Birstall Post (342) Jan 2012

JANUARY 2012 No. 342

the Birstall postY O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P A P E R

www.birstallpost.co.uk

THE NEW Palmer Tomkinson Centre was the venue for the Faces Artsannual pantomime, performed to a sell-out audience of 238 people.

Children aged between 9 and 15 broughtthe magic of Cinderella to the new theatre inthe first of a series of planned shows by thelocal performing arts company based in Birstall.

Faces Arts proprietor, Jody Chesterton wasdelighted both with the performance and thenew venue. She said: “The new theatre is a

wonderful facility for local children and FacesArts will be hosting a series of shows thereduring 2012, including a pantomime nextChristmas.”

Faces Arts drama classes are held once aweek and children have been working on the

THREE COMMUNITY projectshave received grants aftersuccessfully bidding forCounty Council funding.

Birstall secured £13,017, awarded bythe local Area Forum, which coversBradgate, Rothley, Mountsorrel andBirstall.

The successful projects were:• £3050 for Carl Gunns boxing gym.

To support the gym’s training pro-gramme and to purchase a portable ring.

• £4200 for Birstall Parish Council’sYouth Café. To create a counsellingroom within the new pavilion extension,furniture and safety flooring. The coun-selling will enable the café to become aregistered centre for pregnancy testing,chlamydia testing and for storing confi-

Pics: The cast of Cinderella, & top, Charlotte Boyall as the Fairy Godmother

Magic of Cinderella

Continued on page 3

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Continued on page 3

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JAN 2012THE BIRSTALL POST 3

pantomime since October.Jody added: “I’m very proud of all

the children who took part and I knowthey thoroughly enjoyed their perform-ance and the new facility. I would alsolike to thank the local community fortheir incredible support – there wasn’t aspare seat in the house.”

Faces Arts also hosts theatre schoolclasses on Saturday mornings for chil-dren aged between 4-16, after schooldrama and dance sessions and shake uptoddler sessions. For more informationon Faces Arts, contact Jody Chestertonon 07971423201 or visit the websitewww.facesarts.co.uk

dential documents.• £5767 for Riverside Court. To pro-

vide a covered area for mobility scooters.A further £1983 was awarded to the

annual Christmas Day lunch in Anstey,which provides a five course meal foraround 70 elderly, infirm and lonelypeople.

In 2010 the Area Forum awarded£5000 to Birstall pool for a pool cover.

www.leicestershireforums.org

Cinderella continued from page 1

Grants continued from page 1

A FULL meeting of Birstall ParishCouncil was held on December 12.

Cllr David Gaskell reported that abid for funding for a mobility scooterstorage building at Riversdale Courthad been successful.

It was reported that Matt Bagleyfrom the Multi Agency Travellers Unitwould be invited to speak at the Coun-cil’s January or February meeting.

Chairman Stuart Jones reported thathe had been impressed with the quali-ty of the designs produced by localschools for a mural at the Birstall parkand ride terminal building.

The council is pursuing QualityStatus and agreed to approve andadopt a Community Engagement Strate-gy and a Statement of Intent re Train-ing and Development.

The Council agreed its precept for2012/13 as £376,953. The precept isthe Parish Council component of theCouncil tax. This is an increase of£25,809 on this year’s precept, or7.35%. The increase per householdwill be lower because of the increasednumber of dwellings in the parish.

Cllr Julian Howe commented thatthe largest component of the preceptwas wages for Parish Council staff at£251,000 and that this needs to beitemised to consider where savingscould be made.

Comment was made that it wasimportant to preserve and maintain thecouncil’s assets and that youth initia-tives and village events like the galashould continue to be supported.

The Council agreed that Birstall’sCharnwood Borough Councillors, whoare all Conservative councillors, becharged the full hire rates when usingthe Parish Council’s 10 Sibson RoadBuilding for their monthly surgeries,held on the last Saturday of the month

Parish Council notesfrom 10 to 12noon.

Comment was made that the Har-rowgate Drive playing field should beshut at dusk and not at the advertisedtime of 7.30pm. The closing time willbe put on the agenda of the Januarymeeting.

Council staff have become con-cerned at the amount of cars parking

on the tarmac outside the Counciloffices at the Village Hall. They some-times block the pavement and thereare safety issues when they reverse outonto the road. Suggestions includeremovable bollards, seating, notice-boards and a flowerbed. It was agreedto take advice from Charnwood’s Con-servation officer.

WOULD YOU like an allotment?Birstall Parish Council has vacancies

on two sites in the village: Meadow Laneand Greengate Lane.

If you are interested and would liketo put your name forward for the vacantplots or to be put on the waiting list forthe future, please contact: Birstall ParishCouncil, Council Offices, Birstall Road,Birstall, Leicester LE4 4DH. Tel: 01162676191 or email:[email protected]

Allotments

HUNDREDS OF people attendedBirstall’s Christmas lightsswitch on event.

Organised byBirstall Parish Coun-cil at the SibsonRoad car park, thecrowds were enter-tained by carolsperformed by BirstallBrass before Santaswitched on thelights.

Those seeking towarm up made theirway to the VillageHall which was fullof craft stalls totempt Christmasshoppers.Pic: Helping Santaturn on the lights areParish Cllrs NevilleMayes (left) and PatCleere

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Academies are publicly funded inde-pendent schools that aim to raise educa-tional standards. Academy schools wereoriginally set up under Tony Blair’sLabour government and were aimed atboosting standards in the poorest areas.

The Coalition government has madeconversion to Academy status easier, sothat every school can become an acade-my by allowing existing schools that arestrong performers to work in partner-ship with weakerschools. Acade-my schools have:

• freedomfrom local au-thority control

• the ability toset their own payand conditionsfor staff

• freedomsaround the deliv-ery of the curric-ulum

• the ability to change the lengths ofterms and school days.

In total there are now 1463 acade-mies in England. 842 schools convertedin 2010/11. In Leicestershire nineschools have gained academy statussince August while another 17 haveexpressed their intentions to becomeacademies by the start of the 2012 aca-demic year.

Academies receive their funding di-rectly from the Young People’s LearningAgency, part of the Department for Edu-cation, instead of the local authority.They receive additional money to coverthe services that are no longer providedfor them by the County Council – theseinclude behaviour support, school im-provement and central administrativestaff. Academies are free to buy in theseservices, if needed, from alternative

suppliers.Although the

Governmentmaintains thatAcademyschools enjoyno fundingadvantages overtraditional localauthorityschools, manyreceive a bigfunding bonus.

A survey of 1471 secondary schoolspublished by the Association of Schooland College Leaders (ASCL) in March2011 found 72% citing financial gain forthe school as a reason for pursuingacademy status.

A report by the Financial Times inDecember 2011 revealed that an averagesecondary school, teaching 1,000 pupilswhich converted to an academy at thestart of 2010/11, would have received an

extra £118,000, while others may havereceived more than £300,000.

The Government has accepted that theoverpayments are the result of flaws inthe way the grant for providing servicespreviously supplied by the local authorityis calculated, and says there are plans toreform it for 2012/13 to make it fairand transparent.

The Academies policy is paid for byreducing the amounts given to localauthorities : a reduction of £148 millionin 2011/12 and £265million in 2012/13.The 2012/13 figure is expected to risebecause of the greater than anticipatednumbers of conversions to academystatus.

As demand for services previouslyprovided by the County Council falls asmore schools convert to academies,local authority jobs are expected to belost.

The extension of the academies pro-gramme builds on some of the Govern-ment’s key priorities for education – topromote innovation and diversity in theschools system, to give power and free-dom back to heads and teachers, and toraise school standards by getting thehighest performing institutions to helpthe weakest to improve.

Speaking before an event with acade-my headteachers, Prime Minister DavidCameron said: “Improving education iscentral to our reform agenda and weare committed to giving governors,headteachers and teachers more controlover how they run their schools. Weknow they are best placed to decidehow to give their pupils the best possibleeducation and that is why we are encour-aging more schools to become acade-mies.”

Longslade College is inviting views onits intention to become an academy. Youcan [email protected], submitviews via the websitewww.longslade.leics.sch.uk or write tothe Principal, Ms Liz Hall. The deadlineis 12noon, Friday January 13.

A FATHER and daughterknocked down the opposi-tion at a skittles eveningrun by Birstall WatermeadTennis Club.

LONGSLADE COLLEGE is seeking to become an Academy andhas started a consultation process to find out the views ofthe community.

Longslade Collegeseeks Academystatus

Spencer Wesson and eight year oldRuby (pictured) were joint winners bythe end of the evening held at the BlueBell Inn, Rothley. If Ruby ever proves ashandy with the tennis racket as she didwith the cheeses, she could one day bea smash hit on the courts.

The club is always looking for newmembers to build on its successful com-petitive and social activities. For moreinformation, contact club coach LauraMorley on 07742 249807. The nextevent on the club calendar is the WinterTeam Shield from January until March.

LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE is advisingmotorists to stick with their vehiclesas they clear ice and snow from win-dows – or they could be left out inthe cold.

Motorists could be fined receiving a£30 fixed penalty notice and be prose-cuted under the Road Traffic Act offenceof 'quitting' which is when a personleaves their vehicle's engine runningwhile they are not in it.

