NEXT ISSUE OUT: Saturday 11th August - Advert & Articles Needed By 28th July

JUNE 2012

PLEASE NOTE:There’s no issue of The Herald in July due to holidays.

The next Herald will be out on Saturday 11th August.

See you then!

Don’t Miss Thornton Carnival!

Thornton Community Centre

Saturday 7th July 12pm till 4pm

Filbert Fox will be opening the carnival.

Stalls range from crafts to tombolas. And much much

more!Well known members of the public will be in the

stocks through out the day (pub landlords, business owners & village ‘loud mouths’ etc etc etc).

Entertainment for everyoneBBQ, Refreshment tent

by The Steam Trumpet and afternoon teas

All are welcome!

If anyone would like to help

on the day, please call

Rebecca Branston on 07800 647408

Stanton Church Fayre: 16th JuneSt Mary & All Saints Church Fayre is on Saturday 16th June 2012 at 2.00 - 4.00 p.m.Stalls will include cakes, raffle,

tombola, craft and cards, plants, CREAM TEAS will be available. All welcome, we look forward to seeing you there.

Markfield Rangers win their first trophy in the club’s history!

Tom Flowers Reports

AS ThE game ticked over into the 90th minute things weren’t looking good for the Rangers. Trailing by a goal to nil and down to ten men, no one could have imagined what was to come.

The team had experienced mixed fortunes in the weeks leading up to the William Davis Trophy final. The joys of promotion as runners up in Division 2 before the heartbreak of the semi final defeat in the Everards League Cup to Loughborough Saints. A goal in the last minute stunning the Rangers after a heroic performance against the Premier League runners up.

Markfield’s opponents in the William Davis Trophy final would be Birstall Stamford Reserves from the league above who had a phenomenal defensive record that had seen them concede only 8 goals all season.

The first half was a tight affair with Markfield coming close when Gaf Brown’s 30 yard effort hit the bar. It was Birstall who took the lead however when their left back capitalised from a corner to volley home.

The second half was just as tight with few chances for either side. The Rangers were dealt a blow however when Spencer Deeping was sent off for an uncharacteristic lunge.

Psychic Night at Stanton in aid of Menphys: 10th June A pSyChiC night is being held to raise funds for Menphys Sketchley hill Nursery. It is being held at Stanton Under

Bardon Youth Club on Sunday 10th June between 5.30 and 9.30pm, £1 entry fee and £5 per reading or

three readings for £14. Each reading is 15- 20 minutes long,

for more information or to book a reading please contact Lisa on 01530 245039 or 07746 070002.

Open Farm Sunday: 10th JuneLittle Markfield Farm is opening its gates to the public on Open Farm Sunday - 10th June. Read about the event on page 12.

As the game went on Markfield poured forward as much as possible but couldn’t find a way through. All looked lost when Jamie Staples’ (goalkeeper / striker) header was well saved with just minutes left.

All was lost of course until Andy Eames (defender / striker) drove into the box before flicking the ball into the Birstall defenders arm. PENALTY!

Byron Quilter showed nerves of steel as he converted the penalty that sent the game into extra time. From then on there was only ever going to be one winner.

Extra time saw the ten men completely dominate making it hard to tell which team actually had the fewer players. The pressure that Markfield was putting on the Birstall goal soon told as Aden Bates leapt to head home what was to become the winning goal.

Heroic defending saw the Rangers through to win their first trophy in club history!

I would like to personally thank all the players and staff, from both the 1st team and Reserves, for their efforts this season which have been second to none, as well as the Queens Head for being fantastic hosts after each match.

Great times lay ahead for the club and this trophy win is only the beginning! Here’s to next season. It can’t come soon enough!

Rangers go crazy after winning the William Davis Trophy Final

2

Last night I ate a mirror. Now I can’t stop reflecting on things.

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The heraldPO Box 8, Markfield,

Leics. LE67 9ZT

Tel: 01530 244069info@markfieldherald.co.uk www.markfieldherald.co.uk

The Herald is a monthly local magazine delivered free to

approximately 4,000 homes and businesses in Markfield, Field Head, Stanton under Bardon,

Thornton and Bagworth.

Contact Mike Wilkinson with your articles, news

items or advertising enquiries.

Printed by Norwood Press in Ellistown.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Herald Production

Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication

does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims,

methods or policies. The Herald cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by

advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or

inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. The Herald

reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish

articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. All contents © The Herald

None of the articles or adverts contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in any way without first obtaining written

consent from The Herald.

When I was six, my family moved to a new city, but fortunately I was able to track them down.

This issue of The Herald is being delivered over the

weekend of 9-10 June 2012 by The Herald’s team of dedicated

deliverers, namely: Amy, Maureen, John, Phoebe,

Sam, Jordan, Ian, Ann, Gill, Janet, John, Helen, Don,

Jeanie, Jenny, Lauren, Daisy, Heather, Margaret, Matthew,

Alexander, Mike, Rowan, John & Sue.

South Charnwood High School - Midlands Champions!The Year 6 & 7 Girl’s Football team from South Charnwood high School put on a magnificent show in the Midland’s Final at Nottingham Clifton Campus on Saturday 19th May. The girls played a total of

four, 15-minute matches against the other teams, Corby United and Arnold Hill School and were named Tournament Champions after winning all four games and getting the maximum score of 12 points.Well done to Jocelyn

Sutton, Emily Johnson, Ellen Ames, Megan Ames, Baylee Parry and Ella Rowley, who are all off to the National Finals in Birmingham on 30th June … good luck to you all!

Hinckley Library’s Mega Book & DVD Sale - runs until 23rd JunehINCKLEY library is holding a mega sale of adult & children’s book & DVD titles. Stock up your book shelves with popular

authors and recent best sellers. Pick up some holiday reading ready for the summer months. Have some family DVDs to hand for the long school holiday, just in case the weather lets you down.There is a wide range of fiction and non-

fiction titles available throughout the sale so it’s never too late to bag a bargain.For further information contact Hinckley

Library - Tel: 0116 305 2500.Don’t forget – all Leicestershire libraries are

free to join and you can borrow up to 24 books at any one time. We also offer free internet access to our members.

Thornton Community

Primary SchoolJubilee/Olympic

Themed

Summer Fayre!

Saturday 23rd June 2012 • 1pm-3pm

All welcome!

Loads of stalls and games, Barbecue and cream teas,Prize raffle and tombolas, Bouncy Castle and dancing!Fun and food for all the family!

See you there!

••••

•

Interesting planning applicationA LOCAL resident contacted the herald last month to draw our attention to an interesting ‘planning application’ which had appeared on the applications map on the Markfield Parish Council website.The application (ref: P/12/0882/2) was requesting pre-application advice

for a possible housing development on the triangle of land between Leicester Road, Field Head and Markfield Lane.We checked a few days later and the application had been removed

from the Markfield Parish Council website, and was no longer viewable on Charnwood Borough Council’s planning pages.We contacted Charnwood’s planning department and they confirmed that

the application was for ‘Advice’ and was not an application for planning permission.Charnwood assured us that if and when an application for planning

permission is made, neighbours affected by any proposed development would be notified and their views sought.

Art Exhibition at Newtown Linford

Local artist Ingrid Hill is holding an Art Exhibition on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July (10am-4pm) at The Sunday Room, Newtown Linford (adjacent to Bradgate park car park entrance).www.ingridhill.co.uk

4

I discovered my wife in bed with another man, and I was crushed. So I said, ‘Get off me, you two!’

Father and daughter gain Black Belts at Markfield Martial Arts SchoolVIC AND MABEL WINTER along with Rebecca Woolman have become the latest members of the Zen Goshin Ryu Martial Arts School to pass their black Belts. There was another first for the club when Senior Instructor Gavin Walker passed his 2nd Degree Black Belt.During the 2½ hour grading, the

students had to demonstrate various self defence techniques, weapons demonstration, kicks, throws/ground work and kata (sequence of moves and techniques). They are pictured being presented

with their certificates and belts by Chief Instructor Andrew Walker. Andrew commented “They all showed incredible skill, determination and effort to pass this difficult grading and

are an inspiration to the other members of the club as well as anyone else interested in taking up the sport.”The club runs 11 classes in the Markfield area with over 140 dedicated members ranging in age from 4 to 50+. For further information about the club and training times please contact Andrew on either 01530 231714 or

mobile 07975 833078 or visit www.leicestermartialarts.co.uk

Look What’s on at the

Bagworth Working Men’s Club

Tel 01530 230205Saturday 30th June 2012

‘Bagstock’ Charity Event

all money raised will go to MacMillan Nurses

2 Live Bands Fun Quiz • RaffleFrom 7pm in the

Main Function Room at Bagworth Working Men’s Club

£3 Adult £1 children 5 – 16.

Under 5’s Free

Local playgroup celebrates its 40th birthdayMarkfield PlayAway Playgroup has been operating for 40 years and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the support that we have received during that time.The current staff have 80 years of experience

between them: -Angela Berry 34 years - ManagerAndrea Bailey 15 years - DeputyTracy Chapman 10 yearsJanet Ward 10 yearsAlison Nesbitt 6 yearsSam Langley 4 yearsRhianna Harrold 1 yearAndrea already has a BA Degree in Early Years

Education and will be making a double celebration this year, completing 15 years with Playgroup and her EYPS (Early Years Professional Status). I think you will agree this is quite an achievement. Congratulations Andrea your hard work has paid off and you are a tremendous blessing to our setting.We aim to keep high standards with higher than required staffing levels,

however in these financially difficult times government funding has not

increased for 3 years. Therefore to keep up our high standards and to continue to provide the best service, we need your continued support.To enable us to plan the year September 2012

to July 2013 it would help if those of you who are considering using Playgroup would call me or pop into Playgroup to discuss your child’s needs and register your child. Also just to remind you all that children receive Government funding the term after their third birthday, which gives them 15 hours of free childcare per week. This can be used between 2 providers.Please support us to enable us to continue

providing a high level of childcare to give the children a wonderful introduction and experience in preparation for going to school.We are also grateful to the Methodist Church for

the use of their Church Hall and large storage area for all of our equipment that is needed to provide a full range of toys that is needed for the children to

have fun and learn at the same time.Please contact Angela Berry on 07971 254165 or 01530 242578 to discuss

your child’s needs.

5

Why is the winner of the Miss Universe contest always from earth?

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Letter from Uncle Eustace

On why our church is safe from vandalsThe RectorySt. James the Least

My dear Nephew DarrenI was sorry to hear that your church was broken into last week. Since your sound system rivals that of any concert hall and your projection equipment would put most cinemas to shame, it is not surprising that is what they had their sights on. Your bemusement that they never touched your library of recordings is less understandable. I would have thought that few thieves would have been much interested in thirteen alternative renditions of “Shine Jesus, shine” and other such artistic gems.It may have been an act of Christian charity to put a sign outside saying “Thieves will be forgiven”, although since they took this as an invitation to burgle your house the following evening, I hope your forgiveness still operates. You must have been greatly relieved to find that your collection of numbers from train spotting were untouched. They must have been so overjoyed to discover your tins of night-time cocoa that they overlooked them in their excitement.Last year, we also had unwelcome visitors. The thieves must have spent several hours breaking down the 400 year-old oak door to get in. Had they bothered to try the handle, they would have discovered that we never lock the church anyway.Since we have yet to leap forward into the nineteenth century, there was little to attract them. Had they removed the marble sarcophagi of the Earls of Lincombe, the money they may have made wouldn’t even have paid for the subsequent hernia operations. Inevitably, there was general outrage that the poor box had been broken into – although as far as I can remember, for many years it had contained nothing more than an old three-penny piece and a button.For many of our congregation, this represented the End of Civilisation as we Know It. Calls were made to have a permanent armed guard on the premises and a few even speculated about the possibility of having tactical nuclear weapons and strategically placed land mines about the place. Colonel Beauchamp generously offered us his collection of man traps.Perhaps our thieves may be forgiven their crime, but until that three-penny piece and button are returned, it will not be forgotten.Your loving uncle,

Eustace

Do YOU Enjoy Paintballing?

Special Offer for Herald Readers!A BRAND new paintballing venue has opened at Cliffe Lane in Markfield.Paintball S.A.S. 22 is open seven days

a week, 9am to 4pm, and offers various packages ranging from the Squaddie Pack (100 paintballs) priced at £6.99 per person to the S.A.S. Pack (2,000 paintballs) priced at £89.95 per person.Included in your package are coveralls,

ammo belt, safety goggles, gun hire, and body armour for female players and children under 16. Hot and cold food and drinks are

available to purchase.As a special concession, the

management of Paintball S.A.S. 22 is offering Herald readers a 25% discount on packages over the Paratrooper Pack (£29.95 p.p.) and above.For more information or to book your

paintballing session, contact Carly on 07770 944 322 or email: info@paintballingsas22.co.ukWhen taking up the offer, please quote reference herald1. To find out

more about the venue, visit the website at www.paintballingsas22.co.uk

June 13th ~ Mike Bull A talk about the Little Theatre

Aug 8th Skittles ~ 7.15 for 7.30pm At Little Markfield Farm

Sep 12th Thomas Coxon Feng Shui & Chinese Horoscopes

Oct 10th ~ Fiona Ure Everything stops for tea

Nov 14th ~ Food Link

Dec 12th ~ Christmas Party

Jan 9th ~ Dinner

Markfield HomeMakers Programme for 2012

Markfield HomeMakers meet in the Congregational Hall, Main Street, Markfield, on the second

Wednesday of the month at 8pm.Call: Brenda on 01530 242173

or Iris on 01530 242436

6

One day my father took me aside and left me there.

