SPEED LIMIT PLEA.
Parish councillors at Diseworth are being urged by a local resident to consider pressing for a speed limit on The Green in the village.
Mr. Bruce Keeling, a village resident, has written to the Parish Council saying that following observations of drivers speeding on this stretch of road, he would like the Parish Council to consider pressing for the speed limit to be reduced to 30 mph.
In his letter, Mr. Keeling says: “My rationale for this proposal is that I often observe persons exceeding the current 40 mph limit. This is borne out of my many years as a firefighter with blue light and IAM qualifications.”
Mr. Keeling continues: “I know that normally evidence is required but I suspect if it was proposed there would be widespread support for such a proposal.”
He says that the advantage of such a change would be an increased reduction in road noise, a reduction of pollution, a reduction in costs of signage, increased road safety at junctions and increased safety to pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and other vulnerable road users.
Mr. Keeling warns: “It shouldn’t need an incident/s to be a catalyst for change.”
In his letter he concludes: “This is the second time I’ve tabled this proposal. Perhaps it might be successful this time.”
POPPY APPEAL. Covid-19 restrictions will impact on this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in Diseworth, with no house-to-house or static collections in the village.
Wooden poppy crosses will be available at a suggested donation cost of £1.50 each. The Royal British Legion are also looking at the use of supermarkets and other retail outlets to distribute poppies.
The Remembrance Service in the village will also be different due to current restrictions. There are no church services planned and an Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial will be organised at 10.50am on
Sunday, November 8.
The Act of Remembrance will consist of a short socially distanced service for the reading of the names of the Fallen, the laying of wreaths and a two-minutes silence. Any further developments will be put on the Diseworth Community Page on Facebook.
KARATE. The progressive Long Whatton Shotokan Karate Club are looking for suitable premises so they can—now with Government sanction following the coronavirus pandemic restrictions – operate again, albeit perhaps in somewhat different conditions to previously.
Club owner Ben Taylor who has been involved in the sport back to the time when he started school at the age of five years and who has been to Japan to meet the professionals and see them in action, is keen to re-start club activities again, although currently they cannot make use of the village school as they would like because of the continuing need to protect youngsters attending there.
The club have been in a lockdown since March, with this itself being a disappointment and problem for them, resulting in their planned gradings event having to be called off.
Said Ben: “We were gutted about this because the September assessments would have been special for club members who only started to learn karate when the club opened for training in April this year as they would have been taking their first gradings.”
The gradings would have been conducted by former World Champion Sensei (teacher) Frank Brennan –an 8th Dan Black Belt. The grading would have required candidates to demonstrate their technical skill and attitude across three primary areas of karate – Kihon (basic moves), Kumite (sparring) and Kata (set sequence of moves executed in a specific order).
Ben said in the run up to the March lockdown they had been having a successful time, with membership continuing to grow and beginners to the sport preparing for their first gradings. They things came to an abrupt halt because of the at the end of the month.
Adults, young people and children who would like to give karate a try may find out more on the club’s Facebook page @longwhattonkarate, email the club at longwhattonkarate@gmail. com or contract the Mr Taylor on 07714335598. Currently until premises can be found for the holding of club activities, some training is being given on zoom, and while this is say Ben is very useful it does not of course create the same atmosphere as face to face activities.
Ben told the Echo that Sport England has confirmed that the recent changes announced by the Prime Minister, in relation to the rule of 6 does not apply their Karate training.
“It is important to remember, however, that all clubs must strictly follow the guidance issued at the end of July which included, amongst other things, there must absolutely be no partner or pad work, all classes must follow social distance rules, limited or No Kiai and training shoes must be worn.
In a message to his members Ben says they will of course, keep them posted on any further developments and we will reiterate the guidance they have received to their Instructors.