Glenfield Gazette May 2023

MONTHLY NEWS, INFORMATION & ENTERTAINMENT FOR GLENFIELD

Glenfield Millenium Green Community Events

Calling all bargain hunters!

GLENFIELD

MILLENIUM GREEN

are hosting a Table Top and Plant Sale on the 20th May between 10am12pm.

If you would like to sell some of your own things and would like to book a table, please contact us via facebook or our website. www.glenfieldmilleniumgreen.weebly.com

The tables cost £5 and all money raised will go directly to supporting the upkeep of this green space.

We look forward to seeing you on the Green!

‘Huge reduction in energy costs’

Harnessing solar power at Glenfield Primary

Octogenarian Eve gets her head shaved for charity

EVE WHEELER loves to help others whenever she can, she is currently knitting baby blankets for the charity ADAPT

Prem babiesLeicestershire

Eve says “I had 2 dreams about fundraising for LOROS and at 83 decided that skydiving or long walks were not for me, so shaving my head seemed the next best thing.

A meal has been arranged at Chef & Spice on Tuesday May 30th £20 per person where part of the cost of the meal is donated to the charity. If you would like to come, please contact Sharon at sharon29bird@gmail. com, or if you would like to make a donation, visit: https://www. justgiving.com/page/evewheeler-1679338723671?utm_ term=9Bgyw9KyE

Letter

Let’s tidy Glenfield up

GLENFIELD PRIMARY School saw a large array of solar panels installed over Easter.

With energy prices soaring, this should see a huge reduction in energy costs for the school, allowing more funding to be directed to those that matter most, the pupils.

Scholars Academy Trust, who run the school, are committed to reducing their reliance on fossil fuels and this project is the first of many across the Trust.

The school is also in the process of having all its lights changed to energy saving LEDs. The use of renewable energy is also going to be taught in classes across the school to help pupils understand the importance of reducing our carbon footprint whilst also discussing the evolution of careers within the green sector.

This project will benefit multiple families across Glenfield and the wider community for years to come.

I HAVE SPENT the last 45 years trying to keep Glenfield tidy by constantly writing to the councils and picking up litter myself.

Glenfield area is a disgrace. The old trading estate is even worse. My wife and I have just spent our time early Sunday morning litter picking our local park. The litter had been deliberately strewn to all four corners of the park. There are plenty of cameras in place to catch culprits on video.

I have recently sent an email to Keep Britain Tidy Charity in the hope they may put pressure to bear on councils. This e.mail was then sent to all of the local councils.

My neighbour, Phil and I often pick rubbish up from around the area we live including the flash flood area where no council will accept responsibility. It would help if there was a campaign for residents to pick up rubbish directly in from of their homes shops and places of work.

Bryan Hempson, Glenfield

Did you know these 10 Facts about King Charles III?

1. He was born at 9.14pm on 14th November 1948, to Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, at Buckingham Palace in London.

2. He has been heir-apparent to the throne since he was three years old.

3. He is the first monarch in British history to have earned a university degree. From 1967 to 1970 he studied history at Cambridge University.

4. He can speak Welsh. He spent two months learning the language in 1969, as he prepared to become the Prince of Wales. He still speaks it today.

5. He is a qualified pilot and diver. While serving in the military in the 1970s, he trained as a jet and helicopter pilot and became a confident diver.

6. He is a keen watercolour painter, a published author, and a music lover, who played the cello at Cambridge. He has done some TV: making a guest appearance on Coronation Street, and presenting the BBC weather forecast.

7. As Prince of Wales, he founded nearly 20 charities. Together, they raise £140million each year for good causes. He is passionate about the environment, speaking out against plastic pollution as early as 1970. He has planted many trees during royal engagements.

8. Aged 73, King Charles III is the oldest monarch ever to be crowned in British history. He became King on 8th September 2022, after the death of his mother, the Queen, in Balmoral.

9. As head of the Commonwealth, King Charles III is monarch of each of the 14 Commonwealth realms: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papau New Guinea, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. As King, he’s also the only person in the UK who can travel abroad in the Commonwealth without a passport and drive without a licence.

10. King Charles III has two children, Princes William and Harry, and five grandchildren. Prince William is next in line to become King and was named the Prince of Wales in 2022.

If a vicar asks you for money…

IF YOU ARE contacted by a clergyman asking you for money, beware! It is a scammer.

Scammers have been impersonating various clergy, including even the Archbishop of York, to ask priests and other church people to buy them Amazon vouchers and online gift cards.

The scammers use either emails or texts, and their message is along the lines: “I have a request I need you to handle discreetly.” They then say: “I am currently busy in a prayer meeting, so no calls – just reply to my email.” Then the message asks the intended victim to send them financial help, usually in the form of vouchers or gift cards.

The police reckon that the scammers have trawled church websites for the contact details of clergy and parish officials. At least one person is believed to have been fooled – and lost £1000 in a scam.

As diocesan spokesman said: “It seems this is a national trend.” The police are looking into it, and meanwhile, advising people that: “Clergy will never ask you to give them money, vouchers, or personal banking details directly, even to help someone in need…. it is a scam.”

It happened in May

How an argument over tea led to the founding of America

SOME 250 YEARS AGO, on 10th May 1773, Britain passed the Tea Act, which favoured the British East India Company over the American colonies. This led to the Boston Tea Party in December, which escalated into the American Revolution and the establishment of the USA.

The idea of the Tea Act was to help the struggling British East India Company to dispose of its vast holdings of tea profitably in the American colonies, where much of the (inferior) tea came from Dutch sources and was smuggled in. But the colonists reacted strongly against the attempt to manipulate their tea-buying, and against British taxes generally, which they regarded as taxation without representation.

Later the same year this led to what has become known as the Boston Tea Party, where a large group of citizens, calling themselves the Sons of Liberty and dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded the British tea ships and threw 92,000 pounds of tea into the harbour.

This was not a violent insurrection. No-one was injured, and it was reported that the Sons of Liberty swept the decks of the ships afterwards. But British politicians of all sides were appalled, not least because many of them had substantial holdings in the British East India Company.

Added to the ill-feeling resulting from the Boston Massacre in 1770, in which five people died after British troops had been taunted, this led in two short years to the American War of Independence, which changed everything.

Life abundant

TWO STUDENTS from a theological training college decided to spend part of their holiday in the countryside doing outreach.

They stopped at an old farm house and proceeded up the path through a group of screaming children and a washing line heavy with wet clothes. When they got near the door, the woman of the house stopped scrubbing the steps, brushed her hair and perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they wanted. “We’d like to tell you how you can live forever,” they answered.

The exhausted woman hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “Thank you, but I don’t think I could stand it!”

Telephone support

WE KNOW it can be difficult to stay socially connected, but keeping in touch and chatting with others can have a huge impact. Conversations can create connections, offer new perspectives, teach you new things, boost happiness, and increase mental wellbeing.

Which is why the NHS Volunteer Responders programme has reintroduced the Check in and Chat service, where local readers who would like a friendly chat or simply a listening ear can request a phone call with a volunteer, whether it be a oneoff call or a series of calls.

Receiving a Check in and Chat call is easy and completely free. Readers in Glenfield can organise it by calling 0808 196 3382 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week). You can also visit nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk where you will find further information.

If your readers would like a call, we are encouraging them to please reach out on the number above, or, to share this information with a loved one, friend, neighbour, or anyone who may need a little extra support and would benefit from a Check in and Chat call.

Thank you.

Sam Ward OBE Deputy CEO at Royal Voluntary Service

Age Concern Glenfield

THE AGM took place on 21st March 2023.

