Page 2 The Echo is printed by Spectrum Printing Services Tel: 2461717

The Friends of EvingtonThe Friends of EvingtonTrusteesTrustees

Helen Pettman, Craig Ward, Paul Archdeacon, Nilesh ChauhanJason Chauhan, Ameer Jasat and RichardClarkefriendsofevington1@gmail.com

The Echo TeamThe Echo Team

Editor Helen Pettman 07910431044 or2204525evingtonecho@gmail.comhelenpettman@gmail.comGraphicsJason ChauhanFinancePaul ArchdeaconDistributionChris Hossack 2415153Harry Pettman 2204525Ben Sherriff 2739709Howard EdmundsProof ReadersJulia Hughes, Addy Tyler. Ralph Ireland

www.evingtonecho.co.ukevingtonecho@gmail.comfacebook:

evington echo

THANK YOU TO ALL THEVOLUNTEERS

(CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT COVER)

The front cover illustrates how volunteers helpwith: 1. Fundraising 2. Covid-19 andEvington Mutual Aid 3. Gardening to lookafter streets and allotments 4. Telephoningand social media 5. Networking to deliveringfood parcels and local news 6. Litterpickingand 7. Campaigning.

1. FUNDRAISING TO HELPOTHERS: Many groups inEvington have been fundraisingto help those that struggle. Thelast Evington Echo highlightedsome groups and people making

a difference, but there have been plenty more.

2. EVINGTON MUTUAL AIDPROJECTS AND OTHER COVID-19 PROJECTS The EvingtonMutual Aid project has 74volunteers who are affiliated toMutual Aid UK and will help

local people who need emergency foodbecause they are self-isolating, chat to people,do unusual requests and look out for and helpindividuals. They gave a car load of food,nappies and other items to the travellers whocame to Evington for a short while. Manyvolunteers also help with the Peace Centrewhich runs a food bank. This help may begiven directly through volunteering orfundraising through their smaller groups.

3. GARDENING TO LOOK AFTERSTREETS AND ALLOTMENTSEvington in Bloom volunteershave been looking after theshopping streets in Evington

Ward including Main Street, Downing Driveand Gamel Road/Davenport Road and thedeveloping Peace Garden there. HilltopAllotment projects have been put backbecause of difficulties with the lockdown, butthe strategic planning has gone on to develop aNature garden and facilities where older

people can still be part of the allotment familyeven after they need to give up their plots.Leicester City Council have thanked all thepeople involved with Evington in Bloom andsay there are too many now to name all theindividuals. (See article on page 8/9.)

4. TELEPHONING AND SOCIALMEDIA The network of help setup by various groups means thatwe hope nobody in Evingtonneeds to be alone. The EvingtonEcho magazine and website list

lots of contact details. If you are not on socialmedia and want help, please ask through anycontacts you can. A full copy of the latestEvington Echo has been available to view on anoticeboard in Evington Village

5. NETWORKING TO DELIVER FOOD PARCELSAND LOCAL NEWS. Networks in Evington that

help with this are EvingtonMutual Aid, Next Door, (an on-line local information servicewhere people can make requestsfor information and others can

respond. Nextdoor.co.uk) and of course theEvington Echo, which is run by the charityFriends of Evington.

6. LITTERPICKING Many members of Friendsof Evington/Evington in Bloom do a lot of

litterpicking and are covered byFriends of EvingtonÕs riskassessments if they register.Volunteers were able to joinLeicester City CouncilÕs LEV

(Leicester Environmental Volunteers) untillockdown stopped this. Many othervolunteers help with litterpicking at their ownrisk during their daily walks.

7 CAMPAIGNING Friends ofEvington/Evington Echo arecampaigning with Save Our NHSto stop the downgrading ofLeicester General Hospital byselling off land and getting rid of

acute services. See the petition on page 4.

Edition 2020and 2021

DeadlineFriday

PublishedThursday

Oct/Nov Ô20 11th Sept. 1st Oct

Dec/Jan Ô21 13th Nov 4th Dec

Feb/Mar Ô21 15th Jan 4th Feb

April/May Ô21 12th Mar 1st April

ECHO DELIVERY ROUNDSCould you take on an Evington Echo deliveryround on Alcester Drive (40 copies), a round onColebrook Close, Colebrook Walk, BuckfastClose, Teignmouth Close and Tavistock Drive(91 copies) or a round on Wakerley Road (88copies)

This would involve delivering the Echo sixtimes a year. All Covid-19 safety precautionswill be taken well into the future.

Please support our local community newspaper - do write in or phone. Page 3

EDITORIALAll of us will have faced challenges during thisextended lockdown. I hope you, a reader, havemanaged to stay safe and virus free, and like somany people in Evington and Leicester havedone things that make a difference. RadioLeicester have a ÔMake a DifferenceÕ slot withinall their programmes and the number ofpeople working hard within their communitiesjust goes on and on. Even in Evington, the listis too large to write about everyone, so thefront cover has been generalised, but I hopeyou can relate to it personally. On page 9Penny Brown, the volunteer coordinator forLeicester City, who with her team promotesenvironmental and community work inLeicester, has commended Evington in Bloom(where many groups have clubbed together)for their gardening work and taking part inLeicesterÕs ÔGrow a RainbowÕ challenge 2020.

Thank you to local shops in Evington whohave kept going during this pandemic to putfood on our tables and provided otheressentials. They have adapted one-waysystems and other safety measures. Iparticularly commend our Evington Echoadvertisers, Nisa Local, J&A Pharmacy,Glenton Chemist and Bennetts Hardwarestore.

Again, this issue comments on the big topicsduring lockdown. An article on page 5comments on modern day slavery in Leicester.On page 4 you are asked to join the campaignto stop the downgrading of Leicester GeneralHospital. You are also invited to join the ÔSaveOur NHSÕ campaign on page 12.

A thank you goes to all the readers who havewritten in with comments and articles aboutwhat is happening where they live or whatthey have been doing during lockdown. Weare grateful for this: it keeps the Evington Echogoing. Over 39 years the Evington Echo haspainted a picture of our area in Leicester andwhat we think about all the things that happen.Collectively, we have sometimes been able tomake a difference.

Finally, I would like to thank Douglas Gillainfor everything he has done for the EvingtonEcho. His skill with finance has literally kept usgoing. We couldnÕt have done it without you,Doug. Doug was our accounts examiner andthen in 2005 he became our treasurer giving upa small fee as an examiner of accounts to takeon a voluntary role. In recent times he hasseen us through the recent transition to makethe Evington Echo the newspaper of thecharity, Friends of Evington. Thank you Dougand have a happy retirement.Helen.

EDITORIAL MALCOLM TOON

In 1992, Evington was one ofthe first groups to enter EastMidlands in Bloomcompetition and Malcolmwas a key worker when theywon the regional award then. Malcolm Toon has lived in Evington for many,many years. He was a builder by career, butnow is well known for his dedicated work forEvington in Bloom. He continued to look afterthe flowers in the village and came back inforce to support the newly establishedEvington in Bloom group in 2012. Evingtonwon the regional competitions in 1992, 2016,2018 and 2019.

