Absolutely fantastic service - nothing was too much trouble. Personal, professional and friendly - they were just brilliant. Thank you. I would highly recommend the team at Judge Estate Agents.
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An exhilarating few months for everyone connected with the band.
Our very own community based “Daytime Band” comprising of players from around the area meet each Wednesday. A recent innovation added to the Ratby “Family” where local musicians play in a relaxed setting at the bandroom. Band rivalries are put to one side as we get together to do what we do best – play for pleasure. In the picture it shows the band performing to an appreciative audience at Birstall Methodist Church where £462 was raised and donated to the Ukranian Relief Appeal.
In September our Mid Band represented the Midlands Region as Third Section Area Champions when they competed amongst bands from across the UK. Here we can see the picture of the band in the lead up to the contest. A fabulous weekend in Cheltenham saw the band achieve their highest ever contesting result being placed 6th. The Mid Band are currently working hard towards their next competition which takes place in Wychavon at the end of October.
The Senior Band are also flying the flag for the Midlands bands as they take their place in the National Finals of the Brass Band Championships where they will be competing in the Premier “Championship”division taking place at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, London, on Saturday 15th October. This will be our second tilt at the title, last year we achieved fifth place overall, as we look to topple some of the UK’s finest bands such as Fodens, Black Dyke and Cory (to name but a few). Hopefully the band will return from Kensington with some more silverware.
Not to be outdone our Crescendo Band had the privilege of entertaining audiences recently at the Braunstone Wall Gardens and recently the Ratby Apply Orchard.
The Senior Band will be leading the parade at Ratby Armistice on Sunday … whilst our Mid Band will also be on parade in Blaby. In addition several of our cornetists will be playing the Last Post and Reveille at churches around the county.
As
Our frontline staff follow Government guidelines for visiting you in your home and they are fully vaccinated. LevLaw Ltd remains here for you.
Most people hope that their estate will pass on to their children and grandchildren eventually.
But this will not happen for many, unless careful arrangements have been made to protect their assets from being taken towards the end of their life to pay for care home fees. The solution to help protect your estate is a Will incorporating a Property Protection Trust (PPT).
A testamentary PPT can only be executed whilst both partners remain alive. Upon death of the first partner, their Will specifies that their share of the property is placed into trust and names the ultimate beneficiary of this share, normally the children and grandchildren of the deceased. The surviving partner, under the terms of the trust, has the unequivocal right to remain living in the property for the rest of their life. On the death of the second partner the Trust comes to an end and the property passes to the beneficiaries.
As the surviving partner does not own the deceased’s share of the property it is fully protected for the beneficiaries, so if the surviving partner requires care, or even remarries, this share of the children’s inheritance is protected. This last point can be particular interest to couples who have come together and have children with different partners.
A PPT can help each person in a relationship ensuring that their children inherit their share of the property, while giving their surviving partner the ability to live in the property for the rest of their life. If the surviving partner wants to move to another property, they can still sell the property and the proceeds to be used to purchase a new property, the terms of the Trust remain over the new property.
website www.ratbyband.com
on
As with the rest of the nation, the volunteer staff and the library's visitors were all deeply saddened by the news of the Queen's passing.
It hardly seemed a moment since we were so enthusiastically embracing the 70th anniversary of her reign and many have expressed their thoughts and feelings since the report of her sudden illness and death came through. A simple bowl of roses surrounded by a wreath was set out immediately, with an opportunity to write down commiserations and messages of sorrow around them. 'Thank you Ma'am, for everything.' 'Re-united with her beloved husband Philip', were just some of the sincerely expressed comments. The library was closed on the day of the Queen's funeral as a further mark of our respect and gratitude for all her years of work and devotion to her kingdom.
There is much to report on how we are progressing; most importantly it's a real developing success! Generous donations from a number of businesses and private individuals have really helped but increased visiting to our wide ranging events is also making the library much more sustainable.
We have books. We have laptops. We have printing. We have community events. We have cake. We have tea, coffee and snacks. We have a warm and inviting space waiting for you!
Our School Uniform Swap made a real contribution to the village when dozens of outgrown items were swapped or donations made for next sizes up. Local primary and secondary uniforms were contributed and all went to good homes! Thanks to Rosie and Ali for organising this event.
Daytime activities are filling up our centre: It's always lovely to host the littlest in the village and beyond to Wriggly Readers every Thursday morning from 10.30-11 for songs and stories followed by play and social time. The adults are extra happy as this is a closed session just for them so giggles, gossip and good companionship are guaranteed!
Yoga with Clara every Tuesday morning from 10.30 – 11.30 with refreshments available afterwards, is a very welcome addition to our week. It's chair based exercise but not without challenge: I feel really energised by it and I know the other participants find it a refreshing acivity and are happy that Clara can make suggestions as to how to adapt the movements for individual needs.
Friday morning gamers out there? Two of our new volunteers, Mark and Estelle, are running this new event so come along and enjoy a bit of competition!
Local crafters have been so generous; by donating goods for sale we now have our own craft area with very pretty and useful goods for sale. Items include cards, coasters, wreaths, amazing bags and chocolates. We love the Blind Date With a Book, offering too.
As ever our quiz night drew a large crowd last month and all enjoyed the evening, the new raffle being a popular extra. Steve hosts his next quiz on 14th October at 7.30, then 18th November and 16th December. Quiz night is even tastier than ever, thanks to the delicious samosas on sale as well as our mouth-watering refreshments from our cafe. (Quizzers are always welcome to bring their own bottles of something quenching...)
