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OUR PICTURE shows three year old Adam Olinski with a giant
snail, just one of the exotic creatures the children at Birstall
Rainbow Nursery enjoyed meeting as part of their animal month.
A spider, scorpion and a snake were also bought into the nursery
by an expert from Zoo Lab
Major new centre
AN ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly arts and crafts
centre costing £1.9 million, is planned for a site on the
edge of Birstall.
The Greenacres Centre will be built on the site of the old dog
kennels between the GCR's Birstall station and Belgrave cemetery.
Access will be from The Sidings, off Red Hill Way.
Pic: an artist's impression of the Greenacres
Centre
The centre will provide arts and craft units, a pets centre,
a restaurant, learning and exhibition spaces, a wildlife reserve
and a computer suite. There will be a wind turbine and other
sustainable energy equipment.
In addition, the project aims to develop sustainable community
led enterprises by setting up six manufacturing units and a centre
for research into sustainable enterprises such as vermiculture
and organic market gardening. The centre will be open seven days
a week.
The project is being led by a community trust called CHAOS (Community
Homecrafts and Arts Opportunities), formed in 2001 by residents
from North Leicester's outer city estates with the support of
Leicester City Council. It has attracted funding because the
Abbey residential estates have been identified as being among
the poorest five per cent nationally.
Funding so far in place includes £510,000 from Biffaward,
£300 from the Big Lottery and £825,000 from Leicester
Economic Action Partnership. A 125 year lease has been agreed
with Leicester City Council and planning approval for the project
was granted two years ago.
CHAOS Development worker Mark Mizzen said: "We are just
waiting for some EU money to be finalised before we can start
work. Building work should commence in January 2007 with completion
in July 2007."
93,000 people visit the GCR's Birstall station every year and
it's expected that ten per cent will visit Greenacres.
"The GCR are backing the project, although Greenacres is
not planned as a tourist attraction but more of a resource for
the local community" said Mr Mizzen. It will be open to
all residents, including those from Birstall, he said.
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on June 12.
PC Jamie Hughes reported an increase in burglary this month as
the warm weather meant householders were leaving windows open.
He suggested the Parish Council estates team try to remove any
graffiti within 24 hours as this acted as a deterrent.
He said that the Police and Trading Standards had tested off-licences
in Birstall and every one had sold alcohol to an underage girl.
One will be taken to court and one will be given an £80
fine as it was their first offence.
The council agreed to a majority decision to request that the
Police ticket cars parked illegally on Front Street on every
occasion that they are found. It was agreed that the only long
term solution was the erection of bollards to prevent cars parking
on the pavement. The affected area of Front Street is from the
Chinese Takeaway to Influence shoe shop.
PC Hughes reported he would be leaving Birstall at the end of
August and his replacement would be PC815 Chris Falle.
It was agreed to install a 'Spiders Web climbing apparatus' at
the School Lane playing field. This play equipment costs £12,352
and a grant of £8,200 has been secured.
It was reported that the travellers' camp on Greengate Lane had
been vacated. On May 16 the City Council decided to commence
eviction proceedings.
Birstall's Dog Warden continues to patrol the village and at
7am on Monday May 23 issued a fixed penalty notice to a man who
failed to pick up after his dogs fouled on the School Lane playing
field.
Riverside champions
GIRLS AND BOYS football teams from Riverside
School have been achieving success in inter school competitions.
The girls team were runners up this year in the Charnwood Primary
Schools' League while the boys were winners of the Bradgate Area
Football League. The boys won all 5 of their matches, scoring
18 goals and conceding 3.
Pic: Riverside primary school's boys team:
Tommy Bradley, Josh Hill, Callum Wilson, Adam Hopkins, Bradley
Gamble, Joseph Gamble, Max Lewin, Ashley Aitkens, Mark Woolman
Captain Callum Wilson (11) said: "Our success is down to
a strong defence and good teamwork, we talk to each other on
the pitch about what we have to do and we keep positive."
Team manger of both boys' and girls' teams is Acting Deputy Head
Andrew Pridmore. He said: "All of the children have done
fantastically well, they've all enjoyed the experience and worked
really hard as a team."
