ISSUE 151
DECEMBER 2011/JANUARy 2012
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PUBLISHED BY RATBY SCOUT &ROUP(^L^-_y °
RATBY TALENT ON SHOW FIFTH ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION
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FIELDING MEADOW OFF FIELDING LANE, RATBY, LE6 OAS
New Showhome open 12-4pm Friday, Saturday &Sunday
This year's event, the fifth organised by the Village Society Anti-litter group was bigger than ever, \Yith stalls overflowing the Church Rooms and into the church itself. It was held over two days,
design to code for SUSTAINABLE HOMES
Saturday 5'^ and Sunday 6^^ November. There was a lively, buzzing atmosphere as people viewed the hand made gifts and work, or enjoyed the refreshments on offer. Some stalls promoted village groups, such as The History Society, with the latest edition of their History of Ratby Series, and the
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FUTURE HOMES - AVAILABLE NOW For further details please contact:
Cawrey Limited. Kirby Grange Farm. Taverner Drive. Ratby. Leicester. LE6 OHQ Turn to page 2 for a review of work in the exhibition
Tel: 0116 239 0600 a
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[email protected]
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ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION Michael Warr, local artist and author was the show's art critic, and here's what he had to say:
Ttie craft stalls were colourful and overflowing with items displaying skill and quality. A well presented art exhibition comprised a range of good quality work. There was only one photograph exhibited, but of high quality. Titled 'Low Water,' by Hoz Gamble it depicted many boats which had been reduced to basic tones-very effective! A small gouache painting, 'White Cottage in Bradgate Park,' by Mary Hollinshead really caught my eye, full of charm and in the deco style. 'Household Cavalry Trumpeters' by Peter Griffin displayed good oil painting skills, while 'Hibiscus' by J Chesterfield showed good command of acrylics. PD Griffin's 'Guildhall Lane depicted excellent evening atmosphere in
Ratby Local History Group
RATBY PARISH COUNCIL
Housing Need Survey The Parish Council has agreed to carry out a Housing Needs Survey which will commence in January 2012 for a period of approximately 3 months. Every household will receive information and a questionnaire. Skate Park
Provision of a skate park in Ferndale Drive has been approved, subject to planning permission and supplemental funding. The Parish Council has been successful in obtaining a £5000 grant from the Leicestershire County Council's Community Forum. The Council is also seeking to provide youth club facilities in the village. However, this is subject to negotiation with the Parish Church.
Zebra Crossing for Groby Road Leicestershire County Council has approved installation of a zebra crossing to be placed on the speed table on Groby Road.
oils.
HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Watercolour; a difficult medium to use was well
Celebrations.
represented.Chris Talbot gave us 'Clearing
The Council, with the co-operation and
Mists at Wells' and 'The Wildflower Meadow,'
permission of St Philip & St James' Church will be lighting a beacon on the Church Tower on 4'^ June 2012.
both full of freedom and atmosphere. 'Cotswold Village,' by Denise Williams displayed good use of line and wash. Jean Vann's well
executed painting was an unusual view of Bamburgh Castle, and another eye catcher, because of clear, clean painting, was 'Morning Glory' by SK Mason. It takes a great deal of courage to submit paintings to an open exhibition, and I congratulate everyone who did sol It was an
13 Station Road, Ratby, Leicestershire LE6 OJQ Tel: 0116 239 0167 Email;
[email protected]
YATRI PUTS RATBY ON THE
The November meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Friday 25 November 2011 in the
FASHION MAPI
Village Hall, Main Street, Ratby, when Brian
Yatri Pabari is making a name for herseif in the
Johnson will give a talk on
Fashion World. She has been named
'Emerging Designer of the Year' at the Midlands Fashion Designer Awards. This follows her success in gaining the River island
"Living in a Box: the story of Leicester's Prefabs"
followed by a Ratby Short on:
Gold Award at Graduate Fashion Week.
"Memories of Ratby's Prefabs"
Yatri studied for her BA in Fashion Design at the University of Northampton, and she has been declared One to Watch' by the Fash
Volume 4 of "The History of Ratby" has been published and is dedicated to the
Pack.'
memory of Dennis Green. This volume
It took her a year to produce the sparkling, winning collection. Designs included asymmetric leather jackets, and a fantastic circular sequin hoodie, all high end women's
features more of Dennis Green's memories,
together with fascinating articles on Ratby's lost yards, a history of the care of the poor and health and sanitation in the village.
fashion.
