There But Not There Groby WWI Tommy Remembrance Sunday Tickets, still only £5, are on sale NOW from: •
Chaplin’s Butchers, Groby (Tues /Weds/ Thurs 9-1pm, Fri/Sat 9-4pm)
•
Groby Community Library (Mon/Weds 2-4pm only)
Tickets can also be ordered from any choir member. Don’t delay in buying your tickets as they always sell out very quickly, especially for the Sunday afternoon performance. You won’t want to miss this spectacular show! Performances: Saturday 30th November 7.00pm/Sunday 1st December 3.00pm at Groby College Please contact us via our website www.grobysings.org if you have any queries. Groby Sings is a Registered Charity no. 1180490.
Groby Community Tommy gathering 10th November 2019 at 11am.
Unveiled in 2018 on Armistice Day to commemorate the end of WWI. This year during the Poppy Appeal, October 24th – November 11th 2019 The Groby Community Tommy has given people the opportunity to place a Poppy onto the camouflage netting attached to it. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to attach their Remembrance Poppy. The Purple Poppy at the top signifies Remembrance for all the Animals who also gave the ultimate sacrifice during War. Thank you
Sisters Keanna & Alexia Kowal swimming success! Sisters Keanna Kowal (Year 10) and Alexia Kowal (Year 8), from Brookvale Groby Learning Campus, represented Leicestershire on Sunday 13th October in the National InterCounty Swimming Championships held at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. It’s an annual competition that sees more than 900 swimmers compete from 36 counties. The team did brilliantly and managed to earn Leicestershire a promotion to division 1 next year!
WELL DONE Keanna & Alexia!
Cllr Martin Cartwright
Bradgate Rotary Christmas Fair BRADGATE Rotary’s Christmas Fair will be on Saturday 30th November 1pm-5pm at Groby Village Hall. Admission: £1 for adults; free for children under 12. The many attractions on offer during this festive afternoon include Santa’s Grotto, Santa’s Sleigh, stalls, gifts, games, tombola, raffle and children’s craft room. Refreshments will be available. Monies raised by the Rotarians at this fun festive event will be donated to charities supported by Bradgate Rotary, including Canine Partners and Prostaid. As well as appearing at the Christmas Fair, Santa and his sleigh (with some of his Rotary friends) will be at other local venues during December, including: • Sunday 1st December 1-5pm Bradgate Park (Newtown Linford entrance). • Wednesday 18th December 3-5pm Nook Corner Coffee Shop, Anstey. • Friday 20th December afternoon Laundon Way Co-op, Groby.
NEXT ISSUE OUT ON 14TH DECEMBER - ARTICLES & ADVERT DEADLINE: 30TH NOVEMBER
2
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Lady Jane Grey
Primary School News
HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS
Councillor Ted Hollick reports
Leicester Tiger’s champion healthy lifestyles
Unsafe X-Ray machines
LJG were recently welcomed Ashleigh from Leicester Tigers into school. Ashleigh carried out a two hour session with each year group over two days in October. The two hour session focussed on healthy eating and active lifestyles through Leicester Tigers Global Payments Healthy Schools Programme. One hour was spent in the classroom and the other playing tag rugby. The children thoroughly enjoyed their sessions and learnt what health food and drinks are, how to make healthy food choices and the impact this can have on our body along with healthy lifestyles. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ashleigh for her time and energy throughout both days and giving the children of LJG such an amazing experience.
The money could then have been repaid to the Council from the £8 million pounds promised to the Hinckley area for health facilities which is intended to provide a more patient friendly service, with upgrades to buildings as well as installing an Ultrasound facility at the Hinckley Hospital. After this offer was made and not accepted due to the NHS financial regulations, the University Hospitals of Leicester have said that they will pay for this out of their capital expenditure funds.
Santander Communities Project Again we owe thanks to Santander for giving their time, as part of their corporate responsibility, to LJG to improve our outdoor learning environment. The team of 12 volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the day in improving part of our KS1 outdoor learning spaces to make a safer area. We are looking forward to welcoming Santander again in the near future and would like to thank them for all their hard work.
LJG celebrates Diwali On Friday the 27 th of October, the children of Lady Jane Grey learnt about the festivals and celebrations surrounding Diwali in the afternoon. All the children were able to discover information about one of the most important stories from Hinduism (the story of Rama and Sita) and looked at the different ways of celebrating the Festival of Light. Following this, all the children took part in craft activities including Diwali cards, door hangings, creating their own mehndi designs, Kandeel lanterns, Indian dancing, dressing up and diva making. As always, it is delightful to see all the children from foundation to year 6 taking part simultaneously and clearly enjoying their learning at LJG.
FOLLOWING the withdrawal of the defective X-Ray equipment at the Hinckley and District hospital, the Liberal Democrat led Borough Council at their September meeting unanimously agreed to lend the money needed in order to quickly purchase new X-Ray machines for the hospital so that residents of the Borough did not have to travel to Coalville or Glenfield for their x-rays.
Forthcoming General Election IT SHOULD be noted that although Groby is in the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth it is in the Parliamentary Constituency of Charnwood when it comes to voting for a Member of Parliament as it will be on December 12th. In the 2019 review of Polling Stations it was stated that although the combined number of voters in area GAA (Groby) exceeded the Electoral Commissions limit of 2500 there were no issues with using Groby Village Hall as the Polling Station and the Returning Officer did not want any changes to the current arrangements which also served as the Polling Station for GAB (Field Head).
Civic engagements DURING OCTOBER My wife and I attended the Rural Community Council’s Rural Achievement Awards dinner at the renovated Winstanley House, where many voluntary groups and individuals were recognised for their outstanding achievements and as you might expect there were winners and losers but the one thing that linked them all together was the selfless dedication to their respective causes. Another visit to St James the Greater Church in London Road, Leicester this time to hear a wonderful concert of Military band music performed by the Band of the Household Cavalry. This was a fund raising event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Army Benevolent Fund the Army’s National Charity. We were pleased to attend the Annual County Service for Leicestershire which was held at the recently re-opened St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray, the service was followed by refreshments in its new Community Cafe, very much appreciated after an extremely wet journey getting there. A further musical event we thoroughly enjoyed was a concert in Coventry by the Heart of England Co-operative Concert Orchestra this time raising funds for the Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice. My attendance at meetings and events is currently restricted for the time being due to looking after a family member following an operation.
Hinckley & Bosworth’s Parish Community Initiative Fund I am pleased to report that the Borough Council has again agreed to award Groby Parish Council two PCIF. Grants for 2019 (1) towards repairing the 160 year old Orchard Close Allotment Stone Wall and improving the car park at that allotment £7010. (2) Improving the Beacon Field footpath £2858.
Councillor Ted Hollick Call: 0116 287 5955 Mobile: 07962 373983 E-mail: ted.hollick@outlook.com Write: 7 Shaw Wood Close, Groby, LE6 0FY
My girlfriend says I’m too immature for her. I say that’s absolute rubbish, and my teddy agrees with me.
16-18 Leicester Road, Groby, Leicester, LE6 0DJ
01162 871809
groby.exservicemensclub@gmail.com @TheGrobyExServicemensClub
NOVEMBER
Live Sport coming up in the concert room! Sunday 1st December:
LCFC v Everton
3pm kick off
Sunday 8th December:
Villa v LCFC
2pm kick off
Saturday 21st December:
Man City v LCFC
5:30pm kick off
FRIDAY
Wednesday 1st January:
Newcastle v LCFC
3pm kick off
NIGHTS
Sunday 19th January:
Burnley v LCFC
2pm kick off
Wednesday 22nd January:
LCFC v West Ham
7:30pm kick off
ENTERTAINMENT
15th November Peter Jones
Bottle Bingo starts on Wednesday 13th November 2019 Tickets on sale at 8pm and eyes down at 8:30pm. This is on for 6 weeks every Wednesday. Open to all.
Weekly Tote Draw, drawn on Saturdays!
Tickets are £1.00 Each available from the club bar staff and committee members.
New Years Eve Tickets are now on sale!
22nd November Adam Coleman 29 November th
Vikki Rosina
SATURDAY NIGHTS
16th November Kellie 23th November
Members are £5.00 And non-members are £8. Non-members tickets go on sale from 1st December! One ticket per member. We have entertainment from the excellent Lisa press and DJ Ozzy Roadshow.
Saturday 11th January 2020 is our Annual Pantomime
Its Just Entertainment present Sleeping Beauty! Tickets are as follows! Family tickets 2 adults and 2 children is £17.00, Adult is £6.00 And a child is £4.00. Get your tickets from the bar staff now!
Friday 20th December 2019 - 70’S, 80’s and 90’s Charity Disco Night for Help For Heroes Tickets are £3.00 Each, raffle prizes, fancy dress, disco and a special visit from the Help For Heroes army bear. Get your tickets now from the bar staff! Open to everyone!!
Bingo Nights
Friday Nights we have bingo! Tickets go on sale at 8:45pm and finish selling at 9:20pm. Bingo starts at 9:30, come on down and have an enjoyable night with your friends. Saturday Nights. Bingo tickets are on sale from 8:45pm and finish selling at 9:30pm. Bingo starts at 10pm. We also have a Quickie Bingo before the main session. £1 Per strip! Big money to be won. Friday and Saturday Nights have a £500.00 Bingo snowball if won on or under the jackpot number. Sunday Lunch Bingo. Tickets on sale from 12:30pm and finish selling at 1pm. We also have open the box. Big prize in the box that changes weekly! There is also a £400.00 Bingo snowball if won on or under the jackpot number. Come on down and have a drink and a game of bingo with your friends!
Christmas Parties
Kristie Read
Children’s Christmas Party for members children and Grandchildren! Saturday 14th December 2019. 2pm start. Please put your membership name, child’s name and age to the bar staff and they will add you on to the list. Children upto 12 years. Entertainment from Andy roo! 2-5pm
30th November
Senior Citizens Christmas Party Saturday 18th January 2019! 12:30 – 5pm. Members only aged 60 plus. Please put your name and membership number on the sheet provided inside the club on the entertainment notice board.
Courtney Pryde
4
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Simon’s Great North Run Correction & Final Total JUST A quick note to let you know that I ran the half marathon in 2 hours 4 minutes (not 4 hours 2 minutes!). Some of you noticed the error but wanted to put the record straight and hold my head high again! I have raised approximately £1,200 (including Gift Aid) that has gone to ADAPT. I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for your generous support, it is very much appreciated, as always.
Simon Moore
Martinshaw Primary School News Interacting with some ‘interesting’ animals! KS1, Early Years and Preschool were visited by an animal specialist. The friends that she arrived with included two guinea pigs (one called Donald), a Pygmy hedgehog, a corn snake, a large African land snail and a bearded lizard. Not forgetting, preschools favourite, giant screaming cockroaches. I say that they were the youngest children’s favourite. However, I’m not too sure about the grown- ups’ preference. The youngsters were allowed to gently handle all the animals and were taught how to look after them. There will be a prize for the first person to spot a Martinshaw pupil walking along Forest Rise with either a large screaming cockroach on a lead or, alternatively, a giant African land snail.
