Village Watch news
Beware! Car-Crash Bandits
There's a new danger on the roads, drivers are deliberately staging
car crashes then claiming against your insurance.
Typically a fraudster will disconnect their brake lights then
stop unexpectedly, causing you to hit them. A claim will be make
for repairs, personal injury and even compensation for loss of
earnings.
If you don't pinpoint foul play, these criminals could cause
a rise in your car insurance premiums.
If you have an accident note
o how many people were in the offending car
o what sex they were
o try and find two witnesses
o only provide your insurance details
o report anything suspicious to the police
Bonfire night is fast approaching and it's important to remember
the very real danger of fireworks causing injury and damage to
persons and property.
Organised displays are by far the safest way to celebrate guy
Fawkes night with friends and family.
Please show consideration towards the elderly and animals for
whom it can be a stressful time.
Enjoy your celebrations safely.
Ed Marshall
Chairman, Birstall & Wanlip Watch
Crime Report August 13 - September 19, 2006
Burglary Dwelling 7, (Wanlip Lane, Crossways, Park Rd, Elmfield
Ave, Bramley Rd, Stonehill Ave, Fielding Rd); Burglary other
3; Theft of motor vehicle 3; Theft from motor vehicle 5; Damage
to motor vehicle 3; Theft store1 ; Theft cycle 2; Theft 2; Damage
7.
Jeweller’s new owners
IT'S BUSINESS as usual at Birstall Jewellers
on Sibson Road.
New owners Himat Shivraj (Raj) and Hasmukh Shah (Ash) have been
in the jewellery business for more than 20 years. "We want
to carry on the tradition of customer care and also be very competitive
pricewise" they said.
The shop provides repairs to watches, clocks and jewellery and
a while you wait battery replacement service.
A wider selection of watches is now stocked including Seiko,
silver and gold jewellery plus a range of gift ideas.
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Launch event at Birstall library
THE £125,000 REFURBISHMENT of Birstall
library was celebrated with a special launch event in September.
 
There was a display of Indian dancing and a demonstration of
boxing by young people from Carl Gunns' gym.
Pic: Indian dancers Hema R Acharya
and Jyotika Patel
Pic: (l-r) Darshna Naker, Sandra Moore, Christine
Yimmis & Alan Garner, Chairman of the County Council
One of the guests was Christine Timmis (81) of Iris Avenue,
who has been coming to Birstall library for around 50 years.
"The new library is very nice" she said. "I visit
once a week, I do a lot of reading. I like the assistants, I
think they are lovely."
Pic: Carl Gunns leads a boxing demonstration
 
 
Six people were presented with Library Champion Awards : Mrs
Gillian Merry and Mrs Sylvia Taylor who take books to housebound
readers; local author Barbara Sheppard: local historians Michael
Smith and John Kilby, and Carl Gunns.
Crossing improves safety
A £20,000 project to provide a zebra
crossing in Birstall has recently been completed after pupils
at Highcliffe primary school wrote a letter to the County Council
highlighting road safety issues.
Pic: children from Highcliffe School
use the new Zebra crossing on Greengate Lane
The crossing is adjacent to the entrance to Highcliffe County
Primary School on Greengate Lane.
The road is often used as a cut through between Loughborough
Road (A6) and the Outer Ring Road, and this has resulted in a
significant rush hour traffic flow coinciding with the time when
children are walking to school.
Concerns over the safety of children and local residents crossing
the road were raised by two of Highcliffe's junior road safety
officers (JRSOs). The JRSOs did a short survey to see how much
traffic was using Greengate Lane, then wrote a letter highlighting
some of the reasons they felt they needed a safer place to cross.
A petition was also presented to Leicestershire County Council.
The County Council consulted with the JRSOs, the school's headteacher
and local residents and agreed to provide a zebra crossing. Anti-skid
surfacing has been laid on the approaches to the crossing.
Richard Shepherd, Chairman of the Charnwood Highways Forum, said:
"This is a really good example of the junior road safety
officer scheme at work and the County Council is pleased to have
been able to work together with Highcliffe Primary School on
this project. "The crossing will improve safety on what
is a busy road, particularly during peak times."
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Methodist Church news
Christmas Festival and Outdoor Christmas Market
Friday & Saturday, November 24/25
Following the popularity of the previous Christmas Market and
Festivals the Methodist Church is holding a very similar event
this year.
