JUNE 2024 GROBY SPOTLIGHT online

GROBY & FIELD HEAD 

Spotlight 

New rose garden is looking good 

IT’S ONLY six 

months since 

the official 

opening of the 

commemorative 

rose garden 

at Stamford 

Park, and the 

work put in 

to create it is 

being rewarded 

with the first 

blooms since 

planting. It’s 

a place where 

visitors can sit 

and reflect on 

the past, on 

people, or even 

pets. A garden 

of memories. 

MID-JUNE 2024 

Those who want something more tangible can dedicate a rose bush, and purchase a rose and 

memorial plaque. The cost is currently £184 for a period of 10 years, which includes the rose 

bush, and a black granite plaque inscribed with words chosen by the applicant. The plaque will 

be placed on the wooden sleepers located to the rear of each rose bed, and an identification tag 

engraved with the name of the loved one or pet will be attached to the individual rose bush. 

Further information is available from the Parish Office at the Village Hall on Leicester Road. 

(Telephone 0116 287 6985). 

Norman Griffiths 

Tae Kwon-Do 

black belt 

success for Jacob 

Children set for an action-packed two 

days at the local churches’ holiday club 

AFTER THE success of last year’s Holiday Club Churches together in Groby 

have decided to run ‘The restoration Station’. Children are set for two days 

of fun and games. 

Based on Scripture Union’s The Restoration Station material, it 

will be full of games, crafts, drama, music, DVD presentations, 

Bible stories and even the odd custard pie! This holiday club 

invites children to explore who Jesus the Restorer is. 

The holiday club runs from 19th to 20th August 2024 at St Philip 

and St James Church, Ratby and is open to all children aged 

from 5 to 11. It runs from 9.30 to 2.30 each day. At a cost of £2 

per child per day or £5 per family per day, it’s also great value for 

money. 

The leaders of the holiday club, are excited about the event 

saying “How much they’re looking forward to the holiday club and 

encouraging people to come along”. 

For details to register use the QR code. 

If you would like more information please contact Louise Brown 07450 688217 or the Parish 

office on 0116 2393768 

MANY CONGRATULATIONS to Jacob 

Little (aged 10 years) of Groby, who has 

recently achieved a 1st Degree Black Belt 

in the Martial Art of Tae Kwon-Do. 

This is a recognition that he has reached the 

required level of skill, demonstrated dedication, 

worked extremely hard, shown character, 

determination and will power over a sustained 

period. 

Thank you to all those who have helped Jacob 

to achieve this honour, especially his instructor 

Jim, and also Dan, of East Midlands Tae Kwon-Do 

Association. 

Proud Grandma 

SCOUTS GALA 

15th June: 12-5pm 

SEE AD ON PAGE 3 

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www.oaktreelettings.co.uk | Call: 0116 287 0334 

Email: lettings@oaktreelettings.co.uk 

86 Faire Road, Glenfield, LE3 8ED 

LANDLORDS 

Demand for rental property has 

never been higher, whilst the risk 

to landlords is increasing in these 

uncertain times. 

We offer a comprehensive 

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service, with Rent & Legal 

protection available. 

With the majority of our clients 

being recommended to us, 

contact Marianne or Louise for 

details of our New Year Offers. 

Established 2011

Groby & Field Head Spotlight • MID-JUNE 2024 • Tel: 01530 244069 • Email: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk 

3 

All the latest news from ... 

Groby COMMUNITY Library 

The ‘Time Out’ café 

IT’S NEARLY the longest day. Have you been making the 

most of the summer weather or are you still dodging the 

showers? 

When the sun’s shining why not come to the library for coffee and cake 

and sit at our picnic tables under the shade of the Jumberella and watch 

the world go by, or stay in the library if it’s raining! 

Breaking news, as well as the sweet treats we sell, you’ll soon be able to 

enjoy toasted treats too. We’ll shortly be offering toast, crumpets and tea 

cakes! So make your way to the library when you need a bit of ‘Time Out’ 

and borrow a book perhaps? 

Did you know that the library can only continue to operate because of 

the money raised from the café? We receive no other funding to cover our 

running costs. All the people working at the library are volunteers giving 

their time freely to maintain the service for our community. The community 

library in Ibstock has now closed permanently we don’t want that to happen 

in Groby, so ‘Use It or Lose It’. 

Summer Reading Challenge 2024 

THIS YEAR’S 

challenge is called 

‘Marvellous Makers’ 

and it’s all about 

being creative. 

It’s for ages 4-12. 

In Leicestershire the 

Challenge starts on 6th 

July until 7th September. 

Take out at least six books 

over the summer holidays, 

collect stickers in your 

colourful collector’s folder 

and get creative! 

We will be having a 

CRAFT SESSION with 

JUNK MODELLING on 

3rd August 2-4pm. Look out 

for information in the usual places Facebook, X, our website and the library 

windows. 

Lots more going on this Summer! 

ALL OUR USUAL activities will be continuing throughout 

the summer. 

WRIGGLY READERS, CONSTRUCTION CLUB, KNIT AND NATTER 

and CUPPA AND COMPANY. Everyone is welcome at the library, it’s 

free to join, we have two computers for the public to use and a printer/ 

photocopier for printing at very reasonable rates. 

We hope to see you soon. 

Here are some of the books from the Sunday Times bestseller list in stock 

at Groby Library. 

• Richard Osman - The Last Devil to Die 

• Jojo Moyes - Someone Else’s Shoes 

• Heather Morris - The Tattooist of Auschwitz 

• Lee Child & Andrew Child - The Secret 

• Jilly Cooper - Tackle! 

• Karin Slaughter - After That Night 

• Lisa Jewell - None of This is True 

• Ann Cleeves - The Raging Storm 

• Gabrielle Zevin - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow 

• Harlan Coben - I Will Find You 

Roz Smith 

Going to the Country 

When will you go to bed 

on 4th July? 

NEXT month we have a chance to vote for our 

Members of Parliament, and the leader of the 

party that can command a majority will form the 

government. 

There is a concern that ‘voter engagement’ is low, meaning that we are 

not very interested any more. The turnout at the 2019 General Election was 

67.3% which was slightly up from 2015. The lowest turnout in a General 

Election was recorded in 1918 at 57.2%, due to the end of the First World 

War. 

Between 1922 and 1997 turnout remained above 71%. At the 2001 

General Election the turnout was 59.4%. For people under the age of forty 

it is much less. 

Should we be concerned? Voting turnout has been fairly stable since 1918 

at between 60% and 70%. The numbers that vote in this country are similar 

to most other countries. 

For the first time at a UK general election, those voting at a polling station 

will need to show photo ID. Voters should check now if they have an 

accepted form of ID, and if not to apply for free ID, called the Voter Authority 

Certificate . 

To answer my own question above, I am not sure when I go to bed on 

election night. I do not always stay up all night. Election excitement begins 

to wane in the early hours! Politics seems to be a spectator sport for most 

of us. We enjoy the shocks and surprises and the live results when the 

spotlight is a constituency. 

The Christian teaching on politics is clear. We should respect those in 

authority and admire those who seek it. Most people enter politics for good 

reasons. Perhaps we should remind them they are God’s servants. 

David Pickup 

My favourite band is called the Cockles & Mussels. I saw them alive alive-O in concert.

4 


Gadgets that can help monitor your heart, your fertility and more 

When it comes to health, knowledge is power: the more you know 

about your body, the better informed you and your healthcare 

provider can be. And while smartwatches can offer some 

monitoring features, in many cases you’ll fi nd that the best health 

tech are standalone devices that do one thing and do it well: blood 

pressure monitors, heart rate monitors, and even fertility monitors. 

Gadgets can also do more than monitor. It can help make your 

health-related tasks easier too. For example, if you’ve ever 

struggled to get tablets out of their packaging – something that 

can be a real problem if you have low hand strength, or if the 

manufacturer switches to stronger packages – then a gadget like 

the £8 Pill Popper or £2 Pill Puncher can help. And if you have 

to take different pills at different times, automated pill dispensers 

such as the £69 TabTime Pill Dispenser or £107 Pivotell Advance 

can help. They have multiple compartments and multiple settable 

alarms to ensure you take the right thing at the right time. 

Alivecor KardiaMobile Six Lead ECG Monitor 

£149, alivecor.co.uk 

This clever device connects to your smartphone, taking 

ECG measurements and sending them to your phone so 

you can share them with your doctor. It’s a more detailed 

sensor than you’ll fi nd in any smartwatch or similar gadget. 

Boots Non-Contact Thermometer 

£35, boots.com 

Non-contact thermometers use infrared 

sensors for accurate temperature 

measurement, meaning you don’t need 

to touch anyone to use them. This means 

they’re great for sleeping babies, and you 

can use them not just for a child but for 

their bottle and even their bathwater. 

OMRON X2 Smart Blood 

Pressure Monitor 

£49, Amazon 

There are cheaper options, 

but OMRON is a brand 

you’ll see in many GP 

surgeries and this is smarter 

than its cheaper rivals: it monitors 

your blood pressure and uses Bluetooth to 

update the companion health app. It can 

also spot irregular heartbeats. 

HUAWEI Watch D smartwatch 

£299, boots.com 

Unlike most smartwatches, which 

focus on sports, this model was 

designed for health use and 

includes an ECG module and a 

dedicated blood pressure monitor 

with the familiar bicep cuff. 

OMRON Complete Smart Home Monitor 

£163, Amazon 

One of the brand’s flagship products is a blood pressure 

monitor, ECG monitor and arterial fi brillation screener in 

one package. The price includes a year subscription to the 

fi rm’s Connect Premium service, which enables you to set 

and track health goals. 

Clearblue Fertility Monitor Advanced 

£114, Amazon 

Clearblue claims that this kit can 

increase your chance of getting pregnant 

by 89%. It’s a hand-held device that uses 

ovulation strips to track the changing 

levels of two key fertility-related 

hormones, enabling you to identify your 

best fertility days each month. 

Pivotell Minitell Pill 

Dispenser 

£29, pivotell.co.uk 

This compact 

pill box has 

five separate 

compartments and 

enables you to set fi ve 

different alarms, which can be fi ve per day 

or one per fi ve days. It’s a good option for 

when you’re going away for a few days. 