It costs £10 and is available from Ratby Post Office (courtesy of AtuI and Bhavna) and from
She works In a room above her parent's Ratby Newsagent business, where she is producing
members of the committee.
garments for the orders which are flooding in from around the country. Yatri's ambition is to develop her own independent fashion business She says. 'I like doing my own thing rather than working as a designer for a bigger company,'
New Name Plaques: Ratby Local History Group and Hinckley/Bosworth Borough Council have erected two new name plaques to help preserve Ratby's heritage at Church Farm Walk and The Stattie.
!★
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We have no doubt that she will succeed!
Congratulations to this enterprising twenty
GOODWIN
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★
three year old. Check out her developing website:
And PROPERTY REPAIRS Pabari^s Ratbv News. (F.St. 25 years)
0116 238 7316
5 Station Road, Ratby. Leicester. LR6 O.iQ.
Or mobile 0777 987 2211
Tel: 0116239 3287.
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PLUMBING
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A stunning design from the Midlands Fashion Design Award event. Photo by Niki Lazarldou/Adam Praise
RATBY VILLAGE SOCIETY
IPlougf) 3nn.
P BURROUGHS ROAD, RATBY, LE6 OXZ m ^
TEL: 0116 2392103
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JOIN US ON FACEBOOK PLOUGH INN RATBY
Tribute Nights
p. \
Christmas Eve
# ^
LADY GaGa Tribute - £5 Per Person
NewYEARS Eye
Blues Brothers Tribute - £7.50 person
BOOK BOTH NIGHTS FOR ONLY £10 PER PERSON ENTRY BY TICKET ONLY
Meetings start at 8pm in the Village Hall, Mam Street, and are held on the third Tuesday monthly, except for July and December when there are no meetings Admission: members 31,60, casual guests £2,50. Refreshments included. Everyone welcome,
Tuesday 17*^ January 2012 Leicester's Lord Mayor, Cllr. Robert Wann will be interviewed by Andy Cereseto for the 'Personalities Revealed' evening to support The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Fund, These funds are used to help the serving and former members of the Regiment and their dependents who are in need, hardship, or distress. Private Chris Grey of Ratby, a member of the Regiment, was tragically killed
in action in Helmand Province on April 13"^ 2007. A picture painted specially for this evening's occasion by artist Peter Griffin will be raffled, with all proceeds donated to the fund.
Our AGM will be held on 21®* February 2012.
2 GREAT NIGHTS FOR £10
KWS E^T
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Small £4.75 - Medium £6.75 - Large £8.75 Choice of 5 Freshly Cooked Meats Beef, Lamb, Pork, Gammon & Turkey Served with all the trimmings Plus seasonal Vegetables
Available Every Sunday 12pm - 2pm
closely with the County Council's Environmental
Records Centre, it encourages the public to submit records of any wildlife sightings to help build the knowledge-base of local wildlife. Only when we
know what lives where can we ensure the proper decisions are taken to protect and conserve these species.
Thanks to the support of Ratby Parish Council, NatureSpot now has a dedicated Ratby section, showing images and lists of all the wildlife species seen so far within the parish. Nearly 800 species have been recorded so far and with your help this can keep growing. The Ratby NatureSpot section also shows a map of the parish showing 'wild places' - sites good for wildlife. You can click on any of these sites, Martinshaw Wood for example,
Records of all types of wildlife are wanted,
IT'S EASY call 0116 286 6447 or find us at the address below.
Sunday Carvery
NatureSpot is collecting records of the wildlife found in Leicestershire and Rutland, Working
NatureSpot's recording form is easy to use and allows photos to be uploaded with the sighting. So if you've seen an animal or plant and you don't know what it is, just take a photo and send it in for NatureSpot to identify it for you The site also creates lists of everything you have submitted so you can easily keep a record of what you have seen in your garden or any other site.
FROM 6-7 EVERY NIGHT
Kids under 12's only.
Have you ever wondered what wildlife can be found in Ratby? Or perhaps you'd like to know what that species was you saw in your garden. A new web site run by local charity NatureSpot, can now help you with these questions - and much more,
to see more wildlife details.
aUBT E l
Kids eat for £1 only available between 6pm and 7pm every night when adults have a main course.
