GROBY GARDENING SOCIETY - IMPORTANT NOTICE - SEE PAGE 3
Spotligh potlightt Groby & Field Head MID-SEPTEMBER 2021
The Monthly News & Information Magazine For Groby, Field Head & The Brantings
What do our children think about Groby?
Charity Bike Ride Raises Cash For LOROS & Rainbows
GROBY CHILDREN like the shops, the parks, the lights on the lamp posts at Christmas, and nature – especially the woods.
This was the response of the school council of pupils at Martinshaw Primary School when asked to express their views about Groby Parish to help guide development of our Neighbourhood Plan. We’re pleased to learn that our children are really engaged with the idea and are eager to have their say. After all, our children have the most to gain as future plans for Groby take shape - all of which our Neighbourhood Plan will help to guide.
Here’s what else they said: • What do you not like about Groby? Bags of rubbish at the sides of the road, dog poo left on the grass at the park, dog poo bags thrown into the bushes. • Is there anything that you would change or improve on? More car parks, upgrade or improve park equipment for older children. • Are there enough things for children to do? There is not enough for teenagers to do, parks can be boring, how about a climbing frame? • Do you feel safe? ‘I worry about the electric scooters on the pavements’, ‘I worry about teenagers staring at me’. • Any environmental issues? The litter at the sides of the roads is really bad, it makes our village look messy. Teenagers hanging around make me feel like I can’t go out and play on my own, how about a youth club? There’s so much we can do about these issues right now without a Neighbourhood Plan - putting litter and dog poo in bins, and respecting pedestrians. But making parks more exciting, giving teenagers something to do, and creating more car parks all take time, money, and effort. Your Neighbourhood Plan will ensure your voices and those of our children are heard in any future plans for development in Groby Parish.
Help Shape the Future of Groby Parish To have your say, find out more and see how you can help, visit us online at http://www.groby.org.uk/neighbourhood-plan or write to Groby Council Offices, Village Hall, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DQ or call 0116 287 6985 for further information.
Groby Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group
SHAEL, VIJAY, NATHAN AND GLYNN are raising money for Rainbows Hospice and LOROS because we would like to support these two great causes. Our challenge was to cycle 200 miles in 2 days and we hope to raise £2,000 for two amazing charities that provide end of life care for adults and children. LOROS is a charity whose aim is to enhance the quality of life of adult patients with cancer, progressive neurological conditions and endstage organ failure for whom curative treatment is no longer possible. Patients are treated at the Hospice and in the community based upon clinical need, regardless of background and the ability to pay. The second Charity is Rainbows. As the East Midlands’ only hospice for children and young people, Rainbows is a place where children with life-limiting conditions and their families can find care and support. Their incredible team of people help with end of life care, symptom management, short breaks and respite care. They’re also there to support parents and siblings through their bereavements and care for children until the end. Five friends took part in the Challenge. The ride took place over two days (3rd and 4th September) and took us from Leicester to Kings Lynn (100 miles) on day 1 and down to Hopton on day 2 (100 miles). There were 4 bike riders: Shael Marshall, Vijay Chouhan, Nathan Paddison and Glynn Jehu supported by David Allen who drove the support vehicle and took care of us along the way. Just Giving doesn’t allow donations to be split so we have had to set up two individual pages and have joined them together on one Team page – we’d like to keep the funds as equal as possible. Donations can still be made. Please give what you can to support us in raising money for these amazing causes - even the smallest of donations will make a difference. Visit: https://www.justgiving.com/ team/RainbowsLoros Thank you you amazing lot!
Next Issue Out On 16th October • Advert & Article Deadline Is 2nd October
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight
PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT
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01530-244069 Email us at: info@ grobyspotlight.co.uk Visit the website at www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 3,500 copies distributed 11 times a year (no issue in July) to homes and businesses in Groby, Field Head and The Brantings. Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press.
The Spotlight is a monthly compilation of articles, press releases, events, general items of interest and news items submitted to us by local residents, groups, associations, sports clubs and local authorities. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Spotlight Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Groby & Field Head Spotlight cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Groby & Field Head Spotlight reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/ or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © Groby & Field Head Spotlight. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written consent from Groby & Field Head Spotlight.
NEXT ISSUE OUT ON: 16th October 2021 DEADLINE: 2nd October 2021
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Groby Gardening Society News
IT HAS BEEN eighteen months since the Society was last able to meet due to Covid-19 restrictions. Please see the notice at the end of this article about a special meeting that has been called. We entered meteorological Autumn on September 1st, and the last month has certainly had some hints of autumn about it. The Met Office reported that from the Midlands southward temperatures were lower than normal, rainfall was only half of what would be expected, and sunshine was also in short supply, 35% down on normal levels. The blocking high pressure area has been in place over Scotland for nearly three weeks (at time of writing) bringing cool, dry, cloudy weather over most of the UK. At the same time there have been record high temperatures across central and southern Europe, with recently some devastating flash floods in Spain following those that hit the low countries and Germany earlier. Hurricane Ida has wrought havoc across Louisiana, ironically on the anniversary of hurricane Katrina, and went on to cause severe flooding in New York. No doubt the after-effects will have swept across the Atlantic by the time you read this. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) produced its latest report in August, and their findings are clear for everyone to see. Whilst individuals can contribute in their own way towards a reduction in carbon emissions, Governments around the world must lead the drive to take action as soon as possible to mitigate future problems. On a brighter note, the photos include a snapshot of some wildlife in my garden; a colourful frog and a common lizard. We uncovered six lizards during some remodelling of the back garden, and they were all rescued and relocated to an equally sunny spot elsewhere in the garden where they will hopefully thrive. The other picture is from the garden at Mountain Ash in Newtown Linford, taken during the National Open Gardens scheme. The Society had planned a visit there in 2020 which had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. It shows two trees - a sequoia and a eucalyptus - that you would not normally see growing in such proximity, one being found mostly in the Americas and the other in Australia. It’s not easy to make out the scale, but I estimate that both trees are over 40 metres (130 feet) in height.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ALTHOUGH there are no plans to return to monthly meetings at present, ALL members of the society are invited to attend a special meeting to be held on Thursday, September 30 at the Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club (opposite the library) between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm. Refreshments will be provided free of charge to members of the society. All members are urged to attend so that we can all discuss the way forward for the Society as we (hopefully) approach the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. So that we can let the caterers at the Club have an idea of the number of people to expect, please let Helen Box (mobile: 07815 068652 or email: helen_box@hotmail.com) know if you are intending to come to the meeting. Please attend if you can.
Enjoy your garden when you can. Stay safe. (If you have any queries about the society, please email Helen Box on helen_box@hotmail.com in the first instance.)
Keith Poole
INFORMATION Groby Parish Council Park Gates Will be CLOSED & LOCKED At 4 -30 pm From October 1st
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If Benny and Bjorn had been called Steve and Dave, ABBA would have been called ASDA.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
The Whistleblower Supply problems for gardeners too WE HAVE been hearing on the news lately about problems obtaining some goods because of supply issues, either by being held up at ports by mountains of new paperwork or by problems finding HGV drivers to transport the goods around the country, or a combination of both! You will not be surprised to hear that these problems also extend to garden goods and sundries. Many people are finding that ordering a garden shed or garden furniture not only has a really long delivery date (did that container ship which got stuck in the Suez Canal carry absolutely everything!) but have also increased substantially in price too – sometimes by as much as 50% to 100%. I was speaking to a horticultural wholesaler the other day who was complaining that something as humble as a bamboo garden cane will also greatly increase in price. Like almost everything else in the world it seems, bamboo comes from China, and apparently the cost of shipping a container full of canes over to the UK has increased by as much as 800%! This will obviously have a knock-on effect of the product price. I’m going to take really good care of my old canes this winter, it could be that they will be worth their weight in gold!
Our hedgehog is discharged from hospital IN THE LAST issue of the Spotlight, I mentioned that we had found a severely dehydrated large adult male hedgehog on the allotments. He was found on one of the really hot and sunny days a couple of months ago and was clearly in some distress. Well, a few weeks at the Wildlife Hospital in Kibworth
have done him a power of good. He was discharged at the end of August and looked very healthy when I went to collect him and bring him home. He was very lively and not quite as large as when I dropped him off. I think they had put him through some sort of boot camp as he did look very healthy! He didn’t enjoy the drive home, judging by the amount of scratching around in his box, trying to find a way out but eventually he settled down to sleep. We got him back to where he had his nest on one of the plots and left him in the box until he woke up.
are still producing lovely pods! I am also waiting for some crops still to ripen, like the sweetcorn. However, there is ground available now to start planting autumn crops to see me through at least the autumn and hopefully the winter too. I am going to plant some winterhardy lettuce varieties now which will last me through the autumn and with a bit of cover may well last into the winter too. I’m also going to plant some broccoli, which should start to sprout from late February all being well, as long as I get them in now so they can benefit from the long daylight hours and better weather and get established, but I will cover them with insect proof netting to keep not only butterflies laying their eggs at bay but also hungry pigeons.
Social Event restart! AFTER A short break in August due to most of our volunteers taking a well-earned holiday, the allotment Open Shed Sundays are back!
We then put him next to his home and after a quick look around, he dived into his old nest, obviously remembering where he was! We have to feed him for the next week or so until he gets used to fending for himself again instead of being waited on hand and foot! The plot holder is so happy to have their own slug and snail cure back!
We will be holding our next event on Sunday 12th September and although primarily a social event for allotment members, we also welcome all village residents to come and have a tea or coffee and a bacon bun or veggie alternative and have a chat or browse around our bric-à-brac, book or plant/ produce stalls or even have a go on the tombola. It is held on the Ratby Road site by the car park main entrance between 10am and 12 noon monthly.