During 2022, the ‘Drop In’ were able to arrange two outings: Stamford and Birmingham Christmas market, plus a Christmas Party with catering by The Nook Corner Coffee Shop in Anstey.

And by the time this issue of the Gazette comes out, whe will have enjoyed a ‘High Tea’ to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.

At the Annual General Meeting, three of the committee members retired after 18 years:

• Mr John Springthorpe - Chairman

• Yvonne Meadows - Treasurer

• Doreen Price - Social

Everyone expressed their thanks for their service.

We were very lucky as three volunteers stepped in to cover these vacancies, so the ‘Drop In’ will still be running on Fridays between 1.00pm and 2.30pm.

Thank you for your support!

Doreen Price

W o u l d y o u l i k e t o t r a i n y o u r d o g t o b e m o r e r e s i l i e n t , h a v e m e n t a l s t r e n g t h a n d b e a b l e t o c o p e i n s i t u a t i o n s t h e y f i n d t h e m s e l v e s i n ? W o u l d y o u l i k e t h e m t o b e c a l m , t o o r i e n t a t e b a c k t o y o u a n d b e a b l e t o s e l f - r e g u l a t e ?

W o u l d y o u l i k e t o d e v e l o p Y O U R c o n f i d e n c e i n h a n d l i n g y o u r d o g ?

W e u s e p o s i t i v e m e t h o d s o f d o g t r a i n i n g t o g e t t h e b e s t o u t o f y o u r p a r t n e r s h i p C o n c e p t d o g t r a

My uncle is such a noisy eater that when he started on his soup in the restaurant, four couples got up to dance.

The Glenfield Gardeners’ Association

IT’S ALL ‘GO’ in the garden now and for any gardeners lacking inspiration and enthusiasm, found a wheel barrow loads of it at our April meeting.

The Glenfield Gardeners’Association

PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT

Tel: 0116 287 3122

info@glenfieldgazette.com

www.glenfieldgazette.com

The Glenfield Gazette is a monthly local magazine delivered free to approximately 5,000 homes and businesses in Glenfield.

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 Glenfield Gazette Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. The Glenfield Gazette cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith.

It’s all ‘go’ in the garden now and for any gardeners lacking inspiration found a wheel barrow loads of it at our April meeting. Darren Rudge, a designer, popular on BBC West Midlands, Coventry and Warwickshire fascinating and fun ideas on how to save money in the garden. For example, over trays make mini propagators, lard in a planting hole will feed and you can make your own brandy courgettes. And ladies, any spare repurposed as hanging baskets or

It’s all ‘go’ in the garden now and for any gardeners lacking inspiration and enthusiasm, found a wheel barrow loads of it at our April meeting. Darren Rudge, a renowned landscape designer, popular on BBC West Midlands, Coventry and Warwickshire radio brought some fascinating and fun ideas on how to save money in the garden. For example, shower caps over trays make mini propagators, a half block of lard in a planting hole will feed a shrub for two years and you can make your own brandy from overgrown courgettes. And ladies, any spare bras could be repurposed as hanging baskets or bird feeders!

Darren Rudge, a renowned landscape designer, popular on BBC West Midlands, Coventry and Warwickshire radio brought some fascinating and fun ideas on how to save money in the garden. For example, shower caps over trays make mini propagators, a half block of lard in a planting hole will feed a shrub for two years and you can make your own brandy from overgrown courgettes. And ladies, any spare bras could be repurposed as hanging baskets or bird feeders!

Time

I DON’T KNOW about you, but it seems to me that time is speeding up. Being of advanced years, but still having a busy life, I find myself running out of time on an increasingly regular basis.

If like me, you have certain ‘markers’ in your week, have you noticed them coming around faster?

Only the other day, I said to my significant other, “Is there still just one Friday in each week?” as we sat down to watch ‘Gogglebox’.

After much deliberation, I now have a theory as to why time appears to speed up when you get older.

More categories have been decided for our annual show in August and our full show schedule will be out soon. Copies will be found in the library and Park House. For those of you who enjoy entering our baking classes, we’ve got some old favourites this year. Aware of the rising cost of baking ingredients, we’ve gone back to basics and would love to see your best Scones, Lemon Victoria Sponge, Jam tarts and Bread rolls. For our younger entrants, how about Raspberry Buns and Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits and they can get creative making ‘a magazine collage’ or anything from an egg box.

More categories have been decided for our annual show in August and our full show schedule will be out soon. Copies will be found in the library and Park House. For those of you who enjoy entering our baking classes, we’ve got some old favourites this year. Aware of the rising cost of baking ingredients, we’ve gone back to basics and would love to see your best Scones, Lemon Victoria Sponge, Jam tarts and Bread rolls. For our younger entrants, how about Raspberry Buns and Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits and they can get creative making ‘a magazine collage’ or anything from an egg box.

More categories have been decided show in August and our full show out soon. Copies will be found in House. For those of you who enjoy entering our baking classes, we’ve favourites this year. Aware of the rising cost of baking ingredients, we’ve gone back to basics and would love to see your best Scones, Lemon Victoria Sponge, Jam tarts and Bread rolls. For our younger entrants, how about Raspberry Buns and Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits and they can get creative making ‘a magazine collage’ or anything from an egg box.

All are welcome to come along to our meetings. You don’t have to be a member. We meet at 7.30pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month in St Peter’s Church Hall. Yearly membership is just £16 or you can come for the evening for £3, an absolute gardening bargain and there is always tea and biscuits. Check out our facebook page for more details www.facebook.com/ ggaglenfield/ or ring us on 07791 488784 or 0116 231 3732.

To a child of say three years of age, a year represents one-third of their total life experience.

To a senior citizen like myself, however, a year represents one-seventieth of my total life experience.

Could that be why the same period of time seems to flash past a lot more quickly as you grow older?

All are welcome to come along to our meetings. You don’t have to be at 7.30pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month in St Peter’s Church Hall. is just £16 or you can come for the evening for £3, an absolute gardening is always tea and biscuits. Check out our facebook page for more details

All are welcome to come along to our meetings. You don’t have to be a member. We meet at 7.30pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month in St Peter’s Church Hall. Yearly membership is just £16 or you can come for the evening for £3, an absolute gardening bargain and there is always tea and biscuits. Check out our facebook page for more details www.facebook.com/ggaglenfield/ or ring us on 07791488784/2313732

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission.

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

All contents © The Glenfield Gazette. None of the articles or adverts contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from The Glenfield Gazette.

Liz Douglas

General Knowledge

Across

5. Spotted or calico horse (5)

8. Implements for practical use, tools (8)

9. Hair on the chin (5)

10. Building near to or up against a main building (8)

11. City in central Egypt on the east bank of the Nile (5)

14. Evergreen tree with small berries and glossy aromatic leaves (3)

16. White sheep originating in Spain (6)

17. Discrimination against a person in the latter part of life (6)

18. Diving bird of northern seas (3)

20. Brass instrument without valves (5)

24. Capital of Hawaii (8)

25. Genetic copy (5)

26. Type of very hot Indian curry (8)

27. Capital of Ghana (5) Down

1. Second largest of the Great Lakes (5)

2. Mooring (5)

3. Berkshire town, famous for its racecourse (5)

4. Colourless watery fluid of blood (6)

6. Lumps of frozen water, usually with six sides (3,5)

7. Herbivorous land turtle (8)

12. Government whose head of state is not a monarch (8)

13.

www.facebook.com/ggaglenfield/ or ring us on 07791488784/2313732

I think this could be the answer, as you don’t often hear youngsters complaining that time is flying by. But, there is one area where this theory seems to fall down. Whenever there are road works in Glenfield which necessitate the use of temporary traffic lights, the time taken for the cones to be removed seems to drag on and on and on ... long after any sign of activity by the hole diggers. Why is that?

