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Pic: The Birstall Badminton Club team with
members of the Spanish expats club they competed against.
Spanish trip
A TEAM of 10 players from Birstall Badminton
Club travelled to Spain for their first international badminton
competition last month.
The club of approximately 35 members was established 25 years
ago and play every Wednesday evening at Longslade College.
Club spokesman Richard Antkowiak said: "A chance meeting
at a leisure centre in Guardamar on the Costa Blanca instigated
this event. A Spanish club of 130 plus, of expats and other nationalities,
play up to four mornings per week at various levels, and very
kindly invited us to play during their club mornings and also
arranged an extra day to run the competition, which was followed
by a Chinese banquet."
However, Birstall had to leave the trophy, especially made for
the event by Mike Lord, in Spain. It was an excellent trip and
we have been invited back for a return match next year when we
hope to bring the trophy back."
Tree saved
PLANS TO fell Birstall's famous Cedar of
Lebanon Tree on Roman Road have been refused.
Charnwood Borough Council rejected an application to remove the
cedar that was made by Norwich Union, the insurers of the next
door property to the tree, a bungalow that is showing signs of
subsidence.
Charnwood's Planning Committee decided to take the advice of
Council Planning officers and save the tree, which has been protected
by a tree preservation order since 1965.
In a report to councillors, planning officer Frances Elcoate
said: "The cedar tree is a magnificent specimen. It is healthy
and makes a significant contribution to the character and appearance
of the area. The amenity value of this tree is considered to
be quite exceptional.
"From the evidence, it is not considered that the damage
to 95 Roman Road is particularly significant and, in any event,
it is considered that the damage can be repaired and remedial
construction work to the foundation area would effectively prevent
any future problems."
The tree stands in the garden of Alistair and Marion McArthur.
Alistair said: "We couldn't believe it when we got the letter
informing us of the planning application. Since then we have
thought of little else and have been working on our case to save
the tree.
"It has been very heartening to have had so much local interest
and support and there have been more than 70 letters sent to
Charnwood, objecting to the application."
Birstall Parish Council have supported the McArthur's objection
to the plan and Cllr Jim Garner gave a presentation to the planning
committee that considered the application, detailing the case
for saving the tree.
The tree, a Cedrus Libani, is a variety that originates from
the mountains of Lebanon and Turkey and local historians maintain
that the seed for the Birstall tree was brought home by the owners
of Birstall Manor following a Grand Tour and planted in 1710.
Other estimates put the age of the tree from 350 to 400 plus
years, after measurements of the tree's girth were made and compared
with the average rate of growth of this variety.
The Birstall tree is over 100 feet high and is expected to have
a life span of 500 years.
The tree has now been additionally protected by Charnwood with
an Article 5 certificate, that designates it as being 'exceptional
and of outstanding value to the community'. Norwich Union have
28 days to appeal the refusal of their planning application.
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on January 8.
The Council agreed to object to a planning application to fell
the Cedar of Lebanon tree on Roman Road. It was agreed that a
Working Party meet with the owner of the tree to consider the
best approach to objecting to the plans. The application has
been made by the insurance company acting for the owner of the
neighbouring property.
It was reported that there had been a very large increase in
the incidents of dog fouling on the School Lane playing field
since Christmas. One councillor had been contacted by a parent
whose child had got covered in dog faeces after playing on the
park.
Cllr Pat Cleere commented that there was a limit to what the
Parish Council and the Dog Warden could do to address this problem
and that pressure from the community was needed to improve the
situation.
Valentines night out
A BIRSTALL woman has organised a Valentines
night out to raise money for a children's charity.
And later this year she'll be running the London Marathon for
the same cause, the Bobath Centre for Children with cerebral
palsy.
Rosalind McWilliams of Cliffwood Avenue said: "One of my
brothers, Michael, has a very mild form of cerebral palsy. To
me he is a real hero and the money we raise could help make a
difference for children who face challenges that most of us will
never worry about."
Rosalind has organised a Valentines Dinner and Dance on Thursday
February 15 at Antibo Restaurant, London Road Leicester from
6.30pm 'til late. There will be a three course Italian meal and
a group Cuban Salsa class.
Tickets are £22 from Rosalind, hensmcwilliams@hotmail.co.uk
Young chef takes top prize
A STUEDNT from Longslade has won an award
for her cooking.
