Birstall Post December 2001 (221)

Fred Savidge with some stamps ready for despatch

Stamp mountain!

AFTER COLLECTING more than five million stamps for charity, Birstall’s Fred Savidge is appealing for more.
Fred (71), of Rose Tree Avenue, has been collecting, sorting and preparing stamps and sending them to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association for the last eight years.
He said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their continuing donation of stamps which has helped to buy and train guide dogs. Please keep on letting me have the stamps by leaving them at the Hayes and Borrajo Vets on Sibson Road, or directly with me at 18 Rose Tree Avenue.”

Teacher is tops

LONGSLADE COMMUNITY College in Birstall is celebrating the outstanding achievement of one of its English teachers, Ingrid Spencer, who has won the National Teaching Award for Outstanding New Teacher in 2001.
Ingrid had already been presented with the East Midlands Regional Prize in July and, after a further round of rigorous judging, was announced as national winner at a glittering ceremony televised at the Theatre Royal in London on Sunday October 28. She was presented with the beautiful gold ‘Plato’ by the film star and actor Ralph Fiennes. The Teaching Award Ceremony was broadcast on BBC 1 on Sunday November 4.

Ingrid Spencer

This is the third year that the Teaching Awards Trust has organised these awards. In addition to a cash grant of £15,000, Longslade will receive a fully fitted hi-tech interactive whiteboard system plus software and training on how to use it, a Sanyo digital camera, and a year’s Microsoft School agreement licence. Ingrid has also been presented with a Satellite 1700-400 lap-top computer by Toshiba.
Ingrid was accompanied by Liz Logie, Vice Principal, who had organised the nomination, Patsy Weighill, Head of Post 16 at Longslade, and her mum. Liz Logie said: “The evening was truly inspiring and reminded us all of why we had become teachers in the first place. It was an evening of pure celebration with a clear message that teachers, at all levels, do make a difference to the lives of millions of young people. In an age when all that teachers seem to hear is criticism and denigration it is hugely important to have this kind of public acclaim and to have the work of all teachers recognised. There was barely a dry eye in the house!”

Robert Smith watches artist Eric Phillips demonstrate his watercolour skills

Quality on show

THE ART on show at Birstall Village Hall attracted hundreds of visitors when Birstall and District Art Society staged their annual exhibition last month.
Organiser Fred Parrott said: “Sales and visitors were about the same as last year, although quality and enthusiasm seems to improve year on year.
“It was good to see the joy on people’s faces as they wandered around making complimentary comments about the amazing artistic talent in Birstall and district.”
The Mary Hirst Memorial Trophy is presented to the artist whose piceture is voted by the public to be the best in show. It was won by Derek Walsom with 59 votes for his oil painting: ‘Herring Coble, Whitby’. Second with 31 votes was Marion Smith’s ‘Harmony’, and third with 29 votes was Mary Ford’s ‘Watermead’.
Raffle prize winners were :1st Mr Brown, Anstey; 2nd Mr Woodhams, Cossington; 3rd Mr Craig, Syston; 4th Mr Downs, Birstall; 5th Mr Lander, Wanlip.
A gallery featuring work by members of the society can be seen at their website - http://bdas.cjb.net

Storytime

DO YOU need a little time for yourself on Christmas Eve?
Why not bring your 5-8 year olds to Birstall Library on Monday December 24 at 10 till 11.30am to join us in Christmas stories and activities. A storyteller will entertain us with a Christmas story from Guyana, and she also hopes to being a small steel drum to show the children.
On Monday December 10 we are having our regular monthly storytelling session for the under 5s and we will be making some Christmas decorations. Everyone is welcome.
The library shop has a wide range of present ideas for Christmas. Among the items on sale are recorders, diaries, napkins, other gifts and stationery. The library also has seasonal wrapping paper and cards at good value prices.

