GROBY SPOTLIGHT August 2021 by Michael Wilkinson

Spotligh potlightt Groby & Field Head MID-AUGUST 2021

The Monthly News & Information Magazine For Groby, Field Head & The Brantings

Groby - You’re Amazing! Please report any activity on 5g mast site immediately JUST AS THE Spotlight was being prepared for the printers news came in that a contractor who had travelled from Manchester for 3 Mobile had been seen on the site of the proposed telecom mast at the junction of Pymm Ley Lane and Flaxfield Close. A resident, who was aware that the planning application had been refused, spotted a van parked on the verge and the contractor marking out the area ready to take ground tests. Borough Councillor Martin Cartwright was called in and, after he confirmed the resident’s assertion that planning permission had been refused, the contractors left the site. It’s not clear whether the company intends to appeal, and thought that it would be acceptable to undertake preparatory survey work, or whether it is just down to poor communication between the company and its contractors. “This episode shows that we need to remain vigilant,” said Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator David Hartridge. “Its important that anyone who sees activity at this site reports it straight away.” David’s full story on the opposition to the mast can be read on page 4.

Norman Griffiths

THANK YOU to everyone who supported this year’s Christian Aid Week. Your generous donations will help some of the world’s poorest people. Money raised will go to projects building water dams near the homes of those who are suffering water shortages caused by climate change. Having a water source near to home makes a massive difference to the lives of women and children who would otherwise have long and often hazardous walks to collect water every single day. Groby people donated a fantastic £4,523 with a further £800 going to Christian Aid from Gift Aid. To highlight this year’s Christian Aid Week Rev’d Ed Bampton and four others from Churches Together in Groby undertook a walking challenge and between them walked 1,839,315 steps during May. Here they are celebrating the final day of the walk. Rev Ed commented: “I simply can’t believe how much we raised and it certainly made all that walking (and running for one of us to get those steps in!) more than worth it. Bless you everyone - the team who walked and all those whose efforts helped and supported us and whose generosity in giving will make such a difference to the poorest communities across the world. You’re amazing Groby!”

Mary Pringle and Christine Davies Churches Together in Groby

Appointments are no longer necessary at Council tips LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY Council returned their tips to the normal service from Monday 19 July.

No appointments are necessary to visit a waste site. Vans, pick-ups and cars with trailers, and any vehicle bringing asbestos, chemicals or liquid paint, must have a Waste Permit. To manage the expected increase in demand, you may find traffic management in place at Whetstone Tip. Visit the Leicestershire County Council website for more information.

Next Issue Out On 18th September • Advert & Article Deadline Is 4th September

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight

Letter

Local football on Marina Park IN RESPONSE to a recent article in the Spotlight in relation to making Marina Park a home for local football and the request for changing facilities on site. This was debated some many years back and the objection at the time was the unintended ownership that this might imply. Marina park is for all residents and the option risks arguments over dog presence and other freedoms that people may want to exercise during football matches. Opportunity is soon followed by entitlement!

PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT

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01530-244069 Email us at: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk Visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 3,500 copies distributed 11 times a year (no issue in July) to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings.

There is a smaller area across the road from Marina Park where there is a small amount of exercise equipment. Why can the pitch not be placed there? It is then screened off and out of the way for the main park area to be enjoyed by everyone. That said, I do understand the need for recreation and hope a sensible solution can be found.

Groby resident

The Groby Pool Galleon

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The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities.

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The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/ or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.

Calling all Local Clubs, Groups and Societies

AS COVID restrictions begin to relax, local clubs and community groups are starting to resume activities.

A CHALLENGE for our youngsters who go down to Groby Pool to feed the Swans, Geese and Ducks - Did you know that nature has created what looks like a sailing ship but is quite hidden from view? The challenge is can you find it but I will give a little secret away - it is more on the walk through the woods at the side of the pool but carefully hidden away. Dare you take on the challenge to find it?

Colin Baker, Markfield

If you run a club, group or society in the village, it would be great to hear your news. Why not drop a line to the Spotlight, and tell us what you’re group is up to. I arrived early to the restaurant. The manager said do you mind waiting a bit? I said no. Good, he said. Take these drinks to table nine.

How much is that doggie in the rescue centre?

THERE ARE going to be a lot of homeless young dogs this autumn. That is because almost one in five people who bought a lockdown puppy last year are now thinking about giving up their new pet. Research from The Kennel Club found that many owners are worried that they will be unable to give their dog a suitable home when they return to full-time work in the office. The result is a “looming welfare crisis faced by this pandemic pup generation.” The Kennel Club also found that many new dog owners want to see more places open up for dogs. Accessibility is becoming an increasing priority for dog lovers, and so the Kennel Club is calling on establishments from all sectors to become more dog friendly. The campaign ‘Open for Dogs’ is stressing the benefits of welcoming canines to businesses and workplaces.

I went out with this girl the other night, she wore this real slinky number… she looked great going down the stairs.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

PROPOSED 5G MAST - LATEST UPDATE David Hartridge (Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator) writes about the campaign against the proposed 5g mast BY THE TIME you read this two months will have passed since we learnt that the planning proposal to erect an 18m mast on the corner of Flaxfield Close and Pymm Ley Lane had been refused. So, before those hectic three weeks all become history, I’m writing this summary a few days after the happy event as it gradually sinks in as to what an incredible achievement this has been for the village of Groby.

Can only object to the location and appearance It is worth recapping that the Government has made the rolling out of the 5g network a major policy and therefore, to make it easier and quicker, they have relaxed the normal planning regulations and enabled mobile telephone providers to erect their masts on council owned land freeof-charge. Such a proposal is called a “Prior Approval” which means no one can object to the principle of a mast, but they can object to the location and appearance and that is exactly what our campaign concentrated on. Furthermore the final decision just lay with a Planning Officer and was not voted upon by the Ward members, our representatives, who are on the Planning Committee. We were warned it had virtually been rubber-stamped already. But it was not just these matters for objection. The fact the mast was only located 3m from two properties was a very strong one as previous locations in the village had been turned down for close proximity to houses. But to understand the complete picture I downloaded the actual Planning Application and discovered it was so riddled with inaccuracies and untruths.

Planning protocol ignored? In my view, planning protocol had been ignored completely. For the Applicant to say they had consulted with the neighbourhood and community was completely untrue. We had seen no one. Then to describe the location as secluded by trees and how it would blend in with the street scene was laughable as there isn’t a tree in sight. This mast would be a blot on the landscape and a massive intrusion on our environment and well-being, particularly health-wise, as there is much yet unknown about these masts and the radiation they emit. I soon became aware of residents having serious concerns over their health and I was inundated with internet data on the subject. All this was included in a detailed Objections Document I sent to several Councillors at HBBC and indeed, I know that many residents also wrote very detailed objection letters on health and environment issues that all added weight to the ultimate success of our campaign. We should also not forget that this whole matter came to light by a chance conversation between my wife and a neighbour who had seen the planning notice on a lamp post on the opposite side of Pymm Ley Lane where none of our residents would pass. Also it had been placed there after the deadline for submitting information for the May Spotlight so our Councillors had been unable to warn us.

Closing date extended The original Notice, entitled Pymm Ley Close, was dated 10th May and we had 21 days to lodge ‘objections’. It was already the 17th. After urgent contact with our Councillors complaining of the inaccuracies of the Notice and the sighting, a new Notice was put up in Flaxfield Close dated 20th May and under duress, HBBC eventually gave us 21 days from this revised date.

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Being the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator for Flaxfield Close I was immediately in touch with the majority of residents who are members and their reactions were so supportive. It was paramount to raise awareness in the village and motivate the Community to object online, send in postal objections and also sign our petitions. We erected “Move the Mast” signs on Pymm Ley Lane, placed petitions in Wilson’s, Pricegate and the Post Office and then several of us pounded the pavements knocking on doors in the area bounded by Crane Ley Road, Pine Tree Avenue, Dalby Drive and Leicester Road (South side). The response was also very positive.

No-one supported the mast ‘The rest is history’ as they say! We raised 723 signatures with addresses on our petitions and a further 195 objected online and by post. No one supported it. To get over 900 objections was a huge achievement and the residents of Flaxfield Close wish to say a massive “Thank You” to the Groby Community. They really did show how much our village means to them and to rally round giving us such support in such a short time was much appreciated and will not be forgotten. Neither will we forget the support, advice and guidance we received from Councillors Martin Cartwright and Ozzy O’shea. Also we are particularly grateful to ex Councillor Peter Batty for his interest and support and for contacting and engaging Edward Argar, our Member of Parliament. Their presence and personal objections all helped our cause. Of course, at the time of writing this we do not know if an Appeal will be launched but the general feeling is that the Applicant won’t. Yes, Groby can feel very pleased to have taken on central government and won the day. Thank you all again for your generous support and please do keep an eye on your lamp posts and verges.

Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont By Elizabeth Taylor

On a rainy Sunday in January, the recently widowed Mrs Palfrey arrives at the Claremont Hotel where she will spend her remaining days. Her fellow residents are magnificently eccentric and endlessly curious, living off crumbs of affection and snippets of gossip. Together, upper lips stiffened, they fight off their twin enemies: boredom and the Grim Reaper. Each of these residents deals with the situation in their own way – from Mrs Arbuthnot whose ‘ears sharpened by malice’ to Mrs Burton who finds solace at the bottom of a glass to Mr Osborne who voices an opinion on everything and bores everyone with his pointless stories. To her rescue comes a young, down-at-heel writer called Ludo, who acts the Good Samaritan when Mrs Palfrey trips while out walking. She hits on the idea of pretending that he is really her grandson Desmond. Attracted by the adventure of the deceit, and the chance it gives him to conduct research for his book, Ludo agrees to play along. “It was hard work being old. It was like being a baby, in reverse. Every day for an infant means some new little thing; every day for the old means nothing, sequences become muddled, and faces blurred. Both infancy and age are tiring times.” My local gents hairdresser has been handing out grilled sausages to those waiting for a hair cut. Best barber queue I’ve been to in ages.

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Druck donates £18,000 to Leicester charity, Action Homeless DRUCK, a Baker Hughes business and industry leader in pressure measurement technology, has donated £18,000 through the Baker Hughes Foundation to Action Homeless, a Leicester charity that works to support people affected by homelessness in the city. Using the funds, Action Homeless will make investments and improvements across its services, including: • Finding new premises for the Food Stop, an emergency food provision service. A larger shop will allow Action Homeless to safely revert to a customer led model and create more room for volunteers to build relationships with customers and offer practical advice. • Helping with the purchase of a new electric van for Action Trust, a cleaning and maintenance social enterprise managed by Action Homeless. Action Trust provides voluntary and work placements to people who have experienced homelessness and long-term unemployment. The new van will allow Action Trust to employ two additional people as well as helping the wider charity take steps towards its goal of becoming a greener organisation. • Investing in Flora Lodge, a project that launched in January that provides accommodation and support for the most vulnerable rough sleepers on our streets in Leicester. Additional funding will enable Action Homeless to offer more than a bed. It is looking to provide clothing and other essentials for people when they move in. Funds will also be used to provide support packs to help move people into a settled home, including items like beds. • Additional support for Bridge House to support families that have experienced domestic violence and homelessness. Action Homeless will extend the support we can offer to children at Bridge House, especially around digital exclusion. It will purchase tablets or computers to offer online support when staff cannot visit and help with children accessing school when they have to isolate. James Riviere, Funding and Communications Coordinator for Action Homeless, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unique and difficult pressures that are being felt by people across Leicester. This funding will enable us to make investments across our services to relieve some of that

Have you ever thought about playing bridge?

