Ilkeston Life Newspaper July 2018

10,000 copies printed every month

30p where sold

EREWASH MAYOR’S AWARD WINNER

30p

JULY 2018

A community publication for Ilkeston and surrounding area

ilkestonlife.com

Neighbour will help Alan to build a new engine

Would you like to live here?

Co-op show flat revealed—P15

‘Disgraceful’ theft from garden

P

ensioner Alan Blamey-Neilson was down in the dumps when thieves stole a miniature train from his garden, but now a local schoolteacher is going to help him build a new one.

from school. I can’t believe someone would do that!”

But the good news is that local schoolteacher and neighbour Leigh Thomas has promised to help Alan to make a new engine.

Widower Alan of Heathfield Avenue made He told us: “It was Alan's 87th birthday the the distinctive green engine and trucks years other day and as part of his present I have ago. The garden feature was a familiar sight said that when I break up for the summer to passers-by and was enjoyed especially by holidays—I'm a teacher at a special needs many young children. But on Friday 1st school—I will donate my time to us making June he woke to find his treasured creation it again. had disappeared.

“It was saddening to go looking for it and A neighbour who did not want to be identi- find the carriages just thrown into some fied told us the theft had 'really knocked his hedges nearby, but no sign of the train itself. duck off.' She said the flowers had been Alan had spent so much time on it and was tipped out of the trucks before they were so pleased with it. I'm going to work with taken away along with the engine. him to replace it and build a new one. We're both going to build it together.”

The trucks were later found down the road in a damaged state but the engine is still missing.

Despite appeals and a search by friends, it has not been recovered. Alan told us: “It’s probably in the canal now.”

The former hosiery and knitwear factory manager was a keen model railway enthusiast in his younger days but now looking after his garden is his main passtime.

There was a massive outpouring of sympathy and anger when we broke the story on our Facebook page. It was read by nearly 9,000 people and received over a hundred responses.

Sue Grainger posted: “That’s disgraceful.

Do we need to concrete our items down so they don’t get stolen?”

Rachel Palfreyman said: “My little boy always stopped to look at it on his way home Alan Blamey-Neilson

Ilkestonlife.com

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f you don’t get a copy through your door, Ilkeston Life is available online and from various outlets including newsagents, shops, cafes, Post Offices and supermarkets in our growing circulation area. Besides Ilkeston, we are currently supplying: KIRK HALLAM COTMANHAY SHIPLEY VIEW HALLAM FIELDS LARKLANDS STANTON-BY-DALE DALE ABBEY WEST HALLAM STANLEY

STANLEY COMMON

AWSWORTH COSSALL TROWELL SANDIACRE STAPLEFORD LONG EATON HEANOR SHIPLEY

We also give free copies to Ilkeston Hospital, nursing and care homes, doctors waiting rooms, schools, etc. and mail out copies to subscribers.

We welcome donations from readers to help keep us going.

Editorial office: 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, DE7 8AH Tel: 07539 808390 Editor-in-chief: Paul Opiah Contributing editor: Robert Attewell news@ilkestonlife.com Staff feature writer: Patricia Spencer patricia@ilkestonlife.com Staff photographer: John Shelton john@ilkestonlife.com Advertising: Christine Chell Paul Opiah sales @ilkestonlife.com Webmaster: Adam Newton adam@ilkestonlife.com © Copyright 2018 The material in Ilkeston Life is protected by copyright. If you wish to reproduce anything, please contact the editor.

While every care is taken to be accurate, we are only human and mistakes do occur occasionally. If you are unhappy with any of the content in the paper, please contact the editor in the first place. We accept news and information from correspondents in good faith and cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies. We try not to include stories which may cause distress to anyone. If you have a view on any of the articles, please write and let us know. Your letters are always welcome, but we reserve the right to withhold or edit. Anonymous letters will only be printed in exceptional circumstances.

COPY DEADLINE:

15th

but don’t leave it till the last minute!

The absolute deadline for adverts and editorial Is always the 15th for following month’s paper (unless by prior arrangement). Send to us by email if possible. We prefer to receive images as jpegs.

Email us: news@ilkestonlife.com letters@ilkestonlife.com stories@ilkestonlife.com poems@ilkestonlife.com sales@ilkestonlife.com Ilkeston Life is registered with the British Library.

ISSN 2515-1231 Current circulation:

10,000 copies

Don’t miss these coming events

Friday 27th July: Ilkeston Town v York City friendly pre-season football match at New Manor Ground, kick-off 7pm.

Monday 30th July: Summer Football Camp Fri/Sat. 29th/30th June: A Night at the Oscars for 8- to 14- year-olds at Friesland Sports Centre. For more details ring 0115 907 2244 ext. with Kerry Ledger School of Dance, Belper 4315. Continues until Friday 3rd August. Cost: School, DE56 0DA, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 and £12.50 per day. Bring trainers, football boots, £7.50. Box office: 0115 930 8564. lunch and water.

Saturday 30th June: Kirk Hallam Church Summer Fete at the Kirk Hallam Community Hall, Sunday 12th August: Ilkeston Heritage and 11 to 3pm. Stalls, games, auction. See advert Classic Vehicle Show. The town’s biggest attraction apart from the Annual Charter Fair. in paper.

A fantastic nostalgia day out. The Market Sunday 1st July: Kirk Hallam Lakeside FestiPlace and surrounding area is packed with val. Stalls, refreshments and various activiretro vehicles and stalls of interest. Look out ties around the lake off Godfrey Drive. for the Ilkeston Life gazebo.

12noon till 5pm.

Sat/Sun 7th/8th July: Elvaston Steam Rally.

Sat: 9am—6pm; Sun: 9am—4.30pm. Adults £10, accompanied children free. Free parking; free buses from Derby, Ilkeston and Heanor.

Enquiries: 07504 045197.

13th—20th July: West Hallam Well Dressings. Entertainment, local produce, charity stalls, scarecrow trail, face painting, hook-aSaturday 15th September: Enchanted Garden duck, Morris dancers, bands, bar, refreshat Erewash Museum, 11am - 3pm. Fairy ments. See article in paper. themed event. Meet the Queen of Fairies in Saturday 14th July: Ilkeston Hospital League her grotto and make a fairy wish. of Friends Summer Fayre in the hospital Sat/Sun 22nd/23rd September : Derbyshire grounds from 1pm. Stalls, rides, refreshCounty Council’s Woodland Festival at Elments, vintage vehicles. Free parking, free vaston Castle Country Park. Woodland crafts, entrance. See advert in paper. birds of prey, campfire cooking and stories, Saturday 21st July: Launch of The Beach at food and plant stalls. Admission free but Erewash Museum, 11am—3pm. Sand, donparking is £10 per car and £5 per motorcycle keys, Punch and Judy, Ice cream. Continues per day. £15 weekend tickets available. through school holidays until Saturday 1st Saturday 29th September: Harvest Moon September.

Lantern Parade at Kirk Hallam Lake, 4 till Sunday 22nd July: Summer Sounds in Victoria 7.30pm. This year’s theme is Recycling and Park. Bring a picnic and enjoy the free enter- upcycling. 400 people in the parade, including tainment. Bands appearing: The Cherrys, children from Dallimore and Ladywood Dean Martin Tribute, Rod Stewart Tribute, schools. Refreshments, stalls, etc.

Take that Tribute.

July 2018

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BRASS BAND CONCERTS Sunday 1st July, St Peter’s Park Little Eaton, 2pm. Belper Town Wind Band .

Sunday 1st July, Leisure Green, off Derby Road, Draycott 2.30pm, Rolls Royce Band.

Sunday 8th July, Stanley Village Hall, 2pm, Derwent Valley Wind Band.

Sunday 15th July, West Hallam Village Gardens, 2pm, Matlock Band.

Sunday 15th July, Victoria Park Ilkeston , 6pm, Derwent Valley Wind Band.

Sunday 5th August, Duffield Close, The Green, Breaston,,2.30pm , Matlock Band .

Sunday 5th August, West Park Long Eaton, 2pm, South Notts Hussars Assn Band.

Sunday 25th August, Erewash Museum garden, Ilkeston, 2pm, Ilkeston Brass.

All the events are free. Seating is limited for the outdoor concerts in West Park and Victoria Park so concert-goers are advised to take along their own chairs or blankets.

In the event of bad weather the concerts at Victoria Park will be relocated to St Mary’s Church, Market Place, Ilkeston and the West Park concerts relocated to St Lawrence Church, Market Place, Long Eaton.

A

re you organising an event In August or September? Let us know and we’ll include in the next coming events list. Send to news@ilkestonlife.com Better still, get really noticed with a display advert in the paper: contact Paul or Christine: sales@ilkestonlife.com

Better services for Ilkeston Hospital?

The League of Friends of Ilkeston Hospital are having discussions with the Derbyshire Community Health Services Foundation Trust [DCHS] with a view to supplying the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre [DTC] with the latest equipment in the operating suites which form part of the complex on Heanor Road at Ilkeston.

Provisional costs for the equipment are estimated to be well over £100,000, a significant proportion of which is for the monitoring of patients under anaesthetic and recovering from a day-case surgery. The hospital authorities are keen to broaden the type of treatment provided at the hospital, thereby obviating the need for patients to travel to Derby or Nottingham.

Travelling to Derby requires patients to use taxis, ambulances and their own transport, incurring expense and inconvenience.

The League have agreed to consider sponsoring at least 50% of the cost. The League funds have since 2017 been boosted by income from Smiley’s Cafe and the convenience shop located in the main entrance, very popular with patients and hospital staff alike. They are staffed by members of the League, all volunteers, making patients’ experience that little bit easier. With free parking at the hospital, patients and visitors frequently comment on the friendliness and caring approach, so much treasured by the people of Ilkeston and surrounding areas.

The DCHS are currently carrying out a review of the services at Ilkeston hospital and that includes the projects associated with Care in the Community and Care at Home. This will include reviewing the wards and bed capacities currently in force.

The League were consulted by senior manage-

ment in view of their duties in all parts of the hospital and their offers of financial support to the Trust.

League President Mike Perry is keen for the League to recruit not only new members, but is appealing to businesses and organisations to come forward with donations, sponsorship of fund-raising events, practical help and financial support with a view to funding the remainder of the DTC equipment, needed to carry out the work required. This will help to reduce waiting times and lengthy patients waiting lists.

The NHS, which has been the subject of considerable public and media attention recently, is under pressure to provide more and more medical services with shorter time frames. The Ilkeston League of Friends are rising to the challenge but need YOUR HELP! Will YOU consider making a donation, or perhaps sponsoring an event or individuals taking part? A Course on Fund-raising is being held at the hospital shortly for individuals who are either working for charities, particularly those medically-based, or wishing to do so. Funding is available through the National Lottery.

Companies, organisations and individuals wishing to take part in fundraising, make donations to the League or wishing to take the oneday course on Friday July 27th. are invited to contact the hospital on 0115 930 5522 leaving their details for someone to get in touch.

Help US to HELP YOU! Your donations are safe with us; we will spend your donations wisely – it serves no purpose in a bank! We’ll ensure it is used to improve YOUR

hospital, OUR hospital. We’re here to help you when you most need it.

WHAT DO WE DO? We help the DCHS to provide more services – then we maintain our services for you… refreshments, Smiley’s Café, Retail shop, ‘Meet and Greet’ when you arrive,, Newspapers and retail needs to wards and departments, Or even a cup of tea or coffee when you‘ve just come out of theatre WE LOVE OUR HOSPITAL – HELP US TO HELP YOU. During 2016-2017 Mr & Mrs Peter and Linda Harrison of Cotmanhay made a substantial donation to the League, thereby enabling us to greatly improve the Cafe, now known as Smiley’, in memory of their son Stephen, who received treatment at Ilkeston.

Michael Perry

I

lkeston and Long Eaton War Memorials will be given a specialist clean this autumn ahead of the commemoration to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

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War memorials to get a clean

Erewash Borough Council has confirmed it will enlist a specialist company to clean the stonework using a low pressure system, with the work due to take place at the end of October. and Long Eaton Market Place will also be painted and the areas around them cleaned and planted to ensure they look in The railings around the memorials in Ilkeston Market Place the best possible condition for the Armistice commemorations in November.

As well as the two town centre War Memorials, stonework will also be cleaned on memorials at Ilkeston’s St Mary’s Church and at Park Cemetery.

Councillor Michael Powell, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Regeneration and Planning, says: “Our War Memorials play an important and valued role in remembering those who sacrificed their lives in war, so we saw it as a key priority to invest in a clean-up – especially when this November will see landmark Remembrance events to commemorate the end of the First World War." The Ilkeston and Long Eaton war memorials are cared for all

year round and the council’s Pride in Erewash and parks teams work with local schools to plant seasonal flowers around them – but environmental conditions lead to some discolouring.

The latest specialist clean comes four years after a major restoration of the two War Memorials in 2014 when the stonework and plaques were cleaned and repaired for commemorations to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War.

Happy ending for duck entangled in net W

hen Marilyn Gough spotted an entangled duck on the water at Straw’s Bridge Nature Reserve, she knew she had to try and do something.

She rang around several animal rescue groups and posted on our Facebook page to see if anyone could help. Immediately several animal lovers showed their concern and suggested possible animal welfare and rescue groups.

Various teams and individuals went to the lake o the border of West Hallam and Ilkeston but could not find the duckling. It could have gone into hiding, having become aware of all the attention.

One group did find an injured swan which they managed to catch and take to the vets.

A week after the first sighting of the duck, Diane Jordan of Spondon Village Cattery and her boyfriend Harry Clark finally caught it and removed the netting from its head.

Diane told us: “We first noticed the duckling on Tuesday 22nd May. Our first thoughts were we needed to help it, so we tried to get it on land, by Harry getting into the water. He failed miserably! That first day we were both there for around four hours. My parents arrived with some nets, a kind, local PCSO tried to help, along with some other people who'd come to feed the ducks, whilst we waited for the RSPCA to turn up.

“The inspector who came said they'd try to catch it each morning until they got it. My parents came a couple of days later, and it was the first duckling they saw. Each evening we would go and try to encourage the duckling close enough to land. We nearly caught it one night with a net, but it was very elusive!

“Finally on the evening of Tuesday 29th, the little one was hungry enough to come onto the land, with the encouragement of plenty of duck food. After a couple of attempts of trying to get close to it, and it running back into the water, the duckling came further enough onto land so that Harry and I were either side of it and able to try and block its path back to the water. The duckling ran towards me, I missed it and it ran headed to the right, towards the water. Harry quickly ran after it and miraculously caught it!

“I used a small pair of nail scissors to remove the net, which was tricky, the netting was wrapped around its neck and its face, some parts were very close to the skin. Once I'd cut several bits I was able to gently remove it. There were no visible wounds from where the netting had been, so we took a couple of pictures and let the little one run off back to the water to its siblings.

“We aren't wildlife rescuers, but we just love animals. My parents and I own a family run cattery and do some small pets boarding, as trying to help any animal in distress.” well as having our own cats, goats, chickens, Marilyn Gough, who alerted us to the situation said she was delighted with the outcome. ducks and turkeys. We wouldn't hesitate in

Ilkestonlife.com

Have your say Letters to the

Editor

Get in touch with your views — Email: letters@ilkestonlife.com Post: The Editor, Ilkeston Life, 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 8AH

Pub had only candles for light and other Mapperley village memories My Grandma (Hannah Bridges) went to chapel in Mapperley village when it was sold. (Someone lives in it now.) They built a new one next to Bottle Kiln on High Lane and had a celebration,. Because grandma had gone to the old one for so long she opened the new one.

pull forward and stop until you took it off. The miners loved their pit ponies and no-one was allowed to ill treat them.

At the end of Mapperley village was a pub called the Royal Oak, but it was known as Candlesticks to locals because it had no electricity. They had hinged candlesticks on the walls to pull out at night, it was very spooky with dark wood floors and everyone told you it was haunted. Unfortunately a gas leak was found in the cellar and with all those candles it was closed down.

Mapperley Pond used to have a wooden out flow valve. By the time Pat was 4 all that was left were 3 stumps at which point it was 12 foot deep , which they called the 3legger. The big boys would swim out to them to see if they could, or make rafts and float on the water. Pat and her friend June Slack used to visit Daffy Down Dilly Field with a brook running thro it and a hill to roll down and millions of daffodils to look at.

One day they decided a visit to the seaside sounded a good idea, as they strolled down the lane towards Mapperley Pond a local stopped them to ask where they were going and of course they told him to the seaside. He quickly found dad and told him, he ran all the way to Mapperley Pond in time to see Pat and June in the water and waded out to rescue them.

On the Mapperley website you can see a picture of my dad digging a ditch for the football pitch, a deep dyke that went so far down they reached clay, if you look at the photo he has a tattoo on his chest of Jesus on the cross with an angel on each side. It was never finished so you can only see the angels’ wings. On his back is the Soldier’s Prayer which people used to ask to see if we went swimming it was done in Indian Ink and faded as the years passed, but Dad knew it off by heart so when he was an old man he could tell it to us even though it had almost disappeared from his back.