Inspector Gill Lewis, Head of theRoads Policing Unit at LeicestershirePolice said, “With automotive securitygetting better all time, it’s becoming verydifficult to steal a vehicle without havingthe keys. Thieves are wise to this andtarget people who leave their cars run-ning with keys in the ignition.

“You wouldn’t leave £30,000 in theroad for someone to steal. Yet it’s sur-prising how many people will leave theircars defrosting unattended at the side ofthe road. If you are defrosting your car,make sure it is not left unattended.”

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TEAMS OF students from allof Birstall’s schools pitchedtheir ideas to a panel ofjudges, impressing themwith their designs for a mu-ral that will be installed atthe Birstall park and rideterminal building.

The project is being led by the Mid-lands Highways Alliance, in partnershipwith Tarmac/Carillion. Project co-ordina-tor Claire Randall said: “This has been aunique engagement project with thelocal community. All the schools in Bir-stall have really got behind what we aretrying to achieve and we hope that as aresult the legacy left by the mural willhave an impact on the Birstall communi-ty for years to come.”

The students were given the theme ofthe history of Birstall and their designsincorporated John Hannah VC, localbuildings, transport, the Lawn cinema,the War memorial, the old forge, thewatermill and the Beast of Birstall.

The mural will be installed in Spring2012.

The students participating were (pic-tured, clockwise from top):• Longslade: Melissa Purdom, LilyViney, Robyn Howgill, Sarah Olsen,Joshua Talor, Ocean Murning & DavidCollison with Head of Art Cath Kinder• Riverside: Grace McGreal, KhyatiBhatt, Megan Lee, Joseph Whyman,Neel Bhogaita, Jemima Montague-Mason, Ryan Schlaophoff, Lydia Bon-shor• Stonehill: Esther Gbadeyan, Debo-rah Gbadeyan, Shea Smith, CharlieBrown, Alex Marriott, Jade Pearce• Highcliffe: Amy Diyar, Laura Mayoh-Smith, Bryony O’Connor, Katie Hunter,Samiya Sharma, Thomas Beames,Amalie Mukete, Alex PoleCentre Pic: the judges deliberateBottom Pic: some of the designs

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BIRSTALL PARISH Council will submit an appli-cation for Quality Status later this month.

The Quality Parish and Town Council scheme waslaunched in 2003. It aims to provide benchmark minimumstandards for parish and town councils, and improve thequality of management and administration.

To qualify, councils must pass several tests. These are:

1ST BIRSTALL Girls’ Brigade celebrated its 50th

anniversary at a special service in November atBirstall Methodist Church.

The company was founded in 1961 with Mrs Jean Yates asCaptain and Mrs Pat Lomax, Mrs Mary Hayman and Mrs Bren-da James as officers. Each section took part in the service, theExplorers and Juniors sang, the Seniors performed drama andthe Brigaders rang hand bells.

The company meets at Birstall Methodist Church and catersfor girls from age 5 upwards. If you would like any furtherinformation please ring Susan Wheeler on Leicester 2209318.Pics: (bottom) he first enrolment service in 1961, (top)the girls and leaders who took part in the celebrationservice in November, with Mrs Jean Yates, founder Captain,on the left.

• Electoral mandate – at least twothirds of councillors must have beenelected

• The clerk must have obtained thecertificate in Local Administration qualifi-cation

• Council meetings – draft minutesmust be published within two months ofmeetings

• Communication and communityengagement – councils must have awebsite, email address, list council mem-bers and provide contact details, andproduct their own newsletter or contrib-ute to an existing community newsletter.

• Annual report and accounts• Code of Conduct• Promoting local democracy and

citizenship• Training both staff and elected mem-

bersParish Clerk Steve Blackburn said:

“Obtaining Quality Status promotes publicconfidence in the Council from the com-munity and from other local authorities,who may be looking to Parish Councilsto take over some of the services theycurrently provide.

“It will make us more responsive tothe community, more accountable andbetter able to represent the wishes of thelocal community.”

www.birstall.leicestershireparishcouncils.org

Qualitycouncil

FREE SCHOOL transport hasbeen withdrawn from 28 pu-pils in Rothley who will nowhave to walk to school in Bir-stall along the A6.

The County Council says it must applyits school transport policy consistentlywithin the county and has written to thefamilies of 84 pupils in Leicestershireafter carrying out distance checks ofavailable walking routes.

Children are entitled to free schooltransport if they live above the qualifyingdistance from their catchment school –three miles for secondary school pupilsand two miles for primary age pupils.

The move will see the Council save£42,000 a year.

Some parents of affected pupils inRothley are worried about the safety ofthe route and the time it takes to walk.Diane Hardy has two sons who go toStonehill school. She said: “Walkingalong a dual carriageway with trafficgoing at 70mph is too dangerous. I amespecially concerned about childrencrossing the slip road where traffic exitsthe A6 for Rothley.

“It takes an hour and a quarter towalk, so if I accompany my children,that will take me five hours a day. Iappreciate that the County have to makesome savings but putting children’s safe-ty at risk in not on.”

The County says a route “…is availa-ble if it is a route along which a child,accompanied as necessary [by an adult]can walk with reasonable safety toschool.”

The County has offered affected par-ents seats on the school bus for £400per pupil per year.

Parents can appeal the County’s deci-sion and five appeals have so far beensubmitted. A County spokesman said:

“These have not generated any reassess-ment as they haven’t flagged up anymaterial changes or new issues not con-sidered in the assessments carried out insummer 2010”.

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LOCAL PEOPLE featured in aseries of Christmas posters.

Devised by Methodist Minister RachelParkinson, they aimed to make us con-sider which people in Birstall might takeon the familiar Christmas roles if Jesuswas born today.

Amongst those taking part, MartinBolton, a local postman, featured as theAngel Gabriel on account of their bothdelivering news; Meg Young, crossingpatrol guide at Riverside Primary Schoolwas portrayed as the guiding star andthe staff of Birstall Tandoori Takeawaystood in as Magi from the East. Dawn,landlady of the Earl of Stamford whofeatured as the Innkeeper, said: “I wasreally pleased to be asked to take part.The posters attracted a lot of commentfrom customers”.

Rachel Parkinson said: “No matterhow you approach the Christmas story, ithas the power to ask us important ques-tions about our community life in Bir-stall today. What ‘stars’ are we followingto guide our way? What are we expect-ing in 2012, and who is delivering goodnews? My personal favourite is the post-er showing the children of Birstall Spe-cial Needs playgroup as the choir ofangels. To me that says, where is thejoy and celebration in the village? Itmight not be in the places most peoplewould expect.”

The posters, designed by Jules Rich-ards, were displayed in an empty shopon Sibson Road.

Running alongside the poster project,over 150 adults and children took partin ‘Get in the Picture’ at the MethodistChurch. People were invited to dress upas characters in the nativity and havetheir photo taken. Photos taken locallycan be viewed atwww.getinthepicture.org.uk and by enter-ing “Birstall, Leicester” in the searchengine on the site.Pics: some of the posters & (bottomright): Gail, Megan, Faith and Paul Young

‘get in the picture’

Christmas story if BirstallwereBethlehem

WATERMEAD SWANS Rescue are urgingvisitors to Watermead Country Park tofeed the swans with bird food.

A County Council spokesman said:“People are welcome to feed the wildfowlat our country parks but we would rec-ommend that the best thing they canfeed them is wild bird feed.”

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I would like to complain about thearticle printed in the December editionof Birstall Post titled ‘Child hit by car onway to school’. It gives the impressionthat the car was speeding or drivenwithout regard for the safety of others.As the driver of the car I can assure youthat this was definitely not the case.

I find it difficult to understand howanyone could have looked before cross-ing the busy road and failed to see a carapproaching them, but I am certain thatI was travelling well below the speedlimit and I did everything possible toavoid the collision. I am not sure what Iwas expected to do after the accidentbut the statement that I “just stood there”was most unfair and suggests a total lackof concern.

I appreciate that some drivers maydrive dangerously past the school, but Iam not one of them and I resent the

suggestion that I am and the poor im-pression this article gives of me.

I hope the boy involved has made aspeedy recovery and has not sufferedany undue distress as a result of thisaccident but I do not accept any blamefor it.

Joe BennettI apologise for any distress caused by

this article. The report did not name thedriver, identify any wrongdoing such asspeeding, or apportion blame for theaccident – The Editor

ed by the County Council, often for spe-cific purposes. Mrs Godby and allresidents can rest assured that the Par-ish Council will do what it can to bid foravailable funds for the benefit the resi-dents of Birstall.

Steve BlackburnClerk to the Parish Council

During the 40 years I have lived onGreengate Lane I have noted five chil-dren knocked down by vehicles eithertravelling too fast from the railwaybridge, or by a child not properly con-trolled.

These accidents would not have oc-curred had the children been taken tothe crossing warden rather than crossingfrom outside my home, and I appeal toall concerned to consider these pointsand train children to use the crossingoutside Highcliffe School for when theyare allowed to go to school on theirown.