Preschool having a great time THE PRESCHOOL children seem to be having a great time. Spending time between the great outdoors exploring and finding out about nature by searching for the first signs of Autumn and in their classroom playing and just, well, learning. They have been introduced to PE and have taken to the gym equipment, some of it quite scary, like they have jumped off things, onto things and crawled through things all their lives. How different to the Nursery’s of mine and my peers’ childhood in the mid 1940’s. The main thing that I can remember is the syrupy government produced orange juice and that you were forced to have a compulsory sleep in the afternoon. I can remember rows of army type cots and all us little cherubs laying there, well me anyway, wide awake (I was always worried that I might miss something) waiting for the teacher to put her fag out and officially allow us to get on with the more important stuff such as playing. Mind you I’m sure all that sleeping was of some benefit.
me and have aYour go at BellHand Ringing during the Try ee Festival at St Philip and St James Church, Groby
at Bell Ringing!
and have7th a go at Bell Ringing during the 11am to 12 noon be on Come Saturday December from Christmas Tree Festival at St Philip and St James Church, Groby Ringing will be on Saturday 7th December from 11am to 12 noon And Sunday 8th December 3pm to 4pm
And Sunday 8th December 3pm to 4pm
Year 1, Pumpkin Soup AS HALLOWEEN was approaching pumpkins were produced and the students set about carving them into the usual scary lanterns. but as the class’s motto is, ‘Waste Not Want Not’ the left over chopped pumpkin flesh would not be wasted but turned into a delicious, nutritional soup. So off to the kitchen, a few at a time, to prepare the pumpkin and cook it. An ideal opportunity not only to hone cooking skills but to learn about kitchen safety and the proper and safe way to use the the various pieces of equipment and the kitchen utensils. I have it on good authority that the soup turned out very well along with the pumpkin sculptures.
Introduction to Judo Ringing bells in the way we do today originated in the 17th century and the actual technique has STUDENTS from Early years, up to and including Year 4, the way we do todaylittle originated changed since then. in the 17th century and the were given the opportunity to practise some judo. Ringing is unique in giving opportunities for Wearing the traditional Judogi everyone entered into the spirit of the actual not technique has changed little since then. only light physical exercise, but also mental lesson with quite scary enthusiasm, mind you who wouldn’t welcome the challenges and working as a team. opportunity to chuck, in a disciplined way, of course, an adult four times Children as young as 9yrs old ableonly to ringlight physical exercise,your size across a mat. ue in giving opportunities forarenot church bells. I can assure those that are worried that apart from the odd red face, no t also mental challenges working as a team. Come and giveand it a try ! adults were injured during the exercise.
en as young as 9yrs old are able to ring church bells
Julie’s Petit aCare Come and give try ! SERVICES
From £5
Pet Minding
Tel: 07934 686692 Email: Julie.petcareservice@gmail.com
Dog Walking CRB Checked I’m not saying it was a bad restaurant, but they’ve only just introduced same-day service.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
5
from Owen Lawrence Acoustic Guitars donated by DHL Parcels
A BIG THANK you goes to Ryan P. and all those at DHL parcels for their donation, to the school, of five acoustic Guitars. The instruments were very quickly put to use and various chords practised and learned as these new musicians joined the more experienced children who have already been practising over the years.
Halloween Disco THE ANNUAL Halloween Disco took place arranged by the Martinshaw School Association. (MSA). Split into two parts for KS1 and KS2, it was another opportunity to frighten the living daylights of those of a nervous disposition. A very successful evening with prizes for the best pumpkin (gallons more soup) and best costume.
Owen Lawrence
Full Body Massage including arms, legs, back, shoulders and neck - £55 Half-Body Massage - £30 Luxury Neal’s Yard Facial + Blow Dry @ Hair by Nelly - £40 Gift Vouchers Available CERTIFIED BY
Tel: 07713 349 119
7 Ratby Lane, Markfield LE67 9RJ (Above Hair by Nelly)
I wish I hadn’t bought that corrugated iron. If anything, it’s made my clothes more creased.
10% OFF WITH THIS ADVERT
Bespoke massage using natural products perfect for pain relief or just pure relaxation...
6
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
RCC Winners of Best Community Facility
Markfield Community Centre & Community Park
Leicester & Leicestershire Animal Aid Christmas Appeal Leicester Animal Aid (LAA) want all the dogs and cats that will be spending Christmas with us, awaiting adoption, to have the best festive season possible. Ron and Dawn Grantham receiving the award on behalf of Markfield Parish Council and Markfield Community Association
THE LEICESTERSHIRE and Rutland Rural Community Council held its annual Rural Achievements Award Ceremony at Winstanley House, Leicester on the 10th October 2019. There were six categories including Best Community Library, Community Engagement, Rural Services, Rural Business, Best Community Facility and Unsung Hero plus a special overall award. Entries were submitted from across the whole of Leicestershire and Rutland with the finalists in each category attending the awards ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by dignitaries and representatives from across the two counties including our own Deputy Mayor Cllr. Ted Hollick and Cllr. Martin Cartwright. Markfield Community Association and Markfield Parish Council submitted a joint entry for the Best Community Facility category. This entry included improvements made to the Markfield Community and Sports Centre and a new Community Park that surrounds the Centre. The improvements have taken place over the past couple of years and include: Community Centre The overall aim was to improve and modernise the Community Centre and to provide a welcoming and practical facility for the benefit of all centre users and the village. Improvements include a new Parish Council Office, a new Reception Area, a new reception office with WIFI and Tuck Shop, a completely refurbished and equipped kitchen, redecoration of the main bar area and new flooring and internal doors.
Energy and Environmental Improvements The aim was to reduce energy use and to improve the environment both in and around the Community Centre. The improvements include replacement double glazed windows and doors, replacing light fittings with LED lighting, fitting Solar Panels, sound proofing of the new Multi Use Games Area, tree planting and landscaping. Community Park The Markfield Community Park new development that has turned an underused playing field that surround the Community Centre into an wonderful recreational community facility now used by people of all ages and abilities. It includes a walk way around the Centre that meanders through established trees and a memorial tree crescent. It includes pathways, picnic areas, benches, litter bins and landscaped “scrub” areas. A new patio area provides a safe area where people can just sit outside and relax. The patio area has also enabled us to develop a “blooms” project where children can enjoy planting and tending flower beds and hanging baskets with their parents and guardians. Apart from continually maintaining and upgrading our existing skate park and children’s play area the Community Park now also includes a new outdoor multi sports area, a “kick about” court and even an outdoor gym where people can enjoy outdoor sports and recreation. These are fantastic new facilities much appreciated by the residents of Markfield and surrounding rural areas. We are really proud of them and they must be the envy of other villages throughout the Borough and indeed the County.
We make sure that this holiday is extra special for all of our dogs and cats who are patiently waiting for their new forever homes. There are extra tasty treats and everyone has presents to open on Christmas day. There are lots of ways in which you can help spread a little Christmas joy.
The £6 Christmas Gift Appeal To help us make it a magical time of the year for all our animals, we really do need your help and are asking if you could give £6 buy a present for a dog or cat at the Centre. Your gift could buy a new toy, a special meal, some seasonal treats or go towards a bigger present such as a sandpit that can be shared with friends. You can send a cheque made payable to Leicester Animal Aid to our address below, you can use Paypal our email address is info@ leicesteranimalaid.org.uk - you can donate via ‘Just Giving’ please search for Leicester Animal Aid Christmas Present Appeal 2019 or you can ring the Centre on 01455 888 257 and give over the phone, or you can call in to see us between 10.30am and 2.30pm every day (except Christmas Day). We are very close by, located between Desford and Enderby.
Give the Gift of Membership You could treat the animal lover in your life to an LAA gift membership. There are different levels to choose from and all members receive a certificate, badge and Centre news. For details, please visit our website, www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk come and visit us or give the Huncote Centre a call.
Help top-up our supplies – our Amazon wish list! You can buy straight from our Amazon wish list and the items that we really need will be sent directly to us - from washing powder to Sardines – it’s all there on our list! Or could you adopt one of our long-stay Residents?
Thank you For your support – we don’t receive any funding and we rely on the kindness and generosity of our local community to help us rescue more than 400 dogs and cats each year.
Leicester Animal Aid, Elmwood Farm, Forest Road, Huncote, LE9 3LE Telephone: 01455 888 257 • Find us on Facebook
All my wife does is shop. Once she was sick for a week and three stores went under.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
8
Groby Allotments News Scarecrow Competition
Autumn – Time For Planning I’ve been harvesting the last of my courgettes, raspberries and French beans this last month and am now experimenting on covering up the bare patches of earth left by the removal of the finished crops with compost and well-rotted leaf mould and cardboard. Weighted down, the cardboard protects the mulch from being washed away by those frequent rains we have had of late, eventually rotting down itself into the soil to add extra organic matter to hold the moisture next season. With all the winds we’ve had recently, I’ll be collecting many more leaves to rot down for next year! I’ve also planted my overwintering onions, broad beans and garlic. I’m also growing some ‘green manures’ again to dig in or rot down next Spring and also to keep down any weeds from getting a hold over the winter. These plants also make a good hiding place for all the “good” beasties during the winter so they can attack all the pests when they resume their attacks on my tender seedlings next Spring.
WELL, WE had our scarecrow competition a few weeks ago and although it was a very very, wet day to judge the entries, they stood up to the persistent rain, as did the judges, and are still doing so. We had some really inventive scarecrows. The one which got first prize went to Pauline Law with her ‘Monsieur Dulux’ a rather natty painter and decorator! He definitely had a very French look!! The Second Prize went to the Shephard family with a very apt, considering the time of year, and a very scary Halloween scarecrow who had carrot fingers, a witch’s broom and various other vegetables. It is really scary! The best of the rest were a maid (keeping the plot clean and tidy), a political chicken to scare away some of us and a Mr Fox to keep away the foxes that ate all the sweetcorn last month! (Too late!!). They have set a very high standard for those next year to aim for, so the challenge is on! The winners each received a certificate, a prize and a lot of praise! Well done all of you!
New Storage Building At Last We had our concrete garage delivered at last this week on a space near the allotment car park off Ratby Road. It was a bit of a squeeze for the lorry to get up the road, and to swing round to get into the allotment car park but they managed in the end, and the workmen spent the whole day erecting our brand-new storage unit. It does look smart! It also means that we can at last store bulky items like compost etc. without it getting wet. I hope that you will all agree that it isn’t obtrusive and blends well into the overall street view.
Carol Lincoln
Are your double glazed windows STEAMED UP or
MISTY?
There’s no need to replace the whole window we will replace the glass unit for you.
0116 234 0548
Repairs to ALL PVCu and Aluminium Windows & Doors
We can take care of every detail, advise and help you on each and every step of the way. • Qualified Funeral Directors • Floral Tributes arranged • Hearse, Limousines and alternatives available • Monumental Service • Car parking available
• Online tribute and donation profile • Catering suite • Chapels of rest • Funeral plans available • 24 hour service
Just call our small, friendly firm - whether it’s one window or a full house - with approximate sizes, and we’ll give you a price OVER THE PHONE or a free call out if you prefer.
Window Services
Funeral arrangements can be made in the comfort of your own home if preferred.
Repair & Replacement Specialists: Est. 1982 167a Dominion Road, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8JB
Telephone/Fax:
0116 287 5395
Talbott House, Leicester Road, Anstey, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 7AT Email: talbotthouse@ansteyfunerals.com Website: www.ansteyfunerals.com
Two slugs are slithering along a path when they get stuck behind two snails. ‘Oh, no!’ groan the slugs. ‘Caravans!’