Bingo! Night. Proving very popular with a wide audience, our prize bingo nights are 7.30 Wednesday nights 5th, 26thOctober and 9th, 23rd November and 7th December. Prizes are donated by the Co-op and our volunteer library team and the raffle is a generous one! Steve takes off his quiz master hat and replaces it with his clever caller's patter. Adults and older accompanied children welcome, so come along and enjoy the sessions.
At £12.50 an hour to hire, the library makes an unusual but really fun party venue! This author hired it last month for a family party and it was one of the nicest birthday events imaginable. The kitchen, the outdoor area, the space internally was just perfect. Come and see for yourself!
Ratby Community Group's Very First Ratby Scarecrow Festival. Saturday & Sunday 15th-16th October
The Community group, a new and hugely enthusiastic village charity group have worked tirelessly to organise and produce Ratby's full weekend of scarecrow activities! There are amazing prizes, loads of food and drink available at the library and elsewhere, as well as market stalls in the library car park and on Jubilee Green. Hot dogs, takeaway and sit in, coffee and cake, tea and toast, all set up to go in the library cafe over the two days of the event. Maps for sale etc on the day. Enjoy your tour of some amazing scarecrows and vote for your favourite!
All proceeds are being generously donated to the library so all the more reason to get friends and family involved and having fun.
Welcome to the team, Keith, Mark and Estelle.
Thank you to the nine new volunteers who came forward after our public meeting. You're joining a great team and will make us even stronger! The more volunteers we have, the more we can provide to our community. It's what we're here for.
Monday 10am – 12.30 & 2pm – 4.30pm
Tuesday 2pm – 4.30pm
Wednesday 2pm – 5pm
Thursday 2pm – 4.30pm
Friday 10.am – 12.30 & 2pm – 4.30pm Saturday 10am – 12.30
Well, the weather seems to be on the turn - leaves beginning to fall and a definite nip in the air. We have now put into place our warm haven, so don’t forget – if you want to save a bit on your energy bills, you are more than welcome to come into the Library during opening hours, with no obligation at all to do anything other than keep warm and cosy. And don’t forget – we have now added toast (40p), tea cakes (60p) and crumpets 50p) to our menu, with butter and jam. Plus free instant top-ups for your second cup of tea or coffee. We look forward to seeing you!
We are really busy in the Library these days, keeping us on our toes. It’s good to see – we enjoy being busy and it’s lovely to see so many people. If you haven’t visited us before, give us a try – we can assure you of a warm welcome. And if you would like to join our merry band of volunteers, just say the word. You will receive gradual training, lots of support and make lots of friends, alongside a sense of worth and fulfilment that you are helping to develop a sense of community – something that is very important to us.
We have said many times that we have a mission to develop our commitment to our community, and so we have established a Friends of Kirby Hub scheme. Our Trustees have held two public meetings to gather ideas from local people about potential projects which could enhance the village. We were delighted to see so many people with a variety of suggestions to improve the environment, community and social life in all sorts of ways.
Ideas ranged from more tree and bulb planting, making more use of Kirby Castle for events, developing a village website to publicise clubs and societies with an events calendar as well as holding a Christmas Tree Festival and starting a tool share initiative. Initially, and in the near future, the Community Hub will be focussed on facilitating projects which can be achieved relatively quickly, whilst at the same time researching the steps necessary for more ambitious ideas. This will take some time and effort, so bear with us. We will continue to update progress with all of you through the press, posters, our website and the Library Facebook pages.
If you have any ideas for community projects that we could add to our list, do get in touch with us by calling in at the Library and completing one of our forms.
We have several events coming up and would welcome your support.
On Monday and Tuesday, 18th and 19th October, we have Apple Pressing days in the Library garden as part of the national Apple Week. There do seem to be loads of apples this year, so bring them along and press your own apples. We will also be selling apple pies and cream, apple tray bakes, Nusskuchen, Irish apple cake and more. We’ve not done this before –sounds like fun, don’t you think? Best to bring a pinny with you!
On Saturday 29th October, we have the brilliant N’Ukes Gig, along with a Ploughman’s and Puddings Supper, starting at 7.30 in the Library. A few tickets are left and can bought in the Library at £12.00 per head. Bring your own drinks and glasses!
We have promised to restart our popular Quiz Evenings, and are pleased to say that we now have agreed a date, Saturday 4th February, at 7.30pm in the Library. Our quizmasters will be the amazing Rosemary and Roger! We’re still debating the refreshments (we’re worried that the smell of our usual fish and chips will hang around in the Library).
There will be a supper, of course, up to our usual standard. Tickets £12.00 per head – bring your own drinks and glasses as usual. We’ll let you know when they are ready for sale.
The Parish Council's Community Grants Scheme is now open! Applications from community groups, for a specific project, are welcomed.
For more information please visit: www.lfeparishcouncil.org.uk/uploads/ grants-policy-1.pdf
Tickets are still available from the Parish Office for the Quiz Night on Saturday 22nd October.
Please contact the Clerk as soon as possible to buy tickets before they run out!
Garlic Theatre comes to the Parish Hall on Sunday 16th October. This is a great theatre-style puppet show for children aged 3-8.
Please go to TicketSource.co.uk to buy your tickets (which are selling fast!).
The Parish Hall will host a craft fair on Saturday 29th October with a wide variety of stalls and proceeds going to Prostate Cancer UK and Breast Cancer Care UK.
