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Pic: Doug and Adrien Topley
Ruby couple
A BIRSTALL couple who met outside the village
chip shop have celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary.
Doug and Adrien Topley of Oakfield Avenue celebrated forty years
of married life with a get-together for around 115 family and
friends at the Village Hall on July 9.
The couple were presented with a surprise gift of a garden bench
by the Birstall Village Cricket Club - Doug is the club's chairman.
Adrien said: "It was so unexpected and really an emotional
moment as all the children walked in carrying the bench. - I
shed a tear."
Doug explained the recipe for a successful marriage was being
in love and sharing things fifty fifty. He said: "I can
honestly say I love Adrien as much now if not more than when
I met her."
Sibson Road tarmac
THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S plans to tarmac the
pavement on Sibson Road near the Triangle have been stopped by
Birstall Parish Council.
Having spent years negotiating and securing the Sibson Road improvement
scheme from the Alliance and Leicester to Birstall Garden Centre,
Parish Councillors were shocked at the County's plans to surface
the pavement around the Triangle with black tarmac.
Block paving was an integral part of the earlier scheme and the
Parish Council has always wanted to see it extended to the Triangle
end of Sibson Road.
The Parish Council were informed of the County's plans just days
before the work was to start. A site meeting with Council Officers
was arranged and the County have agreed to extend the block paving
from where it finishes near the Garden Centre to the Aromaspice
restaurant. Block paving of the remaining pavement will be considered
for the next financial year.
Stuart Jones, Chairman of the Parish Council, said: "We
almost had this tarmac put down and would have had to get it
dug up again and replaced with block paving. It would have been
impossible."
Driver found guilty
THE DRIVER of a car that crashed killing
a 15 year old boy from Birstall has been convicted of causing
death by dangerous driving.
The 16 year old youth who cannot be named was told by Judge Jeremy
Lea at Leicester Crown Court that he faced a period of imprisonment
at his sentencing hearing.
Jamie Yendall was a front seat passenger in a car driven by the
youth. It span out of control and crashed into a lamppost, almost
splitting the vehicle in two, on the A6 in Birstall near the
A46 roundabout. Jamie died at the scene.
The driver had bought the car, a Ford Escort XR3i 10 minutes
earlier, and had no MOT, no insurance and nor formal driving
experience.
A 17 year old rear seat passenger in the car suffered severe
leg injuries but survived the accident, which happened on December
2, 2004.
Wild in country park
Pic: Rosie Helps turning wood on a pole lathe
RAINBOWS CHILDREN'S Hospice held their
annual Wet, Wild and Wonderful event at Watermead Country Park
in September.
Visitors enjoyed displays and demonstrations including a dog
show and a dog agility competition. The event raised more than
£6000 for Rainbows.
Pic: Making woodland jewellery are (l-r):
Caroline Bowler, Charlotte Bowler, Daniel Bowler, Katie Young
and Rosie Helps.
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Club needs your help
BIRSTALL SWIMMING Club needs you!
Changes at the club mean they are urgently looking for some fresh
blood to take on the responsibilities of its day to day running.
Birstall Swimming Club has been serving the community in Birstall
and other local villages for over 25 years and is currently looking
to increase its membership for children aged 8-18. Club chairman
Darryl Bowles said: "With the club increasing in size we
are in need of fresh, new ideas and enthusiasm.
If you are interested in becoming more involved in the community
and would like the challenge of becoming the Chairman, Secretary
or Treasurer or would simply like to become a member of the committee
then please read on.
Darryl said: "All positions are voluntary and you don't
need to be able to swim to be part of the committee! All we ask
is that you are willing to attend our committee meetings on a
quarterly basis, have a basic experience of the above positions
and have basic computer skills. Full support will be given to
anyone who is interested.
"Without Management team we will be unable to continue and
therefore we would be very grateful for your assistance."
If you are interested in taking up this opportunity please contact
Darryl on 0116 2673461 or email us at birstallswimmingclub@ntlworld.com.
Summer fete and teddy bears’ picnic
Pic: John Todd (4) hooking a duck with help
from mum Lindsey
Pic: Nursery Assistant Rebbecca Hartop and
Matthew Clarke (1)
Our pictures show children, staff and visitors enjoying a
summer fete and a teddy bears’ picnice at Rainbows Nursery
on Wanlip Lane, which this year celebrates it's 15th anniversary.
Pic: cuddling a teddy bear is Sophia Fabricatore
Pic: Billy Barrie (2) & Filbert Fox
Pic: Cook Carol Evans (right) serves vistors
to the fete
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Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on September 12.
The Council agreed to a request by a resident that a bench in
the School Lane playing field be relocated.
Police Inspector Chris Alcott reported that there had been four
burglaries in the past month, with access gained via open windows.
One person is on remand for one of these offences and two others
are currently out on bail.
Inspector Alcott said there was a problem with thefts from motor
vehicles in the village - there were seven in the last month.
The Inspector reported that 'Neighbourhood Policing' was being
rolled out in the North area of the county. It would mean that
Beat Officers and PCSOs would spend as much time as possible
in their beat areas.
It was reported that once the decoration of a room in the old
council Offices, 10 Sibson Road, was completed, the Police would
be given a key and the room used by officers.
Cllr Mary Houghton reported a man sleeping rough on the Meadow
Lane allotments. Inspector Alcott said he would investigate.
Councillors discussed plans announced the day before the meeting
by the County Council, to carry out works on the southern end
of Sibson Road's pavement. Councillors agreed that the block
paving should be continued from the garden centre to the junction
with Wanlip Lane, and that tarmaccing the pavement was unsatisfactory.
