Trip to Jerusalem
Helping Homeless Children
A small group from St James Church, Birstall recently spent a
wonderful 10 days in Israel on a pilgrimage holiday, led by the
Rev Sheila Skidmore. During their time there, they visited two
homes for orphaned and destitute Palestinian children in Bethany,
one of the villages torn apart by the building of the new 'security'
wall around the city by the authorities in Jerusalem.
Pic: Palestinian orphans in Jerusalem
These homes were founded by an amazing Christian Palestinian
couple, Alice and Basil Sahhar, in the 1970s, as an attempt to
rescue some of the Arab children they found on the streets, starting
with a group of 10 boys, crammed into a flat. Over the years,
the need for their work has grown rather than lessened, so donors
have raised money to build a school with a boarding facility
for 120 boys. Meanwhile the Sahhar's daughter is running a home
for over 30 girls which is in urgent need of expansion.
Thanks to gifts of many people moved by their situation, these
children aged from 3 to 18 live now out of danger, but with few
of the comforts or opportunities for play which living in even
the poorest family in this country might expect. The group from
St James would like to do what they can to help, starting with
a coffee morning at St James' Church, Church Hill on Saturday
May 20 from 10am to12noon. There will be a speaker from the friends
of the Lazarus Home for Girls at about 11am and an exhibition
of photographs of this and the Jeel Al Amal (Children of Hope)
Boys' Home. Please come and support this effort.
Other News from St James and Wanlip
There are various events this month to which all are invited,
starting with the family to the Crich Tramway Village on Saturday
May 13. Sandra may still have some places available (£8)
if you contact her on 2677238. Then, as part of the 80th anniversary
celebrations of the Leicester diocese, a touring theatre group
is presenting a drama 'which combines excitement and fun, with
a serious look at the issues which have faced our communities
down the ages'. There will be local performances at Leicester
Cathedral on Sunday May 7 at 4pm and Wednesday June 7 at 7.30pm
or at all Saints, Loughborough on Friday May 12. Tickets at £3.50
(3 for £10) can be obtained via the Church Office tel:
2671797
Many of our church members, along with Methodists and Catholics,
will be involved in collecting for Christian Aid Week from May
14 to 20 so please give generously.
Finally, 'Celebrate 80' will come to a climax on Saturday June
3, with the Big Day Out in Abbey Park for which a bus has been
arranged (to avoid parking problems) to pick up from the Village
Hall at 11am, returning at 5.30pm (ring church office on 2671797
to book). There is a huge programme of events for the day with
a communion service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the
centrepiece of the afternoon. Purple wristbands, price £1,
are on sale at the church as your admission to the day's events.
Corbett’s cricket corner
It has been a busy time for some of the
youngsters at the club.
Pic: (l-r) Head Coach Rob Drake,
Dips Patel, Russell Cobb, Ben Drake, Yash Thakrar, George Corbett
and Max Lewin at a coaching session at Grace Road.
During the winter they have been having trials at Grace Road,
the home of Leicestershire County Cricket Club. George Corbett,
Yash Thakrar, Ben Drake and Max Lewin are now waiting to hear
whether they have done enough to get in the County Under 10 squad.
Russell Cobb, Leicestershire excellence coach said: "The
lads have all done very well, it is never easy to get into any
county squad and they should be proud to have got this far. A
final decision will be made after they play on a outdoor pitch
next month."
Pic: (l-r) sisters Taylor Findley & Jodie
Findley
Pic: Decorating the changing rooms are Rob
Drake, Tom Corbett, Tom New, Doug Topley and Andy Corbett
Pic: Some of Birstall Parish Council's Estate
Team (l-r) Stuart Clare, Richard Ludlam, David Gee, Graeme Sloman
Pic: Hamish Carnan painting a sightscreen
The club is getting ready for the new season and the groundsman
have been very busy getting the pitches in good order. Birstall
Parish Council's Estate Team Manager Andy Garland said: "We
have been scarifying, cutting and heavy cross rolling the square
ready for the start of the season. I am concerned that with the
continuing growth and success of the juniors, the surfaces will
begin to suffer later on in the season, with an extra 30 matches
to be played. As long as the weather stays favourable there should
not be a problem".