Spotting Nature in Ratby
4iv«/'pollov4lV\g...
including common species. We know surprisingly little about the distribution of species such as Hedgehogs and House Sparrows, once common their numbers are now falling and we need more information about local sightings. NatureSpot is inviting all Ratby residents to find out about, and contribute to our knowledge of the wildlife in our parish. If you have a particular interest in wildlife and would consider helping to develop NatureSpot Ratby, please contact David Nicholls tel. 2393159 or
PlayStation 3 • XBOX 360 • PSP
[email protected],org.uk
www.natu respot.org. uk/parish/ratby
Nintendo Wii • Nintendo DS
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Also... Smart Phones iPhones • iPod Touch
Unit 33, King Street Buildings Enderby, Leicester LE19 4NT
OAKLANDS
RIDING SCHOOL
'Phone & 'Pods
Rine Julie on 238 7570
RATBY CO-OPERATIVE BAND
V/6d
Ratby Senior Band have been placed highest
11.30 Christmas Eve 1959. We're in the choir
in the Midland band section of the National
Finals Contest recently. They will be competing in the L.B.B.A. Contest at Burleigh College in Loughborough on November 29 We wish them luck.
As usual the various Bands are busy again in the lead up to Christmas and beyond. Here in Ratby they will be playing for the Christmas Carols around the tree at 6.30 on December
On February 12**^ at 7.30 in the evening the Senior Band presents their popular New Year's Concert in Ratby Church. Looking further ahead all bands will again take part in the annual MUSIKFEST at Groby
College, on April 20*^ and 21®'.
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Put the dates in your diary now! At their Summer Prom Concert Long Service Awards were presented to; Steve Plant for 50 Years with Ratby Band
Becky Moss for 25 years with Ratby Band ^ And Jo Coulton for 25 years in brass banding. Congratulations to all.
vestry putting on cassocks and surplices, peeking through the heavy brocade curtain at
the steady procession of villagers stepping into the mulled warmth of the church, some
stepping rather more gingerly than others, that third sherry taking effect in the cold night air Above us the clunk of bell ropes hitting the floor and the muffled voice of Harold Spencer calling the changes. The peal comes to rest, replaced by a single tolling tenor. The vicar looks in through the curtain, all dressed in white. 11.45. The organ sounds the first few bars of "Once In Royal David's City", the capacity congregation stands and we're off: trebles only first verse. My dad walking behind me, his hymn book closed and clasped to his chest - no need to see the words. Something magical about Midnight Mass, the lateness of the hour, the anticipation of Christmas, and the delight in seeing unfamiliar faces (unfamiliar to the church the rest of the year anyway) of the
people filling the pews, even the ones over the far side where usually only Mrs Marriot sat, alone beneath the war memorial.
PORTER'S DISCOUNT CARPETS 121/3 STATION ROAD, RATBY TEL. 239 3238/239 5202 MOBILE 0860 551142
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The Turning of the Year The ritual rumbles on: carols, prayers, the familiar readings: ..."and that same night there
were shepherds abiding in the fields..."; "In the Beginning was the Word..." (never could figure that one out). An indescribable warmth, the occasional hacking cough; the long queue of
pile across to the churchyard, spooking the
the Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant, moves slowly to the altar rail as we sing "See Amid the Winter Snow" and "Silent Night". They are still queuing when we run out of carols and Mr. Winkless the organist improvises some vaguely
girls from behind gravestones, then through the
Bach-like tones until the last communicant
stairs. George Taylor, Harold Spencer, the
turns and unsteadily negotiates the steps down to the aisle. Throughout the service, latecomers stagger in, drawn one likes to think by the True Meaning of Christmas, greeted by George Taylor who no doubt assesses their condition and in some cases their ability to stand up. Occasionally someone discreetly makes for the door, overcome not by emotion but by the effects of 6 pints of Marston's Pedigree down at the Plough. The service ends and with hushed, genuine warmth everyone wishes everyone else Happy Christmas. As we walk home up Markfield Lane, my mother wonders whether she should put the turkey in the oven tonight or get up early in the morning. In the distance we can hear the beautiful sound of Ratby Silver Prize Band; "In The Bleak Midwinter" drifts through the crisp cold air. Her favourite carol. Magic. Brings tears to my eyes even now. New Year's Eve. The Social in the Church
Rooms. Mrs Hulbert, her sister Clarrie, Mrs Barnes, her sister, and various other ladies sitting on benches at the top end of the room, where they have always sat whatever the occasion. Men in shirtsleeves take their
partners for the Valeta, the Barn Dance, the Progressive Barn Dance and when things get wilder, the Lancers and the Gay Gordons. My
Wishing all of our
dad is the M.C., ably assisted by George Taylor who operates the record player with
Customers a warm
Peter Flint. John Moore, one of the elite team
Happy Christmasc^
Quarter to midnight, and across the road the bells are already ringing out the Old Year. We
of servers, whips up the chaotic musical game "All Fish Out to Sea" when if you played your cards right you could end up with a girl sitting on your knee. "The next dance will be refreshments"
announces George, as we all head for the kitchen where the aforementioned ladies serve
sandwiches, cakes and pour tea from giant teapots.
