September 2015 herald magazine online by Michael Wilkinson

SEPTEMBER 2015

Fibre broadband has arrived in Markfield

MORE THAN 40,000 homes and businesses across Leicestershire now have access to fibre broadband, thanks to the county council’s £18.8 million Superfast Leicestershire project. Now that fibre broadband has arrived in Markfield, 200 homes and businesses can upgrade to high-speed fibre broadband. A cabinet (green box by the side of the road) has been enabled which means the properties served by this cabinet can now upgrade. To find out if your property or business can upgrade please use the line checker www. superfastleicestershire.org.uk/when-andwhere and view the coverage map http://blpc. atkinsgeospatial.com/Default.htm or contact your broadband supplier. There are lots of benefits for both residents and businesses; for example everything online will be quicker, so if you use services such as iPlayer you won’t waste time while the program buffers. Or, if you have several people in a house using the internet at the same time, there won’t be a drop in service. Alternatively, if you work from home where you regularly download and upload large files or you need to share assets and collaborate with colleagues on documents in real time, require high quality video conferencing or upload web site content then you’ll also benefit. What is superfast fibre broadband? Superfast fibre broadband is the new generation of broadband – much faster, more reliable and it uses a different technology. Whilst most traditional broadband (known as ADSL) is delivered via copper telephone lines, superfast fibre broadband uses fibre optic cable as part of the link between the customer and the telephone exchange. Through this people can access download speeds of up to 50Mbps. There are three simple steps you need to follow: Step 1) Visit the line checker on the Superfast Leicestershire website: www. superfastleicestershire.org.uk/when-and-where Step 2) Review your current broadband contract and research potential broadband providers. Step 3) Contact your chosen broadband provider and arrange the upgrade. What happens if I don’t upgrade? If you choose not to upgrade to superfast fibre broadband, you’ll be able to continue using your existing broadband service as normal. For more information please visit: www.superfastleicestershire.org.uk

Fabulous fundraising at Redgate Farm Open Day – over £4k raised A great time was had by all!

STAFF and Trustees at Redgate Farm Animal Sanctuary are delighted to announce the great success of this year’s annual Open Day and Dog Show, held on Sunday 9th August. This well-loved animal and educational charity, which also supplies workexperience (and social) opportunities to many local people, is 29 years old this year and we celebrated with a really enjoyable, traditional event. The weather stayed beautiful for us with bright blue skies, warm sunshine and a pleasant ‘seaside’ breeze. Over 800 people came through the sanctuary during the day, and we raised £4,100, which will all go directly towards caring for the animals. Photo (right) shows winner of Best Redgate Re-homed Category – Jake owned by Lorna. Jake was in the Redgate kennels, overlooked for 2 years before Lorna adopted him. He has now won this category twice and as you can see, Lorna and Jake are delighted! Photo (above) shows winner of Best Redgate Re-homed Category – Rocky owned by Ian. Rocky was also winner of the Waggiest Tail category! As well as the Dog Show and Dog Agility competitions, there was a lot for children to do: there were bouncy slides, a giant trampoline, carousel, miniature Landrovers Continued on page 8

Rocky owned by Ian

Jake owned by Lorna.

Macmillan Coffee Morning at Bagworth Community Centre THERE ARE now 2.5 million people in the UK living with cancer. By 2030, it will be 4 million and it is the aim of the Macmillan team to be there for all of them. One in three of us will get cancer, and it will be one of the toughest things we’ll ever have to face. Macmillan provide medical, emotional, practical and financial support as well as campaigning for better cancer care. Having a Coffee Morning is the perfect chance to catch up over a cuppa, enjoy some gorgeous treats and help Macmillan be there for people facing cancer. Join us at Bagworth Community Centre on Friday 25th September between 11a.m. and 3 p.m. have a coffee and cake, stay for lunch, browse the craft stalls and help us to raise as much money as we can for Macmillan. Last year we raised £620 so let’s see if we can beat that. See you there! Contact : Karen Prime 01530 230573 e mail : karen.prime1@btinternet.com

NEXT ISSUE OUT: Saturday 10th October - Adverts & Articles Needed By 26th September

Residents warned over council tax scam

Markfield Library Transfer News

RESIDENTS in Hinckley and Bosworth are being warned to be on their guard after a bogus caller deceived a Leicestershire woman into handing over her bank details by posing as a council officer. The Borough Council issued the warning after a concerned resident contacted the council’s shared revenues and benefits service to check on the caller who had told her he was calling from the council. The caller told the woman she had paid too much council tax and was due a refund. The caller went on to demand the woman’s bank details, telling her this was so that the overpayment could be refunded. However the call was a hoax. Although the resident handed over her bank details, she was concerned enough to call her bank immediately and so fortunately no money was taken on this occasion. However, after a spate of similar calls from concerned residents in other Leicestershire council districts last month, the council is now urging residents in Hinckley and Bosworth to be on their guard to prevent the scam being successful next time. Sally O’Hanlon, Head of Leicestershire Revenues and Benefits Partnership said: “We are relieved the customer hasn’t lost any money, but we are keen to make everyone aware of this to avoid anyone being taken in by this bogus caller.” “The council will hold specific details about your council tax account including the date that you made your last payment and when we last received or sent you correspondence. My advice is that if you receive an unexpected call from the council and you are in any doubt about whether the call is genuine it is entirely appropriate for you to ask the caller to provide details about your account and if they are unable to do so please do not divulge any personal information and report the matter to the council. “

THE TRANSFER of Markfield Library has been delayed. Our start date is NOT September 1st, 2015. The old opening hours continue until we start when the new ones will begin. At these times the library will be open in both cases: Monday 2 – 3 and 6 – 7; Thursday 2 - 3; Friday 2 - 3; Saturday 10 - 12. We still hope to start SEPTEMBER 8th. Come and visit the library to find out. JOINING THE LIBRARY IS FREE. So come and join YOUR library and we will make you welcome, make you a cup of coffee (not free) and help you find book that interests you. There is also the Libraries’ website, where you can find local information and even your family history.

Sometimes I can’t tell if my son is a lot like me or if I’m a lot like a 4 year old.

3 Bagworth Community Centre News

Happy New (School)Year ONCE AGAIN we are in a busy time at Bagworth Community Centre. We had some pleasant events taking place during the summer holidays which were well attended. Thanks to Craig and Pamela for organising the Pathfinders events on Thursday. Thanks also to Debbie for the work that she did on those days. The members of the Trust are also very grateful for the hard work which Melissa did to make Tuesday mornings a success. The children who attended the sessions found it very enjoyable and rewarding. We also had a group of volunteers having a sleepover in the Centre. (See the article elsewhere in this magazine.) With the return to school for the new year comes the return to our term time activities. Karate only had a very short break and they have continued throughout most of the summer on a Monday at 5.30 pm. Craft Club has also continued on a Monday night at 7 pm as has Drop in on a Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm. Stay and Play will resume on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 9.30 am as will Messy Play on a Thursday afternoon at 1.45 pm. Code Club will meet again on Tuesdays at 4.15 pm in the Meeting Room. This is ideally aimed at 9-11 year olds. The children learn to use computer code in order to make games, etc. Youth Club will begin again on a Thursday evening from 7 – 8.30 pm. This is aimed at older young people. Children who are under 9 years old will need to be accompanied by their parents. New groups are also beginning. Pathfinders will meet on a Monday evening at 4 pm and at 6 pm. On Wednesday 9th September Kate is beginning an ‘Insanity’ class, which will take place each week. On Tuesday 22nd September she is starting a ‘PiYo’ class at 7 pm. This is a cross between Pilates and Yoga. This will be followed by an ‘InSanity’ class on the same day at 8 pm. Again, these classes will be held weekly. Monday 14th September at 7.45 pm there is the Trust’s Bingo session – prize Bingo with excellent prizes. There is also an Autumn Bingo organised by the Bagworth Forward Group on Monday 21st September at 7.30 pm. The Church Service takes place on Sunday 6th September at 9 am. WI is on Thursday 10th September at 7 pm. In addition there will be a Children’s Sale on Saturday 5th September. And don’t forget the Macmillan Coffee Morning on Friday 25th September. If you would like to organise a class/meetings or if you have ideas of ones that you would like to see running in the Centre, please let us know.

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This local service helps to provide greater independence and reassurance with our friendly Hinckley based control centre operating 24 hours a day all year round. There are also professional on call staﬀ available in the event of an emergency. The Lifeline is very useful for people of all ages and their families. In addition it provides good security for those who live alone. The system consists of a small Lifeline intercom which is activated by pressing a pendant alarm. You can wear the pendant around your neck or wrist. Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council charges no installation fee just a small charge of £4 per week to provide the 24 hours a day all year round monitoring service, the maintenance of equipment and the on call responder service.

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Tel: 01455 251137 email: control.centre@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk Designed and published by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council

I’m woman enough to admit when you’re wrong

Council secures over £330,000 for sports activities in the Borough

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OVER £330,000 was secured by the Borough Council last year to support sport and physical activity in Hinckley & Bosworth.

The investment was achieved through the council’s membership of the Leicester-shire and Rutland Sport - County Sports Partnership. Each year the council makes an annual contribution of £7,113 to the Partnership, which means that during 2014/15 the council received a return of £47 for every £1 it contributed. In its Annual Review, the Partnership showcased two case studies from the Hinckley & Bosworth programme, which are both focused on targeting physical activity to improve health. The first is the Macmillan Physical Activity Club, which runs at the Sport in Desford facility. The second is run in conjunction with Hinckley Town Tennis Club and aims to increase participation opportunities in sport by getting former members back playing the game and by introducing it to people with special needs. Other key Hinckley & Bosworth achievements highlighted by the Annual Review include: • The Sport and Physical Activity Commissioning Plan, targeted at increasing adult levels of physical activity, which has seen 47,247 attendances at local projects in Hinckley and Bosworth in 2014/15. • 12 talented local young athletes were supported through the County Go Gold scheme. • 2,910 participants from the Borough took part in the Sainsbury’s School Games. • The winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Award has come from Hinckley and Bosworth twice in the last three years. Councillor Russell Roberts, Executive Member responsible for Culture and Leisure, said: “Sport and physical activity has a real power that changes lives and I am delighted to read the review and see how the Borough Council is truly working in partnership to maximise opportunities for everyone to get involved and be more active, more often, improving their health whilst having fun. “Not only are people improving their health, residents of the Borough are also getting an impressive return on their investment as for every pound the council contributes to the County Sports Partnership it is receiving a return of £47 into sport and physical activity across the Borough.” In addition to the funding return from the Borough’s membership of the County Sports Partnership, the council’s Cultural Services team has helped to secure financial investment totalling £5,829,934 for supporting the delivery of sport and physical activity across the Borough during the last 10 years.

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Markfield HomeMakers MARKFIELD HomeMakers meet in the Congregational Hall, Main Street, Markfield, on the second Wednesday of the month at 8pm. Call: Brenda on 01530 242173 or Iris on 01530 242436.

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BOOK SPOT

Muzzy - My Story By Muzzy Izzett (former Markfield resident) BORN IN 1974 to Turkish and English parents in London, MUZZY IZZET was a player who crossed the footballing divide. From an old school YTS upbringing and a prevalent hard drinking culture to the 21st century youth academies and a game awash with money, with the temptations afforded by greater celebrity and the perils of social media. Brought up at a pre-Roman Abramovich Chelsea, Muzzy’s was a harsh awakening to the reality of football, a future that might have been so different had a secret contract not have saved him from a possible footballing scrapheap. Run-ins with future England boss Glenn Hoddle followed, before unfashionable Leicester City took a chance on the raw midfielder. Managed by the enigmatic Martin O’Neill - the current Republic of Ireland manager has also penned the foreword Leicester City sneaked into the play-offs from which they rose, to the Premier League. Muzzy never looked back. He became a Foxes legend, playing with and against some of the greatest players in the Premier League era, making over 300 appearances and winning two League Cups in the greatest period in the club’s history - although there were also lows, as he recounts ... A chance celebration with the flag of his father also became the starting point for an eventful international career with Turkey, playing at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup where he lined up against eventual world champions Brazil in the semi-final. In 2004, he moved on to Steve Bruce’s Birmingham City, where a horrific knee injury would bring an end to his career at the age of 31, robbing him of the chance of a dream end as a player, back home... With the Leicester Mercury’s award-winning feature writer Lee Marlow, Muzzy gives a searingly honest account of the highs and lows of life on and off the pitch, the tales from the dressing room, the characters and the controversies from one of the most eventful periods in the game.

