunity to socialise, be creative and make new friends, as well as providing a hot meal, which was of huge benefit to Francina as she was no longer able to cook for herself.

Those days out became a lifeline, and provided relief and reassurance for the family, knowing that she was in a safe environment with the fantastic staff there who would collect and drop her home.

Gary is in no doubt this provision enhanced his Mum’s quality of life and to show his appreciation Gary, and his son Daniel, set off from Gloucester House on Saturday 1st August 2020 and cycled all the way to Skegness, they then reversed the journey the following day!

Aiming to raise £500, the pair smashed their target but still welcome any donations.

For more information visit www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GaryChristmas or just search ‘Gary Christmas’ on the Virgin Money Giving homepage.

This project has been made possible by our partnership working with The Centre project and funding awarded by the Leicestershire &

Rutland

Community

Foundation

and

the

Coronavirus

Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund.

People can collect a SoundCafe to Takeaway bag, along with accessing information from the staff and volunteer team every Wednesday from 1.15pm - 2.15pm.

SoundCafe Leicester is delighted to announce that they have launched ‘SoundCafe To Take Away’ - an activity, takeaway service based at The Centre Project at 1 Alfred Place, off Granby Street, in Leicester city centre.

‘SoundCafe To Take Away’ is a response to regular SoundCafe Leicester (SCL) services for people who are homeless and vulnerable being suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of our usual face to face drop-in café session, based in the Grand Hall of St. Martins House, the new service is now offering guests a creative activity and refreshment to take away - with pastoral support available at point of collection.

The service is intended to address the challenges of isolation and vulnerability. The delivery team, made up of SCL staff and volunteers will be located under an identifiable pop-up gazebo, with their assistance focusing on information, support and care.

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For more information visit www.soundcafe.org.uk.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION Johnson Astills are delighted to announce that senior Dispute Resolution solicitor Laura Anderson has joined the firm. Her appointment means that our clients can now access advice across an even broader range of legal matters.

“I’m looking forward to bringing an additional strand of expertise to supplement Johnson Astills’ existing offering,” commented Laura, “...to help clients resolve contentious matters constructively.”

Prior to qualifying as a solicitor in 2008, Laura worked as a paralegal, and her practice has always been in Dispute Resolution. Laura prides herself on understanding her clients’ objectives, so that she can deliver pragmatic advice that reflects the strengths and weaknesses of their situations, alongside the economic reality of the situation.

Until 2013, Laura combined working in practice with a role as a part-time lecturer in Law at Leicester’s De Montfort Law School. That experience means that she is particularly adept at explaining complex legal issues to clients in a straightforward manner that they can easily understand.

Laura is used to advising individuals and businesses in relation to matters including: • disputes over property upon the breakdown of a relationship • claims for reasonable financial provision from a deceased’s estate • recovery of possession of residential property • breach of contract • disputes over rights of way and other property interests Whilst court action may be necessary, Laura will always keep under review whether an alternative form of dispute resolution, such as mediation, is suitable, to ensure that matters are concluded as swiftly and cost-effectively as possible.

If you have a contentious issue and would like advice upon your rights and options, email Laura at lka@johnsonastills.com or call her at one of our offices (Loughborough 01509 610 312 or Leicester 0116 255 4855).

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LOUGHBOROUGH ROTARY DOES IT FOR

Members of Loughborough Rotary Club walked, ran and cycled around Leicestershire during lockdown to raise money for Rainbows hospice for children and young people. The aim was to raise £1,000 by Day 100, which also marked the end of the Rotary year, but with the collection still going strong, the team, to date, have raised over £3,000....(and are still accepting donations at www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/loughborough-rotary).

Loughborough Rotary Club member Dick Howard, 83, started his physical challenge much earlier, and completed a million steps, covering a distance of more than 400 miles, all from his home in Newtown Linford. His wife Sue accompanied him on most of these walks, taking the photo below of him completing his magnificent challenge in the rain at Old John, in Bradgate Park.

Rainbows, the hospice for children and young people in the East Midlands, was chosen as the beneficiary charity, given the negative impact the lockdown has had on their fundraising income. The rainbow has also become synonymous with the pandemic, particularly for children.

Gary Farnfield, a community fundraiser with Rainbows, commented: “Loughborough Rotary Club has a long-standing relationship with Rainbows, and we are delighted to be the beneficiary of their Lockdown Challenge”.

Rotary is one of the world’s largest and most successful global membership and humanitarian service organisations, with 1.2 million members in over 200 countries.

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A message from Love, Support, Unite (LSU): “May we take a moment to firstly offer our express thanks to Jade Perry from Markfield, Leicestershire. Jade is part of our team in Malawi and for 6 months of the year, over the past two years, she has been dedicated to the Tilinanu Orphanage, helping shape the future for 34 girls there.

“Her work on the ground is unparalleled, giving the girls 1-2-1 daily love and support and often working around the clock. Jade has become close friends with all the girls and shares advice on careers and future options, especially for those girls thinking about life beyond Tilinanu.

“Thank you Jade, for everything you do and also to your supportive community back home for their ongoing fundraising efforts and support of you.

“We also wanted to take this opportunity to shine a brief light on some good news from our health care program, where we are working alongside the Malawian government to realise benefits. For example we recently provided 975 villagers with malaria tests, 178 people were tested and provided with medication for HIV and we provided 1,000 people with family planning preventatives.

“Only 46% of the Malawian population has access to a formal health facility within a 5km radius, and only 20% of the population lives within 25km of a hospital (source: Unicef.org), so its important that we continue to offer our assistance to the Ministry of Health in Malawi, particularly during the pandemic.”

If you’re interested in getting behind this deserving charity the team from LSU are collecting donations for their medical program via www. justgiving.com/love-support-unite or for more information on the organisation itself visit www.lovesupportunite.org.

Bobbin Lace Bobbin lace is a craft that is slowly seeing a revival along with other

The cost of each session works out at £3.70 per week for 30 weeks.

crafts, such as knitting and dressmaking, and, as with most crafts,

For further information email susanmarlow47@btinternet.com or

having someone to help you with the basics is a big help.

phone 0116 236 5789.

Bobbin lace classes are being held at Groby Village Hall, Leicester Road, Groby, LE6 0DQ on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. They are suitable for beginners and those with some knowledge.

Equipment can be borrowed for a short period to see if bobbin lacing is for you and the first week is free, as a taster session.

A beginners’ bobbin lace kit is available for purchase from the tutor (as these can be difficult to source and purchase).

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The Soar Valley Inner Wheel

Social Distancing Tea Party On Tuesday, 4th August members of the Inner Wheel Club of The Soar Valley joined together for a socially distanced tea party. Hearing that Quorn Grange, the group’s regular meeting place, was able to accommodate them, masks were donned to commence the occasion.

Offered

Club

correspondent,

Maureen

Meredith: “On entering the hotel, we were greeted by a receptionist who proceeded to take our temperatures before we were then taken to a large reception room where we were placed at socially distanced tables by waiters wearing masks and plastic gloves.

“After taking our seats we were served with a delicious cream tea and in between mouthfuls of scones we managed to catch up with news that we hadn’t managed during our Zoom calls...it is so much easier to talk face to face, albeit with masks!

“We decided at the end of our meeting that we had all enjoyed the experience so much that we would try to meet again soon.”