Tim Adkin from Action Homeless with Druck’s Kelly Gallagher, who coordinates regular food parcel drives at Druck’s HQ for the charity. Pictured is a van full of food packages donated during May. pressure and to provide people with the support they need to move forward and meet their goals. “We are grateful to Druck and the Baker Hughes Foundation and are looking forward to seeing the difference their support will make.” Gordon Docherty, Vice President of Druck, said: “Based in Groby for half a century, Druck is part of the fabric of the community and has a track record of supporting local charities, in particular Action Homeless. On behalf of all my colleagues in Leicester, we’re delighted that Druck, through the Baker Hughes Foundation, has been able to provide additional support and help Action Homeless provide vital services to those that need it most in our community.”

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby’s Little Free Library WHEN BOOK SALES tumbled between 2011 and 2013 there was speculation that their day was over, and digital books were the way forward. Book sales fell from 344 million in 2011 to 184 million in 2013, but this turned out to be more or less the bottom of the slump. Sales didn’t creep back over the 200 million level until last year, perhaps because people were reading more during lockdown or because public libraries were not allowed to open. Avid readers either had to buy or participate in the informal exchange of books with friends, neighbours or local social media groups. The financial crash resulted in the tightening of local government finance and led to many libraries, including ours in Groby, being run by volunteers. In addition, free small local libraries popped up in the most unusual places, many being set up at the same time that book sales fell sharply along with local authority funding. Libraries are believed to be the most common use for phone boxes sold to local communities by BT. Groby doesn’t have a telephone box library, but since April it does have a little free library, created by local resident Louise Scorer, on Old Hall Close. It would be an understatement to call Louise a book lover, as despite all the books in her home and little library, one of the family’s favourite things to do is visit bookshops and buy more, with her personal favourites being horror and crime novels. “I’d seen some amazing village book swaps and the website of the USA little free library movement, and myself and my children really missed the village library during lockdown,” explained Louise. The simplest ideas are often the best and most successful, and this is a great example of providing a valued service whilst at the same time recycling furniture and books. Louise converted a cabinet into a bookcase and with the help of her husband set about giving it a makeover. Weather wise April isn’t the kindest of months to launch a book repository outside your house that is open for everyone, all of the time. As it stays out in all weathers some emergency action was soon needed to ensure the library was waterproof. “We are learning as we go and after extreme weather such as storms, high winds, heavy rain or snow I will review how we

are coping and make adjustments as needed,” Louise explained. “We have not had to cope with winter yet but I am considering some sort of covering for the library for overnight in winter if I feel it’s needed.”

picture books and more. There are also two overflow top drawers, left side is currently more adult novels and right is a wide range of Disney books. These are rotated and changed often to keep the display interesting.

The library doesn’t accept cash donations, but received plenty of book donations from friends to get it stocked initially and keeps a few boxes of overflow. Seasonal books such as children’s Christmas books are held back until needed. The stock is self-sustaining as, although readers can borrow a book and keep it if they wish, the number of exchanges and donations more than covers any that are not returned. “I don’t need to take any larger donations anymore as we have a really good stock of books and the flow that comes in and out is now maintaining what we need. Readers don’t have to return books if they don’t want to. They’re welcome to keep them, pass them onto a friend or return to a different little free library.”

The library is not just popular with adults, it is very popular with children of all ages and children’s books are the most popular at Louises’s library. This may probably be due to there being lots of families in the area and a location very close to Marina Park. “I have run a summer reading challenge bingo sheet over school holidays to encourage children to keep reading, and had small prizes available to collect. I will do more events throughout the year, so keep an eye out for those, particularly on social media where I regularly post updates about events and new books available.”

As all the stock is donated the range of fiction and non-fiction can be diverse, reflecting the interests of the local community. The top shelf of the cabinet is adult books, anything from crime, romance, war novels, cookery books and other non-fiction. The bottom shelf is children’s books ranging from baby books, board books, early readers,

Although not widely reported, vandalism is a problem in Groby, and Louise has had plenty of negative comments from people who are concerned that her free library will get vandalised or people will “steal”. The risks do not deter Louise. “You cannot really steal when the books are free,” she says and adds that “we have had zero issues with damage so far. I am in touch with other little library stewards around the world and sometimes they have experienced

damage from people, but have easily repaired and continued with their great work. If this occurs, I will do the same.” So there you have it : the little free library is always open on Old Hall Close. You can help yourself to any books or swap books. Its really that simple. People can share about the library online and on social media. Every project needs someone with a vision, and it’s clear that Louise fits the bill. “I just want people, of all ages, to enjoy reading. Whether it’s returning to a love of reading when you haven’t had time. Or perhaps you’d like to aim to read more, or read more to your children. I really believe access to reading and books should be free and as easy as possible and want to share this as much as I can. There’s something for everyone at the Old Hall Close free library.”

Online links www.instagram.com/little_free_ library_Groby www.facebook.com/groups/ littlefreelibrarygroby

Finding the Free Library Old Hall Close is a cul de sac ,so try to visit on foot or cycle. If you have to travel by car, please think of the neighbours and park on the Sycamore Drive car park at Stamford Park. A footpath connects the park to Old Hall Close.

His insomnia was so bad, he couldn’t sleep during office hours.

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Free live entertainment outside Curve

Groby Under 7’S Football Presentation Evening

CURVE is celebrating the reopening of the city with Curve on the Square - a summer of free live outdoor performances and activities from local artists and community groups.

Curve are excited to bring you a variety of incredible performers each week and hope you join them come rain or shine (don’t worry - they have plans in place should the weather turn torrential!) Curve on the Square will take place on Orton Square outside Curve at these times: •

Friday 13 August, 6pm - 9pm

•

Friday 20 August, 6pm - 9pm

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Saturday 21 August, 10am - 12pm, 2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 8pm

•

Friday 27 August, 6pm - 9pm

•

Saturday 28 August, 10am - 12pm, 2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 8pm

Each event is free with no need to book in advance and Curve’s bar will be open for a range of drinks and snacks during every session. Curve on the Square is part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Reopening High Streets Safely programme of activities, in association with Leicester City Council and BID Leicester. Acts will also be announced on Curve’s social media channels before each weekend, so keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest details.

DURING the evening of Sunday 31st July we held out first major community event at the Centre since the pandemic forced us to close in March 2020.

The Groby Under 7’s Football Club have been using our facilities every Saturday since October 2020 to carry on playing football and for training when restrictions have allowed. So, it was with great delight that the Club decided to hold their presentation evening at the Centre. It was truly wonderful to once again hear the sounds of a disco and youngsters having fun after such a long time. Thanks go to Gareth Richards and fellow voluntary coaches Chris Brewin and David Steiner for organising the event. Groby Juniors Under 7’s has two teams involving 19 children and on the same day as their event they played a friendly match with Markfield Colts drawing three all. Congratulations to this wonderful group of children and their parents, it’s great to see this community group thriving despite COVID.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea Email: ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk or ozzyoshea@hotmail.com

Temporary Traffic Regulation Order Markfield Road/ Bradgate Hill/ Wallace Drive/ Lena Drive, Groby TEMPORARY road closures and speed restrictions are required on Markfield Road / Bradgate Hill (A50) between A50 Roundabout at the Junction of Bradgate Hill and Leicester Road to Landfill Reclamation Site and Newtown Linford Lane on the 16th August 2021. This will be for up to 5 weeks from 8pm to 6am. The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order will be implemented for public safety for Leicestershire County Council to facilitate carriageway resurfacing, traffic signals upgrade and any other associated work to the highway. Lane closures and speed restrictions will also be required during the day to undertake traffic signal works and to maintain access to Wallace Drive and Lena Drive. Week commencing 16th Aug – Mon to Fri – Overnight Southbound Closure. Week commencing 23rd Aug –Mon to Fri Overnight Northbound Closure. Week commencing 30th Aug & Week commencing 6th Sep –Overnight Southbound Closure. Week commencing 13thSep –Lane Closures will be in use. The proposed alternative diversion route will be via: A50, M1 J22 to J21, M1 J 21 to J21a, A46, A50 and vice versa. During the closures, alternative routes available to all traffic can be viewed at https://one.network/?tm=GB122266503 Leicestershire County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused during these works.

Weeds at Highway Close, Groby I CONTACTED the Borough Council’s enforcement team in April again this year as the verge outside the new development on Leicester Road, Groby had been left to go to weeds and not maintained. Residents quite rightly complained to me that it was an eyesore, thinking the County Council were responsible. There is a planning condition on the original planning application to landscape the site including the verge. I was told planning enforcement officers were following this up. I chased this up again on the 2nd August as nothing had been done to landscape the verge, other than an attempt to strim the weeds each side of the junction of Highway Close. I have asked for positive planning enforcement by Hinckley and Bosworth Council as it is now over 4 months since I last contacted their planning department. It is simply not good enough. I am now assured the officer will speak with his team leader to take positive action forward.

Permissive Footpath between The Ivanhoe Line Track Ratby and Sacheverell Way I HAVE received several emails complaining that the horses had broken the fence down near to the double gates at the horse crossing point. I also received complaints one of the gates had come off its hinges and that the footpath needed strimming on both sides. I am pleased to say after contacting the company maintaining the path they have done the lot.

