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Pic: (l-r) Ella Smith, Sophie Smith, Ryan
Smith & Reece Grewcock get a bear hug welcome
Acorn’s picnic
ACORN UNDER 5s pre-school celebrated their
21st anniversary with a teddy bears picnic attended by approximately
250 children, committee, parents and staff past and present.
Among the guests were seven of the original eight mums who got
together at each others houses so their children could play,
and sowed the seeds of Acorn as it is today. An acorn brooch
was presented to them as a memento of the occasion.
A lot of reminiscing was going on with the adults, helped by
suitable refreshments, and the children were entertain by Lollipop
the clown assisted by Winnie the Pooh and the Three Bears with
bubbles, balloons, music and sweets.
A representative from the Pre-School Learning Alliance came to
present the Accreditation Certificate awarded to the group last
June.
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Wheelies for Christmas
BIRSTALL HOMES will receive their wheelie
bins for domestic refuse by Christmas.
Charnwood Borough Council has already delivered recycling boxes
throughout the village, for glass and textiles.
Nearly 4000 residents already have one wheelie bin for the collection
of garden waste, an optional scheme that the Council launched
in August. That part of the scheme has already seen green waste
recycling rates increase by almost 700%.
Two thirds of the Borough will receive their wheelies before
Christmas while the remaining third will get their boxes and
bins in the New Year.
Earlier this month the Borough took delivery of one of six new
leased recycling freighters that will transport the recyclable
material to the County Council.
Peter Rook, the Council’s head of Technical Services said:
“The freighters and the people who work on them are the
business end of the service. The new lorries are called Duo’s
and they can take the material from the red and green sacks and
the glass and textiles from the boxes. We’ve had a few residents
ask why should they separate the material into the green and
red sacks when both are put into the one big compartment at the
back of the lorry. That’s because it is the most cost effective
way of transporting the material for sorting and the bags are
easily separated later in the process.”
David Cannon, the Council’s recycling manager said: “Now
that the wheelies are starting delivery it’s really important
that residents remember some simple does and don’ts.
First, if you think that you can’t cope with the new service
then call us and we’ll try and sort something out, second
on your collection day make sure that your bin, box and bags
are out by 7am at the edge of your property, third always bag
or wrap food waste, and fourth put your bin out with the lid
down and without any other rubbish by its side.
“Finally, I’d ask people to do the neighbourly thing
and if they know someone is away when the wheelies are delivered
to put their wheelie somewhere safe.”
Simon Collinson, who manages the Council’s Customer Contact
Centre, said: “We’ve been taking quite a few calls
from residents who want to know more about the service or who
want to sign up for the Garden Waste Collection Service. That
said, the calls are less than we anticipated as many people seem
to have used the leaflets to guide them through how the service
works. There will be another leaflet sent out with the wheelies
which will explain again how things work.”
Those with enquires can contact Charnwood on 01509 634563.
Parish Council notes
BIRSTALL PARISH Council held a full meeting
on Monday October 11.
PC David Cole reported on safety issues concerning vehicles exiting
the Somerfield car park on Wanlip Lane. He reported that the
correct procedure was for all vehicles exiting to turn left at
the stop sign onto Front Street. Those wishing to join Wanlip
Lane should then wait at the junction of Front Street and Wanlip
Lane, opposite Birstall Fisheries. The Council agreed that the
whole layout needed to be looked at and has invited the County
Council’s Highway Committee to consider it.
PC Cole reported that the new fencing erected at Stonehill School
had been successful in reducing problems, by restricting access
outside school hours.
It was reported that the Boundary Committee had agreed that Thurmaston
and Birstall should remain separate electoral areas, and should
not be combined.
The Council has put forward Meadow Lane as a suggestion for the
provision of street lighting, after Charnwood Borough Council
invited schemes for its Community Lighting Project.
The Council agreed that the Parish Clerk should be the official
source of information for the press in respect of reports of
Council meetings.
The Council agreed that the erection of a fence and the laying
of a hedge on the boundary of the School Lane fields with School
Lane and Loughborough Road be left until next year.
There has been an increase in the amount of garden waste being
dumped on the Whiles Lane embankment. The Council agreed to erect
notices stating that the Council would prosecute anyone found
dumping rubbish.
It was reported that damage to the Meadow Lane skateramp would
cost £300-£350 to put right.
It was reported that the resurfacing of Sibson Road would be
carried out in early November. Improvements were also planned
to the surface of the Blenheim Road/Lambourne Road junction and
the School Lane/Birstall Road junction.
Christmas lights
BIRSTALL’S FESTIVE lights will get
their official switch on to the accompaniment of Christmas music
performed by Birstall Brass.
The Parish Council provide the lights and have organised the
switch on, which takes place at 6pm on Sibson Road near Barclays
Bank on Friday December 3.
