Rearsby Scene March 2012
Jottings March 2012
There is an old saying that ‘If March comes in like lion it will leave like a lamb’ and ‘Should it come in like a lamb it will go out like a lion’. Well we will see if the old proverb is correct. At all events we can now enjoy longer days and look forward to Easter. The date of Easter does affect other dates. For example: the Parish Council is unable to meet on the first Thursday of the month as is usual. This is Maundy Thursday - when Jesus and his disciples shared - the Last Supper, and is the night before Good Friday.
Following on with the ecclesiastical theme, you will notice that the Vicar’s letter is not written by the Rev. Lorna but by Rev. Ian Hill, who is on a year's placement with us here at Rearsby.
By now everyone will be aware that the first visit of the Queen’s country wide tour will be to Leicester. There will be a special service at the Cathedral to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. There has been little notice of this event so who will be attending? On Sunday February 12th worshippers in Churches were asked to enter their names if they wished to attend this service. Names were drawn the following Tuesday and Lesley was the lucky one.
Old habits die hard – but I would be grateful if contributors to the magazine would remember to use the email address . My thanks to the three people who remembered. Sorting out the articles will be so much simpler for me.
There are no planning applications for Rearsby this month but there has been a huge response to the planning consultation regarding the Rearsby Roses site. If you would like to find out what comments were made, visit the Charnwood Borough Council web-site at Then on the menu, click on “Planning and Development”, next click on “Planning Explorer”, finally click on “Specific Applications” and enter the Application number P/11/2795/2. The relevant information is all there – click on the Application number in the left hand column, then scroll to and click on “View Related Documents” and finally scroll down the list and click on whatever you would like to read!
Can you help? I am Ian Christie Smith wants to know when the following housing developments were built in Rearsby: Brook House Close, Grange Avenue or Persimmon Homes (Orton Close etc)?
We have several new advertisers in the magazine and all spaces have been taken. We apologize if you received a magazine with pages missing. Fortunately this is a very rare occurrence. Should this happen ask Ray Hanson for a replacement?
For the last six months I have been anticipating the time when I would be able to reveal the story of the ‘Rearsby Spitfire. Now at last that time has come.
We send our best wishes to Ben & Jo Meacock who are opening their shop in Thrussington on
I look forward to seeing you on March 11th at the Tea Party in aid of Vista.
Mary Beskeen
Notes on the Parish Council Meeting held on the 2nd February at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
Present; Councillors
Peter French (Chair) Simon Chenery, Ian Christie-Smith, John Blankley, Martin Cooke, Janette Jones, Mrs. S Norledge (clerk) Mathew Blaine (Borough) Steve Hampson (County) P.C Longdon.
In Attendance 8 members of the public.
Children’s Play Area
The Council is actively working towards the provision of a new play area, this is a major project for the village, and various sources of funding are being sought after. It is anticipated that by the time of the next council meeting three firm quotations will be presented to the meeting.
Police Matters.
Two” break in’s” were reported in the past month, both are likely to be opportunist. Householders are reminded to secure their property at all times.
Rearsby Roses Development.
A meeting was recently held in the Village Hall in order to gauge the public opinion on the above matter.
Some 80 plus people from Rearsby and East Goscote were present, including Parish councillors from both villages.
At the end of the meeting a vote was taken on a “Show of Hands” the result was overwhelming opposition to this development.
Rearsby and East Goscote Parish Councils will now jointly take professional advice upon this matter.
Part-Night Street Lighting Scheme.
This scheme is being developed across the whole of Leicestershire, it will be some time before Rearsby joins, and meanwhile householders are invited to discuss the issues involved.
Bus Shelters.
Quotations will be obtained for installing a “Port Hole” in the side panel of the shelter; this is to give adequate warning of the approach of a bus coming from Melton.
Bog Lane.
Bog lane is now officially on the L.C.C. footpaths map.
Caught Reporter.
Proposed Re-development of Children's Play Park
Rearsby Parish Council are proposing to bring the children’s play equipment up to date by carrying
out a complete re-development of the site which is situated just off Church Lane.
The children from Rearsby Primary School took the initiative in this matter by writing to the PC recently, expressing their collective dissatisfaction with the current play park equipment.
The facilities in Rearsby provided for children and teenagers has fallen way behind the standard of that provided in neighbouring villages, and the PC are committed to improving the situation.
The successful re-development of the under 12’splay park will be a first important step towards achieving this aim.
Based on initial enquiries made through play equipment suppliers, the total budget for the project may be in the order of thirty five to forty five thousand pounds. Rearsby PC have agreed to part fund this project but their funds are limited, and it will be necessary to raise the bulk of the money from other sources such as grants, donations from local businesses and village fundraising initiatives.
