Tesco opens
THE NEW Tesco Express on Sibson Road celebrated
its launch by making a donation to a special needs playgroup.
Pic: Tesco Manager Jane Redfearn
(centre) presents
Deborah Hoggar (left), Tilly Crane (4), Cayden
Harriman (1) & Emma Shuttlewood from Birstall
Special Needs Playgroup with a cheque
Staff and children from Birstall Special Needs Playgroup were
the guests of honour when the new Tesco Express store opened
on Friday January 18 and cut the ribbon to declare the new store
officially open.
As part of the opening celebrations, store manager Jane Redfearn
and her staff presented the playgroup with a £500 donation.
It gives children with special needs a safe and supportive environment
to play and meet other children, as well as allowing the parents
to spend quality time with their children and meet other parents.
Manager Jane Redfearn said: "We are delighted to be able
to support our local playgroup, they do such fantastic work in
Birstall, and we were delighted to welcome them to open the store"
Staff at the new Tesco Express chose to make the donation to
their local playgroup as part of Tesco's commitment to supporting
local communities.
Deborah Hoggar, playworker said: "We rely heavily on donations
so are delighted that we will benefit from the opening of the
new store and thank Tesco for this generous donation. The money
will be put to a very good cause - buying specialist play equipment
for the children."
The new store on Sibson Road will open from 7am to 10pm seven
days a week. It offers a range of fresh, chilled and frozen products,
household items, daily essentials, newspapers and magazines,
beers, wines and spirits, fresh bread, croissants and muffins
from the instore bakery. The store also has a free cash machine.
Anti social behaviour
RESIDENTS OF Lambourne Road are frustrated
and angry about the antisocial behaviour of a group of young
people that is affecting their quality of life.
Jeff Cassidy has lived on the road since 2000. He said: "It's
been getting worse and worse over the years but has really started
to get bad since November. I've had my car's wing mirrors kicked
off on eight occasions and I know others have suffered the same."
He added: "We are all realty red up to the back teeth with
it, it's worrying and depressing. I know one bloke who's at the
end of his tether with it, and I'm worried what he might do,
taking the law into his own hands."
The majority of problems are on Friday and Saturday nights between
8pm and 1am. "I think they're sitting somewhere down Meadow
Lane, getting drunk and the problems start when they make their
way back along Blenheim Road and Lambourne Road" said Mr
Cassidy.
There are usually up to 40 young people in the group.
The Police are aware of the problems and have carried out plain
clothes operations, positioned a mobile CCTV camera in the area
and visited every house in Lambourne Road to talk to residents
about the problem. The CCTV cameras that are now operational
on the School Lane playing field have had the effect of reducing
antisocial behaviour there and moving the problem to other areas,
including Lambourne Road, say the Police.
A recent survey to identify possible sites for more CCTV cameras
in Birstall is about to report back to the Parish Council, but
funding will be an issue.
Police have identified a group of 6-8 young people that they
are concentrating on. They are all from Birstall and aged 11-15
years. Parents have been notified and the Police are negotiating
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC) with two individuals. Breaches
of an ABC can result in the imposition of an ASBO.
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on January 14.
PC Chris Falle reported on an increase in criminal damage. He
said that thieves were targeting vehicle sat nav devices.
PC Falle reported that there were two arrests made for affray
following a fight on Paget Avenue on January 7, which was watched
by a crowd of around 40 people. There is a core of 6-8 youths,
all from Birstall and aged 11-15, who are responsible for the
majority of antisocial behaviour, he said. Two of these had reached
the stage of being offered Acceptable Behaviour Contracts.
PC Falle said that notifying parents about their child's antisocial
behaviour was often successful in dealing with the problem.
A resident of the Meadway has written to the council complaining
about the noise from generators at the new Tesco Express and
large lights shining into her property. The council agreed to
investigate these complaints.
Clerk Brenda Thomas reported that Charnwood are looking at installing
CCTV at the Lambourne Road/Wanlip Lane junction.
Birstall Gala 2008 will be held on July 5 and 6
Chicken sales
A LOCAL butcher is reporting a marked increase
in customer awareness of animal welfare issues following Channel
4's week of programmes on the issue.
Scott Langton from J Michael's on Sibson Road said: "Following
the recent programmes with Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
on chicken production, there has been a great increase in customer
awareness of where their chicken is sourced from - our volumes
have nearly doubled."
J Michael's have been selling organic chicken since May 2007
from Barkby Thorpe, with free range chickens and fillets sourced
fresh every Wednesday from Gloucestershire. Welfare standard
chickens are supplied from Yorkshire.
Plans for new car park
PLANS FOR the new car park extension to
the Sibson Road car park are available to view.
From February 4 they can be seen at Birstall Parish Council office,
the Village Hall and will also be on view at the Parish Council
meeting on February 11 at 7.30pm, held in the Village Hall.
The 91 space car park will be on the site of the old bowling
green opposite Birstall DIY and will be provided by the Parish
Council.
Following the February 11 meeting, the plans will be formally
submitted to Charnwood for planning permission at which stage
comments/objections can be made.
Raffle boosts appeal
FUNDRAISING FOR a seven year old pupil
at Highcliffe School who has a rare form of cancer has been boosted
thanks to the efforts of a local shopkeeper.
Pic: raffle winner Amber Nurse
(left) with Elaine Murphy
Elaine Murphy from Health and Wholefoods on Sibson Road organised
a raffle for Hannah Edwards after finding out about her when
a letter was delivered to her shop.
"I had been thinking about a good cause I could support
and that I wanted to do something, to give back, when I got the
letter about Hannah" said Elaine.
Pic: Hannah Edwards calandar
She organised a raffle and sold tickets in her shop, raising
£200.
Elaine has also been selling a calendar designed by pupils at
Highcliffe school. The calendar features paintings by the school
children and proceeds from the sale go to the Hannah Edwards
Appeal.
Hannah was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour called a neuroblastoma
when she was three and has ongoing chemotherapy treatment.
