East Leake
FOOD DRINKS AND CRAFT MARKET. A new taster twilight food, drinks and craft market is to securely visit East Leake next month, thanks to funding from Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Strategic Growth Board and the dedication of the Trader’s Association, parish councillors and local volunteers.
East Leake Market will be trialled at Gotham Road playing fields from 3pm to 8pm on Friday, September 11 with a wide array of stalls offering local, fresh and homemade products, following a four month delay due to COVID-19.
In line with current Government guidance, the site will feature stalls that aid social distancing and provide visitors with opportunities to browse an eclectic range of goods and produce in a COVID secure environment.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance and Chair of the East Leake Growth Board Cllr Gordon Moore is delighted the event is being developed, and that despite the challenges of COVID-19, that local groups have enthusiastically driven on the project.
He said: “It’s brilliant that this market can now be trialled in East Leake, after the pandemic sadly delayed plans for this concept back in May, and that the organisers have found ways to innovate and provide local residents with a taster twilight market next month.
“I’m so pleased that we as a Growth Board have been able to provide funding for this incredibly exciting venture, particularly when so many residents already appear keen to welcome a market to their local village centre.
“I would encourage all East Leake villagers and people from across the region to visit the playing fields next month and discover what a regular twilight market could look like in this part of the Borough.”
The market is set to visit the village on September 11 in line with COVID secure guidelines and organisers are keen to assess levels of demand so that they can explore further opportunities for a regular monthly event in 2021.
Hayley Masom of photography studio Captcha in East Leake has been at the forefront of efforts to coordinate the market for local people, serving on both the market committee and as a member of the Trader’s Association.
She said: “It’s so exciting to be hosting this trial of East Leake Market next month and we can’t wait to find out what local residents think of the concept and consider whether we could launch a more regular market in the village next year.
“We’ve invited local producers, traders and artisans to register and we’re confident that the market will offer something for everyone, with operating hours designed to make it easier for those visiting after work.
“Our sincere thanks go to all those who’ve contributed towards this market, especially Cllr Kevin Shaw who has very generously donated essential funds to this project in his role as our local ward councillor.
“Visit our taster market in September to find out more. You can find us online at www.eastleakemarket.org.uk, or on social media by typing @eastleakemarket on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates ahead of next month’s taster market.”
PROUD OF STUDENTS. The academic year just ended has been a most unusual one and which East Leake Academy, like all others in the UK, say they hope will never be repeated!
Mr Blake Francis, the principal, says that despite the problems they are incredibly proud of how their students have adapted to the changes. “Their resilience, hard work and perseverance has been remarkable.”
The thanks also go to parents, with Mr Francis says he wants to thank them for the support they have given both the academy and their children. “We know it has not been easy adapting to home schooling and we would of course have much preferred to see all our students in the classroom – which leads us nicely to looking ahead to the new academic year.”
The Principal says they have recently carried out a new risk assessment based on the guidance released by the government, ahead of the planned re-opening of the academy to all students in September which has been approved in principle by their Board of Trustees, but which is subject to a further audit in this month. “This second step is necessary to ensure we take into account any changes to our circumstances, new or updated government guidance or any localised infection control measures required in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.”
Mr Francis says it is the intention they will write to parents again in the last week of August with more detailed re-opening and joining instruction information specific to each year group, but have given some indication of what that will look like now. “Our current plans for re-opening require that we make some adjustments to how we usually organise our academy day.”
The Principals says School buses will run as normal. Students should wear a face covering when travelling on a school, or public bus service. But the drivers have been told by the local authority not to enforce this expectation.” It will rely on students following the guidance at all times. No social distancing is required on dedicated school buses, however social distancing measures are required on public bus services. This means that commercial capacity will be reduced on the Nottingham City Transport Number 1 bus route between Nottingham and Loughborough.
Mr Francis says a traffic survey sent to parents and carers to establish numbers travelling on each service, with this information being so important, so they can liaise with the county and city transport services to inform them of demand. “We will work to try and establish enough capacity on their routes at peak times,” he says, adding that if capacity is reduced this might impact ln a child’s journey, and they will inform parents before September, so they can make alternative arrangements if required.
Start and finish times will be the same for all students 08:30 start and 15:05 finish. Year groups will be given a designated entrance/exit point to the academy site to reduce contacts when entering the site. Students will only be able to enter and exit the academy via their designated point. Year groups will be identified by different coloured ID lanyards and students must wear their ID lanyard at all times.
Break and lunch times will be at the same time for all students with students having break and lunch in designated year group zones. Students will not have access to the main dining hall, but will have the opportunity to purchase food and drink within their year group zones. The advice is that the Academy are to encourage students to take their own food where possible to reduce the need for queuing and purchasing food on site.
Students will be required to wear full uniform, including P.E. kit.
The Academy returns to lessons next week but on the first day, Tuesday September 1, it will be staff only there, for a training day.
The following day, Wednesday September 2, students from Years 7, 12 and 13 only will be attending, with an 8-30am start while the day after, September 3, all years 7 – 13 will be catered for, again with an 8-30am star.