Tennis club’s dazzling future
Pic: Birstall Watermead Tennis Club’s
trophy winners
A BRIGHT new start and a dazzling
future - that is the ambition of Birstall Watermead Tennis Club,
following the installation of floodlights.
The £13,000 project, funded by the Co-op, who own the land
where the club is based on Birstall Road, is the latest development
at the Co-op Sports and Social Club site.
To mark the big switch-on, members took part in an informal doubles
tournament on Monday October 11. Club Chairman and treasurer
Roger Bartlett, whose hard work and determination led to the
floodlighting dream becoming a reality, said: “This is a
proud moment for the club. Now it is up to members to turn out
in force and make use of our splendid facilities.”
Two days earlier, the club had held its presentation evening
in the Sports and Social Club hall, with trophies being awarded
to winners and runners-up of events in the annual championship.
Tennis is a year round activity at the club, and men’s and
ladies’ teams are currently involved in winter league matches.
Anyone who thinks they have what it takes to play competitive,
or simply social tennis, contact Roger Bartlett on 2675273 or
secretary Laura Morley on 2674844.
Roger added: “Remember - Birstall Watermead Tennis Club
is here to serve the whole community”.
African adventure
Pic: team members Sid Barrett, Stefan Barnwell
and Wayne Stanley beside one of their vehicles.
A BIRSTALL man will be part of a team making
a gruelling 4000 mile drive from Plymouth to the Gambia in West
Africa.
Stefan Barnwell of Paget Avenue will be setting off on December
28, part of two teams from Leicestershire who are driving an
Audi 100 and a Mercedes 240D to Africa in a bid to raise funds
for registered charities in the Gambia, and the Leicester Royal
Infirmary’s Maternity Unit.
The Gambian charities support village schools and provide health
care facilities while the LRI Maternity Unit is being supported
because Stefan’s wife Emma delivered a baby boy, Ciaran,
full term but stillborn in 2002. Funds already raised have provided
equipment and helped with studies into still birth.
The 4000 mile trip to Africa is expected to take three weeks
and the organisers hope to raise funds through sponsorship and
auctioning the cars and equipment at the end of the journey.
Stefan said: “It is a chance of a lifetime for all of us
to see unusual countries and their cultures and at the same time
to help the Leicester Royal Infirmary Maternity Unit, a cause
close to our hearts”.
More than 200 teams are taking part in the Plymouth - Dakar Challenge
2005 - one of the rules is that cars must have a value of £100
or less.
Stefan and his team: Sid Barrett, Wayne Stanley and Oren Lees,
who all work at Mercedes Benz of Leicester, are looking for sponshorship
and doantions. Donations payable to ‘Ciaran’s Memorial
Fund’ can be sent c/o Mercedes Benz of Leicester, 9 St George’s
Way, Leicester LE1 1SP.
For more details contact Emma Chapman at 7 Paget Avenue, Birstall,
tel: 2210186.
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Methodist church news
Put a County Councillor and a Member of Parliament together as
part of a church service, complete with about 20 youngsters and
a full congregation and what did we end up with? A most interesting
and lively, if slightly extended, Sunday morning service.
Pic: Andy Reed MP
Initially the children, then later, Roger Wilson, put questions
to the Loughborough Labour MP, Andy Reed on October 17.
Andy told the congregation that it was Birstall Methodist Church
that set him seriously thinking about politics. The discussions,
as part of the Youth Forum (which at the time - over 20 years
ago - was led by Roger Wilson) set him thinking about the things
that were wrong in the world, and what part he might play to
put them right.
It was never his intention to be an MP. “After all”,
he said, “lads from Birstall don’t end up as Members
of Parliament.”
The youngsters’ questions ranged from “Why do members
go to sleep” (answer - it’s only the Lords that appear
to go to sleep, and they are really just listening intently)
to “How do you make friends with MPs of the opposition party”
(answer - not all politics is as cut & thrust as Prime Minister’s
Question Time).
The wide ranging questions covered his personal life, his politics,
his faith, his sport, and his family. Andrew ended the service,
which was to remind those attending of their social responsibilities
in the community, by saying that there is a biblical and historic
imperative for developing Burke’s injunction that all it
takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Deck the Halls & Christmas Market
Last year’s German Market on a Friday afternoon and evening
was so successful that it is to be repeated this year, but (so
as not to cause a problem with any ‘trade description’)
is to be called a Christmas Market.
At the same time the church will be decorated with all sorts
of decorations, including Christmas trees.
The Market will run on Friday Nov 26, from 3-9pm and ‘Deck
the Halls’ will run on Friday Nov 26 from 10am-4pm and on
Saturday Nov 27 from 10am-4pm
Wishes 4 Kids
This is a charity that our Monday Women’s Group are supporting
with their current fund raising. It grants wishes for terminally
ill children in Leicestershire. Part of the proceeds from Deck
the Halls & Christmas Market will also go directly to this
project.
