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Mountsorrel Post, March 2004 (6)

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(l-r): John Bonner, President Mountsorrel WMC; Adrian Walker from LOROS and Peter Kerrigan, Steward. The whisky bottle was full of coppers totalling £55.19.

Quiz cash

A FUNDRAISING quiz at Mountsorrel Working Men’s Club has raised £718 for LOROS.
Adrian Walker, Senior Fundraiser at LOROS, said: “This is a fantastic sum. Every charitable donation helps us keep the hospice going.”

Wheelie bin 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 bags, bins and boxes
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.

Action plan for village

AN OPPORTUNITY to be involved in shaping the future of your village is coming soon!
The members of the Mountsorrel Parish Plan group, including parish and borough councillors, have been working hard over the past few months to consider the issues which affect the village. From a survey and other means, they will be building a picture of the village and together with the parish council will be putting together an Action Plan for the future needs of Mountsorrel. The Action Plan will contain a clear statement for the future, including What? Where? Who? and When?
Issues such as bus services, borough and district council services, youth needs, community safety, the needs of the elderly and for new clubs etc, the environment and heritage of the village and community buildings, will all come under the spotlight.
The draft survey is nearly ready for checking out with organisations, both inside and outside of the village.

New office for Parish Council

The new Parish room extension

WORK ON Mountsorrel’s new Parish Office is nearing completion and the building should be handed over in March.
The outside landscaping still needs to be completed but the interior is finished and the clerk and assistants are now operating out of the new premises.

First floor storage room

Parish Council clerk Joy Broughton with her assistants Jayne Bambury and David Fullick
A Parish Council spokesman said: “The new office provides a pleasant working office, a committee room and a large storage room for files and village archives. The files were previously kept in a small room in the clerk’s house and the new facilities will be a welcome change.”
The parish room is a Grade 2 listed building and the office extension has been designed to reflect the style and shape of the original building. Redecoration has improved the interior of the main parish room and made it much brighter and cleaner. The roof has been improved and new windows installed.

A meeting room
The project has cost £250,000 which has been met by developers Wilson Homes, in return for access to their housing development on the Morris Shoe factory site.
The new address and contact details for the Parish Council are: Mountsorrel Parish Council, Mrs J E Broughton, The Parish Council Office, 2a Little Lane, Mountsorrel, Loughborough, Leics LE12 7BH. Tel: 0116 230 3809 Fax: 0116 230 3709 E-mail: mountsorrel.pc@co-net.com. Web site: www.mountsorrel.org.uk

Sewing circle

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.

Centre opens this summer

Charnwood Borough Councillor Bob Feeney (left) recieves a cheque from Roy Lilley, Treasurer Mountsorrel & Rothley Swimming Pool Association & Chairman of the Association Mike Osborne. The Soar Valley Leisure Centre is in the background