Carol Lincoln
By Robert Peston A POLITICAL aide is struck by a rush hour train at a busy London station. But what initially looks like a tragic accident is, in fact, the first in a chain of events that will shock the world to its core. On the morning of his death, Jeff Tindle was on his way to meet journalist Peter Sacks, promising a major scoop involving the Leader of the Opposition. It is only when Tindle fails to show - and Sacks sees the news - that the true gravity of the situation becomes apparent. When Sacks receives a mysterious voice note - becoming the only man alive who knows the whistleblower’s secret - it is both the first piece of the puzzle in a shocking international conspiracy, and the beginning of a deadly investigation into the dark, deceptive heart of power. The Whistleblower is the story of a journalist who is thrust into a political conspiracy, and the people in power who will stop at nothing to keep him quiet. Told my wife I wanted our kids every other weekend and she reminded me that we’re married and live together so I’d have to see them every day.
The Harvest is In THIS TIME of year has us all busy picking our crops. I am still harvesting tomatoes, beans, peppers, chillies, courgettes, kale, beetroot and of course raspberries and although most of my pea plants have withered, there are a couple that
Do you ever get up in the morning, look in the mirror and think, “That can’t be accurate.”
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Groby Scouters recognised with awards WE ARE VERY fortunate to have many people within the group working hard to provide scouting within Groby, several of these have been recognised in this year’s county awards. Congratulations go to Paul Chick, Paul McMorran and Jamie Flude for receiving the Chief Scout Commendation for good services which is awarded for 5+ years of good service. It is the Chief Scout’s recognition of the very real contribution made to the Scouts by the individual concerned. And also to Sean Williams for receiving The Bar to the Award for Merit - for outstanding service. For keen, conscientious, imaginative and dedicated service over a sustained period, of at least 12 years duration with The Bar awarded after at least five years of further outstanding service after receiving the Award for Merit. The following Leaders have also been recognised with long service awards;
Andy Stone - 5 Years. Andy Payne - 5 Years. Peter Dodge - 25 Years. Alastair Patterson - 30 Years. Well done all and thank you for your continued support to Groby Scouts.
We are currently looking for a Secretary for the Group.
IT WILL TAKE up about 4 hours per month of your time. Working with the committee that runs the Group. If you are interested then please drop an email to: secretary@grobyscouts.org.uk and we will be happy to send you details about the role to consider.
73rd Leicester (Groby) Scout Group
I bought a book titled “How To Scam People Online” about three months ago... It still hasn’t arrived.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Leicester group MiNT are back on stage
Gorgeous in Minutes
FANS OF much-loved Leicester harmony group MiNT will be pleased to hear that the lads are performing again.
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MiNT was formed in the late 60’s in Leicester by Alan Jones to play in Germany. He was originally accompanied by Rick Martin, George Moorley and Phil Cartwright
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Nominations now open for the 2021 LGIU & CCLA Councillor Awards
IN AUGUST, the only national awards ceremony celebrating the vital work of individual councillors across England opened its call for nominations. Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) and CCLA are proud to officially launch the 12th annual Cllr Awards, honouring the achievements of councillors that so often go unrecognised. This year’s award categories celebrate the essential and varied work of councillors and include the coveted Community Champion, Leader of the Year and Young Councillor of the Year awards, alongside a new Resilience and Recovery category for 2021.
Nominations can be made by anyone who would like to recognise a councillor doing outstanding work for their community.
They are open until Friday, 24 September with the shortlist unveiled at the end of October. The winners will be decided by a panel of judges composed of senior councillors and officers as well as leading stakeholders from across the sector. They will be revealed at this year’s ceremony, taking place on Wednesday, 1 December. Due to the ongoing Covid-related restrictions, it will be held as a hybrid event with virtual link ups to a central London venue. This year’s Awards are made possible thanks to the generous
support of founding partners, CCLA. Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGIU, said: “Local government supports all of us, each and every day. On every street, in every town, up and down the country, it is the vital work of councillors that keeps things moving. “Now is the time for us to support our local heroes by nominating those councillors who have stepped up to the plate during extraordinary circumstances to deliver for their communities. As we officially open nominations for Cllr Awards 2021, we welcome contributions from any member of the public as well as other councillors, officers and leaders. We look forward to once again receiving the highest calibre of nominations and showcasing the essential work of councillors in December.”
To nominate, go to: https:// lgiu.org/workstream/lgiuccla-cllr-awards-2021/
After several changes to the line up eventually with Leigh Catteralll and Dennis Stansall (ex Dennis and The Rockets), The MiNT 4-piece toured the UK and Europe and received national recognition with record releases, and Radio 1 and TV appearances. Moving from a 4 piece to a 5 piece in early 70’s,with Pete Brogden on lead vocal the group’s popularity moved up a level. MiNT became the only act to win shows on both Opportunity Knocks and New Faces - the top TV talent shows of the time - and secured a recording contract, with Pye, featuring Martin Wright on lead vocals. Following a successful club and cabaret circuit tour, they eventually called it a day. The group still get together to perform gigs locally with other well known Leicester musicians the current line up is Robin Pizer (ex Gypsy, Legay), Keith Chaplin (ex Myst, Plumb Loco) and Peter Surridge (ex Love Affair and Street Life) Alan Jones (ex Berkeley Squares The Rockets and the Martins). MiNT actively support several charities including Humberstone Hall/Help for Homeless, Alzheimers Society and Help for Heroes. Details of the band’s next few shows:
Friday 24th September at The LINFORD, Newtown Linford • 8:30 till 11:30 • Admission FREE Friday 8th October John Darrell (ex Rockets) Memorial at West End Club, Braunstone - Admission FREE Saturday 23rd October THORNTON CLUB, Thornton For more information: FaceBook link https://www.facebook.com/alan. jones.1671897
I just found out I’m colour blind. The diagnosis came completely out of the purple.
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Make a date: Saturday 2nd October at 10am
Sale of Jams & Chutneys to raise funds for Help The Heroes OVER THE last two years Mum has raised just short of £1,500 from sales of homemade jams, marmalade, pickles, beetroot, chutneys etc.
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Once again this year, she has been extremely busy growing her soft fruits, accepting very kind donations of fruit and vegetables allowing her to make huge amounts of jars of produce.
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Mum has all the produce in her garage for sale at 30 Lawnwood Road, Groby on Saturday 2nd October at 10am.
Tel: 07741 250877
She is truly appreciative (as am I) for everyone who has purchased and made individual donations to her in aid of Help for Heroes over the past two years. And we are hoping that the very kind people of the village support her again this year for this valuable charity for serving and exservice personnel of our Armed Forces here in the UK. Also, Groby Deli have very kindly volunteered to have stocks available in their store from which purchases can be made and all funds raised will be passed on for the charity. Mum spends a huge amount of time and money making the jams etc, buying as well as growing fruit, sugar, pectin, labels and takes NO money whatsoever from the funds raised. All monies go to this well deserved charity. Please can everyone support my Mum... Rose Blayney in raising funds once again forHelp for Heroes. Many thanks
Wendy Lemmon (Rose’s Daughter) p.s. Should anyone have any jam jars with screw top lids, she would be most grateful of them. They can be left outside the house.
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My wife says she is no longer buying junk food for the family because, “Everyone just eats it.”
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Just Haven’t Met You Yet By Sophie Cousens
Tell me the story of how you two met... Laura has built a career out of interviewing people about their epic real life love stories. When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that’s written in the stars. From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner. If Laura’s job has taught her anything it’s that when it comes to love, you can’t let opportunity pass you by. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending. But what if fate has other ideas?
Groby Brownies Go Green!
AFTER NEARLY a year of being little boxes on a screen, Groby Brownies and their leaders were extremely excited to be back to face-to-face meetings! Since meeting back, the girls have had non-stop smiles on faces, having tea parties for the Queens 95th birthday, playing games, exploring the woods, and doing lots activities, including building edible campfires (yum), most importantly they got to be back with their friends. The girls have fully embraced the outdoors environment since their return, with most girls saying how important it was for them in lockdown to be able to go outside, especially in our local parks. As a way to say thankyou the girls have embarked on a project over at Millennium Green in Glenfield, by setting up four raised beds which will become the 2nd Groby Brownies herb, bee and butterfly garden. So far, the Brownies have built the beds themselves, made signs, planted herbs and have several different plants and flowers growing at home to be added throughout the year. It has given the girls the chance to give back something to the community, whilst embracing nature (getting muddy) and learning all at the same time. We can’t wait to be able to develop our plot and see how our garden grows. We would like to Thank the millennium Green Trust for allowing the girls the space to have their own project, members of the public who have given us compost, and also thankyou to Morrisons Glenfield, for their donation of plants and seeds to get the garden started.
2nd Groby Brownies
Visit Groby Lace Class
WE ARE CELEBRATING the 20th birthday of making bobbin lace in the Groby Lace Class. We meet in Groby Village Hall Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. The classes are suitable for those with some experience and complete beginners. Equipment can be loaned and purchased through the tutor. The picture show a beginner lace maker making her first mini bookmark in colour and with only a small amount of bobbins. You are welcome to come and visit us when we start back in September, see bobbin lace being made and the wide variety of patterns that are achievable. Taster sessions are also available. For further information, please contact Susan Marlow either by email at susanmarlow47@btinternet.com or by phone on 0116 236 5789.
I have an inferiority complex but it’s not a very good one.
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Enrich Your Child’s Learning Experiences
FAIR CUPPA FAIR CUPPA is back!
is back !