Parish Council notes

A PUBLIC Meeting to discuss the Hallam Fields package of community facilities was held on October 31.
Parish Councillors and three members of the public attended.
Will Anthill, advisor to Charles Palmer-Tomkinson, owner of the land, reported that he had met representatives from Longslade to discuss the need for an additional community building on the college campus. It could include a teaching space, adult education and recreational use, for joint use by the college and community.
He said that Charles Palmer-Tomkinson had a passionate interest in sport, particularly tennis.
Cllr Bernard Singleton welcomed the package of measures offered but suggested more money be allocated to the enhancement of Sibson Road.
Cllrs Tony Stott and Roger Wilson also welcomed the proposals. Cllr Stott said it was important to agree the ‘trigger points’ during development that would establish when the community facilities would be provided.
Cllr Wilson said traffic would increase on Sibson Road and the provision of a pedestrian crossing would be welcomed.
Cllr Chris Clarke suggested that the provision of extra car parking at the northern end of Sibson Road be considered, and proposed a community bus service that would serve Birstall and bring people into the village centre.
Cllrs Stott and Wilson emphasised that retaining and improving the economic viability of Sibson Road was a very high priority for the village.
A full meeting of Birstall Parish Council was held on November 12.
It was reported that Birstall and District Art Society is designing a village sign for the Front Street/Whiles Lane junction.
Cllr Chris Clarke said that the Working Party set up to consider Hallam Fields community facilities had had insufficient time to discuss the matter properly.
It was reported that Cllr Peter West is producing a report into the value for money the council had received from its consultants regarding the Charnwood Local Plan and Hallam Fields. Cllr Tony Stott said that if the Council had not worked so hard to oppose the development, the village would not have had so much offered during the current negotiations.
The Council agreed to extend the opening times of the Crossways car park. It will now close at 8pm.
It was agreed to ask the County Council for two pedestrian crossings on Sibson Road.
Changes to the parish boundary, which will mean Hallam Fields is within Birstall, were agreed.
After discussing the funding shortfall on the Sibson Road Improvement Scheme, the Council agreed that an additional sum, up to £15,000, be made available.

Refuse collection

CHARNWOOD BOROUGH Council’s refuse collection service may change over Christmas.
A spokeswoman said: “Please bear in mind that during this holiday period, a massive increase in the quantity of refuse inevitable results in some slippage. Please allow access to your refuse and recycling throughout the holiday period. Collections will start earlier and finish later than normal, and your day of collection may even change - it may be earlier or later.”
She added: “Many factors influence refuse collection at this time of year, including the weather, staffing, the amount of refuse and vehicle problems. Please bear with us and we will try to get the service back to normal as quickly as possible. See the local media or ring 01509 634715 or 634698 until 24 December 2001 and from 2 January 2002 for up to date information.”
There will be no collections on December 25,26 and January 1.

Pic: Pat White (Vice Chairman) presenting cheque to Mr John Avery with members of the group

Methodist women’s cheque

BIRSTALL METHODIST Women’s Group have presented a cheque for £1,500 to the Cot Death Society.
Various events were organised to raise the money, including three well-attended Saturday coffee shops, a much enjoyed Harvest Supper and singalong, and successful plant and cake stalls.
The group would like to thank all members and friends of the village for their loyal, continuing support.

Load of rubbish

YES IT’S that time of year again, when we all eat, drink and be merry, and produce tonnes or rubbish from the festivities.
But instead of sending it all to a hole in the ground, perhaps it is time to consider dealing with it more responsibly. Here’s the advice from Charnwood Borough Council’s recycling department.
Use your green bags for recycling all your cans and tins, plastic bottles and magazines, but please don’t put in Christmas wrapping - it can’t be recycled this way and clogs up the works. Save it for next year, or put it in most paper banks, or even compost it! You can get extra green bags by calling into the Southfields Council Offices, or calling the Cleansing Team on 01509 634715 or 01509 634698. The green bag shouldn’t be used as a substitute black bag - green bags are hand sorted, so there is nothing worse than sifting through week-old turkey bones!
Buy cards and wrapping paper made from recycled paper.
Christmas cards can’t be recycled through the green bags either - use the paper banks where applicable, or make your contribution to charity by recycling them through local schools and Rainbows shops. All cards recycled in this way will earn a contribution for Rainbows. You can also cut up old cards to reuse as gift tags.
Use the bottle banks for all your glass bottles and jars.
Use an artificial Christmas tree so you can reuse it next year. If you do buy a real tree, remember to dispose of it for composting, by taking it to one of the local Civic Amenity sites at Loughborough, Sileby and Shepshed.