VOLUNTEER CENTRE AWARDED £20,000 LOTTERY GRANT

TO HELP IN THE CONTINUING FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 A £20,000 grant from the Government’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund, has enabled Syston and District Volunteer Centre to purchase an upgraded, wheelchair-adapted vehicle. The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life will be put to immediate use helping vulnerable residents of Syston and neighbouring communities to overcome the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A team of volunteer drivers will help the elderly, infirm, rurally isolated and other vulnerable people to maintain family and community links, do their own shopping and keep hospital and doctors’ appointments. The vehicle can also be used to carry and deliver groceries and other essential supplies to those who are “shielding” and unable to leave their homes.

Paul Lomas, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Centre, says: “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant which recognises the quality and importance of the services the Centre provides within our local community. The new vehicle will offer flexible and safe transport options for those in need, especially for anyone dependent on a wheelchair.

“Over the coming months, we are planning an intensive recruitment campaign to attract more volunteer drivers - either those using their own cars, in return for a generous mileage allowance, or, after appropriate training, to drive the new vehicle. Once current restrictions are relaxed, to permit group trips and excursions to be organised once again, we will also need drivers for our minibuses.

“I would ask anyone who has a few hours to spare and who might be interested in joining our team of volunteer drivers, to contact our Centre Manager, Andy Shelton, who will be happy to provide full details of this very rewarding form of voluntary service.”

Head to www.syston-vc.org for more information or contact one of the team on 0116 260 7888.

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You can help beat cancer by supporting The Hope For Life Appeal Hope Against Cancer is doubling the size of their Clinical Trials Facility at Leicester’s Royal Infirmary - and are calling upon the people of Leicestershire and Rutland to help them do it.

Funding research is the only way to beat cancer, and Hope is at the forefront of giving people a better quality of life and a vastly higher chance of surviving the disease. The Hope for Life Appeal is well underway and is your chance to be part of a local movement against cancer.

The Hope For Life Appeal is aiming to raise over £1.5 million to totally redevelop and extend the Hope Clinical Trials Facility. Every year, around 5,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Leicestershire. Thanks to organisations like Hope, of this 5,000, more people than ever are surviving. Hope For Life is the next step in making sure the number of people surviving cancer continues to rise.

Hope Against Cancer would like to thank a number of very generous donors across the Leicestershire and Rutland community, which has already raised an impressive £1 million towards the £1.5 million goal. The Charity reached the million-pound mark recently with help from The Randal Charitable Foundation, following a generous donation of £101,000. The Loughborough-based Foundation has a clear, unwavering vision that is to save lives, help the socially disadvantaged and improve the quality of life for those in need in the UK and around the world.

Opened in 2012, the Hope Clinical Trials Facility is one of the country’s leading centres for cancer trials in the last few years. Professor Anne Thomas, clinical lead for the facility and Professor of Oncology at the University of Leicester said: “We’re really grateful to Hope Against Cancer for its continued support of the facility and our research. It is the success of the centre that has driven demand - and we’ve reached our full capacity as a result. Doubling the space at the facility will mean we can offer many more patients further opportunities to take part in clinical trials, testing potential new drugs and treatments with the aim to extend lives, improve quality of life and, ultimately, improve outcomes for patients living with cancer today and in the future.”

Despite the current challenges we are all facing due to Covid-19, the charity is making great headway with Phase 1, which is happening over at the University of Leicester’s Robert Kilpatrick Clinical Sciences Building, located at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. It is here that much of the life-saving research takes place. The objective for this space is to increase its capacity and to bring it up to an excellent standard. Phase 2 will happen at the Clinical Trials Facility and the charity and partners are being guided by the government as to when they can commence.

Research has shown that having clinical research in a hospital providing cancer treatment improves the overall standard of care for patients receiving treatment both in and out of clinical trials. This means a new facility could have a wider impact on all patients being treated for cancer across the system.

As such Hope is calling on people to help them achieve their fundraising target. In the past, local people have organised events, sporting challenges, competitions, bake sales, bike rides and a host of other activities to generate cash for the charity’s life-saving work. It is of course a challenging time but the charity has been truly impressed at the innovative way in which their supporters have continued to fund raise.

Nigel Rose, Hope’s CEO since 2013, is full of confidence that the people of our counties will be able to raise the required funds: “If there’s one area of the UK that can raise the money the Hope For Life Appeal is asking for, it’s the communities in Leicestershire and Rutland. Many people’s lives are affected by cancer, and it’s a testament to them that Hope is what it is today. The Hope For Life Appeal is the next step in our journey.”

The money raised by Hope’s supporters will not only go towards doubling the capacity of the Clinical Trials Facility but to purchasing new equipment and will be transformational for local cancer research in the future.

Historically, local citizens have always risen to the challenge to ensure Hope Against Cancer delivers its vital research. If you’ve been moved by the charity’s ambition you can add your fundraising power to the Hope For Life Appeal by visiting Hope’s social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or donate through the Hope for Life Appeal website: www.hopeforlife.charity.

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Restoration awaits Lift Bridge Leicester City Council, Leicestershire Industrial History Society and the Mountsorrel and Rothley Community Heritage Centre are extremely excited to announce a new project to restore Victorian engineer Robert Stephenson’s historic Leicester Lift Bridge!

In 1830 George Stephenson won the contract to build the Leicester and Swannington Railway, which was built primarily to allow the easier movement of coal, however, George was still working on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway at the time so sent his son Robert to Leicestershire to oversee the project.

Robert Stephenson went on to become one of the greatest engineers of the Victorian era, building over a third of the entire UK rail network and solving many breathtaking engineering challenges, such as his tubular bridge over the Menai Straits in North Wales.

One of his early challenges when building the Leicester and Swannington Railway was to design and build a timber lifting bridge, which would carry the railway over the Grand Union Canal, but still be able to rise to allow the passage of barges underneath. Although simple and small by the standards of his later engineering marvels, the bridge is an important example of his early work. So much so that when the railway closed at the West Bridge site in Leicester in the 1960s, the bridge was moved and rebuilt as a part of the Riverside Walk adjacent to the Abbey Pumping Station and in 1992 it was moved again and rebuilt for display at Snibston Discovery Park, in Coalville.

When Snibston closed in 2016 the extensive cast and wrought iron works of the bridge were placed into storage by Leicester City Museum Services and after lengthy discussions surrounding the bridge’s future, Leicester City Council agreed to donate the bridge to the Centre.

Heritage Centre Managing Director Steve Cramp explains “The Stephenson Lift Bridge is such an important part of Leicester’s industrial heritage, restoring it is going to be a massive undertaking for our group of volunteers, particularly as none of the timbers survived, but it is no greater challenge than any of the other projects we’ve taken on and completed.”

Leicestershire Industrial History Society will be working alongside the Heritage Centre team in providing a wealth of essential and detailed information about the bridge. LIHS Chairman Chris Hossack commented, “..it’s exciting to be working with the Heritage Centre team to bring the bridge back to life. Our members have spent a great deal of time researching and lobbying to save the bridge and we can’t wait to see it rebuilt and restored in its new home.”

The bridge’s components will move to the Heritage Centre’s site across the course of the summer where work will start to assess all the items and formulate costings alongside a detailed plan for restoration and reconstruction. Funding for the project and planning permission will then be sought with the aim of having the bridge completed by 2022.

The Mountsorrel and Rothley Community Heritage Centre is a free to visit 8.3 acre site. Opened to the public in 2016 it now receives almost 140,000 visitors a year. Last month the Heritage Centre was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of the community benefit the volunteers at the Centre have created.

