We are looking for a reliable, enthusiastic and hard-working person to greet our members, associate members and guests when they visit our Club.
You will be required to check memberships, and perform a variety of tasks within this role.
Working 10 hours a week at an hourly rate to be agreed.
Applicants should contact the Secretary or Assistant Secretary by email at: groby.exservicemensclub @gmail.com
GROBY UNITED
Reformed Church, based in Chapel Hill, has recently welcomed a new minister.
Rev Paul Ellis, 63, has moved from Essex to lead at Groby half-time, together with oversight of four other United Reformed Churches: Braunstone, Christ Church, Enderby and St Stephen’s.
Paul, who is originally from Devon, was inducted in December at Enderby by Rev Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator of the East Midlands Synod, and will be living in the Manse provided by the Church on Laundon Way.
He said, “I have never lived in a village before but my wife, Jill, and I love the village of Groby and all it has to offer, and we are already enjoying walks in Leicestershire on my days off.
“Groby United Reformed Church is an exciting and dynamic Church of all ages and lots on offer during the week. It is a privilege and joy to have been called by them to serve as their minister. I really look forward to working with the Rector and people at St Philip and St James as the two Churches in the village continue to work closely together.”
So, if you see someone 6 feet 4 inches tall and wearing a clerical collar walking around the village, you will know who he is!
GROBY PLAYERS next production is to be performed on March 23rd/24th/25th 2023, in the Village Hall, Groby at 7.30pm with cafe style seating.
We are performing 2 one act plays, both comedies.
The first play features 7 women who are waiting for a bus, and we hear their varied stories, and differing outlook on life.
The second play introduces a small cast of characters in a village am dram group, (No characters being based on real life village inhabitants!)
We hope you will put the date in your diary, and for tickets please email: grobyplayers@yahoo.com
Anyone wanting to help with the productions, either front or backstage, would be very welcome, please email as above.
Dot HollinsUPHOLSTERED furniture such as sofas and chairs will be collected and disposed of in a new way, due to a change in the law, which is now being enforced.
The Environment Agency and DEFRA have brought in legislation changes that aim to help protect the environment. Currently there can be pollution and damage to aquatic environments when foam in upholstered furniture that contains a fire-retardant product, known as persistent organic pollutants (POP’s), is taken to landfill.
The product, which is typically found in sofas, armchairs, upholstered dining chairs, office chairs, bean bags and upholstered/padded furniture, must now be incinerated and not taken to landfill.
Any residents booking a bulky item collection which includes upholstered furniture items will now see their upholstered furniture being collected separately from other large items.
For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/topic/environmentalmanagement/waste
WE ARE NOW into our second month at Forest Rise Community Centre in Groby with visitor numbers slowly increasing and already establishing regulars that pop in to see us a few hours each week.
At the beginning of January, Warm Spaces opened its doors for the first time and although it was a slow start, we are pleased that residents are making use of this free facility.
Warm Spaces was set up by the volunteers that make up Groby Parish Council, as a place for people to come to during the months when most of us would quite happily hibernate.
This month we have introduced ‘TOAST, TEA AND TALK’ which runs from 9am until 11am both Monday and Friday mornings, so come along after the school run, or if you are out on a morning stroll.
The space is for everyone and offers a warm environment and company while enjoying a cuppa and biscuits and even things to do. We have had donations of children’s and adult books, games, playing cards and jigsaws for everyone to use. The jigsaws and books can be borrowed and then returned when finished with, or passed onto another good cause.
We have around 16 volunteers in total, and they are really enjoying meeting our visitors and listening to stories about Groby life.
Look out for weekly activities too which will be advertised at the community centre, Groby Parish Council website and on social media. We will be having a fun game of Bingo at 2pm on 13th February.
Warm Spaces will close its doors at the end of March 2023, when the Spring and hopefully warmer weather is with us, so don’t miss out on this free facility while it is here. You don’t have to be a Groby resident to visit us, so tell your friends and family.
I am at my most dangerous when I almost know what I am doing.Janet Bishop Groby Parish Council Volunteer
THERE’S AN ABUNDANCE of old television programmes to watch nowadays, and some local viewers may currently be enjoying Cheers, the American sitcom set in a bar, for the second or even third time. It was a massive success 40 years ago and was a good career move for Kelsey Grammer, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson - and Kirstie Alley, who recently died at the age of 81.
Behind the faces there were incredible scriptwriters, and cementing the identity was a catchy theme tune. Although the least important part of the production, and perhaps the result of a chance encounter, the theme tune had been carefully selected and honed. Back in 1981 Judy Hart found herself seated in a restaurant next to a Broadway producer who was looking for someone to compose the score for Preppies, his new musical. She knew Gary Portnoy, who had just been fired as a staff writer for a major music publisher, and together they decided to take a shot at collaborating on the songs for the musical even though Gary had never written for the theatre before and Judy had never written a song.
Working on an upright piano in a Central Park West apartment, they composed the opening musical number, a song they called “People Like Us”. Several months later Gary and Judy were contacted by a Hollywood producer. It seemed that he had heard a tape of “People Like Us” and wanted it as the theme song to “Cheers”, a new show that would be debuting on NBC the following fall. They just needed to re-write the words to “People Like Us” and make the new lyrics relate to a bunch of likeable losers who populated a certain bar in Boston.
Gary and Judy were excited. Until the producers of “Preppies” said they had a binding contract and “People Like Us” was not going anywhere. All was not lost and the producers of “Cheers” encouraged them to take a shot at composing another title song, They decided to copy the style and produced a composition called “My Kind Of People”, promptly rejected by the producers of “Cheers”. They sent them the script to the first episode of Cheers and told them to be creative.
They loved the script, started writing , and the result was a song called “Another Day”, also dismissed by the writers/producers, Glen and Les Charles. But they
were convinced that Portnoy and Hart were the right people to write their theme song for them, as long as they could complete it before time ran out. Despite this vote of confidence, Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart were losing hope. It seemed like they were running out of fresh ways to approach the theme, everything they tried sounded or felt wrong to them.
One day, absentmindedly playing a few chords on the piano, they began a simple melody and these words -
Singing the blues when the Red Sox lose
It’s a crisis in your life
On the run ’cause all your girlfriends
Want to be your wife
Television themes were supposed to be peppy and zippy , but this was lyrically a loser’s tale of woe. But they persevered, and there came the moment when a simple four-word phrase was uttered and instantly changed the direction of the song. “Sometimes you wanna go”. But go where?
Where people with problems can forget about them for a while. Where people who have no one may find someone even if only for an hour or two. A place where someone who is invisible in the “real world” can suddenly be someone. A place where outcasts become insiders. A place where you matter… a place “where everybody knows your name”.
Those few words took the chorus to a much happier placeWhere everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna go where everybody knows your name
When they made the demo recording they thought this was the final version, but the producers wanted the opening lyrics to be less specific than “Red Sox”and more “global” in nature. They hoped Cheers would have international success. They tweaked the words, and recorded an amended version of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”.
Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you’ve got Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot
Wouldn’t you like to get away
Success! “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was declared The Theme From Cheers. The sitcom, launched in 1982, was nearly cancelled during its first season when it ranked almost last in ratings for its premiere.
However, Cheers eventually earned a top-ten rating during eight of its 11 seasons, including one season at number one.
If you’re a fan and would like the full story, and would like to listen to the music at each stage of its development, you’ll find it online at www.garyportnoy.com, the website used for this article.
Norman Griffiths• Lawful Development Certificate for windows replacement - at 24 Rookery Lane, Groby, Leicester LE6 0GL
• Two storey side and rear extension, single storey rear extension and detached double garage to driveway - at 283 Leicester Road, Field Head, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9RH
• Erection of a conservatoryat 184 Ratby Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0BT
• Proposed conversion of garage to office and bedroom with en-suite (retrospective) - at 11 Wallace Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0GQ
• Proposed two storey side extension and single storey rear extension - at 13 Marston Drive, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DY
• Proposed external access ramp with steps to the rear Thornton Community Centre and conversion of east corner of open space into additional parking - at Thornton Community Centre, 175 Main Street, Thornton, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 1AH
• Two storey side and rear extensions, detached garage and new boundary front wall - at The Homestead, Thornton Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9RP
Don’t worry about walking a mile in my shoes. Just try spending a day thinking in my head.
NEW YEAR, NEW START for Groby Sings after a very successful comeback in 2022.
The moment we’d all been waiting for finally arrived at the end of November with our first public performance for 3 years and with our new Musical Director, Simon Lubkowski. It was so good to be back and we are very grateful to Rev. Dr. Ed Bampton and all at Ratby Church for offering us the use of their beautiful building for our concert. The church was absolutely full and the acoustics were amazing. As well as family and friends of current singers, several singers from previous seasons were moved to say they would be coming back to join us when we restart on Wednesday 1st March.
Our theme for Spring/Summer 2023 is ‘At the Movies’ which we’re really excited about. As yet, the songs are a dark secret but we singers are really looking forward to finding out the selection on 1st March when there will surely be something to suit everyone.
We have another exciting reason to look forward to the new season. Groby Sings has always prided itself on being a fully inclusive community choir, embracing people from all walks of life, all areas of Leicestershire (and beyond), people with various disabilities and those who just want to get together with others and sing. There are no auditions and no requirement to be a ‘good’ singer, although those who have been to our concerts will know that, together, we produce a pretty amazing sound! To further our aim to be fully inclusive, this season we are actively encouraging people who have been diagnosed with memory loss or dementia, as well as their friends and carers, to come along and experience the enjoyment of singing together.
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DEADLINE: 25TH FEBRUARY
We at Groby Sings know that music and singing is uplifting for our mood and general wellbeing and this has been borne out by scientific studies. It has been shown to be particularly helpful to people with dementia and there are lots of dementia choirs and music therapy groups around the country
In 2019, the actor Vicky McClure (BBC’s Line of Duty) set up a dementia choir in Nottingham as a result of witnessing her grandmother’s experience of dementia. It was a lifechanger for the choir members, their families and the community. A series of 3 BBC programmes about the choir was broadcast at the time but then, of course, the good work was cruelly halted by Covid. However, in October last year 2 more programmes called ‘Our Dementia Choir Sings Again’ were broadcast about the revival of the choir and the making of a record at Abbey Road Studios! (It’s a ‘must-watch’ on BBC iPlayer – tissues recommended.) So, we hope that people in our community with dementia and their carers will come along and share the good feelings that we generate at Groby Sings on Wednesdays.
Just come along to The Groby Club, Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DJ (ramps and disabled facilities available) on Wednesdays, term time only, beginning 1st March 2023. Adult singers: either 1.30pm – 3.00pm (pre-school children welcome in the care of their adult with a crèche area available) or 7.30pm – 9.00pm. The Youth and Children’s Choir (7 years and over) is from 3.40-4.40pm. There is a ‘cake break’ in each session for a drink, a chat and ... cake! Enquiries via our website www.grobysings.org. Groby Sings is a Registered Charity no. 1180490
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson
IF YOU ENJOY working on jigsaws then you’re help in completing this idyllic summer scene would be greatly appreciated.
The part completed jigsaw is on display at the Forest Rise Community Centre between the hours of 9am and 4pm on Mondays and Fridays until the end of March. No appointment is needed, just turn up and do as little or as much as you want. You can turn your thermostat down and the kettle off at home while you’re out as you’ll enjoy a warm environment, free refreshments, and the opportunity for a chat.
If you can take a friend with you to help that would be even better.
Norman Griffiths
2022 was an important year for scouting, it was identified early that it was very important for our children to get back to live group activities, socialising and experiencing ventures away from the enclosed environment that they have had to endure for the previous two years.
With that in mind, it was a fantastic year for Groby Scouts and all of our age groups finally got back to experiencing all the amazing opportunities that Scouting offers our younger generation.
This, of course, included our group camps. May’s camp was space themed - UFOs, lunar buggies, aliens and all manner of wacky and crazy activities, whilst October’s group camp was even wilder when we held an early Christmas camp with carols, building Santa’s sleigh, a visit from the big man himself and of course … Christmas dinner, yummy!
Here is just a snippet of what the individual groups got up to:
Our youngest children didn’t let their age get in the way of experiencing some brilliant activities. We made bird feeders, had fencing lessons, completed our science badges and had a visit from an RAF Medic. Outside was just as fun walking around John Lees Wood, making fires and cooking smores … so tasty !! We finished off our year with a trip to De Montfort Hall to watch Cinderella.
Our cubs made the most of both inside and out this year with a host of different activities. We made sock snowmen and learnt how to make pancakes.
As well as the group camps we also took a trip to Baps Shri Swaminarayan Temple during Diwali and our Leicester City History walk was really informative. Last year was also all about learning ‘traditional’ scouting skills such as backwoods cooking and fires.
The list of the things that Scouts got up to last year was staggering. From indoor activities such as Lazer Force, Ninja Warrior and trying our hand at painting Warhammer models to outdoor activities such as pioneering, backwoods cooking and water slides.
Camps last year included our Summer camp to Beaudesert, an indoor splash camp and a daring climbing camp in the Peak District climbing on natural rock.
Our older children certainly weren’t left out of the fun with indoor activities such as creative cooking, planning our Duke of Edinburgh awards and Airsoft. We love our outdoor activities even more so and these included night hikes, sleepovers, camping, fires, pioneering and chariot racing.
