Heart of 3 Cities 2018 by Charnwood Arts

Heart 2018 Heart of of 33 Cities Cities 2013 A Creative Summer in

Loughborough and Charnwood!

DEEDS NOT WORDS n s, o i ibi t c ts h e j x E Pr o , s g et nt d u e nb Ev o es t t s t a age Gl r f f Su

Re ad o n f o r: Wh e re We L i v e and Wh a t We K n ow Lo u g h b o ro u g h Me Charn la wo o d F o r e st and th e p e re n nial PICNI C IN T H E PA RK!

Charnwood Arts was founded in 1976. We are based in Loughborough, the largest town of Leicestershire in the UK at the Heart of the Three Cities of Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. We are involved in a wide range of arts, creativity and culturally based areas of work and are a key participatory arts organisation in the East Midlands with a national and international reputation.

Dancer and choreographer Rong Tao of Yu Wu Dance in Chongqing, China works with students from Loughborough College on Charnwood Arts fourth UK residency with him in a partnership with Nottingham University.

Charnwood Arts works:

To develop, co-ordinate and support longer term community arts projects.

To develop exciting workshop programmes in a wide range of art forms with groups of all ages.

To support cross cultural projects and events and to promote community cohesion.

To bring innovations through the arts to the fields of health and well being.

To create and publish work for print, video and new media distribution.

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To provide help and advice to artists and groups. To develop and deliver regular arts and media based work with young people in a wide variety of settings. To celebrate creativity, diversity and the enormous power the arts have to create social benefit.

Welcome to the Heart of 3 Cities 2018! This is my final year as Chair of Charnwood Arts, so I have the privilege of introducing this edition of Heart of 3 Cities. Actually, it is a welcome back, because the paper has been a casualty of relentless austerity, which made us prioritise activities with depleted staff numbers. That said, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing what can be achieved with dedicated staff and, I have pleasure in saying, with dedicated and supportive charity Trustees. This year, 2018, is a year of Centenaries: the Representation of the People Act gained Royal Assent on 6th February 1918 and gave all men and (some) women the vote â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we had to wait until 1928 for universal suffrage; 11th November marks Armistice Day and the end of World War 1; and women took part in their first General Election in December 1918. Charnwood Arts is contributing to the celebration and commemoration of all these events, sometimes as a leading partner, and sometimes as background support. Typically, Charnwood Arts works in partnership with individuals and organisations. We believe that we are stronger and more effective when we work with others, making the experience of the journey and the collaboration as important, even perhaps more so, as the outcome. We plan ahead and build our alliances and programmes, but always allow space for the happy accident and response to requests and ideas. How else would we achieve such vibrant successes as Picnic in the Park, with the regional Caribbean Carnival Queen and her dancers, great performances attracting huge crowds at the Mela, and engagement with Migrant Memories? And of course there is so much more, including People Making Places near and far away, our project with villages and village schools and the Suffragette community play; all can be seen in the content of this newspaper. Allow me also to celebrate the less public and consequently less known work we carry out with vulnerable adults and young people, as individuals and groups. Their engagement with arts activities brings them pleasure, support and personal development in ways that cannot be replicated elsewhere. This provision is integral to Charnwood Arts purpose. Kev Ryan, our CEO, Jemma Bagley, James Chantry, Natalie Chabaud and Terry Allen all deserve our thanks. I strongly believe in the power of the arts to enhance, even to change, peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. To me, it is a matter of social justice for everyone to gain access to the arts and to the experience of making and enjoying it. Charnwood Arts exemplifies that through the range and depth of our community engagement. See, for example, our arts programmes for children and young people. Can we imagine a world in which children did not draw and paint, play and act, make music, dance and sing, read and write? In fact, the arts are vital to us all. Never let us think that the arts are peripheral, a nice to have. They are at the heart of who we are and what we do and what makes us human. We see this in the evidence of arts activities that lives on from the civilisations that preceded us, and all around us. I am proud to have been involved with Charnwood Arts and to introduce The Heart of 3 Cities 2018. Jill Vincent Chair of Charnwood Arts

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Charnwood: at the Heart of 3 Cities Nottingham

Derby

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Wymeswold

Hoton Prestwold

Hathern

Burton on the Wolds

Loughborough

Walton on the Wolds

Barrow upon Soar lll lll ll Quorndon ll

Seagrave

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Shepshed

Cotes

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ll Thrussington l l l l Woodhouse Sileby l ll Ratcliffe ll on the Wreake l Woodhouse Mountsorrel l l Rearsby Eaves Cossington East Swithland Rothley Ulverscroft Goscote ll

lll

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Birstall

Syston

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Wanlip

Thurmaston lll

Anstey

Queniborough Barkby Barkby Thorpe

South Croxton Beeby

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Cropston

Newton Linford

Thurcaston

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Leicester

The earliest form of the name Charnwood is “Cerne Woda”, from the Celtic “Carn”, meaning ‘cairn’ and the Old English “Wudu”, meaning ‘wood’. It is also possible that the name comes from “Cwern”, meaning hand mill or “Gwern”, an old British name for Alder, which once grew in profusion here.

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Contents Welcome ............................................................................................................................................................. Map of Charnwood .......................................................................................................................................... Contents ............................................................................................................................................................... Representation of the People and Loughborough’s Suffragettes ...................................................... Deeds Not Words Festival .............................................................................................................................. Stage Left Theatre Workshop ........................................................................................................................ The Big Knitting Group’s Big Poppy Challenge ........................................................................................ Pottery Fair - Ceramics in Charnwood ....................................................................................................... Whe re We Li ve and What We Kno w : Discovering Charnwood ................................................ ~ A project for Charnwood Arts ‘People Making Places’ ...................................................................... ~ Inaugural exhibition of ‘Where We Live and What We Know’ ....................................................... Charnwood Arts Works for Children and Young People: CEP and City Classroom ..................... Glastonbudget 2018 ......................................................................................................................................... Wicked Hathern Fest ........................................................................................................................................ Artspace ................................................................................................................................................................ Charnwood Forest Landscape Partnership ............................................................................................... PEOPLE MAKING PLACES .............................................................................................................................. People Making Places - International ........................................................................................................ PICNIC IN THE PARK ........................................................................................................................................ East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Network (EMCCAN) ...................................................................... Charnwood Arts Exhibitions .......................................................................................................................... Migrant Memory and the Post-colonial Imagination ........................................................................... Charnwood Arts Hospital Works ................................................................................................................. MELA ..................................................................................................................................................................... Modern Painters, New Decorators .............................................................................................................. LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN HALL Events ................................................................................................... LU ARTS Loughborough University - Events ............................................................................................ Coming On - Coming Up ............................................................................................................................... Art This Way ........................................................................................................................................................ Rawkus Redz ....................................................................................................................................................... Charnwood Community Theatre ................................................................................................................

p3 p4 p5 p 6-7 p 8-9 p 10 p 11 p 12 p 13 p 14-17 p 18-19 P 20-21 p 22 p 23 p 24-25 p 26-29 p 30-33 p 34-35 p 36-37 p 38-39 p 40-42 p 43 p 44-45 p 46-47 p 48-49 p 50-55 p 56-57 p 58-61 p 62 p 63 p 63

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

1910 was an important year for Suffrage protests as it was an election year. Protests and meetings escalated, at which Dorothy Bowker and Dorothy Pethick were regular speakers, often escorted by police to ensure their safety. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Representation of the People and The 1918 Representation of the People Act increased the electorate to about 21 million. 8.4 million were women. Therefore the Act gave women a 40% ‘stake’ in elections. About 22% of women 30 years of age and above were excluded from the right to vote as they were not ‘property owning’. This Act was the first to include practically all men in the political system from the age of 21 extending the franchise by 5.6 million men. Class inequalities were still maintained though with some people having two votes - 7% of the population enjoyed a plural vote in the 1918 election: mostly middle-class men who had an extra vote due to a university constituency, but there was an increase in constituencies in Britain’s northern, industrial conurbations. It was not until 1928 that full and equal suffrage was achieved.

The right for women to vote was hard won over many years of campaigning. Loughborough had a strong, grass roots movement. An exhibition ‘Votes for Women’ was launched in February at Loughborough Library and Charnwood Museum to illustrate the actions of women who made reasoned arguments and appeals to social justice, and also those who tired of the constant obstructions and resorted to civil disobedience and violence towards property. A timeline showed the notable people and events from the earliest meeting in 1875 to the outbreak of war in 1914, when Loughborough became an important centre for training war workers and women took their part in the war effort. The exhibition was devised and mounted by Mike Shuker and the Labour History Group, with support from Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers and Charnwood Museum as part of the wider project commemorating Loughborough’s Suffragettes. Elements of it will be on display at our ‘Deeds Not Words’ Festival in May.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

The earliest meeting held in Loughborough in support of votes for women was at the Town Hall on April 2nd 1875. The speaker was Jane Ronniger under the auspices of the “London National Society for Women’s Suffrage”.

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Loughborough’s Suffragettes Extracts from Lord Willy Bach’s speech to open the Suffragettes exhibition on the 6th February 2018 “We are meeting today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to have the vote in Britain...”

Here we are 100 years on. Much has been achieved, but everyone here knows how much more there is to do before men and women are truly equal. We have to continue to work for that equality, but it is surely apposite for today we should take time to remember the achievements of such brave, determined women.”

“...it is the moment to acknowledge a major event, and above all to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of so many women, some of whom gave their lives, many of whom suffered cruelty and indignity, who sacrificed so much for the principle of equality under the law. Let us also praise the men who supported them, as well as remembering the barbarism and inhumanity of the methods used over many years by other powerful men in order to prevent this happening. In Parliament and across Britain the Royal Assent to the Bill is being remembered, and it is absolutely fitting it should be here, in this town, where as the exhibition makes clear the fight for women’s suffrage began in 1875 with a meeting in the Town Hall, and which over many long years was sustained until victory was won. I have been asked to speak by what is just an accident of birth – but an accident I am very proud of! My grandmother was born Ada Goulden and her elder sister was Emmeline Goulden – who of course became Emmeline Pankhurst, the founder of the WSPU and leader of the Suffragette movement. So Emmeline Pankhurst was my great aunt, and her two remarkable daughters Christabel and Sylvia cousins.

Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers are acknowledging the historical legacy of votes for women in the UK, by featuring the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” – complete with Polling Station at this year’s Picnic in the Park.

Mrs Pankhurst visited Loughborough and spoke in the Town Hall on the 19th of January 1910. Bertha Clarke cycled from Leicester, adorned in WSPU colours, and recalled that ‘Mrs Pankhurst carried her audience off its feet with her powerful interpretation of the great moral issues of the movement.’ What finally persuaded the Coalition Government to give women the vote has been argued about by historians ever since. Of course women’s part in the war effort was important, but nothing will ever persuade me the Suffragette and the Suffragist movements didn’t play a crucial role in achieving the vote.

Back in 1929, the result was a hung Parliament with Ramsey MacDonald winning the majority of seats. At this year’s Picnic in the Park he will be present shaking hands and canvassing for votes for his party. Loughborough’s very own suffragettes will be marching with placards inviting the public to enter the Polling Booth to cast their votes for one of the three candidates.There will be explanatory electioneering handouts outlining the campaign claims for each of the parties. A Suffragette Trail around Loughborough, available in leaflet form, will follow in the footsteps of local suffragettes and tell of their contribution to the campaign for votes for women. Returning Officer, Mr. Lez Cope-Newman, will announce the results of the election at 3.00pm.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

Further meetings were held in on February 5th, 1879 at Loughborough Town Hall (Speaker: Caroline Biggs) and on March 14th 1887 at the Corn Exchange. The sitting MP Edward de Lisle was invited to attend but curtly refused. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

DEEDS NOT WORDS 2nd to 6th May 2018 2018 marks 100 years since the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women for the first time. Charnwood Arts in partnership with Chorus Theatre have created the Deeds Not Words Festival to celebrate this landmark moment in British history. This project has been made possible thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are delighted to welcome Professor Patricia Fara from Cambridge University to open the festival with a talk on Science and Suffrage, based on her recent book “A Lab of One’s Own”. The festival will also feature another opportunity to see extracts from the recent exhibition Votes For Women, a Café Chantant music event, Suffragette speeches in Loughborough Town Centre, and a guided walk across Loughborough. The centrepiece of the festival is a brand-new community play The Sisters of Castledine Street. The performance has been devised by the participants in collaboration with Chorus Theatre, and will recount events surrounding the Act and the connections with Loughborough.

The Deeds Not Words Festival offers an eclectic mix of talks, music, and storytelling to bring this fascinating section of history to life.

‘A Lab of One's Own’: Science and Suffrage in the First World War Patricia Fara commemorates the untold lives of female scientists, doctors and engineers who, during the war,

undertook endeavours normally reserved for men. Suffrage campaigners aligned with them to defy the protests about their intellectual inferiority and child-bearing responsibilities. She also shows what happened to them after the war. Patricia Fara lectures in the History of Science at Cambridge, where she is a Fellow of Clare College. She is the President of the British Society for the History of Science. Patricia Fara’s lecture opens the HLF funded programme of community plays and re-enactments concerning the local, grass roots Suffragette movement.

Wednesday 2nd May – 5.00pm

Loughborough University Design School, Room 017

Bookings: http://bit.ly/PatriciaFara Email: M.I.O.Varela-Silva@lboro.ac.uk

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

Annie Kenney came to Loughborough in 1906 to speak at a meeting organised by the Independent Labour Party in the Market Place. She had already been imprisoned in Strangeways for disrupting a Liberal Rally in Manchester.