Back to the football pitch dyke, we used to try to make pots out of the clay and got very dirty. Mum always seemed to know and have the tin bath ready beside the fire.

In July the mine closed for holidays, and they brought the pit ponies out with hankies tied round their eyes because they had not seen day light for so long, they took them to a field and let them go. They told all children so we could watch them going mad jumping and running with joy.

We had our holidays in Skegness Miners Camp. They had separate sleeping arrangements for boys and girls, but there was so many people from the same mine there you knew everyone.

My mother was Evelyn Hannah Bridges and her sister Gladis had a double wedding at the original Mapperley church in 1946, Pat was born in 1947 and they moved to Birmingham for a year or two and then moved back to 22 Mapperley village when dad went to work down the mine. That was next door to grandma who lived in no.24 until Auntie Gladis moved in with Uncle Les and grandma moved to a 2 up 2 down next to the school. Unfortunately because of the mine work the original church had to be taken down, but they built a new church to replace it.

We still have the original lych gate (covered gate), at the entrance to a churchyard. The term lych evolved from the Saxon word for corpse, and the lych gate was traditionally a place where corpse bearers carried the body of a deceased person and laid it on a communal bier. The priest would then carry out the first part of a burial ceremony under the shelter of the lych gate roof.

Grandma like to see me go to Sunday School and watched me walk through the door. Then I slipped out the rear vestry door and ran to dad who was driving Field Marshall tractor with a black funnel on the farm nearby . Later she told me she knew about my deception, but thought it was better for God to see me for a minute every Sunday that not at all.

There was a beauty spot at Kirk Hallam with a lake. You could hire a canoe and row around it, or lie on the grass at the edge.

There was afternoon tea in a wooden shed.

My sister Pat lived with mum and dad in Mapperley 4 years before I arrived, she remembers canaries in the parlour, living in homemade wooden cages, they were for the pit. A lot of miners had canaries in sheds in the garden to take down the mine with them, we were the only family to have them in the parlour. Mum wanted to have a best room like everyone else, but the birds made a mess and she kept asking dad to build a shed for them. One day it all became too much for her she opened the windows and let the canaries out. Dad could not believe it.

Each morning mum made dad sandwiches to take down the mine and a marmalade sandwich for his pit pony, who pulled the wagons full of coal out, when dad had his break he always gave the donkey a sandwich too. He said they could count, because if Sheila and Peter Harper you tried to put an extra truck (miners called them tubs) on the end the donkey would

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Kirk Hallam was a happy school Reading items about Kirk Hallam Church were instructed to hide under our desks.

Canon Dallimore was the parish priest durbrings back many memories.

I began my education at the Kirk Hallam Infant School, just down the road from the church, in 1938. Miss Challoner (who became Mrs Cooper) was the initial teacher, and Mrs Shorthose the Head Teacher, they were only two teachers.

When World War 2 began, they built an air raid shelter for the teachers and children in the church grounds, about 40 to 50 yards from the school. When the air raid sirens wailed, if no bombs or anti-aircraft guns were heard we all went in column order to the shelter; if explosions were heard, we

Nutbrook Trail footpath is for non-dog walkers as well

ing the 1930s and 40s.

It was a very happy school to begin my education. However my next school Kensington I hated,. It was a less pleasant environment with the liberal use of a leather strap to maintain discipline.

I was much happier when I then went to Hallcroft Boys School. The technical education I received there was the foundation of my technical college education and 40 years career at Rolls-Royce Aero Engines.

Raymond Mellor Having been bitten four times in the past, I should like to make a plea to all dog owners.

If yours is off leash, do not assume that everyone is happy if he jumps up. In such an encounter recently, I was told I should not walk the Nutbrook Trail if I am not happy with this situation. Not everyone is a dog lover and we should all feel safe on a footpath that is there for non-dog walkers too.

Jude Sanderson

Train trips from Ilkeston Station If anyone is interested in a trip by train Sat. 30th June: 60103 Flying Scotsman. there are three excursions running from Sat. 20th October: 60009 Union of South Africa.

Ilkeston station coming up.

Sat. 28th July 2018: ‘The Hadrian’ takes in the Seattle to Carlisle, hauled partly by diesel and steam (steam from Hallafield).

Departs Ilkeston 07.10 hrs.

Return Ilkeston 22.25.

Book through The Railway Touring Co. Sat. 15th September 2018: Newcastle— Durham and Beamish Museum.

Departs Ilkeston 09.40 hrs Return Ilkeston 19.05.

Book through Statesman Rail.

Sat. 29th September 2018: ‘The Deltic Deviator’ to York.

Departs Ilkeston 06.45 hrs Return Ilkeston 22.10.

Book through Pathfinder Trains. *** For steam train spotters, the following will be passing through Ilkeston station:

Sat. 17th November: 46233 Duchess of Sutherland on the up; 60009 Union of South Africa on the return.

All these are York bound. Those on the up will pass through at around 11.30 and the one down at approximately 19.00 hrs. *** On another subject, having attended the Ilkeston Carnival on the rec, all that was there was a load of stalls, a few kiddies rides and a few vintage cars. No car boot stalls. It's a shame there was no parade with bands and floats.

Sorry but it wasn't a proper carnival to me. I bet other people thought the same. It’s about time committees realise what's happening to it! At least the weather was kind for a change.

Bill Smith

Could you be a church yard friend?

Previously Mapperley Parish Council and the Church have jointly funded the care of Mapperley Churchyard. Last year the external contractors’ cost of just the mowing increased to just over £1,600 (inc. VAT).

Due to the budgetary constraints at Parish Council level and a significant increase in our contribution obligation to the Diocese, we are finding it increasingly difficult to find the money to maintain the Church Grounds to the current high standard.

Therefore we are proposing to form a Friends of Mapperley Church Yard group.

This will include a contribution from the Parish Council, for which we are grateful.

This will be in particular for the relations of those lying at rest in the Burial Ground to ensure that we have a Church Yard of which to be proud.

If you are interested and are willing to commit to a voluntary contribution of at least £2 per month or £24 a year, contributions can be made as follows:  By cheque to PCC of Holy Trinity, Mapperley and posted to the Treasurer Elizabeth Campbell at 117 High Lane West, West Hallam DE7 6HP;  Cash – may be posted in letterbox of the above and clearly marked ‘Friends of Ho-

ly Trinity Mapperley Church Yard’;  By BACS to account no. 96509546 and sort code 60-11-37 (Natwest, Bath St., Ilkeston);  By direct debit or standing order to the same account.

If you have any queries, please contact me on 0115 932 4695 or one of the Church Wardens: Christine Woodward on 0115 932 4706 or James Isam on 07715 134446.

Revd Gill Turner-Callis

Thanks for Quiz correction Many thanks to Marion Newbold for correcting my mistake regarding the origin of the name for Eyres Gardens.

If I make a mistake with any of my quiz answers or in any article I might contribute to Ilkeston life I am always happy to be corrected.

I wonder if the Ilkeston Eyres are related to the prominent north Derbyshire family.

Danny Corns

Ilkestonlife.com

Nearly 200 visitors On 27th May we opened our garden for the National Garden Scheme. The weather was really kind to us, we only had a couple of showers and no thunder which has been forecast. 192 visitors helped us raise £1,680.

washing up pots and serving teas.

The National Garden Scheme was founded in 1927 to raise money through opening gardens through private visits to fund nurses. Ninety years later it is still donating significant sums to nursing charities.

The visitors enjoyed a feast of home-made There are over 3,500 gardens across England cakes, a walk through the wood to the lake, and Wales, 64 of these being in Derbyshire. wandering round the garden and the plant The NGS is the largest charitable funder of stall.

Macmillan Cancer Support donating over £16 million since 1984 and over £8 million to We have opened the garden for the last 21 years and the total raised has now gone to just help Marie Curie fund care for people at over £40,000. We have been blessed with the home. help of family and friends who have donated We would like to thank our helpers and visitheir skills and time in making cakes, growtors for the past 21 years of happy openings. ing plants, parking cars, welcoming visitors, Gill and Colin Hancock, Stanley Common

Station usage will be even higher this year It was interesting to read Bill Smith’s letter What is now needed is another service to Notin the June edition of Ilkeston Life regard- tingham in the morning peak. There is a Leeds-London service which calls at Langley ing Ilkeston’s new railway station.

I was present on its opening day, 2nd April last year, and I have been to the station many times to check the usage. The station has been a success and from my observations it will have met its target of 160,000 passengers in the first year ending 31st March 2018.

On 20th May the number of services calling at Ilkeston Station increased by four each day (including Sundays) due to new early morning and late evening services starting. This certainly means that the station passenger usage will be even higher in the next 12 months to 31st March 2019.

ANAGRAM PUZZLE

Mill just before 8am, but is not allowed to call at Ilkeston!

This train goes to London via Nottingham and Leicester and would certainly be very well used if it called at Ilkeston. Perhaps Erewash Borough Council could help in this!

One final point: passengers waiting for trains were frozen during the winter months. Let’s have a decent waiting room!

Regards

Gordon Rice, Belper

by Bernadette Bennett

1 2

1

3

Re-arrange the letters of each word to make another word (there more than one option) to complete the crossword.

Across: 1. DEAL; 4. MORAY; 5. MARC. Down: 1. DOME; 2. EARLY; 3. RAMP.

5 Solution:

Across: 1. Dale; 4. Mayor; 5. Cram Down: 1. Demo; 2. Layer; 3. Pram.

4

July 2018

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Ilkestonlife.com

My garden I am an ex-Ilkestonian now living in Spondon. I have been based in the USA, Indonesia, with regular visits to India, Canada, Germany, Italy, all mainly relative to my work with Rolls Royce engines. I retired in 1998 after 40 wonderful years at RR. I am still in touch with my gradually diminishing contacts worldwide. I am a keen gardener now. Here are a few pictures of my flowers. Ray Mellor. (See also Kirk Hallam was a happy school, P4)

Hot cycle ride to Skegness for cancer charity

T

wo Erewash Borough Council workers put in some serious pedal power to successfully complete an 85-mile charity bike ride to Skegness in searing temperatures.

Green Space Team Leaders Gavin Poole and Andrew Ward tackled the marathon journey on the day of the royal wedding, reaching the east coast resort in 6hrs and 12mins and raising £562 for Cancer Research.

The duo decided to raise funds as members of both their families have been affected by cancer.

Councillor Mike Wallis, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, says: “A big well done to Gavin and Andrew for raising this bumper amount for a charity that I know is close to both their hearts. It was a great achievement, particularly in the hot conditions.”

The fundraisers are based at the Merlin Way site and are responsible for teams in the north of the borough - Gavin is the Team Leader for the Open Spaces team and Andrew is Team Leader of the Sports Team.

PHOTO: Andrew, left, and Gavin are pictured during training for their charity bike ride.

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A fine all-rounder

D

erek (Mick) Hollis died recently, aged 90. In his younger days Derek was one of Ilkeston’s finest all-round sportsmen.

I first met Derek in 1947-48 when he played cricket for Ilkeston casuals. His main team was Ilkeston Rutland CC where for many years Derek and Fric Smit formed a formidable opening partnership.

He also played table tennis for Pines and was a leading snooker and billiard player for Ilkeston Church Institute.

Derek also represented Derbyshire at hockey with his local club being EMEB (East Midlands Electricity Board).

He was a natural sportsman and later in life took up flat green bowls and golf. He also became a cricket umpire in the Derbyshire Premier League.

I played with and against Derek for many years at cricket and hockey where after our matches we continued our indoor sports competitions at the Stanton Institute and the EMEB Social Club until closing time.

Great days!

A bench has been donated by Derek’s wife Jean and has been placed in a suitable position on the cricket pavilion at the Rutland Rec. On 24th June a group of family members and elderly sportsmen attended an unveiling ceremony. Derek’s contribution to local sport won’t be forgotten.

Danny Corns

West Hallam Village Show 2018 West Hallam Village Hall Saturday 1st September 2018 Summer arrived eventually and the flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables caught up after their late start. Picnics with home-made cake, photographs of the countryside - and all the other ingredients that make up a village show became possible! Have you tried the recipe for “Honey Cake” yet; this year’s challenge in the Bakery Class? You’ll make it many more times and will have a perfect product by September to enter into the show!

New this year are rosettes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in every class and also the opportunity to sell off (and buy!) entries at the end of the show. Details of this will follow in due course.

The Hall will be open to view the entries on Saturday afternoon between 1pm and 4:30pm: entrance £1. Light refreshments will be available and there will be a raffle.

Our website with all the information for 2018 can be viewed at: www.westhallamvillageshow.com If you want more information or do not have access to the internet or a printer, please phone 0115 930 5386 or 0115 9303340 for paper copies. Get your entry forms in as soon as possible to 9 The Village, West Hallam: the deadline is the 26th August. Entries should be brought to the Village Hall between 5pm and 7pm on Friday, 31st August apart from baked goods which should be left between 8am and 9am on Saturday.

Remember – entries are welcomed from people living outside West Hallam!

Mary Butler

Wanted – Outlaws and Ladies-in-Waiting Ilkeston Theatre Company’s next pantomime will be Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood from 5th ~ 8th December 2018 to be staged at the Seven Oaks Inn, Stanton by Dale DE7 4QU. The Company are currently in search of Merry Men and Woman (age 16 and over) to join their group. If you have ever fancied being on stage or even helping out backstage then why not come and take part in their next production!

They meet every Wednesday evening at the United Reformed Church Hall, off Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston DE7 5GF from 8pm - 10pm but are having a special open evening on Wednesday 27th June at the church hall from 8.30pm.

Drop in and have a chat. For more information telephone 07960 147570, email: ilkestontheatre@hotmail.com or visit their website www.ilkestontheatrecompany.co.uk. Also find them on Facebook. Tracey Dean

BUS CUTS Notts & Derby Bus 11 between Shipley View, Ilkeston, West Hallam, Stanley and Derby (the former Felix bus operation) will be withdrawn after operation on July 21st.

The evening and Sunday journeys on Route 11 operated by YourBus will continue as will the Black Cat and Y59 services.

John Disney

Journey into Faith CALDER`S CORNER

READY, STEADY, COOK! There are a phenomenal number of cookery and baking programmes on television these days.

Some years ago, my wife used to watch, “Ready, Steady Cook”, where contestants bought a bag of food, at a set cost, then challenged competing chefs to make a delicious meal from the contents.

Today, the pressures of modern life leaves most of us with little time to prepare food at home. And anyway, the supermarket shelves offer exhaustive supplies of bread and confectionery, so that old song, “If I Knew You Were Coming I`d Have Baked a Cake” does seem really dated.

But for those who may have the time and inclination to do some baking it is wise to follow a recipe; without a tried and tested recipe we are doomed to failure. Some recipes are complicated and others are simple – the simplest ones are often the best.

Then again, specific ingredients are required you cannot just throw anything into a bowl and expect the perfect cake to appear, as if by magic! Even when we use the right ingredients, they must be measured correctly and consistently. You cannot mix both imperial and metric in your preparations; if you weigh out some ingredients in pounds and ounces

and the rest in metric the end result could be disastrous.

When the ingredients are weighed correctly and well mixed, it`s time to put the cake in the oven. The oven temperature is tremendously important; both the pre-heat and the ongoing temperature. What happens if the temperature is too hot? Your cake will burn!

And, if the temperature is cool? The cake will not rise!

The Bible itself is like a book of recipes which we are advised to follow, just as enthusiastically as the famous TV chefs apply their recipes in the kitchen. For the Christian believer, closely following Bible teaching must always produce the very best outcome. Yes, there will be things along the way that are far from pleasant; sickness, suffering and sadness.

When you are standing in the kitchen, cracking eggs and weighing out your fats, flour and sugar, and your `under-the-weather` and a bit downhearted, it may feel as though it is you being `whisked in the mixing-bowl of life`, and you being popped into that red-hot oven, rather than the cake! But just remember, when the trials and temptations seem unbearable and the heat is too much, God is in control. So, whether the `heat` is turned up or down in your life you will triumph as you keep close to the `Master Chef``.

So have no fear, He who knows what is best for our lives will not allow us to be tempted above that which we are able. And, all our trials and troubles will seem as nothing if we are allowed, at last, to hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

By the way, where the subject of domestic science is concerned I must admit to being a really, big fraud. Whenever I aspire to cooking or baking I am reminded of a remark by a dear friend of mine, “You need a map to find the kitchen!” He knows, only too well, my shortcomings and failures.

All Saints Church, Kirk Hallam

SUMMER FETE and GARDEN PARTY

Saturday 30th June Kirk Hallam Community Hall, Kenilworth Drive 11am to 3pm New—12 noon Summer Auction Refreshments - CD, DVD & bookstall - Hook a duck Cake stall - Tombola - Brick-a-brac - Raffle Come and have fun supporting your church

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

7

Serve Day

Beauvale Park in Cotmanhay, at The Project on Bath Street, and at Arena Hope on the Market Place. is a multinational event aimed at mobilising Whatever you can or can’t do, determine this the church into social action, making a difyear that you are going to get involved in ference in the communities personal to them. some way. If you can only give an hour then 2017 saw Arena Church launch its first ever do it; if you can bake - then do it; no gift is Serve Day programme. Historically Arena too small.