Speed humps have been mentioned tostop vehicles exceeding the limit butthese would not be so urgently necessaryif people kept their charges safe and ALLused the official school crossing. Shortcuts are not a good idea, so please Iimplore you parents/minders etc toconsider your position and “Keep YourChild Safe”.

Roy Ewens95 Greengate Lane

YOUR SAY...

The Birstall Post welcomes your viewsand opinions on any subject. Letters,which must include your name andaddress, (though not necessarily forpublication) can be posted to: The Bir-stall Post, Longslade College, WanlipLane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GH, orhanded in at Birstall library or email:[email protected]

I feel I must respond to Anne God-by’s letter ‘Poor Relative’ which waspublished in the December ‘Birstall Post’in order to correct a significant error. Itwas disappointing to read that she is notsatisfied with Birstall’s summer floraldisplays and the Christmas trees, both ofwhich make a considerable contributionto the appeal of the shopping area inSibson Road and Hannah Parade. Hermain misapprehension is that the ParishCouncil has £15,000 to spend and thisis not correct. This sum of money wasavailable to the Bradgate, Rothley,Mountsorrel and Birstall Area Forumwhich includes all of those places plusAnstey and which has been allotted themoney, to be bid for by any person ororganisation in its area with a viableplan for community improvements.Some of this money (£4,200) is tocome to Birstall Parish Council’s YouthCafe after a proposal to develop theeducational work of the youth workers.A further £5,767 was successfully bidfor by the Borough Councillors repre-senting Birstall to fund the building ofsecure storage for mobility scooters atRiverside Court and £3,050 was allottedto Carl Gunn’s Gym for additional facili-ties for the good work he does withyoung people in Birstall. The balance of£1,983 went to Anstey for the benefit ofelderly people living there. These fundsare part of a pool of grant money provid-

The Historic Steam Crane Society ofLondon and Sydney, Australia seeksassistance in finding persons with knowl-edge of the steam crane makers andfoundry engineers named ‘Joseph Jessop’,‘The London Steam Crane & EngineWorks’ and ‘Joseph Jessop and Son’from about 1866 until about 1896, thenbecoming ‘Jessop & Appleby Bros’ until1900 or so.

Steam cranes made by Jessops wereimportant throughout the world. One inNew Zealand was made in 1898 and stillin constant use loading coat at the endof the 1970s.

It seems Joseph Jessop came toLeicester from Manchester about 1862,but nothing more is known of him. Theobituary of George Jessop (1852-1907),Joseph Dessop’s son, says only that hewas a member of the Institution of CivilEngineers, and a member of the Engi-neering Employers’ Association.

The Society proposes to publish ahistory on the steam cranes of Leicester,and their importance throughout theworld, so wishes to make contact withanyone who can assist with family infor-mation, history of companies, drawings,photos of cranes and works, or anythingwhich can help. They will pay all reason-able costs in advance, credit all copy-right ownership and provide copies ofthe history when published to everyrespondent to this request. Contact inthe first instance is to the research histo-rian, whose email [email protected]

Danea Cowell

Thank you to everybody who support-ed the St Theresa’s Youth Group’s bagpacking day at the Co-operative Store onDecember 10.

Mark Hickenbotham, YouthLeader

Many thanks to all the members ofthe public who took the trouble to votein Birstall & District Art Society ‘Best inShow’ at the annual exhibition. Thewinner was Michael Joyce with Charles-town.

We know that the schoolchildren’s artwork has been a great delight to us forthe past several years but unfortunatelythe schools in Birstall are so very busywith their essential curriculum that therewere no entries received from three ofthem for this event for the last two years.So it is with regret that there will be noschool’s art competition in future. Wewould like to thank Riverside school andparticularly Mrs Caroline Reynolds, ateacher there, for her support and inter-est in the competition. We shall continueto display art work by our own juniormembers. One of these, Maya Patel, thisyear won the society’s prize for the bestpastel. Well done Maya!

Mary Houghton, Hon Sec.

I hesitate to write this letter because Ibelieve that the people concerned havemanaged to pass their driving tests with-out being able to read English. I refer toan unfortunately large minority of peoplewho drive cars; there are various exam-ples I can give.

To start with, for a short while Stone-hill Road was reduced to one-way trafficwith no access from Sibson Road. WhilstI can understand the driver who wantedaccess to the rear of the Sibson Roadshops, the fact that three other driversignored the closure and drove at fullspeed in a convoy the wrong way alongthis road at that time does suggest eitherignorance of a total disregard for safety.Fortunately there was nothing coming

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the other way, for as any driver whouses that road knows, there is a blindbend just where the roadworks ended.

Twice in the last week I have seendrivers come out of the slip road by theshops on the Loughborough Road, ig-nore the left-turn only sign for SibsonRoad, and endeavour to join the queueof cars trying to gain access to Lough-borough Road. Increasingly, as well,cars are parking in the busy bay outsideTesco, thereby forcing any bus stoppingthere to block the carriageway.

And of course, there are still carstrying to turn into Bentley Road usingthe buses-only lane, thereby blocking thedrive where my car is kept… but I won’tgo into that – again.

Dr D A C McNeil

much of a short cut from or to any-where. If walkers want a country walk,then may be a stroll around the lakesmight be a more suitable place to exer-cise.

Name and address suppliedBirstall Birdwatching Club

Presents

The Natural History ofGrace Dieu

by Steve WoodwardThe area surrounding Grace Dieu Prio-ry with its lovely woodland has beenthe subject of a major study by Steveand he tells us about his discoveries

and their importance to countyrecords.

The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane,Rothley

Tuesday January 10 at 7.30pm

An Introduction to BirdRinging

by Andy SmithWhat is bird ringing all about andwhere is it done? Andy spends a lotof time ringing birds at Watermead

Park and also ringed ‘Ken’s swallows’in Wanlip village. This fascinating

subject tells us so much about birdsand their survival

The Rothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane,Rothley

Tuesday February 14 at 7.30pmVisitors welcome £2

Contact Ken Goodrich 0116 2674813• • •

St James 200 Club December winners:1st No.22 Mrs June Crebbin £252nd No.111 Mr Brian Ward £153rd No.139 Mr Rod Hewitt £104th No.65 Mrs Betty Howard £5

Christmas Bonus No.63 Mrs Gerry Dav-ies £5• • •

Film PresentationsFrom Thurcaston & Cropston Parish

Council

‘Water for Elephants’Friday January 13 (120 mins)

Based on a best selling novel, thisfilm follows an unexpected romancebetween veterinary student, Jacob,

and Marlena, the star performer in acircus. Their compassion for a specialelephant shines through. Jacob is onthe threshold of a huge career but for

Marlena, the circus is her only life.Will her husband take revenge?

‘Larry Crowne’Friday February 10 (99 mins)

This romantic comedy stars TomHanks and Julia Roberts. After a suc-cessful career in the navy, everythingis right in Larry’s life until hard timesbefall him. At his local college, in apublic speaking class, on his journeyof self discovery, Larry begins an in-

teresting relationship with histeacher.

‘One Day’Friday March 9 (107 mins)

‘Jane Eyre’April 13

Thurcaston & Cropston Parish Councilwill be showing these films at Thur-caston Memorial Hall. Starting at

7.30pm, tickets cost £4.50 and con-cessions are £4. The price includesrefreshments and a lucky prize draw.Advance tickets can be purchased viathe parish office, 0116 2367626 or

at the door.• • •

Mountsorrel Methodist ChurchPresents the First in the Eleventh

Series ofSunday Night @ Eight

Organ Recitals

I have read people’s views on facili-ties in Birstall, I know we have no lei-sure centre but we do have a goodswimming pool called Birstall LongsladeSwimming Pool tel: 0116 2673461. Ithas swimming lessons for all ages fromearly morning/evening/aquafit swimfitand one lunch time swim. All the swim-ming pool needs is people to come anduse it. So this year give it a go.

From a regular swimmer of the Bir-stall Swimming Pool

Lesley Moore

I imagine if I stood 10 yards from achildren’s playground, and shoutedswear words at the top of my voice for90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon, Iwould expect swift arrest and prosecu-tion for offensive behaviour. Yet this isprecisely what was happening on theafternoon of November 19 in the nameof football. This was an organised gamenot a knockabout between youths, andin the 15 minutes I was there with myyoung daughter there must have beenone profanity a minute directed at eachother, the referee etc.

Is it right that the park should be ano-go area to children on a Saturday? Ithink not. I cannot accept any argumentthat such behaviour is OK because it’s

“the culture of the game”, it’s not OK atall near a play area, in this case thepitch should be moved away from theplay area if the players really can’t helpthemselves.

Name & address supplied

I would like to write “on behalf ofthe horses” in the field off NetherhalllLane, Birstall. My house backs on tothe field off Netherhall Lane. I have livedhere for 17 years and I have to say thatI have never seen any incidents involvingthe public and the horses. In fact to thecontrary. This summer, I witnessed agroup of students from Stonehill Schoolthrowing stones and clods of earth at thehorses.

Unfortunately, people who walkthrough the field do not realise thatanimals react to routine. People whowalk through the field often bring foodto feed the horses, and as a conse-quence, anytime anyone walks throughthe field, the horses will approach thewalker in the hope of a small snack.