Go Learn! 21/22 Courses WE’RE DELIGHTED to announce that our full Go Learn! 2021/2022 programme of courses is live for enrolments. Between the 5th July and 31st August, we’re offering a 20% early bird discount on all fee-paying courses, which can be used in conjunction with our existing 70% fee reduction (available for learners in receipt of either a low income or certain benefits). For more information on the courses on offer this year, or for help with

enrolling, you can call us on FREE Phone 0800 988 0308 from 8am to 7pm Monday-Friday. Lines will also be open from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 21 and 28 August. Alternatively, you can email us: adultlearning@leics.gov.uk and we’ll contact you directly. To view our complete range of courses, or to enrol online, go to the County Council’s website and type in Golearn. Course categories include: • Digital skills • Employability courses • English and Maths • English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) • Languages • British Sign Language (BSL) • Learning for Independence (adults with learning difficulties/ disabilities) • Learning for Confidence and Better Mental Health •

Learning for Wellbeing

Revised service model to support children and young people to be healthy in Leicestershire THIS CONSULTATION runs from the 22nd July to the 17th September 2021. Public Health undertook informal engagement during May and June 2021 to gather views of the current service and understand where improvements could be made. Service users and service providers were questioned about their experience of the current service model and where improvements could be made. Following the earlier review of our existing service and the feedback we received, we would like your views on the proposed changes to the Healthy Child Programme (HCP) for 0-10 and 11+ aged children and young people. The Healthy Child Programme provides a service for children and families in Leicestershire to improve their physical and mental health. It is available for children and young people aged 0-19 and young people up to age 25 who have SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) or who have left care at 18 years. As the council is still in the process of defining many key aspects of the HCP this consultation is your opportunity to help shape the future of the service. Who would be affected by the proposed changes? • Children and Young people and their families • Pregnant women and their partners • Professionals working with children and their families What we want your views on 0-10 Service There will be no significant changes for the 0-10 service age group because many services in this area are statutory. Instead, the council intends to look for ways to achieve more consistent practice and an improved offer to families and professionals. We also propose an additional check for children aged between age 3-4 months (digitally) and a face to face check between 2-2 ½ years and school age as recommended in the national review. There are 6 high impact areas that the government want us to focus on. These are: 1. Supporting Maternal and Family mental health (New) 2. Supporting the transition to parenthood (current) 3. Supporting breastfeeding (Current) 4. Supporting healthy weight and Nutrition (New) 5. Improving health literacy; reducing accidents and minor illnesses (New) 6. Supporting health, wellbeing and development: Ready to learn, narrowing the ‘word gap’ (New) The consultation and data had identified two additional local priorities. These are: 7. Supporting Oral Health (New local priority)

When a man says it’s a silly, childish game, it’s probably something his wife can beat him at.

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Tel 0116 2394336 or 07808 585825 8. Supporting reducing Obesity (New local priority) 11+ Service We propose that the 11+ age group services should be more targeted to support children and young people transition into school and ensure appropriate support is available. We suggest that the service is focussed around the six high impact areas mandated by the government as well as the four defined local priorities identified through the engagement work earlier this year. (The detailed priorities are in the questionnaire. As per the 0-10 service, the council also intends to look for ways to achieve more consistent approach to practice and an improved offer to families and professionals. We are also proposing that Leicestershire’s children, young people and their families and carers can access both universal services (open to all) and targeted services (focused on some people) when they need them, to improve their health and wellbeing at the right time, in the right way and in the right place. Go to the Leicestershire County Council’s website and type in current consultations.

Carers strategy review spring-summer 2021 THIS ENGAGEMENT runs from Tuesday 22 June - Tuesday 31 August 2021 The information you provide will be used to develop the LLR Carers Strategy 2022 – 2025, alongside further engagement, coproduced project work with carers, and local and national data. This survey is about life before Covid-19 but we acknowledge that the past year has significantly impacted carers, with numbers of carers providing more care, supporting those with increasing needs, often unable to take a break wanting to protect themselves and the person they care for. With that in mind we have provided a question on the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns to provide comment on the last year too. To take part in this survey go to the County councils website and type in current consultations.

Covid Passport Scam & HMRC Scam Please be aware of the following scam emails. Several are circulating the clue is in the sender’s email address. Again they are after your bank details. Brief details are shown below: I have changed the name of the recipient. Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS Dear Bill Blogs@hotmail.com, The COVID-19 travel certificate has been created in a bid to restore the freedom of travel, which has been put at a halt for over a year now, since the pandemic erupted all over the block. Through the certificate, the Commission intends to remove travel restrictions as entry bans, quarantine obligation, and testing. Those holding such a document will be able to travel throughout Europe without the need to quarantine or test for COVID-19 HMRC - Notice

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Hi, We are pleased to inform you that after the last annual calculation of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax return of £3784.92 Finally I would like to thank you all for your continued support and remind you that should you need my help or advice, I always pride myself on making myself available to residents. Remember I am only a phone call or email away.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Letter

FAIR CUPPA is back !

FAMy IR C100km UPPA fundraising trek in Scotland EVERY YEAR CoppaFeel takes ! upistoback 100 challengers on a trek in aid of breast cancer and this year I felt daring and applied.

Thursdays

Thursdays YouVillage will never guess what ... they 10.30 to 12.00 noon at the Hall chose ME! ME out of over 750 The format is a bit different 10.30applicants! to 12.00 noon at Groby Village Hall

from before:

* we shall be in the large room, The to accommodate 25 format guests

I sat in shock initially weighing up everything...childcare, fundraising again, camping and of course a 100km trek.

is a bit different from before:

But at the end of the day IF I didn’t * you must sign in and anti bac do this I wouldto massively regret it and 25 * asweyoushall be in the large room, accommodate enter the hall come on its for Charity! A massive one

guests * you must sign in and anti bac as you enter the hall * you must wear face masks at that! except * when youseated must wear face masks when seated I hope you will except all get behind me on this, leaving my children for a week * table service is mandatory * table service is mandatory is massive but what I am going to do * tables and chairs arechairs cleaned arewhilst in Scotland is soooo much more.the event * tables and cleaned before and after before and after the event

Those that know me, know I haven’t

The rules have been set by the camped in the UK - well ever! Any tips TheHall rules have been set by the Village Hall Committee, appreciated! Village Committee, So hereto it is...my fundraising page and reflect commitment to and areflect a commitment ensure everyone’s address: https://coppafeel.enthuse. ensure everyone’s safety.

safety.

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Come along for a chat Please yourafriends and Come along for a share chatwith and cuppa! family and help me on my way. and a cuppa!

Fundraising has started! Oh and before I go make sure you check your boobs, pecs and chest everyone! ForFor further information further information contact Elizabeth Jarvis 0116 287 6110 Thank you so much! contact Elizabeth Jarvis 0116 287 6110 Dominique Nicholson

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Applications for primary school places now open

Enrich Your Child’s Learning Experiences

PARENTS with children due to start at primary schools in Leicestershire in September 2022 can now apply for places at their preferred schools.

Starting primary school is one of the most important moments for our children, so it’s really worth beginning this process as early as possible. Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “Parents should leave enough time to research and decide on up to three schools they want to include in their application.” There is no automatic entry system for any school in the county, so parents should also ensure they exercise their right to apply for three school preferences and are aware of the closing date. Late applications have the lowest priority and are processed after those made on time. Parents have until Saturday, 15 January 2022 to submit their applications. For further advice on your preferred schools and information around virtual open days, please contact the individual schools directly. The county council has made a video helping parents and carers get youngsters ready to start primary school for the first time in Leicestershire. It explains what it means for a child to be ‘school ready’ and features a string of practical suggestions on how families can get involved. Hippos can run and swim faster than humans, which means cycling is your only chance of beating a hippo in a triathlon.

More information about schools in Leicestershire and the application process can be found online at www. leicestershire.gov.uk/educationand-children/schools-colleges-andacademies/school-admissions

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Gracie’s Forest Adventure

Thank You Ozzy

MY NAME is Carole Cafferty and I am the author of Gracie’s Forest Adventure. I live in Groby and the illustrator, Rosie Johnson, is also from Leicester.

COULD YOU put a thank you in your Spotlight to Ozzy O’shea.

During my career in childcare and early education I have worked with young children and early years professionals. I am also a mother and I now have five young grandchildren.

We contacted him about the very overgrown path between the school field and the field with the fenced area.

I was motivated to write a book following some events in the lives of my grandchildren, such as a visit to hospital and the death of a pet. I looked for books to support them with these difficult situations and, whilst there were some books available, I felt inspired to develop a series of books to help other parents and carers. I decided that using a fantasy world would provide a basis to approach some difficult concepts and delicate situations. Children, through imaginative games and stories, can come to terms with events that are worrying or upsetting. They can play out their anxieties and it gives them a safe place to begin to understand or resolve problems and to put themselves in another person’s position. This series features Gracie, who lives in Hedgehog Crescent. She has a secret, a magical hat that transports herself and her friends on adventures. In Gracie’s Forest Adventure, the children arrive in

a forest full of animated, colourful animals, brought to life by eyecatching and original illustrations.

own and others lives and will help them to develop caring skills and empathy.

This particular story covers the death of a pet. There are opportunities in the book for parents and carers to pause and discuss relevant situations where appropriate. It can be read at anytime as an adventure story, not just when there is a crisis in a child’s life. It will support children to be prepared for changes in their

As part of my background research I was helped and advised by family, early years professionals and friends. As this particular story was about the death of a pet, I also consulted a local vet and vet nurse.

Carole Cafferty, Groby

In praise of motorway services

WHAT HAVE you got in common with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton?

You have all visited the Watford Gap Services on your way up or down the M1. Back in the early 1960s, the M1 transformed the way that bands could travel, and visiting the service station was an integral part of their trip. In the 60 or so years since motorway services opened, they have also become part of life for tens of millions of us. Motorway services not only provide a much-needed break from the road, they are also a great place for

people-watching. All sizes, shapes and varieties of people can be found in one. As one journalist put it: “a motorway service station is the ultimate human zoo.” Not everyone used motorway services back in the 1960s. Many people just pulled over onto the hard shoulder and unpacked a picnic. There was even the true story of the family who pulled their car onto the central reservation of the motorway to have lunch – and survived to tell the tale. Motorway services also confused people. One distraught couple, heading north, reported their car had been stolen. The police found they had crossed the pedestrian bridge,

Letter

and then could not find their car in the south-bound car park. Today there are 111 service stations in the UK. The law states that they must not be more than 28 miles apart, or 30 minutes of travelling time. By law, they must provide two hours of free parking, free toilets, and a free play area for children. The first two motorway services were Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell, both of which opened in early November 1959, along with the M1.

He came down to see where it was, and although he wasn’t sure who was responsible for it,within two weeks it had been well cut back and is now lovely to walk along. Prompt action from a very good councillor.

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There’s no doubt that having wildlife in and around your garden will add an extra and very appealing dimension, literally bringing your garden to life. Here’s how to make your garden an appealing visiting spot. Birds Provide a bath for birds to use when they need a drink or to bathe. Shallow water works well but it will need changing and replenishing frequently, especially in hot weather. Make sure that you install it somewhere that is well out of reach of local cats and other predators. Bees and Insects Attract bees and other insects by growing flowers rich in pollen and nectar. Perennial plants are great, but don’t discount flowering annuals, shrubs and trees too. Simple shaped (non-double) flowers are best, especially those with open centres. Butterflies Butterflies need somewhere to lay their eggs. Nettles are widely used as a good plant on which the caterpillars of some butterflies can grow and develop. If your garden is quite big then try to spare a corner to allow nettles and other ‘wild’ plants to thrive. If you don’t like the idea of having nettles in your flowerbeds, then plant some into flowerpots and plunge these in a sunny spot near your beds and borders – this way you’ll give the butterflies the plant but won’t risk the nettles spreading. Frogs and Toads Ground-living wildlife, such as some of the insects, frogs, toads and hedgehogs to name a few, needs to be able to move safely within a garden and also from one garden to the next. Try to arrange some of your planting so that they can safely scuttle from one place to the next, protected by the plants’ foliage and stems.