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Votes for Women – Suffragette Talk Follow the history of the fight for Votes for Women through the 19th and 20th centuries. A talk by Nick Marshall.

Thursday 3rd May - 6.30pm Loughborough Library

Tickets: £3.50 including refreshments

Call: 0116 3052420

Votes for Women Exhibition

The exhibition Votes for Women showed the strength of the local, grass roots Suffragette movement. Another chance to see excerpts of the Suffragette Exhibition at Fearon Hall during the performances of The

Sisters of

Castledine Street.

The Sisters of Castledine Street Chorus Theatre present a brand-new community play telling the stories of the Suffragettes and their connections with two sisters from Loughborough. Featuring a cast of community participants and directed by Andrew McWilliam.

Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May - 7.30pm Fearon Hall Drama Studio, Rectory Road, Loughborough

All tickets: £4

Call: 01509 822558

Email: office@chorustheatre.co.uk

Suffraget te Footsteps

Suffragette Footsteps is a trail to follow the important people, places and events around Loughborough in the footsteps of the women (and a few men) who supported the Suffragette cause. It takes us from the Market Place where Suffragette rallies were held, often facing hostile and abusive crowds, past the Town Hall where Emmeline Pankhurst and Dorothy Pethick spoke. Loughborough Town Council banned meetings in the Town Hall because of the bad behaviour of the crowds. The trail continues along Victoria Street, Burton Walks and Castledine Street, referring to Dr Corcoran and his daughters Kathleen and Norah Corcoran, the sites of events and meetings and the only recorded act of violence in the attempt to fire the Red House. The Corcoran sisters refused to pay the duty on their house in Castledine Street (‘no taxation without representation’) and their goods were auctioned in the street to pay off the debt.

Saturday 5th May - 10.30am

Meet at 10.30am outside Lloyds Bank, Market Place. The walk will last approximately an hour and a half.

ACome Suffraget te Speaks along to Loughborough Town Centre to hear

speeches delivered to assembled supporters (and non-supporters!). Performed by Siobhan Smith and members of Frenzy Youth Theatre.

Saturday 5th May - from 2.00pm Loughborough Town Centre

Cafe Chantant Join us for a drink, songs, and music as Bill Brookman

and Company present The Scurrilous Suffragette Music Hall Show!

Sunday 6th May - from 7.00pm

The Hop Loft at The Swan-in-the-Rushes, Loughborough

Picnic in the Park - Saturday 9th June

Featuring a re-enactment of the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” by Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers – complete with Polling Station! The Volunteers are presenting a salute to the very first General Election when both men and women over the age of 21 were able to vote.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

“Men said it was unwomanly to enter into politics but they did not think it unwomanly to do rag picking or chain making...” - Gladice Keevil, of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Speaker at Loughborough Town Hall meeting in January 1909. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

www.stagelefttheatre.co.uk

A Triple Bill “Bed Among the Lentils” is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett, as part of his Talking Heads series for the BBC. Susan, an alcoholic, nervous vicar’s wife who has to travel into Leeds to go to the off-licence because of her debts with the local shop keeper, distracts herself from her ambitious, and, as she sees him, vainly insensitive husband and his doting parishioners, by conducting an affair with a nearby grocer, Ramesh Ramesh, discovering something about herself and God in the process. “Bella” by Anthony L Church Written by Tony as a monologue for Bella (his heroine in his play ‘Bella and the Tygerman’, a retelling of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ story). Tony here explores in more depth how Bella falls in love with the Tygerman (the Beast). “Blue Remembered Hills” by Dennis Potter was first produced as a television play, on the 30 January 1979 as part of the BBC’s Play for Today. The play concerns a group of children playing in the Forest of Dean one summer afternoon in 1943. It ends abruptly in tragedy as a result of the children’s actions. Perhaps the most striking feature of the play is that, although the characters are children, they are played by adult actors. The dialogue is written in a Forest of Dean dialect, which Potter also uses extensively in other dramas incorporating a Forest of Dean setting, most notably Pennies from Heaven (1978) and The Singing Detective (1986).

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

“Take all we can and clamour for more, like Oliver Twist and... never be satisfied until we can get the vote.” - Emmeline Pankhurst, addressing a meeting at Loughborough Town Hall in 1910.

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People of Charnwood between the ages of 7 and 97 have united to knit 1,000 poppies for the Fallen of Charnwood to commemorate the end of WW1. The 1,000 poppies target was exceeded a while ago by the generous support of local knitters and crocheters. We haven’t rounded up all of the poppies yet but we estimate that at least 1500 poppies have been produced. We launched the project almost two years ago advertising locally, with group members Mary Leeson and Liz Dunajewska promoting the project to local groups during their regular talks about knitting. We have also had two displays in Charnwood Museum to promote the project.

For last year’s Remembrance Sunday the first wreath was made out of poppies and placed in the Coming To Charnwood cabinet in Charnwood Museum. Dozens of free poppy making kits have been given away via the museum and by the BKG members. The poppies are on display in Charnwood Museum during October and November 2018 for the 100 year anniversary. The poppies will be accompanied by an exhibition of war-time knitting trivia put together by BKG’s resident knitting historian Liz Dunajewska. If you made a poppy for our project, thank you and see you all at the Museum during the exhibition. We are also looking to make up poppy wreathes for other locations around Charnwood. Tourist attractions, churches, public buildings or even pubs please contact us and we can have a chat. Jemma Bagley Big Knitting Group co-ordinator jemmab@charnwoodarts.com 01509822558

The BKG’s Alison, Liz and Sarah with the wreath made for Remembrance Day.

The Big Knitting Group meet at the ArtsHouse 29 Granby Street Loughborough every Thursday between 12.30pm and 2.30pm. All knitters and crocheters welcome to work together, share ideas and a cuppa. We do ask for £1 donation towards refreshments and project work.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

In an attempt to unseat the sitting MP, Maurice Levy, the WSPU set up an office in Baxter Gate, Loughborough. This was run by Dorothy Bowker and Dorothy Pethick (sister of Emmeline Pethick Lawrence) both of whom had been arrested for Suffragette activities. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Pottery Fair Ceramics in Charnwood Preparations are well underway for the eighth Ceramics in Charnwood pottery market, to be held on

Sunday 13th May 2018.

This popular market returns with over 60 potters and ceramic artists from across the East Midlands and beyond selling their work in Loughborough Market Place. As usual there will be an exciting mix of old and many new exhibitors. Ceramics tutor Jo Keogh will be bringing her pottery wheel, so that those that want to can have a go at throwing their own pot. Lincolnshire potter Kate McBride will be demonstrating making ‘Mud Hares’ and the public are invited to join in. Each year we have a charity stall selling ceramics especially made and donated by the exhibitors in aid of Cancer charities. This year’s theme is ‘Cake on a Plate’... We look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with. Ceramics in Charnwood is organised by Loughborough potter David Salsbury as part of National Craft and Design month, which aims to show the public the wealth of creative talent on their doorstep. So come down to Loughborough Market Place on Sunday 13th May for a fabulous celebration of all things ceramic. Organiser: David Salsbury davidsalsbury@btinternet.com 01509 210993 or 07779276804 Follow Ceramics in Charnwood on Facebook and Instagram

The name of Anstey comes from “Anstiga” or “Hanstige”, meaning ‘Narrow Track’. The spelling was changed from Ansty to Anstey in the early 20th century to distinguish it from Ansty near Coventry.

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“Where We Live and What We Know” Discovering Charnwood

There are two possible derivations of the name Barkby. The first is “Beorge Berie”, meaning ‘Village of the Birch Trees’ and the second is the Scandinavian “Barche By”, meaning ‘Bark’s Homestead’.

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

“Where We Live and What We Know” a project for Charnwood Arts - People Making Places

The population of the borough of Charnwood is steadily growing towards 200,000 people, the majority of whom live outside the main county town of Loughborough in a range of small and medium sized villages, towns and city fringe communities. To put this in perspective the population of our nearest city, Leicester is estimated at 348,659 for 2018 and Derby at only 257,234. As local residents will know, there are five main areas of Charnwood - to the north the conurbations of Loughborough and Shepshed, to the West, Charnwood Forest, in the middle, running North to South - the Soar Valley, to the East the rolling farmlands of The Wolds and in the south the Charnwood border communities to Leicester. Through Where We Live and What We Know we hope to develop a range of projects and strike up ongoing relationships with an initial selection of small communities to explore ways in which we can collaborate to develop creative projects and initiatives with and for local people. We aim to explore aspirations, share skills and knowledge, unlock resources or otherwise help to develop new or support existing creative and cultural activities.

The villages and hamlets in this initial project are the Wolds communities of Wymeswold, Burton on the Wolds, Hoton and Prestwold, Walton on the Wolds and Seagrave, the Soar Valley communities of Sileby, Mountsorrel, Barrow Upon Soar, Cotes and Quorn, and the Forest villages of Woodhouse Eaves, (Old) Woodhouse, Newtown Linford and Swithland. Our goal is to extend the project across the whole of Charnwood in the next few years. Where We Live and What We Know is primarily a visual arts and participatory project aimed at bringing together the arts, culture and heritage in ways that forge new links and relationships for groups, communities and individuals to experience and develop their own arts and creative activity. The project is generously supported by the Rawlins Community Trust and co-ordinated by Charnwood Arts. The main artist working with us in this first phase of the project is Paul Gent - a former long term artist in residence at Rawlins in Quorn (and working with us across schools in Charnwood). As we get underway more artists are now joining us to develop the project further.

The name Barrow on Soar was originally “Barhoo”, meaning ‘a burial place’ but the location of this is unknown. It may refer to a spot on the Salt Way which passes via Barrow and was used both by Britons on the way to Beacon Hill and by the Romans to transport salt from the Droitwich mines.

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“Where We Live and What We Know” a project for Charnwood Arts - People Making Places

The project will develop a range of activities and approaches: • An artist commission to create an album of drawings about people and places with an opportunity for each village to select chosen subjects. • Community and schools based workshops and projects with Charnwood Arts and other artists. • Creation of publications, on-line materials and exhibitions in village locations and in Loughborough.

In preparing initial drawings for the project Paul Gent and his dog Velvet walked many miles across Charnwood ... • Connections to future projects, initiatives and programmes in partnership with Charnwood Arts. • A sub-project called ‘Drawing on Age’ to engage older people in 1-1 sittings with a portrait artist and a conversation about some aspect of their experience or their lives that they would like to share. With generous support from Marks and Spencer’s as their local Charity of the Year we will also be offering this opportunity to elderly people in Loughborough. • New opportunities for photography, videomaking and creative writing. The project is already up and running with a number of schools in Wymeswold, Burton on the Wolds, Woodside Special School in Mountsorrel, Seagrave and Newton Linford Primary Schools. These are all linked to a Leicester(shire) project called The City Classroom that aims to encourage and develop more arts and culture opportunities for County and City children and their families. In May and June we will also be running an initial series of Sketch Crawls through the project.

The name Beeby is derived from the Old English “beo” meaning “bee” and “byr”, or “settlement”. In other words, ‘the place of the bees’. Perhaps it was known for its honey...

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

“Where We Live and What We Know” a project for Charnwood Arts - People Making Places

Some fantastic work is already being produced with village schools in Burton on the Wolds, Wymeswold, Newtown Linford, Sileby, Seagrave and a special school in Mountsorrel. We hope to work with others as the project develops over the next 18 months. Each school will be involved initially in a drawing project but a key aim is for us to develop longer term relationships with the schools and offer a much wider variety of opportunities in different art forms. We are also hoping to support the schools in helping their pupils to gain Arts Award qualifications and encourage them to develop as Artsmark schools. Schools are vital institutions in village life and our work with them will also engage adult residents.

The People Making Places programme originally began in 1999 with a ground breaking web based project that attracted international attention. The project continues with a combined creative and documentary approach encompassing the arts, culture and heritage. ‘Where We Live and What We Know’ is just one of the many PMP projects that we are engaged with. An early contributor was Loughborough based artist Bryan Page who we worked with to visually reconstruct the life of Mountsorrel Castle. Based on his earlier interpretation we asked Paul to draw an image of how Mountsorrel might have been if the castle still existed, certainly a major tourist attraction for the borough! If you live in Charnwood, or anywhere else in the world reading this, we hope this project has something that might interest you.

The name of Birstall comes from the Old English “Burhsteall”, meaning ‘old disused fort’. A more romantic derivation comes from the tale of the Giant Bel. According to legend, this was where the giant “burst his gall” whilst attempting to reach Leicester in three leaps of his horse!

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“Where We Live and What We Know” a project for Charnwood Arts - People Making Places

Free Sketch Crawls

Discover the delights on your doorstep with these three walks in Charnwood - come on your own, with friends or family start with us or drop in on the day!

Don’t forget to bring something to write or draw with! Bring a brolly if it rains! Come by car, bus, bicycle, train or on foot! There is no cost and the aim is for informal encounters and relaxed creativity! You may spot a steam train on Walk 1 or a passing canal barge on walk 2!

There are also pubs, cafes and other buildings to visit along the way! We’ve warned them in advance!

We also welcome poets, thinkers and performers who may get inspiration from these walks!

Burton on the Wolds derives from the Old English name ‘Burh Tun Weald’, meaning ‘Fortified Settlement in the Wolds’. In Domesday Book, the name is given as “Burtone” with the suffix ‘super Waldas’ being added in the late 13th century.

