FEBRUARY 2020

All Saints’ Church Parish Magazine

LEEK WOOTTON LINK | Guy’s Cliffe | Hill Wootton | Chesford | Goodrest | Wedgnock | North & Middle Woodloes LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 the GiftAid form. EDITORIAL We would reiterate that all donations Welcome to the February issue of The made are used only for publication and Link. distribution of The Link and, whilst the How time flies! After our very Church owns the magazine, it is successful annual appeal for donations supported by the Parish Council and is last year, which saw us double the the primary route for all community 2018 appeal total, it is the time, once news and information, which thanks to again, to ask for your support; you will your support continues to be free! hopefully have received a bright blue We very much hope you continue to envelope with your magazine giving full enjoy The Link and will give what information. Of course, we can’t send support you can. our eLink recipients an envelope, so Helen & Lesley Eldridge they will have received a PDF copy for The Editorial Team

Cover Image: February 2019 All Saints’ Church WHO’S WHO? Vicar Readers Jim Perryman t : 850610 Audrey Rowberry t : 851498 The Vicarage, 4 Hill Wootton Road 7a The Meadows e : [email protected] Nigel Stallard (see left for contact) Church Wardens Secretary to the PCC Jonathan Kingston t : 851181 Eileen Clayton t : 855124 32 Hill Wootton Road 2 The Hamlet Nigel Stallard t : 850548 Treasurer to the PCC Reading Room Cottage Church Lane Iain Wilton t : 07771 664185 4 Croft Road

Articles for The Link: If there is anything you would like to include, please email [email protected] The deadline for editorial submissions for the MONTH issue is: FRIDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2020 Advertisements for The Link or for www.leekwoottonchurch.co.uk: 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SUBMISSION DEADLINE Via email to [email protected] or call Jim Perryman on 01926 850610 Would you like to receive The Link by email? Please email [email protected] and request your email copy

Back issues of The Link are available to view online at: https://express.yudu.com/library/82141/LeekWootton-amp-GuysCliffe-s-Library 2 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 FROM THE VICARAGE (Part I) Love, Pancakes and Ash – why is February a little different? Good old Saint Valentine, the patron saint of Love (and greetings-card manufacturers perhaps!), gives us a reason to get all smoochy and sentimental on February 14th every year – a wonderful antidote to the usually grotty weather of the time. This Saint Valentine (there are apparently a dozen or so through the ages), was a third-century bishop in central Italy, who was martyred around 270AD. Stories related to him suggest that, against the orders of the Emperor, he helped Christians to get married thus, by law, saving the husbands from having to go off to war. While under house arrest, he is said to have displayed the love of Jesus to the judge and his family, including successfully praying for the healing from blindness of his daughter, leading the judge to become a Christian, along with all his household, and resulting in the freeing of many other Christians who were in prison for their faith. Incurring the Emperor’s anger, Valentine was condemned and (it is suggested) wrote a final note to the healed girl signed ‘from your Valentine’. Apparently, it was a 14th-century poem by Geoffrey Chaucer that actually ‘invented’ the concept of the modern Valentine’s Day as a special day for lovers. For reasons best know to history, Saint Valentine is also the patron saint of Beekeepers and people with epilepsy! At least he does appear to have been a real person, whatever the actual truth around the stories attached to the Saint. Pancakes and ash aren’t an obvious mix (not unless your pancake ends up in the fire when you toss it!) yet they are both expressions of the same annual event – the beginning of the season known as Lent – which has strong links too with the theme of love. This period of 40 days ending Palm Sunday (or ending Easter Eve by not counting Sundays, depending on your tradition) has, for centuries, been recognised as a time of fasting and prayer to focus on self-examination and repentance in the period leading up to the holy times of Good Friday and Easter. Jesus submitted himself to death on the cross to free us from the prospect of eternal death, the result of our sin separating us from God’s love. He freely, lovingly and willingly gave up his sinless life to death in our place, before displaying the truth that love is stronger than death through his rising to new life. Jesus invites us to follow him into the fulness of eternal life rather than holding on to eternal death. So Lent became the season for recognising and letting go of sin – and showing this by self-sacrifice and by expressions of devotion to Jesus who sacrificed so much out of love for us. On the first day of Lent – Ash Wednesday – the ceremony of having the sign of the cross, in ash, drawn on the forehead, became that sign of commitment to self-sacrifice: hence the tradition of ‘giving up’ something for Lent. But if you are going to fast for 40 days, denying yourself all the indulgent

3 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 pleasures, what do you do with all the good things in the food cupboard that will go off? Easy answer – have a party first to use them up: PANCAKE DAY: Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday!). So, I invite you to join us on the Sunday nearest St Valentine’s Day (16th) as we think about LOVE – especially how we show our love to God and God’s love to others; then, the following week on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday, to our PANCAKE BREAKFAST, which precedes our Communion service which will also have a sort of party theme; and then to our ASH WEDNESDAY evening service where we begin our observance of Lent and invite people to come for the sign of the ash cross. Love, Pancakes and Ash – an odd mixture, but all very much connected this month. Jim Perryman Sunday 23 February from 8:30am in church followed by 9:30am service

On the Sunday before Lent, a time to get together for food and fellowship before worship. Please e-mail [email protected] or sign-up on the sheet at the back of church to give us an idea of numbers, as a help for catering.