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UNDERBELLY Water Babies Install a pond or even just a simple water feature and you’ll be amazed by the amount of wildlife it attracts. Dragonflies, damselflies, other insects, plenty of birds and other animals will use the pond or feature as a drinking place. If you can manage to squeeze in a wildlife pond then you’ll also be providing potential breeding and feeding places too. Berried Treasure Plant some shrubs that produce tasty berries or hips later in the year. Autumn fruiting plants, especially those whose fruits last into the winter, provide a vital source of food for many animals, especially birds. Wild roses, pyracanthas and crab apples all make great garden plants that also provide a useful food source. But Don’t Do This… Don’t buy any more garden chemicals – they may seem to provide an easy and quick solution to your garden problems, but most end up endangering beneficial or harmless insects as well as the ones that you are trying to control. Wipe out the beneficial insects and you’ll not only reduce the interest in your garden, but you may also be killing some of the insects that have the potential to be your allies, as they would normally help to control the pests.

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

SPEEDING - electronic advisory signs to be installed

VER THE YEARS attempts to put together a team of volunteers to monitor traffic speeds in Groby have failed. Most drivers want to stay within the limits, but even the most careful may sometimes be taken by surprise when they check their speed. The days of someone standing at the roadside with a speed ‘gun’ are probably numbered as technological advances cut the cost of speed monitoring devices, whilst at the same time providing 24 hour coverage. Leicestershire County Council has made a grant of £10,000 to the Parish Council to enable the purchase of radar controlled speed signs. Part of the deal is that they are mobile and must be moved every few weeks to different locations, but this doesn’t mean that everyone can expect them up their street at some time. They cannot be fitted on lamp posts and need strong supporting poles, so the number of potential sites is limited initially.

SUPPLIER CAREFULLY SELECTED The offerings from three suppliers have been examined in some detail, and the Evolis Radar Speed Sign has been chosen because of its flexible functionality and value for money. It’s made by a French company and seems to do everything except bake croissants. The 22kg units will be battery powered in order to give complete flexibility with regards to location, with no reliance on either a mains supply or sunshine. It is a totally waterproof, sealed unit, that cannot rust and is UV resistant. “Installation can take around 15 minutes and doesn’t need a contractor to come out and do it,” explained Parish Councillor Geoff Baker, who has led the project for the Council. “Mark, who leads the Estates work, has previous experience with speed monitoring devices, so we don’t anticipate any problems in setting them up.” County Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, who has long been trying to find solutions for the speeding problem locally, has also been involved. “Selecting the supplier and the potential sites needed careful consideration,” he said, “and I was able to arrange for the grant to be carried forward to the current financial year to ensure that the Parish Council had adequate time

the presence of the early radar speed signs, was the detection of a negative side-effect which is known as the ‘Race Effect’. A tiny proportion of motorists would actually increase their speed around radar signs in order to generate the maximum possible speed reading.

to come to a considered decision. I also arranged for the police to carry out speed checks on local roads to produce a short list of sites. This confirmed that Sacheverell Way should be top of the list.”

WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE? The latest Doppler radar antenna technology detects vehicles at up to 300 yards and has an ultra-vivid, triple LED speed display that is clearly visible from the maximum detection distance. If a car is below or on-limit the speed is displayed in GREEN, Speeds in excess of the limit are displayed in RED, but an additional AMBER ‘intermediate’ display can be enabled by the user. A suitable speed related message can be displayed, for example ‘Thank you’ ‘Slow down’ or ‘Too fast’. The passing motorist sees a message which will hopefully encourage them to watch their speed, whilst in the background the device will be collecting data such as average speeds, fastest speeds and traffic volumes. The traffic data can be downloaded using Bluetooth® , the Evolis smart phone application or via a usb cable. The package includes software that analyses the recorded information and turns it into charts and graphs in pdf format. Although it is delivered with factory settings that allow the radar to be used as soon as it is installed, by simply setting the dial to the required speed limit, both the speed and the message display can be easily changed. The Evolis is economical, tough, durable, portable and has great functionality. But the big questions are whether it is accurate and whether it reduces speeding, The company says that the device is accurate to within 1% and customer feedback indicates that there is evidence of a reduction in the average speed recorded in the vicinity of an Evolis device of up to 25%. A French government survey concluded that around 50% reduced their speed near a radar speed sign.

TWO REASONS WHY SIGNS WORK They believe there are 2 principal reasons as to why the signs modify driver behaviour. The first is a deterrent effect, instantly triggering driver awareness and a tendency to slow down immediately. As mentioned earlier sometimes motorists are unaware that they are over the limit and are not necessarily looking at their speedometer. Those who know they are speeding get a gentle reminder that they have been spotted. The second reason is a fear of enforcement, as motorists who see a radar speed sign may wonder whether other measures are in place nearby. If it doesn’t bring any long term benefit a radar speed sign may not justify the investment, but the company argues that a sign continues to have as significant an impact as it had on the first day of use, citing another French study that found that the removal of a radar speed sign resulted in a return to the speeds recorded before the installation of the sign.

RESPONDING TO DRIVER BEHAVIOUR As we drive around, we never consider that out there someone is analysing driver psychology and designing speed control signs to match our behaviour, but this becomes clear when looking at the functionality of the devices. An Evolis radar speed sign automatically adapts its message and presentation according to the speed detected, So a motorist who is up to 10mph over the limit may see the speed displayed in red with the text ‘SLOW DOWN’, whilst speeds in excess of 10mph over the limit may generate a flashing red display with a stronger message - ‘TOO FAST’. In the early days of sat navs some drivers used to try and beat the ‘satnav’ by getting to their destination before the estimated time of arrival Another aspect of driver psychology, related to

Technology has moved on and this can be very easily counteracted and eradicated by the setting of a maximum speed threshold. For example, the Evolis radar speed sign can quite simply display a warning triangle or a blank screen instead of the speed if an on-coming vehicle is approaching at a speed of more than a user defined speed, whilst displaying the message ‘TOO FAST’.

NOT A ‘SILVER BULLET’ Back in 2008 the Transport Research Laboratory published a report on the effectiveness of Speed Indicator Devices on reducing vehicle speeds. It found them to be effective at reducing vehicle speeds on 30mph roads in London, adding that the effectiveness varied depending on site characteristics. An overall speed reduction of 1.4mph was detected, with a speed reduction at all sites significantly better than no effect. The overall reduction of 1.4mph was used to estimate that there was a 5.6% reduction in the likelihood of collisions. The site characteristics for Groby are no doubt quite different to London, so perhaps Sheepy Magna is a better comparison, though the results are similar. A report to the Sheepy Parish Council compared 2019 survey results with 2017. It found that average speeds had dropped by 2.3mph, and 85% of traffic was travelling no faster than 37.3 mph, down from 38.9 mph in 2017. The signs clearly influence driver behaviour, and, as the County Council is making funds available for parishes to install vehicle activated signs, it is reasonable to assume that their value has been assessed and warrants the investment. But residents shouldn’t think that this is a ‘silver bullet’ that will transform driving habits overnight.

Norman Griffiths I saw Batman shampoo in the local supermarket. Can’t understand why they aren’t selling conditioner Gordon.

I was convinced I had already boiled the kettle. A case of deja brew.

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National Trust Leicester Association IN THE JUNE edition of Spotlight I wrote about the release, in January 2020, of a pair of Eurasian beavers, into the wild on the edge of Exmoor. This was part of the National Trust’s activities to tackle climate change. The beavers, called Grylls and Yogi, were not a couple at the time, but they soon formed a relationship and worked together to form a sturdy lodge – a structure made out of wooden branches, earth and stones for the two mammals to sleep in. Only a month after my article the team at Porlock were very pleased to spot the first ever beaver “kit” born on National Trust land and the first recorded kit in the UK for just over 400 years. The young beaver was captured on a camera in July swimming behind its mother back to the family lodge. The first suggestion that the pair of beavers had mated was when the male started being a lot more active, building and dragging wood and vegetation around the site in late spring. The female had also changed her habits and stayed out of sight, leaving the male to work alone.

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Once the kit was born the NT staff on the Holnicote Estate opened up a voting page on their social media site for users to vote for a name for the baby. As the timing happened to coincide with the football European Cup the most popular name suggested by the media site followers was “Rashford”, with 49.9% of all votes cast. “Banksy” was second, as beavers make their home in river banks, with 17.4%. Ben Eardly, the NT Project Manager for the Holnicote Estate said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of interest in our beaver family and it’s fantastic that so many people are excited about the project. He added that since announcing the name there is now a pun on the name circulating, which is “Gnash’ford” due to the size of beaver’s teeth. Beavers are monogamous, so typically they will remain a tight family unit until Rashford is about two years old, when it is likely the kit will want to go off to find a new territory of its own. • MOST NT PROPERTIES are now fully open and advance booking is no longer required. Relatively locally, Calke Abbey is now open seven days a week and you can visit the house and the walled garden as well as walking in the estate. Stoneywell Cottage is open Friday to Monday and advance booking is still required in accordance with the original planning consent from the local council. As I write this article the National Trust Leicester Association are still planning to restart their programme of meetings and activities early in September, obviously subject to a third corona virus wave not happening. Please check the Association web site, at www.leicesternt.com - for full details.

Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer NT Leicester Association

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

THE URBAN FRINGE: Unexpected ecological consequences of Covid 19

HEN READERS were asked if anything had been good in 2020, the rediscovery of the village and the surrounding countryside was a common theme in the responses. “I have loved walking through Martinshaw Woods, the Burroughs and to Groby Pool and Bradgate Park this year and seeing all the wildflowers and birds,” said one. “Rediscovering Martinshaw woods, and all the different pathways, observing the seasons through a field of wheat,” said another. Walking, particularly to Groby Pool and beyond, the arrival of Spring, the bluebells, and the nesting swans were enjoyed by many. “Feeling incredibly lucky to live here,” was one response, “including seeing things every day that made me go WOW - new areas of gorgeous countryside that I wasn’t aware of, and even small things such as colonies of toadstools and frosted spider webs.” The lockdown resulted in an 82% reduction in public transport in the first month, and overall traffic dropped by up to 81%. The reduction in activity quickly resulted in air quality improvements and carbon dioxide emissions recorded at the BT tower in central London dropped by 60%. More people were outside and reporting animal sightings. Compared to 2019, during lockdown users of the website iRecord saw 66% more bees, wasps, ants and sawflies. They saw 33% more squirrels and other rodents, 13% more deer and hooved mammals. People reported 143% more bats, 11% more dragonflies, 97% more butterflies and moths and 18% more hedgehogs, moles and shrews. The British Trust for Ornithology had twenty times as many people sign up for their Garden BirdWatch scheme as the previous five years, with new participants jumping to nearly 9,000. This increase in awareness of the natural world came at a time when the UK was described as one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe. Extensive agricultural lands and road networks, and other factors, have reduced our wildlife. An analysis looking into how much biodiversity is left in different countries has shown that the UK has some of the lowest amounts of biodiversity remaining. “Before the Industrial Revolution, forests covered much more of the UK ,” said Josh Davis at the Natural History Museum. “Large areas of wilderness were home to animals and plants which are now a rare sight, or gone completely. Red squirrels, beavers, wolves and bears were once common in the British Isles.” According to the RSPB, more than 40 million birds have disappeared from the UK’s skies since 1970. “The Industrial Revolution changed the landscape forever,” said Dr Andy Purvis at the Museum. “We have led the world in degrading the natural environment. The UK only has half of its natural biodiversity left. When compared to the European Union, only Ireland and Malta come out worse, and the UK is in the bottom 10% of all countries globally. While countries such as Canada and Finland have 89.3 and 88.6% of their biodiversity left intact, the UK only has 50.3% remaining. Although the 50% we have left did help people get through the lockdown, was there a downside?

