Another Earlsdon HIMO?

Five households in the residential area below St Barbara’s Church received an unwelcome Christmas letter informing them of a planning application which if approved would significantly change the nature of that local community.

The application is to change a residential elderly care home to a house of multiple occupation for 21 students.  Conversation between neighbours has shown a groundswell of opinion concerned about the impact on the local community caused by a significant, concentrated number of short-term residents in an area of family homes, these two communities naturally having differing interests. Again, there is little vehicle traffic, parking problems or noise associated with the care home at present; these aspects will inevitably increase substantially.

The wider concern is seeing a slow but sure change to the Earlsdon community. If every larger residential dwelling in our area goes this way, the community of Earlsdon will suffer loss in its character. This ambition to protect the community resonates with the SENA news article in the latest issue of ECHO (p10), seeking ‘to make Earlsdon a Conservation Area.’

Residents of this part of Earlsdon are looking for support from others who care about this change in the character of local neighbourhoods. Response may be via your local councillors, or by commenting on planning application number FUL/2016/2994 for 71-73 Rochester Road: http://planning.coventry.gov.uk/portal/servlets/PlanningComments?REFNO=FUL/2016/2994

While the deadline for public consultation on this plan is 11 January it is possible this may be extended in view of controversial nature of the application and the level of local opposition.

Earlsdon Residents’ Community Farm Success

farm-photo-nov-2016Five Acre Community Farm is celebrating 5 years of producing organic, seasonal veg grown on Coventry’s doorstep at Ryton Gardens. The project founded in 2011 by Transition Coventry has grown from strength to strength with the help of Earlsdon residents Jo Rathbone and Rachel Ward who form part of the committee. Jo says “Earlsdon has, from the outset of our project, bought into the ethos of the farm. A large number of our members live in Earlsdon and contribute to the farm in a number of different ways from buying our delicious veg to being a part of the steering committee or taking a work-share.”

The farm, which is certified organic by the Soil Association employs a full time grower to manage the growing programme which has seen the farm produce vegetables as varied as mooli and pak choi along with traditional staples such as carrots, onions and potatoes. In total the farm boasts producing over 60 different types of vegetables through the seasons and adds new varieties each year. Recently, an additional polytunnel has ensured plentiful salad crops throughout last winter and the early arrival of veg such as spinach, carrots and cucumbers.

Operating on a not-for-profit basis means Five Acres can plough back any surplus income in to producing top quality organic vegetables which are carefully grown and great value for money. This year the farm has hosted open days for the national Community Supported Agriculture Network, and regularly advises new community farm projects on how to start up and be financially sustainable. Gareth Davis, the farm manager says “We are enormously proud of our achievements. To be celebrating 5 years of success at the farm is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of all those on the ground. We are looking forward to the next 5 years and planning how to take our project even further forward.”

Five Acres would like to celebrate their 5th anniversary by offering Earlsdon residents an opportunity to taste our success with a special offer; 5 weeks for the price of 4. For more information about the farm or to take advantage of this special offer please ring Esther on 02476 441613 or email info@fiveacrefarm.org.uk quoting ECHO-VEG-5FOR4.

Albany Theatre Trust

A message from David Meredith, Chair, Albany Theatre Trust to supporters:

I am thrilled to report that the threat to the Albany Theatre’s future has been lifted thanks to a pledge of critically important support from Coventry City Council for our exciting development plans.

As you probably know, our long-term future has been in doubt because of a threat to demolish the back of the theatre. The only way to save the theatre was to secure additional space on the ground floor of the former college building to provide essential facilities and expand the range of activities we can offer. Councillors will be asked to approve our development plans at a meeting of Cabinet on 3 January 2017.

I have been involved with the Albany Theatre for six years, and whilst no deal has yet been signed with the site owners I am confident that the Trust is on the brink of securing the future of this well-loved theatre for generations to come.

You can read more on our website here

A Golden performance at the Criterion

400Is making a deal with the devil such a bad decision? Taking the risk of exchanging your unborn child for a favour that will save your life?

The Criterion’s December performance of “Rumpelstiltskin” saw the premiere amateur performance of the musical adaptation of the famous Grimm’s Tale commissioned by the egg, Theatre Royal Bath in 2014.

This cast of four treated the audience to an exciting and thoroughly entertaining performance that had the audience laughing.

A simple and loving father, the Miller has the opportunity to meet with the King of the land and in the attempt to secure his daughter a job in the Royal Palace, he over exaggerates his daughter’s abilities with the use of metaphor that is unfortunately misinterpreted, leading the King to believe Emily possesses the ability to spin straw into gold.

This leaves Emily in the predicament of either finding a way to make gold out of straw or losing her life. In the depths of despair she is visited by a mysterious and magical being, Rumpelstiltskin, who repeatedly saves Emily’s life but at a high price.

Emily is forced to promise her future offspring to Rumpelstiltskin and when she later marries the King and gives birth to a daughter, Emily along with the King and her father must enter into a challenge to keep her child, by guessing the cryptic Rumpelstiltskin’s name.

This performance of Rumpelstiltskin could at first be mistakenly dismissed as a family performance only but it was surprisingly enjoyable for every age. It touches on the power of family relationships through the trio’s struggle to keep the child and is not short of humour with especially amusing audience interaction.

The acting is of high quality with Sean Glock performing a starring transformative role of an over-indulged King whose falling in love changes his personality and pompous beliefs.

Nicole Cortese charms the audience with her character’s idealistic attitude for a better society and notably in several scenes delivers an impressive amount of names in attempt to try to solve the mystery of Rumpelstiltskin’s identity.

The depiction of Rumpelstiltskin – played here by a woman (Lucy Hayton) – is a modern and interesting twist on the normal characterisation of the role and not to leave out the Miller (Ed Young) whose clumsy haphazard ways had the audience laughing throughout the production.

A brilliant polished performance with exciting sets and props a great winter show to end the year.