September 2010 Herald Magazine

EARLY-SEPT 2010

Packed with information!

Please read every page!

Markfield: The Movie!

Exciting time for local Girl Guides in Italy Report From Jeanie Brooks

E

ight Markfield Guides and their leaders joined the ‘Great Guide Get Away To Italy’, meeting up with Guides from around the UK to celebrate a 100 years of Guiding.

Markfield is the setting for a sci-fi film - see page 8 for full story ...

Stanton News Don’t miss the Autumn Fayre

We spent an action packed week near Villeneuve canoeing, raft building, rock climbing, abseiling and high ropes amongst beautiful alpine scenery. Two high spots of the week were a cable car trip from Courmayeur up to Helbronner reaching a height of 3462m where we could view the summit of Mont Blanc at 4807m. We were lucky with the weather - a crisp 60c with beautiful clear views, the next day saw 6 inches of snow in the same place and total mist! The next day saw the Guides white water rafting along the Dora Baltea river in the Aosta Valley, a challenging experience with both fear and laughter.

To celebrate the centenary each Guide released a balloon in the shape of a white dove , reaching great heights in the evening sky. ( the balloons were bio-degradable!).

All of the Guides faced personal challenges, which they met and overcame with the encouragement of those who had gone before them in certain activities, and from a leader’s view it was great to see this mutual support.

We are hoping to renew friendships made in Italy at the Charnwood International Camp next year, in the mean time I am sure Facebook will do a grand job!

The Autumn Fayre at St. Mary & All Saints Church in Stanton Under Bardon takes place on Saturday 18th September 2010 between 2- 4 p.m.

There will be lots of stalls plus bric a brac, raffle, cakes, provisions, crafts, plants and works by local artists.

Tea and coffee will be available.

Come and join us for a great afternoon!

PLUS ... COMING SOON

Proposed retail and residential development in Bagworth

Science

Autumn Concert Sticklebacks are evolving On Friday 29th October 2010 at 7.30 p.m. come and enjoy ‘Songs From The Shows’ at Stanton Church.

Tickets priced at £ 4.00 - which will include refreshments - will be available on the door.

Gail Massey

in Thornton Reservoir

A research project being carried out by a final year biology PhD student has uncovered evidence of evolution occurring in the stickleback community at Thornton Reservoir.

Turn to page 19 for the full story.

A new application for a mixed use development at Station Road in Bagworth has been submitted to Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.

The applicaton is for the erection of six detached two-storey dwellings, plus a retail unit with two flats above. The artist’s impression above shows how the development might look.

NEXT ISSUE OUT: Saturday 9th October - Advert & Articles Needed By 25th September

This issue of The Herald is being delivered over the weekend of 4th & 5th September 2010 by our team of dedicated deliverers, namely: Amy, Coral, Daisy, Matthew, Janet, Jack, Don, Sam, Maureen, John, Yvonne, Lauren, Gill, John, Helen, Jeanie, Jenny, Sarah, Susan, Thomas, Tracey, Alex, Ann, Rowan and John & Sue.

Next Issue (OCTOBER) - Out on Weekend of 9th & 10th October. Please send your adverts & articles before 25th September.

The Herald PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT

Tel: 01530 244069 Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk Website: www.markfieldherald.co.uk The Herald is a monthly local magazine delivered free to approximately 4,000 homes and businesses in Markfield, Field Head, Stanton under Bardon, Thornton and Bagworth.

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

Printed by Norwood Press in Ellistown.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Herald Production Team.

The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies.

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

Apologies to Herald Readers

Re: Date changed for next Markfield Interfaith Group meeting The next meeting of the Markfield Interfaith Group has been changed since it was published in the last issue of the Herald. The date was changed from the 12th as it overlaps with the Islamic Festival of Eid ul Fitr – a celebration to mark the end of Ramadan.

The MIG trip to Places of Worship will now take place on Wednesday, September 15th. The day trip will include a visit to St. Philip’s Church and a Sikh Centre in Leicester city. Lunch and refreshments will be hosted by the Islamic Foundation Library, Markfield Conference Centre, Ratby Lane.

There will be arrangements for a minibus to take us to and back from the Library to Leicester. As seats are limited we request you to book in advance. Programme will start at 11 to 4 pm.

For further details please contact the Librarian at 01530 249301 between 9-5 Mon-Thursdays.

Community Forum reminder The next Markfield, Ratby and Groby (MRG) Community Forum will take place on 9th September 2010 at 7pm at the Methodist Church, 31 Station Road, Ratby, LE6 0JQ

Youth Club in Bagworth The Big Wave Youth Club will be open at Bagworth Community Centre, Friday, 10th September at 7.30pm, for young people aged 10 to 16.

Just come along and enjoy some organised activities run by the churches in Bagworth.

ADVERTISING RATES - PAGE 35

Two fundraising events in support of Hospice Hope • A concert by Gresley Colliery Brass Band is being held in aid of local charity ‘Hospice Hope’ (www.hospicehope.org.uk) on 4th September 2010 7.15pm at Moira Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Donisthorpe Lane, Moira. Tickets £5 available from Teresa on 01530 810018 or email stewart@ hospicehope.org.uk.

• A Valuation Day will be held in aid of local charity ‘Hospice Hope’ (www.hospicehope.org.uk) on 2nd October 2010 from 10.00am to 3.00pm at Christ Church Hall, London Road, Coalville. Featuring Charles Hanson of BBC TV shows ‘Bargain Hunt’ and ‘Antiques Road Trip’, and other valuation experts from Hansons Auctioneers. Bring along items such as jewellery, silver, paintings, toys, books, clothing (vintage, retro etc) small pieces of furniture, curios, pottery. And just about anything else! No charge for valuations but donations to ‘Hospice Hope’ will be most welcome!

Refreshments available throughout the day. For further details please contact Teresa on 01530 810018 or info@hospicehope.org.uk

I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.

DON’T MISS OUR SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER PRODUCTION!

“LEAP IN THE DARK” a thriller by Muriel Walker

At THORNTON COMMUNITY CENTRE from WEDNESDAY 29th SEPTEMBER to SATURDAY 2nd OCTOBER AT 7.30 P.M. NIGHTLY.

The isle of Mingulay, in the outer Hebrides, is deserted now. After two thousand years or more of continuous habitation, the island was abandoned by its residents in 1912 and has remained uninhabited since. Except, that is ...

This is where imagination took flight when I was writing the script for our September production – a thriller entitled “Leap in the Dark”.

I have peopled Mingulay, left now to the grazing sheep and the birds which nest in the inaccessible black cliffs, with a group of people who are forced to stay there when a terrifying storm cuts the island off from nearby Barra. On the island is a monastery and the imposing Barra House, which is run by the monks as a guest house for those seeking retreat.

A set of strange circumstances then ensues as an unexpected death strikes fear into the hearts of those who can only sit and wait ... wondering if the killer will strike again.

You really shouldn’t miss this production if you like to experience the frisson of fear as the characters become the potential victims of a person or persons unknown!

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT LLOYD AND SUE’S CORNER STORE IN THORNTON, OR CAN BE ORDERED ON 01530 249569. TICKET PRICES ARE £5 & £4 (Concessions) and we would like to advise you that this production is not for the faint-hearted, and is, therefore, unsuitable for young children.

Markfield WI’s Programme Sept 15th: Clicks and Misses Ros Barber Oct 20th AGM & a selection of novelties to make Marilyn Brooks Nov 17th Birthday Party Venue TBA Dec 15th A concert of festive music and supper Highcliffe Harmony

Markfield Women’s Institute • The WI exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills. • Meet at: Markfield Trinity Methodist Church, Main Street, MARKFIELD, LE67 9UU When: 3rd Wed of month at 7.45pm • Contacts: President, Mrs.Fran Johnson, 197 Main Street, Markfield • Tel: 01530 243350 email: markfieldfran@hotmail.com

IS THERE ANY READER OUT THERE INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR GROUP? We meet every Wednesday at Thornton Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. We have been in existence since 1967 and have a long list of plays, pantomimes, concerts and murder mystery tours to our credit.

We are in desperate need of some new members .... whether on stage or backstage...whatever your talent or interest, we can use it! (There is a lower age limit of sixteen) The best way to further your interest is to either ask someone who’s been to see our productions, or even better, to come along on any Wednesday evening to see what we do. Now would be a very good time to come as rehearse for “Leap in the Dark”. If you would like to know more, please don’t hesitate to ring me at any time on 01455 822148.

Muriel Walker

Chinese scientists have discovered the rare Rock’n’Roll Panda.

It will only eat A Wop Bop a Loo Lop a Lop Bamboo.

I know that the work cycle is not PLAN-START-FINISH but is WAIT-PLAN-PLAN

Astrantias Hattie’s Pin Cushion is a most appropriate common name, describing, so well, the tight centre of tiny flowers surrounded by a collar of bracts. Masterwort is another name but, in general, gardeners use just Astrantia. easy on the tongue, and non too botanical in sound.

The most popular Astrantias are forms of A. Major. Easy to grow, long-flowering – June to September good for cutting with stems reaching 3ft. Each stem branches to give 3 or 4 heads. The basic colour is white, mostly with green or pinkish shading.

The best I know in this category is ‘Buckland’. ‘Roma’ is a famous pink, with ‘Ruby Wedding’ and ‘Hadspen Blood’ outstanding reds.

Two newer varieties ‘Venice’ (red) and ‘Florence’ (pink) seem likely to become best-sellers.

Older readers, of my own vintage, will recall the then well-known gardener and plant-author Mrs Margery Fish. In the post-war years she popularised many plants, including Astrantias. The form ‘Shaggy’ was introduced by her and is still sometimes listed as ‘Margery Fish’. Sadly, over the years, seedlings (rather than divisions) have been sold as ‘Shaggy’, resulting in much variation.

I once had 4 forms of ‘Shaggy’ – all different! Another Astrantia that brightens the early Spring border is the heavily variegated-leaved form ‘Sunningdale’. The name recalling the once outstanding Surrey Nursery.

By the time of white-flowering the

Gardening Notes with Ted

Brown of Markfield

Astrantias, Sunflowers, Leeks and Onions – an unlikely mix foliage has reverted to green. On this theme of Astrantia names related to well known figures, I mention another white Astrantia ‘George Smith’. This name means little to most gardeners but to flower-arrangers he was number one. Sunningdale by the way was the home nursery of the late Graham Thomas, famous for both old Rose varieties and perennials. Also, before I forget, a reminder that the garden Margery Fish created in Somerset – East Lambrook Manor – together with an interesting small nursery, remains open to the public and is well-worth visiting.

Until recently one of the National Collections of Astrantias was here in our area, at Warren Hills Nursery. Sadly, after the death of Penny Waters, her business partner, Bob Taylor has relocated to Field House Nursery at Gotham.

Still close – to see and buy a large range.

A last word on Astrantias to advise of a different species, A. Maxima.

To quote Graham Thomas, the pink flowers are “Exquisitely beautiful’.

Indeed they really are, so why isn’t this plant more widely grown?

Because it spreads and rather rampantly. Kept under control, a stunning and most attractive plant with also good foliage. An old alternative name, Astrantia Helliborifolia, well describes the latter.

Sunflowers In the last few years, the shorter versions of these annuals have been much developed. No longer just yellows, but browns, oranges, reds and all mixtures in between.

So popular, both as a cut-flower and also filling empty border gaps.

Good for patio pot-planting too.

Always choose the branching types.

Take care also with height. ‘Short’ here means from as little as two feet upwards, almost to the size of the giants.

Children are fascinated by the large growing huge-flowered yellows, often grown competitively with prizes for the tallest.

‘Russian Giant’ amongst others, is a good variety to choose. Ten feet is easily possible – more with watering and extra feeding. Growing in large pots may be convenient, but open-ground is essential if trying for real size. Why not try for a new record? The existing one (held by a Continental) is both 25 years old and, believe it or not, 25 feet tall.

Slugs are a major pest so better to raise seedlings in small pots initially.

A sunny site is required and support from an early stage.

The perennial types of Sunflower fall way behind the annuals in popularity.

However they give late colour in the border – always yellow. Some are too intensely coloured, so choose say ‘Lemon Queen’. All Sunflowers are in the genus Helianthus. One interesting perennial, rarely grown, is H. Salicifolius. Only small yellow flowers – the interest being it’s very attractive foliage, like a clump of very healthy Lilies. For safety, and until well-established, perennial Sunflowers benefit from a Winter mulch.

Leeks

Usually expensive to purchase so a good crop for the vegetable grower.

The R.H.S. has been undertaking a trial for the varieties best able to

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Do hermits ever suffer from peer pressure?

‘stand’ well, right until late Spring.

The well-known ‘Musselburgh’ types fared badly. ‘Atlanta’ and ‘Bandit’ were both awarded the coveted A.G.M. (Award of Garden Merit). Being unqualified in the field of cooking, I hesitate to mention how wasteful the coarse green parts of Leeks can be. Kept, they make good flavouring for soups, stews etc. and stocks. Mostly Leeks are cooked quickly but also delicious slow-cooked (an hour or so) initially sautéed in butter (or oil) then simmered in either stock or wine – maybe both!

Onions

A brief note specifically to praise the large-growing onion ‘Kelsae’.