Borough Councillor Matthew Lay writes in the Herald

In-house public services can work and be more effective than other alternatives

IN ThE PAST I have written about how my strong belief in the Council seeking to employ its own people to carry out the services it provides to the residents of the Borough. This has been a gradual process

taking place over many years, moving the council form an organisation that had outsourced most of its services, to one which at every opportunity seeks to bring them back. For me this has been a key reason why the council has been able to provide services at such a relatively low cost in comparison with our peers. It is a transformation that started

out small, back when I was deputy leader at the Council between 1999 and 2003. We undertook a review of the council’s services and realised that we should be doing better with the council tax we received from households.

I asked a simple question, why do we put up with failing services, especially when we had contracted them out to private firms (often multi-nationals) who had specific delivery targets. The perceived wisdom at first was that this was the only way and if improvements were to happen, it would come from having better contracts and greater enforcement.The challenge I put, was could

we do it better. I certainly thought so and in the case of some of the contracts it would have been hard to do worse. We started at first with the cemetery management contracts in the urban core of the Borough; Hinckley, Earl Shilton and Barwell. In that first contract we made sure we got decent equipment in place, treated the workers fairly and brought on board an apprentice scheme. The Council won that contact in

a tendering exercise and made it a success by doing what we said we would. The important thing, was that it gave the Council the confidence to go out and do more and I am pleased that they did. Securing the refuse contract

was a major step forward and alongside that contract came the Council’s grounds maintenance service, a service that hit such a low in performance terms that the grass was not even being cut. Last year another big step was taken when we moved the council housing repairs service in house following a number of performance related issues with the contractor. This decision was supported by all political groups as has the belief in the ability of the Council to provide services. Straight away savings were being realised and plans for improved services put in place that will deliver for tenants. The

performance and the value for money is impressive especially when you look at some of the facts involved. In 2004 the average cost per

household of collecting refuse in the Borough was £42.21 while today it is £39.57. Bear in mind that inflation over that time period has increased prices by 23% meaning the difference or saving is even greater. The council ensure that today 99.9% of refuse collections take place on the actual nominated day of collection with around 2.2 million collections taking place every year. The cost of street cleansing per household in the Borough is today £18.68 which is in the lowest 10% of councils in a like for like comparison. At the same time incidence of litter within the sites cleaned was down to just 1% of those not meeting the required standard. The good performance

Advertise in the HeraldYou know it makes sense!

The Herald is delivered to 4,000 local homes and businesses in Markfield, Thornton, Bagworth, Stanton and

Field Head 11 Times a Year (no July issue)

If You’d Like To Advertise Your Business in The Herald,

Contact Mike on 01530 244069.

(Ad rates are on page 25)

Raising funds for The Children’s Trust (Reg. Charity No. 288018) & March of Dimes “March for Babies”

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL EVENINGWith top professional Manchester vocalist COLIN PAUL

Spinning the discs ThE ROCKIN’ RAMBLER, plus SPECIAL GUEST appearanceThe Forest Suite, Charnwood Arms Hotel, Beveridge Lane, Coalville, Leics., LE67 1TB

on FRIDAY, 20TH JULY, 2012 (Doors open 7.30 p.m. until 11.00 p.m.)£6.00 includes entry into Quality Raffle

More details & tickets – ANN (01530 230389)LARGE FREE CAR PARK ~ BAR ~ EVERYONE WELCOME ~ DISABLED-FRIENDLY VENUE

7

If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel.

of the street cleansing service recently led to it being a finalist for the APSE ‘Best Street Cleansing Service’. Road sweeping now takes place on average, every 7 weeks. Although the new council housing repairs service is only 9 months old it is on target to have saved over £300,000 from the previous private contractors. The list of service improvements

is long but the Council are not complacent and are seeking more ways to improve delivery. The services are also accountable because they are owned by you as citizens of the Borough and accountable to you through the ballot box , in theory anyway. I am

not for one second saying things are perfect and that it could be better. What I do know however, is that the money taken from taxpayers to provide the service here does exactly that and we do not see a good percentage shifted offshore in profit into the hands of a few, super-wealthy individuals.The Borough Council have

demonstrated that in-house public services can work and be more effective than other alternatives. This is a view shared by all political groups at Hinckley and consensus on this has been a common feature since we embarked on this journey over 10 years ago. What is interesting is that what we have done at Hinckley and Bosworth is in direct contrast to what the government are driving in so many areas of public service. Recently we have heard stories of outsourcing of key policing operations in the West Midlands, greater marketization in the NHS and so on. We have been told by some that this is the only way. Well if my and Hinckley and Bosworth’s experience is anything to go by over the years, outsourcing services for the sake of it will all end up costing more and delivering less, the exact opposite of what we all want to happen.

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARIES!

If you love all kinds of animals, the countryside, dog-shows, fetes, and eating al fresco, then this is an event for you – so please put the date in your diary now and be sure

not to miss it!

SUNDAY 12th AUGUST 2012Redgates’ Annual

OPEN DAY and DOG SHOWThis is the biggest fund-raiser of the year for Redgate Farm Animal

Sanctuary, so come along, (bring your dog!), have a great time and help us to raise some much needed funds to look after the animals for another

year (which will be our 27th year rescuing and caring for animals).Visit us on-line at: http://redgatefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/

Or in person at: 233, Shaw Lane, Markfield, LE67 9PW. We are open EVERY DAY (except Christmas Day) from 10:00 am – 4:00pm.

We are located on the Stanton side of the A511, half-way between Markfield and Coalville.

Phone: 01530 243 925 Email: redgate@mail.org

Redgate Farm

Animal Sanctuary

Return of Chariots of Fire....On the 13th July, as the UK prepares for the London Olympics, 20th Century Fox is bringing the acclaimed classic “Chariots of Fire” back to the big screen in a new digitally re-mastered version.Free official community outreach

resources from the Damaris trust will enable people to make the most of the film when it is re-released. Visit the resources page on www.damaris.org/chariots which includes a taster video introducing some of the themes of the film.

Midlands Group14th Midsummer

Vintage FestivalHolt Lane, Ashby Magna,

Nr Lutterworth, LeicestershireLE17 5LQ.

16th & 17th June 2012

Steam Engines • Vintage Tractors • Craft Marquee

Stationary Engines • Horticultural Display

Commercial Vehicles • Classic Cars • Fun Fair

Working Display • Beer Tent • Rural Demonstrations •

Working Gun Dogs • Fly Fishing • Trade Stalls • Arena Displays •

MotorbikesSATURDAY: AUCTION

SUNDAY: FUN DOG ShOWGates open: 9am to 5pm

Admissions: Adult £6, Children £4 (under 5’s free) Concessions £5,

Family (2 adults, up to 3 children £18)

PUBLIC CAMPING AVAILABLE: FRI – MON £25

Contact 01455 633277

or 07780616059www.midsummervintagefestival.com

LETTERDear heraldThESE days, are children taught the act of responsibility to other people’s property? If yes, why are they playing

football on my lawn and drive, damaging my trees and shrubs?

MARKFIELD RESIDENT (Name & Address Supplied)

8

Crime in multi-storey car parks. That is wrong on so many different levels.

Markfield W.I. ProgrammeMARKFIELD Womens’ Institute has a packed and interesting programme of events lined up for 2012. See below:20th June Meningitis Trust: Jo Killick

18th July Flower Arranging demo: Sarah of Quorn

15th Aug A Period Costume Show - Votes to Vapours - Notty Hornblower

19th Sept Antiques Roadshow - Richard Plant

17th Oct AGM & Phoebe Whittington: Trip to Tanzania

21st Oct Our Birthday Meal

19th Dec Twelve Days of Christmas: Anne Hughes

Market Bosworth Gardens Open Day

ONCE every two years the gardeners of Market Bosworth open their gates to the public, in aid of the National Gardens Scheme and the local group responsible for the town’s famous floral displays, Bosworth in Bloom.This year the Open Day will be held on Sunday June 24th, with at least ten

gardens open between 1pm and 6 pm: several more may decide to open nearer the date. Most are within easy walking distance of the Market Place, where visitors will be able to buy a group ticket for £5, with a detailed map showing the location of all the gardens. Refreshments will be available at some of the gardens, and also in the Market Place. Market Bosworth Open Gardens Organiser Peter Ellis said: “It is surprising

how many gardens are tucked away in the centre of this market town. Many of them are small and intimate, but they display varying approaches to the problems of gardening in a confined space.” The monthly Farmers’ Market will also be held on 24th June, from 9 am

to 2 pm, with over 20 stalls selling local and regional produce together with hot and cold snacks so visitors are encouraged to come in the morning and make a day of it.

Dave Ford Dave Ford of Anstey - founder of Africa Aid - died suddenly on 26th April 2012, aged 57. Dave was well known in the area for his charitable work in

delivering overseas aid to countries such as Ghana, Egypt, Morocco and Kazakhstan.He also initiated and ran the annual Anstey Christmas Day

Lunch - a valued provision for those in the community who found themselves alone over the festive period. Dave was very much a family man and leaves a wife Julie

and children Matthew, Jodi, Hayley and James and seven grandchildren. Dave was most definitely a ‘to do’ man, he didn’t just talk the

talk; he walked the walk. He had a sincere and serving heart and will be sadly missed by many. He does however leave a great legacy behind him.

Book of the MomentWOOL by Hugh HoweyThousands of them have lived underground. They’ve lived there so long, there are only legends

about people living anywhere else. Such a life requires rules. Strict rules. There are things that must not be discussed. Like going outside. Never mention you might like going outside. Or you’ll get what you wish for.The latest self-publishing phenomenon, Wool is a post-apocalyptic novel

series which has been snapped up by 20th Century Fox and Ridley Scott’s production company.

Thornton St.Peter’s Church Spot

IT IS often felt by impatient folk like me that the wheels of Church and Parish Councils grind exceeding slow. Having had some experience of both I know

how true this can be - and yet progress is usually made and results achieved. (Does the fable of the tortoise and the hare come to mind here?)Two recent decisions of those aforementioned

august bodies have borne fruit for us here at St Peter’s. Members of the Parish Council, enthusiastically and without hesitation, supported our application for funding from the Borough in its Parish and Community Initiative Fund. This has resulted in a grant of £3,725 for our proposed air2air heating installation. We are grateful to Councillors for their support.Additionally we are now ‘one more step along the way’ to proceeding with

the work, in that the Diocese has issued its Certificate of Approval.Public notice has now to be exhibited, both inside and outside the church,

for 28 days, after which a formal application for a Faculty can be made - the final permission. (I did say it was slow!)But thereafter all is in hand and the work can go ahead. The contractors

Cool Air Equipment Ltd of Cannock, have been instructed to install four units in the church which will feed warm air into the building.The power for these will come from two external units, which will stand on

a concrete base, be located in the SE corner and be protected by security fencing. There will also be a destratification fan suspended from the Nave roof, so that the warm air is directed downwards to where it is needed.This long awaited, and much needed, installation will ensure a warm and

welcoming building this winter - no more shivering carollers!All this has been made possible, not only by grant aid, but by the hard

work and commitment of the Friends of St Peter’s, which continues to organise events throughout the year for our enjoyment. For details of the Friends contact Peter on 01530 230372 or email:

petershaw975@btinternet.com

Martin Foster Churchwarden

9

I don’t believe in astrology. I’m a Sagittarian, and we’re sceptical.

Thank you all for a wonderful concert!

I WAS moved to put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard) to praise a marvellous concert that was held at St. Peter’s church, Thornton on Sunday 13th May. While most people (poor things!)

were watching Manchester City on Sky TV, about 40 of us gathered in Thornton’s lovely mediaeval church, overlooking the reservoir, to watch something (to my mind) infinitely better than sport!We were treated to the wonderful

voice and music of Natalie Nightingale and Friends. The Friends are Adrian Dobson, and Jess and Dan (‘Replay Acoustic’). They sang a truly lovely, mixed programme of opera, jazz, blues, ‘songs from the shows’, and more modern music - a medley of tributes to Duffy, Nora Jones and Amy Winehouse amongst others: there was even some Elvis with a modern twist. Natalie and Friends ended with a rousing chorus of Jerusalem we all joined in with! There really was something for everyone and

it was a programme full of magic moments. One of the friends I’d gone with said “it’s been the best musical experience of my life so far” – you can’t get better than that! Another said she had felt privileged to be there.I heartily recommend Natalie

Nightingale, Adrian Dobson and Replay Acoustic to anyone looking for performers for a wedding or special event. Ten, no ELEVEN out of Ten all round! Thank you guys!Visit the websites at: Natalie: www.natalienightingale.comAdrian: www.adriandobson.co.uk

Jess and Dan: www.replayacoustic.co.uk

THE FRIENDS OF ST PETER’S

CONCERT: Dianne Esmond – Chair of the Friends of St Peter’s, Jess King – the singer in “Replay Acoustic”, Adrian Dobson – soloist and professional actor, Natalie Nightingale – soloist and soprano

10

I base most of my fashion sense on what doesn’t itch.

