The Herald Mid-January 2023

CHRISTMAS DAY FOR THOSE ALONE 2022

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Defibrillator Locations Around Markfield

THIS ISSUE of The Herald includes an A3-size map on pages 12-13, showing where the defibrillators are located in and around Markfield. Having this information to hand could be literally life-saving in the event of someone suffering a heart problem.

Please carefully separate the centre pages from the magazine after you’ve finished reading it, and keep the map handy for future reference - if needed.

EVERYONE WHO attended Christmas day for those alone in Markfield and the surrounding villages had a great day.

We had a wonderful meal, a present each and a goody bag with lots of yummy treats. But most importantly weren’t alone on what can be for some an even more lonely day than usual.

A very grateful thanks to the companies etc. who support us – Bowns Hardware, Bradgate Rotary Club, Charnwood Brewery, Co-Op, GTS security, MB Signs, Next, Oooh-Fudge.com, Pladis, Roy Greens and Tesco.

Many thanks to all the individuals who have donated whatever they can and taken them to the donation hubs, everything helps small or large and all donations have helped make the day very special.

Thanks to all the volunteers on the day, who worked really well as a fantastic team. Last but not least – thankyou to all at Little Markfield Farm, without whom this could not have taken place. The barn looked so wonderful, and the meal was absolutely delicious.

Thanks for reading and a happy New Year.

Kerry Sharpe

Thornton Teas with a Twist – 3Ts

Wednesdays 11th and 25th January - 8th and 22nd February: 2 to 4 pm

Happy New Year to you all.

Hope you will be able to join us on Wednesdays, dates above, at Thornton Community Centre for a cuppa, cake, a warm and time to chat.

All the usual activities will be available - Jigsaws, and board games, books, and the jigsaw ‘library’. And, of course, a small play area for young families.

Run by the village for the village.

Defibrillators save lives - so please familiarise yourself with the locations of these wonderful pieces of equipment.

Many Happy Returns to Herald deliverer Yvonne

I THOUGHT you might like to know that my mother, Yvonne Harrison will turn 90 years old on the 25th January 2023.

She has lived in Markfield for nearly 40 years and has been delivering The Herald for many of those years.

As you probably know she now lives in Mayflower Court. I thought you might want to include this milestone in your publication as she may well be your eldest ‘paper girl’.

Markfield, Field Head, Stanton-under-Bardon, Thornton & Bagworth

Deborah Whittington

Happy New Year to all Herald readers and contributors, our team of wonderful deliverers, our fabulous advertisers, and our miracle-working printers! Let’s hope its a good one!

The Friends of Charnwood Forest

THE SUBJECT of our November meeting was Bradgate Park, given by Peter and Linda Upton, volunteers, who help with its maintenance.

They told us that the land the park is sited on had once been in the southern hemisphere, and that the oldest rocks originated from volcanos and had been under the sea some 560,000,000 years ago. In fact, they were the same age as the rocks which made up the highlands of Scotland. Plate tectonic movement, glaciation and erosion from wind and rain have resulted in the present landscape.

The park is now Grade II listed. It contains a folly – the Old John tower - and the ruins of the home of Lady Jane Grey, the ‘Nine Days queen’, who was beheaded on the orders of Mary Tudor. Whether the present layout of the walls originated from her time is open to doubt. Only a small part of the park, near Cropston, was suitable for farming. The first people to inhabit the park of whom we have trace seem to have been there in the Ice Age, about 14,000 years ago.

The boundaries of the park have changed over the years; older boundaries may still be traced because they were marked by banks and ditches.

The park was gifted to the county by Charles Bennion in 1928, while in 1932 the Rotary Club purchased Swithland Wood and added it to

the park.

The speakers then went on to describe its natural history; the red and fallow deer and their maintenance to start with, and then five distinct ecological areas – acid grassland, wet heath, walls, woods and water, with a summary of the plants and animals found in each. There were, for example, 37 species of grass identified in the first area, and 17 miles of walls in the third. One tree is believed to be 800 years old and Swithland Wood contains many old trees. One interesting fact they gave us was that trees were not pollarded with the death of Lady Jane, contrary to what was said in the past.

The park is staffed by 15 rangers, whose job is to maintain the natural environment, and 15 wardens, who

Black belt success for local Martial Arts students

look after the visitors. There are some 200 volunteers who do a lot of the work. Very little of the running cost - £1.2 million – comes from the local council; about 1%. The rest is made up from car parking charges and catering.

• THE FEBRUARY MEETING of the Friends will be on Wednesday 22nd February, when Louise Richmond of the Trent River Trust will give a talk on Environmental issues in the Swithland and Cropston area. Talks take place in the Woodhouse Eaves village hall at 7.30 p.m.

P.S. Dogs must be kept under control in the park.

Dr McNeil

Spare

By Prince Harry

FOR HARRY, this is that story at last.

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror.

As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling - and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last. Little boy, beloved son, brother, husband and father, prince, soldier, and advocate for social causes, Prince Harry Duke of Sussex has lived a life staged in the public eye, and who he really is has been the subject of second guesses, speculation, and projection.

But no more. Spare is the upclose, behind the scenes, intimate, and forthright memoir of a man reclaiming his own story.

South Charnwood High School

Lunchtime

As this job is designated as a ‘regulated activity’ an enhanced DBS check with Barred list will be carried out by the school .

The gradings consisted of over 3½ hours of basic techniques, breakfalls, ground work, kata

self

All the students showed truly outstanding levels of skill, techniques and determination and should be extremely proud of their achievement.

They are a credit to the club and to martial arts. The gradings were conducted in front of a panel of three Master Grade instructors that travelled to Bagworth from across the Midlands.

For more information about this club, please contact Andy Walker on 07975 833078 or visit www.leicestermartialarts.co.uk

‘South Charnwood High School – Committed to Safeguarding Children and Young People’

CONGRATULATIONS to the following members of the Bagworth Zen Goshin Ryu Martial Arts school that passed their Black Belts at a special grading session in November.

Keith Turner Yondan 4th Degree, Lauren Walker Sandan 3rd Degree, Ben Little Sandan 3rd Degree, Alex Walker Sandan 3rd Degree, Ellie Sanders Nidan 2nd Degree, Ian Graham Nidan 2nd Degree

and

defence.

The Herald

PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT

Tel: 01530 244069

info@markfieldherald.co.uk www.markfieldherald.co.uk

Markfield WI

From Lynda Owen

On 6 December, back by popular demand, Markfield WI put on A Christmas Alphabet, a light hearted entertainment of songs, sketches and readings followed by refreshments.

Members from other local WIs were invited together with family and friends which made for a very enthusiastic audience joining in the songs and being generous with their applause. Our members are now getting used to the limelight and musical instructions on Stirring the Pudding, a Pantomime of Snow White, with a cast of 7 plus narrator and the 12 Days of Christmas performed by a cast of 6 were amongst the highlights. There was a lot of praise for the evening and as the WI motto is Inspiring Women we hope we have inspired one of the other WIs to have a go next year.

• AT OUR DECEMBER MEETING we were entertained to music and fun by After Eight Quartet (below, right) and entertained is certainly the word. They are excellent singers and their performance was perfect for our Christmas meeting, we all went home bearing our Secret Santa presents and looking forward to a full and varied WI programme in the New Year.