IT’S BEEN a long wait, but 35 years after it was first planned, Mountsorrel will get its own swimming pool with the opening of the Soar Valley Centre this summer.
Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s the good folk of Mountsorrel and Rothley got together to support the prospect of a swimming pool for the area. By 1973 the Mountsorrel-Rothley and District Swimming Pool Association had been established as a registered charity.
Early enthusiasm generated public subscriptions and many fund-raising efforts.
A Carnival week in June 1972 for example included: a children’s variety show, a carnival dance, a sponsored walk, a car rally and a comic cricket match, ending with a big parade and Gala Day at the Rolls Royce playing field to the strains of the Walton George Steel Band (for those who can remember them).
The proceeds from these events swelled the coffers of the fund to a princely £3500. The cost of a small public pool was at that time estimated at about £45,000 and to have any prospect of success 25% of that sum was required.
Fund-raising continued and by 1975 stood at £7,500 yet the scheme was dogged by ever-increasing costs and the difficulty of finding a suitable site. Various alternatives were considered in Rothley and Mountsorrel but for one reason or another the prospects grew dimmer. Even the possibility of some Charnwood Lottery assistance could not solve the conundrum.
By 1980 things began to look bleak, fund-raising activities discontinued and there was even the prospect of the funds being lost elsewhere.
Thankfully the funds were safeguarded and invested, the Association was continued and became a key partner in the evolution of the Soar Valley Leisure Centre project at the Memorial Hall and Playing Fields at Mountsorrel. By the mid 1980s the Borough Council had recognised that the Soar Valley area as a whole continued to experience significant housing and population growth but facility provision, particularly for leisure and recreation, was relatively poor. The £6 million Soar Valley Leisure Centre project is now well underway and will be opened later this year. The full set of wet and dry facilities will serve a Soar Valley population of 35,000 people.
From those small beginnings the Swimming Pool Fund, sensibly invested, has risen to £110,000 and the Association can now happily hand this over to the Borough Council as their contribution to the eagerly awaited scheme.
Mike Osborne, Chairman of the Association, said: “It is with huge pleasure that the Association transfers its funds to the Soar Valley project in line with its charitable objects. We pay tribute to all the early pioneers who gave time, effort and money to establish the Fund and to those people since who have kept the idea alive and made key contributions, in partnership with the Borough Council, to realise the dream of a swimming pool for the area.
“We make special mention of two people who, sadly, will not be here to enjoy the fruits of their labours. Iris Preston of Rothley who had a magnificent record of teaching youngsters to swim and Fred Buthaway of Mountsorrel, for many years Chairman of the Association, who spurred everybody on. They, I think, embodied the spirit of the Association.
“We also wish to thank Mountsorrel Parish Council, the War Memorials Trust and Charnwood Borough Council for the constructive way in which the Soar Valley project has been progressed and delivered.”
Councillor Bob Feeney, Charnwood Cabinet Lead Member for Leisure and Sports, said: “The Swimming Pool Fund is a marvellous achievement and it is a tribute to the commitment of local people over a number of years. I offer my thanks and congratulations to the members of the fund committee for all their dedication and hard work. The Borough Council is proud to have worked with such a positive local partnership including the committee, the Parish Council and the War Memorials Trust. The Soar Valley Leisure Centre will provide top class leisure facilities for the people of Mountsorrel, Rothley and the other Soar Valley Villages as part of the Council’s priority to improve sports and leisure facilities for all”.
The £6 million Leisure Centre at Mountsorrel will comprise a swimming pool, sports hall, fitness suite and an all weather floodlit pitch. Charnwood Borough Council and the Management Committee of the Soar Valley Centre will be meeting in March to discuss proposals for a building on the site to be used as a youth centre. The costs have been met by the Borough Council, Sport England, The Parish Council, the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and contributions from local developers as well as The Swimming Pool Fund.
The Soar Valley Leisure Centre will open in the summer - the Parish Council are hopeful that it will be open during the holidays when demand for the swimming pool and other sporting facilities will be at its height.
An official opening event is being planned for November to link in with Remembrance Sunday. The Centre will be owned by the Mountsorrel War Memorials Trust and managed by Charnwood Borough Council who will contract out the running of the centre to SERCO. They are the contractors for Loughborough Leisure Centre.

Anger as bus service withdrawn

MANY MOUNTSORREL residents have protested angrily at the decision by bus operators Arriva to withdraw its number 26 service to Leicester.
A Parish Council spokesman said: “It will be a big loss to those travelling to work in Leicester and to those less able to walk down to Rothley Road. There are a number of elderly people, some without transport, who rely on this service.
“There is little that could be done as this service was a commercial operation rather than a subsidised one, but the Parish Council has suggested that one in four of the Loughborough - Leicester buses could be diverted round Halstead Road and Walton Way.”

Specials needed

HAVE YOU ever thought of becoming a Special Constable?
The police are appealing for more people to come forward and volunteer for this rewarding work.
As a Special Constable you are a vital link between the police and the community.
Each of the 43 police services in England and Wales has its own Special Constabulary and there are now 17,000 Special Constables who volunteer for duty whenever they can.
Duties could include: foot patrol, crime reduction initiatives, schools liaison, policing local events, or more challenging situations, fights, fires, road traffic accidents. You can work as little as one 4-hour shift per week.
Initial training will be at weekends, then followed by regular evening sessions.
Training, experience and commitment will lead to further responsibility and there are several grades of promotion.
Interested? Tel: (0116) 222 2222 Ext. 2657 for more information, quoting ‘Special Constabulary Recruiting’. or visit www.leics.police.uk

Skate ramps refurbished

LAST YEAR vandals wrecked the skateramp that had been installed by Mountsorrel Parish Council, to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, on Halstead Road Playing Field
It has now been refurbished and put back in place. In addition a street course has been installed which gives more variety for users.

Halstead Road's new skateramps
Scott Mason of Extreme Sports of Rothley has designed the course and repaired the original skateramp. A Parish Council spokesman said: “It is hoped that it will now be well looked after by those who use it and they will have many happy hours using the improved facility.”