Conservation work stalled Last year the Guardian reported that conservationists warned of “desperate times” with an explosion in invasive non-native species during prolific spring growth, and the deterioration of rare and historic wildlife meadows that could take years to restore. The potential loss of species from some areas, was another threat due to stalled projects, said the Wildlife Trust. Invasive bracken control on reserves stopped and annual “balsam bashing” events were halted. In Wales five years of intensive work to clear

brambles and scrub from two historic wildflower meadows was at risk. A spokesperson said: “If no management is continued then very quickly, within 12 months, we will see scrub and brambles taking over once again and a decline of wildlife.” Managed grazing by livestock can benefit heathland, creating a mosaic of differing habitats, but precious heathland in Surrey reserves couldn’t be grazed. Without that complexity various creatures will be put at risk, including birds such as the nightjar and woodlark, and reptiles including smooth snakes and sand lizards. These are a few examples of how lockdown obstructed conservation work. But in addition, greater public use created its own problems. One farmer said there had been a tenfold increase in walkers, while another had seen a 1.5m path widen to 11m across. In some cases crops were being damaged by walkers avoiding mud. Buckinghamshire farmer Daniel Hares said the busiest footpath on his farm widened dramatically, and he had lost the wheat equivalent of 9,000 loaves of bread worth about £1,000.

Groby ecologically diverse Our parish is considered by some to be the most ecologically diverse in Leicester and Rutland, and perhaps the Midlands. Groby Pool and Sheet Hedges Wood, just over the parish boundary, are both Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We have more woods and spinneys than most and we have Groby Pool, a remarkable habitat where otters have been seen recently. The quarries are considered extraordinary habitats, and the first Peregrine Falcons to nest in the County nested there. We have meadows, the fishing lakes and extraordinary flowers - Naturespot.org.uk lists 596 different species seen in the parish. Such assets are particularly vulnerable when they are located on the urban fringe and can be easily damaged or even eliminated by visitors on foot or cycle. • Dry spells bring the risk of fire damage, and after a number of incidents the Woodland Trust has appealed for visitors not to light fires. • At Groby Pool efforts have been made by the Borough Council to reduce the litter problem, but bins have been vandalised. • In local woods the use of cycles has caused some concern and Leicestershire County Council has had reports of mountain bikes using Sheet Hedges Wood. “Our rangers undertake regular patrols there and have added extra signage in recent months to remind people that the woods are not suitable for visitors on cycles,” said a spokesperson. All this reflects the fact that the challenges facing conservationists seeking to stop further biodiversity losses are not new, but the increased activity resulting from lockdown has exacerbated the problems.

Interested in Groby’s plants? After years of research Groby botanist Edith Hesselgreaves published her Flora of Groby Parish, Martinshaw Wood and Sheet Hedges in 1973. It is probably the definitive guide and can be read online thanks to the work of Stephen Woodward, who has continued the discussion with an article in the Autumn 2019 edition of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society. Googling flora fauna groby will return links to them both.

A FLORA OF GROBY PARISH MARTINSHAW WOOD AND SHEET HEDGES

By Edith Hesselgreaves 1973

Norman Griffiths

Millions long for immortality who don’t know what to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

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County council plans to PLANT A TREE for every resident AN AMBITIOUS new plan to make Leicestershire greener and boost biodiversity is being launched by the county council, with plans to plant a whopping 700,000 trees – one for every resident in the county. Leicestershire is one of the least wooded areas of the country, currently around 6% woodland – well below the national average of 10%. The county council currently manages around 321,000 trees (including 404 hectares of woodland), but with diseases such as Ash Die Back placing more trees under threat, the authority’s strategy and action plan, adopted in May 2020, will see the number of trees across the county increase dramatically.

Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment is pictured planting a tree outside County Hall.

It has already started to improve, thanks to the National Forest which has increased forest cover in the north west corner of the county to 21%. This is a success story which the council is keen to replicate elsewhere; in towns, villages, on farms, country parks and open spaces and embedded in the design of new housing and employment developments. The tree planting will also support the county council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030, as trees and woodlands play an important part in cleaning up the environment, providing clean air, improving soil quality and reducing flooding. And it’s not just the environment which will benefit - research shows that a walk among trees reduces stress and improves mental wellbeing. The council has submitted applications for grant funding to the Forestry Commission to help tree planting projects take root and to enable sustainable woodland management across its country parks and is looking for further opportunities to increase tree planting across the county. Leicestershire County Council currently provides a free tree scheme for farmers and landowners and works closely with the Woodland Trust to offer tree packs for planting projects including the new hedgerows and the creation of new woodlands.

Learning a new skill? Take a break

HERE IS a good tip if you are trying to learn a new skill: take short, regular breaks as you go along. US neurologists helping people to rehabilitate from strokes have found that short breaks allow them to replay what they have learned, which cements the new skill in their memory. As one explained: “Manipulating replay activity during waking rest may be a powerful tool to help people learn new skills faster.”

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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Community Library News W

E ARE DELIGHTED that the ‘Time Out’ café is OPEN again. The café is open when the library is open. From 9th August the library and café will be open 6 days a week. Hours will be Mon 2-4, Tues 10-12, Wed 2-4, Thurs 10-12 Fri 2-4 and Sat 10-12. Can you spare a couple of hours a week? We’re looking for volunteers to help run the café and the library or perhaps you’d like to be a trustee? If you’re interested email volunteers@grobylibrary.co.uk or ask for an application form in the library.

Closing during lockdown has meant our fundraising has suffered You can help at no cost to you by using Give As You Live when Summer Reading Challenge register at www.giveasyoulive.com just search for Groby Comm WE ARE SO pleased that we are by scanning this QR code with your phone camera.

once again offering children aged 4-12 the Summer Reading Challenge.

This year it’s the ‘Wild World Heroes’. Help the heroes to save the environment!

We are asking all our volunteers to continue to wear face coverings and would encourage customers to do so too to keep everyone safe and the Covid rates down. We continue to offer hand sanitiser and you can still We are delighted register with the Covid QR code.

News from Groby Commun

that the ‘Time Out’ café is OPEN again. The caf We were sorry to say goodbye to Janet Harrison, one of our who the library and café will be open 6 days a week. Hours 9thtrustees, August has been instrumental in getting the ‘Time Out’ café off the ground. We Thurs 10-12 Fri 2-4 and Sat 10-12. wish her well in her future endeavours. Thanks Janet!

Have you seen our new picnic tables? These have been purchased with the help of a grant from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Can you spare a couple of hours a week? We’re looking for volun We’re hoping that, while the weather is good, customers can have their coffee and cake outside. We hope to use them for activitiesor andperhaps events in you’d like to be a trustee? If you’re interested email vo the future too. application form in the library.

We were disappointed, however, to find that within days of being installed they had been damaged by names being scratched on to them. We do We people are asking all our volunteers to continue to wear face covering have CCTV covering the patio so we can see you! We welcome using the tables but please treat them with respect. We’d also soappreciate too to keepRegister everyone safe and the Covid rates down. We conti at anyone using the tables to use the litter bins for their rubbish. the library to

still Over the last few weeks we have received a stock of great new register books for both adults and children some of them are on the best seller lists.

with the Covid QR code. receive your folder, stickers

Yougoodbye to Janet Harrison, one of our truste We were sorryandtogifts. say Groby Library Charts! need to visit ‘Time libraryoff the ground. We wish her well in her future e BOOKS FROM the Sunday Times Bestsellers, inthe stock at Out’thecafé

twice and read at least 6 Have you seen our new picnic tables? These have been purchase books. You’ll Closing during lockdown h need to hurry Council. We’re hoping that, while the weat and Bosworth Borough Roz Smith You help at no as it finishes on 5th September. While you’re there youcan can try out our newcost to coffee and cake We hope to use them Trustee Groby Community Library for activities and e beanoutside. bags.

Groby Community Library:

Closing during lockdown meant our fundraising has being sufferedthis and disappointed, however, to findhas that within days of installed th by scanning QR code we’ve had no income from the café. You can help at no cost to you by The President’s Daughter scratched on using to them. dowhen have covering the patio so we Give As We You Live doingCCTV your shopping. Youthem can register at respect. www. The Midnight Library the tables buton-line please treat with We’d also appreciat giveasyoulive.com just search for Groby I Follow You bins for their rubbish. Community Library. Hamnet Roz Or youSmith can make a donation by scanning this QR code with yourwe phone camera. Dark Tides Over the last few weeks have received a stock of great new bo Trustee Groby Community Library Shuggie Bain Roz Smith them are on the best seller lists.

Bill Clinton & James Patterson Matt Haig

Peter James

Maggie O’Farrell

Philippa Gregory Douglas Stuart Stephen King Ian Rankin

If It Bleeds

Lee Child and Andrew Child

A Song for the Dark Times Groby Sentinel

Trustee Groby Community Library

Library Charts! Books from the Sunday Times Bestsellers, in stock at Groby Com

Bill Clinton and James Patterson The President's Daughter Matt Haig The Midnight Library LAWN MOWING AND GARDENING SERVICES THROUGHOUT LEICESTERSHIRE Peter James I Follow You Maggie O'Farrell Hamnet Philippa Gregory Dark Tides Douglas Stuart Shuggie Bain Stephen King If It Bleeds Ian Rankin A Song for the Dark Times Lee For a free quote, call Dan Hardy on 07598 200Child 185 and Andrew Child Sentinel. or visit www.leicesterlawnmowing.com

www.facebook.com/leicesterlawnmowing

We are so pleased that we are once again offering children aged This year it’s the ‘Wild World Heroes’. Help the heroes to save the

I find apologizing for not having cleaned is easier than cleaning.

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Dress codes

HAS THIS past year changed your preference in what you wear?

Keeping Your Colour

Almost a third of workers want to ditch formal dress codes when the pandemic ends and more of us return to the office.

