East Leake
THE MOON WALK. Saturday night this weekend will see a rather spectacular event in East Leake, aimed at raising money for two very special and very good reasons.
Well known village personalities Jenny Mellor and Tracie Waterfield are behind the event which originates from Tracie and which is taking the form of the East Leake Moon Walk,. It is being held on the same day as the well known and world famous London Moon Walk.
Tracie told the Echo she had been hoping to take part in her third London event this year but at the end of last year had some heart problems and decided she couldn’t. “But I felt I wanted to have some sort of event here in East Leake and so the idea of our own Moor Walk was put forward and has taken off,”
Tracie will be well to the fore on Saturday and as well as helping to officiate at the start of the event will also be participating, Her personal effort will be for a defibrillator fund through the British Heart Foundation and she will be wearing a bra that she made herself for her first – and her second – appearance in the London event.
The East Leake event will be an opportunity for the ladies to cover a 5k route in their bras -- with bras over a top being allowed! And men will be very welcome to join in as well if they want to support the two good causes.
Jenny says that her side of the fund raising effort – Making Memories Fund -- is being organised because one of her very best friends, former East Leake resident Sarah West, has been diagnosed with Breast Cancer which has unfortunately spread to her bones, liver, and lungs.
“Sarah is 34 years old and is such a positive person who has always put herself out for others and now it’s her turn to be helped,” says Jenny.
A savings page has been created in order to raise enough funds for Sarah – who attended the Brookside and Harry Carlton School and who later became a teacher at the Lantern Lane school in the village -- to take her partner Rups and two young girls, Olivia (5) and Amelia (2) on a dream holiday of their choice and to make lots of happy memories and photos for the future, and to generally just uplift them as a family through this difficult time.
Jenny’s message to the village is: “If you would like to donate to this great cause and leave a message of support for Sarah it would be greatly appreciated,” and says Sarah has also created a positive blog on facebook called ‘ The Breast Factor’. “Please have a look and a read and give it a like and a share in support of her cause.” adding a big thanks message to everyone concerned.
The walk will be leaving the Round RobINN in the centre of the East Leake at approx. 7 pm on Saturday, with organisers saying they are asking people to arrive from 6.15 pm to register and do a warm up etc. Over 70 tickets have been sold, with the walk being open to everyone, men, women, children and even dogs!
Tracie, well known for her Master of Ceremonies role for the village Carnival and the Christmas Lights Switch- On event, says she thinks while some men are supporting their effort, she thinks a lot of them are planning on staying in the RR whilst the ladies walk! “But it should be a great night with a great atmosphere,” she says.
Jenny says that ten years ago herself and a group of friends did the moonwalk where they walked through the streets of London through the night in their bras to raise money for breast cancer research. She knew Tracie wanted to do it again this year to mark her 50th birthday but her suspected heart attack had scuppered her plans.”
Sarah added: “The London moon walk is taking place on this weekend and so Tracie decided she would like to organise an East Leake Moonwalk.
Entry fee on Saturday is £5 with 50% going to the British Heart Foundation and 50% going to Sarah’s making memories fund. Tracie says those taking part can then choose to get further sponsorship and donate to the charity of their choice.
COMMUNITY FUND. Three organisations in East Leake have benefitted from the Co-op Community Fund and have received cheques towards tasks they are currently undertaking.
Students from East Leake Academy - Isaac Baguley, Rosie Ingram, Freya Kemp with Principal Mrs Kathy Hardy and Ms Virginia Arnone-Youlton from the Academy Performing Arts Department together with Stephen Oakley from East Leake Playing Fields Charity received £3250 and £3232 respectively from the Co-op Manager Richard Walton and Team Managers Dale Bradley and Fiona Potts.
This community funding is raised by members/shoppers nationally in total contributing over £9 million.
The 2nd East Leake Scout Group are planning to spend the £3,170 raised for them by refitting their 50 year old kitchen in the Scout Hut. They also have no mains gas or electric and are going to try and rectify this. The Scout Hut is used by 80 youngsters a week and the East Leake Revival Band.
Jenny de Villiers of East Leake and the local Co-Op Community Fund representative, was also present at the cheque handovers.
NEW PARISH CLERK. East Leake parish council has a new clerk, following the retirement of previous post holder Lesley Bancroft
Robin Westwood has been appointed following the retirement of Lesley.
Robin starts his new role on May 15. His career includes senior posts with Oadby District Council and Broxtowe Borough Council, and latterly running his own business consultancy.
The chairman of the Parish Council, Coun. Conrad Oatey, states: “We are very pleased to have appointed Rob, and look forward to benefitting from his extensive experience.”
ASCENSION DAY. The parish church of St Mary’s at East Leake staged a special Holy Communion service for Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter and which marks the day on which Jesus went to the Mount of Olives with his disciples and ascended to heaven before their eyes, according tom the Acts 1:1 - 12.
COUNTY COUNCIL RESULTS. Thursday last week was voting day in East Leake as the village went to the polls to decide who was to represent them on Notts County Council for the next four years. And although there were a few instances of several people being in the polling stations at the village hall and the Leisure Centre, there was no major hold ups for those wanting to vote.