No officer

MOUNTSORREL HAS been without a beat officer since mid January, when PC Rachel Wells moved to another job with Leicestershire Police.
Inspector Ian Bratten at Quorn Police Station told the Mountsorrel Post: “The vacancy has been advertised internally and we have one or two interested applicants. It should be a matter of weeks rather than months before someone is appointed.”
Officers from Quorn have been covering the Mountsorrel beat, he said, and Community Support Officer Chris Fielden remains at Mountsorrel.

Front garden competition

WITH THE imminent arrival of spring, thoughts turn again to gardening. As many of you are aware each year during the summer, parish councillors look at all the front gardens in the village and award prizes.
The competition was devised to encourage residents to make the village more attractive. Those chosen for the final judging will be notified.
Now is the time to make plans for your gardens and devise colourful schemes to catch the judge’s eye.
The H & S Newman Shield is awarded to the winner of the Large Front Garden section. The Albert Harris Silver Salver is for the Small Front Garden, the Benner Rose Bowl is presented to the winner for best hanging baskets, tubs etc for properties without front gardens and the Newitt-Woodhouse Shield is for commercial premises. There are three prizes for each category and all winners receive a cheque. Prizes are presented at the September Parish Council meeting.

Too much mess

FLY TIPPING and rubbish dumping is a continuing problem in the village.
A Parish Council spokesman said: “Several vacant properties, such as the former garage at the bottom of Bond Lane are an eyesore. Rubbish removal is the responsibility of Charnwood Borough Council and they are threatening to place an enforcement notice on the garage making the owners clear up the problem.”

Parish Council clerk retires

Joy Broughton

AFTER 18 years in the post, Joy Broughton, Mountsorrel Parish Council’s clerk, will retire in April.
Chairman of Mountsorrel Parish Council, Brian Allard, paid tribute to Joy’s contribution to village life. He said: “Joy has done a first class job. Since she became clerk in 1985 there have been a considerable number of changes and major projects in Mountsorrel - the Halstead Road playing fields, the A6 bypass, the extension to the cemetery, the new pavilion on the Memorial playing fields, the Soar Valley Centre, the creation of a new parish council office and environmental improvements to the village. Joy has been very much involved with all of these, and I pay public tribute to her for the considerable contribution she has made.”
He added: “Joy has a good working relationship with all the members of the Parish Council and this has helped her accomplish her work, always done in a pleasant and efficient manner. I have the highest regard for her.”
Joy lives in Mountsorrel and for all but the last four weeks has run the Parish Council office from her home. She said: “So much has happened in the last 18 years and so many changes have taken place in the village. It has been an extremely interesting experience. I have learned a lot, met many remarkable people and I will be sad not to be involved in all the future plans and improvements already under discussion. There is still so much to do.
“The smart new office heralds a new era for the Parish Council and Mountsorrel. It will be an excellent facility.”
She added: “I wish to thank all the Parish Councillors present and past for their help.”
Joy plans to spend some of her retirement improving her golf - she is Lady Vice Captain at Rothley Park Golf Club and will be Lady Captain in 2004/05.

Planning

Mr R Hughes - erection of single storey extension, 1st floor extension and dormer extension with balcony to rear of semi detached house. 49 Danvers Rd
Mr & Mrs D Brooks - internal & external alterations to building to allow conversion to shop. 2 Loughborough Rd
Mr & Mrs D Brooks - change of use from garage to shop. 2 Loughborough Rd
Mr K Danes - retention of conservatory to rear of dwelling. 7 Kenilworth Close.
Mr & Mrs P Brett - 2 storey extension to side of semi detached house with extended porch. 5 Barnard Way
Mr & Mrs P Ellison - single storey extension with conservatory to rear of detached house. 113 Halstead Rd
Mr & Mrs C Miller - single storey link extension to side of detached house. 4 Linden Grove
Mr M Dixon - erection of 1st floor extension over existing garage to side of detached house. 28 Rosslyn Ave
Mr Singh - erection of 2 storey to side & conservatory to rear of detached house. 15 Kingfisher Rd
Mr N R Niraj Samani - installation of roller shutters to front of retail premises. 49 Rothley Rd
Mr & Mrs Kitchener - erection of conservatory to rear of detached house. 34 Montsoreau Way
Mr N R Samani - display of internally illuminated signs to front & side of shop. 49 Rothley Rd
Mr P J Scott - 1st floor extension, conversion of garage into living space & construction of new double garage to detached house. 4 Field Crest
Mr & Mrs Clarke - 2 storey extension to side & front & conservatory to rear of semi detached house. 49 Cloud Lea
Raglan Housing Association - erection of 10 dwellings. Former playing field 91-97 Boundary Rd
Mr J W Orton - use of agricultural building for industrial purposes, class B2
Freeway Farm, 260 Loughborough Rd
Mr M Humby - single storey extensions to front of detached house. 23 West Cross Lane
Mr & Mrs S Cole - erection of conservatory to rear of detached house. 28 Otter lane
Mr & Mrs J Garner - erection of conservatory to detached house. 190 Leicester Rd

Too much litter in Mountsorrel?

