Nature Walk Bridges Open To Complete Circular Route Many local residents often enjoy the opportunity to take a stroll around the Huncote nature reserve and out onto Croft Hill before coming back again. After many years of planning and delays with approval from the Environment Agency, permission has finally been granted, and two new bridges across the River Soar and Thurlaston Brook have been built. The new bridges now complete the circular walking route and allow walkers to do a full loop of Huncote nature walk, Huncote and Croft quarries, and Croft Hill. An ideal route to walk off your Christmas dinner. Aggregate Industries recently officially opened the bridges. The Parish Council would like to thank them for all their hard work and contributions to the village.

Huncote Hornets Launch New BMX Track At Pavilion Fun Day

After years of planning and development Huncote Hornets were proud to officially open their new 8-lane BMX track in conjunction with the Pavilion Fun Day on Saturday 12th September. The club were also awarded the Midlands Championships the following weekend, on Sunday 20th September. This was an exciting day, enabling riders from across the Midlands and beyond to come

and have a look at the new track and take part in some fantastic racing. You will probably have seen the various works which have been going on at the Pavilion for some time, helping the track to progress. Anyone interested in giving the track a try, is invited to join any of the planned gate sessions. Sessions are £5 each and will give users the chance to have a practice before deciding if they wish to join the club and progress further. All users of the track are urged to wear appropriate clothing and safety gear including full face helmets for their own protection. Want to know more about the track, why not join a training session on Saturday mornings from 10:30am-12:30pm.

X55 Bus Service Returns to Thurlaston Arriva have announced that from Monday 16th November, the X55 bus service which has been running a 2-hourly service to Hinckley and Leicester, will again revert to its original route through Thurlaston and only come through the village at 06:23 weekdays/06:43 Saturdays to Leicester and 18:52 to Hinckley. Anyone wishing to catch the service at other times, will have to walk up to Thurlaston Lane/Croft Hill Road. Details of bus schedules are available on the ‘External Links’ page of the parish council website.

HUNCOTE VILLAGE NEWS ISSUE 59 – CHRISTMAS 2015

BROUGHT TO YOU BY HUNCOTE PARISH COUNCIL

New Library Opening Hours Leicestershire County Council have announced revised opening hours for some of our local libraries.

Huncote is also served by the Mobile Library service. A revised mobile library service will be rolled out in the New Year. From January 1, the new timetable will run monthly, on the fourth Monday of the month - 25 Jan, 22 Feb, 29 Mar. In line with these changes, the free loan period for books issued at the mobiles will be increased to a month. Any books borrowed before January 2016 will not have to be returned until the next library visit. Copies of the new timetables are available on the current mobile library service, by calling 0116 305 4699 or by visiting www.leics.gov.uk/mobilelibrary. The mobile library service visits communities that do not have a static library throughout Leicestershire, as well as some urban areas, and offers Books for all ages, novels and information books; Books in large print, Talking books - there is a small charge for these; Materials on the local area; and Books may be reserved for a small charge. It's free to join the Leicestershire Library Service and there's no age limit. You can borrow up to 24 books per visit. Books are issued for 4 weeks and can be renewed for a further 4 weeks - just ask the mobile library driver/assistant or contact the base library to renew your books (providing nobody else has reserved them). There is a charge if your books become overdue. If the Mobile Library cannot visit for any reason they will telephone you, or a contact in your community and they will pass the message on. Your books will automatically be renewed for a further 4 weeks. If you would like to help by becoming a contact person, please let your mobile library staff know, and they will add you to their list.

Dog Fouling Causing An Issue On Park/Sports Field Members of the public are reminded that it is a finable offence not to clear up after their dogs when taking them out, and while we would not like to look to impose fines of up to £1,000 for not clearing up dog fouling and creating byelaws to restrict dogs to only being allowed on leads in public areas of the village, recent behaviour by some dog owners is causing significant concern. Dogs are not permitted in the Fred Spence/Under 11’s Playground at the rear of the school. Anyone caught with their dog in the fenced off play area is liable for a fine of up to £1,000. Owners are also requested to clear up after their dogs wherever they walk them in the village, and especially when taking them on to the play areas off Critchlow Road/Denman Lane or on the football pitch and field at Huncote Pavilion. No-one likes treading in dog muck, let alone falling in it while running around on the park or playing football. Dog fouling can be disposed of in any of the dog waste bins or the public waste bins around the village.

