Finals day at tennis club
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Laura Morley was the
ace in the pack at Birstall Watermead Tennis Club’s Finals
Day last month.
Laura, who is a regular member of the first ladies league team,
won three titles in all. She clinched the ladies singles event,
beating Mary Whiteman. Then she teamed up with Adam Warrington
to win the mixed title against David Hutchinson and Chris Muir.
Pics: (below) David Hutchinson, left, winner
of men’s singles, with runner-up Adam Warrington. (Above)
Laura Morley (left) with her mother Wendy - winners of the Ladies
Doubles
Laura’s third triumph on a blisteringly hot September day
was a real family affair - mum Wendy got in on the act to partner
her daughter to win the ladies’ doubles against Chris Muir
and Deborah Lewin.
The standard of tennis throughout finals day was high, exemplified
by the men’s singles in which defending champion David Hutchinson
beat Adam Warrington in straight sets.
In the men’s doubles final, Mark Whiteman and club newcomer
Darryl Hill overcame David Hutchinson and another new member
Tim Clarke.
Not to be outdone, the youngsters were able to take centre stage
later in the day, with John Hurst winning the under 18s singles
event against Ryan Black.
John has already had first team experience during the summer
league matches, and is one of a new wave of young players coming
through the ranks, thanks in part to Laura who has been responsible
for junior coaching.
The tennis club, which is based at the Co-op Sports and Social
Club on Birstall Road, is entering a new era, with an influx
of new members, and greatly improved facilities. The club room
has undergone a major facelift and floodlighting of two of the
courts should have been completed as this month’s Post went
to press.
Keeping up the feelgood factor, the club is aiming to make this
month’s Presentation Night in the main hall at the social
club a huge success. This year trophies will be handed out during
an evening of top-class cabaret.
All club members, friends and family are being invited along
to the event at 7.30pm on Saturday, October 9. Tickets are £5
each or £12.50 for a family.
With the club enjoying something of a renaissance, why not be
part of its sporting and social set-up. The club would particularly
like to hear from potential female members to strengthen the
two ladies league teams.
if anyone is interested in joining this expanding club, then
contact chairman and treasurer Roger Bartlett on 2675273, or
secretary Laura Morley on 2674844.
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History on show
PICTURED AT Birstall and District Local
History Society’s exhibition are Society members (l-r) Tony
Bradley, Renelle Bradley and Linda Mason.
The exhibition, staged in Birstall Methodist Church on September
24 and 25, featured 200 photographs and documents.
In the foregound is an English Civil War Royal Artillery cannon
ball found in Roman Road in 1968 and a WWII fragment of a German
aerial mine that exploded by the railway on Greengate Lane.
Improve health at centre
IF YOU are interested in improving your
health, and live near to the new Soar Valley Leisure Centre in
Mountsorrel, you might like to know that there are now exercise
referral classes available for you to attend.
Aimed at people with health problems who feel that doing a bit
of exercise will help them to feel better, the exercise referral
scheme has been running in Charnwood for 8 years. Active lifestyle
Development Officer, Nita Pearson said: “The referral scheme
is a great scheme for improving the health of the residents of
the Borough. In the past, people have been able to access sessions
at Browns Lane in Loughborough and some village classes, but
there has never been anything available in Mountsorrel or surrounding
villages for people to attend. This has now been rectified, and
we can offer both exercise to music and aqua sessions for people
who are referred by their doctor, as well as gym sessions.
“This is great news for people to access things on their
doorstep, especially if there are transport difficulties and
we are happy to provide further details if people want more information.
Contact me direct on 01509 634836”.
Work experience
LONGSLADE COLLEGE is appealing for your
help in finding work experience placements for its students.
Charlie Corcoran, Longslade’s Head of Learning for Life,
explains:
“Work Experience has been part of the Longslade Curriculum
for many years but it is changing - and we need your help.
“One of the recent changes in education has seen a growing
emphasis upon Work Related Learning or WRL. This is much more
than the traditional Careers interview and a work-experience
placement. There is greater focus upon ensuring students have
skills for adult life as well as subject knowledge. For many
that necessitates an alternative to a totally classroom-based
timetable. It is not a return to a time when, for example, those
who could did chemistry while those who could not did woodwork.
Instead Longslade College is working hard to tailor individual
students’ timetables to more meaningfully prepare them for
the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences needed to
be independent.
“For many years, with the support of local employers, we
have enabled all of our students to go out on work experience.
It has always been designed as an educational exercise that hopefully
helped students to develop or extend the range of skills and
knowledge that will be relevant to their working life. Now we
are seeking to further stimulate their interest and understanding
of the world of work, business and industry by linking the world
of work with their studies in College and building more flexible
timetables where appropriate.
“We continue to offer our block placements, for Post 16
from Feb 7-11, 2005 and Year 10 from May 3-13, 2005, but we are
increasingly looking for opportunities at other times to suit
the needs of individual students following a specific course.
For example students studying Leisure & Tourism or Child
Care need to be able to experience work in these fields to help
them with their coursework.
“We always encourage students to make their own arrangements
wherever possible as application is part of the learning process,
but we would welcome your assistance. Whether you are the boss
or an employee, working for a vast multi-national corporation
or for a small local company, could you offer a space for one
or more of our students? Whether it is for one or both of the
block placements or the more specialist arrangements that we
negotiate for individuals we need your help.
“We provide both employers and students with all the help
and support they need to make Work Experience both safe and worthwhile.