FED UP with litter in Mountsorrel? One local lady is so angry at the amount of rubbish she sees in the village she is trying to organise a team of volunteer litter pickers.
Mrs Joy Wood of Windsor Close said: “For a long time I have been angered, disgusted and disappointed by the amount of rubbish that can be seen all around Mountsorrel.
“I walk my dog daily and everywhere I go, the parks, hedgerows and the open spaces are full of litter. I feel it is time to take action and clean up Mountsorrel for the benefit of everyone.”
Joy would like to get together with like minded people and form a volunteer team of litter pickers. She said: “Potentially this scheme could just be action days once a month where volunteers meet and pick up litter in allocated areas or it could possibly evolve into litter wardens looking after their own area.”
Charnwood Borough Council are the authority responsible for removing litter. Joy said: “Yes, I know that Charnwood should be doing it, but clearly they’re not.”
Joy has asked Mountsorrel Parish Council to support the scheme and provide bin bags and litter sticks.
Anyone interested in joining a team of volunteers can contact Joy Wood at 2 Windsor Close, Mountsorrel, telephone 2374545

Link with French chateau

NO ONE can be certain about how Mountsorrel got its name, but many people think it was named by the occupiers of the Mountsorrel’s Norman castle after the French town Montsoreau.

The chateau

Fred Newitt of Halstead Road has sent us two photographs he took while visiting Montsoreau in 1980. They are of paintings hanging in the chateau, showing how it looked in 1500 from the front and rear (see below).

Fred said: “The rear view is interesting as it shows fortifications on islands in the river Loire and what appears to be barriers across the river. It may be that the chateau owners charged a toll for passage along the river at that time. The view from the front appears to indicate that a large moat on the river Vienne bordered the south of the chateau with the fortified village behind.”

Pics: Fred Newitt in Montsoreau, France and in Montsoreau Way, Mountsorrel
The occupiers of Mountsorrel Castle had connections with the Anjou area of France. It has been suggested that with the similarity between the chateau of Montsoreau overlooking the river Loire and Mountsorrel Castle overlooking the river Leire (now Soar), they could have named Mountsorrel after the town in France.

Heritage group planned

A LOT of people think of Mounstorrel as just an old industrial village, which of course it is, but it is more than that, it has a rich heritage and one well worth recording for future generations.
During the month of November some of this richness will be exhibited at Charnwood museum but I suspect there is a lot more hidden within the parish. There is a considerable industrial history but there are also other important facets of parish life. Social history locked up in the memories and observations of parishioners, a geological heritage along with an archaeological and a built heritage. My own particular interest is the natural heritage, an interest in most flora and fauna but particularly that of butterflies and birds. The parish has a variety of habitats and numbers within its boundaries three nature sites (Mountsorrel Marshes, Castle Hill and Centenary Pasture) and several other interesting and varied spots. Some of these areas including lanes and grass verges that hold a wealth of life are under threat from development, vandals, decay and general disinterest and their possible loss would be tragic for the parish.
Every parish is different therefore Mountsorrel’s local heritage and its distinctiveness is important, and worth recording and preserving in all its aspects, historical, geological, architectural and natural. With this in mind I would like to form a heritage group for the parish where these issues could be considered. Initially there would be a need to discuss the project but in the long term I would see it as an activity oriented group. Anyone who is interested in such a project is very welcome to contact me.
Ken Wiblin, Heritage Warden
0116 2106582, e-mail ken.wiblin@ntlworl.com