Her headteacher Iain Munro said: "Hannah is cheerful, popular
and hardworking and really enjoys school. She has a great spirit
about her and we decided to do the calendar and support her charity
because it's a rare form of cancer that needs more research."
Lisa Pidgeon is a friend of the family and helped to organise
and publicise the fundraising for the calendar. She said: "Elaine
is a lovely lady and it's absolutely wonderful that she organised
a raffle for Hannah's charity."
A few copies of the calendar are still on sale at Health and
Wholefoods and are now £2.50: half price. For more details
see www.hannahedwards.org.uk or email: lisapidgeon@hotmail.com
BAGS pink curry night
BIRSTALL BAG ladies raised over £250
with a Pink Ladies Night at the Aromaspice restaurant in December.
Pic: (l-r back) Helen Carnan, Jo
Preston, Liz Darlison.
(front) Moznu Miah from Aromaspice, Rachael Boyall,
Emma Shaw
The Breast Awareness Group (BAG) was raising funds for breast
cancer charities.
Emma Shaw said: "We would like to say a big thank you to
everyone who turned up and the Aromaspice restaurant for kindly
donating half the night's takings towards our charity. We all
had a great night and hope to do it again soon."
The group are holding their annual disco/live band night at Birstall
Social Club on February 23 with tickets on sale now from Emma
07837 028451 or Rachael 0798 9822173
Dancing
A SMALL group of people who like to dance
has reconvened after a break.
The group meets on Monday evenings, 7.30 to 9pm, at Rothley Baptist
Church. Mostly they do Circle Dancing which, as the name implies,
is done in a circle, therefore no partners are needed. The dances
are mostly traditional European ones.
The group is friendly and relaxed and the emphasis is on enjoyment
rather than getting it right. They would welcome new members,
including the two-left-footed sort.
Anyone who might be interested can contact Anne on 01664 424390
Toilet closed?
BIRSTALL'S PUBLIC toilet on Hannah Parade
could be closed as part of a cost cutting exercise by Charnwood
Borough Council.
Charnwood are also considering closing toilets in Shepshed, Barrow,
Newtown Linford, Quorn, Sileby and Loughborough.
Excluding Loughborough and Quorn, the estimated saving is £46,000
a year. Closing Quorn would save £4,000 and the Automatic
Public Convenience in Loughborough, £270,000 between 2008
and 2020.
Kevin Biddulph, Head of Street Management at Charnwood, said:
"The proposals for toilet closures are amongst a number
of budget reduction proposals that are currently under consideration
by members at Charnwood for issues across the whole of the borough.
"There is an ongoing issue for many public toilets about
the impact of vandalism and how this then impacts upon community
safety and usage."
Borough Councillor Helena Edwards said: "We need a review
of provision across the whole borough before we make piecemeal
decisions about closure."
A decision will be made by the Council's cabinet on February
6. Anyone wishing to object to the proposals should inform the
Council of their views in writing or by email before that date.
Top of league
BIRSTALL RUGBY Football Club's 1st team
is undefeated at the top of Leicester League Division 5, and
it doesn't look like anyone can stop them from being crowned
champions come the end of the season.
Pic: Graham Robinson taking a penalty
kick against
Sileby RFC
Birstall last won this division in 2000, when it was known as
the merit table. A handful of players who played in that winning
side are still 1st team regulars, and their experience mixed
with an influx of youth and skill explains the current form.
Club spokesman Tom Bedder said: "A prime example of this
youth and skill is 22 year old Graham Robinson. Graham's cunning
distribution at fly half unleashes a swift back line and his
100% kicking record in the league speaks for itself. He hails
from Quorn but is currently at University in Cheltenham. After
playing a few games for Birstall in the holidays Graham was hooked
on the club and now travels back to Leicester each weekend to
play with Birstall RFC."
Whilst the 2nd team haven't seen the same kind of winning streak
as the 1st, the club says it has been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm
of the players. Tom said: "The 2nds were formed at the beginning
of this season, the initial plan was for them to play social
rugby every three weeks, this was soon changed however when players
demanded more regular games. They now have a fixture planned
pretty much every week through to the end of this season.
2nd team captain Fraser Walker sums up the team spirit: "The
2nds have got total novices, a few old boys that just can't hang
up their boots, players who are competing for 1st team slots
and some lads who are happy playing social rugby. All this adds
up to competitive rugby played whilst having great fun. Anyone
in Birstall who wants to have a game with us will be welcomed
wholeheartedly."
Check us out on facebook and on our official site at www.birstallrfc.co.uk
Become a councillor
YOU CAN help to make a difference in Birstall
by becoming a parish councillor.
There are currently two vacancies on the council and applications
are being invited from residents.
Parish Clerk Brenda Thomas said: "Birstall is a growing
community and the council covers a whole raft of things including
maintaining and improving the cemetery, parks and some of its
community buildings. It also seeks to represent its residents'
and retailers' views with other organisations, such as the Borough
and County Councils, Police, Primary Care Trusts and many others,
when they are taking decisions that effect Birstall's Community.
"All you would be required to do is to attend the council
meetings which are held on the second Monday of each month and
take part in the decision making process. There are other committees
and issues that you can get involved in if you wish to give up
more of your time.
If you would like the Council to consider you please write, preferably
before February 11 to the Clerk at Birstall Parish Council, Birstall
Village Hall, Birstall Road, Birstall, Leicester. Your application
should include details of how long you have lived in Birstall
and what you think you can offer to help the Council achieve
its goals.
Anyone wishing to find out more details about becoming a Parish
Councillor can speak to the clerk on 2676191. They may also consider
attending a council meeting as a member of the public to see
the council at work. The next meeting is on February 11 at 7.30pm
in the Village Hall.
Stroke club
CHARNWOOD STROKE Club is inviting anyone
who has been affected by Stroke to join their friendly club.
It meets at the Beale Room, St Peters Community Centre
on Sorer Road in Loughborough on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from
9.30am until 2pm.
A warm and welcoming atmosphere is assured and the two groups
have a band of willing, cheerful volunteers on hand with cups
of tea/coffee and biscuits. The groups have musical entertainers,
guest speakers and many coach outings such as on the Peter le
Marchant canal boat, garden centres, bowling clubs and meals
out.