As part of an English Cricket Board initiative to improve club
facilities, the club registered to join 'Cricket Force'. Over
1000 clubs throughout the country have signed up, with only 25
coming from Leicestershire The initiative was held over a weekend
in April and the aim was to get the pavilion ready for the new
season. It was given a major make-over both inside and out which
was carried out by the old faithful at Birstall Village, Steve
Findley, Andy Merry, Hamish Carnan, Rob Drake and Doug Topley..
A player from Leicestershire Tom New came to give the Birstall
lads a hand.
I would also like to thank some of the younger members of the
club who gave up their valuable free time to help and these included
Tom Corbett, Ben and Jamie Drake, and Taylor and Jodie Findley.
All we need now is the sun.
From Andy Corbett
Try bowls at open day
BIRSTALL BOWLING Club will be holding an
open evening for anyone who is interested in playing bowls.
Pic: Birstall Bowling Club members
on the new veranda outside the clubhouse on the opening day of
the new season.
This takes place at the club on School Lane Playing Fields on
Tuesday May 9 from 6.30-8pm. Everyone is welcome and all you
need are a pair of flat shoes or trainers. Club members will
be on hand to offer advice and assistance if required.
The new season started last month and the club have welcomed
several new members already. Over 40 members were at the club
on the opening day of the season and visitors to the club this
year will be able to view the changes made during the winter.
These include a new veranda, which gives access for disabled
visitors, double glazed windows that will enhance the view from
inside the clubhouse, a new kit store and general refurbishment
including painting and decorating.
For more information about the club, men can call Grahame on
2677994 or Andy on 2677100, while ladies can contact Jan on 2122578
or Diane on 2675457. You can also visit the new Birstall Bowling
club website, the address is: http://beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/birstallbowlingclub
or go to Google and search for 'Birstall Bowling Club'.
Your Say...
The short answer to Cllr Edwards comments concerning Regional
Government Bodies (RGB's) is that they have been created by this
government and specifically by dear old Two Jags (or is that
three now) himself, John Prescott.
Having been given the non-job of Deputy PM, he had to find something
to do and set about creating his own sprawling empire along old
fashioned socialist principles which include a top heavy bureaucratic
administration. Secondly, and probably more worryingly, these
useless levels of repetitive and needless government are there
to fulfil the wishes of our overlords in Brussels who would see
every country in Europe lose their national identity to become
one polyglot divided into arbitrary administrative areas, all
reporting back to some unelected faceless body within the EU.
The same process is happening to the Police force, and also shows
up in the almost terminal amount of money wasted in the NHS on
countless levels of management all checking on and repeating
the work of the level below them. This is classical Stalinism
at work, and produces the same poor results.
They should be scrapped immediately.
Nicholas G Black
Charnwood claim that they do not know the location of a further
development which is planned north of Birstall. The logical location
is NW Wanlip. Could the planners inform us of alternative locations?
The planners say that the new development would balance Hallam
Fields. What location would balance Hallam Fields? The developers
have taken SW Wanlip and joined it to Birstall. If the planers
do take NW Wanlip, then central Wanlip will be the next to be
developed. Why not rename the whole area? All this development
will bring more traffic through Birstall.
The Thurmaston County Councillor thinks the location is ideal
and that leaves Birstall and Rothley the only local people interested.
Why can't we see a complete finished plan of Hallam Fields with
all the alterations?
On an earlier map there were two roundabouts on the A6 for access/exit
to Hallam Fields. Two roundabouts are wanted now. The speed limit
of 40mph must be extended up to the A6/A46 junction now, with
better and bigger signs. A 1,000 Park & Ride must be adjacent
to the A6/A46 junction or some of the playing fields will disappear.
If more traffic comes through Birstall, more motorists will try
the very dangerous Bentley Rd manoeuvre.
If Birstall is industrialised can someone name a local hero/heroine.
Many years ago I parked my minibus some 20 metres from the statue
of Joseph Priestly (Birstall, Yorkshire)
Les Briers
I am writing regarding an incident which happed for the second
time on School Lane playing fields.