Citizen action project

MOUNTSORREL IS one of 10 areas chosen for a brand new Community Involvement Project: C-CAN - The Charnwood Citizen Action Network.
C-Can is a unique community development programme that aims to support people looking to improve things in their community.
It will provide an opportunity to learn new skills and share ideas to take community involvement forward and will also provide the chance to engage more directly with service providers and even become involved in the planning processes of some.
C-Can will initially focus on ten areas of Charnwood: Anstey, Thurmaston, Sileby, Mountsorrel, Shepshed and the Lemyngton, Hastings, Shelthorpe, Old Ashby Road and Warwick Way areas of Loughborough.
A spokesman said: “The project is open to anyone aged 16 or over with an interest in improving their community. Experience will come through interest - you don’t have to be an expert!”
The project will provide a range of free learning opportunities and support for all those involved.
Special events will be organised in all 10 areas and regular training and sharing sessions will be happening between the end of February until September, both in Loughborough and all around Charnwood.
To find out more about C-Can please get in touch with Neil Lambert at Charnwood CVS on 01509 631750 or Kevin Ryan at Charnwood Arts on 01509 822558. Alternatively, e-mail to info@charnwood-arts.org.uk

New commander

LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE have appointed a new Commander for the North area, which includes Mountsorrel and covers Loughborough, Quorn, Shepshed, Coalville and Ashby.
Chief Superintendent Geoff Favyour replaces Ian Stripp, who left the post in October 2003 after five years.
Mr Feavyour (37) has been an officer with Leicestershire Police for 19 years. He says his top priorities are targeting persistent offenders and dealing with crime hotspots.

Parish Council notes

A FULL meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on December 8.
Borough Councillor Richard Shepherd reported that he was very disappointed with information received from officers at Charnwood regarding the derelict garage on Bond Lane. He said the site requires urgent attention, there is broken glass, tyres and a desk dumped there and the site is dangerous. Charnwood’s Head of Development Control had informed him that the condition of the site does not warrant a section 215 ruling.
The Council agreed to donate £25 to Victim Support, Leicestershire and Rutland.
It was reported that all the public benches in the village had been inspected to establish which ones need to be replaced.
The Council agreed to spend £4,800 on an additional CCTV camera on Memorial playing fields. It was agreed to investigate the costs of cameras on the Parish Council’s own system.
A full meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on Monday January 12.
A resident commented on the withdrawal of the Arriva 26 bus service. Further comment was made about the tipping of rubbish at the foot of Castle Hill near to the Oriental Chef take-away.
It was agreed to donate £25 to Macmillan Cancer Relief, Patient Grant
It was reported that the Parish Council will not be able to access the control centre for the CCTV at the Soar Valley Leisure Centre and that the Parish Council would need to establish its own system, which will cover Parish Council land. The clerk was instructed to find out what area the new camera will cover and what the Parish Council’s contribution will cover.
It was reported that Mountsorrel’s Parish Plan project had received confirmation of a grant of £3500.
The Council agreed to its precept, or budget, for the year 2004/05 at £153,500, an increase of 3 per cent.
This represents an increase of £2.27 per year in Council Tax for a band D property in Mountsorrel.
A full meeting of Mountsorrel Parish Council was held on February 9.
It was reported that Mountsorrel’s Beat officer, PC Rachel Wells, was no longer in that post and that the village was without a beat bobby. Comment was made about the good work done by Mountsorrel’s Community Support Officer and it was agreed to write to the Police in recognition of his work.
It was reported that the Parish Council had moved into its new office on January 21, and that the clerk was very pleased with the new building. General comment was made about the poor finish of the decorating in the old meeting room. It was agreed to nominate the Parish room extension for the Charnwood Design Awards 2004.
The Council has received a letter from a resident concerned at the amount of litter in the village and suggesting a volunteer team of litter pickers. It was agreed to contact Charnwood Volunteer Service as a means of moving the idea forward.
The Council agreed to permit Youth Worker Joanna Clarke to use the Parish Room once a month for a six month trial period, to conduct a feasibility study for youth work. There will be six young people with two adults supervising.
It was agreed to withdraw from the Soar Valley Centre CCTV scheme and concentrate on cameras at the Parish Council under Parish Council control.
Clerk Joy Broughton reported on a meeting she had attended at Charnwood, presented by officers working for the Standards Board - this is the body that investigates complaints about the conduct of councillors. 42 per cent of complaints in Charnwood feature one councillor, and 40 per cent are from the public about non declaration of interests or rude behaviour.
The minutes of Mountsorrel Parish Council’s meetings can be viewed at www.mountsorrel.org.uk

