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Birstall Post October 2002 cont.

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Village Watch news

AGAIN THE Police are concerned about car crime. This month cars have again been targeted.

Vehicles have been damaged to obtain items that have been left in the cars and of course radios taken from them. The Watch can only repeat what it has stated before. Please put everything of value out of sight, lock up the car and if you have to park it at night try to park under a street light. Make sure that you have locked all the doors and the windows are shut. Apply a good security lock/device to disable the car so that it cannot be stolen.
Mobile phone theft is again on the increase, this is because pupils are back at school. Thieves are taking them when pupils are using them in the street. Please ensure that you are aware of who is around when you use your phone if you must use it in the open street.
Parents, do you know what your young teenage sons or daughters are doing at night?
Birstall had a case just recently of a very young teenage girl being rushed by the emergency services to the Royal Infirmary A&E department when she collapsed suffering from the effects of too much alcohol.
Her life was saved after her stomach was pumped out. This really is a very serious case. She was supplied with the alcohol by ‘friends’ who were able to buy it for her.
Again the Watch is warning people about rogue gardeners and roofers/handy man builders. Please get more than one quote if you want the job done. Don’t be taken in by door knockers looking for work. Ensure that they have a name and address on the paperwork that tells you they are in the district. If it’s only got a phone number then don’t entertain them. if you are not sure then get a friend to see them or tell them to come back later when you can have somebody else to help you make your mind up. And remember there are good tradesmen in the village who can do a good job for a fair price, why not use them?
Peter Allen, Chairman Birstall & Wanlip NHW
Crime Report: Aug 18 - Sep 17
Burglary Dwelling 1 (Greengate Lane); Burglary Other 8 (Windmill Ave, Iris Ave, Stonehill Ave, Wanlip Lane, Cliffe Rd, Acacia Ave); Theft from Motor Vehicle 5; Damage to Motor Vehicle 1; Theft 4; Criminal Damage 7

Youth team started

THE NEW rugby season is upon us again, and Birstall Rugby Club is going through an exciting era of change. A progressive committee has been working very hard throughout the summer to ensure that rugby continues to be played at the highest possible level.
Club Chairman Simon Cox said: “For some time it has been recognised that the youth of today is the club’s future and, from next season, it is the club’s intention to launch a brand new youth section for 14-16 year olds. An RFU trained coach has been engaged by the club to develop rugby at youth level in Birstall.”
At senior level, BRFC have recently confirmed their fixture list for the 2002/3 season. A full social calendar has also been programmed which includes a Halloween Party, Christmas festivities and a 10-pin bowling evening. The club will also be mounting the most ambitious tour in their history in the Spring of 2003 when they will be visiting the Czech Republic.
Simon said: “New players of any ability are always welcome and the club have never yet turned anyone away! The call is currently going out to recruit new members whether they are new to the area, have played before and would like to dust their boots down or who would like to take up a new sport. They are all more than welcome to join the club.
“We are particularly keen to attract players for the new youth section and pupils of Stonehill School and Longslade Community College will feel most welcome should they join. If you don’t fancy playing but would enjoy an afternoon’s entertainment, non-playing volunteers and spectators are always welcome.”
The club will be mounting an active recruitment drive within Birstall over the next few months and details of their fixtures will be promoted heavily.
The club also runs a full training session every Tuesday evening. Sessions are held at 7.30pm at Newfoundpool WMC Ground, Meadow Lane, Birstall.
For more details you can contact Simon Cox on 0116 268099 (daytime) or 07973 862106 at any time.