Merchant who designs and sells hats (8)

14. Fluffy scarf of feathers (3)

15. Ox from Tibet (3)

19. Imaginary place considered perfect (6)

21. ___ Allen, US filmmaker and comic actor (5)

22. Pen made from a bird’s feather (5)

23. Royal house of which Elizabeth I was a member (5)

MILLINGTON

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Half price drinks on Saturday (7-11pm)

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Perfectly placed on the sea front between Central and South Piers

The Blackpool Tower and the Grand Theatre can be reached within a short stroll. Magnificent Theatre Bar with dance floor, attractive lounge bar, comfortable cocktail bar and relaxing lounge, games room with pool tables and large restaurant

BY COACH: SELF DRIVE: NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS Upgrade to a Sea View room for £15pp

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How to get a great phone without breaking the bank

Today’s best phones are technological triumphs with price tags to match. But the truth is that for many of us, we simply don’t need all that power. You don’t need £800 of hardware to run WhatsApp, do a bit of online shopping and shoot the odd selfie. The good news is that budget phones don’t necessarily mean bad phones. You can spend half the price of a flagship, and sometimes even less, and get something perfectly decent. If you buy SIM-free you’ll have to pay the whole cost upfront but in the long term it works out much cheaper, because you can get a separate contract that isn’t subsidising the initial cost of your phone. For example, networks such as Lyca or Lebara can give you unlimited texts and calls and 3GB of monthly data for less than £2 per month – and you’re not tied into a long-term contract. If you’re a big data user, Virgin Media currently offers 15GB for £3.50 per month.

Budget phones come into four main price brackets. The best buys under £100 are feature phones, which tend to be pretty basic but offer great battery life and key apps such as Facebook or WhatsApp. Go over £100 and you’re moving into smartphone territory, and while you won’t get the fastest phones or the best cameras here, you’ll still be able to get a good all-rounder and use apps such as Spotify. If you go beyond £200 you might be surprised by just how good the phones in this price bracket are. And as you near £400 things get even better, with firms such as Samsung offering very powerful phones with excellent cameras. The only bigname firm that isn’t really represented here is Apple – at the time of writing their cheapest iPhone, the iPhone SE 2022, is £449. But that’s still a lot cheaper than the iPhone 14, which starts at £849. Whatever you’re buying, keep an eye out for tradein deals. You won’t get much money trading in a basic phone or one that hasn’t been looked after, but even £20 or £30 off the price can make your new phone that little bit more of a bargain. The best trade-in deals tend to be offered by phone manufacturers themselves rather than retailers. And don’t forget outlets such as eBay, where phones are often sold even more cheaply. As ever with auctions, read the small print and check the seller’s feedback ratings before committing to buy.

Some proofreading needed!

THE FOLLOWING true-life headlines found in local newspapers make you wonder: is proofreading a dying art?

• Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter

• Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

• Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

• Miners Refuse to Work after Death

• Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

• War Dims Hope for Peace

• If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

• Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

Planning Apps

Nokia

Tough Nokia’s feature phones were everywhere in the 90s, and while today it makes lots of budget smartphones it also makes some great, simple phones like the military-spec 800 Tough. £99, Nokia.com

This is still a lot of money, of course, but if you want an iPhone this is the cheapest one Apple currently makes. It looks quite old but inside it has a recent, fast processor and a pretty good camera too. £449, apple.com

Single, two and three storey front, side and rear extensions, alterations and raising of roof height to accommodate second storey, balcony / terrace to rear and installation of front boundary wall and gates (amended scheme to 21/0446/ HH) - at 123 Station Road, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8GS

Two and single storey front, side and rear extensions - at 77 Glenfield Frith Drive, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8PW

Single storey front extension with conversion of existing integral garage to living accommodation - at 11 Somerset Drive, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8QW

You can get cheaper Android phones, but this Moto manages to keep the price down without also making the camera terrible or the performance sluggish. It’s great value. £122, amazon.co.uk

Single storey side & rear extension, external rendering and alterations (resubmission of application 22/0873/HH) - at 200 Station Road, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8GT

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

Samsung makes some great phones for photography, and the A53 5G is arguably the best of its more affordable models if you want a Samsung to take lots of snaps with. £399, samsung.com

Single storey front and rear extensions, alterations to roof (including increase in height) and associated alterations - at 83 Sports Road, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8AN

Single storey detached garage & single storey extensions to side and rear of dwelling - at 23 Hayfield Close, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8RH

OnePlus

OnePlus isn’t the best-known name but it’s building a good reputation for its affordable but powerful Android smartphones. Shop around and you’ll find it even cheaper. £299, oneplus.com

Book You Might Like ...

The Guilty Couple

By C L Taylor

WHAT WOULD you do if your husband framed you for murder?

Five years ago, Olivia Sutherland was convicted of plotting to murder her husband.

Now she’s finally free, Olivia has three goals. Repair her relationship with her daughter. Clear her name. And bring down her husband – the man who framed her.

Just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants? And how far will her husband go to stop her?

Because his lies run deeper than Olivia could ever have imagined – and this time it’s not her freedom that’s in jeopardy, but her life…

Single storey front extension to existing pharmacy - at 111 Station Road, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8GS

The erection of a single storey rear extension which would extend beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse by 8 metres, for which the maximum height would be 3.00 metres and for which the height to eaves would be 3.00 metresat 17 Fairefield Crescent, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8EJ

Two storey side extension and use of a section of landscaping strip to increase driveway - at 1 Sword Close, Glenfield, Leicestershire LE3 8SY

I can still remember a time when I knew more than my phone.

iPhone SE 2022

800

Nord CE 2

Motorola Moto G31

TUESDAY 16th MAY

2023 at 7.30PM

At Markfield Methodist Church, The Green, Markfield LE67 9UU

Hidden Meanings of Place Names Speaker: Sandy Leong

Place names give us a fascinating insight into Britain’s history.

Some place names come from the earliest inhabitants of Britain, but many are associated with our invaders who have left their mark. Did you know that Nottingham used to be called Snotengham (Snott’s Settlement)?

Some place names have evolved over the centuries, others have stayed the same and some aren’t what they seem!

Everyone is very welcome to come along.

£3 for visitors or become a member for £8 per year, and then no additional charge for talks/ activities.

www.markfieldhistory.org

Crossword Solution

Across: 5 Pinto, 8 Utensils, 9 Beard, 10 Outhouse, 11 Luxor, 14 Bay, 16 Merino, 17 Ageism, 18 Auk, 20 Bugle, 24 Honolulu, 25 Clone, 26 Vindaloo, 27 Accra.

Down: 1 Huron, 2 Berth, 3 Ascot, 4 Plasma, 6 Ice cubes, 7 Tortoise, 12 Republic, 13 Milliner, 14 Boa, 15 Yak, 19 Utopia, 21 Woody, 22 Quill, 23 Tudor.

The thought of dating again can feel overwhelming at any stage in life, but putting yourself out there later in life can feel particularly intimidating. So how do you know if you’re really ready to dip a toe back into the dating pool? When you’re young, friends who think you’re not settled down start trying to pair you off. This can happen again when you’re older; friends who are couples used to being together may think you’ll only be happy if you are in a relationship like them. But the first rule of dating in later life is to do things in your own time, when you feel it’s right, not when someone else feels it’s right for you.

Ask yourself: “Am I ready?”

Whether you’re on your own after the loss of a spouse, divorce or splitting up with a long-term partner, when will you be ready to begin dating again?

Generally speaking, the best time to start dating is when you feel confident and happy in your own skin, and when you aren’t seeking the affirmation of someone else. Some people arrive at this point more slowly than others – everyone has their own timeline, and love isn’t something that should be rushed.