Megan Lawrenson (17) was taking part in the Rotary Young Chef
Competition 2007, held at Loughborough College in January. Another
Longslade student, Bradley Kind also reached the final and joined
Megan in a cook-off against contestants from Rawlins, Hind Leys
and Ratcliffe College.
Pic: Megan Lawrenson
Judges from Hambleton Hall, Loughborough College and Scalford
Hall were impressed with the high standard of all the contestants
but declared Megan the overall winner.
Megan said: "Last year I was in the same competition and
was awarded Silver, so this year I was determined to do better.
It was a great feeling to win."
Megan's winning menu was: Main Course - Breast of Gressingham
Duck, served on fondant potato, apple crisps and mange tout with
a cherry, cinnamon and walnut sauce. Dessert - Lemon Tart served
with fresh raspberries, raspberry coulis and light crème
fraiche.
Trip brings good vision
AN OPTOMETRIST from the Birstall branch
of Henry Smith & Hamylton has travelled to India with the
charity Vision Aid Overseas.
Rajesh Rajani (pictured above) will be travelling with six colleagues
on a two week trip. The aim of the visit is to help people who
need spectacles to live an ordinary life. Rajesh said: "It
is amazing how easily we take spectacles for granted in the UK.
Even if you are short sighted or long sighted it is virtually
impossible to consider your condition a disability. There are
opticians on every high street in the country and almost nobody
in the UK would ever go without. In India many people, especially
youngsters, are severely disabled by poor eyesight and I am very
excited about the opportunity to help these people.
Vision Aid Overseas is a charity dedicated to helping people
who suffer from refractive error - short and long sightedness
- who are unable to receive optical treatment. By providing spectacles
the charity helps to keep children in school and allows working
people to extend the length of time they can be employed. VAO
volunteers will carry out as many eye tests as they can and will
then dispense spectacles that have been donated and recycled
in the UK. By providing a pair of spectacles they are allowing
children to be educated, parents to provide for their families
and giving elderly people the opportunity to live with dignity.
If you would like further information about Vision Aid Overseas
then please visit their website at www.vao.org.uk or contact
the office on 01293 535016.
Prize winners
THREE LONGSLADE students have been recognised
as being amongst the best young design talent within the county.
Pics (l-r): Holly Barnes &
Jessica Crowdell
Pic: Joel Hanson
AS Graphics students Joel Hanson, Holly Barnes and Jessica Crowdell
entered a competition to design a Christmas card based on the
theme of the 'environment' for the Loughborough based pharmaceutical
giant Astrazeneca.
Holly's design
Jessica's design
Joel's design
Joel won 2nd place whilst both Holy and Jessica were Highly Commended,
winning £100 donation to the school.
Head of Graphics Mr Sandeep Tara said: "It is tremendous
to see our students receiving the just credit that they so deserve.
This year we won three out of six categories which saw Longslade
once again at the top of the tree, ensuring the local grammar
schools relinquished their stranglehold over the competition."
Business park plans delayed
PLANS FOR a 20 hectare employment site
north of Birstall and south of Rothley will be subject to another
public consultation exercise in 2008.
The plans have been delayed because of the publication of the
Draft East Midlands Regional Plan (DEMRP) in September 2006,
which contained significant increases in the amount of housing
required by 2026. A total of 19,000 new dwellings are needed
in Charnwood, according to the plan.
The DEMRP will be subject to an examination in May/June of 2007
by an independent panel who will prepare a report for the Secretary
of State in September 2007. Only at this stage will the scale
of development needed in Charnwood be clarified.
The Birstall employment site is a feature of Charnwood's Local
Development Framework, known as Charnwood 2021. A Borough Council
spokesman said: "The revised timetable will mean that the
Borough Council will not progress Charnwood 2021 until the scale
of the development flowing from the Regional Plan is clarified.
The Borough Council will then reconsult local residents and stakeholders
so that they can have a say in how we can best provide for future
growth in the Borough over the next 20 years."
Mike Nutting remembered
IT IS with profound sadness that we have
to tell you of the sudden death of our dear friend and fellow
artist Mike Nutting.
Pic: Mike Nutting
Mike had only been very ill for a little while and we had expected
his treatment to start this month, with great hopes for a recovery.
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Madge, she will
know how much Mike was loved by all who knew him, his cheery
smile, his friendly manner, his sheer goodness endeared him to
us all.
His contribution to the society was immense, he had been treasurer,
long time serving committee member, auditor and with Madge organised
one of our painting weekends away. Only this past year in September
he and Madge became 'Mystic Madge and Mike' as they entertained
us with their wonderful magic show
Mike demonstrated at our exhibitions and his talent and love
of art was obvious in his really beautiful paintings.