Church had held a variety of events through- However you decide you would like to get out each year that encouraged the members involved it can be guaranteed this is a day of the church to get involved and to reach you will not forget, and neither will the comout to the local community, but in 2017 the munity. There will be more details on our small towns of Ilkeston and Mansfield part- website www.arenachurch.co.uk and on sonered with hundreds of other churches cial media closer to the day itself, so make worldwide in a united to effort to make a sure you check it out to find out what’s on. difference. Groups put on indoor events, Adam Newton market stalls, family fun days, seniors events, gardening projects, face painting stalls, giveaways, and lots more besides. An army of volunteers, all in red tshirts, assembled with one purpose - to love and serve!

This year, Serve Day will be on Saturday, July 14th and once again 100s of people across the life of the church will pull on their red t-shirt and spend the day reaching the community in a very practical way. You'll find events at

The Diary of a Vicarage Cat where – from inside the big cardboard box. I love cardboard We get lots of visitors at the Vicarage, my faboxes, in the winter they keep you warm and vourite has to be delivery drivers. It’s so exprotect you from bracing drafts, and in the sumciting, as they come at different times each day, mer they keep you cool, shading you from the sometimes they come so early in the morning strong sunshine. I love cardboard boxes and this that my guardian (or jailor) is still indulging in one was no exception. Every box that comes to ‘inside rain’ or a shower I think humans call the Vicarage I inspect – it’s one of my jobs. it. Or sometimes its so late that my guardians There I was happy in this new box and what have gone to bed and must rush around before should happen, but she picks me up and places answering the door. One thing they all have in me on one of those shelves they have just ascommon – and it’s the best thing – they all bring sembled. She smiled, he did too, but I was havme a cardboard box. Generally, my guardians ing none of it, so I nipped off and went back into are more interesting in what’s inside the box, the new box. They looked confused, they sometimes they look rather hurt when I don’t looked at me, then they looked at the new cat share their excitement. starching stand with its nice resting and sleeping places and then they looked back at me. So, Recently a very large box was delivered and guess what – she picked me up again out of the placed ceremonially in the hall until he came box I wanted to be in and put me on the top back from work in the evening. Then they, like me, were excited and started to open the pack- shelf of this new tower. Well I was having none of it, so shot back to my box. Now they looked age. They carefully took out posts covered in rope – nice to scratch on I thought, and shelves hurt and confused. Humans you are strange, covered in carpet – nice to rest on I though, and you may have your ideas about where you want me to sleep but I have my ideas too, and I just a lovely matching round turret, nice to cat-nap in there I thought. So he began to assemble the want to say ‘thank you’ not for the deluxe cat starching tower that stretches up to the ceiling, different bits together, while she stood there but rather ‘thank you’ for my lovely new box! pointing at a bit of paper that had fallen Sometimes the best things in life are the simple out. Then he studied the paper and reassembled the bits into a lovely cat tower. Well pleasures, an often free!

I had a good view of their goings on – from Bye for now – Florence.

Dear Diary,

Church but not as you know it Activities, music and a simple meal for you and your children

Get messy here this month Saturday 30th June: Sandiacre Methodist Church, 4pm (The healing of the paralysed man)

Saturday 14th July: Ilkeston URC (Green Spire) 4pm Saturday 28th July: Sandiacre Methodist Church, 4pm (Celebration) If you like Messy Church, how about trying the Toddlers Service at the Green Spire church (URC). It’s always the first Friday of the month, 10am. It’s like Messy Church but only half an hour and specially for families with very young children. Drinks, biscuits and toys to follow.

Ilkestonlife.com

The Wind Mother nature finds it hard to give up her secret ways As the wind roams around our planet in never ending waves Passing through many time zones with a power so intent Travelling through night and day until at last its spent.

It sometimes rears its ugly head over land or at sea Leaving a path of destruction with no thought for you or me This formidable force is here and gone quickly passing by No thought or conscience does it have, just a self-destructive eye.

Winds rage across mountain peaks as snow falls from the sky Then quickly rushes down to earth to drive the oceans tides The wind has many twist and turns invisible to the eye But where it goes we will never know, until it passes by.

So elusive is the wind as it enters through locked doors Squeezing through tiny keyholes or where the door meets the floor It gets away with most things that we would call a crime But there’s one thing it can’t do that’s travel back in time.

Thomas Hosker

Then we see the red shoulders, And feel the after-sun pain.

The beer gardens are full, When people finish work, Cold cider with ice-cubes, To finally quench the thirst.

And there's always one person, Who goes well over the top, An afternoon going nicely, But ending up at the cop shop.

The windows are all open, Front doors stand ajar, Music at it's loudest, You can hear it from afar.

And I'm looking at the clouds, One of them seems quite black, The sun has disappeared, I'm praying it comes back.

And I'm gasping for breath, Trying to blow up a kiddies pool, Is Summer finally here?, Or are we really being fooled?. ©Steven Michael Pape 2018

My Grandad

My Grandad was my mountain mover.

I spent hours playing with his toes.

Then moved on to be juggled on his lap.

Eating the food from his plate.

Chitterlings-pigs feet, sucking the bones.

In his strong arms he would swing me to and fro.

Telling me I had far to go.

His heart was strong and loving.

A lonely goalkeeper I could feel it beat. feeling rotten I loved to hold his hand as we walked Loris Karius, the Liverpool goalkeeper, the down the street. hated, His eyes showed his love along with his His crime: to make a mistake, humanity smile. demonstrated.

If only, If only, I could still hold his hand You’ll Never Walk Alone was the Liverpool for a while. song, Patricia Spencer But that was forgotten when he did something wrong.

He failed to save a soft shot.

Plastic Transparency Was he the first? I think not.

All goalkeepers have moments of despair, In the shop tonight, Faultless performances are very rare.

I'm given a transparent plastic bag, But the Liverpool fans were unforgiving, Do you have anything better?

They’d lost the Cup, life wasn’t worth livDo I really need to ask? ing, And on my way home, So adoration turned to hate, support to opI lift it up into my arms, position, When he needed help, Karius received deri- So no one can view, My poverty laden charms. sion.

My sweets for the kids, He felt the wrath of the fans in red, Two bags for 50p, They vilified him, wished him dead.

Even among his own colleagues no pity was They’ll still enjoy them, Sugar coated confectionery. shown, They shunned him, left him to suffer on his And my lager weighing in, own.

At between three-percent, It's the best i can do, Those final moments at the end of the game I've still to pay the rent.

Were hard to bear, a real shame.

A roll of black bin bags, The worst side of football, sportsmanship That feel thin to the touch, forgotten, I'm sure they'll do the job, A lonely goalkeeper feeling rotten.

If I don't put in too much.

Robert Anthony Chocolate for my wife, Two bars for a quid, Cheap tasting coffee, The start of Summer?

With a red plastic lid.

Is this the start of Summer?, Washing up liquid, Or are we all being fooled?, That looks like shower gel, I've seen barbecues in the shops, I'll fill up the empty bottles, And blow up paddling pools, I'm sure no one can tell.

I smelt freshly cut grass, And a leaflet inside, Just the other day, With all the cut price deals, My neighbours were laughing, That butter’s not a bad price, As they happily mowed away.

It's going for a steal.

England is a strange place, Who came up with the idea?, When we finally feel the sun, This window so you can see, Alcohol goes down freely, A view into my world, And inhibitions become undone.

Through plastic transparency.

We don't think of suncream, 'This ain't bloody Spain', ©Steven Michael Pape 2018

July 2018

8

Your Space Do you enjoy writing creatively? Lots of local people do, so why not share your poetry, stories, songs, sketches, limericks, memoirs, humour, etc., with other Ilkeston Life readers? Preferably send by email to poems@ilkestonlife.com. Alternatively, drop in/post to The Editor, Ilkeston Life, 1 Bath Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 8AH. We look forward to hearing from you.

If Wordsworth was alive today

That’ll be You’ll always worry about your children.

It's one thing or another, it’ll never end.

If Wordsworth was alive today Still wandering lonely as a cloud What thoughts in words would he convey Depicting views through modern eye Of cola cans and pizza trays Replacing flowery bouquets.

His life of such tranquillity Served to aid his inspiration But ugly modern day graffiti Stifles all interpretation With litter strewn and dogs’ excreta And badly damaged arboreta.

Who could lack appreciation All man’s efforts to beautify Who gains pleasure from destruction Their evil cancers satisfy Better views that please the masses Through roseate eyes, not lager glasses.

Don’t be in a hurry to become an adult, For you will have a long time to be that way.

Childhood is a brief part of your life.

Enjoy the time you can, be carefree and play.

An adult’s life is full of challenges.

It’s how we grow and meant to be that way.

Childhood is fleeting.

Adulthood soon is greeting Us with worry, bills to pay, strife, and stress.

Which job do I take? How should I dress?

If Wordsworth was alive today In vacant or in pensive mood His thoughts I’m sure would often stray To bygone scenes that once he viewed Averse to all our modern ills Left yearning for his daffodils Ramon Hutchby

When I was a little girl My grandma dropped words of wisdom on me, I remember them clearly to this day.

Don’t be in a hurry to become an adult, For you will have a long time to be that way.

Childhood is a brief part of your life.

Enjoy the time you can be carefree and play.

Now, don’t be a fool.

You have church, chores, and school, But when all the work is entirely done, Use your imagination. Have some fun.

Don’t be in a hurry to become an adult, For you will have a long time to be that way.

Childhood is a brief part of your life.

Enjoy the time you can be carefree and play.

All too soon you’ll be burdened with worry About all the bills you will have to pay.

Your child will get ill.

Pass on some words of wisdom to your children for me.

Hopefully, they’ll listen to what you have to say.

Don’t be in a hurry to become an adult, For you will have a long time to be that way.

Childhood is a brief part of your life.

Enjoy the time you can be carefree and play.

Lynne James

Picture me Picture me, a socialite My throat adorned with pearls; Scars hidden by a black silk dress And hair done up in curls Picture me, a drama queen, A new act every day; I make mountains out of molehills When things don't go my way.

Picture me, a softball star, Three strikes, that's it, you're done.

Being known as "one of the jocks" Pretending to have fun.

Picture me, a little girl Abused for much too long.

Hiding behind this mask I wear, Pretending to be strong.

Picture me, however you wish Pretend you know me well.

Just don't judge me till you know The truth about my hell.

Sarah Rae

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

9

The story of some of the Non-Conformist Churches in Ilkeston The Independent (Congregational) Church

sion to build afresh was made in 1848, and £300 was raised rapidly. The building, on Burns Street By the 1840s the Sunday School was growing to and now converted into flats, was completed in the extent that a new version had to be built.

1849 at a total cost of £750, and great celebraThe minister of the day, Revd Daniel Davies, left in 1844, and it was two years before the church tions marked the event. appointed the next minister, Revd Charles Har- The next few years saw the church at a low ebb, but matters improved under the ministry of greaves. During that interregnum the church Revd E.S. Heron. By the end of his ministry in dwindled. It was still poor (the minister was supposed to receive a salary of £2 for the quar- 1861 the church had 79 members, and a manse ter year, but had to eke out his funds by running had been built near to the church on Pimlico. A a school at his home (the manse on Little Hallam gallery was added to the church, and an organ Hill)). installed. This replaced the double bass, which With the new minister, things took a turn for the was sold, and a flute.

Photo: The Burns Street Independent chapel. better: Revd Hargreaves brought in 30 new Thanks to Carole Hopewell, Elder of the United members in his seven-year tenure. It was not long before thoughts of a new and larger build- Reformed Church, for the use of this photo. ing were being seriously considered. The deciRuth Allen

New poetry book was crafted in the ‘school of real life’

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writer from Ilkeston is celebrating the release of his new poetry collection entitled A Weapon Called the Word.

Steven Michael Pape’s new book features poems about society’s ills today such as homelessness, unemployment, poverty and gang culture. Some also have a local flavour.

The book is published under New York poet

Rose Terranova Cirigliano’s Rose Books label and is available through Amazon. Steven is also hoping to make it available in local shops and the library. The book is priced at £6 on Amazon or £5 from the author himself.

The cover artwork was produced by Ilkeston artist Tim Bennett who has provided designs for several of his books in the past.

HAPPY Steven, whose poems appear regularly in Ilkeston Life, says he is happy with his latest collection, which he feels is his best work yet.

A Weapon Called the Word contains over fifty poems, including Plastic Transparency, which has proved very popular on social media.

Ian C Douglas, author, says in his review of the book: “Some poets learn their craft in class. At college. From fellow poets. But when you read the work of Steven Michael Pape, you see someone who has refined his trade at the school of real life. His poetry is about punk rock, unemployment, drugs, knife crime.

“When you read his compelling sentences, you get a feeling of someone who’s lived the life. Learned his pentameters on Ilkeston’s streets, not a writing course. In short, he speaks for the working people of the East Midlands. And how many poets can honestly say that?

“Pape writes with a down-to-earth style, in verse uncluttered by pretension. This lets his honesty shine through. A poet for everyone, I find Pape easy to read, meaningful and memorable. I think you will too.”  Plastic Transparency is on Page 8.

Ilkestonlife.com

Denise steps up from service user to expert advisor

A

n Ilkeston woman has landed a paid job after 15 years of trying.

Denise Bowles has been taken on by a company based in Leeds as a panel member talking to people with mental health issues and their families. Her work will take her into hospitals and prisons.

Denise, 36, has experienced mental health problems herself having been diagnosed with a learning disability.

This eventually led to her having a breakdown and losing her home.

July 2018

10

New footbridge at Bennerley boosts Viaduct project

“When aged 17, I was bullied and told I would always be on benefits,” she told us. “A college tutor said I would always be on my own and never be a successful person, but I have proved her wrong.”

Denise, a successful singer on the local scene, went on to tell us she has lots of friends, including the Vengaboys, a Dutch band she has met twice and keeps in touch with on social media.”

Denise has been doing voluntary work with the Growing Lives Project run by Derventio Housing Trust and also with Healthwatch Derbyshire. She is pleased that her experience as service user has led to her being appointed as an expert advisor to others in a similar position.

West Hallam Amateur Gardening Society May’s informative and interesting speaker was Anthony Norman from Conquest Plants in Bosley, Macclesfield who is a specialist grower of variegated and coloured foliage hardy plants for containers.

Anthony gave us a number of factors to consider when thinking of our own pots. All pots need drainage and Anthony suggested drilling outlets in plastic pots 1” above the base around the sides to allow moisture to seep out instead of along the bottom where most holes are. The shape of the container should also be factored as tall pots have been known to be unsteady in adverse weather conditions. Size should also to be taken into consideration as smaller pots tend to dry out quicker. Any container will restrict growth of the plants and Anthony stated that the majority of tubs have a five year lifespan. After this time the fittest plants can be transplanted elsewhere or potted on.

He also mentioned that lighter plants may

scorch in the sun, but darker foliage may become lighter if put in the shade.

Anthony demonstrated how to plant up a large pot containing Euonymus Japonica Kathy, Iris, Brunnera Hadspen Cream, Philodendron (Heartleaf) Alkanet and Euonymus Fortunei which was a combination of leaf sizes and shapes as well as a blend of cascading and upright foliage for impact. If space is a factor Anthony showed us how to create a low maintenance, maximum impact planting scheme by using alpines such as Campanula, Mossy Saxifrage, Golden Thyme, Hardy Alpine Phlox, Dianthus and a red flowering Sedum all of which will tumble over the sides of the pot. Adding stones or gravel around the plants enhance the individual specimens.

Next meeting is July 16th and the speaker will be Colin Ward who will be bringing some unusual plants.

Julia Shearer

Cubs meet firefighters

Rescue Service does. The Cubs then got a chance to check over the appliance, look at all the equipment and, best of all of course, they Cubs from 10th Ilkeston Scout Group had an got to use the hoses! exciting night to complete their Fire Safety Badge. A fire engine and crew from DerbyMany thanks from the Group to the fire crew shire Fire and Rescue went along to give adand Derbyshire Fire and Rescue. vice and inform Cubs about what the Fire and Alan Cooper

T

he opening of the new railway footbridge over the Midland Main Line will give visitors and local people much improved access to the magnificent 19th century wrought iron Bennerley Viaduct. The footpath from the Erewash Canal to the viaduct is now open, enabling visitors to access and appreciate the longest wrought iron viaduct in the British Isles.

The new footbridge was formally opened on Thursday June 7th by Maggie Throup, the Member of Parliament for Erewash at an opening event organised by the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct. The Erewash MP is a keen supporter of the project to restore and reopen Bennerley Viaduct.

Maggie Throup said: “Bennerley Viaduct is an iconic structure which defines our area locally and is something which I am passionate about protecting for future generations. I am therefore delighted with the installation of the new footbridge over the Midland Main Line, which will allow more people to access and view the Viaduct safely.”