The three main political parties had put forward candidates for the new two-seat ward under the title East Leake and Ruddington and in addition the Green Party were fighting both seats, making eight names were on the voting slip in all.
The new ward covers the whole of East Leake as well as Barton in Fabis, Gotham, Kingston on Soar, Ratcliffe on Soar, Thrumpton, Normanton on Soar, Stanford on Soar, West Leake, the whole of Ruddington, Sutton Bonington, Bunny and Bradmore.
The result was announced on Friday after the counting had taken place at the new Rushcliffe Arena at West Bridgford.
The result showed that one of the two candidates actually from East Leake Conservative Andy Brown was elected, to enable him to continue his membership of the County Council. His fellow Conservative member got the second seat. The voting was as follows: Reg Adair (Bradmore), Conservative, 3349, Jason Richard Billin (East Leake), Liberal Democrat 1030, Debbie Boote (Keyworth) Liberal Democrat 676, Andy Brown (East Leake) Conservative 3433, Yvonne Barbara Lishman (Ruddington) Labour 1202, Stephen Richard Perriman (East Leake) The Green Party 544, Jill Maureen Reedman (Ruddington) Labour 1206 and Ian Paul Wilson (Ruddington) The Green Party 447.
HISTORY SOCIETY. The annual meeting of East Leake and District Local History Society is being held this evening, with a 7-30pm start in St Mary’s Hall. Speaker for the meeting after the business section will be Mr Ernest Miller talking on ‘ The History and Archaeology of Grace Dieu Priory”.
WOMEN’S GROUP. There may be a few seats left on the coach trip organised by East Leake St Mary’s Women’s Group and going to Oxford on Saturday this coming weekend, May 13. The outing is open to everyone and costs £13. Anyone wishing to go must book a seat with Gina on 01509 853622.
The group are holding their AGM at the meeting on Monday next week, May 15 and this will be followed by a Beetle Drive. The evening will start at start at 8pm in St. Mary’s Hall.
Further information can be obtained from either Sue on 01509 820386 or Margaret on 01509 on 0150 853619.
WANT TO JOIN IN TYHEATRE PROJECT? Members of East Leake drama group - ELAPs how almost everyone in the village know them – and anyone else interested are being are being reminded by Rushcliffe Borough Council that they are looking for people to take part in a specially commissioned community theatre project that will take place this summer to celebrate the reopening of Bridgford Hall in West Bridgford following a £2million Heritage Lottery Fund renovation.
The production will involve up a cast of over 200 people from the local area performing on Sunday 25 June in Bridgford Park. There will be three plays in total.
One is being performed by West Bridgford Dramatic Society and another by pupils from Lady Bay Primary School - and the idea is that the third will be performed by a ‘scratch’ group of anyone that fancies ‘having a go.’ The council has employed a professional theatre director/ producer, Julian Hanby, who will work with the performers that sign up. The group will present a Reduced Shakespeare Company-style romp through the history of everything that has ever happened in West Bridgford, and will also be part of a finale event that will involve performing with other community members in a musical finale. The event will take place outdoors and will go ahead whatever the weather. There’s no age limit for participation, but under 16s will need to be accompanied during the rehearsals. Previous plays by the producer have involved casts from 9 to 90. Rehearsals for the play are taking place now and onwards.
If you would like to be involved please contact Julian on 0115 911 6971.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK. All is in place for the annual activity in East Leake to seek support for fund raising for Christian Aid week starting on Sunday this coming weekend, May 14, and continuing through to Saturday next week, May 20.
A sincere appeal has been made for parishioners to support the effort that is made every year through a group of people in the village who take part in a house-tohouse collection for the good cause charity.
Says Judith James, the leader of the grojup: “It can be a very pleasant experience. It can be quite unpleasant. It can pour with rain. People can be rude -- though not very many to be fair - or just chillingly offhand. But we are not beaten up as was the 17 year old refugee last month. We have enough to eat and more, our children have free education and know that their houses will still be there when they come home – all things which we take for granted.
Judith adds: “This year the national focus for the week will be on refugees, but Christian Aid is involved in many areas of need around the world: from giving instant help in disaster areas, to building homes and schools, providing medicines and teachers, and providing long-term development. Of everything given in 2015, 85p in every pound was spent on direct charitable expenditure. The remaining 15p was spent on fundraising and for every £1 spent on fundraising £6 was raised! That’s a pretty good amount, I reckon!
“Help is given wherever it is needed regardless of race, creed or colour and Judith says that by supporting Christian Aid those doing so are joining with thousands by giving, for instance, security and comfort to refugees like Nejebar and her family who fled terrible violence in Afghanistan and are now living in a camp in Greece.
During Christian Aid week the East Leake group will be collecting from some houses in East Leake, but an increasing shortage of collectors means that they cannot cover the whole village. There will also be collectors outside the Co-op and Birds from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. on Saturday this weekend, May 13 and 20th.
Unlike other years, the Coffee Morning, Cake and Plant Stall will this year be later in the year and will be held on May 27, at the Methodist Church. Says Judith: “Please come if you can and give if you can.”
“If you can support us in any way, for example, by making something for the Cake and Preserve Stall or rattling a tin, please ring me on 01509 853126,” says Judith.