Malcolm has built many of the woodencontainers you see, painted signs andmaintained borders around the village. WhenEvington won the silver gilt award in 2018, thejudges said that the circular container thatMalcolm maintained in the village was of goldstandard.

Malcolm has done his whack of big works.We hope to see him about in the villagetending plants when he can, but not taking onthe bulk of the work. Evington people owe hima great big thank you.

‘OZY’ RUNS A MARATHON

On July 19th, his 71stbirthday, Osy Waye ran aVirtual Marathon. Hisreward was THE WORLDÕSLARGEST MEDAL.

When not helping to deliver the EvingtonEcho, Osy Waye loves to run a marathon ortwo. In total OSY has run 155 marathons, allover the world, from the South Pole, and forhis 100th it was at the North Pole. He has runon all continents and in Great Britain, and acouple of times he ran in the LeicesterMarathon.

Now, during Covid-19, OSY has found andrun quite a few what are called ÔVirtual RunsÕ.He finds an event on line, runs it and thensends in a picture of his distance and time, andearns a lovely medal.

For his 71st Birthday this July, OSY could notresist running a Marathon around Leicesterand at the end he got the WORLD LARGESTMEDAL. ÒIt sure is 445mm high, 17mm thickand weighing in at over 8lbs.Ó he said. ÒItÕs agood job I did not have to wear it until after therun!Ó

ItÕs been over a year since OSY ran his lastfull marathon, which was The CharnwoodMarathon. ÒItÕs not the running I like thatmuch, but I can do it, itÕs achieving, the lovelymedals, and running all over the world.Ó

EVINGTON VILLAGE VIRTUAL SHOW

The link to view the horticultural photos is given below.This should be available from Saturday 8th August.

Any problems please contact John Pelmore at jmpelmore@yahoo.co.uk or 270 9881https://www.flickr.com/photos/188381346@N03/

Page 4 Please email or telephone your news and requests

CROSSWORD ANSWERS - grid on page 14Across1. HALF, 5. ARMS, 8. ICING, 10. QUEER, 11.ORGAN , 12. EATS, 16. GOBI, 17. SCAPEGOAT, 18. ALBATROSS, 20. ICED, 21. YOGA, 25. NOISE,26. LATHE, 27. ALIAS, 28. CLAM, 29. OGRE.

Down2. ALERTS, 3. FIRE, 4. LIMP, 5. AGOG, 6. MAGGOT, 7. EQUESTRIANS, 9. ANTICIPATED, 13. SCALD, 14. SPEAK, 15. AGGRO, 16. GASSY, 18. AERIAL, 19. SOFTER, 22. BEAM, 23. MAIL, 24. ALSO3.

STOP THE DOWNGRADINGOF LEICESTER GENERAL

HOSPITALpetitions at: http://chng.it/NP8YYQRVh5

and saveournhsleicestershire.orgTwo-thirds of the land at the

General Hospital site is being soldoff, meaning that the hospital willno longer have any acute services.

450 million pounds of funding received bythe University Hospitals of Leicester NHS trustfrom the government is intended to be usedfor reorganising LeicesterÕs acute hospitalservices. This money will be used to close theGeneral Hospital as an acute hospital andconsolidate acute services onto two sites ÐLeicester Royal Infirmary and LeicesterGlenfield Hospital.

This isnÕt ideal, especially due to theCoronavirus taking its toll on Leicester; thenumber of beds proposed for the new GeneralHospital is certainly inadequate. We arealready in a social care crisis and this will only,therefore, place the vulnerable in LeicesterEast under further risk.

We want to stop the downgrading ofLeicester General Hospital and real fundingwith decent pay and conditions for its staff.We would like our local community to haverepresentation in the consultations throughthis petition organised by Friends of Evington.(Charity no.1148649.) Please use the linkabove and sign the petition.

More information is available at:www.evingtonecho.co.uk/coronavirus-crisis-highlights-error-in-downgrading-Leicester-General-Hospital-by-Claudia-Webbe-MP/

The easiest way to find articles on thiswebsite at www.evingtonecho.co.uk is to usethe search button on the very top right handside and type in a relevant search word likeÔcoronavirusÕ or ÔLeicester General HospitalÕ.Simran Radia

PARAKEETS IN EVINGTONMr. Champa Payne sent in this photograph of Indian Ring Neck Parakeets. He said that on one ofhis walks in early June he had seen six in one day. The following few days he saw three, two malesand one female.

THE LEICESTERSHIREFESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY

This year itÕs a virtual festival. The first part ofthis took place in July, but it will happen againin October.

ULAS (University of Archaeology Services) areasking people for ideas for digital talks. Anyideas?

Contact peter.liddle51@gmail.com

Meanwhile do have a look at the website athttps://leicsfieldworkers.co.uk. You can viewinformation about six amazing discoverieswhich includes Roman Leicester in 2020, theStory of the Enderby Shield and HallatonÕs LostPilgrims Chapel.

TO BOOK A TEST FORCORONAVIRUS

Online at nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-testTel: 119

If you test positive for Coronavirus, you muststay at home for at least 7 days and the peopleyou live with should stay at home for 14 days.

Please support our local community newspaper and send in your news Page 5

IT’S AN OPEN SECRET:EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT

NOBODY CARES

Modern day slavery in Leicester By Simran Radia

Since we cannot leave our homes, we mustbring fashion to us, often from websites thathave fuelled the UKÕs addiction to fast fashionand are renowned for being so affordable.

Fast fashion is the mass production of cheap,low quality clothes that are trendy. Thealleged dark factories in Leicester help toprovide it. Due to the quality of fast fashionclothing, the average garment is only worn tentimes before it is thrown away. ItÕs not onlyhighly unsustainable, but increasing demandfor cheap, trendy clothing means that factoryworkers are forced to work long hours with lowpay allegedly some as low as £3.50 an hour,just so these Ôbig nameÕ fashion companieswith well known labels can make a profit. Afterall, how do you sell a dress for £4 or less andmake a profit?

According to ÔLabour Behind the LabelÕ, anon-profit organisation that campaigns for therights of workers in the UK, most of LeicesterÕsgarment workers are from ethnic minoritygroups, with 33.6% being from outside the UK.It is likely that they are more vulnerable toabuse due to their lack of English languageskills, immigration status and integration in thecommunity, making them a target forexploiters.

The higher COVID-19 death rate for thosefrom ethnic minorities, factories not practisingsocial distancing and the high percentage ofethnic minority factory workers is a lethalcombination, especially in Leicester. Despitethe health risks imposed at the workplace,workers have reported that they do not darestay at home, even if they display coronavirussymptoms; they are at the risk of losing theirjob if they do so, therefore spiralling back intothe vicious cycle of poverty. Often their

personal details are also with their employers,who may threaten their employees with theprospect of preventing them from getting a jobfrom somewhere else if they were to leave thisjob.

Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East, hascommented on this issue as follows:

ÒLeicesterÕs diversity is our strength. Yet weknow that racial and class inequalities, coupledwith inadequate government support, meanthat working-class people, migrants, andminority ethnic communities are at greater riskboth of being exposed to Covid-19, andsuffering its worst effects.

As Leicester East is one of the mostethnically and culturally diverse places in theUK, and has high levels of in-work poverty, wedisproportionately suffer from these issues.The virus itself may not discriminate, but oureconomic and social system certainly does.Ó

Claudia Webbe MP now calls for an end tothe garment industryÕs exploitation of garmentworkers in Leicester and across the UK. Shehas coordinated with 40 parliamentarians,representing seven political parties, andwritten a letter addressed to Prime MinisterBoris Johnson highlighting longstandinginstances of employer malpractice which haveendangered workers during the coronaviruspandemic.

The letter goes on to urge the governmentto ensure that all employees, includingundocumented workers and those with norecourse to public funds, can afford to stay safeduring the continued lockdown in Leicester.She says there have been multiple reports overthe past ten years of workersÕ human rightsabuses and reports from at least two selectcommittees that have been ignored orrejected. Claudia explains that many of herconstituents have reported first handexperiences of exploitation and this alsoincludes employers seeking to avoid detectionby pretending their factories are shut whilst

workers file in through back entrances, unwellemployees being told to keep their symptomssecret from colleagues, false payslips which donot reflect real hours worked; being paid farless than the minimum wage and many moreinstances of cruel mistreatment.

There are many ways you can help stop fastfashion companies, for instance, shopping atethical, sustainable clothing sites. While theymay be expensive, the price only reflects thetrue cost of using materials that are lessdamaging to the planet, made in factories thatare safe to work in, have better eco-credentialsand pay fairer wages to their employees. Thequality of these garments is also significantlybetter, causing you to save the money that youwouldÕve spent buying and replacing yourpoor-quality fast fashion clothing. Another wayof shopping sustainably, but cheaply, isshopping at vintage or charity shops; theaverage customer transaction is £4.05 at acharity shop. It is, therefore, highly budgetfriendly.

Roshni, an Instagram influencer who isconstantly promoting the importance ofavoiding fast fashion, has commented asfollows: ÒI am not a fan of fast fashion. I donÕtlike the ethos behind mass production or whatit says about us as humans that all we want todo is consume and consume.Ó Roshnicontinues, ÒThe social and environmental costof treating apparel as disposable is horrific.There has to be a shift so that itÕs quality overquantity, so that we buy things we will love fora long time, things we will want to repair andkeep.Ó

It will be difficult to eliminate fast fashion ina world dependent on it, but the first stepwould to be to stop purchasing cheap clothing.Only when demand is absent, these companieswill stop. If you do continue to shop fromthem, you are essentially supporting theexploiters. This so-called Ôopen secretÕ hasalways been out in the open, and now, youmust care. There is nothing darker in thesedark factories than ignorance.

Page 6 A pdf copy of this magazine is on line at www.evingtonecho.co.uk

LettersHELP SOLVE A PUZZLE

RESULTSDear Editor

Thank you so much for publishing the letterfrom Mrs Neal headed ÒHelp solve a puzzleÓ inyour June and July issue about a postcard sentin 1965 that had just been delivered to heraddress. I am glad to tell you that it has finallyreached its destination!

I was the Miss L M Rastall to whom thepostcard was sent. I used to live at 146Spencefield Lane and Sarah, who sent the card,was a schoolfriend, then at LiverpoolUniversity. Thanks to Mrs Neal and our formerneighbour at 148, the postcard has finallyreached me. Sarah now lives in Australia.Although I did not reply to the postcard in1965, we have kept in touch over the years andI am pleased to be able to tell her that it hasnow arrived!

It is good to have an amusing story to tell inthese troubling times.

With thanksLesley Exton (n�e Rastall)

LETTER ABOUT CYCLINGINFRASTRUCTURE

I work for the BBC News website and I amworking on an article about the new cyclinginfrastructure being introduced across the UKsince lockdown. IÕm looking to speak to peoplewho have taken up cycling during lockdownabout how things like pop-up cycle lanes havehelped them. I was wondering if anyone herehas been using the new pop-up cycle lanes inLeicester? I would be particularly interested inhearing from any key workers who have beenusing them to commute to work. If anyonewould be happy to chat to me about theirexperiences please drop me an email atbecky.morton@bbc.co.uk. Thanks!

NOISE NUISANCE

Dear Editor,Could you please share this with your

readers, as I feel we need to build a campaignto tackle the noise/air pollution caused by thea local Aero Club. I have complained to boththe club and the Civil Aviation Authority aboutthe noise, but also the safety concern of havingsuch low flying aircraft flying over urban areas;itÕs disappointing that the Aero club havecontinued to fly throughout the lockdown.The Aero club informed me that they havebeen flying for over 60 years and have neverpreviously had a complaint from Evington(something I find hard to believe). The Aeroclub have a noise abatement section on theirwebsite which has Evington Village marked inred, so pilots are supposed to avoid theseareas, whereas in fact there can be 1,500flights over Evington Village on a weekly basis;the number of flights and the power of theplanes has increased markedly over the years.

Loud overhead noise effects the ability ofour children to study peacefully, there aremore people working from home, even readingthe children bedtime stories, is affected by theplane noise. Note we are already on the flightpath for the East Midlands airport which is nowthe busiest pure cargo airport in the UK.

It was only recently during a conversationwith an elderly couple living on MarydeneDrive that I realised that we need to campaigntogether. They told me of a story where theywere overjoyed to see their family for the firsttime since the lockdown in March, howeverthey couldnÕt hold a conversation togetherwith their family in their garden because of theloud and incessant noise of overhead aircraftfrom the local Aero Club, who can fly overevery minute.

We are living in challenging and stressfultimes, our homes and gardens areenvironments which we should protect. I have

written to our local MP, but would imploreothers to either contact our MPc laud ia .webbe.mp@par l iament .uk orcomplain directly to the Aero Club.

Please contact the Editor(evingtonecho@gmail.com) or other contactsfor her listed on page 2, and she will put you intouch with me.Name and contact details supplied.

THANK YOU, LOVE LEICESTER

On 28th May, Russell went on his regular dogwalk across the golf course and arboretum andwas cross to find all this litter, includingbarbeque waste around the seat. He hadcleared two big armfuls of litter the day before,so this was too much! It was reported to LoveLeicester using the app. which is easilydownloaded onto a smart phone. The nexttime Russell went for a walk, the litter hadgone.

ON-LINE BANKING

Please be warned that fraudsters are creatingfake websites for banks. When accessing youron-line banking account donÕt use a searchengine or a search engine advert, always typein the full address in your address bar.

Visit our website at www.evingtonecho.co.uk Page 7

LET’S HELP KEEP THEVINTAGE CAFÉ OPEN

The Vintage Caf�in EvingtonVillage, underthe managementof Jo Bonner,was due tocelebrate a yearof trading inApril, butlockdown tookover.

