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Birstall Post October 2002 (231) continued

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New woodland

Birstall Brownies plant a tree

CHARNWOOD WILDLIFE is inviting local people to come along to Birstall Library to view a special display featuring the newly planted Birstall Wet Woodland.
The display will run from Monday, December 2 - Saturday, December 14 and explains the choice of native species and how the woodland creation ties in with the Charnwood Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
The display also highlights local community involvement in the wet woodland planting, which was carried out in fields next to Watermead Country Park, off Worcester Avenue, Birstall.
Francoise Scire, Senior Ecologist with Charnwood Wildlife, said: “The Charnwood BAP calls for the creation of 10 hectares of wet woodland by 2005 and it seemed entirely appropriate to create this less common habitat adjacent to an existing wetland area. Typical wet woodland species such as willow and ash were planted, with community involvement through the 1st Birstall Brownies and Charnwood Conservation Volunteers.”
She added: “The display should provide an interesting snapshot of the work carried out to date, including how you can become involved in local wildlife conservation. Why not pop into Birstall Library to see for yourself?”
If you require any further information, please contact Charnwood Wildlife on 01509 264714.

Music festival success

HIGHCLIFFE HARMONY, a mixed voice choir which is directed by Carolyn Necklen, won the Open Choirs Class at the Leicester Music Festival to reach the final of the competition.
The choir, which also came second in the Sacred Music Class, won the Leicester Mercury Silver Disc for winning the Open class.
Highcliffe Harmony, which meets every Wednesday evening at 7.30pm at Highcliffe Primary School, is available for bookings. Phone 2675654 for further details
Pic: Carolyn Necklyn (right) and Diane Hurst holding the award, surrounded by other choir members.

Brigade’s award night

Back row (l-r): Mrs Margaret Edwards, Fiona Banner, Kirsty Belcher, Rachel Clarke, Rachel Wheeler, Beth Ellison, Mrs Susan Wheeler. Front row (l-r): Megan Smart, Sofie Lewin, Anna Schwarzenberger, Cathryn Ellison, Aimee Harrison, Zoe Armstrong

FIRST BIRSTALL Girls Brigade have celebrated their annual awards night.
As well as announcing key awards for the past year, the evening gave the girls a chance to demonstrate to parents and friends the range of activities they complete every Tuesday evening. The awards were made by Mrs Margaret Edwards, former County Commissioner, who presented trophies and achievement awards to over 40 girls.
The Jean Yates trophies, presented to the girl gaining the highest number of points in a year for attendance, correct uniform, and assisting at fundraising events were presented to Fiona Banner (Senior & Brigadier Section) with Kirsty Belcher as runner-up; Rachel Wheeler (Junior Section) with Beth Ellison runner-up, and Aimee Harrison (Explorer Section) with Megan Smart runner-up.
The award for the best squad went to Fiona Banner, Rachel Clarke, Sofie Lewin, Anna Schwarzenberger, Cathryn Ellison and Zoe Armstrong.
The company meets on Tuesday evening at Birstall Methodist Church from 6.30pm (start/finish times depending on age) and new members are always welcome. Further information can be obtained from Susan Wheeler, Brigade Captain, on 2209318.

Signs in park

A CRIME prevention initiative at Watermead Country Park will make the Park a safer environment for visitors.
In September, bicycles provided by City Cycles for the use of police officers from the Syston Local Policing Unit enabled higher profile policing to prevent the use of drugs, robberies and car crime, and comments from the public show that they now consider Watermead Country Park to be a safer place to visit, say local Police.
Now the erection of ten signs in the carparks, jointly funded by the Leicestershire County Council and the Charnwood Community Safety Partnership, will bring to the attention of the public that regular patrols are made to deter vehicle crime.
Inspector Duncan Cullen, Commander of the Local Policing Unit, said: “Having the signs, and the recently launched bicycle initiative, will give greater accessibility to Watermead Country Park which will have an impact on anti-social behaviour and help to prevent vehicle crime.”
A spokesperson for the Leicestershire County Council said: “Working in partnership with the Charnwood Community Safety Partnership and the Police allows the Park Rangers more time to spend on environmental initiatives in the Park, rather than on crime prevention. The signs make the public more conscious of taking care of their own property and not leaving items on view in their cars during their visit to the Park.”
Chhaya McDonald, Policy Officer at the Charnwood Borough Council, said: “This project has the full backing of the Charnwood Borough Council and the Charnwood Community Safety Partnership. This project is a wonderful example of how, by working in partnership, we can all help to reduce crime and disorder within the Charnwood area.”