It came to mind recently, when, in a single day, I read a letter in the Mercury from a Glen Parva Allotmentee, saying how wonderful, with similar praise in a T.V. gardening program, also admiring four specimens I had growing in a large 10 litre pot. Being of the mildtasting Spanish Onion type, Kelsae is ideal for eating raw in salads or for general cooking. Also grown by those entering ‘Show’ Onion events. Experts, who need quantity, will sow seed about new year. Heat is needed. For just a few plants, Spring seedlings are available – mine came from Hawgrip Nursery at Enderby. I recommend trying a few in pots. Maybe three, rather than four, in a large container, would give even larger specimens.

Tomatoes

Readers may have seen a T.V. program featuring a lady who grew an incredible 57 different varieties.

Unfortunately, she didn’t give much information on favourites for taste, except that ‘Black’ varieties were high in this respect. Two to try – ‘Black Russian’ and ‘Black Krin’. A few days ago the Leicester Mercury had a photograph showing the lady winner of a contest for the best ‘Blaby Tomato’! I still wonder if it really is a distinct variety?

Markfield Play Church re-opens 13th Sept

Play Church will be opening again on Monday, Sept 13th, after the summer break.

This friendly group is open to any under 7s and their parents and carers and is held at Trinity Methodist Church, Main St Markfield. We welcome all families from in and around Markfield and our opening times are Monday afternoons from 3.15 to 4.15.

The group has been running for a few years now and we have a regular group of attenders but are always happy to welcome newcomers. Some of our children are now entering Year 2 at school and still want to come along with their younger brothers and sisters. It is because of this that we are happy to welcome children aged up to seven and will be providing activities more suited to their age. Our only stipulation is that they are accompanied by an adult.

We enjoy some play time followed by singing, stories, games and craft activities which have a Christian foundation. We also provide a cup of tea or coffee for adults and the opportunity to chat and make new friends.

Sometimes we enjoy food together and often take the opportunity to enjoy a party together!

The first half of this term we will be looking at some of the Parables that Jesus told and hope to have lots of fun together singing, enjoying stories and being creative.

The dates for this term are

• •

Monday Sept 13th to Monday Oct 11th Monday Oct 25th to Monday Dec 13th

If you have a spare hour to fill on a Monday afternoon please come along and join us, you and your child will be made very welcome. If you are bringing a child from school and can’t make the 3.15 start don’t worry, there are already a couple of these it will be quite alright to join us when have picked up your child.

Should you need any further information please contact Fran Johnson 01530 243350 or email: markfieldfran@hotmail.com

Fran Johnson

Exchange Visit to Bakersfield, California & Chiapas, Mexico In September a group from the Friendship Force of Leicestershire are taking part in an exchange visit to two clubs from: Bakersfield, California and Chiapas, S.W. Mexico.

In addition they will be visiting Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, Mexico City and the Mayan area of Chiapas State.

Leicestershire Friendship Force is always ready to welcome new members.

If you are interested in the organisation and enjoy foreign travel you can contact us on E-mail address: shbrookes47@live.co.uk

I talk to myself a lot, and it bothers some people because I use a megaphone.

Eric Lammiman Markfield Neighbourhood Watch Chairman Eric Lammiman sadly passed away on 19th August at Glenfield Hospital after a short illness.

Highly respected, he will be sorely and sorrowfully missed by the local community in general and Neighbourhood Watch in particular.

Markfield NHW Chairman The ceremony will take place on Eric Lammiman has died Wednesday 8th September at Gilroes Crematorium commencing at 2.15pm. Thereafter friends and relatives are invited to meet at the Markfield Congregational Church Hall in Main Street to sadly reminisce but, at the same time, partake of some light refreshment which will include a good sample of Eric’s favourite chocolate biscuits. This will commence at 3.30pm. and a good local representation is anticipated.

Alex Ritchie

Send us your group news!

If you run a club, community group or sports team in Markfield, Thornton, Stanton or Bagworth, and you’d like to tell readers what you’re up to, email a few words to us and we’ll give you a mention.

Email to: info@ markfieldherald.co.uk

Joe Jolly Memorial Cricket Match For the past nine years, I have received overwhelming support for Joe’s annual memorial cricket event.

Sharing the memory of my only son with so many good friends has helped ease the loss, for Michael and I. Due to my ill health I feel that now is the time to call it a day.

Michael and I would like to thank everyone for the help and support over the previous years, in particular, all Joe’s friends who participated each year in playing cricket. Also the publicans who helped in raise funds for the cricket club especially, Julie (Red Lion), Mick (Bulls Head), Jan (Queens Head), and Lisa (Red Lion). Also Companies who donated the prizes and all those individuals who bought the tickets.

An extra special big Thank You goes to Andrea Bailey, without whom I would not have been able to stage the events.

A Big Thank You from Michael, Agnes, Michelle and Eric

What did the Romans ever do for Leicestershire?

HAMLIN’S PLUMBING SERVICES All Types of Plumbing Work Undertaken No job too small Call Mick on 01530 245155 or 07813 065538 Qualified Local Plumber with Years of Experience

You can find out the answer by enrolling on the WEA course starting at Groby Village Hall on Thursday 23rd September, 10-11.30 for 10 weeks.

For details contact srogers@wea.org.uk or phone 01509 268636.

Lots going on at St.Peter’s Church in Copt Oak Following the success of the June event, another Car Boot Sale has been organised and will take place on Copt Oak Memorial Hall Field on September 18th.

Details as below: • Set up - 8am.

Open 9am - 1pm • Cars £5, Car & trailer £8, Vans £10 • Entry 50p (Children free) • Refreshments and BBQ • Enquiries contact 0116 267 4746 The event is organised by St Peters Church, Copt Oak as a fund raiser.

Also in September - we are holding our Harvest Festival on September 26th at 6pm. We include all the traditional harvest hymns, and the church is fully decorated.

It is also ‘Back to Church Sunday’ - so if anyone would like to attend this service they will be most warmly welcomed.

The preceding Saturday - Sept 25th we have organised a Harvest entertainment in church. Several years ago it was suggested that a lot of effort is put into decorating the church for one service so why not organise an event in church that would attract people? This we have done for several years.

This year we have arranged for a choir - Concordia to entertain us and there will also be a few harvest hymns for the audience to join in with. A harvest ploughman’s platter is included in the price of £6. The starting time is 7.30 pm.

For more information, telephone 01530 244229 or 01530 249101.

Sue Gammon PCC Secretary

I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport.

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Markfield-set movie portrays a future where people are culled Around early October 2009 myself and a crew of around 20 people embarked on the largest film production of my career.

This was primarily achieved using Markfield High Street and the consent of its many generous businesses, as a pivotal location for a story on extreme population control.

First and foremost it is not an exaggeration to suggest that without the help of Markfield’s community we could not have made this film. So to the wonderful ladies of Markfield Bakery, Pauline and Clive from the Hardware Store, Kay News, the Field Head Hotel, the late-night staff from the CO-OP, Matthew Lay, and the kindness of Markfield’s village residents, we owe an enormous amount of thanks and creative debt.

In terms of the project my aim was to create a convincing future Britain, a dystopic landscape that would marry large digital effects with familiar realistic locations.

The result, I am happy to report, is as intended.

“THE CULL” is a deliberately provocative 15 min short film with all the hallmarks of British

‘kitchen-sink’ cinema, capped with an unconventional sciencefiction-y twist. Imagine a robotic hybrid of “Blade Runner” (Ridley Scott, 1982) and the social realism of Alan Sillitoe’s “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning” (Karel Reisz,

1960) and you’ll be somewhere close.

The story concerns a devious government’s extreme methods to uphold a newly established law of ‘strictly ONE child per family’. On a seemingly ordinary

day we follow a shady white-van man, Gary Goald (Mark Duncan), on his way to order breakfast from a pretty duo of local bakers (Jennifer Rigby, Dee Quemby).

There he stumbles across a fugitive ‘family-of-four’ (James Parsons, Lynn Cawley, Keira Douglas and Seamus Peatling) and must decide whether to buck the system and save them, or conform to the atrocities of “THE CULL” and hand the family over to the less-thanhuman authorities.

His moral dilemma is the fundamental crux of the film.

Because of its risky subject matter “THE CULL” sets out to ask tricky questions whilst refusing to provide easy answers, leaving the audience to resolve the ambiguities themselves. Touching upon the writings of George Orwell and

Always try to do things in chronological order; it’s less confusing that way.

P.D. James and inspired by the work of some of Europe’s most controversial and influential film directors, this project was not something I initially thought to make in the place where I spent my early childhood. Yet it is true, as a lecturer once told me, that ‘sometimes if you look, you can truly see’. What he meant was that if you take a moment to reevaluate the world around you - in my case, Markfield - somewhere personal, somewhere that many people are also familiar with, then it is possible to see things in a different light.

Suddenly the trivialities peel away and the shop where you buy your groceries or the bakery where you eat a fried breakfast become far more significant. They’re like safehavens, shaping the details that make up your home, where you grow up and live. They provide personal security. They’re places for friends and family, for comfort.

Places for your kids to run and play and interact. We subconsciously build our lives around hometowns like these because we get a feeling of positivity. So what if those places suddenly became hostile?

Places of fear, of numbness, where submitting to maternal instinct or simply stepping into the street could be fatal and extreme political agenda was responsible for the

disrepute.

What if you were too afraid to speak out against atrocity?

Even worse, what if you became conditioned to thinking that the atrocity was ok? History recalls such a notion and it’s a terrifying thought, one that I find is largely ignored in a time of iPads, N-Dubz and digital television.

If anything then, “THE CULL” is meant to be a nightmare.

A sledgehammer. It attempts to dissect the silver lining we see day in day out, to purport instead a quiet feeling of unease, paranoia and murderous intent.

Most frighteningly the film asks if Britain’s population did grow to such an unsustainable extent, would a ‘cull’ initiated by an increasingly desperate government be so unthinkable?

Such considerations are no doubt horrifying to us all.

• “THE CULL” features a talented and popular British actor who shall remain anonymous. The film premieres at the Phoenix Square cinema in Leicester, sometime in late September.

• Production still’s taken by Claire Juliette Photography www.clairejuliette.co.uk

Thomas Whitworth writer and director

Every morning is the dawn of a new error.

10 Older Persons’ Month: Opportunities, Achievements, Active Lifestyles As your local County Councillor I also have responsibility for Older persons services and supporting Older Persons’ Month which takes place in September each year.

There are a whole range of events aimed at older people during the month. These take place across Leicestershire & Rutland.

They include a number of older person’s meetings, leisure, sporting and health promotion activity days. Throughout the month, older people have the chance to talk about their experience with public services and any changes they believe would benefit the community. The booklet for 2010 has been made widely available and is available for download from the County Council website.

Contacts in the booklet and much of the information are still useful all year round, so it is worth keeping as a resource once the main month’s activities are over.

First Contact Scheme Hundreds of older people have benefited from a home visit checklist scheme, which puts them in touch with extra help and support. Help with benefits, fire safety checks and home library visits are among the support offered

by Leicestershire County Council’s First Contact scheme. First Contact uses a simple checklist to find out what help people require to remain safe, secure and independent. Its motto is: help is just a tick away”.

Since it was launched last year, 350 people have had checklists completed, leading to 1,250 referrals for services.

The scheme is run by the county council, in partnership with the district councils, the fire service, voluntary groups and other

County Councillor David Sprason’s Column organisations that work with older people. Whenever anyone from the scheme visits an older person – for example, if a worker visits to install grab rails at their home – they will ask the householder to fill in a simple checklist, which will help assess if they require any other help. Examples of services on offer include help with benefits, fire safety checks, advice on heating and insulation, visits from the home library service and referrals to physical activity schemes.

The scheme is voluntary, so people only receive help if they want it. It helps to give people the information and advice they need to help them to choose services.

If they want help, they should receive it within 28 days.

Mrs Florence Southwell, 83, from Hinckley, was offered a chance to complete the checklist when she was visited by a benefits officer from the Pensions Service.

As a result, she: • Had a home security check from the handyman service and a door chain fitted • Had a visit from the police, to reassure her they could be contacted if needed • Had a lifeline alarm installed

by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council • Had cavity wall insulation supplied, following a check

by Warm Front • Had small repairs undertaken

by Care and Repair Mrs Southwell said: Thanks to this scheme, I was able to receive all of the services that I didn’t know I could get. It’s really given me peace of mind.”

This is a common sense scheme that is making a real difference to people’s lives. Many older people don’t want to make a fuss, but this is a friendly, informal way of letting them choose the support

they need. Some of these visits result in people receiving £70 per week attendance allowance for the first time, which is a big help. First Contact is an example of how adult social care is changing. There is an increasing emphasis on giving older people support to make their own care choices and live independently for as long as possible.

Helping disabled people fight small fires A scheme to help disabled people fight small fires has helped Leicestershire County Council win its ninth gold medal for health and safety. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) made the award for first class management of health, safety and training and support for staff and service users.

Examples of the county council’s successes include: •The launch of fire awareness training to help people with learning disabilities manage their fire risks and extinguish small fires (in the very early stages) within their homes •Training on manual handling and lifting, to reduce the number of accidents each year has resulted in a reduction of 66% over the last nine years •Specialist training for social workers, to reduce the risk of them being assaulted, has led to fewer than five reported assaults over the past two years I’m delighted that our staff have won this award – it shows that sensible health and safety training can allow people to get on with their lives, without putting barriers in their way. Leicestershire Social

Care Services has shown a commitment to protecting the health, safety and well-being of its employees, in supporting the delivery of quality services.