Longslade courses

LONGSLADE COLLEGE is inviting you to join a class of your choice.
French, Spanish, Italian - take your pick, places are still available on adult courses at Longslade.
Yoga on Monday mornings, 10.15 -11.45am from October 7 will start your week properly. Porcelain Dolls on Wednesdays 1-4pm will enable you to cast moulds, paint and dress dolls and get involved in a fascinating new craft.
From Tuesday October 29, Dance Fitness and Fun runs from 1.30-3pm. This is an exercise class for those with a more mature taste in movement and music, using steps from Swing to Salsa, Charleston to Cha Cha Cha.
Saturday Courses - all courses cost £12 and are from 10am to 4pm
Facial and Skin Care, October 5. Skin types, exercises, relaxing facials, face masks.
Shiatsu, November 9. Relieve stress, feeling of well-being, basic techniques
Internet Taster, November 9. For beginners, internet and E-Mail
Web Page Creation, November 9. Page layout, hypertext links, placing images etc

Dance school

TINA O’REILLY, the Principal of the Tina O’Reilly Dance School, is moving with her family to Poland for two years but the school will continue under the direction of her partner Sharon Wood.
Tina and Sharon have been pleased to welcome new teacher Krystina Biddles who qualified with the International Dance Teachers Association. She will be assisted by student teacher Felicity Norris.
The school has had three examination sessions this year, entering a total of 110 pupils ages 3-16 at each session and gaining a 100% success rate in ballet, tap, modern and theatrecraft subjects.
The autumn term has started and there will be a new class opening shortly for the 4-6 age group. A few vacancies are also available in other class age groups.
For further information about classes contact Sharon Wood on 01509 550923.

Radiator business heats up

Dean Vendyback with some of his handmade cabinets

A FLOURISHING business selling made to measure decorative radiator cabinets has been receiving praise from customers after starting four months ago.
Rad-Design, located in premises at the rear of the Posy Bowl, 59 Sibson Road and next to Birstall Car Sales, was started by Dean Vendyback of Hill Rise and his friend Carl Diglin.
Satisfied customers, including builders restoring old properties, have praised Dean for the quality of the cabinets which are all manufactured on the premises. They are supplied plain ready for paint or varnishing and there is a choice of various grilles and designs.
In just four months Dean has supplied customers from Nottingham, Loughborough, Quorn, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse Eaves, Glenfield, Thurmaston, Leicester as well as Birstall.
Enquiries are welcome at the workshop/showroom, open 9.30am-4.30pm Monday to Saturday. Tel: 2672489 or mobile 07712 043365 anytime.

Drum clinic

DRUMMERS INCORPORATED, based in Thurmaston, will be staging a drum clinic featuring Crissy Lee, one of the finest female drummers in Europe.
She started her career with the Ivy Benson All Girl Dance Band, During the early part of her career she had her own group who were the support band for the Beatles on their first Spanish tour. She has worked with many stars including Tom Jones, Lulu and Gene Pitney and was Musical Director for many stars such as Ken Dodd and Bob Monkhouse.
The clinic will be staged on Sunday October 13 at 3pm at Syston Royal British Legion Club, Melton Road, Syston, Leicester.
Drummers Incorporated are the UK’s leading society for drummers. Last year they staged a successful clinic and masterclass featuring Carl Palmer of 70s rock icons, Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame. Earlier in the year the society arranged for a group of its members a factory tour of local percussion giants Premier. Anyone requiring more details should contact Tony Bingham on 0116 2640618.

Cat’s pyjamas

BIRSTALL REVEREND Chris Gray dons an interesting outfit at a recent cream tea event to raise money for Birstall Methodist Church’s Vision 2000 project.

Cash raised

The Birstall Methodist Thursday Group presented a cheque for £1,100 on September 5 to the Chaplain of the Leicester Mission to the Deaf. This was the result of their project for the past year.

The real M.E.