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Inaugural exhibition of

“Where We Live and What We Know” 12th May - 23rd June

Open Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm Paul Gent has worked with Charnwood Arts as both a member of staff and an associate artist since the 1990s. He was a major contributor along with Alan Cesarano, Stacey Prendeville, Kevin Ryan, Jorge Linke, Sean Clarke, Terry Allen and Alison Moore to the development and content of our groundbreaking People Making Places 2000 project.

In this initial exhibition we have given Modern Painters and New Decorators, based in Loughborough’s Carillon Court, the license to curate and present the work as they see fit.

On these pages we share a number of drawings that Paul has contributed to our partnership project with the Rawlins Community Trust. The drawings were produced as ‘calling cards’ to initiate conversations with people and organisations in a number of Charnwood villages and will form a collection that can be exhibited widely in the future. The invitation from Modern Painters and New Decorators to exhibit this work with some of the results of the new relationships being formed in the villages has resulted in this first public showing of the work in a contemporary art context.

Historic cottages in Wymeswold (above). The village was formerly the site of RAF Wymeswold, a memorial to which can be seen on the wall of Wymeswold pharmacy. It remembers when a Wellington bomber crashed up on a hill nearby, just two miles from the airfield. The navigator was killed, while the rest of the crew, although covered by flames, survived. Prestwold Hall (below) - Prestwold Hall was for many years the seat of the Packe family. Before that time, after the death of Major Robert Christopher Packe (born c.1783) - one time Aide-de-camp to King George III - who was killed during the Battle of Waterloo, the hall passed to his nephew George Hussey Packe who held the hall and estate until his death in 1874.

One of the most well known structures in Mountsorrel is the domed Butter Market built in 1793 and standing next to the old A6. This was erected by Sir John Danvers, replacing the original Saxon Cross, which was moved to Swithland Park. Tradition has it that the villagers of Mountsorrel were so upset by the removal of the original 15th century Market Cross that they protested loudly. Danvers decided to donate the present Butter Market in order to keep the peace.

The original name of Cossington is ‘Cusa’s Tun’. This is pre-Scandinavian Old English for ‘the Settlement of Cusa’s People’. Unfortunately, who Cusa was remains a mystery but there are also Cossingtons in Kent and Somerset.

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Carillon Court, Loughborough

Barrow Upon Soar is famous for a Plesiosaur excavated there in 1851, of the species Rhomaleosaurus Megacephalus, nicknamed the “Barrow Kipper”. The dinosaur was found in a lime pit outside the village.

Seagrave School - By the twelfth century, Seagrave was owned by the de Segrave family, who built a fortified manor house in the parish. Their familial coat of arms was later adopted by the village. In March 1234 Richard Siward, at the head of a company of outlaws, ravaged Stephen de Segrave’s native place, evidently Seagrave, burnt his fine houses, oxen, and stores of grain, and carried off many valuable horses and rich spoil. Later the same band ravaged Alconbury, and burnt his buildings there. Leicester City F.C. currently have plans to build a new state of the art training facility on the site of the village’s Park Hill Golf Club.

Hoton, meaning ‘settlement on a heel-shaped hill’, dates from Anglo-Saxon times. After the Conquest its 1300 acres were shared between Normans Robert de Jort, with four ploughs and two villeins, and Earl Hugh. Later landowners included the de Prestwolds, the Poutrels, the Neles, the Skipwiths and the Packes.

Cotes, the smallest village in Charnwood also has the smallest entry. The name simply means ‘Cotts’ or ‘cottages’. It shares a parish with Prestwold and Hoton. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Charnwood Arts works for Children and Children and Young People at Charnwood Arts Charnwood Arts provides experiences, opportunities and learning for young people in our region. We offer an alternative arts education, workshops and groups, in which participants work, learn and innovate with socially engaged artists and practitioners. We are co-founders of The City Classroom, which is Leicestershire’s Cultural Education Partnership, providing schools the opportunity to work with artists, cultural organisations, museums and libraries in the county. “Every child and young person will thrive through a rich and adventurous cultural education.”

Alternative Arts Education Part of our ArtsHouse program, it is an alternative school provision for young people. Working in partnership with Loughborough Inclusion Partnership, participants work towards Trinity Arts Award qualifications. It consists of workshops, one to one support and visits. Tailored to provide an experience of working practices in the arts, young people have taken part in high profile exhibitions, met politicians, created publications and visited London Galleries. “…I found it difficult to be in school for lots of reasons…Charnwood Arts is like school but like I’m at home…I’m being an artist in my bedroom!”

Open Media and Arts Group Meeting weekly this evening group provides an open and welcoming space for young people to pursue their independent practice. There is an emphasis for using technology to produce art and using digital techniques. Participants work towards exhibitions and digital publication. The exhibitions provide an opportunity for young people to lead, in particular through: coordination, marketing and curation. “…I’ve made friends and feel like I’m really part of something…when we turned an old warehouse into a gallery it was exciting and different…”

Cropston was originally ‘Cropp’s Tun’ - pre-Scandinavian Old English for ‘The Place of Cropp’s People’. We wonder if Cropp and Cusa ever met...

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Young People - CEP and Workshops Throughout the year, in particular school holidays we run a varied programme of workshops in partner venues. At Charnwood Museum, during the ‘Loogabarooga Festival’ we created an interactive mural with children. ‘Take over the Gallery’ meant that we literally painted directly onto the museum gallery wall. Using conductive paint and a special circuit board, young people also recorded sound effects. When it was all connected up members of the public were able to touch the paintings within the mural which triggered the sounds!

Part of the UK Craft Council’s ‘Make:Shift:Do’ festival, we ran a Robots workshop with local children at Beeston Library’s new Discovery Centre. Using junk, conductive tape and paint, young people created their own Robot, this was later used to control their own animated game, made with ‘Scratch’ coding.

Loughborough Library organised a full day of Technology and Art mini workshops for its ‘Techfest.’ They included: conductive art, virtual reality and 3D printing to name a few. We made drawn game controllers from junk and conductive materials, connected to the computer they operated ‘Scratch’ coded games. We worked with over two hundred Loughborough School children during this exciting day!

ArtMediaHub In our fifth year of working in collaboration with Leicester Charity ‘After18,’ we have provided workshops, exhibitions and trips with young asylum seekers and refugees. Meeting in Leicester during school holidays, young people have a dynamic and supportive space in which to socialise and work towards a Trinity Arts Award. We have visited Tate Modern in London and had an exhibition in Charnwood Museum through recent project work.

East Goscote is a modern development but it is named after the ancient Saxon land division of ‘East Goscote Hundred’. The name Goscote itself derives from ‘Gos’ (goose) and ‘Cote’ (cottage or shelter); literally ‘a shelter for geese’ (as in ‘Dovecote’).

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Glastonbudget 2018 25th - 26th - 27th May 2018

The World’s Biggest and Best Tribute Festival right here in Charnwood at Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold LE12 6SU Glastonbudget 2018 has six stages featuring some of the country’s top tribute acts alongside over 100 unsigned groups and solo performers from the UK and Europe. This year’s event features music from The Who, Michael Jackson, The Kinks, Black Eyed Peas, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, UB40, Madness, Oasis, Kings of Leon, Pink Floyd, Artic Monkeys, T-Rex, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Abba, Queen, The Bee Gees, Bruno Mars, Darkness, The Jam, Foo Fighters, Guns and Roses and our favouritely named unsigned band ‘Mum’s Thermal Tights’! Full details of programme, prices and what else is on offer from

www.glastonbudget.org

Wymeswold, which probably started life in the late Saxon period (AD 700 - 900), derives its name from “Wymund’s Wald”, meaning ‘Wymund’s Wood’. Again, we have no information about who Wymund was but the name implies a possible link with ‘Wymund’s Ham’ (Wymondham) in the east of the county.

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In Domesday Book (1086), Hathern is called “Avederne”, probably meaning “Hawthorn”. It is thought this comes from the hawthorn hedge, which traditionally once surrounded the village. The name evolves over time to Haetherne in 1230, Hawtherne in 1254, Hawthirne in 1258 and Hathern thereafter. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Woodland Sculpture by Nita Rao

Tues 24th April to Tues 1st May You may not see any teddy bears, but 11 artists are creating new sculptural work in a beautiful part of the National Forest and invite you to get creative in a series of free drop-in workshops.The artists will combine art and nature to create a temporary sculpture exhibition in direct response to the Outwoods. Watch them as they make new site specific work from natural materials. The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday 28 April to Tuesday 1 May and will be sited in woodland next to the Loughborough Outwoods car park. The artists will be developing work on site and setting up their woodland exhibition between Tuesday 24 April and Friday 27April. The project was the brainchild of ArtSpace member and Charnwood sculptor Nita Rao. “We have wanted to exhibit sculpture in the woods for years, and with permission from the Outwoods management committee to create this sculpture event it has finally become a reality. We hope this unique woodland event will be a fantastic experience for both visitors to the woods and the artists involved. We are very grateful for all the support from the Arts Council, Charnwood Borough Council and the National Forest.”

The idea was hatched by Nita and shared with others during a regular dog walk in the Outwoods. Over the course of a year they walked once a week, whatever the weather, observing the changing seasons. This provided the inspiration. The Outwoods is a beautiful place, especially in Spring. Why not take a walk in the woods, be inspired by the exhibition and perhaps take part in a workshop. The artists will run a series of drop-in workshops for the public, adults and children. These free drop-in workshops, based on the artists’ work, will use the exhibition as a dramatic venue and will take place mornings and afternoons on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April. No need to book, just turn up and get creative! ArtSpace Loughborough is a fine art group, comprising over 20 professional and semi-professional artists, who have exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. The work they produce is often heavily influenced by the exhibition venue, so they are particularly looking forward to creating new and exciting work in the Outwoods. To find out more visit our website www.artspace-lboro.co.uk or our Facebook page IntoTheOutwoodsSculptureWeek

It all started with a conversation in the pub, as many great ideas do, followed shortly after with the very first meeting in August 1997. The group, soon named “ArtSpace 70 Artists Loughborough”, held 50 exhibitions its first exhibition, ‘InnerSpace OuterSpace’ in June 1998. It was with this exhibition that ArtSpace initiated a relationship with Loughborough College of Art (now Loughborough University) which would result in an annual ArtSpace exhibition at the impressive Generator Gallery over next 9 years. In the final year ArtSpaces’ ‘On Reflection’ was closely followed by ‘Italian Identity’, a show that brought the work of Venice based artists to Loughborough. This cultural exchange saw ArtSpace exhibit at the Venice Biennale, and included the Italian group visiting Loughborough and ArtSpace members visiting Venice.

21 years of ArtSpace

The name Mountsorrel comes from Norman French, possibly “mont-sur-eau” (‘the mount on the water) after a town near Saumur, France or “mont-sorel” after the local pink granite. The traditional explanation that this is where Bel the giant ‘mounted’ his ‘sorrel’ horse has little evidence to support it!

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Upcoming exhibition

“Layers and Edges” at Charnwood Museum 17 members of Artspace Loughborough will exhibit paintings, mixed media work, and threedimensional ceramics and sculpture on the theme of ‘Layers and Edges’ at Charnwood Museum, Loughborough, from 19th April to 19th June. Artists were encouraged to interpret the theme in their own way, but most of the work hints at connections with Charnwood, either through the area’s landscape and geological past (especially the Outwoods and Bradgate Park) or through its people, history and buildings.

Making links with Charnwood Museum, when they opened in 2002, led to regular exhibitions in their 2 gallery spaces, including ArtSpace’s latest exhibition “Layers and Edges”. ArtSpace also helped initiate the ArtZone and CreateToo museum workshop programmes for children and adults with Charnwood Arts. Community involvement has always been important to ArtSpace, who have run creative workshops at many of their exhibitions. Uniting local artists is as important now as it was 21 years ago. The 70 artists who have passed through ArtSpace have brought their individual creativity to the group and helped ArtSpace evolve. The artists involved have been able to make links with other artists and organisations enabling them to work collaboratively and develop their practice. They have learned

Charnwood Museum, Granby Street, Loughborough LE11 3DU. Tues-Sat 10am-4.30pm Sun 2-5pm. Tel 01509 233754. Email: museum@charnwood.gov.uk

new creative skills from each other through skill-share 70 Artists workshops, they have learned 50 exhibitions through organising exhibitions, events and from running community workshops. With 70 Artists, individual achievements are too numerous to mention, but many former and current members are well known in Loughborough and further afield. Sadly former member Jimmy Brown passed away last year and an exhibition in his memory will be held at the Nottingham Society of Artists Gallery in August.

21 years of ArtSpace

ArtSpace Artists will continue to develop new ideas and themes for exhibitions that will challenge and engage the public as well as the artists involved. A massive “THANKS” to all who have worked with and contributed to ArtSpace, making it such success, over the last 21 years!

Newtown Linford originated when the Ferrers family of Groby turned Bradgate into a deer park, moving the inhabitants of the area to the “New Town” at the ford of the River Lin, which flows through the Bradgate estate. The first mention of the village was in 1293 as “Lyndnford”.

