BAGS’ run
MORE THAN 200 people ran or walked three
miles around Watermead Country Park at an event that raised more
than £2000 for Breast Cancer charities.
The run was organised by Birstall BAGS, a group of local women
who have so far raised over £15,000.
The fastest runners were friends Matt Calvert and Charlie Cooper
with the time of 20 mins 13, followed by James Hulme, Charlie
Young and Jack Calvert, all under 27 mins.
The first male adult was Glyn Shaw in 27mins 25 and the first
woman was Sara Chetwin in 30 mins.
Pic: Liz Darlison
BAGS spokeswoman Emma Shaw said: "We would like to thank
everyone who supported us, we had a fantastic time. The day was
all about raising awareness within our community about cancer
and promoting self examination and early diagnosis."
She added: "We would particularly like to thank the many
people who came very early on the Sunday morning to help set
up, the ATC cadets for marshalling the event, Dale and the park
rangers at Watermead, St John's ambulance, Sue Farrell, Shaun
Hills and family, all the Birstall United team, Sandra and Ruby,
Pete Barnsby and Chalkie White and our many many good friends
and partners who all added to make it such a brilliant day. Finally
a big thank you to our sponsors Michaels the Butcher."
Prior to this year's race Stonehill High School student Ross
Bailee, with friend Roy Rollings, organised a sponsored bike
ride to Nottingham and raised over £500 that he donated
to the BAGS cause. "Well done Ross and thank you very much
for supporting BAGS" said Emma.
Two more fundraising events are planned this year. September
29 is Pink Ladies Night at Aroma Spice Indian restaurant, the
other is The Birstall BAG Body Shop Bash at the Earl of Stamford
pub on Nov 14. Everyone is welcome to come along to either event,
please contact Rachael or Emma to purchase a ticket.
For more information on any of our fundraising events or BAGS
activities please call Emma 07837028451 or Rachael 07989822173.
rachael.boyall@btinternet.com
Emma Callaghan is the winner of an unclaimed prize. Ring to collect.
Cannabis factory
POLICE HAVE discovered a cannabis factory
on The Meadway.
Acting on information received from the public, the Police entered
the property on May 29 and found approximately 100 cannabis plants.
They were removed from the house and an investigation is now
underway. No-one has been arrested.
PC Gordon Doudie, the neighbourhood beat officer, said: "We
received information about possible illegal activity at the property
and discovered that the building was being used to grow cannabis.
We have recovered a substantial amount of plants which we are
pleased to get off the streets. We will continue to act upon
information from the community and close down cannabis factories.
If anyone has any suspicions about the activities going on in
a property near them, they should call us or ring Crimestoppers."
Local people can continue to help police identify cannabis factories
by looking out for the tell-tale signs in houses on their street.
Properties are usually chosen in busy residential areas in the
hope the activity around the house will go unnoticed. The curtains
are always closed and windows rarely open, if they are there
is often a strong smell of cannabis. Lights will be on during
the daytime and there will be people visiting the property at
odd times of day and night.
In May, three people were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court
for their involvement in masterminding Leicestershire's largest
ever network of cannabis factories. The largest, on Welbeck Avenue,
contained 400 plants and was capable of producing a cannabis
yield of nearly £650,000 a year.
Anyone with any information about drugs is asked to contact Leicestershire
Constabulary on Leicester (0116) 222 2222 or Crimestoppers which
is free and anonymous on 0800 555 111
New cultural centre opens
THE GREENACRES Centre on the edge of Birstall
opens on July 26.
Located on the Sidings next to the GCR's Leicester North Station,
the new £1.7 million centre includes a 54 seat restaurant
with an additional 34 seats on outdoor terraces, arts and craft
workshops and business units and landscaped gardens.
The project 13 is being led by a Community Trust called Chaos
Enterprises, is supported by Leicester City Council, and aims
to strengthen community spirit in the local area by developing
initiatives that deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
The centre will have a wind turbine, photo-voltaic panels, a
bio-mass boiler and water harvesting equipment.
The art studios will be let to local artists and the restaurant
will serve a mix of traditional dishes from all over Europe.
Meeting rooms are available for hire and the whole centre can
be booked for wedding receptions or parties.
The European Union's Regional Development fund has provided £876,000
for the new centre, £510,000 has come from the Biffaward
landfill tax levy fund and £300,000 from the Big Lottery.
Planning
36 Colindale Ave - erection of a timber pergola to rear of
dwelling
Trunk Road Service Area, Hallam Fields, A46/A6 Junction - display
of one wall mounted sign
57 The Meadway - erection of one two-storey dwelling adjacent
to 13 Colindale Ave
69 Fielding Rd - erection of two storey extension to side and
single storey extension to rear of dwelling
38 Johnson Rd - erection of single storey extension to rear and
side of dwelling
Trunk Road Service Area, Hallam Fields, southwest quadrant of
A46/A6 junction - display of signage for KFC restaurant
2 Whiles Lane - erection of two storey extension to side of dwelling
53 Rectory Rd, Wanlip - erection of a first floor rear extension
with dormer windows and conservatory to rear of dwelling
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on June 9.
Police Constable Gordon Doudie reported that there had been eight
crimes less this month than last in the village. Three drug offences
were detected by stop checks of cars.
He said it was encouraging that the crime figures were falling
and were now below 50 a month for the first time since the beginning
of the year. Antisocial behaviour has fallen off in the last
two weeks, he said, and covert CCTV cameras are to be moved throughout
the village.
The cost of providing a dedicated Police Station in Birstall
was prohibitive, he said, but a similar result could be achieved
by opening a Community Access Centre as a joint venture with
Charnwood Borough Council. Costings of this are being investigated.
