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Cast members Clive Wood, Jonathan Palmer,
Gareth Woods, Les Gale, Paul Young, Jack Bishop, Matt Farmer
and Tom Farmer
Magic of men’s panto
BIRSTALL MEN’S Pantomime ‘Ali
Baba and the Forty Thieves’ produced by Jean Valentine and
Gerald Morling played last month to packed audiences for six
performances with the cast once again giving all they had got:
fun, frivolity, songs, drama and dance.
Ali Baba played by Gareth Woods, Semolina played by Les Gale
and Richard Kilby as Windolina enjoyed every minute of the Panto
as did every member of the cast. Particular mention to an excellent
performance of the Robber Chief by Paul Young followed by his
some dozen thieves (not forty) but they made enough mayhem for
forty! Every year lads and men alike tread the boards following
not only their fathers’ footsteps but in may cases their
grandfathers’ too. Richard and Peter Tinley, father and
son, definitely ‘got the hump’ when they played Clarissa
the Camel, back and front and making the audience enjoy the antics
and frivolity of it all.
Following also in father’s footsteps was Steve Gale who
played second in command to the Robber Thief. He gave an added
bonus to the show with his singing and dancing abilities.
Matt and Tom Farmery took to the boards for the first time with
their Granddad Eric Wakefield in the Robber Chiefs’ Band.
Well done, and also to Jack Bishop who was playing for the first
time dancing in the Cave Scene and also in an interlude as the
Tweenies.
Also following Dad Richard Kilby was his son Christopher who
played Ali Baba’s Aunt Pepsi with husband Coco played by
Brian Cuttill.
Clive Wood as The Caliph was very impressive and his daughter
Charisma played by Jonathan Palmer made a charming girl.
We were taken by all this mixture of characters with merchants,
beggars and robbers through the market place and woods to the
magical cave and joined the mystery of panto. And then.....surprise,
there was a Camel Stop at Fawlty Towers and the comedy and laughter
took place with Richard Tinley, Gerald Morling, Alan Chapman
and John Towson turning into the beloved characters from TV.....very
well done.....a delightful interlude. Back to the Caliph’s
Palace and well done lads, dads and all who took part, men and
boys, once again this was a show to be remembered.
There are so many men and women who help ‘behind’ the
scenes including Myles Harrison and crew, Mick Joyce designing
and printing scenery, wardrobe, stage lighting and many many
more who work very hard raising money for the Church and other
charities. Jill Bailey on piano with Jonathan Wheeler and Trevor
Bartlett instrumentalists did an excellent job. Added to the
‘team’ and an added bonus was Sally Montague-Mason
who was in charge of choreography. Sally born and raised in Birstall
chose her career in dancing and has been dancing abroad and in
England taking part in many productions in the West End and now
returning to Birstall is taking an active part as a qualified
instructor and dancer here.
from Audrey Cuttill
Wheelie latest
CHARNWOOD’S PROPOSALS to introduce
wheelie bins will be discussed at a full meeting of the Borough
Council on March 1, but the final decision will be made by the
Borough Council’s cabinet on March 25.
Were the proposals to be rejected by full council, the cabinet
has the power to introduce the scheme anyway.
Following their consultation process, Charnwood have now settled
on the following scheme:
Papers, magazines, tins, plastic bottles - green sack,
stored in existing green bin and collected fortnightly. Sacks
provided in bulk every six months.
Cardboard packaging (eg cereal packets) - red sack, collected
fortnightly and provided like green sacks. The red sack will
be combined with the green sack within two years when a new recycling
facility is ready.
Glass and textiles - blue box with textiles contained
in a carrier bag placed on top, collected fortnightly. Textiles
includes all clean, dry clothing and household fabrics plus shoes
in pairs.
Garden waste - brown wheeled bin (compostable sack for occasional
users), collected fortnightly. This service will be charged -
rate yet to be set.
Residual waste - black or grey wheeled bin, probably in
140, 180 and 240 ltr sizes for different sized households. Collected
fortnightly.
The fortnightly collection of residual waste will alternate with
the fortnightly collection of all other material.
The new bins, boxes and bags
Charnwood’s website says: “Cabinet believes that the
new system represents the best balance between cost and performance.”
“We should be aiming for a phased introduction [of wheelie
bins] from the autumn [of 2004] so that we have full implementation
by the end of March 2005. The recycling target we have to meet
is 36 per cent averaged throughout the year April 2005 to March
2006 so the new system needs to be operational at the beginning
of that period.”
Charnwood says that the introduction of wheelie bins for residual
waste increases recycling rates because the bins restrict the
available space for rubbish and promotes recycling. Black sacks
left beside full wheelie bins will not be collected.