At our meeting on 18 January author Rachel Greaves will be talking about Ruffles the Dog who she will be bringing along.

The Herald is a monthly local magazine delivered free to approximately 4,000 homes and businesses in Markfield, Field Head, Stanton under Bardon, Thornton and Bagworth.

Contact Mike Wilkinson with your articles, news items or advertising enquiries.

Printed by Norwood Press in Ellistown.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Herald Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies.

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The Herald reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication.

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Think happy thoughts to help your immune system

A STRESSED mind can put your body at risk.

If you constantly think about negative things, and dwell on stressful events in your life, you could weaken your immune system and make yourself more susceptible to illness.

A recent study has found that simply thinking about negative events, even if they are only imagined, can increase the levels of inflammation in your body. This inflammation, associated with the body’s response to trauma and infection, can weaken the immune system and has been linked to a number of conditions such as heart disease, cancer and dementia.

St Paul urged a better way of coping with the threats in our lives: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

Extensive Charnwood Forest Home in 6-acre plot

SAVILLS

The

Heatherfields has remained in the ownership of the same family for some 45 years and has been meticulously improved and maintained.

Dating back to 1935, the property was built using reclaimed Tudor bricks and beams from Beaudesert Hall in Staffordshire, which was previously owned by the Padget family, also of Nanpantan Hall.

Offers in excess of £1,800,000 are being sought.

For full particulars, contact Luke Billson at Savills on 0115 934 8020 or visit the Savills website at www.savills.com

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.

After 28 years, it is time for me to call it a day

OVER THE CHRISTMAS period

my mum turned 80 and we were able to celebrate that event and reflect on the important person she is in my life and many others’.

I am blessed that I still have both of my parents alive with me today and of course living in the same village. My mum has been a huge influence on me and in my formative years shaped my political values and the importance of family and community. She grew up herself in a strong family unit with 3 brothers and 3 sisters (one a step sister) and a wider extended family that included many in what we might call old Markfield. They all remained close until as the time has passed, they have each died leaving only one of her brothers still alive and my mum who was the youngest child. You cannot choose your family but having been close to mine, I would never have wanted for any different. That’s not to say we were or are perfect by any measure, or that arguments and disagreements did not happen over the years, but the bonds that bind us have been stronger than those that seek to separate.

Paul Towersey

As we saw in the new year, my Mum’s 80th birthday brought home to me the absence of so many loved family members who have departed this life. And not just family members but also the many people of Markfield and Stanton who are no longer around. The characters we have lost who made our communities so much richer. I was saddened just before Christmas to hear of the death of Paul Towersey, somebody who I had known well and who for some years was a neighbour. I am not sure if it’s my age, but I somehow don’t think we will see such people again; I do hope I am wrong.

The new year is seen as a time for new starts, people make resolutions, or they reflect on the changes they want to make in their lives. It allows us to reflect and to act. This is something I have been doing myself and I have decided that finally, after 28 years of proudly serving my community at Hinckley and Bosworth, it is time to call it a day. I shall not be seeking reelection next May.

It seems like an age ago that I was first elected, and it was. It was back in 1995 and mobile phones were still somewhat of a novelty and certainly not the norm. It was the tale end of the Conservatives 18-year period of office and a bit like today, their general level of competence had been found wanting and they had become increasingly unpopular with the public. At the time Markfield and Stanton had never had a Labour Councillor represent it, although my Uncle, Harold Russell, came close once. It was not a target seat but I won along with another local resident and Labour candidate, Leslie Neville – nee Robinson. In the years since I have had the pleasure to have shared office with Keith Vessey and Andy Furlong as fellow Labour Councillors for this area which has been some achievement.

So much has changed

It has been an immense privilege to represent the community in which I grew up and in which I have had the opportunity to have a family myself and see my children grow up in it. A community in which the schools I went to as a child are the very same schools my children have subsequently attended. So much is so familiar but in many ways so much has also changed. With your support I have spent the best part of nearly three decades fighting for our villages. Putting Markfield and Stanton first has always been my mission, but whatever has been achieved has been achieved together and these achievements have not taken place in a vacuum but alongside whatever national developments and political flows have occurred. Nothing has come easy but we shouldn’t forget that things are possible if we have a vision and a desire to make it so and are also sometimes willing to take a risk if the end product justifies it.

Tangible benefits

We have over the time of my tenure received significant investment into our communities that has delivered tangible benefits to the public like: Hill Hole Nature Reserve, Billa Barra Hill, Blacksmith’s Field, a muchextended Community Centre, the Community Park etc. These projects happen because resources are available, and the opportunities presented are taken at the time.

They do not just happen because people sit on the sidelines shouting. They happen by people working together with a shared objective of improving the community in which we live. I have been fortunate to operate in a time when much more harmony existed in our local community and the powers that be did pull together. It was also a time devoid of the echo chamber of social media which can be a force for good but so often becomes a mouthpiece for those who want to knock down and not build up and whose own motivations are questionable at best. Many of those who serve our communities are volunteers giving their time freely, and without their valuable input we will all be poorer.

It is clear to me that after 28 years I must admit to myself that I am tired and somewhat worn down. I can pinpoint several reasons for this. Unlike many fellow Councillors I am not retired and have a demanding full-time job that in recent years has required increasing travel.

Huge frustration

The constant pressure by developers supported implicitly by this Government to concrete over every acre of land has become increasingly draining to fight against. The ability to hold these same developers to account to provide genuine mitigation for the additional burdens is simply no longer present and is a source of huge frustration. The availability of resources to support our community is under serious threat and to be brutally honest unless

things change the situation looks increasingly bleak and it is deeply troubling. Not everyone will think so, but for me with my nostalgic reference points and memories of the past it has become somewhat hard to absorb.

It perhaps therefore best then that fresh invigorated candidates are elected to take on these battles going forward. They will need both strength and fortitude to deal with the external challenges we face let alone the internal ones. I am optimistic we have them and I believe they will make their own positive difference in the future.

Tremendous support

I have fought seven Borough Council elections and managed never to be defeated. I am and will be eternally thankful for the tremendous support I have had from so many local residents over so many years. I have the opportunity to speak with many of them either on the doorstep or in passing. I have had the great privilege of working with so many good people in our two villages and it was long a source of immense pride and enjoyment. That enjoyment has sadly dispersed and my vision for our community is not so universally shared.

I will of course continue to fight until the end of my term which has just a few months remaining. I will also continue to contribute to the Herald, something I am proud to have always done over the many editions that have been produced.

The Herald has been an important tool for me to reach out to residents and I thank the producer of the magazine for allowing me to do so over the years and in keeping the magazine going.

Markfield and Stanton are great places to live. They have a huge amount to be proud of and to cherish. We must however work hard together to keep it that way. Thank you.

Borough Councillor Matthew Lay writes in The Herald

Matthew

I have had the great privilege of working with so many good people in our two villages and it was a source of immense pride and enjoyment.

What is L VE?

A GROUP of 4-to-8-year-olds was once asked: ‘What does love mean?’ The answers they gave were surprising for their depth of insight….

– “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca – age 8

– “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

– “Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

– “Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your chips, without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

– “Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

– “Love is when mum makes coffee for my dad and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

– “Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mum and Dad are like that. They look gross when they kiss.” Emily – age 8

– “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” Nikka – age 6 (We need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

“My mummy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” –Clare, aged 6

“Love is when mummy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.” – Elaine – age 5

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day” Mary Ann – age 4

Are you looking for romance?