Weekly Church 

attendance up 

five per cent 

AVERAGE weekly 

attendance at Church of 

England services rose 

by almost five per cent 

in 2023 - the third year 

of consecutive growth, 

preliminary figures show. 

Meanwhile weekly attendance by 

children was up by almost six per 

cent last year, according to an early 

snapshot of the annual Statistics for 

Mission findings. 

While total attendance is still below 

2019 levels, the analysis suggests 

in-person attendance is drawing 

closer to the pre-pandemic trend. 

In 2021 all-age Sunday attendance 

was 22.3 per cent below the 

projected pre-pandemic trend, but 

the new figures reveal that the gap 

had narrowed to 6.7 per cent last 

year. 

All-age weekly attendance rose to 

within 8.3 per cent of the trend last 

year, compared with 24.1 per cent 

in 2021. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury, 

Justin Welby, said “This is very 

welcome news and I hope it 

encourages churches across the 

country.” 

Date for your Diary 

NEWBOLD VERDON 

OPEN GARDENS 

Saturday 13th July 

10.30am - 5pm 

Cost £5 per person 

Under-12s free 

Cash or Card 

Get Programmes on the day from 

St James Church Hall, Main Street, 

Corner of Brascote Lane 

TEAS • PLANT STALL • RAFFLE 

AT LEAST 12 GARDENS OPEN 

V 

n 

i 

y 

l 

Re 

c 

o 

r 

d 

s 

One Church meets 

in many sites 

around Leicester 

You are always 

welcome. 

ONECHURCH.ORG.UK 

WANTED 

All Genres Considered 

CASH PAID 

CONTACT JOHNNY 

Tel: 07941 237223 

Email: strawdog33@hotmail.com 

After I left university, I removed one of my front teeth for 12 months. It was my gap year.

6 


1974 

2004 

With more than 37 million produced, the Volkswagen 

Golf is the third most popular car ever made. Let’s 

take a look at 50 years of the Volkswagen Golf. 

The first Golf tees off – 1974 

The first Volkswagen Golf was produced in 

March 1974 and was designed as a successor to 

the original Beetle. 

With its more modern front-wheel-drive and 

front-engine layout, it became an instant hit. In 

1976, Volkswagen expanded the line-up with the 

famed Golf GTI hot hatch. 

Second time around – 1983 

1983 

As the Golf celebrates half a century of production, we take a look back at its impressive history 

2008 

Volkswagen introduced its second-generation 

Golf in 1983. It was larger and introduced 

modern technologies, including power steering, 

anti-lock brakes and 16-valve engines. 

With 6.3 million produced, overall sales were just 

shy of the first-generation car at just under seven 

million units. 

Bigger engines and an estate for the third 

outing – 1991 

The third-generation Golf was not as popular, 

with 4.8 million sales overall. Launched in 1991, 

the broad range of versions included a three- and 

five-door hatchback, convertible and estate car. 

Alongside the GTI models, Volkswagen 

introduced a flagship VR6 model with a 2.8-litre 

six-cylinder engine. 

The Golf goes upmarket in its fourth iteration – 1997 

The fourth generation represented a significant 

step up in quality, though this is now the 

cheapest used Golf. 

Renowned for its bulletproof diesel engines, this 

generation of Golf also introduced Volkswagen’s 

racing-derived ‘R’ model with the Golf R32 in 2002. 

Packing a 3.2-litre V6 VR6 engine, it was the first 

production car with a dual-clutch automatic DSG 

gearbox. Nearly five million were produced. 

1991 

2012 

A return to brilliance with the Golf 5 – 2004 

A high point is the 2004 fifth-generation Golf, a more 

modern-looking car and better to drive, courtesy 

of advanced suspension and stiffer construction. 

The Mk5 Golf GTI with its 197bhp 2.0-litre petrol 

engine is a future classic, as is the GTI 30th 

Anniversary Edition, introduced in 2006. The 

Golf Plus MPV body style also arrived, and 3.4 

million examples of the Golf were produced in 

this generation. 

The short-lived Golf 6 – 2008 

The sixth-generation Golf, introduced in 2008, 

won the 2009 World Car of the Year. 

A range of safety and technology advancements 

made it a superb family car. The Golf R32 

became the R and the Cabriolet made a brief 

return. Just shy of three million were produced. 

The sensational Golf 7 – 2012 

The seventh-generation Golf is regarded as 

one of the best all-round cars ever made. New 

underpinnings made it lighter and advanced 

features such as LED lighting and autonomous 

emergency braking were introduced. 

A plug-in hybrid and an electric e-Golf were 

introduced. Performance versions included the 

300bhp Golf R and the stripped-out, two-seater GTI 

Clubsport S, regarded as one of the best hot hatches 

ever. Around six million Golf 7s were produced. 

The digital Golf 8 – 2020 

1997 

2020 

The 2020 Golf 8 wasn’t very well-received and 

was a departure from its predecessor, especially 

with the large touchscreen that replaced nearly 

all traditional interior buttons. Usability issues 

prompted the latest mid-life Golf 8.5 update. 

With a more user-friendly touchscreen, fewer digital 

buttons and an impressive new plug-in hybrid 

model capable of more than 60 miles on a charge, 

it should get Volkswagen back on the right track. 

When the 

police will 

come after 

your dog 

KEEP YOUR 

dogs on 

a lead 

around 

livestock, 

or it could 

be seized 

by the 

police. 

Under laws being drawn up, police 

will be given more powers to seize 

and detain dogs who they believe 

have ‘terrorised livestock’ on farms. 

The move follows increasing 

tensions in rural communities since 

Covid produced many unsocialised 

‘lockdown puppies.’ Farm animals 

worth an estimated £2.4 million 

were severely injured or killed 

by dogs in 2023 alone. That was 

up nearly 30 per cent from 2022, 

according to figures from the 

insurer NFU mutual. 

Under current laws, only the 

owner can be prosecuted when 

dogs worry livestock. Police have 

not been able to deal with dogs 

who attack farm animals while out 

roaming on their own. But under 

the new law, they can be seized. 

Funny Signs 

• In a clothing store: 

“Wonderful bargains 

for men with 16 and 

17 necks.” 

• On a repair shop door: “We 

can repair anything. Please knock 

hard - bell doesn’t work.” 

• Outside a Hong Kong tailor’s 

shop: “Ladies may have a fit 

upstairs.” 

• On a road sign: “When this 

sign is under water, this road is 

impassable.” 

♦Fixed Wiring Testing 

♦Landlord Certification 

♦Expert Fault Finding 

♦Fuse Board Upgrades 

♦Extra Sockets & Lights 

♦Electric Heating 

ELECTRICIAN 

A one-stop professional & reliable service 

Control Electrics (Leics.) Ltd 

Call: 0116 268 2910 

Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicester LE7 7BR 

♦Complete Rewiring (with minimal 

disruption) 

♦Cottage Specialists 

♦Electrics Showers (Inc. Plumbing) 

♦Security (Alarms, CCTV, Lights) 

♦Free No Obligation Quotes 

• New Guttering • Wood Staining • Repointing 

• Ridge Tiles • Chimney Stacks • Roof Valley 

• Dry Verge • Flat Roofing • Dry Ridge • Lead Flashing 

• Moss Removal • Slate/Tile Roofing 

• UPVC Fascia, Soffits & Gutters 

FREE QUOTATION AND FREE EMERGENCY CALL OUT 

Proprietor: Elias Bell 

1 Maynard Close, Bagworth, LE67 1BU 

Mobile: 07494820600 - Freephone: 0800 292 7391 

I’ve been living with a woman for some time. She’s quite a bit older than me and we don’t get on. It’s my mum.


7 

Planning 

applications 

Construction of front porch - at 24 

Woodlands Drive, Groby, Leicester 

LE6 0BQ. 

Application to install overhead 

electricity lines - at Land Adjacent To 

Battleflat Lodge Farm, West Lane, 

Stanton Under Bardon, Leicestershire 

LE67 1FA. 

Single storey rear extension - at 27 

Anstey Lane, Groby, Leicester LE6 

0DA. 

Two storey side extension, single 

storey rear extension, rear dormer, 

loft conversion and alteration to 

the dwelling - at 19 Ratby Lane, 

Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9RJ. 

Two storey front extension and 

single storey side extension - at 2 

Meadow Lane, Stanton Under Bardon, 

Leicestershire LE67 9TL. 

Dowding Solicitors Limited 

We offer a personal friendly 

service locally for all your legal 

requirements. 

• Wills 

• Lasting Power of Attorney 

• Administration of Estate 

(Probate) 

• Residential Sales and Purchase 

• Free Quotation 

Also at 12A High Street, Sileby, Leics. LE12 7RX 

Two storey front extension and 

single storey side extension - at 2 

Meadow Lane, Stanton Under Bardon, 

Leicestershire LE67 9TL. 

Events at Little 

Markfield Farm 

VINTAGE CAR MEET 

5pm - 21st June 

LITTLE MARKFIELD 

STEAM RALLY 

29th & 30th June 

VINTAGE CAR MEET 

5pm - 19th July 

For more information, 

call Brenda on 

07774 047571 

Now at THE OLD RECTORY, 

MAIN STREET, GLENFIELD LE3 8DG 

Call today on 0116 232 5136 

or email: kathryn@dowdingsolicitors.co.uk 

For all aspects 

of painting & 

decorating 

m: 07738 531356 

e: rclemson@mail.com 

w: www.royclemson.co.uk 

ANSTEY 

SKIP HIRE 

MIDI AND MAXI SKIPS 

mobile: 07811 162 285 

Email: Ansteyskips@gmail.com 

 

Auto-correct made me say things I didn’t Nintendo.

8 


Spotlight Small Ads 

Cats now need to be 

micro-chipped 

CAT OWNERS are being given their final warning as the 

new microchipping law is now in place, which could see 

owners facing a £500 fine if they don’t comply. 

Pooch & Mutt’s Resident Vet Dr. Linda Simon offers some advice and 

clarity to cat owners on what microchipping is, where to go to get it done, 

how much it will cost and if it will hurt/if there are any risks: 

What is Microchipping? 