Some residents of Fielding Road expressed their concern about
plans to erect a 12.5 metre wood effect mobile phone mast, designed
to look like a telegraph pole, at the rear of the BT telephone
exchange on Fielding Road. The council agreed to support the
residents' objections. Comment was made that as objections to
a similar mast outside Greengate Medical Centre had been unsuccessful,
plans to erect one in the grounds of a telephone exchange were
likely to be given approval.
It was reported that there will be a presentation to the council
at their August meeting about the Birstall park and ride, and
the A6 highway modifications, subject to an officer being available.
The council agreed it would decline any proposals to erect advertising
signs on the Triangle roundabout.
It was agreed to impose a 5 mph speed limit for vehicles within
Birstall cemetery, and to erect speed limit signs.
At the meeting of the Management and Policy committee on May
8, councillors considered a grievance from a member of staff
against a member of the council. After consideration of the matter
it was agreed that Cllr Chris Clarke be reported to Charnwood
Borough Council's Standards Committee with a request that an
apparent breach of the Members' Code of Conduct be investigated.
It was agreed that the county council be asked to re-instate
the double yellow lines on School Lane which had been in place
prior to road works being undertaken. Charnwood's Street Wardens
will be asked to patrol School Lane during busy periods.
Graffiti clean up
CHARNWOOD BOROUGH Council has pledged to
remove graffiti from all public buildings within seven days,
and from private and domestic properties when written permission
has been obtained.
Charnwood's updated Graffiti Protocol will also see racist, political,
sexist, homophobic, defamatory or offensive graffiti removed
from Council property within 24 hours of it being reported.
The Council will not initially clean offensive graffiti off commercial
properties, which includes cable boxes, and instead request it
is removed within 24 hours of it being reported. If this is not
done, Charnwood can either clean it up or issue a statutory notice
giving the company 14 days to remove the graffiti
Failure to clean it up will lead to the Council issuing a statutory
defacement removal notice and if the matter has still not been
dealt with after 28 days, Charnwood will remove the graffiti
and charge the owner of the property.
This procedure also applies to buildings owned by rail operators,
the County Council and NHS.
Cllr Mike Preston, Charnwood Borough Council's Cabinet Member
for the Environment, said: "This protocol sends out a clear
message that we will not tolerate antisocial behaviour such as
graffiti.
"We will aim to deal swiftly with the problem and work closely
with the owners of commercial properties to ensure graffiti is
removed from their buildings.
"Defacement Removal Notices will be issued only as a last
resort. It's in everyone's interest to ensure graffiti is cleaned
up quickly as it can lead to the decline of an area and a lack
of respect for the place in which people live, work and play."
Anyone caught spraying graffiti faces the prospect of an £80
fine for a minor offence - or the possibility of a maximum 10
years imprisonment if the value of damage exceeds £5,000.
To report an incident of graffiti, call Charnwood Borough Council
on 01509 634 563 or log on to www.charnwood.gov.uk/reportaproblem.html
and fill in the online form.
NHW news & crime report
IT'S NOT only green fingered people who
are interested in your garden.
What can you do?
Sheds and Other Small Buildings
Ensure that your shed is in good condition, if not don't leave
valuable tools and machinery inside.
Fit a good lock to the shed door. Fittings should be bolted through
the door and reinforced at the back with a steel plate. The hasp
should have concealed screws. The lock should be made of hardened
steel. A closed shackle type reduces the risk of the lock being
forced.
Fit windows with a grille. It's a waste of time securing the
door if the window is an easy target.
Fit a low cost, battery operated shed alarm available from the
NHW shop.
Property
Garden tools and furniture are not cheap and are saleable items
to a thief. Tools stolen from your shed could be used to burgle
your house.
Post code property such as lawn mowers, hedge trimmers and garden
furniture. Bring them to the Advice shop and we will do it for
you!
Invest in 'smart water'.
Take photographs of any valuable garden ornaments. If you are
gardening, especially at the rear of the house, lock your doors.
Signs saying 'working in the back garden' are a golden opportunity
for the thief. Keep shrubs, hedges and large plants cut back.
They can provide a screen for thieves to work behind.
Check and keep boundary fences, walls and gates in good order.
Don't underestimate the effect of good lighting as a crime prevention
measure.
If you have contractors working in your house or garden encourage
them to look after their tools and equipment. Many are not insured!
A generator was recently stolen from a front garden when the
contractor was working at the rear of the roof of the house.
To make it easier for the thief the contractor left the generator
in a wheel-barrow!
A little bit of effort can save a lot of grief!
From Tony Marriott - a member of the NHW committee
Crime Report : May 12 to June 9
Drug offences 4, assault and harassment 10, theft from motor
vehicle 1, burglary other 3, burglary 3, theft from stores 1,
theft 5, damage 9, theft of cycle 2
Gardens impress visitors
FOURTEEN GARDENS in a historic part of
Birstall were opened to visitors in June.
The Garden Trail organised by Birstall Methodist Church attracted
hundreds of visitors to Front Street, Birstall Road and Netherhall
Lane and raised over £3000 for church funds and the Royal
National Lifeboats Institution.
Spokeswoman Sylvia Taylor said: "Thank you to all the garden
owners for their superb efforts, the gardens were beautiful,
and to the willing volunteers who manned the teas, stalls and
stewarded the gardens.
"The support of our sponsors Birstall Garden Centre is also
very much appreciated."
GCR’s wartime weekend
HUNDREDS OF costumed re-enactors mingled
with the thousands of visitors who enjoyed the Great Central
Railway's World War II weekend in June.
