The Bradgate Magazine - March 2016

THE BRADGATE MAGAZINE

Bradgate

The

March / April 2016

magazine

Local News, Events, Easter, Gardening, Blind Football, Birdwatching, Charity News MARCH / APRIL 2016 | ISSUE 19

Loughborough Feature

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Mother’s Day Making The Invisible Visible

Your Local Community Magazine March / April 2016

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FROM THE EDITOR

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Welcome to the spring edition of The Bradgate Magazine and with the shortest days of winter now behind us, we think we’ve plenty to spark your interest at this lovely time of year, just in readiness for the long days stretching out ahead of us all.

With this in mind gardeners, please don’t miss our topical gardening advice in our ‘in the garden’ article on page 23 – it’s good to have our outside spaces well prepared for the glorious displays that you will all undoubtedly have to show-off…greenfingers crossed!

Our feature this month showcases the bustling town of Loughborough (pages 28 to 33). Here you’ll find plenty of interesting facts about the town as well as learning about its local shopping and service provision, just the ticket with Mother’s Day around the corner - Sunday 6th March…and to compliment? Well we’ve some super supporting pages (40/41) to help with ideas for gifts and treats for Mum - take a look for some inspiration.

Talking of inspiration, the first week in April is World Autism Awareness Week - take a bow, Glebe House in Loughborough, a charity organisation that helps people in the area manage and cope with this condition. To read more about this groups’ valuable contribution please turn to page 10.

Ever heard of blind football? Well you have now: on page 44 we have a very interesting article on how Leicestershire & Rutland FA are teaming up with Nottinghamshire’s FA to establish a new blind football organisation in the area.

For a slightly more sedate, but no less enjoyable experience, Newtown Linford Choral Society are hosting one of their twice yearly concerts in March, and with a seventeen year enviable reputation to pay heed to, this one shouldn’t be missed. Turn to page 54 for more details.

To conclude our editorial this month its worth précising the Rural Community Council and the awards they have available for community projects (on page 17); so if one of your community’s activities are worthy of an award, then submit your application and celebrate in style.

March / April 2016

CONTENTS 10 SAVE THE CAT SANCTUARY Loughborough is in need of Knight in shining armour to step in and save it’s safe haven for cats in need... could it be you?

23 GARDENING Read our article from local expert Joanne Kennedy about things to get on with in the garden this month.

28 THE LOUGHBOROUGH PAGES Have a browse through our feature pages and see what our local town can offer you.

40 MOTHERING SUNDAY Read about where the origins of this historic tradition stem from.

Ed & the team CONTACT US: editor@thebradgatemagazine.co.uk | 01530 249589 | www.thebradgatemagazine.co.uk ADVERTISING: For anyone wishing to advertise in The Bradgate contact the editor for prices, deadlines & offers!

Our Disclaimer:

Reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all content, The Bradgate Magazine takes no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or content and can accept no liability for errors, omissions or any inconvenience arising therefrom. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. All text, images and design in this publication and on the website are subject to copyright. Any unauthorised duplication is strictly prohibited. Artwork and articles are accepted in good faith and on the condition that permission has been granted for use on our website. Copyright © The Bradgate Magazine Ltd.

March / April 2016

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MakingThe Invisible Visible Often called ‘the invisible disability’, autism is a condition that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It’s a disability that often goes unnoticed.

Because people with the condition do not ‘look’ disabled, parents of children with autism have often said that other people simply think their child is naughty; while adults find that they are misunderstood when that’s truly not the case.

Whilst all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support.

World Autism Awareness Week, Saturday 2 April to Friday 8 April, aims to raise awareness about the condition, making a difference to autistic people around the UK and making invisible people visible once more.

To mark the occasion, Loughborough charity, Glebe House is hosting a number of events with the aim of raising funds, opening discussion and, of course, sharing some success stories.

Glebe House is an independent charity that for over 30 years has been providing a comprehensive range of support services to adults and children with learning disabilities and autism.

The charity offers adult day services in three bases throughout the year, supporting people in their everyday activities and helping them to be a part of the communities in which they live.

Peter Warlow, Chief Executive Glebe House said: “During this week, as always, our focus will be on the wellbeing of those we support, with emphasis on person-centred planning, treating people with respect, maintaining their independence, protecting their dignity at all times and ensuring they find equality and social inclusion in their community.”

For more information about Glebe House Services, how you can get involved in our event and help raise funds for your local support group, please contact 01509 218096 or email enquiries@glebehouseproject.org.uk

Can You Save The Loughborough Cat Sanctuary?

Loughborough MP and cat lover, Nicky Morgan is calling on local residents to step up to save a much-loved cat sanctuary based in the town.

The Loughborough Cat Sanctuary was founded 28 years ago by Joyce Harris with the help of her husband, Ken. Despite losing her husband just ten years later, Joyce has carried on the good work of the Sanctuary re-homing stray and unwanted cats. Joyce has offered thousands of cats a second chance as well as an opportunity to live in a warm and loving environment. Joyce’s secret to a successful life, is that by helping others, you keep healthy.

However, at 83 years old Joyce understandably wants to put her feet up and pass the Sanctuary onto somebody new.

As part of the campaign to find a new volunteer to run the Sanctuary, Nicky visited last weekend to see for herself Joyce’s labour of love.

Speaking at the Sanctuary, Nicky commented: “Joyce has run her cat sanctuary for decades providing a loving home for cats in need and I am sure she has brokered many happy relationships between cats and new owners over the years. I really do hope someone living locally will want to step forward and take on the sanctuary which is well supported. It would be such a shame to lose this muchneeded facility.”

Joyce added: “It would be lovely to have someone to pass on the Sanctuary to and I do hope someone will come forward. I will support whoever wants to take it on and I thank Nicky for her help.”

Joyce has all the equipment ready to hand over, plus funding is available. Currently the Sanctuary operates from her home, so she is looking to pass it on to someone who has a garden that is not overlooked and has some space.

Please get in touch with Nicky at nicky.morgan.mp@parliament.uk or 01509 262 723 if you can help out.

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The Charnwood Cycle Ride 2016 promises a bigger cycling event with two

new routes!

Having organised the Charnwood Forest Cycle Ride for the past five years Emma Hallam and her colleague Zoe Edwards have decided to liven things up a little bit. Emma explains, “We are thrilled to welcome on board a brand new headline sponsor, Protection by MME, and with their support we are able to make this years event even bigger.

We have decided to include a new 10 mile and a 50 mile cycle route which will complement our existing 20 mile route. The 10 mile route will provide an entry level distance for first time participants, whilst the 50 mile route will be a longer and more challenging route for those who want to push themselves further.”

The event welcomed 200 participants in 2015 and Emma is hoping that with the additional two routes they could double that number this May. “It would be amazing to see 300 - 400 people joining in the fun and cycling what is a beautiful route around Charnwood Forest.”

The event raised £7,500 for Alex’s Wish, a local Rothley based charity who raise money to fund clinical trials into finding treatments and, ultimately, a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a life limiting condition which affects boys across the UK including Emma’s son Alex, after whom the charity is named.

“We are incredibly well supported locally and it’s always nice to see our supporters out and about on their bikes, having fun and raising much needed funds for Alex’s Wish,” adds Emma.

The start and finish line is at the Rothley Centre with the route taking place on open roads. “The route is well sign-posted,” explains Emma, “and because the event takes place on a Sunday morning the roads tend to be quiet with traffic. The circular route starts and finishes in Rothley village and has been carefully chosen to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment. It is fairly challenging in parts and the 20 and 50 mile includes a steep climb up Beacon Hill road. There are plenty of marshals along the way to give you lots of moral support and encouragement.

At the end of your ride you’ll get a warm welcome back, receive your medal as well as a chance to take the weight off your feet an enjoy a large selection of refreshments including hot bacon rolls, complimentary yummy homemade cakes and hot and cold drinks served to you by Cuppas of Rothley. Again, we are very grateful to Mattioli Woods who have sponsored the refreshments this year. This event is not a race, we want you to enjoy your ride and take in the stunning countryside whilst raising money for our fabulous cause. Families are welcome to join in on the fun at the Rothley Centre whilst waiting for riders to finish.”

The event also welcomes back three sponsors from last year - Nisa (Bradleys store) in Rothley are the events first-aid sponsors, The Woodmans Stroke Pub in Rothley are the communications sponsor and Pedal Power are the on-site bike specialists.

This year’s event takes place on Sunday, 8th May and there is an early-bird entry fee of just £10.00 (10-mile route) or £20.00 (20 and 50 mile route) for those entering before the 26th April, or £15.00 (10-mile route) or £25.00 (20 and 50 mile route) if registering on or after 26th April. Anyone entering as part of the early-bird promotion will be entered in a draw to win a fabulous day at Champneys Springs (courtesy of Protection by MME).

Says Emma, “The event is open to everyone aged 14+ whether you are an amateur cyclist or a professional. We also have free car parking, a half way refreshment stall and there is no minimum sponsorship required, although the more money you raise the more money we have to invest in leading edge research and clinical trials. We are also looking for volunteers to marshal too.

Please come and join in… you’ll get a healthy dose of fresh air, enjoy spectacular views around the stunning Charnwood Forest whilst cycling for an incredibly worthwhile cause. It’s a fabulous opportunity to get back into cycling again after the winter months, so whether or not you are a keen cyclist, there’s never been a better time to dust of your bike in time for the summer months.”

You can register at the official event website below, alternatively please contact Emma Hallam at emma@alexswish.co.uk

www.charnwoodforectcycleride.co.uk | www.alexswish.co.uk 12

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PENNIES FROM HEAVEN FOR RAINBOWS

Charity News

Students from last year’s Year 12 at Our Lady’s Convent School in Loughborough (left) have presented a cheque for over £4,000 to local charity Rainbows.

Rainbows provides a safe haven, somewhere comfortable for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, to enjoy a break, where they can be happy and content.

In total the students generated donations totalling £4,208 by hosting a huge range of events such as staff verses students dodgeball competitions, stalls at the school Christmas Fair, a trip to watch Leicester Tigers play and by covering a large painted rainbow with donated copper coins (below).

This year’s donation combined with the previous year’s means the students, parents and staff at OLCS have donated a staggering figure of over £8,000.

On being presented with the cheque, Jennifer Leach, Community Fundraiser for Rainbows thanked the School and outlined the charity’s plans to update and extend their Reception area which has an expected budget of £200,000 - £250,000. She said, “Your generous donation will go a long way to helping us achieve our fundraising target and ultimately the extension of our reception and welcoming area.”

Top photo: Students; Joey, Rhiain and Tilly join Mrs Hawley, Headteacher in presenting a cheque to Jennifer Leach of Rainbows.

Right photo: Students collecting coins for Rainbows last year.

Antenatal Workshops Popular With Couples

Volunteers are celebrating five years of running successful antenatal workshops for couples expecting a baby.

The workshops were introduced in response to comments The Charnwood BRAS (Breastfeeding Reassurance And Support) group were hearing from couples who felt they didn’t know enough about breastfeeding before having a baby.

The group now runs three workshops a month (in Loughborough, Shepshed and Birstall) and dads are encouraged to join their partners to find out about breastfeeding so they can provide the best support possible after the birth of their baby.

One of the volunteers, Tamsin Robinson from Anstey, says “the workshops cover a lot of useful information which helps families get off to the best possible start with their baby.

We’re helped by a colourful puppet, plenty of dolls and some knitted boobs which are always a talking point!”

Another volunteer, Fern Desbrow who lives in Thurmaston, says “Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience for both mum and baby and there are still a lot of myths and stigmas surrounding breastfeeding – it’s great to be making the correct information and support more readily available.”

For more information about breastfeeding see www.leicspart.nhs.uk/infantfeeding and for more information about the antenatal workshops and support see www.charnwoodbras.co.uk or telephone 07583 041054.

SPRING TABLE TOP & CRAFT FAYRE Saturday 12th March 2016, 12 noon - 3:30pm Bric a Brac, Crafts, Cakes, Raffle, Minions, Easter Bunnies and Star Wars. Refreshments including homemade soup and scones.