Charnwood says: “The introduction of a system like this
to approximately 64,000 households involves a huge amount of
planning before the first wheeled bin arrives in Charnwood. We
are aware that some people are concerned that they will not be
able to manage the wheeled bin which is an essential part of
the system because of disability or frailty. Similarly some people
are worried that their property cannot accommodate a wheeled
bin. We will be contacting you nearer the time to work out solutions
to these problems.”
Charnwood are also planning to upgrade recycling centres on car
parks and at supermarkets etc throughout the Borough and to provide
weekend mobile recycling centres for garden waste, glass and
possibly cardboard from March 2004.
Birstall’s new officer
PC Dave Coles
BIRSTALL’S NEW beat officer is PC
Dave Coles.
Dave (42) hails from London but has worked for Leicestershire
Police for the last three years, most recently as a general duty
officer at Syston.
Before joining the Police, Dave, who is married with five children,
worked for 20 years as a social worker. Dave said: “I was
involved with child protection work that often involved working
with the Police.”
He added: “Being a policeman is a job I’ve always wanted
to do, since being a teenager. The variety of work you can do
is immense, no day is ever the same and I’ve always seen
it as an opportunity to give something back to the community.”
Dave is pleased to have been given Birstall as his first beat
area. “Birstall is a good place to live and there is a great
sense of community. I’m looking forward to working with
the local Neighbourhood Watch which is one of the strongest I’ve
seen anywhere” said Dave.
He added: “There has been a 21 per cent reduction in crime
in Birstall over the last three years. The burglary figures are
quite low but there are a lot of drug related crimes, such as
theft from motor vehicles.
“I have identified the Stonehill/Longslade area as one that
has special problems and difficulties. We do have people coming
from outside the area and dealing in drugs - I made an arrest
for possession of cannabis only last week outside the swimming
pool.
“The Kingsgate Avenue shops area is another problem with
a group of young people gathering there who are regularly causing
difficulties to both shopkeepers and residents, day and night,
including criminal damage.”
Dave reported that five youths had been arrested for burglary
of a premises in the School Lane area while they were still in
the vicinity in possession of the stolen goods.
Following the theft of some cases of beer being stolen from Bargain
Booze on Sibson Road, three arrests were made.
To contact PC Dave Coles by voicemail, call 2484258 and enter
his collar number 0290. You can also dial his mobile phone on
07732 629434.
HATS promises happy days
Highcliffe Amateur Theatrical Society’s
next production is to be ‘The Happiest Days of Your Life’,
by John Dighton.
This hilarious farce is set in a public school for boys at the
end of the 2nd world war. Everything looks set for a return to
normality when teachers and pupils return at the start of a new
term after the whole school had been evacuated for the duration
of the war.
Things start to go awry when the Ministry of Devacuation announces
that they will have to share their premises with another school.
When the other teachers and pupils arrive, they are not quite
what everyone expected!
The play will be performed in Greengate Hall, Highcliffe School
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 6, 7 & 8 (not in March
as advertised in the Aladdin programme), starting at 7.30pm.
Doors are open half an hour before curtain up. Tickets for the
show are available now and you can reserve yours by phoning the
box office on 0116 2128757. Prices are £4 (£3 for
concessions). As usual there will be a reduction for group bookings.
HATS are supporting the Mayor of Charnwood’s charities (LOROS
and Macmillan Cancer Relief) so please come along to see a very
funny show and buy a raffle ticket to support these very worthy
causes.
From Rod Atkins
Ideas for Green
THE PARISH Council are seeking suggestions
from Birstall residents for the use of the second Bowling Green,
which has been recently released to the Birstall Bowling Club.
The Parish Council have discussed the alternative uses of the
area - situated near ‘The Triangle’ roundabout behind
the ‘short stay’ car park and decided to ask residents
what they would like to see the land used for.
Examples of suggestions include: a garden area; additional car
parking; a recreational area etc
Please submit your ideas, which will be treated in confidence,
by letter with name, address and telephone number to: The Clerk,
Birstall Parish Council, Council Offices, Birstall Road, Birstall
Leicester LE4 4DH
Vouchers please
LONGSLADE COLLEGE is appealing to readers
to help them collect tokens that can be exchanged for equipment
under the Tesco Computers for Schools Scheme.
Over the last three years the college has obtained a variety
of items including two printers, a digital camera, sensor equipment
for scientific experiments, software, a portable, interactive
whiteboard and last year, for the first time, a computer.
Longslade ICT Assistant Sheila Beatty said: “We would gratefully
accept vouchers from readers to add to our collection. These
can be sent to the college - Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester
LE4 4GH, FAO Sheila Beatty. The college, as always, appreciates
your help.”
Sew nice to see you
BRADGATE SEWING Circle invites anyone with
an interest in sewing to drop in and find out more about them.
Member Pat Gourlay explains: The week of March 22-28 is National
Stitching Week and the Bradgate Sewing Circle would like to invite
anyone who is interested in needlework to join them on the morning
of Tuesday March 23 at the Rothley Centre (9.30-11.30) for a
cup of coffee, a look at our varied work in progress and a chat
about what we do and what we plan to do.