Nature Notes

One of the disadvantages of parking beside a line of terraced houses is the ability of an owner to glower at you at close range without your being able to glower back - the consequences of any attempt may be catastrophic. So it was that when I parked by the Green the other day I strode purposefully away from my car with hardly a glance back. My object was Castle Rock and any natural history wonders that it may conceal. The castle itself seems to have had a very short history. From the little I know it was erected to control what is now the A6 and the passage of people and wares (goods, in modern parlance) along it. Sadly the back of the castle was overlooked by even higher ground, which made it a relatively easy target in time of war. As a peacetime staging post it was clearly too expensive to run, so was abandoned. That is the limited extent of my knowledge - I apologise to any local historian who knows that I am wrong in any particular.
It was whilst musing on this introduction and striding purposefully away from my car that I stood on an acorn. I looked up. Above me was a very young oak tree - in terms understood by oak trees - shedding both leaves and acorns. I climbed up onto the rock and looked back towards Charnwood Forest and a sea of red haw berries. This, I thought, deserves my attention. For it is a little known fact that my neighbour has squirrels, by tradition animals that bury nuts. Many a time I have watched from her kitchen window as one of the squirrels has popped into a neighbouring garden, ‘stolen’ peanuts presumably put out for the birds, and buried them in her lawn. At other times the squirrel has snaked along, nose and tail to the ground, until it has found one, dug it up and eaten it.
As a child I was subjected by my father to hours of readings from Grey Owl books. Grey Owl himself apparently came from Brighton, and went to Canada to romanticise the Red Indian way of life. In his spare time he wrote books. one - Tales of an Empty Cabin - tells the story of an oak tree, planted as an acorn by a squirrel which forgot where it was, and follows that tree and its human associates up to the point where the tree is cut down. Another squirrel then takes one of its acorns, buries it, and repeats the cycle.
Lest we forget, therefore: both the oak and the hawthorn are native to the British Isles. Both have been in continuous occupation since the last ice age. In the eighteenth century there was a need for wood to build ships, and bushes to enclose the open fields into modern-day farms. Oak and hawthorn were the ideal choices. Now the descendants of these planted species look out over modern Mountsorrel. Who will fell and replace them in the years to come? Is there a 21st century Grey Owl to tell our tale?
By Finch

Planning applications considered

ALL PLANNING applications in Mountsorrel are referred to the Parish Council’s planning committee, and comments are passed on to Charnwood Borough Council, the planning authority.
A Parish Council spokesman said: “Most of the applications are fairly routine - extensions to private houses being the most common. These are rarely a problem unless they seriously affect their neighbours or are out of keeping with the neighbourhood. We also consider important new developments such as the new Council depot on Granite Way and Lafarge’s Concrete batching plant at the quarry. We always try to inform the neighbours of these applications and make sure that the Borough Council knows the views of villagers.”
Parish Councils are not planning authorities, and can only make recommendations on planning applications.

Rent increase

CHARNWOOD BOROUGH Council have announced rent increases for council owned properties from April 2004.
Rents will increase by 4.57 per cent. The average weekly rent in the Borough is £45.18 and this will rise to £47.24, an increase of £107 for the year.
Charnwood says the increase will vary with each type of property depending on whether it is a bedsit, house etc, and that the increases are vital to improving the Borough’s services and meeting government targets.