It is the 11th consecutive award received by the Adults and Communities department (formerly Adult Social Care) and the ninth consecutive gold award.

Helping older people with their independence Leicestershire’s Adult Social Care Services department is also currently running a project for adults living in the County of Leicestershire. It aims to offer the opportunity to adults to complete a self assessment for minor pieces of equipment or small adaptations to their home to assist them with their independence.

It is important for us all to reflect on the services that are available to us in the County and as we see a growing ageing population these innovative approaches developed by Adult Social Care are not overlooked.

We’ll include a link to the Older Persons’ Month handbook on The Herald’s website. Visit www.markfieldherald.co.uk and click on “Older Persons’ Month Handbook”

Freeuse LA - helping groups Leicestershire Waste Partnership has set up a new website, Freeuse LA, which enables communities or charity groups to take donated items for free.

The website is for County Council and the other local authorities and schools in Leicestershire to give and take unwanted office items for free. As a result, reducing the amount of in-house waste sent to landfill and saving money by reducing spending on new items and the cost of disposal.

Community and charity groups are able to take the unwanted office items to use in your community halls or offices, all for free! Items cannot be taken to sell on; they must be used by the group.

Community and charity groups are not able to give items on the Freeuse LA site but if you do have items to donate visit the main Freeuse site at www. freeuseit.org, a site developed for Leicestershire residents to encourage them to reuse items and therefore reduce the amount of household waste going to landfill.

To see the site for yourself and to find out more visit www.freeusela.org

It only takes four men to wallpaper a house, but you have to slice them thinly.

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Of all the friends I’ve ever had, you’re the first.

12 Markfield Village Fete

News from Markfield “East Coast - Here We Come AGAIN”

Early on the morning of Wednesday 28th July a coach load of villagers set out on our annual pilgrimage to Skeggy for a family trip to the seaside.

It was nice to see such a varied age group of excited adventurers ranging from toddlers to some of our most senior citizens. The weather was kind to us and we managed to dodge the threatened rain clouds for much of the day. As we got back to Markfield and disembarked we were deluged with pleas to put on another trip. So, without much ado we have arranged another seaside trip to the East Coast but this time to Scarborough on the 25th August with the seats already booked. Hopefully this time I will have some photographs for you as I remembered to take my bucket and spade to Skeggy but forgot my camera.

The Centre in FULL Bloom

On Saturday 7th August the annual village fete was held at the Centre.

The event was opened by Hinckley and Bosworth Mayor Cllr Sandra Franks who showed a very keen interest in all the stalls and displays and was especially keen to learn more from the young people from the village who were trying to raise funds to help support the Parish Council in refurbishing their much loved and missed skate park.

This year’s family pet show drew a record number of entrants with owners enthusiastically showing their beloved pets. Our intrepid Pet Show judge Dave Moss had a very difficult time in selecting the final winners from a whole range of pets. The final winners are show below but to be honest all of them deserved a prize.

CATEGORY Overall Winner Most Unusual Best behaved Worst Behaved Cutest Best Sheep Most Patient

Pet’s Name Type Rosie Dog Rambo Corn Snake Ellie Dog Scary Sid Spider Sushi Dog Misty Sheep Brian Kitten

Owner/Presenter Josh Macer Robbie Taylor Mrs Matherson Ron Grantham Sylvia Stafford Alice Featherstone Aimee Diamond

Can I take this opportunity to thank Dave Illingworth for providing the raffle prizes and for those who entered there were 793 sweets in the sweetie jar!

If you walk past the Centre you cannot fail to notice the splash of colour from the hanging baskets and planters. They make a lovely sight bringing a touch of colour to this otherwise dismal summer. Our sincere thanks go to “Dad’s Plants” alias Dave Illingworth and Dave Moss who provided all the plants from their very own little back garden plant growing “cottage industry”. Just think this all started from a challenge as to who could grow the largest melon.

Citizen’s Advice

Regretfully our Citizen’s Advise sessions at the Centre have suddenly ceased due to the fact that funding for this valuable service is no longer available. It’s a pity really as the sessions have been really useful for villagers especially during the current financial situation. All is not lost as Citizen’s Advice are still providing a service through its Hinckley Branch and can be contacted on 01455 615632.

Summer Activities - Times are HARD

As with Citizen’s Advice we have really struggled to secure funding for our usual extensive school summer activities for young people this year.

St Peter’s Church Spot - from Martin Foster I write this article on a dull, dark day in the middle of August - the sort of day that I would expect in December, without the snow - and, if my amateur observations are correct, some leaves are already falling from the trees.

Thoughts at this time of year are inevitably directed to the forthcoming harvest and Harvest Festivals. The press have reported a shortage of hay and straw because of the the hot dry weather in June - and farmers are on the alert to guard against the theft of these commodities on which their animals depend.

Our own Harvest Festival at St Peters on Sunday 19th September at 10.30am will this year take a somewhat different form. Although the church will be decorated as beautifully as ever - and who can forget that unique harvest scent - there will be no perishable gifts on display. The truth of the matter is that it is proving difficult to dispose of them afterwards:- Sales of harvest produce are poorly attended and the hospitals no longer accept it. The PCC has therefore suggested that any harvest gift should be of a monetary nature and special envelopes will be in church prior to the day to receive it.

Just two days before the Harvest Festival - that is on Friday 17th September at 7.30pm - we shall have the special pleasure of welcoming the popular Ratby Band to St Peter’s. We look forward to their annual visit which is always a delightful musical treat.

I’ve been looking for a girl like you - not you, but a girl like you.

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Community Centre

We managed to put on a reduced stay and play programme and even the Hinckley and Bosworth Road Show was cut this year. We did manage to secure a free film show through the Borough Council and on Wednesday 18th August 25 plus children and parents enjoyed the PG film The Lightning Thief.

It is all a bit of a worry trying to keep the kids occupied and things will only get worse next year. Unless we get a Lottery Win we will have to look at new ways of finding funds for activities at the Centre.

Centre Activities

As you may or may not know the Centre tries its level best to provide activities and events for all with a varied programme intended to meet everybody’s needs. Can I plug a couple of activities that you may be interested in joining in with: Friday Night Bingo starts at 7pm with eyes down at 7.30pm – come along and enjoy a social evening with your friends and win a bob or two.

Tae Kwon Do – Thursdays from 5pm to 6pm for people aged 4 plus Line Dancing for beginners - Thursdays with two sessions either 12.30pm to 1.45pm or 2pm to 3.15pm. Lessons provided by Honky Tonk Cliff and all you simply need to do is turn up.

Parents and Toddlers sessions are held from 9am to 11.30 am on Thursday mornings. It only costs £1 per adult with children free. Sure Start also run sessions at the same time providing support and advice to parents of young babies.

The Bricklayer’s Arms 213 Main Street, Thornton Tel: 01530 230808 www.bricklayersarms.net

Home-Made Pie Night Tuesday - £6.95 includes a Glass of Wine

Pasta & Rice Night Wednesdays - £7.95 Includes a Glass of Wine

Lunches & Snacks: Tues-Sun Eves (Tues-Sat): ‘A La Carte’ or Snacks • Weekend Specials A Welcoming Homely Atmosphere & Great Food!

Volunteers

Some dates for your diary

• •

Traditional Sunday Lunch

2 Courses - £9 or 3 Courses - £11 With personal service to your table

You may not know this but the Community Centre is a registered charity and is run not by the Council but by an independent Management Committee known as the Markfield Community Association. As mentioned earlier in this article the Centre needs to raise its own running costs through bookings and fund raising in order to provide all the activities needed for the village. Volunteers are key to helping us to succeed and we are looking for people with a bit of time on their hands and enthusiasm to help us run and develop the Centre. We are not asking for a lot, any time you can give will not only help the Centre but also the village and our local community.

Here are just a few areas where could help out as a volunteer: Being a management committee member, voluntary youth worker, low level handy person, gardening, fund raising or just helping out. If you are interested in working as a volunteer in your local community please contact Dawn Beesley the Centre Manager • • • •

NEW REFURBISHMENT at The Bricklayer’s Arms

22nd September - Blood Donors - 11.45am onwards 2nd October - JAZZ Night in aid of DEBRA 14th October - Harvest Festival October (Date to be set) – AGM of Markfield Community Association 13th November – Church Fayre

For booking and enquiries please contact Markfield Community and Sports Centre, Mayflower Close, Markfield LE67 9ST or ring 01530 242240.

Visit the Centre’s web site: www.markfieldcommunitycentre.com

My mother’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or Leave it.

14

Ancient Markfield Football!

Di Lockley has sent us this fascinating historical account of football in Markfield

W

hen taking the dog for a walk at Hill Hole recently I spotted two young lads with a football resting on what was one of Markfield’s former strategic pitches, which is now in much better condition than how Walter Higgins described it in the late 1920s.

Walter was born in what he describes as ‘a straggling untidy village on the fringe of the Charnwood Forest’, (Markfield) in 1915. He eventually became one of the Headmasters at South Charnwood High School. In his autobiography ‘Well Wunted a Leicestershire Life time’ he tells us all about his memories of once playing football within Markfield village in the 1920s.

Instep instead of toe “It was on the rough, stony sloping Sawpit the Markfield boys learned footballing crafts. The ball had to be kept low, otherwise it was apt to fly over a stonewall and into an orchard wherein prowled an ill-tempered, boy-hating Labrador.

Balls cost money and lost balls caused trouble for deprived owners. So from the tenderest years we learned to kick the ball with the instep instead of toe and with body over ball, a basic skill insufficiently in evidence these days. Everyone, all ages and sizes, winter and summer, played in two huge teams kicking ‘uphill’ and ‘downhill’ before and after school: so the younger boys learned the arts of feinting, swerving, sidestepping and balance by the crude but effective method of playing against opponents twice their height and weight. It was basically a choice between the quick and the halfdead, but there was little of the petulance or play-acting one sees so often now at all levels of the game. So was ensured a seemingly endless supply of skilled players for the school and village teams.

Alas, the mounting tide of affluence after World War 11 meant that our

noble arena, the setting for so many triumphs and disappointments, suffered the indignity of conversion into a car park: and on my last visit I noticed it is now permanently grassed and fenced, so it is no mere coincidence that Markfield teams no longer enjoy their former dominance.

Natural hazards In order to satisfy our desire for competitive football, we had our own league within the village confines. There were four teams – Top Town, Bottom Town, Council Houses, New Row – each with strictly defined boundaries. No one could play for a team other than the one within whose boundaries he lived; this rule was originally formed to prevent poaching of players but was in fact quite unnecessary, as no boy would have been so disloyal as to kick a ball for any team save his own. Our matches were true Derby games, played mostly on rough ground with natural hazards such as ditches, hedges, walls forming the touchlines. No quarter was asked for or given, no prisoners taken; referees were non-existent, and each team took the field determined to equalise before the opposition scored. This was bloodtingling football, played eleven aside without substitutes or the impedimenta of match officials.

No-man’s-land My first team was Council Houses, and we shared with New Row a joint pitch. This was at the edge of the old disused quarry, the ‘Hill Hole’ a kind of no-man’sland between the two territories.

Additional hazards on this pitch were small gorse bushes and stunted trees; years of football kept them under control, and although we could doubtless have dug them out we preferred them to remain as they increased our skill and added to the discomfiture of our opponents. Indeed, certain tactical moves were built around their presence When I later moved to another part of the village I was automatically transferred to Bottom

Town, a more classy team which played on a reasonably good field belonging to Mr Wesley,a friendly farmer. But Top Town were the aristocrats, for they played on the Dandees, the home of the village club itself. Stirring battles were fought in this league – often before spectators – and to take part was a vital step on the ladder to football maturity and even manhood.

Real goalposts But the ultimate accolade was to play for the school in the Charnwood League, with real jerseys, a real football, real goalposts and a real pitch with lines marked in sawdust. There were no goal nets, for they were too expensive and confined to famous clubs like Leicester City, Loughborough Corinthians and Coalville Town. Schoolboy football then was not as comphrensively organised as it is now, and in our league there were only three other schools; Anstey, Groby and Ratby. My father was in charge of games, and when we played at home was able to arrange for us to use the Dandees, as he was on the committee of the village club.

Our colours were black and amber stripes, and a braver sight was never seen as we took to the field, each with his own innermost secret belief that he was David Jack or Charlie Buchan, Fred Keenor or Johnnie Duncan, Hughie Gallacher

or Arthur Chandler: supermen, all of them. With a convenient disregard for accuracy, my father would tell us we looked like wasps and he wanted us to use our stings; and if the battle became close, we were tigers and must show our teeth.

We believed him. Not for a moment did it occur to us that we were only small boys whose mothers would shake their heads and tut-tut over us as we gingerly examined our cuts and bruises later. When we returned home later my father was invariably put into his place by being told that all this running about and blowing of whistles would inevitably lead to a burst blood-vessel. But it made no difference, for he knew that if he gave up there would be no school football, and for Markfield such a thing was unthinkable.