IF SO, you might like to visit Christian Connections, an award-winning Christian dating website.

It has won the public-voted Daters’ Favourite Site and Best Niche Site awards three years running.

With 22 years of experience, the site helps you to create some meaningful connections with like-minded Christians. Once you have met them, who knows what may happen? https://www. christianconnection.com

How to give your children a head-start in life

Services at Trinity Methodist Church Markfield

www.

markfieldmethodistchurch.org Sunday 15th January

CTiM United Service

10.30 a.m. Morning worship Sunday 22nd January

10.30 a.m. Morning worshipCovenant Service Sunday 29th January

10.30 a.m. Morning worship 6.00 p.m. Taize Prayer Sunday 5th February

10.30 a.m. Morning worship Sunday 12th February 10.30 a.m. Morning worship

Music Cafe

Thursday 26th January, 9th February, 23rd February

MAKE SURE they learn and memorise their times tables.

Knowing any multiple up to 12 times 12 is a “basic building block for success in life”, according to experts. That is why times table tests for Year 4 pupils in England were introduced last year.

The schools minister, Nick Gibb, calls knowing your times tables an “immensely valuable skill” that has personally helped him both as a chartered accountant, and also in just figuring out the “best multi-pack supermarket bargains.”

DIABETES AND COLD WEATHER

WINTER HAS WELL and truly arrived and, with the UK in the grip of freezing temperatures as the festive season approaches, we’ve put together some advice for how people living with diabetes can cope in the cold weather.

It really is important to stay warm, because the cold can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes – and diabetes makes people more at risk of these complications.

We know the cost-of-living crisis may affect your ability to heat your home, but you might be entitled to grants or benefits to help make your home more energy efficient. We’ve got more information about this on the Diabetes UK website. Follow NHS advice and heat your home to at least 18°C in the rooms you regularly use and keep bedroom windows closed at night.

Other tips include:

• Be aware of higher blood sugar levels. If you usually check your blood sugar levels, do this more often and be ready to adjust your diet or insulin dose, if you take insulin.

• Check your feet. Even though you’ll be layered up, remember to take your shoes and socks off each day to check for signs of foot problems.

• If you take insulin to treat your diabetes, keep a close eye on how you store it. It can freeze so don’t leave it in a car overnight. Extreme temperatures can affect diabetes tech, so follow manufacturers’ guidance and avoid exposing it to the cold weather.

• Stay as active as you can to help manage your diabetes. We know it’s a little more difficult in the colder months, but there are plenty of ways you can get active in the home.

For more support, information and guidance regarding diabetes and cold weather, visit diabetes.org.uk

Peter Shorrick

Regional Head, Diabetes UK Midlands and East

Don’t be on your own - join us for a music-based afternoon of friendship & fun on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month. For more information please contact Linda on 01530 242607.

“Come for a Cuppa”

Every Wednesday 10.00 - 12.00

We are open for a cuppa, biscuits and often “a treat” every Wednesday morning. There is no charge. Just come through the church to the back room where you’ll find a “Warm Welcome in a Warm Space”.

Quiz & Ploughman’s Supper

Friday, 27th January 7.00 pm

“Pit Your Wits in Teams of Six” Tickets priced £8 are now on sale. This is always a wellsupported and enjoyable evening with a substantial supper! Please contact 01530 242607 or 242166 for tickets and more information. We extend a warm welcome to everyone to join us for worship and at all our church activities.

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When I was 10, my father told me never to talk to strangers. We haven’t spoken since.

If so, please pass this copy on to a friend or relative after you’ve finished with it. It’s nice to

Local charity issues urgent appeal for shop donations

HAVING AN After Christmas Clear Out? Perhaps you’ve received an unwanted gift that needs a new home or you’re looking to declutter ready for a fresh start to the new year.

Age UK Leicester

Shire & Rutland has issued an urgent appeal, calling out to the community to donate any good quality, saleable stock including clothing, bric-abrac, books and furniture to their local Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland charity shop.

Donors can take pride in the knowledge that all money raised from the sale of goods donated is used to support local, vulnerable older people in the community through services such as befriending for the lonely and isolated, information and advice for those struggling to pay their bills and respite services to support older carers.

Anthony Donovan, Executive Director of Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland commented: “Whilst we have been overwhelmed by the support and generousity from the public in the last twelve months, currently our shops are desperately in need of stock.”

“We are a vital lifeline for many vulnerable older people and a source of support for not only them but their families who depend on us to support their loved one, as they many do not live nearby. We rely on fundraising support and the public’s donations of pre-loved items to enable us to raise the funds to provide vital services. By donating your goods now and on a regular basis you’re giving back and allowing us to continue to be there for those who need us the most” he adds.

Donations can be dropped off at any of Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland’s shops during opening times (full list here: https://www.ageuk.org. uk/leics/shops/) and collection of furniture and larger items can be arranged by calling 0116 299 2233.

South Charnwood High School

EXAMINATIONS INVIGILATORS REQUIRED

£10.88 per hour (Plus 12% additional holiday pay) South Charnwood High School is currently looking for Examination Invigilators to work as part of a team to support our Examinations Officer.

Experience is not necessary as full training will be provided, but enthusiasm is. Hours are between 8.00am and 4.00pm (as appropriate for the exams, but you will be required to be available for either a complete morning or afternoon or all day as required )

For an information pack and application form, please see the school website at www.southcharnwood.leics.sch.uk or email: exams@southcharnwood.org

BEING BORED is a good thing – in fact, it can stimulate you to greater creativity. But keeping boredom at bay with endless scrolling on social media will ensure that your creativity is stifled.

So say researchers at Bath University. They warn that endlessly distracting yourself to avoid “superficial boredom” has the effect of preventing your mind from entering the deeper state of “profound boredom.” In this state of malaise, you are in “existential discomfort” which in turn can stimulate you on to develop new passions and skills.

As one researcher explained: “This research has given us a window to understand how the ‘always-on’, 24/7 culture and devices that promise an abundance of information and entertainment may be fixing our ‘superficial boredom,’ but are actually preventing us from finding more meaningful things.

“Profound boredom may sound like an overwhelmingly negative concept but, in fact, it can be intensely positive if people are given the chance for undistracted thinking and development.”

The new study was published in the journal Marketing Theory.

Looking back on the space shuttle Columbia

TWENTY YEARS AGO, on 1st February 2003, the US space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during reentry, killing all seven astronauts.

It was the second space shuttle disaster after Challenger, which saw a catastrophic failure during launch in 1986. In both cases the “organisational culture” at NASA was blamed, because engineers’ advice was ignored.

This second disaster led to the suspension of the space shuttle programme. Instead, US astronauts fly to the International Space Station on Russian Soyuz rockets or aboard commercial spacecraft.

The Columbia disaster was caused by a large piece of foam falling from an external tank and making a hole in the aircraft’s wing during launch. This allowed gases to get into the shuttle during re-entry, causing its disintegration and the death

of the astronauts, who almost certainly lost consciousness before the shuttle broke up.

It would have been possible to examine pictures of the breached wing and look at possible remedies before re-entry, but NASA officials declined the opportunity. The search for debris over 2,000 square miles took weeks. Some 84,000 pieces were eventually recovered – nearly 40 per cent of Columbia by weight. Enough human remains were found to identify all crew members by DNA.