Scouting is about having fun, building good relationships, and taking part in activities that contribute to the community. If you would like to know more please visit www.grobyscouts.org.uk or email waitinglist@grobyscouts.org.uk
Volunteering gives you a chance to empower young people and to create the kind of community and world you want to live in. If you feel you can offer your time to this worthwhile and rewarding endeavour please contact us at gsl@grobyscouts.org.uk
Antony Unwin Secretary•
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MOST GROBY PARISH RESIDENTS appear unconcerned with speeding traffic in the parish but this hides significant localised concern according to the responses we received to the community survey administered in March last year. Out of 738 responses, when asked how concerned residents were with speeding traffic, the average choice was ‘6’ on a scale of 0 to 10, where ‘0’ is not a problem. Clearly many respondents have little concern with 77 (11%) choosing ‘0’. However, 126 (17%) chose ‘10’, 99 (13%) chose ‘8’, and 77 (11%) chose ‘7’. There are many residents that are concerned with traffic in the parish but this may be associated with specific areas. When asked to identify parish speeding traffic hotspots from a list, 688 residents responded as follows:
Residents were also asked to select from a list measures they would support to help reduce vehicle speeds. Of the 681 responses, the most popular measures were vehicle activated signs (465), speed indicator devices (436), signs and road markings (360), and greater enforcement (248). The three least popular measures were narrowing the highway (26), raised tables (46), and speed cushions (75).
SINCE THE questionnaire was drafted, mobile vehicle activated speed indicator devices have been used at several locations around Groby village and time will tell how effective they are at reducing traffic speed.
The latest results bring good and bad news. The good news is that at every location, the average speed recorded was less than the speed limit for that stretch of road. The bad news is that a significant number of vehicles were recorded driving in excess of the speed limit on Leicester Road (9%) and on Sacheverell Way at all six points ranging from 10% to 20%. It would seem that residents responding to the community survey were right to be most concerned about Sacheverell Way.
Although many local traffic matters fall outside the scope of neighbourhood planning, for example, speed limits, the Neighbourhood Plan can highlight localised transport issues that should be addressed when considering development proposals.
Full results from the community survey are available to download from the Groby Parish Council website http://www.groby.com or for reference as paper copies in the Parish Council Offices and in Groby Community Library The Steering Group are working to produce more in-depth analysis that will be released periodically online and in the Spotlight magazine.
Sacheverell Way is of most concern to residents. Comments from the 89 respondents who chose ‘Other’ identified another 18 individual road names associated with speeding traffic with Pymm Lee Lane receiving the most mentions (28).
WITH THE Borough and Parish council elections in May it is possibly the time to reflect on the past 4 years and look towards the coming four.
The first two were unlike any others previously experienced with the pandemic bringing about the advent of virtual meetings like zoom and teams with zoom in particular allowing a much larger public viewing of Council meetings than before as it enabled the public to view meetings from the comfort of their own homes.
In 2019 my appointment as the Borough’s Deputy Mayor and my wife Ann as Deputy Mayoress allowed us the honour and privilege to represent Groby and the wider Borough in those roles. Because of the pandemic it meant that our period as Deputies extended into a second year 2019/20 and 2020/21. Due to continuing regulations restricting public gatherings it greatly reduced the opportunity we had to hold any large events in aid of the Mayor’s charities but even so I was able to contribute an equal donation to Cancer Research UK, MacMillan Cancer support (locally), Rainbows Children’s Hospice and The Dog’s Trust.
During the past 4 years I am pleased to have been of assistance in various ways even when on holiday to residents of Groby, including as one of the Parish Council’s Emergency Committee releasing cars and their occupants from locked Parish Council car parks (not physically possible when on holiday!).
I was the first Groby Councillor (wearing both hats) to publicly state my total opposition to the proposal of an ‘Employment Park’ which would destroy forever the greatly valued and much loved green fields pleasant walks and relatively peaceful countryside between Groby, Anstey and Glenfield. and I will fight to keep it so. With literally hundreds of emails received from not just residents but nature lovers from neighbouring villages also dismayed and horrified at the proposal. On the subject of footpaths I am very appreciative of the work of the Quarry staff and their Estates team for improving the unofficial walkway alongside Groby Pool which I requested.
Following discussions with a resident, I have submitted a request to the County Council for the northern section of the former mineral line running from the church to the pool car park to be made a Definitive Path. The Parish Council and Neighbourhood Plan Steering group support this for which I thank them. With regard to this we need as many signed evidence of use forms as possible from people who have walked the track to the car park for more than twenty years. Forms are available through the Parish Office.
It is pleasing to hear that the Government is proposing to ‘green up’ the country by planting 1000s of trees - one policy that does make sense and will help to reduce our carbon footprint.
Hinckley Community Health Services Public Engagement exercise - all documents including an ‘easy read’ version can be found at www.haveyoursayhinckley.co.uk
The consultation rstarted on January 23rd and runs for 6 weeks only, so don’t miss out on your chance to comment on a proposed Day Case Unit and a completely new Community Diagnostic Centre.
Election coming up - apply for a postal vote
Save valuable time apply now for a postal vote and do away with the necessity of having to provide photo ID. Without photo ID you will not be able to vote at the polling station.
Ted Hollick
Councillor Ted Hollick
Call: 0116 287 5955
Mobile: 07962 373983
E-mail: ted.hollick@outlook.com
Write: 7 Shaw Wood Close, Groby, LE6 0FY
WITH INFLATION at record rates for decades, gardeners may have been bracing themselves for the green waste collection service fee to rise by over 10% from April.
There is, however, good news for the green fingered – the Borough Council is proposing to limit the increase to 7.14%.
This gives a charge of £37.50 per annum, around half of the charge made in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire’s most expensive borough.
Norman Griffiths
Dental disease is very common in dogs, second only to ear infections, and can be extremely uncomfortable – much as it would be for us. Checking and cleaning your dog’s teeth should be part of their regular grooming routine. Most dogs dislike having their teeth brushed but starting a routine while they are still young will help you both.
Gain their confidence slowly
It is a good idea to let them get used to the taste of toothpaste before brushing. They should lick it off your finger to start with, and then off the brush you are going to use.
Once accustomed to the taste of their toothpaste and the sight of the brush, it won’t be such a shock when you first brush their teeth properly.
Brush and paste
You could use a ‘finger brush’ when your dog is young, as this type is soft and small, giving you
more control when brushing. A normal child’s toothbrush is suitable too but you are likely to need something larger as they grow.
Toothpaste must be specifically formulated for dogs though – human toothpaste is not suitable.
The signs of teeth and gum problems in your pet are just the same as in humans. Bleeding gums, bad breath, deposits or flinching when brushing are all indications that something more needs to be done. You can’t do this yourself, though, and must see a vet for treatment and ongoing care advice.
THIS MONTH we’re very excited to present our latest opportunity to meet a local author.
Catherine Ward will be bringing her first published book, The Emerald Forest, to the library on Saturday, February 18th, from 10.30 to 11.30. It’s a beautiful picture book aimed at 4–5-year-olds, telling the story of a young orangutan and her family in the forests of Sumatra, as the trees in which they make their home are cut down to provide timber. Catherine will be reading and leading craft activities for children, and there will be a chance to buy a copy of the book or put your name down to borrow the library’s copy. The event is absolutely free!