The caf� was such a great resource forEvington people to have somewhere to meet,chat, browse and share food and tea/coffeetogether. Just as the shop was ready toreopen again following all Governmentguidelines, lockdown hit again in Leicesterfrom 17th July and the Vintage Caf� can onlycontinue to open as a take-away. This is afterhours and hours of preparation to make itready to open following the new Covid rules.

I hope by the time you read this the caf� willbe open again. Please support. We need toget through these hard times together.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Dear Editor,

As you may be aware, two new housingestates are going up on Gartree Road, 310homes and the potential of another 500 cars inthe morning and evening, where the localinfrastructure wonÕt be able to cope and thelocal services will be maxed out. How has thisgone ahead? Why and how? How are theygoing to keep the traffic moving? Are theregoing to be extra schools and services toaccommodate? Is the proposed bypass fromShady Lane to London Road going to be finallybuilt? How did the Council manage to passthis?Next door Evington member

Editorial comment: Please could readers writein about how road safety could be improvedfrom the mini roundabout, along Church Roadand Shady Lane to the T junction with GartreeRoad.

A THANK YOU FROMDOWNING DRIVE SURGERY TO

ITS PATIENTS

(An Assistant Practice Manager shares insightsinto working under pressure in Covid times.)

During this unprecedented time, we atDowning Drive Surgery have remained positiveand very quickly adapted new and innovativeways of providing patient care. We have had tomake many changes to ensure our patientswere still getting treated so we are consultingvia video calls, telephone calls and face to facewhere necessary. Our main priority is patientcare and keeping our patients and staff safe.

The pandemic has put us under enormous

HOW TO CONTACT YOURLEICESTER EAST MP AND

LEICESTER SOUTH MP DURINGLOCKDOWN

LEICESTER EASTE-mail: Claudia.webbemp@parliament.ukTel: 07973 816885Follow on facebook or twitter:https://twitter.com/ClaudiaWebbe/

LEICESTER SOUTHE-mail: jon.ashworth.mp@parliament.ukTel: 02072193000Website: www.jonashworth.orgTwitter: https://twitter.com/JonAshworth

MPs can only deal with issues raised by peoplewho live in their constituency. Therefore whencontacting give your full name, full addresswith postcode, a contact telephone numberand any relevant references. Face to facesurgeries are not possible during lockdown. Toarrange a distanced advice surgery call youneed to make an appointment.

CITIZENS ADVICE

In March and lockdown, Citizens Advice movedmore than 100 staff from offices in LeicesterCity and equipped them to deliver adviceremotely from their own homes. CitizensAdvice is now a registered charity rather than agovernment service. Today its technologywould be unrecognisable to post-war Britain,but despite these huge changes, manyproblems people come to Citizens Advice forremain the same. Lack of food and fuel,housing and employment issues are some ofthe biggest advice areas, the same as it was 75years ago. Advice is delivered over the phoneand online. It is constantly updated andverified. The Covid-19 pandemic hascomplicated systems that were alreadysuffering. Ring on 0300 3301025 or 03003302111 or fill out a form on the website

(https://citizensadviceleicestershire.org/getadvice/

pressure but it has taught us new things andindeed made us and our services stronger andmore resilient. Our team has really cometogether during this crisis which has boughtout the best in all of us. Our Doctors, nursesthe admin staff, have adapted to using newtechnology in record time and our admin staffare handling the increased office workloadwell.

The Flu season is fast approaching and weencourage all eligible patients to bevaccinated. We are planning how to deliverthis safely and efficiently for you.

We would like to take this opportunity tothank all our patients for their kindcompliments, patience and understandingduring this pandemic and we are here for you.

Please visit our website for details of all theservices we providewww.downingdrivesurgery.nhs.ukBindu Mrs. B. Chauhan, Downing Drive Surgery,Downing Drive, Leicester LE5 6LP

Page 8 Contributions are welcome. Send them to the Editor by email or phone.

Pilgrim Homes and Pilgrim Gardens during lockdown. People in the homes are fine, but theysay they miss their visitors, including their community exercise group.

BUSY DURING LOCKDOWNAddy and Sam Tyler have been getting creativeduring lockdown, carefully using a bottle ofbleach to Ôreverse tie-dyeÕ t-shirts.

Have you been learning a new hobby or gettingcrafty during lockdown? Seeing as you canÕtshow them off at the Fete, why not send us apicture for the next Echo?

WRAP RAGEHow packaging really annoys me, I often feel that the designers of certain packaging are eitherhaving a laugh or are just out and out sadists. Take today, I decided to treat myself to a tasty Spamsandwich for lunch - well whoever designed that tin was a genius. First you have to use that ringpull thing to peel back a very sharp metal lid. Assuming you have not cut yourself, you then haveto try to get the very tightly packed Spam out of the tin. In my case this involves inserting a knifeblade between the tin and the Spam and then trying to force the stuff out. Usually in this processthis ends up with Spam flying everywhere. After this delicious sandwich washed down with a cupof tea I decided that I would clean the work surface I thought that I would use a drop of bleachon the surface so as to give it a really good clean. Well whosoever invented the child proof liddeserves to be shot. I do appreciate that we do not want children to consume too much bleach,but did they have to make the removal of the top so very difficult. This push down and turn larktakes some doing. - surely there must be a better way of making the bottle child proof?

Look around your kitchen and see how many difficult things there are to open. Take that pack ofham in itÕs really useful resealable packaging? Ninety nine times out of a hundred you fail andresort to the good old scissor method. Then there is the jam jar. I appreciate that these jars needto be air tight but do they need to screw the lids on that tightly? How many times have you nearlygiven yourself a hernia trying to get the lid off? Then there is cling film, tin foil and the Brillo padcontainer, I could go on and on.

My good friend Google, the font of all knowledge, tells me this is a huge problem: the subject hasfeatured in Which magazine and there has even been a BBC Watchdog programme made aboutit. Wikipedia calls it ÔWrap RageÕ, also known as ÔPackage RageÕ and they have defined it very well.ÒWrap rage is the common name for heightened levels of anger and frustration resulting from theinability to open packaging, particularly some heat sealed plastic blister packs and clamshells.ÓWell there you have it - just try to resist getting out your pneumatic drill.

The tools that have been used are razor blades, box cutters, snips, hammers, and there was evena case of someone who got injured using an ice pick; the mind boggles. Who has an ice pickhandy? Clamshell packaging receives the most complaints.

I consider this to be something that should be looked into and action taken and these packagedesigners should be held accountable. I will end with one of the most ironic forms of packagingthat was brought up by the Which magazine. This was about a pair of scissors being sold inclamshell packaging by WH Smith, and no doubt a lot of other retailers. The Which spokesmansaid, ÒThe scissors are held in place under the moulded plastic by a cable tie, which means youwill actually need to use the scissors to cut your scissors freeÓ. A bit of a Catch 22 situation donÕtyou think? Howard Edmunds

Contributions are welcome. Send them to the Editor or take to BennettÕs Hardware Store. Page 9

LEICESTER GROW A RAINBOW CHALLENGE 2020

For years, community groups have clubbed together under the protective wing of Evington in Bloom in their quest for horticulturalexcellence and blooming beauty throughout the village. Undeterred by the cancellation of the Royal Horticultural Society schemesdue to Covid19, our intrepid volunteers from the Evington Ward continue in adversity.

