Fun in the sun
THE SUN was a welcome visitor to Stonehill School’s
summer fair, which raised £1500 for school funds.
The event was organised by the Friends of Stonehill. Chairman
Mike Burger said: “Thanks to all those who helped, including
parents, staff and pupils - the most important ingredient! Special
mention to Mr Payne without whose efforts and gentle persuasion
the event would never have occurred. Let’s be honest, he
was so good he even ordered the sun”.
Boost for college
STAFF AT Longslade college are celebrating
after their bid to become a Specialist Technology College was
recently approved by the Department of Education and Employment.
The College will receive its new status in September 2001 along
with a capital grant of £100,000, to match the private
sponsorship it has raised.
The cash will be spent on a new science lab, a manufacturing
centre and at least two more computer suites, in addition to
extra computers in the library and maths area. Major refurbishments
within the College are also planned, including the installation
of a sprung floor in the lecture theatre to create a new performing
space.
The College will also receive an additional £120,000 per
year for the next four years which will fund additional staff,
training, equipment and resources.
Longslade plans to develop the teaching of Design, Maths, Science
and Information Technology within the college in both GCSE and
Post 16 courses. The additional facilities and resources will
benefit all subject areas. Longslade has also worked with the
feeder high schools and primary schools to identify ways in which
pupils in the family of schools can benefit from Longslade being
a Specialist College. These have been built into the bid, which
also contains plans to pilot the Leicester Symbols Project with
Adults with Special Educational needs, set up a vacation training
centre for employees of local businesses and take IT training
out into the community using lap-top computers.
Departing Principal Gwendoline Newton said: “I am thrilled
and proud to announce this news. Being a Technology College will
be of real benefit to our students as well as those in the Longslade
family of schools and other people in the community.”
She added: “All these developments have been the result
of a huge amount of hard work by the staff at the College, and
there will be a lot more for them to do. I would like to thank
them all publicly, particularly Mrs Liz Logie, Vice Principal,
who has played such a crucial role”
Teacher’s award
A TEACHER at Longslade College has won
a prestigious award in recognition of her excellent teaching.
Ingrid Spencer was presented with The Guardian Award for Outstanding
New Teacher in a Secondary School at the Teaching Awards ceremony
for the East Midlands region.
Ingrid Spencer
The Teaching Awards, sponsored by BT, have become popularly known
as the Platos and are now in their third year.
Ingrid’s award means that Longslade will receive a cash
grant of £2000. She will now go forward into the national
finals which will be held in London on October 28, and televised
on BBC1. If declared a national winner, Longslade will receive
a further cash grant taking the total value of their prize to
£15,000.
Ingrid began teaching at Longslade in September 1999 with a breadth
of life experience after travelling and teaching abroad. One
of her pupils commented: “She doesn’t only treat you
like a student she is paid to teach, but as an individual. She
realises each student’s potential and pushes them towards
it with enthusiasm. She has always made me feel supported and
not scared to ask for help in fear of being humiliated, because
she always listens to you. She has a way of communicating with
students and parents like no other teacher I know. She is an
extraordinary teacher - if anyone does, she truly deserves this
award.”
Established by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity
chaired by Lord Puttnam CBE, the Teaching Awards publicly acknowledge
and celebrate the crucial role that teachers play in the lives
of our children and our future as a nation. They are designed
to both highlight excellence and encourage best practice in teaching
by recognising and honouring outstanding teachers.
While the Teaching Awards recognise individual teachers, they
are designed to celebrate the whole process of teaching and are
a celebration of the whole school’s achievements.
The whole community - including pupils, fellow teachers, parents,
learning support assistants and school governors - nominated
hundreds of teachers from across the region. All nominations
went through an independent judging process by an awards panel
of representatives from across the education community, including
Teaching Awards winners from previous years.
Maths ability
STONEHILL SCHOOL pupil Emma Blackburn has won a medal in
a nationwide challenge that recognises excellence at maths.
Emma won a bronze medal and a certificate of distinction in the
Junior Maths Challenge 2001. 170,000 schoolchildren around the
country took part in the first round of the challenge, and Emma
was one of 1000 children invited to go through to the next round.