07957 282677

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Cure For Corporate Stupidity: Avoid The Mind-Bugs That Cause Smart People To Make Bad Decisions By Larry BloomJUST LIKE software can have bugs, we have bugs in the way we think and make decisions. Many problems in business today are not the result of factors that occur outside our thinking; rather, they are self-inflicted as a result of bugs that occur in the five inches between our ears--mind-bugs. Through the use of novel, simple-to-

grasp terms like mind-bugs, and equally straightforward practices, this book shines a spotlight on the problem and provides business-friendly tools and solutions. It explains that detecting and avoiding mind-bugs is a low-risk, low-cost, easy-to-implement way to go about what we already do. The Cure describes how to practice mind-bug detection as part of our

daily routines. The Cure is for people in companies of any size who want to improve their decisions, help achieve better company results, decrease risk, improve teamwork, grow their careers, reduce stress, and do more with less. AMAZON PRICE: £14.44

Real Truth About Social Media: Confessions Of A Social Media CEO By Eric harrIN ThIS BOOK Harr reveals the secrets to social media success. He shares invaluable lessons -- and painful mistakes -- forged from thousands of hours of in-the-trenches work with his clients. Filled with the latest research, actionable insights, case studies, valuable templates, and simple tips, this book will save you time, boost your business, and enrich your life. Learn the basics of social media in plain

language: what it is, how it works, how we got here, and how you can benefit from it. Explore twenty inspirational, real-world success studies and how they apply to your business and your life. Get the CEO’s Success Toolkit, a veritable treasure trove of free and low-cost tools and resources to help you get the most out of social media.Discover a proven five-step formula for calculating the true ROI from your

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Not all on holidayIT’S hOLIDAY season, but will you be taking all of yours this year? One in four of us do NOT take

our entire holiday entitlement because of our concerns over the cost of a break, and reluctance to be away from the office, and thus out of the ‘loop’.A survey by TravelSupermarket,

a price comparison website, has found that the biggest problem is simply coordinating holidays with our partners and other family members. And even when we do go on

holiday, nearly one in eight of us check our work-related emails and telephone calls. As one executive from TravelSupermarket pointed out: “As hard as it may be, switching off your phone while you’re away will not only make your holiday more enjoyable, it will make your companion or family’s trip even better.”

11

I put tape on the mirrors in my house so I don’t accidentally walk through into another dimension.

Community projects get the go-ahead COMMUNITY groups in parishes across hinckley & Bosworth are celebrating after learning that their schemes have been awarded a share of this year’s Parish and Community Initiative Fund. The aim of the Fund, which is administered by the Borough Council, is to enable people who live in the parishes to

improve local facilities and the quality of life in their communities.A total of £93,278 will be awarded to 28 schemes this year.Since 2005 the Fund has awarded over £580,000 for 118 schemes to local parishes and voluntary organisations.Councillor Bill Crooks, the Borough Council’s Executive Member for Rural Affairs, said: “Despite cutbacks in

other areas we have been able to keep the same level of support for these vital rural projects.“It’s good to see these grants spread right across the borough. Once again they are proving to be very popular as

the fund was oversubscribed.”This year’s successful projects are as follows:

Bagworth and Thornton Parish Council - £2,550 for a new pavilion and associated facilities at the Old Colliery Sports Ground.

Bagworth Bowls Club - £3,725 for clubhouse toilet block extension.

St Peter’s Church, Thornton - £3,725 for installation of heating system.

Barlestone - £10,000 has been allocated to share between three projects: a youth shelter at Bagworth Road Playing Fields; improved access at Elohim Church; and repairs to the organ at St Giles Parish Church.

George Ward Centre, Barwell - for safety surfacing to a fenced play space for small children.

Barwell Parish Council - £2,966 for renewal of pathways at Kirkby Road Cemetery.

Cadeby Parish Council - £1,821 for planting of bulbs and plants at entrance points to the village.

Desford Free Church - £1,050 for refurbishment of community room.

Sport in Desford - £2,375 for provision of a multi-programmed treadmill.

St Martin’s Church, Desford - £476 towards a digital projector.

Earl Shilton Town Council - £3,340 for the installation of columbaria at Mill Lane Cemetery.

Groby Parish Council - £6,000 for the provision of a new play area at Quarry Fields.

73rd Leicester (Groby) Scout Group - £4,000 for improvements to HQ.

Higham-on-the-Hill PCC - £4,000 to provide a toilet facility in the church.

Market Bosworth Parish Council - £1,741 for footpath drainage and repairs at the Parish Fields.

Markfield Parish Council - £4,363 for a new item of play equipment at Mayflower Close play area.

Newbold Verdon Baptist Church - £2,668 for improvements to existing kitchen.

Peckleton Parish Council - £3,244 for improvements to Peckleton Village Hall kitchen.

Ratby Parish Council - £10,000 for a new skate park/wheeled sports facility at Ferndale Park.

Shackerstone Church Restoration Trust - £10,000 for repairs to bell chamber.

Sheepy Memorial Hall - £701 for new table and trolley.

Without Walls Christian Fellowship, Stanton under Bardon - £5,399 for windows and floor replacement.

Stanton under Bardon Youth Club - £1,082 for roof repairs.

Stoke Golding Parish Council - £2,563 for improvements to the play area at Stoke Golding recreation ground.

Sutton Cheney Parish Council - £676 to install a new community notice board at Dadlington Green.

Norton Juxta Twycross Village Hall Institute - £3,625 to improve the energy efficiency of the village hall.

Herald Film Reviewfrom Tom Flowitt

Men in Black 3 (PG)Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin105 minutes

The Men in Black are back (sigh) and this time they face a foe from Agent K’s (Lee Cooper) past. When Boris the Animal escapes and travels back in time to kill K before he can imprison him he sets the Earth on a course for destruction. K’s partner, Agent J (Smith), must travel back and team up with K’s younger self (Brolin) before it’s too late.

In truth I have padded out the story a bit above because frankly there is very little of it and what there is, isn’t good. The pacing is inconsistent, the plot nonsensical and uninteresting and the special effects look like something prepared earlier on Blue Peter. If you can look past all of this however, it’s not that bad (except that it still is).

For the first twenty minutes Will Smith doesn’t look as though he wants to be there, and you can’t blame him. Even when he learns that the Earth is about to be destroyed imminently he can barely muster the energy to do something about it (secretly you will hope he lets the world be destroyed so you don’t have to watch anymore).

I can excuse most of the above, honest mistakes as they are, but what I can’t get my head round is why they would release a film that has been edited so poorly. Literally bits of the film are missing. Questions such as, how did he get there so fast? Or how can he be eating an apple pie that the waitress hasn’t given to him yet? will fill your mind throughout.

It’s not all bad though. The cast is good; you don’t get much better than Will Smith, Josh Brolin and Emma Thompson, even if her part is only brief. Will even perks up when he travels back in time to resemble the Will Smith we know and love. There are also some genuinely funny moments, not many but hey it’s something.

Overall: Initially I came out of the cinema feeling that this was the worst film I had ever seen. In hindsight this is a tad harsh but not a million miles away from the truth.

1 Star

Why we love pressure cookersREMEMBER pressure cookers? Obviously you do, because they are making a big comeback. Sales of the new generation of

pressure cookers have risen by up to 45 per cent in some shops this past year.The reason is simple; the sealed

devices can reduce energy consumption by as much as 80 per cent, and cut cooking time by up to half. Celebrity cooks have been recommending them, from Delia Smith to Jamie Oliver. Sales have also been boosted by the current boom in ‘retro’ kitchen products. At only about £25 each, it is not hard to see why.

12

Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxis and cutting hair.

Visit a farm on Open Farm Sunday and discover the story

behind our food.A day for everyone to meet the people, who grow our food

and care for our countryside,10th June 2012

Where: Little Markfield Farm,Forest Road, Markfield, LE67 9UQ.Time: 10.30am to 5.00pm

Contact: Brenda 01530 242173 or 07774047571~ Activities ~

Come and see sheep being sheared, wool being spun, Cows, Sheep, Pigs and Chickens with their babies; feed the lambs! Alpacas, Farm walks,

Cookery Demonstrations by Simon Morgan,Craft Demonstrations by Barry Phillips,

Hot dogs & Beef Burgers using farm produce,Home made cakes & Pies,

Beer festival, Meet Pen the Red-Tail Hawk Modern & Vintage machinery, Over 30 Crafts & Food stalls, Sausage

making with the Sausage Master Alf £1 entry fee per Adult Children Free

We will be raising money for Derbyshire Leicestershire Rutland Air Ambulance and

St Michael and All Angels Church Markfield

Appointment of officersMr Stuart Bridges was nominated for the position of Chairman and accepted.Mr John Palmer was nominated for the position of Vice Chair and accepted.MQP Liaison Committee – Dr HeapNo New Officers - The Parish Council has one vacancy that can be filled by Co-Option.

Community Police CommentsNo crime reported

County Councillor’s ReportTravellers Site at Copt Oak has been refused. During the Olympics there may be a reduction in Local Policing due to Officers being needed at the games. A number of Schools in the area have become Academies. This will affect the Catchment Areas and free transport to Schools, and a report is currently being done on this.With regard to the two planning applications in the Village, Highways have objected to both but their preferred option is the Parish Council Application.The extension to the quarry is still in planning and they are currently bidding on funds to build the extension.

Questions to the ChairA Parishioner mentioned that Polystyrene seemed to be all over the village. This has come from the building site and due to high winds has spread it everywhere. HBBC have been out and cleaned the roads.

Lighting at Bell CloseIn reference to the Street Lighting at Bell close that was raised at

Extracts from Stanton under Bardon Parish Council Minutes

ThE FOLLOWING topics were among the items discussed at the meeting of Stanton-under-Bardon Parish Council, held on Wednesday 2nd May 2012 at The Youth Club, Stanton under Bardon. Please note that this information is based upon the unapproved minutes,

and may be subject to alteration or correction.

the last meeting. The Clerk has contacted LCC and they have said that the criteria for a light to be left on at junctions, was set down by emergency services at 20 houses or more. Bell Close does not meet this criteria therefore it was selected for part night operation. Also given the long straight section of road, LCC said that visibility would not be an issue.

Summer Playgroup DonationNo breakdown of the costs involved has been received from the Playgroup. Clerk to write to advise there is funding available from the Borough Council and their website has all the details.

Recreation Ground Wicksteed have been out and inspected the hole in the wet pour under the Slide and have said that it is due to vandalism. As a token of goodwill they have repaired the hole at no cost to the Council.Allotments The Top Allotments are all rented out and there are 5 vacant on the Bottom Allotments.

Planning Applications/ Permissions/refusals

Erection Of Dwelling - 136 Main Street, Stanton under Bardon - Clerk has sent objections to HBBC.

MQP - Variation of Condition 40 of Permission Reference 2007/1059/04 - No objections.

Erection of 2 Wind Turbines - Stanton Lane Farm, Stanton under Bardon - No Objections.

The Parish Planning Application and the application for 261 Main Street did not go before the Planning Committee as they are still waiting for reports to be done.

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National Trust may buy Stoneywell CottageACCORDING to a report in the Leicester Mercury, the National Trust is in discussions with the family of architect Ernest Gimson to buy the Grade II* Listed Stoneywell Cottage at Ulverscroft, near Markfield.The granite and rubble stone cottage and stables were built for the

Leicester-born architect’s elder brother, Sydney Gimson and his wife, Jeanie, in 1898. If the deal goes ahead, the cottage would become only the second

property in Leicestershire to be owned by the charity.

13

I won’t say ours was a tough school, but we had our own coroner.

Air Ambulance Charity DanceOn Friday 6th July at 8.00 pm at the Bagworth Working Men’s Club there will be a charity dance. All of the profits will go to the Leicestershire Air Ambulance. Robin will be

providing the music. Tickets cost £2.50 and can be bought on the door or can be obtained from

the Club. There will also be a raffle and bingo at this event. This is always a good night which is enjoyed by everyone. There are always lots of good prizes for the raffle giving you a great chance

of winning. Come and support this very worthwhile cause and have a good time as

well. Information: 01530 230467.

Don’t MissThornton Fashion Show & Sale!A FAShION ShOW’ & ‘SALE, staged by SOS Fashions, is to be held at Thornton Community Centre on Saturday 23rd June at 2.30pm. Admission £2.00.This is a great opportunity to pick up

some real bargains, the fashion items on sale are from major High St. Stores ‘at less than half price’.After the Show you’ll be able to browse through all the rails and try on

whatever you fancy. This is a ‘Friends of St. Peter’s’ fund-raising event

Invitation to Evelyn Snell’s 90th birthdayEVELYN SNELL of Upland Drive, Markfield will be 90 years young on 26th July 2012.She was born Evelyn Murby

at Cliffe Hill in 1922 and married in 1942 to Eric Snell, who she met in the R.A.F.They have two children

(a son Roy and a daughter Barbara), four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.The family moved to

Markfield in 1948. Sadly, Evelyn lost her husband in 1989.Evelyn was a member of

the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service and ran the library in the Miners’ Institute for many years. She was also on the Scout committee, helped to run the Senior Citizen’s Welcome Club, delivered Meals on Wheels, belonged to the young Wives and is still a member of the Congregational Church and the thursday Club at Stanton-under-Bardon.Her daughter and daughter-in-law would like to invite relatives, friends,

neighbours and anyone who knows her to an Open House at Evelyn’s home on Thursday 26th July 2012 from 10am to 4pm.Please join us for a cuppa, cake and a natter.