Seven asteroids discovered in July 2001 were named after the astronauts. The landing site of the Mars rover Spirit was named Columbia Memorial Station, and it included a plaque to the Columbia crew. Many other memorials are in place elsewhere.

Columbia had been the first space shuttle to fly in space – in April 1981 – and it completed 27 successful missions.

The Markfield Defibrillator Project WELL DONE MARKFIELD!

Look at the map on the next page and feel very proud of what you have supported.

ELEVEN 24-hour Defibrillators serving the village, well over half of which might not have happened without your generous support of the Defibrillator Project

The map celebrates Markfield’s achievement and shows the approximate location of each AED, and gives a public thank you to four Medical bodies/ charities: EMAS, The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, Heartbeat UK, and Markfield Medical Centre, whose support has been vital.

Please keep it for information, or even as a souvenir of the Project! Copies can be obtained from the Printers for display on notice boards round the village.

Markfield should also be hugely grateful to those, not directly assisted by the Project, who have installed Defibrillators/Cabinets: The Coop Store – The Coach and Horses - Hill Lane Industrial Estate – Markfield Court –Wigwam Holidays. A very big thank you to you all.

Many feel we live in a “What’s in it for me?” world, which asks

Newbold Verdon Jazz Club

OUR DECEMBER concert was well attended with everyone enjoying an evening with Richard Leach’s Street Band.

This band of talented jazz musicians lead by Richard Leach played an excellent selection of traditional music, including favourites, “Marching Through Georgia”, “Algiers Strut” and a folk tune, “Harlem”. The reeds player, Zoltan Sagi played a beautiful recently composed tune called “Crescent City Moon”. It’s good to know that new jazz tunes are still being written. The traditional mince pies and Christmas raffle were appreciated by the audience who clearly had a good evening.

For more details, please contact Pauline on 01162 865496 or Kelvin on 01455 822824, or see our website at www. newboldverdonjazz.wixsite.com

“What can society do for me?” NOT “What can I do for society?” But not in Markfield.

With just an exception or two, each person/organisation has quickly asked “How can I help?” and freely given generous donations, equipment, expertise, time and support.

In 2022 I tried to thank all who’ve supported the Project in large, or small, unsung ways. Thank you all again! In this issue I must mention some without whom the Project would have never got beyond an idea.

My old school friend James who had a cardiac arrest in Berkshire about twelve years ago, and made a nearly full recovery thanks to a Defibrillator and prompt resuscitation.

Norman Jesson at Markfield Court for his totally infectious enthusiasm and the link to Heartbeat UK.

Ben Ryrie from EMAS whose kindness, knowledge and

patience got me started and kept the Project and I going since day one.

Margaret Bowler who so generously gave me her time and let me pick her brain to convince myself that my ideas could work in Markfield, and who has since strongly supported the Project. Finally, the Markfield Medical Centre and my colleagues in its Patients Participation Group. I’m still amazed that you were brave enough to believe in the Project, and to let me loose for the last year or so, trusting me not to drop you all in it!

The Defibrillator Project has achieved way beyond its original aims, but it must now start winding up its current activities. Its achievements need to be preserved and fostered, the generosity of our supporters and the efforts of the past year cannot be allowed to wither away. The future will need a facility to provide access to ongoing advice

Thank you to Norwood Press (the printers of The Herald) for their very generous support with the brilliant design of the map, and the offer of various sized copies and enlargements of the Map on card and laminate.

and support for AED owners and the community.

Next month’s Herald will have a closing article on the Project linked to thoughts for the future for the village’s network of Defibrillators.

The need for Defibrillators goes hand in hand with Resuscitation and recent news of Cardiac Arrests are stark reminders that one could strike anyone, anytime.

Would You Know What To Do?

Richard Nevin, an East Midlands Ambulance Service Community Trainer and local First Responder, is giving another of his (entirely free) excellent hands on Sessions on Defibrillators and Resuscitation at 6.30 pm Monday 30th January 2023 at the Markfield Community Centre.

It will help if you can, if possible, pre-book your place by contacting the Centre by email to markfieldcommunitycentre@ hotmail.co.uk or ringing the Centre on 01530 242240}

My email contact address is still MarkfieldAEDProject@Outlook.com Very best wishes for 2023 Robert

Please don’t forget that to get the Code to the nearest in service Cabinet you must dial 999.

CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF ST WILFRID OF YORK AND HOLY CROSS

53 London Road, Coalville, LE67 3JB – 01530 832098

MORE CHANGES TO MASS TIMES AND VENUES from 26 November onwards due to the Amalgamation of Parishes

SUNDAY MASSES:

Saturday 6 pm – Holy Cross Church Whitwick*

Sunday 9 am – Holy Cross Church, Whitwick*

Sunday 10.30 am - St Wilfrid’s Church, Coalville

* Holy Cross Church, Parsonwood Hill, Whitwick, LE67 5AT.

WEEKDAY MASSES:

Monday 10 am – St Wilfrid’s Parish**

Tuesday – No Mass

Wednesday 10 am – Holy Cross Church

Thursday 10 am – St Wilfrid’s Parish

Friday 10 am – Holy Cross Church ** St Wilfrid’s weekday Masses are held in the Oratory. Please access via the front door of the Presbytery, beside the Church.

Sacrament of Reconciliation: You can book an appointment with Fr Gabriel to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. Please call the presbytery to book an appointment – 01530 832098.

Parish Contact: Parish Priest: Fr Gabriel Offor – 01530 832098 www. stwilfspriest@gmail.com

Parish Website: www. stwilfscoalville.blogspot.co.uk

Village Contact: Margaret on 01530 243292

Breathe deep

NOW HERE’S a trick that you probably haven’t tried before: next time you forget something, try taking some deep breaths. It seems that inhaling stimulates our brain, creating electrical activity where emotions, memory and smells are processed. In a recent American study, individuals were able to identify a face two seconds more quickly if they were breathing in through the nose, rather than breathing out.

The study was carried out at Northwestern University in Chicago, and it may also explain why we breath rapidly when afraid. “If you are in a panic state, you spend proportionally more time inhaling. …. Faster breathing could have a positive impact on brain function and result in faster response times.”

CHRISTMAS can seem magical… and New Year is often a time when we look forward in hope to the new year, make resolutions to do or stop doing certain things. But a few weeks into January, things can look very different. The third Monday in January is nicknamed “Blue Monday” for good reason.

Some of this mood of hope for a better world, but uncertainty about whether it can really happen, is expressed in the song “When a Child is Born” (sung recently at a Christmas Tea in one of my other churches). That song seems a good one for our times. After all that 2022 has thrown at us, with the war in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, and the strikes, we long for a “ray of hope”, a “rosy hue”. Yet we may feel, “it’s all a dream, an illusion now”.

The message of Christmas is that it isn’t a dream or an illusion. The world may not be perfect yet- but a child has been born to us. God has come into our world, and that can’t be reversed. What we hope for will come true, “sometime, soon, somehow”- indeed is already starting. May we look forward into 2023, knowing that God is with us, and loves us.

Judith Lincoln

Minister, Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield www.markfieldmethodistchurch.org

FB Markfield Methodist Church

Newtown Linford Ladies Luncheon Club

THIS LUNCHEON CLUB originally started in Newtown Linford but now has members from all over Leicestershire. If you wish to join us, see below.