Brown’s Blue When we had an away game he would hire a vehicle belonging to Laurie Brown. It was a most versatile Chevrolet, which normally delivered coal from the pithead direct to the consumer; but when necessary it could be transformed into a bus by the addition of wooden-slatted seats and a portable top, painted green and bearing the name ‘The Nancy’, so called after Laurie’s sister.

This was the forerunner of what developed into one of the biggest

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and most prosperous fleets of coaches in the midlands. But the company of L D Brown & Sons, with its famous ‘Brown’s Blue’ luxury coaches, never lost the personal touch and tradition of courteous service which is the hallmark of the true family firm.

Forty years after the Nancy’s pioneering runs and following Laurie’s death, the business was taken over by the giant Midland Red organisation, a sad day indeed. It is a melancholy thought that today it would be virtually impossible for anyone to start from nothing as Laurie did and emulate his achievements.

We liked away games, for in addition to missing lessons sometimes, it was a rare thrill to travel in a bus. The ubiquitous coal dust added still more romance, the Nancy was transformed into a rather grimy winged chariot carrying us to victory against a team of unfortunates who were not privileged to live at Markfield. The hedgerows and gates seemed to flash past, yet in retrospect I doubt if the Nancy was capable of more than twenty-five miles an hour unladen and running downhill on full throttle.

Good tempered The school we most liked to play was Groby. This was another village with a granite quarry, so there was a certain rapport between us. The headmaster, Mr Waldrom, was an old friend of my father: he was a kindly man of great charm, and his personality was reflected in his

pupils. Our games with Groby were always good-tempered and enjoyable; as soon as the final whistle blew, Mr Waldrom would always congratulate or console us before turning his attention to his own team.

Alternative strip Games with Ratby were harder, especially on their pitch, but our bloodiest battles were against Anstey Latimer Street. There was little love lost between us; and for several reasons. They were good, and knew it. So were we, but they had won the league championship more often than anyone. They wore the same strip as ourselves, and because elementary schools in those days could not possibly afford the luxury of an alternative strip, the clash of colours – twenty-two angry wasps or snarling tigers instead of eleven – caused confusion, irritation and frayed tempers. As Mr Lewis the Head from Anstey steadfastly refused to allow his boys to wear headgear when playing, we had to wear our caps as the only distinguishing feature when opposing them, and this was another niggling irritant.’

So footballers there is still a pitch at Hill Hole with hardly a gorse bush or stunted tree in sight but you will still have to keep the ball low or otherwise loose it forever over the fence around the water.

But enough about me, let’s talk about you. What do you think of me?

16

Some Interesting Day Trips by Coach As Brendan would say, “OK guys!”

With Channel 4’s fabulous Coach Trip series restarting this month, we thought we’d include a few details about proper coach trips that you may be interested in. Here are a few of Paul James’ trips: • Sept 18th Chester £20 • Sept 18th Drayton Manor £31 • Sept 24th Mamma Mia! / London Theatre £59 • Sept 25th Ironbridge (includes entrance to Blists Hill & Coleport China Museum) £33 • Sept 26th Stratford Upon Avon £16 • Sept 29th We Will Rock You / London Theatre £49 • Oct 2nd Scarborough £22 • Oct 7th Billy Elliot / London Theatre £54 T: 01530 832 399 Visit the website at www.pauljamescoaches.co.uk

BAGWORTH AND THORNTON PARISH PLAN UPDATE From Joanne Brown

Being A Parish Councillor The government’s stated intention is to give greater responsibility for managing services to parish councils in the future. It’s therefore very important that we recruit the right people for the ‘job’ even if it is voluntary.

What is a councillor?

Parish councillors are elected to a parish council every four years and represent the whole parish.

They raise money (the precept collected each year with the council tax) to improve facilities and services for local people. The next elections are in 2011.

What do councillors do?

Councillors have three main components to their work.

1. Decision making- Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members , councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.

2. Monitoring- Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.

3. Getting involved locally- as local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available, and may include going to meetings of local organisations, going to meetings of bodies affecting the wider community, taking up issues on behalf of members of the public, running a surgery for residents to bring up issues, meeting with residents in their own homes .

Attending the parish council meetings is the best way to find out what happens there and make your mind up if you can make a

difference. By law, the general public are allowed to be present at most council business.

Find out when the next meeting is by checking the website or parish notice boards.

How much time does it take up?

Quite often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about two or three hours a week. Obviously there are some councillors who spend more or less time than this. But in the main, being a parish councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community, and helping to make it a better place to live and work.

What training and support is available?

Training sessions are regularly arranged by the Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils.

Am I qualified?

Yes – most people are. However there are a few rules and if you have seen enough to interest you then visit www.nalc.gov.uk and /or download The Good Councillors Guide www.nalc.gov.uk/Document/Download. aspx?uid=99f5c787. for more information about these and much else besides.

Next month ... How to become a Parish Councillor.

Some dates for your diary Thornton Well Being Clinic September 23rd 2010 Following the success of the last clinic held in Bagworth in April, we have arranged the next one to take place at Thornton Community Centre from 3pm to 7pm on September 23rd.

Everyone is welcome to attend to benefit from free health checks such as blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol assessment, advice on healthy eating and nutrition( plenty of samples, free juice and other refreshments), exercise, weight management, smoking cessation,

, and to meet representatives from patients organisation LINk, the Rural Community Council, Carers Support, Age Concern and Neighbourhood Watch. The clinics are funded through a grant from Hinckley and Bosworth Community Forums participatory funding project and organised by the Parish Plan Group with welcome assistance from Community Action Hinckley and Bosworth.

October 12th: Bagworth: The Rural Housing Enabler A public consultation will be held

by Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Housing Enabler Richard Windley on October 12th in Bagworth.

For further information contact Richard on 01530 276547 or Email Richard.windley@ midlandsrh.org.uk

Goodbye to Debbi Doheney Those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting and working with Debbi from the Neighbourhood Action Team (CAHB) , particularly our young people, will be sorry to hear that she has left her post at CAHB, but happy to know that she has returned to her first love, working with children with special needs.

We wish her all the best in her new job.

My only hobby is laziness, which naturally rules out all the others.

17

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I’ve had all the electric leads in my house shortened to save on electricity.

18 Health

Symptoms which need to be checked out by your GP Unfortunately, many people will have their lives touched in some way by Cancer. For me, it was my father, brother in law and several friends. However, I never dreamt it could affect my Wife. Jocelyn is only 50, but it did.

A routine visit to the GP with fairly innocuous symptoms of acid reflux and a persistently bloated tummy started a journey. This led to scans within the hour, a specialist consultation and diagnosis of suspected Ovarian Cancer within days and an operation shortly after where the surgeon removed a football sized ovarian cyst and carried out a full hysterectomy.

• Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s Chemotherapy has now commenced and the your tummy and below) outlook is good due to the early detection by the • Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating GP and private health cover.

– not bloating that comes and goes I have since discovered that the average GP Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly • only comes across Ovarian Cancer once every 5 Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as years and detection is often delayed due to lack of • Urinary symptoms (needing to pass water awareness. more urgently or more often than usual) If more people are aware of the symptoms this Changes in bowel habit • may help the early detection of this disease. Please Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired) • pass these to your family and friends: Back pain • The list of symptoms will look familiar to most If you regularly experience any of these symptoms, women. What you need to know about ovarian which are not normal for you, it is important that cancer is that the symptoms are: you see your GP. It is unlikely that your symptoms • Frequent – they happen on most days are caused by a serious problem, but it is important • Persistent - they don’t go away to be checked out.

• New – they are not normal for you and may Further information is available from http://www. have started in the last 12 months ovarian.org.uk or http://targetovarian.org.uk Research has shown that the key symptoms to be Nick aware of are:

Coffee Morning & Half-Price Lingerie Sale for Cruse Bereavement Care 10 a.m. to 12 o’clock Saturday, 2nd October at Markfield Methodist Church There will be cakes, preserves and produce, a “Good as New” stall and a raffle. There will also be a chance to buy best brand lingerie at affordable prices. Come and buy, or just have a chat over coffee & teacakes.

Linda Walmsley

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Does that screwdriver really belong to Philip?

19

Evolution in action at Thornton Reservoir

M

ost visitors to Thornton reservoir probably go to take in the outdoor air, enjoy a picnic or walk around the perimeter path. They are invariably greeted by the sight of ducks dozing by the jetty, swans leading a trail of cygnets across the water and anglers fishing.

Like those anglers, the subjects of my interest at Thornton also lie beneath its watery surface but, unlike them, I’m only interested in the little fish. I’ve been visiting the site regularly for the past 3 years as part of a PhD project at the University of Leicester looking at how stickleback fish adapt to different environments.

I first visited Thornton in February 2008 where I spent the day thighdeep in water, using a dip net to catch anything swimming in the shallow water close to the bank. I remember it as a cold and wintry day, but also an extremely successful one. Before I started, I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I caught around 70 sticklebacks that day and have been going back ever since.

Thornton reservoir has now become an integral site in my PhD

Reservoir-caught Stickleback

Stream-caught Stickleback studies and will feature in several chapters of my final thesis. I have been studying how the shape and features of sticklebacks differ between the reservoir and the stream that flows into the reservoir.

Ancestors of the sticklebacks currently living in the reservoir once lived in the stream that ran through the site. However, when the reservoir was built in 1854, their habitat changed from a flowing environment to a stillwater one. Although this may appear relatively minor, after all, they’ve only moved from one bit of water to another, I am testing the theory that these changes can have profound effects on the physical features of fish.

All animals show physical adaptations specific to their environment; waterfowl have webbed feet to help them glide through the water whereas mammals tend to have more well-defined digits used for grasping and walking on land. Fish living in lakes tend to be slim and streamlined so that they can move through the water with the least amount of resistance. On the other hand, fish in streams tend to be bulkier so that they can hold their position without being washed downstream by the current.

A small sample of sticklebacks from Thornton reservoir and the inflowing stream have now been processed at the university laboratory, allowing me to look directly at their bone structure. It’s clear to see from the photographs that there are differences in bone shape (depth) that are not just the result of fat or muscle. Statistics show that stream-caught sticklebacks from Thornton are consistently bulkier: wider and deeper-bodied that those

caught from the reservoir, even though they probably all shared the same ancestors 156 years ago. Over the past 3 years I have sampled sticklebacks from six other reservoir-stream systems, and I am now analysing these fish to determine whether this pattern is consistent.

I am fascinated by the way that these fish have evolved and adapted to changes in their environment over so short a period. Since discovering these differences, I have been returning to Thornton on a monthly basis, collecting several hundred fish on each occasion and photographing them before returning them to the water. The purpose of this is to investigate whether sticklebacks in either location grow faster, bigger or live longer. I don’t have the full results yet, but it won’t be long before I do.

So, the next time you’re visiting Thornton for whatever reason, keep a look out for some unexpected activities taking place around the water’s edge. If you’re feeling brave, ask to see what I’ve caught – I’d be more than happy to show you.

Swati Nettleship

Final year PhD student in the Department of Biology at the University of Leicester

I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car with a flat tyre being pushed by two old men.

20 Thornton, Bagworth and Stanton under Bardon’s Very Own Parish Calendar

Calling all budding photographers!

We are looking to produce a Parish Calendar for 2012 that has been created by and for the people of our Parish, and we need your help.

Starting from this month, if you live in the Parish of Thornton, Bagworth and Stanton, we would like you to send in your present day photographs of picturesque corners of our villages each month. Photographs should be appropriate to that month. So for September we would like entries of September scenes. The only deadline is when the competition closes.

The competition will close on 1st September 2011. Later that month we will have an exhibition of all the photographs that we have received, and the twelve chosen for the calendar will be announced. There will also be prizes for the best 3 photographs.

How do I enter?

1. You must live in Thornton, Merrylees, Bagworth or Stanton under Bardon.

2. If you have a digital camera and access to a printer, print a 7 by 5 inches colour copy of your photo on any paper type. If you don’t have access to a digital camera, or printer use the original colour photograph, which should be 7 by 5 inches in size.

3. Write your name, address and telephone number very clearly on the back of the photo, together with the month the photo depicts and where it was taken.

4. Post to ‘Calendar’, 34 Highfields, Thornton, LE67 1AD Or hand in to Sue and Lloyds Corner Shop, Main Street, Thornton.

It’s free to enter, so go on, have a go!

You may enter as many photos as you like. There is no limit.

Unfortunately we will be unable to return photographs, but they could be collected after the exhibition. Remember they should be present-day, colour photos 7 by 5 inches in size.

For more information, please telephone 01530 230 455 or email jl172@le.ac.uk (but please do not email photos).

The resulting unique Parish Calendars will be available to buy from mid-October 2011 at all parish & community events, from local shops and in our churches.

Shirley Garlick, Thornton I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car with a flat tyre being pushed by two old men.

21

Next THORNTON W.I. Meeting Thursday, 9th September at 7.30 p.m. at Thornton Community Centre “Rutland – Small but Beautiful” - A Talk by Mr. Richard Adams Rutland, bordered by Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire is England’s smallest county. It has fiftytwo villages, ( one for each week of the year), four hamlets and two towns. It was merged with Leicestershire in 1974, but fought to successfully regain its independence as a county in 1997.

“Much in Little” is Rutland’s motto, and there are certainly many fascinating avenues to explore there.