14

I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

South Charnwood joins forces with Midland Quarry productsJUST AFTER Christmas South Charnwood high School made contact with Midland Quarry products in the hope that the 2 organisations could work closely together. We were so pleased with the response from

Richard Nevin and his team and they were keen to get involved, suggesting the potential areas of Science, Humanities and Careers Education. Even at the early meeting we discussed the possibility of a small group of our pupils, who are following the ASDAN Life Skills Course, visiting the Old Cliffe Hill Quarry. So, just before Easter 12 excited Year 8 pupils

were collected in landrovers and taken to the quarry. They had already been kitted out with essential safety equipment, which included hard hats, gloves, goggles and high-visibility jackets. As they entered the quarry they were told to get out of the landrover and were shown the vast expanse of the quarry itself. They were amazed and fascinated that such an enormous facility existed right on their door step. So big is the quarry that from their viewpoint enormous dumper trucks looked like dinky toys. Then back into the landrover to drive down and down into the depths of the quarry to the work face to see the ‘crusher’ in action. The pupils were absolutely fascinated. Then, the highlight of the day – a rollercoaster ride into the ground through the half mile underground tunnel which joins the two quarries together. Finally, the pupils were invited into the control room for the trains running within the quarry. The biggest train set in Leicestershire!Our Year 9 pupils enjoyed the same experience recently, but had the added pressure of an interview with Mr Nevin

himself. The pupils had been asked to fill in application forms for an apprenticeship and were told to dress smartly. Mr Nevin then gave each pupil individual feedback. Careers information and guidance at its best.Mrs Vanessa Stanton, who was one of the members of staff who accompanied our pupils said “I can’t speak more

highly of all the staff at the quarry. They looked after us so well and the pupils absolutely loved it.”Can we please on record our thanks to Richard Nevin and his team and we look forward to further collaboration

in the future.

South Charnwood pupils on a visit to the Old Cliffe Hill Quarry, run by Midland Quarry Products.

Want to lose weight?WELL, ‘Go to work on an egg’, as the old advertising campaign advised. Now obesity

experts have found that eggs seem to be one of nature’s appetite suppressants, encouraging hormones that control hunger and tell us that we are full. It may be that the quality of the protein in your diet, rather than the quantity, can affect how full you feel. The study was carried out at the Biomedical Research Centre in Louisiana.

LETTERDear heraldThESE days, are children taught the act of responsibility to other people’s property? If yes, why are they playing

football on my lawn and drive, damaging my trees and shrubs?

MARKFIELD RESIDENT(Name & Address Supplied)

15

I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own.

Bagworth Forward Group NewsJUST a reminder to readers that the Annual Bagworth Show will take place on Saturday 25th August. This is our tenth year. It is a garden, craft

and produce show with over 100 different categories. In addition to the prizes that we give for

first, second and third, we also present 19 cups and trophies. Two of these are for best front gardens in Bagworth – one for best large and one for best small. Everyone in the village is entered. The judges will be coming round for the final time in the next few weeks, so now is the time for that sprucing up of your garden so that you are in with a chance. For further details, Bob (01530 230429) or Austin@bagworth.freeserve.

co.uk

6-7pm

Wednesday 27th June

at Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield

Contact Karen (249829) or Rosemary (242844)

Churches Together in Markfield

CAR BOOT SALE Saturday 9th June - 9am to 1pm Copt Oak Memorial Hall Field – LE67 9QB next to Copt Oak Pub

STALLS set up 8am ~ CARS £5 ~ ALL OTHER VEHICLES £7 PUBLIC admission 9am ~ Entrance 50p ~ children free

Booking advisable @ 0116 2674 746 Ample free parking - Refreshments available

Proceeds in aid of St Peter’s Church, Copt Oak

16

I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.

NO JOB TOO SMALL

From changing a light bulb to complete house re-decoration. For all the jobs you need to do but simply don’t have time.

IDC Home Maintenance Painter Decorator and Property Maintenance

For a free quotation please call Ian on:

01530 245461 or 07885 541428 3 The Nook, Markfield, Leicestershire

Web site: www.idchomemaintenance.co.uk

Advert Size Dimensions Colour B/W

Sixteenth Page 45mm wide x 65mm high £20.00+VAT £13.50+VAT

Eighth Page 95mm wide x 65mm high £40.00+VAT £27.00+VAT

Quarter Page 95mm wide x 132mm high £65.00+VAT £45.00+VAT

Half Page 194mm wide x 132mm high £120.00+VAT £80.00+VAT

Full Page (A4) 194mm wide x 268mm high £190.00+VAT £140.00+VAT

Ring 01530 244069 to book your advert or email: info@markfieldherald.co.uk

Herald Advertising Rates

Local Schools invited to join the Dogs Trust campaign for a poop free summer

Children Of Leicestershire To ‘Put Their Paws’ Up For Poop Scoop WeekNATIONAL POOP SCOOP WEEK (11th-17th June) will soon be upon us and Dogs Trust the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is calling on schools across Leicestershire to show their support for responsible dog ownership by backing the Paws up for Poop Scoop campaign. The awareness week encourages dog owners to demonstrate responsible dog ownership and pick up after their dogs. For the second year the team from Dogs Trust is

urging local schools to support the awareness week and ‘put their paws up for poop scoop.’ Last year 75,000 children across the country did just this and it is hoped that this year even more dog owners of the future will support the campaign. To show your support, and sign-up your school please visit; www.poopscoopweek.co.uk. To remember the week why not send us a picture of your class putting your ‘Paws up for Poop Scoop’ with your Poop Scoop poster on display and we’ll send you free t-shirts for all the class. Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust CEO says: “Dog fouling is an issue Dogs

Trust is determined to tackle and we hope Poop Scoop Week will reinforce the importance of picking up dog poo! We hope that by getting the support of children around the country we can shape the future of dog ownership. We want people to be able to enjoy clean public areas all year round and if everyone remembers the importance of picking after their dog we can make a big difference.” Dog fouling is a problem the charity is determined to tackle. The campaign

slogan ‘Bag it and Bin it’ is a simple reminder to all dog owners:BAG IT – Once your dog’s poop has been scooped, carefully turn the plastic bag inside out and your dogs mess will then be ‘bagged’. BIN IT - Dispose of your bag in any litter bin provided (don’t leave it lying around). Contrary to popular belief, dog waste can be put into a public litter bin if a specific dog waste bin is not provided.

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17

I love the way garages leave black buckets outside for your dead flowers.

Markfield Scout News from Dave MorrisScout Community Week SCOUT Community Week is a replacement for the old “bob a job week” and gives the Scouts a chance to work together with the local community on projects or events to raise money for local and national Scouting through the Developments Grants Board.Set up in 2001, the

Development Grants Board has a remit to receive applications and provide grants for the development of local scouting. In 2009 the Markfield Scouts received a grant from the board to enable the carer of a Scout to accompany him on an international camp in Kandersteg, Switzerland. Recently the Markfield Scouts helped at the May Day Fete in

Stanton and will also be helping at the “Farm Open Day” at Little Markfield Farm in June.If you would like to donate to “Scout Community

Week” please contact Dave Morris on 01530 243804 or dave@1stmarkfield-scouts.co.uk

Edward wins Scouts Top Award

EDWARD hIGGINS was presented with the Chief Scouts Gold Award by the County Commissioner at a ceremony at The County Scout hQ.The CSA Gold award is the top

award in the Scout section and is only given to Scouts who have completed a high standard in a wide variety of Challenge Awards.

Dave Morris GSL - 1st Markfield Scout Group

QualityHandmade Ironwork

www.handmade-ironwork.co.uk

01530-243804Made to order to your

individual design

Texting is more honest than talkingPERhAPS we should have more respect for texting. A recent study in the USA has

found that when people send a text, they tend to be more honest and exact than they are when talking on a phone. People will disclose more sensitive

information by text than by voice, as well, it seems. The researchers at the University

of Michigan concluded that the key must be that texting makes people slow down, and they cannot rattle off the first thing that comes into their head.

£1 Million Science Experiment Book Giveaway for Bored Kids this Summer!

A children’s science expert has launched a new free book that will put an end to summer boredom with unique and incredible science experiments.‘Mad’ Marc Wileman is giving away 100,000 copies of the book as part of his mission to inspire children to

discover how awesome science can be. It costs £9.99 on Amazon but is being given away completely free as a million pound science book away!The book called ‘Don’t Eat Your Slime! is packed full of incredible experiments for curious kids andincludes bubbling fountains, lava, musical instruments and a volcano as well as detailed explanations of how

to carry out the experiments safely.Scientist and founder of Sublime Science, Marc Wileman is a leading expert in making science fun and has

appeared on the BBC, ITV and featured in the Guardian as well as having worked with the British Science Association and the National Science Museum.He is hoping that the free book will help young children to discover the fun side of science and help parents

to keep their children entertained over the summer holiday period.The free book – ‘Don’t eat your slime!’ – is available to download at: www.sublimescience.com/book.html.

18

A guy knows he’s in love when he loses interest in his car for a couple of days.

Borough Councillors’ Report Chris Boothby & Ozzy O’Shea

Cllr Ozzy O’Shea Tel 0116 239 4336 or 07808 585825

Email ozzyoshea@hotmail.com

Cllr Chris Boothby Tel 0116 238 8301 or 07704 345637 Email chris.boothby@hotmail.co.uk

Planning AppealWE ARE delighted to inform you of the recent decision to dismiss the appeal of refusal of planning permission by hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council. This application was for a large

agricultural building on land on Heath Rd in Bagworth. We both had argued that as there was already a building on the site, there was no need for a replacement with the excessive dimensions proposed.Also , there was no evidence to

support the claim by the applicant that it was needed for storage of feed and shelter for livestock as there was rarely any livestock to be found on the land. Finally, we argued that the

position of the entrance was totally unsuitable for vehicular access as the speed of vehicles on Heath Rd were fast and the visibility exiting the site was dangerous and these arguments were supported by planning officers, although Leicestershire Highways failed to support this view despite overwhelming evidence.Nevertheless, members refused

the application on grounds of unwarranted intrusion in open countryside.We both attended the appeal and

the evidence was heard by Mr J Woolcock (Planning Inspectorate). Again we put forward our evidence and the rationale behind it. The applicant and his agent also put forward their reasons for appeal. This was followed by a site visit in the afternoon.The inspector concluded that the

appeal should be dismissed on the following grounds:- The effects of the proposed

development fail to meet the requirements on a) Highway Safety and b) Character and appearance of the area in regard to relevant policy on development in the countryside.Obviously we are pleased with the

Would you like a new kitchen with that cooker?I WAS chatting to Allan, the boss at Keith Smith’s Electrical shop in Anstey, the other day when I noticed a fitted kitchen display.When I asked about it, Allan

explained that fitted kitchens were the latest products to be offered by the shop.Allan sells lots of white goods

- fridges, freezers, cookers and dishwashers - so it seemed a logical step to offer wall units, base units, sinks and worktops as well.As a result, Keith Smith are

now agents for AWE Kitchens & Bedrooms, who are based in Hill Lane Close, Markfield.Allan has negotiated a series

of offers with AWE, so if you’re thinking of splashing out on a new kitchen, it might be worth calling in to Keith Smith’s first.

Mike Wilkinson

Old pianos needed urgently!JAN AND BEN at the Bricklayer’s Arms in Thornton urgently need some old pianos for their regular fundraising piano-smashing event.If you have an old piano which

you would like to donate for this worthy cause please contact Jan or Ben at the Bricklayer’s Arms on 01530 230808. Collection can be arranged.

result , which we never expected to win, as this justifies our stance on protecting the countryside along with your help.

Parish and Community Initiative Fund 2012AGAIN we are pleased to announce that 3 projects in Bagworth and Thornton have been successful in their respective bids for funding from the Parish and Community Initiative Fund.This fund , started in 2005/6 by the

then Conservative Administration at H.B.B.C. for rural community groups, has an annual amount of £100,000 to distribute across the Borough and this year is giving

£92,000 to qualifying applicants.The 3 from this area are:-

Old Colliery Sports Ground - demolition and replacement of the old pavilion to promote sporting facilities. Awarded £2,550.Bagworth Bowls Club - extension and provision of toilet block. Awarded £3,725.St Peter’s Church, Thornton - replacement of heating system. Awarded £ 3,725.

We offer our congratulations to all 3 recipient groups and we were pleased to sign these applications off as they were much needed .If any other Community Groups

need funding , then make sure you apply or contact ourselves for further information .Best regards

Chris & Ozzy

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What (many) women really, really wantWhat might the woman in your life secretly enjoy?