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Central England Co-op provides support for children of Chernobyl

info@markfieldherald.co.uk 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 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. The Herald cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. The Herald reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. 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. This issue of The Herald is being delivered by The Herald’s team of dedicated deliverers, namely: Sarah Jane, Maureen, John, Lyn, Lily, Ian, Ann, Gill, Sandra, Helen, Don, Jeanie, Jenny, Lauren, Lisa, Yvonne, Stacey, Margaret, Daniel, Jessie, Hannah, Charlotte, Mike and Rowan

NEXT ISSUE OUT ON 10th October DEADLINE: 26th September

CENTRAL ENGLAND Cooperative welcomed charity, Friends of Chernobyl’s Children, to Markfield in August. The charity supports children who are living with the after effects of the nuclear disaster which took place in Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986. 14 children from neighbouring Belarus came for a four week recuperative holiday organised by the West Leicestershire branch of the charity and Central England Co-operative provided fruit baskets for the children to gain vital vitamins and nutrients. During their stay, the children are placed with local volunteer host families and Friends of Chernobyl’s Children charity ensure that they receive essential healthcare including visits to the dentist and opticians and a supply of multivitamins to help boost their depleted immune systems. The children also enjoy a varied programme of daily activities including sailing, swimming, llama trekking and trips to local attractions. Tanya Noon, Member and Community Relations Officer for Central England Co-operative said: “As a community food store, we are more than happy to help this local cause and welcome the children

ENJOYING THEIR HOLIDAY: Back row: Neil Holmes, Cooperative Store Manager; Elaine Dean, Vice President of Central England Co-operative; Richard Street, Friends of Chernobyl’s Children; and Dan Gee, Co-operative Operations Manager with children visiting from Chernobyl. from Belarus. We were delighted to provide fresh fruit baskets for the children, which are essential to their health and wellbeing.” John Buckby, Group Co-ordinator for Friends of Chernobyl’s Children said: “As ever, we are really grateful for Central England Co-operative’s help and we’d like to pass on our huge thanks to the members for agreeing to support us again this year. The kids love the fruit so much and as their diet at home is usually very limited, it is a really healthy treat for them.” Friends of Chernobyl’s Children (West Leicestershire) is a registered charity and is part of a national organisation that helps around 500 children each year through their Family Hosting Programme. The charity targets children from disadvantaged homes, aged between 7 and thirteen and aims to bring them back to the UK for essential respite each year for five consecutive years.

MacMillan Coffee Morning GILL FOOTE and Friends of Willow Court in Markfield invite you to a MacMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning on Friday 25th September between 10.30am and 12.30pm at the Residents Lounge, Willow Court, Upland Drive, Markfield. We hope to see you there!

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Don’t forget to send us your NEWS!

Stop working so hard! – our children tell us If your offspring has ever asked you to spend more time at home with them, instead of working down at the office, then you are not alone. It seems that one in three parents has been asked by a child to work a bit less. And many parents agree: 38 per cent worry that too much time at work and not enough time with their children will indeed have a negative effect on their relationship. A recent survey by the jobs website Career Builder found that many parents would be willing to quit their job and stay at home if their spouse could earn enough to make it possible. Meanwhile, a recent report from the Family and Childcare Trust has found that the cost of full-time nursery care has risen by a third in the last five years, and now stands at £11,000.

Smoking in cars ban welcomed by Health Champion

A CHANGE in the law that will make it illegal for anyone to smoke in a vehicle that has passengers in it under the age of 18 years has been welcomed by the Borough Council’s Health Champion, Councillor Amanda Wright. Commenting on the new legislation, which comes into force on 1 October, she said: “I greatly welcome this change in the law that will help protect children and young people from the effects of second-hand smoke, which can cause chronic and life-changing illness. “It is essential that we protect the health of our future generations,” she added. Younger children are particularly vulnerable to second-hand smoke, as they have smaller lungs, faster breathing and less developed immune systems. Smoking near children can cause illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis. Second hand smoke causes 9,500 hospital stays by children each year, and about 40 sudden infant deaths. Stopping smoking in cars with children present is supported by children and parents. Polls show 86% of children want action to protect them from cigarette smoke in cars. 86% of parents, including most parents who smoked, backed the policy in a BLF/Mumsnet survey. Stopping smoking is the best thing any smoker can do for their own health and their families and a great range of support is available, free of charge (prescription charges may apply) from Quit 51, the smoking cessation provider in Leicestershire. If anyone would like to talk to an adviser and start their journey to being smoke-free they should contact Quit 51 by telephoning 0800 622 6968.

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8 Bagworth Forward Group

Redgates from page 1 to drive, pony rides, candy floss, an old-fashioned coconut shy, test-your-strength machine, giant tombola, cute teddy bears and delicious ice creams. Jeff Bond brought his static display of Owls and Birds of Prey from Staffordshire, and the Bowmen of Bosworth team of archers gave a display of their impressive expertise (and, of course, let our visitors have a go too!). A wide range of local stallholders were also there, selling their unique home-made wares from under bright and cheery gazebos. We also had hot food and music laid on all day to keep up energy levels! We would all like to thank you local people for supporting us – not only by coming to our events, but also by volunteering when you can, by donating or by using our charity shops. You are marvellous and we could not survive without you. If you have never been to visit us before, please do come along – we are open every day of the year (except Christmas Day) from 10.30am – 4.00pm. Telephone 01530 243 925 or see our website, or on Facebook.

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The Show must go on! IT WAS with some trepidation that the 13th annual Bagworth Open Show was planned for Saturday 29th August. Would it be safer to call it 12a? The reality on the day was that the concerns were not justified. One person was so keen to take part, they even arrived a week early. As usual the Community Centre was very busy, with the admirable exhibits in the Front Hall and a variety of stalls in the Rear Hall. (We will not mention the stall holders who dropped out at the last minute!) The Show, organised by the Bagworth Forward Group (BFG), has inherited the scarecrow competition from the Allotment Association. The theme was ‘celebrities’. The refreshments proved to be very popular with the bacon butties and pizzas slipping down a treat, not to mention the excellent choice of homemade cakes. The BFG, a small group of volunteers, would like to thank everyone who helped to make the day a success. The helpers range from the very kind large sponsors, such as Midland Quarry Products (thanks Annette) and Ian at Presscuts, right down to all of the people who helped in a practical way, not only on the day, but also those who helped set up the Show and, just as important, helped to pack everything away again afterwards. There are far too many names to mention but you all know who you are and BFG, not to mention Bagworth, are very grateful to you. Some people did very well on the day. Roger and Celia Miles won the competition for the best large garden in the village. Derrick and Blanche Holmes collected the trophy for the best small garden. Heather Smith won the Cliff Bateman Trophy for the best allotment on Park Lane. Mrs Freeman won the trophies for most points in the vegetable section and also the best real flower arrangement. Joan Gibbins walked off with three awards: the most points in the flower section, the best single item in the flower section and the best single item in the vegetable section. Martin Jordan won the Bagworth Allotment Society Produce Cup. John Flamson won the best selection of flower, fruit and vegetable. And Helena Pallett was awarded the Silk Forest Trophy for the best artificial flower

arrangement. A good day was had by all. If you enjoyed the Show, don’t forget that it is in two parts. The second part is on Saturday 3rd October and includes the Cooking and Baking, Arts and Crafts and the Children’s section. Once again, the adults will have a chance of winning cash prizes and there will be the chance of winning cups or trophies for everyone who takes part. Another date for your diary is the Autumn Bingo, organised by

BFG, which begins at 7.30 pm on Monday 21st September. Great prizes to be won on the bingo and on the raffle. All of the money raised by BFG is ploughed back into enhancing the life of the village of Bagworth. A large chunk of the revenue goes to Thornton Nurseries who, twice a year, plant the wide variety of planters that BFG have purchased over the years. It will also go towards the village sign and the historical signs we are planning to erect around the village.

Free Thursdays on Park and Ride THERE’S a great offer of free return travel on park and ride services before 9am each Thursday in September. The travel offer is available on the county and city council’s Quicksilver service which runs from Meynell’s Gorse, Enderby and Birstall. Users of the service simply have to download a voucher, complete the details and hand it to the driver as they board the bus. Passengers can use as many vouchers as they like. For full details of the offer, and how to download the voucher, visit www.quicksilverbus.co.uk

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Wasabi THIS MOST expensive Japanese vegetable, which grows naturally in conditions equally suitable for watercress, is now grown in Tasmania and in Oregon in the United States. There is also the odd nursery in the UK, combining Wasabi with watercress culture, in the Hampshire and Dorset area. The part of the plant required by top restaurants is the swollen stems. These are grated down and give the best mixture of flavour and heat. The leaves are also similarly flavoured but less intensively. To most people’s surprise, Wasabi plants may be grown in our gardens, to give two seasons of young leaves in Spring and Autumn. Again, perversely, soil should not be too wet. The plants are hardy and may also be grown in containers. Naturally, plants would be seed raised, but I doubt if seed is available here. Anyone wishing to have a go may purchase plants from the Wasabi company (telephone: 01929 463824).

Indoor bulbs - maybe to flower by Christmas! THE EVER-POPULAR forced Hyacinth needs little comment. Forced Narcissus (Daffodils) are less commonly grown. Most of the latter are forms of the Paperwhite Group. Not only beautiful but heavily scented. I notice that a variety , sometimes called the ‘Double Paperwhite’,

named ‘Erlicheer’, is being heavily advertised. Bulbs are about 50p each. each bulb produces two stems, each with 15 or so double flowers. Probably a minimum of 5 bulbs per pot. Stunning - if planted now for Christmas display. Whether Hyacinths or Narcissus, an initial period in cool, dark conditions is needed for good root development. Later, when in the house, in good light but not too warm, a covering of moss over the pot compost is an added enhancement. With forced Hyacinths, I certainly would not wish to deter anyone from growing them, as there is much satisfaction in seeing pots in full flower. But it must be said that purchases from supermarkets, particularly when fully flowered and all of even height, are very keenly priced. In fact, the price is probably less than the price paid for the bulbs alone. An even height can be a problem with home grown ones. Commercially, bulbs are selected for height evenness before final potting.

Odds and Ends • THALICTRUMS (Meadow Rues) are not grown nearly enough. Fluffy flowers and superb foliage. the small plant grown purely for foliage is Thalictrum Minus. Two new good hybrids are ‘Black Stockings’ and ‘Splendide’. • BEARDED IRIS need dividing every three years or so. If not already done, there is still time. Only replant outside pieces. Throw centres away and cut down foliage. • GARDEN COW PARSLEYS (Orlaya and Ammi) - these beautiful annuals are much better seed-raised from Autumn sowings rather than Spring.

• GARDEN CENTRE BARGAINS. About now, scruffy-looking perennials are often offered cheaply. A little TLC and they will be fine. • FLORENCE FENNEL - still just enough time to sow for late Autumn eating. • MATHIASELLA ‘GREEN DREAM’. This ground cover plant for poor, dry soils is recommended by Bunny Guinness. Longflowering green bracts - Spring to Autumn. Spreads well when happily placed. • PLANT FEED. Try SB Invigorator. Not just a feed but also a natural pesticide and fungicide. • CUTTINGS OF TENDER PLANTS. Now is the ideal time to propagate Fuchsias, Cape Daisies, Pelargoniums (Geraniums), etc. • SEDUMS. Two very good newish varieties are ‘Red Cauli’ for flowers and ‘Jose Aubergine’ for darkest foliage. • HYDRANGEA. Good pink with a ‘frosted’ edge to each flower is ‘Miss Saori’. This was a 2014 Chelsea Plant of the Year. • CROCUS. Why not choose the Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus) to collect your own saffron ribbons. Need drying and will keep for a couple of years. • POTATOES. All gardeners have own favourites. Charlotte has become No.1 salad type. One to try is ‘Bellle de Fontenay’ - superb waxy flesh. • PERENNIAL WALLFLOWERS. Super for flower power, they just go on and on. Favourite is ‘Bowles Mauve’. try also ‘Constant Cheer’ and ‘Spice’. All are short-lived. • VERBASCUM. New to me is that one of its common names is ‘Candlewick Plant’. In olden times, the down from its leaves was used for lamp wicks. • FERNS. So quietly beautiful in semi or full shape. Why don’t gardeners use them more often? “Well, they are just green!” Etc. Etc. Try some of the coloured ones. Three Athyriums: ‘Vidalii’ (Golden Yellow), ‘Ursula’s Red’ and ‘Burgundy Lace’ (both variegated mauves) need perhaps a little more light but all are exquisite. (Sadly, this is Ted’s last article because, at the fantastic age of 89, he has decided to ‘retire’. Ted has been providing garden jottings for local magazines for over 25 years - a great achievement. We wish him a happy retirement, free from publishing deadlines! Thank you Ted - Mike Wilkinson)

It’s hard to diet when your favourite exercise is chewing.

Diamond Wedding

Letter from Uncle Eustace

On what those adverts from parishes wanting clergy REALLY mean… The Rectory St. James the Least My dear Nephew Darren So, you are being encouraged to look at adverts for parishes for that happy day when you will have charge of your own church. You wonder if you should look to moving to another part of the country; I suspect it may be better if you look to moving to another planet, as your reputation may not yet have travelled that far.

