Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Bulletin, spring 2024 (edition 94)

Additional information

Botcheston social and film night, Botcheston, Village Hall, Main Street, Botcheston, LE9 9FQ

Second Tuesday of the month. Check the Bocheston Village Hall website (bvhall.co.uk) - £5 including tea/coffee. Licensed bar, new cinema quality surround sound.

The George Ward Centre, Church Lane, Barwell LE9 8DG

There's something for everyone at The George Ward Centre, including:

• Mondays: Yoga/weight class (10am), table tennis (3:45pm), Yoga (6.30pm), Clubbercise (6:15pm, 7:15pm.)
• Tuesdays: AFC Barwell (5pm), Slimming World (5pm), Tai Chi (7pm.)
• Wednesdays: Mums and Tots (9am), Slimming World (9am), Pilates (6:30pm), Yoga (6.30pm), Clubbercise (7:15pm)
• Thursdays: Steady Steps (10am), Table Tennis (7pm), Speaker's Club (fortnightly, 7pm.)

Why not pop into the Centre's cafe for a cuppa and a chat? 

The George Ward Centre's ‘Tots Time play group’ runs weekly on Wednesdays. Time: 9am to 11am. Cost: £2 adults, 50p per child, which includes unlimited tea, coffee and juice, biscuits, pastries, and fruit. There are lots of toys for little ones to play with from birth upwards and clothes and toy giveaways. We encourage expectant mums to come along, as well as dads and the wider family. Our hall is available for hire for children's parties, for reasonable prices.

The Centre is a registered charity. For more information Tel. 01455 847410 or find the Centre online and on Facebook and Twitter.

Regular ‘Friends of Hollycroft Park’ activities at Hollycroft Park, Hinckley

Community Café is on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 10am to 1pm, from Wednesday 1 February and running all year. Volunteer gardening on the first Saturday of every month from 10am to 12pm starting in April each year. A plant swap session will be held on April 20 from 10am to 12pm. More information about Friends of Hollycroft Park (hollycroftpark.wordpress.com) or email friendsofhollycroft@gmail.com

Veterans coffee morning, The Green Rooms 

Are you a former armed forces veteran? Would you like to meet fellow vets in the area? If the answer is yes then please join us every second Wednesday of the month at the Green Rooms Masonic Hall on St Mary’s Road, Hinckley. Refreshments are served and there is an occasional special guest, entertainment, along with a raffle. The coffee morning runs from 10am to 12pm, offering advice and support throughout the duration of the morning. Families and carers are also welcome. If you would like any more information, please contact Hinckley & Bosworth’s Cultural Services, tel. 01455 255856.

St Francis Community Centre, Tudor Road, Hinckley, LE10 0EQ

Weekly group meetings take place at the centre which include:

• Free coffee morning with light bites and free Wi-Fi. Tuesdays 9:30am to 12pm
• Lunch club social (booking required). Wednesdays 10am to 1pm.
• Friendship Café. Serving hot and cold food. Thursdays 10am to 12pm

Tel. 01455 617185 for more information. 

Pathways Computer Club Hinckley Baptist Church's Community Centre, Baptist Walk, Hinckley LE10 1PR

Teaching is on a one-to-one basis. Subjects covered in lessons include ancestry and family tree, photo editing, slide-show production, Microsoft Office (Word/Excel/PowerPoint) and file management, or if there is anything you wish to learn within IT we’ll be able to accommodate. You can bring your own laptop or tablet or use the desktop computers provided. The Pathways Café serves a range of refreshments before and after the lesson. Cost: £41 per term (approximately 10 lessons) Every Thursday 9am to 10am; 10:30am to 11:30am; 12pm to 1pm. Booking is essential. Contact: Pathways: Tel. 01455 890026; Email: enquiries@pathwayscomputerclub.uk 

Regular activities at Green Towers Richmond Road Hinckley LE10 0DZ

Youth club

Youth Club runs Monday – Friday 6pm-9pm for eight to 18-year-olds (eight to 11 years only on Thursdays). Children can attend as a guest for £3 up to three times, after which we ask that they become a member. Annual membership is £10 and subs to enter Youth Club are £1.50.
 
Room hire is available for individuals, parties and group bookings, please see our website or contact us for further information. Tel. 01455 230468 or email office@greentowers.co.uk
 
Our weekly coffee morning is still ongoing on Fridays 10am to 12:30pm for over 50s. FREE Tea/Coffee and Biscuits. Weekly quiz and games with entertainment every last Friday of the month.

Students get a handle on new technology

Students and teachers from across the borough were able to test cutting-edge technology and try their hand at immersive experiments at the TeenTech STEM Festival.