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk St Philip & St James Church, Groby
Christmas Carols or Stories
Christmas Tree Festival 2019
Saturday 7th December 10.00am - 6.00pm Sunday 8th December 12noon - 6.00pm Tues 10th / Wed 11th 3.00pm - 6.00pm Thurs 12th 10am - 6pm Light a candle for our country
Christmas Entertainment Friday 13th December 7.00pm Tickets £5 to include sherry and mince pies
Will and Macauley’s 5K race success in Palma! BROOKVALE Groby Learning Campus Year 7 students Will Dempsey and Macauley McGlinchey, travelled to Palma, Majorca to take part in a 5K race on Saturday 12th October. Macauley WON the race and Will came 4th out of 400 children! Both boys did amazingly well, in quite hot conditions. Will is on the left and Macauley on the right, in the picture. WELL DONE!
Skint Estate: A memoir of poverty, motherhood and survival by Cash Carraway Skint Estate is the hard-hitting, blunt, dignified and brutally revealing debut memoir about impoverishment, loneliness and violence in austerity Britain – set against a grim landscape of sink estates, police cells, refuges and peepshows – skilfully woven into a manifesto for change. Alone, pregnant and living in a women’s refuge, Cash Carraway couldn’t vote in the 2010 general election that ushered austerity into Britain. Her voice had been silenced. Years later, she watched Grenfell burn from a women’s refuge around the corner. What had changed? The vulnerable were still at the bottom of the heap, unheard. Without a stable home, without a steady income, without family support – how do you survive?
RUGS - we are CLEANING SPECIALISTS traditional Persian or Chinese, Gabbeh or Kilim, we even love Wiltons and Shaggy ones!
Hard floor cleaning On site curtain cleaning Rugs, including oriental and antique All types of upholstery, especially leather
01530 244900 07825 795558 www.sjscarpetcleaners.co.uk ■
WE ARE LOCAL AND IDEALLY LOCATED IN MARKFIELD
CHECK OUT QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE ON SJS GOOGLE REVIEWS FOR BOTH LEICESTER AND LOUGHBOROUGH
A bad football team is like an old bra - no cups and little support.
9
10
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
National Trust Leicester Association NEWS LAST MONTH I wrote about the National Trust planting trees to help arrest climate change. Since then a number of people have asked me if the Trust is doing anything else in relation to climate change. In 2008 the Trust set out plans to reduce its CO2 emissions by just over 50% by 2020. This will be achieved by reducing the use of fossil fuels for heat and electricity. In practice this will mean integrating technologies such as solar panels, wood fuel heating and energy saving measures. There follows details of some of the schemes. Locally the staff at the East Midlands Regional Office have reduced their energy usage purely by energy saving measures. These include turning off lights and electrical equipment when not needed and installing draught proofing and insulation. Over the first six months from June to November 2009 this saved 13,007 KWh’s, equal to £670.00 in cash terms. This is now an ongoing practice. Across its enormous portfolio of buildings the Trust is investing in energy efficient systems and renewable energy measures which include the use of solar panels, biomass boilers, heat pumps and small wind turbines. The “pay back” is always calculated to be within ten years. There are now just over 140 renewable energy systems in operation at properties across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In addition to reducing the Trust’s greenhouse gas emissions this lessens damage to buildings, the countryside and wildlife, but also makes good business sense. The first NT building to become totally self-sufficient in renewable energy was Gibson Mill (PICTURED ABOVE, RIGHT) in West Yorkshire, a textile mill built in 1800. The only outside “mains” connection is now the phone line. The mill has won numerous sustainability awards and is a source of inspiration and learning to many outside bodies. In addition to the many buildings open to the public the Trust also owns 59 complete villages. At two of these villages, Coleshill in Oxfordshire and Wallington in Northumberland, the Trust, in conjunction with npower, is also assisting tenants to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their energy bills.
FAST FREE LOCAL DELIVERY BOSCH
Blomberg
Washing Machine 1400rpm Spin Speed 6kg Load Capacity A+++ Rated Express Wash 15 Programmes
Built-In Larder Fridge Auto-Defrost 5yr Guarantee A+ Rated Reversible Door Telescopic Shelf
WAB28162GB
TSM1750U
• THE NT LEICESTER ASSOCIATION has an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 27th November when Ken Moulds will present a talk entitled “The First Duke of Wellington”. The meeting will be held at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester, at 2.30pm. There will also be an evening meeting on Tuesday 10th December at The Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue, Braunstone, at 7.30pm. David Skillen will present an illustrated talk entitled “The Battle of Towton 1461” Admission to meetings is NTLA members £2.50, visitors £4.00, including refreshments. For details of the NT Leicester Association and its Talks Service for other organisations please call 0116 2229133.
Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer
Your local Wills & LPA Specialists High quality advice at the best value possible
Blomberg
SAMSUNG
Washing Machine 1400rpm Spin Speed 7Kg Load Capacity 28 Min Fast Full Load 16 Programmes A+++AB Rated
Washing Machine 1400rpm Spin Speed 7kg Load Capacity A+++ Rated 5yr Guarantee White
LWF274411W
WW70J5556MW
BOSCH
ZANUSSI
Built-In Dishwasher 12 Place Settings 4 Programmes Time Delay Noise Level 50db A+ Rated
Washing Machine 1400rpm Spin Speed 8kg Load Capacity A+++ Rated 2yr Guarantee 14 Programmes
SMV40C40GB
Fitted Kitchens We are pleased to announce that we are now agents for A.W.E Kitchens and Bedrooms Who specialise in Bespoke made to measure kitchen & bedroom furniture Please call in for further details
Internet Prices with Personal Service
“Ask About our Same Day/Next Day Installation and Removal Service”
ZWF81443W
ANSTEY
Special Offer for “SPOTLIGHT” readers
A professionally written Will discounted to just £75 with this ad A Lasting Power of Attorney discounted to just £75* with this ad
Genuine offer – no strings attached! Just cut out and present this advert to your advisor
Please call FREE on 0800 6122 818 or email enquiries@truebluewills.com Hurry - This offer is for a limited time only! www.truebluewills.com - enquiries@truebluewills.com Freephone 0800 6122 818 - Mobile 07973 265789 Fully accredited member of the Society Of Will Writers *Not including registration fee
I received a Christmas card from my stockbroker today. It wished me, but in no way guaranteed me, a Happy Christmas.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Don’t throw your jars away!
HELP FOR HEROES Fundraising Event Rose Blayney - a village resident of over three decades held a fund raising event in aid of Help for Heroes. A charity which help Ex Forces Personnel in many ways. The event took place on Saturday 12 October and raised funds of £291, an amazing amount from the wonderful people of Groby. Monies raised came from the sale of goods and the most generous of individual donations of money for such a great worthy cause. The money was sent directly to Help for Heroes and when available to her the acknowledgement of receipt of the funds will be made available for all to see. However the fund raising continues! Rose had made various fruit jams, marmalade, pickled onions, picalilli, red cabbage and beetroot all at her own expense and with some fruits donated from local sources. She took no monies from the day and is continuing to make further supplies at the request of local people and with the help of Bradgate Stores (the Deli) who kindly offered to have a table of produce for raising funds after the day.
Screw-top jars wanted To help Rose continue in her work for Help for Heroes, if anybody would like to donate good, clean screw top jars of all sizes, she would greatfully accept them. Without the supply or return of used jars the stocks of produce would decrease dramatically. So, if you have or would kindly return (if you attended on the day) your glass screw top jars, Rose will happily receive them at 30 Lawnwood Road, Groby. Roses' late husband, Vic was a Coldstream Guard (they actually met whilst he was on duty at Buckingham Palace). Her son is a Royal Anglian Regiment war veteran, her Son in Law a veteran of the Royal Navy and two of her Grandaughters are currently serving with the Royal Air Force. All of whom she is extremely proud. Rose was an active member of the Ratby & District Royal British Legion and raised thousands of pounds over a fifteen year period. Rose will continue to raise funds in aid of Help for Heroes and hopes to do so with the help of the local community. A huge thank you to each and everyone who bought goods and made huge individual donations to this most worthy cause.
Groby Village Society
Owning a dog is good for your heart
Thursday November 28 “Stoneywell & the Gimsons” Mark Temple
On the plus side, here is an interesting statistic: dog owners have a 24 per cent reduced risk of all-cause mortality and are 65 per cent less likely to die after a heart attack. Such were the recent findings of researchers at the American Heart Association. They found that owning a dog can lead to better cardiovascular outcomes, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone. On the minus side, dogs require a lot of time and care, so just make sure you have the time needed to properly care for one. Coming home to find that your dog has destroyed your sofa, through boredom and loneliness, is not good for your heart either!
Meetings held at Groby Village Hall Starting at 7.30pm. unless stated otherwise For Further Details Contact Hon. Secretary Mr. P. Castell Tel. 0116 287 9842 e-mail:- pcastell42@gmail.com Non Members are Welcome
THINKING of getting your family a dog this Christmas?
My claim to fame is that I used to be the world’s youngest person.
11
12
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea Domestic abuse and sexual violence services consultation Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire are in the process of re-commissioning sexual and domestic violence and abuse services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This involves looking at ways in which we can improve how we respond to perpetrators and support victims and their families We currently commission a range of independent services for people affected by domestic or sexual violence and abuse. The four organisations commission services both jointly and individually. These contracts are due to end 31 March 2021. Whilst there are differences in need and commissioning budgets across our areas, we have a shared commitment to delivering the best possible service across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The aim of this consultation is to seek views on proposed core services for victims, children, and those perpetrating domestic abuse. The focus is on easy access, advice and information, prevention, support, protection and recovery. Why We Are Consulting As stated above, this consultation looks at how domestic and sexual violence and abuse services (DSVA) are commissioned for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland from April 2021. Each commissioning organisation is committed to protecting its core budget for these services - however there are a growing number of people needing the services, and some partner organisations previously benefited from one-off funds which will not be available in the future, thereby increasing pressure on the service. To ensure we design the best services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland we would like to hear the views of service users, service providers, support agencies and anyone else
who has a view on current or future sexual and domestic violence and abuse support services across the region. You can take part using the below link or go to Leicestershire County Council’s website and type in consultations https://consultations.leicester.gov. uk/sec/dsva_consultation/
Leicestershire Schools Admissions Consultation for 2021 Entry Leicestershire County Council is consulting on proposed changes to its School Admissions Policy and arrangements to take effect from Autumn 2021. You are invited to make comment on the proposed changes to policy, briefly they comprise of: • Do you agree with the removal of the current criterion 7 in Leicestershire’s Oversubscription Criteria, which will no longer prioritise applications of grounds of ‘belief ’; • Do you agree with the revised Leicestershire School Admissions Policy and associated co-ordinated schemes for entry Autumn 2021? • Do you agree with the amended catchment boundary changes for Primary Schools in Leicestershire for entry Autumn 2021. Schools, parents of children between the ages of 2 and 18, residents and other members of the public will have the opportunity to have their say on these proposed changes until 29 November 2019. Please see the link below to read the full consultation document which includes details on how to respond: https://www.leicestershire. gov.uk/have-your-say/currentconsultations/leicestershire-schoolsadmissions-consultation-for-2021entry Once the consultation is closed recommendations will be provided to the County Council’s Cabinet for a decision. Your views are important to us. Please be assured that no change
will be made until everyone has had the opportunity to have their say.