The Great Hall of Oakham Castle is one of the finest examples of domestic Norman architecture in England. Two hundred and forty horseshoes hang its walls .These represent the unique custom that every peer of the realm must give a horseshoe to the lord of the manor on their first visit to Oakham. The custom has been followed for at least 500 years and the collection includes horseshoes given by the Princess Royal in 1999, and the Prince of Wales in 2003. The oldest is said to have been given by Edward IV in 1470 This small county can boast two “large” records! Uppingham School has the largest school playing-fields in the UK and Rutland Water, covering 3,100 acres, is the largest man-made reservoir in Europe.

Notable alumni of Uppingham School are Rick Stein, Stephen Dorrell, John Suchet, John Schlesinger and Sir Neville Faulks; while Stephen Fry has the distinction of having been expelled from the school at the age of fifteen!

Built in the 1970s to supply water to the East Midlands , Rutland Water has an international reputation for providing a balance of sport, leisure and wildlife conservation and offers everyone the opportunity to try something new. You can try sports such as windsurfing, rock-climbing or canoeing, hire a dinghy, bicycle or fishing boat, visit the Egleton and Lyndon nature reserves or just relax on the 25-mile shoreline .

Barnsdale Gardens, close to Rutland Water, draw visitors from all over the country- many of whom remember with affection their creator , Geoff Hamilton.

Richard Adams, the speaker for our September meeting, is a gifted photographer with an artist’s eye. He is the Secretary of the Rutland Trust and is the co-author of a guide and gazetteer to Rutland. He is a very busy gentleman, much in demand as a speaker, with a wide interest in, and a comprehensive knowledge of, all aspects of the county. We look forward to sharing his knowledge, learning more about his enthusiasms and to admiring some of his photographic work.

Perhaps you might like to come along to our meeting?

VISITORS ARE VERY WELCOME. (Visitor’s fee £2) MEMBERS’ COMPETITION – A Landscape Photograph.

Bring & Buy Stall

Muriel Walker

Thought for the Month This unique day Today is a new day, so live it that way. Make use of this day to bring new experience into your life.

Certainly there are things that must be attended to again and again. Yet there’s always time, and always a way, to make each and every day unique.

Keep your life fresh and invigorating. Keep yourself open to new possibilities. There’s something new you can learn, or accomplish, or experience today that will add real value to your life.

Live today’s unique opportunities while they are here. You’re not here to just pass the time. You’re immersed in a universe that’s filled with every possibility.

See the beauty, feel the wonder, experience the miracle of your life in new and joyous ways. Fully live the one-of-a-kind day that’s yours right now.

Copyright 2010 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. Used by permission.

Originally published in “The Daily Motivator” at www.dailymotivator.com

My sister’s expecting a baby, and I don’t know if I’m going to be an uncle or an aunt.

22

Markfield Homemakers

Markfield Local History Group needs your help

Programme of Events The Markfield Homemakers Ladies Group meets at Markfield Congregational Church on the second Wednesday of each month, start time 8pm.

Here is our list of events planned for the rest of the year:

• Sep 8th ~ Barbara Hewitt ~ Talk ~ History of Calke Abbey • Oct 13th ~ Ros Barber ~ Talk ~ Clicks and Misses (Gone in a moment).

• Nov 10th ~ Penny Hodgson ~ Ageing in Beijing • Dec 8th ~ Christmas Party Brenda Featherstone Tel: 01530 242173

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The plans for a Markfield war memorial take on more importance now that planning permission has been granted to demolish the Memorial Hall and replace with new houses.

After World War 1, the people of Markfield decided to have a Memorial Hall rather than a monument to commemorate those that had died in the war. This was achieved with the help of CISWO (the Miners’ Welfare Organisation) to enable the villagers to purchase an existing cinema and land adjacent to that site to create the Markfield Memorial Miners Welfare Institute 1925. The Memorial was therefore both a community centre and a cinema that served the villagers well until the growth of the village and building of the new Community Centre caused its use to decline and eventual closure around 2006.

Now it is proposed that the village has a new memorial to commemorate those that died. The exact form of the memorial has yet to be decided and of course is subject securing the necessary funding but it is hope to achieve it completion to mark the centenary of the 1918 armistice.

We are putting together background information for the memorial and would like your help. We are currently researching the following:

World War 1

Harry is a keen gardener who managed to give himself a hernia lifting his huge champion marrow.

Now he’s switched to pumpkins and has developed two new strains.

ALL types of business and

Was one of your relatives a casualty in WW1 or WW2?

.. .. .. .. .. .. .

Bailey, Lewis Brooks, John William Burdett, George Harry Cave, William Edward Fisher, Wilfred Hardy, Harry Irons, Walter Orgill, John Henry Spence, George Harry Timson, William Thomas Wilson, Cecil Henry Edgar

Bailey, Walter Brown, Harry Edward Burrows, James Moreton Cramp, Reginald Charles Frith, Frederick Haywood, Joseph Lee, Archibald Lewis Pell, William Charles Spence, Albert Willie Wardle, Abraham

World War 2

Allen, Robert Beresford Brotherhood, Leonard Jackson, Joseph Samuel Morris, W Robinson, Douglas Arnold Turner, W Worth, George William

Baugh, Percy Thomas Hodson Chiswell, Albert Lillingston, Luke Theodore Myerscough, Cyril Austin Smith, H Wapples, Victor James Whittle, HW

Bott, William Harold Brown, Thomas Hughes

Cave, Albert

Dowell, Ernest Handley, Frederick George Hull, Harry Valentine Alexander Mason, Alick Howard Richardson, Samuel William

Swain, Walter Watson, Joshua

Birkbeck, James Haines, John Thomas

Massey, L

Pegg, George Arnold Swain, N

Ward, L

If you are related to or have any information about any of these or others that we may have missed, or if you would like to know more please contact Laurence Lock (Tel. 249696, Email: LLOCK.LLIBC@VIRGIN.NET) or come along to the next meeting at the Methodist Church on Tuesday 14th September, 7:30pm. If you are interested in local history and have not yet been able to attend any of our meetings, do come along to any of our events and meet us. We welcome new members whether new to the village or long time residents. For further information contact Barrie Gannon 242318, Fran Johnson 243350 or Maureen Browning 244242.

People don’t grow up; they just learn how to act in public.

23

Chernobyl children are having a lovely time in Leicestershire

Friends of Chernobyl Children ( Markfield) are currently hosting another set of grateful visitors - disadvantaged children from Belarus.

The children are from areas which have been contaminated and economically depressed as a result of the explosion of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl in 1986.

Based in Markfield, the self funded charity invites 9 Belarusian children aged 7-10yrs to Leicestershire every year during August and September to enjoy fresh air, home cooked food, plenty of fun, and some tender loving care.

The strongly driven charity is organised by a handful of Trustees, host families and local group members, with Hilary Braime, the coordinator, at the helm. All our members are completely voluntary and give their time, energy and talents freely – no one gets paid.

The children stay with host families which are based locally. The charity is concerned with finding new host families and maintaining constant fund raising. The children arrived on August 13th and will stay with us until 10th September.

During their stay the children attend local excursions and outdoor activities, along with a visit to the dentist and opticians – privileges not enjoyed by all the Belarusians in their home country.

Jenny Meads once again kindly has agreed to check all the children’s teeth despite some of them having some trepidation about the dentist’s chair! Edmonds and Slatter of Glenfield, again, also agreed to give the children free eye tests and provided glasses for the children who needed them. Reid and Sons of Broughton Astley have provided fresh fruit.

Our sincere thanks go to these businesses for their continued support.

The fun time of their stay will include free visits to Manor Farm in East Leake, Bosworth Battlefield, and a sailing experience at Wanlip Sailing Club.

The emphasis is on ‘the great outdoors’ which we hope will enhance the childrens’ health and self esteem.

The children will be provided with such goodies as a new pair of school shoes from John Lewis, clothes, a year’s supply of vitamins and some spending money to give to their families to help them prepare for their very cold and difficult winters.

Finally, too many to mention, but we would like to thank everyone who has helped the visit to be possible.

If you wish to get involved with the Markfield group, host a child or help with any fundraising please contact the coordinator Hilary Braime on 01530 263308 or visit our website www.focc.org.uk

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At a nudist colony for intellectuals, two old men are sitting on the porch. One turns to the other and says, “I say, old boy, have you read Marx?”.

The other says, “Yes, it’s these wicker chairs.”

The truth is a precious commodity. That’s why I use it so sparingly.

24

Ratby Co-Operative Band to visit Thornton Church The Friends of St. Peter’s will be pleased to welcome The Ratby Cooperative Band’ on Friday 17th September at 7.30pm, for their annual concert of popular music.

Admission £7.00. ( ‘Friends of St. Peter’s members £6.00 with reward voucher) The Ratby Co-operative Band was formed in 1906 and has 130 members who play in 5 bands: Senior, Mid, Junior, Training & Beginner.

Their Band HQ in Ratby was opened in 1990 by Mr.Peter Streeskerk from Holland. During their many years of playing they have forged links with Bands in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Spain and have won many awards on their travels. If you are interested in joining the Band, you are invited to contact Band member Sheralyn on 0116-2386954 for further information.

So join us at ‘Thornton Church’ for a wonderful evening of music in the company of this excellent Band, conductor for the evening will be Mr. Michael Fowles.

If you would like to become a member of The Friends of St.Peter’s please contact John on 01530-230610 for membership details. NOTE – Members now receive reward vouchers for all our fund-raising events as a ‘Thank you’ gesture for membership of ‘The Friends of St. Peter’s.

The Programme 1. The President 2. Overture Poet and Peasant 3. Whisper a Little Prayer 4. Poinciana 5. Sunrise on Blue Ridge 6. Aspects of Adiemus INTERVAL 1. Flame of Independence 2. Over the Rainbow 3. Caravan 4. Moon River 5. Pasadena 6. Be My Love 7. In Perfect Peace 8. Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah Encore Under the Double Eagle

Council housing is a very efficient way of housing people Council housing hit the headlines again last month when the Prime Minister discussed the possibility of putting time limits on council tenancies or limiting them to households with incomes below a certain threshold.

These ideas were just that - ideas and not policy (yet). But they are a response to a problem which is simply that, there is not enough housing for people on modest to low incomes in places were they should be able to live. Markfield and Stanton today is sadly often out of reach for many children of parents who have lived in the village.

To discuss limiting the time you live in a council house, or to say that once your income reaches a certain level (the council has just had a freedom of information request asking how many tenants had an income over £40k so someone is serious about this) you have to leave, is not the answer to the problem. Indeed these solutions are not solutions at all, but simply another attempt to stigmatise council housing and the people who live in them.

The problem is that there is not enough council housing and the reason is that successive governments have done everything they can to make it difficult for councils to provide housing, hoping the market will provide a solution.

The market has not found the solution and we have housing waiting lists growing by the day.

Here in Hinckley and Bosworth, it is heading towards 1500 which is half of the total housing owned by the council.

Borough Councillor Matthew Lay writes in the Herald

You could call me old fashioned but I still believe in council housing, yes, good old fashioned council housing. It has not been in vogue for years; with successive governments seeking to marginalise it, seeing it as a throw back to times long gone and being linked to numerous social problems that supposedly only take place on council estates.

Council housing of course also flows in a different direction to the home ownership priority that has been the main driver of central government housing policy for over 30 years. The problem being that council houses were often sources of good, affordable and decent homes, which provided an alternative to home ownership and in doing so, put off some people from taking out a mortgage if they were able. The market saw this as competition and unfair competition at that, as nobody could borrow money cheaper than

the government of the day who could pass on the cost spread over many years to tenants to make it very affordable.

Over the last 30 years council housing has been undone by governments in 3 key ways.

Firstly there was the ‘right to buy’ council houses at a discount for tenants. This popular move led to a big reduction in stock but it became a problem because the government of the day did not allow the proceeds from these sales to be used for building more houses.

Secondly Councils have been set targets in which they must show how they will be able to maintain the existing stock to standards set very high (above most private dwellings) and going forward well into the future so that they have to consider handing the housing over to a new organisation or private company.

Finally the rent tenants pay goes direct to central government who

redistribute it and cream off money for themselves. This leaves councils like Hinckley and Bosworth short of money and the whole system loses its ability to be self-financing which it would be.

Now let me get this absolutely clear, council housing is not perfect and is not, nor would it ever be the choice for many people.

Indeed I have lived in private rented accommodation and am now a proud home owner. Home ownership has huge benefits for those able to do it but lots of people cannot do it and it remains the single biggest cause of the global credit crunch. The issue is that the debate over many years has been so anti council housing that we forget that it does have considerable virtues and we should be using it to help people in a number of ways, particularly in rural communities such as ours.

I grew up in a house owned by my parents, but my mum had grown up in a council house, as had her brother and sisters. Indeed many people can look back and see that council housing played some part in their lives, securing for them a decent home in which they could eventually prosper. The issues over supposed problem council estates is to me a little bit of a myth, used to persuade people that council housing does not work. The problems that plague some council estates (which can be found in private estates as well) often predate the council housing (hence the great slum clearances) or are linked to widespread social changes which have nothing to do with housing

The Rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.

25 Full night’s entertainment

Groby Club Grand Variety Show A Grand Variety Show will take place on Thursday 23rd September at Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club between 8pm-11pm.

All proceeds from the show will go to Cancer Research and Loros.