Sian Michelle-Colver 

A TEENAGE girl from Birstall with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is determined not to let the condition rule her life.
19 year old Sian-Michelle Cover was diagnosed with the condition in 1999. Sian said: "Most of the people who know me probably perceive me as a bubbly, effervescent and sometimes slightly outrageous nineteen year old. I can't blame them for coming to that conclusion because those are the
characteristics that I like to show to the public. However, now that I have got M.E there is a whole other side to my life that you just wouldn't visualize by looking at me"

overwhelming fatigue
M.E ,or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is a physical illness characterised by exhaustion and overwhelming fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, sore throats and poor concentration. These symptoms fluctuate from hour to hour and day to day, and are often made worse by physical or mental over activity. This means that the sufferer has good times and bad times and every day is different for them. Although the illness is not terminal, it can be extremely debilitating and research suggests that M.E is the result of persistent viruses. There is no cure but it is supposed to disappear over time.
"M.E is like having permanent flu and it's certainly not something I would say I have got in flippant way" said Sian. "Most people don't understand this illness and they adopt the sentiment of 'you don't look ill and therefore you can't be ill'. It's so hard for people to understand that it is feasible to look perfectly healthy but feel like you want to collapse inside. This illness does not receive widespread attention and understanding as a whole. I did not contact the Birstall Post to make people pity me but to try and dispel the misunderstanding surrounding the condition."

I had no idea what was wrong
Sian started to feel ill a year before her G.C.S.E's began. She said: "I had no idea what was wrong but I was determined to get my qualifications. I tried to ignore how I was feeling but the excruciating headaches worsened and I was sent to see a neurologist at the hospital who could only diagnose migraines. I was so shocked when I learnt that I had passed all my G.C.S.E's with good grades because I had sat the majority of them feeling as though I'd had no sleep for weeks. "
In the summer of ninety-nine Sian picked up tonsillitis in Gran Canaria and was given a course of antibiotics, which she had a very bad reaction to. "In the middle of the night my throat began to close and my face was so swollen I couldn't open my eyes. My parents called the emergency doctor who gave me a steroid injection and said that I would've died from anaphylactic shock if he had not been called. After that I started to pick up every cold and bug around. I began the sixth form at Rawlins optimistic and after being sent back to see a specialist, he finally diagnosed M.E. Luckily, most of my teachers understood and with the support I received from the staff, some of who were like friends to me, I managed to achieve all my goals and passed all my A-levels, even getting an A in one of them!"

sitting at home is tedious
She added: "When I think back, being at college and being ill was a very hard challenge to put myself through. I tried to do whole days at Rawlins but being around my friends made me bubbly and loud and as the energy spurts wore off I became exhausted by lunchtime. I constantly had to take time off and people just thought I was saying I had M.E so I could miss lessons. I can't believe how people can be so oblivious to the fact that sitting at home is so mind numbingly tedious. However, I can understand how it is impossible to look at me and think I don't look ill.
" I've lost count of the amount of times people come up to me and make comments laced with sarcasm such as 'are you not working today?' or 'aren't you going Uni then?'. It hurts because deep down I know that they think that I am just lazy. People can be so shallow and I get sick of their degrading comments and tired of constantly having to explain my situation. My reaction to people like that is 'why would a person who has so much energy in their soul pretend to be tired?'-It makes no sense. If I had the nerve I would probably tell them to use visual imagery because M.E is like caging a wild tiger. The animal doesn't want to be held back but it has no control over its fate."

I am determined
Most of Sian's friends would never guess there is something wrong because to them, and in the words of her friend Nicola, she's a 'funny and off-the-wall wild-child!'. Sian said: "I don't go out a lot at night, luckily I hate nightclubs anyway, but I don't sit around doing nothing all day because I know that if I do I will give up and get worse. I force myself to work part-time and my boss Simon is really understanding. I am hoping to help at my old school and I am writing a book-I like to be occupied! I definitely don't want to waste my life and I am determined to make something of myself. I have been offered several singing jobs but I know that I've got to get through this first and that incredibly frustrating. If the singing doesn't work out though I want to be a teacher or a counsellor because I love helping people. I find it confusing to see people wasting their lives and giving up on their dreams. I would give anything to be able to do what I want and watching teenagers around me I can't understand why they don't take all the opportunities open to them."
Sian added: "Many people, including loads of famous ones, have had ME, managed to fight the illness and are now living a 'normal' life. This gives me a great deal of motivation and hope because it shows me that it is possible to get over M.E and that one day I will be able to fulfil some of my dreams that seem so out of reach at the moment.