Copt Oak Memorial Hall, Whitwick Road, Leics LE67 9QB. Next to Copt Oak Pub. Admission 50p - children free. Ample free parking.

For further information ring: 0116 2674746.

Proceeds in aid of St. Peter’s Church, Copt Oak.

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Charity Whist Drive At the February meeting of Charity Whist Drives Derek Farr (organiser) expressed his appreciation to the small group of regular players for their support and generosity during the last 12 months which has enabled a gift of £100.00 to be donated to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

The next in the series of Charity Whist Drives will be at 7.30pm on Thursday 3rd March.

The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley.

Admission £2.00.

All players welcome.

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NT Leicester Association

The Friends of Charnwood Forest There was a capacity attendance last night, January 18, at Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall to hear a talk by Michael Jeeves, Head of Conservation at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, on “Charnwood Forest, a living landscape”.

The Calke Abbey estate near Ashby de la Zouch was purchased by Sir Henry Harpur in 1622. The current country house was built by his great grandson, Sir John Harpur, in 1704 soon after he came into his inheritance, aged 21, in 1701. Even though he married Catherine, the daughter of Lord Crewe, he had no interest in public life.

However his son and grandson, both “Sir Henry Harpur”, were involved in public life. They were both MP’s and racehorse owners and breeders; one of their horses won the equivalent of £3 million in 1773.

Apart from Sir George Crewe, owner from 1819 to 1844, all of the other owners of Calke Abbey led unsociable and even eccentric lives. Another Sir Henry Harpur, owner from 1789 to 1819, withdrew from society, married a ladies maid and changed the family name to Crewe.

From the 1830’s two generations of the family were serious collectors and by 1840 there were already 400 cases of stuffed birds, quadrupeds and fishes. Members of the family also rarely threw anything away and many rooms in the house took on the appearance of a museum, as it remains today.

This year a very rare collection of elaborate solid silver wine labels will be on display. Specially commissioned for Calke Abbey in the 18th and 19th centuries they were hung round the neck of wine decanters as wine wasn’t sold in bottles at that time.

The family were hit by crippling death duties in 1924 and by another £8 million bill in 1981. This caused the house to fall into a rapid state of decline like many other grand houses in this country, a state in which the National Trust has chosen to display the house.

This year, for the first time, the house will be open to the public every day of the week with free flow visiting from 12.30 to 5.00pm until 30th October. The parkland, garden, shop & restaurant are also open every day The NT Leicester Association has an evening meeting on Tuesday 8th March when Joan Link will present an illustrated talk on The History of Cromford Mill. The meeting will be held at The Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm.

There is also an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 23rd March at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester at 2.30pm when Geoffrey Smith will present a talk entitled Backstage at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Admission to both meetings is NTLA members £2.50, visitors £4.00 including refreshments.

For details of the NT Leicester Association and its Talks Service for other organisations please call 0116 2229133.

Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer

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Mr Jeeves gave a fascinating talk, copiously illustrated by colour photographs, tracing the Forest from its volcanic origins, 600 million years ago, to the present day. He showed how the landscape had developed, particularly in the last 6000 years. He dealt with the growth of population , from the first hunter-gatherers,through the development of farming and the Enclosures at the end of the 18th century.

He was particularly interested in the vast range of wildlife, from wolves and aurochs to the wild animals and birds of today. He had many beautiful pictures of flowers and trees within the Forest today.

Chairman Paul Day thanked Mr Jeeves for his fascinating talk and announced that the Friends of Charnwood Forest were providing new information boards for the Trust’s sites at Charnwood Lodge and Lea Meadows.

The evening concluded with wine and nibbles whilst the members circulated to discuss the talk with each other and our speaker.

Talk by Matt Beamish Monday 14th March, 7.30pm Matt Beamish is a Project Officer for University of Leicester Archaeological Services. He has worked as an archaeologist in Leicestershire since 1990.

He is a specialist in manipulating and interpreting LIDAR aerial data for archaeological purposes. He will talk about the exciting discovery of a stone-age site, containing many tools from the end of the ice-age. This site is of international importance. He will also cover many other potential sites of historical interest.

Members are free. Guests are welcome, £3 at the door.

Refreshments included.

The talk will be preceded by a short Annual General Meeting.

Further information from Peter Bertram 0116 210 0572 or visit the website:

www.focf.org.uk

Advance notice (1). There will be a talk on Fracking on Monday April 25th. Keep an eye on the website for details.

Advance notice (2). There will be a visit to Ulverscroft Woods and Herbert’s Meadow led by Neil Pilcher of Leicester & Rutland Wildlife Trust on June 8th. Find out details in the next Bradgate Magazine or on the Friends of the Charnwood Forest’s website. www.thebradgatemagazine.co.uk

Is your Community Project worth an Award?

The RCC in their role of supporting celebrating and promoting communities in Leicestershire & Rutland invite entries for the 2016 Achievement Awards.

We are looking for Community Projects and Community Buildings which show that your community is a good place for everybody to live and which exhibit a high degree of volunteer involvement.

We are particularly interested in projects which: • Are making a long term difference to your community • Make the best use of local community assets • Support vulnerable and disadvantaged people of all ages Projects should be current and must not have been entered before, unless enhancement has been carried out.

• The Achievement Awards are open to any community with a population of 15,000 or less. Closing date is Friday 6th May 2016. Judging will take place between June 13th and 24th.

Full details and entry forms can be downloaded from our website: www.ruralcc.org.uk or contact Pat Crane on 01455 823537 or by email on patcrane33@gmail.com

Family Day in the Dales Fancy a day out in one of the UK’s most celebrated national parks?

There’s a new event in 2016 that will see Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales a hub of activity on Saturday 18 June.

The new Day in the Dales event will be ideal for walkers, hikers and families alike with walks for all ages and abilities as well as a day of fun-filled activities for families to enjoy.

The Day in the Dales is the flagship event for national charity Heart Research UK in partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s Three Peaks Project.

Together, they will be raising money to help people live healthier, happier and longer lives as well as improving and maintaining the Three Peaks path.

If you’re into a gentle stroll, a steady challenge or a more strenuous hill walk, set in one of the UK’s most celebrated national parks, the Yorkshire Dales, with some of our country’s finest landscapes, beautiful vistas and exciting wildlife, the Heart Research UK Day in the Dales event will have something for everyone to enjoy. Even if you are not interested in walking, there’s still the opportunity to come and support us on the day and take in the beautiful scenery that surrounds the Day in the Dales.

There will be three routes on offer - the 25-mileYorkshire Three Peaks challenge; a less strenuous 15-mile route which meanders around the valleys, or for those who prefer a gentle stroll and have younger or older participants, there will be a flat, but equally as scenic 5k nature walk in and around the village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

Whichever route you decide to take, you’ll see that each valley, dale or peak has its own distinct character and be surrounded by outstanding beauty from ancient limestone pastures and upland hill farms to stunning flower rich meadows and expansive heather moorland.

Add to all that the Family Day with its sports day, stalls with fresh local produce, games and activities to make a great day out and you’ll have the perfect family experience that will not only improve your heart health but will also help to conserve one of the UK’s most scenic and epic areas of beauty.

See you on 18th June at the Day in the Dales.

For full details and to sign up, go to www.heartresearch.org.uk/events/dayinthe dales call 0113 234 7474 or email community@heartresearch.org.uk

Ladies Circle Coffee Morning

- Sunday 19th March 2016, 10 - 11:30am

At the Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley. Stalls, raffle, tombola, cake, White Elephant. Admission £1 including tea / coffee and biscuit. In aid of The Laura Centre.

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Thurcaston and Cropston Local History Society The first meeting of 2016 was a well-attended talk about the Cropston and Thurcaston Enclosures by Peter Smith (Secretary, Thurcaston and Cropston Local History Society).

Peter started by talking about the local landscape as we see it today and how it was radically changed during the late 18th century with the process known as Enclosure. This took place in 1782 in Cropston, and in 1799 in Thurcaston. He pointed out that this was a time of great political, industrial and agricultural revolution. For instance, the Americans had fought for independence and the French were revolting! The Soar Navigation had reached Mountsorrel and the agricultural revolution was to change farming, from large shared open fields with strips, to small, enclosed fields that the owners could farm as they liked, and which were often converted from arable to pastureland.

Peter went on to explain life before enclosure and showed us a map of the open fields around Cropston and Thurcaston.

These would have been farmed on a three-year rotation of cereal (wheat or barley), peas or beans and fallow. Villages also had areas of meadow, common land and woods, with rights to graze animals and to gather wood, and may have had access to Charnwood Forest. Each landowner would have strips in each field, and villagers tended to live where the fields met at the centre. At the time there were no formal roads or paths but there would have been established routes along balks or headlands.

The ridge and furrow patterns created by ploughing the strips can still be seen in some fields today.

The principal reason for enclosure was to farm the land more efficiently, especially by having pasture (sheep) rather than arable land. It also allowed for innovation, and most importantly owners could make more money! Private enclosures had taken place before this time. Private agreements between the rector and major landowners in 1600 meant that 1/3 of Thurcaston had been enclosed by the time of Parliamentary agreement in 1798. During the 18th century, however, enclosure was usually by Act of Parliament, and providing the correct process was followed, it did not need the agreement of every landowner. Most of Leicestershire was enclosed between 1760-80, so our two parishes were quite late. Charnwood Forest was left until last and it took 21 years to sort out all the claims.

For enclosure to take place there had to be a consensus in favour (3/4 of owners or 4/5 of the land). A Bill was then presented to Parliament where a Committee rather than the main House would usually deal with it. One owner in Cropston refused to consent but didn’t have enough land to stop the bill going through, and in Thurcaston owners of 23 acres of the 1100 refused consent. Both Acts were passed, however, which allowed the procedure to start.

The standard procedure was to appoint three Commissioners and a Surveyor. The Surveyor would draw up a plan of the parish and assess the claims of all proprietors, value existing parcels of land and other rights, and allot parcels of land under the new system.

Commissioners were directed to take due regard to the quantity, quality and situation of the new land, making the allotments as near to the houses of the proprietors as possible. The new enclosures were to be surrounded by quickset (hawthorn hedges). In Thurcaston, the land previously privately enclosed, was ‘thrown into Hotchpot’ and reallocated.

The minute book for the Thurcaston enclosure is in County Record Office.

Peter also told us a little about some of the Commissioners. Details from the will of John Sulzer show there may have been a falling out over money between two of the Cropston commissioners. John Davis of Bloxham in Oxfordshire, a Thurcaston Commissioner was one of the most prolific commissioners in the country dealing with at least 114 Acts across the country. Thurcaston Commissioner Thomas Paget went on to form the first bank in Leicester with Thomas Pares, who collected money from Cropston landowners, and later owned a house in Grey Friars with Richard III in his garden! The County Record Office has copies of the Cropston and Thurcaston awards setting out everything relating to the enclosures in writing.

The effects of enclosures are seen today, they changed the landscape to one with square fields and straighter roads, and farmers often moved from the centre of villages to the centre of their new plots.

The Enclosure Commissioners were as fair as they could be, but small landowners probably fared worse than large ones. The biggest effect was on labourers, as arable land was converted to pasture, fewer people were needed to work the land. This is demonstrated by the increased expenditure by the Overseers of the poor for Thurcaston.

The migration of workers from the countryside to the cities began.

New members and visitors are always welcome. Annual membership £12.00, visitors £3.00 per meeting. Meetings take place on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the Harrison Room, All Saints Church,Thurcaston.

At our next meeting, Terry Shepherd will talk about the Barrow Union Workhouse on 15th March 2016.

Photo: © Copyright Raymond Knapman March / April 2016

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GARDENS WANTED!!

Thurcaston and Cropston Weekend 10th Anniversary

Open

Garden

25th and 26th June 2016, 2pm to 6pm We are inviting gardeners to join up for this year’s Thurcaston and Cropston Open Garden Weekend. Last year we raised £2400 for LOROS and we are hoping for an even more successful event this summer to celebrate our 10th Anniversary!

This year we are again raising money for LOROS and also for the new Good Neighbour Scheme within our villages.

Perhaps you have opened your garden every year so far, maybe you have once or twice; or maybe you are plucking up the courage to do so for the first time.