Tennis club
HANDS UP all those who know there is a tennis club in Birstall!
Chances are not many villagers are aware of the existence of
such a sporting facility.
Well, to raise the profile of Birstall Watermead Tennis Club,
members set up a stall at the village Gala Day on the playing
fields - and sure enough it realised the club’s worst fears.
Hardly anybody chatting to members of the committee knew a tennis
club was based in the village.
However, the presence of a stall proved to be a considerable
success, creating much interest and bringing in a positive response
from potential members.
With the euphoria created by the excitement of Wimbledon, culminating
in that extraordinary final between Goran Ivanisevic and Pat
Rafter, what better time to dust off that old racket!
Birstall Watermead TC is located on Birstall Road on the grounds
of the Co-op Sports and Social Club, about 400 metres from Red
Hill Circle.
The club has three all-weather courts, plays all year round,
has men’s, women’s and mixed teams, and has numerous
social events as well. Club sessions are on Sunday mornings and
Wednesday evenings during the summer, and on Sunday mornings
in winter.
If you are interested in joining, contact the secretary, Carole
Vincent, tel: 2674923, chairman David Cartwright, tel: 2675938,
or treasurer Mike Deacon on 2207896. We look forward to hearing
from you, and seeing you with racket in hand.
From Birstall Watermead Tennis Club
Village views on new facilities
A PUBLIC meeting organised by Birstall Parish Council to hear
residents’ views on new community and sporting facilities
for Birstall was attended by 12 members of the public.
The budget for the new facilities, planned for the Hallam Fields
development, is expected to be in excess of £1 million.
The Council called the meeting to hear village views on sports
facilities, playing fields and potential uses for a new community
building.
Charnwood Borough Council officer Steve Lewis Roberts told the
meeting that the Borough Council was considering a planning application
for the site from Jelsons, to include 900 homes. The Council’s
objective, he said, was to legally tie the developer down to
fulfilling their requirements for constructing community facilities.
The best way to achieve this, he said, was by providing as much
detail as possible about the specifications of the new facilities
at this stage, and not after development has started.
Several points were made by both councillors and the public during
the meeting. These included:
It was important that community use was not confined to existing
groups but that new users were encouraged to come forward.
If the community building was a part of the school, would there
be a problem with the Local Education Authority restricting community
use?
The community centre would need its own secure access, independent
of the school
A residential sports development worker could be employed to
promote use.
Changing rooms for indoor and outdoor activities must be kept
separate.
An effort should be made not to create two villages as this would
create a divide and cause resentment.
We should ask the developers for a lot more than has already
been suggested, and make sure facilities are revenue generating
eg a 10 pin bowling alley.
Birstall’s existing facilities will be used by the new residents
and will need extra investment to improve and maintain them.
Provision of a meeting place for young people.
Pedestrian crossings on Sibson Road, improved car parking, extension
to cemetery, new cemetery building.
Playgroups, older persons club
Floodlit multi use games area. Skateboard IBMX track.
A community building in the development’s central hub.
A place of worship.
Steve Lewis Roberts commented that if the developers were asked
for too much they could appeal to the Local Plan Inspector who
may dismiss the requirements as excessive. The budget for the
community facilities, the park and ride area and the highway
changes is expected to be in excess of £2 million, which
will be met by the developers.
Mr Lewis Roberts told the Birstall Post: “The suggestions
raised by local residents and councillors were extremely helpful
and have been fed into our discussions with developers.
“The next stage is the production of a formal package of
proposals which we will bring back to the Parish Council for
consideration at the beginning of August.”
NHW news & Crime Report
THE LOCAL Police are concerned about the number of house burglaries
this month.
This is probably because during the recent hot weather people
have left windows and even doors open to keep cool. Please remember
to close all ground floor windows and doors if you leave the
house even for just a few minutes, that’s all it takes for
the opportunist thief to be in and away with valuables from your
home.
If you have a burglar alarm fitted, remember you must set it
if you leave the house as this could invalidate any insurance
claim should you be unfortunate to have a visit from a thief.
Cars are also a target in this hot weather and you should close
the windows and lock the doors, put valuables in the locked boot;
again the opportunist thief will be in and away in seconds.