Pictured: Robert Stephenson’s historic lift bridge, during its time at the now closed Snibston Discovery Park.

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Local Artist gaining

BENEVOLENT REPUTATION

Cropston artist Éee often undertakes joint exhibitions with charities and voluntary groups in order to raise funds for deserving causes, as such it was of no surprise that shortly before lockdown, at an exhibition at Scotts Wine Bar in Quorn, Éee donated four of her paintings to support fundraising efforts for Dementia UK. With further exhibitions planned the Joe Humphries Foundation will next be benefiting from Éee’s talents, courtesy of an invitation only event, to be held at the Deli 1880 in Rothley. To be added to the guest list email info@peculiart.co.uk but please note the final event date is still to be confirmed and could be postponed or rearranged as a result of current circumstances.

By further seal of approval, having exhibited in Mayfair and most recently at the Indian High Commission, Eee’s work was also recently applauded by BBC’s Art Historian Dan Cruishank at a Sotheby’s event in Harrogate.

For commissioned work or charity fundraising enquiries please email info@peculiart.co.uk or visit www.peculiart.co.uk for more information.

Pictured (left): Éee and Dan Cruishank with art entitled “ Sketch of Dynasty” | Pictured (right): Éee, Sue Harris (Bradgate Magazine) and Steve Scott (Owner, Scotts Wine Bar).

NEW JUNIOR SECTION COORDINATOR AT

ROTHLEY PARK

Rothley Park Golf Club has a new Junior Section Coordinator, the club’s Assistant Professional, Harry Schiltz.

Having started playing golf at the age of eight Harry has a personal understanding of the skills and social benefits golf can offer youngsters.

“We have found that the national Golf Access programme [a programme approved by Golf England] really does keep our young golfers’ interest rather than just hitting balls on a practice ground, and alongside lessons that I give on a one-to-one basis, juniors of any age and ability can now gain experience before going on to play a full round of golf on their own. We organise two 9 hole events and two 1 hour coaching sessions per month in order to really bring them on, keep their interest and ensure they have fun along the way. “ The Junior Section comprises a mixture of siblings, members’ children and school friends; some of the club’s current junior have gone on to represent the club at County standard.

For more information visit www.rothleypark.co.uk.

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Covid-19 has affected young adult’s career prospects;

Leicester based employability project can offer support Leicester based project, the Youth Employability Support (YES) Project, is a catalyst in changing young people’s lives, and in the wake of Covid-19, they’ve continued to support the young people that need it most.

The YES Project helps young adults, aged 15-24, who live in Leicester and Leicestershire and are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The individuals that benefit from the support of the project face multiple barriers such as mental health illnesses, low self-esteem, disabilities, as well as language and cultural barriers. Prior to lockdown, all seven delivery partners that make up the YES Project were working to offer one-to-one support, work placements, team building and skills training to young people to enable them to find work or move into further education. Many of the project’s young people were taking giant leaps forward, with some making college applications or preparing to sit their GCSE exams.

At the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, the YES Project, much like the rest of the country, went into lockdown, making changes to its service delivery and temporarily suspending any new referrals. Project staff developed ways to offer support virtually, and kept the focus on keeping the young people engaged, motivated and positive. With many of the projects participants, anxiety and social isolation plays a huge part in their day-to-day life, so it was imperative for project staff to maintain regular communication with them to assure the work they had done wasn’t erased over this turbulent time.

As lockdown continued for longer than anticipated, the project saw a bigger risk developing as keyworkers identified that many participants were unable to take part in virtual Zoom activities due to lacking technical know-how or the confidence to be on camera. The YES Project and its delivery partners worked to set up fun activities, such as cooking, dance fit, Happy Hour (an hour set aside for activities such as Bingo, quizzes and more) wellbeing and employability workshops, as well as virtual workplace tours, of, for example, Leicester City Football Club. Take up was low at the beginning, however some of the young people have since reported an improvement in their confidence and skills; these young people have been able to move on to taking part in mock video interviews and employability video sessions with some of Leicestershire’s big employers such as Everard’s Brewery. But what does the future hold?

As a youth employability project, the YES Project is faced with a tough economic landscape that will directly impact the ability for young people to progress and succeed in the world of work. For example many young people aged 18-24 take up entry level roles in hospitality and retail, which have been heavily impacted by Covid-19 and are unlikely to recover for some time. However the YES Project is planning on providing a wide range of activities and interventions that will help to give young people the best chance of securing employment on the other side of the pandemic. The project is aiming to re-introduce a mix of virtual and “in person” group working from September including activities in media, wellbeing, creative arts, youth empowerment, employability, qualifications and functional skills. The project is also able to offer an intensive support service to help young people who are struggling with issues such as severe social anxiety, household and family issues and homelessness.

Harks Flora, YES Project Team Manager, said: “For us, it’s been imperative to maintain good relationships with our young people and be responsive in the way we work.

That’s how we’ve been able to continue to offer support, and we’re incredibly proud that we are able to do so. We hope that in the coming months, we’re able to offer support to others that need it.”

The YES Project is a free service and is managed and delivered by Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, a charity dedicated to helping change lives for the better in local communities. The YES Project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

The project is taking new referrals and encourages direct contact from young adults, family, friends, stakeholders and referring organisations to get in touch.

For more information visit www.yesproject.org.

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At the heart of your community

Plant Stall & Open Garden direct from Snowy Owl’s house, Cropston I would like to thank everybody who came along to my two day open garden and plant stall on Latimer Road in Cropston at the end of June. Special thanks must go to Ruth and Sue from the RSPCA, who cheerfully answered animal questions as well as sold vegetable plants, flowering plants, shrubs, dog toys and shopping bags to boot.

Recent strong winds and rain alas ruined my lovely display of white roses and tangled up the raspberries and currants. However in the front garden my exotic New Zealand Bottle Brush, with its flame red blooms, burst into flower the day before (just in time!) to welcome people to the event.

Visitors arrived, used the hand gel and, keeping to social distancing advice, followed a one way system around the flower borders, greenhouse and fruit and vegetable plots. Star attractions were the view across the fields and Rothley Brook to Thurcaston, the plant pot people, including the huge Green Man made from netting on the rockery, the enormous cucumber in the greenhouse, the wind spinner, the willow weave insects flying above your head (as they dangled from the Eucalyptus tree) and the giant lollipop bay trees with Hot Lips Salvia blooming underneath.

A very special thank you to Thurcaston Brownies, Holly and Alethea who had made and donated friendship bracelets and macrame items to sell.

Christine Miranda, Barn Owl, deserves thanks too for helping to put up posters on all the surrounding village notice boards and dog walking foot paths...and to the several people had read the posters and appeared before the event with donations of spare plants - thank You. By the end of Saturday, Ruth and Sue had sold so many plants that I had to send a message to the Brownies, and to Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardeners, appealing for spare plants for the next day.

Sunday morning and to great relief I saw that the gazebo was still standing, albeit Chris and I had tied the gazebo’s guy ropes to two trees, a drainpipe and a secure trellis before the strong winds could blow it away! and the T & C Open Gardeners and Brownies had met my SOS and appeared with plants - thank you so very much to all who helped. Sunday itself whizzed by but with less people as we were competing with a televised football match with no one in the stands: Leicester City 0, Chelsea 1.