Fifty big cat sightings in 2003

SIGHTINGS OF Leicestershire’s mysterious ‘big cat’ have been made in Birstall and Rothley.
Birstall’s Beat officer PC Dave Coles spotted a large cat while on undercover duty one night in Birstall. He said: “I was with another officer at the bottom of Henson Close when we spotted this large, panther sized cat walking across the field at the end of the road. It was only 20 feet away from us and didn’t seem concerned we were there”.
On New Year’s Eve in Rothley a resident spotted what he thought was a large panther roaming outside his house.
Now members of the National Farmers Union are being asked to give detailed information on any panther like arrivals they have seen. The farmers’ survey is being organised by the British Big Cats Society to try to gather more information about the subject.
There were more than 50 big cat sightings in Leicestershire in 2003 with most sightings in the east of the county.
It is now widely believed that the animals that are roaming not just in Rutland and Leics, but in nearly all the counties of the UK and Ireland originate from animals that either escaped or were released following the introduction of the dangerous animals act in 1976. Up until this time, it was fashionable to own panthers or pumas, indeed one famous London store used to sell them! With the introduction of tighter controls and requirements for enclosures, many owners simple let their animals loose or even failed to register, and kept them.
These cats have adapted to the British countryside, which can be easier than in their native countries where food is in short supply and other predators exist.
As with the sightings in the West Country, there are two main types of big cats involved as well as a rarer third type: these are panthers (always black), pumas or lynx.
Surviving the British climate is not too difficult for big cats. Pumas and lynx roam America and Canada from the mountain deserts in the south, to the snowy Yukon and Rocky Mountains. The panther is also at ease in all temperatures and can happily withstand the British weather, with an adaptable thick coat. Shortage of water is the big cat’s main enemy, something that does not pose a problem in the UK.
As far as fitting into the food chain, both the puma and panther are the most adaptable of all the big cats, with the most varied of diets imaginable. In their native continents, they are known to eat anything available, including fruit, carrion, fish, small and large rodents, rabbits, birds etc right up to large fully grown deer. The British countryside with its abundance of rabbits, muncjac deer (very common small deer but seldom seen) and pheasants. Not to mention foxes badgers, pigeons and other birds. The British countryside suddenly becomes far more attractive than the frozen wastes or barren deserts that they have already conquered so easily. There is also an absence of hunters armed with rifles on bounty hunts, as in America. It is reckoned by zoologists that both these cats require only two rabbits or similar a day to survive.
They are now increasingly seen right into the centre of the major towns and cities of the UK (as occurs in America and Africa and Asia) following the urban foxes and muncjak deer in along railways and canal banks. They then feed on domestic cats, foxes, deer and often raid back gardens taking food left for the foxes and raiding rubbish bins. The numerous parks in Leicester have often had sightings of panthers at night.

News from Watermead Country Park

At the start of a New Year there are a lot of things to tell you about. Firstly, the work on the reedbeds is going very well and the new lake is taking shape. Four new birdhides are to be built. Each one will be a different design according to its position and what we hope to watch from it. For example, one will have an artificial kingfisher-nesting wall underneath. We have had success in the past with kingfishers using artificial walls so let us hope for the same luck with this one! More good news is the presence of birds such as the water rail, which are still present despite all the disturbance caused by the building works. No doubt the herons will soon begin nesting in the tall trees in and around the reedbeds, in fact in past years it has not been unusual to see them sitting on their nests with snow all around!
Cattle have recently been reintroduced to Watermead. Not since sand and gravel extraction took place have we had animals grazing within the County Park. And fine specimens they were too. No-one could miss the tremendous horns that these British longhorn cattle have. They are a traditional breed native to this country, quiet by nature and producing excellent meat. They tolerate poor pasture and are ideally suited to the meadows found adjacent to the River Soar. The herd at present is still quite small, but will have nearly double in size by the Spring as all the cows are in calf. The benefit to wildlife cannot be overstated as grazing is a good way to manage these areas creating areas of long and short vegetation and preventing trees such as willow from becoming too dominant. So, keep your eyes open for them when the warmer weather returns and please remember to keep your dog on a lead if you happen to walk through the fields where the cattle are grazing.
Residents of Thurmaston will be pleased to hear a handrail has now been installed at the site of the bridge below Thurmaston Lock, which will help improve access.
Sadly I must report the burning down of the small birdhide overlooking the Nature Reserve at the beginning of December. Although the hide will be rebuilt it does mean that visitors will be unable to use this facility in the meantime.
While writing this article the snow is fast thawing and the river level is rising. The drought of last summer now looks to be a distant memory as the river banks start to burst, flooding the water into the lakes, replenishing that lost last year. In many ways the floods can be a nuisance, with for example the amount of rubbish (litter) it brings down from Leicester and leaves behind when the water recedes. But they are also a benefit to the park as the silt, carried in the water, contains many important nutrients, which are deposited over areas such as the wild flower meadows. Also the smaller lakes/ponds benefit with having a fresh supply of water, washing away any stagnant water and algae blooms built up during the dryer months.
Water levels in the park’s reedbeds are very important. If the levels drop too low species of trees, such as willow, start to take over, as happened last year. The masses of seed dropped by the mature willows grew like mustard and cress at an alarming rate. Luckily with the water levels rising again the seedlings will drowned out and the Norfolk reed can go on growing without competition.
Winter work in the reedbeds is well underway with areas of encroaching willow/alder trees being cut back to allow the Norfolk reed to spread. Also mentioned in previous articles is the building of four new birdhides in the reedbed area. The foundations for these were laid earlier this year and much of the blockwork is in place. Keen eyed visitors to the northern end of the park will have noticed that the new lake has now been filled with water. As the lake was dug above water level it had to be lined. For this an artificial clay liner was used. This is basically two thick sheets of fabric filled with powdered clay, which when wet turns into a thick waterproof gel. This was laid into the bottom of the lake in long strips, then covered with soil and finally water was pumped in. Soon a couple of floating islands are to be designed, built and floated out onto the lake. These will hopefully be used by birds such as common terns for nesting sites.
This winter has been a good one for visiting migratory birds at Watermead. Smew have been sighted regularly on the large match lake and also in front of the large birdhide at Birstall. Other interesting visitors have included pintail, wigeon, goosander and Ruddy duck.
This year’s guided walk programme will soon begin. This will be with an early morning dawn chorus walk on Sunday May 16. For more details and to book a place please telephone the Watermead rangers on the number below.
Tim Maydwell, & Richard Woolley, Rangers
Leicestershire County Council
To contact the Rangers please ring 0116 2671944 or in an emergency ring 07850 276226.