Jeff Wynch, chair of the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct said: The new footbridge is a modern, well designed 21st century structure which complements its 19th century neighbour. The new footbridge provides an excellent vantage point to see the nationally important viaduct. It will be appreciated by the growing numbers of

visitors who come to enjoy the area’s rich industrial and natural heritage.”

In addition to installing the new footbridge, the contractors, gave the Bennerley Viaduct Project a huge helping hand by removing old tree stumps and flytipped material from underneath the viaduct. Jeff Wynch added “We would like to extend a huge thank you to Network Rail for the new footbridge and also for the environmental enhancements that they have made underneath the viaduct which is of great benefit to our community”.

David McMahon, Network Rail Programme Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have completed work to install a new footbridge at Bennerley Viaduct, and we look forward to the local community reaping the benefits.

“The new footbridge will not only provide safe access over the railway, it will also improve access to the Grade II* listed structure and we are delighted to have worked closely with local stakeholders on the project.

“We’ve also removed fly-tipping from the area which will create a more welcoming and pleasant environment for visitors.”

Sam Smith, Project Manager for the main contractors, AmcoGiffen said: “We’re proud to have been part of such a fantastic project.

AmcoGiffen couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Air crew that came to grief over Stanley to be remembered again The annual Service of Remembrance commemorating the Wellington Bomber that came down in Stanley village 76 years ago killing its crew, will be held at the memorial plinth at St Andrew’s churchyard on Saturday 14th July at 11am.

The crash in a field was witnessed as a boy by former St Andrews churchwarden Bernard Walters.

A man bought his wife a little pug dog.

Despite the funny eyes, squashed nose and funny breathing noises, the dog seemed to like her.

- John Allen

The W5795 bomber was on a secret experimental flight when it came down suddenly killing all five occupants, members of the RAF. For a number of years, relatives of the ill-fated crew have attended the service.

“There will be no flypast this year,” says organiser Terry Hall, “but all are welcome to come to the half-hour service and then perhaps go on to visit the Well Dressings celebrations in neighbouring West Hallam.”

Ilkestonlife.com

Ilkeston mum is praised for ‘sit on floor’ punishment in Tesco

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previous Ilkeston Life article listed our readers’ shopping gripes, and very prominent among them was ‘children behaving badly’.

there is always a step they can sit on, but if there is no step there is always the floor! It is humiliating for them, but they learn from it.

Well, an Ilkeston mother has come up with "It annoys me when you see youngsters running around and causing a nuisance to peoher own solution and made national news. ple, I want my kids to know the different Louise Palai, of Mill Street, publicly punished her girls Alisa, six, and Ebony, seven, between what is and isn't acceptable behavfor running around the supermarket making iour when they are in public.

"I would encourage other parents to do the too much noise.

The sisters had to sit with their heads down same thing. If their kids are having a tanthey soon learn that there will be conand in silence for ten minutes in the middle trum, sequences for their behaviour." of the vegetables aisle in Ilkeston’s Tesco store until they had calmed down and were Louise’s story appeared in national papers and on social media and received many ready to start behaving. messages of support. In fact, in a DerbyThe 35-year-old has stood by her parenting, shire Live poll of 1,000 people, 92 per cent arguing her tactic was better than smacking agreed with her actions. or shouting - and said she would do it again One Facebook follower wrote: “Great parif needed. enting!” Another said: “It’s good to see She said: "They don't mess about again kids being taught respect and discipline”. when you make them sit in the supermarket. Another: “It’s a pity more parents didn’t They suddenly start behaving as they know take charge of their offspring.” everybody can see them.

"I don't care how old my daughters are, they need to learn to behave when they are out in public and making them have a time out wherever they may be, really calms them down and they stop messing about.

"There were a few people giving me some odd looks, but I don't care what anybody thinks.

"This method works and it is a much better alternative to shouting at the girls in the middle of the street or smacking them like I have seen other parents do."

Louise used the unusual disciplinary method in the vegetable aisle at the Rutland Street store on Tuesday 5th June.

She explained: "No matter where you go,

40th Anniversary of Well Dressing in West Hallam In 1978 the intrepid ladies of the West Hallam Flower Club set to work to follow the ancient Derbyshire craft of Well Dressing.

Every year since West Hallam has held a Well Dressing Festival and this year we are celebrating our 40th anniversary.

The true origins of Well Dressing are lost in the mists of time. According to many sources, it developed from a pagan custom of making sacrifice to the gods of wells and springs to ensure a continued supply of fresh water. Like many folk traditions, it was later adopted by the Christian Church as a way of giving thanks to God for his gift to us of water. Tradition has it that it took on a special significance in Derbyshire as various villages gave thanks for their deliverance from the Great Plague in 1665.

This year we are anticipating at least 10 wells which will be dressed to provide a beautiful and fantastic array of colour and artistry. All the Wells are on display from our Festival Day on Saturday 14th July and for the following week. If you visit our website (www.westhallamwells.org.uk) you can see picture of previous wells and of the creation of the wells. Also on the website is a full programme of all the activities that are occurring in our village from 13th-20th July starting with a Proms Concert by the Rolls Royce Brass Band at the White Rose Cricket Ground on the evening of Friday 13th and finishing with a Barn Dance organised by St Wilfrid’s Church at the local primary school on Friday 20th.

The main event is the Festival Day itself on Saturday 14th. The event is officially opened at 1.00pm by Councillor Carol Hart (Leader of Erewash Borough Council and Chair of West Hallam Parish Council) following a short Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. Festival Day is a real fun day for all ages with street entertainment (including Morris Dancers and other dance and singing groups), an Arts Market, charity stalls, the ever popular Scarecrow Trail, a free Children’s Area (includes a magic act, face painting and games) and refreshment areas including a prosecco bar.

The centre of the village where most of the activities take place is closed to traffic on Festival Day from 12.00 noon to 5.00pm so visitors can enjoy what is on offer in safety.

The event is free as is the parking at the local primary school which is a very short walk from the centre of the Village.

Last year we welcomed over 1000 people of all ages on Festival Day and we are planning for even more this year.

If you prefer a more leisurely time then come along on the Sunday (15th) and listen to a Brass Band play in the Village Hall grounds from 2.00pm with a nice cup of tea and cake.

At 5.00pm in the courtyard of The Punch Bowl there will be a “Beer and Hymns” service during which all the wells will be formally blessed.

We hope you can join us sometime over our festival period as we celebrate our 40th anniversary.

Richard Brooks Chair-West Hallam Well Dressing Committee Mob: 07786 962881

July 2018

11

Police need help to find out what happened to this badly injured man P

olice are asking for the public’s help to shed light on an unusual incident.

On the morning of Thursday, April 26, 19year-old Ryan Spencer knocked on the door of a house on Cotmanhay Road, Ilkeston, with a head injury.

Officers were called, along with East Midlands Ambulance and he was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Ryan is pictured after having had surgery for a bleed on his brain. The large scar from his head to the left side of his face is from this surgery but he also has other injuries to his head that at this stage are unaccounted for.

Detective Constable Claire Croll, who is investigating the incident, said: “Ryan has no knowledge of how he received these injuries and has no recollection of the events from two days before until waking up in hospital.

“We believe that he left his home on Norman Street at some time after 2am that morning and may have been on a push bike.

“His rucksack was found by the Tesco store on Challon’s Way but it appears that nothing was stolen from it.

“Clearly Ryan has received nasty head injuries and we are very keen to know how he has received these injuries. We have been working hard on house to house enquiries and trawling CCTV but nothing so far has shed any light as to what happened to him.

I would ask that if anyone has any information that they make contact with me.”

If you have any information about this incident please contact DC Croll on 101, quoting reference number 18*188714 Alternatively send her a message online by visiting the Contact Us section of our website www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 or by visiting www.crimestoppersuk.org

Ilkestonlife.com

Acorn Corner

July 2018

12

Derby College celebrates Peak performers

A page for younger readers

ore than 200 people gathered for the M annual Derby College Peak Awards at the historic Roundhouse to celebrate the

the highest amount of work experience hours this year on a wide range of events. He returns to College in September and has apachievements of students across the organi- plied to join the Wilson James Aviation and Security Academy to gain even more experisation. ence in the security industry.

Awards were presented by representatives of local businesses who had sponsored individu- Derby College Chief Executive Mandie Stravino said: “The Peak Awards is the highlight al awards. of the College year.

Award winners included Equine student “It is amazing showcase of young people Catherine Putnam (18) from Ilkeston who won the Animal Science award in recognition who are now well prepared for the next stage of her success on work placements and com- of their lives – whether that the world of work, higher education or to start their own mitment to extra industry-related training.

She now plans to study Equine Bioveterinary business.

Science at the University of Wales Aberyst- “Furthermore, the success of adult learners who are progressing in their careers through wyth. further and higher education opportunities at Jacob Hawker (19) from West Hallam won the Public Services award having completed the College has also been a true inspiration to us all.”

Left: Public Services award winner Jacob Hawker with Russell Rigby of sponsors Rigby & Co. Right: Animal Science award winner Catherine Putnam with Phil Braithwaite from sponsors Safety First Ltd.

Angie Young from the Tesco Bags for Help scheme presented the School Council of Cotmanhay Infant and Nursery School with a cheque for £2,000 towards their Library refurbishment. The makeover is now complete and being enjoyed by the children.

New Head Boy and Girl appointed at Saint John Houghton wo Saint John Houghton Catholic VolT untary Academy students are celebrating after being appointed Head Boy and

The children, staff and governors of Chaucer Infant and Nursery school are delighted that they have achieved their fifth Green Flag as an ECO school. This is in recognition of all the time and effort invested in environmental education over the last ten years. Pictured are the current ECO team consisting of children from Reception, Year One and Year Two classes.

He said: “I was quite nervous when the announcement about who was going to get the role was made. I was really pleased and proud when I was told I would be Head Boy. We’d Head Girl. both like to see more outdoor seating for stuEvery prefect was invited to apply for the dents at lunchtimes, we are looking at fundprestigious roles and Year 10 students Oliv- raising for new PE equipment and how the ia Cuomo and Alex Price, both 15, were Agape is run as well as talking about the possuccessful. sibility of lockers in school.”

Prefects were asked to write a letter to senior Mrs McCarthy said she was extremely proud members of staff stating their qualities, why of Olivia and Alex. they would be suitable for the role and set out She said: “Both Olivia and Alex are hardany ideas for improvements to the academy. working and dedicated students who deserve A shortlist was then drawn up by senior staff every success. They ran impressive cammembers and students ran a publicity campaigns and thoroughly deserve their new roles paign, making posters and badges to encour- and I look forward to working with them over age their fellow students to vote for them. the course of the next year.”

They also had to deliver a speech to the whole school before students and staff were asked to vote.

Olivia and Alex were told they had been successful by head teacher Joan McCarthy and they were presented on stage to their fellow students and teachers.

Olivia said she was thrilled to have been named as Head Girl.

She said: “I have always wanted to be Head Girl. When I was told that I had been given the role I was over the moon.

It was amazing and everyone was so happy for me. We both have ideas about the kind of improvements we would like to see at school and there’ll also be lots of public speaking for both of us and representing school at events.”

Alex said he was looking forward to the Alex Price and Oliver Cuomo challenge of being Head Boy.

.”

Mapperley CE Primary School is delighted to say that Mrs Farmer (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) has been shortlisted for the East Midlands region HLTA of the year award 2018.

Amongst many other roles, Mrs Farmer leads Sport & PE at school and also leads Forest School sessions. The winner was to be announced at a presentation event in Leicester in late June.

Ilkestonlife.com

Popular events: Ilkeston Carnival and the Beating Retreat and Sunset Ceremony with the Band of the Royal Engineers .

Photos: John Shelton

July 2018

13

Ilkestonlife.com

On yer bike lanche of 40 hungry and thirsty cyclists bearing down on you without warning!

When we arrived you could almost see the beads of sweat on the waitresses’ brows.

Now I’ll be honest and say we have some of the finest bap and cake eaters in the county - some are actually legendary and spoken of in reverence. ‘2-Cake Birkin’ has been banned from many a cafe (ha ha!) but this was the first time I’ve ever known us to destroy their entire stock of bacon and sausages, so much so that a panicked worker had to be sent out for more supplies, I also believe several waitresses were treated at the scene for exhaustion!

Now not every ride is this big, but every ride is made to be as enjoyable as possible, the foundation of the club is its diversity.

We have every level of rider but not one ego among them, the word most used to describe this club and its members is “family”. If you want to find out more check out our Facebook page or our Strava club page, just try one ride and I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

Mark Dickens

14

Wayne’s world of

entertainment

with Ilkeston Cycle Club If you were looking for proof that Ilkeston Cycle Club is fast becoming one of the biggest and best in the area, you wouldn’t need to look any further than the Market Place recently where approximately 80 people had turned up to take part in the various rides the club had on offer, ranging from long rides of 70+ miles, medium rides of between 40 and 60 miles and even a ‘get you back on the bike’ ride of under 20 miles.

The club formats the rides so that all abilities and levels are catered for. They have a strict ‘no drop’ policy on the social rides, meaning no one is left behind and with ride captains making sure the rides are fun and enjoyable we are getting more and more people joining every week. The medium ride I was on saw 40 of these Lycra clad pedal pushers embark on a very scenic route out to the Granite’s coffee shop and heritage centre at Mountsorrel. It’s a great place, very welcoming and used to dealing with large groups. We always check with the cafes to make sure they are okay with us turning up – imagine an apocalyptic ava-

July 2018

CINEMA PICK SOLO is the second of the " A Star Wars Story" series of films following 2016's Rogue One. This one centres on the life of a young Han Solo and attempts to explain how he becomes the smuggler that we all know and love.

It was always going to be a bit of a risk making this film, as Han is already such a big character that we don't necessarily need to know his backstory in detail. It seems like everything that has ever been said about Solo is being explained in this film, including the Kesslar Run, winning the Millenium Falcon and how he met Chewbacca, and this is where I have a problem with it. It just feels too much like a painting by numbers film, we've got to have this bit and this bit and this bit. Did all of Solo's "life moments" really all happen within the space of one adventure?

The action is good, I really liked the train heist, but I would have liked a little more humour too. There are moments that made me smile, mostly whenever Chewbacca was involved, but nothing that actually made me laugh. Alden Ehrenreich is excellent as Solo as is Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. There's a reveal that took me by surprise and I guess they put it in to try and give context to where in the Star Wars timeline this is taking place.

Overall a good film but not a great film.

STREAMING PICK SAFE is a Netflix Original Ser ies wr itten by crime author Harlan Coben. Michael C Hall, better known from Dexter, plays the

father of a daughter who goes missing one night after a party. Her boyfriend is found dead in a swimming pool and what follows is a whodunnit full of twists and red herrings.

This will have you gripped from the first episode, especially if you are a fan of Broadchurch style drama. The acting is all top class but Amanda Abbington (Sherlock) stands out from all the rest. Hall is also great, but his British accent does take some getting used to. I can’t say much more as knowing anything further would spoil the plot, but I do highly recommend it.

Oh, one thing to watch out for…in the opening scene Marc Warren’s character is playing football and when he shoots into an empty net he hits the post and then celebrates as if he has scored. Whoops!

ONE TO WATCH IN JULY It’s been 14 years since the original made its debut but on the 13th July The Incredibles are back in the imaginatively titled Incredibles 2.

The first film, about a family of superheroes, is still very watchable today and the sequel looks to be just as good. This time Mr Incredible looks to take on his biggest task to date as a stay at home Dad. His baby is no ordinary baby as Jack Jack has a host of different powers that look set to make his Dad’s life hell.

You can read more of my reviews on my website at www.crapornotcrap.co.uk and you can get in touch with me on twitter @ilsonfan.

Please let me know what you think and what films/tv you have been enjoying.

Wayne Morledge

Doggy tails

sounds of her ‘gargh-phoo-gargh’ as she snores noisily can be heard above the sound of the television in the early evening, resulting in the need to turn up the volume if the humans Hello Ilkeston Life readers, Lewie the Chihuawant to continue hearing the programme that hua here again- I thought that I would tell you they happen to be watching! about little Elsie this month, as you’ll see from So, friends, this is an introduction to Elsie, the the photo, Elsie is my Chihuahua companion little Bossy Boots but gentle as a butterfly and we came to live at Ona’s (our owner’s) when she is sat on a human’s knee, where house together when we were both seeking a she’ll turn on the charm, roll over and indicate new home together. Elsie is a year older than that her tummy wants tickling and -ooh crikeyme and I cannot recall a time when she wasn’t I know that she’ll be enjoying all that attention at my side. We even go to the vets together with one sharp eye on me to make sure that I and when Elsie had major surgery I was am still paying her obeisance and that I don’t checked in for some minor dental work so that intend usurping her position.