Christmas time

REV CHRIS Gray, Minister at the Methodist Church on Wanlip Lane hopes the village will remember that, despite the commercialisation, Christmas is still a Christian Festival - when we celebrate the Birth of Jesus.
The Church is there for the whole village to share in this wonderful celebration. Special services are being held throughout December in the Wanlip Lane Church and all are welcome.
The ‘advent’ season begins not at Wanlip Lane but with a joint service on Sunday December 2 at 4pm in St James Parish Church. At 6pm on December 9 the Choir will sing ‘Joy to the World’, the following Sunday 16 at 10.30am there is a Nativity Play. On December 23 is the candlelight carol service of readings and carols. Come early for a seat! On Christmas Eve at 11.30pm is the Midnight Communion, where bread and wine are shared, and a Christmas Day Service at 10am. As Chris Gray put it “we all need to find time for Jesus this Christmas”. Similar services are held at St Theresa’s Catholic Church in Whiles Land and St James Parish Church on Church Hill.
Christmas can be a stressful time, especially for those making all the preparations - it was probably far more stressful in that first Christmas. Travelling to Bethlehem, pregnant and on a donkey then having to flee to Egypt after the baby’s birth - to become a refugee - what could be more stressful?
The Church is making its Christmas appeal for the Charnwood Shelter Project for the homeless at Loughborough, and there will be a collection at the Christmas day service (at 10am) for this appeal. Apart from money gifts at Christmas the Methodist Church acts as a collection point for this project. Gifts of noodles, pasta, rice, soup, cuppa-soup, tea, coffee, tinned meals and packet soup can be handed in for the homeless at Loughborough.
From Birstall Methodist Church

At the launch of the new ID card are Emilie Coley (18), Inspector Duncan Cullen Jim and Diane Lee of The Trees and Parish Council Chairman Nigel Coleman

Proof of age card

A NEW identity card scheme that aims to clampdown on under age drinking in Birstall, Syston and the surrounding area was launched in November.
The scheme entitled ‘100% Proof - Absolute ID’, offers a free proof of age card to all people aged 18 and over - ensuring that only people above the legal limit are able to purchase alcohol at pubs, clubs and off licences within the area.
In the future, the card may also be used in other areas where controls are age-related, for example the rental of videos.
It is being initiated by the North West Leicestershire and Charnwood Drugs Forums which includes representatives from the local authorities, Leicestershire Constabulary, health organisations, youth workers and the voluntary sector.
Nigel Coleman, Chairman of the Birstall and Wanlip Drugs Forum said “The Drugs Forum has highlighted underage drinking as an area of public concern and we are delighted to be introducing this scheme in Charnwood and with the backing it has received throughout the borough from pubs, clubs and shops.”
He added: “The proof of age card will remove any doubt for people working in bars and shops when serving teenagers, and should help to reduce associated incidents of anti-social behaviour”. Superintendent Ian Stripp, Commander of North Area Police, said “The scheme will offer a simple means for licensed premises to take reasonable steps to ensure the person they are serving is really over 18.
“We’ve been delighted by the response from various distribution outlets who’ve volunteered to take part in the scheme, for instance tourist information centres, leisure centres, careers service and, in particular, Leicestershire Libraries Service, who will distribute cards in all outlying areas. All a young person has to do is to go to one of these distribution points, provide a photograph - plus other suitable means of identification - and within minutes they’ll receive a card.”
Distinctive posters and information about the scheme have already been distributed by police officers to more than 500 licensed premises in Charnwood and North West Leicestershire.
The scheme has already received backing from publicans including Jim Lee of The Trees in Stonehill Avenue, Birstall.
Mr Lee said “This is a much-needed initiative, as it offers a free and easy solution to finding out if a person is 18 before selling them alcohol. Hopefully, every youngster will take this on board and be prepared to be asked for this ID to save any embarrassment.”
‘100% Proof - Absolute ID’ application forms are available from tourist information centres, Leicestershire Constabulary, the Charnwood Borough Council offices in Loughborough and libraries throughout the borough.
For further information about the scheme, please contact PC Gus Colquohoun on 0116 2484009.