The bridle path across the field is not

I wonder if the parents of some ofthe pupils at Longslade College areaware that the ones you send withpacked lunches are throwing them awayuneaten, still in the bags causing litterand mess, such a shame, when there arestarving people all over the world.

Concerned Resident

Very sad to read of the young boybeing knocked down on Greengate Lane.I wish him well.

It would be sensible to apply the20mph zone at the start and finish of theschool day.

However a lot of the parents cause agreat many hazards themselves whendropping off or picking up their chil-dren.

Ambergate Drive for instance, it’s anaccident waiting to happen. Cars areparked just inside the road oppositeeach other. Cars coming up Greengatewanting to turn right into Ambergate canfind themselves head on with a car com-ing in the opposite direction that is hav-ing to travel through the middle of theseparked cars.

The time has come to have doubleyellow lines put in place. They could godown as far as the first two drives oneither side thus allowing cars to negoti-ate the junction safely.

Carol Withers

Noticeboardall details printed free

Birstall pool

Offensive

Horses

Lunch litter

Yellow lines

Reprints of photos inTHE BIRSTALL POST

are available: 7x5 £2 & 8x10 £5Continued on page 12

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Sunday January 15, at 8pmBy Simon Headley

Admission freeDonations for the Church’s Develop-

ment FundBuffet from 7.30pm

For further local and national con-certs, visit www.organrecitals.com

• • •

Birstall & District LocalHistory Society

The next meeting which will be thestart of the 2012 programme beginswith our AGM followed by a talk ‘Lifeon the Home Front WW2’ by Felicity

Austin.The meeting commences at 7.30pmin the Birstall Village Hall, Birstall

Road.Visitors are very welcome

• • •

Loughborough Universi-ty Sleep and Lifestyle

StudyThe Sleep Research Centre is current-ly recruiting for a new study lookingat the impact of lifestyle choices onproblems falling asleep, staying

asleep, or waking up too early in themorning

The study is open to men and womenaged over 40, who have problems

with their sleep and who are not cur-rently engaged in regular physical

activity programmesIf you would like to know moreplease contact Iuliana on 01509

223021 or [email protected]

• • •

Mini Market and TableTop Sale

Saturday February 4, 2012From 10am to 1pm

At Birstall Methodist Church, WanlipLane, Birstall

(tables @£10 each: tel. Mary 01162672606

Stalls include Made in Birstall (homemade cakes & produce), Bric-a-Brac &

Books, TombolaCoffee Shop open for refreshments

• • •

Birstall Royal BritishLegion

Jan 7: Sharna (F/V)Jan 14: Paul Ravell (M/V)

Jan 21: Shine (F/DUO)Jan 28: Mick Knight (M/V)

Dancing every Saturday night withlive entertainment

Bingo Free Beer raffle and not forget-ting Open the Box

Every Tuesday night Bingo starting at9.30pm

Quiz nights Sunday Jan 8 & 29 start-ing at 9pm

Acoustic night Sunday Jan 25Rock & Roll nights Wednesday Jan 4 &

18Families welcome

Food available every Saturday 12-2pm & Bank Holiday Monday

Wakes catered for• • •

Birstall MethodistGarden Trail

The 2012 Garden Trail will be in theWalker Road/Goscote Hall Road/Went

Road area. A number of residentshave already kindly agreed to opentheir gardens. If anyone else wouldlike to join them please telephone

2677576.Proceeds this year will be shared

with the prostate cancer charity Pros-tAid and the church

• • •

Three Day Festival of Steam

GCR Winter GalaJan 27,28 & 29

Up to 10 locos in steam at one of theGCR’s biggest ever events

Demonstrations of the turning tableat Quorn

Two locos on static display at Quornfor cab tours

A display of passing freight and post-al trains

Timetables and fares atwww.gcrailway.co.uk

• • •

Urgently needed!Spring and summer clothes

For charity funday fashion showAll clothes will eventually be donatedor sold with proceeds going to local

causesClothes will be kindly received at:Revive Hair, Went Road & The Old

Plough, Front StreetFor more info please call 0116

2674669• • •

Friday Feb 3

Fun Quiz NightSt Theresa’s Hall

To raise funds for our youth groupcommences at 7pm, payable on the

doorAll welcome

Saturday Feb 11Coffee Morning

Methodist Coffee shopin aid of the Samaritans Purse Shoe

Box Appeal10am to 12noon

• • •

Book now to see Jack & the BeanstalkBookings are now open for seats at

the 2012 Men’s Pantomime. It will runfor five nights plus a Saturday Matineeduring half-term week. The first night isTuesday February 14. All tickets are £5including small front row children’sseats (ideal for those aged under 10).Tel 2122513 for tickets.Bethlehem on Sibson Road

Did you see the pictures of the Nativi-ty story set out in the window of theempty carpet shop between the DryCleaners and the Shoe Repairers? Featur-ing local people, including Dawn fromthe Earl of Stamford (The Innkeeper)and Meg the Lollipop Lady (The GuidingStar). We are grateful for the use of thewindow – the pictures may still be therefor a few more days. There was signifi-cance in the eviction notice which wasalso posted in the same window – noroom at the Inn!Christmas Festival Result

The Christmas Festival held at the endof November, raised a wonderful £7000Part of this will go to ‘Smile Train UK’ acharity treating children with cleft lipsand palates in developing countries. Thechurch is grateful for the wonderfulsupport given by so many Birstall folk,in so many different ways.Coffee Shop now open again

The coffee shop re-opened on Janu-ary 3 after the Christmas break.Re-cycling Opportunity

On Sunday January 15, we shall becollecting items to recycle for money forchurch funds. Fill a bag with clothes,handbags, shoes books, bedding/towels(but not pillows or quilts) and leave inthe church foyer.Reading the New Testament

There is to be a Bible Reading chal-lenge starting in January. A number offolk are to attempt to read the whole ofthe New Testament in just 30 days. Thechallenge starts on 8th January (at theCovenant Service). There will be supportin the form of weekly meetings Mondays2 to 3.30 (from January 16) and Thurs-days 7.30 to 9pm (from January 12).

From Tony Moore,Birstall Methodist Church

‘Happy New Year’This wish is so often heard but, for

many of us, the New Year frequentlybrings worries and uncertainties, wheth-er these are personal, family, local,national or about global issues. Perhapsthey are concerning job security or lackof employment; or financial anxietiesand debts; or health problems; or rela-tionship difficulties and loneliness; orconcerns about the wars, famines anddisasters in the world; or environmentalworries. The list is seemingly endless. Iam reminded of the words spoken byHis Majesty King George VI in his Christ-mas broadcast in 1939, when, facing thedangers of World War II, he quotedfrom a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins:

“I said to the man who stood at the gateof the year, 'Give me a light that I maytread safely into the unknown.' And hereplied, 'Go into the darkness and putyour hand into the hand of God. Thatshall be to you better than light andsafer than a known way.'”New beginnings

At this time of year, when we make

Continued from page 11

The Feb issue ofTHE BIRSTALL POST

will be published on Feb 4.The copy deadline is Jan 20.

Church news

Continued on page 13

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new resolutions and new beginnings,why not join us for one of our services?We meet on Sunday mornings at 10.45a.m. at the Community Room, HighcliffePrimary School and Community Centre,Greengate Lane, (LE4 3DL) and you canbe assured of a warm welcome. Ourvisiting speaker for January 29 will beMr Paul Linnell from Wigston.

Further informationFor any further information or que-

ries please ring 0116 2214883.From Anne Taylor, Birstall Inde-

pendent Baptist Church

GORGE WALKING with BenFogle was the highlight of atrip to the Lake District byStonehill school pupils.

Teacher Jocelyn Brown said: “Theyhad a fantastic time hill walking, rockclimbing, camping out overnight in astone hut and, with the help of BenFogle, they went gorge walking.”

Ben Fogle was there to endorse theconcept of young people taking an activerole in being responsible for the environ-ment. He met all the students from theten winning schools across the country.

“The children were fantastic. Theydeveloped self confidence and determina-tion to overcome every challenge theyfaced. The teamwork and support foreach other grew as the week went on. Itwas a hard and challenging week, butone that the pupils will remember andtake with them for a very long time”added Mrs Brown.

The Stonehill students had won anational competition sponsored bynpower by producing a videowith an environmental theme.They chose to show the jour-ney and carbon footprint ofa supermarket egg. Theythen compared this toone of the eggs laid bythe chickens on thesmall school farm atStonehill which was setup through a CommunityAward from 3M HealthCare in Loughborough.

The pupils will contin-ue to focus on the issues

they learnt concerning the envi-ronment and sustainability now

they are back in Birstall. Onearea they particularly wantto work on is the ongo-ing battle against litter.Pic: teacher JocelynBrown with Ben Fogle

KEEN DANCER George Higgs celebrated his105th birthday at Birstall Social Club onJanuary 1.

“A slow shuffle is all Ican manage nowadays”says George, who wastoasted by the 140guests, including familywho have travelled fromthe USA to be with him.

The oldest man inBirstall, George wasseven years old whenthe First World Warstarted, 32 at the out-break of World War II.