Crafts and Chat Sessions will be starting at Groby Library Following on from Jenny’s Friday Cook and Craft sessions at Groby Community centre - which I am pleased to announce will be starting up again shortly - Groby Library are starting up a Craft and Chat session fortnightly on a Wednesday afternoon. Are you at a loose end or would like to start a new hobby? Why not come and join us to craft and chat. Everything is provided - yes it’s free. Please pop in to see what’s going on in your village. Come and join us Groby Library Leicester Road 2.30pm – 4.30pm Wednesday (Fortnightly) starting on Wednesday 20th November 2019. No commitment needed; join in as and when you want to. For more information call Rachel or Shirley 01455 255941/255942 earlshiltoncommunityhouse@ hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk
Advance Notice of a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) is to be made for the following location: Main Street and Berry’s Lane, Ratby. The purpose of the TTRO is to allow Leicestershire County Council to facilitate repairs to a collapsed drainage system and any other associated work to the highway. The TTRO will incorporate temporary parking restrictions. The duration of the restriction is not anticipated to exceed a period of 2 days commencing on the 2nd December 2019.The work will be off peak between the hours of 09:00 and 15:00
Message From Leicestershire Trading Standards Leicestershire Trading Standards Service are advising to be aware
of emails purporting to be from legitimate sources that are asking you to renew your payment details. Spelling mistakes are usually the biggest giveaway. Our advice would be to never click a link in the email, instead navigate to the website and login using your details or ring the company directly. Mark such emails as junk/spam and never open any attachments included in a suspicious email. Did you know you can report crime and incidents using our online portal. Please visit https://www.leics. police.uk/ Click on “REPORT”. In an emergency dial 999
Telephone Preference Service Scam There is a current scam where criminals cold call people pretending to be from the Telephone Preference Service. They state that they are updating their records and ask you for money card details or personal details. The TPS is always free and they will never contact you requesting payments or credit card details.
Finally Finally I would like to thank you all for your continued support at this difficult time. I get a pleasure out of helping people and trying to improve the community that I represent and live in. I want to remind you that should you need my help or advice, I always pride myself on making myself available to residents. Remember I am only a phone call or email away.
Ozzy O’shea Always Working for you Cllr Ozzy O’shea
Tel 0116 2394336 Mobile 07808585825 Email ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk Email ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
If swimming is so good for your figure, why are whales so fat?
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
More Groby animal news ... from Lindy WE HAD an addition to our menagerie in October – a squirrel discovered the bird seed feeder outside our dining room window and became a regular visitor. I thought this was perfectly charming until I went out to refill the feeder and found that in his determination to eat every last morsel, little Cyril had chewed through the plastic base. I spent some time this morning searching on Amazon for metal feeders and I was surprised to find how many squirrel-proof models were available. I don’t want to starve squirrels, just stop them destroying the feeders. Our little kitten Sammy continues to delight us. He has beautifully symmetrical markings but his facial hair is decidedly lopsided – luxuriant eyebrows and mustachios on one side of his face, the merest wisps on the other side – hence his nickname of “Samuel Half-Whiskers”. He is also known as Sammy the Sock as steals any he can get his little claws on. He has a penchant for attacking bare ankles. David has another name for him when he does this, but it is unsuitable for publication. Olaf, our senior cat, is spending more time indoors as the weather gets wetter and colder, but he still stays away for long periods of time. We suspect he has a second home. If anyone is receiving visits from a large black cat with a white blaze on his chest and a large scar over one eye, please make a fuss of him – his self-esteem is at an all-time low. I am writing this on November 3rd: it’s a beautiful sunny morning and the flowering ivy that covers my garden fence is alive with wild bees. I’m confused – should I be pleased to be providing such a rich habitat or worrying about global warming?
Lindy Hardcastle
13
A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston By Robyn Crawford AFTER decades of speculation, Robyn Crawford, a close friend, business collaborator and confidante of Whitney Houston, tells her side of the story. The life and legacy of Whitney Houston has fascinated and devastated her fans for years, from her rapid rise to fame, to her tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown, and ultimately to her passing in 2012. In the past two years, two documentaries about her relationships and the demons she struggled have emerged; even now, people can’t get enough of the story of the enigmatic superstar, her astronomical rise and highly publicized fall. But one major figure from Whitney’s inner circle has remained largely a mystery: her closest friend since before it all began, Robyn Crawford. In her memoir, Robyn finally tells her story of life with Whitney, from their teen years in East Orange, New Jersey, to time spent traveling the globe with and working for Whitney at the height of her career. Deeply personal, heartfelt, and ready to set the record straight, Robyn Crawford’s memoir is a vital story and a previously untold part of Whitney’s life, from a women who knew her better than nearly anyone else.
The only tennis player better than Roger Federer is Roger Federest.
14
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Community Library News The Space Chase Reading Results
WE ARE pleased to announce that the Space Chase reading challenge was a great success in Groby.
Elizabeth Woodville Primary School pupils with Roz Smith and Janet Harrison Groby Communtiy Library Trustees receiving the Reading Challenge Cup
It was another 1st for Elizabeth Woodville Primary School winning the challenge cup with 27 readers. Martinshaw Primary School came in as runners up with 23 readers and Lady Jane Grey Primary School with 16 readers. Well done to the Elizabeth Woodville pupils on their 6th consecutive win! Can they do it again next year ? We’ll see… it was very close this year.
Memory boxes WOULD YOU like to reminisce about your life? What job did you do? What games did you play? Or would you like to learn about how people used to live? The library now has one of six Memory Boxes that will circulate around the community Libraries.
Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years By Julie Andrews IN THIS FOLLOW-UP to her critically acclaimed and bestselling memoir Home, the enchanting Julie Andrews picks up her story with her arrival in Hollywood, sharing the career highlights, personal experiences and reflections behind her astonishing career, including such classics as Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Victor/ Victoria and many others.
The themes are: • Beside the seaside • Royalty • Hollywood glamour • Work and Leisure • Great outdoors • Childhood Groby Community library currently has the Work and Leisure box until the end of January. Each box contains a selection of bags of items with instructions about how they can be used to start a conversation about the past. Memory boxes have been used successfully in care homes and dementia cafes but can be used by any group of any age including schools and youth organisations. If you’re part of a group and would like to borrow the box for a small donation please contact the library or email enquiries@ grobylibrary.co.uk
In Home, Julie Andrews recounted her difficult childhood and her emergence as an acclaimed singer and performer on the stage. In her new memoir, Julie picks up the story with her arrival in Hollywood and her astonishing rise to fame as two of her early films -Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music- brought her instant and enormous success, including an Oscar. It was the beginning of a career that would make Julie Andrews an icon to millions the world over. In Home Work, Julie unveils her personal story of adjusting to a new and often daunting world, dealing with the demands of unimaginable success, being a new mother, moving on from her first marriage, embracing two stepchildren, adopting two more children, and falling in love with the brilliant and mercurial Blake Edwards.
Our new patio THE EAGLE-EYED amongst you will have seen that we now have a Patio. This has been superbly and quickly built by Billy Holland(Builders). We are preparing for the Spring when the weather will turn warmer and you can enjoy your coffee, cake and a chat outside. The furniture is yet to arrive and we shall have a grand opening in 2020.
Volunteers We are seeking new volunteers. If you would like to join us in either the Library or the Café or both, please collect an application form from the Library desk. The pay is non - existent as are the holidays, but, the company is great and there’s always a good chat on offer. Before you commit yourself talk to one of our existing volunteers to see what it’s really like.
Social Media Remember you can always contact us and comment on what’s happening in the Library using Social Media.
Dr. Janet Harrison
Trustee, Groby Community Library.
IDC Home Maintenance Painter Decorator and Property Maintenance NO JOB TOO SMALL From changing a light bulb to complete house re-decoration. For all the jobs you need to do but simply don’t have time.
For a free quotation please call Ian on:
01530 245461
or
07885 541428
3 The Nook, Markfield, Leicestershire
Web site: www.idchomemaintenance.co.uk Full Tradesman Liability Insurance held
I had a terrible week away. It only rained twice, but once was for three days and the other time was for four.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Parish Emergency Committee considering adoption of a Community Response Plan THE CIVIL Contingencies Act 2004 requires specific organisations within a policing area to work together to prepare for, respond to and recover from different emergencies, and in September Groby Parish Council’s Emergency Committee was given a presentation by the Resilience Partnership that delivers emergency planning for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The Emergency Services have to focus their resources on helping the most vulnerable and those most badly affected when a wide scale major incident occurs. A community might be affected but not receive immediate assistance because others are in greater need and so communities are encouraged to be in a position to help themselves in those exceptional circumstances and to produce a Community Response Plan. A Community Response Plan helps identify the skills, knowledge and resources that are available locally to help those who have been affected. Developing a Response Plan enables the community to come together to think about what it can do to assist the Emergency Services and to prepare for an emergency. This would involve undertaking a local risk assessment and identifying: • core members of the Community Response Team • local skills and resources • key locations that can be used as places of safety • triggers for activating the Community Response Plan In addition it would be necessary to develop a simple set of instructions covering the first steps for plan activation, create an Emergency Kit, record emergency contact details, and agree how the plan will be kept up to date.
Grant for emergency equipment Funding is available to provide communities which develop a Community Response Plan which has been submitted and validated with items to the value of £600 to create a Community Emergency Store. The validation exercise must take place within six months of the start up meeting. There are 52 items from which to select those most appropriate for the local community, including lockable containers for storing equipment, flood protection items such as sandbags, road signage and cones, tools and personal safety gear, megaphones and walkie talkies, torches and first aid kits,
and even a generator. When Groby Parish Council considered the recommendation of the Emergency Committee to participate in the scheme they agreed to consider a draft Plan. The fire at Druck demonstrates how residents rally around to help when needed and if a Plan is developed it will enable people to offer their skills in advance of an emergency, improving the quality of the response with hopefully better outcomes for those adversely affected. If you have particular skills that will be needed in the event of an emergency, or just want to offer general support, give the Parish Clerk a call on 0116 287 6985 or email: parishclerk@groby.com Knowing that there is community support will help the Council in its decision making and planning.
Protect your home and family The advice to plan is not just aimed at local authorities – householders are also encouraged to think about how they would protect their homes and families in an emergency. Advice is available and covers a number of scenarios: • when it is safer to stay in • when emergency services might need to evacuate homes, schools and workplaces; • choosing a friend or relative who lives outside the immediate area who you all agree to contact if you are unable to phone each other and cannot get to an agreed meeting point; • making a note of details of family members or friends who have agreed to provide you with a place to stay following an emergency;
• knowing how to isolate water, gas and electricity supplies if necessary; • creating a list of your legal and sentimental critical documents so that you can store them away from threats; • ensuring to take with you passports, driving licences, insurance documents, building society books, etc, if you have to evacuate; • making arrangements to enable you to carry on at home for two or three days without utilities or access to shops; • keeping a list of the contact details you might need in an emergency to ensure you can get in touch with the right people quickly. It’s also recommended that you decide on an ICE contact (ICE = In Case of Emergency). This is the person (or people) who the Emergency Services should contact on your behalf. Think carefully about who you choose for an ICE contact because that person might need to give consent to medical treatment. Put ICE contacts in your mobile phone and / or on a card for your wallet or purse. And if anyone in your household has special needs which make them medically reliant on utilities such as electricity and water speak to your provider about getting onto their Priority Services Register. But don’t forget family members, friends or neighbours who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable and might need your help in an emergency, or might require specialist help from the Emergency Services. Giving advance thought to their specific needs will help ensure that you can request the appropriate support without delay. There are probably few households that are this well prepared for the day things go wrong. But as the recent flooding, the Kegworth air disaster, Grenfell Tower and the Birstall gas explosion demonstrate, the unexpected does happen.