In fact, scientists suggest it’s our relationship with ourselves that lays the foundations for all other interactions, and that self-love could be the secret to a healthy, fulfilling relationship with a significant other.

What else to consider

With a bit more age comes a bit more baggage. And it’s highly likely that your new date/online matches will most likely have been married before.

You and your date might have children from other relationships and it can be difficult knowing how to introduce a new partner to children or loved ones. However, don’t let your former life interrupt your new one – and hopefully any children will be supportive and happy for you now that you feel the time is right to move on. Dating in your 50s and beyond inevitably means you’ve lived and loved before and your combined experiences will mean you’ll both have endless stories to share!

Online dating

Online dating is bigger than ever, with around four in ten couples now meeting this way. You can take plenty of time getting to know someone via phone, email, or video chat before actually meeting up with them in person. And if you speak to someone online and instantly realise that they aren’t the person for you, then it’s much easier to cut contact politely.

Like everything in life, online dating does come with some negatives, such as trying to weed out the good dating profiles from the bad, not being able to form a first impression of someone based on physical interaction and, of course, concerns about scams.

It’s important to remember that when talking to someone new online, you should never give out personal information that could put you or your finances in jeopardy. This includes, but is not limited to, your home address and your bank details.

Whatever happens, try to remember that there are plenty more fish in the sea and the right person will be out there somewhere! And sometimes you just can’t hurry love…

Celebrate farming with LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2023

ON SUNDAY 11TH JUNE, farmers across the country will once again open their gates for a national celebration of farming and all it delivers, inviting the public to join them and discover where their food comes from.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday is farming’s annual open day and has been the go-to event in the calendar since 2006, offering a wonderful opportunity for visitors to get closer to farming and the people that make it happen. Each event is unique, each farm is different and every farmer too, but what they all share is a passion for farming, amazing expertise, and a commitment to caring for the countryside.

Some farms have been passed down through the generations, others are managed by those who have chosen farming as their career; each has its own special story to tell and LEAF Open Farm Sunday is the ideal chance to come and hear it. Farmers may have a host of activities planned such as guided farm walks and nature trails, bug hunts and soil pits, tractor and trailer rides, displays of modern, high tech farm machinery and more!

Come and meet the farmers, their families and other industry professionals, discover first-hand how farmers support our wellbeing through their care of the environment, the sustainable production of our food and how they manage the countryside to help work towards net zero and mitigating climate change. Together they manage valuable resources like water and soil, and habitats for wildlife to thrive. Discover all that goes into producing the food we eat and the many other ways that farmers contribute to our daily lives.

LEAF Open Farm Sunday is a fantastic experience for all ages – visit www.farmsunday.org to find a farm opening near you.

St Peter’s Church News

Last month I began to muse on the subject of the Coronation, focussing on the throne. Since then my attention has shifted a little, from what the King will sit upon to what he will be given to hold.

The crown of course is what gives the whole ceremony its name, but it’s only one of the things with which the King is invested during the service. There’s a whole set, including spurs and all kinds of things, but it was the items which he holds which caught my eye.

For years I have imagined that there are just two: an orb and a sceptre, but I discovered just the other day that there are actually two sceptres, so the monarch has to put down the orb to hold the two together. One represents their governance and power as the head of the State – it derives, I imagine, from the rods which Roman rulers used to carry to show their power. The other, with a dove at the head, represents their moral and spiritual role. Despite the similarity in shape, this is supposed to balance the other, demonstrating mercy as well as judgement.

Both are adorned with Christian symbolism, doves, crosses, and the like, which are intended to remind us, as is the orb representing the world with the cross surmounting it, that in accepting the crown, the King or Queen of this country is accepting that actually they hold it – and all the power and responsibility which goes with it – under the rule of someone else. Later in May, on the 18th, we mark Ascension Day – which slightly flies under the radar of Christian festivals, mainly because it’s a Thursday rather than a Sunday. It’s the day in which we recall Jesus ascending to heaven after his resurrection, and the words with which he leaves his friends: ‘all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’. So as we acknowledge the beginning of the rule of Charles III, we also have the chance to recognise and respond to the rule of one whose reign is eternal, full of mercy, justice and peace: Jesus Christ.

& District Ramblers Newsletter

New rambling programme has a lot more variety

THE CLOCKS have changed, the Spring Equinox has passed and gradually the days are longer sometimes, but not always blessed with warm sunshine! Accordingly our Rambling programme is packed with new ideas and destinations!

We recently surveyed our membership to gain feedback as to how we were servicing their needs. Amongst the many constructive suggestions we curiously had some call for walks that were both shorter and for others longer!

Going back pre-Covid our weekend walks have been exclusively all day affairs, at least 10 miles and sometimes considerably more. However it was clear that many members, who for various reasons could only walk at weekends, favoured a morning walk as opposed to something more demanding. As a result from the launch of our new programme from 1st July morning walks of around 6 miles will take place fortnightly.

At the opposite end of the spectrum several of our Saturday all day walkers have expressed a desire for a few challenging walks over and above the norm, 12 to 15 miles!

Likewise when the new programme kicks in we have set aside several dates where a longer distance hike in the order of up to 20 miles will be offered. For the avoidance of doubt these are suitably for strong walkers who have an appetite not merely for the distance but also for some challenging ascents in the likes of the Derbyshire Peak District.

Help your favourite charity Leicestershire residents encouraged to nominate a charity to receive share of £1million

What these new initiatives share along with our returning mid summer Wednesday evening walks and occasional Friday “car free” walks is something for everyone! Last years innovation was our launch of Tuesday and Thursday 4 mile walks and 2023 we are attempting to add yet more variety to what must surely be the most packed programme throughout the Ramblers activities nationally.

Although these additions are responding to requests from our members our approach is as always to give members of the public access to up to three walks before any commitment to membership needs to be considered. So with these longer, sunnier days now here why not check out our programme and give us a try.

You can obtain more details from any of these sources

Our website: www.ramblersleicester.org.uk

Via Facebook: www.facebook. com/LeicesterandDistrictRamblers

Via Email: publicity@ramblersleicester.org.uk

Dave Wheeler Publicity Secretary

Beware your dog’s tracker app

A NUMBER of apps which offer to keep an eye on your pet are also recording the login details and locations of YOU.

Such is the finding of a recent study. It seems that many tech companies which offer smart collars, GPS trackers, and wearable cameras for pets, may also be creating cyber security risks for their owners. A recent study at Newcastle University and Royal Holloway, University of London, evaluated 40 such apps. It discovered that a good number of them were recording the login details and location of the owners without encryption. In addition, all but four of the apps included some sort of tracking software, which was gathering information on the owner, without their consent.

As one doctoral student at Newcastle University’s school of computing explained, “Pet tech brings with it new security, privacy and safety risks to the pet owners.

“We would urge anyone using these apps to take the time to ensure they are using a unique password, check the settings and ensure that they consider how much data they are sharing or willing to share.”

RESIDENTS in Leicestershire can nominate a good cause to receive £1,000 as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.

Now in its fifth year, the Movement for Good Awards will once again see more than £1million gifted to charities up and down the UK and Ireland.

Since the awards began, people in Leicestershire have submitted over 19,600 nominations and 26 Leicestershire based charities have benefited from valuable donations.

While the pandemic and the current economic climate has had an adverse effect on cash donations, the amount of people choosing to volunteer their time for a good cause is rising1. From today, Leicestershire residents can give a minute to nominate a charity online at www.movementforgood.com.

The Movement for Goods Awards has gifted over £4million to charities in the UK and Ireland since the initiative started.

Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected. 150 winning charities will be announced from 1 June, with a further 150 revealed in September. Further gifts will be awarded throughout the year.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Benefact Group, says: “We are immensely proud to be supporting many hundreds of charities through our Movement for Good Awards for the fifth year running. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference so we’re asking that people give a minute of their time to nominate a cause they care about to receive an award. Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do and all of our available profits go to good causes. With financial strain continuing to impact many households the Movement for Good Awards represents a great way for people to continue to support causes close to their hearts, without worrying about an additional cost. Any charity can win no matter how large or small and even with just one nomination. So find a minute, jump online and nominate – because that small amount of time is invaluable for charities.”

Benefact Group has donated almost £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and has just been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK2. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025. Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group. Visit www.movementforgood.com to nominate a charity now.

Spot the difference!

Spot the difference!

There are 10 differences between the two images below. How many can you spot?

There are 10 differences between the two images below. How many can you spot?

There are 10 differences between the two images below. How many can you spot?

Glenfield Country Market is thriving!

Pay us a visit Friday morning!

THE GLENFIELD Country Market is a thriving weekly event. Producers cook, craft and grow and display their wares at this popular market each Friday in St Peter’s Church Centre, Glenfield (LE3 8DP) from 9am-11am.

We held our Annual Shareholders Meeting in March and we were able to report that The Glenfield Market continues to enjoy steady sales with the support of our customers.

We also held a successful Craft Fair in Groby Village Hall earlier this month and this gave us the chance to broaden our audience and also help to showcase the talents of other local crafters. It was a friendly and welcoming occasion and we have seen some new customers to the market as a result.

We continue to offer good value for money across the craft, bakes and preserves and plants stalls. All of the items for sale are made/grown by our producers, adhering to detailed and appropriate guidelines to ensure safety and good quality goods.

Why don’t you give us a try? It’s a friendly, informal and free event and we will be very happy to see you. There are refreshments available as well as the wide range of hand-crafted goods to buy and you will be spoiled for choice! We take card payments to make your shopping experience even better! We suggest you also come early to see the full range of products and to bag the best bargains!

Follow us on Facebook The Glenfield Country Market which is shared with The Glenfield Page too!

Thank you.

Ruth Lane (Secretary for Glenfield Country Market)

Rubbed some herbs in my eye accidentally last night when I was cooking.

I’m parsley sighted now…

Some popular health myths debunked

Did you hear about the racing milk bottle? It’s pasteurised before you know it

THE BEST WAYS of staying fit and healthy may be different from what you thought. Here are some fitness dictats which were originally based more on marketing than on science.

Walk 10,000 steps a day

I went to the doctors and he said: “Don’t eat anything fatty.”

I said: “What, like burgers?” He said: “No fatty, just don’t eat anything.”

Did you hear about the noodle pretending he was spaghetti? He’s an impasta

This goal has been a popular mantra for years, and it has even been adopted by the World Health Organisation. But the number was chosen arbitrarily in a Japanese boardroom in the 1960s. The company, Yamasa, simply dreamt up the figure in its effort to promote the world’s first step counter, ahead of the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. Instead, recent studies, including one at the University of Alabama, have found that taking between just 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day may be fine. And even if you take far less than that, then just adding an extra 500 steps a day will bring you significant health benefits. Research does suggest that it is not a great idea to take less than 5,000 steps a day.

Five a day

This encouragement to eat daily fruit and veg came from the UK government in the late 1980s, and it is probably the bestknown piece of public health advice that we have.

I’ve lost some weight by wearing bread on my head.

It’s a new loaf hat diet I’m trying

I have a phobia of German sausages. I fear the wurst

The Indian restaurant I work for is so secretive, I had to sign a legal agreement that I wouldn’t share the flatbread recipe. It’s their standard naan disclosure agreement

My wife rearranged the labels on my spice rack.

Haven’t confronted her yet but the thyme is cumin

I wrote a song about a tortilla. Well actually, it’s more of a wrap

But recent studies suggest that five a day is unlikely to be enough. Scientists at Imperial College London suggest it is more like seven or ten helpings a day, if you are to get all the nutrients and fibre that you need. One scientist at the University of Leeds says there needs to be a push for people to make dietary fibre the majority of their daily diet, rather than processed foods.

You need eight hours sleep

This notion goes back to Victorian times! During the industrial revolution, it was thought that the best daily regime was eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, and eight hours rest.

But in fact, modern studies have found that the amount of sleep you need is highly individualised. Some people get along fine on less than six hours, while others need ten hours.

Two litres of water a day

For decades, the advice has been to drink two litres of water a day, or about eight glasses. But our fluid requirements vary, depending on exercise, the weather, climate, and our age. You may need as many as six, or as little as one. For, according to a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “a lot of your water comes from the food you eat.”

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

This advice began to be spread in the 1920s, when cereal companies were running marketing campaigns to get people to eat their products for breakfast.

But nutrition experts point out that breakfast is only good for you if you eat the right kind of foods. Highly processed foods and a large sugar content is likely to do you more harm than good.

2,000 calories a day

The NHS recommends a daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.

But your actual calorie needs depend on your age, gender, height, weight and physical activities levels. Some of us need to eat much less, and some of us need to eat more.

It’s getting harder to see your GP

WHEN DID YOU last see your GP, and for how long did that appointment last?

According to a recent international study of 10 high-income countries, British patients are given the shortest GP appointments and are also the least likely to see a doctor in person.

The Health Foundation found that Britain has the shortest appointment times, at ten minutes, along with Germany. Most countries average 15 minutes per patient, with 20 minutes in Switzerland and the USA, and 25 minutes in Sweden.

The British GPs also reported far more use of remote appointments than any of the other countries in the study. Just four in 10 took place in person between February and September 2022.

British GPs were also found to have the highest stress levels and lowest job satisfaction of all the GPs in the study. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said the findings were “alarming, but not at all surprising”.

She said: “College research has shown that two-thirds of GPs feel so over-stretched that they cannot guarantee safe patient care, and many cite workload and burn out as a reason they are considering leaving the profession.

“GPs and our teams want to deliver safe, appropriate and timely care for our patients, but with the intense workload and workforce pressures we are working under, this is becoming ever more difficult.”

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Upcoming Events at Leicester Animal Aid

LEICESTER ANIMAL AID has some events coming up over the next few months.

Although the Leicestershire-based charity’s top priority is caring for cats and dogs and helping to rehome them, they also run a children’s activity club, host dog shows and have stalls at local events, and have cat and dog first aid courses at their Centre in Huncote. There’s plenty going on, so make sure to update your diaries with these dates!

Sunday, 14th May | Burbage Common Open Day, Hinckley, LE10 3DD

A family fun day will be taking place at Burbage Common, and Leicester Animal Aid will be present. There will be a tombola and information stall with members of staff available for a chat. Drop by, say hello, learn a bit about the Charity and enter the tombola for a prize every time.

Saturday, 20th May & Saturday, 29th July | Cat and Dog First Aid Courses, L.A.A., Huncote, LE9 3LE

If you have a cat or a dog, would you know what to do in the event of an accident? These First Aid Courses at Leicester Animal Aid will teach you just that, with up-to-date techniques taught by a veterinary professional. Attendees will also receive a certificate.