emotions run deeper than you think
"I've learnt a lot over the past few years. I have learnt not to judge people before getting to know them properly. I have also discovered that the way people look externally doesn't necessarily reflect how they actually are: a persons emotions run deeper than you think and people are very good at creating a false persona. I have also found out that your true friends are those that stick by you through thick and thin and accept you for who you are, disregarding your flaws. Friends that create negative feelings or gossip about behind you back are just not worth bothering about. The majority of my friends are a lot older than me because they don't judge me or put me down. The people that have come the closest to understanding me are those that have been there when I am on a low. They have seen the other side and are not fooled by the mask I hide behind. These people constantly encourage me to be positive and to look at the things I have achieved and without them I would be lost. I really feel that I owe them so much and they probably have no idea how much of an inspiration and a support they have been to me. They know who they are and I would like to let you know that I am deeply appreciative of everything you have done."

Sian would like to hear from anyone in Birstall who has ME. You can email her on sian.colver@ntlworld.com

Noticeboard

Your Say...

Many years ago I was given a cutting from a buddleia. It flourished. Two selfsetters from it are also doing well. Every year they have been deciduous, but this year they have continued to flower the whole year round. I am wondering if other buddleias have been the same?
I’d be interested to find out.
Yours with many grateful thanks for ‘Nature Notes’.
Eva Pearson (Mrs)

BESIDES A new fleet of buses the Arriva Company has significantly altered the timetable from September. It appears that Arriva runs the full service, no longer sharing this with Kinchbus.
A close examination of the new timetable reveals a number of alterations that affect Birstall bus travellers.
Throughout the day there is a 10 minute frequency (previously 15 minute) except between 8.03 and 8.19 when there is a 16 minute gap (right in the rush hour!) for buses going to Leicester.
For early morning passengers heading towards Loughborough there is an earlier bus now at 5.42am.
Evening buses still run hourly (45 minutes past the hour at Windmill Avenue) but an extra service leaves Windmill Avenue at 7.15pm.
Buses for Loughborough no longer serve Derby Road and lower part of Alan Moss Road (the old 126 route), all buses run via Derby Square and Ashby Road.
126 buses only run to Loughborough terminating at the Old Ashby Road/.New Ashby Road Junction. 127 buses continue to Shepshed.
125 evening buses still run through to Coalville.
The old timetable allowed 22 minutes from Sibson Road to St Margaret’s Bus Station, the new timetable has reduced this to 17 minutes (we guess the buses won’t go faster, but the timetable reflects what actually happens!)
Timetables (issue 39) are available from Birstall Library.
Kinchbus still runs the number 2 Service via Sileby to Loughborough (about 2 per hour) and the X26 service runs roughly hourly from the new estates in Mountsorrel in Leicester, this last service does run right into High Street and not into St Margaret’s Bus Station.
Altogether in the working day there are at least 8 buses per hour along the main road, but alas poor Wanlip only gets one service during the day, at 9.27 into Leicester, but they do get the hourly 125 Service in the evening!
Name and address supplied

I was pleased to see that your correspondent, Mr J B Hill, highlighted the excellent GCSE results achieved by students at Longslade Community College last year (55% of students gained five or more grades between A* and C). He was also correct in stating that, as a result of this outstanding success, Longslade received a School Achievement Award from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
The Guidance Document issued by the DfES to schools in March 2002 (ref: DfES/0240/2002) states quite clearly how this Award must be used: “Awards must be used to fund bonus payments to staff (including former staff) and any costs directly involved in making those payments, such as National Insurance, tax and payroll charges. They cannot be used for anything else.”
Both I and many staff at the College would have preferred to use the Award to add to the many improvements which have occurred at Longslade since our success in becoming a Specialist Technology College. However, we were not allowed to do so.
Geoff Court
Principal, Longslade College