At the end of the weekend the left over vegetable plants found a suitable home, at the Forest preschool in Shepshed, and we raised a fantastic £511.46 for the RSPCA. In past years my Open Garden has included a stall for the Glenfield (WI) Country Market and there were a few disappointed visitors who had hoped to buy cakes and jams, but never fear, here’s how the market has recently installed a way of keeping in touch with customers old and new.

ARE YOU MISSING HOME MADE CAKES, SAVOURIES AND JAMS? Glenfield (WI) Country Market has temporarily closed because of the pandemic. However, the cakes, savouries, jams, marmalades and chutneys are still available through our new Order and Collect service. Collection is from 44 Triumph Road, Glenfield LE3 8FS, fortnightly on Fridays 10.30 -11.30am.

Plants to raise funds for the RSPCA Leicestershire Branch, based at Woodside Animal Centre, are also available to buy at the collection address.

We hope to expand our “Order and Collect” service to include cards and crafts in the future.

Please contact glenfieldmarket@gmail.com for more details and an order form.

Snowy Owl, Irene Marriott BRADGATE

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At the heart of your community

LEICESTER ASSOCIATION

When the coronavirus lockdown began the National Trust closed all of its properties. However June saw 135 Parks and Gardens re-opened and in early August the Trust also opened a small number of historic houses, mainly to see how internal visits could be facilitated. > The nearest house to Charnwood is Packwood House in Warwickshire which was built in the late 1500’s. The house has been sensitively altered and extended over the years and was given to the Trust in 1941. > Barrington Court in Somerset was built in 1540. It was the first large country house acquired by the Trust in 1907, but it was empty and in poor condition. Colonel Lyle of the Sugar family took a lease on the building in 1920 and paid for its restoration. > Kingston Lacy was built for the Bank’s family in 1663 to replace their earlier house, Corfe Castle, which was ruined in the Civil War. The house has been remodelled on two occasions and the whole estate including 14 farms came to the Trust in 1982. > Lyme, near Stockport, has views across Manchester and the Cheshire Plain and includes 1,400 acres of moorland and a deer park. The wall around the deer park is 9 miles long. The house was built in 1725 around the structure of an earlier Elizabethan mansion and designed by an Italian architect. The estate was given to the Trust in 1947. > Nostell Priory was given to the Trust in 1954 and is considered to be one of the great treasure houses of England. The house, commenced in 1735, was built to impress and took 50 years to complete. It contains furniture, textiles and wallpaper all by Thomas Chippendale and also priceless paintings. > Oxburgh Hall is a moated house which dates from 1482...Henry VII was a regular visitor. It was built for the Bedingfield family whose descendants lived there right up to 1952 when it was given to the Trust. > The estate at Petworth House in West Sussex had been owned by one family for over 900 years when it was given to the Trust in 1947.

The house on the estate was built in the 1650’s and contains fine works of art and furniture.

Alas, our local property, Stoneywell Cottage, will not open to the public until March 2021 at the earliest, the NT Leicester Association of local members having cancelled all of its activities for the foreseeable future.

For full details of the NT Leicester Association and regular updates on Stoneywell Cottage visit www.leicesternt.btck.co.uk.

Alan Tyler | Publicity Officer

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At the heart of your community

MAYOR VISITS COMMUNITY HUB

TO MARK 10,000 PARCELS

The Mayor of Charnwood, Cllr David Snartt has visited the Charnwood Community Action hub to mark the delivery of the 10,000th food parcel.

The Charnwood Community Action campaign is a partnership with the borough council, John Storer Charnwood, The Bridge East Midlands and other voluntary organisations to help support and guide the local community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since launching in March, Charnwood Community Action has delivered a total of 10,000 food parcels and is currently delivering to around 600 households each week. The team have also been providing a befriending service to residents and signposting people to a range of services.

Cllr Snartt commented: “I was delighted to be invited to the community hub in Loughborough to see the incredible work of the Charnwood Community Action team first-hand and to also mark the delivery of the 10,000th food parcel.

“These past few months have been difficult for our communities and I know everyone involved with Charnwood Community Action has worked incredibly hard to help those who need a bit of additional support during these difficult times. They should be proud of what they’ve achieved.

“It’s been wonderful to see volunteers, local community groups and businesses pulling together to offer support to their neighbourhoods and the hub. I would like to say thank you to everyone who has played their part in helping our communities.”

Charnwood Community Action is also being supported by community groups, volunteers, town and parish councils and a number of local businesses.

For more information about Charnwood Community Action or to let the Council know about someone who does not have any support networks please visit www.charnwood.gov.uk.cca.

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At the heart of your community

Planning for an alternative Christmas and Fair Charnwood Borough Council is looking at alternative ways to celebrate Christmas and mark the annual Loughborough Fair in November as it considers cancelling key events due to the pandemic.

Taking months to plan such events the Council says it needs to make decisions now to focus efforts on alternative celebrations and to avoid incurring costs which cannot be recovered.

Loughborough Fair The fair fills the town centre with rides and stalls and attracts tens of thousands of people over four days each year. Loughborough has had the Royal Charter Fair for 799 years and plans are being developed for the 800th anniversary in 2021. The Council is proposing to celebrate the 2020 fair with a small selection of children’s rides, food stalls and an opening ceremony, which would include the traditional reading of the Royal Charter Fair by the Mayor of Charnwood.

Loughborough Christmas Lights switch-on The event is usually held on the last Sunday of November in the town centre and attracts up to 15,000 people. The Council says the lights will still sparkle over Loughborough and is looking at holding a special four-day Christmas market and other festive activities instead of the one-off switch-on.

Loughborough Town Hall Pantomime The town hall pantomime, produced by Little Wolf Entertainment, has received a five-star rating from the industry-leading newspaper, The Stage for the past five years, something few, if any other theatres have achieved, however the Council is proposing to move this year’s planned production of Aladdin to 2021 - the panto regularly attracts over 30,000 people each year. Alternative uses for the town hall will be looked at for the festive period to help bring people in to the town centre.

Remembrance Sunday Service The Council is proposing to hold a Remembrance Sunday Service at the Carillon in Queen’s Park including prayers, the playing of the Last Post, and a cascade of poppies (from the top of the Carillon). The service will be broadcast on social media but the usual parade will not be held.

Cllr Jenny Bokor, lead member for Loughborough, said: “By November and December, town centre events are going to need to be carefully managed and we cannot say what social distancing measures will be in place by then. Looking after people’s health and wellbeing is paramount.

“We recognise the importance of Christmas to local businesses and that’s why we will be looking at other ways to encourage people into the town centre in a safer and more manageable way.

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#LoveLocal LEICESTER Charnwood Entertainments is an events company, supported by The Prince’s Trust and based in Leicestershire. They create unique, fun and colourful events that help to raise money for charities such as Mind and The British Heart Foundation.

With Covid-19 threatening the Enderby based business, they needed to come up with another way to keep afloat, all whilst recognising that other companies were in a similar situation. That’s when #LoveLocal was born. #LoveLocal is a brand new experience to enjoy, discover and support local, independent businesses around the UK as a monthly subscription or a one off gift! It’s essentially a Charnwood Entertainment event, but in a box and sent straight to the comfort and safety of your own home.

“My Daughter has today received her #LoveLocal Leicester box which was a surprise treat for her and her partner, they were thrilled with it and all it’s contents! What a fantastic idea…can’t wait to see what comes next.’ Tracy U. Showcasing local produce and talent recipients can expect two different spirits and complimentary mixers, cider, beer, a music playlist, collectible postcard, savoury snack and a sweet treat for you to enjoy alone or with a loved one!