‘Microchipping means inserting a small chip under the skin, usually 

between the shoulder blades. It’s about the size of a grain of rice. It 

contains a unique number, and when we scan it, the number shows up on 

our microchip reader. This number can be looked up in a database, so the 

cat’s owner can be found. 

Many owners think a microchip allows for their cat to be tracked and 

located but this isn’t the case’. 

Where can I get my cat microchipped and how 

much will it cost? 

‘You should have your cat chipped in a vet clinic and it’s very affordable, 

usually about £15-25’. 

Will it hurt my cat and does microchipping come 

with any risks? 

‘Many will get it done while neutered, so they won’t feel a thing! If awake, it 

is uncomfortable and I usually equate it to getting an ear piercing. 

There’s a very small risk of infection, but the majority experience no side 

effects’. 

Why would you recommend me getting my cat 

microchipped? 

‘As well as microchipping to avoid getting fined, you should microchip to 

ensure your cat can be easily returned to you if they ever go missing or get 

stolen. 

Microchipping also means if your cat is injured and 

brought to a clinic, you can be called and given 

the green light for the vet to provide treatment right 

away. 

Sadly, many un-chipped cats go missing every year 

and are never reunited with their original owners 

due to a lack of microchip’. 

Dr Linda Simon MVB MRCVS 

www.poochandmutt.co.uk 

• Homcom Grey COMPUTER DESK 

with sliding keyboard tray with storage 

drawer. Good condition but does 

have a small chip, can supply photos. 

Dimensions 86.6H x 100W x40D cm. 

Price: £15 . 

Tel: 07342 635 668 (Groby) 

• PRINTER - HP ENVY 5544: Printer, 

Scanner, Copier, Web Photo. Fully 

Working with leads and instructions 

included. Price £35. 

Tel: 01530 245944 (Markfield) 

• CHILD’S BIKE - 3 gears, front and 

rear brakes. Halfords “Craze” Beautiful 

white bike. Hardly used. Excellent 

condition. Suit 8-12 year old. Price £25. 

Tel: 07891 246871 (Groby) 

• 3 Harry Potter 1500 JIGSAWS 

- Ravensburger 1000 Disney puzzle - 

1000 Mandaloren jigsaw. 

Price: £2.50 each. 


• 4 DINING ROOM CHAIRS - John 

Lewis- Good Condition, 4 for £80. 

• ROOF BARS (rack) Genuine Ford 

Fiesta - will fit 2017 onwards. 

Price: £50. 

Tel: 079055 58349 (Bagworth) 

• One pair of MENS SHOES - size 11 

UK euro 46. Lacon Fortaise Comfort. 

Oat Meal in colour, velcro fastening. 

New, never worn. Cost £30 will accept 

£20 o.n.o. 


• ELECTRIC GUITAR. Black & White 

complete with Amp, Guitar Cord, Electric 

string tuner, Carry Case and plectrums. 

Everything you need. Price: £70. 

• Aerobic STEPPING BOARD for cardio 

fitness. Like new. Price: £6. 

• Electric WOOD JOINER. Silverline 

Hi-Spec Biscuit Jointer. 850W, 

adjustable depth & angle. Dust Extractor 

with user guide and spare biscuits. 

Joins wood solidly without complicated 

carpentry joints. Price: £25. 

• HORSE PICTURE in solid pine frame. 

24” x 32”. We Three Kings, a print of the 

horses’ heads for Desert Orchid, Red 

Rum & Arkle. Beautiful centre piece. 

Price: £15. 

• ROWING MACHINE. Gym N Rower 

with workout DVD. Very good condition. 

Price: £15. 

• Handheld DUMBBELLS, in a hard 

carry case. 6 weights, 0.5kg to 1.5kg. 

Like new. Price: £6. 

• Gaming STEERING WHEEL STAND. 

Black metal, adjustable height and 

angle. Price: £10. 

• Electric HAIR STYLER. Toni & Guy 

Hourglass Wand for curls and waving 

hair. Price: £6. 

Tel: 0116 287 0375 (Groby) 

• Pale green Parker Knoll THREE 

PIECE SUITE in excellent condition. 

Price: £90. 

• Automatic TABLET DISPENSER - 

very good condition. Price: £30. 

• SINGLE BED with headboard and 

mattress, excellent condition. Price: £40. 

Tel: 07855 040819 (Groby) 

• Next 3-SEATER SOFA ( Oxford 

range). Excellent condition. Price: £250. 

• Next TV UNIT. Price: £100. 

• WORK OUT BENCH. Price: £75. 

• Glass DISPLAY UNIT. Price: £55. 

Tel: 07527 198552 (Groby) 

• JIGSAWS: 1000 pieces - ten to sell as 

a lot. Price: £15. 


• Parker PHM5200 STRIMMER-BUSH 

CUTTER-HEDGE CUTTER-CHAIN 

SAW. All attachments included. Used 

once since new. Excellent condition. 

Price: £70. 

• Petrol SOVEREIGN M24 SGT24 

GRASS STRIMMER. Good condition. 

Price: £30. 

• EXERCISE BIKE - hardly used, good 

condition. Price: £30. 

• Olde world TABLE AND FOUR 

CHAIRS - extending. All in very good 

condition. Price: £100 o.n.o. 

Tel: 07773 654661 (Bagworth) 

• Countertop DISHWASHER – Currys 

Essentials, white, clean and good 

condition, lightly used (surplus to new 

kitchen design);W 55 cm; H 44 cm; D 50 

cm; Price: £45. 


• Two wooden DIRECTOR’S CHAIRS, 

tan fabric. Hardly used, excellent 

condition. Price: £10 each. 

Tel: 07547 901657 (Glenfield) 

• Osprey black HANDBAG - new, never 

used. Cost £55 - for sale at £30. 

• Four new full SWIMSUITS - size 16/18 

- £4 each. 

• Zoggs BUBBLE CAP. Price: £2. 

• Ladies JACKET - size 16/18 in grey, 

Prince of Wales check.French made. 

Exc. condition. Price: £5. 

• Ladies M&S TROUSER SUIT. Navy. 

Size 16. Exc. condition. Price: £5. 

• Ladies green wool ¾-length COAT. 

Exc. condition. Size 18. Price: £5. 


• WAINWRIGHT’S WALK - set of 6 

hardback books. Price: £10. 

• Men’s TROUSERS - all new. 40” 

waist, 31” leg. Dark brown, dark grey, 

dark brown cord and charcoal. All four 

pairs for £30 or £10 per pair. 

• Dark blue PYJAMAS - XL 45”- 47”. 

New. Price: £5. 

• White & blue striped M&S SHIRT - 

new, pure cotton. Collar 17½”. Price: £5. 


• SINGLE BED with padded headboard 

and base, with two storage drawers. 

Price: £100. 

• Single DUVET. Price: £6. 

• PILLOW - never used. Cost £14. 

Price: £7. 

• Heavy BLANKET. Price: £4. 

• Two double DUVETS (one heavy). 

Price: £8. 

• Two PILLOWS. Price: £6. 

• Two PILLOWCASES. Price: £4. 

Tel: 0116 287 6674 or 07956 923212 

(Groby) 

SEND DETAILS by post or email - sorry, we can’t take them over the phone. 

Maximum EIGHT items please. No business ads. Our postal address is: 

Spotlight Small Ads, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT or you can 

email details to: info@grobyspotlight.co.uk PLEASE ENSURE that you 

put ‘SMALL ADS’ in the subject line, and INCLUDE YOUR FULL POSTAL 

ADDRESS (not for publication, just to let people know where you are). 

My divorce came as a complete surprise to me. That’s what happens when you haven’t been home in 18 years.

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT COMING UP AT 

GROBY CLUB 

Saturday 15th June 

BROTHERS 

IN SOUL 

Great Male Duo 

Friday 21st June 

DEM BOYZ 

Caribbean Party Band 

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE 

dem-boyz-party-band 

Saturday 22nd June 

SEAN HAVEN 

Very Good Male Vocalist 

Saturday 29th June 

JAMES STEVENS 

Singing a Bit of Rock & Roll 


TONY GOLD 

First Half Tom Jones Tribute 


NICK DE JAAR 

Very Good Male Vocalist 


ECHO BEACH 

Fantastic Male/Female Duo 

Saturday Night 

Bingo and 

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16-18 Leicester Rd, Groby, Leicester LE6 0DJ Phone: 0116 287 1809

10 


News from Groby WI 

Beetle Drive and a trip to 

the Isle of Man 

OUR MAY meeting took 

the form of a social 

evening and we played 

six games of ‘Beetle’. 

There were four members on 

each table and the winner of 

each game moved to the table 

on their left, the loser moved to 

the table on the right. Inevitably 

some confusion ensued but all in 

all, it was good fun! 

The photograph below shows 

some of our members enjoying a 

few days on the Isle of Man. 

Bradgate Rotary Bark in the Park 

BRADGATE ROTARY were blessed with good weather for 

their first ever Dog Show at Hunt’s Hill Bradgate Park on 

Sunday 12th May. 

Hundreds of people attended the event, many with their own dogs, to 

watch the dog displays, shop at the numerous stalls or take part in the 

many games and activities supported by Groby Scout Group. 

A very successful raffle with numerous prizes donated by local companies 

and organisations proved to be the best fundraiser of the day. 

Lesley Trivett, Bradgate Rotary Treasurer said, “With all the funds 

collected in from the event we are delighted that over £600 will be donated 

to Bradgate Park Trust and there should be sufficient funds (approx. 

£2,500) to cover sponsorship of a guide dog puppy via Guide Dogs for the 

Blind Association.” 

Charity Quiz Night with Fish & 

Chip Supper raised over £600 

Other outings/events that we do as members, but outside of the WI 

meetings, are breakfast at the Groby Club on the first Saturday of the 

month (and very yummy it is too!); a weekly walk on Friday at 9.30am from 

Stamford Memorial Park to Glenfield Market; Picnic in the park off Sycamore 

Drive (opposite Marina Park) restarting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month 

at 2.30pm (bring your own chair, food and drink). Two other outings that 

have been arranged are a coach trip to Cambridge in September and My 

Fair Lady at Curve in November, so if you are interested in joining Groby 

WI please come along to any meeting held on 3rd Thursday of the month at 

7.30pm in the Village Hall. 