December’s meeting started with a delicious 3 course Christmas Dinner followed by coffee and mints. This was excellent value for £19. After the meal, The LOROS Choir entertained the diners with a selection of beautiful carols. Some we could sing to and some were new carols to us. It certainly made us feel very festive. There was also a large Christmas Raffle in aid of The Cinnamon Trust.

There is a monthly meeting on every third Wednesday and you can have 3 visits initially to see if you wish to join. Members pay an additional £20 a year to cover the speakers’ fees on top of their monthly £19 for their meal. There are no meetings in July and August but often an outing is arranged instead. The venue is Lingdale Golf Club, Joe Moores Lane, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8TF. For more information telephone Sheila Price 0116 220 5225. All dietary needs are catered for.

Skip to the End

by Molly James

AMY HAS BEEN keeping a secret most of her adult life...

The women in her family have a gift, or is it a curse?

Since her first kiss, Amy has had visions of how her relationships will end. A date fleeing through the bathroom window. At the altar - runaway-bride style. There seems to be no end to the unhappy endings.

Then she drunkenly kisses three men at her best friend’s wedding, only to wake up with no memory of who she kissed. She knows she’s found ‘the one’ but now she must find out which one...

Roping in her friends, Amy sets off on a mission to find her true love.

Stocking up because of the war

THE SALES of portable generators, torches and candles have soared in recent months, amid concerns that Britain may face power cuts if it cannot import enough energy to maintain supply this winter.

As the National Grid warns of possibly tight supply levels, generator sales have tripled, torch sales are up by 43pc on 2021, and sales of candles have risen by 114pc in a year, according to Toolstation and John Lewis.

Clear Out Sale

THE FRIENDS of St Peter’s fundraising group is holding a ‘Clear Out Sale’ on 25th February from 11 am until 2 pm at Thornton Community Centre.

Come and make some money selling those bits and pieces you once loved but now need new homes, or gifts for which you have no further need.

To book a table, (6 foot for £5) contact Shirley via email churchwarden.thornton@ gmail.com or phone 01530 230422

Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger.

County Council News

I HOPE THAT you have had a wonderful Christmas and great start to 2023!

It was great to attend the Markfield Library Christmas Event; which I am told was attended by over 120 children and young people! Great work local volunteers for the benefit of the local community! Oh… and I even got to meet Mr and Mrs Christmas!

Budget

AS WE ENTER the New Year the County Council is in the process of setting its Budget for the coming year/s.

The priority is ensuring vulnerable people continue to receive services they depend on, despite soaring year-on-year demand.

We’ve set out an in-depth financial plan, designed to protect public services and support vulnerable people during tough economic times.

Difficult decisions lie ahead. Even with the proposed Council Tax increase, our funding is going up by less than inflation, making savings and ultimately service reductions inevitable.

Our budget for next year is £504m. Our income is mainly from Council Tax, as well as government grants for specific projects.

We publish a four-year budget plan every year, known as the medium term financial strategy. It includes areas where investment is planned to meet increased demand – known as growth – and areas earmarked for savings.

The financial outlook remains extremely tough with our budget gap set to rise to over £90m by 2026.

What are the proposals?

At a glance:

• £57m more to support vulnerable people - to pay for more home and

residential care, and support people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health needs. The number of home care users has increased by 600 since January 2020.

• £59m of efficiency savings - reducing back office costs by maximising digital technology, simplifying processes and providing the right level of support to residents.

• Service cuts totalling £4mincluding reviewing waste sites, streetlighting, Green Plaques and Shire Grants.

• A five per cent Council Tax rise

for 2023/24 - this equates to £1.39 a week for a Band D home and generates £17.7m for front line services.

• £508m four-year capital pot - for the cost of building roads, schools and other one-off projects

It’s never been more important for residents to have their say on these proposals.

This consultation can be accessed here:

https://surveys.leics.

Leicester Animal Aid New Year Update

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER that we were hoping to find Ralph the Husky a home by Christmas, and even roped in Santa to help with some Christmas Magic – well it worked!

Ralph went home in time for Christmas and is settling in well to his new home. Any animals that didn’t find their homes yet will have received a gift thanks to the generosity of everyone who helped with our Christmas Appeal, and we are hopeful of finding them all responsible and loving homes this new year.

We are busy planning the year ahead here at LAA, and we thought we would let you know about our on-site charity shops. Perhaps you are thinking of having a clear-out at home and are looking for somewhere to donate items? Please consider us if you have items that you no longer need but that could be sold to help raise much-needed-funds for our animals. We accept good quality clothing, homewares and children’s toys. You can find the full list of items on our website. You may even like to pop in and have a look round. Our shops are open from 10am-2pm Tuesday through to Saturday. We also have a pop-up coffee shop and sale, where there are some great bargains to be had, this takes place on the first Saturday of each month.

If you are thinking of adopting an animal you can find all the relevant information, including the profiles of our current cats and dogs on our website, and we are open for people to look round the Centre on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm for the Kennels, and 11am to 2pm for the Cattery.

Leicester Animal Aid is a rehoming centre for dogs and cats. Every year, we care for more than 300 dogs and cats who are lost, abandoned, neglected, unwanted or relinquished because their owners can no longer look after them.

We rely on the generosity of people like you to keep our doors open to the hundreds of animals who need our help.

You can find more information on the Leicester Animal Aid website, including the shop details and items that we accept for donations: https:// www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/charity-shop/charity-shop

When I was little, my grandfather asked me how old I was. I said ‘Five’. He said ‘When I was your age, I was six.’

Borough Councillor

Andy Furlong’s UPDATE

IT IS SAID THAT a picture is worth a thousand words. In this era of short attention spans, I guess the saying is more valid than ever.

Meeting with Robert Martin

IT TURNS OUT that the swimming pool incident was the tip of the iceberg insofar as discrimination against disabled children in Leicestershire is concerned.

Last year’s protests at County Hall revealed the level of anger amongst parents and carers in the county who feel badly let down by Leicestershire County Council’s handling of their cases. I wanted to find out more, so I met with Robert Martin (pictured above

me) before Christmas. Robert is the chair of the SEND Hub in Leicestershire, a parent/ carer-led organisation for families of children and young people with additional or special educational needs and disabilities

It’s not uncommon to hear friends and neighbours complaining that something “Is just not fair” and “Somebody – often the local councilneeds to sort it!” Sometimes a row breaks out. People start shouting about “Equal opportunities”; before long, others start protesting about “Political correctness gone mad”. Craig’s image tried to bring some sense to lively conversations like this; his picture went viral. The original cartoon featured three boys trying to watch a baseball game over a fence. The version I’ve used here is a little more risqué in that it depicts three women in a crowded nightclub trying to get a look at some male ‘entertainers’. You’ll know what I mean if you watched The Full Monty on TV over the holidays. Seeing their predicament, a kindly staff member provides three boxes to give the women a better view. As you can see, all three were offered the same help, but obviously, one still couldn’t see the show. They all had an equal ‘opportunity’ to jump on a box, but the outcome was still unfair for the woman in the orange dress. She’d paid her money to see the boys’ get ‘em off’ just like everyone else, but she was getting a raw deal - until her six-foot friend stepped in.

Disabled swimming ban?