We prepare and de-brief students before and after the experience
and visit and monitor students while they are on placement. For
everyone’s protection we follow a very detailed procedure
including our visiting the company in advance to carry out Health
and Safety, Risk Assessment and insurance checks. If you feel
that you have a suitable placement to offer, or would like further
information about our Work Related Learning programme please
contact the College and speak to myself, Lesley or Jo in the
Work Experience Office.”
Kids on reading rollercoaster
Pic: Children at Birstall library’s Reading
Rollercoaster awards night
CHILDREN AND parents packed Birstall library
last month for the presentation of the library’s Reading
Rollercoaster Awards.
The Reading Rollercoaster was a summer reading scheme designed
to encourage young people up to the age of 12 to read more books
over the summer holidays.
64 young people from Birstall received well earned medals and
certificates. There were also prizes awarded in the draw for
Adam Mayes and Sam Finlow as well as prizes for the ‘X marks
the spot competition’ for Matthew Garner, the best poster
for Alice Johnson, best rollercoaster cars for Eve Stacey, Mayur
Tailor, Isabel Hopwood, Gabrielle Oakes and Ryan Finlow and a
special prize for Dhiren Jogia.
Chris Poole, Library Development Worker at Birstall, said: “The
evening was completed by an excellent puppet show from Dragonfly
puppets that included Pinocchio, a special performance of Saturday
Night and a wonderful ‘ghostbuster’ finale. Congratulations
to all of you who took part.”
Birstall Policeman’s trip to New York
BIRSTALL BEAT Officer PC Dave Cole has
been in New York to take part in the 9/11 commemorations. Below,
he reports on his experience.
I have recently returned from my annual 9/11 trip to New York.
Together with PC Pritchard from Syston LPU and SPC Haywood from
Hamilton, we made up the Leicestershire contingent of more than
350 British Police Officers representing the 43 Police Forces
across the country.
I went to pay my respects to the families of the 2,749 victims,
including the 67 British victims and 60 fellow Police Officers
of the NYPD and Port Authority Police who fell as victims of
the attack on the World Trade Centre.
Pic: PC COle with colleague PC Pritchard at
ground zero in New York
The six day trip allowed me time to talk to New Yorkers on the
streets including one construction worker who was due to be working
with 3 colleagues on the 98th floor of the North Tower on 11th
September 2001. He told me that at the last minute he was called
away to work at another site and his 3 colleagues all perished
in the attack.
Pic: PC Cole joined a patrol of New York harbour
With the city being on the highest alert, I was invited to patrol
New York harbour with New Jersey State Troupers as part of the
Homeland Security Programme. The two-hour duty was to provide
security for New York’s tourist attractions including Ellis
Island, The Statue Of Liberty and the Brooklyn and Manhattan
Bridges.
I attended the NYPD Museum and took the opportunity to look at
the 9/11 displays. Through exclusive on-camera interviews, striking
photographs and numerous ground zero artefacts, the exhibit told
the dramatic and remarkable story of New York’s Finest through
their eyes and their words. Among the exhibits were items of
personal kit belonging to the only female NYPD Officer killed
during the attacks on the World Trade Centre. (Museum pictures).
Amid tight security we were also made welcome at the NYPD Headquarters,
where we spent the morning with the Community Affairs Department
looking at how community policing is undertaken across the five
New York Boroughs.
On the 1st and 2nd anniversaries, I undertook tours of duty at
Central Park Police Precinct. I attended again this year to renew
acquaintances with Sergeant Glen Ranroop and Police Officer Erik
Estepa. Central Park was previously known for it’s high
rate of violent crime. Nowadays it is heavily patrolled using
uniformed Officers on pedal cycles, on horseback, motorbike,
on foot and patrol car. Plain clothes Officers are also fully
utilised. The result has been that the crime rate has been dramatically
reduced and ordinary New Yorkers say that the park has been returned
to them for their enjoyment. (Interestingly, I have picked up
a few pointers for the Watermead and Birstall Parks).
The ceremony on 9/11 was as moving as ever. This year, the reading
of the victims’ names by the families bought back the feelings
of horror that was felt on that morning three years ago. During
the ceremony, we took the opportunity to think about and remember
and reflect upon the wrenching sacrifices of our fellow Police
Officers and Firefighters, who ran toward the stricken towers
as most people ran away from them. During this time of reflection,
one thing became apparent; the despair felt at those times is
being conquered by the faith and courage of New Yorkers who are
an inspiration to a city full of valour.
At other times during the trip, there were poignant reminders
(as if they were needed) of the fragility of life and reminders
of how those who promise to ‘Protect and Serve’ put
their lives at risk for their community. On 10th September and
just a few miles from where we were staying, two Police Officers
were brutally murdered on duty.
This turned our attentions back home, to the recent loss of two
of our own North Area Police Officers in the course of their
duties.
Another day, we witnessed a violent confrontation involving street
traders on 5th Avenue, Manhattan. It was difficult not to intervene,
but in a place where firearms and edged weapons are commonplace,
discretion was the better part of valour on that occasion.
We met other colourful and interesting local characters. Each,
ready to offer us their moving 911 experiences. Having been to
New York for the last three years, it is clear that there are
few New Yorkers who are untouched by the 911 attacks on their
city. They are each of them, a tribute to the enduring spirit
of freedom. This is why we must never forget and why (God willing)
I will be back in New York next year.
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