He has lived on Salt-ersgate Drive for the last54 years – his wife Mil-lie died in 1994.

George is in goodhealth apart from failing eyesight which saw him give updriving last year.

A keen dancer since his teenager years, George can befound most Saturday nights at the Birstall Social Club dance.

Due to illness, there is no article thismonth from St. James or Wanlip church-es. The clergy and congregations of theparish would like to pass on their goodwishes to all residents of Birstall andWanlip for a happy and peaceful NewYear.

Continued from page 12

BIRSTALL PARISH Council has agreed a budget of £376,953 forthe year 2012/13.

This is an increase of £25,809 on2011/12, or 7.35%. Parish Clerk SteveBlackburn said: “While this is wellahead of any current measure of infla-tion, the decision has been taken againstthe background of the need to maintain

the Parish Council’s considerable assetsand the increasing number of serviceswe need to provide which might in thepast have been the responsibility of theBorough Council, notably the publictoilets in Stonehill Avenue and, in thenear future, care and maintenance of thefirst play area at Hallam Fields.

“The Council took into account theincreasing population in Birstall, mistobviously in Hallam Fields and has calcu-lated that the additional money will beequivalent to an increase of £1.39 peryear for each adult.”

The largest component of the budgetis to pay the wages of Parish Councilstaff, which amounts to £251,000 for2012/13 (no increase on the previousyear).

The Parish Council has two full timeand one part time employees in theoffice, six full time groundstaff, onecleaner, one person to lock up the carpark, one caretaker, one youth workerand three other youth workers whowork in rotation. Councillors receive nopayments.

The Parish Council is responsible forthe playing fields, cemetery, allotments,public toilets, hanging baskets, Christmaslights and Birstall gala.

George’sspecialbirthday

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MUSIC, DANCE anddrama featured inLongslade’s annu-al Christmas Show-case, performedby students infront of a packedhouse at the newPalmer-TomkinsonCentre in Decem-ber.

selves and reduce the chance of becom-ing a victim.

Phil, who now works as a water bail-iff for Charnwood Borough Council atCharnwood Water, said: “Purse alarmsare a perfect weapon because if one of

those goes off, a thief will run.“Thieves want an easy ride, they don’t

like too much risk. By getting a pursealarm, you will deter thieves and reducethe risk of becoming a victim - no doubtabout it.”

Phil’s top three tips are:• Never leave bags or purses on show

in shopping trollies or pushchairs. Makesure they are hidden from view. Philsays: “Older people or mums on theirown with pushchairs and kids are espe-cially vulnerable as they are easily dis-tracted and can be a bit naïve. Theydon’t expect to become a victim.”

• Be vigilant and aware at cashpoints.Criminal gangs operate in pairs to dis-tract people at cashpoints. Phil says:

“One person will watch you enter yourpin number then distract you, perhapsby dropping a £20 note on the floorand asking if you’ve dropped cash.While your back is turned, the otherperson will enter an amount and with-draw your cash. Don’t fall for it.”

• Zip up your bags at all times –make it as hard as possible for someoneto get at your valuables. Phil says: “Itsounds simple – but if your purse is onshow, it’s an open invitation to a thief.”

Councillor David Snartt, Chairman ofthe Charnwood Community Safety Part-nership, said: “Phil’s past can help ourpresent. His advice may sound simple,but if people follow his tips we canreally reduce the number of victims.

“This campaign aims to make a realdent in the ill-gotten profits of the crimi-nal underworld and empower our resi-dents, shoppers and visitors to deterthieves.

Phil said he last committed a crimein 1999 and was jailed for six years.Upon release, he was supported by po-lice, Council and other groups to helphim turn over a new leaf. He carries out

voluntary work and also works as awater bailiff at Charnwood Water for theCouncil.

Phil, who has lived in Loughboroughmost of his life, said: “I was committingcrime from the age of 10 and I regretevery moment of it because you neverget that time back.

“Now I’m straight and have been givena second chance, I want to do what Ican to give back so I’m happy to sup-port the campaign.”

Last year, there were 39 reports ofpurse thefts in Loughborough town cen-tre in December.

Longslade Christmas concert

Former drug addict Phil Ward, 39,committed more than a thousand crimesas a career crook until a six-year jailsentence helped him turn his life around.

Now the former thief is sharing his‘expertise’ to help shoppers protect them-

A REFORMED offender is dishing out top tips to help shoppersthwart thieves as part of a Council-led crackdown on pursethefts.

Offender’s anti-theft tips

NEW SPEED-BUSTING measuresare set to slow drivers in Wanlip.

The improvements have beenintroduced to curb speeding alongRectory Road in Wanlip and includetwo speed 'tables', a flashing signand a traffic island.The sign displaysa blank face but when triggered bya fast-approaching vehicle, flashesthe road’s speed limit to remindmotorists to slow down.

The traffic island is located towarn drivers to adjust their speedon the approach to the bend nearthe Church Road junction.

The improvements have beenmade because of a planning obliga-tion linked to a housing develop-ment at Manor Farm on RectoryRoad.

The £45,000 scheme has beenfunded by a developer and designedand constructed by LeicestershireCounty Council.

Lesley Pendleton, LeicestershireCounty Council cabinet member forenvironment and transport, said:

“I'm pleased we've been able towork with the developer to helpslow traffic passing the new develop-ment.

“As well as cutting speed, wehope the improvements will boostconditions for local residents andsafety for all road users.”

A speed table is a short, raisedsection of road, designed to slowdown drivers.

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Birstall And Rothley Wea Spring2012Draw, Paint And Print

An opportunity to explore a variety oftechniques and media, providing anintroduction to the basic skills of draw-ing, painting and printmaking. On-the-spot demonstrations and discussion willbe supported with examples of artists'work. An ideal course for beginners orthose who want to try or revisit newskills.

Tutor: Jo Sheppard. Fee £67, dis-counted: £60.30 (not available to theretired) or Free

Venue: The Rothley Centre, 12 Mount-sorrel Lane, Rothley LE7 7PR

Date: Monday 1–3pm, 10 meetingsfrom 16 January 2012What The Victorians Did For Leicester

Many of the buildings that we see inLeicester today, the organisations thatserve, educate and entertain us, and thevalues that continue to influence the city,had their origins in the Victorian period.We will consider how the Victoriansshaped the Leicester of their own time,and explore some of the ‘legacies’ thatthey left to us.

Tutor: Cynthia Brown. Fee £40.20,discounted: £36.20 (not available to theretired) or Free


Date: Tuesday 10–11.30am, 8 meet-ings from 17 January 2012Afternoon Tai Chi

With daily practice, the soft flowingmovements of Tai Chi strengthen thebody, promoting stress reduction andwell-being. One posture of the 24 se-quential movements of the form istaught each week. Please wear looseclothing and flat-soled shoes.

Tutor Laraine Tucker Fee £73.70,discounted: £66.35(not available to theretired) or Free

Venue: Birstall Methodist ChurchRooms, 40 Wanlip Lane, Birstall LE4 4JS

Date: Tuesday 1.30–3.30pm, 11meetings from 17 January 2012Art For A Modern World

An opportunity to look at a range oftwentieth century artists, including Nata-lia Goncharova, Modigliani and GeorgeBraque, whose work reflects the verydifferent aesthetic responses to thechanging times. No experience neces-sary – just a lively, open-minded interestin art!

Tutor Janis Baker Fee £53.60, dis-counted: £48.25 (not available to theretired) or Free


Date: Wednesday 7.15–9.15pm, 8meetings from 18 January 2012

Contact: Marion Vincent, Telephone:0116 2375156 e-mail:[email protected] or sendyour enrolments to John Laurance WEATreasurer, 33 Loughborough Road,Hoton Leicester LE12 5SF

Please make cheques payable to WEABirstall & Rothley Branch

Visit our website!www.birstallandrothleywea.org.uk

After cutting a magnificent cake (pic-tured above) he went on to fill the stagewith fantastic flower arrangements,which were all won by members of the

audience.This year we have had an exciting

time, with wonderful demonstrations,lots of outings, workshops, a giant pic-nic, a strawberry evening, afternoon teas,a coffee morning and a large plant sale.

The club meets once a month in theVillage Hall and new members are al-ways welcome. Why not come along, sitand relax amongst friends and watchNAFAS trained demonstrators? Luckyraffle winners go home with the beauti-ful arrangements.

Our next meeting is on WednesdayFebruary 22. Any enquiries to secretarySylvia Simes 2674206.

From Birstall Flower Club

BIRSTALL FLOWER Club’s Golden Jubilee celebrations featured a spectacular demonstration byJonathan Mosely, a renowned international flower arranger.

A CYCLIST who commutesto work by bike is con-cerned about parking incycle lanes.

“We are blessed with a cycle lanefrom Birstall all the way to Lough-borough and I’m glad to say this israther well used and offers a healthy,eco-friendly form of transport.

“It is not without its faults as any-one who has attempted to ride alongthe A6 at night with car headlightson blinding full beam come at youwill testify.

