Common work will benefit cyclists and pedestrians

 

Significant  delays have arisen in both directions on Hearsall Common.
Significant  delays have arisen in both directions on Hearsall Common.

The plans we reported in October last year for changes to the roads, cycle paths and footpaths around Hearsall Common are now being put into effect, with work having started in mid-January and continuing for the next few months. The downside over the first three months or so of the year is significant delays to traffic in all directions around the junction of Hearsall Lane, Queensland Avenue, Earlsdon Avenue North and Hearsall Common, a situation that has been made worse by electrical repair work being carried out at the same time.

The first phase to be delivered will be new toucan crossings being installed at the main junction, with associated changes to upgrade the traffic lights.
Footpaths on either side of Hearsall Common will be widened to improve the route for pedestrians and cyclists to Canley Station and the cycle route into the city centre.
Lastly a refuge will be provided on Earlsdon Avenue North near the junction with Kingston Road. This will enable cyclists to link up safely with the cycle route into the city via Spon End.

Whoberley ward councillor, Bally Singh, told ECHO “The Hearsall Common area is seeing some major improvements to footways and cycleways but unfortunately work to progress our city always has an impact on traffic while it’s being carried out. We are trying to minimise disruption as much as possible and have been working alongside Western Power who have needed to carry out urgent repair works to electrical cables. This work has been more extensive than they initially planned and so we have started works on shared footways and cycleways in Canley Road while they complete their works on Hearsall Common. Once they have finished their repairs, we will complete the path on Hearsall Common, only using traffic management wherever necessary to keep the traffic moving. We will then move onto improving the pedestrian crossings, which I helped campaign for by submitting over 100 signatures from residents. We hope to complete all of the works by the end of March. Until then, we ask people to continue to be patient and try and use alternative routes if possible.”

The planned improvements are part of the Cycle Coventry project which aims to improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, by working with Centro to create a network of routes across the city linking with employment areas, education, health and leisure facilities. The scheme is funded by the government grant for cycling (LSTF) and developer payments for the pedestrian crossings.

Samantha Tharme, Cycling Coventry Programme Manager, added “These plans will help more people get to and from key places by walking or cycling, such as the station and city centre, more easily in the long run. We realise that Hearsall Common is a valuable space to local people and its roads and paths are well used. We are working to make as little disruption as possible and ask people remain patient while the work is taking place.”

The Kingston Road element of the project has been changed significantly from the plans announced last year – the consultation was rerun because it originally just offered residents an opportunity to say yes/no to the proposal of a refuge on the junction of Kingston Road and Earlsdon Avenue North, which prevented right turn entry and exit. Residents were unhappy about this so Cllr. Singh helped local residents run a campaign, with a petition, that supported the Cycle Coventry proposals but with the refuge moved slightly, in order to keep right turn access into Kingston Road. The re-run consultation result was that 108 out of 117 residents supported this option.

Kingston road map
The planned crossing on Earlsdon Avenue North. Image courtesy of Coventry City Council

Cllr. Singh commented “It’s great news that the council have listened to local residents, who wanted equal access for both cyclists and motorists into Kingston Road. Thanks also to everyone who responded back to the consultation and made their views heard.”

 

Baptist church welcomes new minister

Though he’d hardly had time to unpack, recently-arrived Hearsall Baptist Church minister Reverend David Sutcliffe found time recently to talk to ECHO about his new role.

“Bringing it all together” is how David described the core of his vision for the future. “Hearsall Baptist Church is home to many groups and societies, but the church is keen to help forge a greater unity among them – the unity that chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians describes, that makes Christ visible to the wider world. Part of our review will include considering how we can use our buildings to make the church a more integral part of the local community”. But “doing services well” with a blend of the best of the old and the best of the new is clearly also on David’s agenda, as is a desire to become involved in the city’s inter-faith work and to help the church think about – and reduce – its environmental impact.

Although brimming with thoughts and ideas, it’s clear that a contemplative and prayerful approach underpins everything David does – “the luxury of cultivating that peaceful relationship with God”, as he describes it. He was therefore delighted to have already received invitations to join contemplative prayer groups at two other local churches. And in that same ecumenical spirit, he intends that the church will continue to maintain strong links with Churches Together in Chapelfields and Earlsdon (CTEC).

David (who moved to Coventry with his wife Ruth at the end of December) is no stranger to ministerial roles, having served as a church minister previously. Most recently, though, he’s been a trainer with Mencap, based in Bristol, where one of his four grown-up children still lives. Very much a man who values spending time with people, he retains a keen interest in helping Christians connect their faith with their working lives, and will continue to do some consultancy as an executive coach. Never having lived in Coventry before, he praised its neighbourliness – exemplified by the fruit pie given to him and Ruth by a neighbour shortly after they moved in – and told ECHO how much he appreciated the “busyness” of Earlsdon.