Doreen and Bill Steel of Markfield celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on the 3rd September 2015. Doreen and Bill have lived in the village for over 40 years after moving from Ibstock where they wed and began their life together. Congratulations on reaching 60 years married! Lots of love from all the family xxx

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three. Elayne Boosler

Reading the specifications that parishes provide, giving a picture of life in their community, need to be read in the same way as estate agents’ specifications for houses for sale. Both demonstrate a triumph of optimism over reality. Let me help you decode some of the statements you will find:  “We look to grow our Sunday School” – We do not have a Sunday School.   “We have an enthusiastic choir” – We have a choir totally out of control. “Our youth group is always eager to learn.” - Our youth group experiments with some strange substances. “The new incumbent should be sympathetic to our musical tradition”- The new incumbent must be able to play the organ as well as lead the Services.   “While cherishing our traditions, we see the need for change” – We always see the need for change, but alter anything at your peril. “Plans for church renovations are in hand” – The building is in imminent danger of collapse. “We have a large range of church groups” – You will have to run a large range of church groups singlehandedly. “The vicarage is being refurbished” – The vicarage is a death trap. Its rising damp and dangerous electrics will not be fixed for many months yet. “There is opportunity for developing ecumenical relations” – No one in living memory has ever spoken to clergy of other denominations in our town. “The new incumbent should have a sense of humour” – He or she will need it when reading this specification.  My dear nephew, caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware! Your loving uncle,

Eustace

Happy Birthday, Sir Cliff Richard! SIR CLIFF Richard, who has sung his way through nearly six decades of British pop music – mostly at the top – was born Harry Rodger Webb in Lucknow, India, 75 years ago next month. As well as becoming an instantly recognisable public entertainer, he is also widely known as a Christian. He came to prominence with his backing group the Shadows at the end of the 1950s and was marketed as a kind of British Elvis Presley. He had huge success until the advent of the Beatles and the Mersey sound in the mid-60s, but although his profile was less cutting-edge after that, he never lost his popularity. He has released over 100 albums and many films, and in 1995 he was the first rock star to be appointed a Knight Bachelor. To mark his 75th birthday he is playing 14 concerts across seven cities, including six at the Royal Albert Hall. In 1971, Cliff was a leading supporter of the Nationwide Festival of Light, a movement formed by Christians concerned about the permissive society. He gives at least a tenth of his income to charity, and is a prominent supporter of Tearfund, as well as other charities through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust. He sang a Christian song, Faithful One, in an emotional tribute to his close friend Cilla Black during her Liverpool funeral in August. He still regards himself as British, though he is now a citizen of Barbados. He has a winery in Portugal and has just released a new sparkling white wine to celebrate his 75th birthday. His Berkshire home is up for sale.

At my age, rolling out of bed is easy. Getting up off the floor is the hard part.

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Don’t forget to send us your NEWS! Email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

My wife is finally starting to accept me for who she wants me to be.

Bridge over troubled water?

BAGWORTH Community Centre has played host to two groups of volunteers in August. They were from the Waterway Recovery Group (WRG). In the daytime they have been working on two bridges over the Ashby Canal. They returned to the Centre after a full day’s work and enjoyed an evening meal prepared by one of two volunteer cooks. They slept in the Front Hall of the Centre. They have repaired Bridge 41 near Market Bosworth, which they have seen as something of a novelty as they do not often work on live canals used by boats. They have also helped to rebuild Bridge 62 at Snarestone. There is no troubled water under this bridge, indeed there is no water at all. This part of the canal is dry and is part of a longer term project to bring that canal back to life. This farm access bridge (Bridge 62) will be of substantial proportions in terms of weight carrying capacity, apparently due to ruling legislation, but it will be cosmetically brick clad to go some way towards presenting a traditional appearance. The brick laying carried out by Waterways Recovery Group volunteers during August has used recovered Wilks Gobs bricks. The Gobs were unearthed during site excavations for Bridge 62 and a further quantity have been provided by the Minorca Surface Mine operators from a building which they dismantled. The new length of canal watered last year comes within a short distance of Bridge 62. On completion of the bridge works the channel beneath will be put in water. Bridge 62 was demolished in 1966 after the eight mile section of the canal north of Snarestone was abandoned due to the effects of mining subsidence. It had been built in the late 1790s. When the canal closed, the bridge was bulldozed into the canal bed. Many of these bricks were recovered and reused. Now it is once again taking its place in the landscape. The canals pre-dated the railways. Indeed, the engines used on the Leicester to Bagworth line were delivered by boats on the canal. One of the volunteers commented that marks can be seen on some bridges where the ropes used to attach the horses to the boats have, over the years, worn and left indentations on the bridge. The volunteers come from many different parts of the country and many

walks of life. Before they got together, they did not know each other. During the two weeks they have been joined by a French volunteer and an Italian volunteer. There have also been 7 volunteers who are using the project in order to help them gain their gold level for their Duke of Edinburgh’s award. As a result of their endeavours, the volunteers have a lasting memorial to their work. They will return to their day jobs after completing this valuable project. The Bagworth Community Centre Trust were delighted to hear that several of the volunteers described our Centre as ‘one of their best venues’.

Markfield Medical Centre Patient Participation Group (PPG) Update

Health Fair at Belvoir Shopping Centre, Coalville Friday October 9th and Saturday 10th October, 10am to 4pm A HEALTH FAIR is being held in Coalville on the above dates. A number of health and voluntary organisations will be available to provide information on a whole range of health issues. If you are a carer who needs information or advice for you or your loved one, or someone who wants support in improving your health and wellbeing or just want to talk to someone about how to stay positive come and chat to the expert teams at this event. Members of the patient participation groups in the area will also be there to talk about your local GP practice.

Every time I lose some weight, I find it again in the refrigerator.

Residents save nearly £300 on their energy bills

RESIDENTS who took part in the first energy switching scheme organised by the Borough Council this spring saved an average of £291 on their energy bills. And the good news for those who are keen to get a better deal on their energy is that the second round of the scheme is now underway. Residents in Hinckley & Bosworth can sign up for free, with no obligation, to tell the council they are interested in switching suppliers to save money. Businesses currently on a domestic tariff are also eligible to sign up. The more people who sign up, the better deal everyone will get. Anyone can sign up until 12 October 2015. On 13 October, iChoosr (the company which has been selected to facilitate the switching process) will run an auction asking energy suppliers to bid for the collective business of everyone who signs up. After 13 October, iChoosr will contact everyone who has signed up individually with an offer of an energy tariff based on their usage. This will outline how much they will save by switching to the winning energy provider. Residents then choose whether or not to sign up to the new supplier. There is no obligation to change if residents choose not to, but they have a few weeks to accept the offer. They will then be contacted by the new supplier to arrange switching. The scheme will take care of the switching process and there will be no interruption of the gas and electricity supply at any time. Even those on a pre-payment meter can sign up to the scheme, provided they are not in more than £500 of debt to their current supplier. Councillor Chris Boothby, the Borough Council’s Executive Member responsible for Housing, said: “We know that rising energy prices are an increasing concern for residents. We also know that many people would get a better deal on their energy by switching providers, so the more people who join the collective scheme, the better deal that everybody gets.” Those interested in registering an interest should visit www.hinckleybosworth.gov.uk/switchandsave. The following details will be needed to complete their registration: • Name, address and contact details. • The name of their current energy supplier(s) and current tariff plan(s). • Their current consumption in kWh or spend – this information will be on their energy bill. Up to five households can be registered on the same email address, which means people can help out a neighbour or friend who does not have access to the internet or email. Alternatively, those who do not have access to the internet, can call 01455 255988 to register their interest. For more information visit www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk or call 01455 255988.

St Peters Church Spot

A matter of arithmetic THE ORGAN has been described as the King of instruments - probabiy because of its size; its ability to mimic other instruments; its capacity to overwhelm any orchestra. One cathedral organist when asked to describe his skill replied that it was the ability to produce such tremendous power with very little effort. Perhaps therefore this description of the mechanics of the organ at St Peter’s might help to justify that early statement. Our organ has two keyboards, referred to as the Great and the Swell, each consisting of 64 keys. The Great organ produces the basic sound by activating each of its 9 stops - a ‘stop’ is a mechanism for admitting air into each of the pipes of a particular specification. Multiplication of these two numbers gives us 576 pipes on the Great organ. A smaller number of 448 results from the Swell organ as it has only 7 stops. And then there are the 30 Pedal pipes to add giving us a total of 1,054. I hope this gives some idea of the size of the problem that the cleaning, repairing and refurbishing all of these has presented. The result of this work will be evident at our celebration Concert to mark the restoration of the organ on Friday 9th 0ctober at 7.30pm. Our programme will include items from Simon Headley the Leicester Cathedral organist and Markfield Methodist Church Choir. Please come if you can. You will be very welcome.

Martin Foster

Next Film Night at LFE LFE Film Evenings will be showing on Thursday 3 October 2015 “Imitation Game”. Category: Drama/Thriller [4*], UK 2014, (PG13). The true story of how, during the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of ‘gross indecency’, an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality – little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modernday computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany’s World War II Enigma machine, and thereby help the Allies win the war. Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance. Running time: 1hr. 50min. Venue: the Parish Hall, Kings Drive, LFE. Cost: £5. Doors open at 7.00pm when complimentary hot drinks with biscuits will be provided. The show starts at 7.30pm prompt.

I wanted to lose 10 pounds this year. Only 13 to go.

15 Special Aids for Special Problems

REMAP - The Charity with the CAN DO Attitude HAVING A DISABILITY can be frustrating enough but when that person or their carer finds they are unable to achieve a goal in their life because the adaptation, gadget or equipment they need is not commercially available then the frustration and disappointment mount. That is where REMAP steps in. We design, adapt or make equipment to enable disabled people to: • Live more independent lives • Manage their own personal care • Enjoy sport or hobbies • And make caring for someone easier This can be anything from a way to peg out washing with one hand, a gadget to allow a blind lady to cut a cake into equal pieces, to a very sophisticated electronic device which allows a quadriplegic youngster to play his favourite computer game again. All our inventions are made by a dedicated team of skilled engineers, carpenters, technicians and computer experts who give their time freely and receive only reimbursement of expenses which come out of REMAP’s own fundraised pot. There is NO charge to the recipient. Our immediate goal is to raise awareness of what we do and to this end we offer talks to

community organisations. The duration of the talk is usually about 45 mins (depending on our allotted time slot) with a Q & A at the end. Audiences are usually delighted with the enterprise and ingenuity displayed by our team and have assured us that they were both educated and entertained. Anyone can make a referral to us whether it is the person who needs the help, their family or a health professional such as a G.P., Physio or O.T. So we need to spread the word that we are here to help. Maybe you, someone in your family or a friend are struggling with a problem that we could solve. We would be so pleased to have the opportunity to explain what we do to your membership. We bring with us projection equipment, screen and sound kit so we can show you a short film of some of the exciting projects that we have been involved with. Equipment made by REMAP enabled a local paraplegic man to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. We produced a device to help a keen golfer to hold his clubs following a stroke. Other projects were various attachments for wheelchairs, cycles and walking frames; and a special seat made for a discus thrower in the 2012 Paralympics is now in mass production and is being sent all over the world to help other disabled athletes. There is NO charge for our talks. We really do want to get our name

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better known. But we obviously have no objection if you would like to give us a donation. There is another benefit to raising our profile. The more projects we take on the more team members are needed. Our volunteers, many of whom are retired, claim that using their skills in such a worthwhile way has given them a new lease of life and sense of purpose. So we would welcome the chance to share this opportunity with you. Remap volunteers: • enjoy the challenge of solving problems • have the pleasure of helping people achieve things • belong to a local group of like-minded people • keep their skills and talents alive and relevant To learn more about what we can do for you and what you might want to do for us please go to our website:

www.remap.org.uk/ and for the Leicestershire and Rutland REMAP site: www.remapleics.org.uk/ Or come to have a chat at Markfield Community Centre Christmas Fair on 6th December.

Judy Wynne

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I was never a photogenic person, because when everyone said cheese I said “WHERE ?”

Lots of fun for local children at the Awesome Holiday Club! FROM MONDAY 10th August to Wednesday 12th August, we held the Awesome Holiday Bible club at Cross Hills Baptist Church. We had a fantastic three days looking at God’s creation, with lots of fun and laughter. Every day we looked at a couple of days of God’s creation. We then sang songs, played games, learned memory verses, made various craft items, were entertained by puppets and lots, lots more! We had 41 children in total attend Awesome with over 30 children every day! We had an amazing three days and all the children who came along were brilliant and had so much fun! Thanks to everyone who helped and came along and made it an AWESOME three days!

Ruth Holmes

Charity dance at Bagworth Club THE NEXT charity dance at ‘The Club’ (a.k.a. Bagworth WMC) is on Friday 25th September at 8 pm. All proceeds from the dance will go to Macmillan nurses. I’m sure that most people would agree that this is a very worthy beneficiary. They believe that ‘no one should face cancer alone’. As of June 2013, there were 3,942 Macmillan nurse posts across the UK, both in hospitals and in the community. All Macmillan nurses are registered with at least five years’ experience, including two or more years in cancer or palliative care. They have completed specialist courses in pain and symptom management, and psychological support. Most of the nurses work in NHS hospitals or the community. A small number work in hospices and private hospitals, but do not charge for their services. As specialists they do not routinely undertake nursing care but are there to assess complex needs, give advice to other healthcare professionals and support people with cancer to understand their treatment options. At the dance there will be a raffle with lots of excellent prizes. A bingo session will also be played during the evening. Dancing will be to Ken’s music. Please support this very worthwhile event. There will also be social dances at ‘The Club’ which will follow the same format as above. These take place on Saturdays: 19th September and 24th October. They will begin at 8 pm.