Thursdays
Thursdays 10.30 to 12.00 noon at the Village Hall The format is a bit different 10.30 to 12.00 noon at Groby Village Hall
from before:
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room, to accommodate 25 guests * you must sign in and anti bac as you enter the hall * you must wear face masks except when seated * you must wear face masks except when seated * table service is mandatory * table service is mandatory * tables and chairs are cleaned * tables and chairsbefore are cleaned before and after the event and after the event
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& Kidz Club
For further information For further information contact Elizabeth Jarvis 0116 287 6110 contact Elizabeth Jarvis 0116 287 6110
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Private Drive on Stephenson Way, Groby Available Now For further details, tel: 0116 287 6404
“Staff in the baby room place high priority on nurturing babies’ emotional wellbeing, hence settle in well.” “Children are happy, settled and enjoy their time in the nursery.” “Staff work closely with parents to reflect routines from home, and are caring and attentive to children’s individual needs.” OFSTED quote
We provide quality care for 0-11 yrs old, from 7.15am, Monday to Friday, all year round. 30 hours FREE for 3 & 4 year olds 15 hours FREE for 2 year olds Breakfast Club school drop offs Kidz Club collect from school Holiday Club trips around the county
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Find us and our sister settings: Apple Tree Day Nursery & Kidz Club and Pear Tree Nursery School & Kidz Club
My bed wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I had to stay home to take care of it.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Bradgate Rotary News from Adrian Walker Year to celebrate
DESPITE the Covid Pandemic and the lockdowns experienced over the past twelve months, the new Bradgate Rotary President, Brian Rigby, thanked previous President, Lesley Trivett, for her hard work in leading the Club during such a difficult time.
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Every Wednesday evening 6pm to 7pm at Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club.
For more details please contact Rashmi on
He also announced that the Club had a successful year, helping the local communities of Groby and beyond, plus managing to raise a staggering £21,750 for local charities including LOROS Hospice, Leicester Children’s Holidays, Prostaid, Canine Partners, Sidekick, Intercare, Baldwin Boats, Heartwise, Baby Basics and Bradgate Park. As a thank you to all the NHS and key workers over 850 free pizzas were delivered in Groby and over 1,200 takeaway meals were delivered to the isolated or in need. Rotary, the Stamford Arms volunteers, and many others rallied around to make it all happen.
Yoga and Meditation
07783 276524 Bradgate Rotary members join representatives of the supported charities.
2022 Bradgate Park Calendar
The annual Bradgate Rotary calendar on behalf of Bradgate Park was a huge success raising thousands of pounds for the Park, and other charities. The highly regarded 2022 calendar will be on sale from September in the usual outlets.
Well-being Events
At the time of writing this report, two of the four Well-being events have been very successfully held Wellbeing session at Groby ExOne of the gorgeous winning picture at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club and servicemen’s Club led by Shelley entries by Julie Potts. the Stamford Arms. The events Smith of Sunshine Well-being. funded by Leicestershire Council’s Covid recovery fund. As well as a welcome cuppa everyone had a slice of cake and then enjoyed a session organised by Shelley Smith of Sunshine Well-being.
Bradgate in Bloom
The competition has helped brighten up the gardens throughout the Bradgate area. The winners have been selected and informed. One of the winning entries was from Julie Potts, picture attached. Come and join us and make a difference to your community
Anyone interested in joining their local Rotary and helping the community please email your contact details to Adrian Walker at walk77a@yahoo.com
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‘Silver splitters’ try love again ARE YOU over 65? Want to get married again? Then you are right on-trend. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that ‘silver splitters’ – those who have divorced in later life – are remarrying in ever greater numbers. In fact, the number of brides and grooms aged 65 and over has gone up more than any other age bracket in the past decade. Having better health into older age, access to dating websites, and financial independence are thought to encourage this surge in later-life marriages.
I can’t believe I forgot to go to the gym today. That’s 7 years in a row now.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
NEW ONLINE TOOL HELPS WOMEN AND GIRLS PINPOINT LOCATIONS WHERE THEY FEEL UNSAFE LEICESTER, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews today (THURS) welcomed the launch of a new online tool enabling women and girls to flag areas of the county that make them feel unsafe. StreetSafe is a three-month national pilot launched by the Home Office as part of its strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. It will enable users to pin drop areas on a map where they feel at increased risk of crime - regardless of whether an offence has actually taken place. The data will be available to police and crime commissioners to improve safety and target resources in the right places, implementing additional security measures including night-time patrols and better street lighting. Welcoming the new scheme Mr Matthews said: “No area of Leicestershire should be off-limits to the public - especially women and girls - because of the risk or perceived threat of crime. If we can take positive action to address vulnerabilities and reduce the opportunity for violence, then I am determined to make that happen. “StreetSafe will arm decision-makers with the information they need to make improvements
in the right areas. This is all part of the Government’s ambitious plans to be more responsive to the needs of our communities and return power to the law-abiding citizen, which I wholeheartedly endorse. “Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority and as part of that commitment I want to understand where problems exist and do everything possible to prevent them so people can walk our streets with confidence.” StreetSafe has the support of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and is hosted on the national policing website police.uk. It is primarily aimed at women and girls and will allow the public to anonymously drop a pin on a map and describe the factors that cause them concern, including behavioural and environmental reasons why they felt unsafe including poorly-lit walkways to incidents of public harassment. The information will be used alongside other key data by policing, in partnership with stakeholders, to deliver improved wellbeing and safety for communities. Changes and improvements could range from installing CCTV and street lighting across a park or common, to introducing night-time patrols led by officers or members of the local community, such as Neighbourhood Watch groups. You can access StreetSafe at https://www. police.uk/streetsafe.
While the tool has not been designed to report crime, the Government and police are also urging more women and girls to come forward and report crimes like sexual harassment through existing channels such as 101. You can also report crime and anti-social behaviour to Leicestershire Police online at https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/howto-report-a-crime/ In an emergency always dial 999.
(Glenfield)
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
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13
Zebra crossings – saving Isn’t Nature Wonderful Parasite makes mice lose lives for 70 years SEVENTY years ago, on 31st October 1951, zebra crossings were introduced officially in the UK. The first one was in Slough, Berkshire. The crossings had been trialled over two years at 1000 experimental sites, but in 1951 the black and white striped pedestrian crossings were approved, with their flashing Belisha beacons, and all drivers were required by law to stop as soon as a pedestrian set foot on them. The crossings were the brainchild of Yorkshireman and traffic engineer George ‘Dr Zebra’ Charlesworth, a physicist who had worked on the Barnes Wallis-designed bouncing bomb during the war. His zebra crossings were certainly responsible for saving many lives.
fear of cats permanently
A RECENT CALLER to the Nick Abbot show on LBC mentioned a condition called Toxoplasmosis which cats can pass on to humans. The Spotlight science team looked it up on the internet, and this is what we found ... An article in Nature by Eliot Barford explains how the Toxoplasma gondii parasite infects up to one-third of people around the world and may have the ability to permanently alter a specific brain function in mice, according to a study. Toxoplasma gondii is known to remove rodents’ innate fear of cats. The research shows that even months after infection, when parasites are no longer detectable, the effect remains. This raises the possibility that the microbe causes a permanent structural change in the brain. The microbe is a single-celled pathogen that infects most types of mammal and bird, causing a disease called toxoplasmosis. But its effects on rodents are unique; most flee cat odour, but infected ones are mildly attracted to it. This is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to help the parasite complete its life cycle: Toxoplasma can sexually reproduce only in the cat gut, and for it to get there, the pathogen’s rodent host must be eaten.
The famous Abbey Road Zebra Crossing
The Belisha beacons, an integral part of the crossing but used since 1934, were introduced by Leslie Hore-Belisha, who served as Minister of Transport at the time. Zebra crossings were adopted throughout the world, from continental Europe to North America, Singapore and Australia. They have now been superseded to some extent in the UK by pelican crossings, which are controlled by lights. These were introduced in 1969. While zebras were named because of their appearance, a pelican crossing (originally pelicon) is so named as a contraction of the phrase ‘pedestrian light controlled’.
In humans, studies have linked Toxoplasma infection with behavioural changes and schizophrenia. One work found an increased risk of traffic accidents in people infected with the parasite; another found changes in responses to cat odour. People with schizophrenia are more likely than the general population to have been infected with Toxoplasma, and medications used to treat schizophrenia may work in part by inhibiting the pathogen’s replication. Schizophrenia is thought to involve excess activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. This has bolstered one possible explanation for Toxoplasma’s behavioural effect: the parasite establishes persistent infections by means of microscopic cysts that grow slowly in brain cells. It can increase those cells’ production of dopamine, which could significantly alter their function. Most other suggested mechanisms also rely on the presence of cysts.
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Did you hear about the kidnapping at school? It’s okay. He woke up.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS
Councillor Ted Hollick reports
Olympic and Paralympics
CONGRATULATIONS to all the athletes who participated in the games whether they were medal winners or not.
Engagements
DURING THE last 4 months I have attended a number of events in the Borough as well as Chairing 2 full council meetings.
William and Diesal are on the Hunt for their Perfect Match
AT LEICESTER Animal Aid we do everything we can to make sure the dogs and cats who come into the Centre receive good food, veterinary care and individual attention to help them feel secure and loved. We care for more than 400 cats and dogs every year who are lost, abandoned, unwanted or given up because their owners can no longer care for them. We try our hardest to make each animal’s stay with us as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. However, the Centre isn’t a substitute for a loving home environment and we want each one of our dogs and cats to find a new, forever family. Occasionally it can take a bit longer for some cats and dogs to find the right home. We match each one based on their individual needs to new homes – acting a bit like a dating agency!
William WILLIAM, also known as Funky Will.I.Am, is a two-to-three year old Deerhound cross.
In June, I attended and took the salute at the at the Hinckley Armed Forces Day Parade, July was the Induction and Licensing service of the Rev. Ian Hill, the new Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Hinckley.
LAA staff agree he is the coolest kid on the rehoming block and is loved by all who meet him. He enjoys meeting and greeting everyone. As a spry young boy, he has a lot of enthusiasm and energy to burn! He’s quick on his paws for his size and loves cuddles too, so you will need to ensure there is a big enough sofa for the both of you!
A particularly enjoyable occasion was the ceremony held on the 6th June also in Hinckley with the presentation of the prestigious Legion d’ Honneur to 95-year-old Gordon Bennett, (yes that is his real name) of Earl Shilton by the French Consul who represents the East Midlands JeanClaude Lafontaine.
William enjoys journeys where he can see the world passing him by and he always wants to be by your side. He will need a new home with an owner around to continue his housetraining and get used to being left. He could happily live with older teenage children as well. He is very social when out on walks but would best suited as the only pet in the home so he can focus on his training.