Methodist news

AT LONG last the renovation work inside the Methodist Church itself has begun. Contractors are busy replacing windows and doors, rewiring, installing new lighting, new sound system, replacing toilets, repainting; in fact a whole range of work is under way at a cost that hovers around the £100,000 figure.
From the outside there is little evidence of the work, but a new disabled ramp is to be installed and double glazed units with hardwood frames will replace all the lower windows. It was expected that there would be a builders’ hut somewhere on the car park, but the contractors have managed to avoid this. Work was interrupted so that the Christmas Tree Festival could go ahead (Nov 29 & 30). It is hoped to complete stage one of the work by early December.
The laying of the carpet and the new organ screen will not be completed until the New Year. The chairs that will replace some of the pews will be the last stage of the project. We are inviting friends to buy a chair (at a cost of a little over £60). If any friends would like to buy a chair, perhaps in memory of someone, please contact Tony Moore (2676207) or the Minister Rev Chris Gray (2674117).
The fashion show in November raised a further £500 towards the project.
Although contractors are doing almost all of the work, one extra job that was not in the original contract was to build a modesty screen for the choir. Brian Young from Lawn Avenue had volunteered to convert one of the existing screens into a portable and partitioned unit. Sadly, as many friends will know Brian died suddenly in October before he was able to undertake this work. Some years ago Brian made the table that is in the lounge and used for Wednesday communion. It serves as a reminder of his craftsmanship and skill.
December is the season of Advent and all our services will have an Advent theme. The very popular candlelight carol service will be at 6pm on December 22. There is a Midnight Communion at 11.30 on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day ’All Age Worship’ at 10am.
Youngsters aged 5 to 11 are welcome to an Advent and Christmas Activities morning on Saturday December 7. This event, taking place in our main hall, is being run jointly with St James. Events include craft, songs and telling the Christmas story. It starts at 10am running until noon. If you wish to join in - turn up on the day. We are still looking for a couple of extra helpers, so if you can supervise, cut, stick and colour or make refreshments do please contact Rose Parrott tel: 2674755

Your Say...

With reference to the Parish Council notes November issue. I would think the reason for replacing the seats in the bus shelters is to enable people to sit down while waiting for buses, particularly the old and infirm, not because vandalised seats give a poor impression of Birstall.
There has been a big drive to encourage the car owner to shop in Sibson Road. There are, however, people without cars - the pensioner, the young, those who do not have the use of a car during the daytime, and those who try to limit their car use for environmental reasons.
All these people have to buy food, household goods, medicines and other necessities and luxuries. With a ten-minute bus service into Leicester often it makes more sense to sit on the bus to Leicester. The seats at St Margaret’s Bus Station are not vandalised.
G Smith