"Where else could you meet Winston Churchill, General Montgomery
and General Eisenhower and overhear them planning the D-Day landings,
watch a Spitfire flypast and then dance to a 16 piece swing band?"
said Lynn Hill from the GCR.
"It's the closest possible experience to time travel without
a Tardis!" she added.
This year's event was the biggest ever and featured a DUKW amphibious
vehicle and a working demonstration of an Enigma code machine.
Butcher’s bags
A BIRSTALL butcher has stopped giving away
free plastic bags.
J Michael on Sibson Road will be supporting a local charity by
supplying paper bags carrying the logo of the Birstall Breast
Cancer Awareness Group (BAGS). These will go on sale to customers
with the proceeds going to BAGS.
Shop manager Scott Langton said: "A lot of time has been
put into the design and set up. There is now only one paper bag
manufacturer in the UK and they have been very helpful reducing
the cost of the bags because the proceeds will go to a local
charity.
"We hope to have the bags on sale from July and what a great
way to change our environment and raise money for a good cause."
Emma Shaw from BAGS said: "We would like to say thank you
to J Michael for supporting us, it will make people more aware
of who we are and what we are trying to do."
J Michael has been getting through nearly 1000 plastic carrier
bags a month.
Shopping addict stole
A SHOPPING addiction that led to theft
and fraud has resulted in a 12 month suspended prison sentence
for a former Birstall woman.
23 year old of Hayley Louise Dewhirst, who now lives in Mablethorpe,
secretly obtained five credit cards in her parents' names, spending
£13,593. She also spent a further £2000 using six
of her father's bank cheques.
At Leicester Crown Court Dewhirst pleaded guilty to 11 thefts,
two counts of obtaining goods by deception, three of making a
false instrument involving cheques, and three of fraud. She asked
for 309 similar offences to be considered.
Dewhirst, who has no previous convictions, was given a 12 month
prison sentence suspended for two years, a nine month supervision
order and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and attend an
activity programme.
Judge William Everard said: "I accept these offences were
committed almost through a compulsion, which manifested itself
through a shopping addiction."
Park and ride cash
THE GOVERNMENT has awarded Leicester City
Council £3.9 million: £600,000 of it will go to Birstall's
park and ride site, opposite Hallam Fields.
The money has been given to the City Council to encourage economic
growth. As well as the contribution towards the 1,000 space park
and ride at Birstall, projects include a £500,0000 scheme
in St George's North, to start the upgrade of Wharf Street South,
the route between St Matthews and the CURVE theatre.
£1.5 million project will focus on improving the waterside
area at Jewry Wall, reconnect it to High Street, and create a
park and ride terminus at St Nicholas Place.
A further £650,000 will be spent in the area of the railway
station to enhance the pedestrian crossings on the inner ring
road and improve access to the city centre.
In the Blackfriars area of the waterside, around All Saints Road,
£650,000 will be spent buying land and building a new road
and bridge across the river.
The City Council estimate the total cost of the Birstall park
and ride at £5.1 million.
Riverside bikes
RIVERSIDE WAS one of 18 schools in the
county to participate in Bike Week last month.
Schools taking part pledged their support to this year's event
by encouraging pupils to get their bikes out and cycle to school.
Each pupil who cycled in got a badge and was entered into a prize
draw, courtesy of Bike Week, to win a holiday at Center Parcs.
Schools taking part in the week also gave away rucksacks, fluorescent
bags and cycle repair kits.
Nicholas Rushton, Cabinet member with responsibility for Highways
and Transportation, said "Cycling is not only a great form
of exercise but has the benefits of reducing the amount of traffic
congestion outside schools and being kinder to the environment.
Our School Travel Plans also encourage pupils to cycle to school.
"It is great to see more schools actively involved in bike
week this year and we hope it will encourage children to cycle
to school not just during Bike Week, but all year round."
School crossing
PUPILS FROM Riverside School are able to
cross Wanlip Lane more safely now that a new lollipop lady has
started work.
Pic: Margaret Young, Riverside
School's new crossing patrol
Mrs Margaret Young took up the post on June 30. She lives in
Lawn Avenue and has spent most of her married life fostering
very young children, looking after more than 40 babies and toddlers.
Margaret leads a busy live doing voluntary work mainly at the
Methodist church, including the Playgroup for Children with Special
Needs and helping at many coffee mornings. Margaret is also a
volunteer with Age Concern in Birstall at the Village Hall.
Looking forward to starting this new job, Margaret hopes to keep
all the children safe and also keep the traffic flowing down
Wanlip Lane.
Parents are asked to remind their children to only cross at the
crossing and to only cross when Margaret has stopped the traffic.
Holiday plans
BIRSTALL'S BEAT Officer PC Gordon Doudie
is asking residents who go away on holiday to advise him of their
name and address and how long they'll be away.
He also needs to know the contact details for your keyholder.
Gaining access and securing the property are helpful in securing
evidence if you are burgled while on holiday.
Leave a message for PC Doudie on 222 2222, voicemail number 1993.
Chorus big finish
BIRSTALL'S 'HEART of England' Barbershop
chorus competed at the British Barbershop Convention in Cheltenham.
Pic: 'The Heart of England' Barbershop
Chorus
performing in Cheltenham
Spokesman Jan Hunt said: "It was a super weekend. We made
our way onto the stage with many a "break a leg" and
"good luck" from other competitors, the excitement
mounting, enter stage left, up onto the risers, announcing "The
Heart of England Chorus", sing the two songs, big finish,
did we get all the moves right, we think so, what a rush, smile,
big applause then it was all over"
Out of the 38 choruses who were competing they finished 34th.