If you or your organisation can help in this respect, then please get in touch with the Parish Council.
A generous donation has already been received from funds raised by a locally based company.
To ensure that the final design for the play park meets the future needs and aspirations of the children of Rearsby, the PC will shortly be producing a questionnaire asking them for their ideas and opinions.
The PC is grateful to the head teacher and staff of St. Michaels’ & All Angels C of E Primary School for arranging for the children to complete the forms.
A questionnaire will also be available to view on the school’s website
This is intended for any parents or grandparents including those of pre-school age children who may wish to express their views on the proposed re-development.
Please help the Rearsby Parish Council to make this project a success!
If you can help in anyway, then please contact Mrs Janette Jones.
.
“Children’s Play Park Equipment – Due To Be Replaced”
Living The Dream
AnuOjha was born in Crawley in West Sussex in 1968 and then the family moved to Croydon. He escaped from London in 1987 to read physics at Oxford. He loved physics and gained a Masters degree. Throughout his studies he was fascinated with the world around him. On leaving Oxford he didn't know what to do. He changed track completely and saved up to spend the next 2 years leading climbing expeditions in the Himalayas. He realised he talked about space a lot and when someone suggested he came back to the U. K. to train to be a science teacher, he did. He studied for his P.G.C.E. at the University of East Anglia and fell in love with teaching.
Anu spent most of his teaching career in challenging schools. He worked at a school in Norwich which was in Special Measures and where he helped two students gain places at Oxbridge. He then taught with the British Army in Cyprus, both children and soldiers training for promotion. It was here that Anu took up lifelong activities such as sky diving – he has made 12000 jumps in 11 years – and free diving. He has free dived in Malaysia and the Caribbean. He learnt to scuba dive in the Red Sea and has just returned from the Maldives. He has still to brave British waters but swears he will.
Anu could have stayed on in Cyprus but was approached to be head of science in a school in Great Yarmouth. He really wanted to work in a big city school and in 2003 became an Advanced Skills Teacher in Birmingham. He was used by the Local Authority to help turn round failing schools which gave him a real buzz. Parallel with this was his life long interest in space. In 2003 he spent two weeks at the N. A. S. A. School in the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida and in 2004 he went to Johnson Space Centre, Texas. Then everything snowballed. He took on the joint role of Advanced Skills Teacher and Assistant Head Teacher at Great Barr School which is the biggest in the country.
In 2007 he was approached by the National Space Centre in Leicester to head a new project promoting space education, lecturing to increase public understanding of science and carrying out some research. In 2008 he became an Executive Director of the Centre. However he missed teaching so much that he went back to Cardinal Newman School in Coventry for 2 days per week as part time Advanced Skills Teacher. In the end it was too much as there was more and more work here. He now does work for the European Space Agency, he teaches in Europe every couple of months and goes to N. A.S.A. every year.
Apart from his roles at the Visitors' Centre he is working on a project with scientists at various universities and research organisations including Leicester, Nottingham, Rutherford, Appleton and Harwell. He has also got a national team of teachers working with teachers and students using space ideas for G.C.S.E., A level and Undergraduate work as well.
He is heading The National Space Academy which is a multi-institutional project launched by David Willets at the Houses of Parliament in December 2011. Other elements of Anu's work involve research into comets and asteroids. He assures me that the world is not going to end quite yet.
Anu never dreamt he would be so well known by following his interests. He recently broadcasted on The Sky at Night with Patrick Moore who was a childhood hero. He loves broadcasting, likening it to teaching a big class and has talked on B.B.C.1, Sky and Radios 1 to5. He has guest lectured here and overseas with astronauts including Jeff Hoffman who was visiting professor at Leicester in the early seventies and later flew 5 space shuttle missions and was one of the people who repaired the Hubble space telescope. He has also worked with Dr Piers Sellers, a British astronaut who took American citizenship and flew 3 missions.
He has now gone back to his first love as one of the European Space Agency’s Space Ambassadors. Anu still pinches himself to remind himself that he is not dreaming. His message to young people is that whatever you do in life find something for which you have a passion and give it 100%. Don't dilly-dally: if you walk in the middle of the road you'll get run over. If you've got a job you love it will keep you young. By the way he's saving working for his PhD. for retirement!
Anu has lived in Rearsby for 2 years. People have made him so welcome especially his wonderful neighbours. He thinks our village is lovely and as a city boy it's great to run in the countryside.
Maggi Litchfield
Forthcoming Events in Rearsby
Rearsby History Society
The next meeting of the History Society will take place on Thursday 22ndMarch at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, when Helen Sharpe will be giving a talk on “Hallaton Treasure”. New members and visitors are most welcome.