You come out of the hair salon feeling fabulous and for days afterwards, receive compliments on your colour. Yet a couple of weeks later you feel you’ve faded away – or at least your hair colour has! What went wrong? After having your hair coloured wait at least 48 hours before washing to protect your new shade – this extra time will allow the colour to settle. Always wash your locks with water at a cool temperature because hot water opens the cuticles on the hair shaft, allowing dye to escape – cooler water will give your colour more longevity. Avoid clarifying shampoos – these are products designed to deep clean the hair and not surprisingly they also strip out colour, causing it to fade fast. Always buy shampoo and conditioner that is specifically formulated for coloured hair. If you have a holiday in the sun planned, pack hair products with SPF protection and UV filters

That is the finding of a recent study by recruiter Randstad, who found that the notion of ‘dressing for success’ has been weakened by the pandemic. After a year of working in casual clothes at home, many of us feel considerable resistance to ‘getting dressed for work’ again.

to protect against the sun’s rays, and wear a hat whenever you can. If you are in the pool, keep your hair out of the water, or coat it in conditioner before you take a swim. Red hair is so striking and really popular, but dyed red hair is notoriously difficult to maintain. If you go for that, then you will have to be prepared to colour your hair more frequently and definitely use a specialist shampoo designed for red colours.

Diagnosis A man went into a drop-in medical centre where the diagnosis was done by a computer. The patient keyed in his symptoms. The machine whirred and buzzed for a few seconds and then presented its findings on the screen. It said simply: “There’s a lot of it about.”

LOVE PEOPLE, USE THINGS by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

HOW MIGHT your life be better with less? Imagine a life with less: less stuff, less clutter, less stress and debt and discontent - a life with fewer distractions. Now, imagine a life with more: more time, more meaningful relationships, more growth and contribution and contentment - a life of passion, unencumbered by the trappings of the chaotic world around you. What you’re imagining is an intentional life. And to get there, you’ll have to let go of some clutter that’s in the way. In Love People, Use Things, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus move past simple decluttering to show how minimalism makes room to reevaluate and heal the seven essential relationships in our lives: stuff, truth, self, money, values, creativity and people. They use their own experiences, and those of the people they have met along the minimalist journey, to provide a template for how to live a fuller, more meaningful life. Because once you have less, you can make room for the right kind of more.

Notice of Uncontested Election Election of a Parish Councillor for Groby Council – Groby Ward On Thursday 5 August 2021 I, being the Returning Officer at the above election, report that the person whose name appears below was duly elected Parish Councillor for Groby Parish Council – Groby Ward. Name of Candidate

Home Address

Description (if any)

GRIFFITHS Katharine Ann

(address in Hinckley & Bosworth)

Dated 9 July 2021

Bill Cullen

Returning Officer, Hinckley Hub, Rugby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 0FR

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Children and tea-drinking

PUT THE kettle on. Children should begin to drink tea from the age of four, in order to combat later stress, obesity and heart disease. So says the results of a recent study which appeared in the Nutrition and Food Technology journal. It says that green tea and the more traditional black tea contain compounds which can aid concentration and cognitive function. As one doctor said, “Including three cups of black tea daily as a part of a healthy lifestyle could help to preserve physical and mental health in childhood… and into old age.” Parents could offer tea as a substitute for sweet and sugary drinks for children.

Gym?

BEFORE setting off on a business trip to Birmingham, I called the hotel where I’d be staying to see if they had a gym. The hotel receptionist’s sigh had a tinge of exasperation in it when she answered. “We have over 100 guests at this facility,” she said. “Does this ‘Jim’ have a last name?”

Garden waste collections hit by driver shortage HOPEFULLY, by the time you read this Spotlight, the suspension of garden waste collections by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council will be over.

The service was suspended for a week from 22 July and then extended for a further week. Residents will have their licences extended to compensate for any missed collection. The suspension is a result of the national shortage of HGV drivers, the number of waste crew off sick, and rising numbers of waste drivers and crew advised to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace. “The crews are working incredible hard in difficult times but we hope to be able to re-instate the green waste service from Friday 6 August” explained Caroline Roffey, Head of Street Scene Services at the Borough Council. “We are actively advertising for additional waste drivers and crew and would urge anyone interested in these posts to give our team a call on Tel. 01455 255959. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank everyone for their patience.” The Council isn’t alone in suffering from a driver shortage. The problem was highlighted over a month ago, with councils in Somerset, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Oxfordshire having to reduce collections. Recruitment firm Driver Require, an independent and specialist driver recruitment team, said it has researched factors behind the shortage and blamed “a combination of Covid-19, economic recovery, Brexit and continuing poor pay and conditions”. The organisation also highlights the longer-term issues of the aging HGV driver workforce, and the depletion of the younger HGV driver pool. Driver Require said the shortage affected not just those driving waste vehicle HGV drivers, leading to a “chronic low-level shortage” of drivers even before the pandemic. It added that pre-pandemic agency drivers were able to command large bonuses at peak times and gaps in driver recruitment had been filled by arrivals from eastern Europe, “but Brexit had closed this avenue”. The report said solutions included training new drivers, attracting qualified licence-holders back to the industry, and immigration changes to permit EU drivers to work in the UK.

Norman Griffiths

Spot Spot the TheDifferences Difference

Can YOU spot the 10 differences in the cartoons above? Answers are on page 26. Good luck! Goy myself a Bon Jovi satnav. Apparently we’re half way there.

For publication dates and details of advertising rates, visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk

Newtown Linford Gardening Club News WE FINALLY had our first meeting since lockdown seventeen months ago, when around 100 members and friends gathered at the home of our chairman for our annual Summer Garden Party. Having our first meeting outdoors seemed an excellent way of starting to return to some sort of normality and we were delighted that so many members took the opportunity to renew friendships which had been on hold for so long. To make the occasion somewhat special, the centre piece of the evening was a hog roast, which was enjoyed by all. The bar was well attended with many jugs of Pimms consumed along with wine, beer and soft drinks. In addition we held our traditional raffle when everybody brings a prize and then we have over 80 prizes available to distribute. This is a very popular event which draws the evening to a close. Sadly, the weather was not fully kind to us as a couple of sharp showers forced everybody indoors or under the shelter of the gazebos. We expect now to resume our regular meetings in Newtown Linford Village Hall. In August the Newtown Linford Biodoversity group will be outlining their activities so far and their ambitions for the future and in September, Steve Budding, formerly of Brookside Nurseries, Anstey will be regaling us with tales of his time there. With his retirement, Brookside Nurseries closed and it is sorely missed.

Celebrity Evening: Tuesday 26th October The centrepiece of our programme is our annual celebrity evening on Tuesday October 26th, when we welcome the gardening journalist Helen Yemm as our speaker. Readers of the Daily Telegraph will know her well as a highly knowledgeable and experienced horticulturalist. This is, actually, the third time we have invited her to the village. The first occasion was lost when she had to go into hospital and the second visit was cancelled because of covid. We hope for third time lucky. As is customary, we offer non-members the opportunity to join us on these occasions. Tickets to hear Helen speak will be £12 and can be obtained from the secretary. There will be a limited number of guest tickets available, so we recommend an early response. Happy gardening. Anyone interested in our activities can contact the Secretary (tel.01530 242452) or e-mail us at 32couling@gmail.com .

Anne and David Couling

Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Social Club Limited AGM 2021 The Club’ AGM will be held on Sunday 22nd August 2021 at 10am. Only paid up Members of 2021 will be allowed entry. You must produce your membership cards at the door. Agenda items and information are displayed on the Club’s Notice Boards. Thanks.

Nathan Clarke, Club Secretary

Eighty percent of all people consider themselves to be above average drivers.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Spotlight Small Ads • BABY FOLDING HIGH CHAIR. By Mamas & Papas. White. All complete. Excellent condition. Price: £20. Tel: 07866 109206 (Groby) • Flymo Compact 3400 ELECTRIC LAWN RAKE. Unused, still in original unopened box. Genuine reason for sale. Price £65. • Hoover ALYX 2000 Bagless Cyclonic Cylinder VACUUM CLEANER. Model number TC1208. Colour Ice Blue Metallic. Unused, still in original unopened box. 2000W. 260AW Suction Power. Hepa Filtration (washable filters). Pets Turbo Brush. Telescopic Extension Tubes. Tools on Board. Price £40. Tel: 07902 469298 (Markfield) • Traditional marble SOLITAIRE GAME. Light wooden board with blue glass marbles. Price: £5.00 • Various sized wooden framed WINNIE THE POOH PICTURES. Price: £12.00 Will split. All excellent condition. Tel 07511 552857 (Markfield) • THULE ROOF RACK. Will fit Fiesta mk6 & mk7. With new feet will fit any car. Price: £120 ono. Tel: 07905 558349 ( Bagworth) • 3 Bulb STANDARD LAMP with Glass Tulip shaped shades. Bronze stand. Price: £15. Tel: 01530 243428 (Markfield) • Talking BABY ANNABEL DOLL. Price £15. • CLOTHES and outfits. Price £1 each. • BABY ANNABEL CRIB with covers and quilt. Price £12. • BABY DOLL with outfit. Price £5. • Extra OUTFITS. Price £1 each. • Epson stylus SX200 PRINTER incl spare inks. Price £15 Tel: 07779 552320 ( Groby ) • GARDEN CHAIRS - Four green garden chairs in excellent condition plus one wooden folding chair - £10 the lot. • STEP LADDER - compact folding 2ft aluminium step ladder/stool ideal for kitchen use - VGC - £7. • Laura Ashley OTTOMAN/ FOOTSTOOL in excellent condition with removable castors - SilverGrey velour - hinged lid offering lots of accessible storage space -Ideal for lounge or bedroom - Size - W 93 cm - D 57 cm- H 41cm. (36 x 22 x 16 inches) - Shop price £330 - now £60. • RADIO - Pure One classic DAB/ FM full working order - £5. Tel: 01530 242318 or 07763 110929 (Markfield)

• 4 green plastic PATIO SET CHAIRS. Good condition. Price: £10 (all four)Tel: 0116 287 7870 (Groby) • Double bed ROMA MATTRESS 4’ 6” wide. Very comfortable - used occasionally for guests. VGC Collection only £40.00. • 2 x 1000 pieces JIGSAWS. Village scenes. Used only once. £5.00 each or both for £8.00. Can supply photos. Tel: 07790 734858 (Groby) • BOOKCASE - Height 130cm x Width 83cm x Depth 33cm. Shelves 35cm height. Price: £20.00. • BOOKCASE - Height 122cm xWidth 66cm x Depth 29cm. 3 x Shelves adjustable. Price: £15.00. • BARSTOOL-TYPE CHAIR Back H 91cm W 36cm. Seat h 60cm from floor W/D38cm. Floor dimensions 44x44 cm. Price: £10.00. • KNEELER - Height adjustable 57-70cm. Floor space 61x45cm. Price: £20.00. • PIANO/KEYBOARD STOOL collapsable. Height adjustable up to 58 cm. W 53 cm. Price: £15.00 Tel: Graham on 01530 231241 (Bagworth) • Small WEEKEND SUITCASE, hard shell, 4 wheels. Price: £10. • Garden RECLINER CHAIR. Never used. Still in box. Price: £20. Tel: 0116 238 7425 (Ratby) • Secco 4 ROLLATOR WALKER. Includes padded seat with storage under, and cable brakes. Price: £45. Tel: 01530 245299 (Stantonunder-Bardon) • NEFF INDUCTION HOB - 4 Rings. Plug in , Black.Model No T36FB41X0G. 18 Months old. Excellent condition. Price: £65. • JOHN LEWIS CURTAINS WITH LINING - Plus pole + fittings. To cover window size W 7ft 4in, H 4ft 4ins. Price: £35. Excellent condition. Tel: 07903 076745 (Markfield) • AQUARIUM: H 123cm. (tank height 50cm)W 80cm D 36cm. White cabinet with doors. Includes: Filter, heater, lights with built in timer. Buyer collects. Price: £95 ono. • COLLECTORS DOLLS HOUSE: H 125cm (including wheeled base) W 79cm D 45cm. Six rooms, plus hall and stairs. Fully wired and decorated, needs some tlc. All furniture included. Not suitable for young children. Buyer collects. Price: £475 ono. Ideal Christmas present! Tel: 0116 287 6724 (Groby)