Nature Notes

I am led to believe that everyone likes a private ego-trip from time to time. Certainly at this time of year, looking back over those projects proposed in that list of good intentions from New Year’s Day 2002 and what has been achieved since, may or may not add to the pleasures of such a trip. I confess that in my case it does not. Whilst the garden fence is complete and the garden is mown and dug for the winter with all the shrubs pruned, the garage door and window still require attention, an old bicycle has not been cleaned up and sold, and the white paint on the house front still needs attention.
My financial position is even more depressing. If I look at the pile of reading, let alone the writing I have promised myself (or other people) to do, I want to hibernate. Will I never get round to all those photographs I want to take, or to learn how to use water colours?
Then I look at all those species of birds from the red data list (those whose numbers are falling rapidly) I saw during the year, and my head swells appreciably. So, what did I see?
To start with, a pair of song thrush tried to breed in a conifer in my back garden. Sadly it failed - the wind tipped the nest over, the young fell out and died, and ultimately the nest fell down. I still have it, sitting on my dustbin lid. The song thrushes did breed again and brought off a brood which were fed in my good lady friend’s garden; several weeks before a pair of siskin had stopped over in that same garden on their way back to their northern breeding areas. She also played temporary host to a great spotted woodpecker which was just passing through, and in previous years has laid claim to a cock linnet, a grey wagtail and a hen redstart.
Sparrows? I have at least six house sparrows as regulars, yet when I visit Surrey my mother tells she has not seen one for years. House sparrows are not the only members of the ‘weaver’ family in this country. A once common tree sparrow, now very rare in Leicestershire, was to be seen - one day only - perched on a telephone wire at the top of the hill by the new A46 - M1 bypass.
It would be cheating to include in this list a view of a turtle dove in Norfolk, along with linnets, but there was one linnet on the old Loughborough Echo building shortly before the Echo moved. I also claim a breeding-plumage black necked grebe in the Birstall Lakes this summer, along with views of a buzzard and a hobby which I reported in an earlier article in this series. Once migrating meadow pipit and skylarks going over the gardens were a common sight. In recent years only the pipits were to be seen, but this year the skylarks were back. And lastly there was a spotted flycatcher on the roof of a bungalow in Wanlip in September.
So, that’s my list. Surely you will have done better.
by Finch

News from the park

DO YOU remember the last weekend in October? On Sunday October 27 a deep depression from the south-west brought gusts of wind reaching gale force which affected every Country Park in Leicestershire.
All were closed for safety reasons and a large number of trees were blown over or badly damaged. This was the first time Watermead Country Park had been closed to the public.
Even during the foot and mouth crisis it had remained open.
Watermead and nearby Beacon Hill Country Park were worst hit by the winds. Monday saw the start of a very busy week. Here at Watermead the canal and towpath were blocked by two very large willows which crashed down leaving huge craters where the roots had once been. The area around the car parks at Meadow Lane, Birstall looked like a bomb had hit it with so many branches and leaves on the ground that it was difficult to see where the paths were! This really was a busy week as we struggled to clear large amounts of broken branches and in some cases whole trees. At the end of the week most of the clearing up had been done but the massive gaps in the skyline where whole trees had once stood goes to show that mother nature always has the upper hand!
On a happier note, looking back at earlier articles of ‘News from the Park’ we talked about the ringing of the juvenile herons and common terns at Watermead where the young birds have a small identification ring attached to their leg so the whereabouts of the bird can be monitored. One such bird, a now adult common tern, was found waterlogged on a beach at Accra in Ghana, West Africa. It was found earlier this year and was later released alive and well. A nice little journey of 5200km. Not bad for a bird weighing 100 grams. Again one of mother nature’s wonders!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Richard Woolley (Assistant Ranger) and all of the other Watermead Rangers.

Planning

Mr G M White - erection of one 2 storey dwelling and improved access onto Firfield Avenue. Rear of 621 Loughborough Rd
Leicester City Council - change of use from a sports field to agricultural land. Birstall Rd playing fields
Mr & Mrs R Capey-Wade - erection of 2 storey extension to side of semi detached dwelling & single story extension to rear. 4 Fielding Rd
Mr Odedra - erection of floor extension to side of detached dwelling. 10 Park House Close
Mr & Mrs I Walden - erection of 2 storey extension to side of semi detached dwelling & single storey extension to rear. l Lodgewood Ave
Mr M Aitkens - erection of conservatory & single storey extension to rear of detached bungalow. 11a Freehold Rd
Mr G M White - site for two detached dwellings. Access from Firfield Ave. Rear of 621 Loughborough Rd.
Mr N Langton - erection of two storey extension to side & rear of semi detached dwelling. 29 Holt
Rd
Mr & Mrs Glover - erection of 1st floor extension to rear of semi detached dwelling. 92 Gwendolin Ave
Mr & Mrs D Armstrong - erection of single storey extension to rear of semi detached dwelling. 91 Gwendolin Ave