St Michael’s Church

Harvest Supper on Thursday 15th October 7 for 7.30pm at

Congregational Church Hall, Markfield

The dinner I was cooking for my family was going to be a surprise but the fire trucks ruined it.

A common-sense way to save the recycling services Borough Councillor Matthew Lay writes in the Herald

T IS STILL early days for the new ruling administration at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. The elections in May brought about a significant change in political control along with many new councillors. Inevitably things look different from outside the narrow confines of political power and would-be councillors, and hope-to -be administrations, soon realise that they face the same problems that they were happy to castigate the previous administration for. It takes time to understand the true nature of the challenges faced and more importantly time to understand who the right people are to give the best advice and wisest counsel. I have far more respect for a political opponent who seeks advice from a range of sources and not always those closest to their way of thinking. Far better to do that, than simply believe you know it all and can follow a course of action you prescribed prior to understanding the full story. The real danger for a new political administration is to fall into the trap of thinking that, on all the big issues the previous administration was wrong and it was for that reason they were elected. The view can look very different from the other side of the fence but in essence it is the same landscape you are looking at. If we look at one of the biggest challenges the new administration faces, it is clear that the size of the potential challenge does put things into perspective. This challenge is simply how the council attempts to keep its recycling services operating. It is a huge issue and one on which a decision will be needed preferably sooner rather than later. To recap on this challenge which I wrote about in the Herald some months ago; the County Council has started to remove the funding it had put into place to help support recycling activity like the brown and blue bins almost every householder in the Borough gets to recycle. The funding for the garden waste service for which presently we use the brown bin for, has already ceased and the funding for the cardboard, glass and plastics is under review with an expected removal next year. Make no mistake, without this funding the Borough Council could

not simply carry on providing these important services, which is the first inconvenient truth. The Borough Council has already found funding from a mixture of sources to keep the brown bin going this year without change. This is unsustainable going forward. The previous administration had proposed to consult everyone about introducing an opt-in charge for those householders who wanted to keep the service. This would have been around the £35 level per year. The other option would have been to scrap the service altogether. I favoured a third option and fought to get this considered. This option would have been to fund the service via the Council Tax. It would have meant holding a Borough wide referendum as the increase would have been over 2% on the Borough rate but overall the charge would have been less per household at something like £10. The previous administration ducked making a decision on this in the year leading up to the election but we are coming to the point when decisions are required and this is the second inconvenient truth, you cannot postpone it forever without doing untold damage to the finances of the Council. In fact it makes far more sense now to roll the blue bin collections service into the same consideration. To retain both services will cost around £800,000 assuming the County Council remove all funding. The net impact will be to charge people about a £20 per year (this is on a band D property so for many households it would be lower than this) increase in Council Tax. This retains the service as a universal one, provided to all householders, simple to administer, with high levels of recycling and participation and still cheaper than an opt-in charged for brown bin service. Again a referendum is required so support would be needed to retain the services. To me it seems straightforward but the various contortions that politicians go through when talking about increasing taxes is beyond belief at times. It is easier to ask people to pay more for something if it is done as a charge or levy than it is as a tax despite this method being cheaper for almost everyone. It is with this reasoning that the new administration is concerning itself. I will be playing my part to ensure common sense is applied

and that the facts do get in the way of the story. Either way, the new administration at Hinckley will have to make a decision and it would be nice for once on such a key issue, to achieve a consensus on the way forward. This decision is required because as I mentioned the County Council is removing the funding it uses to support these services. It put the money in to support the development of recycling services across Leicestershire and in doing so limit the amount of waste going into landfill for which it had to pay a penalty. Quite what will happen if the district councils pull the plug on recycling is anyone’s guess, but the saving the County hope to make would soon evaporate in the higher penalty payments it would need to make as more waste ended up needing to be landfilled. The impact of the implosion at County Hall will reverberate for some time yet and no doubt I will need to write again about its impact on you all. We have already witnessed the farcical highways grass verge mowing – or lack of, slashed to the point when it seems the grass will not be cut and we also have the ending of centrally supported library provision for our communities. The library provision will be retained thanks to a group of hard working volunteers who have secured a future for the library at Markfield. This, despite the County Council who in wanting volunteers to take over the responsibility for the service, now seemingly want to retain control and tell them what to do. Not acceptable in my book and damaging the possibility of retaining this public service. A once high performing public body has through massive cuts in Government financing and recent political decision making has been left in an awful mess for which we will ultimately pick up the pieces and the tab.

Matthew Lay the essential character of our community, a significant highway concern, unnecessary (as the housing needs for the surrounding area have been met and passed) and unsustainable due to local services being unable to adapt to the increase. I will comment further on this application next time. • THE APPLICATION for the wind turbine at Markfield, which was rightly turned down by the Borough Council has now gone to appeal. If the Government are true to their word, this appeal will not succeed. I will wait and see if that is the case. The appeal is by written submission not a public hearing, so we will have to wait for the outcome on this one. • FINALLY please see the note from the Borough Council regarding the further housing surgery which it is hoped will take place on the 19th September in Hall 2 at Markfield Community Centre. This session will be for those interested in the new properties that will be available for shared ownership i.e. part purchased. It is a follow up to the session we put on in March. The first 3 houses for social rent have now been let to local people so the ball is now rolling.

Updates

• THE PLANNING APPLICATION for 140 houses off Ratby Lane in Field Head has just been received. The reference number is; 15/00889/OUT. I for one am totally opposed to this as previously outlined and believe this application will overwhelm the public services in our community. I would urge residents to object on grounds of this being in open countryside, destroying

We carried out random drugs testing at work today but couldn’t decide which one was best.

Markfield has a barber shop!

Things that go bump in the night BAGWORTH Historical Association had an enjoyable meeting in September. They visited Grimsby Fisheries in Leicester where they learned about the history of fish and chips, and then were able to partake of this delicacy. This restaurant has won various awards over the years and it was agreed that the awards were very well deserved.

St Peter’s Church, Copt Oak

Harvest Supper and Entertainment with

The Coalville Male Voice Choir on Saturday 26th September in church at 7.30pm prompt Tickets £7 Early booking recommended Sue Gammon 244229 Ted Pepper 249101

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man. Lana Turner

ON 5TH SEPTEMBER, a new barber shop and barber training academy was opened in Main Street, Markfield in the premises of the former newsagents. Director of the new enterprise, Debbie Reynolds, says, “One side of the unit is a traditional barber’s shop, and in the other half, we have opened Barber Academy National, where we teach all aspects of barbering. “I started my Academy in 2012 and we hope this will also bring in new trade to Markfield.” A fundraising event was organised on the Open Day for a 3-year-old local girl Luna Williams, “AND THE FIRST PRIZE WINNER IS”: Debbie who has a very rare Reynolds and Luna Williams draw the raffle eye cancer called retinablastoma. All the haircuts on the day were donations only, and there was also a raffle. Debbie says: ”There was a great turn out and £550 was raised from donations for our cutting and raffle. There were also two big donations from local companies which boosted the funds to £1,800.”

The October meeting will be a talk given by David Bell entitled ‘Things that go bump in the night’. This is about local ghostly stories just in time for Hallowe’en. David paid us a visit earlier in the year. He is a very interesting and entertaining speaker. Non-members are welcome at this event, as long as they pay £1 entrance. It is at 7.30 pm at Bagworth Club on Tuesday 13th (appropriate date!) October. David has published lots of books and I’m sure that he will bring some with him. We also have a speaker at the November meeting. Elizabeth Riding will talk to us about the historical aspects of Christmas. Again, non-members are welcome to attend on payment of the entrance fee of £1. Again she is an interesting speaker who is very knowledgeable about the subjects on which she speaks. The meeting is again at Bagworth Club and begins at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 10th November.

When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity. Albert Einstein

Churches Together in Markfield initiative Creative suggestions for reading, thinking and exploring prayer, with time and space just to be.

Congregational Church Hall - 6-7pm Thursdays 17th Sept, 22nd Oct, 26th Nov Come for as long as you wish and leave when you want. Refreshments available. All are welcome. Exercising can add years to your life. For example I jogged 4 miles today and now I feel like I’m 73.

Success for up and coming young rider LOCAL EVENT rider Chloe Pearson recently competed with her 6yr old sport horse ‘Garryduff Chacoa’ at the Stonar National Pony Club Intermediate Eventing Championships, set in the stunning grounds of Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire.

The Championships ran from the 21-25th of August, and bring together the most talented young riders across the country, with each combination of horse and rider having to qualify at their own Area Competition. Chloe managed to score a good dressage score of 31.9 and then managed to get round the showjumping and cross country courses double clear picking up only 2 time penalties on the cross country. This year the cross country course was the decider, and determined the placings, with 200 competitiors setting out around the course and only 15 returning clear. Chloe said, ‘When I walked the course that morning I honestly thought that I would have to pull Chacoa up on the way round, he is still so young and inexperienced in the eventing field having only started this season, this course was a very big ask for him, it was a real championship course, but he gave me his all.’ At the end of the day, once the placings had been determined Chloe and Garryduff Chacoa finished as the National Reserve Champion - a massive achievement for the pair. A couple of weeks previous to this Chloe had competed at the British Eventing Horse Trials set at Cholmondeley Castle and had gain a 1-2, winning on 25.3 with Garrybritt Calvin (one of Chloe’s other horses) and coming 2nd on Garryduff Chacoa with 25.8. Later on this year Chloe will be representing the Midlands BE U18 event team due to being selected for her achievements this event season. Garryduff Chacoa will be her ride and they with compete against all the other regions in the UK at the BE 100 u18 Championships set at Weston Park from the 8-11th of October. Chloe is only 17 and is currently still doing her A-Levels at Loughborough High School and so manages to balance her time, if a little more towards the horses, to keep everything running well; she hopes to one day represent Great Britain on the event teams and compete in the prestigious 4**** events as this is her passion but also aims to gain a degree in Equine Science at Nottingham University.

NEW FEATURE Markfield’s History in the Old Newspapers NEWSPAPERS & periodicals first arrived in Leicestershire in 1753 with the four page Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire Journal (The Nottinghamshire tag was ditched in 1787 & this paper last hit the presses in 1920). In 1812 the Leicestershire Journal, backed by the Tories, faced stiff competition from the Chronicle, a Whig supported publication with the proprietors announcing that it appealed to the moderate & judicious of all parts. From 1836 to 1864 the Leicestershire Mercury was published with the Leicester Mercury going into print in 1874. Events in Markfield found their way into these newspapers & some other national newspapers too. The Aberdeen Journal, the Exeter Flying Post, the Glasgow Sunday Post, the Carlisle Journal, the Liverpool Mercury, the Winchester Journal, the Manchester Courier & various London papers all have Markfield inclusions. Accidents causing death are the most broadly reported. Below we have Markfield in 1854:‘Crowned with a windmill the emblem of industry. A little church with modest tower, peering from behind a cluster of ancient elms, giving its picturesque & shadowy loveliness to the retired hamlet.’ 1854 Leicester Chronicle Other fascinating pieces of Markfield’s ancient past will appear in future editions of the Herald. Some of the reported deeds are quite dastardly so at times the surnames are not included. Among the articles will be ‘the storm of flying frogs’, the suspected murder of 3 villagers with arsenic & a tragic prizefight held in Shaw Lane.

I’m not snoring. I’m dreaming I’m a motorcycle.

20 POLICE MATTERS, Anti-Social behaviour: Mr D Sprason stated that incidents of Anti- Social Behaviour were on the increase throughout the Borough generally and it was important to get all of the relevant agencies including the Borough & County Councils to work together to try to find some solutions to these issues due to the lack of Police resources. Mrs D Grantham stated that members of the Impact Team, County Council Young Offenders Team, Borough Council Youth Safety Team and the police had all met up at the Centre with individual repeat offenders and parents. Many of the young offenders had previously been given Advisory letters, some had been issued with Warning letters and in some cases some youths could be given Acceptable Behaviour Contracts where they accept and comply with the conditions of the contract or be charged with the appropriate criminal offence. On many occasions though the offenders often denied being issued with any these letters and probably their parents were unaware that the letters had been given to them. She was also very concerned that she had reported an incident of Criminal Damage on the 15th June and was still waiting to give a statement and to hand over the CCTV coverage to the police. Three

Extracts from the Minutes of the Markfield Parish Council Meeting On Tuesday 7th July 2015 at 8.00pm at the Methodist Chapel, Markfield offenders remained banned from the site until this matter had been dealt with by the police which had led to a lot of ill feeling because it had taken so long. Two offenders had been allowed back onto the site because they had apologised and had done some work on the grounds. She had requested that one person be removed from the site as he was bringing in Class B drugs and Legal Highs onto the site. She also aware of incidents around the Post Office on Chitterman Way, the garages behind the Hairdressers & Bakery on Main Street and Hill Hole very late at night. These incidents had all been reported to the police and should be on record. Hinckley & Bosworth Wardens were presently repairing the fence around Hill Hole on a daily basis. Mr B Gannon asked if she ever felt in danger when confronting these youths and she stated that on one occasion recently she had felt under threat by someone under the influence of drugs and she felt that these incidents were escalating.