Dominoes are a great favourite and played on a regular basis
with a yearly tournament and small trophy for the winner. Sing-a-longs
and bingo sessions are also enjoyed by the members.
Lunch is provided, usually soup, sandwiches and cake, and members'
birthdays are celebrated with cake and wine.
If you are interested in joining the club then please contact
the organiser of the day you would like to join:
Joy (Tuesday Group) 01509 502489 or Marion (Wednesday Group)
01509 413053
|
New homes total
THE TOTAL number of new homes recommended
for Leicestershire over the next 20 years has increased from
95,000 to 96,125.
The increase is made in the report into last summer's draft Regional
Plan, published on November 28 and conducted by Professor Stephen
Crowe.
The draft plan recommended 19,000 new homes for Charnwood and
the provision of an additional 1,625 homes for the whole county
may result in a small increase for Charnwood.
A Borough Council spokesman said: "The report does not favour
the increased allocation at Loughborough but does support strongly
the principle of urban concentration as being the most sustainable
approach to providing for future development needs. Accordingly
the prospect of extensions at Loughborough and within Charnwood
adjoining Leicester remain firmly part of the Regional Plan,
but the distribution of new homes between those locations will
be a matter for the Borough council to decide."
The report also gives greater flexibility to district councils
to decide, in partnership with regional agencies, the scale and
location of land to be allocated for employment and to decide
whether to retain, amend or create new areas of Green Wedge.
Proposals for a Charnwood Forest Regional Park remain.
Councillor Hilary Fryer, Charnwood's Cabinet Lead Member for
Development, welcomed the report saying "This is a major
step forward in clarifying Charnwood's role in the region's future.
The greater flexibility given to the people of the Borough to
make important decisions about the scale and location of development
is particularly welcome. However, we are concerned that the needs
of rural communities for affordable housing and essential services
should not be forgotten within a strategy which is so heavily
concentrated on the urban areas."
The report will now be considered by the Secretary of State and
it is anticipated that she will publish her proposed changes
to the Regional Plan in the spring which will then be the subject
of a further round of public consultation before being finalised
in September 2008.
Rotary
THE ROTARY Club of the Wreake Valley is
sending out a message of thanks to all local residents who supported
their 'Santa Sleigh' collection in December, in aid of Rotary
Charities.
A spokesman said: "During the last 12 months we have held
a Summer Tea and Carol Service for local elderly people, taken
disadvantaged children for a day out at Wicksteed Park, supported
LOROS, Age Concern and other local and overseas charities. We
aim to do the same and more during 2008."
Rotary membership is open to business and professional people.
If you are interested in socialising and helping those less fortunate
than yourself the club would be delighted to hear from you. For
more details please call 07979 645605 during the day.
United’s Foxes shine
TWO JUNIOR football sides from Birstall
were successful at an indoor tournament held at Derby County's
Pride Park.
Pic: Birstall
United under 9 foxes
Birstall United under 8 foxes and under 9 foxes both played through
to the finals of the event.
The under 9s progressed through the group stages playing six
matches, winning all six, scoring 28 goals and only conceding
one, ending up group winners after playing some very good teams.
Pic: Birstall United under 8 Foxes
Birstall's semi-final opponents were Long Eaton, a class side
with an array of academy players and a Nottingham Forest scout
as coach, 1-0 was the score in Birstall's favour putting them
into the final.
A slow start in the final put Birstall under 9s 2-0 down in as
many minutes but the team showed great character to being the
score back to 2-2 taking the final to extra time. Unfortunately,
Birstall conceded early on but fought all the way to the end,
losing 3-2 after extra time.
Coach Jason Simms said: "The Birstall squad were exceptional
from start to finish with everyone giving their all and they
must be congratulated, because it just wasn't their day. Well
done lads!"
The under 8 foxes also progressed through their group stage playing
six matches winning five and drawing one, scoring 18 goals and
only conceding 3, ending up group winners with 16 points from
18. "The competition was very stiff indeed, some of these
teams were very good and one in particular held us to a draw.
We were to meet them again in the final" said Jason.
The semi-final was with a strong Derby inner city team called
Sinfin Sharks, but despite having gone down to an early goal,
Birstall came back to win 2 goals to 1.
The strongest teams were in the group stage and the match that
couldn't be separated was repeated in the final against the unbeaten
Allestree Juniors of Derby.
Jason said: "A quick turnaround from the semi-final left
us slow out of the blocks and within 30 seconds we were 1 goal
down however, we quickly fought back to make it 1-1. Nothing
between the sides at the moment but a break from Allestree put
them 2-1 in front with seconds to go. However, our grit and determination
didn't wane and pulled it back to 2-2 and extra time. Straight
from the kick off we were in their faces and scored 2 goals in
quick succession to win 4-2.
"It was a well deserved win, well done lads!"
Alcohol licence
TESCO'S BIRSTALL store has received its
licence to sell alcohol from its Sibson Road store.
Charnwood Borough Council granted the license at a hearing held
on January 22. Tesco had originally applied for the licence in
2007 but had then withdrawn it.
The licensing panel considered a petition from local residents
and an objection from Birstall Parish Council as well as a submission
from Tesco on the measures they proposed to take to mitigate
the sale of alcohol to underage people.
Tesco also indicated they would support the Parish Council to
raise funds for CCTV.
There are 14 premises licensed to sell alcohol for off site consumption
in Birstall, 12 within half a mile of the Tesco store.
Birstall Parish Council Clerk Brenda Thomas said: "There
have been many incidents of crime and disorder in the village
as a direct result of underage drinking. While the Council accepts
that the retailers argue they do what they can to ensure they
do not sell alcohol to under 18s, the fact is they are obtaining
it from somewhere and it is almost impossible to prove who is
responsible for providing it."
"The Council believes enough is enough. Controls need to
be put in place to reduce underage drinking and the number of
off licences."