There’s more information online – just Google ‘grobylinx’ and follow the links.
Norman Griffiths
Explosion at a Yorkshire pie factory: 3.14159265 dead.
15
HOUSEKEEPER REQUIRED IDEAL FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERSON WITH NO TIES. A full clean driving licence is required and a knowledge of cooking would be an advantage. Hours are flexible. Please contact
07766 855055
for more information.
16
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Gardening Society News Groby Gardening Society meeting, 10th October 2019 AROUND 50 members attended a talk by Andrew Mikolajski entitled “Come into the garden, Maud”. Andrew is based in Long Buckby in Northamptonshire, and has been a gardening writer for over 20 years. He has also taught garden design at Warwickshire College, and garden history. The title of the talk is taken from the poem of the same name by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, published in 1855 after he had been appointed Poet Laureate. The opening lines are “Come into the garden, Maud, For the black bat, night, has flown”. The poem refers to a garden with roses, lilies, woodbine and acacia which creates an image of a well maintained and picturesque setting. This idea of public gardens developed during the second half of the C19, as wealthy Victorian industrialists adopted a philanthropic approach to making life more amenable to the general public. Prior to this, access to public parks and gardens was often restricted, with the working classes in particular denied free access. Widespread industrialisation led to the growth of towns, linked in particular with the expansion of the railways and the postal system, which allowed people to travel further, and to order and receive plants and seeds, and promoted an increase in what we now consider as inclusion of members of the public. Previously, gardens on a grand scale had been the prerogative of the very wealthy upper classes who had the means to sponsor the great plant-hunting expeditions of the late C18 and early C19. Such collections could only have been maintained in conservatories and ornate gardens of grand houses, but the repeal of the window tax in 1851 (the
end of “daylight robbery”) led to the more widespread use of glass, enabling the use of conservatories and greenhouses in more modest properties. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was a huge catalyst for invention, demonstrating exotic goods from across the Empire, and showcasing industrial goods that the Victorian public were keen to adopt. The (temporary!) structure (designed by Joseph Paxton) which housed the exhibition was itself made of prefabricated iron sections with vast areas of glass, built over and around existing trees in Hyde Park. Horticulture was becoming an industry in its own right. Many of the exhibits related to gardening, such as copies of planters, urns and statuary from the grand gardens, and early lawnmowers and rollers. Around the same time Thomas Cook began arranging day trips by railway, originally for members of the Temperance Society, but becoming more widespread including trips to the Great Exhibition. The English style of the great gardens of the time was to be
picturesque, as championed by Paxton; Andrew mentioned the influence of John Claudius Loudon who produced the first encyclopaedia of gardening, and promoted a more formal “gardenesque” style, the precursor of how public parks are set out today. Loudon’s ideas included the planting of specimen plants and trees as a focal point, and the continuous replacement of seasonal flower beds. Andrew went on to mention Sir Charles Isham, a Victorian “champagne socialist” who is credited with the introduction of the garden gnome! Whilst travelling in Germany in the 1840s, Isham came across some gnomes in Nuremberg. These were thought to have been taken into the German coal mines by miners to ensure good fortune. He brought 21 terracotta gnomes home to Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire, but his wife and daughter thought they were hideous. Undeterred, he built a special rock garden for them in the grounds of Lamport creating a fairy landscape for the gnome miners, as they
Those newsletters inside their Christmas card…
BRACE YOURSELF – this is the month when many of your distant friends and relatives will be sending you their Christmas card with the Christmas Newsletter tucked inside.
You will read all about Grannie’s arthritis and treatment, how Rupert’s progress on the violin is amazing, how their summer holiday cruise of the Med was stupendous, exactly where the dog got lost for a day in Wales, how the kitchen has been re-furbished, and how extraordinarily well Helen is doing at university. You may groan, but don’t dismiss all those little bits of ‘wonderful everyday’ news. For of such minor triumphs and tragedies most of daily life is made. And don’t blame your relatives/friends if they have somewhat ‘enhanced’ their yearly news roundup – this may be their one chance to star in a drama. Just remember – there is nothing to stop you from sending a Christmas Newsletter back to them… and you can also write what you like!
dug for pieces of shiny quartz that he built in to the rockface. He created stories and poems about the gnomes, including one about their demands for “8 hours sleep, 8 hours play, 8 hours work, 8 shillings pay”. When you next watch Disney’s Snow White, the gnome-like dwarves are mining for diamonds, possibly a nod to Isham’s gnomes at Lamport?
The only surviving example of his original gnomes is “Lampy”, on show at Lamport and insured for £1 million! (The rest were used for rifle target practice by Sir Charles’ wife and daughter!) • OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS are held at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of each month in the United Reformed Church rooms on Chapel Hill, Groby. Entry is £2 for non-members (an annual subscription is just £15), and you’ll be sure of a warm welcome, along with a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit! The next meeting on December 12 will be our traditional ‘bring and share’ pre-Christmas social gathering, and on January 9, 2020 we’ll be welcoming a volunteer from the Bradgate Park Trust giving a talk on managing the park for wildlife.
Keith Poole
All Jewellery Repairs Rings sized, reclawed & stones set Chains, earrings and bracelets repaired
SYKES JEWELLERS
Comissions designed & handmade
Tel - 0116 236 2510 www.sykesjewellers.co.uk 8 Bradgate Road, Anstey, LE7 7AA What do we want? A cure for obesity! When do we want it? After dinner!
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
17
News from HootS and ideas for a low carbon Christmas OUR PLANET faces a climate emergency. Although other stories dominate the top headlines in the news if you delve just a little deeper you find news of the situation that humanity faces. You may find news of the climate protests that are happening around the world or the fires tearing through parts of California and the Amazon.
Building & Maintenance - Private & Commercial
Adverts for Glenfield Christadelphians GETTING READY FOR AUTUMN For Groby and Field Head Spotlight July to November 2019
In the midst of all that is happening it can be easy to despair and feel powerless to change anything – it feels easier to put your head in the sand and pretend it is not happening. ‘Head out of the Sand’ (HootS – Groby) is a group of people who have decided that, despite how complex and frightening the situation may be, we will keep our heads out of the sand, JULY face the truth, educate ourselves and act on what we learn. At our October meeting we learnt about the carbon footprint of the food Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God we eat and as we approach Christmas in our November meeting we shared ideas on how to minimise our impact on the planet as we celebrate. Scout Hall, Stamford St. Glenfield Bibleis an important Christmas celebration for most of us. We make it special Each at 6pm Willing) Talks gifts by: exchanging andSunday cards; meeting up (God with family and friends; going to carol services; decorating our houses; and more! All of the excitement The and Holy the that Aug surrounds Christmas helps us to deal with the shortening days 04 Jesus and His Kingdom colder weather. Christmas is important, but we also need toScriptures... recognise are the able to make impact that our celebrations are having on the planet. Aug 11 Politics and Voting - the Christian View thee wise unto One way to minimise our carbon footprint is to apply salvationthe fourAug Rs:18Refuse; Reduce; and Recycle. The Magnitude of Re-use God through faith Unfortunately Christmas produces a lot of waste. As we prepare which isfor in Christ Christmas be Times mindfulofofDaniel this and recycle whatJesus.. we can. Aug 25let’sThe andremember His ThreetoFriends For example: buy wrapping paper that IS recyclable; collect 2together Timothy 3:15 Christmas cards and give them to a charity who recycle them; give www.lifes-big-questions.org www.thisisyourbible.com/glenfield unwanted gifts to a charity. Thankfully ChristmasGlenfield is a time when many of us re-use things that we Christadelphians already have. One way that we minimise our carbon footprint is through using what we have rather than buying new things. So why not use that SEPTEMBER artificial Christmas tree again this year? And get out the old decorations and enjoy the memories that they hold. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God Christmas is a time when many of us over-indulge – it is a fact that many people get into debt at this time of year. So why not reduce what you buy Scout Hall, Stamford St. Glenfield Bible this year? This could be a reduction in the gifts you give, or planning the Each Sunday at 6pm (God and Willing) Talks food you are going to eat so you don’t buy above beyond what you need. If we are realistic about what we need, some of us may even avoid The Holy putting on those extra pounds! Scriptures... are Oct 06 And that first R – refuse. Even for those that love Christmasable it is to easy to make see that this special festival is used by shops and online sellersthee to get usunto to wise Oct 13thatHas Israel? buy things we God don’tForgotten really want or need. As we prepare forsalvation Christmas this year may be we can refuse to get caught up in the buying through frenzy that faith Oct 20Christmas The Bible A Book We can Trustis really important. surrounds and–concentrate on what which is in Christ If you are concerned about the climate emergency and want toJesus.. meet 27 toFaith the Key with Oct others, learnismore andto actSalvation locally please come along2toTimothy our next 3:15 meeting. We meet again on Sunday December 8th at 2:30pm in the www.lifes-big-questions.org www.thisisyourbible.com/glenfield Village Hall when our topic will be Transport. If you want to know more please contact us at: hoots-groby@hotmail.com
Glenfield Christadelphians Ruth Mwenya and Janet Bishop
AUGUST
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
Bible Talks
Scout Hall, Stamford St. Glenfield New Roofing Each Sunday at 6pm (God Willing)
The Holy Garage Conversion Specialist Sep 01 The Promises of God are Conditional
Sep 08 The Interior Bible and Archaeology Refit -
Scriptures... are
able to make Extensions thee wise unto
07734405374
Sep 15 What is the Christian Gospel? Sep 22 Hope for a World in Crisis
Sep 29 Jesus, Fig Trees and Vineyards
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.. 2 Timothy 3:15
contact@countycontractorsleics.co.uk www.thisisyourbible.com/glenfield www.countycontractorsleics.co.uk Glenfield@CountyCon Christadelphians
www.lifes-big-questions.org
County Contractors, Groby, Leicester OCTOBER Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
Bible Talks
Scout Hall, Stamford St. Glenfield Each Sunday at 6pm (God Willing)
Nov 03 What is Sin? - The Bible Answer Nov 10 Middle East Peace - How and When? Nov 17 A Day in the Life of the Apostle Paul Nov 24
The Difference a Belief in God makes to Life
www.lifes-big-questions.org
The Holy Scriptures... are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.. 2 Timothy 3:15
www.thisisyourbible.com/glenfield
Glenfield Christadelphians
NOVEMBER
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
Bible Talks
Scout Hall, Stamford St. Glenfield Each Sunday at 6pm (God Willing)
Dec 01 The Witness of Moses to Jesus Dec 08 Finding Stability in an Unstable World Dec 15 The Kingdom of God on Earth – What Does Dec 22 Investing with God Dec 29 The History of the Bible in English www.lifes-big-questions.org
The Holy Scriptures… are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.. 2 Timothy 3:15
www.thisisyourbible.com/glenfield
Glenfield Christadelphians Queries Glenn Smith salary. Unfortunately, there’s a Invoice to point Peter involved. Forbes I earn to a seven-figure decimal 30 Lichfield Drive, Blaby, 16 Mountfields Drive, Loughborough, Leics, LE8 4AS Leics. LE11 3JE
18
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Coping with CANCER A Groby man shows that bravery comes in many forms
T
HIS IS THE time of the year when we remember the bravery of those who have defended our liberties.