Mr R Grantham stated that the main offender really needed to be removed from the site by the Police but so far they have failed to respond to their requests. Mr Lay stated that the poor police response over the summer so far was unacceptable as staff at the centre were getting very little or no protection from the Police. The members of the Parish Council agreed that Mr M Lay should place an article in the local press, expressing the Parish Council’s concerns about the lack of Police presence in the village and lack of response to incidents at the Community Centre. He would also raise these matters with Chief Constable S Cole. Leicestershire County Council – Urban Grass Cutting: The Parish Council had obtained a schedule of grass cuts from the County Council but Markfield had been missed off and therefore it was of no use. Several members raised concerns that the height of the grass at the junction of London Road and Ratby Lane was reducing visibility to a dangerous level. It was agreed to consider the cost implications of cutting some grass verges at the Budget Review Workshop in November 2015. TRO Ashby Road/Main Street (plans TM4103/5 & 6/2014). Mr T Lockley had written to Mr G Payne at Leics County Council to ask if as a result of the length of the yellow lining being markedly increased, would there also be an increase in the amount of time allocated for parking enforcement in the village. Denise Hough, NPU/Residents Parking Team Manager, Traffic and Safety Group,Leicestershire County Council had emailed the following response: “For your information there is no

agreed allocation of time that is related to the amount of restrictions in a given location. Leicestershire County Council (LCC) are responsible for the enforcement of “on street” restrictions and this enforcement is carried out on our behalf by our district and borough partners. LCC work closely with the enforcement teams to discuss patrol routes to ensure restrictions are appropriately observed. I am sure you can appreciate the LCC have very limited resources to deal with enforcement requests and I am unable to increase the amount of time spent in Markfield. However, should you have any concerns about abuse of the new restrictions please contact me so that we can discuss the situation.” Taylor Wimpey housing development on land south of Jacqueline Road: Mr D Sprason had discussed the matter with Groby Parish Council and been informed by them that the developers needed permission from Groby Parish Council to gain access to the site. Groby Parish Council would not give this permission. Mr M Lay stated that the Borough Council now had their 5 year Land Supply strategy in place, which could change their planning perspective, as locally the 5year Land Supply and Housing Needs had been met already by Markfield. Urban grass cutting: Mr D Sprason stated that he was getting a lot of emails and calls complaining about the present level of grass cutting being undertaken by the County Council. When he has contacted LCC he always got the same response; that was that the County Council did consult on the matter and it was given a low priority by the public. H & BBC- 5 Year Land Supply: - Mr M Lay stated that Markfield had given 5.9 years’ worth of land supply so that this could be used as a defence against any further development, as Markfield had already met its needs. However, the Government was still pushing for new builds if sustainable, so it may be practical to allow small scale developments.

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21 Crimewave in Thornton

THREE Murder Mysteries for Good Causes! THE MARKFIELD and Thornton Theatre Group is to present three Murder Mystery Evenings for Charity. “As You Sow”, written for the Group by Muriel Walker, enacts the events which occur as the villagers of Hagsmere-in-theWillows gather to celebrate at St. Osmund’s Harvest Supper in the Church Hall. Newcomers to the village have been welcomed, but, undoubtedly, their involvement seems to have upset the smoothrunning of the event! Old rivalries surface, secrets long-hidden threaten to surface and the grim reaper waits for an unsuspecting victim. Why not come along to pit your wits against ours, to see if you can avoid all the red herrings and successfully identify the murderer! It takes place on Saturday, 10th October, 7.30 p.m. at Thornton Community Centre in aid of the Bridge Project for the Homeless. All tickets £5. Please bring your own interval refreshments. Contact Muriel Walker on 01455 822148 for tickets or further details. The other two performances are as follows: • Wednesday, 7th October, 7.30 p.m. at St. Simon & St. Jude Church Hall, Earl Shilton. The proceeds of this evening will go towards making an area for quiet contemplation within St. Simon & St. Jude’s Church and will form part of the church’s Harvest Supper! Contact Barbara Bowley on 01455 845765 for details. • Monday, 12th October , 7.30 p.m. in the Theatre at Markfield Court. LOROS is Markfield Court’s Charity for the Year. Contact Diane Elliott on 01530 249902 for details. We would love to have you with us at any of the venues. You can be assured of an entertaining evening out, and, at the same time, your involvement will help a good cause.

What makes the perfect bedtime story? HERE IS THE recipe for making the perfect homespun bedtime tale, which promises to have your offspring drifting off to sleep in contentment: First, aim to create a story that is just 8.6 minutes long. Second, whatever characters you use, you need to include: a dragon, a wizard, and a fairy. If you can possibly manage it, put them all in or around a mythical castle. Third, get ready to adapt different voices for each character, and if you are really aiming high, act out as much of the story as you can. Fourth, stir in a big dollop of trouble – the tense bit in the story where things are all wrong for the hero, and danger looms. Fifth, and most essential, the hero needs to win and the story needs to have a happy ending. The happy ending for you? A happy child, going off to sleep! The research was done for Butlins.

Friday 25th September

Buy a nose and help save animals! WETNOSE supports the smaller animal rescue centres and organisations caring for sick or vulnerable animals, where there are limited or insufficient funds to carry out the work they do. Many of the larger animal charities have a great deal of financial support, whereas smaller, less well known organisations struggle to raise adequate funding and do not have access to funds as other charities do. National Wetnose Day is an annual event to raise funds and awareness, Red Nose Day was created for Humans…well Wetnose is for our animals! Wetnose Animal Aid is correcting that by creating the Wetnose Day event to happen on Friday 25th September. BUY our legendary nose on-line by paypal at www.wetnoseanimalaid. com/support.html

Follow England’s Rugby Progress LIVE with a pint at The Bricklayer’s!

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

Wednesday is

“STEAK NIGHT” 2 Steaks, With Hand-Cut Chips, Peas, Tomato, Mushrooms & Two Glasses of House Wine - £18.95

Traditional Sunday Lunch 1 Course - £8.00 2 Courses - £10.00 3 Courses - £12.00

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Home-Made Pie Night - Tuesdays - £5.95 Lunches & Snacks: Tues-Sun Eves (Tues-Sat): ‘A La Carte’ or Snacks • Weekend Specials A Welcoming Homely Atmosphere, Garden & Great Food!

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Protect your pets from poisonous antifreeze

HERALD READER (and deliverer) Lyn Mawhinney has asked us to remind readers about the dangers of antifreeze. Lyn informs us that one cat has died and another cat was made poorly from the effects of drinking antifreeze in Markfield. Please could house holders ensure that anti freeze is kept safe and covered to ensure animals can not drink any poisonous substances.

News from Bardon Park Chapel Family Worship Service every Sunday morning at 10.30am. Our gatherings are fairly informal. Everyone most welcome. The Monthly Praise Meeting (1st Saturday in each month, except August and January) is at 7.00pm. Come and enjoy a lively time of singing, encouragement, testimonies and uplifting messages. Light refreshments afterwards in the school room. ‘Ride and Stride’. On Saturday 12th September, between 10am and 6.00pm. This beautiful, historic Chapel is one of the venues for this annual event, where riders and striders can take a welcome ‘breather’ and pause for refreshments. Visitors not taking part in the event are most welcome. Find us at the roundabout at the junction of Shaw Lane (A 511), Bardon Road (A 511) and Beveridge Lane (B 585), take the Leicester-bound (eastbound) carriageway of the A 511 road and the chapel is on the left after about 50 metres. There is a large car park at the back. For more details on any of the above please contact: Richard Norburn on Tel: 01530 242526

Migraine advice for teens now online

MIGRAINE TIPS for teens, one of the most common health disorders is now available on Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s (LPT) ground-breaking healthforteens.co.uk website. Migraine is very common and can affect the whole body, sometimes without a headache at all. Symptoms are different for everyone and many younger children experience ‘abdominal migraines’ with no headache at all. Symptoms may include: • headache • sickness • changes to vision • pins and needles • dizziness; • a sensitivity to light. Migraines can be triggered by diet, stress, hormones and even the weather. A full list can be found on the healthforteens.co.uk website. LPT’s school nursing service has developed the content in partnership with Migraine Action, the UK’s leading support charity for those affected by migraine. The addition of the web content coincided with Migraine Awareness Week which takes place from the 6th-12th September and aims to raise awareness of this debilitating condition. Margaret Clarke, Lead School Nurse for LPT (Queen’s Nurse), said: “Only those who suffer from migraine will understand how challenging, painful and disruptive it can be, and as a young person experiencing them can be really scary. “We felt it was really important that we included a section on the Health for Teens website, as teenagers spend a lot of time on computers, they can experience period of stress at school and sometimes diet can also play a big part in triggering a migraine.” The unique Health for Teens website is the first NHS website

What exactly is KORFBALL?

created especially to support teens with their mental and physical health and wellbeing. As well as information on migraines, it features interactive content, KORFBALL is a ball sport, films, and quizzes - written by with similarities to netball experts from across LPT services and basketball. including school nursing, health It is played by two teams of eight improvement, smoking cessation, players withChurches either eight females in dietetics, and mental health. The Together each team or with four females and website’s comprehensive content four malesininMarkfield each team. includes topics as wide ranging as initiative The objective is to throw a ball exam stress to anger management, through a bottomless and fromCreative spots to alcohol.for Visit suggestions reading, thinking and exploring prayer, basket that is mounted on a 3.5 m (11.5 feet) www.healthforteens.co.uk. with time and space just to be. pole. Rebekah Leedham, Youth Churchhigh Congregational Hall - 6-7pm The sport was invented by Dutch Engagement Coordinator for Thursdays 17thone Sept, 22nd Oct,teacher 26th Nov school Nico Broekhuysen Migraine Action said, “With in 1902. thewant. Netherlands, there in 10 youngCome people suffering from for as long as you wish and leave whenInyou migraine, it is important that we get Allare Refreshments available. are around welcome.580 clubs and over 100,000 people playing korfball. It the right information to all those has a mixed-gender league and an affected as soon as we can. Young all-women league, but no all-men people with the condition often league. talk about missing out on social activities, struggling at school or The sport is also very popular feeling misunderstood. Working in Belgium and Taiwan, and is stalls,for raffle, refreshments etc in many other countries. with LPT on the Health Teens played website,Saturday gives young5th people Mixed-gender korfball is more September - 9am to 12.00noon another great place to access vital Copt Oak Memorial Hall Fieldgenerally – LE67 9QBplayed in the north of information. We hope that this can the Netherlands, while all-female next to Copt Oak Pub help them to take control of their korfball is generally played in the ~ Stalls set auphappier 8am ~ Cars £5 ~ All other vehicles £8 ~ migraines and lead life”. south. ~ Public admission 9am ~ Entrance 50p ~ children free ~ For more information on migraine Leicester has a Korfball Booking advisable @ 0116 267 4746 advice, visit www.healthforteens. club - Leicester Tornadoes. Ample free parking co.uk or speak to someone at their at www. Proceeds for St Peter’sVisit Church, Coptwebsite Oak Migraine Action on 08456 011033

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The next FREE CAP Money course begins on Thursday 24th September at 7pm in the Congregational Church Hall, Markfield.

Contact details: Steph Beeston-Clarke Lead CAP Money Coach stephbc@hotmail.co.uk 01530 243606 / 07572 852684

The course runs for 3 easy sessions will help to set up a household budget and saving system. It is for everyone students to the newly retired, single people and for families. Places are limited, so if you (or someone you know) would like to book please contact Steph as soon as possible. To find out more please contact Steph or visit:

https://capuk.org/i-want-help/cap-money-course/course

I just sent a text that says “we really need to talk” to everyone I know so nobody will bother me today.

Newtown Linford Scarecrow Festival Weekend THE POPULAR Newtown Linford Scarecrow Weekend will be taking place on 26th and 27th September 2015. During that weekend, the village will come to life, showcasing an array of scarecrows, on display in front gardens and in our new ‘scarecrow patch’. In addition, there will be activities throughout the weekend, such as Morris dancers, our school fete, and stalls selling various items. The village will be buzzing with people, so why not take the opportunity to enjoy a stroll in our beautiful Newtown Linford and go for a walk through some enchanting English countryside. The scarecrows are on display all Saturday and Sunday and programmes will be available to guide you through the village providing further details on the various scarecrows. The scarecrows are judged and prizes are awarded at the end of the festival. The public is invited to vote for their favourite scarecrow – the programme will include a voting form. We would love you to get involved in the judging of the ‘people’s choice’. The local school holds their school fete on Saturday 26th September. On Sunday, the village hall will be the centre of the festival with various stalls and serving refreshments. We look forward to seeing you at the festival.