A big thank you to all who have supplied church flowers for the altar each week. It does make such a difference if we have real flowers there. However, it is becoming more difficult to keep the rota filled. I have at least twelve spaces this year, excluding Lent, Harvest and Christmas. Would anybody like to commemorate a special occasion and place flowers in the brass vases to remember a loved one or on a special birthday? Your floristry skills will not be judged! If you are wanting to do this, please ring me on t: 859949. Also, a big thankyou to the small but enthusiastic team who decorate the church for special occasions. What a great job they make of it. Joan Stevens

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www.leekwoottonchurch.co.uk ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH

CHURCH SERVICES / EVENTS Charity Prayer Focus for the month: Intercontinental Church Society www.ics-uk.org Sunday, 2 February CANDLEMAS Prayer Focus: Guys Cliffe 8:00am Holy Communion (CW) 9:30am All Age Worship – A Celebration of our Baptisms see Page 6 Wednesday, 5 February 10:30am Holy Communion Sunday, 9 February Prayer Focus: North Woodloes 9:30am Holy Communion with MOSAIC (for children 2-12) 2:30pm Snowdrop Walk see Page 27 Sunday, 16 February Prayer Focus: The Hayes Apartments and The 8:00am Holy Communion (BCP) 9:30am All Age Worship – Faith and Life looking at LOVE Wednesday, 19 February 10:30am Holy Communion Sunday, 23 February Prayer Focus: Quarry Close From 8:30am PANCAKE BREAKFAST see Page 4 9:30am All Age Holy Communion with MOSAIC (for children 2-12) 5:00pm Trekkers (Y6-Y11) group at the Vicarage. See Page 8 Wednesday, 26 February ASH WEDNESDAY 7:30pm Holy Communion with imposition of ash Sunday, 1 March Prayer Focus: The Elms 8:00am Holy Communion (CW) 9:30am NO SERVICE due to road closures for the Half Marathon 5 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 From the Vicarage PART 2: Does your LINK still look a little different? We hope you enjoyed the full colour Christmas edition of the Link and, as promised in that edition, this one too is full colour, but trying a different type of paper. It would be interesting to know your thoughts about the three options that the past three editions have offered: November: The ‘traditional’ slightly thicker colour cover with black & white inner pages and an occasional colour spread in the centre; December: Full colour on normal paper, again with a thicker cover; February: Full colour on silky paper, with cover and inside pages the same. The PCC, in consultation with the Link editorial and distribution team, will make a decision before the March edition goes to print, but if you would like to offer your opinion on the options, please do send it directly to me – either in a note delivered to the Vicarage or, preferably, by email to [email protected]. Whatever the print style in future, I have every confidence that, with the dedicated ‘team’ of contributors, editors and distributors, we will continue to offer a high-quality community-focussed magazine, and I hope you will continue to enjoy and support it. Jim Perryman

A Celebration of our Baptisms on Sunday, 2nd February 2020 at 9.30 a.m. AN INVITATION.

to come along to our Candlemas Service – A Festival of Light Bring your Baptism Candle (spares will be available) All welcome including your family, Godparents and friends.

6 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.mothersunioncoventry.com LEEK WOOTTON MU Contact : Janet Jackson t : 258264 Coming Up: Wednesday, 5 February, 7:30pm at St John’s Church Hall Millie Lowe: Paramedic - Life in Green Thursday, 6 February, 1:30pm at 11 Rounds Hill, Leek Wootton Group meeting: MU Updates Tuesday, 18 February, 1:30pm at 6 Beechwood Croft, Kenilworth Deanery Prayers: For family life and communities in our area Thursday, 20 February, 2:00pm at St John’s Church Hall Lynda Howells: AFIA (Away From It All holidays for families in need) MU Theme for 2020: Building Hope and Confidence The outcomes of our global listening process MULOA (Mothers’ Union Listens, Observes and Acts) have enabled Worldwide Council to draw together key emerging elements for shaping the way forward for our movement. The theme places renewed vision and identity at the heart of our call to serve and offer Christian care for families regardless of faith or background. Sheran Harper reflecting on her first year as MU Worldwide President writes, “It will certainly take faith and determination in the coming years for us to collectively ensure our work increases its focus on: stable livelihoods; reconciliation and conflict resolution; strengthening women’s and girls’ voices to influence change; literacy and education; gender justice; and protecting the environment. It is my fervent prayer that our work in these key areas will provide lasting Prayer gifts to all as we transform nations.” We pray for those who suffer as As we build our hope and confidence in a result of our waste, greed and God we will be inspired and equipped to indifference and we pray that build hope and confidence in others: the day will come when family, friends and work, in both a local everyone has enough food, and global context. clean water and shelter. Help Funds raised through membership us respect the rights of all enable support for projects and if you people and all species and help would like to help in this way do find out us willingly share our gifts today about 2020 subscriptions by contacting and always. Amen our Administrator, Nicola for further info: From ‘Dear Lord’, [email protected]. a new collection of prayers and poems from Mothers’ Union members across the world.

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Trekkers Youth Group @ All Saints For those in school years 6 to 11 Life is a journey, and as we enter that transition phase from primary to secondary school and then begin to consider adult life to come, that journey can become complicated. There are so many decisions to be made on the way, and so many new pressures to deal with about self- discovery. Suddenly the simple messages and the old stories about the Christian faith that we might have grown up with can seem rather irrelevant to the complexity of real life and the world-view of the 21st century. Trekking is about undertaking a long and challenging journey, normally with others: often a journey of discovery undertaken by young people to find out more about their world and themselves. Trekkers Youth Group is a place where we are free to take part on that journey, to explore some of life’s big questions and to discover whether Jesus, the ‘Light of the World’, actually does have some light to shine on the way ahead. We normally meet once each half-term on a Sunday late-afternoon at the Vicarage: Nicola and Jim Perryman currently act as Trek ‘Guides’. New members are very welcome – as are suggestions for topics to explore or other things to do together. Past meetings have been a mixture of discussions, games, films, etc. and normally end with a simple meal together, but the future hasn’t been written yet! NEXT TREKKERS MEETING: SUNDAY 23 FEBRUARY, 5pm – 7pm £2 contribution please to help with food and other costs.