Pic: Award winners all: left to right,
front row - Amy Collins, Megan Sheriff, Aimee Harrison. Lucinda
Beardsley; back row - Rachel Wheeler and Fiona Banner.
Girls’ Brigade award winners
FORTY SEVEN girls received badges and awards
at the 1st Birstall Girls’ Brigade’s awards night for
badgework including activities ranging from self defence to cookery.
Two girls, Miriam Gray and Fiona Banner, received their Brigader
brooches, the highest awards the Girls Brigade company offers.
Miriam and Fiona also received their Advanced Young Leader Awards.
Carly Belcher received her Intermediate Young Leader Award, while
Kirsty Belcher received her Foundation Young Leader Award.
The award for the best squad was won by Fiona Banner, Sofie Lewin,
Zoe Armstrong, Amy Austick, Aimee Harrison and Vicky Price.
The Jean Yates trophy for Brigaders and Seniors was presented
to Fiona Banner with Rachel Wheeler runner-up. Aimee Harrison
won the Junior Trophy with Lucinda Beardsley as runner up, while
Megan Sherriff received the Explorers Trophy with Amy Collins
as runner up.
The company meets on Tuesday evenings at Birstall Methodist Church
and caters for girls aged from five years old to seventeen and
above. For further information please ring Susan Wheeler on 0116
2209318.
Shocking find
GRANDPARENT JOHN Webb was shocked when
his seven year old grandson Jack presented him with a needle
and syringe during a trip to the School Lane playing fields.
Jack and his brother Ben were playing in the small children’s
play area when Jack found the needle near the sandpit.
Mr Webb said: “We were frightened to death and very concerned
that Jack might have injured himself. We take the children to
play there regularly.” Mr Webb disposed of the needle.
Mother Libby Moore said: “My blood ran cold when I heard
about it. We asked Jack and he said he hadn’t stabbed himself
with the needle but that could so easily have happened, if not
to him then another child.”
Mrs Moore rang the Police who said they would go and check the
area and the following morning she reported the find to Birstall
Parish Council.
The Parish Council owns and maintains the playing field. Parish
Clerk Hugh Knight said: “We are very concerned at this incident.
The playing fields are checked on a regular basis by the estates
team but we can’t guarantee we’ll always pick up everything
like this. We are finding syringes on the playing field, but
the problem is not as bad as it was two or three years ago.”
He added: “If a member of the public discovers a syringe
or needle, they should inform a Parish Council member of staff
and not dispose of the item themselves.”
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Gym’s new sponsor
GUNN’S BOXING gym in Birstall Road,
which now has 340 young people attending, has recently received
two trainers’ jackets from sponsor James Cooper of Watermead
Plumbing, and some exercise mats.
James said: “I think Carl is doing something really worthwhile
with the gym, providing something for young people to do. I am
very impressed and think that Carl and trainer Dean are doing
a magic job”.
James’ son Angelo (11) has been attending the gym for the
last 18 months and his dad says he has made great progress with
his fitness and discipline.
Pic: Trainer Dean Spencer (left), holding one of the jackets,
with Carl Gunns, James Cooper and his son Angelo
Pic: Birstall Scouts on a cycle ride past
the National Space Centre
Scouting alive and well in Birstall
SCOUTING IS alive and well in Birstall
with around 100 boys aged between 6 and 14 taking part in an
active programme of activities and events.
Scout Leader Vic Dolby said: “The Birstall group has an
excellent voluntary leadership scheme in all its sections, helping
the young people get as much as they can out of scouting with
the aim that later in life they will take an active part in their
community.”
Vic added “We have now come to a time when we would like
help in various areas so we can succeed in giving more scouting
to more young people. Are you 18 or older taking part in the
Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme or at college and require the
opportunity to work with young people, or have you taken early
retirement and are looking for something to do in the day, administration/maintenance
work, or would just like to be part of a team of friendly people
doing something for the community. If so, we would love to hear
from you”.
Give Vic, the Group Scout Leader, a call on 0116 2671465 for
an informal chat and to find out a bit more.
Beryl’s cheque
TERMINALLY ILL children in Leicestershire
will benefit thanks to the fundraising efforts of St Margaret’s
Ladies Bowling Club’s president Beryl Sherriff.
Pic: Beryl Sherriff presenting
a cheque to Russell Brickett from Wishes4Kids
Beryl has been president for the year 2003/04 and chose to support
the charity ‘Wishes 4 Kids’. She said: “I set
to and made many, many jars of jam and marmalade which I sold
to club members, family and friends. Thank you to everyone who
bought them from me and to Pete’s Greengrocer and Gordon
Davis Chemist for having boxes.”
With the help of a raffle and a surprise donation she was able
to hand over a cheque for £350 to Russell Brickett from
Wishes 4 Kids.
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