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In 2017 Charnwood Arts joined a partnership of local authorities and other local organisations to support a bid from the National Forest Company to the Heritage Lottery Fund. We were particularly interested as the bid addressed a number of factors that we felt important from the initial setting up of the forest, through to more contemporary opportunities and links that we feel could be made with and between local communities and other cultural assets. We were delighted to be invited to get involved as the proposed HLF funded partnership bid had a fantastic tie-in with a new approach to our millennium landmark project ‘People Making Places’ and ‘The City Classroom’ initiative for city and county schools. Our current project embracing thirteen communities across the forest, valley and wolds areas of central Charnwood called ‘Where We Are and What We Know’ also provided an initial starting point to bring together all of these strands. We were also very happy that this unique landscape on our doorstep was being recognised as worthy of closer interpretation and management as well as aiming to both engage people in understanding more of the forest’s rich history and involve them more in its care. Furthermore the project, which, if successful in the second round of HLF funding will run until 2025, addressed greater engagement and involvement of the urban ‘gateway’ communities such as Loughborough, Shepshed and Leicester to the forest. It also brings alive the identity of what lays within the Charnwood Forest Regional Park boundaries to take in villages down to the River Soar and south to Bradgate Park and Anstey. The regional park map also extends into Hinckley & Bosworth Borough and North West Leicestershire District. We had always thought that this geography was essential and under-conceptualised in the initial establishment of the National Forest boundaries. Imagine the excitement at the National Forest Company offices that led to this statement: “We are delighted to be able to announce that Charnwood Forest has been successful in a £2.75m grant bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for initial

support through its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme. This is the result of two years’ hard work by a range of partners in the Charnwood Forest Regional Park... Charnwood Forest’s unique landscape erupted out of a volcano in the oceans near the South Pole 600 million years ago. It has developed rich layers of heritage: its landscape is defined by granite-topped hills, wooded valleys, heathlands and grasslands; its shaded lanes reveal Arts and Craft cottages, ancient monasteries and drystone walls. Sir David Attenborough was inspired as a boy in Leicestershire by its internationally important geology and fossils. But, despite being on the doorstep of Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville, its value, beauty and importance is not as well-known as it should be. This puts it at risk: if people are not passionate about Charnwood, they will not understand its importance and, ultimately, the things that make it so special risk being forgotten and lost.” This announcement means that there will be funding for an 18-month development phase, during which the project team will gather key information and pull together the detail of the projects that will form the basis of the five-year Landscape Partnership. At this point the full submission to HLF for over £2.5 million pounds will be finalised. The total estimate for the cost of the programme until 2025 is £3.9m. The Landscape Partnership project aims to raise the profile of Charnwood Forest as a surprising and unique outpost of upland England in lowland Leicestershire. It will help people to explore Charnwood by investing in the ‘honey-pot’ sites of Beacon Hill, Bradgate Park and the Outwoods and improving the network of footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes that link them. It will also help people to engage with Charnwood’s rich history through arts, activities and events and offer them opportunities to learn new skills such as drystone walling and wildlife recording. It will then harness people’s interest in Charnwood to get them involved in its future through helping tell its stories, managing its habitats and protecting its heritage.

The name Old Woodhouse comes from “Wudu Hus” - ‘the Houses in the Wood’. It is called Old Woodhouse to differentiate it from its much younger relation Woodhouse Eaves. It is not mentioned in Domesday Book and almost certainly began life as a forest settlement in the 12th century.

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What makes Charnwood Forest special? Geology & Fossils

The volcanic rocks of Charnwood are some of the oldest in England, having been created 600 million years ago in the southern oceans, and contain evidence that caused us to rethink how life evolved on our planet. In 1957, a fossil was found which proved that complex life forms existed much earlier than previously thought. Named Charnia masoni, it is of international importance and has subsequently been found in only a handful of locations on Earth.

Landscape & Wildlife

Charnwood Forest is a unique landscape, marked out by its volcanic geology. Its rugged, granite outcrops crown hilltops which rise steeply from the relatively flat landscape of Leicestershire. As a result of its geology, Charnwood contains a wealth of nationally and internationally important biodiversity and geodiversity. Despite covering less than 10% of Leicestershire, Charnwood Forest contains more than 50% of its area of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 67% of its designated areas for geodiversity.

Human activity & influence

Recent archaeological investigations at Bradgate Park have identified evidence of Palaeolithic hunter gatherers dating back 15,000 years. Since then, humans have had a profound influence on the landscape of Charnwood Forest, from the establishment of priories in the 12th Century and the Mediaeval clearance of woodland to build villages, through to the growth of quarrying and creation of The National Forest.

Social history, stories & folklore

Charnwood Forest has a rich social history: Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for just nine days in 1553, was born at Bradgate House; Beaumanor Hall was a WWII Signals Intelligence collection site, gathering enemy communications to pass to Bletchley Park; and a young David Attenborough’s enthusiasm for the natural world was fuelled by exploring Charnwood Forest.

Prestwold dates from Saxon times and derives from “Preosta Wudu” (‘Priests’ Wood’). The actual village was probably covered by the grounds of Prestwold Hall and there are now just a few houses here. It shares a parish with Cotes and Hoton. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Heritage loss

The natural and cultural heritage that makes Charnwood Forest so important is in decline. As far back as the 1970s, a report was published which identified that habitats were being lost through development or poor management. Sadly, this is still true 40 years later, with a lack of proper management being a key risk factor. Alongside this, the skills that maintained the characteristic buildings and structures of the area are becoming less common. This is clearly demonstrated in the decline of Charnwood’s drystone walls: a key part of the local character but increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain due to a lack of skilled drystone wallers. If these declines are not reversed, there is a danger that this heritage is lost. If these problems are not addressed, there is a risk that the very things that make Charnwood Forest so special are gradually lost by attrition. Eventually all that could be left is its name on a map because, as Sir David Attenborough says: “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” Given that urban growth around the edges of the Forest is increasing year on year the needs of this special environment and protecting it for future generations must be addressed sooner rather than later.

Charnwood Arts is particularly interested in the Partnership’s aim to engage people through telling the stories of Charnwood Forest in ways that engage and enthral, that connect people with their local environment and their local history, and which makes them passionate about Charnwood. The project also aims to support schools in teaching young people about the volcano that lies on their doorstep and find new ways to make 600 million years of history come alive in a way that is relevant in the 21st century.

The original form of Queniborough was “Cwene Burh” or ‘Cuinburg’, which has two possible meanings. The first is ‘the place of the Querns’ (handmills) as in Quorn (cf) and the second is ‘the Queen’s Manor’, although which Queen is not recorded.

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What will the Scheme do? The Landscape Partnership Scheme is made up of a range of projects that will be delivered by partners across the landscape of Charnwood Forest. We have taken Sir David Attenborough’s quote as inspiration for how we structured the project and, as a result, we have grouped them under the following themes:

‘Explore Charnwood’ ‘Understand Charnwood’ ‘Care for Charnwood’ To find out more detail you can download the document from which this article was drawn at: http://www.nationalforest.org/document/ involved/Charnwood_Forest_Landscape_ Partnership_Scheme.pdf

Quorndon, better known as Quorn, derives its name from ‘Cweorn dun’ or ‘the place of the Querns’. A quern was a stone hand mill and the stone for making them reputedly came from here. The name was shortened to Quorn in 1889, following postal confusion with the village of Quarndon in Derbyshire. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

P eople Making P laces

Charnwood Arts first launched the People Making Places project with the production of this Artslink Magazine in 2000. The cover, featuring many faces of people we had worked with in the 1990s was designed by Steve Birtchnell who also designed the PMP logo. The original texts in that first public expression of People Making Places still hold: PMP is a combined arts project...

A programme of activities... Events, exhibitions, publications, films, performances.

Forming new creative partnerships... Between artists, performers, local organisations, schools, community groups and individuals.

Celebrating the diversity of Charnwood... Diverse

communities, interests, skills, places, histories.

Asking questions of the people we share our lives with... Where do they come

from? What do they do? What do they want and value? What do they believe?

Exploring how Charnwood as a place shapes people’s lives... How in turn do we shape the places where we live and work?

Leaving us with something that lasts... Relationships, sense of belonging, skills, visions, memories, friends and discoveries.

There seems to have been settlement at Ratcliffe on the Wreake since the Anglo Saxon period. The name is thought to derive from “Reade Cliffe” or ‘Red Cliff ’. ‘Cliff ’ in this context could also mean a hill slope or riverbank.

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The original People Making Places website was a little ahead of its time but, with the introduction of Broadband and social media sites, was rapidly outdated. We are now working on a new strategy which will use a magazine type approach to highlight and link stories about Charnwood to a wide range of resources on line. As with the first People Making Places the intention is to link face-to-face projects and events with widening opportunities for participation for people in Charnwood and through our many links throughout the world.

Rearsby comes from the 9th century Scandinavian ‘Hreiorar’s By’ (‘The Settlement Of Hreiorar’s People’). Another interpretation is that ‘Rears’ could be a corruption of ‘Rethaer’, meaning ‘Redhead’, possibly referring to the tribal leader. Norman variations of the name include ‘Reresbi’ and ‘Redresbi’. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

People Making Places

Roads, Rails, Rivers, Snakes and Ladders... ...Charnwood style!

We asked artist Paul Gent to construct a little game for all the family based on an exploration of Charnwood - it’s definitely for mums and dads too as there are a number of potential pub or cafe stops! We hope you have fun learning and finding out about places in Charnwood from each other. We live in a unique and special place! Best played with a single dice! A six gets you an additional dice roll!

The origin of the name Rothley seems to be Saxon, coming from ‘Rothu Leah’, meaning ‘Meadow in a Clearing’. It is built around Rothley Brook, a tributary of the River Soar. The legend of the giant Bel again gives us a more romantic origin, saying that “Rodeley he rode by”.

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In Domesday Book, the name of Seagrave is recorded as ‘Segrave’ meaning ‘the Ditch of a Ford or Pool’. The village is unique in Charnwood in that the early Lords of the Manor - the Segrave family - reputedly took their name from the village rather than the other way round. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

People Making Places - International

Over the years Charnwood Arts and our People Making Places programme has built up many contacts around the world with individuals, artists and organisations - here’s an introduction and update on some of them! Over the last decade Charnwood Arts has worked with Lusine Simonyan, the Director of CDF, through European Union funded workshops in Loughborough and through a British Embassy funded project in Yerevan. The Child Development Foundation (CDF) is based in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. Its work is based on 15 years of engagement in the field of child rights protection and improvement of the social assistance system in Armenia, offering a rich package of needs-based and solutiondriven initiatives for Armenian children, their families, child protectionrelated practitioners and policy makers. Having started its activities in 2002 as a Child Resource Center within World Vision Armenia’s Inclusive Education Project, CDF has grown into an independent foundation that has played a leading role in Armenia’s child protection field since 2009. CDF’s primary mission is to support children, promote the protection of their rights and ensure their harmonious development and full inclusion of children into the society. Throughout the period 2002-2017, the Foundation provided professional services (psychologists, special pedagogue/speech therapists, etc.) to over 2000 children. Currently more than 220 children visit CDF: 102 of them have various developmental impairments. Aiming to pursue its mission and vision, CDF also implements a number of other projects. Last year CDF organized a charity auction-concert, which was aimed at bringing together Armenian businesses and individuals to raise money for children who needed the professional services of specialists. The auction was unprecedented, since it brought together a large number of local businesses and individuals and served as a benchmark for a unique approach in charity culture in Armenia. As a result, CDF raised around $18,000 that was oriented towards providing professional services to 58 children who had various developmental impairments. A major highlight of 2017 was the successful completion of the “Community development through new technologies” project funded by Beeline Armenia, and implemented in partnership with PicsArt Armenia. Around 200 schoolchildren aged 13-17 from 4 different regions of Armenia took part. The project was aimed at enhancing schoolchildren’s skills to use new technologies and raise their voice on existing problems/issues in their communities. The participants explored the PicsArt photo editing tool, photographed the problems/issues in their communities and offered solutions towards addressing them. A big exhibition of the photos was organized at the end of the project, during which the representatives from different communities and local businesses voted for the best photos. As a result, the authors of 10 best photos were awarded with ArmTab laptops and EcoPads produced by “Technology and Science Dynamics” Incorporation.

For those of you who met and worked with dancer and choreographer Rong Tao from Chongqing through workshops in Charnwood, Leicester or Nottingham, here are a couple of images we found recently. It’s fantastic that Tao made good his promise to develop regular dance opportunities for people with learning disabilities and absolutely brilliant to see this resulting in a wonderful outcome of performances as reported on by Chinese news outlets. We were extremely fortunate to be able to host four Charnwood based residencies with such an incredible practitioner and hope that sometime in the future we may work with him again.

The first known name of Shepshed is the Anglo-Saxon ‘Scepeshefde Regis’ and is found in Domesday Book. It means ‘the (King’s) Hill where the Sheep Graze’. The attachment ‘Regis’ implies that there may have been a royal hunting lodge there at that time.

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People Making Places - International Our friends and collaborators around the world have some inspiring and often brave stories to tell! Creatively connecting communities through the arts, heritage and culture.

We first met Bshara Nassar working on a childrens’ festival and youth drama project at Tent of Nations in the hills south of Bethlehem in 2006. He has also visited us a couple of years later with other young Palestinians in Charnwood through a cultural tour organised with Tent of Nations. Now based in America this remarkable young man is establishing The Museum of Palestinian People to create a home in Washington DC where visitors can experience Palestinian people’s history, culture and spirit. As they have just acquired their first property Bshara explains how it all started: “On my first visit to Washington DC in 2011, I was thrilled by America’s capital city. I visited the parks and monuments, and spent hours in the museums, learning about America through the stories of its citizens who had come here from all over the world. Yet this new view of America left me with an unexpected feeling of loss and invisibility. There was no place here for me to tell my story, the human story of Palestine. There was no place for Americans and tourists to learn about the people and country I grew to love and cherish. I felt certain that many members of the Palestinian Diaspora shared those feelings. And from that overwhelming sense of want for Palestinian stories to share with one another, and with the American people, came my determination to create this space: The Museum of the Palestinian People.”