Girls dress up
BAGS TO Riches was an enjoyable fundraiser
that was held by Birstall Guides and took place on November 23,
2007 at the Co-op Sports and Social Club on Birstall Road.
The money we raised will be used to improve our meeting
place. This hall is used by all girls who are members of the
Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and we would like to make it better
for everyone by refurbishing the toilets and the kitchen and
extending the hall itself.
There were four categories that took part in the fashion show:
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Leaders. All the people who took
part had to walk around the hall to show off their outfits that
they had made out of bin bags and other household items. As I
walked round the hall I realised just how nerve-wracking it actually
was. We all got a chocolate and a certificate for taking part
but the people who won got a prize and another certificate. Later
on, the raffle was drawn and everyone had a jacket potato.
A big thank you too of the village shops that donated a prize
for the raffle and everyone who organised the event. All in all,
it was a wonderful evening and we raised £320!
From Yvonne , aged 10, 15th Leicester (Birstall)
Guides
HATS help boost charity appeal
OUR PICTURE shows some of the members of
the Highcliffe Amateur Theatrical Society with a cheque for £186.40,
which is to be presented to the BBC Radio Leicester Ruby Rainbows
Appeal.
The money was raised last year from raffles held at the HATS
Open Evening in May and at the pantomime, Dick Turpin, which
was performed at the end of November. HATS would like to thank
everyone who contributed towards the money raised for such a
worthy cause.
Looking to the future, HATS would like to announce their next
production which will be presented in April. The play is Bazaar
and Rummage by Leicester's own Sue Townsend - she of Adrian Mole
fame. It is a play with an adult theme and does contain some
strong language.
HAT's Rod Atkins said: "Careful consideration was given
before deciding to present this play, which is outside of our
normal comedy subjects, but it was felt that it was a challenge
we did not want to shirk as the casting perfectly suited our
present membership and the chance may not come again."
The play will be on stage at Greengate Hall, Highcliffe School,
Greengate Lane, Birstall on April 24, 25 and 26 at 7.30pm. Tickets
are £5 (£4 concs) and can be obtained by phoning
the HATS box office on 0116 2128757 or 07757 854719 or by email
to hatsbirstall@hotmail.co.uk. Look out for more details in the
March and April issues of the Birstall Post.
Carl runner up
CARL GUNNS and Andy Corbett were guests
at the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards held at the De Montfort
Hall.
Now in its 11th year, the event was attended by some of the biggest
names in football, rugby and cricket in Leicestershire, including
Milan Manderic and Steve Walsh.
Carl was the runner up in the Contribution to Sport category,
recognising his 50 years in boxing and the success of his gym
in Birstall. The category winner was hockey player Gaynor Nash.
Carl said: "I was honoured to have even reached the final,
and to be runner up was terrific."
Leicester Tigers Captain Martin Corry was crowned sportsman of
the year and Leicester Ladies Hockey Club's Crista Cullen took
the women's title.
Your Say...
We were surprised to read in The Birstall Post's parish council
report section that the parish council are still talking about
an allotment society 'being started'. We would like to put the
matter straight.
In fact, the Birstall Allotment society was formed three years
ago, is very active and has grown to a membership of over 50,
all of our members are registered with the National Association.
To comply with their rules a constitution has been prepared and
will be presented at a meeting, to be called very shortly, when
all members will be invited to adopt it, also to elect a committee
to take the society forward. Any plot holders who have not joined
are more than welcome to do so at an annual fee of £2
Birstall Allotment Society
Name & address supplied
Nasty, personal, offensive - gosh! Firstly, in all my time
reading The Birstall Post never have I encountered anything that
could remotely be described as any of the above. Indeed, I am
sure the editor would deem it his duty and responsibility not
to publish any letter he felt fell into any of those categories.
Secondly, when I submit a letter for publication, at least I
have the decency to sign it. I can understand unsigned letters
if the writer considers themselves in danger should their name
and address become public, but I really can't see that to be
the case here. I will ignore this, however, on this occasion.
Nowhere in my original letter did I state that I was anti buses,
or wanted the services withdrawn. All I stated was the patently
obvious fact that our suburban avenues are too narrow to accommodate
full size buses. Yes, the same applies to large delivery vans
and refuse collection vehicles, but they are not the topic of
conversation here. What is the problem with using smaller vehicles,
adequately adapted for older and disabled persons?
As to my attacking Mr Winson, it would seem 'Offensive' is in
agreement with me. I quote "Mr Winson, he is in business
and certainly knows how to run a successful company…"
Precisely, and as such, runs it on a profitable, not philanthropic
basis. I did not realise that the bus is used to transport disabled
people to their day centre. But would ask if Mr Winson funds
this himself, in which case I praise his kindness, or if it is
under contract from the relevant authority, in which case it
is a simple matter of business. I do not know Mr Winson and therefore
can have no opinion, good or bad, as to his public mindedness,
but I generally accept all people to be good until they prove
otherwise, and extend him the same courtesy. The fact that his
busses are too large for our roads is not a personal attack on
him any more than it is on the people who use them.
Now, I must go and put some petrol in my 14 year old, 110,000+
miles on the clock, luxury vehicle that is used mostly for the
convenience of two children and an octogenarian parent who I
care for alone. Inconsiderate…?
Nicholas G Black
I am pleased to see that Birstall people are supporting other
Birstall people. The local town bus services are not perfect
but they really help many of the local OAPs. If the services
were curtailed because of obstruction then many OAPs would be
housebound. The local bus services do reduce car use.
Once again Mr Lunn appears: if we cannot stop Mr Lunn, surely
he might listen to local people and make some small alteration
to his plans. Why can't we see these wonderful plans? What is
happening to The A6/A46/Mountsorrel bypass area? For many years
there were plans of 4 Park & Ride areas in Leicester/Leicestershire.
All these were 1,000 car places sites and Birstall was the first
chosen site. Later the Birstall site was changed to 500 car spaces.
For all of these many years the Birstall site was on all the
plans even when the number of car spaces had been cut to 500
car spaces.