Some sad news to report, one of our WI members, Jill Werner passed away 

unexpectedly and our thoughts and condolences are with her family and 

friends. 

Our next meeting is on Thursday 20th June at 7.30pm and the speaker is 

Helen Wilbur from Animal Aid. 

Ruth Rolinson 

FIFTY PEOPLE flexed their brains to answer questions 

posed by Quiz Master, Paul Sharratt on another fabulous 

night of fundraising. 

Over £600 has been raised towards Dementia-linked charities in the area. 

The fish and chips were provided by our local Groby Fisheries. 

For further details about the events or information about Rotary please 

email your contact details to Adrian Walker – walk77a@yahoo.com and 

we’ll be in touch. 

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It’s a shame nothing is made in the UK anymore. I just bought a TV and it said ‘Built in antenna’.

Groby Labour 

Robert Martin is 

your Labour 

candidate 

My name is Robert Martin, and I am 

delighted to be your Labour 

candidate for the general election. 

“I am the CEO of a children’s charity 

and an NHS Nurse, I have dedicated 

my life to public service” 

Britain is a great country but has been badly let down over 

the last 14 years. 

Living standards are down 

Crime goes unpunished 

Ambulances may not come 

Schools are crumbling and financially struggling 

Mortgages and food prices are through the roof 

Tory planning laws are in favour of developers, not our 

communities 

This election is not just about change. It is about our hope 

for a better future. Together, we can build a strong economy, 

improve our NHS, and attract investment and opportunities 

for our community. Together, we can get our future back. 

I went to school in Groby and 

enjoyed my years at Brookvale and 

Groby Community College. I care 

deeply about Groby, where my 

grandad lives today, so I 

understand your concerns. As a 

Ratby resident, our communities 

are in this together. 

I have dedicated my life to public 

service and will continue to do this 

in service of your community. 

I aim to restore faith in politics by 

being a visible, local MP who 

prioritises our community's needs. I 

am committed to prioritising 

people over politics and addressing 

the issues that matter most to you. 

I will always proudly put my country 

before the party. 

Let’s get our future back. 

My Priorities are your priorities - I will be a 

local MP listening to you 

Groby residents tell me that long NHS wait lists need to be 

reduced, the cost of living crisis needs to be solved and 

people need to be supported to get back to work. 

If elected, I will listen to you and work with Groby to ensure 

your thoughts and issues are heard. Together, we can 

improve our community. 

Promoted by Rhys Cory-Lowsley on behalf of Robert Martin both at 33 Hill Street, Woodhouse Eaves, LE12 8QX

12 


When you enjoy coffee and cake at 

Groby Library you might be giving 

a child a longer and better life 

IT MIGHT NOT sound 

plausible, but they 

are connected. And 

it’s great way to justify 

tucking into one of those 

delicious cakes in the 

Time Out cafe. 

A sceptic might challenge that 

there is any connection, but it is 

straightforward. 

• Firstly, the cafe provides most 

of the funds needed to keep the 

library open. No similar cash 

generative service has been 

identified, so without the cafe 

income the annual outgoings 

could not be met. 

• Secondly, public libraries are 

recognised as playing a critical 

role in the development of child 

literacy. 

• Thirdly, studies have shown 

that areas with a high standard 

of literacy have higher life 

expectancy than areas with low 

literacy levels. 

Studies have shown that some 

of the lowest life expectancies in 

England can be found in children 

children born into communities 

with the most serious literacy 

challenges. An example is 

Stockton town centre. A boy 

born there has a life expectancy 

26.1 years shorter than a boy 

born in North Oxford (which 

has some of the least literacy 

challenges). Similarly, a girl 

born in Queensgate, Burnley, 

has a life expectancy 20.9 

years shorter than a girl born in 

Mayfield, near Royal Tunbridge 

Wells. 

A sceptic may then suggest that 

by comparison Groby is more 

prosperous than these more 

deprived areas, but wherever you 

live raising a family has probably 

never been as expensive as it is 

today. Public libraries provide a 

wealth of literary resources for 

parents, without the expense of 

buying books. 

The sceptic might also argue 

that Groby Library caters mainly 

for adult readers, and today’s 

children are too busy looking at 

their phones to look at books. 

But the library has a thriving 

children’s section and activities 

such as Wriggly Readers for preschool 

children, and the Summer 

Reading Challenge. Last year 

children’s books made up two 

thirds of the book issues. By 

encouraging their children to 

read from their earliest years, 

parents are helping local schools 

give them the best start in life. 

In 2011, 8 in 10 children and 

young people who used public 

libraries considered themselves 

to be a good reader compared 

with only 5 in 10 who didn’t. 

Low literacy is linked to poor 

health, with an estimated 

43% of working-age adults in 

England lacking the literacy skills 

they need to understand and 

make use of everyday health 

information (known as ‘health 

literacy’). 

A child’s early language 

experiences are the foundation 

of life-long literacy. The language 

of stories, the rhythms of nursery 

rhymes and the familiarity with 

books build on strong and 

positive experience of early 

communication to create the 

early literacy skills that will 

eventually enable a child to 

learn to read and write. As the 

importance of parenting and 

home learning has grown, so has 

the appreciation of the vital role 

of libraries in supporting early 

language development. 

Longitudinal studies employ 

An example is Stockton town centre. 

A boy born there has a life expectancy 

26.1 years shorter than a boy born in 

North Oxford (which has some of the least 

literacy challenges). 

continuous or repeated 

measures to follow particular 

individuals over prolonged 

periods of time—often years or 

decades. 

When the UK’s largest 

longitudinal study of early 

development examined the 

importance of the home learning 

environment, the activities 

that libraries promote were 

demonstrated to be of central 

importance. Subsequent studies 

demonstrated that visiting 

the library was in itself a vital 

component of a strong home 

learning environment and at the 

age of 3 could be seen to impact 

positively on reading skills in the 

first years of school. 

All this means that you needn’t 

think of the money you spend on 

your coffee and cake as a guilty 

pleasure. Instead think of it as a 

charitable donation that ensures 

the survival of the library and the 

benefits to the community that 

result. 

The information in this article 

is based on a post pandemic 

report entitled Public Libraries 

and Literacy Recovery 

which can be read on www. 

librariesconnected.org.uk. 

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The only problem with an all-day breakfast is you’ve got to eat it so slowly.

Listening to and working for you all year round! 

Dear Resident, 

For the last seven years it has been a privilege 

to serve as County Councillor for neighbouring 

Markfield, Desford & Thornton. 

During this time I have worked cross-party with 

fellow councillors, parish councils and 

residents to deliver for our Leicestershire 

villages. 

Working on issues such as: Speeding, 

Speculative Development, Parking issues and 

the menace of Anti-social behaviour. 

At the General Election we have the unique 

opportunity to elect a local champion to fight 

for our interests in Parliament. 

I very much hope, whatever your politics, you 

would consider lending me your vote so that 

our area has a strong voice in Westminster. 

Peter Bedford 

Conservative Parliamentary 

Candidate for Mid Leicestershire 

07983 513215 Peter@peterbedford.uk 

www.peterbedford.uk 

Promoted by P M Taylor on behalf of P A Bedford both of Mid Leicestershire Conservatives, 18 Pinfold Gate, Loughborough LE11 1BE

As a local Councillor some of my work includes... 

Supporting residents 

against HGV traffic 

Securing £200k+ of grants 

for local community groups! 

Tackling Parking issues 

at Thornton Reservoir 

Supporting residents in 

Stanton against Bardon 3 

Working with the police 

to tackle crime 

Supporting communities 

during the Covid Crisis 

Promoting investment in 

work & skills 

Holding regular surgeries 

with local residents 

Speaking up for the 

villages on Planning 

...with more to come if elected YOUR MP! 

Vote Peter Bedford 

Printed by the Glenfield Gazette PO Box 8 Markfield Leicestershire LE67 9ZT 

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16 


Groby Allotments Society News from Carol Lincoln 

New fence in place! 

WE HOPE that those of you 

who regularly use the footpath 

between Ratby Road and 

Chapel Hill will have found it 

easier to walk down these last 

few weeks. 

The old, rotting wood paling fence has 

now been replaced with a smart new 

metal fence and at the same time, we 

have taken the opportunity to straighten 

out the fence where possible and have 

widened the pathway in places to make 

it easier to access if you are using a 

pram, pushchair or wheelchair or just 

want to be able to walk past someone 

on the path. All of this was with the 

agreement of the parish council who 

own the land and the county council 

who are responsible for the footpaths. 

The fence is something that we have 

been wanting to replace for some time 

and we have been able to achieve it 

by a generous National Lottery grant. 

We will publicise the fact by placing a 

National Lottery plaque on the fence 

very soon. We are a volunteer devolved 

management group who rely on funds to improve our sites by our own 

fund-raising activities and so the amount of money required to replace and 

upgrade this fence would not have been possible without the help of the 

National Lottery Community fund, to whom we are incredibly grateful. 

We now have a fence which is robust and maintenance-free for years to 

come and will maintain the security of our site, keeping our members and 

their produce safe from harm. 

Perennial vegetables 

HAVE YOU heard of these before? Me neither, but there 

has been a lot written about them in the gardening press 

recently. 

It seems that there are various vegetables which you can obtain as 

perennials as opposed to having to plant out new ones each year. Varieties 

include brassicas such as broccoli, cabbages and kale; root vegetables 

such as Jerusalem or chinese artichokes, skirret, a thin, sweet-tasting 

tuber whose leaves look like parsnips or tubers or scorzonera, something 

I’ve never heard of, but apparently the tubers are edible, as are the young 

leaves and flowers; some varieties of onions which naturally self-seed and 

produce bulblets that can be planted as new plants, so whilst not strictly 

perennial, do produce new plants, and of course there are chives, which 

are cut and come again and crow garlic. 

Finally, there are the leafy perennial plants such as caucasian spinach, 

garden sorrel, dandelion leaves (tender new leaves are good in salads 

but the older leaves can be bitter), and self-seeding salad leaves such as 

lambs lettuce, miners’ lettuce and coriander. These are also not strictly 

perennial but they self-seed so easily that you can see new plants grow up 

each year. 