Crime report

THERE WERE 25 crimes reported in Mountsorrel in January 2004.
Burglary dwelling 4 (Church Hill Road, Rothley Road, Linden Grove and Laurel Close), burglary other than dwelling 2, theft of cycle 1, damage 5, theft 4, theft from store 2, theft from person 2, damage to motor vehicle 4, theft of motor vehicle 1.

TG news

MOUNTSORREL TOWNSWOMEN’S Guild have successfully achieved their target of raising enough money to buy a blood pressure monitor for Alpine House Surgery.
With the help and support of the community we were able to present Dr Schofield with a cheque for £2,500.
We began the New Year by enjoying a talk and slide show on ‘Islands of Britain’. Our speaker was Mrs Val Williams - always a very lively and interesting lady. Two weeks later the Social Studies group shared sentimental memories of their favourite pieces of jewellery.
Our February speaker was Mr Peter Barton. His subject was ‘A Theme of Water’, a slide show about water in all its natural beauty, which was greatly enjoyed by all. The Social Studies group will meet again on February 19 to enjoy an evening of humorous poetry.
On March 4 our speaker, Mrs Pauline Hutt, will demonstrate petal porcelain, and the Social Studies group will meet on March 18 to sample favourite puddings - some recipes from our very own cookery book.
The new programme for 2004-2005 is being finalised and promises to be varied and interesting. Our meetings take place on the first Thursday of every month in the parish rooms. Visitors and new members are very welcome to our friendly group and more details can be obtained from your local library.
Just a final work of thanks to the Mountsorrel Working Men’s Club and the Methodist Church for allowing us the temporary use of their rooms during the extension and refurbishment of the parish rooms.
From Edna Jordan

Council sets budget

MOUNTSORREL PARISH Council has set a precept of £153,500 for the year 2004/05.
A Parish Council spokesman said: “Setting the precept is always a difficult choice and the council has tried to keep it at the lowest level possible, while still meeting its commitments, which involve among others, the upkeep of the playing fields, cutting the grass verges, looking after the Green, cemetery, War Memorial, Peace Garden and Mountsorrel marshes.”
The spokesman added: “Charges for room fees, sports grounds, allotments and burial charges were not increased. The rate of increase is three per cent, about the rate of inflation.”
The detailed figures will be posted on the village website, www.mountsorrel.org.uk and they can be consulted in the library or at the Parish office.

Your Say

Through your correspondence column I would like to put the following questions to residents of Birstall and other nearby villages.
With regard to the proposed introduction of ‘wheelie bins’ replacing the usual weekly collection of refuse (black bags) and recyclable materials (green bags).
1. Do you think that consultation meetings were clearly publicised well in advance of any deadline?
2. Do you consider that all Charnwood residents have been fully consulted?
3. Are you in favour of ‘wheelie bins’?
4. Do you feel strongly that the present collection system must be retained?
5. In either case, are you prepared to make some effort to make your views known?
6. In the first instance, will you provide your answers in a brief letter or an e-mail to the editor of The Birstall Post and its sister community papers.
Your response will indicate if further action should be taken.
Gloria Brown

I wish to express my sincere thanks to all of your readers who donated their old spectacles to the Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) appeal. We have now collected in excess of 300 pairs and these have been forwarded to VAO who will distribute them to areas of need in the developing world.
I would like to emphasise that this is an ongoing appeal and the collection box will remain in reception at Pilbeam Opticians in Mountsorrel - so keep them coming!
I would also like to thank Birch, Alan Birchenell MBE, for his endorsement and kind support of the appeal.
Jonathan Pilbeam
Pilbeam Opticians