If you have been thinking of adopting an animal, then consider contacting Leicester Animal Aid. We help cats and dogs when their owners are no longer able to care for them. Older animals, like Paisley and Bella, who are currently looking for their furrever homes, need to find the right owners to suit their individual needs.
Paisley, an 8-year-old Domestic Shorthair, is a very shy girl with a gentle nature. She's going need an owner that is willing to help build her confidence and understands that she is going to need her own space. She will need an adult only home with no other pets. We do think in time she will come around and could be an affectionate cat in the right environment.
Bella, a 12-year-old Jack Russell Terrier Papillion cross, is also looking for a new home. Despite being an older lady, Bella loves her walks and being out and about. She will need to be on a lead, as her prey drive is as spritely as her personality. She loves to play and will happily entertain herself for hours with squeaky toys. Bella would be happy in an adult only home, without any visiting children and for her new owners to be understanding of her quirks.
The Centre is open to visitors every Wednesday and Saturday. Between the hours of 10am to 2pm for the Kennels, and 11am to 2pm for the Cattery. You can also visit www.leicesteranimalaid.org.uk to see the other cats and dogs available for adoption and find further information on the adoption process.
Leicester Animal Aid is a rescue and rehoming centre for dogs and cats. Every year, we care for more than 400 dogs and cats who are lost, abandoned, neglected, unwanted or relinquished because their owners can no longer look after them.
We rely on the generosity of people like you to keep our doors open to the hundreds of animals who need our help. Our vision is happy pets in loving, responsible homes.
Our Autumn Fair on Saturday October 1st raised a whopping £1,030! As well as our stall selling Cancer Research Christmas cards and diaries, there was a Lucky Dip, cakes, raffle, the Bookman, cosmetics, Sarah Hill’s gifts, ceramics etc. One of our donors made over 80 fruit crumbles for us to sell and another provided all the tea, milk, coffee and biscuits for those wanting a drink, following their browsing/buying. We are still in awe of the generosity shown by many, many people and it really did seem like things were getting back to normal after the pandemic. Thank you ALL, again, for donating and/ or attending the event. Without your financial support, the recent Cancer breakthroughs would not have been possible.
The next event we will be holding has been moved to Saturday 26th November, so that it doesn’t clash with the England Football match!!! The Newbold Verdon Christian Community Choir will be providing a medley of songs and Christmas Carols. Held in the Kirby Muxloe Golf Club, the evening will start at 6.30 pm for 7 with a supper of sausage, mash and mushy peas (there will also be a vegetarian option). Tickets @ £20 will be available from the beginning of November from Glen Graham, tel. 2388018.
Please come and support this very worthwhile charity. See you there?
Leicester Forest East Parish Hall, Kings Drive, LFE, Leicester
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With winter approaching and the colder weather already arriving we know that there will be a rise in energy prices. The library will become a warm haven (along with other libraries) during our normal opening hours. You can use the library as a place of warmth and comfort. As usual we will be offering hot drinks with toast, teacakes and are introducing soup on the menu. There are internet connected PC’s or you could bring your own laptop and use our free WIFI. There is also a jigsaw “on the go” so please put in a few pieces. On Wednesday mornings we open from 8:45 with Tea and Toast then have a coffee morning club starting at 10:00 which is well attended. Feel free to drop in and meet some new people.
We can also loan out books, but please remember the Coffee Mornings on the 1st Saturday of the month (10:00 – 13:00). Please make a note of the future events and contact us if you are interested or want to purchase tickets by using the QR code below.
Diwali Celebration – 29th October – 3pm to 6pm - £5 per ticket
Join us for food, dancing and Bollywood music to celebrate Diwali
Yes, libraries are meant to loan books but we have a large selection of books and also jigsaws that are being sold during the Saturday Coffee Morning. The sale of these will help keep the library running.
The next fun filled quiz evening with your chance to test your general knowledge in a variety of subjects is on the 11th. There will be an interval during the evening when a light supper will be served and a raffle will be drawn. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks along with you. Teams of up to 6 or if you are only one or two then you could combine to meet new friends.
Christmas Fair – 26th November, 11am to 2pm
We will be holding our Christmas fair with lots of stalls and activities on this day. Details in the next article.
Opening times and QR Code to contact us
Mon 2pm - 5pm
Tue Closed Wed 8:30 - noon 2pm – 4:30pm 6pm - 8pm
Thurs 10am - noon 2pm - 4pm
Fri 2pm - 5pm
Sat* 10am - noon
* 1st Saturday of the month coffee morning 10am - 1pm
Article by Judith Upton
The Kirby Muxloe Local History Group generally meets 6 times a year, and membership is open to all.
Details of the dates of meetings, together with the topics that will be covered, are shown on the notice board in Kirby Muxloe Library and on our website, which is www.kirbymuxloelocalhistorygroup.org
Covid precautions will apply. For further details, please see our website. “Memories” meetings unfortunately remain suspended, pending our assessment of the effectiveness of our anti-virus procedures.
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 15th November at 7:30pm. The subject “Life in the Swinging ‘60’s”, a musical evening where you can sing along with us to some of the songs of the’60’s. This will be an evening full of fun and laughter – come along and join us. Talk by Felicity Austin, who will also lead the singing!
Visitors are always most welcome. Full yearly membership £10, plus an entrance fee of £2 paid at each visit. Visitors £5 entrance for each single session.