Diesal
On Saturday 4th September, I was pleased to welcome a very large crowd to the re-introduced Proms in the Park held as before in Hollycroft Park Hinckley. The entertainment - much enjoyed by all - was provided by the Leicester Bardi Wind Orchestra and guest soloists Jenny Saunders and David Morris, where a full evening of music was rounded off with a traditional Last Night of the Proms selection of sea songs and promenaders’ favourites.
Hedge cutting season approaches
AS THE nesting season draws to a close in September many will take the opportunity to trim their hedges. So it may well be a good time to remind residents / neighbours both near and far that the only material you can legally trim from a neighbour’s tree or hedge is the portion that overhangs their boundary fence and no more. If you remove more than this as in the accompanying picture you may well leave yourself open to a charge of trespass, criminal damage or theft.
AT ONLY 2 years old, Diesal has a whole lifetime of fun and affection to give his new family. Diesal has seen others come and go in the time he has been with us and it’s fair to say, so far, this man of action has been a little overlooked. This may be due to the pandemic as we have not been able to have members of the public look around the Cattery in the usual way. We always put information about our ‘available’ animals on our website and social media accounts, but Diesal’s quirks and personality traits are far and wide and must be seen to be believed. Diesal is playful, super-agile (as you may expect for a whippersnapper of two years old) and is very inquisitive. We think he must have caught a little football fever over the summer because he loves to play with his ball and carries it around in his mouth. Because of his playful nature, Diesal would thrive in a home where folks have time to engage with him and keep him busy. But, he does love a cuddle and has a lovely, softer side to him, too. We think that, in the right home, he would make a purrrrfect companion!
If you feel you could give a home to William or Diesal please give the Centre a call at 01455 888257 or visit our website at www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk. (Editor’s Note: Diesal is the correct spelling - we checked with LAA.)
Councillor Ted Hollick Call: 0116 287 5955 Mobile: 07962 373983 E-mail: ted.hollick@outlook.com Write: 7 Shaw Wood Close, Groby, LE6 0FY
Ever since I took geometry at school, my life has turned around 360 degrees.
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They’re Crafty, and they Stitch ...
The Crafty Stitchers of Leicestershire MAY I INTRODUCE you to ‘Crafty Stitchers Leicestershire’. Our main aim is to meet together, enjoy each other’s company and our hobby of embroidery.
At our meetings we have stitch afternoons, learning new techniques or new stitches from each other or from an expert. We also have speakers and these range from those telling of their journey through stitch or maybe their travels abroad or how they had come across a particular idea and had made it their life’s work, bringing with them some of their beautiful work to show us. During lock down we have had some very interesting Zoom meetings and have completed two joint projects, making quilts for the ‘Linus Charity’ We meet from 2.00-4.30 on the second Saturday each month at Braunstone West Social Centre, St Mary’s Avenue (off Braunstone Lane), Leicester, LE3 3FT If you enjoy being creative, like any sort of stitch and would like to join us, you would be most welcome. If, however, you are interested in finding a new hobby and don’t have any previous experience, I’m sure you would enjoy it too. Please contact Briony on 01162 872531 for further information or just turn up on the day.
Susan Flint
How to make the most of your looks LESS ATTRACTIVE people can make themselves more attractive in the workplace if they stand tall and adopt a ‘power stance’.
So says a recent study from the State University of New York, accepting that “attractive individuals have a greater sense of power than their less attractive counterparts” and thus “exhibit a more effective non-verbal presence.” In the study, researchers showed less attractive people how to adopt the ‘power stance’ of ‘chin up, chest out, hands on hips and feet shoulder-width apart.’ The result?Well, you may feel that the stance makes you look like a teapot, but apparently, by adopting “the physical postures associated with feelings of power and confidence”, less attractive people can often “level the playing field” at work.
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Not metabolism - it’s what you eat SADLY, we can no longer blame a slowing metabolism for piling on the pounds as we reach middle age. Extra weight is more likely to be due to our lifestyle choices of exercise and diet. A new study, based at Duke University in the US, has found that our metabolism remains steady between 20 and 60 years old. After 60, our metabolism does slowly decline, by 0.7 per cent per year.
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I’ve finally told my suitcases there will be no holiday this year. Now I’m dealing with the emotional baggage.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea Email: ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk or ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
Grass Verge Leicester Road Junction of Highway Close, Groby WITH REGARDS to last month’s article, I can now confirm that Assistant Director of Highways is taking this matter up with the Borough Council’s Planning Department with regards to landscaping conditions within the planning application that were granted. We all want to see this area kept neat and tidy. However, rate payers should not have to bear the cost of restoring it, so that it can be maintained by Highways.
Permissive Footpath between The Ivanhoe Line Track Ratby and Sacheverell Way AS REPORTED last month, I receive numerous complaints regarding the horses that are in the fields that run on both sides of the Permissive footpath that crosses from the Ivanhoe trail to Sacheverell Way. I regularly have to contact either the owner of the horses or the management that maintains the footpath due to damaged fencing or horses that are on the path or are tangled around wire. I have been made aware that one of the land owners has taken court action against the owner of the horses in order to have them removed from their land. This is because the owner does not have permission to graze their horses on the land. It may well be the other land owner will do the same. I will keep residents updated as I know many of you care about the horses’ welfare.
Scammers can catch anyone MAKE SURE you are always using a secure internet connection. Recently I was on holiday on the Isle of Wight. I was using the site’s internet to connect to my Sainsbury’s nectar points. A couple of days later I got an email saying all my points had been spent in Wimbledon that day. Fortunately Sainsbury’s restored my points. It turned out the sites internet was not secure even though I had anti-virus protection on my laptop.
message is really there. If it isn’t, you know the email you received is likely to be from a scammer.
Contacting the Police RESIDENTS can contact the police via the phone by ringing 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Ignore links and attachments because computer viruses can find their way onto your computer by scammers tricking you into installing them. For example, ransomware threatens to take action on your computer - such as deleting files - unless you pay a ransom.
The police are also asking for residents to report crimes on line. The following is a message from our local beat team: Did you know you can report crime and incidents using our online portal? Please visit https:// www.leics.police.uk/ Click on REPORT. 999
In an emergency please dial
How to spot an email scam USE THE TOP 10 tips from Which to safeguard yourself from fraudsters using email scams to steal your information and money.
1. Check the ‘from’ address It’s always worth checking the address the email comes from for spoofing. Scammers often change its name to make it look more like it is from the company or organisation they are pretending to contact you from. A scam email usually has a fairly bizarre email address behind what looks like a genuine sender name. To find out if there’s a fraudster behind what looks like a genuine sender, use your mouse to hover the cursor over or right-click on the sender name and you should see the email address behind it.
2. Is the greeting impersonal? Increasingly you will notice that scammers are getting better at sending emails which include our name in the first line of the message. However, not all of them do. Sometimes scam emails will just say “Hi” and not include your name, other times your email address will be used after “Hi”. This impersonal approach to contacting you is another sign that it’s likely to be a scammer behind the email.
3. Check contact information and dates Does the ‘contact us’ information at the bottom of the email link to anything? Is it clickable? Are the websites it links to genuine? If the answer is no, you should be on your guard. To see where a weblink links to without actually clicking on it, simply hover your mouse cursor over the link. In the bottom left-
hand corner of your web browser, the web address where the link goes to will appear. Are the copyright dates (or any others) up to date? Often scammers will forget this detail. We came across an email scam in March 2017, which said the closing date of the competition being advertised in the email was December 31st 2016. If you see this level of inconsistency, it’s probably a scam.
4. Check branding Scam emails are often pretending to be from big brands, companies, supermarkets, retailers and deal sites or from trusted government departments. Checking branding and keeping an eye on the quality of branded logos, etc, in the email can strongly indicate if the email is a scam. Is the branding on the email the same as it is on the company or government website? Does it match the last genuine email you received from them? If the answer is no, be suspicious.
5. Check if the linked website is legitimate If you have clicked through to a website or landing page from an email thinking it is genuine, make sure you also double-check the authenticity of the website.
If you suspect an email might be from a scammer, do not click on any links or download any attachments featured in the scam email as these may download a computer virus onto your computer. Make sure you stay securitysavvy and ensure your antivirus software is always up to date, as this will provide an extra layer of protection if you have unknowingly downloaded a computer virus after clicking a link or downloading an attachment.
6. Asking for personal or bank details? If an email is asking you to update or re-enter your personal or bank details out of the blue, it is likely going to be a scam. Personal information includes things like your National Insurance number, your credit card number, Pin number, or credit card security code, your mother’s maiden name or any other security answers you may have entered. Most companies will never ask for personal information to be supplied via email.
7. Poor spelling, grammar and presentation? Increasingly scammers are getting better at presenting phishing emails that are more or less free of poor spelling and grammar. But, you should still watch out for these telltale signs.
If it’s a big brand or company, simply open a new tab and do a quick search for them. Click on their website and then compare the URL addresses.
More common is to see a real lack of consistency with the presentation of the email, which may include several different font styles, font sizes and a mismatch of logos.
Are they the same, similar or totally different? This should give you a good indication as to whether the landing page is a fake or genuine.
8. Trying hard to be ‘official’?
If you haven’t yet clicked a link but are being asked to do so you can access an important message on your account, avoid the temptation to act quickly and log in via the email link. Instead, open your browser and log in to your account via the official website. Check if the
Scammers often try hard to make the email sound official. They will do this in a number of ways, including using the word ‘official’. You are unlikely to see the messaging in a truly official email shouting about how official it is. Scam emails may also contain information such as account numbers and IDs designed to trick you into thinking the email
When a man says it’s a silly, childish game, it’s probably something his wife can beat him at.
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Tel 0116 2394336 or 07808 585825
17
Applications for secondary school places now open PARENTS and carers with children due to start secondary school in Leicestershire in September 2022 can now apply for school places. The application process is now open, and parents need to apply for their preferred schools by Sunday, 31st October 2021.
is genuine. Check any of these against your records to see if they match.
