GCR’s war weekend
A WORLD War II weekend saw the Great Central
Railway transformed with Rothley an Axis forces camp, complete
with a Tiger tank, which was attacked by Allied forces.
Visitors looked on from the platform as Allied soldiers successfully
captured a German position in a skirmish laid on by the more
than 500 re-enactors from the UK and abroad who took part in
the event.
Pic:om Belstridge shows a Thomson sub machine
gun to Ben Harrison (9) and Dad Kevin
The stations at Loughborough, Quorn, Rothley and Birstall each
had their own attractions at the event, held over the weekend
June 16 and 17.
The Beeston Swing Band performed music of the period at Quorn
station where there was also a 40s sing-a-long.
Rothley Station Master John Beadsmoore, speaking on the Sunday,
said: "It has been an amazing, record breaking day, so many
people have turned out and are enjoying an exciting event in
glorious weather."
Event co-ordinator from the GCR Bob Tomsett said: "We have
done very well and the trains today are running at full capacity.
Today's event is living history that paints a picture and gives
a flavour of what those times were like."
Objections to new centre
449 people have signed a petition objecting
to Rothley Parish Council's plans to build a new Rothley Centre
on land next to Rothley library.
The objectors say the new centre will increase traffic congestion
that will pose a safety hazard to schoolchildren and result in
the loss of green space and a valuable children's play area.
The Parish Council say the existing Rothley Centre is becoming
unfit for purpose, that refurbishment would be uneconomic, and
the new centre will be cheaper to run and offer improved facilities.
The new Rothley Centre will be a single storey building containing
meeting/function rooms, kitchens and an office. There will be
76 car parking spaces and access will be from the existing library
entrance on Mountsorrel Lane. The project will be funded by the
sale of the Village Hall, the cottage next door to the Village
Hall, a contribution in the region of £250,000 from Charnwood
and an anticipated £350,000 from the National Lottery.
The estimated cost of the project is £1.2million.
John and Valerie Sutcliffe live opposite the proposed site for
the new centre and organised a petition objecting to the planning
application. Valerie said: "This is not nimbyism, it's concern
about the loss of green space, a village playground and the safety
of children and the elderly".
The couple printed and distributed 1,500 leaflets in the village
inviting residents to support them and lobbied parents outside
the school. 449 people signed their petition. Valerie said: "The
reaction of people when we told them about the proposal was shock
and horror. Many people said: 'They can't do that!' Of all the
people I approached to sign the petition, only one said no."
The objectors' concerns about the proposals are:
o loss of green space
o loss of village playground
o increase in congestion at a busy site presenting a danger to
schoolchildren
o noise from centre users
o inappropriate design of new building
o insufficient parking spaces
o no public support for proposal
o the Parish Council should refurbish the existing Rothley Centre
and retain the old Village Hall.
Rothley School's Governing Body has also objected to the plans
- they are concerned about congestion and the safety of schoolchildren.
Rothley Parish Council organised an exhibition of their plans
in February this year and circulated a questionnaire in the village
about the proposal.
They say that the present centre is owned by Charnwood and rented
to them and is becoming unfit for purpose. A report commissioned
by the Parish Council in 2000 and carried out by an architect
and a surveyor put the cost of refurbishment at £1million.
Chairman of Rothley Parish Council Percy Hartshorn said: "While
there may be funding to refurbish, it would be conditional upon
our owning the freehold. Buying the old centre would then add
to the costs.
"The new building has been designed to meet village needs
after a public consultation exercise in 2005 and then amended
to meet specific design criticisms voiced at a second public
consultation exercise in early 2007."
Cllr Hartshorn said there has been no pressure from Charnwood
for the Parish Council to vacate the old centre.
The new centre will have no effect on the level of council tax
and may reduce it, says Cllr Hartshorn. "The new building
will have cheaper operating costs, we will not be running two
buildings as we are now. I'm sad to see the Village Hall sold
but we need the money to put everything in one building."
Cllr Hartshorn added: "A reduction in the amount of green
space within the village is regretted, but Rothley is already
blessed with more than average such areas for its size."