I could be kept at her side throughout the day. As you can tell, our relationship is fairly one great many snails, so they are the gardener’s Elsie looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in her sided but I am so in love with my little female friend, but snails are not as common in the mouth but she is the only female amongst four furry friend and I wouldn’t change her for the wider countryside as they used to be and per- of us male canines and this seems to tip the World.

July witnesses something of a slowing down haps this is the reason why the birds have balance in her favour.

She happens to be the for most of our breeding birds, although some been suffering a population decline. Look out smallest of our Doggy Clan, the most domilike the dynamic Swift are still very busy for a ‘Thrush’s Anvil’ – each Song Thrush neering and I must admit it, she is simply the feeding their growing young that do not chooses a favourite rock on the ground and fledge until the end of the month. The hand- uses it to break the snail shells by repeatedly Boss! She keeps us males in check like an army Sergeant Major. Elsie’s daily routine is to mesome, speckled Song Thrush has made a bit hitting the shell against the hard surface, thodically tackle each one of the Doggy Clan in of a come-back in the last few years, after a leaving a distinctive scattering of smashed prolonged decline in numbers and an increas- shell all around their improvised tool. A bird some small way, so as to maintain her senioriing absence from our garden lawns and local with many attractive qualities! ty over us all. Her precision to intimidate us is parks. Song Thrushes begin delivering their a well-planned military operation, down to the clear, strident song in the New Year and con- Jim Steele last nudge, growl or just ‘that’ look. Bear in tinue into July – a longer song period than mind too, Elsie has to take quite a leap at Benji many of our resident birds. The bird is multi(the Shih Tzu) when she wants to jab at his ple brooded, in common with other thrushes neck, but somehow, her aim is always on tarsuch as the Blackbird, and they frequently get! Elsie sleeps so heavily, she is Queen Bee have a final brood in July. Song Thrush nests and she knows it- she sleeps deeply and secure are a marvel of design and creation, being in the knowledge that not one of us other dogmade of dried grasses and finished off intergies would ever dare disturb her and the nally with a smooth, mud cup, but no liner of finer grass material as is the case with their darker cousins. It is something of a mystery Letter: why the nest is not softly lined. The eggs are And to the people who saw him before them, a wonder to behold, being a beautiful, sky covered in blood and obviously hurt and disblue with jet black spots that look for all the tressed, and just walked by and got in the car I would like to send a massive thank you to world like they have been delicately painted with their kids - I just you hope that one day the car park attendant and St John Ambuon with a very fine paint brush! We should if your child is in that same situation, somelance staff from the Woodside Festival, who one with more human kindness and compasnot disturb breeding birds and their nests, but helped my son after a nasty bicycle fall on sometimes an egg is rather oddly laid out of sion than you comes to their aid. I hope you Saturday evening, at the old American Adthe nest, often on a track or pathway, affordread this and are ashamed. ing us a special sighting. Song Thrushes eat a venture car park. Your kindness will never

Local Nature Notes

Thanks and no thanks

be forgotten.

Kathryn Cocking

Ilkestonlife.com

Ilkeston regeneration plans step up a gear as show flat is released

P

lans to regenerate Ilkeston town centre stepped up a gear this week, as ALB Commercial Investments announced that it was full steam ahead for the new show apartment based at former Co-op department store.

Councillors approved the ambitious plans to convert the upper floors of the former Co-op building into 73 one and two-bedroom apartments back in March 2017, after the firm successfully turned the bottom section of the property into retail units.

Insiders at the company, which has successfully worked on developments including Victoria Mill, St Peters House and Christonian Court in addition to Delph/Leyland House, and are finalising works at Falcon House with works commencing at Tameway Tower, have revealed that the public will now be able to view the transformation for themselves by appointment.

Arran Bailey, company director of ALB Commercial Investments, said that the new show apartment being released showed that the end was finally in sight for this mammoth project. He said: “We are delighted to announce that the public will be able to view our work for themselves. We have worked hard on amending our plans to meet the council’s requirements over the last few months, and this dedication has now come to a head with the show flat being released.

"The demand for housing in Ilkeston is rife, and there was a distinct need to bring increased footfall back to the town since the closure of the old Co-op department store back in 2013.”

The new development will include 73 one and two-bedroom apartments on the first and second floors and a car park. The plans also included external alterations to the fabric of the building, extensions to the roof and additional and replacement windows.

Speaking back in 2015 when he acquired the property, Arran said: “South Street has clearly been neglected and I understand that residents are worried about what is going to happen to the building. I viewed the building and instantly saw a gap in market for this sort of high quality investment.”

The firm had huge success in transforming the bottom floor of the building into retails units, which has already improved footfall to the nearby shops and eateries.

The companies currently based there include Coffee Vida, MP Maggie Throup’s office, Thorpes of Ilkeston, the Discount Party Outlet, and Snap Fitness to name just a few names who have taken leases with the firm.

Arran continued: “The new show apartment will be available to view very shortly.”

Photo: The bedroom of one of the apartments.

Ilkeston Probus Club members on their Ladies Day river cruise. Report on P19

July 2018

15

Newdigate regulars cycle for local charity Ben’s Den

R

egulars from The Newdigate Arms, have teamed up to ride the 96 miles from their favourite local in West Hallam to the Clocktower in Skegness, in aid of Ilkeston-based charity The Ben Parker Trust (Ben’s Den).

The marathon cycle ride, which will set off from the pub at 5am on Saturday 30th June, has already raised over £5,000.00 for the charity which supports families of children fighting leukaemia or cancer, by gifting them a free holiday at one of 3 fully adapted caravans on The Haven Holiday Site, Mablethorpe.

Lee Ryan, one of the 15 cyclists taking part in the ride said: “After months of training, all the riders are now really excited for the big day.

The team is made up of men and women of all ages and ability, and although it will be tough, we are determined to complete the challenge and raise as much money as possi-

ble for this fantastic local charity.

“We would like to thank everyone for their support, it real will help to make a huge difference to families in our community.”

Landlord, Steve Cox, also commented: “From all the customers and staff here at the Newdigate, we want to wish the team a safe and enjoyable ride, and look forward to raising a glass or two when they eventual make it back to the pub!”

Anyone wishing to sponsor the team can do so online at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/…/ NewdigatetoSkegnessCharit…

Alternatively, collection boxes are available on the bar of The Newdiate for donations.

Cyclists: Bob Smith, Steven Grinham, Dave Gibbons, Tracy Wood, Richard Burke, Arron Dodd, Mark Charlton, Les Parks, Ryan Filby, Elizabeth Spanner, Lee Clarke, Chantelle Andrews, Lee Ryan, Tom Braisby, Stefanie Louise.

It’s written in the stars Stars for July 2018 – Localised to Ilkeston area.

ARIES ~ 21 MARCH – 20 APRIL The emotional support you need looks to be strongest during the first week of the month.

Once again it seems like second thoughts could well be the key that unlocks a problematic door for you. Stay cool, Aries!

TAURUS ~ 21 APRIL – 21 MAY Looks like there’s a good chance to put your own personal stamp on a domestic issue, this month.

Could be a golden opportunity to get to the really important stuff – Just the way you like it, Taurus!

GEMINI ~ 22 MAY – 21 JUNE Keeping eyes and ears open could pay a big dividend this month. An opportunity for someone with a flexible, adaptable attitude could be tailor made for you. Time to take the credit, Gemini!

CANCER ~ 22 JUNE – 23 JULY You could well find the answer to a difficult problem, this month. Having the Sun in your sign could help unravel a mystery that’s been bugging your sensitive soul.

LEO – 24 JULY – 23 AUG Your talent for understanding the problems of others, could be in great demand this month.

Seeing the reality under the surface could be most revealing.

VIRGO ~ 24 AUG – 23 SEPT Your analytical mind could be very well employed this month, Virgo. With Venus in your sign from around the 10th, You may enjoy doing something completely different for a change.

by Richard Servante

LIBRA ~ 24 SEPT – 23 OCT The material world of possessions and financial resources looks to be under your ‘Astro spotlight’ this month. The help of friends could also bolster your confidence.

SCORPIO ~ 24 OCT – 22 NOV Your ability to cut through waffle and nonsense – and get straight to the unvarnished truth, should serve you well this month. And could be the key to solving a long standing problem. Rock on Scorpio!

SAGITTARIUS ~ 23 NOV – 21 DEC A security issue with a ‘Back to basics’ feel about it looks to be on your mind this month.

Strong family support between the 22nd – 24th can bolster your confidence to succeed.

CAPRICORN ~ 22 DEC – 20 JAN With ‘Headmaster Saturn’ - in your sign right now, you could find it difficult to express your true feelings. However, with Pluto, Planet of transformation, also in your sign, this month could turn out to be a period of positive inner growth.

AQUARIUS ~ 21 JAN – 19 FEB You could well find a basic struggle between how you feel and the work you do. Seeking the advice of a trusted friend could help get you back on a positive track.

PISCES ~ 20 FEB – 20 MARCH Relationships look to be under your ‘Astro spotlight’ this month, Pisces.

And with Neptune in your sign, now, your imagination will be on top social form!

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

16

Steam in the East Midlands and Lincolnshire Local Performing

A

few years ago, Michael Draper of Winchester Crescent, Ilkeston brought to my bungalow at Breaston around fourteen albums of photographs, they had been destined for the tip and were rescued by his friend Martyn Reeve. The albums contained photographs taken by the late M E Kirk of UK, Irish and European steam interspersed with Southern electric traction, together with European trams and UK trolley buses.

Many of Mr Kirk's photos are now in a book, Steam in the East Midlands and Lincolnshire, A Pictorial Journey in the late 1950s and early 1960s published by Pen & Sword and available from Jas Heaps, Long Eaton.

Little was known of Maurice Kirk until a few weeks ago when Martyn Reeve received the following information from an Aunt:Michael Kirk born in July 1934, he left school and went into the Airforce, which enabled him to travel, and wherever he went he took photographs of places of importance and railway stations, he also had an eye for taking photos of architectural design.

I think he was in the Airforce for about 3 yrs (that was the minimum time you had to serve) and went to work for a company called Sugar Beet in Nottingham, in the offices.

But then decided he needed to further his education, he went to study politics at Warwick University and obtained a degree on the 27 June, 1970.

He then went to work at Stockport University of H.E. as a Senior Lecturer in Management and Business studies and lectured in Politics he also liked to make Montages from colour prints, usually having a railway input.

Michael travelled to Europe taking photos of all train stations wherever he was and was very interested in the routes they took from station to station and all the different trains.

Sadly, Michael Draper died on 18th May this year, an avid reader of Ilkeston Life and career railwayman; I thank him for his contribution on railway matters.

station closed on 7 September 1964.

B) On 29 July 1954, an unidentified 2-8-0 Class '8F', running tender first, traverses the Awsworth viaduct, which was built between May 1873 and November 1875 and formed part of the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension. The viaduct was built of red bricks used to create 43 arched spans with a total length of 1716 feet and a height of 60 feet. It was also known as Giltbrook viaduct (or Kimberley Viaduct, but locally known as Forty Bridges). It was demolished in 1973 to make way for the A610 bypass.

C) The 11.45am London (St Pancras)-Bradford (Forster Square) express now well into its stride at Long Eaton after the Trent station stop is headed by 'Jubilee' 4-6-0 Class '6P' No. 45573 Newfoundland on 29 June 1954, manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow in 1934, withdrawn from Leeds (Holbeck) shed in August 1965 and scrapped at Clayton & Davie, Dunston-onTyne. The leading van is a GNR bogie milk van of 1909 vintage.

D) Fowler/Beyer-Peacock 2-6-6-2T Beyer-Garratt No. 47973 at Toton Motive Power Depot on 13 May 1956. Built in 1930 by Beyer Peacock Ltd., and withdrawn in April 1957 from Hasland shed, it was scrapped at Crewe Works. Some fastidious drivers objected to running bunker first and the Toton Local Departmental Committee in 1931 submitted a complaint on behalf of men working the Garratt engines tender first, which was declined by the Company's representatives.

E) BR Standard 4-6-0 Class '5MT' No. 73031, fitted with Westinghouse equipment on number 2 down goods line at Ilkeston South Junction in late 1953, during a series of trials with continuous brakes on mineral trains which took place on the Midland main line. Built at Derby Works in June of that year and withdrawn in September 1965 from Oxford shed and broken up at Cashmore's, Newport.

F) S.L.S. Special, Derbyshire and Notts. Rail Tour seen here at RipRoderick H Fowkes ley on 21 April 1956 hauled by BR Standard 2-6-2T Class '2MT' Photographs: 84008, which was built in 1953 at A) Arriving at Awsworth station on Crewe Works, yet another victim of 29 June 1954 is the 12.45pm Not- modernisation of the motive power fleet, rampant dieselisation resulttingham (Victoria)-Derby ing in a shamefully short working (Friargate) local train hauled by Ivatt 0-6-2T Class 'N1' No.69451, life being withdrawn after only twelve years service from Leicester built in 1910 at Doncaster Works and cut up there when condemned shed and scrapped at Buttigiegs, Newport. in October 1955 from Bradford ( Hammerton Street) shed. The

B

Arts Scene by OBITUARY: Lindsey Rice Michael Draper,

A

Cyclist and Railwayman It is with sadness that we announce the death of long time member MICHAEL DRAPER, aged 81, who passed away Friday afternoon 18th May after a long illness, bravely fought.

Ilkeston born, Mick’s first club was Erewash Valley Road Club where he organised the first Open 25 mile TT and enjoyed his early touring and racing in the late 1950s and 60s.

When the club folded Mick joined the Long Eaton Paragon CC where he enjoyed great success over a long period with both Time Trailling and Veteran’s Road Racing.

In 1992, he completed the Raid Pyreneen Audax with Paragon clubmates which was led by Tour of Britain winner Bill Bradley.

Mick then enjoyed success with the Paragon’s Veteran Tean of Buxton, Draper and Smith with wins in long distance 100-mile and 12 Hour events culminating in winning the National VTTA Best All Rounder Club Team Championship in 1993.

After the Long Eaton club’s amalgamated in 2006 to form the Velo Club Long Eaton, Mick concentrated on Road Racing with the Veterans’ Velo 99 Road Racing League which was highlighted by winning both their trophies in one successful year.

Finally, Mick will be greatly missed on the Wednesday morning club runs where he always enjoyed a ‘burn up’ on the way home. On reflection, Mick was a proud family man, a natural Railwayman both career-wise and as a steam train hobby and last but not least a life-long mileeating cyclist who could amass 10,000 miles a year.

RHF

C

D

Roderick’s book

E

F

Ilkestonlife.com

Attempted abduction in Cotmanhay D

erbyshire Poliice are investigating an attempted abduction in Cotmanhay.

Alfie Smedley, 10, was riding his bike on Beauvale Drive at about 6pm when a white van approached.

He said he saw two men inside and one shouted to him to stop and then to get in the back of the van.

Alfie said No. When his friends caught up with him the van sped off.

Alfie said he was afraid the men would grab him and force him inside as they were pulling up closer beside him.

His mum Jemma was fetched from her home in Church Street to the scene near the Cotmanhay Children’s Centre where a crowd and two police cars had now gathered.

“Alfie just ran to me sobbing,” she said. “That night he was still upset and asked me: What did they want me for, Mum? How on earth do you explain that?”

The incident happened on Friday 15th June. It is hoped that nearby security cameras may help to identify the men in the van.

Jemma said she was proud of her son’s resistance.

“Another child might not have done what Alfie did,” she said, “I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through this.”

She added that the police had been brilliant and she would like to thank Alfie’s friends and the parents who rallied round him and rang her to alert her to the situation.

Mum Jemma and Alfie

Local Walking Groups Where they are going this month Erewash Ramblers July walks unavailable at time of going to press.

Visit website for more details or contact Yvonne Ashby, 0115 930 4054.

Ilkeston Rambling Club July walks unavailable at time of going to press.

More details on Ilkeston Rambling Club from Jim Cresswell, 07747 419380.

Long Eaton Ramblers Sunday 1st - Ecclesbourne Way, Linear, 11 miles. Meet 9.00am Long Eaton Town Hall.

Sunday 8th - No Walk (Club Outing).

Thursday 12th - Repton Circular, 7 miles. Meet 9.30am West Park Leisure Centre.

Sunday 15th - West Hallam Circular, 7 miles. Meet 9.30am Long Eaton Town Hall Sunday 22nd - Elton Circular, 9 miles. Meet 9.00am Long Eaton Town Hall Wednesday 25th - Toton Circular, Evening Walk, 5 miles. Meet Manor Farm Recreation Ground, Toton. 7.00pm Sunday 29th - Friden Circular, 9 miles. Meet 9.00am Long Eaton Town Hall.

All walks meet in Long Eaton to car share to keep travel costs to a minimum. Many more events and activities are organised throughout the year, including day trips out, weekends away and holidays. So come and join our friendly club on one of our forthcoming walks.