On a Tuesday afternoon whilst out with my dog and 4yr old son
who was learning to ride his bike. Our afternoon was soon to
be spoilt for the second time. We were enjoying a practice session
and were doing well (no falling off!) and keen to start off on
his own steam. When a white and black female collie came over
and attacked my dog. My dog was on the lead and was being dragged
by her tail from me. The owner, a young girl of approx 15 yrs,
was not in sight at the time. When she did come to get her dog
I said to her that's the second time your dog has done that.
She replied in an abusive and aggressive manner which my little
boy had to witness. Not once did she apologise and not once did
she stop to think about my boy or any other children onlooking.
It all makes you want to give up on today's youth and would have
if it wasn't for another teenager who stopped what he was doing
and asked if my dog was OK. She wasn't, she suffered grazing
and bruising but I replied by thanking him for asking.
It wasn't so long ago that I was a youth but I would never have
dared to swear and challenge my elders and I will certainly drum
it in to my boy that her behaviour was very, very wrong!
Hayley Kennington
May I thank everyone who helped in so many ways when the Birstall
Methodist Church recently held a Village Auction? £824
was raised toward the ongoing expenses of the church and a special
thanks is expressed to all who donated gifts for the auction
and to those who helped with the sale on the day.
John Kilby
Allow me through your columns to thank all those people who
have taken the trouble to contact Holly Hayes with records for
the local frog and toad survey I mis-organised, and to apologise
to the staff of Holly Hayes who have been swamped by the number
of calls they have received. Whilst I do not know the exact figures
I understand from the staff that they have had to ask people
to fill out 'Pondomania' forms and post them back. I must apologise,
therefore, to people who have been further inconvenienced.
For many people it appears that Holly Hayes provides a spawn
removal service; I have been asked to point out to those people
that this is not the case. Whilst it is not against the law to
remove frog spawn from your pond, nobody involved in this survey
will do it for you. I have also been asked to point out that
the Pondomania forms contains a statement that they do not apply
to gardens. These are old forms from a previous county-wide survey,
and have not been corrected for our little local one.
When I started this survey I had a verbal agreement with both
Holly Hayes and with the Birstall Post that they would collect
records for me. I did this deliberately, for large organisations
are less likely to invade the privacy of people who do not want
any 'follow-ups'. I also gave them to understand that I did not
expect a large response as I had vastly underestimated the number
of ponds with frogs in Birstall. I was wrong.
From the bluebell/ragged robin survey the Parish Council have
agreed to accept written records through their letter box. Please
note that they will not accept telephone calls. For this survey
we just need your location and the type of flower.
For any future botanical surveys is there a Birstall gardening
club out there who could help? Are there any keen botanists?
If so, please give the Post a call and they will pass a message
on to me.
Dr D A C McNeil (Assistant Heritage Warden)
I wish to thank Borough Councillor Helena Edwards for her
letter in the Birstall Post of April responding to my query about
"regional government bodies".
I think her answer was long but certainly not dull. It was very
informative but also quite alarming.
Basically it appears that we have now in the East Midlands three
government bodies which are able to override decisions taken
at County Council level. They are the Government Office for the
East Midlands (GOEM) with 282 staff, the East Midlands Regional
Assembly (EMRA) with 20 staff and the East Midlands Development
Agency (EMDA) with 220 staff. That is a total of 522 staff, probably
increasing all the time. If we take the average wage of those
522 to be say £15,000 - probably a low estimated average
as several staff will be getting (but not necessarily earning)
much more than that. That gives a figure of £7,830,000.
Then there are all the other costs of running the buildings;
heating and lighting etc, plus all the expenses paid to the delegates
and representatives who attend the meetings of EMRA. Therefore
we are looking no doubt at an annual cost of at least £10million
in running these three bodies. When the system of local government
ie Parish Councils, Town Councils, City Councils, Borough Councils
and County Councils has been in existence for centuries and has
served the population well, why do we need to tinker with it?