Rainbows have become an important symbol during these challenging times. In the absence of the Bloom scheme this year, we arethrilled that Evington in Bloom support Leicester Grow a Rainbow Challenge 2020. In July, flowering displays have reached theirpinnacle of glory, so volunteers have taken photographs of individual flowers in the tubs and gardens. The images are groupedtogether in this rainbow of flowers. These achievements of Evington in Bloom will be recognised and showcased by the LeicessterEnvironmental Volunteering team at Leicester City Council.

Although some projects have been delayed due to the current circumstances, individual households have been contributing tooutdoor public displays whilst observing the pandemic guidelines, to ensure that a rich tapestry of colour around Evington continuesto bring smiles to all who pass by.

The flower displays in Evington Village have been looked after by volunteers since 1992 and the tubs and containers continue toincrease in number, variation and scale to this day. When you step onto the village green from the main road, the herbaceous bedand borders, which are beautifully tended by Evington in Bloom volunteers, offer colour and form throughout the year. The villagehall front gardens continue to evolve and grow in splendour, as do the gardens that surround St Denys Church.

Moving away from the centre of the village towards the City boundary, volunteers look after a Peace Garden on Gamel Road. Justaround the corner, the flower displays on Downing Drive and Landscape Drive continue to be looked after by residents and are oftenincluded in the East Midlands in Bloom judgesÕ route when they visit.

Although the focus of this article is flowers, I also wish to mention those who look after wildlife gardens, promote and support theheritage of the village and acknowledge the volunteers who litter pick the surrounding streets and open spaces, encouraging us torecycle.

The Evington in Bloom scheme also reaches out to the allotments at Ethel Road and Hilltop, offering Mayflower Primary Schooladditional space to grow flowers, edible produce and learn about wildlife gardening. This passion for gardening and hydroponicscontinues at Graceworks to spectacular effect.

I am sure the volunteersÕ flower displays around the Evington Ward over the years have delighted many people. Leicester CityCouncil wishes to acknowledge your wonderful contribution and urges those who may have considered helping to get involved. Youwould be made most welcome and your weeding, dead heading and watering for a couple of hours a week would support theirdedicated team. Whilst it is not possible to mention everyone here and all the projects, you know who you are and you are allimmensely valued, thank you.

With grateful thanks to Helen and the Friends of Evington team for all your dedication over the years.

Penny Brown, Volunteer Co-ordinator, Leicester City Council.

Page 10 Visit our website: www.evingtonecho.co.uk

HOW MARCUS RASHFORDSTEPPED IN

We all know by now that the virus hasimpacted the whole nation, and for familiesthat were already struggling financially, itbecame even more difficult. Because of this,the government gave out free school mealvouchers worth £15 a week for the childrenwho were eligible for free school meals due tofinancial difficulties. However, it soon becameevident that once the school year was over, thevoucher scheme would also come to an end.

However, The Manchester United football starand England international, Marcus Rashford,quickly stepped in and penned an emotionalopen letter to the government to make a ÔUturnÕ on that decision, as well as stating howimportant free school meals were to himgrowing up. Marcus Rashford then describinghis fears about child poverty as it was Òonlygoing to get worseÓ once the furlough schemefinishes.

In the letter, Rashford revealed how difficultit was for him growing up with three siblingsand a single parent. He went on to explain thatsoup kitchens werenÕt alien to him and that hisfamily relied on breakfast clubs, free schoolmeals and the kind actions of neighbours andcoaches.

It is very clear to see that Marcus Rashfordhad written this letter from the heart, as it is amatter which is very personal and close to himdue to the fact that he knows how it feels to behungry.

Although Rashford is receiving a lot of praisefor his act, there are still some who believewhat he has done is wrong and he should notrely on the government to ensure food securityfor children who are vulnerable.

Despite it being a fair point, Rashford hasbeen doing charitable acts since the start of hiscareer. Even in the beginning of lockdown,Marcus realised that this could be a problemfor families who need support, which led himto partner with the food distribution charitycalled Fare Share in which he helped raise over£20 million and currently supplies over fourmillion meals per week.

This situation has caused great amounts ofstress, pain and pressure on parents as well asthe children across the nation.

In a recent poll by the charity the foodfoundations, it has been discovered that200,000 children are now missing meals. Thisis severely detrimental to their health.According to the figures obtained by theLeicester City Council (through the freedom ofinformation act), in the Evington Ward thenumber of children on free school meals is 457out of 2856 children, which represents 16% ofchildren using free school meals as of 25/6/20.This number will most likely increase over thecourse of the pandemic.

Although this may seem like a small amountof people, itÕs much more than it should be.

Due to Marcus RashfordÕs amazingcampaign, it means that many children inEvington and across the nation now have achance to be fed.

David

MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONFOR FOCUSED LISTENING.

This briefmeditation lets usfocus our attention on

the sounds around us. The beauty of thispractice is that you do not need silence. I findthis practice helpful when needing a short timeout. You may like to set a soft sounding alarmfor 5 minutes before you begin.

Often, we use the sensation of the breath asan anchor in meditation. However, focusing onthe sounds around you can also be acomforting way to ground yourself. Try thisguided practice to gently focus awarenesswhen in need of a moment of calm.

Sitting comfortably, shoulders relaxed softlyclose your eyes. Breathing should be at anormal rhythm. Start by bringing yourattention to the sounds you can hear whereveryou are. Is a clock ticking? An open windowbringing in sounds from the outside. Birdssinging perhaps, a car passing by, muffledvoices etc. Take a few moments to really listento your surroundings.

If any other thoughts arise whilst doing thispractice that is okay, that is what minds do. Itis perfectly natural. Let the thoughts come andgo and bring your awareness back to thesounds you can hear.

Keep going, listening to what is happeningaround you.

Once the alarm sounds gently wriggle yourfingers and toes and gently open your eyesbringing your awareness back into the room.

I hope you enjoy doing this practice and dogive me your feedback through the IndyEssence social media links.

DonÕt forget to follow Indy Essence onFacebook, Indy Essence Instagram:indyessence, Twitter:@EssenceIndy, &YouTube: Indy Essence.

Contributions are welcome. Send them to the Editor by email or phone. Page 11

JOHN SERGEANT 1935 – 2020

John moved toEvington withDorothy, his thirdwife, in 2003. Theylived in a bungalowin Marydene Roadenjoying timetogether travellingand learning.

Together theyjoined EvingtonÕs

ÔArt in the ParkÕ group and got to know manylocal people.

