Hearsall Star

A statement has been made by the Marpe Church re the Hearsall Star.
Marpe Statement

It is concerning that the church is using the threat of not honouring the promise to continue the tradition of the star to advance its arguments with the council over the newer church building.

Equally it is puzzling if their implication is true that heritage considerations are being applied to part of the property not protected by local listing.

Cllr Jayne Innes commented to ECHO: “Whoberley Ward’s Councillors Jayne Innes and Bally Singh continue to stand with Marpe Assembly as they undertake the repairs needed to make their building work for them.

“Our colleague Pervez Akhtar cannot voice an opinion for now, as he sits on Planning Committee, and this would prevent him taking part in any future Planning Committee Meeting on this issue, should one take place.

“When Hearsall Baptist Church announced it was to close, with the sale of the building, the very best outcome was that the building would be bought by another church community. The people of Hearsall and ourselves warmly welcomed the news Marpe Assembly had bought the building.

“I personally am perplexed by the difficulties Marpe Assembly are having in completing their renovations. The congregation has already done an enormous amount of work to the insides of the building, and once again adult baptisms are taking place there.

“I genuinely can’t see why Marpe Assembly shouldn’t be allowed to install UPVC windows – they’re practical, commonplace, come in different finishes and can be painted.

“Currently the building is drafty, with warmth and sound escaping from the existing windows” concludes Jayne.

Potential security alert

A man, in hi-viz work clothes, is visiting houses claiming to be starting work at the rear of neighbouring properties. He states there will be noise and debris.

Falsely claims to have been employed by each neighbour. Average 30+ guy, calling himself “Steve”.

He might have called at wrong addresses in Chapelfields but his behaviour is suspicious.

Police have been notified.

COVENTRY UNITED FC

Our apologies for misreporting some of CUFC’s results in our November issue.

Coventry United BEAT Alsager 6-3 in the F A vase and are playing Heanor in the next round at the Butts Park Arena on Saturday 8 November.

Two other away results were also incorrectly shown: the club BEAT Southwell and LOST to Atherstone.

As best we can see these mistakes were down to misunderstanding the way results were presented on FA and United Counties League webpages. In future we will ensure we get information from CUFC sources only.

Discussion Workshops

The Omega Course is a National Lottery funded charity that offers free workshops to discuss death and dying. It helps members of the community develop confidence, both to think about their own end-of-life issues and to support friends and family to do the same. The Omega Course has no religious connection and is open to people of any age and background.
You can find out more about the charity and its founder Chantal Meystre – an NHS palliative medicine consultant – on the website: https://www.omegacourse.co.uk/
The course contains 5 workshops between 29 October and 26 November and covers communication skills, practical tasks such as wills and power of attorney, as well as removing the taboo of talking about death and dying. It’s a really special course and past participants say it removes some fear about the future. The course is great for anyone as unfortunately we will all experience death and dying in our lifetimes.
This FREE course takes place at Earlsdon Park Retirement Village, Albany Road. Tickets are available via Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-omega-course-tickets-1503121881009?aff=erelexpmlt
Ideally people would attend all 5 sessions but if you miss one or two you would still be very welcome. There is a lot of material so it is split up to ensure the course remains light and informal.

King Henry VIII School Celebrates 50 Years of Co-education with “50 for 50” Exhibition

This September marks a milestone in the history of King Henry VIII School in Warwick Road, as the school and alumni / alumnae community comes together to celebrate 50 years since the school became co-educational. To commemorate this anniversary, the Old Coventrians’ Association, in partnership with the school, is proud to launch a special exhibition: “50 for 50”.

The exhibition showcases the diverse journeys of women who have been educated at King Henry VIII School over the past five decades. Through personal stories of achievement and resilience across careers, families, communities, sport, education and beyond, “50 for 50” highlights both successes and the challenges overcome along the way.

At the heart of the exhibition is a series of portraits representing each decade since co-education was introduced, alongside a digital “scrapbook” of memories, photographs and reflections contributed by former students and staff. This living archive will continue to grow throughout the anniversary year, allowing new voices and experiences to be added as the exhibition evolves.

“This exhibition is as much about giving everyone a voice as it is about celebrating achievements,” said Headmaster Mr Sewell. “We hope that current pupils, alumni and the wider school community will see themselves reflected in these stories and feel inspired by the remarkable journeys of those who came before and after them.”

The exhibition will launch this month and remain on display around the school throughout the anniversary year, with opportunities for former students to contribute their stories at any time.

Event Details:

  • Exhibition Title: 50 for 50
  • Opening Date: 7pm – 9.30pm, Friday 12 September 2025
  • Location: Burgess Hall, King Henry VIII School, Coventry
  • Organised by: The Old Coventrians’ Association and King Henry VIII School

For more information or to contribute to the exhibition, please contact:
Mrs Suzanne Jackson, Marketing Manager
sjackson@csfoundation.org.uk
024 7627 1152

The school is also gearing up for its Autumn Open Morning on Saturday 20 September. The Open Morning is a fun-filled morning with a variety of educational activities for children to take part in. Bookings can be made at:

Bookings