Now Birstall is being replaced by Enderby and funding comes from
Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the developer
and central Government; work starts this year (2008) and Birstall
is not mentioned. Does this mean that the 'road to nowhere' stays
as a road to nowhere? The east side of the pedestrian crossing
is very dangerous.
Could the chief Fire Officer tell us why he is coming to Birstall
when there is a large empty room at Castle Donnington, planned
as the HQ for the fire brigade in the East Midlands? This appeared
on TV East Midlands news on Friday January 4, 2008. Is the Fire
Station redundant in Birstall before it is built? Why are you
leaving Glenfield?
The bus stop problem! Leave the bus stop where it is; the stop
was there before Mr Lunn came to Birstall. Solution! Move Tesco
and Mr Lunn round to the Meadway.
Les Briers
There will be 900 car parking spaces on the Park and Ride site
opposite Hallam Fields: Editor
I thought it would be a good idea for people who never see
the waste ground on the Crossways from above as it shows what
people around here are talking about. On the left is a garage
about to be overgrown. At the top are two garden fences the shrubs
are pushing against and for a councillor to say leave well alone
that tells me all I need to know. Let's have something done about
it now.
Ben Burrows
I received an anonymous letter for publication entitled 'Problem
moved not solved' about CCTV cameras being needed in the Wanlip
Lane area of the village.
All letters must include the sender's name and address - these
will not be published or disclosed to any third party if the
writer so indicates.
If the writer of 'Problem moved not solved' resubmits his/her
letter with their name and address, the letter will be published.
Jerry Jackson
Editor, Birstall Post
We would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who
attended, made donations or contributed in any way to the success
of the bridge/whist drive held at the Birstall Bowling Club on
January 16. The sum of £292 was raised in aid of the Leics
branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Maureen & Maurice Jeffery
May I thank the wonderful loyal people who buy their poppies
from me outside Forbuoys on Sibson Road. No matter what the weather
you always stop to buy a poppy. I am very grateful for this.
The total this year was £228.73. Well done all of you.
Many thanks to Krustys and Age Concern for the cups of tea.
A few funny tales:
"How long have you been selling poppies then" "40
years now" "What, and you still do not have enough
money"
"Please watch my buggy while I run into the chemist"
"My poppy is as good as new, I bought it about five years
ago now"
These are just a few of the lighter moments. See you all again
next year on Sibson Road. Many thanks.
Val Joyce
Vice President Birstall Royal British Legion Women's Section
I have followed the saga of Tesco in the Birstall Post with
interest. The initial planning application seemed to be difficult
to fathom, being somewhere along a spectrum between misinformation
and deception. Anyway the store was built. More recently concern
has been about parking and deliveries. Recent observation has
shown that Tesco has also found a way round that.
On Sunday January 13 at 0800 a container lorry, registration
MX54YWB was parked at right angles to Sibson Road backing onto
the gate alongside. It blocked the pavement and parking bay forcing
pedestrians to walk into the road. Recent Post letters have also
raised concerns about parking further along Sibson Road being
enforced by the local authority. Again Tesco seems to be above
the law.
The company makes a lot of noise about its corporate responsibility,
for example on its web site, but not upsetting the neighbours
and following the spirit as well as the letter of the law does
not seem to feature in its public statements. One can see why.
Events in Birstall are a microcosm of the broader picture described
by Andrew Simms in his book 'Tescopoly'. Such abuses are the
reason that our family give their stores a wide berth; those
with similar concerns can easily follow suit.
Brian Waters
I am David Wilcoxson in Liberty Hill, Texas and I am requesting
your assistance in locating an old boyhood friend. His name is
Timothy Byrd. He was living in Birstall and we were 7-8 years
old. His house was a few doors down from a dovecot (a tall cylindrical
rock/or cement looking coop for the pigeons). This was in 1958
or so and I believe his mom was British and his father possibly
a yank working for a toy company.
Having travelled a lot when I was young, I lost touch with people.
The internet has enabled me to locate old friends. If by chance
you know of some old timers who knew the location of that era's
dovecots, maybe I could get some addresses so I can use Google
earth and jog my memory!
David Wilcoxson
drwilcoxson@earthlink.net
Methodist news
PowerPoint Preachers!
Most of the preachers locally have taken advantage of the opportunity
to discover how to prepare a PowerPoint presentation. A laptop
computer and PowerPoint projector has been purchased by the eight
Methodist Churches in the Leicester North Circuit.
Richard Tinley and Marcus Cox prepared the Saturday training
sessions - all that remains is for the preachers to put into
practice what they have learnt!
Computer Ink Cartridges
There are collecting boxes in the Coffee Shop and the Church
Foyer to collect used ink cartridges from computer printers.
Each used cartridge raises £1 for Christian Aid - and saves
them going to landfill sites.
Result of Christmas Appeal
The Christmas Appeal was to support hampers for needy families,
through the Carpenters Arms in Loughborough. A total of £461
was raised. This came from the Christmas card sorting box (in
lieu of stamps), the Christmas Day collection and envelopes in
the pews. Betty Wallington who acts as co-ordinator at the Carpenters
Arms has expressed their appreciation, not only for the Christmas
appeal but for the ongoing support given through the year by
Birstall Methodist Church. This includes £410 from the
Garden Party held last August and a lot of produce from the Harvest
Festival.
£160 was raised from the one evening's carol singing jointly
with St James. This has been split equally between NCH and the
Children's Society.
Pantomime
Only a very few tickets remain for this year's Men's Pantomime,
to be held from Tuesday February 12 to Saturday, February 16.
This year's production is Robin Hood and it features Babes in
the Wood! As The Birstall Post went to press only the back row
was available for most performances with a few extra seats on
the first night. Tel: 2122513 for ticket availability (before
9pm please).
Saturday Coffee Mornings
The Saturday morning Coffee Shop raises funds for a different
good cause almost every week. Two causes of unusual interest
in February are the appeal for the Special Olympics Netball Team
(on 2nd) and funds for working capital for the 2008 Christmas
Festival (on 9th).
Nursery’s good report
STAFF AND children at Birstall Rainbow
Nursery are delighted after a recent successful Ofsted inspection.