Come and be part of this popular annual event for local residents of our villages and those visitors from further afield.

We welcome gardens of all shapes and sizes; big or small; simple or elaborate; immaculate or with a more ‘natural’ look, and even those that are ‘works in progress’. People who have opened their gardens in previous years have very positive things to say about the experience, which is why they come back year after year.

Gardens in both villages are open on two afternoons, but if you can only manage one afternoon, then that’s fine.

So if you would like to open your garden for this year’s event or would like more information (or encouragement) please contact us. We hope you will join us for another successful year as part of the Thurcaston and Cropston Open Gardens event.

Contact Linda - tel: 0116 236 3872 | email: Linda@tcog.org.uk Alternatively look at our website for more information, inspiration and encouragement www.tcog.org.uk. There is also a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions!) section on the website which may be able to answer any of your questions.

We look forward to hearing from you!

If opening your garden is not for you then please put the date in your diary to come along and support this worthwhile community event… 25th & 26th June, we’d love to see you.

Thurcaston & Cropston Gardening Club We started the new year with an illustrated talk by John Stirland appropriately entitled “The Winter Garden”.

John has been to see us before and his easy relaxed style, involving his audience whenever possible, was the perfect start to a busy year of events.

Although often regarded as a dull and uninteresting period in the garden the dark, cold months of winter need not be without cheer. It is now that the branch structure of deciduous trees can be fully appreciated and the colour and texture of the bark enjoyed, so often unseen when the trees are in full leaf. The acers and dogwoods (Cornus) are fine examples of bark texture with their dramatic, vibrant colours such as Aser ‘Griseum’ and Cornus ‘Winter Beauty’. Then there’s the brightly foliaged evergreens bringing living colour to the winter garden; conifers, variegated hollies and skimmias.

Many plants flower in winter, not large and exciting flowers but some are unsurpassed for scent – the witch hazels (Hamamelis), wintersweet (Chimonanthus) and shrubby honeysuckles and the long sprays of highly fragrant flowers on mahonias and the scented white flowers of viburnum farreri.

Probable the most popular flowering plant at this time, along with the hellebore, is the winter-flowering jasmine, long arching stems with dark green leaves and masses of bright yellow flowers, its one flaw – no scent.

Tip: grow the wonderful winter flowering Iris Unguicularis (30cm), an exception to the rule, with its large fragrant pale lavender or violet blooms.

Evergreen ground cover plants with winter flowering heathers can be grown at the front of the border to provide more colour. Grasses of all different shapes and sizes along with the dried seed heads of many plants have their part to play, they can look stunning when rimmed with winter frost. Any seeds will be appreciated by the birds lured into the garden by an array of berries, always taking the red ones first; pyracanthas, berberis, cotoneaster etc. orange and yellow ones are always the last to go. Leave some of those fallen apples, you should be rewarded with blackbirds, fieldfares and redwings calling in to take their fill.

As the winter months lose their ‘bite’ we can look forward to more colour arriving in the shape of crocus, narcissi, lugwort, pansies and snowdrops to name just a few. Winter months in the garden dull and drab? Not likely. Look again there’s such a lot to see!

Next meetings: 9th March - Drought tolerant Gardening, Alan Mason | 13th April - Clematis & other Climbers, Jeff Bates For further information please call Dave Haddon (0116) 2359758.

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In The Garden...With Joanne Kennedy This is the month when your garden springs back to life! The mild winter means things are happening much earlier than normal. This is both good and bad news...

Starting with the bad news, early blooming plants will not bloom again (at their normal time). Pests and diseases, normally destroyed by frosts, will have survived over winter so watch out for anything unusual on your plants. Plants, such as fruit trees, blackcurrants and some perennials, such as Aquilegias, rely on cold spells to enable them to flower.

And the good news? Plants have been dealing with varied weather conditions for centuries and will adapt to fluctuating temperatures. The warmer weather means you can get gardening jobs done earlier than normal. If a cold spell does arrive you may get a bit of short term damage to your plants but they will normally recover.

Warmer temperatures mean there are more jobs to do in the garden.

Things to do in the garden this month: • Mow your lawn, initially on a high cutting level • Plant summer flowering bulbs • Feed all plants with either natural fertilisers such as chicken or horse manure, bonemeal, seaweed or compost, or use artificial fertilisers such as Growmore.

Spread sparingly using the recommended amounts • Weeds thrive as the weather gets warmer, deal with them early and avoid a bigger job later on • Continue to prune deciduous shrubs such as Hydrangeas, Buddlejas, Caryopteris and Fuchsias. Do not prune early flowering shrubs such as Forsythia and Ribes until after they have flowered • Dead-head winter flowering bedding plants • In the greenhouse, sow annual seeds and keep the temperature above freezing.

If the greenhouse is too cold, sow seeds on an indoor windowsill and transfer to the greenhouse later on. If you don’t fancy sowing seeds you can order plug plants as this cuts out the sowing process and guarantees a certain number of plants will grow on • Check pond pumps • Divide marginal plants in your pond if overcrowded • For summer and autumn colour fill gaps in your borders with perennials • Start planting vegetable seeds such as parsnips, carrots, onions, peas and salads

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For advice on any of the above feel free to contact me on 07739 153516 or 01530 832670; through my website:

www.gardenblueprints.net

or through Facebook ‘Garden Blueprints’ or Twitter @GardenBluPrints.

Joanne Kennedy established Garden Blueprints in 2006 having qualified via Pershore College. Since then she has helped hundreds of clients with their design, redesign and planting requirements.

Plants of the month - Camellia varieties 1. Camellia x Williamsii Donation | 2. Daphne Odora Aureomarginata | 3. Chaenomeles varieties

Bradgate Flower Club Bradgate Flower Club held its final AGM on Wednesday 13 January. After a short meeting to wind up the Club’s business, a full turn out of members sat down to a convivial meal in the familiar setting of Newtown Linford Village Hall. Each table was beautifully set with a floral centrepiece in yellow and red with an excellent meal served by the catering team.

Lilian Coleman, who jointly founded Bradgate Flower Club twenty seven years ago, thanked the committee for maintaining the high standards over recent years. Although a sad occasion for her, Lilian felt that “after a year of excellent demonstrations by well-known floral arrangers, this was a fitting end to the Club’s social and creative activities”.

Despite the formal closure, those present are looking forward to meeting again for a wicker workshop in Spring and a reunion trip and lunch later in year.

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New Captains For The Golfing Season At Rothley Park The 2016 captains at Rothley Park Golf Club are looking forward to the golfing season.

The Men’s Captain, Stuart Birtwistle, says he’s very honoured and proud to be the incoming men’s captain of Rothley Park: “I am looking forward to the year, in particular the prestigious English Seniors Championship to be held at Rothley at the end of May. This is great recognition of the course being presented to a high standard in the past few years and something all the members should be proud of.

“The Lady Captain and I have chosen to support a local charity, Heartsafe Leicestershire.

The Heartsafe programme aims to ensure that every young person passing through secondary education in the City and County schools is provided with training in Emergency Life Support, including vital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Heartsafe Leicestershire is headed up by Dr Doug Skehan, a member of Rothley Park. We aim to raise money to support his work in the local community with a variety of charity golf and social events at the club throughout the year.”

The Ladies Captain, Dee Laurie, says it is a great pleasure and privilege to be the new Lady Captain of Rothley Park Golf Club. “We are fortunate to have one of the largest ladies sections of any club in Leicestershire. With almost 100 active players, we play a variety of inter club matches and numerous internal club competitions. The section is very friendly and lady members of all standards are welcomed. Last year we introduced an Academy for beginners and this proved very successful with a number of ladies graduating to full membership. It is a great way to get into golf! Details of the Rothley Park Golf Academy are available on our website www.rothleypark.co.uk.”

Stuart has previously chaired the course management committee and Dee served as the ladies competition secretary for five years. They both bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to their captaincy year. Both Stuart and Dee live in Rothley village.

This year’s Senior’s Captain is Ian Freeman and Junior Captain is Toby Jensen.

For more information contact loupreedy@gmail.com

BIRSTALL & ROTHLEY WEA SUMMER 2016

CREATIVE TRANSFER TECHNIQUES (PRACTICAL ART)

Learners will be shown how to create image transfers and introduced to a whole new world of using creative imagery within their work. Learners will be shown the best methods for a range of techniques using inexpensive materials, including how to create transparent layers. The resulting images are beautiful for adding dimension and depth to various art projects, from paper arts and collage, to textile arts and more.

Tutor: Anna Michalska-Tomajer Monday 1.00pm-3.00pm for 7 weeks. Fee £53.90 or free if you are in receipt of an income related benefit.

Venue: The Rothley Centre, 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley LE7 7PR Contact: Marion Vincent, Telephone: 0116 2375156 or send your enrolments to Brenda Sutherland WEA Treasurer, 4 North Street, Rothley, Leicester LE7 7NN Please make cheques payable to WEA Birstall & Rothley Branch.

Visit our website: www.birstallandrothleywea.org.uk

LOVE LOUGHBOROUGH’S BOOST FOR MY CHANCE Love Loughborough has donated £400 to My Chance, a local charity that runs creative workshops for residents and vulnerable members of the community in textiles, sewing, upcycling and furniture restoration.

Based at the Falcon Centre in Loughborough, My Chance’s aim is to reuse many of the donated items that come in to the centre to create new items to sell as well as teaching new skills to residents in sewing and furniture upcycling.

One of Love Loughborough’s member businesses, LOFT Clothing in Ashby Square, receives items from My Chance to sell and the shop also provides a foundation for residents to volunteer and go on to secure work placements and employment.

Love Loughborough donated the money from their Business Support fund which is set up to help new business startups in the town centre, as well as current town centre businesses that have been operating for less than 3 years. The Business Support fund was recently boosted by a donation from Marks and Spencer through the BITC’s Healthy High Streets programme.

Jen Johnson from My Chance said: “Our creative workshops provide an opportunity for residents to learn new crafts in a relaxed and stimulating environment, boost confidence and reduce social isolation. We can see as many as 6 participants in a daily workshop.”

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The Loughborough Pages Loughborough is right at the heart of Charnwood!

This Market town in the heart of Charnwood’s rolling countryside, offers a wide range of shopping, diverse eating out experiences, family attractions, exciting events and plenty of places to explore.

Loughborough is home to the world renowned Loughborough University and its thousands of students create a lively buzz during term times. With a compact shopping centre, the main pedestrianised Market Place joins together two shopping areas and is home to a thriving and varied market.

Big brand and boutique shopping Loughborough offers a great shopping experience, with big names such as TK Maxx, New Look, Topshop and Next sitting side by side with an eclectic mix of independent boutiques. You will find all the big names in the Carillon Court and The Rushes Shopping Centres and across our pedestrianised Market Place.

But wander a little further or turn a corner and you will find yourself amongst a mix of boutiques, cafés, gift shops and eateries. Look out for these fabulous areas: Cattle Market / Wards End / Bedford Square / Devonshire Square / Granby Street / Church Gate / Church Gate Mews / Biggin Street / Baxter Gate / Swan Street / High Street / Leicester Road

Loughborough’s 900 year old Market!

The Market in the heart of the town plays an important role in the vitality of Loughborough. The Weekly Market is held every Thursday and Saturday with over 125 stall holders. The Vintage Market is held every Friday and offers over 40 traders selling antiques, collectables, and memorabilia. A Farmers’ Market is held on the second Wednesday of each month with producers from across the area selling a wide range of interesting organic, healthy food and drink with a wealth of knowledge about their specialised products.

Food and Drink The town has some fabulous cafe’s, deli’s and bakery’s along with a vast range of restaurants and food stores.

Loughborough is only a short distance from the Curry Capital of England and their great flavours can be found here too!

Check out the great selection of Indian and Asian cuisine, as well as continental, fine dining and good old pub grub!

With a population of approximately 60,000 (including around 16,000 students from Loughborough University and College) the town has a great mix of young, vibrant bars and clubs as well as more relaxed, laid-back restaurants. There is also a wonderful theatre at Loughborough’s Town Hall which stages great shows throughout the year.