Kirby Muxloe Local History Group has now existed for over 14 years. Initially the group was set up by 5 people who got together and decided that the village should make the most of its historical heritage and set up a History Group. At the time, Ratby had a thriving group and by looking at their model, the group were able to see the way forward.
The first Chair was the late John Osband, who was an essential part of the set up. Together with Val Knott, Janet Carpenter, Joy Sell and the late Chris Buckingham, a steering committee was formed. Their intention to start a History Group was advertised locally and the inaugural meeting was planned. This meeting was attended by 25 interested villagers, and so Kirby Muxloe Local History Group was formed.
In the early years, they planned meetings, invited visiting speakers and endeavoured to build a collection of photographs and memorabilia. By this time the membership of the committee had grown with the addition of Mike Gould and myself, J.U. Over the following years committee members came and went, all giving us the utmost support during their terms in office. Collecting more pictures was quite difficult until we were very fortunate to gain access to the photograph collection of the late Will Walker. Mr Walker had, through the years, visited many people in the village and made copies of their photos to supplement his own large collection. Soon, a sizeable collection had been built up and we were very lucky to be given access to all his pictures. These pictures formed the basis of our collection. We then started to actively seek other collections and were again very lucky to obtain access to the large collection built up by the late local historian, Jonathan Wilshere. This really set us on our track. When we felt that we had collected sufficient photos and memorabilia, our next aim was to stage an exhibition in the village. By this time, I had become very interested in the bombing of the village in 1940 and what started off as a leaflet soon grew into a 50-page booklet (I must add that I was encouraged to do so by Mike Gould telling me “but you know a lot more than this!”). As I went around interviewing people who lived through the experience, the information grew and grew. We timed our first exhibition to coincide with the launch of the booklet. Well, it was fantastic – the booklet almost sold out and many people visited the exhibition. We had set up an information desk and invited people to come along and tell their stories and either donate photographs or allow us to take them away and make a copy. We were always very careful to return these precious photographs as soon as possible. Suddenly our History Group started to grow.
We now had 45 members and continued with our bi-monthly meetings, always making sure that we had booked a good speaker months in advance. In time, we supplemented our usual meeting with a special event in November. We often booked a vocalist who would lead the singing of war time or later songs. One of our most memorable events was entitled “roll out the barrel”; as you can imagine there was singing, flag waving and food (wartime of course, including cubes of luncheon meat on sticks, marmite wheels, jam tarts and tinned peaches with evaporated milk. In later years, we combined a folk singer with a fish and chip evening; tickets always sold out very quickly. We also started to arrange a summer outing for the group and visitors (if there was enough space). We visited
Lyddington in Rutland, stopping at Oakham on the return journey, Grace Dieu Priory, Beaumanor Hall and many other interesting places.
Fast forward to 2010. By this time our archive had grown massively, we were lucky to have the trust of so many people who passed over their old documents (certificates, old deeds, apprentice indentures etc.). Many people felt that their families would not want to keep all the papers and so they were passed to us. When we receive any such documents or photographs, they are catalogued and then preserved using archive quality materials. If ever the History Group should fold (not likely) the items are listed in such a way that they would be able to be integrated into the Leicestershire and Leicester Record Office archive easily.
By 2012, another booklet was produced entitled “The War Years” which was released at our next exhibition. We had always held our exhibitions in St Bart’s Church Hall on Main Street but suddenly the venue was not really large enough and so our exhibitions moved to the Village Hall. In 2016, instead of a small mention of our meetings in the Local we started to submit articles that were often a whole page in length. This has continued over the last few years and is still so today. Nowadays, we often interview people who have lived in the surrounding villages telling their own story or that of their ancestors. This has grown and there is now a waiting list for interviews (I will get round to everyone, be assured). Everyone I meet is so generous with their time, the interviews are always referred back to the interviewee to make sure that they are happy with the result. If an interviewee is of an older generation, sometimes a relative is asked to be present.
So now, to the present day. We now have permanent display boards in St Bart’s Church Hall and in the library, which are changed every few weeks. Our archive is still growing and we now have over 1,500 pictures and items of memorabilia. Our bi-monthly meetings continue and we encourage everyone who is interested to come along and try us out. We are a very friendly group and we hope no one will ever feel isolated or alone. Come along, you may just want to listen or you may want to become more involved, you may have your own stories to tell and your own memorabilia. We would like to encourage some people of a younger generation or those nearing retirement – we know that you are all very busy with work, families etc., but if you are interested in history, want to know more about your own village and need a different distraction for a couple of hours, please come along. We also would welcome people from Ratby. We are aware you had such a thriving group but now sadly that group has come to an end due to ill health etc. Several of our recent interviewees live in Ratby and I myself was born and brought up there. Everyone is most welcome, please come along and join us.
Roll out the Barrell” event November 2016 All proceeds to Church Funds Santas Grotto In the Church Snowman Trail Maps available in Church
As your County Councillor I am extremely concerned at the poor funding Leicestershire County Council now receives from the government. I am worried at the cuts that we will have to make to services if we don’t get funding. We have made the case for fairer funding to our MP’s and successive governments over several years now, but no one seems to be listening. I will always be honest with residents. I want to keep residents fully updated on the current situation. Leicestershire County Council has always been well managed and is highly regarded, but we need funding to continue to fully run all our services. The budget gap is set to grow from £8m to £28m next year – and could even top £140m by 2026 - as the ‘dire’ financial situation affecting local authorities intensifies.