Following the successful six-a-side competition organised by Kimberley Town FC this summer when teams of young boys and girls competed for the Kimberley Cup and the Kimberley Classic the club has decided to run them again next year.
We appreciated that we are informing clubs early. However we were full last season at a number of age groups and we see the same happening again this time around. We cater for age groups Under 8-9-10-11-12 & 13 boys and the girls ages Under 10-12 & 14.
You can find out more information by going to our website www.kimberleytownfc.c.uk or calling 07000 266742 for an entry pack. As teams enrol they will also be featured on our very popular website.
We did have teams from your area last time so we thought there may be others in the area interested.
Graeme Critchley

After a pleasant conversation on how good the refurbishment of Sibson Road was looking and commenting that I hoped cars would not be allowed on the pavement and so damage the newly laid paving stones, I went shopping and lo and behold there was a car on the pavement.
When will motorists use their legs now and again when we have been generously gifted a spacious car park.
A speechless
Mrs Jean Ward

Through the Birstall Post, may I say a big ‘thank you’ to all the people who have made Birstall look so nice this year with the troughs of flowers and hanging baskets along Sibson Road, Front Street and around The Triangle and Playing Fields and other places in the village. The flowers have really been lovely.
Right from when the snowdrops, daffodils and forsythia show in spring until now in late summer, the whole village has been ‘in bloom’ and the gardens have been beautiful. Thank you, everybody, for the pleasure you have given me.
Mrs L Reid

I do enjoy the Birstall Post. It is very well presented on all aspects of the community. Many people between them must work very hard indeed. I have enjoyed the little saga between Mrs Carol Woods and Mr Peter West; however I thought that Mrs Woods’ letter regarding the Queen’s Golden Jubilee describing Parish Councillors as “so called representatives” was in very bad taste and low class. The reply in the August Post by Mr Peter West made excellent reading.
However in the September Post Mrs Woods insinuated that Mr Peter West expected letters of praise for his work, unlike others who go quietly about their business. Well if everyone went quietly about their business this little saga need never have started.
Mrs B.R.G.

Methodist news

OUR WEEKDAY pre-school has, at long last, received the formal report of the OFSTED inspection that took place last winter.
A good report was given in all areas of the work of the pre-school. The only significant criticism was one of safety concerning the radiators, and several months ago these large radiators were all enclosed to avoid any danger to the children. The inspectors also suggested a door alarm which has now been fixed. The OFSTED inspectors will make a further follow-up visit shortly.
Although the contract has been placed for the building work that is to be done in the church itself and windows and lighting have been ordered, a start date has still not yet been fixed. Whilst the work is underway, some of the church parking spaces on The Crossways may be lost for a time.
Fundraising continues for this project. The Barn Dance on September 21 was well supported with almost every ticket sold. Our next event is an Auction Sale on October 12. If you have anything we can sell please contact Mrs Wendy Allan 2677077, but no large items of furniture this time. Viewing is from 12noon and the sale starts at 2pm. In November we have a Fashion Show by Jennings of Syston on Monday November 11 at 7.30pm. Tickets £4 from Mrs C Tilford tel:2100915. Our Gift Day at the end of August raised just over £4000.
Plans are getting under way for a major event on November 29 & 30. A Christmas Tree Festival is being planned. The event will include an outdoor Christmas Market, which will run on the Friday evening and Saturday.
Two of our ladies groups will be presenting cheques for funds they have raised during the last 12 months, the Women’s Group who meet on Monday have raised £2400 to be split equally between Alzheimer’s & Dementia Society, Leicestershire & Rutland and the children section of the Society for the Blind. During the summer they had informal gatherings and gave proceeds to LOROS, Marie Curie and The Samaritans. The Thursday Group has raised £1100 for the Leicester Mission for the Deaf.
On Sunday October 27 we welcome Mr John Aldridge, who was at one time managing director of the Leicester Mercury. He is a great communicator and he will be leading both services on October 27.