BY NOW, you’re probably asking what all this has to do with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council? The answer is quite straightforward; all public bodies have a duty in law to eliminate discrimination. But, just like the wellmeaning staff member, they don’t always get it right. Here’s an example that landed in my inbox during the COVID-19 pandemic. I took a call from an angry parent who informed me that the council had banned his disabled child from using the swimming pool at Hinckley Leisure Centre.

Further investigation revealed that social distancing rules had been interpreted to prevent carers from entering the pool with disabled swimmers. Overzealous local management had cancelled swimming sessions for the disabled. A perfect example of a measure aimed at helping everyone in the community, failing to recognise the needs of a disadvantaged group. Imagine how you would have felt if this was your child or grandchild.

I made a few phone calls, and the situation was soon rectified, but the story should make us think. How often do we start out with good intentions but end up not fixing the problem or even making it worse?

Robert said there is much talk about a child-centred provision approach in Leicestershire. However, given the level of unmet need, the current arrangements are not working and SEND support is teetering on a cliff edge. After more than a decade of austerity, the County Council’s finances are in a mess, and the ‘Higher Needs’ budget, which supports the provision of special needs education across the county, is running a deficit exceeding £55 million – a situation described as ‘alarming and unsustainable’ in a recent report.

Inadequate provision

SADLY, the County Council’s response has been to pretend that the problem is exaggerated. In 2022 they hired an expensive firm of consultants who concluded that around seven out of ten SEND pupils in Leicestershire could be catered for in mainstream schools, and around a third of pupils who are currently supported by what is known as an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) don’t really need one.

Unsurprisingly, the SEND Hub don’t agree. Robert Martin told me that the consultant’s report totally undermined the County Council’s stated aim to provide the ‘Right care in the right setting for every child in Leicestershire’ and had been intentionally framed to drive a reduction in SEND provision in the county – provision that is already inadequate.

Returning to my nightclub example, it’s clear that SEND pupils in Leicestershire face a similar predicament. The picture is the same, but rather than adding more boxes or rearranging the existing boxes to give all pupils a fair chance of succeeding, the Conservative County Council appears determined to take them away.

Britain still ranks as the 5th wealthiest country in the world – surely we can do better than spend tax payers cash with consultants to justify axing services for disabled children?

Happy new year all.

Andy Furlong

Keep in touch on 07881 922293 or via andy.furlong@hinckley-bosworth. gov.uk and if you’re a parent or carer in Markfield and Stanton facing difficulty getting the right support for children with SEND, contact admin@ leicestershiresendhub.org.uk

So, I begin my first column of 2023 with a picture originally created by a US academic, Craig Froehle, back in 2012.

with

(SEND).

The Awake Dreamer

By Samantha Fey

DREAMS ARE capable of causing immense insights, creative bursts, bringing messages from loved ones, and have tremendous healing potential. With this book you will learn the power of your dreams and how to guide them.

In the world of dreams, inventors have discovered techniques to solve problems, scientists have conjured new medicines to heal the sick, artists have created poetry, plays, and songs. Many people have reported being visited by loved ones in heaven to bring messages of healing or warnings to prevent an upcoming disaster. Stories of precognitive dreams--some filled with wonder and hope while others foretell impending misfortunes--have been recorded for centuries.

In The Awake Dreamer, readers will learn how to utilize the dream state to expand their consciousness, reach out to loved ones in heaven, and use their sleep state to fully realize their soul’s potential. The book is comprised of stories, research, exercises, and techniques designed to show readers a whole new side to what it means to dream, including how to:

• Receive and give ancestral healing through our dreams

• Find the treasures of self-discovery buried in these scary experiences

• Invite healing dreams into your lives and request assistance

• Practice lucid dreaming, astral travel, and past life dream recall

• Remember your dreams better

With these skills you can become a Soul Traveler who has dreams that are very different from the average dreamer.

LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW WITH SAMANTHA ABOUT THIS BOOK on the Howard Hughes ‘The Unexplained’ website - at https://theunexplained. tv/episodes/edition-681-samantha-fey

USING CHURCH BUILDINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY - report

CHURCHES should improve the way their buildings are used by their community. And the survival of many local churches may actually depend on it.

So says a new report recently published the Cambridge Judge Business School, part of the University of Cambridge. Reimagining Churches as Community Assets for the Common Good (REACH Ely) found that one third of church buildings in the diocese of Ely cost more each year to run than they were able to raise.

As one expert pointed out: “The future survival of rural churches lies in their ability to serve the wider community.”

Happily, the report’s researchers found that even before the pandemic, numerous churches were beginning to offer community activities, ranging from blood donations to debt counselling to coffee mornings and concerts.

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Morrisons hiked prices more than any other major grocer in 2022

AS REPORTED by Sahar Nazir in the Retail Gazette, Morrisons hiked prices more than any other major grocer in the last year, resulting in a large number of customers switching to other supermarkets.

The grocer “rapidly” increased its prices in June, which meant it lost more shoppers than rivals last year, credit rating agency Moody’s said.

The price rises meant Morrisons lost market share, leading to it being overtaken by Aldi as the UK’s fourth biggest grocer.

Moody’s findings raises concerns over the Bradford-based grocer since its £7 billion takeover by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) in 2021.

Morrisons now has 9.1% of the market, down from 10% before the deal but up from 9% a month ago.

Moreover, Moody’s warned that Lidl could also overtake Morrisons “in the next couple of years”.

I tried to change my password to Beefstew1, but they said it wasn’t stroganoff.

QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE ON SJS GOOGLE REVIEWS FOR BOTH LEICESTER AND LOUGHBOROUGH

Dates for your diary at Little Markfield Farm

26th Feb - 4.30pm onwards

THE BISHOP OF LEICESTER IS COMING FOR TEA

All are welcome but please book for catering purposes

24th March - at 7pm

CURRY AND QUIZ NIGHT

Please book with Brenda

8th April 11 - at 2pm

EASTER EGG HUNT £3 per child

23rd April

DRIVE IT DAY

Please book your vehicle in with Brenda

26th May - at 7pm

QUIZ AND SUPPER

Please book with Brenda

11th June - 10.30 to 4pm FARM OPEN DAY

The real reason that women do more housework than men

ACADEMICS at the University of Cambridge have come up with a theory as to why women do more housework than men.

They call it the ‘affordance theory’, which says that men view unwashed dishes and unmade beds as a simple mess, without feeling the need to do anything about it, while women are instilled with an instinctive urge to tidy if they see clutter. The difference is rooted in early social training, it is thought.

The Cambridge University philosophers explain: “for any given domestic task, that task can afford acting on for an agent. A floor can afford sweeping, dishes can afford cleaning, mess can afford tidying, a crying infant can afford nappychanging, and so on.

“We suggest that for many domestic tasks, women are more likely to perceive the corresponding domestic task affordance.”

Prof Paulina Sliwa, a philosopher at the University of Vienna, agrees. “Neuroscience has shown that perceiving an affordance can trigger neural processes preparing you for physical action,” she said.

“This can range from a slight urge to overwhelming compulsion, but it often takes mental effort not to act on an affordance.”

Bosom Friends Leicestershire Celebrates 35th Anniversary

A LEICESTERSHIRE GROUP, which helps ladies affected by breast cancer, celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2022.