The Cat First Aid Course on Saturday, 20th May is £40 (the dog course is now fully booked), and this includes a donation to L.A.A. The courses on 29th July are free, aimed at those on low-income or who are unemployed. You can book online via their website under the events section: https:// www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/event/calendar

Tuesday, 30th May, Friday, 21st July and Wednesday, 2nd August | K9 Kids, L.A.A., Huncote, LE9 3LE

Do you have or know of any children who are wary of dogs? K9 Kids is the perfect environment for children to gain confidence around dogs; Blaize, the gentle Golden Retriever, attends these free sessions to help children learn to meet dogs in a safe and controlled environment. You can book online via their website under the events section: https://www. leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/event/calendar

Saturday, 17th June | Huncote Hound Club, L.A.A., Huncote, LE9 3LE

The Huncote Hound Club is for animal lovers aged 5-16. For £20 a year, members receive four newsletters, sponsor a cat pod and dog kennel at L.A.A. and receive a special badge and certificate. They are also welcomed to the Centre four times a year for activity mornings. The upcoming event in June will include a crafts activity, a tour around the Centre and a meet with one of the canine residents. To join, sign up on their website: https:// www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk/huncote-hound-club

HOW YOUR FRIENDS MAY BE KEEPING YOU ALIVE TAKE

CARE of your friendships, and they will take care of you.

A recent study has found that if, in later life, you enjoy your friends on a regular and frequent basis, then the joy that they bring you may even halve your risk of death within five years.

People in their later years who socialised every day were healthier than those who didn’t. Even those who saw their friends only once a week were healthier than those who saw no friends on a regular basis.

In fact, the team reported having found a ‘dose response’, with the greater the frequency of socialising, the greater the likelihood of living longer. As one doctor put it: “The more frequent the social activity, the more prolonged the survival time.”

It is thought that having regular contact with friends encourages healthier thinking, better personal habits, increased physical activity, and reduces stress. Yet according to Age UK, more than two million older people in England live alone, and more than a million older people can go for a month without speaking to anyone.

The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Glenfield Park WI News

Pam Wilson

DUE TO the sudden serious illness of a family member our speaker for the evening had to drop out at the last minute. In recent times we have been aware that Covid will always make the lack of a speaker a possibility and we had discussed it in a meeting. Luckily, Ruth Fenney a dual member of our Branch had mentioned that she might be able to prepare a talk for us. When she said it I don’t suppose she thought three hours would be all the notice we could give her. Nevertheless she stepped into the breach and gave us a very entertaining and informative presentation on what sounds like a wonderful place to visit, the Isle of Man.

Situated in the Irish Sea the island is accessible from all around, Northern Ireland, Eire, Scotland and England by air but usually by sea. From top to bottom the island is 32.5 miles long and is 13.5 miles wide.

Ruth explained her family connection to the place by virtue of a marriage to a local meaning the family became based there and her parents were married there in 1939 as was she in 1965. Although her own family did not live there they spent an idyllic month there every year throughout her childhood.

She described the island’s history, with its celtic and viking heritage it has castles and museums to visit. It has a wonderful landscape, there are so many varieties of places to see. Mountains run more or less diagonally across the island with rugged coastline on the one side where the folklore is to do with giants whilst on the other there are sandy beaches and the folklore is more to do with fairies. There is a rift valley running west to east almost splitting the island in two. Additionally, of course there is the picturesque rural landscape you might expect with one of the main industries being farming along with fishing and tourism. More recently the island has become a financial centre and this has helped keeping the 70,000 population in employment.

The island was able to isolate itself during Covid and maintained a very low rate of infection and death. Their Health Service like ours is free at the point of need and pays for any treatment the population need to come to the England for which is beyond its own facilities. The same applies with further education which the Government pays for off island as appropriate.

Unlike some other self-governing Crown Dependencies the Isle of Man is not a tax haven and there is no duty free for tourists to benefit from which means the Government shares revenue with the United Kingdom under an agreement called the Common Purse.

Of course, many of the UK population only know the island for the Manx Grand Prix and the TT races which do attract a lot of tourists but by the end of Ruth’s talk and her display of photographs and books about the island we knew a great deal more than before.

Altogether our evening was delightfully spent and I think a few of us at least ended it feeling that a trip there is now on our list of places to go. We owe Ruth a tremendous thank you for what she did.

I’ve trained my dog to bring me a glass of red wine. It’s a Bordeaux collie.

Community Grants available from Blaby District Council

THE BLABY DISTRICT Council Community Grants scheme is open for 2023-24. The scheme supports the local voluntary and community sector (VCS) to develop and strengthen community facilities and activities for the benefit of Blaby district residents.

The Council offers the following grants to suit different project types:

• Capital Green Grants - up to £4,000 (20% match funding required)

• Large Capital Grants - up to £4,000 (50% match funding required)

• Small Capital Grants - up to £500

• Revenue Grants - up to £500

• Everyone Active Grants - up to £500

The Council has made some changes to the grants scheme for this year, so please read the full guidance notes available to download on this web page carefully.

Grant deadlines

FOUR GRANT rounds will be held during 2023-24. The deadlines for applications are:

• 31 May 2023 at 5pm

• 30 August 2023 at 5pm

• 29 November 2023 at 5pm

• 28 February 2024 at 5pm

The grant panel usually meets two weeks after the grant deadline and applicants are notified within a further week.

Blaby’s Funding and Awards Officer is holding a Grants Information Session via MS Teams on Wednesday 10 May at 10am. For meeting details email vcshub@blaby.gov.uk

Who can apply

THE GRANTS scheme is open to applications from a range of VCS organisations:

• Community groups, youth clubs and sports clubs

• Registered Charities

• Social Enterprises (such as Community Interest Companies)

• Religious or faith-based organisations for non-religious projects, open to all irrespective of faith

• Schools, Academies and PTA/fundraising groups for extra-curricular activities or projects of wider community benefit

How to apply

THE SAME application form is used for all of the different grants.

You can apply to the grants scheme online at www.blaby.gov.uk.

You will need to provide some supporting documents as listed below when you apply.

If you would prefer to submit your application by email or post, please

use the contact form at the bottom of this web page to request an application pack. Completed forms should be sent to the Funding and Awards Officer, Council Offices, Desford Road, Narborough LE19 2EP or email grants@blaby.gov.uk. If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within a few working days, please contact the Funding and Awards Officer on 0116 272 7566 to ensure receipt.

Organisations are expected to provide copies of the following to support their application:

• A governing document (for example, Constitution or Articles of Association)

• An equality policy/statement (if not included within the governing document)

• A child safeguarding policy and/or vulnerable adults policy (if applicable)

• Copy of statement(s) for all bank/savings accounts held in your organisation’s name (dated within the last three months)

• The organisation’s most recent set of accounts

• Three quotes for any single items or works over the value of £1,000

• Evidence of any consents/permissions in order for the project to take place, for example, Planning Permission, Advertising Consent or Landowner Consent. These must be secured before the application is submitted

• Where the project involves alterations to land or buildings, the applicant must provide evidence of ownership or a written agreement/lease with at least five years remaining

The Council expects all grant recipients to comply with periodic checks and complete the monitoring form at the end of a project, including providing copies of invoices showing the expenditure on the project as well as any evidence of the intended outcomes being achieved. The standard terms and conditions can be found in the main community grants scheme guidance notes.

How the scheme has helped other organisations

• 84TH LEICESTER (LITTLETHORPE) SCOUTS were awarded a £4,000 Green Grant in March 2022 to replace old fluorescent lighting and storage heaters with more energy efficient solutions.

• COUNTESTHORPE ACADEMY was awarded a £4,000 Capital Grant in December 2022 to resurface an area of outdoor space to make it a suitable place for physical activity/ play.

• Whetstone Good Neighbour Scheme was awarded a £500 Revenue Grant in June 2022 to fund a social event for residents supported by the scheme and who are experiencing isolation and loneliness.

• Thistly Meadow Primary School was awarded a £500 Everyone Active Grant in January 2022.

just got a new job as an auctioneer. They told me I had a lot to offer.