Your future hasn’t Phone: 01926 850610 been written yet. No Text: 0744 948 0539 one’s has! Your [email protected] future is whatever Parental consent forms required you make it. So make for all church activities involving under-16s and can be downloaded from the church website

8 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.coventrycathedral.org.uk COVENTRY CATHEDRAL MATTERS Parish Partner : Mary Robins t : 512643 When I visited the Cathedral recently, I noticed properly for the first time a large spherical structure made of metal. This is the ‘Global Candle Stand’ on which there are fifty-six holders for tea lights. Fifty-two of these are in remembrance of the victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings and four for the suicide bombers. A notice invites you to light a candle and there is a special printed prayer for peace. The stand was given to Coventry Cathedral in 2016 by students from RBZ Technik, Kiev. Kiev is twinned with Coventry and was the first city to receive a ‘Cross of Nails’ in 1947. Educational Films On some afternoons there will be free viewings of educational films in the Cathedral. On Wednesday 12 February at 1:00pm there will be a screening of 2040, which addresses concerns about transport and farming. On Thursday, 13 February at 1:00pm He Named Me Malala, a film about 15- year old Malala Yousafzai who spoke out about the closing of schools to girls, will be shown and on Wednesday, 19 February, again at 1:00pm, the screening will be Monsters and Men, set in Brooklyn, New York. STOP PRESS: BREAK IN AT THE CATHEDRAL I am very sorry to report the news of serious damage at the Cathedral. On the night of Thursday, 23 January one of the panels in John Hutton's beautiful West Screen was smashed. The culprits entered the Cathedral and broke into the glass collecting box to steal the money. The glass panel of the Screen was engraved with an Angel holding the Eternal Gospel. Images of the Cathedral’s construction released Historic and the John Laing Charitable Trust have released previously unseen images of Britain’s construction history, including stunning images of Coventry Cathedral being built. The collection can be viewed at the Historic England website (https:// historicengland.org.uk/images-books/ archive/new/breaking-new-ground- project/)

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10 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.leekwootton.org.uk LEEK WOOTTON & GUY’S CLIFFE PARISH COUNCIL Clerk to the Parish Council : Helen Eldridge t : 853841 e : [email protected] The Parish Council met on Tuesday, 7 January 2020, at Leek Wootton Village Hall. Discussion included the following: PARISH DIRECTORY 2020 With this issue of The Link you will also receive a copy of the Parish Directory 2020. The Parish Council hopes that you will find this directory a useful tool throughout the year. ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY This annual meeting for electors, residents and people who work within the parish has been arranged for Monday 6 April at 7pm in Leek Wootton Village Hall and it is confirmed that the Deputy Chief Constable, , will attend to speak and answer questions. We hope to get an update on how the re-occupation of Woodcote is progressing and on the sale of police land for development. We will also have an opportunity to hear about wider Policing issues in Warwickshire. COMMUNITY MAINTENANCE The Leek Wootton to Kenilworth footpath has been cleared and the vegetation cut back. A number of issues have been raised with Warwickshire County Council Highways, including ponding and signage repairs at the Skew Bridge (railway), Hill Wootton Road and surface drainage outside the Old School, Warwick Road. However, WCC Highways is currently dealing with a 2½- month backlog due recent bad weather. Pothole repairs will continue, but no permanent repairs are currently being undertaken, so unfortunately, some issues may have to wait for the new financial year. The Parish Clerk and County Councillor have been in discussion with WCC Highways lighting about the lamp posts not working at Blacklow roundabout (A46) south of Leek Wootton. They have been advised that there is a serious electrical problem, which is being looked into, but repairs may take some time. Visibility on the Leek Wootton side of the roundabout at night is poor, so please be cautious of other road-users during the winter nights. A new street sign has been erected on the Anchor Inn side of Woodcote Lane. This will help drivers leaving the recreation ground to find the alternative route to/from Kenilworth and, with new signage planned at the ‘rec’, should reduce the number of cars attempting dangerous U-turns at the bottom of the ramp.

11 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 WAR MEMORIAL RECREATION GROUND CAR PARK As reported in the last issue of The Link, the Parish Council has agreed to apply for a Public Works Loan Board loan to fund the car park works. It is currently redrawing its original plans to re-tender with construction companies for a reduced scope of works before applying for the loan. NEXT MEETING The next meeting is the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council and will be at 7:30pm on Tuesday, 4 February 2020, at Leek Wootton Village Hall.

Minutes of all Parish Council meetings, when signed, are published on the website at www.leekwootton.org.uk. Any local issues can always be raised at meetings under Public Question Time or by contacting any of the Parish Councillors or the Clerk, details of whom are listed on all noticeboards, the Parish Council website, in the Parish Directory and the Bulletin.

WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984, SECTION 14(1) THE WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (A452 LEAMINGTON ROAD, KENILWORTH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) ORDER 2020

WHEREAS the Warwickshire County Council ("the Council") as traffic authority for A452 Leamington Road, Kenilworth is satisfied that traffic on the said road should be restricted by virtue of works proposed to be executed thereon NOW THEREFORE the Council in exercise of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and all enabling powers, hereby makes the following Order: 1. This order shall come into operation on 9 February 2020 and may be cited as “The Warwickshire County Council (A452 Leamington Road, Kenilworth) (Temporary Prohibition of Traffic) Order 2020”. 2. No person shall cause or permit any vehicle other than an exempted vehicle to use A452 Leamington Road, Kenilworth from its junction at A46 roundabout Thickthorn) to the entrance of the service road near to property number 76 for a period of 18 months commencing on 9 February 2020, or until the said works are completed, whichever is the earlier. 3. In this Order exempted vehicle means any vehicle being used for or in connection with the said works. LEEK HILL 4. The provisions of Article 2 above shall WOOTTON WOOTTON apply only at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs, as authorised by Section 64 of the said Act of 1984.