After seven years of war, the Le Pont Art organization in Aleppo will open its doors again for photographers to share their works with local audiences. Director Issa Touma is inviting submissions for the Le Pont Photography Gallery programme, during the season of 2018 to the end of 2019. 10 Exhibitions will be accepted from both international and local photographers, artists and arts organizations. The deadline for submissions is midnight on September 5th 2018.

Issa said: “Share your artworks with the Aleppo public again. The surviving citizens of Aleppo, who suffered the last years from the cold, the dark and the War, have a right today to enjoy art in peace. Art has to be the best way to Build Trust between Countries”. email for further information at: festivals.aleppo@gmail.com

Spectactors’ latest production, (Bhaadrajaa/August Girl), written and directed by Sudipto Chatterjee, will premiere on 3rd May at Gyan Manch, Kolkata. As a former resident of Loughborough, Sudipto collaborated with us on a number of projects and we wish him every success with this new play.

Charnwood Arts are currently working with the International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) in Rotterdam to produce a photo-book about last year’s festival. The book will be ready for their summer workshop programme in Barcelona this coming August.

This e-magazine written and produced by Hui-Tzu Chen and Liao Yun-Ching and others in the Artslink series can be found at: http://issuu.com/charnwoodarts

The origins of Sileby go back to around AD840 when the area was settled by the Danes. The name originates in the Scandinavian “Sigulf ’s By”, meaning ‘The Settlement of Sigulf ’s People”. Situated at the bottom of an ancient valley, the area has always been prone to flooding.

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The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group) One of the most prominent Loughborough families to support Women’s Suffrage was the Corcorans. The father, Dr Thomas Corcoran, (the Borough’s Medical Officer of Health) spoke out strongly against the treatment received by protestors and urged them to “...break more windows in Downing Street...!”

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The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

Kathleen Corcoran was arrested in London in 1910 on “Black Friday”, just before the General Election. However, she was not prosecuted. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

‘Taking Flight’ with EMCCAN As Charnwood Arts are about to enter a third year of partnership with East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network (EMCCAN) we are really excited to welcome them once again to this year’s Picnic in the Park and to accompany them to document as much as we can of their second National Tour. With 17 locations ranging from Liverpool to Bridgewater in Somerset, Stoke on Trent to Scunthorpe and Loughborough to Leeds it was an extraordinary year for East Midlands carnival arts - not forgetting our own home grown and fantastic Caribbean carnivals in Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Northampton. Apart from the many scores of thousands who saw live parades and performances, over a million people accessed materials on-line and through broadcast. With new venues this year, North, South, East and West, the East Midlands is once again presenting the richness of its diverse arts to the nation.

Come and see more costumes and performances from EMCCAN at this year’s Picnic in the Park on Saturday 9th June in Queen’s Park, Loughborough.

Here are pictured some of the events Charnwood Arts documented last year...

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

By 1913, Kathleen Corcoran was Secretary of the Loughborough WSPU. She and her sister Nora refused to pay their “House Duties” (similar to the rates) arguing that “Taxation without representation is tyranny”.

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The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group) To meet their debt (62½p in today’s money) the Corcoran sisters organised a sale of their property and used this to promote the Suffragettes’ cause. The goods were sold in their front garden, draped in the WSPU colours and the sisters told the large crowd why the sale was happening. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

a selection of

Charnwood Arts recent exhibitions

Charnwood Arts has a long and diverse history of curating, organising, stimulating and working with groups to produce exhibitions in Charnwood, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Art Now This exhibition was the culmination of a year of work from groups for young people at Charnwood Arts. Artists ranging in age from 13 to 25 attended regular workshops, open groups and visits. The exhibition took place at the Soft Touch Arts Gallery, on New Walk in central Leicester. The launch event hosted original music from talented Loughborough musician, Tara Freeman. Work in the exhibition explored themes of identity and culture, in a wide range of media. This included contemporary installation art, digital photography, digital art, illustration and painting. Elements of the fantastical, contemporary pop culture and also the traditional could be found in artwork based on Japanese anime. The installation work created a sense of theatre that was contrasted with street art on the fringes. Photographic contributions from the young people created new worlds and a sense of wonder.

Our Nation’s Future

Loughborough Youth Creative Visions Young people throughout the Loughborough area were invited by academics at Loughborough University to make artwork in response to Brexit. Many schools and young people from Charnwood Arts took part. They had meetings with members of Loughborough University Nationalism Network, and were asked: ‘What is your vision of Britain post Brexit?’ The exhibition took place at the Martin Hall Gallery, Loughborough University, and was coordinated and curated by Charnwood Arts. Social Science academics organised a launch event and following symposium to coincide with the national ‘ESRC Festival of Social Science’. In attendance were the young artists, a panel of experts, academics and Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan. The panel discussed the artwork and a short play, performed by Frenzy Youth Theatre. They commented on the interesting and varied selection of artwork. They discussed and debated the themes conveyed in the work. Young people expressed the importance of their voices being heard, and provided food for thought around this topical and divisive subject.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

In October 1913, ‘The Red House’ on Burton Walks (now part of Loughborough Endowed Schools) was set on fire. Copies of “The Suffragette” newspaper were found at the scene as well as pamphlets in memory of Emily Davison. Not surprisingly, the Suffragettes received the blame.

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Paul Brown

Street Photography - a Retrospective Old Library Gallery, Belvoir Street, Leicester

Paul Brown is a prolific street photographer from Loughborough, Leicestershire. His work tackles themes of social justice and champions the outsider. All of Paul’s photographs are taken in the moment and never edited. This was a retrospective exhibition, of a diverse body of work, in collaboration with Charnwood Arts. The Old Library Gallery in central Leicester is now one of the largest exhibiting spaces in the city. The exhibition was open for eight weeks over December and January 2017/18, including a very well attended opening event. A retired builder, Paul approached Charnwood Arts a decade ago and has collaborated on many projects, produced books and mentored young people. He has since gained recognition for his work nationally and internationally. Paul accompanied us to Gammelgaard in Denmark to help assess the remarkable world photography exhibition that was organised as a fundraiser for community photography work. With the remarkable generosity and help of Gammelgaard Kunst and Kulturcenter we were able to bring this large scale, high quality exhibition to the UK and exhibit over 500 pieces in Leicestershire. This prestigeous exhibition was selected by none other than world renowned photography luminaries Steve McCurry, Susan Zadeh and Henrik Saxgren.

The Creative Continuum

National Cheng Kung University, Tainan A collaborative exhibition and programme of events created and curated by Kev Ryan and Ashokumar D Mistry working with summer internship students from NCKU based at Charnwood Arts. The initial stages of the project were planned and developed in Loughborough as a further experimental approach to cumulative and collaborative exhibition practice, as previously trialled in the UK and Taiwan through the ‘Beautiful Life’ project with Professor Ming Turner of NCKU. The exhibition space in the Taiwanese city of Tainan became equally, a place of production, display, performance, experimentation, celebration, gathering, collaboration, community engagement and reflected both temporal and environmental exploration of NCKU and the city.

http://85nckucreativecontinuum.blogspot.co.uk

The exhibition explored creativity as a catalyst for learning and cultural expression and was based around the 85th anniversary of the founding of NCKU. Student workshops and performances embracing ancient arts such as Rangoli and Haiku in contemporary forms, percussion, holograms, interactive media, drawing, street dance, short films, creative and portrait photography, cartoon and crafts. The collecting of views and stories was active throughout the exhibition and built the content as the time period of the exhibition progressed. Both Ashok and Kev also produced their own work as a ‘backbone’ to the exhibition as well as running workshops alongside the students.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

When war broke out in 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst suspended the Suffragettes’ campaign all over the country. Those who had been arrested were given amnesty and Mrs Pankhurst called on women to “...fight for their country as they fought for the vote.” Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Charnwood Arts - recent exhibitions Cafe SOBAR In the last few months we have hung four exhibitions at Cafe SOBAR on Friar Lane in Nottingham under the RawArt banner. The two by RawArt artist Olly (left) were entitled ‘Observing Is Creating’ and ‘Faces From The Past, Present and Future’. Both exhibitions featured Olly’s fantastic mixed media paintings which are inspired by his life experiences both good and bad. Albert Street Artist Paul Dexter (right) has also had two shows. Over the last few years Paul has developed his bold graffiti style into strong and characterful landscapes. He uses his local environment as his main inspiration but also paints scenes from his holiday locations and homages to his artistic heroes. Paul uses acrylics, spray paints and gouache. CAPER is the tag he still uses for his graffiti style works.

Cafe Sobar is a social enterprise, so all profits go directly back into the ‘Double Impact charity’.

Making Histories This will be the fourth year that we have worked with the first year textiles students at Loughborough University. The Making History brief invites the students to respond to Loughborough and the surrounding area and its rich heritage in UK textile production, along with other industries such as bell founding, shoe manufacture and the Great Central Railway. The compelling social history of the Loughborough area, which has shaped over time and in response to key periods and movements such as the industrial revolution and migration in the mid 20th Century also provides inspiration for the textile samples produced by the students. For last two years we have exhibited the work at Charnwood Museum and the Martin Hall Gallery.

RawArt Our collaboration with the Leicestershire Partnership Trust - Art In Health team - continues to be important with Charnwood Arts’ RawArt members exhibiting CHIME at the Bradgate Unit in 2017. RawArt members also made work to the theme ‘Building Bridges’ as part of the LPT/Bright Sparks annual art exhibition at the Attenborough Arts Centre in October 2017

It is not unusual for Charnwood Arts to be exhibiting works for more than 365 days at multiple venues throughout the year - not bad when we still don’t have a gallery ourselves!

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

The Representation of the People Act became law in February 1918, granting the vote to “women of property over the ager of 30”. It was not until the Equal Franchise Act of July 1928 that all women over the age of 21 were able to vote.

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Migrant Memory and the Post-colonial Imagination British Asian Memory, Identity and Community after Partition

We are delighted to introduce a new research project at Loughborough University, which brings together a team of researchers (led by Professor Emily Keightley) with British Asian residents of Loughborough and Tower Hamlets, London. Titled Migrant Memory and the Postcolonial Imagination (MMPI), the project is about memory in the South Asian diaspora. It explores how memories shape people’s lives and the range of practices through which people remember the past. A key focus of the MMPI project is on memories of the 1947 Partition of British India. This was a time of great violence and uncertainty: as India and Pakistan gained their independence from colonial rule, the British colonial administrators hurriedly draw new national boundaries along religious lines, resulting in the movement of millions of people across the new borders. Over seventy years later, the events of the time continue to reverberate around the globe. The MMPI project team are interested in finding out more about the continuing influence of Partition memories today.

As part of this project, the MMPI team is working in partnership with Charnwood Arts and Equality Action to deliver an exciting programme of cultural activities for residents of Loughborough. These will include Bollywood screenings, photography workshops, cooking classes, and much more... We hope there will be something for everyone and all are welcome to attend, so do come along to some of our events and activities! We are also conducting interviews with people with South Asian heritage about their memories and family histories: if you’ve got a story to tell, we’d love to hear it. If you would like to hear more, get on our mailing list, or get involved with the project, please get in touch with us at:

memoriesofpartition@lboro.ac.uk

You can find out more on our website:

http://www.memoriesofpartition.co.uk/ And you can also find us on twitter:

@partitionmemory

There are no hills at Six Hills, let alone six of them. It is today more an area of isolated farms than a village. The name could be derived from the Old English “Segg’s Hill”, meaning ‘Sheep Hill’ or it could come from “Secg Hill”, or ‘Meeting Place of People Bearing Swords’. (‘Secg’ means ‘Sword’). Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Hospital Works

A Place Of Healing

- Creating Better Hospital Environments -

Charnwood Arts’ work with the LPT partnership trust to improve the hospital environment started in 2012. Six projects making new artworks for corridors, patients bays, dayrooms, quiet rooms and foyers have been undertaken since then. Four have been completed and two are due to be finished in time for the NHS’s 70th birthday in July.

Memory Lane/ Evington The projects have been made possible by NHS charitable funds and the first project ‘Memory Lane’ created a corridor of large reminiscence pieces for the Dementia assessment unit at The Evington Centre. Research for the project was done at Snibston Discovery Park and The Records Office at Wigston. Patients at The Hershel Prins and The Evington Centre were included in the consultation process. The occupational therapists at The Evington Centre led the way by holding reminiscence sessions with patients at the centre. Charnwood Arts’ Jemma Bagley assisted at the sessions and collected ideas for the pieces. Head occupational therapist Dena Mir did most of the photo research and Photoshop work, with Jemma putting together the final pieces with help from occupational therapy assistant Katie Barker. Five main themes were identified, Childhood, Home life, Young Adulthood and Going Out, Local Life and Working Life.

Evington Unit Hospital Project – Leicester In 2016 we were invited to undertake a second, charity funded, project at the Evington Centre. After initial consultations between Kev Ryan, Natalie Chabaud and staff about future plans for the development of the male and female wards we decided on a more mobile/removable approach to producing the images. The requirement was for work which reflected themed areas between the wards and which brought alive the memories of and for the patients.

We commissioned Paul Gent for the work and he began with workshops with staff, patients and relatives reflecting themes of work, cinema, travel and transport, areas of Leicester and a larger scale, Monopoly type game panel. The results are below!

South Croxton implies that there should be a North Croxton but the village does not boast any partners. It predates the Normans, deriving from the Saxon ‘Croc’s Tun’, meaning ‘The Place of Croc’s People’. This is presumably a leader called Croc, rather than a large reptile or questionable footwear...