The Parish Council has offered the school use of the car park
for parents dropping off and collecting children and will provide
a designated walkway to the rear of the library from the car
park to the school. The Centre will not be made available to
users before 9.30am, reducing congestion at peak school times
says the Council.
Cllr Hartshorn said: "The current centre is very busy, in
fact we are turning bookings away. The new building will incorporate
the latest green technology and be cheaper to run, it will be
a more flexible space, more comfortable and we expect to keep
hire charges at the same level for the next few years. Developers
of the old centre site will also have to provide some affordable
housing which is what we need in the village."
The objectors to the plans have also raised the fact that Charnwood
as the planning authority has the power to approve or reject
plans and is the same body that stands to benefit financially
from the sale of the old centre resulting in a conflict of interests.
Planning Officer at Charnwood Steve Lewis-Roberts said: "I
can understand how some people might look at it that way, but
as the planning authority we make our decisions on planning grounds
and give our reasons for those decisions, so the process is transparent."
The new centre's opening hours will be 9.30am until 10pm with
the occasional extension until midnight. A barrier will prevent
access to the centre car park at night.
Search for Madeleine
THE PARENTS of missing Madeleine McCann
plan to stay in Portugal until they find their daughter.
Pic: Madeleine McCann
The Rothley couple continue to work on campaigns to raise public
awareness of Madeleine : on June 22 to mark the 50th day since
her disappearance campaigners right across the world launched
50 green and yellow balloons as a symbol of hope and to spread
the message of the four year old's disappearance
The central ceremony of the day took place at 2pm on the beach
at Praia da Luz, the Portuguese holiday resort where Madeleine
was taken during a family holiday on May 3.
Pic: Cross Green covered in messages of support
for the Mcann family
Gerry and Kate McCann released balloons carrying a photograph
of their daughter and contact details for people with information
to pass on to the Police.
"The response to our request for events on the 50th day
has been overwhelming" said Gerry and Kate. "This global
support gives us both strength and fresh determination to carry
on our campaign. It also means that on June 22 Madeleine's image
will be visible from El Salvador to Poland. Everything we have
done is to ensure that as many people as possible throughout
the world know Madeleine's story and can help to bring her home."
£823,000 has so far been donated to the fund set up to
help find Madeleine.
Roman remains found at Grange
TWO HUNDRED bodies and the remains of a
Roman villa have been found on Fowke Street.
Pic: wealthy Roman landowners in
Britain lived in
substantial villas
Archaeologists made the finds when they were excavating the site
of the Grange, about to be developed by William Davis.
Richard Clarke, Senior Planning Archaeologist at Leicestershire
County Council said: "It seems possible that the burials
represent an early phase of the nearby cemetery of St Mary's
Parish Church, although the substantial number and density of
burials require some further explanation."
The bodies were found five deep in places. Mr Clarke added: "The
clear indication is that these burials are Christian in tradition
and it seems most likely that the cemetery fits into a period
between AD850-1400."
All the human remains have been removed for analysis which will
reveal information about diet, health, age and gender. A small
number will be retained and the majority will be reburied.
The discovery of the Roman remains were a surprise to the archaeologists,
as they were aware of a substantial site near the Ridgeway and
did not expect another major site so close.
Mr Clarke said: "The Roman remains were a surprise to the
archaeologists, as they were aware of a substantial site near
the Ridgeway and did not expect another major site so close.
Mr Clarke said: "The Roman remains suggest the presence
of a substantial, high status building or complex in the near
vicinity." The excavation was confined to the footprint
of the planned new building at the Grange and the excavated area
was clearly not the main focus of the Roman site, said Mr Clarke.
"Within the excavated area, structural evidence is confined
to one or more timber framed buildings along the western edge
of the development site, a number of pits and a substantial east-west
ditch perhaps defining the northern edge of the complex"
said Mr Clarke.
Roman building materials, brick, tile and slate, have been found.
Pottery and other artefacts suggest the site was in use during
the later Roman period, AD250-400.
The dig was carried out by a small team of archaeologists from
Northamptonshire Archaeology. Excavations began in mid April
and will be concluded in July.
