VILLAGES
| Published date | 01 December 2021 |
| Publication title | Loughborough Echo |
Following the usual Main Street closure, swarms of people of all ages gathered in the village centre and on Gotham Road to be sure to have a good view of the arrival and appearance of the VIP visitor, himself well wrapped up and heard to say: 'The cold here is just like it is back in my usual place at the North pole" Although it was cold, at least it didn't rain" said joint event organiser Mel Roper who had spent much of the day putting in the last few arrangements to make sure the festive event was welcomed in the usual East Leake sprightly manner.
While the Father Christmas visit and the lights switch-on were the main items of the day, they were not the lonely ones. The village hall had hosted a five-hour long crafts fair which itself drew well over 500 visitors to take advantage of being able to buy many hand made gifts and other items for Christmas presents, Charnwood Concert Band providing music for carols and the youngsters of Brookside School Choir helping to add to the festive feeling with their session of singing.
In the final moments of the lead up to the lights coming on after the traditional 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 count
down a presentation ceremony took place with Father Christmas announcing the Year 2021 winner of the annual village Community Ward. There had been seven nominations put forward by residents, with the award going to village photographer Hayley Mason 'for wonderful service to the community, including East Leake Carnival, Traders Association, Elaps, Christmas lights, village Market,. The lists goes on and on.... Hayley was presented with the annual trophy, originally purchased by donations from residents of East Leake and which is now being awarded each year in recognition of someone who makes the village a better community in which to live.
The first recipient was local business woman and parish councillor Mel Roper who was closely involved in organising the overall lights event and seen busily doing all sorts of jobs on Saturday night.
Before he left the village to go and meet others around the country, Father Christmas stayed on briefly for a photo session in his grotto, sponsored by Hayley Masom photography, Waterfield |Property Services and East Leake Hardware and DIY.
A number of shops stayed
open late on Saturday, and those selling hot drinks did a roaring trade. And after the switch on there was dancing to the taped music of carols on the closed-to-traffic main street and scores and scores of people remained in the village centre long after the lights had come on.
MC for the event was again Tracey Waterfield, who did her usual superb job in telling the hundreds of people what was happening and keeping them superbly entertained with her
very lively presentation.
EAST LEAKE CHRISTMAS MARKET. It is being held on Friday this week, December 3, and promises to be the biggest of the markets yet held, with it taking place simultaneously on three different sites in the village--the car park on Gotham Road, inside the Methodist Church and the parish council car park at the village hall With the festive activities approaching very quickly, the village takes another step towards the Christmas season by holding the extended Market on Friday. And organisers promise it will have a seasonal feeling, complete with twinkling lights and all.
Since the introduction of the market, its popularity has grown tremendously and the number and variety of stalls continues to grow.
The parish council have given their thanks to the stall holders and traders who attend the market and who often remark on the warm atmosphere in the village and the friendliness of the people.
Add the council: They truly value your custom and support especially through one of the toughest years in recent history" The council are also thanking the volunteer Marshall's who readily give up their free time to lend a hand on market days The market will be operating from 3pm to 8pm.
RUGBY TRAINING. Newly formed East Leake Rugby Football Club, with the darker nights now with them, have started training on the grassy area under the floodlights at Sutton Bonington from now until further notice.
SCHOOL PLAN SUPPORTED. Although local residents have expressed
strong concerns on the possibility of serious traffic congestion problems at drop offand pick up times around them if proposals for a temporary school go ahead in their area of East Leake, planners at Rushcliffe are supporting the application.
The proposed new school would accommodate 120 children from the village from September next year ahead of a new permanent school already approved and due to be opening in 2023.
The new facility will be provided adjacent to a new housing development on Rempstone Road.
The fears of local residents were highlighted at a meeting of the Rushcliffe Borough Council planning committee when local East Leake councillors shared concerns
over the fact that the school would be open to children across the parish as well as children from the new housing developments by Persimmon and David Wilson Homes - meaning that some parents would be driving to the site.
Councillor Lesley Way, one of the village representatives at the Borough, said those driving youngsters to the school will need to drop offand pick up at the end of Sheepwash Way and this has the potential to cause chaos and lead to gridlock.
"A one way system with a turning circle is needed. The current plan will make it impossible for parents to stop for those all-important chats with teachers at the start and end of the school day," said Coun. Way The councillor said that the speed of traffic particularly from Woodgate Road already a cause of concern for residents.
""Measures need to be taken
now to avoid having to look back on any tragedy and make changes when it is too late."
A second East Leake representative at the Borough, Coun. Carys Thomas confirmed the situation is a matter of huge concern to residents on Sheepwash Way. "It's going to be bedlam with all the cars milling around, children trying to get out."
Coun. Thomas, who like her colleague serves on the parish council as well said the needs show the new facility has to happen but it needs that extra push to highways and the school to sort out these issues."
The school will include an access road and a permanent access path, both of which would be lit.
The temporary site, which would be built on land offRempstone Road, will also feature areas of soft play, canopies and car parking.
Information published by Notts County Council, who will be providing the new schools, stated there is an educational requirement for a new primary school at East Leake which is to be met by the permanent provision of a new school, for which outline permission was approved earlier this year.
In regard to the permanent school, completion is anticipated for opening invSeptember 2023 "In the interim period, the school place demand is proposed to be met with a temporary school learning village to provide education for up to 120 pupils, anticipated to be open in September 2022."
The Borough committee are anxious that their concerns are made known to the developer before the new facility is brought into use.
KIDS CHURCH. New Children's and Families Minister at St. Mary's Parish Church in East Leake is Jan Pate and she is already making an impact on the work of the church.
She only started work officially at the start of September but she has
already re-started "kids' church" in the Sunday services and has formed contact with a number of families in the village.
Jan has told parishioners in a topic in th church magazine that she "grew up in Liverpool and started work there as a French and German teacher."
She later retrained and worked with a Christian charity in several different countries in Africa.
Jan, who has three adult children and five grandchildren met her husband Dudley in Zimbabwe.
Jan says she is looking forward to re-starting a baby and toddler's group and she has a longer term aim of visiting local schools.
And she attended a meeting of the East Leake Mothers' Union and told about her years as a missionary in Africa.
WI TALK. Nigel Lowery gave a fascinating talk the November meeting of East Leake Women 's Institute about the History of London's St Pancras Station which opened in 1868 and is one of the wonders of Victorian engineering, a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture and one of the most elegant stations in the world.
Built by the Midland Railway Company to connect London with some of England's major cities it was intended to make a grand statement about the company with a display of physical magnificence. It celebrated its 150th birthday in 2018, teaming up with prestigious Parisian culinary experts, Le Cordon Bleu, to reveal a giant Birthday cake. Highlights of its illustrious history include its role in transporting wartime evacuees, its granting of Grade 1 listing in 1967 led by the poet John Betjeman whose statue was unveiled in 2007 to celebrate St Pancras becoming the terminus for the Channel tunnel and the iconic pianos installed in 2012 and played by members of the public and professional musicians including John Legend and Elton John.
Recent activities of the group have included an enjoyable craft session with lots of chat and a very convivial lunch at the Star at West Leake.
Activities in the lead up to the next meeting have included walking in Rushcliffe Country Park , enjoying another craft session and a Curry Evening at Heat in East Leake.
The next meeting is on Tuesday December 14 at 7.30 pm in the village hall on Main Street where members will be looking forward to a...
To continue reading
Request your trial