July 2018

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The climb to High Tor In sudden horror, I stepped back - well back. Somewhere between heaven and earth, we were standing on a high rocky n the ‘Switzerland of England’, a ledge and were only inches from a sheer giant crag called High Tor crowns drop into the canopies of distant trees dark woods to the east of the Riv- and the River Derwent far below. Giner Derwent at Matlock Bath. Beware gerly, for a view to die for, I steadied of dangerous, seemingly bottomless myself by grasping the slim trunk of a holes half hidden by centuries of ac- young ash tree. Somehow it had rooted cumulated foliage. Watch out for itself into a crack in the vertical limetraitorous chasms and sudden sheer stone cliff. Ignoring urgent protestadrops hundreds of feet down to the tions from Iain, I trusted to the strength of that baby ash and leaned out to take river below. in the full view of that famous High Tor On a sunny but cool April 6th 2018, Iain rock face - now looking like the north Greenwood and I braved these dangers face of the Eiger. We estimated that we in our trek to the summit of High Tor. were still only about half way up.

We found the entrance to the woodland grounds, a rough path which zigzagged ‘Look at those cars down all the way up to the very top of High on the road,’ I said.

Tor crag. Immediately the trail became ‘They’re like Dinky toys.’ very steep and quite difficult.

We made hard and painful progress into We might be in an aeroplane. Iain a darkness which was rather like a cave. turned his head from left to right beOn both sides we were enclosed by im- holding a magnificent panorama of a penetrable stands of oak, maple, beech lovely valley edged by wood and moors. and bits of holly which brought a cool- Looking southwards, the Lovers’ Walks ness to match the dimness. On top, followed the shimmering river. Tiny leafy canopies interlocked to form a visitors enjoying this pretty resort roof producing the effect of an arboreal moved around riverside gardens and cathedral. paraded along dignified Georgian and Eventually we collapsed onto the pros- Victorian facades. trate trunk of a fallen tree taking a few The road and river curved westwards minutes to catch our breath, albeit en- until they were out of sight, blending joying such majestic woods - a magical into the deep, green gorge. High to the place. I put my nose into a sweet white east, above the dense woodland, there blossom - rowan, reputed to be used by was an expanse of open fields. Higher witches. still and further distant, emerging from ‘There! Look, over there.’ Iain was very dark woods were the dramatic pointing into the shadows under bram- crags of Black Rocks. ble. ‘Did you see that?’

With the support of the young ash, I had They are seldom seen. It was a jenny given myself a birds-eye view looking wren, quick as lightening with its cute directly down a sheer rocky drop on to cocked tail. We listened to its shrill call the tops of a few terraced, three-storey, and breathed deeply. The wood was full stone cottages, far below. Other scatof birdsong and the dank scent of wild tered dwellings, humble old cottages, garlic. half hidden in foliage, were climbing up Suddenly, we noticed the log upon the opposite side of the valley; so far which we were sitting. It was remarka- away, so small, they seemed like modEventually, the slope levelled bly comfortable, smooth, and in good els. condition for a fallen limb. I stood up slightly to support a saddle of meadow and looked at it. It was not a fallen tree before, again, steepening into a further at all! We’d been sitting on a fat, sylvan delight. healthy, living root - the lower part of a We plunged back into a verdant murk of massive beech tree, towering above, tangle to continue our difficult ascent. exploding in all directions in mammoth After a while, things got better. The branches and lesser sub-branches - a thickets gave way to more agreeable vast expanse of foliage. Iain craned his glades, allowing for an explosion of neck and gazed up into a luxuriant colour. Bluebells, anemone and celanworld illuminated in lime green. The dine were highlighted by mottled sunsky could not be seen – however - it was shine. The walking became easier over replaced by a lovely verdant glow. a natural paving of smoothed stone and We studied the giant root which had worn spreading tree roots. provided a seat. It was part of a consid- I was activated! I had seen something erable root system uncovered and and ran ahead to inspect, what appeared cleaned by years of erosion. For dec- to be, a solid rock wall partly obscured ades, enormous tentacles had dug in by falling ivy. This obstacle threatened with determination in a continual effort to block all further progress. to keep ahead of a natural process of ‘This is it!’ I called in excitement. ‘This undermining. We admired these im- is the beginning of Giddy Edge. To get mense legs. They extended along a to the crag top, we need to follow this bank, grasping at rocks, searching out rocky lip, to the right, around the cliff deep cracks, exploring long fissures to face … if we can ever find it … here! firmly anchor the colossal living beech Here it is.’ above. In so doing, they had produced mysterious cavities into the hillside. We pushed through bushes, shrubs and Gloomy hollows were begging to be squeezed behind the ivy curtain hard up explored. Enchanted places had always against the rock to emerge onto a narfascinated me and I was now mesmer- row verge which, after a few cautious ised into an idle and pleasant contem- steps, afforded intermittent views of the plation. The reverie was broken a need world far below. to press on.

‘All this adventure!’ I felt like a characWe came to a dark ground-cover of ter in King Solomon’s Mines! creeping ivy. Pushing through a curtain Giddy Edge lived up to its name. The of scraggy yew, a flapping blackbird narrow cliff edge rendered the explorers SCREAMED out his complaint and inches away from a sheer fall of hunterrified us just before we emerged into dreds of feet. This induced in us some brilliant light and the gentle spring unsteadiness and inflicted a distinct warmth of English sunshine. dizziness. Most of the time, any fall ‘Careful!’ shouted Iain. ‘It seems like could have been stopped by a frantic grasp at several stunted hawthorn bushwe’re a mile up in the sky.’ es - small comfort for us adventurers.

By Narvel Annable

I

Iain took a photograph which can be seen above.

Eventually, the path appeared to come to an abrupt halt, suggesting that the walker would soon be walking on thin air. To the rescue came a welcome rail firmly anchored into the dark grey rock face. It protected against a dangerous narrowing foot-hold which took climbers to the brink of a sheer drop to oblivion.

Against a cool biting wind at that altitude, we intrepid mountaineers made slow and careful progress. The appearance of a brave weather-beaten ash tree, half strangled by creeping ivy, indicated the end of this frightening ordeal.

Suddenly, it was all brilliant sunshine!

An unexpected emergence into an open, sloping space, carpeted by moss, interspersed with a natural paving of sparkling grit stone, was familiar to me. I had seen these special effects before from gemstones admired in countless Peak District nick-knack shops. The sun picked out specks of translucent rocks. There were fluorspars, calcites, barites - the ground was all a glitter.

In triumph, we made a dash over this cheerful adornment to the peak of this famous tor. It raised its naked head straight from the valley floor, a sheer height of 350ft from river to summit.

With elation, we were standing over the giant ‘face in the rock’ which had always intrigued.

Carefully, we approached that famous edge to take in that famous view.

To the north, Matlock town spread up the hillside. Many miles beyond those hills, the dim outline of Kinder Scout – the roof of Derbyshire – was just visible. The walls of Riber Castle crowned the hill to the east. To the west, Victoria Tower poked out of the aerial woodlands of the Heights of Abraham. Directly below, the River Derwent sparkled through gaps in the foliage as it meandered southwards through the ravine.

Ilkestonlife.com

Hello Gardeners…

Welcome to July’s ‘Life In The Garden’. I do hope you are all having a great summer and your gardens are flourishing. It has been a very busy summer for me so far.

I’ve been out on the road visiting and seeing lots, including a visit to Broomfield Hall Gardens and Chatsworth Flower Show. I have also recently started a gardening feature on the local radio at Erewash Sound on the last Saturday of the month and have had two plant fairs, so lots going on for me, and now here’s a few jobs to keep you busy in your garden throughout July. Happy gardening everybody.

Divide clumps of Bearded Iris now so they have time to form roots and flowers buds for next year before the cold weather arrives.

If your lawn is infested by ants, brush out the nests on a dry day.

Always brush them away before mowing.

Keep an eye out for powdery mildew on plants; this dusty white substance is usual at this time of year.

Remove any affected parts and spray with a fungicide.

Warm moist weather encourages rapid weed growth - apply specific lawn weed killer to keep them in check.

Feed summer bedding plants hanging baskets, containers etc with a high potash feed such as tomato food as this will encourage flowering..

GARDENER STEVE ON EREWASH SOUND On the last Saturday of the month I join Tanya on her afternoon show on Erewash Sound 96.8FM where we have a discussion on all things gardening, giving helpful tips and advice for that month. If you would like to send a question in to be read out on air then email tanya.prime@erewashsound. If you are reaading your paper early I will be there next on Saturday 30th June and we usually start our conversation just after midday so I do hope you can join us.

SUCCESS AT BROOMFIELD OPENING On Sunday 20th May Broomfield Hall and Gardens, Morley were open under the ever popular National Garden Scheme and it was my first visit back there after 15 years since studying Horticulture at the college and it was great to be back.

The sun shone down and there were

lots of visitors coming and going throughout the day.

Broomfield Hall dates back to 1873 and it was built and owned by Charles Edward Schwind and his family. Charles employed Scottishborn William Barron to design the gardens in 1880. William is also very well known in Derbyshire for designing many gardens like that at Elvaston Castle.

Today the garden is run by Head Gardener Samantha Harvey and an army of volunteers and students restoring and developing it.

So during the open day, visitors could explore the 25 acres of beautiful educational gardens which are part of the land based campus of Derby College. At the centre of the campus is the large Victorian walled garden divided into individual themed areas edged with low Buxus hedging. On from there is the wonderful woodland walk packed with ornamental blossom trees, Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Acers. The sunken garden could also be seen from here too. Carrying on through the woodland I stumbled across the amazing handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata).

The conservatory in the walled garden was open too and became the coffee shop for the day serving hot and cold drinks and lovely homemade cake!

Do you enjoy gardening? Can you spare a little time each week? Then why not join the growing bank of volunteers helping to bring the gardens at Broomfield back to their former glory.

For more information contact Head Gardener by email Samantha.Harvey@derbycollege.ac.uk or follow on Facebook at: Broomfield Hall Gardens and Plant Centre.

BROOMFIELD HEAD TO CHATSWORTH! I has been a busy few months for gardeners and volunteers at Broomfield Hall as they opened with the NGS in early summer and then it was off to the RHS Chatsworth flower show entering into the Long Border Competition.

Inspired by their own long herbaceous border back at the college, it was designed to celebrate the history and beauty of Broomfield influenced

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

County Councillor John Frudd Member for Ilkeston South will be holding a Members Surgery on Saturday 14th July 2018 10am—12 noon At Ilkeston Town Hall, Ilkeston, DE7 5RP

July 2018

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Life in the Garden with Steve Walton by a Gertrude Jekyll planting scheme.

Titled ’Rhythm Of Colour’ the border uses plants with texture to reflect the light and colours of the rainbow to create rhythm and to draw the viewer along the border.

Awarded a Silver Award, Samantha and volunteers have worked so hard creating the border and getting it to Chatsworth and there was even TV coverage from the Broomfield Gardens and then to be interviewed by Gardeners World presenter Adam Frost with the finished border at the show. A great job complete and we will see them again at Chatsworth next year. I am sure they have got the show bug!!! Well done Guys!

Thumbs up from Gardener Steve!!

POTATO HARVEST! Back in April I caught up with Chaucer Junior School, Ilkeston as they had just entered a competition entitled ‘Grow Your Own Potatoes’.

This is a national competition and a project that teaches primary aged children about potatoes, with almost 2 million primary school children benefiting from this classroom experience that is linked to the UK curricular. Children learn how potatoes grow and how they fit in to a healthy balanced diet.

Now is the time to start harvesting your own early potatoes and back at Chaucer it was a Year 6 group that harvested them, there was two different varieties, Rocket and Luciole.

The school now have to send in their weights per bag, and the heaviest weight per region wins a prize. The results should be out sometime in July. So fingers crossed for Chaucer and watch this space for the final results.

DAY TRIP TO THE BELVOIR CASTLE FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL Saturday14th July Join us on our day trip to Belvoir

Castle Flower and Garden Festival set in the beautiful countryside of the vale of Belvoir.

Horticulture is having a party!

Offering a fantastic day out for anyone that enjoys gardens or gardening. Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to looking after all those who work in horticulture, is the show’s beneficiary charity in 2018.

There will be a wide variety of companies from across the horticulture industry, including schools and gardening societies showcasing their services and products, along with different zones for you to discover, from show gardens, an educational area, a craft and floral marquee, and live music.

An exciting line up of exhibitors is being confirmed, with new names coming on board every day.

Highlights of the show include a range of show gardens from awardwinning designers and a host of well-known nursery and floral exhibitors in the grand Lakeside Pavilion including Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, Brooklands Nurseries, Coopers Nursery, Flowers from the Farm and NAFAS, as well as Barcham Trees and CED Stone.

There will be a Gardeners’ Q&A panel featuring personalities including John Stirland of BBC Radio Nottingham, Mark Smith of BBC Radio Derby, Sean Murray, winner of the Great Chelsea Garden Challenge and Nick Hamilton of Barnsdale Gardens, son of the late Geoff Hamilton. There will also be plenty of opportunities for shopping with a wide range of trade stands brimming with garden products, sculptures and gifts, etc.

Visitors to the show will discover the festival’s varied programme of live music from local performers who will entertain the crowds in the Music Zone and a wide choice of food and refreshments will be on offer in the Nourish Zone including everything from prosecco, quality coffee and artisan cakes to burgers from a master butcher.

With a full day ahead of you, your day starts off with a breakfast roll and a hot drink from the Seven Oaks Inn, Stanton By Dale which is where the coach will depart. Cost for this trip is £30.00 price includes breakfast and entrance into the festival . For more information or to book your place, You can call the booking line on 07413 408751 or email me at gardenersteve24@live.co.uk Places are limited and very popular so early booking is advised. I look forward to welcoming you on our next outing.

Remember please keep getting in touch with your stories, photos, events, general gardening advice and help with plant identification just email me at gardenersteve24@live.co.uk I look forward to hearing from you and see you all in August.

Gardener Steve Photos: Below left: Potato growers at Chaucer School, Ilkeston; and below right: the flowers at Derbyshire’s Chatsworth House, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, where the RHS Flower Show was held recently.

Ilkestonlife.com

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE REPAIRS

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DEATHS

Lily Brooks (nee Robinson)

Passed away peacefully on 5th June 2018, aged 89. Lily’s funeral and burial took place at All Saints Church, Kirk Hallam on 20th June. She is so very missed by children Nigel, Donna and Lisa, and grandchildren Harry, Lucy, Omari, Emile and Akori.

Stephen Hicklin

The dearly loved son of Janet and Brian passed away at the Royal Derby Hospital on 21st May. Much missed by his family.

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CLEANING

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Family and Personal Announcements

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DEATHS

Elsie Irene Burgess

Passed away peacefully at Victoria Park Care Home Ilkeston on 30th May 2018 Aged 101 years. Elsie will be sadly missed by all her loving family and friends. The funeral service took place at Bramcote Crematorium on 12th June 2018.

Ian Bolton

Suddenly passed away in his sleep, 8th June 2018 – 58 years old. The funeral was due to take place at Bramcote Crematorium on Monday,25th June 2018 at 11.15 am. He will be missed so much by his sister Yvonne and her husband Rick.

Violet Chantrey (nee Curwood)

Passed away Sunday 3rd June 2018, aged 96 years. Reunited with her beloved husband Albert. Violet will be sadly missed by her family and friends. Her funeral service will be held at Bramcote Crematorium (Serenity Chapel) on Monday 2nd July at 2.45pm. All enquiries to The Cooperative Funeralcare Ilkeston. Telephone: 0115 932 7687.

IN MEMORIAM

Violet Meakin

June 21st 1990. Lovely memories of our dear Mam, always in our thoughts,. Pat, Marguerite, Anne and Jennie. xxxx

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CIVIL ENGINEERS

The Probus Club of Ilkeston The June Meeting of The Ilkeston Probus Club was our mid year Ladies Day Meeting.

We therefore left the comfort and hospitality of the Arena Church for a new venue.

This year 28 of our members and partners crossed the border from Derbyshire into Nottinghamshire to venture onto the Nottingham Princess, a cruise boat of Princess River Cruises.

Although the day proved to be blustery, the sun came out we enjoyed a 2 hour trip on the River Trent, with a 2 course meal and a variety of drinks to our taste. Our captain for the day provided much new insight into views along the way and some of the history of Nottingham. The trip ended with our president providing each of the ladies with a gift to mark the day.

The Probus Club of Ilkeston is open to all retired / partly retired men who have a professional background and business men who would like to meet once a month, and for other organised events during the year. Partners of our members may attend any of the presentations and are warmly welcomed to our other trips and events. Our aim is to provide a convivial atmosphere, in pleasant surroundings, to meet for conversation and the development of friendships. We also provide an excellent lunch and a diverse range of presenters. If you wish to learn more, please contact Michael Slater, our Secretary, on 0115 932 6185 or email slater.kg8@btinternet.com.

At this time of the year, I start to put together a provisional list of potential speakers / entertainers for next year, so I am always looking for new local talent. If you feel you would like to come along and provide us with a presentation (of about 45 minutes), you will find a very convivial and relaxing crowd. We offer reasonable fees and as bonus a free excellent 2 course lunch. Please contact me initially on davidandsusan1jones@btinternet.com David Jones River cruise pictures—Page 15

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

20

National 25 Championship 1950

Wot—no pedal?