Distraction burglary will be the subject at our next Co-ordinators
meeting, which will be held at the Methodist Church Concert Hall
on Thursday September 6. PC Graham Smith the crime prevention
officer from Hamilton Police Station will be the presenter at
this event. Everybody is welcome, the meeting starts at 7.30pm.
If you see anything that is suspicious remember as much detail
as possible, vehicle registration number, type and colour of
the vehicle, number of people in it, ring the Police on 999 or
0116 222 2222 or the Watch telephone 2676397. If it is a person
or persons acting in a suspicious manner then ring the Police
remembering as much detail about them as you can.
Together we can help to get crime down in Birstall.
From Peter Allen, Chairman, Birstall Village Watch
Crime Figures June 1-July 11, 2001
House Burglaries 6; Burglaries Other Than Dwellings 11; Theft
From Persons/Robberies 3; Thefts of Pedal Cycles 3; Thefts from
Motor Vehicles 4; Thefts of Motor Vehicles 11; Thefts Other 6;
Criminal Damage 6; Criminal Damage to Schools 7.
Also a local window cleaner has reported that when collecting
his monies last month he found that another person had visited
some of his customers and collected his monies, claiming to be
the window cleaner.
Birstall Bowls Club, School Lane playing field had considerable
damage caused on May 28. The vandals used yellow paint to cause
damage.
Anybody with knowledge of either case please contact PC Kevin
Palmer #1639 on 2485675
Representing England
BIRSTALL BOWLING Club’s Sue Wilson will be making the
trip up to Girvan in Scotland to represent England at the World
Blind Bowls Championships later this month.
There are 10 countries involved in the competition and Sue will
be playing in the singles. She will play nine games, once against
each nation, for the honour of being World Champion. Birstall
recently played host to the English Visually Handicapped Bowls
team, which included Sue, and there is a fund raising evening
planned for later this month to raise money for the association.
Meanwhile, Marjorie Hawksley couldn’t quite make it two
years on the trot for Birstall in the Ladies County Two Wood
competition. After Pam Ratcliffe’s success last year, the
omens were good until the Quarter Final stage when Marjorie just
lost out 13-15 to Lila Wright of Burbage who went on to reach
the final.
Finally, Birstall were defeated in the Semi Final of the Bramley
Bowl against Old Humberstone, but the club is again well represented
in the latter stages of the Parks competitions which were due
to have been played during the last week of July. A full report
will appear in September’s Post.
For more information about the club, please call Grahame on 2677994
or Betty on 2216743.
TG news
THE TOWNSWOMEN’S Guild open meeting in June was a great
success when Mr Roy Stretton directed members how to dance country
& western style.
Dancers and onlookers alike enjoyed the evening which was full
of fun and laughter. Guests included members from the Sileby
Townswomen’s Guild and a visitor from Glasgow.
The Townswomen’s Guild was represented on the School Playing
Fields, for the Golden Jubilee to celebrate village life, by
a bottle tombola stall which was well supported.
The Social Studies group visited Warburtons Bakery in Notts in
July, whereupon regulation dress was issued for the tour of the
factory and caused a giggle or two! After a very interesting
tour, various refreshments were offered and gratefully accepted
on such a hot evening.
A summer outing to Shrewsbury replaces the meeting in August.
The choir needs new members in September, especially an alto
voice. They sing light music and entertain residential homes
etc. Contact No: Mrs Jean Sumner on 0116/2675430
From Anne Boden
Village festival
THE DAY of Sunday July 1 was once again
fine for the Birstall Festival and this year it coincided with
the Golden Jubilee of the School Lane playing field.
At around 8am the first stalls began to arrive and by 10am there
were many gazebos mostly green and white erected which made such
a picturesque scene almost one could imagine a medieval jousting
tournament.
Lauren Kirk (3) & Jessica Kirk
The stallholders were numerous and included the Arts Society,
Age Concern, Riverside Families Association, Methodist Church,
Women’s Institute, St John’s Ambulance Badgers, Churches
Together, Neighbourhood Watch, Methodist Thursday Group, Guides,
Townswomen’s Guild, Wanlip WI, Playdays, Rainbows, Girls’
Brigade, St Theresa’s Youth Club, Watermead Tennis Club,
Birstall Cricket Club, RSPCA, Highcliffe Amateur Theatrical Society,
Rothley Soar Valley Lions, Air Training Corps, Royal British
Legion and the Royal Air Force Association. If I have left anyone
out please forgive me, but I would like to thank you all on behalf
of the committee for all your help and support for what seems
to be an annual event in our village.