The Council Published a key report on Tuesday 20th September, it says that the council is in new territory and explains that global events, rising inflation – expected to continue to rise despite recent interventions - surging demand for services and the continued impact of Covid, mean costs are increasing at an unprecedented rate.
It reveals that the nationally agreed pay offer alone requires the council to find an extra £8m, whilst every 50p added to the National Living Wage costs over £10m. Inflation is also expected to add another £20-to-£30m every year for the next four.
Service demand is unrelenting, says the report, and expected to go up by £18m every year, excluding the impact of inflation. Capital costs – for building roads, schools and other one-off projects – could grow by £45m if infrastructure price rises don’t reverse.
Although there are no proposals at this stage, the paper illustrates the challenge ahead by providing an initial list of potential areas to investigate for possible service changes or reductions. This includes gritting, parks, bus subsidies, projects reducing smoking and boosting health, Beaumanor Hall and planned big road schemes.
Our financial situation is frightening, worse than the years of austerity. We’ve lost £230m a year in spending power since 2010. We’re very lean so it’s not possible to balance the books without impacting front line services. We pride ourselves on doing the best we can with the money we have but we will have to make some tough decisions. Nothing is off the table.”
As the lowest funded county council under the Government’s funding system, Leicestershire will always be sensitive to financial shocks. But the challenge currently being faced will put even the best funded local authorities under pressure -Nick Rushton, leader of Leicestershire County Council
Cabinet member for finance, Lee Breckon, added: “We knew earlier in the year pressure was building, but a perfect storm of global events such as Covid, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, plus spiralling service demand, means we now have to look across the board at all services. And this will include things that affect our everyday lives such as road repairs, gritting, big road schemes and waste sites, as well as support for adults and children. No one wants to do this - and I’m acutely aware this comes at a time when people are increasingly struggling to make ends meet. Support for people who need it most will be prioritised and we’re continuing to press our MPs and the new Government for a better deal for our tax payers and to reform special educational needs and disability support.”
A one per cent rise in Council Tax generates £3.6m – councils are allowed to increase rates by 1.99 per cent without holding a referendum.
Over the autumn, residents are set to be asked to help shape plans – more information about how people can comment will be available later this month.
From the report and the resulting press coverage it could appear that the County Council is in a worse position than similar organisations. I can assure you that this is not the case and the pressures being faced will impact the whole of local government. The approach that served us well through austerity was to identify and act on problems early.
The council will publish its four-year budget proposals in December.
Ratby Lane/Desford Road, Kirby Muxloe Open.
After an 8-week road closure affecting residents of both Kirby Muxloe and Ratby, the road was finally opened on Friday 30th September. There is now traffic light control at that junction. The resurfacing of the junction area
was paid for by the developer. I appreciate residents have highlighted the road surface on Ratby Lane coming into Ratby is poor. I can confirm that I reported this over a year ago and it is on a highway list to be done when they have the funding.
Several million cases of fraud and of computer misuse are reported to the police every year. It's staggering, but even more staggering is that so many of those crimes could have been prevented by making a few small changes in online behaviour.
To avoid becoming a victim of online crime you don’t need to be a computer expert. Developing a few good online habits drastically reduces your chances of becoming a victim of cyber crime, makes you less vulnerable and lets you use the web safely.
Visit Cyber Aware for step-by-step instructions on keeping your devices upto-date with the latest security updates, and for more online security advice.
Online fraud, also known as cyber crime, covers all crimes that: Take place online are committed using computers, or are assisted by online technology
How to reduce your chances of becoming a victim
• Try using three unrelated words, eg fishbooktable; and think of three different words for each account, so if one is compromised the others are safe
• Never give personal or sensitive details out online or over email
• Make sure all devices have up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed
• Keep software and apps regularly updated
• Only download from legal, trusted websites
• Only open emails and attachments from known and trusted sources
• Only ever use websites that start with https://, however make sure that you're on the correct site by sense-checking the full website address Avoid using public WiFi hotspots that are not secure, use your 3/4G data. If you have no choice but to use Public WiFi, then only use it with a Virtual Private Network enabled on your device
• Regularly back up your data
• Control your social media accounts – regularly check your privacy settings and how your data is being used and shared
• Be cautious of internet chats and online dating – there’s no guarantee you’re speaking to who you think
• Be extremely cautious if you’re asked for money
Be careful when opening emails and texts, especially if you don't know the sender. If an email or text is unexpected or seems unusual, even if it’s from someone you know, ignore it and contact the sender directly to check if they sent it.
Your bank, the police and reputable companies will never ask for sensitive or financial details via email, phone or text.
To protect yourself from scams, known as 'phishing':
• Don’t open attachments or click on links in emails or texts from senders you don’t know
• Never give out personal information, financial details or passwords in response to an email, when you receive an unexpected phone call or in response to a text message
• Set up spam filters on all of your accounts
• Don’t respond to emails or texts from unknown sources
• Always go to a website directly, by typing out the address yourself, when logging into an account
Social networks are a great way of keeping in touch with friends and family, but be careful about how much personal information you share.
Once you post or share something on any social media platform it’s out of your control and could be shared and used by others, even if you delete it.
Set your privacy settings to the highest level and check them regularly as updates can affect settings
Don’t add or accept ‘friend’ requests from people you don’t know
Where possible, block apps and social media sites from tracking and showing your location, to stop people you don’t know from following you Think carefully about the images, videos and content that you share
Remember that if you wouldn’t do or say it in the real world, don’t do it online
If an online offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. To help spot a fake site:
• Sense check the domain name
• Are the prices too good to be true?