Pic: staff and children at Birstall
Rainbows Nursery
celebrating the result of their Ofsted inspection.
The Wanlip Lane nursery was rated as 'good' in all areas, the
second highest rating available. Inspectors praised the nursery
for the staff's dedication to healthy eating, safety and the
enjoyment and achievement of the children.
Nursery manager Paula Wright, whose leadership was commended
in the report, said: "I am very pleased with the outcomes
of our recent Ofsted inspection. I am very proud of the efforts
of all our children, the dedication and professionalism of the
whole staff and the excellent support we receive from parents.
"Our children clearly love coming to Rainbow Nursery where,
in a safe, caring and supportive environment, they thrive."
One parent said: "All the staff at Rainbows are so committed
to the children. It is not just a job for them. I would not hesitate
to recommend Rainbows to any parent."
Planning applications
5 Went Road - erection of a two storey extension to side of
dwelling and single storey to the rear, including alterations
Land adjacent to 15 Firfield Avenue - erection of one two storey
dwelling including alteration to existing access road to serve
previous planning approval to the rear
Land adjacent to 237 Birstall Road - one house (1x5 bed) Class
C3
Trunk Service Road Area, Hallam Fields, South-west quadrant of
A46/A6 junction, Birstall - erection of amenity building including
glazed revolving door, elevation changes, relocated and increased
disabled parking, rerouting of drive-through food servery and
construction of a refuse storage building and generator
534A Loughborough Road - erection of a ground floor extension
and resiting air conditioning units
Rainbow Nursery, 68-74 Wanlip Lane - erection of a bad weather
shelter in children's play area
Post Office, 3 Hannah Parade, Stonehill Avenue - installation
of new ATM machine
Birstall Parish Council, St James Day Centre - to enclose a small
existing area to the rear of the day centre and kitchen area
in order to create a small laundry area
72 Woodgate Drive - erection of conservatory to rear of dwelling
12 Worcester Ave - erection of extension and conservatory to
rear of bungalow
NHW news
DOGNAPPING - TAKING a dog from its owner
without consent is one of the fastest growing crimes in Britain.
Both pedigree and mongrel dogs are at risk. As a pedigree puppy
can cost from £500 to over £1000 adult pedigree dogs
are at risk of being stolen to be used in illegal breeding programmes.
Mongrel dogs are much loved members of the family so people are
prepared to pay ransoms of £400 upwards to see the safe
return of their pet.
The dognapper usually strikes when the dog is being walked especially
if it is dark. The dognapper may post as a jogger and sneak around
the owner. When the see their opportunity they grab the dog and
run off with it. However, at any time of day an opportunist may
steal a dog if it is left unattended. On very rare occasions
the dognapper will hurt or kidnap the owner as well.
There are a number of things that can be done to ensure your
dog's safety.
1. Have your dog fitted with a micro-chip which can be tracked
via satellite. These chips can be fitted by a vet. They cost
approximately £25. Each chip has a unique number. The dog's
owner and owner's details are held on a national database which
ensures the owner of the lost dog is notified. Removing the chip
once fitted is difficult.
2. Another similar idea is to have a unique number tattooed inside
the dog's ear. Again the dog's and owner's details are held on
a national database.
3. Ensure that all your garden fences are secure and robust enough
to keep your dog safely in the garden.
4. Never leave your dog unattended in gardens or parks and other
public areas.
If you do lose your dog - especially if you receive a ransom
note - contact the Police on 0116 2222222.
There are a number of websites on the internet that help to reunite
lost dogs with their rightful owners. One site www.doglost.co.uk
has helped to return 1200 dogs to their own homes.
Birstall & Wanlip Neighbourhood committee member
Club’s men are winners
BIRSTALL'S TOP men tennis players are celebrating
two years of success.
Pic: (l-r) Graham Smith, Christian
Berry &
David Hutchinson
Birstall Watermead Tennis Club's first team has clinched two
successive promotions in the 2006 and 2007 summer county leagues
- without losing a match!
The team, skippered by David Hutchinson, has enjoyed consistently
fine performances on court, with the rest of the side comprising
Graham Smith, Sam Williams, brother Matt, Christian Berry and
Robin Batten.
They finished top of Group 5A of the Wilson Summer Doubles League
2007, with an impressive record of - played nine, won nine and
finishing with 82 points, four clear of GE Sports' first team.
Last month, the teams achievements were recognised at the Tennis
Leicestershire Awards Evening held at the Tigers ground, with
David and Graham there to represent the victorious team and receive
their award.
Meanwhile Birstall Watermead Tennis Club has decided for the
first time to enter four men's teams in this summer's doubles
league - such is the interest from up-and-coming male players.
Two women's teams have been entered as well as two mixed teams,
so all is set for an exciting summer ahead for the club, which
is based at the Co-op Sports and Social Club on Birstall Road.
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WI news
THE FIRST meeting of Birstall & Wanlip
WI for 2008 was held on January 7.
Subscriptions were collected and two new members joined. There
were also two visitors present. After the reading of the December
minutes and the financial statement, a report was given on the
'Which Resolution' meeting held that morning at Glenfield, four
members from Birstall & Wanlip attended. There had also been
a very interesting talk by a representative from Biffa about
recycling in Leicestershire.
The speaker was Mr Copson who brought along 20 glass walking
sticks, part of his collection which has been his hobby for about
30 years, after purchasing one as a souvenir. Though having no
practical use the sticks were very colourful and interestingly
decorated and a quite unusual subject for discussion. Mrs D Gregory
gave a vote of thanks to Mr Copson.
The next meeting will be on Monday February 4 when David and
Joy Bark will give a talk on their trip to the Galapagos Islands.
This meeting will begin at 7.15pm at Highcliffe Community Room
Charnwood Orchestra
THE BOROUGH of Charnwood is proud of its
very own symphony orchestra.
This group of enthusiastic amateur players has gained a widespread
reputation for the excellent standard of its playing and the
exciting music that it brings to classical music lovers in the
area.