Jan said: "It was not as good as we had hoped, but our small
chorus competed well against some really brilliant singing, and
the experience was superb, so it's on to Llandudno next year
and try to move up the ranking. The weekend was finished off
on Sunday evening with a Canadian chorus from Toronto called
the Northern Lights who were tremendous."
As reported in last month's Post the group are holding a six
week course 'Learn to Sing' starting Monday September 15 at the
Birstall Social Club, 7.30 to 9pm. If you wish to come along
please register your interest with either Ian Smith 01455 823
670 email iandsmith@homecall.co.uk or Jan Hunt 0116 2675339 jansbolt@ntlworld.com.
"There will be guest chorus directors and voice coaching,
but if you cannot wait until then come along any Monday evening
to the same venue, you will be more than welcome" said Jan.
Vacancies
A SYSTON recruitment agency has secured
a contract to provide staff for a Syston contract packing company.
S & L Personnel Ltd, a family run recruitment agency with
offices in Earl Shilton and Syston, expects the contract to provide
up to 200 local people with work.
Those interested in the vacancies can contact S&L on 01116
2605000 or 01455 847956
Your Say...
I should like to convey my thanks to the lady who offered
me a replacement bicycle for my daughter who recently had hers
stolen. As they say 'you know who you are'!
It is good to be reminded that we still have many pleasant and
generous people in our village who far outnumber the nasty ones
we could all do without.
And thank you Birstall Post for taking the time to pass on messages.
Much appreciated.
Nicholas G Black
We wish to thank the people of Birstall who supported the
Saturday Coffee Shop at the Methodist church and raised a fantastic
amount of £207 in aid of LOROS.
LOROS is a local charity proving care and support within Leicestershire
& Rutland. It relies upon the voluntary support of local
people and organisations. The Leicestershire & Rutland Hospice
is a specialist centre providing skilled nursing and medical
care in an environment that recognises the particular needs of
patients and their families. For more information on LOROS please
log on to www.loros.co.uk
Gillian & Joan Bowler and David Green
Governments seem to be very keen on instilling fear in the
population to enable them to either impose restrictions on our
hard won freedoms and/or to tax us to the hilt. An example of
this is their approach to environmental concerns. Most people
now accept that we need to reduce our carbon emissions and the
recent increases in oil prices coupled with the government applying
punitive taxation is forcing us to change our habits.
I would contend however that local and national governments both
have their role to play rather than relying purely on consumers.
For those of you about to go on vacation perhaps with a slight
nagging doubt about your carbon footprint consider this - a single
air traffic system for Europe has been discussed for 48 years
and as a result airlines navigate almost 40 different air traffic
control systems across Europe. As a result airlines fly 6% longer
routes than they should, and spend billions more than they should
by sitting in holding patterns. For example; the average 737
burns 88 lbs of fuel a minute in a holding pattern, and due to
congested runways the average hold at London Heathrow is 20 minutes
and 4800 aircraft use Heathrow a month, that represents approximately
3800 tonnes of fuel wasted and excess CO2 emitted per month.
In a BBC interview, Mayrhuber CEO of Lufthansa called on European
politicians to help airlines from wasting resources. "If
the honey bees were controlled by fragmented air traffic controllers
we wouldn't have honey any more in Europe" he quoted.
At a local level every time your car has to decelerate and accelerate
or wait in a queue you are burning fuel unnecessarily. So why
then does the new traffic island at the top of Red Hill have
seven sets of traffic lights on it which at off peak times destroy
traffic flow and cause unnecessary fuel burn? The other day at
06.00 I counted eight cars waiting at lights on that island when
frankly if the lights were not working the flow would have been
much better, Surely it is not beyond the wit of man, although
it does seem to be beyond the wit of road designers and councillors,
to turn these lights off during off peak times. Whilst I'm in
the mood here's a few more low cost things Government could do
to ease road congestion:
o restrict HGV to inside lanes on dual carriageways during peak
hours
o allow left turns on selected red lights (they do right on red
in the US without any problem)
o get rid of speed bumps (if speeding is a problem put a camera
up)
So next time the Government decided they want to tax you to change
your carbon footprint you could ask our politicians (what are
you doing about it?"
Simon Castleman
I visited Birstall's new, recently refurbished café/deli
'The Retreat' for the first time in June, and would like to congratulate
staff on their fabulous service and delicious, nutritious food
and drink.
Why do we need more American style multi-national firms in the
local area (I'm sure readers are award of the businesses due
to set up in Hallam Fields), robbing us of our money for mediocre,
over-priced meals and drinks, which taste as mediocre where you
go in the country (or indeed the world), when there is such superb
fresh food and drink being served by a local establishment, in
far more comfortable surroundings?
I hope local people will support other such local businesses,
rather than line the pockets of firms who've already got enough.
Long Live Birstall Small Businesses.
Chris Gray
Donald Sims was a policeman in Birstall from 1947 until 1950.
Donald (85) found this poem and would give a copy to new recruits.
None put their notice in after reading it, he says.
The Man Apart
If you can mix with men - yet be a man apart,
And show no fear when fear is in your heart,
If you can leave your home to walk the night alone,
And stand in crowds and feel you're on your own.
If you can take a risk with scarce a second thought
And start again when efforts come to nought.
If you can find the truth amidst a maze of lies,
And greet a winter's dawn with tired eyes,
If you deserve respect of those from distant strand,
And earn their trust when children take your hand,
If you can do your best then see your chances fade,
And envy not when someone else gets 'made'.