At the end of January we were pleased to welcome staff representing Hinckley Community Hospital, who were here to tell people about plans to improve community health provision in the area, and to find out what local people want from that provision. If you missed them you can find more information, plus an easy survey form to complete, in the library over the next month. Or you can visit their website at Improving Hinckley Community Services
Otherwise, the library and cafe continue to be as popular as ever, so much so that we’ve had to buy new seating! We continue to stock your favourite new books and make the whole stock of Leicestershire Libraries available to you. And of course, our regular events:
• Wriggly Readers: Thursdays 10.30. Fortnightly from February 16th.
• Cuppa and Company: Fridays 10.30. Monthly on the second Friday.
• Construction Club: Wednesdays, 3pm. Fortnightly from February 15th
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And speaking of new books, here are ten books from our stock which have featured in The Sunday Times bestsellers’ lists:
• LUCINDA RILEY - The Murders at Fleat House
• COLLEEN HOOVER - It Ends With Us
• JOHN GRISHAM - Sparring Partners
• MARK BILLINGHAM - The Murder Book
• BELLA MACKIE - How to Kill Your Family
• COLLEEN HOOVER - Ugly Love
• RICHARD OSMAN - The Man who Died Twice
• LEE & ANDREW CHILD - No Plan B
• HARLAN COBEN - The Match
• ADELE PARKS - One Last Secret
We look forward to seeing you in the library soon!
Dave RobinsonYou have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6-letter word will always be just a normal everyday word. 3 letters: 12 4 letters: 3 5 letters: 1 6 letters: 1
THE MARKFIELD AND THORNTON Theatre group are excited to bring a four-night run of an original ‘Black Comedy’, named ‘Billy’s Bunnies’, to the Thornton Community Centre Stage this 1st-4th March.
Written by talented local Muriel Walker, she had this to say about her most recent work to grace the stage:
“Those of you who have kindly shared my writing adventures over the years, will know that I like nothing better than devising a group of characters and creating a setting in which they intermingle and develop. However, this is the first time I’m venturing into the realms of ‘Black Comedy’.
We all know how, sometimes, in the darkest and saddest moments a smile will come unbidden to the lips and a laugh will bubble up inside. It is that juxtaposing of the comic and tragic that amuses by being unexpected. I have always liked plays where the characters are isolated by some trick of fate, and we wonder how they will fare without outside interference. There are many examples of how this device is used to dramatic effect! So, I make no excuse for the landslip and road collision which threaten the safety of the characters.
A cast of thirteen has made the convolutions of the plot interesting to say the least; my biggest problem has not been in writing dialogue to bring them to life, but in how they can all fit on our tiny stage!”
All are welcome, however we feel that this play is not suitable for children. Opening night is 1st March and the play will run nightly, ending on 4th March. Doors are 7pm with curtain up at 7:30 at the Thornton Community Centre, LE67 1AH. Tickets are £6 and can be purchased from Thornton Corner Shop, LE67 1AJ (cash only) or via card by emailing: mttg.theatre@ gmail.com or phoning 07983 669689
The group has been working hard for months to put on a fantastic show and hope that you will be entertained and amused. Your support to the local group is greatly appreciated.
WITH CHRISTMAS out of the way, January has traditionally become the time when thoughts turn to warm sunshine and summer holidays.
The pandemic brought the travel industry to a screeching halt, with 2020 turning into a disastrous year for everyone associated with the holiday trade and the leisure sector in general. Fast forward to 2023, with inflation and energy prices soaring higher than the jets that whisk us away, and you might assume that things aren’t much better.
That’s true for many people, but there are enough would-be travellers to put the smile back on the faces of the companies that provide most holidays. When easyjet launched a recent sale, package holidays saw an increase in bookings of over 230% with the airline filling a plane a minute. This supported research they carried out in November 2022 that showed 64% of Brits are planning to prioritise a trip abroad in 2023.
At the end of January, travel agents reported another week of record sales, with some clients booking multiple holidays at the same time. Agents said there was no sign of bookings easing off, with one commenting that its best ever sales day on January 7 had been followed by two consecutive record weeks.
For most holidaymakers it will be a fairly straightforward affair, provided there are no travel or border complications. But for those going to more exotic destinations there may be a need to check whether precautions need to be taken to protect their health, and this shouldn’t be left until the last minute.
If you think you might require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you should collect a Travel Health Questionnaire from your GP surgery to complete and return as soon as possible. Include details of the countries you are visiting, including specific areas, as this is required to determine which vaccinations are required. The Practice will use this information to check your medical records to see if you do need an appointment.
It’s important not to overlook this, as you need to have travel vaccinations at least 6 weeks before you travel. If you are travelling in less than 6 weeks you may be directed to an independent travel clinic. Some vaccines are not stocked within the surgery and will need to be ordered, and some are ordered on a private prescription and incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.
Google travel vaccinations groby for plenty of advice online from Groby Surgery. It includes links to world wide information regarding health risks and vaccinations. If you are patient at another surgery just include the surgery name in place of Groby, as there may be slightly different requirements.
Welcome to David & Kate Joy of Edith James Catering who have taken over the kitchen at the Club, serving food from Thursday to Sunday! News updates are available on Facebook but please see the March issue of Glenfield Gazette for a full introduction of them.
SPORTS FANS!
We have SKY and BT SPORTS which are shown on our BIG SCREEN TVs and our 2 PROJECTOR SCREENS.
NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. PLEASE POP IN TO THE CLUB AND SPEAK WITH A COMMIT TEE MEMBER OR ONE OF OUR BAR TEAM!
Satur day 4th: - Neil T imothy
You might win yourself some lovely cash!
Saturday Nights from 9:30pm10:30pm & Sunday Lunch from 12:30pm-2pm.
11th:
Satur day 11th: - Le e Wainwright
Satur day 18th: - Rob Marshall
Satur day 25th: - John Holton
Friday 5th May: BEATLES TRIBUTE
Ticket Only Night: Members:- £5, Non-Members: - £8. Tickets available from the Bar Staff from Monday 6th February 2023!
Satur day 6th May: GROBY CLUB KING’S CORONATION FUN DAY
Bouncy Castle, Disco, Tribute Act, BBQ, Ice Cream, Fair Ride, plus more! More details to follow in upcoming issues. FREE ENTRY NIGHT!
Satur day 6th May (Evening): SHAUN E.B WITH HIS UB40 TRIBUTE
Sunday 7th May 2023: - THE AUSTRIAN STONES BAND!
May From 3:30pm. FREE ENTRY!
Email: ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk or ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
Tel 0116 239 4336 Mobile 07808 585825
LEICESTERSHIRE County Council has been working in partnership with Severn Trent Water (STW) since May 2019 to develop a flood alleviation project to cure the ongoing flooding problems that have occurred in the centre of the village and at Leicester Road near the junction with Marston Drive.
I have attended regular progress meetings with STW, Highways Officers and local residents and can report that significant progress has been made.
A scheme to install underground storage tanks in the grass verge opposite Bluebell Drive will require a small number of trees to be removed and STW are preparing to remove them during February.