Partially built bungalow for sale in Glenfield

PERFECT FOR those looking for an exciting new build development project, Newton Fallowell are offering for sale a partially built two bedroom detached dormer bungalow situated inTysoe Hill, Glenfield.

In need of completing by prospective buyers, once fully finished, this property would be ideal for families or someone looking to downsize from a larger home. The approved layout would include an entrance hall, two reception rooms, dining kitchen and utility room, with two double bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

Offers in excess of £195,000 are invited. Cash buyers only. For more information, or to arrange a viewing, contact Zak Toomassi at Newton Fallowell on 0116 298 5736.

ANSWERS TO SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

1. Male firefighter hand missing, 2. Different mouth on male firefighter, 3. Small smoke cloud missing, 4. Hose different colour, 5. Triangle on male firefighter helmet missing, 6. Torch on male firefighter chest missing, 7. Female firefighter makeup different colour, 8. Kneepad on female firefighter missing, 9. Hi-vis section on male firefighter leg missing, 10. Far side of male firefighter helmet missing.

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• B&D WORKMATE - vgc, almost new. Price: £15.

• Heavy duty plastic TOOL BOX with a few tools. Price: £8.

• Assortment of GARDEN TOOLS priced from £1.

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Sizes 28”, 30”, and 32” - English Martyrs. Price:£10 each.

• Also 7 WHITE SHIRTS of various sizes, short and long sleeves. Price: £5:00 for all.

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• ELECTRIC RELAXER CHAIR, nice condition, all working.

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BIKE. Readout working, good clean condition. Price: £70.

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If you often feel fatigued or experience cravings, your blood glucose levels could be to blame. French biochemist, Jessie Inchauspé, discusses this in her book, Glucose Revolution. She says that although we typically associate glucose regulation with diabetes, monitoring our blood-sugar levels is something we could all benefit from.

‘Glucose’ and ‘blood sugar’ are used interchangeably, but both refer to your body’s main molecule of energy. Your body breaks down sugars and starches into glucose. Healthy foods that are rich in fibre slow the release of glucose into the blood, but when you eat sugary foods, your body becomes overwhelmed with glucose and reacts to this increase in blood sugar by releasing insulin. This is known as a glucose spike, which if repeated over a prolonged period of time can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. Even in the short term, glucose spikes can cause energy crashes, brain fog and cravings. Simple carbohydrate sources containing pure sugar, honey and sweeteners are the main culprits and get broken down into glucose much faster than more complex carbohydrates like wholegrain bread or rice. However, while it can be helpful to reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates, ‘Glucose Goddess’ Jessie argues that you don’t need to cut out these foods completely. Instead, she recommends trying her glucose ‘hacks’, which aim to balance your blood sugar without drastically changing your diet:

Enjoy

a savoury

breakfast

The food you eat first thing has an impact on your glucose levels for the rest of the day. For this reason, Jessie advises starting with a savoury or low-sugar meal. Some options to try include eggs, Greek yoghurt, a protein shake, peanut butter on wholemeal toast, or a plate of meat and eggs.

Eat your vegetables first

When it comes to glucose regulation, the order in which you eat your food is important. Vegetables are great sources of fibre that break down slowly in the digestive system, and by doing so also slow down the speed at which you digest starches. This means that glucose trickles into the bloodstream much slower than if you had eaten the same foods in reverse order. For a quick and easy option, snack on some baby carrots and hummus while you cook.

Move after eating

Taking a short walk or hitting the gym after a big meal is another way of halting the accumulation of glucose in the body. Spending just ten minutes doing any exercise you enjoy can make a difference – whether that’s strength training, yoga or running.

Incorporate vinegar into your diet

Vinegar slows down the breakdown of starches into glucose and encourages your muscles to soak up glucose as it arrives in your bloodstream. Any vinegar will work, Jessie claims, but apple cider vinegar might be the most palatable. You could try mixing a tablespoon of vinegar in hot or cold water and drinking it twenty minutes before eating, or alternatively adding vinaigrette to your salad.

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• Ampair flexible SOLAR PANEL. Model MBC-525. Price: £100. Tel: 0116 287 8030 (Glenfield)

SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. This is a free service for private individuals, not businesses. Maximum 8 items please. Post to: Gazette Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@ glenfieldgazette.com PLEASE ENSURE that you put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (not for publication, just to let buyers know where you are).

Nationwide House Price Index (HPI) data for April - comment

CARL HOWARD, Group CEO of Andrews estate agents, comments: “Spring is usually a busy season for estate agents, and thankfully April’s activity wasn’t as wet as the weather - with house prices stabilising after falling for the seven previous months.

“Sellers have pulled up their boots and put on their best can-do attitude, and being realistic on price to help move deals along.

“Demand is slowly recovering as the economic storm clouds start to clear, and there’s reason to be optimistic about the coming months.

“Sales are being supported by a boost in supply, particularly in lower price bands. Mixed with a surge in rental prices, this should also encourage more buyers into the market.

Apéritif: French for a set of dentures.

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• Gents Claude Butlet (Hybrid) Ventura CYCLE. Price: £90 o.n.o.

MARTIN TIBBLES

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BIG BAD WILF

Did

The Amberley Ghost Story

were put forward about what had happened to him.

After nearly two months, the stories faded. James’s mother’s funeral took place, attended by a huge crowd. It was rumoured that most of the people had come to see if James would suddenly turn up. Unfortunately, the attendees were disappointed. There was no sign of James Crabtree. The fanciful stories about James’ whereabouts were resurrected for a week or so, but his disappearance slowly faded into legend.

Eleven Years Later

what had happened all those years previously, and the events of this evening.

The guard asked the signalman what he wanted to do about the missing passenger. The Railway Rule Book did not cover disappearing passengers, especially identical incidents that had occurred eleven years apart.

The guard suggested that he and the driver kept an eye out en route to Pulborough, as they had done eleven years previously. This they did; but just as before, there was no sign of the missing passenger.

MR JAMES CRABTREE lived alone in a cottage in Pulborough, West Sussex.

He was in his late sixties, had never married and had been retired for the last four years.

Mrs Crabtree, the ninety-year-old mother of James Crabtree, still lived in the family home in the village of Amberley, a few miles to the south of her son’s home.

It was Friday 13th February 1959, a bitterly cold winter’s day. James Crabtree journeyed from his home in Pulborough to his mother’s cottage in Amberley. He always visited on a Friday by train.

His train arrived at Amberley.

As with every other Friday, he made his way towards the village and his mother’s house, a distance of around half a mile.

Each week James would buy some groceries for his mother and he set off again, walking the last few yards to his mother’s house.

When James arrived at his mum’s house. He called out a welcome, but there was no reply.

James took the groceries into the kitchen and left them on the table. Returning to the front room, there was no sign of his mother. He called out, more urgently, but the house was silent.

He hurried to his mother’s bedroom and knocked on the door. There was still no reply. He pushed the door open slowly. His aged mother was still in bed. He rushed to her side. She looked so peaceful, but she was lifeless.

Mrs Crabtree had lived to a good age, but during the night, the angels had come to take her. It was late in the day when he found himself back at Amberley Station.

It had been snowing during the early evening, and the fresh crisp layer of snow was undisturbed as James made his way up the station yard. He made his way across the footbridge to the opposite platform, to await the arrival of the train.

The man at the station who sold the tickets also had the signal box

in the same room so was graded as signalman. As the train approached the station, the signalman left the office, and went over to look after his passenger in the snow covered platform. The signalman could see James Crabtree’s footprints in the snow. It looked like he had come down from the footbridge and walked towards the front end of the platform, but there was no sign of him returning to the main part of the platform. In fact, there was no sign of James Crabtree anywhere on the station.