CommBus Project—Community Transport Bus Are you a senior citizen or a disabled person who has difficulty using public transport and carrying your shopping home? If so, maybe the CommBus can help with their purpose-built buses and team of friendly drivers and escorts. CommBus is a small, locally based organisation run entirely by volunteers offering the following transport services to a number of communities within part of Blaby District Council area. 1. Monday to Friday. A Dial-a-Ride {DAR} shopping service to a variety of local destinations. See our separate timetable leaflet. 2. Occasional Saturday/Sunday special day trips, when we travel farther afield. If any of the above is of interest, please speak to one of the volunteers on 0116 286 6116 weekdays, between 10.00am and 12.00noon. Why not give them a try, you will be made most welcome.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Sunday Saturday Thursday Friday

Blaby 13:00-18:00 10:00-17:00 Closed Closed 10:00-15:00 10:00-17:00 10:00-17:00

Glenfield 10:00-17:00 13:00-18:00 10:00-17:00 Closed 10:00-15:00 Closed 10:00-17:00

Wigston 10:00-18:00 10:00-18:00 10:00-18:00 Closed 10:00-16:00 10:00-18:00 Closed

Oadby 10:00-18:00 10:00-18:00 10:00-18:00 Closed 10:00-16:00 10:00-18:00 Closed

Wishing Everyone in Huncote a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year The Parish Council would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, but would like to remind residents to remember to keep their doors and windows locked, to prevent possible burglaries and the loss of any treasured items which might be received for Christmas. You’re far better to be safe than sorry.

Parishioner feature

Sponsored Walk : Raising Money for Soweto by George Bryan Hi my name is George Bryan and on Saturday 22nd August I trekked form Foxton Locks to Brockington College. It was a lovely sunny day and me, my brother (Eddie), my dad (Nick), my child-minder (Simone) and dads friend (Jamie) were ready to go. We arrived at Foxton Lock at 7:45 and set off. Along the way there was mile stones saying how far away a town or city was. The first mile stone that I came to read Leicester 18 miles. We all were a bit shocked as I had originally thought that the walk would be 13.7 miles. Turns out I was wrong. Well I still had the intention of doing it I just had to travel 4.3 miles more…. Along the way we all tried to follow the canal however that didn’t work

as when we had walked a bit further we came across a tunnel that the path didn’t follow. We had to go up an embankment we set off up it but and be delved deeper into the forest the path was blocked by trees and we couldn’t go any further so we had to retrace out steps and try again. Our first mistake. Not our last.

Near the end my grandparents showed up to support me and cheer me on and they bought ice-cream!!!!!! We finally reached Brockington at 1:30 and I was exhausted. All in all it took us 5 hours and 45 minutes. I loved the walk and hope to do something like that again. In total I raised £834.80!!!! Thank you to everyone who donated and supported me on the walk because of you I am one step further in achieving my goal to going to South Africa and helping the community in Soweto. Thank You.

Upcoming Parish Council Meetings The next meetings of Huncote Parish Council are due to be held on Thursday 7th January, 4th February and 3rd March 2016 beginning at 7.00 pm in Huncote Methodist Church Hall, Forest Road. All residents are invited to attend Parish Council meetings to meet with the District and County Councillors for the area and air their views about local issues/services.

Changes to National Minimum Wage From 1 October 2015, the national minimum wage rate changed, every employer must make sure they pay their employees at least the new minimum rates. The new hourly rates are: Workers aged 21 and over - £6.70 Workers aged 18 to 20 - £5.30 Workers aged Under 18 - £3.87 Apprentices - £3.30 (Aged 16-18 or 19+ in first year only)

National Living Wage From April 2016, the government will introduce a new mandatory National Living Wage at £7.20 an hour for workers aged 25 and older. The minimum wage will still apply for workers aged 24 and under.