And indeed to probably do away with a lot of the present system:
for as Helena Edwards states: "We will be losing either
Borough and District councils or County ones by 2008". I
don't remember such drastic local government changes being proposed
in general election manifestos. I remember before the 1997 general
election being told by New Labour that we had 48 hours to save
the NHS - what a sick joke that has become - but I don't remember
being told that GOEMs, Regional Assemblies and Development Agencies
were to be set up. In fact I had the impression that Regional
Assemblies were not going to be set up in a region unless a majority
of electors voted for this to happen. The people in the North
East of England were allowed to vote last year on whether there
should be a Regional Assembly in that area and they voted against
such a proposal. However it seems that the Government may be
about to disregard that vote and to bring about an Assembly by
stealth: a letter published recently in a national newspaper
from a person living in the North East stated that he had seen
an advert for an administrative post in the North East Regional
Assembly! We seem to have entered a period where a democratically
elected government is behaving like a dictatorship.
J Woods
Monster putt wins match
AN EXTRA time win over Cosby saw Birstall
Gold Club reach the third round of the Mail on Sunday National
Golf Club Classic.
Pic: Graham Marshall watching Steve
Sansome on the 17th
The Club reached the finals of this competition in 2004, held
in Spain.
They edged out a Cosby team including Steve Sansome, who until
last season played for Birstall, when Graham Marshall holed an
18 foot putt for birdie at the second extra hole and saw former
colleague Sansome's attempt to match it from around a third of
that distance slip by the hole.
With the match tied at 2-2, and wins for Scott Wormleighton and
Chris Webb off-setting losses for Richard Reed and Stuart Marriott,
Sansome was one up and had put his drive safely on the front
of the green at the par three 17th. Marshall's response was a
drive finishing barely 18 inches away from the hole for a winning
birdie that took the match down the par five 18th all square.
He had to survive another scare there, when he put his approach
through the green with Sansome safely on and below the hole.
But a chip and putt secured a half and took the match into extra
holes, the first of which was halved in par.
Earlier Marshall had gone two up after eight holes before both
men scored birdie threes to halve the 9th. Playing off scratch,
he won the 14th to go one up courtesy of the shot he received
of Sansome (off plus one) - the "first shot I've received
for years!" - although he then lost the 15th and 16th to
set up the tense finish.
Earlier Scott Wormleighton won 4 and 3, taking control of his
match against Adam Dalby by winning the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th
holes, the last two with birdies, after driving out of bounds
to lose the first.
Stuart Marriott was never ahead against David Gibson and went
down two and one, while Richard Reed lost 3 and 2 against Liam
Plant, but Chris Webb won the first, 5th and 6th on the way to
overcoming Mike Manship 2 and 1.
After the Cosby match Playing Captain Stuart Marriott commented:
"All the players who went to Spain really enjoyed the experience
and we'd love to get there again. There's a long way to go, but
we've shown terrific fighting spirit in these first two rounds
and played some exceptional golf. Graham's nerve under pressure
is extraordinary. We're really looking forward to see who we
get in the next round".
African adventure
A GROUP of teenagers from Longslade visited
hospitals and schools in the Gambia to study the health system
of a developing country at first hand.
The Health and Social Care and Psychology A-level students had
raised nearly £9,000 from sponsorship and fundraising to
pay for their trip, which was led by Longslade's Head of Social
Sciences, Kim Philpot.
While in the Gambia they visited a hospital, a health care clinic,
an orphanage and two schools. Kim said: "We made donations
to all of these from the money we had raised and it is fantastic
to know that there is a school in Africa which has new classroom
furniture because of the Longslade students. We are hoping to
further develop the links we have made in the future."
Other highlights of the trip included watching the sunrise from
dug out canoes on the River Gambia, a camel ride, dolphin watching
and taking part in the country's independence day celebrations.
Methodist Church news
Is it the Oldest Boiler in Birstall?
It is thought that the boiler that heats the premises is probably
one of the oldest in the village. One estimate is that it has
faithfully heated our building for 43 years. However this winter
it has shown signs of its age and has let us down on a few occasions.
Coupled with the fact it is not that efficient in the use of
gas, spare parts are very difficult to get, the decision has
been reached that it needs to be replaced. Hopefully the work
can be completed during the summer. The inevitable question which
arises as to where the money will come from does need to be addressed.
Going going GONE
Well most of it went anyway! There were a few items our auctioneers
couldn't get a bid for, but at the end of the day, with lunches
and teas, and an 'April' stall, the end result was £824
from the Auction on April 1. This money was all for church funds.