I am also mindful that this is at the start of the bird nesting season, so I attended a site meeting with STW and Highway Officers on 26th January 2023.
It was agreed to keep tree removal to an absolute minimum and to avoid impact to any nesting birds nearby.
When tree or vegetation work has to be undertaken during the nesting season, a pre-works survey needs to be carried out.
A preliminary ecology appraisal has been done by STW and they were advised to go ahead without needing any further inspections. STW have also agreed to replant to protect the bio diversity, and they will be putting back far more trees than will be removed, at my request. They will plant them around the village and also close to this location.
We then continued to the centre of the village to discuss the drainage improvements planned along Ratby Road to the junction with Leicester Road. I am pleased that we are making significant progress in both areas that have suffered flooding. I would ask residents to be patient during the work as it will require traffic light control and lane closures.
I’m due to be attending the next progress meeting at STW’s office along with Highway Officers and local residents on Thursday 9th February for a further update on progress and will continue to keep you up to date.
A TEMPORARY Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) is to be made for the following location:
• Leicester Road Service Road for Numbers 201 To 329, Field Head. The purpose of the TTRO is to allow Leicestershire County Council to facilitate required drainage work and any other associated work to the highway. The TTRO will incorporate a temporary road closure. The duration of the restriction is not anticipated to exceed a period of 12 days commencing on the 6th March 2023.
A Press Release will be issued to confirm these details approximately 2 weeks prior to the works commencing.
I have been working with residents on the service road in relation to flooding issues, over the past few months. As a direct result of a site meeting with Highways drainage officers, I have managed to progress these works. Residents will have access during these works.
IT’S THAT TIME of year again when tax returns have to be submitted.
HMRC acknowledged more than180,000 public reports of potential HMRC scams in the 12 months to August 2022, with most being from fraudsters offering fake tax rebates.
What’s more, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently revealed that HMRC scams were the third most-reported email impersonation scams via its Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS).
Here, I can reveal some of the most common HMRC impersonation scams and how to report scam communications.
Scam texts offering you a tax refund from HMRC may be particularly attractive at a time when household budgets are being squeezed because of the cost of living crisis - but any links in the texts will usually send you to a dodgy website that’s geared up to steal your details. Some refer to the Covid-19 pandemic and offer a tax
refund in relation to this. HMRC will NEVER ask you for financial or personal details via text. HMRC also advises that it will NEVER use WhatsApp to contact customers about tax refunds.
VARIOUS EMAIL scams impersonating HMRC have been circulating. Examples we’ve heard about include emails telling you to update your details, emails to say your details have already been changed, and notifications requesting you to pay customs duty to receive a non-existent valuable parcel - this is also being sent via text.
These emails use HMRC branding to appear genuine - fraudsters can also spoof email addresses, making it difficult to tell if it’s a scam. They’ll usually include links to phoney websites where scammers will be aiming to get your personal and financial information.
LAST MONTH I reported on a ‘Police/Barclays Bank’ scam attempt on a Groby Resident. This scam was featured on BBC East Midland News on Wednesday 1st February. Several vulnerable victims have fallen to this scam, one losing £24,000. Nottinghamshire Police said that local victims of this scam have lost over £70,000 over the past month. Please remain alert to such scams, the callers are very convincing they purport to be police officers. 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.
Ozzy O’sheaTHE LATEST figures from the mobile vehicle activated signs on Groby’s roads show that drivers are more likely to exceed the 40mph speed limit on Sacheverell Way than the 30mph limit on Leicester Road and Ratby Road.
This result is probably what most residents might expect.
Over a recent three week period around one in five journeys at one monitoring point on Sacheverell Way was in excess of 40mph. Compliance ranged from 85 to 90% at other points on the road.
Ratby Road speeds were, overall, slightly slower than Leicester Road. Just under 3% of outward journeys on Ratby Road exceeded the 30mph speed limit, but on the Leicester Road carriageway towards the A46 island this increased to nearly 10%.
Norman GriffithsACCORDING to recent research, even a modest reduction in calorie intake can make a big difference over a sustained period. Or to put it another way, an extra 200 calories a day will make you gain about a stone a year in weight.
Rates of obesity in the UK have doubled over the past 30 years. Two-thirds of us are now overweight or obese, and it is costing the NHS more than £6 billion per year.
On a personal level, research has found that making small, incremental changes in your diet are more likely to be successful than dramatic interventions.
Examples of small changes for the good might include “reducing your ‘eating window’, cutting out the habit of certain snacks, and having bigger meals less often.” It is estimated that between 20 and 25 per cent of UK calories are eaten as snacks.
The research was carried out by the charity Nesta.
THREE LETTERS: air, ait, art, bar, bat, bib, bit, bra, rat, rib, tab, tar; FOUR LETTERS: bait, barb, brat; FIVE LETTERS: rabbi; SIX LETTERS: rabbit.
A ONE MAN TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF UB40
FRIDAY 5TH MAY
Ticket Prices:
Friday 5th May 2023
By the UK’s most booked solo UB40 tribute act
Members: £5
Ticket Prices: Members £5
Non-Members: £8
Non-Members £8
See Bar Staff to purchase your tickets
See the Bar Staff to get your tickets
SATURDAY 6TH MAY From 8.30pm
Saturday 6th May 2023 from 8:30pm
SUNDAY 7TH MAY From 3.30pm
Sunday 7th May 2023 from 3.30pm
I’ve been picking my spinach ready-frozen this month – straight from the plot! It was impossible to dig any remaining carrots out of the ground and the kale was a bit worse for wear too, although sheltered by the enviromesh to protect it from the whitefly. The enviromesh singularly failed to keep the whitefly out, as usual (how do they get in I keep asking myself?) but it did protect from the frost, so at least the kale wasn’t ready frozen!
I always love to see signs of Spring just around the corner. I even heard a woodpecker drumming noisily on an old tree recently. I love being able to start the produce year again by planting seeds. I’ve got my chilli and sweet pepper seeds ready to pop in the propagator and I’ve been busy buying my seed potatoes to sit up in the cold but sunny spare room and ‘chit’ in old egg boxes on the window sill. Chitting just means that you leave the potato tubers out in the light so that the ‘eyes’ start to grow into the new stems. Sitting the potatoes in old egg boxes to get them growing before you put them in the ground just gives them a good start but having a nice patch of warm ground to put them in will also help. Laying something on top of the ground beforehand will help such as weed membrane which acts like a duvet, keeping the soil a good bit warmer.
This time of year also is the time to hold our AGM and we also collect all the plot rents for the coming year. This always means there is a bit of a change-round of plots, with some members deciding to downsize or give up and new people come and join us to become allotmenteers and start growing their own food. I imagine that this
will be a popular prospect this year, having seen the food prices lately! We have a very short waiting list, so if you are interested, do come and see us and pop your name down for a plot.