Bosom Friends is a group of ladies who have had, or are having, treatment for breast cancer. The group was formed in 1987 by breast cancer patients at Glenfield Hospital who wanted to give ladies the chance to talk to each other and to share their feelings about how to cope with the effects of breast cancer. Nurses at Glenfield Hospital helped to set up the group and continue to support it by displaying flyers and providing information for new members.

The group has been meeting ever since and continues to provide a friendly environment where the ladies can have some fun, relax and make friends within the safety of their common bond to one another.

Some of the meetings are “Coffee and Chat” which provide the

chance for the group members to talk and get to know one another. At others, they may have a guest speaker or demonstration. The group sometimes arranges social activities such as skittles evenings, boat trips and meals out.

The group have helped many women and their families over the last 35 years.

In the past 15 years alone 159 different ladies have come to meetings.

One lady has been attending the group regularly for 31 years, two others for 30 years. They still enjoy the friendship and support which Bosom Friends provides.

Another lady who joined the group this year said “I just wanted to say thank you for your meeting last week. I had lots of questions when I came. I found chatting to those around me very helpful. A lot of my fears were calmed. It’s great what you do!”

Over the years the group have fundraised to enable it to contribute

to charities such as LOROS and to provide much needed hospital equipment. More recently, during the Covid pandemic the group donated money to purchase comfort packs for hospital staff and have contributed to the Secret Garden at Glenfield Hospital, where patients and staff can relax. Hospital gowns for the Breast Care Unit at the hospital have also been provided by Bosom Friends.

The group celebrated their 35th birthday this year with a pub skittles evening. The finale to their 2022 programme was a Festive Evening, attended by Janet Till, one of the founding members of the group.

The Bosom Friends look forward to sharing many future years together.

The group meets on the last Thursday of each month (excluding December) from 7.30pm at Sue Young Cancer Support, Helen Webb House, 35 Westleigh Road, Leicester. LE3 0HH. Further details about the group can be found on their website: www. bosomfriendsleicestershire.com

Don’t bin those old batteries

VIRTUALLY EVERY home uses batteries.

Many are rechargeable, but when they eventually fail and become “zombie batteries” we have the chore of getting rid of them, as there are rules regarding the disposal of batteries. They should not be thrown in the waste bin, or even the recycling bin, but does it really matter?

Well, yes it does.

Some batteries contain lithium, which can ignite when placed under pressure and exposed to oxygen. These are often the conditions batteries come under in bin lorries or at the council’s depot, with potentially dangerous effects.

Waste crews regularly salvage dumped batteries from recycling and waste bins, and at least a quarter of people in the UK admit to binning batteries. The total annual cost of battery fires to the country has been estimated at £150 million.

Batteries that haven’t been removed from electricals cause more than 700 fires in waste trucks and waste sites, according to research conducted amongst local authorities. Nearly 90% said that fires caused by batteries are an increasing problem. There are now 350% more fires caused by batteries in the waste stream than previously reported.

A national campaign aims to tackle the growing number of serious fires started by carelessly discarded batteries Both Barwell and Coalville recycling household waste sites were forced to close temporarily last year, after discarded batteries caused fires.

In June 2022 the Barwell site was shut after a fire caused by a battery damaged the rubbish compacting machinery.

In November fire crews were called to a smoking bin lorry in Thringstone and in the Coalville area the crew noticed smoke from the back of the waste lorry. They found discarded batteries and a dumped laptop, which could also have exploded en-route.

In September motorists tried to stop a refuse vehicle after a blaze caused by batteries broke out during a collection trip in the Melton area.

Advances in recycling

In 2021 a team led by Leicester University developed a new battery recycling method using ultrasonic waves to separate valuable materials from electrodes. It was developed with the Faraday Institution to tackle recycling of

electric vehicle batteries.

“This novel procedure is 100 times quicker and greener than conventional battery recycling techniques and leads to a higher purity of recovered materials,” said Project Leader Professor Andy Abbott.

Disassembly of lithium-ion batteries has been shown to recover around 80 per cent of the original material.

Where can I find out more?

You can find more about the dangers of “zombie batteries” by visiting www.takecharge.org. uk. If you want information about where to take used batteries, or advice from the County Council, just Google grobylinx and select Spotlight Links for a longer version of this article.

Norman Griffiths

I came into this world screaming and I still haven’t stopped.

Joe Woodward’s most successful season yet

LOCAL YOUNG RACER Joe Woodward (19) has continued to improve on last season with his most successful year yet, competing in the Classic Motorcycle Racing Club Championships in the Superstock 750, Production and ACU National Post Classic750 Championships.

He finished second in the Production Championship on a 400 against a grid of 600cc machines, easily won the Superstock 750 Championship whilst acquiring 4 new lap records and won the ACU 750 Championship competing against a variety of machines from within the Club.

His fast, smooth and consistent riding also meant he was offered a ride at 2 meetings on a Moulneax Manx Norton 500 in the Classic races including the ACU National 500 race. He adapted to the unique bike quickly, finishing second in the ACU 500 class at Donnington and also running second at Croft when he was forced to retire on the last lap with a gearbox issue.

Woodward also had a guest ride with Thundersport GB, racing a SV650 for the first time, gaining 2 podium finishes including a win. Please follow him on Facebook joe.woodwardracing#46racing to see his progress through 2023.

For the 2023 season Woodward was keen to compete in the new BMW F900 cup which is supporting British and World Superbike rounds in the UK, replacing the current Ducati Tri-options cup. but has been unable to secure funding to cover the tyre, spares and fuel bill (approx. £20,000).

For 2023 he will continue to compete with the CRMC in the Superstock 400 class, the British Super-mono championship and when available the Moulneax Manx 500.

If any local companies would like to support this local racer, currently competing on a very limited budget, either supporting his current endeavours or so that he can compete the BMW F900 cup please email us on:

Joe46WoodwardRacing@gmail.com

The Desford Striders are running Couch to 5K this Spring

THE COUCH TO 5K is a structured programme based on running science aimed at complete beginners, people who want to return to running after a period away through injury or personal choice and for anyone wanting to find a new pastime or way to stay fit and healthy.

The programme lasts for eight weeks and aims to take total beginners from a standing start to being able to run five kilometres without stopping.

The programme is aimed at complete beginners. If you have never run a step in your life we guarantee you will be able to take part and, with some perseverance and effort, will be able to run five kilometres non-stop by the end of the programme.

Our next Couch to 5K programme begins on the week beginning Monday 16 January 2023 and runs every week through to an extra-special ‘graduation’ 5K run on Saturday 11 March, when Desford Striders will take over the running of the Braunstone Parkrun.

For more information, visit the Desford Striders website at https://www.desfordstriders.co.uk/c25k

HERALD SMALL ADS

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Explaining birth

An expectant mother let her four-year-old place his hand on her tummy and feel the baby kick.

The little boy was amazed and wondered aloud how the baby would ever get out. To keep it simple, the mother just said, “The doctor will help.”

Her son’s eyes widened: “You‘ve got a doctor in there, too?!”