Beate and Chris

To place an advert in The Herald, contact Mike Wilkinson on 01530 244069 or email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

You and your smartphone Do you spend more than an hour on your smartphone each day? If so, ever wonder why? According to a new study in the USA, it may be that you are depressed. The study found that the more time we spend using a phone for any reason – including texting and browsing the internet - the most likely we are to have the blues. On average, a depressed person spends about 68 minutes a day on their phone, while a non-depressed person keeps it to about 17 minutes. “When people are depressed, they tend to withdraw and don’t have the motivation or energy to go out and do things,” said one scientist from Northwestern University. Instead, they distract themselves by using their phones. “…It’s an avoidance behaviour we see in depression.” As more than one in ten people in Britain are reckoned to suffer from anxiety and depression, the findings suggest that monitoring phone data might be an easy way to pick up the problem. The scientists were able to identify depressive symptoms with 87 per cent accuracy, using the phone data.

When the hostess at the restaurant says “Table for two?”, I like to act surprised and say “You can see her too?!”

The Bricklayer’s Arms 213 Main Street Thornton T: 01530 230 808 QUIZ Nite: Thursdays We now have SKY and BT Sports Multi Screen. Ask about our new menus! www.bricklayersarms.net SEE ADVERT ON PAGE The Club, Thornton Main Street. T: 01530 230251 Open To Non-members Fri 11th Sept: REBEL ROCK Rock N Roll DJ Sat 12th Sept: EDDIE’S CLASSIC SOUNDS - Any Requests? Sat 19th Sept: To Be Arranged Sat 26th Sept: To Be Confirmed Sat 3rd Oct: THE BONEYARD BLUES BAND Fri 16th Oct: REBEL ROCK Rock N Roll DJ Sat 17th Oct: FINDING GEORGIA Band Sky & BT Sports Free Room Hire Available For Your Perfect Party - Bingo Every Tuesday Evening - View Our Website On www.facebook.com/ TheThorntonClub Bagworth Working Men’s Club, Station Road, Bagworth. Tel. 01530 230205 Find us on FACEBOOK search Bagworth WMC New members welcome. Sat 19th Sept: SOCIAL DANCE - £2 entry Fri 25th Sept: CHARITY SOCIAL DANCE in aid of Macmillan Nurses - Tickets £2.50 - tel: 01530 230467 Sat 24th Oct: SOCIAL DANCE Sat 14th Nov: SOCIAL DANCE Fri 20th Nov: CHARITY DANCE - Tickets £2.50 Sat 19th Dec: SOCIAL DANCE

Thurs 31st Dec: SOCIAL DANCE Every Tuesday night - TARGET SHOOTING - call for details Every Monday night: DOMINOES - only £1.50 entry, which includes supper. Bargain! Live entertainment – last Saturday of the month Bingo & Raffle every Wednesday and Saturday Andy’s Charity Quiz £1.50 each - last Friday of the month - and RAFFLE - with excellent prizes. Sequence dances Sunday Nights with live organist - £2.00 admission 8 pm Tea Dance Wednesday afternoon 2 – 4 pm. £1 admission. Ask about our FREE ROOM HIRE for those special family occasions. SEE ADVERT ON PAGE 9

The Field Head Hotel Markfield Lane, Markfield Tel: 01530 245454 The Queen’s Head Ashby Road, Markfield. T: 01530 242 496 ALL SKY SPORTS & BT SPORTS All live TIGERS games. The Bull’s Head Forest Road, Markfield T: 01530 242541 Garden & Pub Games etc. POKER NIGHT - Tuesdays starts at 8pm The Coach & Horses Leicester Road, Field Head Tel: 01530 242 312 Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 1809 www.grobyclub.co.uk

Bowls 4 Free At Carlton Indoor Bowls Club DAILY SESSIONS: Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October Hours: 10.00 - 12.00 and 2.00 - 4.00 and 7.00 - 9.00 Sunday Morning Coaching open to all anytime. See you at Enderby Leisure Centre!

Join us in taking the next step in shaping community health services in Hinckley and Bosworth

OVER THE PAST few months we at West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group have been doing a lot of work with patients, their carers and staff who live and work in the Hinckley and Bosworth area to understand their experiences of healthcare and find out what matters most to them. Based on what people told us we then went on to develop a shared vision of what community health services in the local area could look like and the journey we would need to make to achieve that change. The involvement of the public and of our staff has been tremendous and has helped to get us to where we are. We’re continuing to work hard on the project and other research and analysis is now being undertaken so that we can consider other component parts of providing a high quality health service in the community – these include forecasting what future demand for services will be; looking at our buildings and how suitable they are to meet future demand; making sure we have staff with the rights skills to care for our patients and ensuring that the services we deliver now and in the future offer the best value for money for our patients from the resources we have. Now, we’re inviting you to take part in the next step of shaping community healthcare services in Hinckley and Bosworth and the surrounding area. We are holding two workshops to tell people what we have learnt and share the range of possible ways we could shape and improve services based on the evidenced based research we have gathered. At the events we will work through the challenges we will need to overcome and opportunities that each of the possibilities present. Together, we will then work out what is feasible and appropriate for the community. The CCG wants everyone interested in shaping community services in Hinckley to attend either one of two events. We are holding one in the daytime and one in the evening to ensure everyone as many people as possible can attend. The events will be at Hinckley Golf Club on Monday 5 October 2015, • the first commencing at 12.30pm until 3.30pm • and the second commencing at 6.30pm until 9.30pm. Light refreshments will be available. Everyone is welcome to attend either one of the two events - click here to register now We have already built up a strong relationship with the Hinckley and Bosworth community and really appreciate the time that they have already invested in working with us. The next step is an important one and we hope as many of you as possible will work with us with the aim of providing services that keep people well and help them to recover as soon as possible when they are unwell. The events are expected to be popular so please register by calling 0116 295 4183, email: communications@westleicestershireccg.nhs.uk or visit our website and sign up on line.

Caroline Trevithick

Chief Nurse and Quality Lead at West Leicestershire CCG

Signs of our times? When you know what they meant, but…! • • • •

• • •

Toilet out of order. Please use floor below. In a Laundromat: Automatic Washing Machines. Please remove all your clothes when the light goes out. In a London department store: Bargain Basement upstairs. In an office: Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back, or further steps will be taken. In an office: After the tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board. Notice in health food shop window: Closed due to illness. Spotted in a safari park: Elephants, please stay in your car.

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I am at my most dangerous when I almost know what I am doing.

Walk on the Wildside and raise cash for LOROS LACE UP your walking boots and join LOROS for a ‘Walk on the Wildside’ on Sunday 27th September! The popular countryside walk is back for 2015 and this year, has an exciting new start location at Bradgate Park’s Hunts Hill car park! There are three scenic trails to choose from: a 4.5 mile trail, an 11 mile trail or the Tiny Trail (suitable for little ones, pushchairs and wheelchair users), all leading you through the beautiful Bradgate Park and Charnwood Forest. Laura Fitzsawyer, Fundraising Co-ordinator said, “Walk on the Wildside is great fun for all of the family! “This year, we are starting from a new location which leads us on some new, exciting routes! The Tiny Trail is an interactive route, suitable for toddlers, pushchair and wheelchair users.” Food will be available along with lively warm-up sessions, an activity area for the children and much more! Everyone participating will receive a goody bag and certificate on the day. Register online at loros.co.uk/wow or call (0116) 231 8431 for your FREE fundraising pack!

Loads of groups to join at Glenfield U3A IT HAS BEEN an exceptionally busy summer for Glenfield U3A members. Despite holidays and grandparent duties our members have managed to enjoy a full calendar of meetings and events. We have 300 members taking an active part in over 30 different groups with something for everyone to enjoy and if we haven’t, we will start at new group to cover it! The current groups include:Art Appreciation, Badminton, Bird Watching/ Natural History, Bridge, Canasta, Card Making, Computers-Tablets-Smart Phones, Craft, Cribbage, Cycling, Discussion Group, Ethnic Eating (x2), Film Club, Flower Arranging, French for Beginners, Gardening, German for Beginners (x2),History, Indoor Bowls, Lazy Days and Sundays, Lets Go Out, Luncheon (x2), Mah jong, Photography, Pilates, Reading (3), Spanish Conversation, Strollers, Table Tennis, Tai Chi, Travel Club, Walk & Talk Group, Walking (x5), Watercolour painting, Writers and Yoga. Our membership is our lifeblood, without their commitment to our U3A we would not be able to flourish and grow. Every group needs a leader to co-ordinate the group activities and it is because of that commitment we are able to develop so many groups. An increasing number of our members are coming forward to organise social events. We have our own catering team to make sure we are well fed and watered at every meeting, and a ‘meet and greet’ team to make sure new members are looked after and introduced to other members and group leaders. In the past few months we have held a quiz night, a 60’s night, canal boat trip and meal, trip to Blenheim Palace, theatre trips, numerous luncheons and dinners, not to mention having a number of thought-provoking and varied talks at our monthly meetings. Forthcoming events include an ‘antiques roadshow’ and a skittles evening. The gardening group has

visited several interesting gardens; the history group has ‘escaped’ the classroom to visit Stoneywell and Leicester Cathedral this summer and the birdwatching group has visited nature reserves throughout the County. Ten members have booked a cruise together next April. The list of life enhancing possibilities is endless with our U3A. Walking still remains the most popular activity; we now have 7 walking groups, suitable for all levels of fitness. Together with cycling, badminton, yoga, tai chi and Pilates we must be some of the fittest pensioners in Leicestershire! Are you interested in joining? Do you have a sense of fun? Do you want to keep fit and exercise the mind? Make new friends? Then what is stopping you? The only requirement - you must be retired or semi-retired. Whilst there is no age restriction our members tend to be 50+. You do not need to be a resident of Glenfield; our members come from as far away as Birstall, Syston, Mountsorrel, Thornton, Newbold Verdon, Ratby, Anstey, Kirby Muxloe, LFE etc. We are by no means an ‘elitist’ organisation; everyone from any walk of life is more than welcome. Come along to our monthly meeting held at St Peter’s Church Centre, Church Rd, Glenfield, LE3

I wish I knew it was my day back in my day.

8DP at 2pm on the fourth Thursday of every month and see what we get up to. Every year we hold a ‘roadshow’ where new and potential members can drop in for a cuppa and a chat with our group leaders and committee members. This year the meeting will be at 10.30am on Wednesday 11th November at the Scout Hut, Stamford St, Glenfield, LE3 8DL. Please come and say hello. We have a very comprehensive website – bursting with information about the various groups, forthcoming events and a gallery packed with photographs of our activities. www.u3asites.org.uk/ glenfield Our new membership year starts on 1st November and costs just £16 per annum; our members agree they get excellent value for their money. But don’t forget, you can ‘try before you buy’ – You can come to three meetings for just one pound a time to see if you like us. One member was recently overheard to say to another “Joining the U3A was the best thing I ever did, I just wish there were more hours in the day”.

Gill Tapping Glenfield U3A

27 Session on 19th September

Are YOU looking for affordable housing in Markfield? THE DEVELOPMENT of new housing on London Road, Markfield is well underway. The affordable housing properties are owned and managed by Orbit Housing, and the first lettings of the properties will be through the Council’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme. First priority will be given to people with a connection to the parish of Markfield and the first three properties have recently been allocated. People who would like to be considered for the affordable homes are encouraged to apply to join Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s housing register. On line applications can be made at www. hinckleybosworth-homes.org.uk Applicants should state their local connection to Markfield. A number of the properties will be for Shared Ownership (part buy/part rent). A session will be held on the 19th September 2015 in Hall 2 at Markfield Community Centre between 10am -12 noon where members of Orbit’s Sales team will be available to discuss and answer questions on shared ownership. A member of the council’s allocation team will also be available to discuss questions regarding the affordable rented properties.

Markfield Guided Walk

THE FESTIVAL of Leicestershire and Rutland Archaeology, within the wider Festival of British Archaeology, took place in July and as part of this festival, Markfield local History Group arranged a guided walk of the village. The subject of this year’s walk was the geological, industrial and social history of Markfield and how life was influenced by the local geology, communications and landscape. On the evening of July 14th beneath threatening skies Barrie Gannon and Pete Johnson met a group of 20 walkers by St Michael’s church and then, after describing the features of The Green, led the party in two separate groups to Hillside, Hill Hole Nature Reserve, Blacksmith’s Field and Altar Stones Lane picnic site. The rock at Hill Hole is some of the oldest in the world and known at Markfieldite is over 543 million years old. Incredibly, a fossil was found in similar rock in the nearby Cliff Hill Quarry. This rock is very hard and durable and hence quarrying developed as a major industry with Hillside built mainly to house the quarry workers. Many of the 19th century houses were overcrowded and all were without running water and indoor lavatories. Some families could barely afford the fuel for cooking. Life in the quarry was similarly harsh and very dangerous and people were lucky to live beyond 60. The 18th and 19th century turnpike roads were very poor and expensive to use. Consequently, until the early 20th century, only the rich could travel and for the others, everything such as food, water, fuel and other everyday needs had to be within walking distance of home. This included eleven pubs serving a population of only 1632 in 1901. The walkers were able to see the marked contrast with modern life. The quarry is now a nature reserve affording splendid views of the surrounding countryside and providing enjoyment for visitors for whom rapid cheap transport to anywhere in the country and the abundance of food and consumer goods is now taken for granted. The walk took two hours and although heavy rain set in and people were given the option of leaving, most decided to share company with Long Horn cattle and continue on to the haunting skyward pointing rock fingers that form the Altar Stones. Both groups returned somewhat damp to The Green at 9.15pm. Although the rain was very heavy, it did not appear to have deterred the enthusiasm of those attending and after asking many interesting questions donations were received from the sale of the Trail leaflets. For more information about the Markfield Local History Group, visit the website at www.markfieldhistory.btck.co.uk

Make yourself indispensable at work by hiding everything.