There will be a full night’s entertainment with local professional talent including some of Leicester’s top bands, singers, dancers, and two amazing speciality acts. There will also be a prize raffle with proceeds going to both charities. The show will be compered by Digg Haywood.

Advanced tickets £5.00 - On the door £6.00 - Concessions/Children £2.50. Tickets obtainable from Digg Haywood on 07801924013 or from Groby Ex- Servicemen’s Club, on 0116 2871809

- having a job for one makes a big difference. Council tenants also today have tenancy agreements meaning the council can act swiftly to deal with anti-social behaviour by tenants and can evict if necessary for bad behaviour.

At the end of the day, council housing should and could be self financing. It is not a drain on the public purse as rental income pays the debt off and the asset is in public hands. It is a very efficient way of housing people .

It is also run by democratic bodies meaning you can hold people to account and you have a good secure tenancy providing you don’t behave in an anti-social way, and pay your rent.

It concerns me greatly that such has been the indifference to council housing, that various attempts have been made to remove it as an option for most people. The consequences of this mean we end up with only a small section of society standing any chance of accessing a house. This over time has had the desired effect that today when ordinary decent and hard-working people approach me for help in relation to housing I often have to tell them that finding a council house in this area is very hard. They could up sticks and perhaps get a council property in Hinckley but if you have close links to the local community and get support from your extended family who live close by and help out

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with the children, etc. (I know from personal experience how critical it is to have parents close by when bringing up young children) this is a difficult option to consider. Often they may be lucky and find private rented accommodation but this will be more expensive and less secure.

If they are on benefits it will also cost the taxpayer more as council houses are almost always cheaper.

It is just possible that proposed reforms to council house financing which started in the final year of the last government and were strongly supported by the Local Government Association will be implemented. These reforms will mean council housing rents are no longer paid to the government but go instead to pay off a notional amount of debt linked to the number of houses. This mean councils will once again be able to build houses for the future knowing they control the purse strings and meeting local needs. It will take many years before we can really make inroads into the waiting list but that is no reason not to start.

Private housebuilding is at an all time low and set to get worse so the issues will soon become even more acute. The rules are also changing to make it easier to ensure that local people get priority when it comes to housing people.

So we need more council houses and we need rules that make it easier for local people to be housed in them. I often hear all political parties talk about the need to deliver choice for people in relation to public services which on the whole do a good job. I and many others who support council housing would like to see true choice within the housing sector.

This means having a level playing field so people can - if they choose, and it is financially sustainable consider a council house not just as an emergency but also because it works and provides for their needs.

It worked in the past to alleviate the housing problems of many families and it can work again.

I’m a bitter, cynical spiteful man. Please don’t take that joy away from me.

26 The following items were among the topics discussed at the Markfield Parish Council meetiing held on Tuesday 6th July 2010: POLICE REPORT: PCSO Musa attended the meeting.

PC S Harlock had emailed the following crime figures for June: 2 x Burglary: The Hawthorns over a weekend, whilst occupants were away, entry through window, Television and other property taken; and Chitterman Way, the front living room windows had been left open, large television, lap top and a car stolen.

1 x Theft Of Motor Vehicle: Bracken Way owner staying at friends vehicle stolen overnight 3 x Theft From Motor Vehicle: Bracken Way Number plates stolen; 2 x incidents Hill Lane, large amount of diesel stolen from Truck; A planned operation would be in force on 28/6 regarding the burglaries.

Lastly complaints from people living on Main Street regarding parking on double yellows, it would appear that the Traffic Warden just walks past cars parked on them and just purely look for cars over their time limit. At least words of advice should be given to people on double yellows.

Cannabis Factory discovered in Markfield PCSO Musa reported that a cannabis factory worth more than £320,000 had been discovered in Oakfield Avenue and a man had been arrested after the police were alerted by a suspicious neighbour.

The man who was an illegal immigrant aged 25, had been charged with illegal production of cannabis and held in custody.

Regarding the illegal parking on yellow lines PCSO Musa stated that officers would now issue advisory notices when vehicles were parked on double yellow lines.

PCSO Musa also informed the members that Ulverscroft Way and The Rushes had been designated “no cold calling zones.” Mr Lay suggested that The Green should also be considered.

Mercenfeld Primary School – Irresponsible street parking Mr R Kane had informed the clerk that the County Council’s Highways would extend the existing double yellow lines on Oakfield Avenue around the corner to Walnut Close.

Parish Council website Website address:-www.markfieldparish-council.org.uk. The site was now live but the Deputy Clerk would continue to increase the web content over the course of the next few weeks.

Extracts from Markfield Parish Local History Group – Proposal to erect a War Memorial in Markfield Mr Gannon stated that research was progressing and several suggestions were being considered for a suitable site. Consideration was also being given to the form of war memorial and securing finance. A website would be developed for the project with a link to the Parish Council website.

Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) – Partnership with Thornton and Bagworth The speed watch signs were now available from the County Council and the parish had been notified of a demonstration at County Hall. The previous discussions on sharing signs with neighbouring parishes were still supported by them. Mrs Sprason reported that she understood that Bagworth and Thornton were considering opting out of the partnership.

South Charnwood 883 Bus Service subsidy cut Roberts Coaches had agreed to continue to run the 838 school bus to South Charnwood the charge however will increase from September to 70p a journey or

£1.40 per day and will continue to be collected daily. The County

CISWO (Coal Industry and Social Welfare Organisation) Miners’ Welfare Institute Mr Lay stated that although planning permission had been granted for the development of the three dwellings, the land had not been advertised for sale yet; he was unsure why this was the case, but would look into the matter.

The George Car Park and current empty shops along Main Street The clerk would write to the Borough Council regarding the large amount of rubbish accumulating on the site and ask for it to be removed.

Bardon Quarry - Proposed New Extension adjacent to A511, Planning application Mr Lay stated that the plans had been publicly exhibited on 25 May at Copt Oak Memorial Hall.

The plans could also be viewed on the county council’s website.

Planning Appeal:- Jelson Homes, 09/01009/OUT - Land off London Road,

Always keep several get well cards on the mantel. If unexpected guests arrive, they’ll think you’ve been sick and unable to clean.

27

MARKFIELD PARISH COUNCIL SURGERY

Council Minutes Markfield, -Residential Development (outline) with access Mr Lay stated that an appeal had been lodged by the company. The Borough Council had appointed a Barrister to represent them at the appeal.

Mr Moulding asked if there was a proposed travellers’ site included in the application. Mr Lay replied that the only travellers’ site indentified in the Development Framework Document was at Copt Oak.

•

time consuming and this would not be cost effective to the Parish Council.

Resolved, it was agreed that the clerk should not consider these adhoc enquiries as part of the Clerk’s duties.

Further resolved, in the above cases only the clerk should look into what processes/fees other authorities implement.

Hill Hole – Unauthorised swimming, rock climbing and incidents of attempted arson Mr Browning reported that there had been several incidents of the Air Ambulance being involved in rescuing children stranded on the rocks after climbing them recently.

He also stated that children were again trying to set fire to the dry grass; Mr Moulding added that he often observed young people camping in the quarry and they regularly lit camp fires which could easily get out of control as the area was so dry due to the recent hot weather and asked who he should contact out of office hours. Mr Lay advised him to contact the local police.

The Parish Council would ask the Local Fire Authority to consider “damping down” the site to prevent it from catching fire.

Mrs Sprason stated that she had also observed adults swimming with children in the disused quarry despite warning signs and fencing around the site. Mr Lay again advised that the local police should be contacted.

Skate Park Repairs

park refurbishment was completed.

Community Centre – Maintenance Plan Mr Gannon stated the MCA were taking steps towards budgetary control of the centre.

Resolved, in order to speed up small general repairs at the centre the clerk was given delegated powers to authorise up to £250.00 expenditure per repair and £500.00 expenditure with the agreement of two parish council members.

•

•

Next Surgery: 1st October 2010 at Markfield Community & Sports centre 10am to 11.30am.

After inspecting the Park’s structure with several contractors and discussing the situation with several skateboard users it was agreed that; a) The steel structure could be rewelded and reinforced with extra supports. b) The wooden boards should be better fixed and replaced as necessary. A builder would be contacted, but would need to liaise with welder on how best to improve the structure The Deputy Clerk had met with 2 dedicated welding Companies and a general builder to obtain quotes.

Further resolved, the Parish Council would ask if the Markfield and Stanton Herald would be willing to donate up to £1000.00 towards the cost of the project and local children/youths who were regular users would be asked if they could raise money towards the cost of the refurbishment as they specifically asked the Parish Council not to dismantle the skate park as originally proposed.

Number of emailed enquiries to trace ancestry via the Parish Council Website

Future Skate Park use

The clerk stated that since the cemetery details had been displayed on the Parish Council website she had been inundated with ad-hoc requests from people trying to trace their ancestry. Whilst not wanting to appear unhelpful the clerk could not possibly use parish council time to pursue these requests as the enquiries were very

Do you have a concern or issue you want to raise?

Do you want to meet your local Parish Councillors?

Are you interested in helping?

It was agreed that due to the damage being caused by heavier BMX Cycles, stunt pegs and the potential danger caused by the mix of skateboards and cycles simultaneously, the skate should not be used by BMX riders.

Appropriate signage stating, “No BMX bicycles – Skate Boards only,” should be erected when the Skate

Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.

28

Letter Let’s have a Markfield Tea Shop!

I’ve walked past the old chemist’s empty shop numerous times over the summer and have wondered what is going to take its place. Does anyone know? It looks a sorry state and does the Main Street no favours, in my opinion.

I feel that what we need now in Markfield is some sort of gorgeous coffee/ tea shop which could also sell lovely gifts and crafts. I regret the moving of the chemist to Chitterman Way, but can see the sense of it being next to the Surgery.

So, what about a lovely tea shop where it used to be? I’m sure there must be the demand for it.

What about all the mums and grandparents who drop children at school and playgroups/nurseries in Markfield; the people who wait for buses; retired people and mums and carers with push chairs and little children who have a long walk from one set of shops to the other? I’m sure there are many people, including me, who would like to meet a friend locally, or have a few minutes over a cup of something delicious before carrying on with their busy day.

Is there anyone who agrees? Or, even better, who’d like to do it!

Sue Hartley

Cross Hills Baptist Church News Serving Thornton & Bagworth plus the surrounding area

The Awesome Holiday Club

The Markfield Inter Faith Group trip to Places of Worship will now take place on Wednesday, September 15th.

On Monday 16th – Wednesday 18th August Cross Hills Baptist Church ran the Awesome Holiday Club.

It was a great success with up to 35 children attending every day.

We had great fun learning about 3 parables, learning memory verses and songs as well as making crafts and playing games. Rosie and Tommy also made an appearance at the end of each day to tell us a story. At the end of the three days every child was given a book to take home. Thanks to all those involved who helped make it successful and we look forward to seeing the children back at Cross Hill very soon!

If any of the children would like to try our Sunday Club please bring them along at 10.30am on a Sunday Morning. If you need more information please ring one of the contact numbers below.

and Thornton, near the railway bridge. Our Harvest Thanksgiving will also be part of this service and any produce or groceries brought along will be taken afterwards to the Hinckley Homeless Group for their Supported Accommodation Project.

The Big Welcome – Come As You Are

Emmaus: The Way of Faith

Have you ever looked at a beautiful sunrise or sunset or at a full moon surrounded by hundreds of shining stars in a dark sky and felt that there must be a Creator, but how do you get to know Him? Your first step could be to come along to “The Big Welcome – Come As You Are” on Sunday 26th September. We always like to make anyone visiting Cross Hills for the first time feel welcome but this is a service that we hold each year on the last Sunday in September especially for anyone who is not familiar with the inside of a church or with what happens at a church service. Just come along at 10.30am and we’ll make you feel at home – you’ll find Cross Hills on Thornton Lane between Bagworth

Markfield Inter Faith Group Trip: 15th September

Emmaus: The Way of Faith is a course designed to welcome people into the Christian faith and the life of the church. Our Pastor Garry Kelly is leading this course which is being held on a Saturday morning at Cross Hills roughly every fortnight until the beginning of December. Forthcoming meetings are on September 4th & 18th and October 2nd & 16th. The sessions are from 10am – 12noon (meet for coffee first at 9.45am) so please come along and find out more. If you aren’t able to come to all the meetings, that’s fine – just come along when you can.

Services Details of our Services are in the Church Service Information section in this magazine if you can’t manage to join us for “The Big Welcome”. We serve tea and coffee after our services and offer friendship to anyone visiting for the first time.

Advance Notice Cross Hills will be taking part in the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal again this year and the leaflet that you need to take part will soon be available.

This gives you all the information about what can be put in a box and includes a label for the outside.

For further information or a leaflet please ring Glynis or David Straw on the number below.

Glynis Straw Treasurer - on behalf of the Cross Hills Church family

Contact Numbers

Pastor -Garry Kelly: 01455 457802 • Secretary - Robert Holmes: 01530 231901 Treasurer - Glynis Straw: 01530 230272 • Parish Nurse - Vera Harding: 01530 230557

The day trip will include a visit to St. Philip’s Church and a Sikh Centre in Leicester city. Lunch and refreshments will be hosted by the Islamic Foundation Library, Markfield Conference Centre, Ratby Lane.