We are a group that loves sewing, especially patchwork and quilting,
but we also have knitters and tapestry enthusiasts. If you like
sewing and are perhaps recently retired, looking for company,
young mums who have never sewn but would like to, or a person
with spare time on a Tuesday morning maybe you would enjoy our
activities. You may even be able to bring a different skill to
add to ours. Quite a bit of chatting goes on but we do aim to
produce things! Any cash which we make from our efforts goes
to local charities. Even if you do not wish to join you are most
welcome to come and see us on the above morning - please - someone
come, the coffee will be on.
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on February 9.
It was reported that the County Council had acknowledged the
Parish Council’s request for a pedestrian crossing on Sibson
Road.
It was agreed to continue to lobby Charnwood Borough Councillor
Roger Wilson to present the views of the Parish Council in respect
of its opposition to proposals to introduce wheelie bins.
The Council agreed to the erection of a plaque on Hannah Parade
in remembrance of Birstall’s John Hannah, who was awarded
the Victoria Cross.
Councillors discussed potential future uses for number two bowling
green, located next to the Sibson Road car park at the Triangle.
One suggestion was for a tennis court. The Council agreed to
invite suggestions from the public.
The Council agreed to invite sponsorship from local businesses
of the planters on the grass bank opposite Birstall DIY at a
cost of £180 including a plaque, for a period of three
years. Four businesses have so far expressed an interest. It
was reported that, according to the County Council, adding sponsorship
signs to the Triangle roundabout would be a potential traffic
hazard.
It was reported that Cllr Gerald Hardington had received several
comments from residents thanking the Council for their help in
resisting the proposals from Charnwood for recycling which include
introducing wheelie bins.
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Gardens open
FOURTEEN GARDENS in the Greengate Lane
area will feature in this year’s Birstall Garden Trail.
This will be the fourteenth Garden Trail organised by the Methodist
Church, with residents opening their gardens for visitors to
enjoy.
Spokesman Richard Kilby said: “The gardens vary tremendously
from small and interesting to large and maintenance free and
our grateful thanks go to all the garden owners who are preparing
themselves for a busy weekend”.
Birstall Garden Centre are sponsoring the event and passports
to all gardens will be on sale at local shops priced £2,
or available from the gardens for £2.50 over the weekend.
Proceeds will be divided between Birstall Methodist Church and
the Air Ambulance Service.
For more details contact Richard Kilby on 2l22513.
Birstall’s super Badgers
Rian Payne (8) receiving his award
BIRSTALL BADGERS held their first ever
Super Badger Party in January.
The Super Badger Award is the highest award available to members
of St John Ambulance under the age of 11. It is earned by completing
all 9 Badger Proficiencies in subjects including the history
of St John, first aid, the environment, hobbies etc. and has
to be authorised by national headquarters in London.
It takes a minimum of three years to complete and is marked by
receiving an ‘Absolutely Everything’ Certificate, Super
Badger badge to be worn on SJ uniform, and a Wade Bertie Badger
- only available to Super Badgers and specially made for SJA.
Super Badgers were Amy Bloodworth, aged 10, and Rian Payne, aged
8. Rian is the youngest ever member of St John Ambulance in Leicestershire
to receive his Super Badger award. The Super Badger Awards were
presented by the new Commander for Leicestershire SJA, Mr Greenwood,
assisted by Edwina Cryer, Assistant Commissioner Youth, and Pat
Ploughman, County Staff Officer.
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Courts resurfaced
AS THE evenings begin to draw out, thoughts
naturally turn to the great outdoors. And for Birstall Watermead
Tennis Club there is the promise of an exciting year ahead.
Two of their three all-weather courts are being resurfaced with
money from the club’s funds.
As long as the weather holds, it is hoped that the work should
be finished by the end of April, well in time for the start of
the summer league season.
To help show off the resurfaced courts, the club plans to hold
an open day on Sunday June 6, to attract new members, and all
those interested in joining a club with a bright future are invited
to come along - adults and children alike.
Steve Brett, from Withers Sports of Leicester, and one of the
county’s top tennis players, will be on hand to give advice,
and for those keen on playing competitive or social tennis, this
will be an event too good to miss.
Meanwhile negotiations are well under way to have courts one
and two floodlit. The Midlands Co-op who own the land, have agreed
in principle to fund the project. Planning permission for the
floodlights will now be sought.
So for the club, which fields men’s women’s and mixed
teams in the Leicestershire league, things are definitely looking
up. For those not yet in the know, Birstall Watermead TC is based
at the Co-op Sports and Social Club on Birstall Road.
For more information about the club, and membership details,
call chairman and treasurer Roger Bartlett on 2675273, or secretary
Laura Morley on 2674844.
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