The LOROS Prohibition Ball Halloween costumes 28TH NOVEMBER 2015 AT THE MARRIOTT, LEICESTER

LADIES and gentlemen be prepared to be taken on a journey back to the 30’s for this year’s LOROS Prohibition Ball.

The annual event promises to give you the ultimate 1930’s experience with an exciting Charleston dance-off set to be one of the highlights of the evening. The ball, which is once again being held at Leicester’s Marriott Hotel, will be bursting with live entertainment and will also include a three course meal, followed by coffee and mints. Event lead at LOROS Laura Betts said: “I cannot wait for this year’s Prohibition Ball, it is going to be a fantastic evening. “And what better way of celebrating the Hospice’s 30th birthday than by having a 30’s themed ball?” The ball, which will take place on 28th November, is one of the final events celebrating three decades of LOROS in the Hospice’s 30th year. The dress code for the evening is Gatsby-inspired, so gents’ dust of your top hats and women, dig out your brightest red lipstick and put on your finest pearls.

MY SIX-YEAR-OLD son was excited about choosing his Halloween costume. “I’m going to be the Pope,” he announced proudly. “But Ian, you can’t be the Pope. You’re not Catholic,” I explained. “You’re Church of England.” My son was silent for a few moments, while he considered his alternatives. “Well, is Dracula Church of England?”

“Everyone loves a good excuse to get dressed up,” added Laura, “Especially as we head into the festive season.” Last years “Willy Wonka” Ball hosted by Anne Davies raised over £30,000 for the Hospice and they hope to raise the bar even higher this year. Tickets for the event are £75 per person, or £700 for a table of 10. VIP tables of 10, which includes champagne and a special gift, costs £900. For more details visit loros.co.uk/ prohibition or call the LOROS Fundraising Team on (0116) 231 8431/2

Once in a while, someone amazing comes along... and here I am.

News from Cross Hills Baptist Church Serving the villages of Thornton & Bagworth plus the surrounding area Awesome Holiday Club 10th to 12th August WHAT A great time we all had at this year’s Holiday Club – children, leaders and parents alike. There was lots of fun and laughter every day and the children enjoyed crafts, games, memory verses, puppets, singing and lots more, all based on our theme, God’s Creation. On the final day we gave each child a book to take home to help them find out more about Creation. You should be able to find more about this year’s Holiday Club and some photos in a separate item in this month’s Herald. Why not see if the children (and the adults) can spot themselves in our photos! Don’t forget we hold a Sunday Club at 10.30am every Sunday at Cross Hills for children of all ages – it’d be lovely to see some Awesome members there (and their parents too)!

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal A SMALL shoebox can have a big impact. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out of it is priceless. Why not be a part of changing children’s lives all over the world through the power of a simple gift with Operation Christmas Child. As usual, we at Cross Hills Church will be collecting filled shoeboxes for this appeal. If you would like to be involved this year, you will need a leaflet that gives you all the information about what can be put in a box and it includes a label for the outside and an envelope for the suggested ‘shipping’ donation of £3 for each box. This pays for the transportation and distribution costs to make sure that the shoeboxes reach the children they are intended for. The leaflets are now available at Thornton Corner Shop, Stanton Post Office or from Glynis or David Straw at 110 Main Street, Thornton (contact no below). If anyone has any surplus sturdy shoeboxes (not boot boxes) that they could spare, please let us know and we can arrange to get them from you. We should also have some of the new ‘Go’ boxes soon from Samaritan’s Purse – these are flat pack, already decorated and fold into a box ready to fill and will cost around 50p each. You can find out more

Save now says charity with 100 days to go until Christmas ON SEPTEMBER 16th there are only 100 days to go until Christmas. A debt charity is calling for local people to start preparing for the festive season now rather than relying on costly credit this December.

about the journey of the shoeboxes at www.operationchristmaschild. org.uk

Olive Branch Support Club THIS IS organised by our Parish Nurse and is usually held on the 1st Monday of each month at Cross Hills Church from 2pm to 4pm. There are various activities, often visiting speakers and meals out. Please contact Vera on her number below for more details and to confirm the dates of each meeting. Our next House Group meeting “Acts of Transformation”, follows on from the ‘Good Neighbours’ course and ‘Taste of Faith’ evening and looks at being good neighbours to each other by encouraging one another in fellowship and transforming ourselves by having a heart that is compassionate, humble and forgiving. Based on Colossians Chapter 3 verses 12 to 14, it is on Tuesday 15th September at 7.30pm at Glynis and David’s home, 110 Main Street, Thornton and it would be lovely if a few more people could join us to have a look at this passage and join in with the discussion. We normally finish at around 9pm and we have tea, coffee and even chocolate biscuits afterwards! Details of our Services are in the Church Service Information section in this magazine. Our Harvest Festival Service is at 10.30am on Sunday 27th September and all the gifts of food together with a special offering will be donated to the Hinckley Homeless Project.

Contact Numbers Pastor - Garry Kelly: 01455 457802/07816 616189 Secretary - Lynda Kelly: 01455 457802/07910 440243 Treasurer - Glynis Straw: 01530 230272 Parish Nurse - Vera Harding: 01530 230557

Glynis Straw

Treasurer - on behalf of the Cross Hills Church family

Most of us will now have just four paydays to go until the big day and Christians Against Poverty (CAP) want people to set aside something each month to cover the big spend. Hundreds of churches through the UK are offering free short courses throughout the Autumn, including a team from the Churches of Markfield, Thornton, Bagworth, Stanton-under-Bardon and Copt Oak who have trained with the charity to help the local community. The CAP Money Course, as it is known, comprises three easy sessions to help set up a household budget and saving. Steph Beeston-Clarke, who will be leading the course, said: “None of us like to think of Christmas when we have only just finished with the Summer holidays. However, our last minute thinking sometimes results in desperate buying in December and this costs us all more in the end. What we’re saying is, with 100 days to go let’s take charge and have the Christmas we can afford, without the stress.” The CAP Money Course now helps more than 10,000 people a year across the UK gain control of their finances with a cash-based system supported by flexible on-line tools. The course is not for people with debts (though they can be catered for). It’s available to everyone – students to the newly retired, single people and for families because we’ve seen that learning how to set a budget and stick to it helps to debt-proof people in the long term. The course will take place at 7pm on September 24, October 1 and October 8 at Markfield Congregational Church Hall, Main Street, Markfield. To book your place, put your postcode into www.capmoneycourse. org, email stephbc@hotmail.co.uk or call Steph on 01530 243606 / 07572 852684 Christians Against Poverty is an award-winning charity working across the UK to lift people out of poverty via debt counselling, money management and job clubs. We will be using CAP’s systems, resources and training but essentially, it is local people helping other local people at a local venue. www.capmoney.org

BOOK SPOT

Time and Time Again By Ben Elton It’s the 1st of June 1914 and Hugh Stanton, ex-soldier and celebrated adventurer is quite literally the loneliest man on earth. No one he has ever known or loved has been born yet. Perhaps now they never will be. Stanton knows that a great and terrible war is coming. A collective suicidal madness that will destroy European civilization and bring misery to millions in the century to come. He knows this because, for him, that century is already history. Somehow he must change that history. He must prevent the war. A war that will begin with a single bullet. But can a single bullet truly corrupt an entire century? And, if so, could another single bullet save it?

It’s not difficult to tell crocodiles and alligators apart. One will see you in a while whereas the other will see you later.

Markfield Community Centre News Annual Trip to “Skeggy”

I MUST start off with our annual trip to Skeggy. A fully laden coach full of excited people aged 4 to 90 years set off early on the morning of Wednesday 12th August for a fun filled day on the east coast. Tongue in cheek I had promised a sunny and fine day and, for once, my predictions came true. It was a gloriously sunny and hot day with no hint of rain or the dreaded north-sea breezes. In fact I can’t remember seeing Skeggy beach so crowded and even dozens of people swimming in the sea and children paddling in the water. So, we took full advantage of the kind weather, enjoying sand castle making, donkey rides, all the fun of the fair, bingo and of course fish and chips, ice cream and doughnuts. There was one story I must tell you that caused ripples of raucous laughter involving the boating lake. A challenge had been thrown down as to who could paddle a pedalo to the end of the boating lake and back first. My intrepid crew aptly named the Pirates of the Caribbean set off at full steam laboriously followed by the crew of the “Titanic”. Alarmingly, after a carefully planned ram raid by the Pirates - and true to its name - the Titanic suddenly started to list to port and slowly started to sink. The crew of the Titanic beached the pedalo and were bravely rescued and brought to shore much to the delight of the Pirates who claimed victory. It was a great day enjoyed by all who have now requested more trips next year even to far flung destinations such as Llandudno.

Mayflower Club Update

folk dances and see firsthand dance dress and River Dance shoes. Kirsty has started Irish Dance lessons at the Centre so, if you would like to try this new activity please contact her on 07846 977865. Other activities this month include a very interesting and in depth talk by Brian Johnson on how to start a family tree. Brian explained the ups, downs, frustrations and satisfaction on exploring family roots. He had even found a branch of his family that had lived in Markfield many years ago as well as a number of “black sheep” of the family. Following on from our wine making sessions we held a session that demonstrated the affects of alcohol on balance and co-ordination. This involved members having to play some ball games with the handicap of having to wear Beer Goggles. There was much hilarity as members struggled even to kick a ball and the laughter reached a crescendo when former City Footballer Matt Elliott came into the meeting to meet everyone and have a go himself. Like everyone else Matt also made a complete hash of kicking the ball. We have much more planned for the coming months including tea and a talk at the Markfield Islamic Foundation on the 16th September. A talk on Mud Walls, Boy Soldiers and Child Brides on 23rd September. Other events in the planning include a trip to Redgates Animal Sanctuary, talks on trips to the Arctic and South Africa, the Mercy Ships Charity, the Hindu Faith as well as a talk on the risks of Diabetes. We do try to make the sessions varied, interesting and informative for everyone. However, there is always a cost to keep this valuable club running. We are currently applying to seek further funding and raising funds ourselves. We have also decided to open up the club to all adults of whatever age especially those who have disabilities or may be feeling a bit lonely and would like to have something to look forward to each week and have a chance to socialize with old and new friends. Just come along on Wednesday afternoons 2pm to 4pm. It only costs £1 per session and you get a “cuppa” and biscuits included.

A BIG Thank you CAN I TAKE this opportunity to say thanks to those of you who, following my appeal in last month’s edition of the Herald, brought items of homemade wine kit. This is much appreciated and will help us set up a new homemade wine club at the Centre. We plan to start this in September on a fortnightly or monthly basis on Wednesday afternoons 1pm to 2pm if anyone would like to come along and have a go.

ME Sports Open Day AS PREVIOUSLY mentioned Leicester City legend Matt Elliott is now running his Football Coaching sessions at the Centre and, during the afternoon of Sunday 23rd August he held his Open Day and Awards Presentation here.

THE CLUB had yet another exciting and interesting month with a demonstration of Irish Dancing by Kirsty Drake. Members had a chance to have a go at one of the less strenuous traditional

The event included stalls run by Leicester Charity Link whose volunteers were raising funds for the deprived and homeless. The event included football matches and penalty shoot-outs. The highlight of the afternoon was Matt Elliott himself presenting medals and prizes to all members. It was great to see youngsters, boys and girls from tots to teenagers receiving their awards and applauded by proud parents and grandparents. If your child would like to join please contact the centre for further information.

I like to finish other people’s sentences because my version is better.

From Ron Grantham (Markfield Community Association)

Russell Family Re-union

New at the Centre

HOW FASCINATING family trees can be was demonstrated by the Russell family reunion held at the Centre on Saturday 15th August.

• BLOSSOM AND BLOOM Blossom and Bloom is briefly baby massage and yoga for babies including sensory activities. Classes will be held at the Centre on Wednesdays. The classes enhance the bond between parents and their babies, helps relive colic, wind and indigestion and includes oil, keepsake certificates and sensory activities for babies to explore. You can also meet other parents and socialize over tea and coffee. • YOUNG PATHFINDERS This is a new club coming to Markfield and is an adventure club for children aged 5 to 14 years. It is inspired by survival specialists with children learning skills such as shelter building, fire lighting, foraging, water purification, bow making, bush-craft, tracking, orienteering, wilderness first aid through a structured program. Other adventure skills will include raft building, climbing, abseiling and caving. The club will meet at the Centre on Friday evenings 5pm to 6.30pm.