They may have lost their lives, their limbs or have suffered posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of their experiences. But bravery takes many forms and often creeps into our lives without us noticing. It may be an heroic act during a crisis, coping with the ethnic or religious prejudices of other people, or dealing with dignity with the misfortunes of illness or accidents. Often in these circumstances the person involves dismisses any talk of bravery. “I just did what anyone in my situation would have done,” is a common response. One Groby man dismisses any notion of bravery in his case and says it is all about coming to terms with what has happened, learning how to cope and carrying on with life celebrating survival. George West had cancer surgery during May 2011 followed by 20 doses of radiotherapy. His facial nerve was cut and he had to learn to speak to be understood and how to regain his balance having had one ear removed. He had to learn how to eat and drink without spilling fluid down his shirt. For three years he could only drink using a special straw, and could not close his left eye. A gold weight was fitted to his upper eyelid. Movement of his left arm has been left restricted, and he has had to come to terms with the facial disfigurement which resulted from his illness and treatment.
What do I do now? Many would retreat into a private world, but not George who continues to play a part in national and local issues. “What do I do now?” he asked himself on leaving hospital and suddenly feeling all alone to deal with facial disfigurement and other changes to his head and body. Part of the answer was to develop strategies to deal with day to day situations, strategies for himself and those who met him and were uncomfortable or not sure how to react. “Most people you will meet as you leave hospital will be kind and sympathetic but do not be surprised by a minority who react differently to the way you now look,” said George. “Whilst you might feel apprehensive, as I discovered, there are simple ways you can deal with those awkward situations. You will need to learn how to build your own ways to protect yourself against unwanted stares, rude comments and embarrassment amongst strangers and when meeting people for the first time. If you can learn how to take control by confronting negative reactions from other people, your anxiety will decrease as you become more and more confident to cope.” His advice is not to wait for other people to act upon their prejudices about facial disfigurement. Take the initiative, take control and be the first to break the ice. “As time goes by everything will become easier partly as you meet more and more people who see you as you are and not judge you by the way you look.” George plays an active volunteer role in the Coping with Cancer Charity by organising a friendly, free, drop-in support group which meets every first Friday of the month from 2pm to 4pm at Helen Webb House. 35 Westleigh Road, Leicester LE3 0HH. Whatever the type of cancer, wherever in the body it attacks, the group and the Charity as a whole offers impartial and confidential guidance, practical and emotional support to anyone affected by cancer, to those diagnosed, undergoing treatment or in recovery, their family members and carers. It provides an opportunity to have views and concerns heard about cancer services in Leicestershire and Rutland and will consider how else it can improve services for those who require them.
for an explanation and then turn away satisfied to play happily. Some older children have not been taught by their parents that it is rude to stare and need to be helped not to do it, Some adults have never learned it is rude to stare. 5. Do not put up with people who ignore you as though you are not a live human being. For example, when out with a friend in a restaurant waiting to order, if you are ignored and your friend is spoken to find your own way of butting in. Sometimes I think people assume I am senile because of my appearance and need reminding by me. Adopt a “Hello. I am here,” approach. 6. If you have difficulty in speaking clearly, carry a notepad and pen to George West make yourself understood. 7. When questioned for example, “Have you had a stroke” give only the information you feel comfortable to give. No need even to mention cancer if you don’t want to. Be patient if you are given well meaning advice such as “My dog had cancer once but the vet cured it”. 8. As mentioned above take the initiative, take control and be the first to break the ice.
You can contact George on 0116 287 4622 if you have been affected by the issues described, either as a sufferer, relative or a carer, though any specific enquiries needing medical advice need to be referred to your GP.
Norman Griffiths
ELECTRICIAN A one-stop professional & reliable service ♦Fixed Wiring Testing ♦Landlord Certification ♦Expert Fault Finding ♦Fuse Board Upgrades ♦Extra Sockets & Lights ♦Electric Heating
♦Complete Rewiring (with minimal disruption)
♦Cottage Specialists ♦Electrics Showers (Inc. Plumbing) ♦Security (Alarms, CCTV, Lights) ♦Free No Obligation Quotes
Control Electrics (Leics.) Ltd
Call: 0116 268 2910 Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicester LE7 7BR
Strategies for coping The Swallows, a nationwide Head and Neck Cancer Charity has published a leaflet listing George’s “8 Simple Suggestions” about how to cope. These can also help anyone suffering any type of facial disfigurement no matter how caused : 1. Distract attention from your face by wearing a hat, wide brimmed if you need protection from the sun. People tend to comment on the hats I wear and not on my disfigured face 2. Speak first. Try to smile. Don’t give the other person time to decide how to react to your appearance. 3. Try good humour. My favourite is to point to my face and say with a smile “I didn’t always look as good as this.” 4. Out-stare rude people who stare. Make them blink to make them look away. It is natural for little children to stare out of curiosity who might ask
My wife keeps complaining about her nine-to-five job. I must admit, 4.51 is a strange time to start work.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
St James the Least of All
On the best ways for a vicar to disrupt Christmas The Rectory St James the Least of All My dear Nephew Darren I am sorry I was not alive during that wonderful four-year period when Oliver Cromwell abolished Christmas. Just think! No Christmas parties, no carol services, no cards to send and no frantic last-minute shopping. That man was a hero. Planning for Christmas at St James’ normally starts on 2nd January. By Easter, the flowers for church have been colour coordinated, the seating plans and table decorations for the Christmas party have been allocated (with nominated reserves in case someone should inconveniently die in the intervening eight months). Long before Summer is over, the tree lights have been tested, music for the 9 Lessons and Carols Service has been chosen and the service sheets printed. Way before the dark nights set in, car parking attendants will have been found, those who are to light all the candles will have been rehearsed to perfection and the brass lectern has had its annual polish. We do not do spontaneity at St James the Least of All. If ever there was a service when time for something unexpected was allowed, its place would be announced in the order of service, how long it would happen unexpectedly would have been decided by a committee and who was to be spontaneous would have been allocated on a rota. The one person none of these well-meaning, efficient, committed organisers can control is the Rector. You could call it a staff perk. Carols will (accidentally, of course) be announced in the wrong order; if verse 3 was to be omitted, I announce it will be verse 4. This keeps the organist on his toes while the choir hovers on the point of a collective nervous breakdown. At the Christmas supper, my introductory welcome speech and extensive grace make those in the kitchen wonder if the vegetables being boiled should better be served as thick soup. I offer the helpful suggestion that the tree, having been installed and decorated in the chancel, may perhaps look better in the sanctuary and I turn all the heating off throughout the season, explaining that it will help the flowers to last. All Services will start five minutes early (was my watch rather fast?) so I can look disapprovingly at those still coming in while we are singing the first carol and making it clear that I think they had spent too long in the pub next door. And so we all reach Christmas morning, with 12 months of planning having gone yet again slightly awry, with parishioners exhausted and I exhilarated at the chaos that has been created with such ease. Mr Cromwell, your spirit lives on. Your loving uncle,
Eustace
19
Accreditation for eating disorders ward recognises high quality patient care AN NHS INPATIENT and day care unit run by Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT), which provides specialist support for adults with eating disorders, has maintained its accreditation status in recognition of the high quality of patient care. Langley Ward, situated within the Bennion Centre on the Glenfield Hospital site, provides hospital care and treatment to adults aged 18 or over who have anorexia nervosa. The ward offers inpatient services across the East Midlands region and is part of the Leicestershire Adult Eating Disorders Service (www. leicestereatingdisorders. co.uk), which works with people experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other diagnosable eating disorders. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has an accreditation programme for inpatient eating disorder services. Every three years a full review of wards is carried out on its behalf by the Quality Network for Eating Disorders (QED), with an interim review after 18 months. LPT is delighted to have received confirmation from the QED that the high standards of patient care identified during the previous full visit in 2015 continue to be maintained, and the ward accreditation will remain in place. The Royal College’s accreditation programme involves assessment against some 300 standards categorised into five sections, with themes including safety, timely and purposeful admission, the environment and facilities and therapies and activities on offer. The Leicestershire Adult Eating Disorders Service is staffed by a number of highly skilled health professionals including psychiatrists, specialist nurses, health care support workers, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, administrative staff, researchers and a dietician. Sandra Marshall, inpatient team manager, said: “We are very proud of this acknowledgment that we continue to provide a high quality, effective and safe service with positive outcomes. Our service users have very specific and often complex needs, and the process of recovery from anorexia nervosa takes time and for some people, a lengthy hospital admission. We have a fantastic team of staff at Langley Ward who work incredibly hard every day to help the patients on the ward at particularly difficult moments in their lives.” Patients from within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are usually referred to the service by their GP, but referrals may also be made by other mental or physical health care clinicians to ensure they get the timely and individual support that they need.
A teenager is someone whose hang-ups don’t include clothes.
20
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
COUNTDOWN FOR CHRISTMAS CHURCHES Together for Justice offers some unique suggestions for Fairtrade festive Christmas gifts….. Behind each special present is a real story about the farmers and workers responsible for your gift. By choosing and supporting Fairtrade we can make a real difference across the world this Christmas. Every year Christmas seems to be bigger, louder, more colourful, and require more spending. But this year, there appears to be change in air and more people appear to be searching for an ethical answer, searching for sustainable options, plastic free, questioning companies about where they get their raw products from. Christmas can be a minefield and many struggle with niggles about where gifts come from. Are your Christmas treats at the expense of the farmer? Are workers being woefully underpaid for your child’s toys? GET YOUR FAIRTRADE CHRISTMAS ALL WRAPPED UP with a wonderful selection of ethical lovelies. We want to help you make your Christmas as ethical as possible so we’ve picked out some of our favourites this year, from tasty stocking fillers to stunning jewellery and gorgeous clothes. There are so many new Fairtrade products easily available, you’re sure to find something special for all the family. From handembroidered Christmas cards to hand-carved nativity sets, socks & scarves, wrapping paper, and everything in between for him and her, and the kids — everything you could ever want for a truly unique festive season. The largest range of Fairtrade products in the midlands can be found at the JUST shop in Silver Street, Leicester. When you’ve finished hanging up your handcrafted decorations and hosting family and friends, take a load off your feet and tuck into some truly ethical fair trade Christmas food. You deserve it. Enjoy this time of Advent
Joy Russell
Spotlight Small Ads PICK UP A BARGAIN
• Various WINDOWS for sale various sizes, and PATIO DOORS still in their boxes. Tel: 07977 036445 or 01530 244572 • Hand-operated SINGER SEWING MACHINE - for use or ornament. Reasonable offers accepted. Tel: 01530 230786 (Thornton). • GHD IV STYLER - boxed with DVD instructions. Price: £60. Tel: 07857 286145 (Glenfield). • Daxara 107 TIP UP TRAILER, 4ft by 3ft by 1ft deep. With cover. Price: £70 o.n.o. Tel: 07814 776063. • EXERCISE BIKE - excellent condition. Price: £25. Tel: 01530 243778 (Markfield). • Electric SANDER - Price: £15. • SOCKET SETS (2) - Price: £5 the two. • ROOF RACK - Price: £8. • Old SCRABBLE and MONOPOLY games - Price: £5 the two. • READ ALONG DOLL - with story book, still in box. Price: £15. • Lladro CAT - beige/white. Price: £15. • Ralph Lauren TEDDY, with Teddy POLO SWEATER. Price: £15. • Boy & Girl DOLLS on stands, with matching clothes. Price: £6 the pair. Tel: 01530 243660 (Markfield). • Bag of PHILIPPA GREGORY BOOKS - Plantagenet and Tudor novels, including: White Queen, King’s Curse, The Last Tudor. All excellent condition - read only once. Price: £3 (hardback), £2 (paperback). Tel: 07511 552857 (Markfield). • ELECTRIC PIANO, music books and stool. Yamaha Clavinova, advanced wave memory, in excellent condition. Price: £300. Tel: 0116 2878313
• Original 1970s HOW IT WORKS MAGAZINES, Full Collection (195) Price: £40 o.n.o. • TAKE OFF MAGAZINES in binders (1-46). Brilliant condition. Price: £30 o.n.o. Tel: 07527 812356 (Bagworth) • 5ft Fibre optic CHRISTMAS TREE - price: £10. • Outside CHRISTMAS LIGHTS - price: £5. • Reeves ARTIST’S EASEL price: £15. • Two IKEA ‘POANG’ CHAIRS - light wood, cream covers, one in need of new cover - price: £30 for both. Tel: 07885 296828 (Markfield). • Wingman Extreme DIGITAL PRECISION JOYSTICK, with users guide. Little used. Free to a good home Tel 01162257792. • One hundred CLAY PAVING BLOCKS (not coloured concrete). Won’t fade or absorb oil. Price: £40 the lot Tel: 0116 225 7792 (Groby). • Gtech Rechargeable POWER SWEEPER - Hardly used - still in box. Price £22. • CYLINDER DOOR LOCKS x 4 with three keys with each lock. Price £6 each or £20 the lot. Tel: 0116 287 0378 (Glenfield).