12 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 LEEK WOOTTON & GUY’S CLIFFE NEWS f LWandGC c LWandGC_Community ‘Twas the night before Christmas... ‘Kenilworth store owner fights off would -be thief in Christmas Eve raid on jewellery store’ was the headline in the Kenilworth Weekly News after local resident, Phil Sylvester, thwarted a robbery at his jewellers. At two minutes to four on Christmas Eve, two men on a Kawasaki motor bike drove across Talisman Square and pulled up outside the shop. The one who remained on the bike was swinging a machete and the other claimed to “have a ‘shooter’”, but Phil bravely confronted him by repeatedly ramming the shop door. When smoke from the security system began to fill the shop, the assailant gave up, ran back to the motorbike and both men sped off. The Police reported that nobody was injured, but that staff were left badly shaken. Phil’s actions were heroic and there is film at https://www.facebook.com/ LWandGC/. Thanks from the Eassoms We are now installed in our temporary accommodation and sorry we were unable to say goodbye to so many friends, but life has been somewhat hectic over the past few weeks. There were so many people we wanted to thank before we left the village. The occasions (my throwing out parties) the gifts and, above all, words were overwhelming and I apologies that my replies were totally inadequate. We will forever remember our forty-three years in the community. It has been an outstanding period of our life and it will be a major disappointment if we do not make a return visit. Thank you to everyone for your support and good wishes. A happy and prosperous New Year to one and all. Iris and Dennis

13 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 We have good neighbours! Following a nasty fall by Anchor Cottages, two police officers were passing simultaneously (one coming from HQ and one going to HQ) and both stopped. They began immediately with first aid and traffic control and everyone involved was so grateful. The incident did evolve into a road closure, the arrival of the Air Ambulance and transport to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire by road, but a positive must be that we now know that the Air Ambulance can land in the pub car park! The builder who fell received total care at the hospital and is now convalescing. Eds.

With a very noisy calling card, a Warwickshire Rescue Helicopter landed a few feet from my 'back door' on Tuesday morning (21 January) at about eleven o'clock. The skill of the pilot is to be commended as the rotor blades, I was informed, cut a thirteen-metre circle in a car park that was only a few metres more, with tall trees in the vicinity as well as my wooden garden fence! The surprise visit was due to an injury sustained by a builder while working on an Anchor Cottage. He was taken to hospital by road, not by air. The air-born departure of the aforesaid helicopter was no less remarkable. With no space at all to manoeuvre, the blades commenced to rotate, steadily gathering speed, together with a great racket of noise, moving forwards three or four feet and tilting slightly. With a crescendo of engine noise and rotor blades thrashing the air, within a couple of seconds it had lifted off and gone. The silence was unbearable! Alan Clark 14 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 Announcements We share here news we have received of people who have died over the festive period. We send condolences to their relatives, and to all who have recently been bereaved. We learn that Janet Cadman, wife of George, who came to Leek Wootton in the late 1970s died on Boxing Day, after a very difficult period of ill-health. And, just after Christmas, the news was received of the sudden and unexpected death on 27 December of Phil Highley, a two-time winner of Kenilworth’s Award of Merit. We wrote in February 2016 of Phil being honoured with a British Empire Medal after decades of voluntary work in the district and, we feel sure past members of the KEGS gang and others who will have known him, will concur with the most used word in tributes to Phil - Legend! You can read a fuller tribute to Phil at: https:// leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/tribute-paid-to-stalwart- kenilworth-resident-philip-highley/

Former resident, Mary Inions, who lived with her late husband, Brian on The Hamlet, died on 10 January, and after her funeral is held at All Saints’ Church she will be interred in the churchyard with Brian.

From the Parish Registers

Sunday, 12 January The Baptism of

Jemima Rose Harriet Child

Saturday, 18 January The Burial of Ashes of Vivienne Frances Van de Weil

15 ADVERTISING

16 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 CANCER RESEARCH UK Secretary : Shirley Calvert t : 859003

Saturday, 1 February Mexican Themed Winter Supper A reminder that this event will be held in Leek Wootton Village Hall on Saturday, 1 February at 7:30pm. The price is £20 per person to include a welcome drink. Tickets from Kay Wakeman (t: 851670). FORTHCOMING EVENT: Friday, 6 March Jean and Jim’s Big Breakfast This popular event will once again be held at the Leek Wootton Sports Club from 8:00am to 2:00pm. No ticket is needed, just come along on the day and enjoy a really good breakfast.

KENILWORTH PROBUS CLUB Chairman : Roger Cragg Hon Secretary : Mike Cheeseman t : 852976

After our last report in The Link, the Club met on 15 December at the Sports Club to hear a talk by a past Chairman, Peter Stanworth, entitled The Tin Hat, on the development of military helmets over the years since World War I. This was most interesting and examples of various designs, illustrating the development to make them more effective and comfortable for the wearer, were circulated among the members. After Christmas and the New Year, we met again on 21 January to hear a talk by Martin Green from the Warwickshire Industrial Archaeological Society and Leamington History Group on The Nineteenth Century Ironfounders of Leamington and Warwick. This illuminating talk told us of the history in the area and of those who created much of the decorative iron features on many of the buildings of Leamington. Also, of the various manufacturers of kitchen ranges, many of which did not survive as long as Flavel, which still exists as Rangemaster. There were also manufacturers of the iron gratings and coal covers found in the streets of Leamington and iron wheelwrights in Warwick that manufactured vehicles and still exist under the name of Dennis Eagle. Our Annual Lunch was held on Sunday, 26 January at The Glebe Hotel, Barford attended by a number of members and their guests.