9. Trying to rush you? Fraudsters will try to pressure you with time-sensitive offers, encouraging you to act now or miss out on ‘exclusive’ deals. Take your time to make all the checks you need. If the message is alerting you to look at something linked to an account you have with the company, organisation or retailer, you should log in separately to your account in a new tab or window It’s better to miss out on a genuine deal than risk compromising your personal details or money.
10. Check with real company, brand or department If you’re still unsure whether a scammer is behind the email you received, get in touch with the brand or company featured in your email directly via social media or their ‘contact us’ page. Remember also to check the brand or company help and customer services pages. Often big companies are aware of scams circulating and have published advice for customers on what to watch out for.
And finally Finally I would like to thank you all for your continued support and remind you that should you need my help or advice, I always pride myself on making myself available to residents. Remember I am only a phone call or email away.
Ozzy O’shea
Always Working for you Cllr Ozzy O’shea Tel 0116 239 4336 Mobile 07808 585825 Email Ozzy.O’shea@leics.gov.uk Email ozzyoshea@hotmail.com
More information about schools in Leicestershire and the application process can be found at https:// www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ education-and-children/schoolscolleges-and-academies/ school-admissions/apply-for-asecondary-school-place Last year over 95 per cent of children received a place at their preferred school but parents and carers are reminded that to help increase their chances of securing a place they need to apply for three schools, including their catchment school. No school will automatically allow your children admission so it’s crucial that applications are submitted before the 31st October deadline. Parents can find out more information about schools and admissions in the council’s ‘Your Guide to Education’ which is available online at: https:// www.leicestershire.gov.uk/ education-and-children/schoolscolleges-and-academies/schooladmissions/your-guide-toeducation#list For further advice on your preferred schools and information around virtual open days, please contact individual schools directly. Parents unable to apply online can call the Customer Service Centre on 0116 305 6684 and request a form to be sent out. A total of 7,400 on time applications were received for Autumn 2021 start, of which: • 88.9 per cent secured their first choice (89.2 per cent in 2020) • 95.4 per cent secured one of their top three choices (95.6 per cent in 2020) You take away the looks, money, intelligence, charm and success and, really, there’s no real difference between me and George Clooney. I recently added squats to my workouts by moving the beer into the bottom shelf of the fridge.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Groby Community Library News Summer Reading Challenge
Wriggly Readers
WE’RE DELIGHTED that we will be restarting our Wriggly Readers sessions on 7th October 10.30am – 11am, then fortnightly after that. Wriggly Readers is aimed at all pre-school aged children, no matter how young they are. We read stories, sing songs and have time for colouring pictures. Children are free to move around and join in with the stories as much as they like. More volunteers to help read stories are always welcome. We look forward to seeing you soon! Parents and children can stay and choose some books and enjoy a drink from the café after the session. Not a library card holder? It’s free to join and even babies can have their own card.
THE SUMMER Reading Challenge has now ended.
We hope all the children have enjoyed taking part with the ‘Wild World Heroes’ helping to save the planet. Did you see the Library Scarecrow ‘Book Man’ at the Groby scarecrow festival? His superpower is a ‘Thirst for Knowledge’ because ‘Knowledge is Power!’
The Seven Ages of Death By Dr Richard Shepherd
Dr Richard Shepherd, Britain’s top forensic pathologist, has spent a lifetime close to the dead. As a medical detective, each autopsy he carries out is its own unique investigation, uncovering the secrets not only of how a person died, but also of how they café is open when the lived.
News from Groby Community Library
Fancy helping out?
We are delighted that the ‘Time Out’ café is OPEN again. The library i Can you spare a couple of hours a week? Enjoy a cake at the Out 9thTime August the library and café will be open 6 days a week. Hours will be Mon 2-4, Tues 10-1 Through We’re still looking for volunteers to help run the café and twenty-four of his most intriguing, library or perhaps both? If you’re interested email: Thurs 10-12 Fri 2-4theand Sat 10-12. Café - they are amazing!
enlightening and never-beforetold cases, Dr Shepherd shares a couple of hours a week? We’re looking for volunteers to help run the café a autopsies that span the seven ages of human existence, and perhaps If not you’re missing someor amazing home-you’d like to be a trustee? If you’re interested email volunteers@grobylibrary.co.u have taught him as much about the made cakes. Don’t forget the café is open when application form inBOOKS the library. from the Sunday Times Bestsellers’ list, marvels of life as the inevitability the library is open. in stock at Groby Community Library: of death. Our opening hours continue to be Monday We are asking all our volunteers to continue to wear face coverings encourage cu Matt Haig The Midnight Library From and old to would young, from murder 2-4, Tuesday 10-12, Wednesday 2-4, Thursday to misadventure, andhand from illness 10-12, Friday 2-4 and Saturday 10-12. aim everyone so too toWe keep safe and the Covid to offer sanitiser Victoria Hislop One August Night rates down. We continue to accidental death, each of these to return to our previous opening hours in the Ken Follett The Evening and the Morning still register bodies has something to reveal: next couple of months when we have enoughwith the Covid QR code. Harlan Coben Win about human development, about volunteers and can keep everyone safe. mortality, who about its owner’s life instrume We were sorry to say Janet Harrison, one of our trustees, has been John goodbye Grisham Ato Time for Mercy story, about justice and even about La Plante JudasWe Horse the ‘Time Out’ caféLynda off the ground. wish her well in her future endeavours. Thanks Janet! Shepherd himself. James Patterson Deadly Cross WE NOW have two computers open From the bestselling author for use by the public.Have you seen ourDanielle Steele R oyal new picnic tables? These have been purchased with Causes the help ofa a grant f of Unnatural comes powerful, moving and above all The public can also use our printer/photocopier David Baldacci Daylight and Bosworth Borough Council. We’re hoping that, while the weather is good, customers can reassuring book about death as which currently costs 25p per sheet for black Sophie Kinsella Love your Life them for activities and events in the future too. We coffee and cake outside. We hope to use it touches our own lives - how and white. We will soon be receiving a new understand and, when our printer which will have a new payment system. however, to find that within days of being installedtothey disappointed, hadit,been damaged by Roz Smith time comes (as it must), how The volunteers will be trained in how this works Trustee Groby Community Library scratched on to them. We do have CCTV covering the patio so to we can see you! We welcome embrace it as the last great so will be able to help you to use it. adventure. the tables but please treat them with respect. We’d also appreciate anyone using the tables t
HAVE YOU visited the Time Out Café Can you spare at the library recently?
volunteers@grobylibrary.co.uk or ask for an application form in the library.
Groby Library Charts!
Two computers available now
bins for their rubbish.
Over the last few weeks we have received a stock of great new books for both adults and ch Retired couple them are on the best seller lists.
looking for
Groby LibraryBungalow Charts! to Books from the Sunday Times Bestsellers, in stock at Groby Community Library:
Rent in Groby
Glenfield couple Mr/Mrs A and andPJames Patterson Jones (age 70+) areThe looking for a bungalow to Midnight Library rent preferably in Groby.
Bill Clinton The President's Daughter Matt Haig Peter James I Follow You Ideally 2/3 bedroom detached garage. Maggie O'Farrell withHamnet Already renting, so no chain. Philippa Gregory Dark Tides All properties/areas considered. Douglas Stuart Shuggie Bain 231 1940 Stephen KingTel:0116 If It Bleeds Mobile:07860 Ian Rankin A Song for291511 the Dark Times Email:alanjonesdesigns@ Lee Child and Andrew Child Sentinel. ntlworld.com For me, and sober” means showered and headed thethe pub. Webeing are so“clean pleased that we are once I’m again offering children agedto 4-12 Summer Reading
This year it’s the ‘Wild World Heroes’. Help the heroes to save the environment! Register at t
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19
Elizabeth Woodville News
IT HAS BEEN wonderful to welcome back our pupils for the new school year, especially our new children starting school for the first time in the Foundation Stage. Everyone has been excited to begin their learning journey in their new classes. This month we have an artistic theme to our news, with classes learning from different artists and becoming inspired to create their very own masterpieces!
Monochromatic Mountain Skylines WHAT an incredible start it has been to life in Year 3! During our first week, we have been studying famous monochromatic paintings by Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau and Picasso. The children particularly liked Picasso’s ‘Roofs of Barcelona’ painting and this has inspired them to create their very own monochromatic skyline with mountains which links nicely with our Geography topic. Initially, we have been practising colour mixing by adding white and black paint to make our original colour either a lighter or darker shade. Now we have perfected this skill, it is time for our first draft.
Graffiti Art and Reversible Reactions YEAR 5 have settled into the new term brilliantly and we are very proud of the way they have taken on the role of Upper Key Stage 2 pupils! In Science, they have been experimenting with various different materials and researching the results when mixed with water, and even made salt crystals to demonstrate a reversible reaction. The graffiti art has made a great classroom display.
A super start to school OUR NEW Foundation Stage have had a lovely first few weeks settling in. Seeing their new classroom, exploring the wonderful outdoor area, touring the school, making new friends and checking out our school dinners for the first time. (They were a huge success!) In the coming weeks, our new class can look forward to map making, story-telling, sorting and matching, den building, searching for animal habitats in the school grounds and much, much more! Continuing our artistic theme, the children have also been looking carefully at themselves and their features to paint their own wonderful self-portraits for their very first display. It’s an exciting time of year!
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I’m pretty sure I’m going to die without knowing what 95% of a scientific calculator is used for.
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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
National Trust Leicester Association IN ADDITION to its historic houses and large areas of countryside the National Trust also owns a number of islands around England.
Where’s Cannonball when you need him?