A full list of restaurants can be found on the Love Loughborough website at www.loveloughborough.co.uk/business Photos & article courtesy of ‘Love Loughborough’

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Loughborough Town Heritage Situated in the idyllic Queen’s Park is the Carillon War Memorial (left), where visitors can climb the 138 steps to the top of the bell tower for breath-taking views of Loughborough and the surrounding countryside.

Also located in the Park is the award winning Charnwood Museum which has an impressive range of exhibitions including the history of Loughborough and the wider borough and Ladybird Corner which depicts the town’s connection with this well-loved brand.

Loughborough is the original home of Ladybird Books. Angel Yard, situated just off Market Place, was the original location of Wills & Hepworth Printers (Est 1873) and is the birthplace of Ladybird Books.

A green plaque was installed as part of the Ladybird Books Centenary celebrations that took place in the town centre in October 2015.

In 1841, Loughborough was the destination for Thomas Cook’s first package tour from Leicester.

Loughborough has the world’s largest bell foundry, John Taylor Bellfounders, which has made the bells for the Carillon War Memorial in Queen’s Park, as well as the Great Paul for St. Paul’s Cathedral and York Minster.

Loughborough is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book.

Great Central Railway, Britain’s only double-track steam line, runs regular trips to Leicester at weekends and throughout the summer.

Easy Access Loughborough has a large selection of car parks located around the main shopping areas which are easily accessible from the main routes into the town centre. They offer great value and convenience and have won Secured Car Park awards so shoppers know they are safe to use.

Photos from ‘www.charnwood.gov.uk’ & article courtesy of ‘Love Loughborough’

Fun In The Town...

Family Fun in Loughborough Town!

During the summer months there’s a range of family friendly events and activities that take place in the town including the transformation of the Market Place into a virtual seaside where children can play in the sand and parents can relax in the deckchairs, the Loogabarooga Festival which celebrates children’s illustrated literature and a classic car show.

Sunday 15 May International Ceramic Fair Sunday 19 June Classic Car Show Saturday 25 June Picnic in the Park and Big Birthday celebrations Friday 24 - Sunday 26 June Loughborough Twinning Events Sunday 31 July - Wednesday 3 August Loughborough by the Sea Sunday 14th August Loughborough Mela 19 - 24 October Loogabarooga Festival Sunday 27 November Christmas Lights Switch On Sunday 4 December Santa Fun Run

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Local Leicestershire Business Highly Commended at National Landscaping Awards LB Landscaping Ltd. based in Mountsorrel has been highly commended in the ‘Best Contemporary Patio Transformation’ category at The National 2016 Bradstone Assured Awards.

The annual awards recognise landscapers who demonstrate excellent levels of workmanship, design expertise and customer service with categories including the prestigious Installer of the Year, Best Patio Transformation and Best Driveway Transformation.

Following a raft of entry nominations at the end of last year from both landscapers and clients across the UK, an expert judging panel, including TV gardener, David Domoney, and Professional Builder magazine editor, Terry Smith, selected worthy winners from each category.

LB Landscaping directors, Mark Bailey and Adam Locker, were presented the Highly Commended award by host and TV personality, David Domoney, and Bradstone’s commercial director, Toby Stuart-Jervis, surrounded by over 100 landscaping professionals at a glitzy awards ceremony at The Manor Hotel Meriden on Friday 22nd January.

Mark Bailey, director of LB Landscaping, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that our hard work has been recognised by Bradstone, and to have it showcased amongst so many of our peers at an awards ceremony was a really proud moment.

Our aim is to deliver the best work using the best products every time – and to win this award is the icing on the cake!”

Toby Stuart-Jervis, commercial director for Bradstone, comments: “We were delighted to present LB Landscaping with a Bradstone Assured award for their outstanding work in garden landscaping.

“A member of the Bradstone Assured scheme since May 2012, LB Landscaping is a fantastic ambassador for Bradstone, creating unique outdoor spaces that homeowners can really enjoy. We wish them every success as they continue to develop their business with the full support of Bradstone Assured.”

Bradstone is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of garden and driveway products. Bradstone Assured is a national network of professional installers carefully selected and approved by Bradstone for the superb levels of quality and craftsmanship they provide.

Bradstone’s national network of approved tradesmen has met strict selection criteria to ensure only the best and most capable landscaping professionals are recruited. With the Bradstone Assured seal of approval, customers have peace of mind that their garden project will be completed on time, on budget and to a high professional standard.

To contact LB Landscaping for garden landscaping services, call 07971 969498 or email m.lbaileyuk@gmail.com To find out more about Bradstone Assured, or to find an approved landscaper in your area, visit www.bradstone.com/ assured Photo: Left to right: David Domoney; Adam Locker; Mark Bailey; Toby Stuart-Jervis

LB Landscaping | 07971 969 498 | 0116 210 6477 | www.lblandscaping.co.uk | m.lbailey@gmail.com

The Monday Club Anstey, Cropston, Thurcaston & Rothley For the first meeting of 2016 the weather, although grey and cold, at least remained without rain, as fortunately the membership was enthusiastic to return to some normality after the festivities of Christmas and New Year.

The enthusiasm was rewarded by our entertainer for the afternoon, Mr. Anthony Scarratt, who equipped with two guitars, namely a French Canadian Larrivee and a 1960 Kim Bara, sang along with several well-known pieces such as “Streets of London” by Ralph Mactell – “Auntie Flo” by John Prentice – “Little Mountain” an old religious song – “40 Shades of Green” by Johnnie Cash – “Chrystal Chandeliers” by Charlie Pride. The membership appreciated the opportunity to join in with the choruses and the Show concluded with a request for a real favourite by John Denver “Country Roads”. A brilliant start to the New Year.

Future meetings will be: March 14th - Mr.Chris Tarratt of “Tarratt Jewellers. “Forgers, Furbishers and Duty Dodgers April 11th – A talk given by “The Edinburgh Woollen Company May – An Outing to be confirmed Further information ring Ann Farndon 0116 2363467.

- Ann Farndon March / April 2016

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LOROS Launch Pilot Project With Local Primary School An exciting new project is being piloted by LOROS which sees schoolchildren visiting the Hospice and meeting terminally ill patients.

A handful of year six students from St Thomas More Catholic School, in Knighton, are spending the afternoon with patients at LOROS every Thursday for four weeks.

Each of the pupils has been paired with a patient who uses the Hospice’s Day Therapy Unit and together they have been working on creating a colourful mosaic.

Patient Experience Lead at LOROS Veronica Mickleburgh, who initiated the project said: “We want to show the children that when people need places like LOROS at the end of their lives, it’s not a scary place. By coming into the Hospice, the children learn first-hand about the work we do.”

The project, which kicked off in January also encourages the patients, who all have terminal illnesses, to talk about why they are using the services at LOROS. Chris Allen, 75, who has Motor Neurone Disease (MND) said he thinks it is so important for children to take part in projects like this. “I’ve been able to talk about why I come to LOROS,” added Chris, of Hinckley. “The children have all had a good look around and they all seem really interested in what happens at the Hospice. I’ve had a really fun time, it’s been brilliant.”

If the project is a success, Veronica hopes to roll it out in to some other primary schools in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Teacher Helen Priestley said: “This has been an incredibly valuable project and we feel privileged that LOROS chose to pilot the scheme with us. “Education is about more than just reading, writing and mathematics – through our involvement in this project the children have had opportunity to use social skills, show kindness and above all compassion within our local community.”

Find out how you can support LOROS and get involved with the work they do by visiting www.loros.co.uk

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Barrow Panto Group present.... SNOW WHITE !

Barrow Panto Group presents “Snow White the Panto” on Friday March 4th (7.00pm) and Sat March 5th (2.00 and 7.00pm) at Humphrey Perkins Community Centre, Cotes Road, Barrow LE12 8JU. Tickets cost £8 (£6 concessions and children) and £24 (family of 2+2). Group tickets are also available.

Meet up with Barrow’s hilarious Dame (Richard) Busty Cupcakes, wicked Queen Evelyn, a mirror, an apple, Snow White of course and definitely the Bench scene.

We’ll bring you the traditional tale absolutely peppered with jokes and joining in.

It’s fun for all the family. A terrific community entertainment from our very own talented Barrow Panto Group.

You can buy your tickets from the Paper Shop, High St, Barrow or by PayPal from www. busca.org.uk or from the Box Office 07718153117. Just don’t leave it too late. If you would like to arrange to bring a group, contact Judith on judithrodgers155@gmail.com

AN EVENING WITH ONE OF WILDLIFES TV’S GREATS Gordon Buchanan Lost Adventures

22nd March 2016 - Loughborough Town Hall - 01509 231904 www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk On March 22nd the audience will be invited into a view of the adventurous life of Gordon Buchanan, as the acclaimed wildlife cameraman and television presenter embarks on a 12 date speaking tour of the UK. His talk will offer an insight into his incredible experiences with some of the world’s most fearsome and majestic animals. He will delve into his years of globetrotting adventures, illustrated with his own film footage and photography, to tell tales of his encounters with weird, wild and wonderful wildlife. With a reputation for relishing dangerous and tough assignments, his stories of challenging expeditions make for a thrilling evening.

Gordon is fast becoming a household name on the BBC having shot and presented a long list of popular nature programmes including, Snow Wolf Family and Me, Super Cute Furry Animals, Winterwatch, The Lost Land series, The Polar Bear Family And Me, Wild Burma and the award-winning The Bear Family And Me. He has been incredibly busy having recently filmed three new wildlife commissions for the BBC. The two part series ‘Gorilla Family and Me’ was aired over Christmas in December 2015. In 2016 Gordon is set to be a regular face on television with two new exciting series ‘Wildest Tribes ‘and ‘Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan’.

Wildest Tribes, a three-part series sees Gordon imbed himself with remote tribes, using their remarkable field skills to get closer than ever before to iconic wildlife, including anacondas and lions. Gordon needs to be accepted by each tribe and learn their unique survival and tracking skills in order to gain a completely new insight into the wild animals which dominate the lives of the tribal members. ‘Into the Wild with Gordon Buchanan’ takes Gordon in a different direction as he takes celebrities such as Alastair Campbell, Dermot O’Leary. Ed Byrne, John Simpson and Sara Cox around the UK to get up close with Britain’s beautiful wildlife.

Hailing from the Isle of Mull in western Scotland, Gordon has worked in wildlife documentaries for the past 20 years and is passionate about raising awareness about the world’s endangered species and habitats. He has led expeditions around the globe to places as diverse as South America, Asia, Africa, Papua New Guinea, Russia and Alaska.

When asked about his forthcoming tour Gordon said: ”I can’t wait to meet wildlife lovers around UK and share insights into the amazing creatures that we share our planet with.”

Working on nature and wildlife programmes as both a presenter and cameraman, Gordon has contributed to award winning BBC, Discovery and National Geographic wildlife series and documentaries. He has also received a Royal Television Award for his work on The Bear Family And Me. See Footage of Gordon Buchanan at Work on YouTube or check out his Facebook page ‘gordonjbuchanan’.

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BIRDWATCHING CLUB Birstall Birdwatching Club Presents...

The Andean Wildlife Project

by Mike Webster Mike and Paula Webster now spend most of their year in South America as part of a project to study wildlife in the Andes. This evening they will tell us what they have been doing in this exciting part of the world and what they have discovered about why South America is so good for birds.

Tuesday 8th March at 7.30pm | The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley | Free on-site parking and easy access Members free. Visitors £2 Children free.

Kent: Wildlife OfThe Garden Of England

by Jack Perks Kent rarely features in local talks but this is a county with a rich heritage of wildlife as well as history. With its coastline, cliffs, rivers, woodlands and nature reserves we will enjoy a visit to the south east of England and its natural history.

Jack has featured in Spring Watch 2015 and Countryfile with his particular interest in underwater photography in local rivers and streams.

Tuesday 12th April at 7.30pm | The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley | Free on-site parking and easy access Members free. Visitors £2 Children free.

Further information on both of the above talks from Marion Vincent 0116 2375156.

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR LOROS

What do you get if you combine an exciting trip on the Great Central Railway, a beautiful countryside walk and raising money for your local Hospice? Full Steam Ahead for LOROS, of course. LOROS has teamed up with The Great Central Railway for an event which gives supporters the chance to raise money while enjoying a trip on a steam train.