We wish David well in his new role. In a future issue, we also hope to catch up with the recently-appointed minister at Earlsdon Methodist Church, Andrew Meredith, who has so far proved rather elusive since his arrival in September.

 

Friends of Spencer Park

 

Our next gardening sessions are on Saturday 15 February and Saturday 15 March from 10am to 12.30pm. If you have time please come and help us tidy up the park. If you are able to come please bring gloves and tools if you have them. We have some spares so don’t let it stop you coming to help us.

Our half term activity will take place on Friday 21 February from 10.30am to 3.00pm. It will be a drop in event, so come along and make a bug house to take home and help us to create a bug motel for the park. If you would like to book on this event please email: Friendsofspencerpark@gmail.com or phone 7667 9458.

We would like to collect materials for the building of our bug wall so if you have any broken or whole terracotta pots/drainpipes, plastic pots or tubing (could be pots with cracks in), newspaper, old bricks, air bricks etc, please let us know or bring them along with you on the day.

For more information please email:  or visit our website.

Karen Berry, Secretary of Friends of Spencer Park

 

Snowdrop day in Earlsdon

Zilpha Reed and family are opening their garden at 37 Belvedere Road for people to enjoy their wonderful show of snowdrops on Sunday 16 February from 11am to 4pm. The admission charge of £3 includes tea or coffee and homemade cake. All the money collected will be donated to Coventry Myton Hospice Appeal. Any enquiries please phone 7667 6231.

 

Stop the Traffik

This year St. Mary Magdalen Church is supporting Stop the Traffik, raising awareness of human trafficking and slavery. On Saturday 22 February 10.30am to 12noon they will be holding a Fairtrade (but no trade in bodies is fair) Coffee Morning. There will be an opportunity to win Body Shop goodies. All are welcome.

Business news

Ben is back!  After closing his Sweeny’s Barber Shop business in Coniston Road after 29 years in October and a brief spell working at Francesco’s in Leamington, Ben Pasik has returned to work in the area. He can be found at Emmerson’s  Barber Shop in Upper Spon Street (opposite Spon Gate School) on Mondays from 9am to 6pm (closed 1pm – 1.30pm). Ben has been there since 25 November and has already been welcomed back by many of his old customers. He is there on his own and offers free tea and coffee plus newspapers to read for customers old and new. You can contact Ben on 07790 635844.

A brand new restaurant has opened in Albany Road, situated between the two railway bridges, opposite Winifred Avenue. The P&T Restaurant (Persian and Tandoori) offers a new cuisine for this area – Persian, which is far more wide ranging than the almonds, saffron and vine leaves you might be expecting.

The restaurant at night.
The restaurant at night.

The restaurant has an impressive range of starters, kebabs and traditional Persian dishes which include several vegetarian options, as well as grills, and seafood. There are numerous exciting deserts including Persian ice cream. Additionally there is a “help yourself” buffet for £9.95 daytime and £12.95 in the evenings. One very special feature is the clay oven for baking Persian flat breads. P&T can accommodate up to 80 diners, and has a takeaway area as well. It is open every day from 12.00 noon until 11.30pm.

The manager of the P&T is Persian and is Aghaye Keshavarz, known as Reza, who has been working in Coventry for 14 years. This air-conditioned restaurant is large and spacious, and very open, with a clear view of the cooking area, which is presided over by Mahommed Lashgary the chef, who is new to Coventry but comes with 20 years experience in cooking. P&T has its own house crockery, and there is a fresh red rose on every table matching the red serviettes. Outside there is a decked area which will permit alfresco dining when the days are longer and warmer. P&T does not serve alcohol, but welcomes diners to bring their own drinks, for which they will provide glasses.

So if you’re looking for somewhere new to go on Valentine’s Day, then phone the restaurant on 7685 0205 and reserve a table, but don’t forget to take that special bottle with you along with the chocolates. What could be more romantic? However there is nothing to stop you going before that – especially if you are hungry and fancy dipping into the buffet.

Helen Clasper is a local mum running baby massage classes at Queens Road Baptist Church. Tiny Toes Massage meets on Thursday mornings. It provides a chance to bond with your baby, increases the baby’s muscle tone, helps him or her to sleep and eases tummy pains. It also gives parents a chance to socialise. Contact Helen for cost and booking details, by calling 07815 742094 or email.

Earlsdon Street Post Office is one of only two post offices in Coventry to be able to offer a range of new current accounts to customers in partnership with Bank of Ireland.

A recent report into current account switching indicated that 41% of customers would consider switching to the Post Office as it offered value for money products and is a trusted brand on the high street.

