Village news
East Leake Mike Elliott 0115 937 6506 elliottnews@btconnect.com
MEET YOUR VILLAGE EVENT. East Leake’s second ‘Meet Your Village Event’ takes on Saturday this weekend, April 7.
Following from last year’s successful event, the East Leake Community Action Group are again inviting local residents to attend at Village Hall on Saturday, from 9.30am - 1pm, with the event lasting twice as long as it did last year. As before, village businesses will be there to showcase their products and services plus community groups of all types inviting you to get involved.
Mrs Jenny De Villiers says one of the objectives of the morning is to seek volunteers to join groups and “make a difference” to the everyday lives of everyone, young and old.
“The East Leake Community Action Group is keen to expand its group and focus on young people and the local environment - so if that is of interest, let us know. We are also seeking Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators, particularly from the new housing currently taking place around. Speed watch is another group we are keen to bring volunteers together and stands will be there for all the above to get further information.”
Jenny says there are lots going on with sport and leisure and the local Rushcliffe Golf Club will be there to show your skill at putting!
“There are choir groups, health groups and many more and the Co-op will be there for you to sample some delicious goodies! “and adds that East Leake is a thriving village and there are many hidden talents, so we look forward to seeing lots of people on Saturday.”
The event last year, at the first attempt, was a huge success and the organisers are confident it will be the same this year. It provides an opportunity to showcase our local traders, community groups and voluntary support organisations and is a great opportunity for old and new residents to see what is going on.
Last year for the first event several hundred residents in the village took up the opportunity last year by attending and were able to learn more about where they lived. The two-hour long event was many times more successful than the organisers had dared to wish for and embraced most aspects of village life in the East Leake and showed what an active village it is, with so many varying interests catered for. There were many calls for a repeat event and hence the reason for the one this weekend.
Jenny adds: “There is good interest as before from local businesses, community groups and churches etc. so we are looking forward to another successful event”
WHAT DO YOU THINK CAMPAIGN. Rushcliffe Borough Council has commissioned a social media tool to help increase the digital presence of retailers on the high streets of its growth board areas across the borough and will be coming to East Leake with a special display to explain it.
The nationally endorsed #WDYT What Do You Think? campaign will give retailers in West Bridgford, Radcliffe-onTrent, East Leake, Cotgrave and Bingham a chance to promote their goods and services through its targeted social media channels whether they sell on or offline, or both.
From total beginners through to advanced users of social media, the tool will allow business owners to follow quick daily tips to publicise their products and assist retailers in their respective towns to improve their digital influence and sales in that area.
Councillor Andy Edyvean, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Business at Rushcliffe Borough Council said: “We are very excited to be launching the #WDYT campaign in our Growth Board areas in Rushcliffe.
“Town centres are at the heart of our communities and this is one way that we are ensuring that they are provided with support to continue to thrive.
“Creating great places for our residents is a priority for the Council and this campaign will help promote and enhance what Rushcliffe town centres have to offer.”
The Apprentice 2017 candidate Elizabeth McKenna, who runs Elizabeth McKenna Flowers on Portland Road in West Bridgford is among those to sign up to the initiative.
She said: “Any social media tool that can help boost sales to independent traders such as ourselves should be welcomed and I think #WDYT should be embraced by everyone who owns a business.”
The campaign was identified as an opportunity in the recently published West Bridgford Commissioners Report and following consultation with all growth board areas, it was agreed to pilot it in all five areas.
It has delivered results including a 22% week on week increase in footfall to retailers in Stafford and increased footfall in other towns across the country.
Piloted initially for three months, retailers can promote their products via the dedicated Facebook, twitter and Instagram accounts available.
Every day, retailers that sign up to the campaign at http:// www.wdyt.org.uk/rushcliffe/
will receive a quick tip, which takes under five minutes to implement, to immediately improve their social media influence and impressions to customers in their local area.
The Council will further support the campaign by regularly sharing #WDYT social media feed updates.
Local retailers in the growth board areas can sign up now at the link to get started or are encouraged to attend one of the campaign’s launch events, the one at East Leake being on Monday 9 April, from 6pm to 8pm, East Leake Village Hall.
The #WDYT team and officers from the Council will be on hand to answer any questions retailers may have including how to set up a Facebook, twitter or Instagram account.
Polly Barnfield OBE, founder of Maybe* and the #WDYT campaign said: “Increasingly retail is a seamless journey from digital to physical. Without doubt, retailers have many challenges but we continuously see those that are proactive with their digital activity showing better trading results than those that don’t”. “Customers are on digital whether retailers choose to be or not. If retailers are not where their customers are, they will sell less. The #WDYT campaign helps all retailers accelerate their use of digital channels to drive local footfall and sales.”
MEADOW PARK FINANCES. Members of East Leake Friends of Meadow Park have been told by treasurer Andy Denker that overall income for last year was a total of £2,031.95 which along with the opening balance of £1,275.68 gave a total of £3,307.63 at the year end.
He said the figures showed 2016/17 was an exceptional year for them from the financial aspect, with a steady increase in new members, donations and sponsorship of trees in the Arboretum.
Membership subscriptions to the year end was £762 with donations of £603.95 --including £102 from a collecting box in Mel Roper’s greengrocery to go towards a new bench in the Play Field, and a separate collecting box for the general upkeep of the park brought in £49.
Andy expressed his thanks to Leslie Bancroft (retiring Parish Clerk) who has audited the accounts for the last five years. New Parish Clerk Neil Lambert has agreed to audit accounts for them from now on.