• Never pay by bank transfer – legitimate sites will accept payment via usual methods, such as bank card and PayPal
• Read the terms and conditions, and policies, to check they're clear and fair
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless they pay a ransom.
Regularly back up all your documents and photos in at least one other place to minimise the risk of losing everything if you get a ransomware virus. You can back up data onto:
An external hard drive, making sure that the drive isn't connected at all times, as ransomware can infect devices connected to your network
A cloud server, making sure that the password you use for cloud servers and backups is a strong password and one you don't use anywhere else
The internet lets children connect with friends and learn new things. But there are also dangers to going online, and children can be particularly vulnerable. Talking to your child is one of the best ways to keep them safe online. By understanding the risks and keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest technology, websites and social networks you can help your child enjoy the internet safely and securely.
• Keep computers and games consoles in family rooms where you can monitor activity
• Install parental control software or activate parental controls through your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to prevent access to inappropriate content ‘Friend’ or ‘follow’ your child on social networks, so you can see how they're using them
• Check age restrictions for websites or social networks to make sure your children are allowed to join
• Advise your child not to post personal information or any images they wouldn’t want everyone to see
• Check their social media accounts’ privacy settings, so their posts are only seen by friends and their location isn’t tracked
• Avoid using webcams unless talking to close friends or family, and consider covering it when not in use
• Monitor how your children use the internet and watch for any secretive behaviour
• Encourage your child to be open about what they do online and who they’re talking to
• Insist you go with them if they wish to meet online friends
• Ensure the games your children play online are age appropriate
If you are currently being subjected to a live and ongoing cyber-attack then please contact us on 101.
If you suspect you’ve been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime, the Action Fraud team can also provide the help, support and advice you need.
Call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (textphone 0300 123 2050).
A resident recently received a phone call from a man with an American accent telling him that someone had taken £900.00 out of his Amazon account and if he wanted to stop this transaction, he needed to press number one on his phone. Luckily, he just ignored it and put the phone down. He then dialled 1471 to see if he could trace the phone number. It was shown as a Leicester number 0116 2348671.These scammers clone numbers to make the look authentic.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your continued support and remind you that should you need my help or advice, I always pride myself on making myself available to residents. Remember I am only a phone call or email away.
November events on the 1st the walk & talk group meet. The 8th members meet at Rolls-Royce Leisure from 12:30 to 2:00pm.On the 11th members are going on a Turkey & Tinsel break to Eastbourne.
0116 2394336 M: 07808585825
Lagan Homes.
22/00648/OUT Land South Of Markfield Road Ratby Leicestershire.
Lagan Homes Ltd have submitted a further outline Planning Application for another residential development of up to 75 dwellings alongside associated site infrastructure and open space (All matters reserved except for access)
This village has taken far more than its far share of housing forced up us by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Reasons to object. Our Schools are full and will be from the current developments. Children will have to go to school in Groby to Martinshaw Primary School and those places will soon become full.
The Following are policy reasons that can be used to object to this application
The development would have a significant adverse impact on the intrinsic value, beauty and open character of the area contrary to policy DM4 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD;
Developments will be permitted providing that the following requirements are met:
It complements or enhances the character of the surrounding area with regard to scale, layout, density, mass, design, materials and architectural features. This application is contrary to policy DM10 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD.
The development would have a significant impact on highway safety, generating a significant increase in traffic movements on an already busy road, particularly the junction of Markfield Road and Main Street and Groby Road, Ratby, contrary to policy DM17 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD.
The case officer is Alex Jelley email objections to alex.jelley@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk
The Community Safety Survey is now live and we need your views to help us decide what the crime and community safety priorities should be for the area over the next 3 years! The Survey is open to 28th October 2022
If you're over 16 and live in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland the Community Safety Survey gives you the chance to have your say on crime and anti-social behaviour in your area.
In Hinckley and Bosworth, the Community Safety Partnership will use Hinckley and Bosworth resident's views from this survey to inform the Crime and Community Safety Priorities for the area for the next three years, 20232026 ensuring a focus on issues that are of most concern to our residents.
The survey can be accessed on the following link www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LNNPJMY
Great Big Green Week 2022 Free Trees.
Residents, businesses, community groups, schools and colleges are being invited to apply for free tree to help make the borough a greener place to be and to help fight climate change.
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council has teamed up with Hinckley and Rugby Building Society, PEXA (digital remortgaging) and the National Forest Company to offer the trees throughout Great Big Green Week 2022 and can be ordered now.
Over 27,000 tree saplings and hedging are available to residents, schools, community groups, town, and parish councils as well as charities and businesses to help make the borough a greener and cleaner place to be. If all survive to maturity then they will absorb over 10,000 tonnes of carbon over the next 40 years,
There will be several collection points and confirmation of your collection point will be sent out prior to the collection date.
0116 2912796 M: 07306 390543
chris.boothby@hotmail.com
There is a choice of tree: Birch, Crab Apple, Bird Cherry, and Rowan plus five metre hedging packs.
Saplings and hedging can be ordered online at www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/freetrees
Colin Fyfe, CEO, Hinckley & Rugby Building Society said: “This free tree scheme initiative is a long-term way of making a positive environmental impact in Hinckley and Bosworth and we are delighted to be involved. It strengthens our continued commitment to being an environmentally responsible business and to challenge the climate change crisis.”