The event, which will be taking place on Saturday 12th March, will see participants take part in a five-mile walk across Leicestershire countryside, before boarding the LOROS Express.

The walk will start at Quorn and Woodhouse Station, before supporters head cross country through the villages of Old Woodhouse and through private land around Swithland Reservoir, leading through to the beautifully nostalgic old station at Rothley.

From there, participants will jump on board the Great Central Railway, on which they will be taken back to Quorn where they can enjoy a complimentary hog-roast at the The Manor House pub.

Events Lead at LOROS Laura Betts said: “This is a charity walk with a difference and everyone is really excited about it.

“The Great Central Railway and LOROS both play huge parts within Leicestershire community, so this is a really lovely way to bring both organisations together and allow the public to see a little glimpse of the great work we both do.”

The event is family friendly, with entertainment at both stations and the Station Master has granted special permission to allow dogs on the day too.

General Manager of Great Central Railway, Richard Patching said: “We are delighted to be working alongside such a worthwhile charity supporting young adults and families within our county and community.

“Families and individuals can get involved by joining us on the day and enjoying a train ride alongside a lovely countryside walk through our beautiful Charnwood countryside, whilst supporting this charity, which is so crucial to many.”

Full Steam Ahead for LOROS begins at 9.30am, with tickets costing £18 for adults, £12 for under 12’s and free for under 3’s. Tickets are limited so booking ahead is advised.

For more details and to book please visit loros.co.uk/steam or call (0116) 231 8431/2 March / April 2016

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Mothering Sunday

Somewhere beneath the cards, chocolates and bouquets of flowers lies an historical and Christian tradition that goes back centuries.

The history of Mothering Sunday....

Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or ‘daughter church’.

Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or ‘mother’ church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their ‘mother’ church - the main church or cathedral of the area.

Inevitably the return to the ‘mother’ church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. It was quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were ten years old.

Most historians think that it was the return to the ‘Mother’ church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family.

As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.

Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent, and although it’s often called Mothers’ Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name As with most old traditions, Mothering Sunday has been adapted over the years and today it is celebrated by families in mainly a non religious way, but rather a celebration of love and family.

Children give gifts, flowers and cards (often homemade) to their mums, they often make mum a cup of tea in bed, or really push the boat out and make breakfast in bed (whilst hopefully leaving the kitchen clean and tidy too!).

The tradition doesn’t stop with adulthood though, these days you will find hundreds of thousands of grown up children treating their mothers (and families) to not only flowers and gifts but often a meal together... be that a homemade feast, a lovely lunch at a cafe or a delicious dinner at a pub or restaurant.

The best thing about a modern Mother’s Day is reminding mum just how much she is loved... So enjoy the day and be sure to show your love!

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HUNT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES RETURNS! The search is on for environmental stars to be recognised at Charnwood Borough Council’s fourth Don’t Muck Around Awards.

The awards celebrate the efforts made across the borough to keep it free from litter and looking the best it can be. In recent years a host of projects, people and organisations have picked up Don’t Muck Around Awards.

Councillor David Hayes, Deputy Cabinet Member with responsibility for Regulatory Services, said: “The Don’t Muck Around Awards are a great way to celebrate residents’ achievements in protecting their local environment.

“The awards recognise the efforts of a range of people and groups and I hope they inspire others to take action in the borough to enrich the community.

“This year we’re looking for entries and nominations from across the borough no matter how big or small the project.

Whether you have helped with litter picking, increased recycling or brightened up your local area by planting flowers, we want to hear about it.

“All nominations will be viewed by our judging panel and assessed on an individual basis.”

The event features five categories: 1. Children and Young People: Project that has increased awareness of the environment and how it can be protected 2. Community: Making a difference to the quality of the local area 3. Working in Partnership: A joint project, idea or solution that has positively impacted the environment 4. Borough’s Best Litter Picker: An individual or group effort to encourage recycling in the local area by picking litter 5. Biggest Improvement in an area: A campaign or project that has encouraged others to start their own projects. The winner will be selected by a reader vote in the Loughborough Echo.

The deadline for entries is 5pm on Thursday, March 31, 2016. A celebration dinner will be held in June when all the finalists will be invited along.

For more details about the awards and to enter visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/dontmuckaroundawards

New Rotary Club forms in Syston A mixture of local residents and business people have come together to form a new Rotary Club in Syston. The new club is a satellite club of the longstanding Wreake Valley Rotary Club and exists to fundraise for charitable causes and to give back to the local community. Recently the club fundraised over £4,000 at their annual Christmas Collections.

Other Rotary activity also included a litter pick at Watermead Park, The Watermead Challenge which is an annual three or five mile run which last year attracted 310 runners and raised funds for Textellis charity of Syston.

The new club is seeking new members to join. There is no membership criterion. It is a fabulous opportunity to socialise, network and give back to the community. The club meets twice a month usually on a Monday evening, so it is ideal for the busy worker too. The group is diverse from members ranging in age from their early twenties to their fifties and beyond, a range of professions and people from different walks of life. However, all share the same mindset of wanting to help others as well as meet new people. Meeting are held at 7:30pm at The Dog & Gun, 28 Chapel St, Syston, Leicester LE7 1GN. For more information please contact Mitul Gadhia (Chairman) on 07917 765 669 or email mitul.gadhia@martinco.com

Search For National Stickmaking Champion The 22nd annual British & UK National Stickmaking Competition kicks off at Kelmarsh Country Show, which is being held at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire over Easter bank holiday from Sunday 27 to Monday 28 March.

Run by The British Stickmaker’s Guild, the hotly contested competition attracts all manner of sticks, from traditional thumb sticks to intricately carved handle sticks. Held at 42 shows around the country, including all seven Countryman Fairs shows, each competition can attract up to 200 entries. There are 14 main classes for the more experienced stickmaker, and a further four novice classes for newbies. Entry is just 50p per stick, and medals and points are awarded for first, second and third prize. The national champion is determined by the stickmaker with the most points and announced at the British Stickmaker’s Guild AGM in October.

For more information, visit: www.kelmarshcountryshow.co.uk

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BLIND FOOTBALL TASTER SESSION New provision for blind and partially-sighted footballers to be run between Leicestershire & Rutland County FA and Nottinghamshire FA The Leicestershire & Rutland County FA has teamed up with the Nottinghamshire FA to provide budding blind footballers with an opportunity to get involved in the game, establishing a new Blind Football Programme.

The programme gets underway with a taster session, taking place on Saturday 27th February at Harvey Hadden Sport Village between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. This taster session will provide a chance for new blind or partially-sighted players to come and try the sport for the first time, allowing participants to try some of the skills and techniques involved in the game, and enjoy what Blind Football has to offer.

With no pressure and a relaxed environment, the Blind Football taster session is the perfect way for players new to the game to get involved and playing football.

Also supporting the taster session will be England Blind players Roy Turnham and Daniel English, who will be on hand to answer any questions that players may have, in addition to delivering details of their experiences of getting into the sport and progressing to full international level.

Dylan Malpas, one of England’s sighted goalkeepers for the blind team will also be in attendance, providing players involved with the chance of scoring a penalty against him.

Following the completion of the Blind Football taster session, follow-up sessions will be taking place every Thursday from 24th March through to 19th May (2:30pm to 4:00pm) for those that want to carry on learning and experiencing the game.

The Blind Football Programme partnership is the latest development from the Leicestershire & Rutland County FA, which currently hosts the East Midlands’ regional blind centre. Alongside Nottinghamshire FA and 21-year-old Nathan Edge, who lost his sight in February 2014, the Leicestershire & Rutland County FA has worked to develop this new provision for blind and partially-sighted players, with Nathan himself progressing to the point that he will be running the London Marathon in April.

For more information on the new Blind Football Programme and taster session taking place in Nottingham, please email Philippa Bass, Football Development Officer (Disability) via:

philippa.bass@leicestershirefa.com * 0116 284 4952 * 07944 194252

Fancy a corporate kick-about?

Companies in Charnwood are being urged to swap their suits for football boots and compete in a corporate football tournament.

On Saturday, March 12, Charnwood College will host the borough council-run event which sees businesses go head-to-head on the football pitch.

Councillor Jonathan Morgan, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “The tournament is a great opportunity for workplaces across the borough to socialize and team-build while enjoying a game of football.

“Businesses may enter as many teams as they like and I hope there are plenty of teams taking part.

“This tournament is part of the council’s commitment to providing opportunities for people to exercise and get healthier.”

The event is run by the council’s Sport and Active Recreation team which aims to improve the health of Charnwood residents through increased physical activity.

Teams should be same sex and can have between six and nine players. Separate tournaments will be run for male and female teams.

Entry is £35 per team and the deadline for entry is Friday March 4.

For more information or to download an application form visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/football_tournament or contact the Active Together Team on 01509 632536 or email active.together@charnwood.gov.uk

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March On The GCR

Something for everyone during the month starting with a Swap Meet, then for diesel enthusiasts a two day gala and to round off the month plenty for the young and older generations over the Easter period.

SWAP MEET

EASTER BUNNY AND HIS MINIONS

Sunday 13th at Quorn

Tuesday - Thursday 29th - 31st

The first of this year’s Swap Meets takes place in Quorn Yard very early on the Sunday morning. With all sorts of Railwayana on display, that bargain you have been looking for may just be there on one of the stalls, at one of the longest standing events of its kind in the country.

It’s fun for all the family this Easter with Easter Bunny travelling on the trains giving out sweets to all the boys and girls. His mischievous Minions will be at Loughborough Station, bring your camera for photo opportunities! There is also face painting, a fun fair at Rothley, and Easter Egg Hunt.

Visit all the stations and ride all day for £30 for a family of five.

DIESEL GALA Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th Negotiations for a visiting diesel are ongoing for the gala, all available members of the home fleet will be running on an intensive timetable.

EASTER VINTAGE FESTIVAL Friday- Monday 25th - 28th There will be an excellent display in the yard at Quorn Station which will be open between 10am and 6pm of traction engines, steam rollers, showman’s engines, vintage fair, vintage and classic cars, commercials, tractors and stationary engines. Entertainment will be provided by Roosters on Friday night, The Shed Band on Saturday afternoon and Enderby Youth Brass Band on Monday afternoon. Refreshments will be available all weekend. There will be a road run on Sunday at 4.00pm, half way break at the Quorndon Fox.

DINING TRAINS The usual selection during the month with the addition of a Mothering Sunday Luncheon on the 6th and the first of this year’s Murder Mystery’s on the 25th.

PREVIEW OF EVENTS IN APRIL A week of Easter Bunnies and his Minions to start the month, a Bus Rally and Peppa Pig and George at the end of the month into the Bank Holiday.

There is a varied selection of Dining Trains to choose from.

For all the latest information visit the website at: www.gcrailway.co.uk or phone Loughborough on 01509 632323

Dave Allen, Duty Station Master, Rothley.

PHOTO: SR Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 No 34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’ built at Brighton in 1947, rebuilt in 1958 with the removal of its airsmoothed casing which change its appearance, stands at Loughborough during the Winter Gala awaiting its next duty. Visiting courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway and owners Southern Locomotives Limited.

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Crossword

This month's Crossword...

