Did you enjoy hearing the church bells ringing out on this lovely sunny day? I know that many did, including people living in Cropwell Butler where they could also be heard.

I had assumed that there was a wedding taking place and thought how lucky they were with the weather.

However, I have since learnt that there wasn't a wedding: it was a meeting of the Bingham and District Bellringing Guild organised by our Colin Bryan.

There were 17 people from 8 different churches here and it was the first "ring" for some of them since the Covid lockdown.

It sounded like they were bursting with musical energy.

Colin told me that there is a nationwide shortage of ringers. Many have not returned, either through age or for health reasons, and there continues to be a poor take-up by younger people.

Nevertheless, Colin is still running the Wednesday morning beginner-sessions at St Giles Church in the hope of adding a few new "ringers" to his team. Like he says, it is nice to hear the bells – and they are real bells, not digital recordings.

Tony Jarrow

A Warning posted by a Cropwell Bishop resident .......

"I wanted post this following an incident that happened yesterday.

A young boy approached my mums house yesterday around 5pm/6pm. He gestured to her asking if he could come and talk to her.

My mum, thinking he had lost his football, let him through the side gate.

We are staying with my mum for a while so he actually encountered my wife not my mum.

When asked what he wanted he said in good English with no obvious accent.

“My grandma has got cancer and she needs some medicine, so can I have a pound for her medicine”.

When asked where his grandma lived he was vague just “down the road” and gestured into the village.

I stepped outside to join my wife as she gave him the advice of; if Grandma needed medication then family should go and see her doctor. He then made his way off back from the direction he came.

He appeared unescorted with no adult supervision.

Whether he was on his own, egged on by his peers. Or worryingly part of a larger scam to "case houses" to later steal from.

Please be aware.

Dark nights are coming so lock doors earlier.

We think he was around 9-11 years old and of white ethnicity.

Has light brown hair almost blond; a little unkempt.

He had a light chequered jacked/coat on.

Jogging trousers which were tucked into his green coloured socks and dirty light coloured trainers.

This is just to make people aware and for others to ensure they look after the more vulnerable members of your community."

NB

The Parish Clerk has contacted the Police and they have advised:

"Please contact any relatives/friends or vulnerable in the village to make them aware this potential scam is taking place in the village.

If approached, do not engage or hand over any money and contact the police. In an emergency situation 999, or the non-emergency 101."

My name is Max Jordan and for many years I have been raising funds for St Giles Church.

One of my endeavours is to recycle used wood e.g. pallets, as timber suitable for wood burners, open fires etc I provide cut timber and also kindling.

I recently had a conversation with the contractors at Cropwell Meadows and told them I process scrap wood into firewood with all proceeds going to St Giles Church.

Since that time, contractors deliver a mini-skip to my drive each Friday – full of timber offcuts. They remove the empty skip on Monday.

Thank you Bloor Homes for this environmentally-friendly act.

If you require firewood for fuel, then please contact me.

As Treasurer of St Giles Church, I am able to accept any donations that people may wish to make when collecting firewood. They will help to fund the church.

Thank you.

Max Jordan
1A Thurlby Close
Tel: 0115 989 9299

At Highways England, we believe in a connected country, and our network makes these connections happen. In the East Midlands, we strive to improve our major roads and motorways, to keep people moving today and better tomorrow.

I’m writing to let you know that we’ll be continuing our timetable of essential carriageway maintenance work to the A46, between the M1 at Leicester and the A57 Carholme Roundabout at Lincoln that started on 12 July 2021.

What work will you be carrying out?

We’ll resurface sections of the carriageway and some of the slip roads, refresh road markings and renew road studs. Once completed, all road users will benefit from improved road safety and a smoother carriageway.

To minimise disruption to the local community and road users we plan to deliver our scheme in phases, working overnight while the road is less busy, Monday to Friday between 8pm and 6am excluding Bank Holidays. This will also ensure that our road network is as free-flowing as possible during the day as the carriageways will remain open outside of our working hours.

When will the work take place?

Our next phase of work is planned to start on Friday 30 July 2021 and is scheduled for completion by early-November 2021. To maintain a safe environment for our workforce and customers we will need to close various sections of the A46, along with the adjoining exit and entry slips.

As the dates for each phase are confirmed we will notify you although they may be subject to change.

During the closures we’ll put in place a diversion route which we’ve agreed with the Local Authority.

Maintaining safety during Covid-19

All our sites have strict safeguarding measures, in line with Public Health England guidance, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and none of our sites are open to the public. All projects are closely monitored, and the situation is kept under constant review.

Contact us

If you have any queries about this work on behalf of your community, please contact the Public Liaison Officer, Karen Reeve, as follows:

• Email: EMADcomms@kier.co.uk
Alternatively, you can also keep up to date directly by contacting our Highways England Customer Contact Centre as follows:
• Email: info@highwaysengland.co.uk
• Telephone: 0300 123 5000
• Twitter: @HighwaysEMIDS

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Carruthers
East Midlands Operations Directorate
Highways England