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A Sense Of Place - Oakham and Rutland Community Hospital In 2014 ‘A Sense Of Place’ was created at Oakham and Rutland Community Hospital, working with practitioner Lisa Pidgeon and photographer Jacqui Booth. A series of work was made around the idea of Home and the feeling of being at home. Ideas books and craft kits were left on the wards to collect ideas and items for the final pieces. They also yarn bombed a tree that the patients could see from the dayroom window, this was created by dozens of individuals.

`Inspiring People’- An installation of artworks at St Lukes Hospital, Market Harborough This was followed in 2015 with ‘Inspiring People’ at St Lukes Community Hospital in Market Harborough. The project centered around the patients recovering on the stroke ward. Kit Anderson from Foto Ceramica ran contact sessions with patients and their family members and created a wonderful series of ceramic tiles. Paul Gent was given a different theme for Ward 3 at the hospital, he spent time in Market Harborough sketching local views and researching the history of Symingtons Corsetry at Market Harborough library and museum. The result was a series of pictures for the corridor, dayroom and a quiet room was given a makeover with new picture tiles for the fireplace and dividing screen. We also hung extra pictures that had been donated by a local gallery. (video-doc: https://youtu.be/T-Zl763G83M)

We are now in the final stages of projects at Hinckley Community Hospital and The Bradgate Unit at Glenfield Hospital.

Hinckley Hospital At Hinckley we’ve teamed up with photographer Terry Davis to create a ‘Home And Away’ theme. A series of beautiful photos have already been hung. The Hinckley Times, Hinckley and District Past and Present Group and Hinckley Museum have helped us to source pictures of local views and items including images of factory workers and the Cottage Hospital. We have also found vintage postcards that will form ‘A Walk Around Hinckley’ with the photos. Designer Janet Middleton has created a set of little circular weaves inspired by the circular sock weaving machines that she found in the museum. These weaves were made by patients, visitors and staff and have been scanned ready to print out larger than life size for the foyer area.

Bradgate Unit At the Bradgate Unit we have installed a series of artworks created with artist Jo Sheppard and Bright Sparks ArtsCafe group based on archive material from The Towers and Carlton Hayes hospitals and also by local art collections. Charnwood Arts’ Natalie Chabaud and Jemma Bagley have archived hundreds of documents, photos and artifacts that were preserved from The Towers and Carlton Hayes to create a series of large permanent printed boards that documents the history of mental health provision in Leicestershire entitled ‘Looking Back Moving Forward’. We would like to thank all of the hospital staff for their assistance in making these projects possible, especially Tim Sayers LPT arts in health coordinator. Also all of the artists, photographers and craftspeople that have worked so hard to create such interesting and inspiring pieces.

Swithland derives its name from the exotic sounding ‘Switha Lunda’, meaning ‘a Grove cleared by burning’. This is very appropriate as the village was first established in a clearing in Charnwood Forest. Swithland does not appear in Domesday Book and the earliest mention of it is in a document of 1220. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Mela 2018

Sunday 19th August

Originally a festival centred around the South Asian culture, Mela – which means ‘to meet’ – has branched out to showcase artists and culture from scores of local communities. Loughborough Mela is a partnership event presented by Charnwood Arts, Equality Action, John Storer Charnwood, Charnwood Borough Council, local community groups and individuals. This is the 18th year of the Mela, a truly inclusive event, great for families from all walks of life that live in Loughborough, it is a great occasion for people to share and engage through culture and food. This is a fantastic chance to experience an array of world cultures from clothes to spices and arts.

The celebration will start with a small procession consisting of a dhol drummer and some enthusiastic performers accompanied by the Mayor of Charnwood. This little procession is always cheered by spectators, stall holders and revellers. Once the mayor opens the Mela all eyes are glued to the stage, where buzzing artists from the local community and performers from all around the country will entertain the crowd all day long. There will be a stunning and colourful collection of dresses and saris featuring cutting edge Asian fashions. There will also be arts and crafts with handmade items from local artists and a chance to have mouth-watering food not only from India but around the world. There will be activities for both children and adults such as face painting, fairground rides, henna arts and many more. As every year, Loughborough will come together to celebrate this colourful event in Loughborough Town Centre on Sunday 19th August. This is a FREE family fun event for everyone with a collection of music, dance, food and stalls which will start from 12 noon through to 5pm. Loughborough Mela is a great example of peace and harmony, where people from different cultures and countries come together to celebrate this annual event.

There are two possible derivations of the name Syston. The first is “Sigehae’s Tun” (‘The Place of Sigehae’s People’) and the second “Sida Stan”, meaning ‘a Broadstone’. Domesday Book calls it “Sitestone”.

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A Saxon called Thorstein gave his name to “Thorstein’s Tun” (‘the Place of Thorstein’s People’), which later became Thrussington. There has been a settlement here since at least the late Bronze Age (900-600 BCE).

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

The name Thurcaston also comes from the name of a Saxon settlement, probably established in the 8th century. This was “Thorketil’s Tun”, meaning “The Place of Thorketil’s People”. Domesday Book calls it “Thurkiteleston”.

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Photos by: Harry Freestone & T4run Media. Artwork by Zoe Spowage, Jackie Berridge, Leon Sadler & Olivia Bax.

Thurmaston continues the pattern of the last few entries, being derived from the Saxon “Thormoth’s Tun” meaning - any guesses? - Correct! - ‘The Place of Thormoth’s People’. Pottery has been found here dating from the time of the Beaker people, around 2,000 BCE. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Market Place, Loughborough. LE11 3EB Box Office:: 01509 231914 Email: box.office@charnwood.gov.uk www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk

Monday May 7th 7.30pm £27.50 / £25.50 (Conc.)

Albums Show: Elio Pace’s Billy Joel Songbook Featuring David Brown For the first time ever in the UK... TWO classic Billy Joel albums performed in their entirety… in ONE sensational show. There’s just no stopping the incredible success of the critically acclaimed Billy Joel Songbook led by the phenomenal Elio Pace and his amazing band. Having sold out theatres across the UK and Europe, they now bring you a brand new, exclusive 10-date tour performing Billy Joel’s classic albums, Glass Houses and An Innocent Man.

Thursday May 10th 7.30pm £21 Standard

Henry Blofeld: 78 Retired Henry ‘My Dear Old Thing’ Blofeld has hung up his microphone after 50 years commentating on international cricket. The cherished golden voice of cricket has decided to celebrate by touring the country with his brand-new show, jam-packed full of unheard anecdotes from on and off the pitch, as well as stories from the TMS box not allowed on the radio! Don’t miss the chance to wave a bat in honour to the last bastion of the original Test Match Special team; the team who made it the much-loved programme it is today.

Saturday May 12th 7.30pm £25 / £23.50 (Conc.)

The Drifters are back on the road in the UK performing their classic hits from the last six decades. The legendary group have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, performed for the President of the United States and listed among the greatest artists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. Don’t miss their performances of classic hits such as ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘You’re More Than A Number,’ ‘Come on Over to My Place’, ‘Up On The Roof,’ ‘Under the Boardwalk’, ‘Kissin In The Back Row’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘Down On The Beach,’ ‘Hello Happiness’and many more!

Ulverscroft is similar to Prestwold in that there is no longer a village here at all. The name comes from “Ulf ’s Croft”, meaning an enclosure belonging to Ulf. There was formerly a Priory here, founded in 1139 and dissolved in 1539, the ruins of which can still be seen.

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May 15th-19th

7.30pm (Matinee Sat 2.30pm) Age Guidance: 11+ £16.50 Standard - Concessions on Tuesday Evening & Saturday Matinee £15.50

Greasepaint Productions will

take you on a hi-octane roller coaster ride through dizzy heights and crashing lows as a group of star-struck wannabes embark on their quest for the ultimate accolade FAME! An unmistakable title from the unforgettable film and television franchise, Fame is an international sensation that continues to reach new generations of performers and audience members!

Friday May 18th 8.00pm Age Guidance: 16+ £16 Standard

Matt Forde: A Show Hastily Rewritten in Light of Recent Events - Again! The UK’s leading political comedian and host of Unspun presents a show completely changed by events which haven’t yet happened. Ultra-topical comedy as seen on The Royal Variety Performance, Mock the Week, The One Show and Question Time. Now with added Trump.

Tuesday May 29th 12 noon £6

Literature at Lunch: Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of Times Past” Part One - “Swann’s Way” To tie in with our earlier choice, come and look at the work that Sagan most admired and at the man whom most French would call their greatest writer. This ‘novel’ is essential reading for anyone who hopes to understand French literature. Proust is a huge leap in terms of density of thought. Come and keep Jane company on a fabulous mental journey.

Friday June 1st 8.00pm £26 STANDARD

Fastlove A Tribute to George Michael Get ready for an unforgettable evening with a global superstar, as he puts the Boom Boom into your heart in the all new production, Fastlove - A Tribute To George Michael. The show is packed with crowd pleasing anthems. From the Wham classics of the new pop revival to the charttopping success of the eighties album Faith, plus the awesome tunes of the nineties and noughties. *Disclaimer: This show is not affiliated with or endorsed by George Michael or his estate.

The earliest known name of Walton on the Wolds was “Wealas Tun Wald”, meaning ‘The Settlement of the British Serfs on the Wolds’. The name ‘Wealas’ was what the new Saxon population called the native Britons. ‘Wealas’ is also the source of the word “Wales”, final stronghold of many of the Britons. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Friday June 8th

8pm - Age Restriction: 14+ (This is a standing gig) £23 ADVANCE/ £26 ON THE DOOR

Sunday June 3rd

From the Jam

3.00pm and 7.00pm £12.50

Book a room and join us for a power house of sound and classic hits bringing you straight back into the early 80s!

The Wiz

With performances that sealed the reputation of The Jam all those years ago expect to hear hits such as Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, Going Underground, Town Called Malice, The Modern World, plus hours of more sounds. Definitely worth travelling for!

BrightLights Theatre School are delighted to be back at Loughborough Town Hall, with their new Coalville School’s production of The Wiz - the super soul musical!! The Wiz is a modern retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Similar in plot to The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz includes all the well known characters, but transforms the story into a fun, funky, modern version of the musical, and sets Dorothy’s adventures in the Land of Oz to a dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel, and soul music! Tickets are available through BrightLights Theatre School only. Please call 01530 542 646 / 01509 646 647 to book. www.brightlightstheatreschool.com

Tuesday June 5th 7.30pm - Age Guidance: 12+ £21

Frontman bassist/singer Bruce Foxton, is joined by Russell Hastings on lead vocal & guitar, drummer Mike Randon and Keyboard player Andy Fairclough.

“ I felt I was there in front of the originals but with something added by the new musicians too. Russell Hastings performs Weller’s songs with such power and finesse. Bruce Foxton is just extraordinary on the bass – but then he always was. All my friends were blown away by this band tonight - you must see them if you can! “ - Radio 2`s Jeremy Vine.

Chris Ramsey - Live 2018 (The Just Happy to Get Out of the House Tour)

Saturday 9th June

Critically acclaimed and award winning Stand Up comedian, host of his own TV entertainment show and Stand Up show on Comedy Central, Celebrity Juice regular and the only person to ever put Katie Hopkins in her place; Chris Ramsey brings his BRAND NEW 2018 live tour to Loughborough! It sold out last time, so snap tickets up!

World Gin Day Festival

7pm - Over 18 Only £20

Gin lovers of the world rejoice once more as World Gin Day returns for its 10th year! To celebrate, the Burleighs Gin Festival is going to be held at Loughborough Town Hall!

Domesday Book calls Wanlip “Anlieppe”, meaning ‘isolated’ or ‘single’. This could be because of the remote nature of the place or possibly because the land here was marshy and had to be crossed by stepping stones in single file. This is also the place supposedly reached by the giant Bel in “One Leap”.

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Sunday June 17th, 7.30pm £46

Russell Watson - Serenade

Tuesday June 26th 12 noon £6

Literature at Lunch: Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” A world wide favourite and the novel that everyone thinks they know, whether they have read it or not! But this is a great novel and hugely perceptive about human nature. Austen is a fabulous technician and can reveal character through dialogue like no one before or since. Come and enjoy a lady who understands emotion and also about its sometimes necessary suppression. A very special evening with four-time Brit Classical Award winner Russell Watson, accompanied by his pianist and a guest choir. The world-renowned tenor will be performing songs from his new album True Stories, together with a selection of hits from his illustrious career. Russell Watson has sold more than 7 million albums and performed for Her Majesty The Queen, The Pope and two US Presidents. The New York Times described a recent performance thus: “He sings like Pavarotti, and entertains the audience like Sinatra”

21st June to 24th June Thurs & Fri 7PM, Sat & Sun 2.30pm & 7pm £12.50

High School Musical BrightLights Theatre School are thrilled to be bringing The Disney Channel’s smash hit movie musical to life on the Loughborough Town Hall stage! Tickets are available through BrightLights Theatre School only. Please call 01509 646 647 to book. Tickets to Thursday’s BSL signed performance can also be purchased by email at: office@brightlightstheatreschool.com

Sunday 1st July Times vary

Beauty and the Beast Children’s Ensemble Auditions Following last year’s smash hit 5 star pantomime, we are once again looking for talented kids to appear in the junior ensemble for our 2018/19 production Beauty and the Beast! We are looking for kids with bags of energy and personality. Acting/ singing/dance ability is required but previous theatre experience is not essential. The auditions will be in a workshop style, with each child getting the chance to showcase their skills, and so auditionees do not need to prepare anything. All candidates should be prepared to learn a short dance and a short song, but above all have lots of fun! Please download an application form on www. loughboroughtownhall.co.uk which contains lots more information. This needs to be completed and signed by a parent/guardian and brought with you on the day. These auditions are for Boys and Girls aged 8 - 16.