All of this sounds quite interesting when you think of the cost of seed 

packets, fresh potting compost and water, let alone the time spent raising 

new annual plants from seed. I am tempted to give it a go. 

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Let’s go on a worm hunt? 

APOLOGIES FOR a nod to Michael Rosen’s well-loved 

children’s book (“We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”), but the 

Soil Association have recently been asking us to join in a 

worm count. 

I know that it is no longer the half term 

holidays to keep the kids amused for 

a while, but it certainly has been wet 

enough to bring the worms to the surface 

as I write this! 

Well, another day has passed and I didn’t use algebra. 

The number of worms in the soil is a direct 

indicator of how healthy our soils are and 

so the Soil Association is asking people to 

survey a square metre of their garden or allotment soil for 30 minutes and 

to send in the findings. 

They have a leaflet that you can download which shows you how to find 

worms, which includes stamping or dancing on the ground for a short 

time (vibrations attract them to the surface), looking under stones or fallen 

leaves, or wetting an area of grass (not difficult of late!), then covering the 

area with a black plastic bin bag, leaving for half an hour, and then seeing 

how many worms have surfaced from their soaked burrows. Sounds like 

fun! 

Amazingly there are 26 different species of worms in the UK, with three 

types of common worms, the red ones found in leaf litter, under dead wood 

or in the surface soil, blue- grey ones which live deeper in the soil and that 

I seem to annoy when digging, and the longer red worms which I find living 

in my compost bin or deeper in the soil. These ones leave little piles of 

worm poo at the side of their burrow entrances. 

Facts about worms to amaze your friends are that worms eat their own 

body weight in food every day and worm poo is incredibly good for plants 

growing in the soil as it contains lots of vital nutrients to keep both the 

plants and soil healthy. Worms are also a good food source for bird, 

hedgehogs and frogs. 

So, if I see you dancing on your plot or in your garden in the next week 

or so, I’ll know that you are contributing to countrywide research on soil 

fertility! Happy hunting!! 

Carol Lincoln 

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17 

NEW ON AUDIBLE 

Wimbledon: A personal history 

Written & narrated by Sue Barker 

SUE BARKER first 

walked through those 

famous SW19 gates 

aged 13 in 1969, to 

play in the National 

Schools event. She 

knelt down and picked 

some blades of grass, 

wrapped them up in a 

tissue and took them 

home. Her own bit of 

Wimbledon. 

What Sue didn’t know then, 

was that every year for the 

next half century, she would 

be back in some capacity. As 

a junior, aged 15, as a semi-finalist and Grand-Slam winner ranked No 3 in 

the world, and as a broadcaster leading the BBC coverage for thirty years. 

And now she returns as a storyteller. Wimbledon has a magic that draws 

people in, players and fans. It respects tradition, but embraces the future 

and stays relevant. Sue goes in search of what sets this place apart. 

She talks to the greats of tennis, her former mentors, contemporaries on 

the circuit, friends and colleagues, and they tell their stories of their own 

triumphs and disasters, reveal how Wimbledon changed their lives, and 

what it has meant to them. 

Sue’s personal history of Wimbledon is as tightly packed with stories as 

the courts are with blades of grass. From the most memorable matches 

to the fashions and trends, the famous rivalries, the upsets and the ‘You 

Cannot Be Serious’ unforgettable moments, this is a Centre Court seat on 

all the riveting drama that has defined British sporting summers for all of 

our lifetimes. 

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18 


County Councillor’s Report from Ozzy O’shea 

Email: ozzy.o’shea@leics.gov.uk or ozzyoshea@hotmail.com 

Tel 0116 239 4336 Mobile 07808 585825 

Groby Flood Alleviation 

Work Update 

I AM WORKING closely with 

Severn Trent and Highways on 

both of these schemes, and I would 

like to share Severn Trent’s update 

with residents, Once again, a big 

thank you for your patience from 

both myself and Severn Trent as 

they work to reduce the flood risk in 

Groby. Following on from their last 

letter to residents, there have been 

more changes to the programme. 

Here is their update. 

For health and safety reasons 

we’ve been unable to reopen 

Marston Drive as planned so this 

will now reopen on or around 14 

June. 

Work is planned on 

Ratby Road 

What are we doing? As you know, 

Groby village has suffered from 

foul and surface water flooding 

for several years. We’ve already 

installed the storage pipes on 

Leicester Road that will hold 

excess surface water when it rains 

heavily and send it slowly back into 

the waste-water network. 

The next phase is to install new 

pipes that will separate surface 

water from the foul (waste) water 

that comes from homes and 

businesses and protect the Ratby 

Road area. 

When and where? To hopefully 

avoid the sort of surprises we found 

on Leicester Road, we need to do 

some trial holes on Ratby Road. 

This will involve us moving along 

Ratby Road digging a number of 

holes which will each take around 

three days to dig, check and 

backfill. 

We’ll start on 17 June and expect 

these trial holes to take two 

weeks. To keep everyone safe and 

complete this work quickly we’ll be 

using 2-way and 3-way traffic lights 

from the junction of Ratby Road/ 

Leicester Road, up the hill to near 

the Ratby Road Allotments. 

During the school summer holidays 

we’ll start replacing the pipes along 

this same section. We’ll write to 

you again with the detail before that 

starts and we’ll be liaising with the 

businesses on Ratby Road too. 

Contact the Severn Trent Team. 

If you have any queries about this 

work, please speak to the team on 

site who will help you in any way 

they can or get in touch with us: 

Helen Purdy 

07703 718436 

helen.purdy@severntrent.co.uk 

Rosie Hunt 

07866 001204 

rosie.hunt@severntrent.co.uk 

Temporary Traffic 

Regulation Order, 

Ratby Road, Groby 

LEICESTERSHIRE County 

Council Highways has agreed to a 

Temporary Traffic Regulation Order 

at the above location. 

The Temporary Traffic Regulation 

Order will be implemented 

for public safety for STW and 

their contractors to undertake 

investigatory works, as part of a 

flood alleviation scheme. 

Parking restrictions are required 

on Ratby Road, Groby from the 

17th June 2024 for 8 days. The 

restrictions will be in conjunction 

with 2 way traffic signals. 

During the restrictions, alternative 

routes available to all traffic 

can be viewed at https://one. 

network/?tm=GB138481849 

A message from Market 

Bosworth Police Beat 

Team 

‘OPERATION SCEPTRE’ 

commenced across Leicester, 

Leicestershire and Rutland recently. 

This operation is about education 

and enforcement, designed to 

educate young people about the 

dangers and consequences of 

carrying a knife; target those who 

carry weapons and disrupt the sale 

and supply of knives. If you have 

concerns about someone carrying 

a knife, need advice or want further 

information about knife crime 

initiatives you can visit livesafe.org. 

uk (Making our community a safe 

place to live - LiveSafe) 

CRIME REPORTING: 

There have been multiple reports 

received in relation to Theft from 

motor vehicles which have occurred 

in Market Bosworth this week. 

It has been reported that entry 

has been gained and items have 

been stolen from within one of the 

vehicles which was left insecure. 

Below are some great tips to assist 

in preventing theft from vehicles: 

• Fuelling up or popping back into 

your house to get something are 

perfect examples of how easy it is 

to turn your back for a moment and 

forget your vehicle is unsecured. 

Getting into the habit of locking 

your vehicle, even if you’re only 

going to be away from it for a 

moment, is important. 

• Your mobile phone, coins for the 

car park, sunglasses, packs of 

medication or other items that can 

earn quick cash are irresistible to 

the opportunist thief. Remember, 

the cost of replacing a window is 

often much more than that of what’s 

stolen. And it should go without 

saying that wallets, handbags, 

purses, and credit cards should 

never be left in an unattended 

vehicle. 

• Leaving windows and the sunroof 

open invites fishing for items 

through the gap by hand or with, 

say, a bent coat hanger, which 

could also be used to unlock a 

door for them to get in. Thieves can 

be ingenious. Don’t give them the 

opportunity. 

A REPORT of a Burglary has 

been received, whereby persons 

have gained entry to a garage by 

snipping the padlock on a garage 

door, on doing so, a motocross 

bike has been stolen. Many people 

don’t secure their shed or garage in 

the same way they do their homes 

- often using an easy-to-break 

lock or padlock to protect valuable 

contents such as a car, bikes, or 

lawnmowers. 

An opportunistic burglar will try 

a shed or garage first because 

they can find the tools they need 

to break into the main house. 

Secure your bike to the ground or 

a lockable stand within a locked 

shed or garage. Visit Sold Secure 

to search for ground anchors and 

other locks designed to fix to floors 

and walls. www.soldsecure.com 

Additional patrols have been 

conducted as a result of this, 

seeing beat officers utilising both 

late and night shifts in order to 

provide proactive patrols in and 

around these areas. 

SCAM PHONE CALLS 

We have been made aware 

of reports of scam calls being 

made whereby victims are being 

telephoned and informed that their 

bank card may have been cloned. 

These have been identified as not 

legitimate and so caution is advised 

when accepting calls from unknown 

persons relating to banking/ 

personal information. Further 

advice is available at Reporting 

fraud and cyber crime | Action 

Fraud whereby you can report 

fraud or cybercrime to Action Fraud 

any time of the day or night. Further 

support can be found at: 

ACTION FRAUD: Members for the 

public - 0300 123 2040 (Monday to 

Friday, 8am to 8pm) 

ACTION ON ELDER ABUSE 

(AEA): AEA are a national charity 

working to protect and prevent the 

abuse of vulnerable older adults. 

TEL: 0808 808 8141 

REPORTING ANTI-SOCIAL 

BEHAVIOUR: 

As the weather is improving, we 

have become aware of a rise in 

reports in relation to Anti-Social 

behaviour. Residents have been 

reporting concerns at 

Anti-social behaviour includes 

both criminal and non-criminal 

behaviour. 

This could be: 

• Threatening, harassing or unruly 

behaviour such as drunkenness 

and loitering in public spaces. 

• Alcohol related nuisance / drug 

use – and the mess and disruption 

that can go with it. 