Tsunami Relief Coffee Morning
The church supported some families in Sri-Lanka last year, and
we gather those families are at last having rather basic houses
built. These families still need our support, they lost everything
in the Tsunami. Funds will help them furnish their replacement
houses. All our Saturday coffee mornings are in aid of one good
cause or another. The coffee morning for this appeal is on Saturday
May 13.
Wednesday Volunteer Needed
Can you help one Wednesday, every six weeks? A further helper
is needed to join the team that prepare and serve meals at our
Luncheon Club for elderly and lonely people in Birstall. Contact
Sheila Wilson if you can help. Tel: 2675973
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League winners
BIRSTALL UNITED Under 9 Foxes have captured
the Division 7 League title in some style, having gone undefeated
in all of their games.
They have racked up 40 points and 66 goals along the way, only
conceding 11. They won the league by 11 clear points. They are
pictured with the League trophy.
Age Concern info
What was in the Budget for Pensioners
o Free nationwide off-peak bus travel for people aged 60 and
over - from April 2008.
o The inheritance tax threshold will rise from £275,000
to £325,000 but it will not reach that figure until four
years' time - in April 2010
o The threshold for paying stamp duty on property purchases has
increased from £120,000 to £125,000 - not a rise
to shout about and it won't affect many pensioners unless they
are downsizing to a much smaller house.
o The £200 given to the elderly last year before the general
election to help them meet rising council tax bills has not been
continued. Pensioner groups are outraged by this.
o Changes to family trusts mean that parents and grandparents
can no longer tie up money passed down in a trust until their
heirs are aged 25, as they have been able to do hitherto. Instead
they must either give children or grandchildren access to assets
at the age of 18 or pay a 20% tax levy when setting up a trust,
plus an additional 6% tax on the trust's value every 10 years
and a further 6% when assets come out of the trust. As one solicitor
has commented: "It is crazy to say people have got to set
up trusts so their children get their hands on the money just
when they are going to university and when they are still young
and vulnerable. Thousands of people are now going to have to
look at their wills and trusts and consider redrafting them."
Gordon Lishman, the executive director of Age Concern England
has stated: "It beggars belief that the Chancellor has denied
pensioners any extra help with their council tax bills, just
as a new round of bills is set to cause anxiety for millions.
More needs to be done to help older people meet the huge hikes
in energy bills. Spiralling household costs are causing widespread
anxiety."
I personally feel very disappointed that the Chancellor has done
nothing after nine years to make the tax and the benefits system
simpler. It is now so complicated that even financial experts
have to make very careful examination of all the rules and regulations
to b able to advise people correctly. The complexity of the benefits
system deters many people from making claims and many thousands
of people entitled to a benefit are losing out and millions of
pounds are left unclaimed. It is really a tragedy.
Carers UK: Reports on Poverty and Caring, and New Guides
What I stated in March needs to be repeated:- Carers UK has published
a report on caring and poverty which estimates that carers are
missing out on an estimated £746 million in unclaimed benefits.
Older carers are particularly hard hit, with some 125,000 carers
over the age of 60 missing out on Pension Credit and 64,000 losing
out on the extra support available through the Carer Addition.
The report makes a number of recommendations, including ensuring
carers are able to juggle work and care; a reduction in the complexity
of claiming carers' benefits; and more flexible services.
Carers UK has produced two guides covering carers' rights and
benefits and services for people aged 60 and over :
Carers Rights Guide 15pp and Looking After Someone - A Guide
to Benefits and Services for People over 60. 27pp. Both guides
available free from : Carers UK, 20-25 Glasshouse Yard, London
EC1A 4JT. Also available on the Internet at www.carersuk.org/Newsandcampaigns/CarersrightsDey/Adviceleafletsforcarers.
Information about benefits is also obtainable from Age Concern
Leicestershire and Rutland by calling their freephone helpline
number on 0800 00 99 66.
Mobility Information
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) has produced
a leaflet for wheelchair users to help them make sure that their
wheelchair (whether powered or manual) remains stable in all
situations. The leaflet covers information on ramps and slopes,
kerbs, steps and soft ground as well as advice on maintenance
and weather conditions.