Huncote Lunch Club The recent winners of the Best Community Group in Blaby District Council area, Huncote Lunch Club meets fortnightly on a Monday (11th Jan, 25th Jan, 8th Feb, 22nd Feb) between 12:00pm-3.30pm in Huncote Methodist Church, Forest Road. Lunch is served at 12:30pm. Home-cooked food is available at very reasonable prices; all ages welcome – no booking necessary, just turn up. They would really like to see you. Please contact Christine Palmer on 0116 286 4502 for more information.

First Time School Admissions and Infant to Junior School Transfers If your child will be four years old before 1st September 2016 and therefore starting school for the first time the closing date for applications is 15th January 2016. If your child is transferring from infant to junior school the closing date for applications is 15th January 2016. To apply for your child’s place, apply online at: www.leics.gov.uk/admissions For more information, contact School Admissions on 0116 305 6684 or email: admissions@leics.gov.uk

Dear Friends, Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews Chapter 13 verse 2)

I wonder how many angels you and I may have entertained this year without even knowing. It’s a quite a thought isn’t it? Thankfully, being welcoming to those we meet is something many people do quite naturally, but perhaps it’s most obvious at Christmas time. As I visit people of all ages, whether friends from Huncote Methodist Church; the many groups who share the use of the premises; or when I’m out and about in the village and neighbouring communities - I’m frequently struck by peoples’ warm welcome and hospitality and the typical generous response: “Come in, sit down, and I’ll put the kettle on…” .

On November 29th, as we step into the season of Advent, people from across

the village both young and old prepare once again to welcome friends, neighbours and even strangers into their homes as their guests to celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities. It’s a special time when we make every effort to be openhearted and generous to those around us. In this, we see glimpses of God’s immense love for humankind – in coming into the world as a vulnerable baby, that we

might know Christ’s love for one another ….even for the stranger. At Christmas, we give thanks for God’s unconditional love for humankind as shown by Jesus - God’s only Son. Through this amazing act of divine love and generosity God promises his continuing presence with us throughout all the messiness of life. So this Christmas, as you and I meet family, friends, and even the stranger – why not be an angel to someone you know who may be alone or lonely this Christmas? I wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas. Who knows…you may even be visited by an angel. Rev David Lawton Tel: 0116 231 3957 david.lawton@methodist.org.uk

How to Contact Your Local Councillors Should you have an issue to raise or a question about something going on in your community that you would like answers to, please don’t hesitate to contact the Clerk or one of your local Councillors for help, support and advice.

Cllr ALEC KNIGHT (Chairman) - (0116) 284 1285 or alecjanet@aol.com; Cllr STEVE CRANE (Vice Chair) - (0116) 286 4525 or stevecrane93@hotmail.com;

Cllr BARBARA KILBY - (0116) 286 5214; Cllr ANNE GRUNDY - (0116) 284 8054 or grundys1@sky.com;

Cllr CHRISTINE MEADOWS - (0116) 286 4718 or christinemeadows@intamail.com; Cllr CLIFF BROWN - (0116) 286 5052 or brown.cliff@sky.com;

Cllr JILL CHEESMAN - (0116) 319 3991 or jccheesman@gmail.com; PARISH COUNCILLOR VACANCY - See parish councillors or website for details and how to apply

Cllr MAGGIE WRIGHT (District Councillor) - (01455) 888 306 or cllr.m.wright@blaby.gov.uk Cllr ERNIE WHITE (County Councillor) - (01455) 272 136 or ewhite@leics.gov.uk

Contact the CLERK (STUART BACON) on (01455) 844 539, 07875 291 366 or huncotepc@hotmail.com. Find us on the web at http://huncote.leicestershireparishcouncils.org

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