Cleaning house: vacuuming, tidying up and wiping surfaces clean. Really. It’s true. A recent study has found that one in three women really enjoy

giving their homes the ‘once-over’, finding it relaxing, satisfying and even therapeutic. As one psychologist explained: “There is a sense of control in

creating a home environment.” The study was carried out by Thornton and Ross, a pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Football Club Second NamesThe 92 clubs in the English football league share 21 last names (for example: CITY, as in Leicester City).Can you work out the other 20?Answers on page 30.

19

What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer.

The Bulls Head Forest Road, Markfield T: 01530 242541 Garden & Pub Games etc. Saturday 16th June: JAYNE - female vocalist

The Queen’s Head Ashby Road, Markfield. T: 01530 242 496 ALL SKY SPORTS & ESPN Saturday 23rd June: KING OF THE ROAD KARAOKE Saturday 30th June: Introducing MICHAEL VICKERS (Singer/Songwriter) Saturday 28th July: ADAM - Soul Singer.

The Bricklayers Arms 213 Main Street Thornton T: 01530 230 808 QUIZ Nite: Thursdays See ad page 24 www.bricklayersarms.net

The Club, Thornton Main Street. T: 01530 230251 Open to Non-Members Sat 9th June: Lennerd Skinnerd - Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band Sat 16th June: The Dirty Water Band Sat 23rd June: The Rhythm Riders (Formerly Souled Out) Sat 30th June: The Freeze Sat 7th July: Mr Rokard Sat 14th July: The Zufflers We Also Have Bingo Every Tuesday Evening All Welcome ALL SKY SPORTS AND ESPN www.myspace.com/thorntonclub

Bagworth Working Men’s Club, Station Road, Bagworth. Tel. 01530 230205 New members welcome. Live entertainment – last Saturday of the month Andy’s Charity Quiz £1.50 each - last Friday of the month

Sequence dances Sunday Nights. £1.00 admission 8 pm Tea Dance Wednesday afternoon 2 – 4 pm. £1 admission. Friday 6th July 8pm: Charity Dance for Air Ambulance, music by Robin Saturday 21st July 8pm: WMC Social Dance, admission £1 Saturday 11th August 8pm:WMC Social Dance, admission £1 For further details, tel: 01530 230205

The Field Head Hotel Markfield Lane, Markfield Tel: 01530 245454 Tribute Nights/£2 Entry after 7pm. Fri 15th June: TAKE THAT Fri 29th June: BLUES BROTHERS Fri 13th July: ABBA Fri 27th July: SIMPLY RED Fri 10th August: MICHAEL BUBLE Quiz Nite: 2nd Tues of Month

The Coach & Horses Leicester Road, Field Head Tel: 01530 242 312 KARAOKE Nights:- Sats 16th June, 30th June with ’King of the Road’

Groby Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Leicester Road, Groby Tel: 0116 287 1809 www.grobyclub.co.uk Fri 15th June: Jamie Lee Sat 16th June: Limozine Sun 17th June: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 22nd June: Carl Merry Sat 23rd June: Stilcrazy Sun 24th June: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 29th June: Adam Lowe Sat 30th June: Yolanda Mac Also Paul Levent Sun 1st July: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 6th July: Claire Daniels Sat 7th July: Living the Dream Sun 8th July: Super Sunday ‘50’ Fri 13th July: Adam James Wilford Sat 14th July: Double Trouble Sun 15th July: Super Sunday ‘50’

CLA welcomes consultation on rights of way

CLA Midlands has welcomed a rights of way consultation by Natural England that should enable land managers to put their legitimate concerns forward and cut red tape.

The Association is part of the Stakeholder Working Group on Unrecorded Rights of Way which has produced Stepping Forward, a report to Natural England to start the consultation process.

CLA Midlands Rural Surveyor Andrew Shirley said: “This marks the first step in reducing the needless bureaucracy that plagues public rights of way.

“The real problem is that some authorities have such a large backlog that it can take many years to clear. Some counties are taking 10 years or more before applications are looked at, during which time both sides are becoming more and more entrenched.

“I would also hope for clarity to the 2026 deadline for reclaiming supposedly lost rights of way. This will not reduce access to the countryside as public rights of way on the map by that date will remain, and new routes can be added by virtue of long use. It will however prevent spurious claims for routes taken from old documentation, often prepared for a different purpose, when there is no evidence of use on the ground or anything to do with today’s recreational needs

“If the report’s recommendations are implemented, it should cut red tape, allow landowners to put forward legitimate concerns about rights of way, while making the system better and easier.

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Government agrees £30 million extra to resolve VAT concernsThE ChURCh of England has welcomed the new agreement with the Government over the future funding of alterations and repairs to its 12,500 listed buildings, which will provide £30 million a year extra money. This is on top of the £12 million already in the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS).

Despite not persuading the Government that maintaining zero rated VAT for alterations is the best way forward, church leaders today said that the £30 million a year extra money that the Chancellor has committed to the LPWGS will enable the equivalent to the VAT bill to be paid out on all alterations and repairs to listed church buildings. The Scheme pays out to those denominations and faiths with listed buildings

20

The pen is mightier than the sword and considerably easier to write with.

Cross Hills Baptist ChurchServing the villages of Thornton & Bagworth plus the surrounding area

Sunday School AnniversaryThe Sunday Club leaders and

the children are working hard to keep this tradition going and will be leading this special service “The Marvellous Picnic” on Sunday 17th June at 10.30am. If you can, please come along to give them your

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THORNTON Open GardensFIRSTLY, a big ‘Thank you’ to those Thornton villagers who, in the past, have opened their gardens in order to raise funds for the ‘Friends of St. Peter’s’.

The committee decided earlier in the year that there would not be an ‘Open Gardens’ event this year as the summer looked very full already with the Queen’s Jubilee, the Olympic Games, the European Football & the South African’s cricket team touring.

However, it does give us more time to organize the ‘Open Gardens’ event which is planned for the weekend of 8th/9th June 2013. It was also decided that we would try a different format by having the event over a weekend rather than the one day. This has two major advantages in that if the weather is inclement on one day we still have a chance that the weather will be OK on the other day; it also gives the visitors extra value and if the weather is good on both days it should increase the number of visitors to the gardens.

So, if you are interested in opening your garden next year we would love to hear from you; the times of opening have not been decided yet but a possible window of 1.00pm – 5.00pm is likely on both days. The choice of opening days will be entirely up to you, you might want to open just Saturday, or you might want to open just Sunday, or you might want to open both days, but whatever you decide, nearer the time, it will need to be confirmed so that the programme can show which gardens are open on which days.

Please contact: John on 01530 230610 or Phil on 01530 230385. Thank you!

support. Afterwards, there will be a Bring & Share Sunday Lunch in our hall behind the church and if anyone wishes to join us please ring for more information on one of the numbers below.

The Awesome Holiday Club (Please note our new start and

end times.)The school holidays will soon

be here! If you are looking for something interesting and lively for your children to do in August, why not bring them along to the Awesome Holiday Club from Monday 6th to Wednesday 8th August from 9.15am to 11.45am (Registration from 9am). Suitable for children from ages 3 to 11, there will be crafts, games, songs, memory verses and prayers – a fun packed and lively programme every day with our puppets helping to end the day with a song. Children under 3 are also welcome providing a parent or guardian remains with them. If you need any more information please ring one of the contact numbers below.

Cross Hills chairs in memory of loved onesAnyone who has been inside

Cross Hills Church will have noticed small plaques on our chairs, that

were either partly or fully funded by donations from families in memory of their loved ones. At the time, this scheme was over-subscribed but there is another opportunity as we now have space for a further 12 chairs to match the original ones.If you are interested in either

partly or fully funding a chair in memory of a loved one, with a plaque on it bearing their name, please speak to Garry on his number below about the cost involved and to discuss it further.Details of our Services are in the

Church Service Information section in this magazine if you wish to join us on any Sunday. We serve tea and coffee after our services and always make anyone who is visiting for the first time feel welcome.

Contact NumbersPastor - Garry Kelly: 07816 616189Secretary - Lynda Kelly: 07910 440243Treasurer - Glynis Straw: 01530 230272Parish Nurse - Vera Harding: 01530 230557

Glynis Straw Treasurer - on behalf of the Cross Hills Church family

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21

There was a fire at the main Inland Revenue office in London today, but it was put out before any serious good was done.

Charity Walk on behalf of the Glenfield Hospital Cardiac Unit

If it was not for the wonderful care and skills of the staff in the Cardiac Unit of Glenfield hospital, Stephen Bott of Markfield Court Retirement Village may not have been with us today and certainly would not have been enjoying a full and active life. It was therefore to show her appreciation for saving the life of her husband

and that of many others that Pauline Bott, a warden at Markfield Court Retirement Village, set off on Saturday 19 May on a 10 mile sponsored walk around the village. In spite of it being a cold and drizzly morning she was well supported by

many of the residents who kept Pauline company at various stages of her walk. Not least of these supporters was Stephen himself who managed 5 miles,

a fete that would have been unimaginable a few months ago. It is thanks to Pauline’s sterling effort that, once all the sponsorship money is collected, she will be able to present the Glenfield Hospital Cardiac Unit with a cheque in excess of £720. Well done Pauline!

A fascinating meeting at Bagworth WIAT ThEIR May meeting, Bagworth WI were given an informative and interesting talk by one of their members about the difficulties which midwives today are facing, due to shortages and lack of training in the health service.This was of particular interest to the group because the WI nationally will

be voting on a resolution at the forthcoming National Conference regarding the work of midwives. The resolution that will be debated nationally is ‘the NFWI call on the Government to increase investment in the training and employment and selection of midwives in England and Wales to ensure services are adequately resourced and are able to deliver a high standard of care’. Bagworth WI will be sending a delegate to the conference to cast their vote in this debate.For the second part of the meeting, we had speaker Ros Barber, who gave

an interesting talk about the history of fascinators from the 17th century. This was followed by a demonstration from Maureen Barber showing how they are made and the materials used. Members were then given the opportunity to try them on, which ended -excuse the pun!- a fascinating and enjoyable evening.

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Two lions are walking down the aisle of a supermarket. One turns to the other and says. ‘Quiet in here today, isn’t it’

County Councillor’s Report from David Sprason

Highways MaintenancehIGhWAYS maintenance has always been seen either as a pain or a relief. So I wish to cover these this month

as a number of different works are already being undertaken or are being planned. It is worth pointing out at this stage that we are also seeing a major gas pipe replacement scheme across the County this is not being carried out by the County Council.You may be aware that carriageway

repairs have been carried out to the A50 roundabout at Junction 22 of the M1. As this entailed road closures it was planned to take place between 8pm and 6am. This ensured that it would have the least impact on road users and local residents and apart from a few HGVs missing diversion signs was successful. Further road surfacing works are planned for the A511 and the A50 to the M1 during the year.

Road safetyI hAVE been raising concerns for a number of years regarding road safety due to speeding in three areas in particular. The first was the B582 Leicester

Lane, Desford, the second was Station Road, Bagworth and the third is the A50 Bradgate Hill/Field Head. A scheme for Leicester Lane

Desford has already been consulted on and agreed and will see a number of measures implemented including speed activated signs.I am also pleased to say that a

scheme to extend the 40mph speed limit plus other measures will be consulted on for the A50. This could mean that the full stretch of road from the Bradgate landfill roundabout to the Markfield roundabout at Field Head will be 40mph. The bottom end of Bradgate Hill and Markfield

Road which is in Groby Parish will also be reduced to 40mph and will also have other measures as part of the scheme.Finally at the Maynard end of

Station Road in Bagworth, a road safety scheme is being developed. My thanks go to Ozzy O’Shea and our local Police officer who managed to get a comprehensive speed monitoring check in place which resulted in high speeds being recorded along this stretch of road. Once the scheme has been developed it again will be consulted on and then implemented.I was also pleased to see the Ratby

Lane T junction resurfacing take place as this was long overdue. So despite these difficult financial times LCC Highways are doing all they can to keep our roads maintained as well as invest in road safety schemes for the area.

Roadside Floral TributesI RECENTLY had a very sensitive issue to deal with regarding flowers being left at the site of a fatality in Markfield. To clarify the situation the County

Council and I received requests on the 30th April to remove flowers left at the site of a fatal accident, which happened on Ashby Road, Markfield on the 23rd April. Whilst recognising the County Council’s duty to respond to the requests, officers and I were conscious of the need to balance this against the feelings of the bereaved family. Officers liaised with Leicestershire Police regarding an appropriate time for the flowers to remain on the highway and decided that they would not be removed until after the funeral of the deceased. In addition, any flowers or tributes

which were removed would be given back to the family should they wish. The bereaved family

were informed by Leicestershire Police’s Family Liaison Officer of the intention to remove the flowers on the morning of Friday 11th May. The family indicated that they would prefer to remove these themselves, and subsequently did so.I have to respond to all requests

and pass them on to the relevant agency to deal with. In this case as no protocol exists meant a very difficult balance as we needed to be sensitive to the feelings of the bereaved family, the local driver’s family and resident’s wishes. At no time was the family of the bereaved told that the floral tribute would be thrown away, highways offered to keep them for a time convenient for the family to collect.