IF YOU HAVE any household items which you’d like to advertise FREE in the Spotlight, please SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum EIGHT items please. Our postal address is: Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk PLEASE ENSURE that you put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (not for publication, just to know where you are).
We were so poor, when I was ill I could only afford to have one measle at a time.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
21
AL
x
WE HAVE A RANGE OF BRANDS ON OFFER FREE survey & fixed price quote
Call 0116 287 8000 ukgasservices.co.uk
*See website for terms & conditions.
5663
Leicestershire’s local installer of boilers & central heating for over 20 years.
1196_UKG_Notts_LocalNews.indd 1
10/16/19 2:58 PM
w w w. o a kt re el e tt i ng s . c o. u k
L A N DLOR D S Has your letting agent increased their fees due to the tenant fee ban ? Has your agent kept you informed of all the latest regulations ? We pride ourselves on our friendly yet professional approach to managing your property and have over 30 years combined experience We offer fully inclusive management at 10% plus vat to include rent guarantee and tenant eviction protection Visit our website to see why so many landlords recommend us ! Contact Louise or Marianne for an information pack or to arrange a free property appraisal
Call: 0116 287 0334
86 Faire Road, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8ED
Email: lettings@oaktreelettings.co.uk
The bishop came to our church today, but I don’t think he was a real bishop. He never once moved diagonally.
22
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS
Councillor Martin Cartwright reports
Spotlight Borough Council Article Layout YOU MAY have noticed a different layout to last month’s Borough Council article in the October edition of the Spotlight to that which you have been used to, with separate articles from myself and Ted on different pages. This is because we, as your Groby Borough Councillors, have very different roles in terms of the committees we are on at the Borough Council so we have decided to submit separate articles. This gives us the opportunity to report not just our feedback from the committees we represent but also the ability to express our individual views on the major issues that affect Groby’s residents. Since we were both elected together back in 2015 I have written all but one of the articles entirely. The new layout will give you information from both of us working together but each of our different views.
Hello Homes THE FORMER Highway Land on Leicester Road is as we speak being turned into homes. This is on a shared ownership basis or affordable rent. The mix at the time of my writing is as below (subject to change): • 10 Affordable Rent • 20 Shared Ownership Lots of interest has been expressed to me by people currently living with parents in Groby who are unable to fund a fully owned new home in the village. In order to be considered for one of the shared ownership homes you first of all need to be registered on the help to buy midlands housing register. To do this you can either visit www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk website or the hello homes web site at www.hellohomes.org.uk . Here you will find additional information on the shared ownership schemes and a link to how to register on the help to buy midlands web site for a shared ownership home. The affordable rent follows a different process, details of which can be found by contacting the Borough Council for choice based lettings not hello homes at this time. The site is due to be completed late April 2020, weather dependent. The first two homes being built to the front of the site one of which
will be the show home office the other a view style home for those interested in viewing. From what I have seen of other homes built by this developer the homes will be finished to a very high standard. The addition of 30 homes in Groby split between affordable rent and shared ownership is very welcome so long as local families benefit from those homes which I am sure they will. The site is referred to by Hello Homes as Groby Fields but will be named Highway Close once completed. For further information please contact: Hello Homes, 1 Barton Close, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicestershire LE19 1SJ Telephone: 03001230918 E-mail: hellohomes@emhgroup. org.uk
Groby Housing Needs Survey RECENTLY Groby residents have received a housing need survey through the post to their Groby address. Whilst the survey is carried out independently of the Borough and Parish Councils by Midlands Rural Housing, the results of the survey are used to inform the local Councils as to what the housing need is from the eyes of the residents that live in Groby. Two thousand nine hundred surveys were sent out with approximately 783 to date returned. This is a really good return rate for a survey I would like to thank everyone that took the time to fill in and return the housing needs survey. This is not just another survey amongst many you may be asked to complete but vital information for the Borough Council as to what the housing need is in Groby. The results of the returned entries are not yet known; once they are I will bring a summary of those results to you in a future edition of
my Borough Council article.
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Rural Strategy Review The Rural Strategy Review being undertaken and mentioned in my previous spotlight article is going well and I have now had a response from Groby Parish Council following my visit to them in this process which is detailed below. “Following Cllr Cartwright’s attendance at a meeting of Groby Parish Council to discuss the Rural Strategy Review, the Parish Council agreed at the meeting held on 7th October that the 10 main issues facing Groby are as follows: • Provision of Primary Education • Transport • Retail Regeneration • Parking • Health and Social Care Provision • Sports and Green Spaces • Street lighting • Anti-social behaviour • Environmental Issues • Provision of Homes Could you please make Cllr Cartwright aware that the Parish Council did not place the list in order of importance or priority”.
I am here to help you SHOULD you have any comments or problems you would like me to mention in my article please get in touch. Please remember if I can ever be of help to you or your family please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact details are listed below. Kind regards
Cllr Martin Cartwright
Cllr Martin Cartwright Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, Climate Change, Rural Issues & Klondyke Community Hub
Residents newsletter promoted by Cllr Martin Cartwright, Maverick House, 10 Pine Tree Avenue, Groby, Leicester. LE6 0EQ
What was the name of the Russian who invented a cure for the common cold? Benylin Forchestikov.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
23
SCUBA BUSINESS NETWORK IS BACK ... • • • •
Own a local business - large or small? Want to network with other local companies? Want to support the workforce of tomorrow? Want to advertise your business for free?
YOU ARE INVITED you to attend the next South Charnwood Business Network meeting which is taking place at South Charnwood High School between 4.30-6.00pm on Thursday 28th November 2019. Refreshments will be available from 4pm.
These meetings, first established in June 2017, are organised by our Year 10-11 business ambassadors (pupils aged 14-15) and are designed to allow you to network with other local companies, as well as showcase/ support the workforce of tomorrow. You are welcome to advertise your business for FREE using our 5 minute Quick Pitch activities (maximum 6 per meeting) - please let us know if you would like to take part in this activity. We are always looking for new businesses to attend these events and as an incentive there will be a prize to the company/person who can bring along the most guests to the November meeting! In addition to creating new business, these events have made a huge difference to the business ambassadors who have gained in confidence, are more resilient and work ready than their peers. Indeed, one of our ex pupils remarked last week that: ‘SCUBA was brilliant. I am so much more confident and it has really helped me with my university applications, as well as dealing with new situations. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do it.” If you would like to attend then please contact Simon Andrews, Deputy Headteacher on 01530 242351 or email scuba@southcharnwood.org
I complained to the supermarket manager: ‘This vinegar has lumps in it.’He said: ‘Those are pickled onions.’
24
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Surgery Patients Group
Looking after your mental health
EXERCISE, eat 5 portions of fruit/vegetables a day, don’t smoke, drink sensibly ... it’s a list that most people are familiar with regarding how to keep our bodies healthy. This Autumn the NHS has been busy putting together guidelines for another aspect of our well-being, our mental health. Public Health England recently launched The Every Mind Matters campaign, encouraging adults to be more aware of their mental health with simple steps to look after it. A range of useful resources helps spot the signs of common mental health concerns. There’s practical self-care tips, and guidance and advice on when to seek further support. The Every Mind Matters website has a free NHS-approved online tool which with just 5 straightforward questions helps people build an action plan to help them feel more in control, boost their mood, improve their sleep and deal with stress and anxiety. There’s lots of useful information and practical advice about • Understanding mental health • Mental well-being • Anxiety • Sleep • Stress • Low mood Many people are quick to seek advice when they feel physically unwell but may feel there is a stigma about discussing their
mental health. This is changing, just as it did with cancer, and there is now a greater openness about all sorts of medical conditions. The NHS advice is that looking after our mental health is not something we should just do if we are struggling, or feeling low, anxious or stressed. It’s something we should think about all the time and really invest in, just like with our physical health. Looking after our mental health is not only good for us now, it can also help us deal with and manage difficult times in the future. Over time, it may also reduce our risk of physical health problems. To read more and visit the NHS site just Google grobylinx and you’ll find it listed under Groby Spotlight Links.
Practice nurse Mrs Danielle Donlan will take with her everyone’s best wishes when she starts her maternity leave in December. No doubt Danielle was pleased to hear that in the recent Patient Survey 99% of respondents said that they were satisfied with the service she gave them when they
last saw her. She is likely to be away for around 12 months, but patients will not be affected as in her absence her duties will continue to be covered by temporary staff.
Patients Survey Some of the questions asked in the latest Patients Survey asked about the last contact patients had with Groby Surgery staff. Here’s a summary of the overall responses • 96% found the Receptionist helpful; • 94% were happy with the time taken to listen to and understand their needs; • 94% were satisfied with the care and consideration given to their needs; • 97% said their condition and treatment was clearly explained. The Survey was undertaken on the annual flu clinic and morning and afternoon surgeries in the week commencing September 30th.
Norman Griffiths for Groby Surgery Patients Group
LOROS Light up a Life service LOROS’ annual Light up a Life service will take place on Sunday 8th December, giving everyone the opportunity to come together to remember their loved ones this Christmas. Light up a Life provides people with a special remembrance service to honour loved ones by celebrating their life. This year donations to the Light up a Life service will be put towards supporting poorly patients over the festive period and ensuring that this Christmas, which may be their last, is as special as possible. Ann Wells, Nurse Team Leader at LOROS, said: “Christmas at LOROS really is magical. When it’s Christmas Eve, the nurses turn into Santa’s little helpers, decorating the beds and bays, filling the stockings up with goodies for the children, who are visiting or staying over. We have Christmas trees up and decorations throughout the Hospice, and even if patients are too poorly, the families can eat a Christmas dinner next to them, so they can spend the day with their loved one. This year our nurses need your donation to help make someone’s last Christmas as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.” All donations to the Light up a Life service will be marked with a light on LOROS’ Christmas Tree, as well as an entry in the Light up a Life Book of Remembrance which will be available to view in the Hospice chapel. Everyone attending the Light up a Life service will also be given a memory star to write a message to their loved one and hang on LOROS’ memory tree. This year’s event takes place on Sunday 8th December from 4.30pm in the Hospice grounds on Groby Road. Hot refreshments, mince pies, Christmas gifts and seasonal decorations will also be available to purchase. A complimentary park and ride service will operate from County Hall Glenfield to the Hospice from 3pm.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT
Telephone
01530-244069 Email us at: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk Visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 3,500 copies distributed 11 times a year (no issue in July) to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings. Compiled and published in the Parish of Groby & Field Head. Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press. The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.