Cllr Peter West reported that the Standards Board for England
would be taking no action in respect of complaints made to them
about Cllr Chris Clarke. The complaints were that he failed to
produce a satisfactory letter of apology following the finding
against him at a hearing of the Standards Panel at Charnwood
Borough Council, and that he had brought the Parish Council into
disrepute with remarks made in an article published in the Leicester
Mercury.
The council agreed to spend £2520 on six new litter bins.
It was reported that the Dog Warden has issued a further fixed
penalty fine to a dog owner. It was agreed that her contract
be continued. Free poop scoop bags are available from the Parish
Council Office in the Village Hall.
Volunteers given medals
FIVE VOLUNTEERS from Birstall have been
awarded a medal to recognise the contribution they have made
to the community.
2005 has been designated the Year of the Volunteer by Community
Service Volunteers (CSV), a national body that promotes volunteering.
It invited the public to nominate 2005 volunteers across England
to be the recipients of Year of the Volunteer Medals, produced
by the Royal Mint.
Leicestershire Winners will be presented with their medals by
Lady Gretton, the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire and the Lord
Mayor of Leicester at a ceremony in Leicester Town Hall in November.
Dorothy Marshall, Brenda Watts and John Tomlinson from the Friends
of Belgrave Cemetery Group are medal winners. Dorothy said: "We
feel honoured to receive this recognition, I'm delighted that
the Group has had this honour." Dorothy has also been selected
for the next stage of the CSV Awards.
Andy Corbett, a cricket coach at Birstall Village Cricket Club's
junior section is another winner. He said "This is an unexpected
surprise and a shock, and being presented with a medal by the
Lord Lieutenant is going to be a day to remember. All the lads
who I meet playing cricket have made it all worthwhile and they
have helped towards receiving this award. If they enjoy playing,
I've done my job."
Carl Gunns, the founder of Gunns' Boxing Gym on Birstall Road,
has won a medal and like Dorothy Marshall, has also reached the
next stage of CSV's Year of the Volunteer Awards.
Carl and Dorothy are two of 450 volunteers chosen from the 2005
medal winners that have been identified as making an outstanding
contribution to volunteering, and they have been invited to a
National Awards ceremony at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.
Carl said: "I am delighted, and delighted for the gym as
well, it's great that the work we do together, the kids and myself,
is recognised."
Bag snatch man
A MAN who tried to snatch a handbag from
a woman in Blenheim Road has pleaded guilty to the offence.
Matthew George Frape (33) of Mottisford Road, Abbey Rise, Leicester,
attempted to rob the woman on June 18.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Frape had previously been sentenced
to four years imprisonment for a similar offence and had carried
out the attempted robbery in Birstall shortly after being released.
After entering a guilty plea, the case was adjourned for the
preparation of psychiatric reports and Frape was remanded in
custody until November 14.
Bowling club
BIRSTALL BOWLING Club's Diamond Jubilee
season is coming to an end but the success continues.
The Sands team has gained promotion to Division 2 of the Monday
Afternoon Loughborough Triples League, after winning Division
3 in just their third season in the competition. Birstall's other
team, the Lighthouse, finished mid-table in Division 1.
Birstall were represented in this year's Leicestershire County
Finals, with Diane and John Hurst playing in the Mixed Pairs.
Having won through six previous rounds, they finished runners
up, losing 10-24 to Bob Burton and Kate Kyle from Shepshed.
On the same day the club played in the semi final of the County
Unbadged Double Rinks competition but lost to Quorn by 7 shots.
Scores: Dennis Measom, Rick Everitt, John Lee and Stuart Hartop
won 23-19. Grahame White, John Hurst, Jan Hunt and Dave Clarke
lost 17-28.
In the annual charity match against Rushey Mead, which Birstall
won 93-89, £170 was raised for the local St John Ambulance
branch thanks to donations from both clubs.
New rooms
TWO NEW teaching classrooms were constructed
at Longslade College during the summer holidays.
The new rooms are on the ground floor of the library block and
will be used for personal development teaching. Principal Dr
Mike Griffiths said: "The rooms will ease the congestion
of teaching areas around the college with our extra numbers of
students this year."
Tennis titles
A NEW member took two major honours in
last month's championship finals at Birstall Watermead Tennis
club.
Graham Smith beat reigning champion David Hutchinson in three
sets to win the men's singles final, and in the men's doubles,
Graham and partner Mahesh Parmar beat Daryl Hill and Christian
Berry.
In the ladies' singles final, teenage Emma Hill beat Audrey Preston,
while in the ladies' doubles, the pair combined to defeat Deborah
Lewin and Ronnie Tinsley.
Mahesh Parmar and Caroline Burrows then clinched the mixed doubles
title when they beat Roger Bartlett and Wendy Morley in the final.
A recent influx of new members has helped to boost the quality
and spirit of tennis at the club and this was reflected in the
exciting championship events.
A spokesman said: "The final piece of the jigsaw in the
club's ongoing improvements is set to fall into place this autumn
with the resurfacing of the third court and will be ready for
matches next year. Floodlights, a spacious club room and resurfacing
of courts one and two have already provided a great fillip for
members and the committee is looking forward with anticipation
to 2006."
Safer at home
OVER 60, living in North West Leicestershire,
Charnwood or Hinckley and Bosworth and have less than £25,000
in savings?
If the answer is 'yes' then there is a free service available
to you. The Safe at Home/Help the Aged service makes older people's
homes more safe and secure, reducing the risk of loss through
burglary and providing peace of mind. The scheme provides and
installs for free a range of safety and security items including
door and window locks, door chains, spy holes and smoke alarms.
Further details from Safe at Home on 01530 837097 or write to
2 Mantle Lane, Coalville LE67 3DW.
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