• Vandalism, graffiti, fly-tipping, and 

littering. 

• Abandoned vehicles. 

• Disruptive neighbours consistently 

playing loud music or letting their 

dog bark all night. 

When reporting incidents of this 

type. Please call 101 to report 

a non-emergency incident to 

the police. You can also report 

antisocial behaviour at www.leics. 

police.uk or through the Hinckley & 

Bosworth Borough Council website 

www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk. 

Network North Funding 

LAST YEAR the government 

announced the cancellation of the 

HS2 north of Birmingham and the 

reallocation of the funds to the 

Midlands and the North under the 

umbrella of the network North Plan. 

The department for transport has 

announced that a total additional 

funding for the Council. The. 

Council has been allocated a total 

of £238m to cover seven years 

from 2025, although no annual 

amounts have been specified to 

date. However, we have been told 

that the yearly allocation will a be 

backloaded meaning larger funding 

allocations will be provided in the 

later years of the funding period. 

Finally, I would also like to thank 

you all for your continued support 

and remind you that should you 

need my help or advice, I always 

pride myself on making myself 

available to residents. Remember 

I am only a phone call or email 

away. 

Ozzy O’shea 

Always Working for you Locally. 

Someone once told me I smelt of washing powder. It was so bio-degrading.


From navel to novel 

LOCKDOWN brought changes for many 

people and conversely many people made 

changes because of lockdown. 

Being forced to press pause on our normally hectic 

existences, was a blessing for some of us. The hiatus gave 

us time to reflect and re-evaluate aspects of our lives. 

That year (or so) of lockdown became a lot of peoples’ 

‘Someday.’ 

Some of my friends and relatives finally left jobs they 

hated, others separated from partners they’d not previously 

had courage to leave and pretty much everyone I know 

chose a more chilled out lifestyle. For me, lockdown was 

an opportunity to say, enough is enough. 

I’d been performing as a belly dancing, fire-eating, snake 

charmer for thirty-six years, and as much as I loved nearly 

every minute of it - and was grateful to have a job I adored 

- I was getting older. 

Just prior to lockdown I’d began to fear hearing the 

words no woman wants to hear, ‘Oooh, she looks old.’ 

I guess I could’ve worked hard at the gym, had some 

cosmetic procedures, Botox, fillers, liposuction, fake boobs 

that sort of thing, but I’d watched too many episodes of 

‘Botched’ and anything like that scared the whatsit out 

of me. Besides it seemed like cheating and definitely not 

something to be done just to have a few extra years doing 

my job. 

So, during lockdown I made the decision to announce my 

retirement from public performance. (It wasn’t like I was 

giving up my career completely as I’m still a professional 

speaker on several Belly Dance and entertainment related 

subjects. I also teach and deliver workshops.) 

Luckily, I had a ‘Someday’ dream, so early one Saturday 

morning when everyone else was in bed, I opened my 

laptop and began to write the story I’d always wanted to write. Although a great experience, I was disappointed with 

the end result, so it was filed away, and I subsequently lost my writing mojo. 

Then one day I came across an article about Stephen King and how he put Carrie his first novel in the bin 

believing it to be no good, and then I read about J.K.Rowling having to submit her novel ‘Harry Potter and the 

Philosophers stone’ to twelve publishers before one would take a punt on it. Reading this made me realise I’d given 

up too easily. 

A few days later I came up with a great story idea and after many months clicking away on my laptop in the bay 

window of the Stamford Arms, I finally finished a novel I was proud of. 

My lovely editor Laura from Be Empowered, got my manuscript ready 

for publication, Steph from Buncher design and I worked together to 

create a unique wrap around cover and boom! my novel was published. 

The moral of this story is, not to fear change, embrace it; change is your 

friend, it’s one of the few things in life you know will always be there for 

you. Go with the flow or take chances, it’s up to you, but whatever, make 

sure you never miss out on your ‘Someday.’ 

Finding Escher is available on Amazon in both digital and physical 

formats. 

As I’m writing this, after only two days of release Finding Escher has 

reached 7th/10th/and 39th out of 23,000 in three different categories on 

Amazon Books! 

Roxanne Dinsdale, Groby 

About the book 

The visions Lucy sees in her great aunt’s mirror make her 

doubt her sanity, but with the help of Malloy, a New York cop, 

she comes to realise it has a mysterious and very useful power. 

When a stranger hears about the mirror’s capabilities, life for 

Lucy takes a dramatic and dangerous turn. 

What people say… 

‘Finding Escher is an intriguing supernatural thriller, which swings from macabre to funny and 

back again.’ 

‘It’s sick, dirty, and funny, not for the squeamish.’ 

My girlfriend is covered from head to toe in grass. Her name’s Lorna. 

19 

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20 


HBBC AGM - Mayor 

Making: 

ON TUESDAY 14th May 

the AGM of Hinckley & 

Bosworth Borough Council 

took place. 

Congratulations to Cllr Robin 

Webber-Jones who will be the 

Mayor of the Borough for the 

Civic Year 2024 – 2025 and to 

Cllr Richard Flemming, who is the 

Deputy Mayor for the civic year 

2024 – 2025. 

The leader of the Borough Council 

is Cllr Stuart Bray the deputy leader 

is Cllr Mark Christopher Bools 

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough 

Council have a cabinet based 

system with executive members 

covering the different aspects of the 

functions of the Borough Council. 

Executive Members: 

Councillor S L Bray 

Leader of the Council & Executive 

member for external relations, 

communications, regeneration & 

town centres, corporate & member 

services 

Councillor MC Bools 

Deputy Leader of the Council and 

Executive member for leisure, 

culture, tourism, arts, equalities, 

health & well being 

Councillor MB Cartwright 

Executive member for climate 

change, licensing, environmental & 

rural affairs 

Councillor K W P Lynch Executive 

member for finance, ICT & asset 

management 

Councillor M T Mullaney Executive 

member for housing and 

community safety 

Councillor WJ Crooks Executive 

member for planning 

Cllr Linda Hodgkins Executive 

member for parks, open spaces & 

neighbourhood services 

My committee positions are as 

follows: 

Executive 

Executive member for climate 

change, licensing, environmental & 

rural affairs 

Cllr Martin Cartwright 

Borough Council News 

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council – Groby Ward. 

Executive member for: Licensing, Environmental, 

Climate Change & Rural Issues 

Call: 0116 287 4500 • Mobile: 07850 707050 

E-Mail: hbbc@appliancehome.co.uk 

Write : Maverick House,10 Pine Tree Avenue, Groby, LE6 0EQ 

From Councillor Martin Cartwright 

Appeals Panel 

Ethical Governance & Personnel 

Committee 

Licensing Committee 

Planning Committee Substitute 

Appointment of representatives to 

Outside Bodies: 

Bradgate Landfill Liaison 

Committee 

Charnwood Forest Steering Group 

Cliffe Hill Quarry Liaison Committee 

Voluntary and Community Sector 

Partnership Commissioning Board 

(VCS) 

Dixie Grammar School Foundation 

- Trustee 

Borough Hosts Annual 

Rural Conference 

THE ANNUAL Rural 

Conference, organised 

by Hinckley & Bosworth 

Borough Council was 

recently held at Mythe 

Barn, Sheepy Magna, 

attracting delegates from 

across the Borough. 

Delegates representing the 

Rural Parishes of the Borough, 

along with key partners including 

Leicestershire Police, the Rural 

Community Council, voluntary and 

community sector and business 

representatives attended. 

This year’s event focused on 

learning and celebrating the work 

of our Parish Councils, networking 

opportunities and bringing 

delegates up to date on key 

priorities: 

• Launch of updated Climate 

Change and Biodiversity Strategy 

2024 - 2028 

• Making space for nature, an 

introduction to Local Nature 

Recovery Strategy (LNRS) 

• Launch of updated Rural Strategy 

2024 – 2028 

• Updates on local tourism including 

the Market Bosworth 1485 

sculpture trail and Charnwood Geopark 

which encompasses Ratby, 

Markfield and Groby. 

• Community projects update 

Cllr Martin Cartwright @CllrCartwright cllr.martincartwright 

part-funded through the Borough 

Council’s Parish and Community 

Initiative Fund, videos of some of 

these projects can be found on the 

council YouTube channel (www. 

youtube.com/@hbbc) 

• Update and question & answer 

session from the Leicestershire’s 

rural policing team 

HELP ME PLZ 

An alternative to the Internet 

Important to note that this is not 

a Borough Council run service. 

For those without internet access 

or who prefer to use the telephone 

for help and advice, a group of 

people in Hinckley have launched 

an alternative to the internet - a 

telephone help line service called 

HelpMePlz 

The service helps you to link to 

charities, help lines and information 

on Money + Health + Wellbeing + 

and more! 

HelpMePlz: 01455 414303 

We have no way of knowing if the 

information given is verified or up to 

date likewise if the service is using 

AI or not. 

It is being funded by crowd funding. 

The BT phone book last ever 

edition has been produced and 

delivered there will be no more. 

So if you have the need to use 

a paper directory for telephone 

numbers and contacts then please 

do not destroy what you have 

especially the latest BT phone 

book. 

In future the only way to find out 

about a business from a paper 

publication will be via publications 

such as the Spotlight who each 

month have local companies details 

for you to be able to seek help 

from. 

Remember this is not a service 

provided by or funded by the 

Borough Council. 

The Borough council are able to 

help in many cases their telephone 

number is 01455 238141 

Kind regards 

Cllr Martin 

Cartwright 

I keep residents updated by my monthly Spotlight article, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 

Social Media accounts. 

No matter which method you choose to seek my help I will do my best to help you. 

QR Code 

• Mobile Telephone 

• Home Telephone 

• HBBC Private E-Mail 

I’ve got a new job drilling holes for water. It’s well boring. 

• HBBC Council Provided E-mail 

• SMS Messaging 

• Whatsapp 

Registered 

Chiropodist 

Jason Peake 

MSSCh, Dip POD MED, MBChA 

For all your 

footcare needs: 

Corns, Callous, Nail 

Problems, Medical 

Pedicures, etc. 