Age Concern Info

Make the Move and Be Warmer This Winter
OFGEM are the body registered to licence and monitor gas and electricity suppliers, they exist to promote and protect the interests of gas and electricity customers. A MORI survey commissioned by OFGEM highlighted the fact that older customers are not taking up the opportunity to look into switching to a cheaper supplier as much as other groups.
OFGEM believed that they needed to work with an organisation such as Age Concern, that an older audience would trust in order to increase the numbers of older people who would investigate “switching”.
Age Concern England has agreed to work together with OFGEM as it is an opportunity to improve the quality of life of older people. The aim of the campaign is to ensure that older people have an equal access to information to enable them to make an informed decision about “switching” and increase awareness of the Priority Service Register.

1. Save Money by Changing Gas and Electricity Supplier
By shopping around you can save up to £100 a year if you switch both your gas and electricity suppliers. Firstly , work out how much you are paying for your gas and electricity each year - you can do this by looking at your last four quarterly bills. Ring energywatch on 0845 9060708 which can supply price comparison material and a list of suppliers operating in your area.
Sites accredited by OFGEM and energywatch are: www.uswitch.com (tel: 0800 093 0607); www.buy.co.uk (tel:0845 6012856); www.ukpower.co.uk (0800 093 2447); www.unravelit.com (tel:0845 120 2056); www.saveonyourbills.co.uk (tel: 0800 083 0808). Just enter your details and they will do the work for you.

2. Changing Suppliers is Easy
90 per cent of people who have switched their supplier said they found the process very easy, or easy. Once you have made the decision to switch, the transfer process will take about six weeks. The new supplier will do everything for you.
However there are some important things you need to do:
Pay any existing bills to your existing supplier. If you don’t it may stop you switching.
Take a meter reading on the day you change supplier. Let your new supplier know the reading so it can be used for billing purposes.

3. Get Special Help by Joining the Priority Service Register
You can also apply to register on the Priority Service Register by phoning your gas and electricity companies.
Once registered, you can benefit from the following free services:
Free gas appliance and installation safety check if you live in an all pensioner household.
Help if you have difficulty reading your meter.
Help in moving your meter if it is in an inconvenient position.
You can be given a personal password for gas and electricity company staff to use every time they call at your home to confirm they are genuine.
Help if you have difficulty using certain appliances.
Your bills can be sent to a friend or family member on your behalf.
Temporary heating and cooking facilities if you lose your gas supply.
Bills supplied in large print or in Braille.

4. You Can Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
By using energy more efficiently, you can save more money on your bills. Contract your supplier’s dedicated energy efficiency line - the telephone number will be on your gas or electricity bill. Your supplier can also provide information about the grants that are available and how you can apply for help to make your home more energy efficient.

5. You May Need to Claim Your Winter Fuel Payment
Winter Fuel Payments of up to £200 are paid automatically to most people aged 60 or over but some people (eg men of 60-64) will need to make a claim. Contact the Winter Fuel Payments hotline on: 08459 15 15 15 - for claim forms and more information. This line is open Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm.
Cold Weather Payments are made to people aged 60 or over who receive Income Support/Minimum Income Guarantee or Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance. They become available when the average temperature for your area has been or is expected to be 0 degrees Centigrade (32 degrees Fahrenheit) or below for seven consecutive days. Payments are sent automatically to people who quality and they do not affect other benefits.