For more info visit www.charnwoodent.com or head to @charnwoodent on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

MIRIAM’S STORY “I was a fit, healthy individual running a household and being a mum whilst also being very career driven. I ran most days to wind down from work, raced at weekends and loved my life. However, I had noticed when running that my hip was causing me pain and so I saw a consultant who later operated. Unfortunately despite walking down to theatre I never walked back again...an error during surgery leaving me with permanent paralysis of my right leg. I spent months in bed, depressed and heart broken. I couldn’t do my job anymore, my career was over, and I couldn’t even be a mum. Several times I seriously considered not going on. What was the point? I was useless and just made everyone’s life harder as they had to look after me. Enter Canine Partners.

I saw Canine Partners at Crufts and I had a chat to them, we talked about what the dogs can do. 18 months later I received a call from one of the advanced trainers to say I had a potential match. We met and I was partnered with the most beautiful Labrador, Laurel.

Almost six years since believing my life was over, it most certainly isn’t! Laurel and I are back working, we have a Masters Degree and are working towards our PhD (I know I say ‘we’ but I couldn’t do it without her)! We work in Equality & Community Safety, and have spoken at conferences all around the country on topics such as Hate Crime reduction, Counter Terrorism and Safeguarding. My career is back on track and I owe it all to Laurel.

Don’t get me wrong though I still have dark days, days when the pain is too much and I drop everything - these used to be my worst days but Laurel’s favourite game is picking up dropped items and giving them to me so I know my dark days are probably her favourite and that knowledge alone makes them less dark. It’s easy to tell you the impact Laurel has had on my life but it has also had a massive impact on my family; my partner is a partner again and not a carer and my children have a mum back. The impact is summed up nicely in one comment from my eldest: ‘Mum I’m glad you have Laurel to help you because I don’t need to worry about you when I’m at school anymore.’”

May we thank Miriam for sharing some of her story with us and wish her and Laurel all the best for the future. For more information on this fantastic organisation and their amazing dogs visit www.caninepartners.org.uk.

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At the heart of your community

SUNRISE Wellbeing Shelley Smith is an Integrative Psychotherapist and the founder of Sunrise Wellbeing.

It was always her dream to create a nurturing environment offering a range of therapeutic services and training opportunities, a home-fromhome setting where people of all ages are able to access support for any difficulties they are experiencing and to gain new knowledge and advice for their wellbeing.

The Centre Sunrise’s Wellbeing Therapy Centre is located in Anstey and offers two Therapy/Consultation rooms and one Therapy/Holistic Studio. There is also a lovely, calm and quiet wellbeing garden to relax in.

About The team are highly experienced Associate Practitioners offering a wide range of support and holistic services to assist you with your mental health, wellbeing, recovery and physical wellness. All practitioners practice independently and are fully insured and DBS checked.

Practitioners can be contacted directly through the website for a free initial consultation.

Contact Based at 46b Albion Street in Anstey, (LE7 7DE) to find out more about Sunrise Wellbeing, its services and support visit www.sunrisewellbeing. co.uk or contact the team on 0116 464 8087.

Sunrise Wellbeing Services • 1:1 Counselling & Psychotherapy (varying modalities) • Couple Counselling • Bereavement Counselling & Support • Play Therapy • Art & Creative Therapy • Emotional Support for children • Mindfulness • 1:1/Small Group Yoga • Hypnotherapy • Reiki • Reflexology • Massage • Aromatherapy • Nutrition Advice & Support • Wellness consultations • Fitness & Running Advice • Low Sensory Hairdressing • Low Sensory Barbershop • Special Education Needs & Disability Support • Young People’s Workshops • Parent/Carer Support & Guidance • Training Sessions on a variety of topics • Workplace Wellbeing support & training • Mental Health & Wellbeing support & training for Nurseries/Schools/Colleges • Trainee Therapist Scheme • Clinical Supervision • Peer Support for Therapists

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£7.8million Government investment in

Loughborough Loughborough MP, Jane Hunt (pictured below), has welcomed the news today (4th August) of a huge £7.8million investment in Loughborough from the ‘Getting Building Fund’.

The new £900m fund launched by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month will ensure that shovel-ready projects are delivered and locally, two projects have been chosen by the government. Projects were chosen based on their impact on their region’s economic growth.

• £6million investment > for the construction of additional employment space at SportPark, Loughborough University.

The project will deliver 2,000 sqm of new floorspace directly supporting the creation of 165 jobs and a further 157 jobs in the wider economy.

The successful development of this project will stimulate further demand and play a role in the growth of the sports-related cluster at Loughborough University Sports and Enterprise Park.

• £1.8million investment > for J23 M1 A512 Access Improvements.

The scheme will deliver an upgrade of 2.5km of single to dual carriageway roads; the remodelling of five A512 junctions and improvements to M1 junction 23; access to a significant new area for housing and economic development; and improved access to Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Parks, which will aid delivery at the science park and benefit the wider economy.

The two schemes are two of four key infrastructure projects which the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) has been tasked to deliver as part of the central government’s fund.

Commenting MP Jane Hunt said: “Attracting investment into Loughborough was one of my key election promises, so I was delighted when the Government announced that we would be receiving millions of pounds to deliver on these two projects locally.

“The £6million funding will help play a role in realising the ambition to create a global sports hub here in Loughborough, and the £1.8million allocated funding for highways infrastructure will improve accessibility to Loughborough University Sport and Enterprise Park and deliver economic growth.

“This is a huge investment and an acknowledgement by the government of Loughborough’s commanding position as a world-leader in sports and sports science.”

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At the heart of your community

Luxury Hair Spa & Destination Salon Mewies & Co is a luxury hair spa and destination salon based in Mountsorrel at 61 Leicester Road (LE12 7AJ).

With a focus on holistic care the company’s ethos extends beyond hair and informs everything they do, and by embracing a holistic approach to customer service, the team at Mewies & Co have created an experience that has a truly different feel from any other salon, both in terms of design and, crucially, in the services offered.

Furthermore, Mewies & Co are also delighted to share news that they have made it into the Sunday Telegraph magazine’s top 50 UK salons’ list!

Mewies & Co Marketing Manager, Millie Hibbert told us: “We are so honoured to have been picked by the Telegraph amongst many other amazing salons in the UK. “We are also finalists for Design Salon of the Year and also Ultimate Salon courtesy of the national magazine, Salon Business Awards so we would definitely like to take a moment to thank our amazing team for all their hard work and support, to all of our clients for your ongoing loyalty and finally, to The Bradgate magazine for letting us feature in your magazine.”

For more information: www.mewiesandco.com | shop@mewiesandco.com | 0116 319 1411

Employment support for families affected by Covid-19 With many families across Leicestershire facing child-care pressures and the increased risk of redundancy due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, employment support remains in acute demand. The GREAT project (Getting Ready for Employment And Training) is addressing this by providing a remote provision across Leicestershire.

After transitioning into a fully remote service, GREAT project is now opening its ‘virtual doors’ to new families in need. When lockdown began in March, the project had to implement a waiting list, but have recently gained capacity to accept new cases.

“Being able to take on new referrals again could help many more families in need - particularly during these challenging times” notes Project Manager, Chantal Brotherhood.