Louise Driver, Operations Director, National Forest Company said: “We are delighted to join with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to offer free trees to their residents living within the National Forest. The National Forest is one of the few places in England where biodiversity is increasing, and we are eager to encourage everyone in the Forest to be part of this amazing story. Native trees are a wonderful way to encourage wildlife into your garden, providing shade and shelter for birds and butterflies as well as for you and your family to enjoy on a hot day.”
The trees are small cell grown plants, sourced from the UK.
And finally, We both would like to welcome Sam to the village who has opened Cosmetic Avenue on Main St that delivers high quality beauty services and products. Welcome Sam and we are sure that the village will support your new business.
Once again, we take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support and remember we are only a phone call away. Best wishes to all our residents.
Regards Chris & Ozzy. Working for you.
Tel: 0116 251 0363 - sales@ designerbathroomsleicester.com www.designerbathroomsleicester.com - 74 Bradgate Street, Leicester, LE4 0AW
With an in-house team of experts who are all fully trained and qualified to the highest standard, Designer Bathrooms can ensure total customer satisfaction.
Specialising in beautiful bespoke bathrooms and en-suites, specifically tailored to meet their customers’ requirements, they strive to create a bathing experience second to none. Just walking around their exquisite showroom, you have the opportunity to see a variety of over 35 room settings, each perfectly showcasing many industry top brands, as well as a taste of the Mediterranean with Italian and Spanish wall and floor tiles.
From speaking to the team at Designer Bathrooms it’s clear that they want everyone to be able to have a relaxing and inspiring bathing experience. As such they are proud of their quality of service, products and their single level showroom plus they also specialise in accessible
bathing. Their displays include walk in level floor showers, fold down shower seats, grab rails, digital push button showers, lever taps and comfort height toilets.
At Designer Bathrooms it is perfectly clear that they understand just how important it is to make the right choices, for what should be, one of the most relaxing rooms in your home. As such they listen to your requirements and will guide you through the entire process, from first thought to final tile.
So when you’re next considering a new bathroom or en-suite make over, why not pay Designer Bathrooms a visit? You’ll receive a warm welcome as well as expert advice.
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm and Saturdays from 9am to 1pm Private car park available
They look forward to welcoming you soon….
Designer Bathrooms are a family business with two generations of experience based in the heart of Leicestershire.
By Christopher Whitby (The Village Writers)
A smell, a season, or the shape of someone I once knew Recalled from somewhere deep within And memories, like wisps of smoke, unfurl into being. Grey shadows fall on both the seen and the unseen The true and the imagined too Like morning mist, concealing then revealing A movement barely there – a shift of feeling Briars tighten round my heart and then retract As they, stark ebony in brightest light, display sharp thorns and Pierce my soul, blind my mind and yet warm another part of me. Confusing and conflicting fervour, all inside out And flailing, as window-dressings in a storm Battering senses like waves crashing on the coast And this sweet-sour broth feeds memories that we call ghosts.
Arriving in December will be Ratby’s first ever Snowman Festival. A similar idea to the ever popular scarecrow festivals, but even better because it brightens up a Winter weekend. The Snowman Festival is running over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of December 2022 and will be a fantastic community event where the residents of Ratby can get their creative hats on to come up with some brilliant displays; these can be made of anything (there is no snow required!) all you need to do is build a snowman scene in your front garden or design a snowman themed window display. Many of the village organisation such as the Guides and Scouts have already signed up to display their snowmen.
Due to the kindness of the wonderful businesses in Ratby there are some amazing prizes on offer in each of the categories for the best displays.
There will be prizes for:
• Best Snowman/Display (Best in Snow) £100 sponsored by Anderson Briggs Estate Agents
• Best Children's Snowman/Display
A family photoshoot sponsored by Venture Studios
• Best Street
Sponsored by Porters Carpets
• Funniest Snowman/Display Champagne & chocolates hamper sponsored by The Bulls Head
• Best Business/Organisation Snowman/Display £50 sponsored by Tudor Franklin IFA
If you live in Ratby now is the time to register to get your snowman or display on the map and have the chance to win one of the brilliant prizes. The cost to enter is only £3 and you can enter either by picking up a paper form at the library or church rooms or enter on line by using the QR code below (Last entries 21st November).
Over the weekend maps of all of the displays will be available from the Church on Saturday at the Christmas Bazaar and from the Library on the Sunday at its very own Snowman Festival event; 10am-3pm on each day. (Maps are £3)
Prior to the event and over the weekend there will be Snowman festival raffle tickets available to buy; with the chance to win some other fantastic prizes donated again by our wonderful local businesses as well as days out. Top prize £50 cash.
The Snowman Festival is a joint event organised on behalf of Ratby Parish church and Ratby Community Library to raise vital funds for these important village organisations.
Register on Line
20th November 2022, NEC Birmingham
FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF WHY SO MANY PEOPLE LOVE SHOPPING AT THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR AND RETURN EVERY YEAR… BRING ON THE CHRISTMAS CHEER!
Christmas isn’t just about buying gifts, it’s making sure every corner of your home looks fabulous and your table is set for a festive feast! All of which can be found at this much loved Christmas Shopping Fair returning to the NEC, 17-20 NOVEMBER for its 26th year!
Often the most time-consuming part is finding unique presents but there’s no need to be stuck for ideas this year! Get your Christmas off to a cracking start at THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR and you’ll see how fun and easy Christmas shopping can be!