There will be arrangement s for a minibus to take us to and back from the Library to Leicester. As seats are limited we request you to book in advance. Programme will start at 11Am and conclude by 4 pm.

For further details please contact the Librarian at 01530 249301 between 10-5 Mon-Thursdays.

Stamp Fair: 12th September THE NEXT stamp fair in aid of LOROS will take place on Sunday 12th September at Newbold Verdon Primary School, Dragon Lane, Newbold Verdon - between 10am and 3pm.

If you’d like to donate stamps, please trim them leaving a border of about ¼ inch (6mm) around each stamp.

For more information, call Roger Simmons on (01455 822645) or Graham Hunt (01455 822774).

I told my girlfriend I had a job in a bowling alley. She said ‘Tenpin?’ I said, ‘No, permanent.’

29

Old Thatched Inn, Stanton.

T: 01530 242460 EVERY WED: QUIZ Night & ‘PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT’ 8.30pm.

Cash prizes 50p per Entry.

Sat 11 Sept: CASINO Night (Charity Event with 007 theme) Sat 18 Sept: ELVIS Tribute Pool Table etc.

Bagworth WMC Station Road, Bagworth T: 01530 230 205 New Members Welcome * NEW~£1 Entry to Lounge for Club’s Live Entertainment Nights.

Sat 4 Sept: GLEN PAUL Sat 11 Sept: TONY LEE Sat 18 Sept: LES MALCOLM Sat 25 Sept DAVE ROSS ‘Stop Press’ Insertion: Fri 1 Oct: ACE MEN plus DISCO £5 ~ 7.30pm till late (Local Band/Hits Past&Present) T: 01530 230205 Sat 2 Oct: ALAN CHAMBERS Sat 9 Oct: JOHN LESTER Special Date for your Diary:Fri 12 Nov: 1940’s Night with Live Entertainment ~ £5 on Door Every Wed: Tea Dance 2-4pm £1 Incl.Tea & Biscuits Last Fridays of Month: ANDY’S CHARITY QUIZ. £1.50 each.

Every Sun ~ SEQUENCE DANCING Cost:£1.

Start 7.30pm (Bar Open).

The Bulls Head Forest Road, Markfield T: 01530 242541 Sat 4 Sept: PETE LEWIS Sat 23 Oct: THE 3 AMIGOS Sat 13 Nov: SWEET DEFINITY The Red Lion Main Street, Markfield.

Screen SPORT/ Darts & Pool The Queen’s Head Ashby Road, Markfield.

T: 01530 242 496 Home of the Markfield Cricket Club ’Take Your Pick’ ~ Every Fri: 7.15-7.45pm.

“Be in it to win it!”

Ongoing Jackpot (Min £25) 50p a ticket Entertainment TBA: Likely Sat 2 Oct ALL SKY SPORTS & ESPN The Club, Thornton Main Street. T: 01530 230251 Open to Non-Members FESTIVAL WEEKEND 3,4 & 5 Sept MUSIC & BEER Fri 3 Sept: SOUL’D OUT Band Sat 4 Sept: SNATCH Band Sun 5 Sept: ACEMAN Band 3pm Fri 10 Sept: FOOTBALL Q&A:-With Matt Elliott & Ian Marshall, Compered by Alan Birchenall (Tickets & Info: T. 01530 230134) Sat 11 Sept: KUDASAI Band Sat 18 Sept: FATHER TED Band Fri 24 Sept: PLUG & PLAY 7.30pm ((Andy T: 01455 291 419) Sat 25 Sept: THE FREEZE Sat 2 Oct: ANN DUGGAN Band Sat 16 Oct: KAMAGRA (Raunchy Female Singer) www.myspace.com/thorntonclub The Stamford Arms Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 5616.

Every SUN 3 ~ 6pm:‘GOOD TIME SUNDAY’ Sat 4 Sept: STONEPARK Sat 18 Sept: SOUL’D OUT Sat 25 Sept: MOJO HAND Sat 16 Oct: MISSING LYNX KARAOKE ~ Every Wed OPEN MIC ~Every Thurs QUIZ – General Knowledge + Find the Joker ~ EVERY Sun QUIZ – Music ~ EVERY Tues Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287-1809 www.grobyclub.co.uk NOTICE TO MEMBERS Great Entertainment Fri/Sat/Sun New Members Welcome

The Field Head Hotel Markfield Lane, Markfield Tel: 01530 245454 Fri 8 Oct: Special :CHARITY RACE NIGHT All Welcome ~ 8pm TRIBUTE Nights All £2 Entry after 7pm.

Fri 3 Sept: NEIL DIAMOND/ELVIS Fri 17 Sept: THE BEATLES Fri 1 Oct: LILY ALLEN Fri 15 Oct: MADONNA Quiz Nite: Every 2nd Tues (See Advert Page 32) The Bricklayers Arms 213 Main Street, Thornton T: 01530 230 808 Newly refurbished!

QUIZ Nite – Thursdays www.bricklayersarms.net (See Advert Page 13) The Coach & Horses Leicester Road, Field Head Tel: 01530 242 312 KARAOKE Nights:Sats: 4 Sept,18 Sept & 2 Oct (’King of the Road’) Sundays: QUIZ Night Play Area/Beer Garden (See Advert Page 9) The Charnwood Arms Bardon. T: 01530 813644 TRIBUTE NIGHTS (Monthly) £10 a Ticket Includes Supper Fri 24 Sept: MOTELLAS Every MON Night:POKER TOURNAMENT FREE ~ Starts 7pm.

New Outdoor Play Area out Back The Plough Inn Burroughs Road, RATBY. T: 0116 239 2103 EVERY Tues ~ QUIZ Sat 4 Sept: WARLOCK (R&Roll)

My mate is in love with two school bags. He’s bi-satchel.

30

Chapel News Corner from the Bardon Park Chapel Forty people were present at the summer BBQ in the chapel grounds on Saturday evening 14 August.

The honorary chefs were Jonathan Massey of Ibstock (head chef) and John Dyer of Markfield (chief assistant chef).

Each was presented with a tall white chef ’s hat.

We erected the marquee so as to accommodate guests if there was rain. But, in the event, happily the rain cleared-up before the BBQ had started, and there was sunshine.

Ride and Stride: 11th September The chapel is one of more than 400 places of worship in Leicestershire being opened for the annual sponsored “ride and stride” event on Saturday 11 September.

Whether or not you are a sponsored walker/rider, please do come and visit our historic chapel on that day. Afterwards, you can go on to the family funday at St Peter’s, Bardon Hill.

Harvest Thanksgiving: 26th September Our harvest thanksgiving this year is on Sunday 26 September at 10.30 am. The visiting speaker we are expecting on that occasion is Peter Smith from St Peter’s, Bardon Hill. Afterwards, there is to be a ploughman’s lunch in the schoolrooms building at the rear of the chapel.

Meetings We meet every Sunday morning for worship, at 10.30 am The meeting is fairly informal and we seek to adopt a bible-based approach. Tea and coffee are serve afterwards.

There is also a Praise Meeting in the chapel once a month, on the first Saturday of each month at 7 pm. There is lively music by Nigel North (at the piano accordion) and John Widdowson (at the keyboard). The next Praise Meetings are on 4 September and 2 October. The speaker expected on Saturday 4 September is the evangelist Yan Hadley who is well-known in Leicester and across the East Midlands.

Contacts: Richard & Margaret Norburn 01530 24 25 26 Patricia Lines 01530 242903 or email: bardonchapel@aol.co.uk

NEED CURTAINS?

Then do come and visit our large new showroom full of samples for Curtain Style Sets.

Hattons Curtain Makers ~ SEE ADVERT ON PAGE 29

I accidentally left my electric toothbrush on all night. I’ve never seen the bathroom look so clean.

31

Latest News from Markfield WI

Cat Book Winner

Report from Fran Johnson

Markfield WI have continued to meet during the summer despite members disappearing on holiday to far flung destinations such as Greece, Nashville, Yellowstone National Park and Norfolk and no doubt many more. What a variety of holiday slide shows we could present.

Or Power Point presentations for the more computer literate!

July saw us without a speaker at the last minute but no problem as we were well entertained by Maggie Gondolo, one of our members, with a talk on Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Maggie’s talk was both amusing and informative and I’m sure prompted some of us to visit the library to renew our acquaintance with these authors. Thanks to Maggie for stepping in at the last moment.

This month we met Mrs J Taylor who gave us a wonderful insight into the workings of the Post Office. She had begun days in the Post Office as postmistress for Woodhouse Eaves which she found a bit of a culture shock after living all her life in Loughborough and being a real ‘townie’. Apparently the other name for the Post Office was the ‘gossip shop’. What a worry – how much is known about us at our local Post Office! She and her husband later took on the Post Office in Bedford Square, Loughborough which was a very different experience.

We learnt a lot about the security, the behaviour of the general public and financial aspects of the Post Office and Mrs Taylor also had many amusing tales to tell. She finished by, quite rightly, urging us to ‘use it or lose’, a message we must all take seriously as our Post Office is a vital part of village life.

We are planning some future events, namely a Quiz Evening at the Coach and Horses on Friday, 12th November, tickets £5.00 to include a Ploughman’s Supper and a trip to see The King and I at Curve. If you are interested in the Quiz Evening you will need to find a WI member to sell you a ticket.

Please come along a join us, visitors are welcome but we do charge you £2.50 for the evening. We hold our meetings on the third Wednesday of the month starting at 7.45 in the Methodist Church Schoolroom.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, Sept 15th and the speaker will be Ros Barber, a professional photographer. Her talk is entitled Clicks and Misses.

For further information please contact Fran Johnson on 01530 243350 or Jane Barrington on 01530 242385.

Two poems in praise of the ‘postie’

The day George came to the rescue He came with a red van not a steed.

When Lisa got stuck in the bathroom He did the honourable deed.

She waved from the bathroom window And George came in through the door.

He rescued the blushing Lisa Her hero for evermore Lyn Owen Up a dawn, an early start Our postman’s day begins.

Off to work while we all sleep Letters to sort, targets to meet.

Then off he sets on a bike with bag So full of post his tyres sag.

He starts his round to bring our mail, Our letters, cards and bills assail.

His cheery whistle and cheeky grin Warms the day we all begin.

All mail delivered, his post all gone.

Thank you Postie, a job well done.

Joan Chandler

The winner of ‘The Cat Expert’ book competition was Miss J.Hargrave of Main Street, Markfield.

Congratulations! Your book will be with you soon. The answers were: Manx cat and Siamese cat.

Period Garden Walk There will be a Guided Walk of the Period Gardens at Donington-le-Heath Manor House on Wednesday 29th September: 2pm to 3pm.

Meet our Gardener for a tour and learn about the gardens through the ages and how plants were used.

Pre-booking is essential.

T: 01530 278 444 • Cost: £4

I’d like to see things your way, but I’m looking in another direction.

32

Extracts from the draft minutes of Bagworth & Thornton Parish Council The following items were among the topics discussed at the Bagworth & Thornton Parish Council meeting held on Monday 5th July 2010:

find 12 THRILLER WRITERS in the Wordsearch puzzle below, and you could win yourself a nice prize.

This month we are offering a first prize of:

A Main Course for Two plus A Bottle of House Wine at The Field Head Hotel and a SECOND PRIZE of:

A pair of Adult Tickets to see a film at the REEL CINEMA in Loughborough To go into the draw for the prizes, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - the names of 12 well-known thriller writers.

These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!).

Send your entry to: THRILL A MINUTE, The Herald, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Saturday 18th September 2010.

Remember to include your name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out of the Editor’s brand new Fedora Hat will win the Meal for Two, and the second will win the Cinema Tickets. Good luck!

Here are the names you have to find: DEAN KOONTZ • FREDERICK FORSYTH • HARLAN COBEN

• Preschool: Councillor Johnson asked if there had been any progress with the scheme for the Pre schoolgroup to run independently of the Parish Council. The clerk was requested to NALC‘s legal team for guidance.

• Bagworth CC and Sure Start: The play builder scheme is well on .The clerk was asked to check with Leics. County Council and then order the equipment. The clerk advised that a figure of £35,000 had been offered by the County Council’s valuer up front and a nominal rent of £1 per year.

After discussion it was resolved to accept this figure, subject to clarification of the meterage values.

• Thornton Community Centre: Mr Walker advised that the roof had now been repaired, however another leak has now appeared on the main roof, Mr Walker had been given a rough estimate at £8,000, however he had requested further quotes which are awaited.

• Sports Field and Pavilion and MUGA Bagworth: Youth offenders had been in to paint the interior. The plumber had been in to check the tank and will arrange to cut off the showers. The toilets will be maintained.

The constitution is still awaited together with electrical safety certificates for the pavilion. The Muga project at Bagworth has fallen through as the funding has been withdrawn.

LEN DEIGHTON • MICHAEL CRICHTON • PD JAMES

• Reconsider speed watch: The clerk advised the council members that a resolution had been passed to dispense with the speed watch project and as such the subject cannot be re-visited for 6 months.

PHILIP K DICK • SIMON KERNICK • STEPHEN KING

Next Meeting: Monday 6th September 2010 at 7.00pm.