ACROSS 1. Weak argument bolstered by dishonest limit (5,9) 9. Risk assessor (7) 10. With greater audible disturbance (7) 11. That which remains after all deductions (Alt. sp.) (4) 12. Alternatives to cleaning by full immersion (3,7) 14. Railway waiting area (6) 15. Endow with courage (8) 17. Warty outgrowth (8) 18. Accessible data repository (6) 21. Gardener’s tool similar to a snow plough (4,6) 22. Archetypal paradise (4) 24. Pre-eminence (7) 25. Often intangible quality (7) 26. Land workers and experts (14)

DOWN 1. Shows off attributes (7)

Jan / Feb Crossword Solution

2. One’s position in respect to poles (8,7) 3. Grace and elegance (4) 4. Supermarket wine brand (6) 5. Nonsense (8) 6. Three-striped national banners (10) 7. Returns patiently awaited by investors (15) 8. Inverse of wave-type whose amplitude begins at zero (6) 13. Man-eaters (10) 16. Benediction, often given after satanic expulsion (5,3) 17. Perennial, bulbous plants of the Lily family (6) 19. Plaster wall coatings (7) 20. Command (6) 23. Slavic monarch (4)

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Bradgate Rotary Club News Bradgate Rotary Club ended 2015 in a flurry of Festive Fun! December saw some members taking part in The Santa Fun Run in Loughborough on the 6th December and members attending STEPS to wrap presents bought by Bradgate Rotary and to help them prepare for their annual Christmas party Santa was very busy touring around the villages of Groby and Ratby over several evenings, bringing joy and happiness to several groups of children, handing out sweets, telling stories and reminding them to be “Good” on the run up to Christmas. Santa also made a Saturday visit to the libraries in Groby and Glenfield where children were invited to talk about their dreams for Christmas, join in with craft activities and listen to stories with Santa.

Our Christmas charity collections raised a magnificent amount of £670 (from the Santa Sleigh) with further monies to be collected from the Santa Fun Run -- £700 to date and still climbing!! This allowed us to boost our charity fund and enabled us to provide £250 to Rainbows (at Santa’s request) and further donations to two of the Bradgate Rotary Charities, STEPS and 20:20.

2016 has already seen Bradgate Rotary getting out and about and starting to think of activities and new fund raising ideas for the club.

On 20th January Bradgate Rotary sponsored a team from South Charnwood High School who competed against five other schools from the District in the semi-final of Rotary District 1070 Youth Speaks competition held at Welland Park Academy. Their speech was entitled ‘Baked Off’. They gave a self- assured and passionate speech based on discussions surrounding political correctness and ‘The Great British Bake-off’. They all did extremely well and made it through to the final to be held in March The team from SCHS receiving their certificates from Rotary District Governor Geoff Blurton We’ll soon be celebrating our first birthday as a Rotary club with a Spring social at the end of February.

Our next Speaker evening is about being a Dementia friend.

We’re also planning a quiz night and a social evening based on the TV series ‘The Cube’ We’re still on the look out for new members We meet for breakfast at the Stamford Arms Groby on the first and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. The alternate Wednesdays are usually speaker or social evenings. So if you want to get involved in a local group, make new friends, help with our fundraising and join in with our social events please let us know. We would welcome people from all the villages in the Bradgate area including Markfield, Anstey, Newtown Linford, Glenfield and Ratby. Contact Brian at The Stamford Arms or just pop down and join us for breakfast at 7.30 am you’d be more than welcome.

You don’t need any special skills just a bit of time and lots of enthusiasm. We are not a formal Rotary club so if you have any preconceptions about what it might be like do come and find out for yourself.

ROTHLEY HISTORY SOCIETY

At our first meeting of the New Year we heard, first hand, from Dr. Julie Attard from the Charnwood Roots Project, about the proposed “Big Dig”, which is due to take place in Rothley on 23rd & 24th July. Dr Attard said, “A team of archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services Unit will lead the dig with us and we expect to involve between 120 and 150 local volunteers. An undertaking such as this relies on the goodwill of local people.

It is not possible without homeowners willing to offer up a small 1 metre by 1 metre square of their back gardens and without an army of diggers, sifters and pot washers to help with the excavations and finds processing.

If anyone would like to get involved in any way, please make contact with any committee member of Rothley History Society, or Dr. Attard at Leicester University.

On 16th March, we look forward to the return of Julie Ede, who will be giving her talk on Queen Eleanor of Castile (right).

Our April 20th meeting will be one slightly different from the normal style. We have called it “Rothley Remembered”. We are asking members and visitors to bring along pictures, photographs, newspaper articles or any items of interest about “old” Rothley, which they would be happy to share with others. We will have people who have lived in the village in the past talking about things they remember of the “old” village. The whole evening will be introduced by Dave Andrews of Radio Leicester. If anyone has any “oral” contributions for the evening, please contact Linda Poole, (0116 2673435 (email: linda.poole25@gmail. com) to make sure that you get on the programme for the evening. Items for display can be brought along on the night.

Meetings are held at The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley at 7.30pm. Admission is £3.50 for visitors and £2.50 for members. Everybody made welcome!

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What’s On

THURCASTON & CROPSTON W.I.

Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra

We meet on the first Thursday evening of the month at 7.30 pm (except January) in Thurcaston Memorial Hall Why not come along to a meeting and find out more about us. Be assured of a warm welcome. Visitors £4 per meeting.

Our next few meetings are below:

Thursday 3rd March - Cheese & Wine – Guess the cheese competition and quiz You don’t have to be a gourmet to enjoy this evening – an opportunity to socialise.

Thursday 7th April - The Art of the Chair Bodger Peter Wood has a workshop at Staunton Harold but will be with us this evening to demonstrate and keep us entertained. A selection of his work will be on sale.

Friday 22nd April - The Magic of the Beatles Back to the Swinging Sixties at Loughborough Town Hall.

A chance to test your memory and annoy your neighbour by singing along to your favourite numbers.

Please do come and join us!

Charity Bridge Drive Wednesday 6th April 2016, 1:30pm Organised by Loughborough Lions Club. Afternoon tea will be provided .The cost will be £6 per person.

It will be held at the Rothley Centre, 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley.

To book a table please contact Jackie on 0116 2303317 or email: brianjackie.popple@ntlworld.com

CHARNWOOD – MUSIC FOR ALL. ORGAN / KEYBOARD CONCERTS If you enjoy organ and keyboard music, please come and join us. The cost is £6.50, payable on the door and reasonably priced meals are available next door, in the Charnwood Arms, prior to the concert. Forthcoming dates and organists are given below. The concert starts at 7.30pm. For further information contact Chris Powell on 01530 274270.

March 23rd – Dirkjan Ranzijn | April 13th – Ian House

Sunday 13th March 2016, 7:30pm (doors 7pm) It is claimed that Tea Pads, when applied, are reputed to take the stress out of life. Make of that what you will but one thing that is guaranteed is that this bunch of tea pad lads – Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra definitely will.

Certainly one of the most industrious bands on the UK roots circuit, they play their own brand of Western Swing, Blues, Gypsy Jazz and Country.

Drawing on their eclectic range of styles and influenced by early 20th century American music with the addition of razor sharp solos, irresistible arrangements and an expanding repertoire of original material; their music harks back to a golden age whilst staying perfectly modern. The band’s songs, full of character, satire and good old fashioned hollerin’, are primarily penned by enigmatic front-man Rob Heron.

“That’s one hot band right there!” Huey Morgan (BBC 2) “Rob Heron evokes the spirit of Bob Wills and Django Reinhardt with a quintet that shuffles and boogies with panache. Infectiously good-humoured!”

Uncut Magazine **** Quorn Village Hall - Seating will be cabaret style so please bring you own drinks and glasses if you wish.

Tickets: £10 each available from Terry Stirling, tel: 01509 414287 or email: terrystirling@ntlworld.com.

The Centre Stage Rural Touring Theatre programme is supported by the Arts Council and Charnwood Borough Council and is promoted in Quorn by The Quorn Old School Trust as part of its’ Arts Programme.

A Grand Celebration – 25 Years of Harmony At Derby Theatre on Sunday 17th April 2016 4.30pm Grand Central Chorus – 5 times UK Barbershop Champions, are hosting a major show to celebrate their 25th Anniversary on Sunday 17th April 2016 at Derby Theatre. This spectacular event will showcase the very best of UK Barbershop and follows on from their sell-out show in Derby last April. It will also be a first opportunity to see this outstanding men’s harmony chorus perform the songs they will be singing at the 2016 UK Championships – as well as many others from their current repertoire.

Guests include: Tagline – 2015 UK Quartet Champions, Hannah and the Hurricanes – 2015 UK Mixed Quartet Champions and YesterYear – as seen on Gareth Malone’s “Naked Choir” on BBC2 Tickets £15 (Under 12’s £10) are available from the Theatre Box Office 01332 593939 online from the theatre’s website www.derbytheatre.co.uk or from any chorus member.

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SCHOOL’S OUT FOR EASTER! With the Easter holidays already upon us we’ve scoured what’s on to keep the kids (and yourselves) entertained. Here are our top picks:

Easter Holiday Activities - Conkers Children’s Easter Egg Hunt Friday 25th March to Sunday 17th April, 2016 Rockingham Castle Three weeks of family fun during the Easter School Holidays at Conkers, Moira. Entertainment in the covered Amphitheatre, Ranger Activities, Craft Activities, Story Time, Magical Tricks, Trevor Hills Animal Encounter, Pirate Pat, Flip the Clown, Sublime Science all included in your daily admission ticket. See website for individual activities on the days you plan to visit. For further details telephone 01283 216633 or visit: www.visitconkers.com

British Summer Time Weekend Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th March, 2016 This British Summertime weekend we are hosting an exciting weekend full of activities. This experience outdoor pursuit’s weekend will consist of combining watersports with forest ranger activities for all the family to enjoy.

All these are pre-bookable only however there may be some spaces available on the day dependant on demand – to take part in these sessions please call us on 01283 216633. Don’t forget you must have purchased a general admission ticket.

Additional £5.00 per activity or 4 activities for £16.00.

Sunday 27th - Monday 28th March

The celebrated Children’s Easter Egg Hunt takes place again on Easter Sunday & Bank Holiday Monday at Rockingham Castle. Children take part in the Easter Egg hunt(tokens in exchange for eggs) which continues all day. To continue the fun, there is a children’s garden search and family quiz.

The Castle itself opens from 1pm and Walkers House restaurant will be serving a range of delicious meals throughout the day. www.rockinghamcastle.com/childrens-easter-egg-hunt/ Event & Castle: Adult - £12.00, Child (5-16) - £9.00, Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) - £33.00 Rockingham Castle, Rockingham, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8TH | T: 01536 770240

The Mad Hatters Tea Party Wednesday 30th March 2016, 4 - 9pm

For further details telephone 01283 216633 or visit: www. visitconkers.com

The Mad Hatters Tea Party Includes: • A delicious Tea Party • An Eggciting Easter Hunt • Face Painting • Croquet • Games • Colouring Activities Fancy Dress Encouraged £10.00 Per Child - Pre Booking Essential Call the Tithe Barn on: 01455 291048 to book your place Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park, Sutton Cheney, CV13 0AD

Easter Bunny & His Minions - GCR

Rapunzel - Loughborough Town Hall

Activities include: Kata canoeing, Archery, Go Karting, Mountain Bike Trails & Water Zorbing.

On both Saturday and Sunday we will also be hosting sensory art classes with our ranger team – this will be running all day – along with our summertime craft activity.

Tuesday 29th - Thursday 31st March & Tuesday 5th - Thursday 7th April 2016 Meet the Easter Bunny and his Minions down at the Great Central, there’s lots of fun for the whole family it’s eggstraordinary value too at just £30 for 2 adults and up to 3 children! Start your journey at any of our four stations and enjoy a full day out for all the family.

Ride the Easter Bunny steam train with free sweets for all the children. Meet the lovable Minions, Bob & Stuart at intervals throughout the day at Loughborough.

Play on the mini funfair at Rothley. Get your face painted, hop on and off the at any station & ride all day.

Refreshments available at all 4 stations.

Enquiries & booking 01509 632323 | www.gcrailway.co.uk Loughborough, Quorn, Rothley & Leicester North Stations

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Wednesday 30th March 2016, 11am From the Emmy Award-winning team behind the megahit television series Friends comes Rapunzel, an exciting musical perfect for all the family!

A familiar tale with a fantastic new spin, it has all the charm you’d expect from the minds that have been making the world laugh non-stop for more than two decades.

Immersion Theatre are thrilled to present the UK Premiere of this witty, tongue-in-cheek story complete with a possessive mother who happens to be a with, a tentative young man who happens to be a prince and a strong-wiled, but naive young girl, with the longest hair you’re ever likely to come across! www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk | 01509 231914 Market Place, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3EB Suitable age 4+ | Duration: 100 minutes | Tickets: £10

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What’s On

Film Presentations from

Thurcaston & Cropston Parish Council “My Old Lady” was an excellent film, enjoyed by almost a full house. Mathias had difficulties paying a pension to Mathilde, played by Maggie Smith, for living in newly inherited Parisian house. In the gloom, she did realise that he was stealing his furniture to pay for her annuity. The relationship between Mathias’ parents and Maggie and her daughter was intriguing and yet sad. The film was very amusing with a happy ending.