Since the pandemic began, the GREAT project has delivered its services exclusively via internet and telephone resources. With the support of the project’s lead partner, Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL), GREAT currently offers group wellbeing and skills development sessions, behind the scenes employer tours and preparation for work and training with Employment Support Officers.

One participant felt as though the project had helped her to connect with people during lockdown: “The GREAT project Zoom sessions have been very good, especially for continued interaction and I have made some good friends with other participants from the project. I look forward to the continuing support to help me find a suitable job, in order to obtain a better lifestyle for myself and my children.”

Whilst the project was popular before the pandemic began, it is anticipated that demand will continue to grow as unemployment rates are expected to triple.

The GREAT project continues to be made possible by funding from the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

For more information about the GREAT project, visit www.greatproject.org.uk, telephone 0116 257 5020 or email info@greatproject.org.uk.

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At the heart of your community

Three local children scoop nominations and awards at this year’s Cerebral Palsy Teen Awards Local charity Steps Conductive Education Centre - who help children with physical disabilities to maximise their potential - was over the moon to hear that three of their attendees had been nominated for awards at the ‘CP Teen Awards 2020’.

Stephie Temple-Rose, age 13, won Role Model of the Year. Stephie (pictured below) is a kind-hearted, resilient and incredibly intelligent young lady, despite all of her challenges. She has attended Steps for the last 10 years and is one their most committed and regular attendees, becoming a role model for hundreds of other children. She is very passionate about helping children like herself and will always go the extra mile to support others.

Stephie has learnt Makaton as well as British Sign Language and is also an accomplished athlete, competing in disability athletics, breaking the cerebral palsy 100m and 200m age group records! She also swims and has won numerous medals. Stephie is an inspiration to everyone who meets her; she never gives up not only for herself but on behalf of other disabled people too.

Stephie’s mum and dad were so proud, saying, “It was a real honour for her to be nominated for this National Award. To be up there alongside other children from Steps was a bonus! When the winner was announced, we could not believe that she had beaten all the other amazing individuals in the ‘Role Model’ category. We are so proud of her! The amazing support she has received at Steps has, without doubt, contributed to her confidence and desire to inspire other children with disabilities to go on and do great things with their lives.

Unusually, Stephie has been completely stuck for words over the whole thing!”

Enzo Rasul, age 2, was nominated for Sibling of the Year. Enzo’s twin brother, Leo, was born with Cerebral Palsy. Enzo has become Leo’s arms, legs and voice, doing all that he possibly can to ensure that his brother can join in with everything. Enzo has the unique ability to predict Leo’s patterns and routines and is always on hand to calm Leo down, if necessary.

Lilly Rose-Hutt, age 5, was nominated for the Little Hero award. Lilly-Rose’s determination has enabled her to achieve beyond what was thought possible. During lockdown she has been working on her walking skills. Lilly-Rose decided to take part in a 2.6 mile walking challenge, raising over £300 for Steps! Despite it being painful for Lilly-Rose to walk, she completed the challenge with determination and courage.

Steps Lead Conductor, Indila Simandi, said, “We offer a free and unique service at Steps using the principles of Conductive Education for children with conditions that cause motor impairments or motor development delays. Steps caters for young children with Cerebral Palsy, chromosome disorders including Down Syndrome or other conditions which affect the acquisition of motor skills. The focus is on what potential the children have and how their development can be enhanced through an optimistic and informed approach. We feel very privileged to be able to offer our support to all the amazing families and I am so incredibly proud of our Steps’ Superheroes.”

Head of fundraising, Trish Mabbott, said, “The basic annual running costs of the Steps Centre is £250,000 or just under £5,000 each week.

We have to find most of this money ourselves, from a variety of sources. We can usually rely on donations of about £2,500 per month from people holding local fund-raising events but since the Covid-19 crisis, this amount has reduced dramatically, and we desperately need further help.

“If able please text STEPS to 70660 to donate £5. Alternatively, you could donate via our website www.stepscentre.org.uk; furthermore, if anyone has ideas for raising money for Steps during these extremely difficult times, we would be enormously grateful.”

For more information on the super work that Steps does please visit www.stepscentre.org.uk, call 01509 506 878 or email info@stepscentre. org.uk.

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RAISING FUNDS FOR NHS CHARITIES John Lewis has started selling face coverings in shops to raise funds for charities helping people through the pandemic.

The face coverings are being made in John Lewis’s factory in Lancashire which has also been making thousands of medical gowns for the NHS and thousands of face coverings for John Lewis Partners to wear at work.

The profits from the sale of these products will be donated to NHS Charities Together, adding to the £2.7m of support given or committed by the John Lewis Partnership to charities and local communities, either as a financial or product donation, since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The packs of three facemasks in black, grey and blue are washable and reusable. They come in two sizes - one for adults and one for children - and are priced £10 per pack.

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At the heart of your community

MISSING

Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardens?

Have you been missing your annual local Open Gardens fix this year?

No wandering around in the sunshine, dodging the showers, tracking your progress on a map, judging where the best scones and tea will be or planning the loo stops? Have you missed the opportunity to enjoy those outrageous planting schemes or admire the beautifully neat veg plots and hard work of others?

Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardeners are also extremely disappointed that they could not show off their efforts and some very beautiful gardens this year to boot! But never fear, our gardeners have come up with the ‘Lockdown Digital Alternative’ Open Gardens for Thurcaston and Cropston.

Two different opportunities are on offer for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home, and yes, you can stay for as long as you like!

Navigate your way to the Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardens website, www.tcog.org.uk, and here you will find: • Eight gardens with 360 degree garden views - use your computer to move around the views, and see some of your favourite gardens as they looked at the end of June 2020 • An e-book containing up to date photos and descriptions from a selection of our local gardens Our chosen charity can still benefit, please donate to the Air Ambulance Service by going to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ tcogopengardens.

We look forward to seeing you all in person next year

Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust

CHARNWOOD GROUP Regrettably there will be no meetings of the Charnwood Group of the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust for the foreseeable future.

Information about when talks and activities will be resuming will be posted on the Trust’s website, along with details of any virtual talks and presentations.

For information about the talks and how to access them, please keep checking the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust website www. lrwt.org.uk/local-groups.

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LOOKING FORWARD TO ENJOYING OUR GARDENS MORE AND MORE with Joanne Kennedy I hope you’re all keeping well during these unprecedented times. One of the good things to come from it perhaps is our appreciation of nature, and it’s here that our gardens can help us get through tough times and lift our spirits.

Going forward, no one can be certain as to what will happen, but one thing we know is that our gardens will carry on growing and will continue to be a source of pleasure.

At this time of the year we look at what to plant so as to give us joy next Spring and the easiest way to guarantee a splash of colour is to plant bulbs.

Everyone knows about daffodils and tulips but did you know there is an array of other bulbs that you can use? There are worth a try: Camassias produce long spikes of purple or white flowers in May. Alliums bloom in May and are known for their large pom-pom style flowers, however, there are many varieties, some of which have more unusual flowers. Look out for Allium Bulgaricum, Allium Christophii (above) or Allium Schubertii, the latter with their firework shaped flowers.

Another bulb to try is Triteleia. I planted this variety (Foxy) in a border with Salvias and Campanulas and it looks delightful.

For woodland settings, plant swathes of Anemone Blanda, Fritillaria Meleagris and Erythroniums.