Call Mobile: 

07760 453858 

Or Email: 

peakeyjas@gmail.com 

British children 

rank among 

the world’s 

worst for taking 

exercising and 

eating properly 

IN A RECENT World Health 

Organisation (WHO) study 

covering 44 countries, 

children in England, Wales 

and Scotland performed 

badly when it came to 

brisk walking and daily 

consistent exercise. Too 

many youngsters are also 

missing breakfast, and not 

eating enough vegetables. 

The survey looked at the exercise 

levels of children aged 11, 13 

and 15 who are living in Europe, 

Central Asia and Canada. Children 

in England and Wales are near the 

bottom of the global table, below 

Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, 

Sweden, Norway and 

Croatia. 

Dr Jo 

Inchley, 

from the 

University 

of Glasgow, 

said: “In the 

UK, we’re 

consistently 

low on physical activity. And by age 

15, just 35 per cent of girls and 51 

per cent of boys eat breakfast daily. 

There are also big differences 

due to affluence. It was found 

that almost twice as many young 

people from high socio-economic 

groups are eating vegetables, for 

example, compared with lower 

socio-economic groups.


Communities set 

to celebrate with 

anniversary fund 

COMMUNITY and voluntary groups across Hinckley and 

Bosworth are being encouraged to apply for their share of 

a fund to commemorate the Borough Council’s milestone 

anniversary. 

To mark its 50th year, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is offering 

grants to help voluntary and community groups to join in the celebrations. 

Grants of up to £500 are available to help towards the cost of organising 

50th Anniversary related activities or events, this could include: 

1. Community events between 1st July – 1st December 2024 

2. Commemorative benches or trees 

3. HBBC anniversary orchards or wildflower gardens 

Please note that food and refreshments included in applications will only 

be supported up to a maximum of £100. 

To qualify, groups will need to demonstrate they are an existing or 

established voluntary group, and that the Hinckley and Bosworth 50th 

Anniversary celebrations are an extension of an existing offer to the 

community. 

Grants are not available for private street parties. 

Applications are being assessed on a regular basis in order that funds can 

be allocated in a timely way, but please note the final date for applications 

is 1st November 2024. The funds will close when all funds available have 

been allocated, which may be before the stated closing date. 

Executive Member for Housing and Community Safety at the Borough 

Council, Cllr Michael Mullaney said: “This year is a special one for 

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, as we celebrate the council’s 

50th year of service and we hope this gives everyone across the borough 

the chance to join in the celebrations in their own local community. It’s also 

a great way to celebrate the fantastic work that community and voluntary 

groups do in our borough every day and thank those volunteers who do so 

much to help others.” 

For more information, and to apply go to www.hinckley-bosworth.gov. 

uk/50yearsfunding 

Glenfield Ladies Cooperative Choir & St. Anne’s PCC 

A SUMMER CONCERT 

Saturday 22nd June at 7pm 

at St Anne’s, Letchworth Road, Western Park, LE3 6FH 

Tickets £8.50 per person 

including refreshments 

Contact: Hilary Allen on 07979 075039 

or Lesley Orriss on 07757 335879 

21 

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Sports news: Wheelchair athletes banned from Paralympics after testing positive for WD40.

22 


Martinshaw’s pretty 

muddy challengers 

A GROUP of seven pupils from Martinshaw Primary School 

took part in the Cancer Research’s Pretty Muddy Challenge 

in May. 

The friends had to run 5K around the grounds of Prestwold Hall and got 

‘Pretty Muddy’ along the way completing lots of obstacles as they went 

around the course. 

The pupils - Rafferty, Hattie, Holly, Sian, Charlotte, Louie and Evie 

managed to raise a whopping £929.25 for Cancer Research which they are 

incredibly proud of. 

It was a very hot day and for most of the group it was the furthest they had 

ever tried to run so we are super proud of them. They are already planning 

to run again next year! 

Donna Taylor 

News from 

Glenfield 

Millennium Green 

THE PLANT SALE was a huge success on Saturday 18th 

May at the Glenfield Millennium Green. 

The weather was kind to us and thanks the generosity of Richard and 

Angie Bowers as well as others kindly donating a wide variety of flowering 

and vegetable plants, I’m delighted to share we raised £806.00. This 

will be a huge help in going towards the maintenance cost of the Green. 

Everyone that either volunteered or came along to buy plants helped us 

achieve this sum and we are very grateful. 

Table Top Sale 

OUR NEXT event is a table 

top sale to be held on June 

29th 10-1pm at the Green. 

We are inviting people to get 

in touch to book a stall via our 

facebook page. The cost of a stall 

is £5.00 and admission to the sale 

will be free of charge. The event 

did really well last year so we 

are hoping to see lots of people 

come along again on June. You 

can find our facebook page by 

searching ‘Glenfield Millennium 

Green’ 

As always we will warmly 

welcome volunteers that would 

like to either help with gardening 

or share their fund raising ideas. 

A man ran out of a supermarket with a joint of beef under his arm. 

The security guard shouted: “What are you doing with that?” The thief 

replied: “Yorkshire pudding, carrots and gravy.” 

They say get your Christmas shopping done early to avoid the rush 

but this year I did mine a whole 12 months early and the 

shops were as busy as ever. 

I’m puzzled when they say Jesus was a carpenter, 

because I’ve got all of their records and I don’t 

remember him singing on any of them. 

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Our Grandmother was a very cultivated lady. She was born in a greenhouse.


Helping swifts enter a 

new era with free nesting 

boxes 

AS ONE Swift flies 

into the UK for her 

global tour, people 

across Leicestershire 

are being encouraged 

to apply for nesting 

boxes to be installed 

on their homes to help 

and protect the bird of the same name. 

Swift boxes and 

installation are free, and 

are available to anyone 

who has a suitable 

property, following an 

assessment. 

Last year, Leicestershire 

County Council was 

awarded a £77,000 grant 

from Natural England 

to help boost swift 

populations across the 

county and help them to recover. 

The Swift Action for Swifts project aims to reverse the decline in the 

numbers of the migratory birds by helping householders across the county 

to create nesting sites. 

It provides specially-built swift boxes and ‘callers’ to encourage the birds 

to locate the boxes and make their homes in them. So far, boxes are being 

installed at more than 130 sites, with many more on the way. 

Numbers of swifts – which can be heard screaming across fields and 

gardens during the summer months - are in severe decline across the UK, 

down by 53% percent between 1995 and 2016, due to loss of breeding 

sites and the reduced numbers of flying insects caused by the use of 

pesticides, and climate change. 

Ann Carruthers, Leicestershire County Council director of environment 

and transport, said: “I would encourage householders to contact us 

about getting a swift box installed on their homes. We will carry out an 

assessment and install the box if the property is suitable. 

“It’s a very simple and effective way to protect these wonderful birds and 

to allow the population to grow and thrive.” 

Anyone who would like to apply for a swift nesting box should email 

EnvironmentTeam@leics.gov.uk 

We can take care of every detail, advise and help you 

on each and every step of the way. 

• Qualified Funeral Directors 

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• Hearse, Limousines and 

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23 

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Tel: 01530 251315 Mob: 07860 735066 

My wife has the body of a woman half her age. I suppose I should call the police.

24 


Everything you ever wondered about 

perfume but didn’t want to ask… 

What’s the difference between perfume and 

eau de toilette? 

The main difference is the concentration of 

fragrance oils. Perfume (or parfum) usually 

contains 20-30% fragrance oils, eau de parfum 

has 15-20%, eau de toilette has 5-15% and 

eau de cologne has just 2-5%. The higher the 

concentration, the more impactful the fragrance 

and the longer it will last. 

In most cases, you’ll want an eau de toilette or 

eau de parfum. The latter is more expensive but 

the cost-per-spritz can work out better value as 

you won’t have to reapply it as often. 

What are notes? 

Fragrances are made up of top notes, middle 

notes and base notes. Some notes evaporate 

quite quickly, while others develop quite slowly. 

So, the perfume will change subtly over the 

course of a few hours. 

Top notes evaporate the quickest. They tend to 

smell citrusy, fruity or fresh. Middle notes are 

the heart of the fragrance. They’re usually floral, 

spicy or ‘green’ (e.g. grass). Base notes are the 

longest-lasting. They’re rich, deep scents, such 

as vanilla, musk and sandalwood. 

Does perfume go off? 

Most perfumes only last one to three years 

once they’ve been opened. The time it takes for 

a perfume to deteriorate depends on a range 

of factors. For example, synthetic ingredients 

usually last longer than natural ones. 

A 100ml bottle is normally much better value than 

a 50ml or 30ml of the same fragrance. However, 

it’s only worth paying the extra if you know you’ll 

use the whole bottle within a couple of years. 

Store your perfume in a cool, dark place away 

from sunlight to keep it at its best for longer. 

What’s the best way to choose a new perfume? 

Sniff the inside of the lid. If you like the scent, 

spray it on the inside of your wrist. Smell 

it regularly over a few hours to see how it 

develops. If possible, request a 2ml sample, so 

you can try it on a few occasions. 

What perfumes are hot right now? 

• For a grown-up floral with a nostalgic twist, it’s 

hard to beat Miller Harris’s Scherzo. It’s rich, 

bold and decadent. The 50ml eau de parfum 

will set you back £120, but one spritz is all you 

need to smell amazing all evening. 

• Want a fragrance that captures the scent of 

summer? Estée Lauder’s Bronze Goddess has 

become a modern classic. Notes include tiare 

flower, bergamot, coconut and vanilla. Close 

your eyes and you’re relaxing on a beach in 

Hawaii. The 50ml eau de parfum is £70. 

• Prefer a more gender-neutral or masculine 

scent? Beauty Pie’s Une Balade En Forêt is 

woody and earthy, with a hint of spice. A 50ml 

bottle is just £28 if you’re a member. 

• On a super tight budget? M&S’s Discover 

Seasalt & Neroli smells like a warm day at 

the beach and the 100ml eau de toilette is an 

absolute bargain at £12.50. 

Demand for 

foodbanks 

increases 

THE DEMAND for 

emergency food parcels 

distributed by the Trussel 

Trust’s foodbank network 

has nearly doubled in 

five years, with a record 

amount being handed out 

over the past 12 months 

alone. 