If you can keep your head when those about you shout,
And give your word that men will never doubt,
If you can deal with knaves and fools and sudden death
And keep a smile when facing drunkard's breath.
If you can start your day when others are abed,
And, hearing scorn, leave angry words unsaid.
If you can walk through streets and not forget a face,
And talk to high and low with equal grace,
If you make mistakes but will try to make amends,
And be a friend to those who'll not be friends.
If you can do these things you'll find the day is won,
And, what is more, you'll be a Copper, son.
I was very upset to read Kev [Wood] had passed away. It was
a pleasure to know him, we knew him as the barman at the club.
He saw my sons grow up, he always gave you that extra special
service with a bit of easy going chat. You could see he was struggling
with his knee but always smiled. The place won't be the same
without him.
Dean Spencer (of Gunns' Gym)
In the March edition it was reported that the Parish Council
had decided to cancel the dog warden service. The reason for
this was due to Health & Safety requirements which meant
the Dog Warden could not patrol the parks at the required times
(ie late at night or very early morning) and therefore the service
did not have the desired outcome. This decision was in no way
as a result of the way the Dog Warden had undertaken her duties
and the council would like to thank her for the work she has
done on their behalf.
Brenda Thomas, Clerk Birstall Parish Council
|
Pool swim
THE SWIMMING pool at Longslade is holding
a sponsored swim which will run from Sunday July 6 to Saturday
July 12.
The aim of the event is to raise money for some refurbishments
and also the possibility of subsidising public swim sessions.
The organisers hope that all users of the pool from children
attending swimming lessons, aquafit and swimfit users, swimming
clubs that use the pool, members of the public who want to take
part and staff from the pool will get involved.
All of the sponsored swims will be done during normal lessons
or swim times apart from Saturday July 12 when the pool will
be open from 1.30pm for people who want to do longer distance
swims. Distance Badges and Certificates will be available.
Sponsor forms are available from the pool and Longslade College
office. A spokesman for the pool staff said: "I would like
to take this opportunity to thank all pool users for their continued
support."
For more details please contact the pool on 2673461
WI news
BIRSTALL & WANLIP WI's May meeting
took the form of 'Resolutions' and was presented by Mrs Jane
Harris.
Birstall & Wanlip played Astill Lodge WI in the Bradgate
Group Skittles match. Astill Lodge won and go forward to the
next round.
At the June meeting members celebrated their 90th birthday meeting
with an evening meal at The Red Lion at Rothley.
Unfortunately four members were unable to attend through illness
but Rosalie Morling, the secretary, was well enough to send a
card of good wishes and a box of After Eight chocolates, a luxurious
finishing touch to a lovely meal and evening.
Four members are hoping to attend a day course on belly dancing
at Denman College helped by the bursary won at the AGM in April.
This sounds like a fun trip, and we hope to hear more of this
at a later date.
Next month the meeting will be on July 7 and the speaker will
be Mr Mike Brewer with a talk entitled 'Chapter and Verse'.
This meeting will start at 7.15pm in the Community Room at Highcliffe
School.
Youth group
DRAMA, ART, crafts, movies, discussion,
games, trips, competitions and prayer will all be a part of a
new Christian Youth Group that starts in September.
"This new initiative came out of the good relations between
our churches built through Birstall Churches Together. It is
an example of how we can work more effectively together than
separately, and is a great opportunity to encourage young Christians
to learn with and from one another" said Birstall and Wanlip
Curate Mary Williams.
Aimed at young people aged 10-14 and led by adults from Birstall
Methodist Church and St James' C of E church, the group will
meet on Tuesday evenings from 6.30-8.30pm in the new Community
Space in St James' Church from September 2008. It is open to
any one from year 6 and up who is interested in exploring Christian
faith with other young people. All leaders will have enhanced
CRB certification. If you would like more information, are interested
in coming along or getting involved then please contact Mary
Williams on 2677620, James Shakespeare 2674517 or Peter Molesdale
2929670.
Carers
A SPECIAL service to celebrate the work
carers do is planned this August.
Birstall & Wanlip Curate Mary Williams said: "Our community
is full of people who commit their time and energy to caring
for others. Some work in caring professions like our GPs and
nurses, social workers and residential home and community carers.
Others volunteer to work in support groups for the elderly, the
sick or those with special needs. Still others are called on
to care for family members or neighbours. These are the people
who keep our community going but whose work often goes un-noticed
and un-celebrated. Until now!"
On Sunday August 31 at 3pm, St James Church, Birstall will be
holding a special service to celebrate and say think you to all
the people in our community who do such valuable work.
Mary said: "We are hoping that many care professionals and
volunteers will come and that the parish church will be full
of people from the community who want to show their support and
give their thanks to these individuals. Please come and join
the celebration and stay for tea and cake afterwards."
Prizes for players
FORMER LEICESTER City Captain Ali Mauchlen
presented the prizes at Birstall CC Juniors Football Club's presentation
night.
Pic: Ali Mauchlen with Birstall
CC Junior footballers
Ali awarded trophies to players from the club's four junior teams:
under 10s, under 12s, under 13s and under 15.
Around 120 parents and players attended the event, held at Longslade's
Luther King Centre. Spokesman Dennis Marshall said: "The
club committee would like to thank all those concerned with the
assistance given to the club and managers throughout the season.
We would like to run more junior teams but it is difficult getting
parents to manage the players as a team."
Methodist church
www.birstallmethodistchurch.org.uk
At long last we have a web site. Largely completed. Do have a
look. It contains a welcome message from Rev Rachel Parkinson
who joins us in September.