We shall always remember Mike as someone always prepared to offer
help to others. He was a delightful, gentle man. It was our privilege
to have known him.
Our prayers and sympathy are for Madge and their three sons and
their families at this very sad time.
From Birstall & District Art Society
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WI news
THE NEW Year for Birstall & Wanlip
WI members began on January 8.
During the morning and afternoon four members attended the Resolutions
meeting at Glenfield Church Hall and then reported back to their
own WI meeting in the evening. There was only a small gathering
but quite a lot of discussion took place. Subscriptions were
collected for 2007 and quite a few notices had accumulated during
the holidays. New programmes were handed out together with WI
voucher books.
After coffee break the rest of the evening was occupied with
playing board games such as 'Snakes and Ladders'. This proved
to be not only a lot of fun but as there were problems with the
school heating system it enabled everyone to go home a bit earlier
before it got too cold.
Next month's meeting will be on February 5 when a talk entitled
'Crystal Healing' will be given by Mrs Pamela Lenthall
Wardens on patrol
HIGHLY VISIBLE in their red and black uniforms,
Charnwood's new Street Wardens began patrolling the streets in
November
Employed by Charnwood Borough Council, the aim of the wardens
is to improve the quality of the environment by reporting graffiti,
litter and abandoned vehicles and increasing the speed of response
to tidying up environmental 'grot spots'.
Where there is persistent offending or a failure to act responsibly,
street wardens can issue on the spot fines, or fixed penalty
notices, for the following:
o abandoned cars
o people dropping litter
o dog fouling
o unauthorised distribution of free printed material
o nuisance parking (selling or repairing two or more cars on
the road)
o graffiti
o fly posting
o failure to produce a waste transfer note or a waste carrier
licence
o putting out waste incorrectly
Fines range from £80 to £300. Fixed penalty notices
are not issued for fly tipping and someone found illegally dumping
waste materials will automatically be referred for prosecution.
There are currently seven Street Wardens in post and on the street.
A further four are responsible for managing the scheme, and with
increased investment in the scheme after April 2007, another
four should join the team.
Cllr Sandie Gough, Lead Member for the Environment at Charnwood,
said: "The Wardens have visited every village in the Borough,
including Birstall, and the feedback so far has been nothing
but positive." She explained that in the first six months
of the scheme, the wardens will concentrate on identifying problem
areas in the Borough.
To report litter, tipping, abandoned cars, graffiti or an environmental
'grot spot' ring the Hotline number on 01509 634563
Choir needs children
CHILDREN ARE needed to join a new choir
with an exciting pedigree.
Pic: the Capital Arts Children's
Choir
The internationally renowned Capital Arts Children's Choir (London)
is forming a branch of the choir in the Midlands that will be
based in Loughborough.
The choir, whose director and founder is Kathleen Shanks of Birstall,
is regarded as one of the finest children's choirs in the country.
She said: "The choir is much in demand, singing in major
choral works at concert halls in London and throughout the UK
with leading orchestras and choirs."
Other performances include opera, musicals, recitals, film work
and recordings. Kathleen, who founded the choir in 1991, is internationally
recognised as a treble choir specialist and her work takes her
to Europe, USA and Canada as a guest conductor.
The Capital Arts Children's Choir has toured extensively and
has broadcast on radio and television in the UK, France, Germany,
USA, Canada, China and Russia. The choir has performed before
royalty and state leaders, in this country and abroad, including
a Royal Variety Performance before Her Majesty the Queen and
the Duke of Edinburgh.
"Top promoters have offered the choir work in the Midlands.
The Loughborough choir will have a busy and exciting schedule
working at the highest level with professional performers"
said Kathleen.
Children interested in joining the choir should contact Kathleen
Shanks on 0116 267 2035 or at capitalarts@btconnect.com. Rehearsals
are to take place at Loughborough Town Hall starting on Tuesday,
February 6. The choir's first performance will be at the Royal
Albert Hall on April 18.
NHW news
PLEASE BE aware of a couple of new scams
that have appeared recently:
1. Telephone Credit Card Scam
You receive a call claiming to be from your credit card company's
fraud department saying that they're calling to verify an unusual
purchase pattern and asking if you made a purchase for a named
item for £xxx.xx. When you say no, they tell you they will
be issuing a credit to your account, but need you to confirm
the three digit security number on the back of your card.