• OAK CABINET to sit on top of sideboard, 145cm wide by 107cm high. Has 2 glazed cupboards, 2 central shelves, 3 drawers under. Collection only. Price: £100. Tel: 07496 470701 (Markfield)

• Langstons solid light oak EXTENDING ROUND PEDESTAL TABLE with 4 upholstered CHAIRS (beige), matching SIDEBOARD and glass fronted TV CABINET. Would sell seperately. 8 years old - in perfect condition. Offers when viewed. Tel: 01530 249853 (Markfield Court Retirement Village

• NEXT BOOKCASE/ DISPLAY - oak effect. Unit dimensions are Height 173 cm by Width 90cm by Depth 30 cm. Price: £125.00 o.n.o. Tel: 07766 676469 (Glenfield)

IF YOU HAVE any household items which you’d like to advertise FREE in the Herald, please SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum 8 items please. Our postal address is: Herald Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@ markfieldherald.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).

Letter from Uncle Eustace

On why rural churchgoers like to freeze in church

The Rectory St James the Least

My dear Nephew Darren WINTER certainly exposes the difference between those of you who live in cities and us rural folk.

While you bask in your centrally heated flat, with every modern convenience that could be imagined and complain about the half an inch of slush that makes your life so inconvenient, we country folk wear overcoats in our houses, open all doors and windows to let the heat in and battle through snow drifts, measured in feet, to get the morning paper.

Colonel Wainwright has acquired a new toy: a snow blower, of sufficient power that I believe it could clear the Antarctic. He kindly volunteered to clear the paths around the church. Working outwards from the church door, the path to the church soon became snow free. Unfortunately, he only realised when his job was complete that the blown snow then formed a five-foot drift under the lychgate. We now have to climb over the churchyard wall and negotiate buried gravestones before we can reach his pristine paths.

Miss Margison, ever meaning to be helpful, decided to unfreeze the pipes in the church hall. A blow torch was not the ideal solution, although the resulting burst did make some rather attractive ice sculptures round the kitchen equipment. The village badminton team that uses the hall has now temporarily changed sport, to ice hockey.

Inevitably, our congregation has soared these past few weeks. There is nothing like adversity for making people want to prove they have the moral fibre to overcome it. Much satisfaction seems to be obtained on discovering who has not dared venture out, which is taken as judgement on their strength of character. The Prentices upstaged most people by arriving on a sleigh. Mr Prentice was warmly wrapped in a travelling rug, while his wife pulled it. As her husband explained, he couldn’t possibly let the pony work in such conditions.

What I momentarily thought was applause during my sermon was merely people keeping their hands warm and the hymns were drowned out by the stamping of feet. Our organist complained that the cold made his fingers so numb that he couldn’t play properly – although I didn’t notice that things were much different from normal.

No, my dear nephew, you continue to fret about your church heating dropping to temperate, and a few flakes of wet snow obliging you to close your carpark for health and safety reasons. We shall continue to triumph heroically over adversity and return home after Mattins, feeling we have proved our Christian commitment by being utterly uncomfortable.

Your loving uncle, Eustace

The key to a happy life

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH is the biggest single predictor of your personal happiness. So, suffering from depression or anxiety disorders can devastate your life.

Finding love is also a vital ingredient for happiness. “People need to be needed, and to be in meaningful relationships”, says a recent study by the London School of Economics.

It goes on: “Happiness is hugely affected by the ethos of a society, which affects everyone in it. For example, happiness is higher in societies where people trust each other. Freedom is also a crucial determinant of happiness.”

The report also found that a boost in income, or more education, did not significantly affect our overall well-being. Having good mental health and someone to love were far more important.

Avoid the flu

How Vitamins C, D

Zinc can strengthen your immune system

RESEARCH has shown that daily doses of vitamin C, vitamin D-3 and Zinc offer significant boosts to the immune system. Zinc is also an essential mineral to the thymus gland, which orchestrates the immune function in the human body.

(https://doctorsnutrition.com/)

When I asked if you’d like to go out on a date sometime, I meant with me.

and

Church Services

DATE CHURCH TIME SERVICE

15 January 2023

23 January 2023

St Michaels and All Angels, Markfield 10.30am United Service

St Peter's, Copt Oak 3.00pm Holy Communion

St Peter's, Thornton 10.30am Holy Communion

St Mary's, Stanton under Bardon 10.30am J22 Community Worship & Holy Communion

St Michaels and All Angels, Markfield 3.00pm Evening Prayer

St Michaels and All Angels, Markfield 6.00pm Holy Communion

St Peter's, Copt Oak 10.30am

Evening Prayer

St Peter's, Thornton 10.30am Morning Prayer

St Mary's, Stanton under Bardon 10.30am Something Different Service

Remembering Lewis Carroll, creator of Alice in Wonderland

30 January 2023

St Michaels and All Angels, Markfield 10.30am Benefice Service at Thornton

St Peter's, Copt Oak 10.30am Benefice Service at Thornton

St Peter's, Thornton 10.30am Benefice Service at Thornton

St Peter's, Thornton 10.30am Benefice Service at Thornton

St Mary's, Stanton under Bardon 10.30am Christingle

JUST 125 YEARS AGO, on 14th January 1898, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, an English author, poet, photographer and mathematician, died of pneumonia. His pen name was Lewis Carroll, and he was best known for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and the poems Jabberwocky and The Hunting of the Snark.

5 February 2023

St Michaels and All Angels, Markfield 10.30am J22 Community Worship Service

St Peter's, Copt Oak 6.00pm Holy Communion

St Peter's, Thornton 10.30am Breakfast Service at Thornton Community Centre

St Mary's, Stanton under Bardon 10.30am Holy Communion

Leicestershire County Council

More than 30,000 trees given away

A RECORD 34,000 trees have been given away to landowners and farmers in a bid to encourage more tree planting across Leicestershire.

More than 100 community groups, parish councils, schools, landowners and farmers went along to Beaumanor Hall near Loughborough in November to pick up their tree packs, in what was the biggest tree giveaway ever undertaken by Leicestershire County Council in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

The free tree and hedgerow packs are designed to help renew and restore existing woodland and vegetation, as well as replacing trees which have been affected by diseases such as ash dieback.

Each tree pack includes 45 native trees - 15 each of oak, crab apple and hazel. The hedgerow packs are made up of 250 hedgerow shrubs, including a mix of hawthorn, hazel, blackthorn, field maple, dog rose as well as oaks to plant at regular intervals along the hedgerow.

A brilliantly inventive writer, Carroll was also a deacon in the Church of England, and a firm Christian – some have even claimed that Alice is a biblical allegory, with the Cheshire Cat as God. (Carroll was born in Cheshire.)

Carroll was a maths lecturer at Oxford, and Alice Liddell – who provoked the story of Alice – was the daughter of one of his colleagues. She had two sisters, Lorina and Edith, who were also close to Carroll, a bachelor who remained celibate throughout his life. He was known to be good with children, unsurprisingly for an eldest son with eight younger brothers and sisters – and at one point was invited to entertain two grandchildren of Queen Victoria.

The book Alice in Wonderland and its sequel have been subject to huge numbers of unlikely interpretations, ranging from drug use to being the outpouring of migraine aura symptoms. But most people continue to regard them as masterpieces of fantasy literature, produced by a highly intelligent and sensitive man.

The Alice books might never have seen the light of day, had not novelist Henry Kingsley come across the first version on a visit to the Liddells, and urged Alice’s mother to persuade the author to publish it. Carroll consulted another author - his friend George Macdonald, whose son Greville, aged six, apparently said he “wished there were 60,000 volumes of it”.

By the time of Carroll’s death, the two-volume Alice was the most popular children’s book in England.

I tried to watch the world origami championships on TV, but it’s only on paper view.