The festival, organised by partners at MIRA Technology Institute, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College and the Borough Council was held at the MIRA Technology Institute early in February and was themed around the topic of AI and innovation. 

It aimed to inspire students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects) and gave them the chance to spend time with pioneering engineers, technologists and scientists from a wide range of companies.

The event hosted 193 students from local schools, including Dorothy Goodman School, Hastings High School, Heath Lane Academy, The Hinckley School, Redmoor Academy and North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College.

Council officers supported the running of the insight zone, which included interactive activities and the chance to talk to professionals from 11 different business, including MIRA Technology Institute (MTI), Triumph Motorcycles, Coventry University, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, HORIBA Mira and more.

The second Innovation zone grouped students into teams to become the inventors of tomorrow in an hour-long workshop and challenge. 

Council Chief Executive Bill Cullen said: “We are proud to have sponsored this fantastic event supported by our key partners from the Hinckley & Bosworth Employment & Skills Task Force. 

“To see the dynamic interaction between the young people from local academies and schools with representatives of the companies on Mira Technology Park was truly inspiring. 

“We hope this will provide young people from the area the inspiration to consider careers in high tech engineering, design and research, to meet the skills these companies need for the future. 

“I would also like to give a big shout out to the staff at MTI, Teen Tech and HBBC ensuring the event was such a success.”

Dani Longhurst, TeenTech Awards and Virtual Innovation Project Lead, added: "The TeenTech team really enjoyed working with the enthusiastic and creative students who arrived at MTI popping with ideas. 

“It’s always a two-way process - companies bring exciting emerging tech to bring their worlds to life and the students demonstrate the fresh thinking which will be critical to our future. Huge thanks to MTI, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and North Warwickshire South Leicestershire College for making this programme possible for so many young people in the region.”

At the event David said “I am exceptionally touched to be given this honour by my fellow councillors. 

“I wish to thank everyone who has been with me on this journey and in particular my wife Valerie who has put up with me all these years. I especially want to thank the people who gave me the opportunity to serve them. I will still be here to help wherever I can.” 

Council Leader, Cllr Stuart Bray added: “It was an easy decision to give the title of Honorary Alderman to David Bill. Very few councillors serve their community for fifty years, and David helped and supported countless residents during his time in council. We look forward to welcoming him back for civic ceremonies for many years to come.”

Action plan to assess borough’s play areas

The Borough Council is working to update its background information on playing pitches and outdoor sport facilities across the borough. 

To achieve this, it has commissioned independent consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to undertake an assessment of the outdoor sporting landscape and to develop a strategy and action plan for the area. 

The study will review what is available to residents and the demand for grass pitches, artificial pitches, and other outdoor sport facilities. 

This study is important as it will provide a base to support the council’s Local Plan. This will inform future strategic planning priorities and enable potential investment to be delivered in the right places and for maximum benefit. 

The study will have a specific focus on the following sports/facility types: 

• Artificial pitches (all surface types)
• Athletics provision 
• Bowling greens 
• Cricket pitches 
• Grass football pitches
• Golf courses 
• Rugby union and rugby league pitches
• Tennis and netball courts 

A key part of this review will be consultation with public, private and voluntary organisations to understand viewpoints on facilities available locally. KKP will manage this process and will be in contact with relevant parties and groups/clubs. 

Initially clubs and sporting groups who typically play over the winter months, for example, football, rugby union and hockey clubs, will be consulted with further groups contacted from May 2024 onwards. 

If you would like to receive any further information on the study, please email: mail@kkp.co.uk with the title ‘Hinckley & Bosworth’ and KKP will respond to you directly or please Tel. 01455 255735.

Fun for all the family at Burbage Common

This year’s annual Burbage Common Open Day will take place on Sunday 19 May, from 10.30am to 4:30pm. 

As in previous years the area around the visitor centre at the Leicester Road entrance will hold the main event, with a large marquee accommodating a range of stalls including craft stalls, charity stalls and local and national environmental charities. 

An arena will also accommodate a number of displays over the course of the day including maypole dancing, TKT Cheerleaders, a falconry display and a tai chi demonstration.

You could join in the fun and enter your dog into our dog show. There will be several different categories to accommodate all different ages, shapes and size of dog. Prizes and a rosette can be won. 

There will be bug and bird box making, donkey rides and archery amongst other activities taking place throughout the day, which all the family can take part in.

You can stock up on tasty local produce when visiting the farmers’ market area. With so many food and refreshments stalls, there’s no need to bring your own.

Admission to the event is free, but there may be a small charge for some of the activities and workshops held. 

For further details nearer the time check out the council’s social media pages or visit our events

Last updated: 28/02/2024 17:06