TG news

IN AUGUST the Townswomen’s Guild went on their summer outing to Skegness.
In spite of the weather one or two ventured for a paddle in the sea and everyone seemed to enjoy the day. Many thanks to Val Skeffington who organised the day and provided prizes for a raffle.
Because of the school holidays Jill Bailey invited the Social Studies group to meet at her home. She had the full complement of 24 ladies attending her ‘Summer Evening’. Delicious refreshments were offered and there was a quiz on proverbs which was won by Marjorie Heath. Thanks to Jill and Christine Gunn for giving everyone a relaxed and enjoyable evening, and to all the knitters for their fine effort producing lengths of knitting to be added to the scarf for ‘Rainbows’ hospice. Sponsorship money amounted to £155.90.
The next meeting of the TG will be at Highcliffe School, Birstall on Tuesday October 15 at 7.30pm when Mrs E Riding will be the guest speaker, her topic being ‘Polly Put The Kettle On’. Visitors welcome.
From A Boden

Age Concern Info

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Risks and Benefits
The Department of Health has issued a statement advising on the risks and benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) following the announcement that an American study into the treatment has been halted prematurely.
The statement indicates that the Women’s Health Initiative Study (which was set up to find out if HRT can prevent heart disease in asymptomatic women between 50 and 79) found that, after five years, there is an increased risk of breast cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke but reductions in the risk of colorectal cancer and hip fracture. The women in the study were not taking HRT to relieve menopausal symptoms and the HRT product is not exactly the same as that used in the UK.
The Committee on Safety of Medicines has therefore advised that this new data confirms what was already known about HRT increasing risk of breast cancer and provides new findings regarding the increased risk of stroke. Overall, the study found no difference in mortality and no overall increase in cancers but does confirm that HRT should not be used to help prevent coronary heart disease.
The statement stresses the importance of women discussing any concerns they have with their GP and that women who use HRT should have regular checkups.

Fitness for the Over 60s
A book recently published is based on the YMCA Fitness Industry Training exercise instructor training programme and has been developed to help teach older people who want to regain and maintain fitness. The exercises focus on strengthening muscles and bones, improving stamina and increasing flexibility and balance.
The book has seven chapters, including the case for exercise, the physiological changes that happen as people get older, preparing to exercise, how the programme works and the actual Fitness for Life Exercise Plan. There are five workout options: the warm up; mini conditioning; muscle conditioning; stamina conditioning; and complete conditioning. For each set of exercises there are pictures and technique tips. The book also outlines further reading.
Fitness for the Over 60s, by Susie Dinan and Dr Craig Sharp. 2nd ed. 144pp. price £10.99. Available from Piatkus Books, 5 Windmill Street, London W1T 2JA. Tel: 020 7631 0710. Fax: 020 7436 7137.