17 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.leekwoottonwi.co.uk LEEK WOOTTON WI President : Genny Wilson t : 690701 January 2020 LWWI Meeting Prosecco, four-course dinner, singing, games… I’m just reminiscing about our wonderful WI Christmas party last month at Guys Cliffe where Alex and his team created a feast for us, providing a welcome distraction from thinking about the presents we hadn’t yet bought and other inevitable seasonal stresses that occupy us all before Christmas! But I must get back to my report today, as we embark on the year ‘2020’ – an expression also used to indicate visual acuity (which is somewhat appropriate) - as the focus of our January meeting was to look in detail at the proposed WI Resolutions for this year. The WI is a campaigning organisation, and over the past 100 years a number of Resolutions on many diverse issues have been put forward each year for members to evaluate, and vote for. Here is a brief description of the 2020 five shortlisted nominations: 1. A call to increase potential stem cell donor registration There is an urgent need to increase the number of people registered on the aligned UK stem cell registry in order to provide potentially life-saving treatment to people of all ages with certain blood cancers. The WI calls on all members to promote the registration to the database. 2. Female crash test dummies Women are significantly more likely to die, or be seriously injured, in car crashes than men. The WI calls on the government to mandate equitable testing with female crash test dummies to that of male dummies in regulatory vehicle safety tests. 3. End modern slavery There are tens of thousands of victims of modern slavery hiding in plain sight in factories, nail bars, brothels and even people’s homes. We call on our members to raise awareness of the prevalence of modern slavery throughout society, promote ‘Unseen’ a Modern Slavery charity helpline, and to campaign to defeat it. 4. Time to talk about death and dying 64% of people in the UK think that we do not talk enough about death in this country, yet these conversations can be really helpful in enabling people to receive the end of life care they would want.

18 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 5. Protect our precious helium Helium is a precious resource that is widely used in healthcare, medical and scientific research, but it is non-renewable and in short supply. The NFWI calls on WI members to help raise awareness of the need to conserve helium and to support innovative research that could address the shortage. As we debated each Resolution, we soon realised that we didn’t necessarily have to wait for the announcement of the National Federation WI’s chosen Resolution for 2020, as there were clearly proactive ways we could all make an immediate difference. To share a few suggestions: there is nothing to stop us from registering today with the UK stem cell database. When looking to purchase a new car we can ask dealerships the question, “What kind of safety testing has been done with female crash dummies?” That we commit to tell everyone about ‘Unseen’ the Modern Slavery charity helpline and, critically, to call the helpline and make a report if we suspect we’ve witnessed a victim of modern slavery. Whilst talking about death and dying is not a heart-warming prospect, we could all take practical steps to ensure our final wishes are clear, either by talking through our last wishes with family, or by taking the steps to arrange a Health and Welfare Power of Attorney. And finally, do we really need a helium-filled balloon in order to celebrate a special occasion? So each one of us in LWWI voted for the Resolution we, as individuals, felt most strongly about, possibly one that would be of most benefit to women, or perhaps society as a whole, or more pragmatically for the one that the WI could campaign for most successfully. But in the meantime, is there some small way we can make a difference? Well possibly, and more importantly, probably. Even if this year’s proposed Resolutions are not inspiring, maybe in this year of ‘visual clarity’ there is an opportunity for each one of us to see our way to take some positive action, however small, for the benefit of others. It just might make a difference. I think the final word should come from Vincent Van Gogh: “Great things are done by a series of small things…”

19 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 ALL SAINTS’ PTFA Santa’s Little Helpers The PTFA at All Saints’ Academy gave the Round Tablers of Kenilworth an evening off on Monday, 16 December, when they borrowed Santa’s sleigh to travel the streets of Leek Wootton. In return the volunteers ADVERTISING got to keep the night’s collection.

20 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.allsaints-leekwootton.cofeacademy.org ALL SAINTS’ C of E ACADEMY Head Teacher : Andrew Morris t : 400498 Multi-Academy Trust The end of term saw the departure of two members of staff; Mrs Gail Duxbury, Deputy Head and Wise Class Teacher (Yr6), and Mrs Janet Batts, Oak Class Teacher (Reception and Yr1). A fond farewell message from Mrs Batts “As the term draws to a close, my teaching career also comes to an end. After 24 years at All Saints’, I leave on Friday with mixed emotions. All Saints’ has been my life and caring for each and every child over this time has been a complete pleasure. The school and the village will always have a very special place in my heart and I have many friends who I hold dear. As I move on to new adventures and a new chapter in my life, I hope to keep in touch and hear all about how All Saints’ is doing and growing from strength to strength. There are so many families and staff who mean the world to me and the many fun times with the little ones will never be forgotten. I would like to say thank you for all your kind words and messages and I wish you all a peaceful 2020.” (from the School Newsletter) Mrs Duxbury [left] has taken on a Headship at Tudor Grange Primary Academy Haselor. We wish her every success and blessing in this new role. Miss Abbie Poulton has joined as the new Oak Class teacher, and Mr Russell Watson is teaching Wise Class. Mrs Helen Rose (Ash Class) has taken on the Deputy Head responsibilities.

BABY AND TODDLER GROUP AT LEEK WOOTTON VILLAGE HALL Contact : Janet Jackson t : 258264 We meet on Thursdays, term-time 10:00am - 11:30am For Babies to Pre-schoolers £1.50 per family A warm welcome is extended for Parents, Grandparents and Carers Baby area, craft, mat and ride on toys, snack-time and singing. Also, fun outdoors in our woodland play area. Just turn up and join us for a friendly and relaxed morning.

21 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 David Knott, a Young Leader at Leek Wootton Cubs, will be going to the European Jamboree 2020 in Poland this summer; there will be two units of forty Scouts and Leaders from Warwickshire. David has been fundraising with other Scouts to raise the £1,000 per head necessary to go and there is to be a concert of popular music at Kenilworth Methodist Church on Friday, 7 February.