Hoton is also pre-Scandinavian Old English in origin. Its meaning is ‘Hoh Tune’ - ‘Settlement on the Spur of a Hill’. Alternative versions include Hoston and Hawton. It shares a parish with Cotes and Prestwolds.

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Come and work with Brightlights Theatre School for a whole week!

Saturday July 28th 7.30pm £24 Standard/ £51 V.I.P

Lee Mead – 10 Years – The Anniversary Tour It’s been ten years since Lee Mead first donned the coat in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. So join Lee and his amazing band as he takes you through the last ten years of his life. Featuring songs from the classic shows he has starred in, such as THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA , MISS SAIGON , CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG , LEGALLY BLONDE, WICKED and many more. Including songs from his previous albums, and his brand new album ‘Lee Mead Ten Years’. ***The VIP package includes; seat on the first three rows, signed photo, meet and greet @ 5:30 - 6:30pm in the Council Chamber. Treat yourself...***

Tuesday July 31st 12 noon £6

Literature at Lunch Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ This is Dostoyevsky’s last novel and carries the weight of a life-time of struggle and effort in his art. Come and enjoy his story of ‘a certain little family’: a murdered father and his three sons in a plot that embodies the disintegration of the whole of Russian society.

July 30th - August 3rd 10-15am-3.30pm £100 per child

Show in a Week 2018 - Alice in Wonderland (Ages 6-11)

August 6th - 10th 10-15am-3.30pm £100 per child

Show in a Week - Grease (Ages 11-16) A chance for young people to experience improvisation, physical theatre and performance inspired by classic musicals. Returning for 2018, these workshops are led by industry professionals from Brightlights Theatre School. Running from 10:15am - 3:30pm each day (Monday - Friday), the week culminates in a short performance on the Friday afternoon on our Main Hall stage at Loughborough Town Hall. Fees for this week-long workshop are £100 per student. Your place on the workshop is confirmed once LTH receives both your completed application form and payment in full. For more information download your application form on LTH website or call/visit the box office on: 01509 231 914, or email: box.office@charnwood.gov.uk LTH is delighted to be working in conjunction with Brightlights Theatre School, as we celebrate our 5th year delivering Show In A Week with them. http://www.brightlightstheatreschool.com/

Charnia is an ancient fern-like plant, fossils of which were first discovered in - and named after - Charnwood. It is the first fossil ever found that came from undoubted Precambrian rocks. Until 1958, the Precambrian was thought to be completely devoid of fossils and higher life forms.

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14th June - 28th July Exhibition: Encounters

A solo Exhibition by Jose Gonzalez Iglesias

1st February to 2nd June Exhibition: Enchanting Colour A Solo Exhibition by Anne Kingham Anne is a local artist living in Barrow upon Soar. After retiring she started painting, mainly in oils because she loves the rich, glowing colours. It seemed a natural step to start doing stained and fused glass work.

8th February to 16th June Exhibition: From Land to Sea A Solo Exhibition by Carolyn Kay Carolyn’s love of discovering and exploring new places is reflected throughout this exhibition, as her surroundings have inspired paintings that capture scenes of locations both abroad and in the UK. http://carolynkay.webs.com/

19th April to 9th June 2018 Exhibition: A Force Of Nature A solo Exhibition by Michael Claxton The simplicity of nature is a constant source of inspiration for Michael’s paintings, capturing the shifting light, tumbling clouds, a crashing wave and the tranquillity of open spaces.

Meet the artist: Join Michael on Saturday 19th May. 10am – 1.00pm where you will have an opportunity to talk to him about his work.

There is a story of a lifetime in many encounters. Curiosity to explore and memories captured when we’re unexpectedly faced with something challenging, or experience something different. Jose Gonzalez Iglesias explores this relationship, building into much of his work the expression of a bond that connects memories with present experiences. From humble foster care beginnings in Venezuela, Jose moved to Spain where in 1969, aged 9, he joined “Los Muchachos Circus” touring the world for 7 years as a circus performer. josegonzaleziglesias.com

4th August until the 8th September Exhibition:

Open Exhibition 2018 Sock Gallery’s Summer Open Exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your two-dimensional work ranging from paintings, photographs, drawings, original prints and mixed media work. You can submit up to 3 pieces of work each, which are all judged by an independent selection panel. Those who are successful will have their work on display as part of the Summer Open Exhibition. Application Forms are available to pick up from Sock Gallery or to download from www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk/sock/gallery

Cost: £6 non-refundable administration fee per piece Submission Dates: Friday 27th July 11am – 7pm Saturday 28th July 9am – 5pm Categories and Prizes: Young Persons (11 – 17) Winner: £150 Adults (18+) Winner: £500

“Charnwood - that vast and decayed forest, lying on the NW side of the County of Leicester, neere unto Loughborough, in forme somewhat square, of an hard and barren soyle, full of hills, woods, rocks, and stone torres, and dells of a kind of slate” - William Burton, The Description of Leicestershire,1622. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

LU Arts presents:

NT Live - Macbeth

Thursday May 10th

7.00m [Cope Auditorium, Loughborough University] £15 The ruined aftermath of a bloody civil war. Ruthlessly fighting to survive, the Macbeths are propelled towards the crown by forces of elemental darkness. LU Arts presents

Robin Ince: Pragamatic Insanity

Wednesday May 9th

7.30m [Martin Hall Theatre, Loughborough University] £15 / £10 / £5 Students

Lakin McCarthy presents Robin Ince Pragmatic Insanity. Robin is the winner of a Sony Gold and Rose d’Or for The Infinite Monkey Cage and the Time Out Outstanding Contribution to Comedy, as well as The Francis Crick Science Journalism Award and 3 Chortle Awards. Robin’s first new stand up show in three years is a clash of the two cultures, a joyous romp through his favourite artists and strangest scientific ideas. From the work of Stanley Spencer to Niels Bohr, it is 90 minutes fizzing with ideas about creativity in science and art, as well as asking why we believe we see what we see, and why we believe what we believe. Robin will have just finished a 70 date, record breaking tour with Brian Cox that concludes at Wembley Arena. Age guidance 14+

Shakespeare’s most intense and terrifying tragedy, directed by Rufus Norris (The Threepenny Opera, London Road), will see Rory Kinnear (Young Marx, Othello) and Anne-Marie Duff (Oil, Suffragette) return to the National Theatre to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. (Certificate 12A) LU Arts presents:

The Loughborough University Choir Spring Concert

Wednesday May 16th

7.30m [Cope Auditorium, Loughborough University] £7 / £5 Students

Following its ‘global musical tour’ in December, the Loughborough University Choir settles much closer to home with a programme of English music, including Gilbert and Sullivan’s one act comic opera Trial by Jury - silence in court! Will justice be done? Will love prevail? The choir is open to all staff and students of the University, and to members of the public aged 16 or over. They meet every Monday evening during term time from 7pm to 9pm in Cope Auditorium. New members are welcome at any time — there are no auditions, no previous experience is needed, and there aren’t any requirements to be able to read music. Just come along and sing.

Beacon Hill may have been a stopping point on the Saltway, an ancient route by which salt was brought from the Norfolk coast. It came into Charnwood at Six Hills, running through Barrow on Soar and Quorn and probably on to Beacon Hill and beyond.

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

LU Arts presents: Battleship Potemkin - with Matthew

Trusler & Ashley Wass

Wednesday May 30th, 7.30m [Cope Auditorium,

Loughborough University] £13 / £10 / £5 Students

A live screening of Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent masterpiece with a live, specially curated soundtrack. Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent masterpiece, Battleship Potemkin, is both one of the most influential films in history and one of the most controversial. Despite being hailed as amongst the greatest movies ever made, it has been banned on numerous occasions in countries around the world due to its propagandist convictions and potential to influence political thought. Originally written as a revolutionary propaganda film, Battleship Potemkin is a dramatic retelling of a notorious mutiny in 1905, when the Potemkin’s crew rebelled against their officers. Eisenstein hoped the film would be given a new soundtrack every 20 years to help retain its relevance for each passing generation. For this screening, Matthew Trusler (violin) and Ashley Wass (piano) have curated a powerful soundtrack of music by several different composers, many of whom were influenced and affected by the Russian Revolution of 1917. Works by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Janacek and Bartok have been selected to complement the film’s narrative, and are skilfully timed to correspond with each change of scene. The juxtaposition of one of the 20th Century’s most powerful films with a live soundtrack from some of the greatest composers associated with this turbulent era of political upheaval, makes for a truly compelling experience.

Loughborough University Arts Festival 2018

Wednesday 6th to Friday 15th June [School of the Arts, English and Drama]

For the first time this year the University will be holding an Arts Festival to celebrate the creative, visual and performing arts on campus. In addition to the annual Arts Degree Show, Design Exhibition, and end of year drama performance, there will be a programme of FREE daytime and early evening talks and events, which are open to the public. These will include a number of Loughborough Alumni as well as academics from the University and invited guests. The festival will culminate with academic Joan Fitzpatrick in discussion with William Sitwell, food critic, writer and presenter known for his appearances on Masterchef. They will be looking at the history of food and food within literature. Other guests taking part in the festival include artists Michael Landy and Tania Bruguera and author Kate Rhodes. For more information on the full programme of events go to www.arts.lboro.ac.uk.

Repertoire included in the Potemkin soundtrack: Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition Bartok - Out of Doors Prokofiev - Violin Sonata No. 1 Prokofiev - Violin Sonata No. 2 Janacek - Violin Sonata Shostakovich - Prelude and Fugue in E minor Shostakovich - Prelude and Fugue in D minor

Early industrial demand for charcoal and timber led to huge loss of woodland in Charnwood Forest. Natural regeneration was hampered by the huge numbers of rabbits in the area and by the 1790s, most of the woodland had disappeared, leaving large areas of moorland and pasture. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

COMING ON...

OTHER EVENTS DURING “HEART OF THREE CITIES” (MAY 1ST - JULY 2018)

Monday 7th May Starts at 12 noon

Quorn May Day Carnival [Quorn Village Centre] - Stafford Orchard

Wednesday May 2nd

Come and enjoy free entry to this popular annual event. Bands, food, drink, fairground, many interesting stalls and the ever popular Dog Show.

LES Music presents: Keyboard & Chamber Music The Recital Hall, Loughborough Endowed Schools

For further details email quorn.veg@btinternet.com or see our website www.quornveg.co.uk http://www.quorndon.com/events/

7.00pm

One of their most varied concerts of the year, this will showcase the commitment and enthusiasm of Loughborough Endowed Schools musicians towards chamber music. Free event - All Welcome For further information please contact the Music School on 01509 283770

Thursday May 3rd Loughborough Acoustic Club - All Welcome Fennel Street Club, 20 Fennel Street, Loughborough Leics LE11 1UQ 07985-283281 Fennel-St-club@hotmail.co.uk http://www.fennel-street-club.com

Saturday May 5th Fennel Street Club presents Live vocalist ‘Victoria Louise’ Fennel Street Club, 20 Fennel Street, Loughborough Leics LE11 1UQ Free entry

May 5th - 7th Great Central Railway Peppa and George Event Come and meet Peppa and her brother George and have your photo taken with her. “A children’s entertainer from 10.30am, face painting and a Mini Fun fair for all to enjoy at Rothley. (Prices include unlimited rail travel and all entertainment except the funfair rides and face painting)” http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/peppa/

Monday May 7th and every Monday until July 16th All events begin at 7.30pm

Loughborough Folk Dance Club Nights - Live Bands and Callers Rosebery St Peter’s Community Centre, Storer Rd, L/boro Phone Roy 0116 267 3966 or Lynne 01509 210705 Tickets £3.00 All welcome!

Friday 11th May

Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start Palladianism – An illustrated Talk by Dr Michael Cefai Quorn Village Hall, 64 Leicester Rd, Quorn, LE12 8BB The talk will focus on the work of Andrea Palladio and its popularity in Britain during the mid 17th and early 18th Centuries. Cost: Free for members, £3 for non members (on the door)

Saturday May 12th (Time tbc) Loughborough Male Voice Choir Concert with Gembloux Emmanuel Church, Loughborough

Saturday 12th May All Day Event

Loughborough Piano Competition The Recital Hall, Loughborough Endowed Schools Loughborough Endowed Schools Music are introducing a major new piano competition for young people from the Midlands aimed at excellent young pianists from the area who wish to demonstrate their musical skills in front of a piano specialist. For more information please contact Ms Reinhard, Head of Keyboard & Chamber Music on m.reinhard@lesmusic.org

Many ancient villages in Charnwood have disappeared or been absorbed into their larger neighbours. There have been three villages called Bradgate. The first was moved to provide pasture, the second and third were knocked down as they spoiled the view from Bradgate House...

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

...COMING UP

Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th May Great Central Railway Goods Galore Gala A goods-themed showcase of how Britain’s railways moved goods around the country. Expect to see a busy two days with an intensive passenger and goods train timetable.

Saturday 12th May 6.30pm

1. Saturday May 19th and 2. Sunday May 27th 7.30pm and 2pm respectively

Loughborough Male Voice Choir 1.Hathern Parish Church 2. Queen’s Park Loughborough http://www.loughboroughmvc.co.uk

Great Central Railway Real Ale Train Real Ale on the Move!