Thanks to the Garden Owners
The Garden Trail committee is very grateful to the 14 garden
owners who very kindly opened their gardens for the 2008 Garden
Trail. There were some lovely gardens, many with either hidden
corners or open views. It was clear everyone had worked really
hard so that their gardens looked their best. The garden notes,
prepared by Marjorie Kirk, do so much to help the visitors in
looking round the various gardens.
Our Minister 'Sits Down'
Sitting down is the old fashioned term used in Methodism for
a minister who is retiring. Rev John Hucknall retires at the
end of July, his last service being on July 27 at 6pm at Birstall.
It is a service in which all the eight Methodist Churches in
the Leicester North Circuit will take part.
John has lived at the manse at Birstall Road for ten years. For
nine of those years he was minister at the Belgrave Methodist
Churches of Harrison Road & Claremont Street. It is only
in the last year he has been minister at Birstall. But throughout
the ten years he has been superintendent of the Leicester North
Circuit - so most of the regular congregation at Birstall know
him well.
Prior to becoming a Methodist minister John was a nurse for 13
years, the last three of which were working in Northern Ghana
and where he met his wonderful Swiss wife Margrith. Despite having
to give up driving in 1987 (due to a serious eyesight problem)
this has not stopped his ministry of caring & serving. He
cycles everywhere including two trips (in 1993 & 1996) to
Switzerland!
During his 34 years as a Methodist minister he has served churches
in Wiltshire, Surrey and Northamptonshire before coming to Birstall.
Church outdoors on July 6
On the day of the Birstall Gala there will be a joint (with St
James) outdoor service on the playing field at 10am as part of
the opening proceedings for the Gala. It will be a short service.
Do come and join in.
Children's Holiday Club in August
Book now for the joint (with St James) Children's Holiday Club
running from August 11 to 15. Registration forms will be distributed
via the children's book bags at Riverside & Highcliffe Schools
& also available from the churches & the library. Numbers
will be limited on a first come, first served basis so be sure
to book early to avoid disappointment.
From Tony Moore
Water winner
BIRSTALL WILD water canoeist Jessica Oughton
has been competing in Italy, the Czech Republic and in Austria
this June.
A member of the GB Senior Wild Water Racing team, Jessica (19),
took part in the World Championships in Ivrea, Italy and World
Cup races. She won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze
and is now in overall second place in the World Cup.
Children keep fit
CHILDREN AT Half Pints childminders on
Loughborough Road enjoyed helping their 'Minders' and 'Parents'
to get fit for their 24 hour Relay for Life in aid of Cancer
Research around the Leicester Tigers Grounds.
Pic: The Children and Minders 'working
out'
A spokesman said: "It was a winning event all round, the
children learned all about keeping fit, understanding about illnesses
that other children have, saw their Minders and Parents coming
together, representing Half Pints in the distinctive hats, to
raise over £2,000 for a good cause."
Junior cup winners
BIRSTALL GOLF Club's junior team proved
themselves the best in Leicestershire when defeating 18 other
teams to win the 'Abraham Cup' at the Juniors Festival of Golf,
held at The Leicestershire Club.
Pic: Junior Team Captain Patrick
Marston
The five-strong team: skipper Patrick Marston, Michael Reed,
Ross Bradshaw, Ryan Woodward and Jack Merry, overcame the cream
of the county's junior golfers to land the title.
The team's victory was a narrow one. The competition is decided
on the best four scores from the five players competing on the
day. On this basis they finished tied with Cosby 'A'. In the
event of a tie, the fifth player's score counts and 12 year old
Jack Merry's score of 86 (nett 72 off a handicap of 14) was five
shots better than Cosby's fifth player's score.
Former Birstall captain Keith Marston, who now runs the club's
junior section, said "The team overcame significant odds
to secure the prestigious trophy. There were outstanding rounds
by Michael Reed and Patrick Marston and the other team members
all scored consistently on a really tough course."
He added: "They performed remarkably well against clubs
that have many more junior members than Birstall. Scraptoft,
for instance, had three teams entered in the event, and clubs
like Cosby entered two teams drawn from a junior membership of
50 or 60.
Several of our current juniors are turning 18 years old this
year, and so will be too old to qualify for the team next year,
so we would be really interested to hear from youngsters who
would like to get involved in the game."
Anyone interested in joining the section - which meets on Monday
evenings - should phone Sue Chilton, Club Secretary, on 0116
2674322
Bowling club’s marathon
A 24 hour bowls marathon is to be held
at Birstall Bowling Club on School Lane Playing Fields to raise
money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
The event starts at 1pm on Saturday July 5 and runs through to
1pm the following day. This coincides with the Birstall Gala
weekend so if you are visiting, be sure to pop along and make
a donation to such a worthwhile cause.
One of the Birstall members, Wayne Parkin, a former steward at
the British Legion in the village, is a sufferer of the disease
and the money raised will help people like Wayne, and fund research
projects to bring hope for a future without MND.
Meanwhile, four ladies from Birstall Bowling Club will play at
at the National Finals for the second successive year. Sue Wilson,
Pa Walker, Jan Everitt and Diane Hurst are last year's County
Fours Champions and won through to the Leicestershire final again
following convincing quarter and semi final victories over teams
from Knighton and Little Bowden respectively. Reaching the Leicestershire
Final entitles them to compete in the National Finals, which
take place at Leamington Spa at the end of this month. Diane
is also there representing Leicestershire in the Champion of
Champions competition.
More information about the club can be found on the website www.birstallbowling.co.uk
From Andy Wye
Riverside school’s fete
RIVERSIDE SCHOOL held it's summer fet in
June.