22 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 http://lovekenilworth.org.uk f lovekenilworth LOVE KENILWORTH Churches Together in Kenilworth & District At 7:00am on Saturday, 14 December members of Churches Together in Kenilworth & District (as Love Kenilworth) ‘yarn bombed’ angels all around the area. With notes attached to each angel, they were part of a nation- wide campaign to share God’s love and to bless the community, in public places and community spaces, with a Christmas message. More than 800 angels had been knitted by people in all the local churches and quite a few appeared in our community. Those who found an angel were invited to keep it and the Chairman of Love Kenilworth said, “Angels play an important part in the Christmas story, bringing many messages from God, including the exciting news of the birth of Jesus. They also share words of peace and comfort in difficult times. We hope and pray that our angels will be little messengers of peace, hope and love, with a good sprinkling of fun too.”

www.guyscliffewalledgarden.org.uk GUY’S CLIFFE WALLED GARDEN TRUST e : [email protected] Access & parking via Hintons Nursery, Coventry Road, Warwick In January organisers and volunteers at Guy’s Cliffe Walled Garden Trust celebrated 6 years since they started clearing the jungle that was the walled garden in 2014

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24 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.leekwoottonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk LEEK WOOTTON & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Secretary : Steph Jones e : [email protected]

In December we held a Christmas social evening, which is a chance to thank all our helpers and supporters that enable the Society to continue. It was a lovely evening with a buffet and drinks and during the evening everyone present was asked to vote for the Annual Show photographic categories. The overwhelmingly vote was for Seasons and Wildlife, so please get snapping for the Show in August 2020. ADVANCE NOTICE: The Society’s AGM will be held on Wednesday, 18 March at 7:30pm at the Village Hall and all are welcome to attend. RHS advice for this month is: • divide bulbs, including snowdrops, and plant those that need to be planted ‘in the green’ • prune summer flowering shrubs, e.g. hydrangea and buddleia, and climbers, including wisteria • Clear weedy beds to prepare for organic matter and towards the end of the month add fertiliser to help with plant growth (e.g. Growmore) • Prepare vegetable seed beds, some can be grown under cover

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27 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 The Sixteen will be performing in Warwick for the first time in February as part of their tour of Handel’s opera Acis & Galatea. His most popular work during his lifetime, now forgotten in comparison with his Messiah, this will be a rare opportunity to hear it performed with exactly the same forces – just five singers and nine instrumentalists – as it was premiered by in 1718.

28 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 Tuesday, 11 February 2020, 7:30pm at Leek Wootton Sports Club VE75 Planning Meeting The afternoon of Friday, 8 May 2020 (a bank holiday) will be a fun day for the whole community, full of music, singing, games, competitions, dressing-up and fun, with the Parish Summer Fête moving from its usual June date for this special occasion. Watch this space for further updates in future issues and to find out how you can be involved. The event will be held on Leek Wootton War Memorial Recreation Ground where it will begin with a children's 'Evacuee's Welcome Home' tea party, followed by a fête and entertainment, including a brass band, male voice choir and dancers, concluding with a wartime singalong. The fête will also include stalls, games and historical information about WWII in the parish. This event will bring together the various organisations in the community, including charities, social and special interest groups (e.g. the Sports Club, WI, Horticultural Society), as well as the church and school. The next planning meeting is scheduled for 7:30pm on Tuesday, 11 February 2020 at Leek Wootton Sports Club.

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29 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 ADVANCE NOTICE: Saturday, 21 March, 7:30pm at Leek Wootton Sports Club Charity Quiz This year, on Sunday, 26 April I will be running the London Marathon. As a running newcomer I have undertaken this huge task on behalf Turn2us, a charity that helps people in the UK living in poverty, with free advice and grants. They even provide everyday appliances we take for granted like fridges, washing machines and cookers for those in need. My target is to raise £2,000 for Turn2us. As part of the fundraising, I am holding a Quiz Night at the Sports Club on Saturday, 21 March. It would be great if you could join me and help raise money for such an amazing cause. Entry is £3 per person and teams can be up to 6 people. Thank you in advance and I look forward to seeing you all on the night. Alternatively, if you are unable to come to the Quiz Night and would like to support this great cause you can sponsor me by going to the website: www.turn2usuk.charitycheckout.co.uk and search for Lydia Runs the Marathon Lydia Glover ADVERTISING

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The Link Quiz By Norman Rogers (answers on page 35) Relative Success 1. Which pair of siblings came first and second 5 times in World Championship Grand Prix between 2001 and 2004? 2. Which sisters met in the women's tennis Grand Slam Final between 2001 and 2017 a total of nine times coming first and second? They faced each other in all the 4 Slam finals at one time or another. 3. Which pair of brothers came 1st and 2nd in the Men's Triathlon at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio? 4. Many people believe, and I've even seen it published, that the Pitts, Elder and Younger were the only father and son to be Prime Ministers of the UK. Not so. Who were the father, (1763-5), and son (1806-7), who were also UK PMs? 5. George H W Bush and son, George W were recent US Presidents. Who were the other father (2nd President 1797-1801) and son (6th President 1825-29)? 6. Who were the great snooker playing brothers: the elder won the first 15 consecutive World Championships and the younger won 8 times, who played each other in the World Final in 1946 when it resumed after the War? 7. This rugby player was in the England team that won the World Cup Final in 2003. His footballer uncle was in the England team that won the World Cup Final in 1966. Who are they? 8. Which two brothers played for England when we won the Football World Cup in 1966? 9. During 2016 two British tennis playing brothers were The World’s Number One in both singles and doubles. Who were they? 10. Who were the three 19th Century literary sisters who published their early works under the pseudonyms Acton, Currer and Ellis Bell?

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32 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 CHURCHYARD MATTERS Churchyard Lime Trees In the last month the churchyard lime trees have been pollarded. This happens every 5-6 years to keep the trees a manageable size. (See the lime trees in Abbey Fields leading up to St Nicholas Church to see how large they can grow if not regularly pollarded!) Huge thanks go to Jonathan Kingston for his hard work in doing this and to all those who have helped in any way.