The tried and tested snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils and tulips are beautiful, but try dabbling into the unknown and you just might be surprised! There are so many other bulbs out there, and they all offer something different. Planting them now will give you a wonderful surprise as Winter turns into Spring.

If you want more advice on what to plant for Spring colour, have a border that needs a lift or any other advice on the design of your garden or planting, feel free to contact me on 07739 153516 or 01530 832670. You can also contact me through my website: www.gardenblueprints.net || Facebook (Garden Blueprints) || Twitter @GardenBluPrints

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER ARE BUSY TIMES IN THE GARDEN. HERE’S A LIST OF THINGS TO BE GETTING ON WITH: • Regular hoeing of borders to keep down weeds, cutting lawns (weekly) and watering your containers and hanging baskets • Keep your greenhouse well ventilated, open the doors and windows – you can get an automatic vent for your windows if need be, as this saves time and effort • Feed you plants weekly to give them a boost • Tie your climbers onto their frames as they grow • Dead-head roses, perennials and cut back early flowering perennials to reveal next year’s growth • Pick fruit and vegetables whilst at their best • Top-up ponds as necessary - they can evaporate quickly in sunny weather • Make leaf mould by gathering fallen leaves - bag them up in black bags, punch a few holes in the bag and leave in a quiet corner • Scarify your lawn to remove all the built-up thatch, moss and dead grass

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Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience After months of lockdown restrictions, Leicester residents and guests from all across the Midlands will be welcomed back to the region’s most exciting temporary exhibition.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is housed in the medieval All Saint’s Church on Highcross Street and delighted tens of thousands of visitors before government advice forced the experience to close on 20th March. Now the organisers, Exhibition Hub, are pleased to welcome guests back to the church for this unique interactive adventure.

Safety is of course a top priority for the team, and a number of measures have been put in place to give guests peace of mind when visiting. Social distancing is indicated by floor markers and chairs placed in the main exhibition hall, hand sanitiser will be available to visitors, and staff will be following a rigorous regime of sanitising high traffic areas through the day. There will also be PPE in place for guests wishing to participate in the additional virtual reality experience.

Creative Director Mario Iacampo said: “We are delighted to once more ask visitors to step into the magical paintings of Van Gogh with us. We hope an hour or two of escapism in our unique immersive world will be just what people want and need after months of lockdown.”

During lockdown, organisers have been able to extend the run, so the experience will now be open until 31st December 2020, with the nearest available parking less than 100m away at the Highcross/John Lewis car park.

Admission prices are £13 for adults, £11 for concessions and students and £9 for children. Family tickets are available for £38, which covers two adults and two children. For more information, booking and for group tickets, please visit www.vangoghexpo.co.uk.

Please note ticket numbers are limited to allow for proper social distancing.

All Saints’ Church, Highcross Street, Leicester, LE1 4PH

GREAT CENTRAL REUNIFICATION APPEAL REACHES £150,000 Chairman of railway supporters club thanks donors for ‘incredible’ generosity’ in difficult times.

The award winning Leicestershire heritage line is raising millions of pounds to re-connect with its sister railway in Nottinghamshire and create an eighteen mile route across the East Midlands.

The project has captured the imagination the world over and drawn plenty of further support from local stakeholders, as such the latest phase of the Great Central Railway’s Reunification appeal has already reached a fantastic £150,000.

Andy Fillingham, chairman of ‘The Friends of The Great Central Main Line’ explained: “Our Reunification project is one of the biggest schemes on any heritage railway in the UK. We’ve already raised millions of pounds towards it which delivered one brand new bridge and paid for another to be fully overhauled. In early March we set out to fundraise for the next stage which will see another two new bridges built, it’s going to cost around £3m, and whilst we began with a small sum left over from the Canal Bridge restoration, thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters around the country we’ve raised £150,000.

“We’re living in difficult and extraordinary times and even though we can’t meet our supporters face to face, we’re doing our best to keep in touch on social media, including premiering a brand new film all about the Reunification project on YouTube. We’re absolutely delighted that our friends are still supporting the appeal even when priorities are changing on a daily basis. We’re determined to remain on the front foot - as soon as we have the majority of funds for the next phase of the project to hand, we will begin construction.”

You can find out more about the project and how to donate at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify.

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At the heart of your community

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RE RE AD PO ER RT S

Ode to the Singalong

According to BBC’s Great British Singalong community singing has been known to lift the nation’s spirits at difficult times. During the last war for example many troops abroad had the late Vera Lynn to lead their singing whilst back at home we were encouraged to singalong to such stalwarts as Flanagan and Allen and George Formby.

As a Loughborough University student (in the 1970s) I recall visiting several town-centre pubs where they still had an old upright piano and where, for thirty minutes or so, twice a week, enthusiastic locals would reel through a repertoire of old songs. These were pre-karaoke days, so instead of Robbie Williams or Amy Winehouse wannabes strutting their stuff, everyone would be invited to join in. The maestro on the ivories at the ‘Old Packe Horse’ was Mr Clarke who, with his rather gravelly voice, would start off the singing to ensure the revellers instantly recognised each song being played. When he decided he’d had enough of one song he would concoct a subtle link straight into another; thus a medley was created. He rarely played with sheet music and requests and most musical tastes were catered for. Irish melodies and romantic songs were integrated with music hall ballads and wartime hits. Everything from Ivor Novello to Lonnie Donegan.

So, what has happened to this very British tradition? Some research suggests that out of nearly 800 London pubs, only 7 still had pianos used regularly to accompany community singing. It’s been reported that some Durham students, a couple of years back, just for a little bit of beer money in the summer holidays, trawled around several beer-gardens with an old piano in a horse-trailer simply to provide the locals with an opportunity for a good old-fashioned singsong. I’d love to be corrected but I doubt there is any pub in Charnwood that still has a piano in use at present.

It’s sad if so, if this tradition has died out given the fact that one local lady, back in the 1960s, became a national treasure when her particular style of piano playing hit our television screens and rocketed her to stardom. I’m speaking of course of ‘Our Glad’ also known as Hathern’s Mrs Mills. The cockney ‘knees up’ had something of a revival in the eighties and nineties with Chas and Dave but did it exist outside the confines of Shepherd’s Bush? Hardly. However, on a trip to London recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see that on the busy concourse between St. Pancras and King Cross stations, several brightly painted, upright pianos had been installed to allow the public to play, but sadly with little scope for any sustained community singing (it seemed).

The only time we get close to sharing anything like this locally is when some locals gather to sing carols each Christmas in one of our village pubs. Such a pity, for back in the 1980s I recall going into the Curzon Arms (Woodhouse Eaves) to be entertained by an enthusiastic pianist and singing along to standards like, ‘You are my sunshine’, ‘Pack up your troubles’ and forgotten classics like, ‘You can’t keep a horse in a lighthouse’. Gareth Malone provided something a little more sophisticated for his ‘Great British Home Chorus’ but nostalgia ain’t what it used to be and community singing doesn’t really work with social distancing! However after this time of crisis and isolation is over perhaps just once again we can all look forward to celebrating with a good old fashioned singalong.

Mark Temple

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At the heart of your community

Marvellous Adventure...

S ER T AD R RE EPO R

Today I went on a

...I went to the shops!

Actually I only went to one shop which was a food shop. I am of advanced years and, whilst I was in lockdown the first time around I did my best to have my groceries delivered. Inevitably there was always something that I had forgotten, or had less of something than I thought, so a kind lady from Birstall did a few bits of shopping for me but when lockdown was eased I plucked up the courage to head out for a few bits for myself.