Between April 2023 and March 

2024, 3.1 million food parcels were 

given out; 65 per cent of which 

went to families with children. 

Now the chief executive of the 

Trussell Trust, Emma Revie, has 

called on political leaders to set out 

polices that ensure that foodbank 

use will become obsolete in the UK. 

She urges: “We must not let 

foodbanks become the new norm. 

A supportive social-security system 

is the bedrock on which we end 

hunger for good. Building on this, 

we need much more effective 

employment and financial support 

for parents, carers and disabled 

people. And action to ensure 

everyone can have the security we 

all need to access opportunities 

and have hope for the future.” 

Families with children and 

working-age adults are among the 

most frequent users of foodbanks, 

but there has been a 27-per 

cent increase in the number of 

pensioners needing emergency 

food in the past year. 

Rick Astley asked if he could 

borrow my collection of Disney 

Pixar films. “Sure,” I said, “you 

can have Toy Story, A Bug’s 

Life and Finding 

Nemo, but I’m never 

gonna give you Up.” 

I love eBay. I sold my 

homing pigeon eight times last 

month. 

IDC Home Maintenance 

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From papering one wall to a complete 

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Treatments include the use of Local Anaesthetic 

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Email: kirbymuxloepodiatry2023@gmail.com 

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They say you are what you eat. So I’m going to start eating skinny people.

26 


Groby & Field 

Head Spotlight 

PO Box 8, Markfield, 

Leics. LE67 9ZT 

Telephone 

01530-244069 

Email us at: info@ 

grobyspotlight.co.uk 

Visit the website at 

www.grobyspotlight.co.uk 

3,500 copies distributed 11 times 

a year (no issue in July) to homes 

and businesses in Groby, Field 

Head and The Brantings. 

Printed in Ellistown by Norwood Press. 

The Spotlight is a monthly 

compilation of articles, press releases, 

events, general items of interest and 

news items submitted to us by local 

residents, groups, associations, sports 

clubs and local authorities. 

The opinions expressed by 

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Letter 

Constituency change 

AS A RESIDENT of Groby, after the Parliamentary Election 

Constituency changes in July 2023, Labour Party members 

in Groby, Ratby and Markfield became members of the 

Bradgate Branch of the Mid Leicestershire Constituency 

Labour Party. 

I was pleased to hear that Robert Martin from Ratby has now become our 

Labour Party Prospective Candidate for the forthcoming General Election. 

John Wallace 

Tennis courts in city parks 

to reopen after £420k 

transformation 

TENNIS courts that have benefitted from a £420,000 

transformation are being reopened at seven parks across 

Leicester city. 

In total, 28 parkbased 

tennis 

courts have been 

renovated ready 

for summer, 

spread across 

Evington Park, 

Humberstone 

Park, Monks Rest 

Gardens, Knighton Park, Aylestone Hall Gardens, Abbey Park and Rushey 

Fields. Improvements that have been made include new asphalt surfacing, 

repainting, replacement nets and new entrance gates. 

Leicester’s renovation programme has been carried out in partnership 

with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with funding from the Government, 

the LTA Tennis Foundation and Leicester City Council. 

A partnership with a UK-wide, not-for-profit community company called 

We Do Tennis will ensure the courts are maintained, and will see a range 

of activities phased in across the park sites, including tennis coaching and 

weekly organised, free sessions for people of all ages, where rackets will 

be provided. 

Under the new arrangements, We Do Tennis will also run a booking 

system for the courts. They will be bookable at a cost of £42 a year 

for a family of six, or on a pay and play basis of £6 per session. This 

follows a successful pilot at Victoria Park which has seen 382 household 

memberships sold and over 2,000 casual court bookings made. 

The new booking system is being implemented gradually across the 

seven sites from 3rd June, with the introduction of online booking available 

through the LTA website. Income from the booking system will go back into 

the upkeep of the courts. 

The same concessions currently on offer in city council leisure centres will 

apply, meaning that city residents with disabilities, or who are on meanstested 

benefits, will not be charged to book. 

We Do Tennis and the city council will also work together to provide free 

park tennis sessions, offering an hour of free tennis each week at each of 

the seven sites, with equipment provided. Free sessions will typically be 

offered on a Saturday or Sunday at 10am. 

Volunteers who would like to support the free sessions can sign up on the 

free park tennis website. No previous tennis experience is necessary. 

Enjoy this issue? 

Please pass it on to a friend or 

relative when you’ve finished 

with it. Thanks! 

CHURCH 

INFORMATION 

St Philip & St 

James, Groby 

Rector - Rev Ed Bampton 

0116 2396520 

Curate - Rev Riffat Zamurad 

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES 

Tues 9pm: 

Compline (Facebook) 

Weds 9.30am: Communion 

Thurs 9am: Prayers via zoom 

Sunday worship: 

8am Communion, 

9.30am Morning 

worship, 

6pm Evensong. 

Telephone 

church service: 

0333 0164 757 

Room no. 10336316 Pin no. 1920 

facebook.com/StPandStJ 

achurchnearyou.com/church/5501 

United Reformed 

Church, Groby 

Minister – Rev Paul Ellis 

Tel: 0116 2926218 

Church Enquiries - Sue Lawrence 

Brooks Tel: 0116 231 2866 

susanbeverley46@yahoo.co.uk 

Sunday morning worship: 10am. 

Our worship includes monthly Holy 

Communion. 

The church 

building has a 

loop hearing 

system, 

wheelchair 

access & baby 

changing 

facilities. 

A catch up recording via our 

YouTube channel. 

If you have any spiritual support or 

prayer requests please text your 

name to 07807 036944 and we 

will call back. 

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES 

Mon 9.30-11.30: 

Noah’s Ark, parent & toddler 

group, (full) 

Churches Together 

in Groby 

JOINT WEEKLY 

ACTIVITIES 

St Philip & St 

James, Groby 

Thurs 10.30am- 

12 noon: 

Fair Cuppa @ Groby village Hall 

Fri 9.30 - 11 am: 

CatCH parent & toddler group 

@ URC 

Alternate Fridays 7.30pm: 

Urban Saints, Children in Years 

5 - 11 @ URC 

Sat 10.00am-12 noon: 

Tasters, Coffee, hot cobs and 

children’s activities @ URC 

Aren’t zebras just horses that escaped from prison?


27 

LOCAL COMMUNITY choir, Groby Sings, will soon be 

embarking on our ‘European Tour’ and invites you to come 

and enjoy our summer concerts. 

Where? English Martyrs School, Anstey Lane, Leicester LE4 0FJ, 

which has lots of parking, tiered audience seating, a lift and interval 

refreshments. 

When? Saturday 22 June 7.00pm and Sunday 23 June 3.00pm. 

Tickets £6 each. 

Tickets are now available at The Groby Club during the Club’s normal 

opening hours as well as at choir rehearsals there on Wednesday 

afternoons and evenings. There will also be a choir member selling 

tickets at Groby Library on Wednesday and Saturday mornings 

10.00am-12.00pm, and any choir member will be happy to obtain 

tickets for you. You will also be able to buy tickets on the door at each 

concert. 

Bring your family, friends, neighbours and especially visitors from 

abroad. We’ve had people from all corners of Great Britain and from 

all over the world who’ve enjoyed our previous concerts. The support 

for the choir from the community is invaluable so do come along and 

enjoy the event as much as we will. After a warm welcome for Groby 

Sings at the Opera last November, we are very much looking forward 

to returning to English Martyrs School. 

Enquiries via our website www.grobysings.org and check out our 

Facebook page too. 

Groby Sings is a Registered Charity no. 1180490 

Community Summer Fair to help 

village school raise vital funds 

ELIZABETH 

Woodville 

Primary School 

is gearing up 

for our biggest 

fundraising event 

of the school 

year, our 2024 

annual Summer 

Fair which will 

be held on Friday 

21st June, from 

3.30pm onwards. 

Not everyone in the 

village will know that our Summer Fair is open to all local residents, former 

Community Summer Fair to help village school raise vital funds. 

students, and their families so why not pop down and bring your friends 

our 2024 annual Summer Fair which will be held on Friday 21 June, from 3.30pm onwards. Not 

and their families so why not pop down and bring your friends and loved ones along too! 

and loved ones along too! 

Elizabeth Woodville Primary School is gearing up for our biggest fundraising event of the school year, 

everyone in the village will know that our Summer Fair is open to all local residents, former students, 

The fair is always a fun afternoon for all ages and this year is billed to be even better with so many 

unique activities available for everyone, this year we have a football extravaganza planned with the 

Euro 2024 championship in full swing. All the proceeds raised are invested back into the school to 

enhance the facilities and equipment available to all current and future students alike so it’s a perfect 

The fair is always a fun afternoon for all ages and this year is billed to 

afternoon for all local residents. 

be even better with so many unique activities 

available for everyone, this year we have 

a football extravaganza planned with the 

Euro 2024 championship in full swing. All the 

proceeds raised are invested back into the 

school to enhance the facilities and equipment 

available to all current and future students alike 

so it’s a perfect afternoon for all local residents. 

Tickets to attend can be purchased in advance or on the day and if you’re not able to attend please 

support our fundraising efforts by either purchasing raffle tickets or donating a prize. For more 

information please email: pta@elizabethwoodvilleprimaryschool.co.uk or scan the QR code to book. 

Tickets to attend can be purchased in advance 

or on the day and if you’re not able to attend 

please support our fundraising efforts by either 

purchasing raffle tickets or donating a prize. For more information please 

email: pta@elizabethwoodvilleprimaryschool.co.uk or scan the QR code to 

book. 

Did you know that Glenfield has a weekly 

Country Market? 

A wide range of homemade cakes and preserves, quality 

crafts, plants and home-grown produce are on sale. 

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Refreshments are served 

Free admission. 

Card payments now available 

Come along to see us and to support this local event. 

Where? St Peter’s Church Centre, LE3 8DP with parking! 

When? Each Friday morning 9am-11am 

For more details contact: glenfieldmarket@gmail.com 

Follow us on Facebook: The Glenfield Country Market 

The only reason my marriage lasted as long as it did was my jar-opening skills.

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JUNE 2024 GROBY SPOTLIGHT online

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