From the moment you arrive, you’ll be caught up in the excitement of the day, exploring 300 stalls (over 100 NEW stalls this year!) overflowing with thousands upon thousands of clever gift ideas and decorations at affordable prices. The variety is HUGE, with something for everyone.
To get you into the Christmas spirit, while you’re shopping at the fair, you can enjoy a whole line-up of fantastic musical entertainment to get your toes tapping!
Back by popular demand is David Julien, finalist of The Voice UK, The Grinch, The Stilt Jazz Band, choirs and more! And of course, Santa will be there along with his fabulous sleigh… plenty of photo opportunities!!
It’s no wonder THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR is the most popular Christmas shopping event in the heart of the country… here’s a little sneak preview of some of the goodies you’ll see …
Christmas is the one time of year when everyone can over indulge a little. At THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR you’ll find a whole array of delicious artisan food and drink to sample, before you buy.
NEW! The Panettone Store will be selling mouthwatering panettone in beautiful Dolce & Gabbana designed tins. A perfect dinner party gift.
NEW! Add a little heat to your
Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th November 2022
many brands do the Perfume Shop have?
cooking with Leithal Hot Sauces … hot, tangy and fruity sauces and even a mojo rub!
NEW! Beautiful gift sets from The Cherry Tree – pick your own chutneys, jams and curds from a huge selection of flavours ranging from Christmas pickle with mead to Cherry curd, plum and mulled wine jam to bloody mary chutney.
NEW! Not just for your table but great present idea from Drury & Alldis…build your own gift of bottle stacked oils and vinegars…black garlic vinegar, oak smoked oil and mango vinegar are many more!
NEW! Put your feet up at the end of the day and enjoy a glass of Moonshine…you’ve earned it!
O’Donnell Moonshine, as seen on BBC Dragons’ Den, will tempt your taste buds with roasted apple moonshine, wild berry, tough nut and blood orange …wow!
Deck you home for Christmas.
Seasonal dried fruit wreaths, swags and garlands from the Natural Cone & Fruit Company are a tradition to adorn any home.
From gonks galore to magical unicorns and Christmas stockings the 1 Stop Christmas Shop has it all!
NEW! Colourful, beautifully crafted handmade mosaic table lamps and ceramic wall décor to brighten any home available from Turan Mosaic Arts & Craft.
GIFTS FOR THE KIDS… You’ll find loads of clever stocking fillers, toys and games to keep tots, school children and teenagers amused for hours!
For over 15 years now the ever popular Lanke Kade are back with their fair trade wooden toys and gifts. Their distinctive range offers bright, bold colours and natural wood finishes from Noah’s Ark to Nativity sets - a great heirloom for any family.
NEW! Head to the TwirlySkirts stall for a special party dress for your little Princess!
Cuddly and fun plush toys and inflatables for boys and girls available on The Little Shop stand.
NEW! 1000’s of books for kids from fiction to fantasy available from Books 2 Doors.
NEW! Discover the inner artist in you by assembling beautiful crystals on canvas using a new amazing technique called diamond painting available on the Diamond Art Studio stall.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TEL/MOB:
EMAIL:
Competition closes on Monday 31st October 2022.
Please send entries to: Festive Gift Fair Competition, Norwood Press, Moore Road, South Leicester Industrial Estate, Ellistown, Leicestershire, LE67 1EU
Venue - This ticket is for the Festive Gift Fair at NEC, Hall 5, Birmingham, B40 1NT
Promoter - The organiser of this event is Orchard Events Limited. If you have any queries regarding your ticket please contact 020 8332 9595 or email info@orchardevents.co.uk
Data Protection - Please note that your contact details may be passed on to the event organiser. They may be used if, in the event of a query or an emergency, they need to contact you. Your details will not be used by the third party for marketing purposes. Visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk/terms-conditions
Buying presents is often quite a challenge but at THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR you’ll find decorations and gifts to treasure forever.
NEW! UK Print Studio will personalise your family prints.
Have your choice of name on a huge selection of baubles… Delightful Decorations will again be offering their personalised service at the fair for you.
Using pyrography, Spinney Cottage can personalise a huge range of wooden items from keepsake boxes to bookmarks and stools to keyrings
Let’s face it we all want to look good for all the Christmas parties and there’s nothing like a bit of pampering once the busy season is in full swing!
The Perfume Shop, have a range of 130 brands of women’s perfumes and men’s aftershave at affordable prices.
NEW! Feel Good CBD offer a range of sports recovery aids, flavoured oils, creams & lotions …drift away at the end of a busy day!
NEW! Beautiful home fragrance and candle gift sets available from Rock Home & Leisure – there’s even a Passion Fruit Martini scent!
NEW! Indulge in some self
pampering from Rokamar with their whipped body butters…put your feet up and relax!
Always a popular stall, The Handbag Company offer a huge range of genuine leather bags, purses and wallets at great prices!
NEW! Head to the Twilly & Hyde stall for hide bags, fedora hats , ladies jumpers and gloves.
NEW! For the magic of Disney, Kingdom Threads have a range of embroidered Disney themed apparel.
Ready for winter…Lucido Boutique offer a gorgeous range of knitwear from casual to smart.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW! and get ready for a brilliant, fun day Christmas Shopping.
The Fair is open daily 9.30am-5pm daily from Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th November at National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. Adult tickets from just £6
For much more information, list of exhibitors, video, show highlights and the musical entertainment programme, visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk
Book tickets online at www. theticketfactory.com