Sadly Dorothy died in 2012 and Johnstruggled for a while, but by maintaining apositive outlook, he continued to keep in touchlocally, joined Friends of Evington and got arescue dog, Jess, which gave him a newpurpose. John was lucky that his local contactsfound Pam, who became first his domestichelper and then his carer when he developeddementia. As his illness progressed he washelped by Julie, Jaya and Nazman. John died inhospital of Coronavirus.

John led an interesting life. He joined theRAF in 1953, specialising as an electricalengineer and armaments fitter. He finishedNational Service in 1956, but signed for afurther four years training in Aldermaston,working on weapons. He lived first in Reading,but moved to Brighton, Carmarthen,Braunstone and Evington.

John and his first wife Rita raised a family offour children. When that marriage broke up,John later married Veronica in 1983.

Together they bought a pub in Nantgaredig,Camarthen. This was initially a success, butrising interest rates made the businessunprofitable and they gave it up and prettywell lost everything. They were helped byVeronicaÕs children.

For a time they made a home in thebasement of Rob and SylvieÕs house, with Johnusing his practical skills to refit the basementas a home. They enjoyed watching Garethgrow up. Sadly Veronica died suddenly in2001.

John was an important part of threedifferent families and made friends whereverhe went and was always happy in the companyof others. He was a practical man, building andmaking things, full of energy and laughter. Hisinterests included building and making, rugby,his pets, family and friends.Written by family and friends

POLICE REPORTBoth the Leicestershire Police CrimeCommissioner, Lord Willy Bach, and the ChiefConstable, Simon Cole, have met Black LivesMatter and Leicester Against Racismcampaigners and have pledged to work inpartnership to stamp out discrimination andsocial injustice.

Lord Willy Bach said, ÒI am fully behind thecampaigners and their fight for justice. WeÕvecome a long way in society and in policing, butthere is so much more to do.Ó

Contact information: Sallie Blair, BetterTimes Tel: 01283821012 or 07702 541401 ore-mail: sal@bettertimes.co.uk.

CONTACTING THE POLICEThe Police postcode checker for lockdown is

https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/c19/coronavirus-covid-19/local-lockdowns/

Please only contact the police if you thinkthere is a serious breach of the rules. This sitegives (1) lockdown postcode checker, (2)Leicester City Council coronavirus advice and(3) Leicestershire County Council coronavirusadvice.

REMEMBERING THE RETURNOF THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS

TO EVINGTON IN 2009

This special day made me think back to the2009 reunion when some former members ofthe 82nd US Airborne Division came back toEvington.

These are a few of the American soldierswho were living in a tented village in Evingtonby Shady Lane during the 2nd World War andleft for the D-Day invasion of France on 6thJune 1944. In 2009, you will notice that thesemen are in their 80s. An honorary member ofthe regiment, Daryk Wills, organised their tour.They saw the American flag in St. Denys Churchthat they had left as a gift 65 years earlier.They all told me how they had enjoyed theirtime in Evington and were delighted to beback. They mentioned their friends who werekilled in the war and said that due to old age,this would be their last visit.Helen Pettman

VE DAY IN EVINGTON 8TH MAY 2020

Bali RaiÕs latest novel is called ÔMohinderÕsWarÕ. It is a thrilling World War II adventureset in occupied France. Thirteen year old JoelleBrenton comes across Indian-born FRA pilotMohinder Singh when his plane crashes. ItÕs upto her and her parents to hide him from theNazis.

Local author Bali Rai was born in Leicester andwas a former student at JudgemeadowCommunity College. Bali has written over 40novels about teenagers and children.

MOHINDER’S WAR

Page 12

INDEPENDENT ADVICEABOUT LIFETIME TRUSTS

I had an interesting conversation with a localresident last week who contacted me withregards to setting up a lifetime trust to avoidthe possibility of having to pay for care fees inthe future. The gentleman had beenapproached by a canvasser in a supermarket,promoting the use of ÔAsset Protection TrustsÕ,whereby a property is conveyed into a trustwhilst the person or a couple are alive. Thegentleman had seen my details in the EvingtonEcho and wanted independent advice as to thepros and cons of such a trust. He went on totell me that he is in his late 80Õs and thathimself and his wife are particularly concernedthat if they were to go into care, their homewould be used to pay for the care fees.

I admitted that there are many companiespromoting Asset Protection Trusts as a meansto avoid care home fees, on the basis that if theproperty is transferred in to such a trust, youno longer own the property and as such itcannot be taken into account in respect ofpaying for care costs. However, I explainedthat if this is the main motive behind setting upthe trust, then there is a real danger that theLocal Authority will regard this as Ôdeliberatedeprivation of assetsÕ. There is also a commonmisconception that if the property wastransferred over 7 years ago it cannot be takeninto account. Unfortunately, this is not thecase, as there is no time limit. In suchcircumstances the Local Authority can treatyou as if you still own the property!

I made it clear that there are many reasonswhy you might consider using lifetime trusts,for example to avoid the need for probate inrespect of assets held in the trust, protectingfrom Ôsideways disinheritanceÕ or preventingchildren from inheriting at the wrong time, forinstance if they are going through a divorce.Such a trust may be beneficial in respect ofcare fees if it is arranged at a time when theperson is in good health with no immediateneed for care and no foreseeable need in thefuture.

I am pleased to say that the gentlemanconcerned thoroughly appreciated mycomments and thanked me for my honesty inexplaining the facts to him. It is great to beappreciated, but surely it is our duty to clearlyadvise clients of the options available andexplain the pros and cons of each, so that theycan make informed decisions themselves,based on a proper understanding of the facts!!

If you would like any advice in respect ofWills, Will trusts, lifetime trusts or LastingPowers of Attorney, please give me a call on07905 748073.Gerard OÕHalloran of Gerard James EstatePlanning Ltd

SAVE OUR NHS

After the ongoing and traumatic experience ofthe coronavirus pandemic the centralimportance of our NHS has never been clearer.It is appropriate, therefore, that its 72ndbirthday was celebrated with a weekend ofevents, from vigils to remember the dead, car-cavalcades, to socially distanced protestsorganised under the banner of ÔOur NHSDeserves BetterÕ.

But while the rest of the country returned tosome semblance of normality, people living inLeicester City have been forced to endure atleast another two weeks of lockdown becauseof a spike in the number of infections.

So instead of hitting the streets, Save OurNHS Leicestershire organised a virtual show ofsolidarity with the NHS and its workers, byasking people to send images of themselveswith a message to the NHS.

Build a public health and socialcare system by:Rebuilding and funding the NHS

Halt all closures, downgrading and selling off ofNHS buildings and assets.

Inject billions to bring NHS spending up to atleast the European average of 13% GDP.

All staff should be returned to NHSemployment and all private sector hospitalsreturned to the NHS.

Bring back all Social Care under public controland accountability.

Better pay for all staff! Bring all Social Carestaff under the same pay and conditions as theNHS. Bring back the Nurses Bursary.

No backdoor NHS trade deals.

An immediate proper public enquiry into thecrisis. Power to act following the enquiry.