This should ring alarm bells! Your credit card company already
know your card details and will never ask for them on the phone.
If you give the fraudsters the number you'll find your account
debit for the quoted amount shortly afterwards!
2. Dating SMS Text Message
You receive a text message advising that someone you know is
trying to contact you by a dating service and to ring a given
number to find out who it is.
The number has to be called from a landline and incurs a cost
of £1.50 per minute and can involve a lengthy call. It's
a scam purely intended to encourage the recipient to call the
number the scammers have set-up, for which they receive a high
percentage of the call costs. And there is no date either! If
you receive any text encouraging you to ring a number, treat
it with caution. Advise younger and more vulnerable members likewise.
From Rosie Rollings, Secretary, Birstall and Wanlip Neighbourhood
Watch
Shop worker stabbed
A SHOP worker from Birstall was stabbed
to death as she started her sift at TK Maxx in Thurmaston.
Rina Panchal (26) had worked at the shop for less than a year.
William Otim Alikori (31), of Oak Street, Leicester, a cleaner
at the store, has been charged with her murder. He appeared before
city magistrates on Friday. Alikori did not enter a plea and
was remanded into custody to appear at Leicester Crown Court
on April 13.
Old Plough’s busy Christmas
THE OLD Plough on Front Street has sent
us details of the community events it has organised and supported
over the Christmas period, and their plans for 2007.
Pic: Marlene Prendergast, Ian Dix,
Sharon North & Ian Payne
Pic: Birstall Utd U13s 2004
On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus took time out to visit the Old
Plough, with all the children receiving a chat from Santa and
a present. They presented him with a gift of coloured in pictures
of himself. Dave Reid from the Old Plough said: "The children
loved it, their little faces were beaming with excitement knowing
Christmas was only 24 hours away."
Over Christmas, the pub staged the first Silvia Parnaby Memorial
Cup darts competition. Dave said: "There was plenty of local
support and both the Old Plough Ladies and Men's darts players
took part in a great night." In the final, Marlene Prendergast
and Ian Dix faced Sharon North and Ian Payne. The best of five
legs saw Marlene and Ian win 3-0 and collect the trophy.
Pic: Tom Langton
The December Pool tournament featured open singles, a blind pairs
event and a speed pool challenge. Tom Brown and Luke Ratcliffe
beat Dave Reid and Tom Langton (13) in the final of the blind
pairs event and Luke was also the winner of the speed pool challenge.
In the singles, top cue man Andy Topley came back from two nil
down to win three two in a thrilling semi final against Paul
'Goody' Goodman. He defeated Luke Ratcliffe in the final to take
the trophy and the prize cue which he generously presented to
the young player of the day, Tom Langton.
Pic: Birstall Utd U10s
On New Year's Eve the Old Plough was packed with partygoers.
Dave Reid said: "We would like to sincerely thank each and
everyone who came to our New Year's Eve night. Children, adults
in fancy dress, music from all generations was danced to and
there was a firework display as a finale. Everyone conducted
themselves superbly. If there was a small downside, we apologise
for not having more room to accommodate any more people."
The Old Plough is committed to supporting local junior football.
"The Old Plough is well known for being involved with families
and children and are developing relationships all the time, none
more so than with local football" says Dave.
The pub sponsors last season's double winners Birstall United
U13s 2004 and also supply after match buffets for Birstall Utd
U10s and junior girls' teams, the Vixens. Fundraising events
are planned for 2007.
Because of their successes on the pitch, league champions Birstall
Utd U13s 2004 are in demand throughout the Midlands and in the
past year have played at Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham Forest
and Birmingham City.
Pic: Birstall Utd U12 Vixens
Pic: Birstall Utd U10s Vixens
Manager Nick Langton said: "It's an absolute credit to the
lads that their achievements have been rewarded by being invited
to play at such wonderful places."
Dave said: "On the subject of football, Birstall Old Boys
are always back in the Plough following home games and we wish
them well in their hunt for promotion."
This year, the pub will provide an outside smoking area and become
a totally non-smoking environment inside. Dave said: "Sunday
lunches are becoming more popular than ever and basket meals
in the evenings are always available." The pub organises
a general knowledge quiz every Tuesday, with themed quiz nights
once or twice a month, and is inviting anyone who wants to start
up a new darts or pool team to contact them.
Dave is researching the history of the Old Plough, which was
built 211 years ago, and would welcome any information from readers
about the history of the pub.
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