Parish Council Meetings
Please note that the April PC meeting will be helda week earlier than normal onThursday 29th of March. (Due to Easter holidays.)
The March PC meeting will be held (as per normal) on Thursday 1st of March.
Computer Courses at Rearsby Village Hall
Introduction to Digital Photo Editing:
Wednesdays 1.30 – 4.00 pm Course Cost £30
Basic skills required – mouse and keyboard
Enhance your digital photos with no additional software costs!
Starts March 7th for 4 wks- Making pictures clearer and brighter
- Applying special effects
- Removing ‘red-eye’
- Cutting out a part of a picture
- Adding text to a picture
- Removing unwanted items within a picture
- Correcting sloping / tilting images
- Experimenting with ‘faking’ pictures
Computer workshops: Tuesdays 1.30 – 4pm Cost £20 for 3 weeks
Next complete set of 3 weeks starts on 6th March
(NB for those already attending there will be a session on 28th Feb).
For those already using a computer
A chance to get some help with those problems or just get some practise while help is at hand – bring your own laptop if you like. We will also provide some items which might be of interest! The sessions will evolve depending on the requests/needs of the learners.
For more information contact Lyn or Dave
NB the courses take place upstairs in the Village Hall.
Contact Rita Meade to book your place.
Vista Tea party Sunday 11th March
You are invited to join us for tea and cakes between 3.00 and 5.00pm in Village Hall. This event is being held in aid of Vista which is the charity which looks after the needs of people with sight loss in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. They have a highly trained staff who visit people in their own homes, organise classes and small groups, as well as having a well stocked shop at their headquarters off Gwendolen Road in Leicester.
We would be grateful for donations of cakes which can be brought to the Village Hall after 1.30 pm or when you arrive for the Tea Party. We look forward to seeing you.
Archive Films of Leicestershire
Friends of Rearsby Church invite you to a special evening of rare local rural & urban film footage shot throughout Leicestershire. The show will feature a variety of professionally made films from as early as 1920 up to the mid 1970s. Each film will be introduced and put into context by Leicestershire’s Centre Screen Coordinator Pete Groschl. This is a chance to see what the people and our local landscape looked like throughout the last century.
This special presentation will be at Rearsby Village Hall on Saturday 24th March 2012, at 7 for 7.30pm. Tickets are £9 each to include a light supper. Please bring your own drinks and glasses. There will be a Raffle for the Friends of Rearsby Church Restoration funds. Numbers are limited so book early to ensure your place. The closing date to book tickets is 17th March. Details and tickets are available from Ann Bassett on 01664 424376, and Kathy Ledger on 01664 424311, or email
The strange case of the lost Spitfire – how it all began
A World War Two Spitfire of significant historical interest, lost over Leicestershire during the Second World War, has roused the interest of local and national experts. Amazing co-incidences, Sherlockian detective work and remarkable schoolboy recollections all played a part in the story of the missing warplane.
Max Elliott is the leader of the Yorkshire Aircraft Archaeologists Group affiliated to the British Aviation Archaeological Council. Their aim is to preserve the history and artefacts from WW2 and specialise in the recovery of Spitfires.
By a strange co-incidence Max’s grandfather was the chauffeur / mechanic for a very early Rolls Royce car belonging to a rich Yorkshires family. Following his training at Rolls Royce, he had a certificate and the logbook for the car and they eventually came into Max’s possession. If the car was still in existence he felt that these should be re-united with the current owner so he duly contacted the Rolls Royce owners club. They knew who the owner was but would not divulge the information to Max. However, the club contacted the owner, Alan Wadd of Queniborough, who then got in touch with Max and eventually the documents were re-united with the car.
Alan, it should be mentioned, spent a lifetime in the motor industry and is an expert technician. The 1929 Rolls Royce was purchased by him, in poor condition, in 1965 as a reconstruction project and over the next twelve years he completely renovated it to its now pristine condition.
During the conversations Max had with Alan, Max enquired whether Alan knew of a Rolls Royce engined Spitfire which was reputed to have crashed in the Rearsby / Gaddesby area in 1941/1942. Alan didn’t know, but he promised to try to find out.
This is how it all began – next month’s Rearsby Scene will feature the completion of this intriguing tale.
Gordon Hallam – February 2012
Jottings from a Happy Gardener
Spring is just around the corner, the buds are getting sticky on the chestnut trees, and it is back into the garden. Hopefully the worst of the winter weather is behind us. Without the continuous below zero temperatures of the previous two winters, most plants have survived.