“Suffragette” will be shown on March 11th and lasts 106 minutes.

Our British period drama for March will be the first film in history to be shot in the Houses of Parliament where MP’s denied women’s rights until 1928. Maud, played

by Carey Mulligan, is a determined factory worker who loses everything she holds dear because, as a suffragette, she feels she must refuse to “walk in a man’s shadow”.

Meryl Streep plays the formidable Emeline Pankhurst. There are even connections to Leicester!

“Lady in the Van” will be shown on April 8th and lasts 104 minutes.

This British comedy drama was written by Alan Bennett in whose house the story was filmed. It was written originally for the stage. It tells the true story of an elderly woman called Mary, played by Maggie Smith. She lives in a dilapidated van on Bennett’s driveway for fifteen years. Funnily enough, they form an unexpected bond. April’s film is a masterpiece and not to be missed.

Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council will be showing these films at Thurcaston Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets will cost no more than £5 and concessions will still be £4.50.

There will be refreshments and a lucky prize draw during the interval. Advanced tickets may be purchased via the parish office - 0116 236 7626 or at the door.

Diana

Charnwood Orchestra’s Annual Concert Charnwood Orchestra will return to All Saints Parish Church, Loughborough with its annual concert on Saturday 19th March starting at 7.30pm. There will be an interval bar with wine and Castle Rock beer available.

Tickets cost £12, £10 (concessions) and £3 for accompanied children under 16. They can be bought from the Box Office (07718 153117) or judithrodgers155@gmail.com or by Paypal from www. charnwoodorchestra.org.uk from members of the orchestra or on the door.

The programme consists of: - Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture - Britten’s Violin Concerto with soloist Thomas Bowes - Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 2, the Little Russian.

Community Barn Dance & Ceilidh Dancing A stomping community barn dance is bringing new music and energetic ceilidh dancing to Leicester’s West End. Red Fox Ceilidhs is back for another round of live music and folk dance, as they introduce exciting new band Take the Biscuit and Southampton based musicians Threepenny Bit. A caller explains the steps before the tunes begin and punters dance traditional routines in a colourful and friendly atmosphere.

Everyone is welcome and no experience is necessary. The next ceilidh will be held in the Church of the Martyrs Community Hall, 19 Westcotes Drive, on Saturday March 5 with Take the Biscuit on their introductory UK tour, while on Saturday May 7 Threepenny Bit will entertain ceilidh-goers.

Doors open at 7.30pm and dancing is from 8pm -11pm with real ale and refreshments. Advance tickets are £6 for adults (£8 on door) and £4 for ages 10-25 (£6 on door). Under 10s go free and advance tickets are from:

www.redfoxceilidhs.com.

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Loughboro

Thursday 14th April 2016

WALK: Attenborough Nature Reserve Loughborough RSPB Local Group have a Wildlife Walk Attenborough Nature Reserve at 10am until 12 noon.

Meet at the car park - off the A6005 between Long Eaton and Beeston. Signs to Nature Reserve (past sewage works). SK516339. Nearest Post Code NG9 6DY.

Friday 11th March 2016

Sunday 17th April 2016

TALK: House Martins & other aerial TRIP: Snettisham RSPB Reserve feeders Loughborough RSPB Local Group invite you to join them Loughborough RSPB Local Group present a talk on House Martins and other aerial feeders by Ian Woodward.

Ian has had a life-long interest in birds and he is now a Research Officer with the BTO. He is the organiser for the House Martin survey and will also give some information on Swallows, Sand Martins and Swifts.

on a coach trip to Snettisham RSPB Reserve in Norfolk.

Depart from Loughborough University at 8.00 am, fare £20 plus admission to the reserves. Booking is essential for this trip.

The talk will be held in the Lecture Theatre at the Brockington Building Loughborough University at 7.45pm. Price: £3 Group Members, £3.50 Non members, LU Students with SU card gratis.

www.rspb.org.uk/groups/loughborough

Sunday 13th March 2016

TRIP: Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve Loughborough RSPB Local Group invite you to join them on a coach trip to Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve in Lincolnshire.

Depart from Loughborough University at 8.30am, fare £20 plus admission to the reserves. Booking is essential for this trip.

Wednesday 16th March 2016

WALK: Wildlife Walk at Charnwood Lodge Loughborough RSPB Local Group have a Wildlife Walk at Charnwood Lodge at 10am until 12 noon. Location: Off Abbey Road, Coalville, about 500 metres from Forest Rock Public House junction. Entrance is through gates (over private property). Parking is through the gate and along the farm track. Please close gate behind you. SK458155.

Nearest post code LE6 4UW.

Friday 8th April 2016

TALK: Birds of Prey in the UK Loughborough RSPB Local Group present a talk entitled Birds of Prey in the UK by Geoff Knott. Geoff has worked on birds of prey for the RSPB for the last 8 years, barring a year’s loan deal to WWT to work on wetlands. In the talk, Birds of Prey in the UK On a Wing and a Prayer, he will try to cover the history of birds of prey in the UK, what their changing fortunes tell us about our changing attitudes to nature and how our attempts to save them have shaped modern conservation.

Before the talk we will hold our Annual General Meeting - hence the slightly earlier start.

The talk will be held in the Lecture Theatre at the Brockington Building Loughborough University at 7.30pm. Price: £3 Group Members, £3.50 Non members, LU Students with SU card gratis.

March / April 2016

Full details of all of the events including finding the venue, booking the trips etc can be found on the group’s website:

Can’t See the Wood for the Trees This wonderful exhibition is currently being held at Ferrers Gallery, Staunton Harold until 20th March.

The exhibition is a celebration of trees and wood and includes work by more than 30 local and regional artists and makers. On display are paintings, woodturning, pyrography (the art of decorating with burn marks), furniture, glass, ceramics, jewellery and textiles.

Local Leicestershire artists Rosemary Mafrici (from Ashby) and Tom Genders (from Swannington) have large scale paintings on display on the gallery’s third floor.

The Ferrers Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 11am 5pm during March.

For more information and direction please visit www. ferrersgallery.co.uk or look at their facebook page www. facebook.com/ferrersgallery

Whitwick & District U3A

Whitwick and District U3A will hold its monthly General Meeting on Friday 18th March. The U3A offers companionship through learning and social activities to those no longer in full time employment. Members are involved in a wide range of Interest Groups, all based on the self-help ethos. Group Leaders and others will be on hand at the General Meeting to answer questions and pass on information. Members and visitors are assured of a warm welcome.

The speaker at the March meeting will be Helen Baxter and her topic will be: The History and Work of the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation. Located in Ulverscroft and founded in 1989 by the late David Clarke, local businessman and philanthropist, this charity provides admirable services in the beautiful surroundings of Charnwood Forest.

To listen to Helen and find out more about Whitwick and District U3A, come along to St. David’s Church Hall, Broomleys, Coalville LE67 4RL. Please arrive at 1.45 for a 2.00pm start.

Full details of our friendly and thriving U3A can be found on our up-to-date website: www.whitwicku3a.org.uk

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WildlifeTrust –North West Group

The Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust North West Group are a friendly local group which meets monthly for talks, visits, conservation work and social events.

All talks are in the church hall of Ashby Methodist Chapel, Burton Road, Ashby and begin at 7:30pm, entry is £2 each. To find out more about our group please ring David Maltby on 01530 222934 or Margaret Mabey on 01530 412410.

Their work parties are on Fridays from September to April at a variety of local reserves. Please ring David Maltby for details.

Music of the Masters Thursday 4th, Friday 5th & Saturday 6th March Newtown Linford Choral Society’s next concert will be held at Ratby Parish Church. It will be performing ‘Baroque’ music, which describes a style of music composed from about 1650 to 1750. During this some of the greatest European composers were writing, such as Bach, Handel and Haydn, and their compositions are still regularly performed today at concert halls throughout the world.

Friday 18th March, 2016

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood Normanton le Heath. Gerald Price of the Woodland Trust explores the development of the woodland and considers the many factors which will affect its future development.

Saturday 26th March, 2016

Guided visit to Jubilee Wood with Gerald Price. Come to explore this rapidly developing new plantation in spring. Meet at 2pm in the car park between between Normanton and Heather G.R. 385115.

Friday 22nd April, 2016

Nigel Slater explains the mystery of bird migration.

He returns to bring us up to date with the latest news and shows how modern technology is reshaping our understanding of migration.

Saturday 23rd April, 2016

Visit to Stoneywell gardens. Carl Hawke of the National Trust helps us discover the typical habitat and fauna of Charnwood Forest in the garden of this latest N.T. acquisition. Meet in car park on Whitcrofts Lane at 2pm. G.R.485119.

The Choir will be accompanied by an accomplished Orchestra. This will feature the talented Mike Shaw and Karen Silverwood, who will also be playing the beautiful Bach Double Violin Concerto.

The concert promises to be a very memorable event for Choir and audience alike. Tickets are priced at £10 (£5 for children) and are available from Ratby Post Office, Newtown Linford Village Stores, Peter/Iris Sayer 01530 243822, and any member of the Choir.

Let Rothley Entertain You! Organised by Rothley Community Library, Rothley Film Club brings you two films in March.

On Friday 4th at 7pm, Mr. Holmes. Tickets £5.50, £5 concessions. Bar. On Friday March 18th another of the Feelgood Films series at 2pm Zorba the Greek. £2 including refreshments.

The evening of Friday 1st April is a very special night and a first for Rothley, a live show performed by Rob Gee from Leicester: Forget me not, an Alzheimer’s whodunit.

Forget Me Not is a murder mystery set on an Alzheimer’s ward. It’s also a one person comedy poetry theatre show that has a lot to say about how we treat and perceive people with dementia.

“This one-man triumph is equal parts mystery, comedy, storytelling, social commentary – and 100 per cent entertaining.” Winnipeg Free Press. Written and performed by Leicester based comic, poet and psychiatric nurse Rob Gee “A witty, skilful storyteller”, Forget Me Not will tour the UK from March - September. The UK tour follows a recent sold-out run across Canada, where it was a critical smash and won several awards.

Rob Gee spent eleven years working as a registered psychiatric nurse around the UK and Australia before becoming a writer and performer. He’s worked with Harold Pinter, Sue Townsend, Jo Brand and Sarah Millican, and clocked up over 3,000 shows around the world.

The show kicks off at 8pm, with the bar open from 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 and will be on sale at various outlets in Rothley including Dolce Verde Cafe on Woodgate, Cuppas Cafe on Cross Green, Rothley Community Library and the Parish Council Office.

All of the above events will be held at the Rothley Centre, 12 Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley LE7 7PR.

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OUT AND ABOUT Friday 11 March 2016

The Ceri Dupree Show A Sensational Evening Of Visual Comedy Ceri Dupree has been delighting audiences worldwide for almost 50 years. Ceri’s unique talents have led him through musical theatre, pantomime, summer seasons, television and cabaret.

LOROS are delighted to announce that the Ceri Dupree Show will be at the Symphony Rooms, Leicester on Friday 11th March 2016 with a sensational evening of visual comedy.

Tickets are priced at £10 each and are available from LOROS Fundraising on 0116 2318484.

LEICESTER SKETCH CLUB ART EXHIBITION

Every day until Saturday 19th March 2016 The Club is delighted to present its exhibition of original drawings and paintings at Sock Gallery. For over 100 years, Leicester Sketch Club has encouraged and inspired local artists through a varied programme of professional demonstrations, workshops, sketching days and annual exhibitions.

The Club has over 100 members ranging from professional full time artists to developing part time artists and aims to encourage the artistic development of all.

Free entry with refreshments available.