The largest is Lundy in the Bristol Channel where there are 23 self-catering properties, a campsite, a general stores and a pub. Access is by ferry or helicopter. You can see seals and puffins and the Manx Shearwater which now inhabits the island. However, perhaps the most interesting is Orford Ness off the coast of Suffolk. The habitats are very varied including vegetated shingle, brackish lagoons, reed marshes and mud flats, all of which are home to a wide variety of wildlife. These include Chinese water deer, big brown hares, barn owls and birds of prey including falcons and marsh harriers. There is also a sheep flock made up of a mix of several different rare breeds. Many plants have adapted to survive in the salty atmosphere of the coast and the desert like conditions of the shingle. As you walk round the island you will also pass many buildings. Most are open and inside you will discover what went on in these historic structures. For nearly 80 years men and women, military and civilian, crossed the river Ore from Orford Quay to serve their country in top-secret work. They were responsible for an astonishing series of developments in weaponry and defence systems vital to the outcome of the 20th century world conflicts. Shifting shingle has altered the landscape over many years and the Ness’s importance as a military site from the days of Napoleon to the Second World War have also left their mark. All journeys on the ferry to the island have to be booked in advance of your visit. The other islands owned by the Trust are Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, where you can walk through woods, an abandoned village and along the beach; the Farne Islands in Northumberland where you can see seals and seabirds and on some occasions dolphins and Minke whales; Northey Island, accessed by causeway, in the Blackwater Estuary, Essex, important for overwintering birds and for the oldest recorded battlefield in Britain. Finally Derwent Island is in the middle of Derwent Water in the Lake District. It has just one house and is the only inhabited island in the whole of the Lakes. Most NT properties are now fully open and advance booking is no longer required. Stoneywell Cottage is open Friday to Monday, however advance booking is still required. • THE NATIONAL TRUST LEICESTER ASSOCIATION will restart their programme this month. There will be an afternoon meeting on Wednesday 22nd September at 2.30pm at St Guthlac’s Memorial Hall, Holbrook Road, Leicester, LE2 3LF, when Bill Devitt will present an illustrated talk on “The Orient Express”. Please check the Association web site, at www.leicesternt.com - for full details of all meetings and events.
Alan Tyler, Publicity Officer NT Leicester Association
THE PROBLEMS caused by the shortage of HGV drivers at the moment reminded me of a popular TV series I remember as a child. Cannonball was a British/ Canadian adventure drama series which followed the adventures of Mike Malone (Paul Birch), whose nickname is ‘Cannonball’ and Jerry Austin (William Campbell), two truckers who haul cargo across the US and Canada for the fictitious Toronto-based C&A Transport Company Ltd. It had a really catchy theme song lyrics below: Barrelin’ down the highway, Wheelin’ right along Hear the tyres hummin’, Hummin’ out a song The rumble of the diesel, The shiftin’ of the gears The rhythm when he’s rollin’, It’s music to his ears Cannonball!, Cannonball!
Spot Spot the TheDifferences Difference
Any kind of weather, Any time of day When the rig is ready, He’ll be on his way He’ll carry any cargo, He’ll go anywhere Name the destination, And brother he’ll be there Cannonball!, Cannonball! The series aired from October 6, 1958 to July 13, 1959, for 39 episodes in black-and-white.
Can YOU spot the 10 differences in the cartoons above? Answers are on page 23. Good luck!
The duo’s adventures come to an end in the series’ final episode, “Tunnel Vision”. Austin, who is Malone’s co-driver on the truck, has an opportunity to go back and finish college. Malone knows this but realizes Austin will not take the opportunity because it will break up their partnership. In his yearly medical check up, Malone pretends to have tunnel vision (lack of peripheral vision) which means he no longer qualifies to drive trucks. This frees Austin who is able to finish his college education.
You can still see episodes of Cannonball on YouTube.
Moses had the first tablet that could connect to the cloud.
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21
Without help, the Trust will close
The future of Glenfield Millennium Green THE MILLENNIUM GREEN was set up 23 years ago to keep the land on the north western edge of Glenfield as public open space. At the time money was available from the Countryside Commission for local groups to achieve this. This money could not be used by public bodies. So the Glenfield Millennium Green Trust was set up and most of the area was leased to the Trust by the Parish Council. After public consultation, and many community events to raise extra money needed to match the grant, the Green as you know it was created. The aim was always to provide local residents, of all ages and abilities, with a space to use in a variety of ways. There is an area of open grassland for informal use, an infants play area, a garden with raised beds and a glade of native trees where daffodils are planted as a Marie Curie ‘Field of Hope’. Picnic tables and benches have been added in various areas and a perimeter path connects everything.
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The Trust has relied on volunteers to manage much of the maintenance on the Green and a gardening group meets regularly during the summer months. Some residents look after sections of the garden in their own time. We have raised money by having coffee mornings, table top sales, garden fetes plant sales and our 100 Club to pay for mowing the grass monthly and major repairs to paths. As the trees, and hedges, have grown we also have to pay for expert help. As the years have passed the Green has become an essential area of recreation - especially during the last 18 months of the pandemic. Unfortunately it has also meant that we could hold no community events or celebrations on the Green. It has also led to an increase in anti-social behaviour and some damage which has yet to be put right.
Help is needed urgently!
THE CHARITABLE TRUST running the Green has appealed, over the years, for new members with only limited success. It is with some regret that the current trustees find themselves in a position that they are unable to continue to manage the Green without more help. Without new trustees or volunteers we will have no choice but to close the Trust and the land will revert back to the Parish Council who own the freehold.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BECOME A TRUSTEE to keep this area safe from any adverse changes please contact us by phone 0116 2991868 or e-mail: springtor@btinternet.com. This is your opportunity to help protect the environment and make sure good opportunities for healthy activity are retained. Thank you for reading this article.
The Trustees of Glenfield Millennium Green
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In 20 years, I bet there’s going to be a college course called eye contact.
22
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Spotlight Small Ads • Medium sized foldable Dog Transport Cage. Price: £10. • Wall mounted Mirror. Size 1200mm x 1000mm - undamaged and complete with fixing kit. Price: £20. Tel: 0116 287 6715 (Groby) • Vanhous Lawn Scarifier, little used. Price: £20. • Flymo Garden Vac/Blower. Price: £10. • Essentially Cuisine Heated Buffet Server, 3 serving dishes. Price: £5. Tel: 01530 243810 (Markfield) • John Lewis black TV stand for 38” TV. Very good condition. Price: £25. • Bosch Drill PSB 650 RE.Corded Hammer Drill. Price: £10. • Black & Decker DN 56/D3 Circular Saw. Price: £10. • B&Q Angle Grinder PAG 600D 41/2inch 600w 115 MM. Price: £15. Above in good working condition • Mastech MY64 32 position Multimeter with temperature gauge. Price: £5. Tel. 01530 245944 (Markfield) • Wooden Tray - 59x40x8 cm. Price: £1. • Overbed Table - 41x61 cm. Height adjustable between 61 x 92cm. Price: £5. • Coopers wheeled Walking Frame, width 53.5 cm. Price: £5. • Coopers narrow wheeled Walking Frame - width 46cm. Price: £5. Tel: 01530 242884 (Markfield) • Caravan Electric Hookup Cable, 25m, as new. Price: £10. • Panasonic Television, 24 inch screen. Full working condition. Remote control with Netflix button. Price: £65. Tel: 01530 230037 or 07792 756258 (Bagworth) • Wicker basket & leather straps for ladies shopping bike. New, unused. Price: £20. • Roller Skates - girls, black & pink, adjustable size. Used, good condition, 12j - 2. Price: £15. • Manfrotto Camera Bag 15x10x10cm. New. Price: £15. • Ridge Cycling Glasses. New. Price: £7. • Halfords 12 function wireless Cycle Computer. New. Price: £10. • Bike Bottle Holder. New. Price: £3. • Tacx Bluetooth/Ant Heart Rate Monitor. Price: £25. Tel: 07584 344719 (Groby) • Morphy Richards Slow Cooker. Price: £15. • M&S Health Grill. Price: £15. Tel: 01530 243778 (Markfield)
• Thule Roof Rack - off Qashqai. VGC. Price: £80. • Golf Clubs - Wilson left hand, 8 irons and 3 woods. New grips. Plus small golf bag. Price: £30. • Push Chair - Mamas & Papas, with full covers. Price: £25. Tel: 0116 231 2227 (Groby) • Nearly new ‘Clean’ Shopping Buggy - two large wheels, brown coloured, place for purse at back. Cost £14 - Accept £10. Tel: 01530 244626. • Samsung 19” Monitor Syncmaster 943 SN. Complete with leads and stand. Price: £10. Tel: 0116 319 2662 (Groby) • Lawnmower - Bosch Rotak 34. 3600H81A72. Corded electric. Renovated. No unusual noises. Needs extension lead to connect. Photos available online. Price: £30. • Dri-Fit Sport Socks. Large size. One pair. Brand new. Photos available online. £FREE. Tel: 07866 109206 (Groby) • Quingo Plus Mobility Scooter, with new anti-theft alarm fitted, stick carrier, back sack, cape - all never used. Price: £995. Tel: 0116 287 0729 (Groby) • Flymo grass collector Electric Mower ‘Turbo Lite’ 250 model 1 year old and in good condition Price: £30. • Flymo leaf Vac Suck And Blow. Price: £5. Tel: 0116 287 7789 (Groby) • Gents Bike - Raleigh Manta Ray. Price: £55. Tel 07458 385029 or 0116 287 6183 (Groby). • Spacesaver Wheel - 16” Peugeot/Citroen, new with carry case ,jack & brace. Price: £40 o.n.o. • Pair Axle Stands - 1524 kg FREE. • Elliptical Cross Trainer DTX good condition. Price: £35. • Flymo Hovervac Lawnmower with spare blades. Price: £30. Tel: 07561 816369 (Groby) • Bike (Man’s). Raleigh OGRE 300 Max. Excellent Condition. Hardly Used. Price: £60. Tel: 0116 287 6782 (Groby) • Tower Health Grill And Panini Maker. 700W. Cleaned. Full working order. Little used. Price: £10. • Baby Folding High Chair. By Mamas & Papas. White. All complete. Excellent condition. Price: £20. Tel: 07866 109206 (Groby)
• Estleys Motorised Treadmill M600+. As new, hardly used. Excellent condition. Folds flat for storage. Instructions included. Price £325. Tel: 07788 533066 (Groby) • 4 x 1000 piece Jigsaw Puzzles - village life scenes. Used once. Price: £5 each sold separately or all 4 together £15.00. Can supply photos. Tel: 07790 734858 (Groby)
SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. Maximum EIGHT items please. Our postal address is: Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can email details to: info@grobyspotlight. co.uk PLEASE ENSURE that you put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (not for publication, just to know where you are).
