East Leake
NEW SEEDS. East Leake has two collection points in the village where residents can take up the offer from Rushcliffe Borough Council to help make where they live more flower friendly.
The Borough say village residents in East Leake village can now collect one of over 1,500 packs of wildflower seeds to sprinkle and plant on their property as part of Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Environmental and Carbon Clever project and its tree and wildflower scheme.
Recommended by the Royal Horticulture Society as Plants for Pollinators, the seeds are ideal for enhancing habitats in your garden and can grow glowing colours of corn chamomile yellow and white, corncockle pink and purple, cornflower blue, corn marigold yellow and poppy red flowers.
The five-gram packs ideally should be sprinkled in a chosen area of no more than one metre square in spring or autumn on the soil and the seeds then covered by raking or rolling.
The packs of seeds are available for one per household, whilst stocks last, to collect from the following Council and leisure centre sites:
The Cornfield Annuals wildflower seed mix from suppliers Bostons is native to the UK and forms the final part of the Council’s scheme, more on which can be found at www.rushcliffe.gov/ carbonclever
The Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change Coun.
Abby Brennan said: “We know so many Rushcliffe residents are environmentally minded, so we’re delighted to be able to give away these seeds for them to create a wildflower patch on their garden or land.
“Wildflowers are so important for wildlife and can increase the biodiversity of an area by providing wonderful habitats and food sources for bees, butterflies and other insects.”
The two spots in the village are the East Leake: Customer contact point, East Leake Library, Gotham Road and East Leake Leisure Centre, Lantern Lane.
ASSOCIATION ACTIVE. The flourishing East Leake Traders Association, are still very active.
The Association is an alliance of more than 60 retailers and other businesses based in East Leake who work to promote a vibrant local economy by marketing what they have to offer to people both in the village and beyond.
Say the Association: “But we’re about much more than just commerce. We’re proud of our village and are heavily involved in community life – organising the hugely popular annual Christmas lights switch-on and participating in the summer carnival.”
They add: “We also act as a voice, representing businesses on issues affecting East Leake and acting as a conduit of information for local councils.
“East Leake Traders is a broad church covering a wide range of goods and services.
We’re always looking for new members. So if you live in East Leake or run a business here, why not get involved?”
PARISH FORUM. Two East Leake parish councillors represented the parish at the Rushcliffe Borough Council Parish Forum held at the Borough council chamber at Rushcliffe Arena, West Bridgford.
It was the first face to face forum for several months, others having been forced to be held by Zoom because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The two councillors were chairman Coun. Kevin Shaw and Coun. Cary Thomas, both representing the Castle ward in the village.
The Borough Cabinet Potfolio HolderCllr A Brennan welcomed about 70 people to the event and heard Borough leader Coun. Simon Robinson reveal that the 2022 Tour of Britain cycle race, which starts in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire on Sunday 4 September and finishes on the Isle of Wight eight days later, will once again feature a world-class field and will for a second time pass through Rushcliffe.
Since its return to the calendar in 2004, the Tour has consistently attracted the best teams and high-profile riders. INEOS Grenadiers have been ever-present in the event since their inaugural season in 2010 as Team Sky and have won stages of the event with Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and Wout Poels. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team have won more stages of the race than any other team; the Belgian squad also claimed the overall victory in 2018 courtesy of Julian Alaphilippe. The likes of Team Jumbo-Visma, Team DSM and Movistar Team are all regulars at the race.
Those teams competing in the 2022 edition will be revealed in the summer as will the routes to be taken.in Rushcliffe.
When it visited Rushcliffe in 2018 hundreds and hundreds of people lined the roads on which the race was passing. East Leake was one of the places it visited then and through traffic was halted as the crowds spilled out on to the village main street..
Other speakers at the Forum were Sanjit Sull, the Borough council solicitor, James Bate, the Principal Conservation Area Planning Officer and Ed Palmer, head of the Borough Communications department.
HISTORY SOCIETY. The national situation of coronavirus in the UK did have an effect on activities and meetings for such as the East Leake Local History Society and life for them was difficult as far as being able to about their normal way of life, but they have managed to cope and continued to hold meetings, albeit by using the Zoom system.
The popular History Society has continued to run its monthly meetings as near normal and regular as possible and over the period branch leaders have done their best to make sure the meetings have continued. .
Mr Keith Hodgkinson, one of the leaders in the organisation, told the Echo that despite the pandemic they have been able to continue to do research, write material for Newsletters and Leake Historians, and work on digitising their extensive archive.
Commenting on the virtual meetings they hold by Zoom, Keith says this is a good way to ensure they were able to continue to operate, during the difficult times created by the pandemic.
Keith’s wife Mary, secretary to the Society, says they always welcome new members and if there is anyone interest they invited to please consult the website eastleake-history.org.uk “
MEADOW PARK. East Leake’s Friends of Meadow Park re open to having more members, and have reminded existing one if they know anyone who would be interested in joining tell them they would welcome.
The branch Publicity Secretary Brenda Lewis says they would always welcome anyone who wanted to join to do so .
Various working parties are formed and when these are held there is always opportunity for members to step forward to be part of them, including from time to time tasks that could include such as planting or coppicing work.