The theme of the festival is 'Christmas Carols and Songs'. Many
groups, individuals and businesses are taking part. Each will
portray the theme in any way they choose. These could be a decorated
tree, a model, a painting, a decoration - the opportunities are
endless. Should you wish to take part contact Mary on 2672606.
The church, on Wanlip Lane, will be open from Friday (Nov 24)
10am to 8pm and on Saturday (25) 10am to 4pm with an admission
charge of £1 for you to come and enjoy the displays and
see how the contributors have used their artistic and inventive
skills to explore the theme. Accompanied children are free.
The Christmas outdoor market will run from 3pm Friday afternoon
until 8pm Friday evening.
Proceeds from the event will be shared between the Scouts Ugandan
Appeal and the Methodist Church.
Flower Festival Result
At the Flower Festival in September, there were well over 30
different folk who were able to display their artistic skill
through the use of flowers. The various floral displays were
a real joy to admire, in their variety and colour. The church
is grateful to all who gave their time and skill to make the
event such a success.
The Festival, together with the Gift Day raised almost £7000
which is half the amount we were seeking to raise to cover the
cost of the new boiler.
Two Musical Events
There are two concerts planned, one on November 18 and the other
on December 4.
The Leicester City Male Voice Choir will sing on Saturday November
18. Tickets available from Gerald (tel:2675009) are £5,
proceeds to be divided between the choir and the church boiler
fund.
On December 4, the Chanterelders will give a Christmas Concert.
Programmes are priced £4 from Beryl (tel: 2103064) and
all the proceeds will go to the NSPCC.
For both concerts tickets or programmes will be available on
the door 'on the night'. Both concerts will be well worth listening
to.
From Tony Moore
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Bridie’s bike
A BIRSTALL woman is fundraising to purchase
a bike for a disabled girl from Leicester.
Bridie Gutteridge
Sue Tuckwood of Johnson Road says: "Bridie Gutteridge is
a beautiful 10 year old little lady who is severely disabled
due to a rare brain disorder. Her dream is to have a bike instead
of sitting in her wheelchair watching everyone else! As friends
and family we have started a 'bike for Bridie' fund and are hoping
to raise the £700 plus, which is will cost to have a bike
made to suit her disabilities. Please help us to make this little
lady's dream come true!"
Sue has organised a Table Top sale on Saturday November 11 at
Barkby Village Hall, Barkby from 10am to 2pm. To book a table
call Hazel Robertson on 0116 2606344
Sewing circle
BRADGATE SEWING Circle continues to thrive
with a full membership and a waiting list, from which we have
drawn five new members during this year, as other members have
moved away or changed to a different pastime.
New members are always welcome as they bring with them fresh
ideas for our projects. Although our main purpose is sewing for
our own enjoyment, we do many practical things and as our personal
needs are fulfilled we find ourselves sometimes with 'stuff'
(a lovely word covering a multitude) which we have to, as it
were, move on. This where the charitable aspect of our group
comes into use and during the year sales of our work generated
sufficient funds for us to donate £600 to Bosom Friends,
the breast care support group at Glenfield Hospital. We have
also made for them bright, colourful fabric bags for use by ladies
to place their drainage bags in, leaving them hands free as they
move around, and hiding this necessary piece of post-operative
equipment. We have continued to make some small quilts and tiny
knitted garments for the Neo-Natal unit at LGH and quilts for
the Children's Cardiac ward at Glenfield. A contribution was
also made in response to an appeal from the Loughborough Echo
for knitted items for shoe boxes for children in Rumania and
Belarus.
Many of our efforts emanate from the interests or family illnesses
of our members and as a result, from our weekly sales table and
the work of individual members we have also contributed to Cancer
Research, Macmillan Nurses, Water Aid, Mill Farm Home, Mothers
Union Chalet Holidays and Thurcaston Bellringers. We have also
joined with other groups for workshops, had numerous outings,
not all relevant to sewing but nonetheless enjoyable, and look
forward to another successful and fulfilling year.
From Pat Gourlay
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on October 9.
Abdul Tarafder from Leicester City Council gave a presentation
to councillors on the work being done to Watermead Way bridge
and the Redhill flyover.
The bridge has had no major maintenance work in its 35 year life,
he said, and the work being done is not strengthening, but maintenance.
The bridge is hollow and engineers are working inside it in a
confined space, wearing breathing apparatus.
Redhill flyover will be resurfaced and the work it needs will
be done fairly quickly, compared to the Watermead Way bridge.
Mr Tarafder said all bridges now built have a planned 120 year
lifespan with an ongoing maintenance programme.