Sock Gallery, Loughborough Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3EB Box Office: 01509 231914 | www.leicestersketchclub.co.uk enquiries@leicestersketchclub.co.uk

Thursdays | Mighty Movers Physical activity sessions for 3-4 year olds in readiness for starting school, teaching them fundamental skills such as throwing, catching, balancing, team work, movement and co-ordination skills, through fun activities. Please note that there is a small charge of £1.00 per child for all of these sessions. If you bring two children along then we will charge you £1.50 and £2.00 for three or more children.

Email: sport@charnwood.gov.uk | Tel: 01509 634673 | Rosebery St Peters Community Centre, Loughborough LE11 5EQ | 1:30 - 2:30pm

Thursday 03 March | Thurcaston & Cropston Women’s Institute Cheese & Wine - Guess the cheese competition and quiz. You don’t have to be a gourmet to enjoy this evening - an opportunity to socialise. We meet on the first Thursday evening of the month at 7.30 pm in Thurcaston Memorial Hall. Why not come along to a meeting and find out more about us. Be assured of a warm welcome. Visitors £4 per meeting. Phone Mary on 0116 2365179 for more information.

Friday 04 March | Just The Tonic Comedy Club Just the Tonic has been putting on comedy shows in the East Midlands and Edinburgh for almost 20 years. This thriving monthly comedy club books the best of the established and the up-and-coming comedians on the circuit. Each session will showcase three comedians and an MC. 9pm | Loughborough Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough, LE11 3EB | Box Office: 01509 231914 | Tickets £10

Tuesday 08 March | Ladies Circle Rothley Mike Riley: Great Central Decline and restoration.

March 22nd: Dorothy Hutchinson: Easter Message (taken in church) Ladies Circle ,Howe Lane ,Rothley | £6 to join plus a £1 each time you come, visitors £2 | For information call Pam Floyd 0116 237 4111

Wednesday 09 March | GUIDED WALK: Mountsorrel Health Walk Meet at Mountsorrel Library LE12 7AS. This walk is inclusive and accessible for everyone. Remember to wear walking shoes or trainers and bring a bottle of water with you.

Approx. 1 hour | 1-2 miles | FREE | walks@fusion-lifetsyle.com | Tel: 0116 2375267 | www.charnwood-leisure.com

Thursday 10 March | Birstall & District Local History Society ‘Living Memories’ by Sandra Moore. Contact Adrienne Topley for further details on 0116 292 8214.

Meetings are held in Birstall Village Hall on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm.

Friday 11 March | Pack Horse Folk & Acoustic Music Loughborough Good ale and good company. Guest night with the wonderful Pete Morton and great local support acts! Frank and Fi,Eric the Turtle, and Sheila Mosley!

Tickets £8 | Venue: ‘Swan in the Rushes’21 The Rushes, Loughborough LE11 5BE | 8:30pm

Saturday 12 March | Newtown Linford Brownies Annual Rummage Sale The Newtown Linford Brownies are holding their annual rummage sale at the Village Hall. There will be all sorts on sale along with tea, coffee and homemade cakes.

Admission: 50p | 1:30pm | Newtown Linford Village Hall, Main Street, Newtown Linford, LE6 0HH

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LOCAL EVENTS Saturday 12 March & Saturday 09 April | BRADGATE PARK: Ramble with a Ranger Join a Bradgate Park Ranger for an extended 6-hour walk that will cover the Park literally from top to bottom and its history from the underlying geology through 15,000 years of human occupation from the Palaeolithic to the present day via the development of the medieval deer park, the building of the house, the Civil War, the Victorian sporting estate and on to the building of Cropston Reservoir and the transition from a private estate to a public park. Places on the walk should be booked in advance by calling the Estate Office on 0116 234 1850.

Cost is £15 per adult, which includes parking. Because of the nature of the walk you will need to be reasonably fit and wear suitable clothing and footwear. We do not feel these walks are generally suitable for children under 16 but please contact us to discuss.

Sunday 13 March | Boutique Wedding Fair At The Guildhall This Boutique Wedding Fair for the modern couple aims to bring a diverse selection of quality wedding suppliers to the Guildhall. Includes photobooths, wedding cakes, ice cream, florists, local hotels, wedding dresses, hair and make-up plus music and entertainment. Come along and see this gorgeous venue in action. www.boutiqueweddingfairs.co.uk | 11am - 3:30pm | The Guildhall, Guildhall Lane, Leicester LE1 5FQ

Tuesday 15 March | Leicester Railway Society ‘Westwards from Dover’, Peter Groom will be taking a photographic trip along the Kent coast in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Admission £3.00 | Further details tel 0116 260 5748 | 7.30pm | ‘Cricketers’, Grace Road, Leicester LE2 8AD

Wednesday 16 March | QUORN: Wednesday Film Show The screening is a wonderful comedy drama ‘The Lady In The Van’ starring Maggie Smith. This is adapted by Alan Bennett from his own play about his real-life relationship with Miss Shepherd (Smith) an eccentric local homeless woman, invited by Bennett to temporarily park her van in his drive. She actually stayed there for fifteen years! A great film, one not to be missed.

Pay £4 at the door to include tea, biscuits and a free raffle ticket | Doors open at 1.45pm for 2pm showing - Quorn Village Hall

Saturday 19 March | Rothley Tennis Open Day There’ll be free coaching for adults and children, bouncy castle, BBQ, games and more! Free entry, just come down from 12 - 6pm.

We’re located behind Rothley Library, off Mountsorrel Lane in Rothley, LE7 7PS | Website: www.rothleytennis.info Email: enquiries@rothleytennis.info | 07757 833 360

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 March | We’re Going On A Bear Hunt Michael Rosen’s award-winning book We’re Going On A Bear Hunt is brought vividly and noisily to the stage in director Sally Cookson’s fun-filled adaptation set to a versatile lively score. Join our intrepid adventurers on their quest to find a bear as they wade through the gigantic swishy-swashy grass, the splashy-splashy river and the thick, oozy, squelchy mud! Expect catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure – plus a few special surprises!

Saturday 19 March - 1.30pm & 4.30pm | Sunday 20 March - 10.30am & 1.30pm | Duration: 55 minutes | Tickets £9.50 - £12 Loughborough Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough, LE11 3EB | Box Office: 01509 231914

Sunday 20 March | Sunday Night at 8 Organ Recitals Mountsorrel Methodist Church are celebrating fifteen years of ‘Sunday Night at Eight Organ Recitals’. March brings Dominic O’Connor Robinson, Uppingham’s Organist to Mountsorrel. Buffet from 7:30pm.

Admission is free | Donations welcome to the Church Development Fund | www.organrecitals.com

Monday 21 March | Quorn Circle Dance Group Discover the benefits of gentle exercise through dancing simple steps to music from around the world. We dance traditional village dances and more recent choreographies in a circle or spiral. Each dance is taught from scratch with plenty of repetition in a supportive environment. Everyone is equal in the circle. Wear loose comfortable clothing and flat shoes. Cost per session £4.

2.15 - 3.45pm | Quorn Village Hall, Leicester Road, Loughborough LE12 8BB

Friday 25 - Monday 29 March | Easter Adventure Quest at Ashby De La Zouch Castle Adventurers wanted this Easter weekend! You’ll meet characters from the past with stories of times gone by - maybe a king, a butler, a Roman centurion or even a monk. These honourable folk will be happy to help you on your quest as you explore Ashby de la Zouch Castle and crack the clues. Rise to the challenge and win your chocolate reward. It’s time to get hands-on with history.

11am - 5pm | Tickets: Adults - £4.80, concs - £4.30, child - £2.90, Family - £12.50 | Ashby Castle, South Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1BR | www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/easter-adventure-quest-Ash-25-03-2016/

Monday 28 March | Hallaton Bottle Kicking Enjoy this 18th century tradition of Hallaton and Medbourne villagers as they battle for the cask of ale. For all the details see the website: http://calendarcustoms.com/articles/hallaton-hare-pie-scramble-bottle-kicking/ Hallaton, Leicestershire.Scramble : St Michaels Church gate. Game : Hare Pie Bank | Scramble 2 pm : Game : 3pm | Arrive early as parking in the village is limited.

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THE BRADGATE DIRECTORY

CLOTHING, SHOES & JEWELLERY Caroline James............................... 33 Cathy Stephens Jewellery............... 43 Elegance......................................... 34 Smartley Stitched Tailors................ 59 EDUCATION & CHILDCARE Dixie Grammar School...................... 7 Grace Dieu Manor School................. 3 Kumon Maths................................. 50 Magical Maths Club........................ 59 Woodhouse Day Nursery................ 50 FLORISTS & GIFTS The Flower Shop............................. 41 Holywell Petals............................... 41 Rosebuds and Ribbons................... 29 Squirrels......................................... 29 FOOD, DRINK & VENUES The Bay Leaf................................... 21 Bradgate Park Vension.................... 25 Chapter One................................... 28 The Deli at 58................................. 29 Flying Horse.................................... 40 George Inn...................................... 11 The Manor House........................... 27 Quorn Country Hotel...................... 57 Salty’s Tea Room............................. 40 Vintage Teas................................... 59 Woodcock Farm Shop..................... 25 GARDEN Belvoir Sawmill & Forest Products.... 62 Bentley’s Garden Buildings............. 66 Birstall Garden Centre...................... 5 Delegate Services............................. 6 Garden Blueprints............................ 6 H20 Design..................................... 20 Harrison Landscaping..................... 46 LB Grounds Maintenance............... 62 LB Landscaping............................... 34 Outdoor Solutions............................ 6 Roecliffe Tree Surgery..................... 24 Total Tree Services.......................... 20

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HAIR & BEAUTY Aqua Hair........................................ 53 The Hair Gallery.............................. 41 Imbue Hair Studio.......................... 28 Mill Salon........................................ 56 HEALTH Charnwood Hearing Centre............ 65 Charnwood Physiotherapy............. 65 HOME Ablutions........................................ 47 Absolute Window Solutions............. 2 Ancient & Modern............................ 6 Ashby Decorators Centre.................. 8 Bright Oven.................................... 59 Broughtons....................................... 4 Buy Direct 4 U................................. 30 Charles Lowe Furnishings............... 28 Charn. Oaks Roofing & Building...... 62 Chris’ Oven Cleaning...................... 41 Clock Doctor..................................... 6 Coopers Glass................................. 18 CV Lane............................................. 4 DeVol...................................... 14 + 15 DG Plumbing................................... 65 Donate Furniture & White Goods..... 50 DP Furnishings.................................. 6 The Flooring & Bed Company......... 11 G & D Property Services................. 20 Glenfield Electrical............................ 6 Glenwood Interiors......................... 25 Graham Botterill............................... 6 Hassall & Son Ltd............................ 53 Holme Tree Kitchens....................... 21 Jacqueline Reynolds - Curtains....... 59 Just Frames..................................... 65 Kee Construction............................ 25 Light House..................................... 18 Listers Interiors................................. 6 Loft Storage Solutions.................... 24 Logburners Ltd.................................. 3 Martin Allen Flooring..................... 18 MDW Fireplaces............................. 21

HOME continued...

Oakham Oriental Rugs...................... 3 Putts............................................... 32 Recycling Sites................................ 63 Reuse Charity Furniture Store........ 36 RJ Rowley........................................ 56 RSJ Roofing....................................... 4 Simon Shuttlewood Upholstery...... 65 Splashout........................................ 67 UK Gas Services................................ 8 Wreake Valley Flooring................... 46 JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES Bosworth Homecare....................... 59 Leader Programme......................... 18 LEISURE Beedales Lake Golf Course............. 40 Bradgate Party Tents....................... 37 Cropston Reservoir Fishing............. 59 George’s Music Tuition................... 65 Love Loughborough........................ 31 MOTORS Cropston Garage............................. 65 Motor Classics.................................. 3 PETS Anstey Cattery................................ 59 Glebe Von Wood............................ 59 The Veterinary Surgery................... 59 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Computer Angel............................. 53 Dodds Solicitors LLP........................ 24 Lee Cooper Funeral Directors......... 56 MB Sign Design............................... 66 Prusinski Solicitors.......................... 30 Roy Green Estate Agents................ 68 Secretary Angel.............................. 66 To advertise in The Bradgate contact Ed: editor@thebradgatemagazine.co.uk call: 01530

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