The Times of her Life Janet with a ‘pusher-off’

By Jeff Wynch 1949 was a year of which the young time trialist could be very proud (see last month’s Ilkeston Life). As well as ending the year as national 50 mile champion she was the Central District Ladies Cycling Association (CDCLA) record holder at 10, 25 and 50 miles, the district Best All Rounder (BAR) at those distances with an average speed of 22.238mph, and a member of the district BAR team (21.331mph).

Time trial seasons always started with a few 10 mile races before the riders tackled the longer distances, and in 1950 Janet won three in the space of the first month. The last of these was the Romford Wheelers’ event, where the riders had to battle round a windswept course, and her time of 29.10 was almost three minutes more than she’d clocked at Retford two weeks earlier. After a six week lay-off for a bout of synovitis (joint inflammation), she announced her comeback on May 20th with 26.35 in a private trial at Long Eaton, and a win in 26.42 in the Doncaster Wheelers’ event the following weekend.

In May the first 25 mile trials were being held and Janet took first place in the Ealing Manor CC event (1.17.7). “Janet Gregory gave ample proof that she has in no way deteriorated during her enforced absence…by taking victory from many of the top women riders in the London area. This makes Miss Gregory one of the favourites for the forthcoming 25 mile championship” (NEP). Despite beating her previous best time by 57 seconds and setting a new Nottingham Wheelers and CDLCA record (1.6.21), she could only manage third place in this championship held near Uttoxeter. But she did win at least another five 25 mile races that year including a career best of 1.6.7 in the South East Road Club event.

There would surely have been one more victory in this, her best year at the distance, but for a bizarre mishap. With only five miles to go in the Coventry CC race one of her pedals broke clean off. She had to finish using only one foot, hanging the other leg out to the side, with the pedal still clipped to her shoe, to keep clear of the revolving crank. Incredibly her time of 1.7.35 meant she finished in second place.

1950 was also Janet’s peak year at 50 miles.

She won the Wheelers’ club competition in 2.15.6 and achieved a personal best of 2.14.40 in the national championship when she came second to Eileen Sheridan. She broke the record twice, but still ended the year as over all runner-up to Sheridan.

In her first of only two attempts at 100 miles Janet won the Meersbrook race in 4.57.30.

Part two of Janet Gregory’s story

Marion Robinson came second to secure a Wheelers’ team victory. A month later she was up against Eileen Sheridan again at Twickenham in the Road Time Trials Council (RTTC) championship. Sheridan was the leading light in women’s amateur cycling, especially the longer distances, from about 1946 until she turned professional in1951. This report from an unknown source describes the race as “one of the greatest speed contests in the history of the sport… and after a struggle of dramatic intensity and fluctuating fortunes Eileen Sheridan re-established herself as the queen of the country’s distance riders…. Janet Gregory, at 19, some seven years Eileen’s junior, and holder of both the championship and the record at fifty miles, set a cracking pace”. Janet established an early lead, covering the first 50 in an incredible 2.15.22, which was on course for a record. But Sheridan gained three minutes on her in the next 30 miles and stormed in with another 3.5 minutes in the final leg to take the championship.

“Are women tougher than men? Nineteen year old Janet Gregory…chose to attack the top record: the 104 mile London to Brighton and Back.” Janet started this solo attempt at 3.45 am, before the traffic built up, but the roads were wet and greasy and she crashed after only 13 miles, grazing her legs and taking a blow on the head which knocked her out. “Tough Janet insisted on carrying on, but followers and marshals got their way and the ride was called off. Police were amazed that {she} was able on such treacherous roads to ride 13 miles before crashing.” (Ron White, Unknown publication.)

Janet’s tally for 1950 was impressive: CDCLA BAR at an average speed of 21.556 and team BBAR with Mary Aldred and Marion Robinson (see Ilkeston Life April 2018).

But for the formidable Eileen Sheridan Janet would have bagged three more national honours. She was second to the Coventry rider in the BBAR, the 50 and the 100. Along the way she broke the 50 mile record twice and recorded lifetime best times at 25 (1.6.5), 50 (2.14.40) and 100 (4.42.24).

In 1951 Janet took a break from competition to concentrate on her final exams at Nottingham University. The following year her opportunities to compete were limited as she had a full time job in the “Specials” department at Boots in Beeston, which sometimes required her to work on Saturdays. She was engaged to Ken Joy, who lived 180 miles away, and they could only meet at weekends, usually wherever Ken happened to be racing. Nevertheless she managed a few 10 mile events and recorded her best ever time at the distance (26.6), further proof that she was getting faster even without serious training. In October the couple married, and the following January Ken became a professional rider for the Hercules

team. Life was hectic with several house moves, the demands of Ken’s contract and Janet’s work. By 1954 they were living in Kent and although she says she joined the Medway Wheelers “for social reasons”, and had no time to train, the statistics show that Janet won five of the six races she entered and came second in the other.

These wins effectively marked the end of her racing career, but the beginning of the end had come as early as 1951 when she took the year out. Cyclists do not generally peak until their mid-twenties and all the facts indicate that Janet never reached her full potential. Janet, too, thinks she was capable of more, but she has no regrets about her decision to relegate cycling to second place behind family and, eventually, her profession as a pharmacist.

When Janet was pregnant with her first child she met Beryl Burton who said she looked forward to racing against her the following season. That wouldn’t happen, Janet told her; she would be a mother by then, and her child would take priority. Burton, who never let anything interfere with racing, had been back to full competition six weeks after her daughter was born, and couldn’t understand Janet’s point of view. “But theirs was not a good relationship,” Janet told me. Denise, who also became a very good cyclist, was brought up by her father. “It was so strained that when Denise outsprinted her mother to win the 1976 national road race championship Beryl refused to shake her hand on the podium.”

“There’s only room for one cyclist in a family”, Janet says. Once Ken turned professional his career came first. It was a demanding job, not just the training and the racing, but also the endless round of personal appearances and promotional events for Hercules demanded by Frank Southall, the team manager. Janet often had to accompany him. “We were at his beck and call. Sometimes it felt like I was working

A recent photo of Janet for Hercules too, and Ken was only paid £10 per week!” Janet also felt that it was Ken’s turn; a few years older than Janet he had been a very promising 18 year old cyclist in 1939, but his cycling career was put on hold for the six years he spent in the army.

The word Janet uses most often to describe those years is “fun”. Yes, she loved competing (and winning!), but the riding to and from the race with team mates; the Saturday nights in the pub with cyclist from other clubs; the camaraderie of the cycling community meant more to her. Through cycling she formed lifelong friendships and found love and marriage, and she and Ken had two fine children (both very sporty, but not cyclists!). Janet Joy gave up cycling altogether twenty years ago, but loves to walk. Even now, at 87, she still doesn’t heed her mother’s advice to “take it easy”; she does 3.5 miles a day and, of course, she times herself.

A Cutting Edge Bike

by Jeff Wynch Not just a form of transport, but also a place of work and the tools of his trade. This is one of the bikes converted by the late Charlie Smith for sharpening knives and scissors. He used to be seen plying his trade around the streets of Ilkeston, and will be remembered by many Ilkeston Life readers. Sometimes he would get hold of another bike, add the grinding mechanism and then sell it. That’s why on Sunday, 12 August, at the Heritage and Classic Vehicle Show you’ll be able to see not just one, but two of Charlie’s machines. Clive Smedley is the proud owner of Charlie’s last bike and it will be on show in the market square to the right of St. Mary’s church next to a Morris commercial signed M. Smedley & Sons. The other bike will be displayed at the Erewash Museum.

Read more about Charlie Smith in next month’s Ilkeston Life.

Photo: Carey Whitehead

Ilkestonlife.com

An enchanted evening with Pye Hill Male Voice Choir

July 2018

21

Local Performing Arts Scene

by Lindsey Rice

An evening of musical entertainment with Pye Hill & District Male Voice Choir was where I spent my Saturday evening on the 12th May. Unfortunately, it is not often we see our local Church (All Saints at Kirk Hallam) full but, it certainly was this evening, they even had to get out extra chairs!

The performance was split into two parts, the first half featuring some wonderful songs and solos such as “Vincent”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, “There is nothing like a Dame” and “Unchained Melody”.

Following the first half there were “refreshments and nibbles” which was more like a whole buffet including desserts! There then followed a raffle which by all accounts was rather overflowing with prizes and I think Rev. Christine was glad when she’d called the final number out!.

The second half of the performance again contained a number of songs and solos including “I Believe” and “An American Trilogy” and a very funny Monologue delivered

by Frank Kenny.

If you’ve never seen these guys, I would recommend that if you see one of their concerts advertised anywhere that you go along and see them. Under the watchful eye of their Musical Director Linda Darnell they make for wonderful listening and there are some fabulous voices in there. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening which was full of humour and an extremely good choice of songs, and I am very much looking forward to seeing them again in the future.

The evening was put on to raise money for the Church Organ Restoration Fund and I am told that £656.30 was raised.

Well done to everyone involved in such an enjoyable evening.

Local theatre groups—if you would like me to come along and review your show for the paper, please get in touch.

Lindsey Rice. Email: lindsey@ilkestonlife.com

Pye Hill Male Voice Choir

Tree-mendous opportunity

Juniors range generally from aged 7 – 13 and then Seniors from 13 – 18. Martha Woodcock is their tutor. They produce two shows a year and are able to take part in LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) examinations.

I managed to catch the junior group midway through their session and they were in very animated discussion about their next play. It was lovely to hear and see that they have a lot of input into their productions and, were not just given a script to learn.

All the children (particularly the Juniors) were very keen to tell me what they enjoyed about coming to this group. For most it provides a “second family” where they receive support, a chance to build confidence, a sense of community, they have equal opportunities to provide input in to the shows they produce, they feel the group is welcoming and most of all, fun.

The Seniors confirmed that it also gave them the opportunity to play different characters and explore different emotions which again, helps with “real life” experiences.

I knew this group existed but didn’t realise it was so big! All seemed more than happy to be there on a Saturday afternoon too, something which a lot of groups tend to struggle Whilst everyone else was watching the recent Royal wedding, I was invited to a local with. Well done Martha, whatever you’re drama group to see what they were all about. doing, you’re doing great!

I look forward to seeing the end production Centre Stage Performing Arts meet every Saturday afternoon at St. Andrew’s Method- of all the rehearsals in November. ist Church in Ilkeston. There are two Right: Centre Stage Performing Arts juniors groups, juniors and seniors and I had the and seniors pleasure of spending time with both. The

Erewash Borough Council has issued a rallying call to local residents who love trees and would like to play an active role in conserving and enhancing trees and woodlands in their local area.

The council wants to add to its enthusiastic band of volunteer Tree Wardens and is urging anyone interested to get in touch.

Tree Wardens are the eyes and ears of local neighbourhoods and often encourage other residents, schools, youth and community groups to work together to improve the natural environment.

The volunteers can have many roles, including planting and caring for trees, carrying out woodland management and setting up tree nurseries using seeds collected locally.

Anyone interested can contact the council’s Tree Officer at jaimey.richards@erewash .gov.uk or call her on 0115 907 2244.

Centre Stage Performing Arts

ACROSS— 1. Notts. town (8), 6. Breakfast item (3), 7. Old Testament character (5), 9. Skin problem (4), 11. Greyish yellow colour (4), 12. Poems (4), 14. Prefix meaning good (4), 16. Relaxed (5), 18. Afternoon cuppa (3), 19. Standards by which something can be judged (8).

DOWN— 1. Mean Ilkeston Street?

(8), 2. Sweetener (5); 3. Bird (4), 4. Gravy cube (3), 5. Ilkeston cinema (3,5), 8. Type of light (4), 10. Shape (4), 13. Put off (5), 15. Prepare for printing (4), 17. Teacher’s title (3).

Our Crossword Puzzle

Answers

Across: 1. Eastwood, 6. Egg, 7. Enoch, 9. Acne, 11. Ecru, 12. Odes, 14. Bene, 16. Eased, 18. Tea, 19. Criteria. Down: 1. Enenezer, 2. Sugar, 3. Wren, 4. Oxo, 5. The Scala, 8. Neon, 10. Cube, 13. Deter, 15. Edit, 17. Sir.

Ilkestonlife.com

Sandiacre and District Probus Club Sandiacre and District Probus Club held their monthly meeting in St. Giles’ Church Hall on Wednesday, 16th May 2018.

President Peter Barber welcomed members and speaker Mary Rose and mentioned the forthcoming 100th birthday of honorary member Horace Brown.

After the official business of the day President Peter introduced our speaker Mary Rose to give a talk entitled ‘Treetops Hospice Care’.

Mary briefly outlined the history of the hospice which was started by Mrs. Cheetham through a campaign in 1983 and was set up on a 12½ acre site in Risley to serve a population of 1.25 million in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The initial building was obtained in 1986 followed by Day Care Services in 1991, a purpose built Day Care unit in 2010 and the Cheetham centre in 2014, and a new unit to be built in the near future.

Mary explained the services provided. i.e. Support and Information, Day Care Services, Hospice at Home, all services provided free of charge, but the cost for running the hospice was £3,532,985 in 2017 of which 70% is raised by charitable giving.

Treetops Hospice Care provides nursing care and emotional support for adults and their families, details of

Long Eaton Probus Club The monthly meeting was held on Thursday 7th June 2018.

The club’s speaker was Howard Heeley who gave a talk entitled Collecting Aeroplanes.

Howard’s talk was all about transporting aeroplanes that had been donated by various organizations to

which was explained by Mary together with the many fund raising activites.

A vote of thanks was given by Sid Tidmarsh praising the services provided by Treetops and a donation from the club was given.

A further donation was given by President Peter Barber as it was his designated charity of his year as President.

Peter thanked the stewards of the day David Sillandy and Roy Cook on the raffle and Sid Tidmarsh and John Joyce on coffee, Denis Dumelow for setting out the room, Derek French for supplying milk/coffee and Mary Rose presented the raffle prizes to David Sillandy, Tony Taylor, Tony Hancock and Derek French.

Sandiacre Probus Club is a friendly club which welcomes applications from retired gentlemen living in the local area (not limited to Sandiacre itself). The club meets at 10am on the third Wednesday of each month at St. Giles’ Church Hall, Sandiacre for coffee and a presentation from a wide variety of speakers. In addition there are social events and lunches to which our ladies are invited.

For more information about the club please contact our secretary Anthony Taylor on 01115 877 8669 or email anthony.taylor10@ntlworld.com or just come along to one of our meetings without obligation.

Denis Dumelow

the Newark Air Museum.

Most of these had been dismantled to a degree, and transported by road to the museum.

Club member Gordon Mason was pleased to give the vote of thanks to Howard on behalf of the members. Terry Brown

Pictured: Speaker Howard Keeley, President Ken Pye and Gordon Mason

All aboard for a great day out by train and bus from Ilkeston

The reopening of Ilkeston Station has opened up some new opportunities using the Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket.

You can buy these on most local buses on the day of travel but not on the train or station ticket machine.

You can also buy scratchcard versions from Ilkeston Library in advance – you simply scratch off the date before your first trip so it is truly flexible.

Prices are £13 Adult (you can take a child or dog free but this is not compulsory!) £6.50 Concessionary (All over 60’s Readers with long memories will plus Bus Pass holders and children) recall day trips to Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton on the daily X2 £23.50 Group (2 adults and up to 3 children / dogs) from Ilkeston which continued to Manchester, Preston, Blackpool The tickets are valid on all buses in and even to Keswick on summer Derbyshire (and to Trowell & Stapleweekends. ford on the 15) all day and on trains after 0900 Mon – Fri and all day at All buses had jolly conductors and weekends. From Ilkeston you can go demand often necessitated two or by train to Chesterfield, Sheffield, three buses with full ones speeding New Mills, Matlock, Buxton, Burton along to get you there quicker. In and Uttoxeter) but NOT to Nottingmore recent times the Sunday 254 ham or Meadowhall. bus took Ilkestonians to Matlock, Chatsworth, Hathersage and Castle- The key day trip train (Mon – Sat) ton with the more adventurous travel- from Ilkeston is the 0929 to Sheffield. Walk across the road to the lers branching out to Buxton, DerInterchange and catch one of the went Dams, over the Snake Pass to following buses: Glossop or over Winnats Pass to Edale. Halcyon days indeed!

1027 273 to Derwent Dams, Hather-

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The frightening visit to the cellar

O

ur house had a large cellar which had two rooms. One room was filled with coal tipped in through a grate in the street, and the other which was always very cold in winter and cool in summer was used to store food in.

This room had a long marble thrall where preserves, meat, and other perishables were kept to keep cool.

There were no fridges for most ordinary working class people then.

Many houses had gas meters that were coin fed, ours was in the cellar, and if the gas went out, you would be sent down with a candle to feed pennies into it. Many houses in the forties and fifties had no electricity and relied on gas for their lighting and cooking.