NEXT ISSUE OUT ON: 14TH DECEMBER 2019 DEADLINE: 30th November 2019
Last week I bought a fridge magnet. They really work. So far I’ve got 11 fridges.
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
25
Team Leicestershire Champion School! The Brookvale Groby Learning Campus has been crowned joint winners of the Team Leicestershire Champions Schools Trophy with Rawlins Academy. Both schools won 5 Team Leicestershire trophies across the whole season, which is a fantastic achievement. A huge well done must go to all our students who give up their time to represent the campus in extra-curricular fixtures and for training sessions. It’s always nice to see their efforts rewarded. The PE Department are very proud to be associated with every team and individual that represents the campus.
Mr Lord, BGLC PE Curriculum Leader.
Wham! George & Me
TAKE A RIDE ON GROBY’S POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN TO SEE SANTA!
By Andrew Ridgeley
It is 1975, Watford, and two teenagers, George and Andrew, meet for the first time. Bonding over their love for singing, song writing and pop music, together they set out to follow an impossible dream. They didn’t know it then, but they were taking their first steps towards forming Wham!, a band that was to become one of the biggest in the world. Wham! were the soundtrack of the 80s; whether it was choosing life or Live Aid, the decade of flamboyance and fun was a party that seemed like it would never end. But it had to stop somewhere - and that was in front of tens of thousands of tearful fans at Wembley Stadium in 1986. In Wham! George and Me, Andrew Ridgeley tells the story of Wham! - from the day they met to that iconic final concert. For the first time, he reveals what it was like being at the centre of a pop hurricane and talks of his love for and friendship with George. It’s a story only he can tell.
Local stalls for crafts and gifts
HOT FOOD AVAILABLE CANDYFLOSS & POPCORN LEICESTERSHIRE FIRE SERVICE VISITING
POST YOUR LETTERS TO SANTA IN OUR VERY OWN POSTBOX
AT THE DRUCK SITE, EVERYONE WELCOME
IT’S FREE NO BOOKING REQUIRED JUST TURN UP
I saw a sign that said: ‘Have you seen this man?’ So I phoned up and said: ‘No.’
1 GE Title or job number 10/30/2019
09/11/2019 Word Search Pu Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
26
Popular CRAFTS Wordsearch FIND 12 POPULAR CRAFTS in this issue’s Wordsearch puzzle, you could win yourself a meal and a drink. This month we are offering a tasty prize of: A Main Course for Two, plus A Bottle of House Wine at The FieldHead Hotel.
L A C E M A K I N G N A O X G N V
F E G A P U O C E D X F V E N D B
R F M N Y K C R K W I P M U I T N
O I N L T N O O H T Y G Z Y L S A
C J N Q I I T S Q X J T B X L Y K
C H E X B T W S I J I A K O E T C
M A H R C T G S U N S Z U D M T I
Y X L Q I I C T Y K J M P Y A N W
To go into the draw, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - 12 of the most popular crafts. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). IMPORTANT: You MUST address your entry to: BEING CRAFTY, Groby & Field Head Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Saturday 30th November 2019. Remember to include your A B D X R V V Q G name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out of the hat will H O E W J B J N F win the prize. Good luck!
K L W N O I E X F F R X N N F
P F I G J T H C W E G Q E D C
K A W G W C O R D J U N Z G K
A X R E R H V I K I G O A H T
G D A G C A O C L Z T W U P K
H V W J O R P T P H N X L C D
I P U O B R I H J P I H O E R
T L G M R N Y F Y B P G A J Y
I N E T G K A P W E A V I N G
Here are the 12 POPULAR CRAFTS you have to find:
LACEMAKING • QUILTING • EMBROIDERY KNITTING • WEAVING • BEADWORK CROSS STITCH • BASKET WEAVING • CALLIGRAPHY ENAMELLING • DECOUPAGE • PYROGRAPHY Name: ................................................................................................. Address: ................................................................................................ .................................................................Postcode: .............................
LAST MONTH’S WORDSEARCH WINNER
CLOSING DATE: SATURDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2019
The winner of last issue’s Wordsearch Competition was:
ASH KOTECHA OF BEDFORD DRIVE, GROBY
Congratulations! Your prize voucher will be sent to you soon.
BASKETWEAVING BEADWORK CALLIGRAPHY CROSSSTITCH OnDECOUPAGE Saturday, 21st December, from 2pm to 4pm, the Parish EMBROIDERY Church in Groby will be open ENAMELLING forKNITTING a time of quiet and an LACEMAKING opportunity for those who PYROGRAPHY have lost loved ones recently QUILTING toWEAVING remember them at this
Open Church at Christmas
special time of year.
During the afternoon, there will be an opportunity to place cards with prayers or loving words on a Tree of Created by Puzzlemaker Remembrance and to light a candle in their memory. While you are there, if you find that you would like to speak to someone about how you feel, members of the Church’s Ministry Team will also be available, if asked, ready to lend a listening ear. If you are around at that time, please do drop in. Tea and biscuits will be provided!
at DiscoveryEducation.com
Keith Wignall
0116 2311439 Lay Minister, St Philip and St James Church, Groby
When the transplant surgeon said he was a man after my own heart, I didn’t realise he meant it literally. Connect with us on Facebook
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-NOVEMBER 2019 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Elizabeth Woodville School News An outdoor adventure
and the Most Environmentally Friendly Building. A fantastic achievement!
Reptile visit
After much torrential rain over the weekend, Year Six were welcomed to Beaumanor for our ‘Outdoor and Adventurous Transition Day’ with sunshine, blue skies and the first crisp frost of the year. Pupils and staff were undeterred by the cold and the huge puddles and threw themselves into all the exciting activities. We were lucky enough to visit alongside a local primary school which allowed friendships to be forged before transition to high school and to put our team work skills to the test. The day was a resounding success. Groups were a mixture of both schools and we had the opportunities throughout the day to take part in exciting challenges. Night Walk was a real challenge for the groups. Their sense of sight was taken away and pupils had to rely on their other senses to complete the assault course whilst trusting in their team work to get them all through. Bridge building tested teamwork and problem solving skills. Once bridges had been built and knots had been checked it was time to take the bridges to the river and get each team over. Needless to say, some teams were more successful than others and there were many wet trousers and trainers and an awful lot of laughs! Finally came High Ropes, which tested pupils’ ‘I can do it’ attitude. Pupils overcame fears with the support of their friends, some of whom they had only met that day! A truly memorable experience for pupils and staff alike.
Exploring the seasons Year 1 have been exploring the seasonal changes and looking at how the weather can have an effect on living things including animals, humans and plants. We kicked off our science unit by looking at deciduous and evergreen plants and created some artwork to show how trees can change their appearance in the different seasons. We then began to think about the different weather we have and how we dress in each of the seasons, before moving to some outdoor activities we can only do at certain times of the year. We finished this off by exploring how animals adapt to the change of seasons by hibernating and migrating.
Eleven children from Year 5 were very lucky to be able to attend the TeenTech event in Leicester. They had made models to take with them of futuristic buildings with features that would help to solve many of the environmental and social challenges in the world. They had an amazing day of Science and Engineering activities, including discovering what Space smells like (not very good, apparently!) Our teams also won first place prizes for the Best Business Space
It has been around a while, but still well worth the visit! https://youtu.be/IxvMkSKRWOA Ratby Methodist Church 31 Station Road
What a fantastic start to the term we’ve had in Year 2! Our first topic was ‘The Land of the Dinosaurs’ so we had a huge focus on history and science. We learnt all about herbivores, carnivores and omnivores and which diets certain dinosaurs had. We did some research and found that dinosaurs that were carnivores had very sharp teeth to help them chew meat, but herbivores had flat teeth to help drag the leaves from the trees! How fascinating! Next, we learnt all about Mary Anning and how important she was (and still is) because she found dinosaur fossils. She helped us discover dinosaur bones! To wrap up our amazing first topic, Year 1 and Year 2 were lucky enough to have a visit from lots of different reptiles. We learnt that dinosaurs were reptiles too because they were cold-blooded! Even Mr Buckley was super excited to see all the different reptiles! Our next topic is ‘Bright Lights, Big City’ and we are so excited to learn about London!
Andrew Pridmore
Every Saturday morning 10.00am—12.30pm
TeenTech
CATCH meets for play, craft, story & chat for pre-school children with a parent or carer 9.30-11.30am every Friday at Groby URC Chapel Hill
Fair Cuppa for FairTrade refreshments in fairly traded mugs. Every Thursday 10.3012am at the Village Hall
Bethlehemian Rhapsody IF YOU enjoyed the song Bohemian Rhapsody, and would like the ‘Christmas version’, complete with singing puppets, do visit this on You Tube.
Food, glorious food! In year 3 and 4, our new topic this half term is ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’, which is all about food! The children have so far been exploring how to get the most out of our diets. They have been looking closely at food groups, sorting some of their favourite foods and drinks into these groups and justifying whether or not they have a place in a healthy diet. This is building up to the children leading a debate between the food groups, where they will each have a chance to convince the others why their food group is the most important for the body. Alongside this, children are going to be learning about the origins of chocolate, delving into Aztec history along the way. This promises to be another fascinating topic, in which the children will be presented with plenty of challenges for not only their brains, but also their stomachs!
27
Coffee Morning for St. Andrew’s Day Saturday 30 November 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Tasters, Tombola Teas, Coffee, Cakes ….and more!
Ratby Methodist Church 31 Station Road
Christmas Coffee Morning
Saturday 14thDecember 10.00 am to 12.00 noon Christmas Stall Cake Stall Hot Drinks Mince Pies & Cream Christmas Music & Carols
Come & Join us!
Weekly in term time for children for 6’s to 14’s on Mon evenings, at 6.00pm or 7.45pm. We meet at the United Reformed Church on Chapel Hill. Along with our work in schools, these are run by the two churches in Groby under the group name EXTEND.
For further information please see websites and church magazines St. Philip and St. James Rector – Rev Ed Bampton 01162396520 www.grobychurch.org.uk United Reformed Church Phil Holmes (Church Secretary) 0116 225 3335 www.grobyurc.com Youth, Children's & Families Colin Udall 07776 157511 colin.udall@ntlworld.com
Tonight I’m going to try something different. I’m going to sit on the TV and watch the sofa.
SELLING YOUR HOUSE? COME AND SEE OUR DISPLAY, YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED
HIGH STREET SERVICE AT INTERNET PRICES NO SALE NO FEE
LANDLORDS OUR FEES AREN’T ROCKETING - THEY’RE FROZEN Charnwood Living Ltd - Terms & Conditions Apply
0116 243 0880
www.charnwoodliving.co.uk
17 The Nook | Anstey | Leicester | LE7 7AZ