Highways role in the Housing Development Processhinckley & Bosworth Borough Council are the Local planning Authority and are responsible for determining most planning applications for housing and employment sites. The County Council is only a

statutory consultee and it is the LPA to make the decision on applications, weighing up all other responses from consultees and their own policies.Generally the County Council

has 21 days to respond to the LPA. Based upon national guidance the judgement and discussions with planning officers, County Council officers decide which applications have no Highway implications, are subject to ‘standing advice’ – e.g. minor applications such as house extensions, signs, etc, standing advice contains guidance for planning officers on issues such as gates, access gradients and geometry, parking, visibility, signs, etc and require formal comments to be submitted by the Local Highway Authority. The LPA will make the final decision on an application but does not have to except objections from the Highways Authority if the developer demonstrates it has mitigated the objections.

Dog microchipping campaign about to launch

A CAMPAIGN encouraging owners to microchip their pets is about to be launched this summer by the Borough Council.

Microchipping is now the quickest and easiest way for a lost pet to be identified by the Dog Warden, or by a vet, and returned to its rightful owner. Without microchipping, it is estimated that less than half of the animals that go missing each year are reunited with their owners.

A microchip is a small electronic device, which is the size of a grain of rice. As part of a special promotion for National Microchipping Month, which is held throughout June, the cost of microchipping has been reduced. For a cost of £10 the Dog Warden will implant the chip under the skin using a special implant gun. No anaesthetic is required and the procedure should cause no more discomfort than a standard vaccination. Special microchipping events will be held throughout June so see our website and local press for details.

Each microchip has a unique identification number, which is registered to the animal and the owner’s details are placed on a national database. This number can then be read when a scanner is passed over the chip, enabling the Dog Warden to search the national database to find the owner’s details.

The owner can then be contacted and reunited with their dog. However, it is important that owners update their dog’s registered details if they change, such as moving house.

According to figures from the Dogs Trust, since being introduced in 1989, over four million dogs and cats have been micro-chipped, and this number continues to grow at an estimated 8,000 registrations per week.

Rob Parkinson, the council’s Chief Officer for Environmental Health, said: “Getting your dog microchipped gives the assurance that if it becomes lost, or stolen, it is more likely to be returned to you safe and sound. If immediately returned, you may also avoid paying the stray dog fees.”

If anyone would like to discuss the microchipping service they can do so by contacting the Dog Warden Service on 01455 238141.

23

Drive-Thru McDonalds was more expensive than I thought… once you’ve hired the car…

Skate Park: WE NEED YOUR SUPPORTI’m afraid to tell you that the Village Skate park is fast reaching the end of its very active life. It has had over eight years of

heavy and continual use. It has got to be the most popular facility used by young people in the village and basically, despite continual repairs, it is virtually worn out. We are now constantly having to

close the skate park to undertake repairs to boards and other structural parts much to the dismay of the young people that use it. It is now an ongoing and ever increasing financial burden for the Parish Council and we are now faced with the stark options of either continuing to make temporary repairs or to dismantle it altogether. Neither of these are options that we want to pursue so, with the Parish Council we are exploring means of replacing the skate park with a modern, low maintenance and quieter skate park that will meet the needs of our young people for the coming years. With Parish Council representatives we have already had talks with

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Markfield Community Centre News - from Ron Grantham skate park constructors exploring ideas and, once we have got some plans drawn up we will be discussing them with our skate park users to see what we can realistically put in place bearing in mind the cost.This is where we need your

help as obviously we will need to raise a considerable amount of money to replace the skate park. One bid we have submitted is for £5,000 to the Markfield, Ratby and Groby Community Forum that coincidently will be holding its budget decision meeting at the Community Centre from 6pm to 9pm on Wednesday 13th June. At this meeting the Forum

allocates its funds based on the majority vote of people attending so, we need your votes to get our bid through. YOU CAN TAKE PART in the

meeting including the voting if you are a resident and aged 10 or over. Taking part is free BUT you will need to book a place by midday on 13th June as there will only be a limited number of places available and these will be allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis.You can book your place by

visiting www.leicestershireforums.org and logging onto the Markfield, Ratby and Groby Community

Forum site or by using the direct link www.leicestershireforums.org/markgro/mrg-cfb-2012.html. If you do not have email access you can book your place by ringing 0116 305 7034.Also if you visit the above web

site you can view all the projects submitted to the Forum for funding including our own and add your comments. We understand that your comments are important and will be considered by the Community Forum Officers. It all sounds a bit complicated but your views are important and if you are unable to put them on yourself we will be most happy to put them on for you just let us know what you think.

Skate Park Kids Come to the RescueWho says young people don’t care! During the evening of Saturday 26th May a group of our skate parks young people came across a young twenty six year old male collapsed on the ground near to the back entrance of the school. The man was freezing cold and

not responding at all. Fearing the worst they raised the alarm and stayed with the young man until help arrived. The young man was clearly in a bad way when we arrived and was taken to hospital by ambulance. It was very lucky for the young man that our kids found him and took responsible actions as he was collapsed in a dark and secluded area of the park. He was virtually unconscious, unable to move and had problems with breathing and added to that the temperature was rapidly falling and he was already very cold. Apart from this incident this group of young people has been helping us deliver leaflets for the Diamond Jubilee and they are planning their one fund raising events for the new skate park. Well done to you all, we are proud of you.

Diamond JubileeBy the time you read this article the Village Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration events at the Centre will be over. I promise to give you a full update

in the next edition of the Herald to what I hope will have been a fantastic and memorable day. What

TURN TO PAGE 24

24

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you may not have realised is how much voluntary work has gone into the planning, organising and the actual running the event on the day and my sincere thanks goes to all those involved. As with everything else it did cost

money to put on the celebrations however, our very own and intrepid committee members Dave Illingworth and Dave Moss came to the rescue by organising a charity race night on Saturday 12th May. The night was a huge success raising £1,290 towards the cost of putting on the celebrations. This money actually paid for the Brass Band, Morris Dancing Team, Celebration Disco and even subsidised the Children’s Street Party. The highlight of the evening had to be the final race where my lucky streak continued by winning the Owner’s Champion Race. My horse the superb horse “Car Wash Man” romped home to scoop the winner’s trophy and prize money. It was a great evening and many thanks to the two Daves for putting it on with the much appreciated support of Mandy and Agnes.

Annual General MeetingThe Centre’s Annual General

Meeting took place on Thursday 24th May with members being elected to the Centre’s management committee. This is a voluntary management

committee that helps in the day to day running of the Centre and supports its development. On a bit of a sad note John Tully announced his retirement after many years as a stalwart member of the Committee. In the past John has always been an active member of the committee

and, until last year held weekly Yoga sessions at the Centre. On behalf of the Committee I would like to take this opportunity to thank John for all his support and help over many years and wish you and your wife Barbara a relaxing retirement. The new management committee is now:

Chair: Dave MossVice Chair: Maggie GondoloSecretary: Ann CarterTreasurer: Ron Grantham

Members: Andy Brown, Graeme Chilvers, Kev Fisher, Barrie Gannon, Dawn Grantham, Dave Illingworth, Jean Lemmon, Jeff Moulding, Peter Thorpe and Bill Walmsley

RECENT EVENTS80th Birthday Party

On Saturday 5th May villager Ron Tucker celebrated his 80th Birthday at the Centre with his family and friends.Ron has had an exciting and

varied life. He was actually born near Beachy Head before moving to Gosport in Hampshire. He

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Markfield Community Centre News

(continued from page 23)

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Why a broken heart really could kill youIT SEEMS that you really can die of a broken heart. Or at least the emotional distress

of losing a loved one can lead to parts of your immune systems being suppressed This leaves you more vulnerable to infections from bacteria. These findings by immunologists at University of Birmingham may help explain cases of widows and widowers who die days or even hours after their spouses. They are not dying directly from a broken heart, but of a broken immune system, brought on by a broken heart.

25

I took the wife’s family out for tea and biscuits. They weren’t too happy about having to give blood though.

THORNTON W.I.Next Meeting: Thursday 14th June

7.30pm. At Thornton Community CentreShades Of Beauty

A Talk & Demonstration By Image Consultant Linda Lonsdale Having spent our last

meeting discussing the very serious topic of the current lack of midwives and the provision of midwifery training, we now plan to relax and have fun at our next meeting.Have you ever

experienced the “nothing in my wardrobe suits me!” syndrome? Like me, have you ever

been to shop for new clothes and come home with a feeling of defeat because you couldn’t make a decision – even when you thought you might have found something you would like to wear? Or, have you wondered why a favourite colour no longer draws

compliments when you choose to wear it? Worse still, have you ever looked in the mirror and realized that the outfit you so admired on someone else looks less like a couture model and more like an old potato sack when you’re just about to go out in it? If you’ve ever experienced any of the above, then you will be sure to enjoy

Linda’s talk. She will explain how image consultancy works—which will involve a demonstration on colours - how to choose the correct colours and styles to suit you. Scarf tying, dressing points and an explanation of how to choose the correct accessories will encourage us to see ourselves as others see us! Make-up colours will be explained, too, so we should all soon be ready to

launch our new images on an unsuspecting village. Ironically, (as we shall be in the presence of a colour consultant), we have

decided to dress for our meeting in the patriotic colours of red, white and blue to acknowledge our delight in our Monarch’s Diamond Jubilee. We shall enjoy some special refreshments, and pit our wits against the

Quizmaster in a Jubilee Quiz.Our Members’ Competition is for “A PRETTY SCARF” .We have no meeting in July, but shall be manning a BOOK STALL at the

village Carnival on 7th July. In July, too, some of us are going to see “ Me and My Girl” at Kilworth

House Theatre. Going to Kilworth each summer has become an annual outing for us and we can only echo the following lines from the Theatre’s publicity leaflet - “There’s a special aura and magic about open-air theatre on a beautiful English summer’s evening, so what better way to experience that magic than amidst the magnificent surroundings of the Kilworth estate, enjoying a professional production of a standard rarely seen outside the West End of London?” Even though, on some occasions, we have had an evening which could

not be described as “beautiful”, the Theatre is roofed and we have wrapped up warmly so that the magic has still been there in full force! “Me And My Girl “originally opened in the West End in 1937 and enjoyed

a return to the London stage in 1985 . It ran for eight years and won the Olivier Award for Musical of the Year . Robert Lindsay was hugely acclaimed for the lead role of Bill Snibson for which he won an Olivier Award. He continued in the role when the Show subsequently transferred to Broadway, and earned a Tony Award (against competition from performers in Les Misérables on both occasions!). The Show has larger-then-life characters, and unforgettable songs

including ‘Me and My Girl’, ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’, ‘Once You Lose Your Heart’, ‘Leaning on a Lamppost’ and, of course, the show-stopping ‘The Lambeth Walk’! We can’t wait to see it all come to life in Kilworth’s beautiful setting. We hope that you will come and join us on 14th June. You will be made

most welcome and we ask no more of you than that you just come along and enjoy yourself! There is a Visitor’s Fee of £2.I understand that one of our members is baking a special “Jubilee” Cake

for us to share at the meeting, and there will also be a Bring & Buy Stall. Treat yourself to a night out in friendly company!

Muriel Walker

was a boy entrant into the RAF where he served as a telegraphist seeing service out in the far East during the 1950’s. He retired from the RAF after 27 years service and trained as a ship’s radio officer before joining the Cunard Shipping Line as a Ship Chief Radio Officer. With Cunard he now journeyed all around the world and even sailed on the Atlantic Conveyor that was sunk during the Falklands war – fortunately Ron wasn’t on board at the time. Ron finally hung up his earphones in 1994 and retired. However, retirement has not

curbed Ron’s passion for radio and travel as he remains an enthusiastic Radio Ham and continues to travel on holidays around the world and enjoys caravanning in the UK with his partner Rosemary. He has even had time to take singing lessons and join the Grand Central Chorus who are based in Long Eaton. This group specialise in Barber

Shop male voice choir and I understand that there are four people from Markfield who are in this Choir. During the evening we were entertained by live musicians and singers and of course sensational choruses from the male voice choir and superb Barber Shop renditions. Many congratulations Ron on your 80th birthday and we look forward to your 90th.

Joint 50th Birthday

On Saturday 19th May Laurie and Jenny Cox celebrated their joint 50th birthdays at the Centre and what a fantastic event it was. Laurie and Jenny met at school

in Northamptonshire and settled down in Markfield thirteen years ago and have a son and daughter Harry and Zoe. Jenny is a sales representative and Laurie, apart from attending karate sessions at the Centre, is a fireman. So, it was not surprising that the highlight of the evening was live performances by the Hard Suction band who are a group of firemen and I have to say were brilliant. Guests were treated to home made cakes and other delightful food and the aroma of a hog roast wafting through the building was so tempting that I couldn’t resist a pork cob and some delicious crackling. Never mind, any excess weight could be worked off on a wild bronco machine, though the kids seemed to enjoy this more than the parents. Many congratulations on your birthdays from all at the Centre.

New EventsRatby Mid Band in Concert EveningOn Saturday 16th June 7.30pm

Ratby Mid Band will be performing a concert supporting Christian Aid. Having myself attended a previous

concert by by this band I can promise you a wonderful and rousing evening and worth every penny of the ticket price. Tickets are £6 for adults and £3 for children and includes refreshments. You can obtain your tickets by contacting the Centre.