The ‘prunings’ are now in a large pile in the car park and if anyone can make use of any of them please do come and collect them before the end of February. Some have already been taken for woodturning, firewood for Scouts, carving and den building. Other possible uses include bean poles and temporary garden structures and according to the internet, Morris dancing sticks! If you don’t have much dead wood in your garden already, a pile of logs or some dead sticks planted in a group would be a welcome place for beetles to lay their eggs and larvae to grow. There is plenty of wood there for all sorts of uses, so why not come up with some ideas and come and collect what you need. Nicola Perryman I would like to add a big “thank you” to all those who came and have helped with this mammoth task. Some carved items Jonathan Kingston made with the lime wood

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www.pawsitivevetcare.co.uk PAWSITIVE VET CARE m : 07410411461 Paws for Thought By Helen Perryman Microchipping your pet is the best way to get them back if they ever go missing. The microchip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, which is implanted under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. It carries a unique number which is matched to the owner’s details on a central database. When the microchip on a stray animal is scanned – usually by a vet, dog warden or rescue centre – the number can be searched on the database and the owner contacted. Microchipping has been compulsory for dogs since April 2016, so all dogs should be chipped by the age of 8 weeks, or before being sold. It is important that the breeder’s details are the first details on the database, to ensure that breeders retain some responsibility for the animals they breed. Please do not buy a dog that has not been microchipped, whatever the excuse. The Government is currently considering extending compulsory chipping to include cats. However, even if it is not obligatory, microchipping cats is really important as they are much more likely to wander, get lost or injured. Even indoor cats should be microchipped, as if they do ever leave the house by accident, they are much more likely to get lost because they will not know the local area. Once your pet is microchipped, always be sure to keep the database details up to date and inform the database if your pet goes missing. This ensures that you have the very best chance of your pet being returned to you. At Pawsitive Vet Care, we are offering a £5 discount on microchipping to all LINK readers during February and March (£30 instead of £35 for a home visit to microchip alone or £50 instead of £55 including a full health check). Please quote LINK5.

The Link Quiz… Answers (from page 31) Brontë. Anne and Emily Charlotte, 10. | (Doubles) Murray

George Cohen | 8. Jack and Bobby Charlton | 9. Andy (Singles), and Jamie Jamie and (Singles), Andy 9. | Charlton Bobby and Jack 8. | Cohen George

Davis by 37 frames to 36 | 7. Rugby player Ben Cohen and his footballer uncle uncle footballer his and Cohen Ben player Rugby 7. | 36 to frames 37 by Davis

father and John Quincey Adams | 6. The great Joe, the elder, beat brother Fred Fred brother beat elder, the Joe, great The 6. | Adams Quincey John and father

Jonathon Brownlee | 4. George, the father and William Grenville | 5. John, the the John, 5. | Grenville William and father the George, 4. | Brownlee Jonathon

Serena Williams. Serena won 7 and Venus 2 | 3. Alistair (who won) and and won) (who Alistair 3. | 2 Venus and 7 won Serena Williams. Serena 1. Michael and Ralf Schumacher. Michael won 4 and Ralf one | 2. Venus and and Venus 2. | one Ralf and 4 won Michael Schumacher. Ralf and Michael 1.

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36 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 www.leekwoottonfc.com/sportsclub f @LeekWoottonSportsClub LEEK WOOTTON SPORTS CLUB Club Steward : Nigel Rodgers t : 852231 Winter opening times (1 Oct - 31 Mar): Monday Closed (will open if Darts Team is at home) Tuesday 7:30pm - 10:30pm Wednesday 7:00pm - 10:00pm Thursday Closed (will open if Dominoes and Cribbage Teams are playing at home) Friday 5:30pm - 11:00pm Saturday 5:00pm - 9:00pm Sunday 1:00pm - 10:00pm Bank Holidays - Times may vary

Many thanks to everyone who purchased a ticket or two in our annual Boxing Day Draw. The first prize of a £100 cash card was won by Martina, the second prize, 6 bottles of Prosecco, went to Matt and the Krupp’s coffee maker went to John Appleby. There were forty other prizes and all winners have been contacted and are asked to collect their prize from the Club before the end of January. Christmas was a successful time for the Club with a host of events taking place. For those who attended, we enjoyed your company and hope to welcome you back. There are several social events planned for the New Year – a charity fashion show, quizzes and a skills night. Details will follow in next month’s edition of The Link. New Year and it’s the time for our members to kindly renew their membership; the fees are £30 for Joint membership, £19 for Individual membership, Joint Senior Citizens £27 and Single Senior Citizen £16, but there is a £2 discount for renewals before the end of January. We would like to extend a warm welcome to chill out over a couple of beers or a glass or two of wine on a Friday night in our newly refurbished bar. A great opportunity to make new friends. Just a reminder, that we hold regular bingo nights (second and last Wednesday of the month). The first game starts at 8:00pm and all are very welcome to come along a little earlier and enjoy our hospitality. Upcoming dates: 12 and 26 February; 11 and 25 March.

37 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 Rock and Roll Dance Lessons Looking at getting a little fitter? Meet new friends? Learn a new skill? Come along to the Club at 7:30pm on the following Wednesday nights for fun rock and roll dance lessons - £4 per person per session. Just turn up and pay on the night! One-hour tuition followed by an opportunity to practice or just to enjoy the social side and stay for a drink. Lessons are for all ages, abilities, singles or couples as tuition is on a group and one-to-one basis. All round fantastic workout for mind and body. This term we are learning Strolls. Upcoming dates: 5 and 19 February; 4 and 18 March. Contact Jo Blair (t: 07501 444404) for more details. Our sports teams are now back in full swing after the festive break. The Under 12s are having an amazing season and we wish them lots of luck as they have made it to the semi-finals of the Junior Prem League A cup. On Saturday mornings you can watch our Junior Football teams play and our Saturday kitchen is open if you fancy some breakfast rolls and a cuppa. The Junior Football teams also play on Sunday afternoons and on Mondays our Darts team plays. The Bridge Club meets each Wednesday from 1:40 – 3:40pm. Crib and Dominoes continues on a Thursday and from April we will be dusting down the whites when the lads get back to cricket. The teams all need your support so come on down when you get a chance. All events are posted on our noticeboard in the Club and on our Leek Wootton Sports Club Facebook page. ADVERTISING