slit of a doorway and up the wooden stairs to
the Ringing Floor. If you were early enough you could get a place lining the walls directly behind the ringers, otherwise you stood on the
young George Hurd and others whose names I forget, sleeves rolled up, the faint whiff of their perspiration mixed with the heady perfume of Judith Weston standing next to me, the bells whirling to a climaxas Harold calls the changes and the whole roaring din now cascading faster and faster, closer and closer, steadily getting
quieter as the bells synchronised like a dying heartbeat, booming together quieter and quieter in a miraculous diminuendo , the
ringers nudging their ropes hardly at all and then - stop. "Happy New Year everybody," said Harold to the beaming audience.
Then a riotous tumultous peal of joyous scales as we headed out into the night and the future. Chris Garratt
My MELSWAY
DRIVING SCHOOL Est.
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BEST WISHES for CHRISTMAS And A HAPPY NEW YEAR From MEL to all vast, present and future clients
Telephone 238 6149
.W.W
3 Barton Close, Ratby.
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MAIN STREET IE\TBY #i
CELEBRATING ;50>V "
YEARS IN THE VILLAGE
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Telephonp 239 2406
RATBY'S 90 YEAR OLDS
2070 REMEMBERS
Following an inspirational idea by Janet Gutteridge, a group of villagers decided to
26 Cadets and members of Staff from 2070
celebrate the lives of some of our oldest ladies and gentlemen.
Cadets attended the annual Remembrance
Ratby Parish Church volunteers were more than happy to share their regular Saturday coffee morning, and so a special table was laid with cakes baked by volunteers, and everyone joined in with the entertainment. Pauline Johnson played well known tunes on harmonica, and danced a Charleston. Ken Hunnybun gave an excellent rendition of sea
shanties, inviting everyone to join in the chorus.
Thanks to Ken, Pauline and Mollie Parish who were volunteer drivers, bringing people to the party, and to Win Baillie who donated cup
(Glenfield) squadron, Royal Air Force Air
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Sunday parade held in Glenfield, along with
other local youth groups. The parade began at the community centre where the cadets marched along Stamford Street down to the roundabout and into St Peter's Church.
The church service was conducted by Canon John Sharp with appropriate readings from the Squadron Padre, Sue Bradley. The service then resumed outside the church war memorial where an act of remembrance for those who
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have fallen took place - this included the laying of the wreath by SGT Zishiri followed by a 2 minute silence. The act of remembrance was
finalised by the sounding of the last post.
cakes.
There are plans for a repeat in 2012, when there will be more villagers to add to the list. This year there were thirteen celebrants!
The squadron banner was carried by CPL Holford with two escorts Cadet Day and Cadet Copley both doing it for the first time. The day finished with tea and biscuits at the community centre with some of the staff representing the Air Cadet Organisation at the Royal British Legion in Birstall later on. Officer Commanding, Fit Lt Mayoh-Smith commented that "It was
nice to see a good turnout once again; it goes to show that as the years go by the support for Armistice Day is as strong as ever".
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bargain hunters to scour the sales.
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services will also hit the roads for the first time ever on the 26th and 27th December, enabling
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buses will run from 10.15am at all three sites, and the last bus from the city centre will return at 5.15pm.
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available at www.quicksilverbus.co.uk or by calling 0116 305 0002.
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Appliance Servicing and Installation Breakdown and RepairServices Plumbing and Heating Installation Kitchen and Bathroom Design/Installation
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Quality Guaranteed by Experienced Engineers
Passport Check & Send
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Make sure your form's correct V Applications despatched by Special Delivery ^
Priority treatment provided
Track your application online 30 Main Street - Tel: 2393001
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DEADLINE for issue 152 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 FRIDAY 13th JANUARY EDITOR 239 3367
ADVERTS 239 3279
Shop Hour s
Post Office Hours
Mon to Sat
Mon to Fii
6 00am 6 30pm (7:30pm Wed & Sat)
Sat 9 00am to 12 30pm
9 00am to 5 30pm
ARTICLES 239 4873
Articles may be sent to 3 Ingle Drive Or Email:
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