Our meetings are now starting to pick up and Paul, as Mayor has, been very busy. We were both delighted to attend the Anstey Gala on Saturday 4th September. It was so nice to see the recreation ground so busy (we thought half the village must have attended!), and the weather stayed sunny and dry.
On Tuesday 14th September we both attended the extraordinary council meeting, where we enjoyed watching Leicester City Football Club receive the Freedom of the Borough in recognition of the club’s incredible success in recent years and its connection to Charnwood (the Foxes’ training ground is in the Borough near Seagrave).
As our schools are now back after the summer break and as events are taking place and clubs are now beginning to restart, we thought it would be a good idea to write a gentle reminder. We need to remember that the virus remains with us, but we must learn to live with it whilst we carry on with our everyday lives. Please continue to look after yourselves (being healthy will boost your immunity), get the vaccination (your first and/or second dose if you haven’t done so already), and take precautions (especially in large groups).
Member Grants
As we head towards whatever is the new ‘normal’, following the global pandemic, many clubs and groups are re-starting. We are here to help clubs and groups and thought now was a good time to remind you of the Member Grant Scheme at Charnwood Borough Council. For the 2021/22 financial year, each borough councillor is allocated an annual budget of £500 to support projects that bring benefits to their ward.
Organisations currently running projects with community benefit in Charnwood are invited to apply for a minimum grant of £250, and up to a maximum grant of £500. Applications may be made to more than one councillor, to boost the funding you could receive for your organisation. Funding can be provided towards community events, activities, equipment, and uniformed groups such as Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Brownies.
We would like our local groups in Anstey to come forward and have a chat about possible projects that this money could benefit. For more information please visit: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/member_grants
Boundary Review
A consultation is being held on new ward boundaries in Charnwood. New boundaries are being proposed for council wards within Charnwood Borough Council.
The Local Government Boundary Commission wants to hear what residents and local organisations think about the proposals. A 10-week consultation on the proposals will run until 8th November 2021. The Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It is reviewing Charnwood to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors in their area, and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively.
The Commission has published proposals for changes to Charnwood. It is proposing that there should be three single councillor wards, 14 two-councillor wards, and seven three-councillor wards. The boundaries of 26 wards should change; two, Anstey and Quorn & Mountsorrel Castle, are proposed to remain unchanged.
The Commission has a section on their website where residents can see the detail of the proposals and comment on the names of wards and their boundaries.
This can be found here: https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/25847#Boundary%20Commission%20website
Residents can also give their views by e-mail at [email protected], and by post here:
Review Officer (Charnwood)
LGBCE
PO Box 133
Blyth
NE24 9FE
What’s On?
If you are holding an event, you can now add it to Charnwood’s Borough Council ‘What’s On’ guide. You can submit your event via their website, and they will add it to the online calendar. It will also be included on the future ‘What's On’ email newsletters.
Please remember to include as much detail as possible about your event, including the date and time, location, links (to booking pages or the event itself if it's an online event) and a description. You can also add a picture to make your event stand out even more.
To find out more or to add an event, please visit: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/submit_event
The Hope Bell
Work to create a lasting memorial in Charnwood to mark the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on local communities is underway. The Hope Bell project, backed by the Loughborough Town Deal, will see the creation of a clock chime installation comprising four quarter chime bells and the main Hope Bell to sound the hours. The Hope Bell is a symbol of hope, thanks, and remembrance. It is intended to be a lasting memorial to all those in Charnwood who have lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic and will also be a tribute to the NHS and key workers. It will be a beacon of hope for the future. John Taylor and Co. cast the first bell for the project during the National Heritage Open Day on Saturday 1st September.
It is anticipated the Hope Bell will be located in Queen’s Park, Loughborough. An interesting fact is that the four quarter bells will weigh between 3 cwt (152.4kg) and 8 cwt (406.4kg) and the main Hope Bell will weigh 1 ton 5 cwt (1,161.2kg), sound the note D (listen here: https://www.soundsnap.com/tags/d_note) and measure 4ft 4in (1.32m) in diameter.
Some aspects of the project, such as messages left by people, could be funded by public subscription. The Town Deal Board wants the local community to be involved in the development of the Hope Bell project and welcomes any comments from residents. If you would like to have a say on the project in this early stage, please visit: www.charnwood.gov.uk/hopebell.
Mayoral Activity
This month’s events began with attendance at the annual general meeting of Equality Action, where the Mayor is President, and attendance at the annual Community Mela, held at All Saints Parish Church in Loughborough. The Mayor and Mayoress, Ning Baines, had a great afternoon watching superb Indian dancing, and enjoying excellent Indian street food. Later in the month, the Mayor and Mayoress attended:
- Chapman Street Gardens in Loughborough to see how well-kept they were and to enjoy a residents’ BBQ and buffet.
- The Anstey Gala, and the Anstey Village Gala Service on the following Sunday run by Churches Together in Anstey and the Anstey Parish Council.
- Beating Retreat by ABF, the Soldiers’ Charity, in Oakham Marketplace followed by a reception by the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness, at Oakham Castle.
- The Passion/Shepshed Community Café fundraiser. This organisation works with young people to improve their life choices and chances, whilst also providing a great café at the same time! A great cause and a great concept. Do visit if you are in the area. The café is at 8 The Bull Ring, Shepshed.
- The Junior Sailing Regatta Annual Final, run by the fabulous Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Sailing Association, on John Merrick’s Lake at Watermead Country Park North in Syston and gave a speech. They work and hold courses for both children and adults so do join if you fancy getting out your sea legs!
- Loughborough Music Tuition’s youth musical theatre concert at the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre – what a treat. Charnwood’s got talent!
The Mayor also attended and gave a speech at Bill and Winnie Cooling’s 40th business anniversary party at the Cedars Hotel in Loughborough, having run their fabulous butchers, Bill and Winnie Cooling Butchers at Loughborough Market since 1981 (when Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Physical’ spent 6 weeks at No.1!).
The Mayor would also like to remind residents that they are invited to the LWA (Living Without Abuse) 45th Anniversary Winter Ball on Saturday 4th December at the Leicester Marriott Hotel, giving us all a chance to let our hair down, dress up, and have a good time, all in a good cause to support this hard-working domestic abuse charity. LWA is one of the two charities the Mayor is supporting this year, the other being Marie Curie. The party starts between 6pm and 7pm! For £45, attendees get terrific value: a three-course meal, a welcome drink, and a DJ and entertainment until 1am. If you are interested in attending, please visit: https://lwa.enthuse.com/cf/lwa-winter-ball. If you are a community group, a group of friends, or a business organization, and want to book a table for £400 for 10 people, you can do this through the Mayor’s Office by emailing: [email protected]. The Mayor and Mayoress really look forward to seeing you there.