• Garden Furniture: 6 piece WOODEN PATIO SET consisting of a folding oval table, 4 folding chairs and a parasol. Price £45. Tel: 07528742314(Markfield) • Two-seater CANE SETTEE.Price: £35. • Small CANE TABLE with glass top. Price: £10. Buyer to collect. Tel: 0116 287 5988 (Groby) • SCROLL SAW 405 mm. SS16 4. Good working condition. Price: £30. • Black TV STAND 3 Shelf, to fit up to 38” TV. Very good condition. Price: £40. Tel: 01530 245944 (Markfield)

SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum EIGHT items please. Our postal address is: Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@grobyspotlight. co.uk PLEASE ENSURE that you put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (not for publication, just to know where you are).

Do you have an anxious neighbour? IF YOU have elderly neighbours who are on their own, it is worth bearing in mind that many of them will have been hit by pandemic anxiety. They may feel frightened to leave their homes. Such is the finding of a recent study by the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London into the effects of the pandemic on the elderly. So, any act of neighbourly kindness on your part may be most welcome. Helpful jobs such as tidying the garden, doing some shopping, running errands, and simply sitting outside with them over a cup of tea might be greatly appreciated.

My office was evacuated after we heard Boogie Wonderland on the radio. It set off the Earth, Wind & Fire alarm.

I just did some serious cleaning in here; you could totally eat off this table.

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Planning Apps

Beautiful Bulbs

Two storey rear extension and single storey front extension at 14 Sycamore Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0EW

For the best results, bulbs for the spring favourites of daffodils and tulips need to be planted in the autumn. This will give them a good chance to grow roots and start to build up energy for making a great display next year. Choose your daffodils carefully and you can have a display starting in late winter (from varieties such as ‘February Gold’) right through until mid-spring. If you are in a garden centre, flowering times will be clearly indicated on the pack. Sometimes this will be as numerals rather than actual dates – for example, February to March could be indicated as 2-3 or sometimes even II-III. Buying Buying larger quantities of bulbs usually makes them significantly cheaper per bulb and there are always multipack offers to be found. If you’re looking to plant a large expanse, perhaps a bank or the area along the sides of the drive, go for daffodils by the sack rather than by the bag. Crocuses are available in a multitude of colours. However, the bargain priced mega-bags of these bulbs contain a lot of yellow and orange crocuses, which the sparrows love to shred. It’s better value to pay a little more for smaller single-colour bags and avoid the yellows and oranges. Planting There should be planting depths written on the packs of bulbs you buy or order, but if not it is generally better to plant too deep than too shallow; around three times the height of the bulb is ideal. Spring-flowering bulbs need little attention once established – just give them an occasional feed and, once the clumps become congested, divide and replant them to give each bulb more space to fulfil its potential.

Residential development of up to 93 dwellings, public open space, landscaping and SuDS (Outlineaccess only) (cross boundary application with Charnwood BC) at land North East Of Ashby Road, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9UB First floor side extension above existing garage/pantry and cloakroom space at 10 Jacqueline Road, Field Head, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9RB Single Storey Rear and Side Extension at 185 Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DT

Best Bulbs Try simple daffodils like ‘Carlton’, ‘King Alfred’ or English bluebells grown in random plantings, scattered and then planted where they fall, beneath trees in your garden. They’ll look great and often produce a really good display beneath the outer spread of trees, where it may otherwise be difficult to encourage much else to grow. Shrubs and even climbers can also be used for naturalised bulb plantings, but because they’re smaller grow the more diminutive bulbs such as miniature Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’, ‘Hawera’, ‘Peeping Tom’, rich blue grape hyacinths or delicate Chinodoxa. Pots and Planters Pots and other containers make great homes for bulbs. If you are particularly drawn to small or expensive flowers, pots mean you won’t lose those tiny spring bulb jewels amongst their larger relatives. Larger planters including tubs and window boxes are brilliant for bulbs too – try a host of golden daffodils in a smart blue pot, or some delicate dwarf iris or Iris reticulata in a window box or pot on the front steps, where you’ll be able to enjoy their good looks and their subtle perfume. Whichever type of spring bulb you have in mind, and wherever you intend to grow them, start planning and buying now so that they can be in the ground promptly.

If you can’t sleep well, then walk ... A RECENT study by the Universities of London and Sydney has found that brisk walking for 150 minutes a week may reduce the risk of an early death caused by poor sleep. Lack of sleep has links to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease and cancer. But according to the study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, exercise in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines ‘eliminated most of the deleterious associations’ of poor sleep with early death.

Variation of condition 2 (plans) of planning permission 15/00743/ FUL to alter the design of plots 3, 4 and 5 at Home Farm, Markfield Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0FT Two-storey side extension above footprint of existing garage at 43 Crane Ley Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0FD Single Storey Rear Extension with Roof Lantern at 114 Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DN Change of use from residential to commercial for No.21 Ratby Road, demolition of retaining walls and outbuildings and erection of two dwellings including the formation of new access and car park (resubmission of 20/01262/FUL) at 19-21 Ratby Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0GF Single storey rear extension at 116 Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DN Single storey front gable, single storey flat roof extension to rear, single storey side extension linking house to rebuilt garage at 77 Woodlands Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0BR Application to discharge condition 14 (drainage) attached to planning permission 06/01322/FUL at land Adjacent To 30 Markfield Road, Groby, Leicester. Application to discharge condition 40 (Framework Travel Plan) attached to planning application no. 19/00680/OUT at Springfield Riding School, Groby Road, Ratby, Leicester LE6 0BS

The WHO recommends 150 minutes brisk walking, or 75 minutes of running a week.

The trouble with jogging is that, by the time you realize you’re not in shape for it, it’s too far to walk back.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS

Councillor Martin Cartwright reports

Tel: 0116 287 4500 Mob: 07850 707050 E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk Former Borough Councillor John Collins AFTER A very short illness, it is with sadness that former Borough Councillor Mr. John Collins passed away on 25th June 2021. In recent years John & Carol had moved away from Groby to be nearer to their daughter, although he was still interested in Groby issues and was only in touch with me a matter of days before he died regarding the mast issue. Please see the mast article below. A kind gentleman, who did so much for Groby during his time here not only as a Councillor but friend, and neighbour to those living alongside him in Whitehouse Close. The tributes to John are very much lead from all of his neighbours in Whitehouse Close. A number of Groby residents including myself attended John’s funeral on 22nd July. For me it is with the greatest honour to be able to say it’s a privilege to hold the seat that John did here in Groby and just like him to be part of the Executive at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.

permission had not been granted and that no works should be carried out as a result. The crew took my contact details and left to complete similar works elsewhere. I followed this up with talks with officers both enforcement and the executive at HBBC the result of which is the applicant and agent have been contacted to confirm that planning permission was refused. An investigation is currently being carried out as to what they were going to do and why they had been instructed to do this at this time. That investigation is ongoing so I am unable to update you at this point in time. What I can say is the works were stopped by quick reactions on the day apart from the spraying of some paint on the grass, which you can see in the photograph. I expect they will not return until the outcome of an appeal is heard, if they appeal at all, only time will tell. For now if you notice anything suspicious taking place at the mast site please report it.

Groby Community Library PCIF Grant

Condolences to Carol, John’s wife and the whole family at such a sad time.

18m Telephone Mast at Pym Ley Lane / Flaxfield Close Entrance APPLICATION REFUSED Planning Application Number: 21/00522/TGDO Q: So what happens next? A: Now that the Borough Council Planning Department has REFUSED the mast application the applicant can appeal the refusal. This is time-limited and it is unclear at this point if they have 12 weeks or 6 months in order to submit an appeal. If the applicant or operator does appeal the refusal to a government inspector, then we will defend that appeal just as passionately as the application refusal in the first place. For now the APPLICATION IS REFUSED and we wait to see if they appeal and within the time limit allowed. Please be assured, I will keep you updated. Consultation Statistics: 224 Objections were received by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council planning department as well as a 723-signature petition organised by David Hartridge leader of the residents’ mast campaign team. I handed the petition to officers at the Borough Council for which they signed for. That’s a total of 947 objections to the mast. In terms of the number of people commenting that they were in favour of the application, NONE were received in favour of the mast being located in this location. Work Begins – Despite Planning Permission Having Been REFUSED Further Developments On Monday 26th July 2021 at 8.30am a transit van turned up to the site with a crew who had travelled from Manchester to start carrying out works to the site in preparation or the mast. As you can see in the photograph they had begun with marking the grass with yellow spray paint for where the works were to begin. A resident reported this to me and I was on site moments later. The crew, whilst only carrying out instructions given to them, were indeed going to start work on the site. I pointed out to them that planning

WITH HELP from the PCIF grant Groby Community Library have been able to purchase and install additional seating outside Groby Library for use by library users and the general public (VALUE: £860). One of the first events to benefit from the new tables was a book and cake sale held on 31st July 2021. John Martin, Groby Community Library volunteer pictured with me said: “The outdoor table area expands the coffee shops facility area in good weather and is also helpful for community use even when the Library is closed. “Made from recyclable plastic they are a great addition to what Groby Library has to offer. We appreciate the PCIF fund at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council with being successful in our application, the results of which are shown in the photograph.”

Cllr Martin Cartwright Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward. Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, Climate Change, Rural Issues & Klondyke Community Hub

Call: 0116 287 4500 Mobile: 07850 707050

E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk Write : Maverick House,10 Pine Tree Avenue, Groby, LE6 0EQ

Cllr Martin Cartwright

@CllrCartwright

Nothing makes a smoker happier than to see an old person smoking.

cllr.martincartwright

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All the latest news from Groby WI YIPPEE we’re back! It was so lovely just to be able to see familiar faces and have a chat. This year the Borough Council have part funded (50%) of the cost of 34 schemes around the Borough, very varied indeed including this one. I am delighted that Groby Community Library was successful in their application and the new benches are not only installed but being put to very good use. I would also like to thank all the library volunteers for their time and effort keeping Groby Library and its various groups, coffee shop and activities, going.