Mail stolen

BIRSTALL’S BEAT bobby PC Kevin Palmer reports there have been two reported incidents when mail has been taken from the post box at the junction of Orchard Road and Wanlip Lane.
The mail was later found dumped on White Horse Lane.
PC Palmer suggests that when putting mail in a postbox, you ensure that the items drop safely into the box.

Members of the St James Day Centre on their sponsored walk in Bradgate Park

Hedge laying course

PEOPLE FROM across Leicester and Leicestershire are being invited to sign up for a hedge laying course in the New Year.
The courses, organised by the Stepping Stones Countryside Management Project, are aimed at giving people who may already have some experience on hedge laying the opportunity to develop and improve their skills.
The courses may make an excellent Christmas present for an active friend or relative. Beginners would be welcome, although experience would be beneficial.
There will be two courses, on Saturday and Sunday 19 & 20 January 2002 in Ratby and February 23, 24 at Brocks Hill Environment Centre and Country Park, Oadby. People must book a place prior to the event.
The costs for the course are £15 for people living within the Stepping Stones Project Area (£25 for both courses), £25 for Leicestershire Tree Wardens, Heritage Wardens, BTCV and Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust members (£45 for both) and £50 for all others (£90 for both).
The Stepping Stones Countryside Management Project (formerly the Leicester Urban Fringe
Countryside Management Project) represents a partnership approach to working with and for people and the environment through enhancement and protection of existing countryside within the project area.
The Countryside Management Project based at Leicestershire County Council, covers a total of 300 square kilometres (113 square miles) of countryside around Leicester, including areas within the districts of Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough, Hinckley and Bosworth and Oadby and Wigston and Leicester City.
For further information and a booking form please telephone Stepping Stones Countryside Project on 0116 2657264 or BTCV on 0116 2702999.

Advice bureau

CHARNWOOD CITIZENS Advice Bureau visit Birstall once a week.
They have a wide range of information and advice on topics such as benefits, debt, employment laws, consumer problems, housing, relationship issues and negotiating with local and national authorities.
The hours in Birstall, at the old Parish Council Office in the Sibson Road car park are 9.15am-12.15pm every Tuesday morning. All advice is completely free, impartial and confidential.