JOHN GRISHAM JOHN LE CARRE • KARIN SLAUGHTER Word Search •Puzzle

H I C I T Y O T V X Z H M K H G

• Police Report: PCSO Mike Chapman attended on behalf of PC Riley and gave the crime figures for the parish. The police have received complaints from retired people living in Bagworth where youths are congregating on a bench outside of the old people’s bungalows. This is to be investigated.

P T Y Q C O S N I L K A A Z B H

J U Y W D E B M Q C L R H Q E S

C O S S M S K U I T I L S J E I

M D H A R T D D C N O A I N G M

T Y J N M O K K S X T N R U X O

X D M V L P F L Y I O C G Q O N

P M L E I E A K E A K O N J L K

D N P L B U C M C T R B H S F E

M K I R G X A A S I P E O S X R

O H V H T P X I R F R N J P I N

P Z T E U B T I I R U E L J D I

D E A N K O O N T Z E P D J O C

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N O T H C I R C L E A H C I M F

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

DEANKOONTZ FREDERICKFORSYTH HARLANCOBEN ..............................................................................................................

JOHNGRISHAM ..............................................

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

JOHNLECARRE KARINSLAUGHTER LENDEIGHTON The first correct entry drawn out of the hat last month came from: MICHAELCRICHTON K.THORLEY of Highfields, Thornton. Congratulations! Your Meal & Wine PDJAMES Voucher to spend at the Field Head Hotel will be sent to you in the next 21 days.

PHILIPKDICK The second correct entry drawn out came from MR.R.FAIL of The Hawthorns, SIMONKERNICK Markfield. Congratulations! Your Pair of Adult Tickets to see a film at The Reel Cinema in Loughborough will be sent to you in the next 21 days.

STEPHENKING Address: ................................................................................................

Last month’s winners!

I laugh in the face of danger, except if I’m involved.

33

Markfield NHW Update from Alex Ritchie

Pride Comes Before a Fall The above statement is particularly true as far as latest junior activity in this area is concerned.

Over the past few years I have repeatedly praised our local youngsters and stated how proud we are of the hard working, honest and reliable majority and have also taken pleasure in reporting that various recently detected crimes had not been committed by our own lads and lasses.

Alas, it saddens me to reveal that the latest, as I write, criminal damage in Markfield, to the junior school and adjacent library plus accompanying, when challenged, very rude behaviour, was the responsibility of two young local lads. I know they have expressed remorse for their actions and for the distress and pain they have given their totally shocked and surprised relatives but, oh, how I wish I could publicly name and shame them completely so that the whole village could express to them their contempt. Hopefully, they have learned a lesson, particularly as our Local Police know exactly who they are and where they live and I know one thing for sure lads – I would not like to be in PC Harlock’s bad books so – beware and, most importantly, behave!

A Useful Habit Since becoming local area coordinator I have developed a habit of, via computer log on, reading the daily County Police news updates, the “latest news” column on the County Neighbourhood Watch web site and Markfield and Fieldhead Villages’ web site features.

We have our own page there and our input is merely the weekly Police reports for our area which we receive from Hinckley. These reports, as I have already previously mentioned, are transmitted to all our street coordinators by telephone or email but, if anyone particularly wants to keep updated, a copy of the latest is now always on display in the local Markfield library.

Helpful Information – Access 4 Age Today, by coincidence, I was interested to read an article about “Access 4 Age” which is specifically aimed at helping older people

and/or their carers obtain information and advice about a range of relative subjects.

I used the word coincidence because, just after noting the article, I found myself discussing the plight of an elderly resident faced with an electricity bill claiming back-dated extra payments due to the company’s meter reading errors and, secondly, that of a lady recently discharged from hospital who was in need of advice re the availability and cost of care assistance.

In both cases I was able to provide the free telephone number of this “Access 4 Age” organisation which is based in Leicester City.

Their stated aim for the elderly or those who care about them is “To help people to find information and advice in order to provide choices, retain independence and have better access to opportunities”.

They have a list of providers covering a very wide range of topics.

Subsequent feed back from my friends indicates they were well satisfied by the help and advice they were given. The number is 0800 622 6565 from 9.30am to 5pm week days for non email users while such users can submit, if they prefer, an “on line” application form through the Villages’ web site.

Congratulations Our August Quarterly Meeting although sparsely attended due, no doubt, to member’ holiday commitments went off well and I am pleased to report that four new street coordinators have joined us, one of whom, is now secretary – more detail later.

Vice Chairman Peter (and helper Yvonne) were congratulated and prize givers thanked for their fund raising efforts at the Village Fete which boosted our coffers by some £140 and will, no doubt, result in more new N.W. street signs to promote and clearly signify our active presence.

Likewise coordinator John was warmly thanked for his Police help in a recent quite serious local matter and also, particularly, congratulated for his prompt and attentive action which led to his discovery of an elderly neighbour who had collapsed in her house and had to be rushed to hospital where, thankfully, she recovered and has since returned home. His vigilance and prompt action could well have saved her life.

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My girlfriend told me I should be more affectionate. So I got two girlfriends.

34

Church Services St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Markfield

St Mary and All Saints’ Church, Stanton-u-Bardon

10:15-11.30am Sunday Club for Children in the Congregational Hall on the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays, term time. All Age Service in Church on the 2nd Sunday each month.

Sunday 19th September 10.30 am Churches Together in Markfield Service at Trinity Methodist Church 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 19th September ‘Back to Church’ Sunday 10.30 am Family Harvest Service

Sunday 26th September ‘Back to Church’ Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Service Sunday 3rd October 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 10th October 10.30 am All Age Harvest Festival Service 6.00 pm Holy Communion Friday 15th October 8.00 pm Taizé Style Service

Sunday 17th October 10.00 am Churches Together in Markfield Service at St Wilfrid’s Church, Coalville 6.00 pm Evening Prayer Sunday 24th October 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Service Sunday 31st October 6.00 pm Joint Service at St Peter’s, Copt Oak

Sunday 26th September 10.30 am Holy Communion Sunday 3rd October 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 10th October 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 5th September 10.30am Morning Service 5.00pm United Praise Service

Sunday 19th September 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 31st October 10.30 pm Joint Service

Sunday 26th September 10.30am Morning Service – The Big Welcome “Come As You Are”

St Peter’s Church, Copt Oak Sunday 19th September 3.00 pm Praise Service Sunday 26th September ‘Back to Church’ Sunday 6.00 pm Harvest Service Sunday 3rd October 6.00 pm Evening Prayer Sunday 10th October 9.15 am Holy Communion (said) Sunday 17th October 3.00 pm Praise Service

Sunday 24th October 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Holy Rood Church, Bagworth

Sunday 3rd October 10.30 am Morning Service 6.00 pm Evening Communion Service

Cross Hills Baptist Church

Sunday 24th October 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 5th September 10.30 am Morning Service 3.00 pm Circuit Welcome Service at New Parks

Sunday 26th September 10.30 am Morning Service 6.00 pm Evening Taizé Service

Sunday 31st October 10.30 pm Joint Service at St Mary’s, Stanton under Bardon

Sunday 12th September 10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper

Sunday 31st October 6.00 pm Joint Service

Sunday 19th September 10.30 am Churches Together United Service at Methodist Church 6.00 pm Evening Service

Sunday 24th October 10.30 am Family Service

Sunday 17th October 10.30 am Family Service

Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield

Sunday 12th September 10.30 am Harvest Thanksgiving Service 4.00 pm Afternoon Café Style Worship

Sunday 17th October 9.00 am Holy Communion

Please note: This service will be at Bagworth Community Centre

Sunday 3rd October 9.00 am Holy Communion

St Peter’s Church, Thornton

Sunday 3rd October 10.30am Morning Service 5.00pm United Praise Service Sunday 10th October 10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper There is a Sunday Club in our hall for children & young people during the Morning Service. For further details, our contact list is in the Cross Hills News section in this magazine.

Bardon Park Chapel Saturday 4 September 7.00 pm Praise evening Speaker Yan Hadley Sunday 5 September 10.30 am Christian worship with The Lord’s Supper Speaker Fred Wilks Sunday 12 September 10.30 am Christian worship Sunday 19 September 10.30 am Christian worship Speaker Richard Clarke

Sunday 19th September ‘Back to Church’ Sunday 10.30 am Harvest Service

Sunday 26 September 10.30 am Harvest Thanksgiving Speaker Peter Smith

Sunday 26th September 10.30 am Family Service

Saturday 2 October 7.00 pm Praise evening Speaker John Widdowson

Sunday 3rd October 10.30 am Morning Service Sunday 10th October 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 3 October 10.30 am Christian worship with The Lord’s Supper Speaker John Widdowson

Desiderata fact Desiderata is a prose poem

by German-American writer Max Ehrmann.

Les Crane was a radio announcer and television talk show host, a pioneer in interactive broadcasting scored an unexpected spoken word hit with his 1971 recording of the poem, winning a “Best Spoken Word” Grammy for his efforts.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

Sunday 10th October 10.30 am Morning Service 4.00 pm Afternoon Café Style Worship Sunday 17th October 10.00 am Churches Together United Service at St Wilfid’s Catholic Church, Coalville 6.00 pm Evening Service

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

The older you get, the better you realise you were.

35

Herald Film Reviews from Tom Flowitt

Knight and Day (12A)

Salt (12A)

Starring: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz 110 minutes

Starring: Angelina Jolie and Liev Schrieber 95 minutes

Tom Cruise stars as secret agent Roy Miller who uses very unorthodox methods to get the job done. A chance meeting with Cameron Diaz thrusts them both on a journey for survival.

Salt is the story of special agent Evelyn Salt (Jolie) who is accused of being a Russian spy despite years of service with the CIA. Salt must fight to clear her name whilst attempting to foil a greater conspiracy.

The film has a split personality, not knowing whether it should be a comedy or a serious action film.

Despite some genuinely funny moments the film never truly succeeds in becoming either. The story itself has many holes and uses a bizarre method of moving the story forward without showing the viewer how they have got from one place to another.

Cruise is beginning to look his age and delivers one of his least memorable performances.

Hopefully this is not a sign of the direction he will be taking his career.

Verdict: This is by no means the worst film of the year but it is far from the best. The film entertains but there are better things to do with your spare time 2 stars HHIII

Salt is extremely fast paced and never allows the viewer time to breathe. Although this does help to create excitement it also never allows you time to really take the story in. The film doesn’t allow any time for it to settle and becomes chaotic at points.

The story has so many twists it is almost disorienting. If you manage to guess the ending before actually seeing it you must have been on the original writing team for the film.

Verdict: An adrenaline fuelled thriller that will keep you entertained throughout even if a little confused 4 stars HHHHI

Look What’s On At The Palace, Ibstock 57 High Street, Ibstock, Leics. LE67 6LH • Tel: 01530 267303

~ Forthcoming Events ~ Saturday, 4th September - Palace Market and Craft Fair from 10.00am until 3.00pm. FREE ADMISSION. A large variety of interesting stalls including; Jewellery, wooden toys, hand-knitted goods, ceramics, cookies, books, pearls, bags PLUS craft supplies, farm produce, FairTrade and much more! THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH. Saturday, 11th September – Popular Ball-room Dance. Dancing from 7.30pm until 11.00pm. Doors open at 7.00pm.

Licensed bar. Tickets: £5.00. Advanced tickets available from Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock. Tel: 01530 260460 or pay on the door.

Sunday 12th September – Songs of Praise – The Ibstock and Heather Council of Churches host an evening of praise with guest speakers. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. Starts at 7.00pm. For more details contact Mrs. B. Granger on Telephone: 01530 260377.

Friday, 17th September - Film Night – ‘The Ghost’(15) - Starring Ewan McGregor as the seedy scribbler who gets a job ghostwriting the dull memoirs of former British prime minister Adam Lang, a glassy-eyed Blair-ish smoothie, nicely played by Pierce Brosnan. Lang’s last ghost writer was found dead in strange circumstances. Film starts at 7.30pm. Doors, Box Office and Licensed Bar open at 7.00pm. Tickets: Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock £4.00/£3.00 concessions.

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I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.

Saturday, 18th September – Ibstock Rock@ The Palace with ‘ALBERTS SHIRT’ - Locally based band. Playing songs by Kings of Leon, Oasis, Blink 182, Green Day, Stereophonics ....AND MANY MORE! Plus rock/indie/punk tunes. DOORS OPEN 7:30. £3 ENTRY on the door. Licensed Bar. Friday, 24th September – Charity Organ Concert with Mark Thompson. Mark has been playing organ, keyboards and piano professionally from the age of 16 and has a wide range of musical styles. Tickets: £6.00 from Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460 or Mr Martin, Tel: 01455 290145 or Mr Lines, Tel: 01530 457274 Saturday, 25th September - The Palace’s 4th Birthday Party – In the year that would have seen the 75th birthday of Elvis Presley, The Palace celebrates its 4th birthday with a tribute to ‘The King’ by Simon Henley, one of the UK’s top Elvis impersonators. Starts at 8.00pm. Doors, Box Office and Licensed Bar open at 7.30pm.

Tickets: £6.00 from Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock.O Friday, October 8th - Line Dance –Music

by Honky Tonk Cliff. Dancing from 7.45pm – 11.00pm. Doors open at 7.00pm. Licensed bar. Tickets: £4.00. Tickets available from Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock. Tel: 01530 260460.

Tickets from Halls Electrical, High Street, Ibstock.

Tel: 01530 260460.

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