Mr Clarke praised developers William Davis for their support
and co-operation during the excavation.
Film screenings
DUE TO popular demand, Thurcaston &
Cropston Parish Council has organised the screening of more films
in the autumn.
Ticket prices are slightly higher.
Put these dates in your diary:
Friday September 28, 7.30pm, 'Becoming Jane' (The intriguing
life of author Jane Austen)
Friday October 26, 7.30pm, 'Painted Veil' (A fascinating story
of author Somerset Maugham)
Friday November 30, 7.30pm 'Amazing Grace' (The true life story
of William Wilberforce who instigated the abolition of slavery)
Tickets £4, concessions £3.50. Price includes refreshments.
Book in advance at the Parish Office 0116 236 7626. Screenings
take place in the Memorial Hall, Anstey Lane, Thurcaston.
In May, 'Miss Potter' starring Renee Zellweger was enjoyed by
a full hall.
New super grounds
PUPILS AT Rothley Primary School saw their
new school grounds unveiled at the Summer Fete.
Pic: the finished playground
Joining the pupils were governors, teachers, parents, friends
and Bank staff who had played an important role in developing
school grounds designed specifically for the children of Rothley
Primary. The celebration to officially open the brand new wild
life area, a healthy eating garden and an outside classroom,
marked the completion of a £4,000 project as part of the
£3 million 'RBS Supergrounds' programme.
Pic: The RBS team at work on the playground
(l-r): Jo Hall, Linda Fox, Matt Gormley, Dave Hames, Peter Bailey,
Glennis Wilcox, Lindsay Udall and Ann Hall at the front in the
barrow
Mrs Fiona Parr, Head Teacher at Rothley Primary School, said:
"Our new school grounds are fantastic and it really does
allow the children to learn while they play. We are so pleased
to have Ann Hall from The Royal Bank of Scotland Group as one
of our parents, as her commitment to the school is fantastic
and helping us, via RBS Supergrounds, will ensure that she has
left us a legacy for the future.
'RBS Supergrounds' was launched in September 2004 as a programme
to improve school grounds funded by The Royal Bank of Scotland
Group and managed by Learning through Landscapes in partnership
with Groundwork to make a lasting difference to children's learning
environments. RBS Supergrounds was developed by The Royal Bank
of Scotland Group to strengthen the ties between company staff
and their communities, with their employees nominating schools
they are involved with. Rothley Primary became involved with
the scheme through Ann Hall from The Royal Bank of Scotland Group
in Shepshed, who is a parent and trustee of the PFA.
Ann Hall said: "As a parent and trustee of the PFA, I know
what a difference play and learning areas like this makes to
the lives of the children. I'm really proud that the Bank, through
RBS supergrounds, has turned Rothley Primary School's dream into
a reality. Although it was a rainy day, spirits weren't dampened
and everyone had a great day at the opening and the Summer Fete
where we raised a record £4,000."
Garden trail
HUNDREDS OF people enjoyed a Garden Trail
in Thurcaston and Cropston last month.
Pic: the garden at 59 Anstey Lane
Pic: 1 Thistle Close, Cropston
Pic: Scarecrows created by the
children at Richard Hill school
Pic: David & Lorraine Haddon
in their garden at
24 Anstey Lane
In the first event of its kind in the Parish, 21 homeowners opened
their gardens to visitors and more than £1,500 was raised
for the Richard Hill School. The money will be spent on a wildlife
garden for pupils.
The event was organised by Yvonne Collins and Cindy Page for
the school's PTA. Yvonne said: "It's the first time we've
organised a garden trail and we think it went very well - we've
already had requests to do it again next year.
Pic: Alex Cooper (6) with his dad Ian in the
garden of
52 Anstey Lane
Pic: Frank & Julie Cottingham in their
garden
at 14 Rectory Lane
"There was a lot of variety, from cottage gardens to
large gardens, and we had comments that it was nice to see so
many different types of garden open."
Pic: The garden at 59 Anstey Lane
Pic: Scarecrows created by the children of Richard Hill School
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