“My main concern is the numberof cars that park in cycle lanes. Thisstretch of road is used by manyyoungsters on their way to schooland I have several times witnessedthem having to go round the parkedvehicles and into the main flow oftraffic, which is often going at quitea pace on this section.”

Rule 140 of the Highway Codesays: “Cycle lanes. These are shownby road markings and signs. YouMUST NOT drive or park in a cyclelane marked by a solid white lineduring its times of operation. Do notdrive or park in a cycle lanemarked by a broken white line un-less it is unavoidable. You MUSTNOT park in any cycle lane whilstwaiting restrictions apply.”

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Pupils from the Steps School of Thea- tre Dance entertained an audience at thePalmer-Tomkinson Centre, Longslade.

Principal Michelle Upton said: “Thisis a fantastic achievement, I cannot be-lieve the generosity of the audience andI would like to thank them very muchfor their donations.

“We also had some amazing prizesthat were donated for the raffle and Iwould like to thank them all.”

Boots donated £500, the Crown atAsfordby a three course meal for four,Leicester City Football Club a behind thescenes tour, the White Horse a £20voucher, Sally Montague-Mason a per-sonalised fitness programme, the Co-operative pharmacy, Angela Harris andIona Blake

THE POLICE in Charnwood are using social media to reachout to people and partner agencies across their policingarea.

walks of life particularly the young andpeople who are confident with technolo-gy.”

The police will continue to use main-stream media such as newspapers, radio,neighbourhood newsletters, leaflets, faceto face meetings and beat surgeries aswell as networking sites.

Sergeant Ian Stone from CharnwoodLocal Policing Unit (LPU) said: “I amusing Twitter to post short updates aboutsignificant events and issues that happenacross the Charnwood policing area. Itis not time consuming to do because itis only like sending a text message, it isa quick and easy way of keeping lots ofpeople across the policing area in-formed about the work we are doingwhere they live.”

You can follow your beat team orLocal Inspector on the following Twitterpages:

www.twitter.com/CharnwoodLPUwww.twitter.com/BirstallPoliceUsers of social media are asked not

to use either site to report crime. Thismust still be done by dialling 999 in anemergency or calling Leicestershire Po-lice on 101.

A NIGHT of celebration showcasing the talents of localyoung people has raised £1400 for Birstall BAGS.

Charity showraises funds

Neighbourhood beat officers and thepolice Sergeant, Ian Stone are usingTwitter to send quick up-to-date messag-es to residents across Mountsorrel, An-stey, Thurmaston, Sileby, Quorn, Rothley,Swithland, the Wolds Villages and Sea-grave, Barrow Upon Soar, Birstall, EastGoscote, Queniborough and Syston.

Each of the ten beat teams is usingTwitter to post messages about signifi-cant campaigns, operations and crimeprevention messages. You can also fol-low them on Facebook at ‘CharnwoodPolice’. It has been set up as a businesspage so viewers are encouraged to clickon the ‘like’ button and keep in touchwith their local police officers.

You can also get the latest news,updates and events direct from the po-lice by signing up to NeighbourhoodLink at www.neighbourhoodlink.co.uk.

Leicestershire Constabulary’s Head ofOnline Media, Natalie Proffitt, said: “Weare encouraging officers in key roles touse sites such as Facebook and Twitterbecause the number of people and or-ganisations using social media are grow-ing and will continue to grow. It is agreat way of reaching people from all

SIXTH FORMERS at Longslade College are volunteering their timeto support local charity CLASH to improve their computing skills.

CLASH – Community Leicester Arthri-tis Self Help – will provide a new andfree computer confidence course for alllocal people and anyone who suffersfrom arthritis. The course will be held atthe Palmer-Tomkinson Centre at Longs-lade Community College from 3.30-4.30pm starting Thursday January 12,2012.

It will run every Thursday duringterm time and has been designed tohelp those with little knowledge of com-puters and the internet. Students fromthe college will be supporting new learn-ers on the Go-on Get Online course. Thesixth formers are volunteering their timeand are hoping to pass on their knowl-edge of the digital world.

Director of Post 16, Mrs MelodyMitchell, said: “We are always keen toinvolve our students within the communi-ty. CLASH has always used our facilitiesand it is great that they still continue todo so. After recently opening our newcommunity and sixth form centre wenow have the facilities to aid this course.The new computer suite with over 30machines will provide the very best andup-to-date equipment.”

CLASH is a local branch of ArthritisCare. It works towards proving informa-tion about, and access to the best possi-ble service and support for people witharthritis. Other weekly activities for thegroup involve hydrotherapy, yoga andgym sessions making their common goalto live with arthritis and not to be ruledby it.

There are around 400,000 peoplewith rheumatoid arthritis in the UK andover 20,000 new cases each year. It’sestimated that about 8 million people inthe UK have osteoarthritis. About 15,000children and adolescents in the UK willsuffer from juvenile forms of arthritis.

For more information about CLASHor to benefit from the activities andsupport they offer please call 07954 584402 or 07954 614 466. Additionallymore information can be found online atwww.clashgroup.org.uk

Police use Twitter

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CRIME CONTINUES to fall inLeicestershire but there is stillno room for complacency, saypolice chiefs at the Leicester-shire Police Authority.

Data for the period April 1 - November14, 2011 shows overall crime in the coun-ty has fallen by 6.3% to 43,844 offences.This surpasses the 5% target set by theAuthority in the 2011/12 Policing Plan.

The downward trend continues in othercategories of crime including domesticburglary which has fallen by -7.8%, theftor unauthorised taking of a vehicle whichhas seen a reduction of -13% (significantlyimproving on the target of -3%) and theftfrom a vehicle at -9% against a target of-6%.

Satisfaction rates which measure thepublic’s confidence with policing have alsoimproved since the last quarter. Figuresshow 92.2% of victims of burglary aresatisfied with the way the police handledtheir case compared to the target of 88%,while 87.3% of vehicle crime victims weresatisfied (against a target of 88%).

Leicestershire Police Authority acceptsfurther work is needed to strengthen confi-dence and improve satisfaction rates, par-ticularly among victims of sexual offences.The Authority has welcomed the launch ofa new task force called Operation Tempestwhich comprises a team of experiencedofficers to help increase detections in seri-ous sexual offences, serious violence andSerious Acquisitive Crime. Bringing morepeople to justice for their crimes in thecounty will have a positive effect on satis-faction rates among victims and the widerpublic, says the Authority.

Last month the 101 telephone numberwas launched for non-urgent enquiries.The number is aimed at relieving pressureon the emergency services which spend aconsiderable proportion of time dealingwith inappropriate 999 calls and allowsresidents to report minor crime or discussother non-urgent matters.

Evidence shows the new number iscurrently dealing with around 19% of allnon-emergency calls. This figure is expect-ed to increase significantly with additionalmarketing campaigns.

Cllr Barrie Roper, chairman of Leices-tershire Police Authority, said: “We arepleased that crime is continuing to fall inthe county this year and that we’ve madesignificant progress against the ambitioustargets outlined in our Policing Plan. How-ever, we accept there is still more workneeded as some areas still remain belowour high expectations.

“The Constabulary is taking swift actionto address any weaknesses, including thelaunch of Operation Tempest which willallocate specific resources towards improv-ing detection rates, and I am confident thislevel of scrutiny will bring rewards. Wealso expect the public’s experience of localpolicing to be greatly enhanced with theaddition of 72 new beat offices in the heartof the community to target the concernsand issues which matter most to the public.These have been possible thanks to thesupport of our partners which have provid-ed the facilities at no additional cost to theforce and will no doubt increase accessibil-ity to local officers.”

A NEW eBook service has beenlaunched at Leicestershire’s libraries

There are no charges to borrow aneBook or reserve a title, and eBooks arenever returned late. Library memberscan borrow up to 3 eBooks at one time,borrow or reserve them for free and canchoose to keep them for any length oftime from one to 21 days.

This service is only available to Leices-tershire library members and is accessi-ble only through Leicestershire LibraryServices website by visiting:www.leics.gov.uk/ebooks

David Sprason, Leicestershire CountyCouncil’s spokesman for Adults andCommunities, said: "I am delighted thatour eBook service is now live. This isthe latest development as our libraryservice becomes more modern andtakes advantage of the latest technology.We will be adding new titles for adultsand children as we plan to grow theservice.”

The eBook Service provides a rangeof fiction titles for adults and children,and non fiction titles for adults. Populartitles include:Michael McIntyre's Life andLaughing, Lee Child's DieTrying andJacqueline Wilson's The Longest Whale-song

The eBook service is easy to use andis compatible with most eBook readersin the market except Amazon's Kindle.For more information please visit yourlocal library.Features of the eBook Service

• Free - download three eBooks forup to 21 days.

• A wide range of titles for childrenand adults.

• No overdue charges -eBooks auto-matically expire at the end of loan peri-od.

• Titles can be reserved free ofcharge.

• New titles will be added on a regu-lar basis.

•Download direct to your home com-puter, Apple Mac, iPhone, ipad, ipod,Android devices and eBook Readers*such as Kobo, Sony iSlate.

Using your library card and PIN youwill login into a secure eBook website toselect and download eBooks. This serv-ice will only be available from yourhome PC. It will not be available in yourlocal library.