Co-Op Car Park Laundon Way & Pymm Ley Lane UNTIL RECENTLY both the car parks at the Laundon Way Co-Op have not been closed once the store closed for the evening. This was due to damage to both the barriers. These have now been fixed and the management of the Co-Op have requested that I feature this in my Spotlight column to advise that the barriers will again be locked every night. Cars left in either car park will be secure but will not be able to be removed until the following morning just before 7am when the store reopens. If you have not removed your car at the time the store closes then I am afraid it will be locked in for the night. As a reminder the store opens at 7am daily and closes at 10pm.

Klondyke Appeal

Although Zoom meetings have taken place during lockdown, Groby WI had its first face to face meeting in 15 months on 15th July in the Village Hall and it was well attended. The chairs were socially distanced and, once sat down, we could choose whether or not to wear a mask. The committee provided individual bottles of wine and soft drinks (bring your own glass) which was most welcome on a very hot evening and there was a champagne and strawberry truffle chocolate on each chair. Unfortunately, the booked speaker was unable to attend but Janice, who previously worked for Hannah’s Chocolate in Quorn and now runs her own business, came to demonstrate chocolate making. She explained that cocoa beans grow in countries along the Equator and are then dried to be distributed around the world. A fact that certainly I did not know, especially being a lover of milk chocolate, is that Cadbury’s Dairy Milk cannot be labelled as chocolate as it does not contain a high enough percentage of cocoa. For me however, this definitely does not detract from the taste! Janice made a base of milk chocolate ingeniously using bubble wrap as a mould and then proceeded to make a cute dog in milk and white chocolate (he looked a bit like my daughter’s Cavalier dog, Harry!) As the pictures show, she decorated the base with circles, hearts and shards of chocolate but she did have some problems with the chocolate setting and had to keep putting the various pieces of decoration into the fridge. She also made a selection of both milk and white chocolate pieces for us to sample which were delicious. At the end of her demonstration, she had a selection of her chocolate on sale which proved to be very popular! DIANE’S CORNER was also back with an interesting selection of theatre trips for us to choose from, as are the regular walks, it really does seem as if we are getting back to a new normal! Our next meeting will hopefully be on Thursday 19th August at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Ruth Rolinson

Appeal Reference Number: 20/00068/FUL Description: Erection of a replacement dwelling The appeal against the refusal of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council not to grant the planning permission in the first instance was upheld by the government inspector on 8th June 2021. Inspector Appeal Decision Notice: Appeal Refused.

Groby Burglaries THANK YOU to those of you that contacted me regarding the recent spate of burglaries in Groby. This information has been passed to the Police and may be the bit or parts of the jigsaw that leads to the offender or offenders being caught.

Cllr Martin Cartwright

Both of our churches here in Groby are open as below Please see our on-line links below for up to date information.

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12th Sept 8am+6pm Communion 19th Sept 9.30am Communion 26th Sept 9.30am Communion and 6pm Evensong.

Christian Booklets/Gospels/Magazines and DVDs - have been put outside the church on Chapel Hill for anyone who is interested and would find them helpful.

The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the parts.

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-AUGUST 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk

Groby Allotments are Assets of Community Value THE ALLOTMENTS applied for, and successfully had the two sites in Groby confirmed as Assets of Community Value some years ago, but the nomination has to be applied for every five years and so in February this year we had to apply to retain our ‘Asset’ status. Thankfully we have been successful. Our allotments are statutory allotments and plots to rent are always in demand. The number of people on our waiting list soared last year during the height of the pandemic and lockdown and although much shorter now, we still have a healthy waiting list. container to transport him in. The Although statutory allotment only thing to hand was my weeding sites have some protection from bucket, which I made a little comfier housing development in law, they by popping an old bit of cloth from cannot be protected by the Fields my shed and then off we went to In Trust registration, as our local Kibworth! parks are, as the allotments are not open to the public. By registering We arrived with just 15 mins to the allotment sites as Assets of spare before closing time and Community Value with the borough it was all very Covid secure. I council, this allows for greater didn’t get to see anyone but left protection from the land being him on the counter in my weed sold for development, an extra bucket with a note stating details safeguard for all those who are of how I found him and my contact keen to keep growing their own details. I’ve checked up regularly produce on the sites! on his progress since (he has been confirmed as a male!) and he luckily had no injuries but was severely dehydrated, so I’ve made a note to always keep an old birdbath on the plot filled up with fresh water in future, especially during the hot weather. He has been doing very well and will soon be able to return to us to resume his duties as a slug and snail killer! He lives underneath a tenant’s shed, so they are very keen to get him back again!

Patient transported to the Wildlife Hospital from Ratby Road Allotments

I was so relieved that he wasn’t ill, as I feared he might have been poisoned by the now banned Metaldehyde slug pellets. These cause not only hedgehogs, but birds and other wildlife to suffer a horrible death, so if you have any old slug pellets lurking at the back of your garden or allotment shed, please don’t use them, dispose of them safely.

I WAS BUSY weeding my plot last month when one of our young tenants rushed up to say there was a problem. He led me to a large hedgehog. The poor chap just lay on the grass path, not attempting to move, even when I tried to pick him up, he didn’t try to curl up into a ball and as it was the middle of the afternoon, I knew something wasn’t quite right as healthy hedgehogs are nocturnal. He didn’t look at all well and so a quick phone call to the Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth confirmed that if I could get him there within the hour, they would look after him. I then had to find a suitable

Gardening for climate change I WENT to a talk about gardening for climate change recently and it was very interesting, and I picked up a lot of good ideas. Making sure we reuse all plastic flowerpots so that they don’t end up in landfill, by putting them to use after their potting days are over as containers for bits of old hollow bamboo, pine cones, or straw to act as insect hotels was a great idea and something to keep the children occupied during the summer holidays! My granddaughter came to stay with me recently and has

taken home five old pots full of pinecones to put in their garden as insect hotels, much to my son’s delight! The workshop also looked at ways to stop using peat-based compost. This is really important as digging up and drying out our peat bogs to sell for garden use releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Peat will be banned completely in three years’ time, so it is good to start trying out decent alternatives now. There are several good commercial peat-free composts out there, although they are a little more expensive than the peat-containing compost, but what price survival of the planet? However, the talk did include making the most of your own compost as a cheaper alternative, generated from vegetable peelings, weeds, grass cuttings etc. The speaker said they composted absolutely everything, even the persistent pernicious weeds such as couch grass by either drowning them in a bucket until they turned into a brown disgusting mess (warning – this liquid smells foul!!) or if you don’t want to upset your neighbours, by leaving the weeds out to bake in the sun until they are completely dried out and then cutting them up into small pieces and adding them to the compost pile. This would save on paying for a brown bin!

I use peat-free compost to pot-on on my young plants but have not been successful using it for growing seeds until now. I now know that neat leaf mould is ideal for growing seeds in and so I will be trying that out as an experiment this autumn and let you know how I get on! We also saw just how effective planting companion plants was at keeping aphids down or encouraging the predators to eat them! Planting out French Marigolds (Tagetes) with your tomatoes helps keep aphids down and I have had great success with pot marigolds among all my beans this year to keep the black fly at bay. They make the plot look nice too! The final point in the talk was to make sure that we have enough water for our plants. The best way to keep the water content of the soil high is to put as much organic matter into it as you can. The plant material acts as a sponge, holding the water and releasing it slowly. So adding lots of homemade compost will keep the water content of the soil high enough to keep our plants going through the likely spells of drought in the future. Here’s hoping!!

Carol Lincoln

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Did you spot all 10 differences?

1. Moon missing, 2. Astronaut’s mouth hidden, 3. Backpack missing, 4. Astronaut in background walking the opposite way, 5. Button missing from spacesuit, 6. Red panel on spacesuit is a button on the right picture, 7. Boulders missing, 8.Only two windows on landed rocket, 9. Rounded tip of landed rocket is missing, 10.Missing cloud.

If Bing Crosby was great, imagine how good Google Crosby would have been.

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CLASSIC

CHILDREN’S TV SHOWS

WORDSEARCH This is your Word Search!

IF YOU can find 16 CLASSIC CHILDREN’S TV SHOWS in the Wordsearch grid above, you could win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of house wine at The Stamford Arms in ANIMALMAGIC BLUE Groby.

In Plain Sight: An investigation into UFOs and impossible science by Ross Coulthart AN AWARD-WINNING journalist investigates a story largely ignored by mainstream media but right there, in front of our eyes ... UFOs, UAPs, flying cigars, extraordinary new technologies ... Are we not alone? Award-winning investigative journalist Ross Coulthart has been intrigued by UFOs since mysterious glowing lights were reported near New Zealand’s Kaikoura mountains when he was a teenager. The 1978 sighting is just one of thousands since the 1940s, and yet research into UFOs is still seen as the realm of crackpots and conspiracy theorists. In 2020, however, after decades of denial, the US Department of Defence made the astonishing admission that strange aerial and underwater objects frequently reported and videoed by pilots and tracked by sensors are real, unexplained, and pose a genuine national security concern. Compelled to investigate, Coulthart has embarked on what’s become the most confronting and challenging story of his career, speaking to witnesses, researchers, scientists, spies and defence and intelligence officials and insiders. What he has found suggests that the world is on the cusp of extraordinary technological breakthroughs and cultural revelations. Bizarre, sometimes mind-blowing and utterly fascinating, In Plain Sight tells a story that’s largely escaped the radar of mainstream media coverage but has been there all along. Now it’s time to observe what’s in front of our eyes. LISTEN to the author, Ross Coulthart, talk about the book to Howard Hughes on The Unexplained website at https://theunexplained.tv/ episodes/edition-562-ross-coulthart

CRAC AllCLANGERS you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line through - 16 FAVOURITE CHILDREN’S TELEVISION HOW JUNI PROGRAMMES. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). NEWSROUND PRES Send your marked entry forms to: IT’S FRIDAY. IT’S FIVE TO TIMESLIP TISW FIVE, Groby Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Wednesday 8th September 2021. Please remember WORZELGUMMIDGE to fill in your name and address. (Some people don’t!) The sender of the first correct entry drawn out of the hat will win the voucher for a Meal for Two and a Bottle of House Wine at The Stamford Arms, Groby - thanks to the generous sponsorship of Brian Rigby - owner of The Stamford Arms.

Find the word in the puzzle. Words can go in any direction.

Here are the 16 television shows you have to find:

Words can share letters as they cross over each other.

ANIMAL MAGIC • BLUE PETER • BYKER GROVE • CLANGERS CRACKERJACK • GRANGE HILL • HOW • JUNIOR SHOWTIME 16 of 16 words placed. MAGPIE • NEWSROUND • PRESS GANG • SKIPPY TIMESLIP • TISWAS • VISION ON • WORZEL GUMMIDGE

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GABE WELCH of Poppy Close, Groby.

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