Our pictures show Samuel Baverstock and Jacob Topley Jousting,
Loren Barnwell (8) and Chloe Glover (7) horse racing, Paige Lowe
(2) launching a paper plane with Dad Matthew and a demonstration
of Tae Kwon Do.
Cemetery tour
THE FRIENDS of Belgrave Cemetery Group
welcomed 40 people to a guided tour of the cemetery.
Visitors were shown the memorials of soldiers who lost their
lives in the two world wars. Brenda Watts has produced a 67 page
book containing the details of these men. It costs £3 plus
p&p and is available from Brenda on 2676080.
Proceeds from the book will go towards a permanent memorial in
the cemetery for the servicemen.
Village competition
THE FRIENDS of Belgrave Cemetery Group
welcomed 40 people to a guided tour of the cemetery.
Visitors were shown the memorials of soldiers who lost their
lives in the two world wars. Brenda Watts has produced a 67 page
book containing the details of these men. It costs £3 plus
p&p and is available from Brenda on 2676080.
Proceeds from the book will go towards a permanent memorial in
the cemetery for the servicemen.
Church news
AS READERS of last month's Birstall Post
will know, St James Church has seen the first stage of the work,
to turn the back of the church into a 'community space' completed
and already events are being held there which would have been
impossible previously.
Further work, for example to install a separate heating system
and carpet the area, is still ongoing and inevitably that involves
more fundraising. It has also recently been revealed by an architect's
inspection that the roof of the 'old' church needs renewing,
and some essential re-plastering of the walls in the same area
needs to be done. Sadly, none of this work comes under the heading
of DIY!
The church has been very fortunate to receive a generous donation
from a local charity toward the cost of the roof repairs but
that will still leave a sum of more than £30,000 to be
raised, so thinking caps have been donned to find new ways of
raising the money.
A start was made in June with a coffee morning at the home of
Doreen Wilson, and as the summer progresses there is likely to
be an escalation of events, although July is usually regarded
as the start of the main holiday season in Leicestershire.
Anyone with any new ideas to aid this project is invited to ring
Sandra on 2677238 or email the church office on stjames.birstall@btconnect.com.
The first event planned for next month is a Craft Workshop on
Saturday August 9 - see details on the Noticeboard in this Post
and it is hoped that there will be many more events to follow.
We look forward to seeing any of our friends who are not away
on holiday, at the service on the Playing Fields on Sunday July
6 at 10am, when all the local churches gather to start the second
day of the annual Birstall Gala.
From Beryl McHugh
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Corbett’s cricket corner
THE CRICKET season is well under way and
so far we have been blessed with some good weather.
Pic: Selected for the county under
12s are Ash Thakrar, Priyesh Patel, Ben Drake, George Corbett
The first team are mid table in the Premier league but have been
inconsistent and need to start getting back to back wins if they
are to challenge the leaders this year. The second team are playing
a lot of juniors again this year to help their development in
adult cricket and are currently third in Division 2.
Congratulations to four Birstall Juniors who have been selected
for the Leicestershire Young Cricketers under 12 squad, they
have worked hard all winter and spring and have really put Birstall
on the map at county level. To have one junior playing from your
club is great but to have four out of 12 in the squad is a fantastic
achievement.
Pic: Under 17 team Bernard Drake, Arron Headley,
Tom Corbett, Grant Wright, Jimmy Hughes, Joe Barnes, Dave Ball,
Rob Drake, Kahil Mann-Kler, Pradip Sood, Jamie Drake, Tam Mann-Kler,
Jonathan Gaydon
The under 17s team are looking strong this year and are hoping
to cause a few upsets during the season. The under 13s team are
currently top of their league, there is long way to go but the
players are up for the challenge. Many many thanks to Junior
sponsor Rob Frizzell for his continued sponsorship.
Pic: Social Secretary Sheryl Findley
The social side of the club is looking good with Social Secretary
and Events Co-ordinator Sheryl Findley organising a 'Beer &
Balti night' with the food being cooked by Aroma Spice of Birstall.
The club has also just been to Trent Bridge in Nottingham to
see a 20/20 match. Unfortunately Leicestershire lost but it was
a lovely warm and sunny evening and everyone enjoyed it.
Pic: Junior Sponsor Rob Frizzell
The club will be opening during the Birstall Gala and are looking
for volunteers again this year to help with teas and cakes on
Sunday July 6. If anyone would like to donate a cake or cakes
please bring them to the clubhouse on the day.
Age Concern info
'More Money in Your Pocket' - if you claim the benefits
you are entitled to.
The Information and Advice Team at Age Concern Leicestershire
and Rutland are determined to reduce the number of older people
in the county who are not claiming the benefits they are entitled
to.
In 2007 the team assisted in over 680 claims which raised over
£1.5 million for older people in Leicestershire and Rutland.
This year's campaign is called 'More Money in Your Pocket'. Every
couple of months the focus of the campaign will change. In June
and July the focus will be on Carers' Benefits.
In Age Concern England's Factsheet No.18 - A Brief Guide to Money
Benefits - Section 4.7 describes the Carer's Allowance:
Carer's Allowance is paid to people who are caring for someone
who receives the top or middle rate care part of Disability Living
Allowance (DLA). The weekly rate is £50.55p. You must be
caring for the person for at least 35 hours a week and not earning
more than £95 a week (after the deduction of certain expenses).
If you are getting another benefit or pension you may not be
able to get Carer's Allowance as well but you could have your
benefits increased. Sometimes the person you care for may lose
money if you claim Carer's Allowance. Seek advice before you
make a claim.