BIRSTALL’S CONSERVATION Area will be discussed at a publicmeeting on January 11, at Birstall Village Hall, 7.30-9pm.

The Conservation Area, first designat-ed in 1984, has been appraised by theConservation team at Charnwood Bor-ough Council over the last year. Theappraisal describes the present characterand appearance of the area.

The Birstall Conservation Area con-tains Church Hill, Front Street, Netherh-all Lane and White Horse Lane as wellas some parts of Birstall Road andSchool Lane.

At the meeting council officers willgive an illustrated presentation of theappraisal and invite comments and ques-tions from residents.

The appraisal makes three recommen-dations:

• extend the Conservation Area bound-

A CHRISTMAS Concert organised by Birstall Methodist Thursday group featuredAnne Hughes with her ‘Singing for Fun’ choir.

A spokesman said: “It was such a heart-warming evening, the Church was full, thesinging tremendous and we raised £765 towards our projects for this year, Alzheim-er’s Society and the Renal Unit, Loughborough. Many thanks to all who contributed.”

ary to include 72 Front Street, currentlya cab-hire business

• improve the stretch of Front Streetwithin the Area and its junction withWhiles Lane with an enhancementscheme

• the shop fronts of 72 Front Street,Birstall DIY and the Blue Moon BeautySalon would benefit by general refurbish-ment and restoration to traditional style

Once the document is adopted by theBorough Council cabinet it will be usedas a guide when assessing any futureplanning applications

The draft document can be viewedhere:

www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/birstall_conservation_area

Crimeratesfalling

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Church filled with song

Birstall’s Conservationarea appraised

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CHINA AND the Middle East will bethe subject of two talks at the Roth-ley Centre.

They will be given by Dr MichaelLynch, recently retired as a ModernHistory lecturer at the University ofLeicester, with the support of the Charn-wood Conservative Association.

Spokesman Norman Pratt said: “DrLynch, who is a very entertaining lectur-er, will cover all the historical aspects ofthe areas’ development and any westerninterventions leading up to the presentday. He will also try to interpret some ofthe ‘attitudes’ which may intervene inany present day negotiations. Neithertalk is in any way political and everyoneis welcome.”

The first talk on ‘Modern China’ willtake place on Tuesday, January 24 andthe second on the ‘Middle East since1945’ on Tuesday February 21 at theRothley Centre, Mountsorrel Lane, Roth-ley. The doors will open at 7pm for a7.30pm start and tea/coffee will beserved in the interval. The sessionshould end at about 9.15pm. Plenty offree parking is provided at the RothleyCentre.

The tickets cost £4 each and book-ings should be made through NormanPratt by telephone 0116 2375254. Thetickets are then available by writing tohim at 17 Windmill End, Rothley LE77RP and cheques should be made out toC.C.A. and a stamped, addressed, enve-lope enclosed for their return.

Children throughout the school, in-cluding many from Birstall, have benefit-ed from PC Rhodes’ guidance and advice

– he has been visiting the school for thelast eight years and has built up a strongrelationship with pupils, staff and par-ents alike. The children have learntabout topics such as Stranger Danger,firework safety, personal safety at Hallow-een and social responsibility. In additionthey have learnt about all the differentparts of a policeman’s uniform and

STONEHILL HIGH School pupils puttheir design, technology, engineeringand maths talents to the test in aunique one-day Wind Turbine Chal-lenge funded by The Haramead Trustand organised by educational charity,The Smallpiece Trust.

The Year 8 pupils were tasked withdesigning and construction a wind tur-bine to produce the greatest amount ofelectricity. The turbine had to be free-standing and structurally robust to sup-port heavy components and movingparts.

The Science, Technology, Engineeringand Maths (STEM) Day was designed toenhance their understanding of engineer-ing with the winning teams being judgedon aesthetics, cost, power generated,team-working and stability.

Anne Beckett, the school’s Gifted andTalented Co-ordinator said: “We weredelighted to have experienced this spe-cial event. The STEM Day has encour-aged our pupils to link the classroomelements of science, design and technol-ogy into what actually happens in engi-neering in the outside world.”

TELEPHONE EXTENSION Socketsfitted by ex-BT engineer. Cable, BTand digital TV. Over 25 yrs experi-ence. John 2675132

AMLI DESIGN Architectural Consul-tancy. Plans drawn and submitted.Extensions, conversions, new build.David Ives B.Sc.(Hons) FBEngMCIOB 0116 2674395 /07974807111www.amlidesign.co.uk

PERSONAL TECHNICAL IT trainingfrom an experienced Microsoft andSun Certified Trainer. One to onepersonal training in any of the fol-lowing: Web Site design and devel-opment, Windows Applicationdevelopment, SQL Server/Oracledatabase development and admin-istration, SharePoint developmentand Administration etc. For furtherdetails please telephone 07980749992

FOR SALE Girl’s bike 16” wheels,silver/purple, suit 8 yrs. Plus 6gear, full suspension, hardly used£50 ono 0116 2671527

MATHS & PHYSICS tuition. Popular,experienced private/college tutor,(PGCE, BSc Hons) offers excellenttuition and exam preparation forGCSE and A-level. Call 07980749992 for more details.

BOY’S RALEIGH bike suit 3-7 yrs.Good condition, £20 tel.no.2671527

COOKER VALETING Cookers cleanedinside and out, drives and patiospressure washed, conservatoriescleaned inside and out. Also gener-al house cleaning. Tel: 01162215079, Mobile 07955175177

Small ads are 25p for the first 16 words. 17-32words: 50p. Enclosing payment, post your ad to us orhand it in (inside an envelope) at Birstall library.

Trade/business rates for small ads are 25p aword. You are liable for the trade/business rateif you are offering a service for which you areasking for payment, or if you are advertisingnew goods for sale. All text will be printed bold.Box outline £1 extra. Max 50 words. Phonenumbers count as one word.

Small Ads

P/11/2829/2: 10 Front Street – re-moval of one Cupressus

P/11/2713/2: 12 Tempest Road –reduce 2 branches to one cedar treeand reduce height by 25 to 30% toone oak tree

P/11/2752/2: 34 Colindale Road –alterations/additions to roof

P/11/2727/2: 15 School Lane – fell-ing of one poplar tree

P/11/2692/2: Supacare Dry Cleaners,79 Sibson Road – install of rollershutters to front elevation of proper-ty

P/11/2657/2: Cliffe House, 9 ChurchHill – change of use from offices todwelling

PUPILS at Richard Hill C of E Primary School in Thurcaston gavePC Stephen Rhodes a final farewell when he visited their schoolfor the last time before retiring from the Police Force after 30years of service.

about the police car, which the childrenparticularly love because PC Rhodesbrings the police car into their play-ground for them to get a closer look,and he puts the sirens on!

Rachel Hames, Deputy Head Teachersaid: “PC Rhodes is a well respectedmember of our community and hastaught the children many valuable les-sons which we hope they will rememberas they go through school and beyond. Ithas been very beneficial to have such aclose connection as it helps children toreally understand the role of the policeand gain respect for the officers from anearly age. We look forward to workingwith PC Rhodes’ replacement in the nearfuture.”Pic: Foundation stage and Year 1 childrenlearning about the police car fro PC SteveRhodes

Final visit fromPoliceman Steve



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East midland’s elderly ignore freegas safety checks as winter starts tobite

Thousands of potentially life-savinggas safety checks offered free by theenergy suppliers go unclaimed everyyear, as the number of winter deaths inthe east midlands increased last winter,according to research carried out forGas Safe Register, which found that95% of east midland’s elderly homeown-ers have never claimed a free gas safetycheck.

As the winter weather begins to biteand puts increased pressure on ourcentral heating systems, latest officialONS statistics show that 25,700 diedfrom cold-related illnesses last year,with numbers of deaths in the east mid-lands increasing from the winter before.

Gas Safe Register is urging people,particularly the elderly, to make surethey take advantage of free gas safetychecks if they are eligible and ensurethey have well-maintained and safe gasappliances. When a gas boiler, gas fireor heater fails, the average home canquickly drop to 16°C, the temperatureat which hypothermia can set in. Whileyounger people feel cold, it’s far moreserious for the elderly, whose tempera-ture falls far faster and to dangerouslevels when their home temperaturefalls below 16°C. That’s why the energycompanies offer free checks to the mostvulnerable.

The UK has the highest winter deathrate in Northern Europe, so Gas SafeRegister is warning people to make suretheir home gas appliances will see themand their loved ones safely through thewinter. ONS data shows that the coldcan cause or exacerbate illnesses suchas high blood pressure, thrombosis orrespiratory infections, as it weakens theimmune system.

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of GasSafe Register says, “We’re urging every-one to take whatever support they canto keep safe and warm this winter.Having your gas appliances checkedannually is vital to ensure that they arerunning safely. If you don’t get yourappliances checked every year, you arerisking gas leaks, fires, explosions orcarbon monoxide poisoning. Althoughall appliances need to be checked every

year, it’s very important for elderly peo-ple, as appliances in their homes tendto be older and not as reliable.”