2008 will see Charnwood Orchestra presents its biggest challenge
yet: on Saturday March 15, the orchestra will play Stravinsky's
Firebird Suite in a concert to be given at Emmanuel Church, Forest
Road, Loughborough.
The concert also includes another well-known sound picture: Ravel's
Pavane pour une Infante Defunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess).
The piece evokes the dignified elegance of a reception at the
royal Spanish court as a young princess moves gracefully through
the steps of the pavane, a slow processional dance that enjoyed
great popularity in the courts of Europe during the 16th and
17th centuries.
Ravel Pavane is followed by Brahms Piano Concerto No.2. Charnwood
Orchestra is delighted that Katya Apekisheva, the internationally
renowned pianist, will play for them. Katya has been winning
prizes since she was a young girl studying in Moscow and Jerusalem
and she has delighted Loughborough audiences on earlier visits.
The concert will start at 7.45pm and finish around 9.30 with
a wine, real ale and soft drinks bar in the interval. Tickets
will cost £8, £6 (concessions) and £2 for accompanied
children of 16 and under. They are available from Loughborough
Town Hall Box Office (01509 231914), the Orchestra Secretary
(01509 412063), by email from rodgers_david@hotmail.com, from
members of the orchestra or on the door. Don't delay however,
the Church was very full indeed last year.
St James’ church
THE FACT that Easter is particularly early
this year - March 23 is Easter Sunday, the earliest date since
the late 1800s - means that events which usually take place before
Easter have had to be brought forward by several weeks and that
the schools have an unusually short Spring term.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, falls this year on February
6 only six weeks after Christmas. Once again the Churches Together
in Birstall and Wanlip have organised a joint, weekly study programme
for Lent, starting on Thursday February 7 at 7.30pm in the Methodist
Lounge for five sessions. The course will be led by James Shakespeare,
rector and Mary Williams, curate of St James and Wanlip Churches
and John Hucknall, minister of the Methodist Church. All will
be welcome, from any church or none; for more information contact
2674517.
Two events this month will be focusing on the world-wide church.
For some years, I naively imagined that there was a magazine
called Women's World which organised a day of prayer each year
called the 'Women's World Day of Prayer'! Eventually having been
persuaded to attend, I realised that what actually happened was
that each year a service of prayer, each time organised by women
from a different part of the world, took place in churches of
all denominations all over the world. In order to help understand
the different circumstances in which the women of each country
live, a day of preparation for the service is held in advance.
This year the service will be at St James on Friday March 7 at
7.30pm but the preparation day, when we will be hearing about
the country of Guyana in South America, is on Saturday February
9 from 12noon until 4pm in St James' Day Centre. This is the
only speaking country in South America, with a tragic history
of colonial exploitation and slavery, known as British Guiana
until 1970. A Guyanan style meal is also planned so if you wish
to take part you can call 2673568.
In recent years many people, particularly young people, have
been drawn to Burgundy in France to visit the community of Taize.
During the summer months thousands of visitors have gone to share
the experience of open air worship, led by the monks, and a musical
tradition of quiet contemplative singing has grown up and been
copied in many churches throughout the world. On Sunday evening
February 10 at 7.30pm in St James' Church there will be a Taize
style service led by Rev Sheila Skidmore and Rev Mary Williams
to which all are invited.
Finally, on a light-hearted note, an old fashioned Beetle Drive
is taking place in Wanlip Church Rooms on Saturday February 23
at 7.30pm suitable for all the family. Tickets are available
at £1 a head from Sandra on 2677238. There will be a bring
and share supper and a raffle and places are limited so please
reserve yourself a ticket.
From Beryl McHugh
Weather report
DECEMBER WAS a slightly milder month than
normal.
Pic: George Houston and David Collison
Afternoon temperatures averaged 8c which is 0.5c above normal,
night time temperatures averaged 2c which is normal for the time
of year. There were 10 air frosts in Birstall. It was a drier
month than usual with 53 mm of rain falling during the month
which is 10% lower than normal, there were 54 hours of sunshine
which was about average. It was windy at times with the maximum
gust of 40mph on the 3rd.
The first 10 days of the month was very mild and wet. The warmest
day was the 6th when the temperature reached 15c which is 7c
above normal, the wettest day was the 7th when 15mm fell. The
following 10 days were much colder as high pressure became established
over the UK the coldest day was the 21st when temperatures reached
just 2c. That night the temperature dropped to -4c the coldest
of the month's and there were seven consecutive night frosts.
The end of the month turned mild and wet again and the warmest
night was recorded on December 28 when the temperature stayed
above 10c at night.
That's all from your Riverside weather team George Houston and
David Collison
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Age Concern info
Donate to Age Concern Leicestershire & Rutland (ACLR)
when selling on eBay!
eBay for Charity is an easy way to support ACLR while doing what
you do every day on eBay. Buyers can shop, safe in the knowledge
that their money will find its way to charity. Meanwhile sellers
can choose a charity, followed by the percentage of the sales
price they wish to donate - and eBay do the rest.
Supporting ACLR while selling on eBay.co.uk is easy. Not only
can you make a difference by donating between 10% and 100% of
your item's final selling price, but you also benefit from your
listing really standing out.
Your listing will be marked with the special blue and yellow
ribbon and will include the ACLR logo and mission statement.
Buyers can also easily search for charity items both on the main
site and on the eBay for Charity hub page. Often this can mean
more bids and even more selling success!
After your item sells, ACLR will find your donation paid into
its bank account, along with Gift Aid (if you've ticked the box)
and an eBay fee donation.
The really good news is that, though it will require a little
leg-work up front to get you up and running, once you're registered
it requires little extra effort. You just tick the charity box
when you're listing, choose the percentage of your final sale
price you want to donate and to which charity, and eBay take
care of the rest - just minutes to start really making a difference.
In 2007, ACLR benefited from £461 in this way - please
help if you can.
Retirement Income: Age Concern Planning Tool
Age Concern has produced Money Trail, a CD-Rom and accompanying
booklet to help people plan for their retirement. It provides
a step-by-step guide to help people work out how much income
they need for the retirement lifestyle they want, and to check
whether they are on track.