Don’t leave burglars a present

“£48 MILLION Christmas present for burglars”. A recent study reveals this alarming figure, when over the country Christmas is a time when almost 80,000 homes will be burgled.
People spend a lot of money providing presents at this time of the year for their friends and relatives and display them along with the Christmas tree all decorated and lit up in the front window or porch of the house. This is a very good advert for the thief who will note that the house is a prime target. Christmas Eve is the time when a lot of houses are left unattended. People are out celebrating at a party or even have gone to Church for a service.
Late delivery of that new bicycle, doll’s pram or a similar gift which is hastily put in the shed or garage. Thieves have been known to follow these deliveries around and put them in the back of their van after the delivery is made and the shed or garage is left unlocked.
So what can we do?
Ensure that you keep all gifts out of sight of prying eyes. Make sure that if you do receive that large present that it is securely locked away, get it postcoded as soon as you can, use that postcoding pen that the watch has provided for the purpose. Be even more aware of the security of your home at this time of the year. In the daytime ensure that the milk, post and papers are taken into the house. Remove the bin bags left when the rubbish is collected, if you can’t do it ask a friendly neighbour or relation to do this as soon as possible. Draw the curtains at night, leave a security light on. If you go out leave a radio on, it’s better to tune into a speaking programme than music all the time. If you have an alarm system set it every time you leave the house, set it at night when you go to bed, most alarms today have zone settings, which you can programme. Ensure that you close all windows and they are locked. That last minute present that you bought, don’t leave it in the car on the back seat, remember that’s just what the thief is looking for, keep everything out of sight in the boot.
Shed and garage alarms, low energy automatic switch on-switch off bulbs and personal alarms can be purchased at the Watch Advice Shop on Saturday December 15 between 10am and 12 o’clock at the old Parish Council Offices, Sibson Road.
Have a safe and happy Christmas.
Peter Allen
Crime Report October 16 -November 20
Burglary Dwelling 7, Burglary Other 4, Robbery 1, Theft of Pedal Cycle 2, Theft from Motor Vehicle 11, Theft 3, Damage to Motor Vehicle 10, Criminal Damage 8

Christmas light extended

BIRSTALL’S FESTIVE lighting has been extended this year to create a spectacular display.
The Parish Council has provided 52 illuminated Christmas trees, 15 more than last year. Trees have been installed outside Wanlip Lane shops and along Hannah Parade for the first time.
The pea lights on the trees outside Greengate Medical Centre and on the Triangle have been upgraded and are brighter than last year.
The scheme has cost £4519, with some funding provided by a grant from Charnwood Borough Council. £1000 has been provided from the Parish Council’s Green Account, money obtained from the bottle banks on the Somerfield Car Park.

Sibson Road latest

PROPOSALS TO find additional funding for the Sibson Road enhancement scheme will be put to the cabinet at Charnwood Borough Council in December.
Charnwood’s Martin Tincknell said: “There has been an unavoidable delay. Progressing matters has been difficult in terms of our staff resources. There’s essentially just me and one assistant, and it’s impossible to concentrate on just the one scheme.”
He said that the Borough Council are still hoping to make a start on the work before April 1, 2002.
The original plans produced by landscape architects Paul Harris Associates were over budget. The revised plans, which still need additional funding in excess of the £185,000 allocated, no longer include any work to Hannah Parade, the pavement lighting feature or the low serpentine wall.
Mr Tincknell said: “The scheme remains a high quality one and will essentially be the same as the one put out to consultation in Birstall. Hannah Parade could be included in a possible future phase of enhancement that would also include the Triangle area.”

Members of Birstall Carers Group enjoy a skittles evening

Carers group offers help & advice

ARE YOU a carer? Do you spend much of your time looking after a relative or friend who is disabled, frail elderly or ill, on an unpaid basis?
Are there times when you would just like to pick up the phone and speak to or go and meet someone who understands, who has faced similar difficulties? Would you like a short break from caring safe in the knowledge that the person you cane for is in good hands whilst you go out? Would you like a friend to visit you just for a chat to share your problems or take your mind off them? Perhaps you would like to go out for a meal or listen to a speaker with a friendly and lively group of other carers? Would you like to know who to turn to for help or advice on carers’ needs?
Birstall Carers Support Group can help you.
We are a self help group of carers and ex-carers who meet weekly on a Friday afternoon at the St James Day Care Centre from 2pm to 3.30pm. We have an outing on the last Friday of each month when we have lunch and often visit a place of interest. Recently we played skittles, visited Staunton Harold, explored Coton Manor Gardens and visited several local hostelries. We are always on the lookout for places of interest which are not too far away, inexpensive and can be visited over an extended lunch period.
We have a small group of volunteers who offer a free sitting or visiting service. All are carefully vetted and most have experience as carers themselves. They will come to your home and stay with the person you care for for an hour or two to give you a well-deserved break or will visit you and spend a little while chatting and sharing experiences. We are proud of the friendships formed through our group.
We maintain links with other carers’ groups throughout the village, county and country. If you require information on carers’ interests even if we do not know the answer we can usually suggest who can help you. We have answered queries as diverse as “How can the person I care for take a bath?” and “What is the way to lobby parliament on increasing Invalid Care Allowance?” We are not a part of any other organisation and welcome men and women of any age, creed or race. Our aim is to help local carers.
If you are reading this and can spare an hour or two, whether you are an ex-carer or not, to help a local carer by visiting them in their home or sitting with the person they care for, we would be more than pleased to hear from you.
For more information about us or for any help you need either telephone me on 0116 2677058 or visit the Day Centre (at the corner of School Lane and Birstall Road) on a Friday afternoon.
I look forward to meeting you.
From Shelagh Noble, Secretary, Birstall Carers Support Group