To find out if you’re eligible for afree gas safety check, visitwww.GasSafeRegister.co.uk or contactyour energy supplier.Top 5 ways of staying warm safely:

1. Get your gas appliances safetychecked once a year to make sure theywork safely and don’t break down inthe cold.

2. If you are having your gas appli-ances checked, always use a Gas Saferegistered engineer – it’s the law andwill help keep you safe.

3. Always use gas appliances respon-sibly. Never use a gas cooker to heat orroom or a house.

4. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gasproduced by badly maintained gas appli-ances. Look out for danger signs - sootystains on or around appliances, floppyyellow flames (instead of crisp blueones) and excessive condensation in aroom are all signs that your gas appli-ances could be producing carbon mon-oxide.

5. If you are over the age of 60 youmay be entitled to a free gas safetycheck. Go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.ukto find out more or ask your energysupplier.Cannot afford to retire

A study has shown that many peoplein their 50s fear that they will have tocarry on working well into their retire-ment (www.ageuk.org.uk). As a nationwe are living longer, coupled with therising cost of living, the study’s findings

come as no real surprise. The retire-ment age seems to increase every year,with it being raised to 66 years for bothmen and women in 2020. With thisincrease in retirement age there hasalso been an increase in people retiringwell into their 60s and 70s. The averagestate pension for a single person is£102.15 a week (2011/12). There areother allowances, such as pension cred-its, to increase this state pension; howev-er this still does not add up to acomfortable retirement for most.

The study also found that most peo-ple who had retired had decided toreturn to work. The reason was notmoney, but because they missed theworkplace. We work for the majority ofour lives so it is understandable how wemay miss the workplace and the peopleassociated with it.Why are there more deaths in Winter?

In Decembers issue ‘keeping warmduring winter’ was mentioned due tothe increase in deaths the cold weatherbrings. Last month the Office for Nation-al Statistics produced a report on the‘excess winter mortality rate’ in Englandand Wales. The report noted an excessof 25,700 deaths in winter compared tosummer in 2010/2011 with the majorityin the 75 years and over age group.

There was an increase in the 75years and below age group in the pasttwo years which was likely due to theSwine Flu outbreak, which was particu-larly deadly in the lower ‘healthy’ agegroups.

So why are there more deaths inwinter? The increase in winter deathscompared to summer has been wellnoted in previous years. Cold and fluviruses are the typical culprit. Beingwidespread in the community thesediseases can be serious in the 75 yearsand over age group. With the cold low-ering defences for these diseases, andlots of people indoors for family festivi-ties, colds and flu viruses can easilyspread.

From Samantha Price

INFOage

BIRSTALL AND Wanlip Women’sInstitute last meeting of 2011took place on December 5 at High-cliffe School.

We were shown how to make amagnificent Christmas garland byTina Bray. The smell of freshsnapped cinnamon, orange and pinecones soon filled the air as the gar-land was so deftly created using most-ly natural objects found in the homeand garden.

This was followed by refreshments,a secret Santa and a raffle. So we allwent home feeling very Christmassy.

Our last outing of 2011 was a trip

to the Curve production of 42nd

Street on December 19.We discussed the future activities

available to county WI membersincluding craft workshops, lunchesand demonstrations. If you are inter-ested in joining the WI, then detailsof these can be found on the Leices-tershire and Rutland WI Website.

Our next meeting takes place onJanuary 9, 2012 at 7.15pm at High-cliffe Primary school. All welcome.

From Birstall & Wanlip WI

WInews

A LOCAL Leicestershire teacher hasset up a website to support par-ents and children in the develop-ment of reading and writing.

Steve Goodman takes the view thatlearning to read early is essential,because as soon as children canmake sense of written words theyhave independent access to ideas andinformation. “If you cannot read orwrite, learning becomes much moredifficult, and future employment op-portunities become limited” he said.

The service, which is completelyfree, is available by logging on to:

www.pinewoodliteracy.co.uk, thenclicking on the Reading and Writingpage. It begins with ideas to learnphonics and will move on to identifi-cation of vowels. This will be fol-lowed by blending letters thenmaking the link between reading andwriting. Weekly updates allow peopleto make regular progress. Steve ex-plains: “This method is successfulbecause it depends on the parent'sinteraction with his or her child rath-er than upon a series of photocopiedworksheets. It’s an old fashionedapproach, but it works!”

Supportreading& writing



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WHEN MAKING your New Yearsresolution the BAG’s wouldlike to challenge you thinkabout a healthier lifestylewith this month’s Cancer Cor-ner.

A New Year’s resolution isgenerally a goal someone setsout to accomplish in the com-ing year. Some examples in-clude resolutions to donate tothe poor more often, to be-come more assertive, orto become moreenvironmental-ly responsible.A key ele-ment to aNew YearsResolutionthat sets itapart fromother resolu-tions is that itis made in antici-pation of the New Year,and new beginnings.

It might surprise you toknow that at least one-third ofall cancer cases are preventable.Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy forthe control of cancer. Tobaccouse is the single greatest avoida-ble risk factor for cancer mor-tality worldwide, causing anestimated 22% of cancer deaths

per year.Resolution top tip –STOP

SMOKINGDietary modification is anoth-

er important approach to can-cer control. There is a linkbetween obesity to many typesof cancer such as oesophagus,bowel, breast and kidney. Dietshigh in fruits and vegetablesmay have a protective effectagainst many cancers. In addi-

tion, healthy eating hab-its that prevent the

development ofdiet-associat-ed cancerswill alsolower therisk of heartdisease.

Resolu-tion tip 2 –EAT MORE

FRUIT ANDVEG

Regular physical activi-ty and the maintenance of ahealthy body weight, along witha healthy diet, will considerablyreduce cancer risk.

Resolution tip 3 – INCREASEYOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Alcohol use is a risk factorfor many cancer types includingcancer of the mouth, oesopha-gus, liver, bowel and breast and

the risk increases with theamount of alcohol consumed.

Resolution tip 4 – REDUCEYOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE

For more informationwww.who.int/cancer/prevention/en/

Macmillan Cancer Supportfree phone help line 0808 808000 Monday – Friday 9am-8pm.

University Hospitals of Leices-ter Cancer Information Centreon 0116 258 6189.

Our recent ladies’ Christmasmeal at the White Horse raisedover £600. Thank you to all theWhite Horse Team and everyonewho came along. STEPS DanceSchool also raised funds forBAG’s at their recent show. Awhopping £1400 was raised.Thank you so much Michelle,Iona and all the dancers.

To reflect the interest andsupport of the local communityBirstall BAG's seeks to be inclu-sive of all cancers and thegroup welcome villagers tosupport the many events theyorganise each year within thelocal community.

Our next fundraising event isour annual Live Band Night atthe Birstall Social Club on Satur-day February 25. Ticket onlyevent. Tickets available from anyof the Birstall BAG’s in January.

Protecting your propertyIf you were lucky enough to receive a present of some value at

Christmas, it would be a good idea to have it postcoded so that, ifit is stolen, it can be identified and returned to you. We postcodenumerous items, such as bicycles and wheelchairs, at our AdviceShops. This is a free service and you get a lock for your bike.

Another safety device we stock is Smartwater. This can beapplied to televisions, radios, CD players, phones and other items.It is available at cost price. This is an invisible mark, which canbe seen under an ultra violet light. The police have a record ofyour unique mark so that any recovered stolen items can bereturned to their owners.

At the Advice Shops, you can also pick up free marker pens,purse chains ,window stickers and a useful list of telephonenumbers.

We look forward to seeing you at the next Advice Shop, whichis on Saturday January 21, from 10am until 12noon

On behalf of all the committee members, I should like to wishyou all a Happy and Safe New Year.

From Evelyn Holden, committee memberBirstall & Wanlip NHW

NHW news& crime report

Crime Report : Nov 14 – Dec 13, 2011Assaults 6, harassment 1, burglary 3, burglary non-dwelling 5,

damage 5, damage to motor vehicle 4, fraud 4, theft 2, theft ofcycle 1, theft from motor vehicle 8, theft stores 1.

During the last month through high visibility and covert patrolsthe number or burglary dwelling has reduced drastically. This willcontinue over the festive period with the introduction of OperationLeaf.

The figures for antisocial behaviour have reduced by 25% in theyear to date due to partnership working with the Parish Council,The Youth Service, NHW and the Police supporting the BirstallYouth Café.

Eight vehicles were broken into between 11pm on SaturdayDecember 10 and 8am December 11. Rear windows were smashedto give access to the cars, items stolen included a sat-nav, CDs,loose change and a torch. The crimes occurred on Gewndolin Ave,Orchard Rd, Lambourne Rd, Blenheim Rd, Copeland Rd and Field-ing Rd.

Police advice is not to leave anything of value visible in yourvehicle.

From PC 2139 Richard Carruthers and PCSO 6611 MarkButler

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERLongslade College, Wanlip Lane,

Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GHEditor: Mr Jerry Jackson

Editorial/Advertising (Tel & Fax)

0116 2674213Correspondence, news etc

can be handed in at:Birstall Library or to our office in the

Youth Centre,Longslade College, Birstall

[email protected]

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Birstall Post (342) Jan 2012

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Transcript of Birstall Post (342) Jan 2012