The Information and Advice Team at Lansdowne House in Leicester
offers a free and confidential service and can be contacted every
weekday afternoon on 0116 299 2233.
Also please note that all the Age Concern Factsheets are in two
folders at Birstall library.
Abolition of the 10p Tax Band : Compensation Measures
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced on May
13 that personal tax allowances for people under 65 will increase
by £600 this year to £6,035 (those over 65 received
an increase in April 2008). Of the 5.3 million people who would
have been worse off due to the abolition of the 10p tax band,
4.2 million will now either not lose out or be better off than
under the original proposals, while 1.1 million will see losses
at least halved. Basic rate taxpayers will gain £120 this
year - starting with a £60 payment in September. A reduction
in the threshold for higher rate tax will leave the position
of higher rate taxpayers unchanged.
Annuity Planner : The Pensions Advisory Service
The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) has launched an online tool
to help people with the decisions they have to make when they
retire and want to turn their pension savings into an income
in the form of an annuity. TPAS is an independent body supported
by government, and the annuity planner encourages people to shop
around rather than simply accept the annuity offered by their
pension provider. Shopping around could mean income up to 20%
higher for the rest of their life.
Online annuity planner www.pensionadvisoryservice.org.uk/#
Financial Abuse : Help the Aged Literature Review
Help the Aged has published a literature review into the financial
abuse of older people, carried out by the Centre for Policy on
Ageing. It plans to set up a financial abuse taskforce. The report
looks at definitions of financial abuse, the pervasiveness of
financial abuse, how to recognise it, and advice and information.
It suggests ways for older people to reduce the risk of falling
victim to financial abuse.
Medicines Health Zone : NHS Direct Information
NHS Direct has launched a medicines health zone on its website
with information about medication. The zone provides information
on prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines, how to use medicines,
their side-effects, and how alcohol and food can interact with
medication. The 'Medicines A to Z' section is an in-depth guide
to common medicines and treatments and how they work.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/Zones/Zone.aspx?zoneld=42
Nice Decision on Alzheimer's Drugs : Court Ruling
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decision to deny drug treatment
to people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease was procedurally
flawed. NICE must now release the cost effectiveness model that
it used to justify limiting the drugs to people in the moderate
stages of the disease - despite evidence that they are clinically
effective in the early stages. The ruling left open whether NICE
guidance on these drugs would eventually have to be revised.
Prescription of Antipsychotic Drugs : APPG report
The All Party Parliamentary Group on dementia has published 'Always
a Last Resort', following its inquiry into the prescription of
antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia in care homes. The
inquiry revealed widespread inappropriate use of these drugs.
The report makes a series of recommendations to tackle the problem.
Overall it recommends that the planned national dementia strategy
must include an action plan to reduce the number of prescriptions
of these drugs.
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Treatment of Older People in Hospitals : Journal Article
An article in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine argues
that ageist attitudes and beliefs have a direct impact on the
diagnosis and treatment of illness of older people in hospital.
It examines some of the features of health policy and organisation
of health services which support this situation. It calls for
significant changes in medical education and training, research
funding and priorities, the application of evidence-based interventions
and the development in the community of high quality alternatives
to hospital care.
Doorstep Selling : Age Concern Response to BERR consultation
Age Concern has responded to a consultation from the Department
for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on proposed changes
to regulations for consumer contracts concluded in the home.
The changes aim to extend the current seven day cooling-off period
on purchases resulting from an unsolicited visit by a salesperson,
to sales where the household has invited a salesperson to call.
Age Concern's response supports this proposal, which should reduce
high pressure selling. We asked for cancellation rights to be
visibly displayed in any contract the householder may sign. The
revised legislation should become effective in October 2008.
Increasing Longevity and Financial Issues : Life Trust Foundation
The Live Trust Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organisation,
was inaugurated in April. It aims to raise public awareness and
understanding of the financial challenges related to increasing
longevity and to encourage people and organisations to help society
meet those challenges. It will work with the Oxford Institute
of Ageing on research projects and will set up a consumer panel
of older people (60-85 years). It aims to publish a report in
August on Longevity and financial planning.
www.lifetrustfoundation.org
Older Drivers : Research Reports
Two reports question the view that older drivers pose a risk
to other road users.
'Keeping on the Move' found no evidence that older drivers post
a greater risk, therefore no reason to change the licensing regime.
Of the 1,000 older people surveyed, two-thirds opposed a compulsory
driving test. Some favoured a compulsory medical test, provided
it applied to drivers of all ages.
'Motoring Facts 2008' found that older divers pose less risk
to other road users and have fewer road accidents (but when involved
in accidents, they are more likely to be killed or seriously
injured due to age related frailty".
Telecom Charges : Age Concern Response to Ofcom Consultation
Age Concern has responded to a consultation by telecoms regulator
Ofcom on additional charges made to customers by communications
providers. Our response concentrated on two main areas:
o we urged Ofcom to continue monitoring additional charges for
people who do not pay by direct debit, to ensure these reflect
costs; and
o we felt that charging extra to send bills by post rather than
online discriminated against older people (who are less likely
to have internet access) and recommended that Ofcom should outlaw
additional charges
Government Use of the Internet : Select Committee Report
The Committee of Public Accounts report on government use of
the internet shows that one-third of government websites do not
comply with government user accessibility standards, making it
difficult for older and disabled people to use the sites. The
report recommends improvements and calls for all government websites
to meet the accepted industry standard of accessibility by 2011.
It also warns that the drive to deliver more services online
could increase social exclusion and recommends retaining some
traditional service channels alongside internet services.
Jex Woods
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