Pic: Riverside primary school's girls team:
Georgina Fox, Megan Rose, Jade Kellaway, Leah Meadows, Rachael
Neale, Georgia Smith, Leah Smith, Emily Spence Ria Kilsby, Rosie
Helps, Jessica Harby (not pictured)
The seven-a-side football is one component of the school's development
of sport. "We like to offer the children the chance to play
as many different sports as possible" said Mr Pridmore.
These include tri-golf, badminton, basketball and kwik-cricket.
Corbett’s cricket corner
THE MONTH has been fantastic for Birstall
Village Cricket club, one of the best in the history of the club
thanks to the visit of Darren Maddy's Leicestershire XI and Radio
Leicester's Tony Wadsworth - Tony's show is on Radio Leicester
weekdays 9am-12noon and Sunday 9am-12noon 104.9FM.
Chairman Doug Topley gave Tony a challenge on his show, when
he visited the Birstall Club one morning to get the feel for
the wicket so that he could bowl the first ball against Darren
Maddy to get the twenty twenty game started. Despite looking
good in the nets Darren's experience showed and duly despatched
the ball for a mighty six.
 
Pic: (left) Doug Toplet and Tony Wadsworth;
Darren Maddy signs an autograph for Pradeep Sood (15)
The game itself was played on a very warm Monday evening with
nearly 1500 people coming down to watch the game. Leicestershire
made 215 all out and Birstall made 162 for 5. A very big thank
you for everyone who sponsored the event and also those who gave
up a lot of their spare time arranging it and also the Birstall
public who supported us. Thanks also to Andy Garland and his
team for preparing the wicket and the outfield to a very high
standard.
Pic: The Leicestershire CC side
Pic: Birstall Village Cricket club
Pic: Preparing the hog roast, provided by
J Michael's of Birstall
Doug Topley, Chairman of Birstall Village Cricket Club, said:
"It was a tremendous evening, everybody seemed to be thoroughly
enjoying themselves. The crowd was beyond our wildest expectations
and I was pleased that our team managed to get all of the Leicestershire
side out. Although we were narrowly beaten, I think Leicestershire
knew they had been in a game.
He added: "Many thanks to our sponsors for the evening,
especially to J Michael for doing the hog roast for us".
Pic: bowler Andy Corbett appeals for a wicket
The first team is doing well in the league and at the half way
stage of the season they are at the top. Andy Galpin and Andy
Corbett have been asked to play for the Leicestershire Representative
side.
The second team are holding their own in a very difficult league
and they are within the safety zone.
The Junior section are doing well, the under 13s and under 11s
are both second in their respective leagues. Many congratulations
to Ben Drake, Yash Thakrar, Neel Thakrar and George Corbett for
making the County sides.
Roll of Honour, July
Andy Galpin: 115 vs Wigston Town 1st team
Andy Galpin: 71 vs Woodhouse Eaves 1st team
Andy Lord: 52no vs Leicester Ivanhoe 1st team
Jonathan Gaydon: 37 vs Rothley Park under 15s
Ben Drake: 33 vs County Representative under 10
Tom Corbett: 28no vs Thorpe Arnold under 13s
George Ager: 28no vs Old Dalby under 13s
George Ager: 25no vs Cropston under 13s
Daryl Glover: 27no vs Thorpe Arnold under 13s
Neel Thakrar: 25no vs Cropston under 13s
George Corbett: 25no vs County Representatives under 10
Neel Thakrar: 25no vs Old Dalby under 13s
Jamie Drake: 38 vs Sileby under 17
Jonathan Gaydon: 50 no vs Sileby under 15
Andy Corbett: 6wkts-44 vs woodhouse Eaves 1st team
Andy Corbett: 6wkts-45 vs Leicester Ivanhoe 1st team
Pete Sharpe: 5wkts-47 vs Huncote 1st team
Tom Corbett: 3wkts vs Thorpe Arnold under 13s
Ben Drake: 3wkts vs County Representative u-10s
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