The train pulled into the station and slid to a halt on the slippery rails. The guard leaned out of his window, not keen to stay out in the cold air for too long.

The signalman walked up to the guard and mentioned the fact that there should be a passenger to get on for Pulborough. The guard replied that it was a rotten night for anyone to be out and about.

‘But I don’t know where he’s gone,’ the signalman said, concerned. He told the guard about the footprints in the snow and the events of the day in James’s life.

The guard suggested that the signalman should advise the driver to keep a lookout, in case the man had decided to continue walking off the end of the platform and worse still, was lying on or near the line, so this he did.

As the train departed he again looked at the footprints in the snow. They just seemed to go off the end of the platform. After that, the snow lay crisp and even, apart from the rails where the train had departed. Where had James Crabtree gone?

The local policeman was sent to call on James Crabtree at his cottage in Pulborough. He found it empty, just as James Crabtree had left it the day before, and there was no sign of anyone being there since.

Over the next few weeks, no one came near the cottage. The disappearance of James Crabtree was a talking point in both villages and many far-fetched explanations

It was the same day: Friday February 13th, but the year was 1970. Again, it was a cold evening, and it had been snowing in the Amberley area. Just as it had done eleven years previously, the snow lay thickly on the ground.

An elderly man entered the booking hall, then made his way to the opposite platform. Snow lay evenly on the tarmac of the station platform. The signalman watched the man head for the footbridge, leaving his footprints in the snow.

After signalling the train the signalman made his way to the opposite platform, there was no sign of the elderly passenger. The signalman could see footprints in the snow where the intending passenger had walked over the footbridge, but instead of going to the cover of the waiting room, the footprints led him to the end of the platform. After that, the snow lay unbroken on either side of the rails, and there was no sign of the footprints returning.

The signalman stood looking at the footprints in amazement. There seemed no logical explanation for what he was looking at. He was brought back to reality with the arrival of the train on the platform. The guard opened his door. The signalman walked up to him.

‘What’s up?’ asked the guard. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost!’

‘I think I might have!’ replied the signalman.

‘Yeah, that’s about all you will see around here this time of night!’ laughed the guard.

‘No,’ replied the confused signalman. He told the guard about the vanishing passenger.

It was now the guard whose face drained of colour. By a strange coincidence, he had been the guard on the same train eleven years ago.

The guard told the signalman all about that journey eleven years ago. He recalled, with a jolt, that it had been the same day: Friday 13th February. Both men shuddered as they thought about

The next day, the local policeman, having heard the tale of the night before, visited Amberley station with a photograph of missing person James Crabtree.

The signalman looked at the photo in absolute shock. Staring back at him was the face of the passenger who had disappeared looking to board the train the night before.

Could this have been James Crabtree, trying to get to Pulborough on the same train, eleven years later? Even if this was so, he would have been eleven years older – but the man he had seen last night looked identical to this photograph.

The most likely explanations speculated about eleven years ago had been that James had either disappeared for pastures new, or had fallen into the river and been swept away in the dark of the night.

So could this have been the ghost of James Crabtree, still trying to get home?

Since then, February 13th has fallen on a Friday some six times, but no sign has been seen of an intending passenger for the London train after eight o’ clock in the evening. Could it be that the conditions have not been the same? Perhaps the ghost of James Crabtree will only appear when there is snow on the ground.

For many years, the station at Amberley has not been staffed. The last time February 13th fell on a Friday was in the year 2015. I wonder if anyone saw anything unusual there at eight o’clock that evening?

The next time that date falls on a Friday will be 2026, which gives us a long time to wait.

There is one final point. I was that Signalman on duty at Amberley in 1970

I have no answer to the question, ‘what happened that night?’

Do ghosts exist?

TED COOK

Signalman at Amberley 1967-1970

As a kid I was made to walk the plank. We couldn’t afford a dog.

GROBY SINGS ... at the Movies

WE SEEM TO BE rapidly heading towards summer now which means that things are hotting up for Groby Sings as we’re excitedly beginning to look forward to performing our first concerts back at Brookvale Groby Learning Campus, Ratby Road, Groby LE6 0FP (known locally as BGLC or Groby College).

We hope to welcome back in the audience the many supporters from home and abroad who enjoyed our previous 15 concert seasons as well as other music lovers who have yet to experience the joy and enthusiasm of the community choir that is Groby Sings. Make sure to put these dates in your diary:

SATURDAY 24th JUNE 7.00pm and SUNDAY 25th JUNE 3.00pm

TICKETS - only £5 - will be available from 22nd MAY at THE GROBY CLUB (during normal opening hours), GROBY LIBRARY on Wednesdays or Saturdays 10.00am-12.00pm and via GROBY SINGERS.

Whilst many singers are happy to be on stage, we know that it’s not for everyone and so taking part in Groby Sings concerts is entirely optional. If any singer has mobility issues or concerns about standing for long periods, there will be seats in front of the stage and space for wheelchairs and we always try our best to cater for everyone’s needs. It’s important too that anyone who enjoys singing but prefers not to take part in concerts knows that they are still always welcome to join us on Wednesdays and we hope that non-concert singers will take the opportunity to come along and appreciate the performances as part of the audience.

Our theme this summer, Groby Sings at the Movies, is proving very popular with the choir as we’ve included songs to suit all ages and tastes from films such as Top Gun, Jailhouse Rock and Disney’s Aladdin. We’re delighted that our Youth & Children’s Choir has doubled in number since restarting and we’d love more young singers (age 7 and over) to join us as their fresh and lively voices add so much to our overall sound. Their rehearsal time is 3.404.40pm at The Groby Club, including a short break for a drink and snack, every Wednesday in term time. Adult singers can join sessions at 1.303.00pm or 7.30-9.00pm also on Wednesdays, term time.

Enquiries via our website www.grobysings.org

Groby Sings is a Registered Charity no. 1180490

WORDSEARCH 1960S TV SHOWS POPULAR

This is your Word Search!

IF YOU can find 20 CLASSIC TV SHOWS FROM THE 1960s 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.

BATMAN BEWITCHED

All you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line through - 20 classic 1960s TV shows. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!).

DADSARMY DANGERM

MISSIONIMPOSSIBLE NIGHTGALLER

STEPTOEANDSON

Send your marked entry forms to: DON’T TELL HIM YOUR NAME PIKE, Glenfield Gazette, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by SATURDAY 20TH MAY 2023. Please remember to fill in your name and address. (Some people don’t!)

THEAVENGERS

THEFUGITIVE THEINV

THEOUTERLIMITS

THEPRISONER

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!

THUNDERBIRDS

Here are the 20 BRILLIANT TV SHOWS FROM THE 1960s you have to find:

Find the word in the puzzle.

Words can go in any direction.

BONANZA • HAWAII FIVE O • THE CHAMPIONS • THE TIME TUNNEL WACKY RACES • BATMAN • BEWITCHED • THE MAN FROM UNCLE

WACKYRA

Words can share letters as they cross over each other.

STEPTOE AND SON • THUNDERBIRDS • DANGER MAN • NIGHT GALLERY

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE • THE INVADERS • THE FUGITIVE • DADS ARMY

THE OUTER LIMITS • THE AVENGERS • STAR TREK • THE PRISONER

20 of 20 words placed.

Name: ..............................................................................................................

Address: .............................................................................................................

.............................................................................Postcode: .............................

LAST MONTH’S WINNER WAS Margaret Moulds of Jubilee Drive, Glenfield.

Congratulations! Your prize voucher will be sent to you soon!

I’ve just started a band called 999 Megabytes. We haven’t had a gig yet.

Copyright © 2023

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