Money Trail: Check that you are on track for the retirement you
want (CD-Rom)
What kind of retirement are you planning? (leaflet)
Tel: 0800 009966 (Age Concern Information Line)
Tracing Lost Policies : Norwich Union Campaign
Norwich Union has launched a campaign to reunite 40,000 policyholders
with £40 million held in unclaimed life insurance and pension
policies dating back to the 1950s. These include policies issued
by companies taken over by Norwich Union, eg Commercial Union,
General Accident, Hibernian, London & Edinburgh, and Provident
Mutual, among others. People can check whether they own a policy
by sending in a form available from the phone number or website
below.
Tel: 0800 1582465 (Norwich Union)
www.norwichunion.com/existing-customer/trace-policies/
Pension and Benefit Upratings and Other Benefit Changes
The government has published the full list of proposed social
security rates from April 2008. The following additional charges
were announced:
o from October 2008 the Pension Service will handle the entire
application for people claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefits
along with Pension Credit, and will send the claim information
directly to the Local Authority
o backdating for Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council
Tax Benefit will be limited to three months. (Currently claims
can be backdated for up to one year)
o the length of time Pension Credit can be paid during a temporary
stay abroad will be extended from 4 weeks to 13 weeks.
o provisions in the Pensions Bill will mean that people aged
75 and over will not need to renew their claim for Pension Credit
when their assessed income period runs out. They will be able
to ask for reassessment if they wish.
Pensions Bill
A Pensions Bill 2007 was published in December. This will introduce
the new system of personal accounts, and from 2012 automatic
enrolment into either personal accounts or another qualifying
work-based pension. People will be able to opt out but if they
do not, their employer will have to contribute. The Bill also
makes changes to Additional State Pensions and introduces a cap
on revaluation of deferred pensions.
Nutrition Screening Week : BAPEN survey
The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
(BAPEN) has released the first results from it survey on malnutrition
on admission to care services. For three days in September 2007,
data was collected on more than 11,600 patients and residents
admitted to 372 hospitals, mental health units and care homes.
The overall risk of malnutrition is 28% The risk was found to
increase with age: in care homes, those under 70 years of age
had a 26% risk compared with a 32% risk for those over 80.
Palliative Care : Information and Help for Minority Ethnic Elders
The Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity (PRIAE)
has published a booklet providing information and help to older
people from ethnic minorities and their carers. It covers palliative
care in a range of settings for people with life-limiting illnesses.
Palliative care: care for life limiting illnesses: information
and help for older people
Tel: 0113 285 5990 (PRIAE)
Mental Capacity Act 'deprivation of liberty' consultation
: Age Concern's response
Age Concern has responded to a government consultation on the
regulations and code of practice for the 'deprivation of liberty
safeguards' to be implemented in April 2009. Key points included:
o Care homes and hospitals should use the 'precautionary principle':
if in any doubt whether a person is deprived of their liberty
they should seek authorisation
o 'Deprivation of liberty' should be more clearly defined. A
range of illustrative scenarios would help with 'grey areas'
where it is difficult to distinguish between 'deprivation' and
'restriction' of liberty
o The Regulatory Impact Assessment gives no estimates of extra
costs that may be incurred in providing alternative car which
does not deprive people of their liberty.
People in care homes with dementia : Alzheimer's Society report
The Alzheimer's Society has published a report on quality of
care for people with dementia living in care homes. About two-thirds
of UK care home residents (244,000) have some form of dementia
but only 60% of these occupy specialist dementia care beds. All
care homes should therefore be able to provide good dementia
care.
The main failings identified by the report are inadequate provision
of activities and occupation; failure to accord dignity and respect
to residents with dementia; and poor support from external specialist
services such as older people's mental health teams.
The report makes a series of recommendations for improvement.
Engineering employers' attitudes to retirement : research
findings
A survey commissioned by the Royal Academy of Engineering has
found that 71% of engineering businesses are concerned about
the loss of skilled workers as employees retire, and 49% believe
their workforce will face a shortage of young people over the
next decade. The research, conducted by the Survey Shop, also
found that 91% of engineering firms favour their employees working
beyond the age of 65 and 46% enable retirees to return to work.
Social Networking for Older People : DWP website
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has developed a social
networking website with the Hansard Society, as part of its Generation
Xperience campaign. The aim is to encourage direct communication
with the government, and debate among older people about issues
that matter to them. The initiative follows recent research for
the campaign which revealed the popularity of the internet amount
older people. More than half of all over-50s have access to the
internet, rising to three quarters (76%) of 50 to 64-year-olds.
Generation Experience : Creating dialogue with older people.
Website. http://Generationxperience.wordpress.com
Successful Ageing and Social Interaction: ILC Research
This policy brief discusses research into mental and physical
quality of life among the 'oldest old' ie people of 80 or over.
Findings show that, whereas there is a relationship between having
good physical health and good mental health, in later life this
is more complex. Older people can enjoy good emotional well-being
despite problems such as physical decline. Social interaction
is associated with good mental quality of life among the oldest
old and the paper discusses the public policy implications of
this.
New Information Guides from Age Concern
Age Concern has produced seven more booklets in its series of
new information guides for older people. Written in plain English,
the free booklets contain up-to-date information answering the
questions most frequently asked by older people. They cover three
main ideas dedicated to key life issues : money; health and home;
and managing one's life.
Living well in your home
Living well in your neighbourhood
Your guide to healthy living
What to do when someone dies
Putting your affairs in order
Planning to live abroad
Winter wrapped up!
Tel: 0800 009966 (Age Concern Information Line)
www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/how_we_help.asp
National bus fare concessions
Transport minister Rosie Winterton announced a special grant
of £212 million for local authorities to fund national
bus fare concessions for older people in 2008-09 (£217
million for 2009-10 and £223 million for 2010-11). This
is an addition to government funding for the existing concession
of free, off-peak local travel. A full breakdown by local authority
will be posted on the Department for Transport and Department
for Communities and Local Government websites.
From Jex Woods
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