The allotments defibrillator is installed at last and will now add to the number we have around our village just in case that they are needed. In case you hadn’t noticed, it is on the side wall of the URC, besides the Chapel Hill allotment entrance. We have some CPR training lined up for a group of allotment and church volunteers which will also go through how the defibrillator works, but that is really just a case of familiarisation because the machine tells you exactly what to do and so no training on the actual defibrillator itself is needed. It is the CPR which requires training or updates, where you practice performing chest compressions on a dummy. I went to some CPR training recently and was amazed by the amount of effort required to do the chest compressions. I have had CPR training before when I was working, but perhaps I hadn’t remembered quite how much effort I used then (it was a while ago!) or I’m getting old and weak these days. I think I prefer to think that my memory failed me, or do I?
Carol Lincoln
Just cal our small, friendly firm - whether it’s one window or a full house - with approximate sizes, and we’ll give you a price OVER THE PHONE or a free call out if you prefer.
WIN
IF YOU can find 16 CLASSIC COMIC CHARACTERS in the Wordsearch grid above, you could win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of house wine at The Stamford Arms in Groby.
BERYLTHEPERIL BIFFOTHEBEAR
BLACKBOB COLONELBLINK
All you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line through - 16 POPULAR CHARACTERS FROM CLASSIC KIDS COMICS. These can overlap and run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!).
DENNISTHEMENACE DESPERA
KORKYTHECAT LITTLEPL
MINNIETHEMINX
WINKERWATSON
Send your marked entry forms to: NEVER BE WITHOUT A BEANO, Groby Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by SATURDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2023. Please remember to fill in your name and address. (Some people don’t!)
THEWOLFOFKABUL
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. Good luck!
Please find the following 16 COMIC CHARACTERS
Words can go in any direction.
BERYL THE PERIL • BIFFO THE BEAR • BILLY WHIZZ
Words can share letters as they cross over each other.
BLACK BOB • COLONEL BLINK • CORPORAL CLOTT
DENNIS THE MENACE • DESPERATE DAN • KEYHOLE KATE
KORKY THE CAT • LITTLE PLUM • LORD SNOOTY • MINNIE THE MINX
16 of 16 words placed.
THE WOLF OF KABUL • WILSON • WINKER WATSON
Name: ..............................................................................................................
Address: .............................................................................................................
.............................................................................Postcode: .............................
Last Issue’s Winner was: Mary Page of Field Court Road, Groby.
Copyright © 2023
Congratulations! Your voucher will be sent to you in the next few weeks.
THE REDEVELOPMENT plan submitted in 2020 for Unit 2 Midland Distribution Centre on Markfield Road is still failing to satisfy all the requirements of the Borough and County Councils.
The site, remembered locally as Quintos, could have some existing buildings demolished or refurbished. There could also be a new workshop building with ancillary offices and welfare floorspace, parking and a new access.
The County Council had expressed concern about the proposed site access deceleration lane to be added to the A50, but after further consultation acknowledges that the proposed access would offer a betterment in comparison to the existing access to the site, which would be permanently closed, without any intensification of traffic using the site.
There continue to be some concerns over Public Rights of Way, and further information is required about this issue and also the arrangements to be made for surface water drainage. In addition it’s thought that the application does not appear to incorporate sufficient proposals concerning the quality of water to be discharged into the downstream system.
Norman Griffiths
The organisation’s mission statement is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders”.
Whilst that is still true, it was written in1905, times have moved on considerably and while the ethos still stands its interpretation has moved with the times. Originally a male only organisation with its female support club, Inner Wheel, Rotary is now open to both genders. Some older established clubs still have the traditional set up but we in Bradgate Rotary think differently. We
• Are a secular mixed gender club with around a 60/40 split in favour of female.
• Are informal and are more like a group of friends than a club that meet for breakfast weekly
• Have no egos and play to our individual members strengths
• Have a common interest in helping our local community whether by supporting a charity financially, painting a fence or providing advice and help
• Enjoy and have fun in whatever we do
• Put a smile on faces of all ages
Bradgate Rotary’s catchment area covers Glenfield, Groby, Ratby, Markfield, Newtown Linford and Anstey.
We would welcome you with open arms should you want to be part of Bradgate Rotary. It may well be that you just wish to volunteer with us on an ad hoc basis or join a group of likeminded people who like to make a difference to others. That choice is yours.
I nearly forgot our motto: “Service above Self”. Please contact us if you would like to know more or come along to a meeting and meet us in person. We look forward to hearing from you.
www.bradgaterotaryclub.org
HAVING BEEN a Groby resident since 2015, it’s so nice to see the Christmas lighting on the street lights around the village, over the Christmas period but can somebody please explain why we need to have them on 24 hours a day - 7 days a week over this period, when surely the money it costs to power these lights during daylight hours could be spend on other things more important, that are needed in the village.
I believe this was highlighted several years ago in in the Spotlight, and I am sure the reply was that it was not cost effective to have timers fitted and because the contract was due for renewal, this would be looked in to, I stand to be corrected on this point.
Steve BottingThanks!
Ideally 30 hours per week, term time, plus 10 out of term days (3 of which are Teacher Days). Job share and part-time applications will also be considered.
Grade: 6 - Actual salary £15,565 to £16,203 per annum (or £12.75 to £12.98 per hour which includes holiday pay)
An excellent administrator and communicator is required primarily to offer clerical and reprographic support, in addition to providing whole medical support as part of the administration team.
We can offer you the chance to work with a fantastic team of colleagues with a strong, supportive staff development ethos. Please see the school website at www.southcharnwood.leics.sch.uk for an information pack and application form. Alternatively, telephone 01530 242351 or email: hcarnan@southcharnwood.org
As this job is designated as a ‘regulated activity’ an enhanced DBS check with Barred list check is essential
Closing date for applications: 9.00am, Monday 27th February 2023
I WAS UNABLE to attend the January WI meeting, but many thanks to Philippa Brown who kindly reported so eloquently on the talk by Kirsty Ottey about The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID).
Kirsty is a Community Project Officer for RNID and is herself deaf. She gives talks about deafness and hearing loss in the community and also provides hearing aid maintenance in care homes. She takes part in a drop-in session at Bishop Street Methodist Church in Leicester City Centre every 3rd Wednesday from 10.00-12.00 where anyone is welcome.
RNID is a charity and they aim to ensure full inclusivity for the deaf in the community. They lead research into reversing hearing loss and silencing tinnitus and spread awareness about deafness but apparently it can take 10 years for many to admit they have a problem with hearing. Research has found that there is a gene which, if children have it, can develop deafness if they take certain antibiotics. 100 babies per year have been saved from deafness due to this research.
In 2015 11 million people experienced hearing loss i.e. 1 in 6 people. It is estimated that by 2036 14.2 million people will experience hearing loss i.e. 1 in 5 people. 1 in 8 people suffer from tinnitus, a distressing condition causing a wide range of sounds in the ears or head. There is support on the website with online chat facilities - https://rnid.org.uk. There is also a free 3-minute online hearing check, which you take using headphones. If you fail the test, details can be printed out and use to show your GP to assist appropriate referral.