Wednesday May 23rd

Enjoy ale on the rails as a steam loco does two return trips along the line. We will be serving cask beers from Nottingham Brewery, along with Lincoln Green and Holden’s.

Steven Faulkner - Musician Mountsorrel Memorial Centre - Hill 62 Bar

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/real-aletrain/

Monday May 14th 8.00pm

Windmill Acoustic Monday Windmill Inn, 83 Brook Street, Wymeswold, Leics LE12 6TT

7:00 pm - 11:30 pm

Free http://www.mountsorrelmemorialcentre.co.uk/contact/

Thursday May 24th 10am

High Points in Charnwood Forest Walk in the Outwoods Starting at Outwoods Car Park LE12 8TA.

01509-881313 http://thewindmillwymeswold.com/

Children over 12 welcome with an adult Access: 3 stiles Duration: 3.5 hours Miles: 7 www.thenationalforestwalkingfestival.org.uk

Monday May 14th

Saturday May 26th, 7.30pm

8.00pm

Grand Union Folk Club: Featuring Benny Graham, Di Henderson and Anne Lamb Horse & Trumpet, 4 Barrow Road, Sileby, Leics LE12 7LP Tel: Bill: 01509 813566 Email: bill.wilkes@btinternet.com

Thursday May 17th Loughborough Acoustic Club - All Welcome Fennel Street Club, 20 Fennel Street, Loughborough Leics LE11 1UQ

Saturday May 19th

New Quorndon Shakespeare Company - 1940s Evening Quorn Village Hall, Leicester Road, Quorn LE12 8BB Join the New Quorndon Shakespeare Company for an evening of 1940s themed entertainment and dancing. An evening buffet is included in the ticket price. Please bring your own drinks. 1940s style dress is encouraged. Tickets £10.00 (Rations included) www.nqsc.co.uk

Sunday May 27th,

All Day from 12 noon

Fennel Street Club presents Live vocalist ‘Paul Laine’

Family Fun Day Waterside Inn, Sileby Road, Mountsorrel, LE12 7BB

07985-283281 Fennel-St-club@hotmail.co.uk http://www.fennel-street-club.com

Admission free 0116-230-2758 bookings@watersidemountsorrel.co.uk

There was a village called Garendon until the Cistercian Abbey was built there in 1133 and moved everyone off of what was now their land. The main reason was that if they left the village there the Abbey would lose its exemption from paying tithes. What the villagers thought is not recorded... Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Thursday May 31st 8.30pm

COMING ON...

White Horse Folk Singaround Session The White Horse Inn, Church Street, Seagrave, Leics

Sunday 10th June 2018

All styles of acoustic music, poetry welcome + all listeners.

Charnwood Concert Band Queen’s Park Bandstand, Granby Street, Loughborough

For details phone Dave or Julia on 0116 2871895 or 0771 1996210 or dave@acorn4.demon.co.uk

Friday June 15th 7.30pm

June 1st - 3rd Great Central Railway 1940s Wartime Weekend

Loughborough Male Voice Choir Joint concert with Romsey Male Voice Choir Parish Church, Barrow on Soar

The 1940s are brought back to life this June with an evocative commemoration of life in wartime Britain (from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd June 2018).

Friday 15th to Sunday 17th June

There’s BBMF flypasts (Saturday & Sunday), and a Spitfire aerial display (Sunday only). Thrill to mock battles, live music and theatre- there’s more activities than ever before! Dance to the music of time gone by with live acts to entertain you throughout the weekend and join us for our Saturday Evening Dance with Kalamazoo Dance Band.

Great Central Railway Model Event Across all four stations along the GCR. All gauges and scales. Travel on the real thing between stations and get up close to life-sized exhibits. Refreshment available at all stations

The event will also feature period entertainment, displays of military vehicles and visiting dignitaries including Winston Churchill, the King and Queen at stations along the line. At Quorn station there’s singing and dancing across 3 stages, a real ale tent, shopping village, an air raid scenario and land army & working farmer equipment displays. Hundreds of re-enactors will bring the stations and trains to life wearing period clothes, giving twenty first century visitors the closest experience to time travel they can get. Cameo scenes will be staged throughout the weekend invoking the warring forties. www.gcrailway.co.uk/wartime

Monday June 4th 8.00pm

Grand Union Folk Club: English Music Workshop and Session Horse & Trumpet, 4 Barrow Road, Sileby, Leics Tel: Bill: 01509 813566 Email: bill.wilkes@btinternet.com

Friday and Saturday: 10.00am-5.00pm Sunday: 10.00am-4.00pm

Book online at www.gcrailway.co.uk

Sunday June 17th

mid-morning until 4pm Loughborough Car Show 2018 Loughborough Market Place Classic Hot Rods to Soap Box Racers.

Saturday June 23rd All Day from 12 noon

Midsummer Music Festival Waterside Inn, Sileby Road, Mountsorrel, LE12 7BB Featuring the UK’s leading tribute acts to Ed Sheeran, UB40 and Little Mix plus more live music to be announced Admission free 0116-230-2758 bookings@watersidemountsorrel.co.uk

The village of Dishley appears in the Domesday Book as having a population of about 130. But, as with Garendon, The Abbey of St Mary took over its land before 1168 and replaced the village with a grange farm. This is probably the source of the name Dishley Grange.

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

...COMING UP Saturday 23rd June Music at The Green Place - Featuring: Vikki Clayton, Her Burden, Monochrome Days, Michael Vickers, Kristy Gallacher, The N’Ukes, Sophie Sparham The Green Place, 6 Cossington Road, Sileby, Leics. A chance for you to enjoy an afternoon and evening of live music in the open air. There is a wildlife garden and indoor café. On the day we will also be holding a BBQ and pizzas, kids’ activities and garden games, as well as an upcycled caravan bar. For further details: 01509 815181 https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenPlaceSileby/

4th - 7th July 2018 7.30pm

Festival Players - The Dresser by Ronald Harwood Sir Robert Martin Theatre, Loughborough University One fateful night in a small English regional theatre during World War II, a troupe of touring actors are staging a production of Shakespeare’s King Lear. Bombs are falling, sirens are wailing, the curtain is up in an hour but Sir, the last of the great, but dying, breed of English actor-managers and who is playing Lear, is nowhere to be seen. Tickets can be purchased directly from The Festival Players on 07855 248832 or at the LTH Box Office on 01509 231914 or via the Loughborough Town Hall website - www.festivalplayers.com

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th July

12.30pm to 5.30pm

Monday June 25th 8.00pm

Grand Union Folk Club: Featuring John Connolly Horse & Trumpet, 4 Barrow Road, Sileby, Leics LE12 7LP Tel: Bill: 01509 813566 Email: bill.wilkes@btinternet.com

Saturday June 30th 7 -10 pm

Tributes to Gary Numan and Kraftwek - Pat Martin and Man Machine Mountsorrel Memorial Centre Tickets £10 - available from reception or: 01162304877 or email reception@ mountsorrelmemorialcentre.co.uk

Quorn Open Gardens Quorn Village If you wish to participate in this year’s event or would like further information, please contact Ann Clarricoates on 01509 414 105 / 07526 120 799 (phone or text) or e-mail: clarric60@gmail.com

Saturday 21st July

Doors Open from 7 pm The Electric Cafe Mountsorrel Memorial Centre Tickets £5.00 - available from reception or: 01162304877 or email reception@ mountsorrelmemorialcentre.co.uk Licensed Bar

July 6th - 7th

Monday July 23rd

(Act One Theatre Company) Oh What a Night! - A Concert Iveshead Theatre, Forest Street, Shepshed

Grand Union Folk Club - Featuring Hannah James and Roger Wilson Horse & Trumpet, 4 Barrow Road, Sileby, Leics Tel: Bill: 01509 813566 Email: bill.wilkes@btinternet.com

7.30pm

Contact 07779 108743 or 01509 212661

8.00pm

The ancient village of Shelthorpe was located very close to the Shelthorpe of today, except that most of it was on the other side of the A6. There is now no trace of the settlement, as the land on which it stood was dug out to form the clay pit of Tucker’s Brick Company, later flooded to become Charnwood Water. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

COMING ON... ...COMING UP Art This Way is an annual art trail that takes place in the Forest Road area of Loughborough. This year it’s on the weekend of the 30th June – 1st July 11am – 6pm. It’s an opportunity to see - and buy - art and contemporary crafts direct from professional artists and makers away from a gallery setting. Six years ago, a group of artists and friends decided to create an opportunity to show their work by opening their houses and gardens to the public and the Art This Way art trail was born! Each year more artists have been included but the trail has deliberately opened only a small number of houses. This has meant that the trail is easy to navigate as the houses are all within walking distance of each other. There is not just art on offer, but home-made cakes and freshly made pizza from a wood fired oven which helps raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK. It is a wonderful weekend where you can meet the artists, neighbours, and have a chat in a relaxed and friendly setting. The trail is FREE and you get a map to help you find all of the venues. Collect a stamp on your map at each venue and then hand it over when you have finished the trail to be entered into a prize draw to win a piece of artwork. Full details, including information about this year’s artists, are on the Trail website:

www.artthisway.co.uk

Art This Way on Facebook

The small original village of Hamilton stood on the very edge of Charnwood, “...on the south bank of a stream beside an ancient fording place”. It lay a mile north of Scraptoft and 4½ miles north east of Leicester. Plague and enclosure took their toll and the village was deserted by the 1450s. Traces of this village can still be seen in the fields.

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Rawkus Redz The photo shows Jamie Bee and George Stackhouse of the band performing at last years Wicked Hathern Festival. Credit to Martin Bassett of www.bassettsphotos.co.uk Shepshed based rock band Rawkus Redz winners of last years Loughborough Rocks competition will be playing at Glastonbudget this year. Fronted by George Stackhouse - lead vocals and guitar, brother Charlie - drums and backing vocals, Jamie Bee guitar and backing vocals and new member George Kenning on bass.

Check them out on Facebook - Rawkus Redz. Twitter and Instagram @thoserawkusredz

Charnwood Community Theatre Charnwood Community Theatre have been rehearsing for their latest production, ‘Talking Heads’, an evening of monologues which explore the dark subtexts that exist below the surface of the stories of seemingly everyday people, from the highly acclaimed BBC Television series by awardwinning British playwright Alan Bennett. Performance dates are May 10th at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton and May 12th at Fearon Hall, Loughborough. Tickets are £8/£7 and can be booked on 07791 459758. The Community Theatre has been in existence since 1982 and over the years its rotating membership has produced a varied programme of shows which have been highly praised by press and public alike. The company is always happy to welcome new members. Actors, directors, writers, technicians and stage managers are invited to get in touch and training or experience is not essential. CCT are interested in meeting people with a genuine love of, and interest in Theatre. The only criteria being a sense of commitment and willingness to work hard to produce shows of a high standard. There are no auditions to pass or fees to pay. CCT can be contacted on: ctheatre@live.co.uk On Facebook – Groups- Charnwood Community Theatre (CCT) The Web – www.ctheatre.wixsite.com/ctheatre

By 1945, Garendon House was no longer habitable. When the De Lisle family sold land in the west of the estate for the building of the M1 in 1964, the contractors also agreed to demolish the shell of the hall for nothing, in return for letting them use the rubble as hardcore for the new motorway. As a result, M1 motorists are now unknowingly driving over 3,500 tons of Palladian Mansion every day! Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Editor: Kev Ryan All photography copyright of individual authors - Main Contributors: Kev Ryan, Jemma Bagley, Liao Yun Ching, Tony Thory, James Chantry, Paul Brown Illustrations: Jason Morris (Front Cover), Paul Gent Design and Layout: Natalie Chabaud Copy, Information and Proofing: Kev Ryan, James Chantry, Jill Vincent, Jemma Bagley, Tony Thory, Nita Rao, Terry Allen, Loughborough Town Hall, Wicked Hathern Festival, Modern Painters and New Decorators, The National Forest Company, Loughborough University, Andrew McWilliam, David Salsbury, Lord Willy Bach, Stage Left Theatre Workshops, Charnwood Community Theatre, Lusine Simonyan, Chloe Alaghband-Zadeh, Mehraj Alamgir, Natalie Chabaud Page Footers: Terry Allen Project Development and Delivery: Kev Ryan, James Chantry, Jemma Bagley, Natalie Chabaud, Andrew McWilliam, Paul Gent, Jill Vincent Charnwood Arts Board of Trustees/Directors: Jill Vincent (Chair), Dave Mckeon, Upesh Mistry, Jackie Edwards, Mike Croll, Sudha Amin, Richard Gatward, Kate Clift, Gabriella Maffioli, Emma Ledsam

About Charnwood Arts Charnwood Arts was established as an independent local arts council in 1976. Until the late 1980s it was run on a voluntary basis with partnerships involving local schools, Charnwood Borough Council, East Midlands Arts, Leicestershire County Council, Loughborough University and a wide range of community groups and organisations. Charnwood Arts employs one part-time and four full time members of staff covering administration, project development, management and service delivery, creative design and production, strategic partnerships and community support and advisory work. Our main focus of work is in Charnwood itself but we also work in Leicester and support regional and national initiatives in community arts. Our work has always had an international dimension and has encompassed links and projects with over 80 countries over the last 42 years.

To contact Charnwood Arts: Tel: 01509 822558 e-mail: info@charnwoodarts.com 27 Granby Street, Loughborough, LE11 3DU, UK

Rawlins Community Trust

Charnwood Arts is a Registered Charity No. 1143163 Charnwood Arts is a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company No: 07477378 - Registered Office as above.