East Leake
WONDERFUL TRIBUTES TO SARAH WEST. The centre of East Leake turned yellow on Friday as a wonderfully warm tribute to 36-year-old Sarah West, whose funeral at the packed parish church and relayed to another packed congregation in the Church Hall, highlighted the tremendous love the village had for the mother of two young children who died after battling cancer for two years, but who during that period won the hearts of hundreds of village residents who admired her wonderful spirit after being told her illness was terminal.
Yellow balloons, yellow ribbon and yellow daffodils had been placed everywhere along the Main Street – and even on the funeral cars --as a way to highlight the love Sarah had for daffodils and, just as importantly, the love the village had for her. And in church itself there was a wonderful and large affray of daffodils produced by the children of the Lantern Lane school where she had been on the staff for about 14 years.
The 75-minute service led by the Rev Tim Parker assisted by the Rev Mary Essex, began with CD music Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran being played as Sarah’s coffin was carried into church.
The Vicar, in his introduction to the service, commented on the number of people who had contributed to it, the fact it was no ordinary funeral and that the circumstances that had brought everyone together were tragic.
He added: “Tears and grief are absolutely ok” – a comment that scores of the mourners took to heart as they openly wept
during parts of the very impressive proceedings.
The Rev Tim said they had gathered to give thanks and to celebrate the life of a remarkable woman, and to comfort each other in the pain of loss.
The congregation was told by Rev Mary that Sarah had planned practically everything for the service, including the hymns, the first of which was ‘All things bright and beautiful’.
The Rev Tim portrayed many memories of Sarah that had been highlighted to him by her family along with a comment from them that since her death they had been inundated with cards and messages of love and support from all areas of her life, family, friends, parents and even strangers, saying that words such as brave, inspirational, special and courageous appeared so many times.
The deep commitment and loyalty to her friends and to friendship was highlighted, along with the fact that in every sphere of her life Sarah had amassed a great number of friends who she would, without thinking, go above and beyond for, never letting friendships slip away through neglect and always putting effort into making sure people stayed connected and people knew she could be counted on.
It was in the year 2017 that Sarah was first told of her cancer diagnosis with at first a thought by her doctors that it would be easily treatable. But within a few weeks Sarah was told that her cancer was incurable.
But the news didn’t see her crumble, and her family said Sarah was a woman of remarkable drive and focus and she continued her work as a stalwart at raising money and gathering support for all sorts of causes, and having a new focus, living as well and as long as possible.
Most notable of the charities that Sarah supported is The Osborne Trust that focuses on helping families in which a parent is diagnosed with cancer. And she wrote her ‘Mummy’s got a Poorly’ book to tell her story and help other families going through the same situation and donating all the profits to the Trust.
She undertook to organise various fund-raising events including “Sarah’s Advent Hats” which saw her wearing a different Christmas hat each day last December and along with other activities she held was directly responsible for raising over £7,000 and indirectly for very much more.
Her family said that her funding efforts been alongside a very aggressive treatment regime after being told she had only months to live. “For the sake of the girls and her family, she was willing to give anything a go” and while she had been very scared at her first chemo session, she soon came to take it all in her stride.
Her family said: “While most people go to chemo with just one other person, Sarah had a whole troupe of people turning up every session. She went laden down with goodies each time in an attempt to brighten up everyone’s day on the ward, with even strawberries and cream one time, boxes of chocolate another. The nurses – a number of them being at the funeral - loved her!”
The family said Sarah will be remembered as the woman she always was. “A hardworking and committed teacher. a loyal friend, a fun loving and understanding sister, a supportive and resilient daughter. a dedicated mother and someone who faced her illness with courage every step of the way and who died knowing she was loved, respected and treasured. We are so very proud of her.”
Mrs Jane Butler, head teacher of the Lantern Lane school, gave a warm tribute to Sarah, a resume of which will appear in the East Leake column next week.
A favourite singer for Sarah and her children, Olivia and Amelia was Nick Cope and one of his songs, Flower in the Garden --a song about Daffodils – was played during the service along with illustrations from it on the drop-down screen.
Sarah Mills, one of Sarah’s University friends, read a poem during the service and Bonny Clift gave a bible reading
At the end of the service many people who had not been able to get into church - it was standing room only - were invited inside to see the daffodils that children at Lantern Lane had made to create a wonderful sea of yellow.
Burial at East Leake cemetery followed during which a poem, ‘While waiting for Thee’ which Sarah had chosen was read by her sister, Jo.
After the service family and friends shared refreshments and memories of Sarah at Rushcliffe Golf Club.
ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOUTH NOTTS. Archaeology in South Notts was the title of a talk given to members of East Leake and District Local History Society by Laura Binns of Trent and Peak Archaeology when she visited their meeting on Wednesday last week, November 20.
The meeting will started at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Hall. Visitors were welcome, and there were refreshments after the talk.
The society, now in its 40th year, had some of its publications on sale, including its latest Leake Historian magazine, the 20th it has published. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
SWITCH-ON. This coming weekend sees East Leake really get into the festive spirit with its Christmas lights switch on event and when Santa Claus will be paying his first 2019 official visit to the village to undertake the job of turning on the village festive decorations.
The event on Saturday promises to provide a fun packed afternoon as a start to the village festivities for December 25.
The annual ‘switch-on’ ceremony usually attracts hundreds of people to the village centre and it is expected this year will do the same again.