Hard of Hearing - mild to severe - 70% of 70-year-olds experience this and 50% of 50-year-olds. People are 4 times more likely to develop dementia or mental health problems if they don’t act on their hearing loss.
Deaf/blind people - combined sight and hearing problem
Deaf Community - treating deafness as a way of life
Deafened people - where deafness is as a result of an accident
There are four categories of deafness: Mild - may not hear high-pitched noises; Moderate - struggles in group settings; Severe - requires implants or hearing aid; Profound - little hearing, could maybe hear a jet engine!
The signs of hearing loss: TV volume very loud; difficulty following conversations; asking for repetition of conversations; struggling on the phone; people complaining that you are not listening
The impact of deafness: communication difficulties; embarrassment; social isolation; losing touch with family and friends; might not notice that this is happening, but experience struggle, frustration and lack of confidence because of it
Communication with the deaf: 87,000 people in the UK use British Sign Language (BSL) as well as interpreters, lip reading, finger spelling and specialised equipment such as a purple listener which amplifies the voice into an earpiece
How to communicate well: face the deaf person; tap them for attention; speak normally, not aggressively, slowly or over pronounced; use clear language; write things down; ask if they need an interpreter; learn a little sign language. By law, GPs have to provide an interpreter as there are accessible information standards but interpretation can be done by video
Benefits of hearing aids: can make loud sounds more comfortable; help holding conversations and phone calls; can hear bird song; reduces background noise; stop tinnitus. It is now possible to use accessories to brighten up hearing aids, making them more fashionable. NHS aids can be good quality whereas private ones can be invisible within the ear canal. Hearing aids can be blue tooth enabled to connect to mobile phones, car systems, music systems, ‘ring’ doorbells and iphone watches. There are opportunities for volunteers within the RNID with training available.
At the end of this informative talk, we spent some time learning how to sign the alphabet and then all signed ‘my name is .............’ to each other. A good start, we all agreed!
Thank you so much Philippa for this informative report, I’m sorry I had to miss it!
Our next WI meeting is on Thursday 16th February and the speaker is our very own Lynn Mellor, I’m not sure of the subject of the talk but her past ones have been brilliant!
Ruth RolinsonLITTER PICKERS will be able to make about 20p per can or bottle from a new deposit scheme in England and Wales, according to an environment minister.
From 2025, bottles and cans will include a deposit, likely to be 20p, that can be reclaimed when containers are returned to reverse vending machines at designated sites, according to a recent government statement.
As one environment minister explained, “There will be an opportunity for people to go around collecting up litter and so forth, and taking it back, and receiving the deposit, which we think might benefit a range of charities and individuals.”
The scheme will include all polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles and cans up to three litres in size, meaning households will have to take their rubbish to a recycling point instead of leaving them on the kerbside for collection.
Councils will be able to cash in on any bottles and cans left in the recycling by collecting the deposit. The exact amount of the deposit will be decided by a new quango that will run the scheme, which was first announced in 2017.
The scheme is expected to save local authorities around £35 million a year by reducing the amount of recycling they pick up. The UK uses 14 billion plastic drink bottles, and nine billion drink cans every year. The country already recycles around 70 per cent of these.
Professional, friendly advice & treatments including:
• Toenail & fingernail trimming & filing
• Callus reduction & smoothing
• Ingrowing toenails
• Corn removal
• Thickened or fungal toenails
• Cracked heels & dry skin
• Verrucas & Athlete’s foot
• Diabetic foot care
Fully qualified & registered • Fully insured • Full DBS
Jane Harwood-Scott DipFHP, MCFHP, MAFHP
For appointments - Markfield Clinic or Home Visits ring: 01530 242277 or 07949 212128 or email: footandtherapyclinic@gmail.com
IDC Home Maintenance
Painter and Decorator
NO JOB TOO SMALL
From papering one wall to a complete house re-decoration
For a Free Quotation Call Ian on 07885 541428 or E-mail: i.crowhurst@btinternet.com
Full Tradesman Liability Insurance held
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• Telephone Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Offices
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AS A RESULT of my January Spotlight article, thank you to those of you that have been in touch with concerns as to what constitutes as Voter Photographic ID
Please Note:
• Photographic ID for documents that have expired will be accepted so long as the photograph is still a true likeness.
• The name on the Photographic ID must match the name on your polling card.
• Passport issued in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man & British Overseas Territory or a Commonwealth Country. Out of date Passports also count so long as the photograph is still a true likeness of you
• Photographic Driving Licence issued in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or EEA State, Including
Provisional Licence
• A Blue Badge
• Older Person’s Bus Pass
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• Oyster 60+ Card
• Freedom Pass
• Ministry of Defence Form 90
• Scottish National Entitlement Card
• National Identity Card issued by an EEA state
• European Economic area (EEA) Photographic ID Card
• Biometric immigration Document
• Voter Authority Certificate or Temporary Voter Authority Certificate
There are others, the main ones are listed above, please visit gov.uk for more details.
If it is NOT on the list it is safe to conclude it is NOT allowed, for example:
• Student Bus Passes
• Student University Cards
YOU CAN APPLY for a Voter Authority Certificate on gov.uk
You will need to do this in advance, now is a good time:
Name, Address, Date of Birth, National Insurance Number, Passport style Photograph
ACROSS THE BOROUGH, including Groby, there has been a significant increase in house burglary.
A number of properties have been burgled in Groby with a common theme of between 1am & 4am with entry gained from the rear of the property. Mostly, when the homeowner is out or away. It is vital not to share details of you being away on social media as this can be an advert that your home is unoccupied.
The Police and Neighbourhood Watch both have details of measures you can take to reduce the risk of this happening to you. A Police operation has been in place in Groby and across the Borough to tackle the situation.
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward. Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, Climate Change & Rural Issues
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 cllr.martincartwright
• Keep your windows locked
• Put lights on a timer/smart bulb
• Double and deadlock your doors
• Use outside lights on a sensor
• Keep an eye out for your neighbours
Investment scams
FRAUDSTERS will try to pressure you into buying worthless or nonexistent shares. These can include crypto-currency, gold or even wine. They will use a variety of sales approaches to contact you, so please be cautious.
Purchase scams
WHILE ONLINE shopping may be quick and convenient, we must be careful as fraudsters can use this to their advantage.
They can trick you into paying for high value goods that do not exist or are fake, often through social media or auction sites.
IMPERSONATION scams happen when a fraudster contacts you pretending to be from your bank, the police, or another trusted organisation to convince you to send them money.
FRAUD AND SCAMS can happen to anyone.
Before parting with your money or giving out personal information, take a moment to stop and think, is this genuine?
Contacted out of the blue? Don’t assume it is real. Doing this could just help keep you safe.
Please remember if I can ever be of help to you or your family please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Cllr Martin CartwrightTODAY VIRTUALLY every house has a sofa in the room where the family relaxes or socialises in comfort. Whilst even the Romans had comfortable seating these were a basic form of chaise longue with only one armrest. Sofas first appeared in the early 1600’s and were originally called “saffaw”.