Local travel agent Tomorrow's World Travel
present a cheque for £600 to the Parish Council, raised
with their raffle at the Birstall Festival. (l-r) Bernard Crayfourd,
Nicola Harper, winner of the £150 holiday voucher, Debi
Johnson of Tomorrows World Travel and Nigel Coleman.
Obviously for an event of this magnitude we need the help of
commercial operators for ice cream, hot dogs and other commodities,
plus the fairground for the children and an innovation this year
the bungee run and sumo wrestling provided by members of the
Birstall Golf Club. That I think has got the commercials out
of the way!
The Committee was very pleased to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress
of the Borough of Charnwood Cllrs Tony and Eva Stott. The Mayor
set the tone for the day by his opening speech and a bouquet
of flowers provided by the Birstall Flower Club was presented
to the Mayoress.
As the saying goes ‘There is many a slip between cup and
lip’ as we were hoping to open the day with a bang, with
a display by the Royal British Legion Standard Bearers, but they
were unable to make the time that the organisers required, but
in stage parlance the show must go on. A welcome return visit
was the jazz band and they played through to complete the morning’s
programme, except that throughout the morning and the rest of
the day sports were taking place organised by our friends the
Charnwood Sport Development Officers.
To start the afternoon’s activities we were superbly entertained
by the talented members of the Birstall Brass Ensemble under
their musical director Alan Holford then for a complete change
of programme - a precision marching display given by the 1947
Squadron of the Air Training Corps. I am sure that anyone watching
could not fail to be impressed by their smartness and bearing
and I would like to add my own thanks for all the help that they
gave to the organisers in selling programmes, collecting cash
in the evening and all the other jobs that they did during the
day - the Squadron is a credit to the village of Birstall.
During the morning and afternoon sessions we had a surprise visit
from our own Elvis Presley - David Page from our own Estates
Department - such talent on the Council!
For half an hour we were royally entertained by a group called
Juke Box who gave a programme of very lively music as a lead
in to our showcase of local musical talent in which four groups
participated.
Then on again to the evening, once again the Mayor and Mayoress
attended together with over 500 people to our Proms in the Park
concert given by the Hathern Band led by David Newman who gave
a very varied programme including The Post Horn Gallop and of
course Jerusalem, Fantasy on British Sea Songs and Pomp and Circumstance
(Land of Hope and Glory) and finished with ‘You’ll
never Walk Alone’. The band was very ably assisted by the
City of Leicester Male Voice Choir under their conductor Richard
Dunn and I am sure that they will be regular contributors to
our village scene.
At this point I must apologise for the sound or lack of it. We
did pay a good deal of money for the sound engineer but I suppose
the words of my late headmaster still ring in my ears “Must
do better next time”.
Finally, this show could not go on without the tremendous support
of our man sponsors Tomorrow’s World Travel who gave us
£500 and ran the raffle with a holiday voucher as the first
prize and again raised a further £600. So once again Debbi
and all your staff, thank you.
The Committee would like to say a big thank you to all the traders
in Birstall for their loyal support in taking up advertising
space in the programme and for donating wonderful prizes for
the raffle.
Finally my own personal thanks must be given to the person who
is very quick to give praise to other people, but receives little
himself. He is Chairman of the Parish Council and finds time
to Chair the Festival Committee. Cllr Nigel Coleman, I can say
on behalf of the village, a big thank you.
From Cllr Bernard Crayfourd
Secretary Festival Committee
Sibson Road changes
IMPROVEMENTS TO Birstall village centre have begun with
the resurfacing of a section of Sibson Road and the construction
of the Crossways free shoppers’ car park.
Leicestershire County Council recently completed the resurfacing
of the pavement from The Crossways to Birstall Garden Centre
with block paving. Stainless steel rail barriers have been erected
to help prevent vehicles parking on the pavement.