Nottingham County Council highways have confirmed a temporary road closure for the event, with Main Street being closed between its junctions with Gotham Road and Salisbury Avenue between 4-30pm and 5-30pm. There is a diversion available, from Castle Hill, Loughborough Road, Rempstone Road, Woodgate Road and Brookside.
The lights switch on will be a 5pm, after a full day of activities that start at 11am in the village hall with a Christmas Craft Fair organised by Jacquie Owen. The fair this year is starting earlier than previously when it was an afternoon affair and clashed with the lights switch-on. It will close at 4pm, giving stallholders and visitors to it ample opportunity to go into the village centre for the visit of Father Christmas and his switching-lights-on ceremony at 5pm.
At the fair there will be at least 25 stalls in all, mostly involving East Leake residents and organisations, all showing off and selling their handicraft goods. Refreshments will be on sale all day and there will be a raffle for which event organisers says there is a need for a donation of cakes for selling, which could be handed in to the Greengrocer shop on Friday or taken to the hall on Saturday. The village co-op store has donated some of the refreshments. There will be a raffle stall all day.
Following the success of the last two years the Santa Fun Run will again feature in the activities of the day and which itself will begin at 3.30pm at Meadow Park and where those taking part will have two options, a 3km route through the park or 1.5km one. Entries will be taken at the premises of Physioneeds at 71 Main Street in the village centre, from 2-30pm to 3-15pm.
Village centre festivities will begin at 4pm and will include music from Charnwood Concert Band, village choirs, carol singing, hot food and drinks, and a live nativity
The arrival of Father Christmas is expected at 4-50pm and five minutes later he will; be announcing the winner of the 2019 East Leake Community Award, for which there has been no less than 19 names put forward.
Count down to the lights Switch On is at 5pm.
Numerous shops and businesses in the village centre are expected to stay open for the event and going on last year’s picture will again be busy. Hot foods
-- including roasted chestnuts outside the fruit and veg shop -- and warm drinks will be on offer.
Event organisers Mel Roper and Hayley Masom from East Leake Traders say their aim is to give the village a more festive feeling in the run up to Christmas and they will be delighted if the success of previous years can be repeated.
The lights themselves are provided by, in the main, the parish council and there are some additional ones this year.
The whole of the proceeds from the day on Saturday are going towards the fund for the new sports hub and pavilion being planned by the parish council on the Costock Road playing fields.
Today is the closing date for the very popular bear hunt competition that traders in East Leake are organising as part of the Lights switch-on event. Around 50 businesses have been involved and for most of this month
Today is the closing date for the very popular bear hunt competition that traders in East Leake are organising as part of the Christmas Lights switch-on in the village
From November 9 around 50 shops & businesses in the village have had a new member of staff – a bear!
East Leake Traders Association organised the competition and entrants have needed to make contact with each of the shops and businesses and find out the name of the particular bear associated with each one.
The aim of the competition was to find out each bear’s name. Entrants may have needed to visit the shops or businesses and ask the name of the bear, look in windows, or online!
Competition sheets needed to be returned to The Greengrocer at 67 Main Street, East Leake by close of business today, Wednesday November 27.
Those with the most correct answers will be entered into the Prize Draw to win one of the Bears. The lucky winners will be posted in the window of PhysioNeeds at the Christmas Light Switch On Event on Saturday November 30
The organisers say this event “is a bit of fun for the children, whilst educating parents and carers about businesses in our lovely village – not to be taken too seriously!”
DIABETIC SUPPORT GROUP. The next meeting of East Leake and District Diabetic Support Group is on Wednesday next week, December 4, at the Parish Office at 10.30am, where representatives from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nottinghamshire Healthcare, NHS Foundation Trust will be talking and taking questions.
ROTARY SANTA FLOAT. The Rotary Santa Float will be in East Leake on Saturday December 7, at the Co-op from 8.30am and on Wednesday 11th at Brookfields Way and then Northfields Way.
ALICE BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES. Tickets are now on sale for the traditional East Leake pantomime performed at the village hall by the award-winning ELAPS (East Leake Amateur Players).
This year Gill Bowness has written an adaptation of the original Arabian Nights tale, but with some gender swapping, as Ali becomes “Alice Baba” and “the Forty Thieves” enjoy a very modern makeover!
Set in “Rowdy Arabia”, this production sees Kaliph Kebab’s reign being undermined by Harissa (played by Hayley Masom) and her band of thieves, much to the annoyance of two members of his harem, the “chatty” Yaddah Yaddah (Sonya Oates) and Blah Blah Blah (Gill Bowness).
Making matters worse is the Kaliph’s brother Prince Azazel (wickedly played by Richard Hesk). Crown Price Amir (Erin Doherty, who is making her debut as principal boy) tries to make things better but are his recruits from Scotland Yard (PC Grabbit and PC Leggit, played by Celestine Stafford and Lesley Hesk) up to the job?
Add in Geoff Freeman’s lonely Charming Carmen lady of the Harem, a double denim Genie, a host of other magical characters and a fair mix of songs and dances and you have a toe tapping evening that’s fun for all the family.
Evening performances start at 7.3 pm on Wednesday, December 4, and continue until Saturday 7th December (with a matinee on Saturday afternoon at 2pm).
Tickets on sale soon courtesy of the East Leake Post Office, Mel’s the Greengrocer and Old Bakehouse Pet Shoppe.We can be sure that this year, you’ll love the feel-good factor of this great tale.