Arboretum sponsorship brought in £594, British Gypsum donated £150. A grant of £205 was given by Rushcliffe Borough Council via Ron Hetherington which covered the cost of leafleting the village. East Midlands Airport Community Fund contributed £700 and East Leake Neighbourhood Watch gave £100 towards the new benches and associated fixtures in Play Field. Alan Barlow was thanked for his initiative in approaching EMACF on behalf of the Friends group.
RECYCLE STATION FOR PLASTIC LINED DRINK CUPS. East Leake is one of the five places eight in Rushcliffe chosen to have facilities for recycling plastic lined drinks cups which can now be taken there alongside tetra pak food and drink cartons.
Facilities are available in East Leake and at Asda, Bridgford Road Car Park and Gresham Pavilion in West Bridgford and Morrisons in Gamston will accept the cups typically issued by coffee shops and retailers.
The new service is the result of an agreement between ACE UK, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment UK, which operates the dedicated food and drink carton recycling, and high street retailers and cup manufacturers.
The items can only be recycled at these sites currently and not in blue bins at resident’s homes. This is due to an industry process from contractors that restricts the volume and types of items that can be sorted at recycling plants.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure Cllr Debbie Mason said: “Previously plastic lined cups such as coffee cups could not be recycled at our bring sites but we are delighted this has now changed.
“Ideally, we want residents to use their own reusable cups when visiting retailers in Rushcliffe, in line with our pledge to reduce plastic usage across the borough.
“However when plastic lined cups are used by residents we’re pleased these selected sites can now accept them to be recycled.
“The residents of Rushcliffe have always responded well to the different recycling schemes we’ve implemented, and we hope that they will take full advantage of this new service.”
SKATE PARK VIEWS NEEDED. Young users of the Skate Park at East Leake have been met by parish council clerk Neil Lambert to ask them to give him their views on what new equipment they would like to see for the facility. Half the skate facility has been removed, the wooden sections having been affected by the weather.
The parish council say they have interest in providing new equipment received from several providers / installers and a Working Party has been liaising over the matter. A bid is being submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council for match funding for the scheme.
PUPIL PARLIAMENT. Pupils from East Leake Lantern Lane school took part in an exercise that saw the politicians and voters of tomorrow having the chance to probe councillors and officers as part of a Pupil Parliament at Rushcliffe Borough Council.
The Rushcliffe Learning Alliance event saw children from over 20 primary schools across the borough meet Deputy Leader Cllr Debbie Mason and planning officers to ask tough questions on issues that matter to them in the council chamber at Rushcliffe Arena at West Bridgford.
Green space, housing development, traffic, how the budget is spent and where on facilities in parks and playgrounds were among the issues they asked as teachers and teaching assistants accompanied the seven to 11-year-olds to ask the questions.
Cllr Mason said: “This was a wonderful exercise to educate local children on the background of how a council makes its decisions.
“They were very enthusiastic, and I hope it was an enjoyable learning experience for them. It’s very important we listen to them and understand their needs and expectations.
“Understanding how we arrive where we are as a councillor through the election process, how the council is run and how they can affect the decisions they can make when they reach voting age is critical for every generation.
“We want them to know how their voice have can be heard on local matters and decisions that will shape their lives.”
Mr Dan Rhodes, Headteacher at Bunny Primary School co-ordinated the visit on behalf of the schools in conjunction with the Rushcliffe Learning Alliance.
He said: “The children had a really enjoyable afternoon asking some searching questions.
“They were honest and to the point and it is little wonder some politicians find the questions from those of a younger age among the most challenging to answer.
“It was an excellent trip to the Council and one we hope to repeat in future for more pupils to learn from.”
GOTHAM ROAD CAR PARK TENDER. ast Leake parish council have sought at least four tenders from interested contractors for a price for work on the Gotham Road car park extension scheme. The firms interested were asked to give prices and start and finish dates for the work in question.
HISTORY SOCIETY NEEDS YOUR HELP. East Leake and District History Society is trying to build up its stock of items that help to record the history of the village and is appealing to residents if they have any photographs or artefacts of local interest to please let them know. Mr Mike Saunders, society chairman. says it is easy to scan photographs, so they can then be added to their collection.
Anyone who like to know more about East Leake, how the village began and why it developed over the years to become what it is today can usually find what they need to know from the Society as well what of the people who lived there – the traders, the farmers, the drinkers in the pubs and the children in the first village school.
The records show that Station Road was once called Poke Lane and questions can be posed as to who Bateman were, Potter and de Ferrers and why were their names given to streets in the village and which English king is thought to have signed a vital treaty in Leak along with where and what was the Castle.
Mr Saunders says anyone who wants to know more about East Leake and its neighbouring villages, should go along to the East Leake and District Local History Society
“We have monthly meetings during the winter to hear visiting speakers, share our latest findings and browse through a thriving bookstall. Normally these meetings take place in St. Mary’s Hall -opposite the Parish Church. In the summer we visit local places of interest and organise at least one trip further afield,” says the chairman.
Some Society members are involved in research projects and can help people interested in local families. The Group’s archives, past publications and working maps may be consulted by prior arrangement.
Coming meetings of the Society include a presentation on the Defence and Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall – a talk by Luke Wigman on April 18 and Violet Jessop – Survivor of Titanic and Britannic – a talk by Bob Massey -- preceded by the Annual General Meeting) on May 9.