The work has been welcomed by local businesses and residents.
Mrs Wendy Garner of Sibson Road said: “I think it is wonderful
and I’m really pleased with it. The stainless steel rails
are a good idea and the quality of the workmanship looks good.”
She added: “I’ve lived here since 1968 and as far back
as I can remember this section of Sibson Road has never been
finished. It’s looked shabby and lowered the whole tone
of Sibson Road. Now that it’s finished I hope it will attract
more people into Birstall”.
John Leeson of Birstall Car Sales said: “It’s very
good and looks really nice. The area has been smartened up and
it’s now easier for me to get access. Proprietor of the
Posy Bowl, Janice Toon said: “It looked a mess before with
pot holes and gravel and now that it’s done I think it’s
very nice”.
The improvements cost £30,000 which included a contribution
by Birstall Parish Council.
Parish Council Chairman Nigel Coleman said: “It’s a
vast improvement to Sibson Road, It has a modern look and is
not only pleasing from a design point of view but also on a practical
level, as there was a problem there with levels and drainage
problems.”
The shoppers car park on The Crossways is now open, although
work on the site has not yet been completed. Gates and a fence
to deter overnight parking are planned. Owned and managed by
the Parish Council, the car park will be free to use but there
will be a waiting limit, expected to be two hours.
Nigel Coleman said: “The plan was always to make this a
free shoppers’ car park. A waiting limit will be necessary
because we don’t want cars being parked there all day.”
Improvements to the northern section of Sibson Road are expected
to start by the autumn. At the time of going to press, Charnwood
Borough Council were considering tenders received for the work.
Planning
Mr A Fabbricatore - erection of 2 storey extension to side
of detached dwelling. 410 Loughborough Road
Mr Gregory - erection of 1st floor extension to form 2 self contained
flats and erection of single storey rear extension to form workshop.
1-3 Lambourne Road
Mr Burdett - insertion of 2 dormer windows to front and rear
of semi detached house. 78 Sibson Road
Mr & Mrs Bacon - erection of conservatory to rear of semi
detached dwelling. 25 Harrowgate Drive
Mr Clark - erection of conservatory to rear of dwelling. 121
Harrowgate Drive
Mr & Mrs Fairey - erection of single storey side extension
to semi detached dwelling. 40 Walker Road
Mr & Mrs Harrison - erection of conservatory to rear of semi
detached dwelling. 69 Orchard Road
Mrs V Patel - single storey extension to rear of dwelling. 12
Lodgewood Avenue
F.I.S.H. Installation of new shop front. 111 Wanlip Lane
Vandals
BIRSTALL has been suffering from a spate of attacks by
vandals over the summer months.
A motorcycle was driven over the cricket wickets on the School
Lane playing fields, damaging the surface.
Vandals have also damaged 12 young trees on the playing field,
and four hanging baskets at the Triangle end of Sibson Road have
been stolen.
Anyone who witnesses vandalism or has any information about these
incidents should report it to Birstall’s Beat Officer Kevin
Palmer on 222 2222 or by Voicemail 2485675, collar number 1639.
Gardens opened
THE BIRSTALL Methodist Village Garden Trail 2001 was held
over two beautiful days on the 23rd & 24th June with high
temperatures which helped to ensure the success of the event.
Hundreds of folk wandered around the 11 lovely gardens in Roman
Road, Freehold Road, Loughborough Road and Hermitage Road and
the social benefits of all those hundreds of people meeting and
chatting with friends, together with the record financial success,
made this a memorable weekend.
Over £3,400 was raised for the Methodist Church and the
Glenfield Hospital Stroke Unit. Grateful thanks are expressed
to everyone who took part in any way. Prize winners of the raffle,
which raised over £500 were Mr J Coleman of Curzon Avenue,
Mrs S Keenan, Harrowgate Drive and Mrs Alison Wilson of Groby.
The Cake Stall made £162, the Plant Stall £242.50,
the Ice Cream £410.50 and the teas at Mary and Trevor Downs
house in Hermitage Road realised £480.80.
Thanks are also expressed to Birstall Garden Centre who once
again underwrote the expenses of the effort by their generous
sponsorship.
From John Kilby, Chairman Garden Trail Committee
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