Box FitBox Fit is a new and exciting

opportunity for you to get fit using boxing techniques. The sessions are run by former Leicestershire boxer Kelton Mackenzie and is aimed at people aged 14 to 25 years. Sessions are only £1.50p and are being held at the Centre on Saturday afternoons from 4pm to 5pm. If you require further information please contact the Centre.

Summer Play SchemeThis year we are planning an

exciting summer play scheme for young people in the village. We have negotiated with Clubs Complete to provide an exciting programme of activities that will keep our young people fully occupied over two weeks of the school summer holidays i.e. 23rd to 27th July and 6th to 10th August. Please keep your eyes open for posters nearer the time.

Crafts, Food and Flower FairOn Sunday 24th June the Centre

will be hosting a Crafts, Food and Flower Fair from 9am to 2pm. Admission is just 50p. Refreshments will be available as well as free children’s activities. A tombola and book stall in aid of Rainbows will also be present. For any enquiries or stall booking please contact 0116 2321966 or 07581 130440

Some Dates for your diary

13th June – Leicestershire County Council Community Forum16th June – Christian Aid Brass Band Concert24th June – Crafts, Food and Flower Fair 23rd to 27th July - Summer Play Scheme6th August to 10th August - Summer Play Scheme

Don’t forget you can view all the Centre of the news and activities on our website at www.markfieldcommunitycentre.comFor booking and enquiries please

contact Markfield Community and Sports Centre, Mayflower Close, Markfield LE67 9ST or ring 01530 242240 www.markfieldcommunitycentre.com

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26

A unicorn and a Cyclops. That’s an accident waiting to happen.

Successful dance at Bagworth WMCThe ‘Memories’ charity dance at Bagworth Working Men’s club on Friday 11th May was a great success. We would like to thank all of

the people who helped with the evening by giving their money, time or raffle prizes. We raised £400 which was given to PROSTaid, the Leicestershire charity which offers support, information, befriending and awareness of prostate cancer.This annual dance is in memory

of friends and club members who have supported the club over the years. Once again, thank you if you

played a part in making the evening a success.

Bob Austin

Comparison sites: Do you love ‘em or hate ‘em?

If you love ‘em and are looking for a part time job you may be just the person that many of us want to meet!

What was purchasing life like before the internet and the ubiquitous comparison site? How has the world changed?It seems that whatever you want

to buy, someone has created an online site that displays most of the major players and what’s on offer.Travel, holidays, buying a fridge,

a camcorder, a subscription to a magazine or the Beatles latest record used to be a sublimely uncomplicated, if time consuming process. You got on the bus, went into town, had a look around the travel agents and shops and chose from a couple what was best for you. Bliss.And the biggies – utilities and

finance. Picking your energy supplier used to be simple. There WAS only one supplier when I paid my first gas bill. For those of us with limited income our local bank was where we had our current and savings account.There was no angst involved

in paying for electricity, gas, water, your telephone bill other than where to find the money to pay. No dilemma in where to put your weekly pay check. Only big business and geeks had computers. So how have these comparison

sites changed my world? With advancing years the

world seems to turn in ever more complex circles whilst I am desperately trying to simplify my life. My brain no longer thrives on jumping through hoops, solving difficult problems, learning new skills to improve my chances of survival, striving to be the best, striving to achieve the impossible. I want a peaceful existence where I can apply myself to self nurturing

and nourishing activity.But does it let me? Oh no!Every time I switch on my electric

blanket or I hear the pilot light spark up my gas central heating I am subconsciously reminded that as a pensioner and one who needs to save money where I can, that there is a job that I have failed to do. When my bank statement drops through the letter box, there it is again. The feeling of my guilt and irresponsibility and wanton waste. The information I need is there for the taking if I go online. If I key in the correct information, if I jump through the hoops, if I battle with the idiosyncrasies of my computer once again, if accept that this is a new age not meant for the likes of me and I just have to adapt then maybe I could be at peace again. Sink or swim? But it does not stop in your head.

I only have to mention in passing conversation that I have bought a book for the listener to tell me that (if I had been more diligent, more careful with my money ...) that I could have bought it from ebay or amazon cheaper or if I had been happy with second hand could have got it for tuppence. (For those of you who do not know what tuppence is I am sure that you can find it online.) Or if I had waited 4 weeks for the auction to end I could have got it for a penny or even postage only. Or go to Recycle and get it free.What a wastrel I am. But let us go back to the biggies.

Gas, Electricity, Water, Phone and Broadband.It only takes a few words like

loft insulation, cold bums in bed, thermal vest, poor circulation to spark a conversation about saving money on your bills. And yes, you know these comparison sites are great, and yes, you have looked and yes, you did change once 8 years ago.But since then you have become

slower, stupider, less able to

keep up with change, less able to comprehend the advantages and the pitfalls of each company. Less able to read the small print.So it is not that you don’t know

about these wonderful sites, it’s not that you haven’t looked, it’s not that you can’t see that they would save you money if only you could get your head around what is on offer.It is that in the grand scheme

of things the stress incurred in investigating and putting your findings into action is more than you can handle. It may not outweigh the rewards you would reap but you are too anxious about getting it right to try. You are also now acutely aware that life in the real world is going an awful lot faster than you are capable of and that even if you made what is a superhuman effort and switched your gas supplier with all the hassle that it entails, that in 3 months time you should probably do it all again.So here is where YOU come in.

You bright young things with no job. You sharp retirees with time to spare and a need for extra income. Whoever you are if you are fluent in Volume Conversion Factors, Kilowatt Hours, Tariffs, Standing Charges, Broadband Providers, Weekend Plans and Connection Speeds, I need your help and am willing to pay for it.I imagine there are many out

there who feel the same and would welcome your services.Take me by the hand and lead

me through the utilities comparison sites, help me to make the changes. (Actually, I would rather you just did it for me!) I need to save my dwindling nest egg. You can earn some money and I can be guilt free, at least for a month or two… If you can offer help or

would like help, get in touch. judywynne@hotmail.co.uk or phone 01530 231431.

Judy Wynne, Thornton

New monthly alternative therapy and craft fair at Leicester MarketA NEW monthly alternative therapy and craft fair was launched at Leicester Market in MayA mix of holistic therapists,

complimentary treatments, spiritual practitioners, henna tattoo artists and alternative craft traders gathered at Market Corner for the first ever ‘Solstice’ fair.The fair, which is free to attend,

runs from 10am until 4pm and has more than 20 stalls offering a wide variety of treatments and crafty treats.Visitors are able to experience

a number of taster sessions, from head massages, seated acupressure, Reiki and Hopi ear candles. In addition, there are Tarot readings and stalls selling candles, crystals and incense.Joe harkin, market development

manager at Leicester City Council, said: “The mind, body and soul movement is becoming very popular, so I think this new fair will prove a big hit with the public.“It is exciting to be able to offer

something a little different.”The fair will be held on the 3rd

Saturday of every month.For further information about

the fair and Leicester Market, visit: www.leicestermarket.co.uk

Seven community projects submitted to Community ForumSeven community projects have been submitted for the Markfield, Ratby & Groby Community Forum area. Each of these projects has requested a share of the £12,500 allocated to the Markfield, Ratby & Groby Community Forum.You can now view and comment on each proposal online at www.leicestershireforums.org/markgro/your-voice--view-and-comment-on.html, offering suggestions for improvement. The information collated at this stage will help inform discussions at the Community Forum Budget Decision Night.If you want to take part in the decision making on the night, you can now also book your place either online at http://www.leicestershireforums.org/markgro/your-choice--discuss-projects-an.html or call 0116 305 7034. The Decision Night will take place on 13th June 2012, from 6-9pm.The seven projects are: Markfield Skate Park Project, Church Accessibility Improvements in Thornton, Bagworth Community First Responder Team, Ratby Church Rooms Toilet Refurbishment, Quarry Park Recreational Ground in Groby, S.T.A.R.S. - ‘Wanna Be A Sports Coach’, and BMX 4 All in Groby.

27

What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot.

Age UK delivers Computer Classes to Older Learners

for over 10 years!Age UK is delighted to announce that the computer classes offered to semi/retired people from all over Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have been well attended throughout the winter months. Commenting the Executive Director of Age Concern, Anthony Donovan

said “The charity is delighted to be able to continue to offer people over the age of 55 learning for leisure computer classes this year. “We have been providing computer tuition for well over ten years.

The classes are delivered in a way to give people the confidence and opportunity to familiarise themselves with computer packages, internet and email. “The classes also open up a whole new area of interest whilst giving

learners the opportunity, through usage of email, to maintain regular contact with members of their family who may be based in different parts of the country or even the world.”Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland’s computer suite at Lansdowne House

(a Grade II Listed Building) on Princess Road East in Leicester is the location for the classes. The classes are small and friendly (maximum of six people) and run for two hours per week (2.00pm - 4.00pm) for about 8 weeks.Everyone who joins begins with “Essential IT” having completed essential

they are given the opportunity to move onto “Extension IT”.The courses cover:

GraphicsWord ProcessingInternetEmailExcel spreadsheetsDigital photo imaging

Courses cost £25 - If you would like to find out more about the computer courses on offer or would like to enrol for the sessions commencing 25 June 2012, please contact Leona Clarke on 0116 299 2265.

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The Times Cheltenham Science Festival 2012

Tuesday 12 June to Sunday 17 June 2012 Cheltenham Town Hall & Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA

ThIS MONTh more than 300 of the world’s greatest scientists, thinkers, comedians and writers will come together to celebrate and explore the wonders of the natural world, the complexities of the human mind and the mysteries of space.

With a varied programme ranging from psychology to robotics and morality to cosmology, there’s a debate, hands-on experience or entertaining night out for all at this year’s Cheltenham Science Festival.

The programme of events has been put together to provoke debate, challenge assumptions and satisfy the curiosity of people who question everything. The Guest Directors this year are space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, and comedian Marcus Brigstocke.

Speakers include Barry Marshall, Ruby Wax, Vivienne Westwood, Simon Mayo, Tim Spector, Russell Foster, Lucie Green, Matt Parker, Alice Roberts, Evan Davis, Robert Winston, Andrea Sella, Robin Ince, Josie Long, Kevin Fong, Adam Rutherford, Sebastian Seung, Kate Humble, Jim Al-Khalili, Dawn Harper and Brian Cox.

This year’s event highlights include: • Nobel Prize winner Professor Barry Marshall will explore why doctors and

scientists have been experimenting on themselves since the 16th century • Professor Lord Robert Winston will argue that science is an essential part of

our culture, despite not being widely recognised as such, calling for action to put science on an equal footing with the arts

• Vivienne Westwood in conversation with Jonathon Porritt on how our inability to act on climate change is intimately connected to the financial crisis and our lack of culture

• Neuroscientist Professor Russell Foster discusses what happens when people don’t get enough sleep and reveals the results of a UK sleep survey

• hacktivism - Cyber terrorists or legitimate political protest? Hacktivists - like Wikileaks and Anonymous - target the online systems if governments, companies, law enforcement agencies and individuals to stage a protest in the name of free speech and civil rights. Is this a good thing? Join us to explore digital security and the future of hacktivism.

• With the Olympics weeks away, sport psychologists will explore how athletes respond to and prepare for the stress of competition and deal with emotional and psychological pressures at Going for Gold.

• Mental illness, its stigmas and ups and downs will be discussed by Ruby Wax• Psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar will explore romantic love and how our

evolutionary programming still affects our behaviour · Can you look thin, but be fat? Imaging scientist Professor Jimmy Bell looks at

people he has dubbed ‘Tofi’ - ‘thin outside, fat inside’ The over-arching Festival theme of RE:Generation will be discussed in the broadest

of terms through everything from medicine and technology, to renewable energy sources, the recovery of the economy, the ethics of bringing about change, and more.

The Festival also offers free hands-on science in ‘Area 42’, with exhibits including: experiments with rotting primitive vertebrates to reveal how the characteristic features that allow us to identify fossil vertebrates are transformed and then lost during decay; examples of robotics being developed including a Robot Football Team; a simulation of the cryptography and secure communication devices being developed; and live retinal scanning.

Visitors to the Festival from the 15 - 17th June will also have the opportunity to meet and talk to KeJi - a new interactive installation and game. ‘KeJi’ (meaning ‘science and technology in Mandarin) is a collaborative commission by Cheltenham Science Festival and research group, i-DAT. The playful installation will be based around an artificial intelligent creature that Festival visitors can ‘speak’ to through tweets and sms txts. KeJi maintains a symbiotic relationship with humans by synchronizing its heart with the average heart beat of the people it interacts with.

With hundreds of events and drop-in activities for adults and children, this year’s The Times Cheltenham Science Festival features something for all the family.

The six-day Festival programme is online at www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science

September is Older Persons’ Month in 2012 FOLLOWING the success of previous years, Leicestershire will again play host to September Older Persons’ month in 2012 with events and activities taking place across the county. There will be a launch in Leicester on 3rd September. A directory of all

events and information will be distributed throughout August.

The deadline for inclusion is 15th June 2012.More information and copies of the directory can be obtained from Liz

McGregor on 0116 2334243, email liz@communitiesinpartnership.org.uk or visit www.communitiesinpartnership.org.uk/olderpeople

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They say cheese gives you nightmares. Ridiculous! I’m not scared of cheese.