There should be a fully democratised andaccountable NHS and Social Care System whichcaters for all our health needs.

HOSPITAL HISTORY(Taken from Evington Echo February 1982)

The ÔCity GeneralÕ is so much a part of local lifethat we seldom question how this hospitalcame to be built, but its 77 year history makesinteresting reading.

Part of the hospital grounds were originallyfarming and grazing land belonging toAlderman Wakerley and farming interestswere maintained by the Hospital Authorityuntil the 50s. The City Fathers of 1905 chosethe site to build the North Evington Poor LawInfirmary and the hospital administration wasshared between the Medical Superintendant,the Steward and the Matron, all of whom hadconsiderable authority.

One entry in the MatronÕs monthly report tothe Board of Guardians states ÔSome nursesare refusing to polish the floorsÕ. Perhaps theyfelt that nursing and domestic chores wereworth more than their annual salary ofapproximately £20.

Over the years the hospital has progressedthrough many changes from a Poor LawInstitution to part of the newest MedicalSchool in the country. In 1928, under theLeicester Corporation Act, it became the CityGeneral Hospital and in July 1948, on theinception of the National Health Service, itacquired its present title of Leicester GeneralHospital.

It has always been a nursing school, at first inits own right and now as part of the CharlesFrears School of Nursing, an Area trainingschool on London Road.

Much could be written about the splendid,caring work done on this farmland site and weshould be proud that Leicester is helping totrain medical staff to standards equal to any inthe world.G. E. Prior

This picture shows part of the General Hospital.In the February 1992 edition it showed a blackand white picture with the caption ÔPhoto ofthe Leicester General Hospital facade taken byMiss Jean FarquharÕ.

Support Your Local Community newspaper Page 13

THE COVID-19 WALKERSAND TALKERS

We are sure that you will remember the daywhen BJ (Boris Johnson) announced that ourcountry would go into lockdown. We were inour respective homes on that evening of 23rdMarch. V was in her sitting room eagerlyawaiting the announcement whilst trying torelax by flipping between reading a novel andresearching information about viruses. S waspacking to go to Suffolk with a friend for a minibreak. And then the bombshell hit! We hadexpected it but not until later in the week. So,that was the end of those plans. Fortunatelywe are women who are flexible, seeing lifethrough glasses that are definitely half, if notthree quarters, full. Crestfallen, we decided tomake the best and most of it. We had doneoccasional morning walks but to comfortourselves we decided to walk and talk aboutthe situation on the morning of 24th March.That was the beginning of the COVID-19Walkers and Talkers. We have walked everysingle morning since then, which, at the time ofwriting, 12th July, is 110 times.

The lockdownperiod has beenkind to usbecause thew e a t h e r ,generally, hasbeen good,making walkingmore of apleasure. Wehave had theopportunity toexplore the golf

course, arboretum, University of LeicesterÕsredundant outdoor running track and VictoriaPark, to name but a few. We have roamed thestreets of Leicester with a wonderful sense offreedom and serenity. There have been manypositive aspects to our walking trips and aminority of negatives.

Things that disturbed us have includeddiscarded PPE (personal, protectiveequipment), fast driving and inconsiderate

cyclists and runners. We could have made arainbow to celebrate the NHS with thediscarded latex gloves that we have seenlittering our city. That was quickly followed byseeing face masks of all descriptions on theverges. In the mornings Evington Road is adisgrace because of litter. Our wonderfulrefuse collectors work their way from the topof Evington Road to the end of the long paradeof shops picking up every single bit of rubbishin sight. They do this with great cheer andpride and leave the area in pristine conditiononly to have to start all over again with thepiles of debris the next morning. We have gotto know them and greet them whenever wewalk that way.

Evington Lane in the eyes of a few motoristshas been converted into a racetrack for theduration of the lockdown. It has demonstrateda dangerous and uncaring attitude in starkcontrast to the good deeds that so many of ourcitizens have displayed in this challenging time.

This pandemic has predominantly broughtout the best within our communities.Neighbours have come together to clap onThursday evenings for our amazing health andcare staff, those who have kept our shopsstocked with food, or have delivered goods toour doors, have cleaned our streets and keptother public spaces in excellent condition. Wecontinue to thank them when we meet themand thank them in our hearts.

We havebeen sofortunate tomake friendswith a widerange ofpeople. Theyhave becomewhat we referto as our

Òwalking communityÓ. Some of them arewalkers who we will see in different parts ofthe city, some are only ever seen on certainstreets or in certain parks. We always wavecheerily and greet them with a hearty hello orgood morning. Over time, we have engaged

them in conversation and always check to findout how they are feeling and coping. There isthe elderly couple who are often tending theirfront garden as we pass by. Then there is Bwho we often see walking like a man on amission heading to the shops for his dailysupplies and walk. We shared hisdisappointment when he was no longer able tolook forward to a long-awaited meal and drinkwith his friends at The Cedars because of theextension to LeicesterÕs lockdown. We kepttalking with him until he began to smile againand we saw the smiley B who we had grownfond of.

There have been numerous occasions onwhich we have seen Mystery Man in VictoriaPark. We have always thought that he lookedtroubled and initially he would not respond toour greetings. However, after severalattempts, he finally gave us a mechanical hello.

If anyone had suggested to us on Tuesday24th March that we tried to walk every day for110 days, we would have laughed loudly, butlook at what we have achieved without eventrying and we have had so much fun on theway. We have made friends, we have seenunusual things, we have learned a lot and wehave definitively talked a lot. Most importantlywe are physically fitter. We will continue towalk and talk even when LeicesterÕs extendedlockdown comes to an end. Who knows, wemight see you one morning. Please stop andsay hello.

Val FisherSuzanne Overton-Edwards

Evington Golf Club

Evington Arboretum

Victoria Park

ACROSS1 50% (4) 26 MACHINE FOR TURNING(5) 5 LIMBS (4) 27 NOM-DE-PLUME (5)8 CAKE TOPPING (5) 28 EDIBLE MOLLUSC (4)

10 PECULIAR (5) 29 MONSTER (4)11 CHURCH INSTRUMENT (5)12 CONSUMES (4)16 DESERT (4)17 FALL GUY (9)18 LARGE SEABIRD (9)20 FROZEN OVER (4)21 SYSTEM OF MEDITATION (4)25 DIN (5)DOWN2 FOREWARNS (6) 19 QUIETER (6)3 BLAZE (4) 22 RAY (4)4 HOBBLE (4) 23 POST (4)5 EXCITED (4) 24 AS WELL (4)6 GRUB (6) 7 HORSE RIDERS (11)9 FORESAW (11)

13 BURN WITH LIQUID (5)14 UTTER (5)15 HOSTILITY (SLANG) (5)16 FIZZY ( 5) Complied by R. Tracy18 ANTENNA (6) Answers on page 4.

Page 14 Contact us at evingtonecho@gmail.com or Tel: 2204525

PARKS OF LEICESTER –VICTORIA PARK

The January Õ20 presentation for the Friends ofEvington and History and Heritage groupwelcomed Mick Easton, Leicester CityÕshorticultural adviser, who starting hisapprenticeship 43 years ago. This is the thirdEvington Echo article from that talk.