The Crisis Re Pension Funds
Many workers have found in recent months that they are not going to receive the amount of pension from their occupational fund which they had been expecting. Many firms have closed final salary pension schemes to new employees and to long-term employees as well. A recent report states that people need a pension of more than half their final year’s salary to retire comfortably but just 8.7 million are like to achieve this - a significant drop from 10.75 million six years ago. At least 16.1 million people will have an income of less than 40 per cent of their final year’s salary in retirement. This figure has jumped from 10 million six years ago as one million more people are pushed into claiming social security benefit each year.
The Government commissioned pensions expert Alan Pickering to make a study of pensions and to produce recommendations for reforming the situation. His report was published a few weeks ago. Perhaps his most radical and controversial recommendation appears to be that company pension funds would no longer be obligated paying benefits to pensioners’ widows and widowers. His other key suggestions were: end of inflation link for company pensions; easier for people to accumulate pensions; private pension laws scrapped; a new pensions act; getting rid of ‘red tape’; fewer types of pensions; give employees more freedom to design their own pensions; less government interference
Work and Pensions Secretary, Andrew Smith MP welcomed the report describing it as “radical, ambitious and pragmatic”. However, he added that the proposals “are not attractive” on first reading.
The Report, which is really aimed at finding ways to make workers shoulder more responsibility for saving for their retirement, received the following reaction from Age Concern’s Executive Director, Gordon Lishman: “Millions of younger people risk being short-changed in retirement because they don’t understand how much they need to put aside or how the pensions system works. Age Concern strongly supports simplifying the pensions system to help people plan better for their retirement. The new proposals should make it easier for employers to offer good pension schemes. Currently the system is so complex people are literally gambling on their future. However, simplifying schemes must not be at the expense of people’s pension rights. Any changes which would reduce requirements to increase pensions in line with inflation could have a devastating effect on the welfare of many pensioners as they grow older. Instead of sharing in the prosperity of the nation, they could see the real value of their income go down in retirement.
“Older women are most likely to be struggling on low incomes in retirement. if there were moves to alter the payment of survivors’ benefits this would be likely to make the struggle for many women even harder.”
Jex Woods

Alpha course supper

ST JAMES the Great Church in Birstall is inviting people to a supper party in the Village Hall in September. This supper is designed to introduce local people to the Alpha course, which provides an opportunity to explore the meaning of life.
More than 1.3million people across the UK are already estimated to have taken part in local Alpha courses, according to statistics compiled by the Christian Research organisation.
St James Church is joining with 7300 churches of all denominations across the country in a major national advertising campaign this September, with a new range of striking poster designs promoting local Alpha courses.
The new designs will be displayed on more than 1500 billboards and thousands of buses across the UK - as well as in tens of thousands of churches and homes - advertising the Alpha course.
The campaign forms part of the churches’ plan to reverse the decline in attendance over the past twenty years. Only 7.5% of the population now regularly attend church, but many churches running Alpha report that their congregations are growing as a result.
Rev Sue Wicks, Curate at St James, said: “The Alpha course is a practical and contemporary introduction to the Christian faith and provides a relaxed and informal opportunity for participants to make up their own mind about Christianity. It is constructed over one meeting a week for ten weeks and has become increasingly successful in the UK over the last six years.”
She added: “Alpha is a wonderful opportunity for anyone to investigate the Christian faith and to look for answers to life’s big questions.”

Planning applications

Mr S Raikundalia - site for erection of 1 detached bungalow. 35 Went Rd
TSN & JD Coleman - erection of linked garage to side of semi detached dwelling. 199 Harrowgate Dr.
Mr & Mrs Liquorish - erection of two storey extension to side and conservatory to rear of semi detached house. 92 Curzon Avenue
Mr & Mrs Burton - extension for conservatory to rear of semi detached house. 26 Johnson Rd.
Mr & Mrs Boddy - erection of 1st floor extension to rear of semi detached dwelling. 21 Goscote Hall Rd
Mr & Mrs White - erection of conservatory to rear of semi detached dwelling. 647 Loughborough Rd.
Mr & Mrs T Hemming - erection of single storey extension to rear and side of detached dwelling, 85 Roman Rd
Mr & Mrs R Mistry - extension of semi detached house for 1st floor en suite and pitched roof. 29 Fieldgate Crescent
Mr & Mrs I Walden - erection of two storey extension to side and single storey extension to rear of semi detached house. 1 Lodgewood Avenue
Mr & Mrs P Lucas - erection of conservatory to rear of semi detached house. 107 Greengate lane
Severn Trent Water - proposed sewage sludge dewatering facilities and ancillary development. Wanlip Sewage Treatment Works , Fillingate, Wanlip