Good citizen award

AT A CEREMONY in London, Birstall’s Delice Fowler has been presented with an award to recognise her good citizenship and bravery.
Delice, of Wanlip Lane, was one of five people from across the country who were presented with awards by the Ross McWhirter Foundation.
The aim of the awards, which are presented annually, is to promote the principles and practice of good citizenship and in particular the exercise of personal courage.

Delice Fowler
Over a 10 year period Delice co-ordinated Neighbourhood Watch in Birstall and established what has now become Birstall Village Watch. Throughout this period she was repeatedly harassed and on two occasions, seriously assaulted. In the last incident she was beaten up by three young men while walking in Birstall, who were incensed by her work to prevent the spread of drugs in the area.
Delice said: “It was a very proud moment for me to receive this award.”
She was nominated for the award by the Leicestershire Chief Constable, David Wyrko.

Student designers win prizes

LONGSLADE STUDENTS have scooped the top three prizes in a competition to design a new signpost.
Charnwood Borough Council organised the competition, to design a signpost feature for the new Ashby Way cycle path which links Loughborough to Shepshed.
More than 100 entries were received from all over the Borough but students on Longslade’s GCSE Graphic Products course won all the prizes on offer, with their designs coming first, second and third.
Arts Officer at Charnwood, Richard King, said: “It was the clarity of the designs that the judges liked. The winning design can be recognised easily from a distance and may be incorporated into signage for other cycle routes across the borough.”
David Lashley’s design was the overall winner, and features a stylised image of people on bikes where the front wheel of one becomes the back wheel of another. David won a Freespirit mountain bike courtesy of cycle shop Pedal Power, and he will see his design on 13 new signposts that will be erected along the new cycle route.
Josie Wells was second and Claire Loseby third, winning Pedal Power gift vouchers.
Longslade’s Head of Design Adam Brewster said: “To win first, second and third prizes is amazing. They have done very well and I am delighted with the result.”

RAFA cash

THE BIRSTALL branch of RAFA collected £4290 during Battle of Britain week in September.
Spokesman Bernard Crayfourd said: “I’d like to thank the people of Birstall for their generosity”.
The Association celebrated its 25th birthday with a dinner at the Co-op Sports and Social Club on Birstall Road. 80 members and guest attended the event, organised by John and Sylvia Collinson, and enjoyed entertainment provided by local magician Brian Lord and the Monica Osborne School of Dance.

TG News

THE SOCIAL Studies Group of the Townswomen’s Guild, Birstall were given a talk by Laura Gregory about her work in the Prison Service.
She gave members some insight to the positive things that happen in prison. She teaches officers and civilians occupational skills up to City & Guilds standards so they in turn can pass on these skills to prisoners in workshops. Laura was a very interesting speaker and she donated her fee to Cancer Research.
The meeting and Christmas party of the Townswomen’s Guild will take place on Tuesday December 18 at Highcliffe School, Birstall at 7.30pm.
From Anne Boden

December 2001 Birstall Post continues here