Find You First By Linwood Barclay
It’s a deadly race against time… Tech billionaire Miles has more money than he can ever spend, but he can’t buy more time. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, he is forced to take a long, hard look at his past. Somewhere out there, Miles has children who don’t know it, but they might be about to inherit the good and bad from him – possibly his fortune, or possibly something more sinister. So, Miles decides to track them down. But a lethal killer is one step ahead of him. One by one, people are vanishing. Not just disappearing, every trace of them is wiped.
I made a graph of my past relationships. It has an ex axis and a why axis.
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Do you know of anyone living in Groby who might benefit from financial assistance? THEN consider the Thomas Herbert Smith’s Trust Fund. The Fund provides and supports with the object of improving the conditions of life for inhabitants of Groby. It has interests in social welfare by providing facilities for the aged and poor or those who are sick or in distress. It also considers applications involving recreation and other leisure-time activities. So who was Thomas Herbert Smith? Well, he was a Groby businessman, who died in 1961 after which a charitable trust was set up from his Estate with aims interpreted to assist individuals or groups who are experiencing hardship in one or more of the ways listed above. So if you know of a Groby resident or group who might benefit from the Trust please let the Clerk to the Trustees, who administers the fund on a day-to-day basis, know by telephoning 01162 835345 or by emailing andrew_york@sky.com or by post at 6 Magnolia Close, Leicester, LE2 8PS and he will help with making the application.
MAGPIE
By Elizabeth Day SOMETIMES Marisa gets the fanciful notion that Kate has visited the house before. She makes herself at home without any selfconsciousness. She puts her toothbrush right there in the master bathroom, on the shelf next to theirs. In Jake, Marisa has found everything she’s ever wanted. Then their new lodger Kate arrives. Something about Kate isn’t right. Is it the way she looks at Marisa’s boyfriend? Sits too close on the sofa? Constantly asks about the baby they are trying for? Or is it all just in Marisa’s head? After all, that’s what her Jake keeps telling her. And she trusts him – doesn’t she? But Marisa knows something is wrong. That the woman sleeping in their house will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Marisa just doesn’t know why. How far will she go to find the answer – and how much is she willing to lose?
With the rise of self-driving vehicles, it’s only a matter of time before we get a country song where a guy’s truck leaves him too.
Martinshaw school children spread positivity with letters to seniors HOME INSTEAD West Leicestershire & Market Bosworth, a local care company set up an initiative that connected children from Martinshaw Primary School in Groby, and the older people throughout the local community.
The children wrote letters to the elderly that not only brought joy to both but also taught the children letter writing skills. Throughout the pandemic, many older people were unable to see their family members or friends, leading to higher instances of loneliness. Clients of Home Instead benefitted from regular care visits providing companionship within their own homes, but many were still unable to see their loved ones for months at a time. To make them feel more positive this summer, a number of Martinshaw Primary students wrote letters and drew pictures to send to Home Instead’s clients. All clients who received the letters were over the moon, and the communication was greatly appreciated, reminding them that people throughout the local community were thinking of them. One resident, Donald, said that he loved receiving the letters and could not wait to receive the next letter. He thought that this was a wonderful idea. Mr Elson, Headmaster at Martinshaw Primary School, said: “The letter writing was a lovely opportunity for the children to connect with the elderly in a very different way. They really enjoyed writing their letters, knowing that they will be spreading positivity in the local area.”
23
Planning Apps Two storey extension to the side of the dwelling, linking to the existing garage, with an annexe formed to the garage loft - at 222 Leicester Road, Field Head, Leicestershire LE67 9RF Erection of single storey outbuilding in rear garden space - at 10 Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9RJ Single storey rear extension measuring 5.00 metres in depth; 4.00 metres in height to the ridge; and 3.00 metres to the eaves - 10 Forest Rise, Groby, Leicestershire LE6 0BB Two storey side extension - at 6 Oakfield Avenue, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9WG Single storey side and rear extension - 272 Main Street, Stanton Under Bardon, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9TR Proposed single storey side and rear extensions - Forest Edge, Cottage Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9PH Single storey rear extension Hedgerows, 39A Highfields, Thornton, Leicestershire LE67 1AE Single storey rear extension - 67 Station Road, Bagworth, Leicestershire LE67 1BJ S73 Planning Application to vary the site layout previously approved under Condition 2 of planning permission ref. 2020/1191/07 - at Interlink Way South, Stanton Under Bardon, Leicestershire Change of use of residential site to mixed use site comprising a Class C3 dwellinghouse and Class E wellbeing studio - at 55 Highfields, Thornton, Leicestershire LE67 1AE
Did you spot all 10 differences? 1. Player on left Moustache missing, 2. Different coloured hair, 3. Number 7 on shirt, 4. Shirt is missing the cross on the neckline, 5. Centre player has different eyes, 6. Missing an upper tooth, 7. Missing a fingernail, 8. Ball has stitches in one picture, not in the other, 9. Player on right is missing an eyebrow, 10. Streak in sky is missing.
It currently feels like we’re living in the “Days Leading Up To...” section of the history books.
24
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
HINCKLEY & BOSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL NEWS
Councillor Martin Cartwright reports
Tel: 0116 287 4500 Mob: 07850 707050 E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk
Highway Close, Groby – Hello Homes
agreements exist between the various parties regarding the breech that was referred to in the article.
WHILST I totally agree with last month’s Spotlight County Councillor article that the area in front of the boundary fencing to Highway Close is an eyesore, I am afraid the blame in this issue is very much misplaced and totally incorrect.
So if “positive enforcement action” was to be taken by the Borough Council enforcement officers, then that action would be taken against Leicestershire County Council Highways Department. In other words, the failure in planning compliance action that is being called for would be taken against the County Council. BEFORE: The overgrown grass verge reduced visibility.
I have been working on a solution for this for months now and other issues within the site boundary itself and have it confirmed that Leicestershire County Council was the original and still is the current owner of the land, which has never been sold, so have been responsible for it all along. The County Council in many e-mails have tried to claim that they are not responsible and that everyone else is. If you are the landowner then it is you that ends up in court I am afraid. I am happy to report that the overgrowth has now been removed and a revision to Groby Parish Council’s Highway verge contract made, so that it is maintained in the way that the planning conditions of grant of planning application set out in the first place.
I have been working on this for months and months, not because of it being an eyesore - which it is - but for being a health and safety hazard to residents of Highway Close entering and leaving their homes as well as pedestrians and all road users of Leicester Road who equally cannot see people and vehicles leaving as a result of the overgrowth.
Being an eyesore is one thing, risk to life and limb on a different scale.
This area was specifically designed to be a visibility display to design out the health and safety hazard.
In planning law it is the landowner who is responsible for the land, irrespective of what other
The land in question however, was not sold to East Midlands Housing (EMH) or the developer Countryside Properties for Highway Close but retained by Leicestershire County Council Highways Department, who incidentally actually owned the land in the first place.
Cllr Martin Cartwright
Call: 0116 287 4500 Mobile: 07850 707050
E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk Write : Maverick House,10 Pine Tree Avenue, Groby, LE6 0EQ
@CllrCartwright
Fly Tipper who Fly Tipped in Groby Fined £400 A FIXED PENALTY notice for £400 has been issued to the owner of a vehicle who was witnessed throwing out six black bags of rubbish into a ditch on Anstey Lane, Groby. This was reported by a dog walker who saw the incident and managed to capture the registration plate and photo of the car at the scene.
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward. Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, Climate Change, Rural Issues & Klondyke Community Hub
Cllr Martin Cartwright
I wish to also point out and thank Groby Parish Council who carried out some works to the approach side as the situation got so unsafe as a quick fix, whilst the various parties involved reached an agreement to stop it happening again.
cllr.martincartwright
Following a DVLA check the penalty notice was issued and within five days the penalty paid! I would like to thank the witness for being vigilant and for taking the time to report and complete a witness statement which allowed
Site of Anstey Lane fly tipping HBBC to fine the individuals responsible for this offence. Significant offences of fly tipping have taken place in Groby in recent months at several hotspots. Hopefully this will serve as a warning that you can be caught and if so the Borough Council will issue the fixed penalty fine. Our enforcement officers simply can’t be everywhere all the time with the help of people reporting incidents more offenders can be fined for their actions. Please keep watching and reporting. However, can I remind residents that you do not need to confront the people carrying out these offences. Just to try to capture at a safe distance simple information such as vehicle registration number, make and model of car, date and time. #besafe. Please report a fly-tipping at www. hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/flytipping Volunteers continue to litter pick the village for free in order to improve the environment for everyone’s benefit, even those that dispose of the rubbish in such a reckless way in the first place. We owe a debt of gratitude to these volunteers that give up their time in an attempt to keep our village looking tidy and free from rubbish, very much an uphill battle I am afraid but extremely worthwhile.
A50 Litter Picking YOU MAY remember I featured the litter picking of the A50 and A46 in my May 2021 Spotlight article. As advised at the time part of the A50 was due to be completed late May 2021. Thank you to the Clean Neighbourhoods Team who completed a two day clean up
Your future depends on your dreams. Don’t waste any time, go to bed now.