Four residents attended the meeting and voiced their objection
to the Parish Council's byelaw that all dogs must be kept on
a lead on all Birstall's playing fields.
The council agreed to instruct the dog warden to enforce the
dogs on lead byelaw.
PC Chris Falle reported that he has requested some electronic
signs for Birstall, that flash up speeds to motorists exceeding
the speed limit. He is investigating graffiti in the village
and has four suspects he will be talking to, all aged 14-16.
Graffiti is classed as an offence of criminal damage, he said.
Parking issues are now a police priority in Birstall, he added.
PC Falle reported that there are several locations in the village
that are known for drug dealing. One arrest has been made in
the last 28 days. Most arrests follow a stop and search, and
cannabis in an amount for personal use was most often found.
Chairman Stuart Jones commented that since PC Falle's return
from holiday, incidents of vandalism at the new pavilion site
on the School Lane playing field had fallen.
The Council agreed to object to a planning application at 139
Sibson Road, next to Birstall Dental Practice for 2 shops and
2 flats on the grounds of overdevelopment and inadequate parking.
Cllr Jim Garner reported that the proportion of 'affordable housing'
on the Hallam Fields site would be 15 per cent. He had attended
a meeting organised by Charnwood Borough Council about its Corporate
Plan, where the figure was revealed.
It was reported that the Parish Council had received 100 responses
following its 'Wake Up Birstall' advert in the September Birstall
Post, about employment land north of Birstall. A public meeting
has been arranged for November 7 at 7pm at the Rothley Centre,
Mountsorrel Lane, Rothley. Guy Longley from Charnwood Borough
Council will explain the proposals and answer questions.
The Council agreed to write to the County Council about the poor
quality of their grass cutting in Birstall.
It was reported that the landscape elements on the Hallam Fields
site that will be owned and managed by the Parish Council from
2012 include: playing fields and all associated open space to
the west; the play space located in phase 1C; all green corridors
and open space located within phase 1, including the green corridor
connecting to the west through phase 2; all the squares located
within phase 1 with the possible exception of the two squares
located within phase 1C.
Children’s art on show
THIS YEAR Birstall & District Art Society
decided to try to include some of our younger residents in their
annual exhibition.
Serena Seymour: 'Christmas'
Charlotte Platts: 'The Tree of
Seasons'
Karishma Shah: 'Summertime in a
Peaceful Countryside'
Bethany Fowkes: 'Autumn Flames'
Notices and information sheets were delivered to the four local
schools and also posted in the library for the benefit of those
children attending schools other than those in Birstall. All
the schools were consulted and agreed to display posters and
hold information and also to collect entries. Students from 8
to 18 were invited to submit a picture. The theme was 'The Seasons'
with a choice of which season to depict. The winners are to be
exhibited at the annual exhibition in November and also awarded
a prize.
We were initially rather disappointed when only one of the schools
responded with any entries and there were none from other young
people in the village. However, when we looked at the excellent
efforts of the pupils of Highcliffe School, encouraged I am quite
sure by the efforts of Rebecca Butters, Head of Art, and the
other teachers, we were absolutely delighted.
There were 34 pictures submitted by the children aged 8 to 10
years (this was our junior section). There was no section for
younger children as, of course, all their efforts are wonderful
but, due to the enthusiasm of the 7yr olds at Highcliffe School,
seven children aged 7 entered anyway. So we had to devise a special
certificate for one of these very young ones, namely Serena Seymour
for her 'Christmas' in pencil and crayon. Well done Serena!
The winning pictures will all be on display at the Birstall &
District's Annual Exhibition on November 4, 5 & 6 at the
Village Hall. We hope that will come along and see what our talented
children can do. Our president, Normal Sims, has always said
that one of the aims of the society, which he founded, is education.
To this end we shall be rewarding the winners with prizes of
art materials to ensure that they continue to produce their excellent
work.
All the pictures which we saw were well done and, really, they
all deserved a prize. However, a winner had to be chosen. This
was Karishma Shah for her 'Summertime in a Peaceful Countryside'.
This was a picture presented in felt tip and pencil. The two,
equal, runners up were Bethany Fowkes for 'Autumn Flames' in
coloured pencils and Charlotte Platts for 'The Tree of Seasons'
using mixed media. Karishma, Bethany and Charlotte all displayed
a good degree of talent and artistic ability. Congratulations
to you all and to Highcliffe School.
From Mary Houghton
Secretary for the President & Committee of the Birstall &
District Art Society
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