Local Church ServiceWithout Walls Christian Fellowship, 135 Main St Stanton Under BardonSunday 10th June Meeting at 10am, guest speaker & junior church provided

Sunday 17th June Special Father’s Day family celebration meeting at 10am

Sunday 24th June Meeting at 4pm with Cafe 4U, coffee & cake & crafts for kids

Tuesday 26th June Bible school looking at 1 Timothy 7pm

Sunday 8th July Special international Sunday with lunch after, all welcome, junior church provided.

Markfield Congregational ChurchSunday 17th June 10.30am Churches Together in Markfield United Service in Trinity Methodist Church led by Young People (Sunday Club+)

Sunday 24th June 10.15am In our Church followed by Communion

Sunday 1st July 10.30am Visit to Bardon Park Chapel

Sunday 7th July 10.30am Joint Service with the Anglicans in St Michaels’ for Sea Sunday

Sunday 15th July 10.30 Markfield Churches Together United Service in Our Church

Sunday 22nd July 10.15am Morning Worship in Our Church

Sunday 29th July 10.15am A Praise and Worship Service in our Church

Sunday 5th August 10.15am Morning Worship followed by Communion

Sunday 12th August 10.15am Morning Worship in Our Church

Cross Hills Baptist Church, between Bagworth & ThorntonSunday 10th June 10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper

Sunday School Anniversary 10.30am Sunday 17th June followed by a Bring & Share Sunday Lunch

Sunday 24th June 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 1st July 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 8th July 10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper

Sunday 15th July 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 22nd July 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 29th July 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 5th August 10.30am Morning Service

Sunday 12th August 10.30am Morning Service with The Lord’s Supper

There is a Sunday Club in our hall for children & young people during the Morning Service. For further details, our contact list is in the Cross Hills News section of this magazine.

Trinity Methodist Church, Markfield Sunday 10th June 10.30am Morning Service 6.00pm No Evening Service

Sunday 17th June – Father’s Day 10.30am United Service at Methodist Church 4.00pm Circuit Service at Trinity Methodist Church, Narborough Road

Sunday 24th June 10.30am Morning Service 6.00pm Evening Communion Service

Sunday 1st July 10.30am Morning Communion Service 6.00pm Taizé Style Service

Sunday 8th July – Action for Children Sunday 10.30am Morning Service 4.00pm Café Church Service

Sunday 15th July 10.30am United Service at Congregational Church 6.00pm Evening Communion Service

Sunday 22nd July 10.30am Morning Service 6.00pm Evening Communion Service

Sunday 29th July 10.30am Morning Service 6.00pm Evening Service

St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Markfield10:15-11.30am Sunday Club for Children in the Congregational Hall on the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays, term time All Age Service in Church on the 2nd Sunday each month. Sunday 10th June 10.30 am All Age Service 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Friday 15th June 8.00 pm Iona Style Service

Sunday 17th June 10.30 am Churches Together in Markfield at Trinity Methodist Church 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 24th June 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 1st July 10.30 am Service at Bardon Park Chapel

Sunday 8th July 10.30 am All Age Joint Service for Sea Sunday 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Sunday 15th July 10.30 am Churches Together in Markfield at Congregational Church 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Friday 20th July 8.00 pm Taizé Style Service

Sunday 22nd July 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.30 am Open Church 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 29th July 6.00 pm Joint Evening Prayer Service at St Peter’s, Copt Oak

Sunday 5th August 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 12th August 10.30 am All Age Service 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Sunday 19th August 3.00 pm Benefice and Churches Together in Markfield Service at Ulverscroft Priory

St Mary and All Saints’ Church, Stanton under BardonSunday 10th June 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 17th June 10.30 am “Something Different”

Sunday 24th June 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 1st July 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 8th July 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 15th July 10.30 am “Something Different” Single Service

Do you know an inspiring Christian? Inspire Awards 2012 are open for nominations

ThE INSPIRE awards – an annual celebration of the unsung heroes of Christian work in communities - is now open for nominations. Individuals and projects can both be nominated for the competition,

which culminates with an awards ceremony for the short-listed candidates in the Palace of Westminster in November 2012.This year’s categories are:

an individual Christian in the UK who is an inspiring role model

a UK-based Christian-run project serving its local area

individuals or projects working with children or young people in the

UK that are making a real impact in a local area

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•

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These awards are about celebrating the work of Christians quietly going about their work but having a significant impact in their community. Russ Bravo, editor of Inspire magazine, explains: “When we launched the Inspire Awards in 2008, we wanted to show how life is being made better all over the UK because of the faith of ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things. We’re delighted to work with our friends at the Evangelical Alliance and Tearfund this year to tell more inspiring stories of Christians making a difference where they live.”hOW TO ENTER: Send nominations to editor@inspiremagazine.org.uk.

Nomination deadline is 31 July 2012. They can be submitted by anyone. The competition is for the unsung heroes, rather than nationally recognised ministries. The awards are sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance, Inspire magazine and Tearfund.

29

I told the Inland Revenue I didn’t owe them a penny because I lived near the seaside.

Look What’s On At The Palace, IBSTOCK57 High Street, Ibstock, Leics. LE67 6LH • Tel: 01530 267303

~ Forthcoming Events ~

Friday, 15th June - Film Night – ‘War Horse’ (12A) Young Albert enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. Albert’s hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on. Doors, Box Office and Licensed Bar open at 7.00pm. Film starts at 7.30pm. Tickets: £4.00/£3.00 from Halls, High Street, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460.

Saturday, 23rd June – Palace ‘Race Night’ – All the fun and excitement of a day at the races! Under ‘starters orders’ from 7.30pm. Doors, Box Office and Licensed Bar open at 7.00pm. For more details contact Halls, High Street, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460.

Saturday, 30th June – Pelenna Valley Welsh Male Voice Choir – Following last years’ sell-out concert at The Palace this world famous Welsh Male Voice Choir make a very welcome return visit to The Palace. Tickets: £10.00 from Halls, High Street, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460.

Friday, 6th July - Charity Organ Concert Tickets: £6.00 from Halls, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460 or Mr Martin, Tel: 01455 290145 or Mr Lines, Tel: 01530 457274.

Friday, 13th July - Film Night – ‘The Artist’ (PG) Silent movie, ‘The Artist’, triumphed at the Oscars, winning five awards including best picture, best director and best actor. ‘This witty and moving homage to the silent movie era is one of the most purely enjoyable movies in years’. Doors, Box Office and Licensed Bar open at 7.00pm. Film starts at 7.30pm. Tickets: £4.00/£3.00 from Halls, High Street, Ibstock, Tel: 01530 260460.

InformationSunday 22nd July 10.30 am Single Service at St Peter’s, Thornton

Sunday 29th July 10.30 am Single Service Holy Communion

Sunday 5th August 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 12th August 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 19th August 10.30 am “Something Different”

St Peter’s Church, ThorntonSunday 10th June 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 17th June 9.00 am Holy Communion

Sunday 24th June 10.30 am All Age Service

Sunday 1st July 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 8th July 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 15th July 10.30 am “Something Different” Single Service at St Mary’s, Stanton under Bardon

Sunday 22nd July 10.30 am Single Service/All Age Service

Sunday 29th July 10.30 am Single Service Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Stanton under Bardon

Sunday 5th August 10.30 am Morning Service

Sunday 12th August 10.30 am Holy Communion

Sunday 19th August 9.00 am Holy Communion

Holy Rood Church, BagworthPlease note: Services will be at Bagworth Community Centre

Sunday 1st July 9.00 am Holy Communion

Sunday 5th August 9.00 am Holy Communion

St Peter’s Church, Copt OakSunday 10th June 9.15 am Holy Communion (said)

Sunday 17th June 3.00 pm Praise Service

Sunday 24th June 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Sunday 1st July 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 8th July 9.15 am Holy Communion (said)

Sunday 15th July 3.00 pm Praise Service

Sunday 22nd July 6.00 pm Holy Communion

Sunday 29th July 6.00 pm Joint Evening Prayer Service (with St Michael’s, Markfield)

Sunday 5th August 6.00 pm Evening Prayer

Sunday 12th August 9.15 am Holy Communion (said)

Sunday 19th August 3.00 pm Ulverscroft Priory Service

Geocaching - what the heck is it?Last month, a friend asked me if I fancied going Geocaching. Never having heard of it, I looked it up on Wikipedia ...

Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world.A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook where the geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with their established code name. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (Tupperware or similar) or ammunition boxes can also contain items for trading, usually toys or trinkets of little value. Geocaching is often described as a “game of high-tech hide and seek”, sharing many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, letterboxing, and waymarking. Geocaches are currently placed in over 100 countries around the world and on all seven continents, including Antarctica. After almost 12 years of activity there are over 1,760,033 active geocaches published on various websites. There are over 5 million geocachers worldwide.

A quick look at the excellent website - www.geocaching.com - revealed that there were numerous caches hidden around the distribution area of The Herald. (See map above right.) Isn’t it amazing what goes on - right under your nose - without you realising it? Are YOU a local geocacher? If so, please drop us a line and tell us more about it. Mike Wilkinson

30

I lost my job as a cricket commentator for saying “I don’t want to bore you with the details.”

FIND the names of 12 Formula One racing drivers in this month’s Wordsearch puzzle and you could win yourself a meal and a drink.

This month we are offering a TASTy pRizE of: A MAIN COURSE FOR TWO,

PLUS A BOTTLE OF HOUSE WINE AT THE FIELDHEAD HOTEL.

To go into the draw, all you have to do is find - and mark a line through - 12 Formula One racing drivers. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally

(and backwards!). Send your entry to: ChEQUERED FLAG, The Herald, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9zT to arrive by Saturday 30th June 2012. Remember to include your name and address. The first all-correct entry drawn out of the Editor’s Crash Helmet

will win the Meal for Two at The Field Head Hotel. Good luck!

Here are the 12 drivers you have to find:

Fernando Alonso • Sebastian Vettel • Mark Webber • Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg • Kimi Raikkonen • Jenson Button • Romain Grosjean Pastor Maldonado • Sergio Perez • Paul di Resta • Kamui Kobayashi

Name: ...................................................................................................

Address: ................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................

.............................................. Postcode: ................................................

SCI-FI WORDSEARCH

Last issue’s Wordsearch winner!Mrs E. harriman of Leicester Road, Field head

Congratulations! Your Meal & Wine Voucher to spend at the Field Head Hotel will be sent to you in the next 21 days.

Win a Main Course for Two and a Bottle of Wine!

Formula One Wordsearch

E L N N I C O R O S B E R G B H K S E B A A G B D M D K G I V L A E N T Y C T Z A M S G R O E C M R O C T P E G N V C D S W P N U G K K Q E C Z O M T N I A O R I I K V R W V D D H O S U T T E K O I N Z R G N L L H L T J Q B O P A R N V Q N A A D U Q Z C B B E R S M J G O M I B M Z S D E A R I H K H D I R N T Z K I Y W Y E M G F N L E O G F S J H D K A Z I T A T S S T N W P A X R R S U K N O T N T S Q Z L E B R A H J R N A E Y Y A X H S I Y E M I E V H J H E B P H O S O R V S F R O M A I N G R O S J E A N X

FERNANDOALONSOJENSONBUTTONKAMUIKOBAYASHIKIMIRAIKKONENLEWISHAMILTONMARKWEBBERNICOROSBERGPASTORMALDONADOPAULDIRESTAROMAINGROSJEANSEBASTIANVETTELSERGIOPEREZ

Created by Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com

Subscriber Login Passcode/New Users Help STORE

Word Search Puzzle http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/code/BuildWordSearch.asp

1 of 1 03/06/2012 15:05

ARTform Painting ExhibitionA LOCAL art group will be showing off it’s member’s work in an exhibition at the end of June.ARTform was started in 2003

by the members of local artist Mark Wilde’s painting classes. Their 9th annual exhibition, Summer Exhibition 2012, will run from 30th June to 1 July at the Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall Annexe. The show will feature more than

a hundred pictures in a variety of styles and subject matter.Opening times are 12-5pm

on Saturday 30th June and 10am-5pm on Sunday 1st July. Admission is free.

Mad Idea of the Month

PenALty ShOOt-OUtSAFTER Chelsea won the European Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich on penalties, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that penalties were a bad way to decide a match. I agree. The best TEAM should

win the match, provided they score more goals than the opposition. The current penalty shoot-out

favours a team with five or six confident penalty-takers and/or a good goalkeeper.A far superior penalty shoot-out

would require every player on the pitch at the end of extra time to take a penalty. But here’s the clever bit ... every player on the pitch would also have to take a turn in goal. This way, the relative strength,

goal-scoring ability and goalkeeping prowess of each team would be tested to the full, and would provide a fairer result than at present. It would also be a more interesting end to the match.

CLEVER CLOGSSend YOUR mad ideas in and we’ll share them with readers!

Football Clubs Second Nameshere are the 21 answers we came up with: Villa, City, United, Rangers,

Hotspur, Albion, Athletic, Rovers, Wanderers, Palace, County, Town, Forest, Wednesday, Alexandra, Orient, Dons, North End, Stanley, Argyle and Vale.

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