The oldest sofa in a National Trust property is an upholstered couch dated from 1635, which can be seen at Knole, a stately home in Kent. It was made in a London workshop by an unknown craftsman. It has a Beech frame covered with silk velvet and has decorative braid and fringing. The two end arms are hinged and can be laid down level with the seat. Overall the sofa is almost 6’ 0‘’ long.The design was influenced by furniture from Italy and France and this sofa was originally made for use in the Stuart royal palaces and was part of a grand suite of furniture that included two other sofa’s, six chairs and eight stools.
At Kedleston Hall near Derby there are a pair of George lll giltwood sofas on display which were made in London in 1765 by John Linnell. They feature languid mermaids and sea-gods on the gilded wooden frame. At Calke Abbey near Ashby de la Zouch there are sofas in a number of rooms all dating from the early 1800’s. By complete contrast the sofa at Stoneywell Cottage is leather covered from the mid 1930’s and is probably mass produced.
• THE NT LEICESTER ASSOCIATION has an evening meeting on Tuesday 14th February at The Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone at 7.30pm, when Dr Ann Featherstone will present an illustrated talk entitled “Maidens, Murders & Monsters – Victorian Melodrama”
• THERE WILL ALSO BE an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 22nd February when Wendy Martin will present a talk entitled “Barnard Castle to Berwick – Travels in the North”. The meeting will be held at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester at 2.30pm.
Admission to meetings is NTLA members £3.00, visitors £4.00, including refreshments.
For details of the NT Leicester Association please call 0116 2229133 or visit our web site at www.leicesternt.com
Alan Tyler, Publicity OfficerOn my first day of school, my parents dropped me at the wrong nursery. There I was.. surrounded by bushes and trees.
• Gardenline 1800w ELECTRIC LAWN MOWER 43cm (cut). Excellent condition. Price: £25.00
Tel: 0781 866 5903 (Glenfield)
• MOBILITY SCOOTER, just been serviced, good battery. Dismantles to fit in the boot of a car. Price: £385.00
Tel: 0116 231 2531 (Glenfield)
• Self-propelled PETROL LAWNMOWER - very reliable. FREE for collection.
Tel: 0116 287 1939 (Glenfield)
•Two BAR STOOLS in pale grey, height adjustable and swivel, brand new. Price: £20 each.
Tel: 07745 356447 (Glenfield)
• Dansette Viva vinyl RECORD PLAYER - good condition.
Price: £20.00
• Set of 4 ALMARK LAWN BOWLS - hardly used. Price: £20.00
Tel: 01530 242309 (Markfield)
• Ladies Windsmoor FULL LENGTH GREY COAT, with fur collar. Size 16. Very good condition. Price: £90.00
• Ladies ¾ LENGTH LIBRA
PALE BLUE WOOL COAT. Size 16. Very good condition. Price: £40.00.
• Halford AXLE STANDS - safe working load 1.5 tonne per stand. Boxed and unused. Price: £15.00 the pair. Reasonable offers will be considered.
Tel: 01530 230933 (Thornton)
• MAHOGANY FURNITURE: Oblong expandable table, 6 chairs including 2 carver chairs, matching display unit sitting on 6ft. base with drawers and cupboards. Good condition. Price £200.00
• CRAFTS: Mainly white material, curtaining and cotton off cuts.
Price £25.00.
Tel: 01530 243750 or 07818515574 (Markfield)
• RedRing ELECTRIC SHOWER 8.6kW in full working order.
Price: £20.00
• Panasonic 45” FLAT SCREEN TV AND STAND - in full working order.
Price: £50.00
• Manual Metal ARC WELDING RODS, full packets, dry stored.
Price: £25.00/box
Tel: 0116 287 6715 (Groby)
• HEINRICH PORCELAIN PLATES by Villeroy and Boch. Seven Flower Fairy plates all with Certificate of Authenticity. For sale separately or together. Price: £10.00 each.
Tel: 07790 420603 (Groby)
• Teak round DINING TABLE - can extend - plus FOUR MATCHING CHAIRS. Price: £20.00 if you can collect.
Tel: 0116 287 3596 (Groby)
• Panasonic 50 inch FLAT SCREEN TV, good condition.
Price: £50.00
Tel: 0116 232 1960 (Glenfield)
• HEIN GERICKE 2 PIECE BLACK LEATHERS, zip together. Size XXL. Good condition. Offers.
Tel: 0116 224 8826 (Groby)
• Lindam 90cm tall STAIR GATE.
Price: £5.00.
• Nutool cordless 136mm CIRCULAR SAW with SPARE BLADE AND CHARGER. Price: £30.00.
• Bosch Rotak 430 Ergopower ELECTRIC ROTARY MOWER.
Price: £30.00.
• Black & Decker ELECTRIC LAWN SCARIFIER. Price: £15.00.
• WALL PAPER STRIPPER2000W. Price: £15.00.
• Black & Decker Auto select ELECTRIC STRIMMER.
Price: £25.00.
Tel 07941 260002 (Markfield)
• Original, well loved, FISHER PRICE GARAGE. Price: £15.00.
Tel: 0116 231 1602 (Groby)
• Horse Riding BODY PROTECTOR - Airowear. Size
L4 Long (37-39 inch chest). Very Good condition. FREE.
• Also, SPURS, FREE.
Tel: 07815 940871 (Groby)
• WHEELCHAIR RAMP - Price: £30.00.
• GARDEN VAC - used once. With leaf bag. Price: £40.00.
• Medium DOG CAGE - Price: £10.00
Tel: 01530 244681 (Markfield)
• JUDO/KARATE SUIT Size
2/120cms. Cotton. Excellent Condition. Price: £10.00
Tel: 01530 243192 (Markfield)
On site curtain cleaning
Rugs, including oriental and antique
All types of upholstery, especially leather
RUGS - we are CLEANING SPECIALISTS traditional Persian or Chinese, Gabbeh or Kilim, we even love Wiltons and Shaggy ones!
01530 244900 ■ 07825 795558 stuart@theprofessionalcarpetcleaner.co.uk www.sjscarpetcleaners.co.uk
CHECK OUT QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE ON SJS GOOGLE REVIEWS FOR BOTH LEICESTER AND LOUGHBOROUGH
• KING SIZE DOUBLE BED with base, including 4 drawers & headrest, mattress & cover sheet, fitted sheets (4), duvet - with 2 single size inside ‘ordinary’ double sheets (3). Price: £200.00. Tel: 0116 287 6674 (Groby)
• JUDO/KARATE SUIT - Size 2/120cms. Cotton. Excellent condition. Price: £10.00. Tel: 01530 243192 (Markfield)
• Good quality CHIPBOARD15mm thick. Various lengths. Ideal for DIY projects. FREE. Tel: 07565 110126 (Stantonunder-Bardon)
SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum EIGHT items please. No business ads. 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).
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NEXT ISSUE will be out on 11th - 12th March. Adverts & articles needed by 25th February.
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