However the good people of East Leicester immediately felt the need to send the infection rate through the roof. Someone needed to be blamed, of course, but in the meantime there was a second rash of lockdowns and with city’s border just up the hill from where I live I was now locked down too. By then I had received my next food delivery - which I had calculated would last me until early August - but of course, when it arrived I noticed that I had not ordered something I needed. What to do? Could I trouble that lady once more? Perhaps not – it was a sunny Sunday afternoon so surely the local Tesco Express would be virtually empty. Chance it? Chance it I did!

I dressed for the occasion. These last months I have worn as little as I could get away with, so as to keep the weekly wash-and-iron to a minimum. But now it was time for a.... jacket! – make sure that the bank card is in the pocket, the last thing I wanted to do was handle dirty money as you could never tell who had had it before. Car keys – and then off. There were a few cars parked near the shop, so I had to go further away than I had intended, but as it turned out there was nobody between me and the shop, so I sallied forth.

My first instinct when I arrived was to look through the window to see if there were many people in the shop.

I could not see anyone so in I went. There was a oneway system marked on the floor, together with spacing markers to keep customers at a safe distance from each other. I was all clear to the first shelf where I picked up a bunch of bananas and some apples. The next shelf was occupied by an old lady who, with the help of a younger woman, was trying to find something which, it seems, she had tried before and liked. I stopped at the appropriate marker and waited.

At this point a man stormed passed me, the sort to whom two metres was a foreign concept, something that he could ignore, operating as if Covid would not dare come near him and if it did it would not matter to whom he passed it on! He surged up the aisle passed the two ladies without a thought. The ladies then signalled me to go pass, which was a tight squeeze if those two metres were to count, but on I went. My next stop was interrupted by the same man coming the wrong way up a one-way aisle and forcing me to take refuge in the frozen food section.

I went to pay. The customer at the till finished his business and I arrived at the check-out, only to be sandwiched against it by a shop assistant who was wheeling a large trolley round a corner. I collected my things, tapped my card and was off.

In summary: if I were given an option to suggest to the government any legislation that would improve my experience, I would suggest that each shopper be issued with a life-size replica of Richard Osman and the right to thump anyone with it if they came within range!

Dr D McNeil BRADGATE

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National Garden Scheme

Open Gardens September 2020 In Leicestershire we have several gardens open to visitors over the next couple of months. To keep visitors and garden owners alike safe, all gardens will be using an online booking system (www.ngs.org.uk), here you can purchase tickets for a specified time slot - there is some variation in time slots and permitted visitor numbers, depending on the size of the garden, considerations all in place to ensure appropriate social distancing.

As for the gardens there are several opportunities over the next few months to visit Tresillian House. It opens on 27th September and 30th October from 11-4pm. The garden is at Dalby Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 OBQ and covers ¾ of an acre to include a natural pond, bog garden and many unusual plants and trees. There is also a Koi pond and a glass summer room. This is a quiet and tranquil garden.

Opening on the 5th and 6th September from 12pm-5pm is Westview at 1 St. Thomas’s Road, Great Glen, LE8 9EH. A small walled cottage garden with interesting and unusual plants, many grown from seed. There’s plenty to see around the formal box parterre herb garden, courtyard garden, woodland garden, small wildlife pond, greenhouse, productive fruit and vegetable area and small auricula theatre, and stone alpine troughs underline the imaginative use of limited space. The garden is managed organically, relying on home-made compost and plant diversity to attract beneficial wildlife. A restored Victorian water saving system collects rain water from the roofs of out-buildings.

Teas will be on sale.

A chance to look in at harvest time at Washbrook Allotments, Welford Road, LE2 6FP which opens on the 6th September from 11-3pm.

These allotment gardens are a hidden oasis with over 100 whole, half and quarter plots growing a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and flowers. In addition there is a wildflower meadow, a composting toilet, the remains of Anderson Shelters and other ‘Heath Robinson’ constructions. On the open day there will be a pop up café for refreshments and a stall selling lovely garden fresh produce.

To ensure the safety of our visitors and garden owners there are some restrictions in place and it is essential that all visitors pre-purchase tickets via www.ngs.org.uk. We are sorry but we cannot admit anyone on the day without a ticket.

To access more information about these gardens and others available to visit, how to book your slot, what to expect during your visit and the social distancing rules in place visit www.ngs.org.uk for more information. The website lists gardens available to visit over a 10 day period and it is constantly updated to detail up and coming gardens. This may mean that at times there may be limited Leicestershire gardens displayed, but the display will change week by week.

Your entrance fee donations will contribute to our nominated “Help Support Our Nurses” campaign which has highlighted the amazing work done on the frontline of the Coronavirus crisis by the nursing charities we support. One hundred per cent of funds raised at gardens during the rest of 2020 will go to this campaign.

Carol Bartlett Volunteer Press Officer, National Garden Scheme Leicestershire

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At the heart of your community

HOST YOUR OWN

Great British Garden Party

During the week of 14th-20th September the National Garden Scheme is launching ‘The Great British Garden Party’ and we are inviting everyone to join us in hosting a garden event - maybe an al fresco lunch, an afternoon tea party, prosecco by candlelight, a plant sale in your front garden, an event for children or just a fun get together.

Essentially this is an opportunity to meet with friends and family, in a safe environment and raise funds for the nursing charities whose work continues during the Covid-19 pandemic, caring for people living with cancer whose treatments were cancelled, looking after people isolated at home for months and offering palliative care in hospices.

Mary Berry, President of the National Garden Scheme is launching the event, and will celebrate the importance everyone’s gardens have acquired during Coronavirus.

“Gardens, allotments and balconies have become havens for millions of people during the long weeks of lockdown. They have provided us with relief from stress, anxiety and isolation and shown us the importance of a breath of fresh air”, commented Mary Berry.

“At the same time, the nursing charities supported by the National Garden Scheme and the Great British Garden Party, like Marie Curie and the Queen’s Nursing Institute, have been heroically on the front line of the pandemic.”

Joining The Great British Garden Party this September couldn’t be simpler. For more information, including invitations and posters as well as menu and party ideas from Mary Berry and other supporting celebrities all you need to do is register your interest and sign up to host an event at www.ngs.org.uk/gardenparty. For more localised details contact local Leicestershire County Organiser pamelashave@btconnect.com/01858 575 481.

Main image credit: Narratives / Styling by Selina Lake / Photography by Sussie Bell.

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DIRECTORY CLOTHING & JEWELLERY

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Cathy Stephens Jewellery........................... 52

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FOOD & DRINK Afternoon Tea Parties...................................51 Roberts Butchers............................................. 3

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Lee Cooper Funeral Directors................... 30

Garden Blueprints..........................................51

Hassall & Son Ltd............................................ 3

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Holme Tree Kitchens....................................42

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HAIR & BEAUTY Elan..................................................................... 6

Nick’s Pest Control........................................51 Quorn Stone................................................... 23 Splashout..........................................................21

SENIOR LIVING Candor Care................................................... 32 Lonsdale Mews Care Home....................... 26 Sanders Senior Living.................................. 38

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Woodcock Farm Shop................................. 28

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Candor Care...................................................34

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prices, details and deadlines:

Charnwood Hearing Centre...................... 30 Charnwood Physiotherapy.........................51

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