Victoria Park was originally common landand there were 600 acres of fields for grazinganimals and allotments. It later became aracecourse called ÔLeicester RacecourseÕ untilthat was moved to its present site in 1883.Following this a smaller area of land (69 acres)was designated as a park. After racing, thesport uses over the years have included acricket ground, a roller skating rink and footballgrounds. The Leicester Fosse Football Clubplayed there during the 1880s before movingto Filbert Street in 1891 and becomingLeicester City F.C. Today it is still a sportingpark with tennis courts, a skatepark, basketballand childrenÕs play areas.

Victoria Park has been home to a number of

events including Leicester CaribbeanCarnival, the Leicester Marathonand the CityÕs Remembrance DayParade. Also there used to be amusical event called ÔSummerSundaeÕ until it closed in 2012.Some big acts included AmyWinehouse in 2004, Patti Smith in2005, Elbow in 2006 and Mumfordand Sons in 2010.

During World War II it wasbombed and the old pavilion, whichwas previously the grandstand forthe racecourse, was partiallydestroyed. The current pavilionreplaced it in 1958.

Victoria Park is famous for its memorial Arch,which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Thearch is positioned so that the sun rises throughits centre on Armistice Day. There is also acommemorative stone to the American 82ndAirborne Division who had a tentedencampment in Evington before leaving for theD-Day invasion of France in 1944. The maingates were given by Sir Jonathan North who

was Mayor of Leicesterduring WW1. He had themmade in memory of his wife.Victoria Park has a PeaceWalk with formal planting,but it chiefly supports sportsfacilities.

ON LINE MEMORIAL

http://not-another-number.com is theinternational COVID-19 Online Memorial -built by the people, for the world.

This is my interview with LeedsTV aboutwhy I started Not Another Number.

ÒIÕve seen a lot of very moving memorialsand read a lot of kind messages in the pastweek. I want to raise awareness of thisproject as I think a lot of us that have lostsomeone are feeling the same way - whilepeople talk of going back to normal, wedonÕt have a normal anymore.

This crisis should never be forgotten.These people should never be forgotten.Ó

Everyone can view the memorials athttp://not-another-number.com andanyone can add a memorial to their lovedone at http://not-another-number.com/add-memorial.

This project is constantly evolving andtrying to find new and unique ways to paytribute to all of the victims.

The old pavilion before WW2

The Memorial Arch designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Also inthe picture is the formal gardens that make the Peace Walk The main gates to

Victoria Park

Please mention the Echo when replying to advertisements Page 15

SMALL ADS

Trade and professional rate £2.50 for a maximum of25 words. All other rates; 50p for maximum of 25words including telephone number, except foradverts selling items over £1,000, which will cost £5for a maximum of 25 words Please write clearly andleave your ad. with payment, in an envelope markedSmall Ads at BennettÕs Home and Garden Supplies,30 Main Street.

DONÕT MOAN ABOUT MOWING

Contact:- J.B. GARDEN SERVICES(Large & Small Lawns & Other GardeningJobs). TEL: 259 3336 MOBILE: 0780 125 9687.

FOR SALE 8-step wooden platform step-ladder for sale £20. Tel: 2413279.

THE GREAT STRAWBERRYCOMPETITION

I did not know what I had started when I hadthe idea of giving Aaryan, Rueben and Skye astrawberry plant each. I painted their nameson each pot, in bright pink letters, so that therecould be no cheating. I just thought that itwould be a good task for them to look after theplants and see who would be the first to yielda strawberry. I must admit I did not expectthem to pursue this activity for very long. Butno, to my great surprise the three of them tookthe whole thing very seriously, even reading upon how to grow strawberries from theirgardening books. Aaryan did tend to overwater his, but he was determined that his plantwould produce the first strawberry.

Each day they would be out there with theirrulers measuring how much each of theirplants had grown. They would even count theleaves on the plants to see who was winning.Each of them were determined that theirstrawberry plant would be the first to producefruit. Skye even drew a picture for her littleplant in the hope that it would encourage it togrow faster. Rueben was tempted to tamperwith the competition, but then thought thebetter of it, being a bit worried about therepercussions that might follow. Aaryan in hisefforts to make his strawberry grow fastercould often be heard singing.

The next time we met, I asked the threechildren who was winning. Rueben shoutedthat he was and then Skye said she was. PoorAaryan sat on his bike looking a littlecrestfallen.

Back at home I started to think about Aaryanand how crestfallen he had looked. I wanted tofind a way that would make him feel proud ofhis slowly performing strawberry. Then it cameto me I would dig up a far larger strawberryplant and put it in a pot with his name on it. Iwould then need to enlist the help of Kally andOnkar in switching the original plant for thenew much larger version. I phoned Onkar to

ask him to take a photo of AaryanÕs plant sothat I could make the substitute one the same.

Armed with all the information I needed I setabout my task of producing a far largerstrawberry plant, with some baby strawberrieson it, for Aaryan, in an identical pot to theoriginal. Now all I had to do was to deliver itwithout the children seeing it. In order to makethis happen I made up three portions of plantfeed and water. I would tell the children thatthis would make their strawberries growquicker.

When I arrived, I put the bag containing thestrawberry plant where the children would notsee it. Onkar opened the door and the threechildren appeared not long after. I handed themagic potion over to them and told them touse it sparingly as if they used too much thestrawberry plants would explode. At that thethree of them dashed off to give their plantssome of the liquid.

Kally then arrived just as Onkar was sayingthat she would sneak out in the dead of nightand switch the plants. Kally just glared at Onkarand then asked why it had to be her. Onkarsaid that she was more skilful at these thingsand that he would probably only mess it up.

Eventually it was agreed that Kally would doit. With that I handed over the bag with thestrawberry plant in it and left. Kally obviouslymanaged the switch as quite early the nextmorning I received a text message from her.The one thing I had not factored into my planwas that of a torrential downpour thefollowing morning. Kally said that there was noway she was going outside in this weather andthe children didnÕt want to either.

The well laid plan seemed to be going to hellin a handcart.

Then Onkar had a brain wave. He fetched hismobile phone and took a photo of the threeplants that were standing out in the rain. Hethen showed the photo to three very stunned

children, in fact so stunned that at first theycould not talk. The first to make a sound was avery triumphant Aaryan who whooped with joyand laughed at his brother and sister andannounced that he was the winner. Reubenwas the next to speak and he said that it wasnot a proper full-grown strawberry so he hadnot won. Then a very perceptive and slightlytearful Skye said that Aaryan had not won asthat was not his plant. She added that therehad been a switch. How on earth did she knowthat? None of this tempered AaryanÕs joy.Even when Kally tried to explain to him whathad happened he would not accept it. As far asAaryan was concerned he was the winner.

In order for me to get back in favour manybars of chocolate had to be purchased.Chocolate always wins in the end with thethree of them.Howard Edmunds