RIVER SOAR WARNING. East Leake parish council say it has been brought to their attention that groups of young people from the village are gathering at the River Soar in Sutton Bonington and swimming there.
A warning has been put out saying they should know that there are deceptive currents, and a significant danger of contracting Weil’s disease from the water. “This is not a safe place to swim,” is the warning.
Equally there is evidence of antisocial behaviour, littering and cruelty to wildlife. “We would encourage everybody to spread the word that such behaviour is not acceptable. The police are aware.”
Notts Fire and Rescue Service have also issued a warning on the matter, saying
the problem has been brought to their attention as well ..
FLY-TIPPING SITES TARGETED. Police Inspector Craig Berry says recently his officers teamed up with Rushcliffe Borough Council Environmental Health staff to tackle rough fly-tipping across Rushcliffe with one of the sites being targeted being East Leake and neighbouring Gotham.
“We targeted sites in the two areas areas on this occasion following an increase in waste being left at these locations in verges and laybys. Anyone with details of vehicles seen to dump waste can call this info into either Rushcliffe Borough Council, Police or Crimestoppers.” said the Inspector.
VILLAGE EVENTS. With more events coming back on to the diary, village event organisers in East Leake are being reminded they can give details of what they are hoping to organise after the coronavirus situation to parish councillor Mel Roper at the Village Greengrocer shop on Main Street so they can be displayed on the Village Events board sited at the shop.
Mel asks for organisers to please keep them informed of any village events that might be planned even though at present no-one really knows when they might start to appear on the diary programme again.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE ACADEMY.
Families who are considering secondary school places for their children from September 2021 are being offered a number of opportunities to experience the facilities on offer at East Leake Academy.
The Academy’s annual September open evening will not take place in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Instead there will be regular updates and details about life at the school on the Academy’s website to help families decide whether East Leake Academy (ELA) is right for their children
Families are being encouraged to browse the Academy’s website and if they have any questions about applying they are asked to use the following email: office@eastleake-ac.org.uk
FACE COVERINGS FOR CHURCH. Parishioners at St. Mary’s Parish Church in East Leake are reminded that face coverings are now a requirement for all the church’s services for those able to wear one.
The Rev Tim Parker, the Vicar of the parish, has told parishioners to try to bring a face covering to services. He also says that there will also be some disposable masks available on the door for anyone who needs one.
The Rev. Parker explains that the rules still permit those leading and assisting at services to remove masks during readings, preaching, or leading prayers in order to be better heard, but face coverings will still be worn for the distribution of communion
TUTIN COURT ROOM TO LET. East Leake’s Tutin Court older person’s purpose built accommodation with the properties well maintained and offering a 24 hour emergency repair service, has a single room available to let.
The scheme was built in 2004 and consists of 30 flats--one bedroom flats and studio flats -- and is looked after by an experienced Housing and Support Manager on site Monday to Friday during office hours. It offers 24-hour Care Alarm Call Service supported by On-Call and Tunstall, emergency 24hour maintenance, handyman and Scheme Assistant Services Available, a communal laundry, kitchen, shower room an d a guest Room available for hire for any visitors to residents.
There is an enclosed private garden and free parking for residents and their visitors. On the social side, there are weekly coffee mornings, fish & chip get togethers, Bingo, a Christmas party, celebrations and BBQ’s.
Claire Kirk, Occupancy Manager for Metropolitan Housing who own the complex, says their properties have a real sense of community and offer shared spaces where residents can meet their friends and neighbours for a coffee and a chat.
The scheme was built in 2004 and consists of 30 flats.
ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. A novel Art and Photography competition held at East Leake Academy during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown was a tremendous success, and gave those students taking part an ideal opportunity to express their feelings on how they dealt with somewhat unique experiences during the UK situation.
The competition gave the students the chance to express their own responses on how they had coped with the very strange and ever changing situation and some of the personal expressions in the finished work were, to say the least, tremendously interesting as they produced a wide ranging array of entries in their effort to ensure the young persons view of the pandemic was not lost. The entries underlined the imagination of the East Leake students, highlighted through the difficulties and never before faced conditions they were having to confront.
Judges admitted the task they faced in coming forward with winners names really had been difficult and yet exhilarating as they were able to see through the entries the strength of the skills and the imaginations of the competitors.
The winning entry for the competition came from Molly in Year 10, with her effort showing so well how she felt the older generation had had to cope and deal with the loneliness and forced isolation brought upon them by Government’s steps to deal with the national problems. For her effort Molly receives a £20 gift voucher.
There were six runners up from the Academy Years 8, 9 and 10 and these again produced an amazingly diverse range of ideas which so well highlighted the thoughts of the students concerned through images including photography, drawing, digital art, and painting. The runners up are all to receive an art material prize.
It is understood that all the entries received for the competition will eventually be on display at the next End of Year Art Show which will be aimed at recording and marking the hard work and creativity from the students involved and who made the effort and took time to produce art and take photographs to record their feelings of the situation they are having to currently face.