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www.leekwoottonfc.com LEEK WOOTTON FOOTBALL CLUB Chairman : Paul Baigent t : 07535 736556

It’s been a frustrating time for some of our football teams. With so much rain, many of our games have been postponed, but there have been some played including some big matches. Probably the biggest match of the season so far was the Quarter Final of the Midlands League Cup, where our Under 12s visited league leaders Walsall Phoenix and managed to beat them 2-1 to qualify for the semi-final. This is a very strong competition, but the Under 12s are on a great run of late with a seven-game winning streak. In the semi-final they play another top of the table side in Alscott, who come from the Shrewsbury area; let’s hope the lads keep up their good form, to get a regional final would be very impressive. The Under 13s are also in their cup, but the draw is not so advanced at their age group. In the Mid Warwickshire and Coventry league all our teams have had plenty of wins as well as quite a few reversals, but all are doing very well and the players are having a great time (when it’s not raining). Meanwhile the Club has launched the Nippers Group again, which is for children between the ages of 5 and 7. If you have a child who would like to join, please come to the Recreation Ground on a Saturday morning at 9:00 or call Club Chairman, Paul Baigent (t: 07535 736556). For further details about our Club please view the website at: www.leekwoottonfc.com.

We are looking for new members - beginners to experienced players welcome. We meet on Wednesday afternoons between 13:40 – 15:40 at Leek Wootton Sports Club If interested please call Tony Gilmore on: 01926 855586

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40 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 https://leekwootton.play-cricket.com/ t @LeekWoottonCC LEEK WOOTTON CRICKET CLUB Chairman : David Allison t : 07880 783635 e : [email protected] Leek Wootton Cricket Club is a village club with two Saturday teams that compete in the Premier and Fifth Divisions, as well as a Sunday friendly team and a midweek 20/20 team. The Club also has a growing Junior section. In 2020 the Club will be entering the Under 15s, Under 13s and Under 11s in the Warwickshire and Cotswold Hills leagues. The Under 10s and Under 9s will also take part in friendly fixtures and festivals. New in post this year is David Allison as Chairman of the Cricket Club. The team wishes to express its gratitude to outgoing Chairman, Howard Russell for many years of great service. Howard has certainly had a good innings! The new season is soon to start and the Club wishes to welcome players old and new. Whether you’re highly competitive or prefer a more laid-back approach, there is a place for you at LWCC. Just bring a passion for the sport and a positive attitude. Head of Junior section, Ian Cox and coaches are on hand to develop juniors of all levels of experience, starting with winter nets training Sundays from 26 January through to March. These sessions will run from 3:00 - 4:00pm at Kenilworth School. Please note the change of venue if you have attended in previous years. There is a Clubhouse at Leek Wootton with bar and snacks, plenty of seating outside for cheering friends and family and a fenced playground for younger children. Do get in touch by emailing [email protected] to let us know that you’re coming or to ask any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon! ADVERTISING

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42 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 OUT & ABOUT IN LEEK WOOTTON & GUY’S CLIFFE See main articles for further details or visit the Parish Calendars at www.leekwoottonandguyscliffe.org.uk Saturday, 1 February Wednesday, 12 February Kenilworth Community in Action Club Bingo Night From 13:30 at Kenilworth Methodist Church 20:00 at the Sports Club CRUK Mexican Themed Winter Supper Friday, 14 February 19:30 at the Village Hall St Valentine’s Day 1-2 February 14-15 February Snowdrop Weekend Court Leet Beer Festival www.hillclosegardens.com warwickbeerfestival.com Tuesday, 4 February Tuesday, 18 February Parish Council Meeting Leek Wootton WI 19:30 at the Village Hall 19:45 at the Village Hall Wednesday, 5 February Wednesday, 19 February Rock’n’Roll Dance Class Rock’n’Roll Dance Class 19:30 at the Sports Club 19:30 at the Sports Club Thursday, 6 February 25-29 February Leek Wootton MU WAGS 13:30 at 11 Rounds Hill, Kenilworth www.wagsgangshow.org.uk Friday, 7 February Wednesday, 26 February Local Vocals Club Bingo Night 19:30 at Kenilworth Methodist Church 20:00 at the Sports Club Sunday, 9 February Sunday, 1 March Snowdrop Walk St David’s Day 14:30 starting at All Saints’ Church The Wigley Group Tuesday, 11 February Warwick Half Marathon VE75 Planning Meeting www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/warwick/events-tickets/warwick-marathon 19:30 at the Sports Club WEDNESDAYS Leek Wootton Bridge Club 13:40–15:40 at the Sports Club

BUS TIMETABLE 16 X16 Timetable for Stagecoach Routes 16 (Mon-Sat, Kenilworth to Hatton Park via Warwick) and X16 (Mon-Fri, Kenilworth to Stratford College) Leek Wootton ⚫ Northbound MONDAY TO SATURDAY (except public holidays) Leek Wootton: [08:33SAT] 08:38 10:25 12:25 14:25 [17:05X16] Leek Wootton ⚫ Southbound MONDAY TO SATURDAY (except public holidays) Leek Wootton: [07:32X16] 09:07 11:07 13:07 [14:57M-F] [15:02SAT] SAT: runs Sat only | M-F: runs Mon-Fri only | X16: only runs during school term time For full routes & timetables, please see full timetable online at www.stagecoachbus.com

43 LEEK WOOTTON LINK | FEBRUARY 2020 DECEMBER IN PICTURES… Please submit your photos to [email protected]

… and an elf gets up to mischief at The Warwickshire

At the Sports Club Discussion Group with Nick Cosgriff, formerly of WM Police, Temporary PC Baigent demonstrates equine management and Jenny Kimberley inspects a [mocked up] suspicious package

The first ‘Carols in the Courtyard’ event at Guy’s

Cliffe ➔

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