Get Wise : How to Make sure Your Wheelchair Remains Stable 4pp.
Available on receipt of a (9"x6") sae from BHTA, Suite
4.06, New Loom House, 101 Back Church Lane, London E1 1LU Tel:
020 7702 2141
Continuing NHS Health Care - Information Guide, Research and
Panorama Website Information
Age Concern, Alzheimer's Society, Help the Aged and the Royal
College of Nursing have jointly produced a guide to help those
in need of care and their carers and professionals working in
health and social care, to know when the NHS is responsible for
paying for the full package of care, whether at home or in care
homes. It explains both the Coughlan and Grogan judgements and
how the RNCC bands are assessed. It contains a template of a
letter for individuals to use if they wish to challenge the decision
that the person is not eligible for fully funded NHS care. It
asks for details of any action the local authority may have taken
in the light of the Grogan case.
A Panorama Programme shown on March 5, 2006 commissioned research
by health and social care analyst Melanie Henwood to establish
how many people may have sold their property unnecessarily to
pay for care, when the care should have been provided by the
NHS. It looks at previous data on numbers of people reported
to have sold their homes to pay for care, and the difficulties
in establishing data. Taking all the data available, the research
estimates that the number of homes sold each year to pay for
care is somewhere in the region of 40,000. It then goes on to
discuss how many of these have been sold unnecessarily because
the person should have been funded by the NHS. Even the number
of cases that have been reviewed as a result of the Ombudsman
report may be an underestimate, as it is not known if all the
cases that should have been reviewed have actually been reviewed,
or whether some cases have been overlooked. The range of scenarios
suggest somewhere between 120 and 640 people could be involved
each year, but this figure could run into thousands rather than
hundreds if the criteria being used across the 28 SHAs are not
compliant with the law. The research concludes that a significant
minority of people entering long term care 'experience a major
injustice in being wrongly denied fully funded care and present
a challenge that must be addressed by further guidance and the
forthcoming national framework for continuing care criteria'.
Following the Panorama programme a number of documents have been
posted on the BBC website, including an explanation of the Grogan
case by Anne Sprowart, the solicitor who took the case; a historical
overview of the continuing care debate by Luke Clements; and
comments by the PCTs involved in the cases discussed in the programme.
NHS Continuing Health Care, Action Following the Grogan Judgement
9pp. Available on the Internet at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/11/64/04131164.pdf
Guide to Fully Funded NHS Care.12pp. Available on the websites
of Age Concern, Alzheimer's Society, Help the Aged and the Royal
College of Nursing. See www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/Guide_to_fully_funded_NHS_care.pdf
Self-funding of Long-term Care and Potential for Injustice, by
Melanie Henwood Associates. 12pp. Available on the Internet at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/05_03_06_melaniehenwood.pdf
The NHS Continuing Care Responsibilities. 10pp and An Expert's
View, 5pp, both by Luke Clements; The Grogan Case by Anne Sprowart,
2pp, and other background information are all available on the
Internet at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/4758750.stm
Older Voters : Research Report
Age Concern has published a report on older voters based on two
sets of research, from Opinion Leader Research and Loughborough
University.
The research found that older voters (ie aged 50+) in England
and Wales cast more than 40% of all votes in the last general
election and will probably account for nearly half of all votes
in England in 2009. Older voters are more likely to vote but
also more likely to switch their allegiance than younger voters.
They feel that none of the parties understands the problems facing
Britain or cares about the issues that matter to them. They are
looking for strong local and national leadership and clear policies.
Older voters are concerned about national and personal insecurity,
in particular issues of economic stability, taxation and public
services, Council Tax, pensions, health and social care, crime
and public safety.
The report aims to highlight the importance of the influence
older voters have, and warns politicians that no party currently
provides what they are looking for. It lists a number of questions
that politicians need to be able to answer.
Winning in 2009: the Importance of the Baby Boomers. 26pp. Available
on receipt of a (12"x9") sae from Hannah Pearce, Public
Affairs Department, Age Concern England. Also available on the
Internet at www.20millionvotes.org.uk/report_introduction.html
Jex Woods
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