The Russell family has traced its family tree way back to 1742 and the tree was displayed all around the walls of the Centre’s main hall. The tree included Markfield family names including Russell, Cave, Bott, Spibey, Tarry, Willett, Lay and many more. The re-union also celebrated Aunty Hilda’s 90th Birthday and Howard Russell’s 80th.

Wedding Celebration DURING THE evening of Saturday 29th August Julian and Helen celebrated their wedding at the Centre with family, friends and work colleagues. The wedding celebrations decorations were truly amazing, spectacular and very unusual. The unusual theme was citrus so, the halls were decked out in orange and lemon colours and posters and decorations. The packed celebration was treated to a wonderful live band and the buffet was mouth watering buffet. Many congratulations to you both and we wish you a happy marriage.

Christmas Fair: Sat 6th December

FREE Room Hire Offer HAVE YOU got a family celebration, party, charity fund raiser or other event coming up that requires a licensed bar? If so, why not take advantage of our special offer of free room hire for such events. This offer will save you lot of money and help you enjoy your special day. For further details please contact the Centre. For bookings and enquiries please contact Markfield Community & Sports Centre, Mayflower Close, Markfield LE67 9ST or email markfieldcommunitycentre@hotmail.co.uk or you can visit our website www.markfieldcommunitycentre.com to view our facilities, latest news, photo gallery and information about the Centre.

DARE I SAY it but Christmas is once again fast approaching. The Centre will be holding a fund raising Christmas Fair on Saturday 6th December. Planning is already taking place and it is promising to be a wonderful event with stalls, Christmas goods and refreshments. If you would like to have a stall at the event stalls are £5 for charities and £10 for commercial.

Redgates Animal Sanctuary Appeal AS YOU ALL will probably know the Redgates Animal Sanctuary is located on the edge of the village. It is a charitable organization that provides a home and care for animals that have strayed or, for whatever reason are no longer wanted by their owners. The good work of Redgates is reliant on fund raising and donations. One way in which you can help is to donate pet food especially cat and kitten food, rabbit and guinea pig food sealed clean straw and bedding. To help Redgates we now have a donations bin in the foyer at the Centre where you can drop off any donated items.

Markfield Local History Group presents

a visit to the Century Theatre, Coalville Learn about the fascinating history of this Former travelling theatre and take a guided tour of the building including a look backstage.

Tuesday 15th September 7pm for 7.30pm Meeting at the Theatre, Snibston Discovery Park. Non-members £2 Members £1 In order to know the exact number of visitors for this event please telephone one of the numbers below so that your name can be added to the list. Barrie

01530 242318

Rosie

01530 244497

David

01530 242919

www.markfieldhistory.btck.co.uk

Staying awake till 2am so I can change my clocks to 3am is the closest I’ll ever get to time travel.

Local Church Services Without Walls Christian Fellowship, 135 Main St Stanton Under Bardon Sunday 13th Sept. Service 10am

10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper

Friday 18th September 8.00 pm “Still Friday”

Sunday 11th October 9.00 am Holy Communion

Sunday 20th September 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 20th September 10.30 am Churches Together in Markfield Service 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 18th October 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 27th September 10.30am Harvest Festival Service

Monday 14th Sept. Coffee morning 10am Tuesday 15th Sept. Shepshed singing cafe 10-11am, Shepshed Library Midweek dinner fellowship 6.30pm. Please call for details 07875378628 Friday 18th Sept. Singing cafes, Loughborough Library 10.15-11.15am, Coalville Library 1.30-2.30pm Sunday 20th Sept: Service 10am Monday 21st Sept: Coffee morning 10am

Sunday 4th October 10.30am Morning Service Sunday 11th 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 of this magazine.

Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield

Tuesday 22nd Sept: Singing Cafe Shepshed Library 10-11am Bible study 7pm Friday 25th Sept: Singing cafes, Loughborough Library 10.15-11.15am, Coalville Library 1.30-2.30pm Sunday 27th Sept: Cafe 4U 4pm Monday 28th Sept: Coffee morning 10am Tuesday 29th Sept: Shepshed Singing Cafe 10-11am Friday 2nd Oct. Singing Cafes Loughborough + Coalville Sunday 4th Oct: Service 10am Monday 5th Oct: Coffee Morning 10am

Markfield Congregational Church 01530 242142

Sunday 13th September 10.30am Morning Service 4.00pm Afternoon Café Service Sunday 20th September 10.30am United Churches Together Service at Parish Church 5.00pm Wesleyan Heritage Service at Bishop Street, Leics.

Sunday 18th October 10.00am United Churches Together Service at Catholic Church, Coalville 6.00pm Evening Communion Service

Sunday 27th September: 10.15am Morning Worship in Church Hall with Sunday Club

Thursday 22nd October 2.00pm - 4.00pm Music Café Sunday 25th October 10.30am Morning Service 6.00pm No Evening Service

Cross Hills Baptist Church, between Bagworth & Thornton Sunday 6th September 10.30am Morning Service Sunday 13th September

Please note: Services will be at Bagworth Community Centre

Friday 16th October 8.00 pm “Still Friday” Sunday 18th October 10.00 am Churches Together in Markfield Service at St Wilfrid’s RC Church, Coalville 6.00 pm Evening Prayer Sunday 25th October 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Service

Sunday 13th September 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 20th September: 10.30am United Service in St Michael’s Parish Church

Sunday 11th October: 10.15am Morning Worship followed by Communion

Sunday 11th October 10.30 am All Age Harvest Service 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Sunday 27th September 10.30am Morning Communion Service 6.00pm No Evening Service

Sunday 11th October 10.30am Morning Service 4.00pm Afternoon Café Service

Sunday 4th October: No Service in Markfield. Area Autumn Assembly at Belper Congregational Church at 3 00pm

Holy Rood Church, Bagworth

St Mary and All Saints’ Church, Stanton under Bardon

Sunday 4th October 10.30am Harvest Festival Service 6.00pm Taizé Service

St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Markfield 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 13th September 10.30 am All Age Service 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Wednesday 28th October 10.00 am Midweek Communion and Coffee

Sunday 4th October 10.30 am Holy Communion

Thursday 24th September 2.00pm - 4.00pm Music Café

Thursday 8th October 2.00pm - 4.00pm Music Café

Sunday 13th September: Harvest Festival 10.15am

Sunday 27th September 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Service

Sunday 25th October 10.30 am All Age Service

Sunday 20th September 10.30 am Morning Service Sunday 27th September 10.30 am “Something Different” Harvest Service Sunday 4th October 10.30 am Morning Service Sunday 11th October 10.30 am Holy Communion Sunday 18th October 10.30 am Morning Service Sunday 25th October 10.30 am “Something Different” Service

St Peter’s Church, Thornton Sunday 13th September 9.00 am Holy Communion Sunday 20th September 10.30 am Holy Communion Wednesday 23rd August 10.00 am Midweek Communion and Coffee Sunday 27th September 10.30 am All Age Harvest Service Sunday 4th October 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 4th October 10.30 am Holy Communion

St Peter’s Church, Copt Oak Sunday 13th September 3.00 pm Praise Service Sunday 20th September 9.15 am Holy Communion (said service) Sunday 27th September 6.00 pm Evening Prayer for Harvest Sunday 4th October 6.00 pm Holy Communion Sunday 11th October 3.00 pm Praise Service Sunday 18th October 9.15 am Holy Communion (said service) Sunday 25th October 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Catholic Church of St Wilfrid of York 53 London Road, Coalville, LE67 3JB Sunday Mass Saturday Vigil: 6 pm Sunday: 10 am See Newsletter on the website for details of weekday Mass times, Benediction & Confessions Parish Priest: Fr David Cain: 01530 832098 www.stwilfspriest@gmail.com Parish Website: www.stwilfscoalville.blogspot.co.uk St Clare’s RC Primary School, Coalville: 01530 837747 www.st—clares.leics.sch.uk De Lisle RC College, Loughborough: 01509 268739 www.delisle./leics.sch.uk 2015 Markfield Masses - in the Congregational Church Hall, Main St, beside the Chinese Takeaway: • Wednesday 16 September at 7pm All are welcome

can’t figure out if life is passing me by or trying to run me over.

Stanton under Bardon Village Hall is now open THE TRUSTEES are very pleased to announce that our beautiful village hall is now open for business.

FACILITIES We have a super main hall and a separate meeting room, fully fitted kitchen and storage rooms. We have full disabled access and facilities. Car parking is available at the hall. The main hall is large enough to host parties, wedding receptions and dances as well as smaller activity groups. Check us out on our Facebook page which has lots more photos plus a link to our website. Or go direct to the website at www. stantonvillagehall.com

ACTIVITIES We already have a weekly yoga class on Mondays with Claire and a weekly FBW fitness class on Wednesdays. There are lots of other interesting activities planned. The Trustees are keen to make the hall accessible to everyone in Stanton and neighbouring villages and will be happy to discuss any

Clamping down on dangerous parkers ideas you may have for using it.

HOW TO BOOK Bookings can be made via the website, by telephone, post or in person.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT OUR OPEN DAY ON SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER Daytime activities will run from 10.30am to 3.30pm. In the evening from 7pm until 11pm we shall be hosting a BARN DANCE with a really great band and caller – the locally renowned Derbyshire Ranters. For further

information talk to a Trustee or see our separate advert in this edition of the Herald. Our Trustees are: Ian Briggs: Chairman Norma Mistry: Treasurer Liz Foster: Joint secretary Alison Hayward: Joint secretary Mary Briggs: Parish Council representative Hollie Schultz: Trustee Katharine Stephens: Trustee Mark Stephens: Trustee Finally, watch this space, we shall be providing regular updates in the Herald to keep you informed of what is on offer at the hall.

A DRIVE to tackle unsafe parking has seen 1,853 motorists ticketed over the last month across Leicestershire. Leicestershire County Council has revealed how it is taking enforcement action against people who park in contravention of parking restrictions, such as double yellow lines - posing a potential road safety hazard. Over the last year, the council raised £735,645 from fines and, once the costs of running the enforcement service was taken into account, the council made a loss of £792.

Sorry I stopped listening to your story when it wasn’t about me.

GIRLS’ NAMES Wordsearch FIND THE 12 MOST POPULAR NAMES FOR BABY GIRLS IN 2104 in this month’s Wordsearch puzzle and you could win yourself a meal and a drink. This month we are offering a TASTY prize of: A Main Course for Two, plus A Bottle of House Wine at The FieldHead Hotel. To go into the draw, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - the 12 most popular names given to baby girls in England in 2014. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). Send your entry to: ISN’T SHE LOVELY, The Herald, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Thursday 1st October 2015. Remember to include your name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out of the Editor’s Trilby will win the Meal for Two at The Field Head Hotel. Good luck!

Find the following BABY GIRLS’ NAMES:

AMELIA • OLIVIA • EMILY • ISLA POPPY • AVA • ISABELLA • JESSICA LILY • SOPHIE • GRACE • SOPHIA Name: ................................................................................................... Address: ................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................. .......................................................... Postcode: .............................

Last Month’s Competition Winner The winner of last issue’s Wordsearch Competition was: STUART MOORE of Northfield Estate, Bagworth. Congratulations! Your voucher will be sent to you soon.

THE WAY I SEE IT : Of House and Home Houses have been in the news in recent months – a hot political topic for those in power or seeking it, a source of desperate concern to those who simply can’t find a place to live. Prices, especially in London and the south-east, are staggeringly high. A semi-detached suburban house in the road where my wife and I brought up our family forty years ago is currently valued at a million pounds. We bought it in 1964 for £4,500! Of course, it’s not ‘real’ money – more like Monopoly finance. And many of the people paying those exaggerated prices aren’t even buying a house to live in, but as an investment. Equally, in towns and villages across Britain, young people planning to set up home together face years and years of saving simply to afford the deposit on a house. Many settle for renting, which means that there’s no money left to save for that deposit. The short answer, obviously, is to build more affordable houses. Everyone agrees, but whenever there are plans to build some, the cry goes up ‘Not in my back yard!’ The Government also agrees that we need such housing, but what, in terms of the average monthly wage, is ‘affordable’? Certainly not the prices we see discussed in all these TV programmes about ‘a place in the country’ or ‘Location, Location’. Houses matter. Or, rather, homes do. There’s a lovely vision drawn by the Jewish prophet Micah of a day when everyone will ‘sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid’. It doesn’t mention a house, but it’s a lovely picture of a home: a place where we feel secure, welcome and loved. Sadly, not every house is a home, but every home is a precious gift, whether it’s two up and two down or what has recently been dubbed a ‘mansion’. Somehow or other, and before it’s too late, we need to find a way to house all those would-be families, not luxuriously, but decently. The fig-tree in the back garden can be optional.

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