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25
Read this if you’ve ever thought of dropping a doggie poo bag into someone else’s refuse bin BACK IN 2014 the Daily Mail reported that one in four households in the UK had a pet dog. The 9 million pet dogs were estimated to produce 1,000 tonnes of poo a day. Three years later this figure is found again in a Parliamentary debate, but by 2021 the dog population was thought to have grown to 12.5 million, so 1300 tonnes of poo is perhaps a reasonable guess about the amount now produced. The Mail said that a survey showed that only 3% would not make any effort to pick it up. Increased public awareness of the health risks associated with canine poo, and a greater sense of responsibility exercised by dog owners, has meant there has not been a proportionate increase of the nuisance that it can create on streets and parks. It is probably true to say that, despite the higher volumes being produced, the problem is less than it was in 2014. Litter pickers at work on A50 along A46/A50 roundabouts to the Bradgate quarry roundabout, on both sides. This work was held up last year due to Covid meaning the team couldn’t complete the entire road over the two days. The rest of the sections will be planned to be completed for later in the year. Approximately 30 tonne was lifted from the highway which included sweepings and waste. A road closure had to be put in place in order to safely carry out this work.
Cllr Martin Cartwright
Didn’t mean that! HERE ARE some more reallife extracts from church bulletins and notices that didn’t come out quite in the way intended!
Most owners pick up after their dogs and make use of the bins provided by local councils. Groby Parish Council has a network of bins throughout the village on popular dog walking routes. There are areas, however, where the Council does not own land on which to place bins and, if there are also no Borough Council litter bins nearby, dog owners either have to walk to the nearest bin or take the doggie bag home for disposal in their refuse bin. Everyone knows that a minority of owners will choose not to do this and will drop the bag on the pavement or into nearby undergrowth. Another option that some owners take advantage of is to drop the bag in a black refuse bin, awaiting collection or after collection, at non domestic premises or even outside someone’s home. It may not seem an unreasonable course of action, but it makes assumptions about the way in which refuse collections work. It Sacks from a number of bins may assumes that dropping it in a bin will mean that the truck will come along be consolidated into one bin by and the bin will be emptied automatically. No-one will see or need to the bin operatives, leaving the handle the doggie bag. If this were the case there would probably not be doggie poo bag behind. a problem. Refuse bins are large, but the amount of refuse collected for landfill is nowadays reduced by the huge increase in recycling. Blue bins are often filled to the top, but black bins from smaller households may only have one or two black sacks in them. In some parts of the village not all bins are taken to the truck – sacks from a number of bins may be consolidated into one bin by the operatives. But the doggie bag lurks unseen at the bottom of the bin. And there it will stay, perhaps for months or even longer. This is not what is intended when it is dropped in by the dog owner, but it can be the outcome. So, if you have ever dropped a doggie bag into someone else’s bin, please stop and think before you do it again and take the bag to an appropriate bin or take it home with you. Clearly, by picking up after your dog, your wish is to help keep the streets and parks clean, and not to unintentionally create a problem for another resident.
Norman Griffiths
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility. • Harvest Supper Friday at 6pm. Prayer and medication to follow. • The Men’s Group will meet at 6pm. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, wine and dessert will be served for a nominal feel. • Jumble sale: The ladies of our church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. • Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7pm. Please use the back door. • For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs. • At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.
Both of our churches here in Groby are open as below Please see our on-line links below for up to date information.
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I threw a boomerang many years ago. I now live in constant fear.
26
Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-SEPTEMBER 2021 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
All the latest news from Groby WI AGAIN, OUR SECOND ‘live’ meeting was well attended. I think we will know that life is back to normal when we can sing Jerusalem again and have refreshments, but for now it’s lovely just to see familiar faces and be able to have a chat!
walks and talks included ‘Fires in Leicester’, ‘Bells and Bellringing’ at St Mary de Castro church, ‘Street Names in Leicester’, ‘Christmas, Valentine and Halloween Customs’ and ‘The Elephant Man’, to name but a few. In 1982 it was the centenary of Abbey Park which had been opened on 29th May 1882 by the Prince and Princess of Wales. Lyn had photographs of the royal couple making their way from London Road Station down to Abbey Park. The event was commemorated by an ornate plaque at the Abbey Park Road entrance to the park.
One of the main items on the agenda was that our President, Angela Taylor, would be standing down from that position in November 2021 after six years in office to honour a golf commitment. This was to have happened last year but due to the pandemic was postponed. Angela has been a superb President aided by a brilliant committee but she pointed out that without a new President, Groby WI would be unable to continue and asked that members seriously consider putting themselves forward for this position. Other news was that there was to be a marathon walk around the top grassy area of Stamford Memorial Park on Sunday 3rd October. This would involve 62 circuits of the park and members could choose to do all or part of the course. Picnics and spectators would be encouraged! This wouldn’t be a sponsored event but our secretary, Ailsa, will find out if voluntary contributions could be made to a local charity and report back to our next meeting. Diane’s Corner is back up and running with several theatre trips to Curve available for members to book. Thank you, Diane, for all your hard work! Unfortunately, our booked speaker was unable to attend and our own Lyn Mellor stepped up with a talk entitled ‘30 years Walking the Streets of Leicester’. Personally, I found her talk amazing and interesting, I think the other members would agree that we could have listened to her for much longer! The talk was both informative and humorous and it
was easy to see why she had been a very successful tourist guide. It also became obvious that Lyn has spent a lot of time over the years researching the various topics for her walks and talks and she had some very interesting photographs illustrating some of her talks. Lyn had two small children and her husband saw an advertisement for local tourist guides. With his support she applied for the post, and was successful at interview. She had to learn guiding techniques in a coach, mastering sitting on the small seat near the driver, operating a microphone whilst making sure she pointed out things of interest before the coach has passed them!. Written exams in three parts followed, with a practical exam in the form of a walk around Leicester. She passed her exams with distinction and went on to do walks, tours and talks for the next 30 years. It isn’t possible to replicate the humorous way that she gave us the information but some of the
Lyn was obviously highly thought of as a tourist guide and was chosen to do a tour of Leicester for Iraqi business men and was the only woman present, this would probably be unusual even today. She also did a walk with a group of non-English speaking Russians but was only able to complete half of the walk as the translation took so long! Lyn finished her talk to us by telling us that her nickname as a guide had been ‘crime and passion’, the mind boggles! New members are always welcome.
Ruth Rolinson
As I handed my Dad his 50th birthday card, he looked at me, with tears in his eyes and said, “You know, one would have been enough.” Nothing says’ I love my dog’ quite like spending more money on his haircut than you do your own.
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How to shorten – or extend – your life EVERY TIME you eat a hot dog, you have shortened your life by 36 minutes. But if you eat a portion of nuts, or even better a peanut butter and jam sandwich, you will have added 30 minutes to your life. These are just some of the findings in a recent study at the University of Michigan. It created a Health Nutritional Index on almost 6,000 foods, which calculated the health burden of one gram of food, and then scaled it up to a standard serving size. Thus, processed meat, trans fatty acids and sodium in the hot dog take their toll, while the high nut content in the sandwich is very nutritious. As one professor explained: “Small targeted substitutions offer a feasible strategy to achieve significant health benefits.”
Call Mike today on 01530 244069 or email your details to info@grobyspotlight.co.uk
Laziness Level: I get jealous when it’s bedtime in other countries.
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27
POPULAR
CAR NAMES WORDSEARCH This is your Word Search!
Letter from Uncle Eustace The Rectory St James the Least of All My dear Nephew Darren It has all been excitement and activity here this last week, with a period drama being filmed using our church. It was remarkable how many people felt the need to drop in to church to collect magazines, check the reading rota or arrange flowers, just happening to stumble over the film stars en route. If only they were filming every week, then our brasses would be permanently gleaming, woodwork smothered in beeswax and the notice board kept in a state of perpetual tidiness. Our Ladies Guild was thrilled to be asked to take part in a crowd scene. I saw little point in the wardrobe department taking hours fitting them out with Victorian dresses, as the result was little different from normal. The only awkward moment came after filming, when Mrs Simms was told she could now remove her bustle. She told the girl she already had. The producer thanked me for taking the trouble of going round church before they arrived, removing all those modern conveniences that would not have been there in the nineteenth century. I hadn’t the heart to tell him that nothing was any different from normal. Lord Marchmount was thoroughly miffed that they were not also using his castle for filming, even though the producer explained with exemplary patience that they needed a nineteenth century setting, not one which looked as if the cast had just returned from the Crusades. His revenge, getting the farm staff to spread slurry in all the surrounding fields throughout filming, has apparently meant that film stars now have a clause in their contracts protecting them from rural life. When all was finished, I thought it only right to invite the film crew and actors to the vicarage for sherry. When the producer left, I was delighted to be told he had just discovered the perfect home for filming his next project – which is about Elizabethan poverty. Your loving uncle,
Eustace
IF YOU can find 15 WELL KNOWN CAR MODEL NAMES in the Wordsearch grid above, you could win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of house wine at The Stamford Arms in Groby. AVENGER CAVALIER All you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line CORTINA CORVETTE through - 15 POPULAR MODEL NAMES OF CARS. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). IMPALA INTERCEPTOR Send your marked entry forms to: LITTLE RED CORVETTE, MUSTANG Groby Spotlight, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 PHANTOM 9ZT to arrive by SATURDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2021. Please remember to fill in your SPRITE TESTAROSSA name and address. (Some people don’t!) The sender of the first correct entry drawn out of the hat will win the voucher for a Meal for Two and a Bottle of House Wine at The Stamford Arms, Groby - thanks to the generous sponsorship of Brian Rigby - owner of The Stamford Arms.
Find the word in the puzzle. Words can go in any direction.
Hereshare are the letters 15 Car Names youcross have toover find: each othe Words can as they AVENGER • CAVALIER • COROLLA • CORTINA • CORVETTE 15 of 15 words placed. HORNET • IMPALA • INTERCEPTOR • JAVELIN • MUSTANG
PHANTOM • SPITFIRE • SPRITE • TESTAROSSA • THUNDERBIRD
Name: .............................................................................................................. Address: ............................................................................................................. .............................................................................Postcode: ............................. Copyright Last Issue’s Winner was:
MARY PAGE of Field Court Road, Groby.
I am rarely more focused on 5 seconds than when I’m waiting to skip an ad on the internet.
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