It was a frightening experience for my sister and me when we were sent down the cellar to feed the meter, and if our dad or our uncles weren’t in, we would be sent. In sage, Eyam & Bakewell 1030 65 to Fox House, Eyam, Tideswell, Millers Dale & Buxton 1030 218 to Baslow, Bakewell & Chatsworth 1040 271 to Surprise View, Hathersage, Hope & Castleton.

Return buses are generally hourly from Castleton, Chatsworth, Bakewell & Hathersage but less frequent from other places so check before you travel.

Unfortunately the trains from / to Ilkeston arrive / depart Sheffield just as the hourly Hope Valley trains depart / arrive but if you are prepared to sip coffee and look at the water features at Sheffield Station you can catch a train through to Edale or New Mills. By changing stations at New Mills (yes; it still has 2 stations!) you can go to Buxton by train via Whaley Bridge.

Similar service patterns operate on Sundays. You can also treat yourself to a Sunday trip to Skipton or onwards along the Settle – Carlisle line over Ribblehead Viaduct on the new Sunday train to Carlisle.

If you are up early on a Saturday morning catch the 0759 train to Sheffield and then change to either the 0900 273 bus to Derwent Dams and

the daytime if the door to the next room where the coal was kept was opened, a little daylight would filter in from the grate in the street where the coal was tipped, but if it was in the evening or night it was pitch black down there.

Frogs used to fall into the cellar through the grating in the street, and get into the storage room. You went in fear and dread of treading on one and squishing it, or worse, one jumping on your foot. My sister Cynthia was always yelling and screaming that either she had trod on something or a spider had touched her. We hated it but Mam would say, “Stop being a baby and get off down” but never went herself.

My Dad once went down for a bucket of coal and when he came back and set it down on the hearth, a big green frog sat on top of the coal looking at us. Mam nearly had a fit and Dad had to quickly and

Castleton or 0914 train to Edale and you can be striding up the hills before 1000.

If Matlock or Matlock Bath are more your scene you can use your Wayfarer ticket on any bus to Derby then either the train or bus to visit Gullivers Kingdom and Heights of Abraham or stroll along the “riverside prom”. You could also catch the 15 to Long Eaton Station and jump on the hourly train to Matlock or zigzag your way across the county by train changing at Chesterfield and Derby!

Watch out from July 22nd for changes to trains through Derby until October due to major engineering works.

Your Wayfarer ticket gives you a discount on entry to many attractions – look out for the leaflet or check online.

Check bus times at www.derbysbus.info or 0871 200 2233 and train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk or 08457 484950. You can also get up to the minute departure screens for Ilkeston station at www.nationalrail.co.uk (Click on Live Departure Boards).

Wherever you go have a great day – why not write and tell us about it?

John Disney

gently carry it outside to the garden.

It was a good job Mam and Mama weren’t in alone I think they would both have had heart attacks being afraid of frogs and it would have been no good relying on either my sister or myself to pick one up, we would have definitely dug our heels in and refused. Froggie was a lucky fellow too, avoiding being shoveled into the fire in our dimly lit kitchen later in the evening by a whisker.

A friend of ours who was in the building trade told us that a lot of the cellars just above and below Blake Street where we lived had been filled in. Which is a shame those extra rooms damp proofed to today’s standards would be a godsend to most people today with all the extra belongings we accumulate.

Painting and narrative

by Betty O’Neill

TRIP TO SHREWSBURY AND ATTINGHAM Saturday 4th August 2018 Join West Hallam History Society for a great day out visiting Shrewsbury in the morning then on to Attingham House and Park in the afternoon.

We leave Derby Road (Three Horse Shoes) at 8.15am and West Hallam at 8.25am.

In Shrewsbury you can stroll by the riverside or in the Castle grounds; visit the Quarry Gardens or browse the shops and cafes. Attingham offers a fine restored Mansion together with extensive parkland.

All inclusive cost is £30 or just £20 for National Trust members. Seats are limited so book today by ringing John on 0115 932 2356 - please leave a message if no reply.

John Disney

Ilkestonlife.com

Charity group receives funding boost from local Asda supermarket A local charity in Long Eaton has received a generous donation of £1,000 from the Asda Foundation, which will be spent on providing a freezer.

St John’s Church on College Street open the doors every Wednesday for anyone in need of a hot home cooked nutritious meal, all with no charge.

The Church was in desperate need of an industrial size Freezer in order to continue to support the community efficiently.

Fay Rumley, of St John’s, said: “The grant donation is go-

Ink, pink, pen and ink…

Street games remembered

H

ow lucky I feel, to have been able to enjoy many hours of childhood play outside, in my local streets.

Hardly a car to be seen, either moving ,or parked. I remember a horse and cart now and then, making deliveries to Law`s Greengrocery at the corner of Stanhope Street and Little Hallam Lane. We did learn to avoid running about in the road between 4pm and 6pm, as members of the workforce from Stanton, or the Corporation Road factories, were making their way home on bicycles.

A group of us local children would gather around Stanhope Street, where a choice of games would be decided upon. Then, if required, the next step would be to nominate the person to be “on”, ie. to be responsible for making the first “catch” of the game. This nomination took the form of us standing in a circle in the road, with arms outstretched, while one of the older players would recite a rhyme, such as; “Ink, pink, pen and ink, You go out because you stink”, pointing at each of us in turn. The person pointed to on the last word would step out of the running to be “on”. It was then a case of “last one standing”, to take on the duty to start the game.

Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir— Your invitation to join If you are interested in joining the choir, you are invited to come along to practice which is held each Monday evening at 7.30 p.m at the Dale Club, Main Road, Jacksdale, NG16 5HR, excepting Bank Holidays. Jacksdale is situated just within the Nottinghamshire border and is easily accessible from both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire locations where its membership is equally drawn. We have members from Nottingham, Ilkeston, Ravenshead, Kirkby in Ashfield, Somercotes, Leabrooks, Ripley, and a variety of other local areas. The A38 slip road at Somercotes and Junction 28 of the MI South Normanton leave you with no more than a 15 minute journey to practice. When you arrive you will find free parking, a warm welcome and a bar with reasonably priced drinks.

Joining the choir could not be easier. No audition is required. If you are new to singing, you will be helped by the Musical Directors and experienced mentors at Tenor, Baritone and Bass who will be only too pleased to give you every support and assistance. If you are a shift worker, or have caring responsibility and can’t attend every practice, you are encouraged to still join. Obviously, it will take a little longer to learn songs, but you will still get there in the end! Singing is for every age whether you are young, or not so young and is known to be physically and emotionally good for you.

On your first visit you may wish to listen for a time before joining in. You are welcome to do

Hot Rice,” where a small ball was aimed at the players, as they ran around trying to dodge it, was a favourite. If the ball touched you, it meant you would then be part of the team to be “on”, sharing the role of ball thrower. The player who managed to avoid all attempts at attack from the ball would be the winner.

Another game was “Ticky off ground”, where balancing on doorsteps, walls or gates were the refuges to protect you from being “ticked”.

Hide and Seek was popular. A particular lamp post would be chosen as the “Lurkey Post”. A number to be counted up to, by the person who was “on”, and the intervals to reach it, were decided, eg up to 100, in 5s. The counting would be done out loud, by the counter, who would have their face buried in their arms, leaning against the lamp post, while the others ran away to hide. As the game progressed, you would try to leave, unseen, from your hiding place, and run to the “Lurkey Post”, touch it and call out “Lurkey 123”.

What wonderful childhood experiences in the 1940s/early 1950s.

Margaret Dawson this, or you may decide to have a go straight away. In concerts you should experience a finished performance to each song. That takes a lot of practice and often getting it wrong individually and collectively in rehearsal before songs are mastered. This does not happen overnight for the choir or individual members, including experienced members who have been with the choir for many years.

Being part of the choir is not expensive and membership fees can be spread over several months. We encourage members to support each other and car share where convenient.

Why not bring a friend or members of your family? Membership fees cover the cost of the purchase of song sheets, piano and associated equipment, practice room and payment of the Musical Directors and Pianist, which the choir could not function without. You will be given song sheets and practice CD’s and also provided with a jacket and tie when you are ready to sing in concerts.

Most people who join the choir quickly make new friends and often remain with the choir for many years. Family and friends are encouraged to take part in social activities which are arranged from time to time. The choir also aims yearly to go on tour to various parts of the country and this year visited the Isle of Wight.

You may have watched TV and seen choirs formed by Gareth Malone. Why not experience the joy first hand for yourself? Don’t delay, join to-day! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Further details of recruitment, events and bookings are available by visiting the choir’s website on www.pyehillmvc.co.uk Anyone who wishes to discuss membership should call Malcolm Hill on 01773 602743 or Mobile 07706036946.

July 2018

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ing to make a huge difference to WOW (Welcome on Wednesday). We will now be able to stock up items in bulk and reduce any waste to an absolute minimum by freezing.

“On behalf of St John’s, I would like to thank Asda Long Eaton for the continued support they offer to us through food donations and the time given to us through Jon the community champion.”

Set up in 1988, the Asda Foundation is a registered charity that aims to have a positive impact on local communities, making independent grants to provide support to a range of local good causes, chosen by Asda’s community colleagues throughout the UK.

DINING OUT: BEESTON FIELDS Located approx 4 miles west of Nottingham city centre, a tree-lined drive makes for an impressive approach to Beeston Fields Golf Club, which offers one of the best courses in Nottinghamshire, and the traditional country house, built by Alfred Thomas in 1837. The restaurant here is open to members and non-members alike. Covering 135 acres, Beeston Fields Golf Club has many ‘devotees’ and their restaurant attracts diners from the area and further afield, for breakfasts (including champagne breakfasts), lunches, afternoon teas, dinners, light bites and bar snacks.

Warmly greeted by Ravinder, the table was ready. With spectacular views across the parkland golf course – perfect. Starters (and desserts) are served for the Sunday Carvery. Starters can include Chicken & Pistachio Terrine, tomato chutney, plus Pear, Walnut & Stilton Tart. The complementing flavours in the excellent dishes of starters, set the taste buds eagerly looking forward to the mains of Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, Sugar-Baked Gammon, Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Tart. Also available a fish option (on this occasion, Grilled Trout Fillet, citrus butter), which is an appealing alternative, not regularly found on carveries. All cuisine is cooked and presented to perfection, along with an ample array of various vegetables, by the brigade of chefs and kitchen personnel. Desserts have selections such as Lemon Tart, cherry compote, Treacle Tart & Custard, Mixed Ices & Sorbets, Cheeses, biscuits & orchard fruit chutney. For me, the Lemon Tart, cherry compote provided just the right flavours, and, followed by Coffee Floater, completed the dining experience.

The wines/drinks list has something for all palates and includes superior wines from worldwide origins. Any dietary requirements can be catered for, plus weddings, meetings, corporate away days, award ceremonies and occasions, all arranged in detail, by a multi award-winning events team. Check out the spacious lawns, Georgian-style marquee and Walled Garden – one of Nottinghamshire’s premier wedding and event venues. Themed dining and entertainment happen regularly, throughout the year. Gift vouchers are available – perhaps surprise someone special? Many thanks to Aaron and Ryan, who provided exemplary service and were most knowledgeable about the cuisine and beverages.

Beeston Fields Old Drive, Wollaton Road, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 3DA Tel: 0115 925 7062

As always, enjoy! Trevor Langley

Sheep shearing at the Open Farm event at Oakfield Farm, Belper Road, Stanley Common in June. Photo: Roy Foulkes

Sport

Ilkestonlife.com

July 2018

24

Ilkeston promoted Ilkeston Town FC, who just failed to win promotion last season, have become beneficiaries under the FA’s restructuring plans for non league football.

The purpose of the restructuring was to reduce the amount of travelling for non league clubs and to limit the number of teams in each league. This involved new leagues being formed and sideways movements for some clubs.

Ilkeston were fortunate to be promoted to the Midland Football League Premier Division (Step 5).

This coincided with Heanor Town requesting a downwards move from the Midland Football League Premier Division to the East Midlands Counties League in order to reduce their travelling costs.

Tividale, who finished runners up in the West Midlands Regional League, appealed against the FA’s decision to promote Ilkeston ahead of them on the grounds that their league was on a par with Ilkeston’s and they had a slightly better points per game. Tividale’s appeal was, however, not upheld.

Despite the absence of Heanor Town, Ilkeston fans can look forward to local derbies with Long Eaton United next season.

Cycle club is looking for new members The Erewash Valley Cycling Club is looking for new members to boost its Sunday morning rides.

Men and women of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in social rides of 20 to 30 miles, using cycle paths, bridleways and towpaths, as well as some on-road riding.

“We are a small, friendly club that has been operating in the area since 1980,” says Mal-

Ilkeston Casuals Cricket Club pictured on the Rutland Recreation Ground, 1947 Back row: Ryd Daniels, Harry (Spot) Boam. Reg Powers, Cyril Smith, Frank Corns, Dennis Corns (umpire); Front row: Harry Harris, Frank Farnsworth, Wright Lissett, Percy Parsons, Cyril Poole, Derek Hollis; Sitting on floor: Peter Grundy (scorer).

See Danny Corns’ cricket article A Fine All-rounder inside. colm Griffin, founder and organising secretary. “ Though not a racing club we are affiliated to British Cycling for insurance purposes, with a qualified first aider on every ride. Nobody gets left behind and we stop for refreshments at cafes, garden centres and other local places of interests.”

The club also runs an advanced Sunday group for members wanting to ride at a faster pace, covering 50 miles, plus a popular midweek section for retired people. Details can be had from Malcolm at malcolmgriffin@talktalk.net or telephone (0115) 939 7060 and leave a message.

New players join the Robins Price 30p

Ilkeston Town are adding to their playing squad for next season.

The newcomers are goalkeeper Liam Mitchell, midfielder Kyle Dixon and Ryan Wheatley, a former member of the old Ilkeston FC Academy.

Twenty five year old Liam Mitchell was a junior and youth player with Nottingham Forest, before moving to Notts County, aged 16. Tamworth and Dunkirk have been his more recent clubs.

Kyle Dixon started out at Notts County, then moved to Boston United, North Ferriby and most recently Coalville Town.

Ryan Whatley will be well known to regulars at the New Manor Ground. He played in the academy squad which stepped up to the first team for

Stanton-by-Dale to play MCC XI Club captain Brian Taylor reflects on the village side’s 150th anniversary One evening, in the winter of 1868, the Chairman of a meeting in Stanton-by-Dale rounded up the business with a challenging, “Who will visit the outlying farms, then?” Two men answered the call: William Bower and Tom Doar, who set about in the next few days and weeks canvassing the area for financial and playing support for the newly founded Stanton-by-Dale Cricket Club.

They were successful, because the club played its first game in the summer of 1868 against Dale Abbey. It was a two innings per side arrangement, with Stanton-by-Dale scoring 43 and 11 in its two innings, set against 28 and 21 for Dale Abbey – a victory by five runs.

An oddity from that game is that the team called themselves “The True Britons.” Also, the team bought and fed a young pig in order to sell it and raise funds for the club.

Since that first clarion call (described in “Echoes of Stanton Cricket” published by

the second half of the disastrous 2016/17 season when regular first teamers made their exodus ahead of relegation, expulsion and winding up.

From there he moved to Long Eaton Utd. Manager Steve Chettle said: “We’re trying to add quality in certain areas, but like I’ve said to the squad in various meetings and to the new players, the best eleven will start on 4th August and the next best five will be on the bench and the rest will have to scrap for a place, so it’s going to be competitive.

“I’ve got 18 players from last season who wanted to come back, I’ve added three more today, but it’s a free hit for me in pre-season, I can go into the games and look at who does really well, and I’ll pick them on merit for the start of the season.

No one has a divine right to a starting place in the new season.”

Harold Waller in 1951) the club has undergone many changes. A major change came in 1881 when the ground moved away from the front of Stanton Hall, up the hill to its present position.

The club survived the two World Wars, reconvening after each one. Indeed, in 1952, thanks to the generosity of its late president, Charles Crompton (who served in that capacity for 50 years) the club became the owner of its present ground, fittingly entitled “The Crompton Ground.”

The club has had close links with the local community. Its present headquarters are at The Stanhope Arms in the centre of the village. When cricket restarted after 1945, the local Stanton Ironworks helped the Club with the supply of concrete posts and fencing.

Several players have in the past worked at the Ironworks. In particular we remember with love and affection the late Doug King player, groundsman, umpire, club secretary and all-round great man.

The club has come a long way since 1868.

We run two Saturday league sides and a Sunday friendly team. We tour the Cotswolds and welcome touring teams to our own ground. We have electricity and showers! Yet we will always be indebted to those early pioneers of 1868 and the players who followed them, nurturing the club as it went along.

It is these people we will celebrate on Sunday July 1st as we welcome an MCC side for an all-day game (11.30am start). We invite the public, especially those with past or present connections to the Club, to join us at the ground as we remember with affection and pride our past, and look forward to the future.

Brian Taylor