Bob Sharda of Earlsdon Street Post Office said: “The move into the current account market has strengthened the Post Office’s position of becoming a trusted alternative to the major banks offering customers everything from mortgages to credit cards making it a one-stop option for all their financial services needs.”

There are three types of account. The Standard Account comes with a debit card and offers “free in credit” everyday banking for those who want a current account with a straightforward, easy-to-understand approach to banking fees and no hidden charges or unexpected surprises. The Packaged Account provides a range of additional benefits such as European Multi-Trip Family Travel Insurance, Vehicle Breakdown Cover and Identity Theft Protection services for a monthly fee of £8. The Control Account helps customers keep control of their finances and is a fully functional, “inclusive” bank account for those who are new to banking, potentially on lower incomes or who have had difficulty with default bank charges in the past. For a fixed monthly fee of £5, no further charges will be made for payments that are returned unpaid, such as direct debits and standing orders.

Customers can call in to talk through their options with specially trained staff, who will be on hand to discuss the accounts on offer and which one will best suit their individual needs. They will also be able to assist with the completion of the application form as well as transferring direct debits.  Customers can also register their interest by going online.

 

Earlsdon RFC off to a winning start

On Saturday 4 January Earlsdon RFC hosted their local rivals Old Coventrians on a very cold and wet day. Earlsdon captain Chris Scott kicked 5 penalties and converted Phil Graham’s try to give Earlsdon a 22-5 win in a game played on a heavy pitch.

A week later they travelled to Old Leamingtonians and came away with a well deserved win. Earlsdon took the lead with a lovely try by top scorer Rhys Roberts, converted by Chris Scott, and went further ahead after Scott kicked a penalty. Old Leams came back into the game with a well worked try from a line out to make it 10-7 to Earlsdon. The game deteriorated in the second half when 2 Earlsdon players and 1 Old Leams player were sin binned after a brawl. Whilst down to 13 men Earlsdon scored a try when winger Tom Walker scored under the posts, converted by Scott. Old Leams scored a try of their own before brothers Callum and Andrew Forsyth scored further tries, one converted by Scott, to keep Earlsdon second in the league with a 29-12 win.

On 18 January, Earlsdon entertained top of the table Spartans RDC and after a terrific display, won by 36 points to 18. This was Earlsdon’s best display of the season. Two early tries from full back Rory McPheators set the home team up for a fantastic win. Further tries from winger Tom Walker and a push over try from No 8 Andrew Forsyth, plus 18 points from the boot of Chris Scott, gave Earlsdon the win and put them top of the league. Captain and fly half Chris Scott has been selected to play for the GB Police rugby team. As ECHO goes to press, Earlsdon were preparing to travel to ever improving Banbury RFC.

 

Modern European History course for adults

The European History Workshop, run by tutor Dr Angela Jianu, is an established history seminar open to all in the heart of Earlsdon. New members are always welcome. Those interested can express an interest by logging on to the website or they can simply turn up for the first session. Here is an outline of the study programme:

Europe 1900: France, Britain and Germany (10 weeks).

Recommended preliminary reading: William Morris, News from Nowhere, 1890 (free online access and cheap paperback editions widely available).

Themes for the spring term:

  • Defining our terms: fin-de-siècle, modernism, decadence
  • Socialism and Anarchism in fin-de-siècle Europe: the masses, the lone assassins and the legacy of Karl Marx
  • Race Hygiene, Neurosis and the Fear of Degeneration in Society and the Arts
  • Art for art’s sake or art for public consumption? (the Arts and Crafts movement; the Glasgow School, Symbolism in France and Britain)
  • French Impressionism between aestheticism and politics (Gustave Caillebotte, Toulouse Lautrec)
  • Women in the arts: roles and representations (the Pre-Raphaelites, the French Impressionists)
  • Two Central European artists and their time: Arnold Böcklin and Gabriel von Max
  • Symbolism in France and Britain: Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, G. F. Watts , Aubrey Beardsley
  • Utopian visions of a better world? (William Morris, News from Nowhere, 1890)
  • Germany and France in WW1 – the war’s impact on society: the work of August Macke, Franz Marc, George Grosz; the Panthéon de la guerre; Edouard Vuillard, André Dunoyer de Segonzac

The course starts on Monday 3 February 6.30 – 8.00pm. The venue is St. Barbara’s Church Meeting Room, (car parking and coffee-making facilities available). The course fee is £100 for 10 weeks. For further details please visit the website.

 

Chapelfields woman back from Russia looks for help

Coming back to a rainy Coventry seemed a breeze for Chapelfields resident, Carol Brown, who braved temperatures of -20ºC in Moscow on route back to the UK. Carol, who was in Volgograd at the time of a series of terrorist bombings, has been putting the finishing touches to a musical programme between young musicians from Coventry and Volgograd.  Carol told ECHO “The recent atrocities in Volgograd remind us of who our friends are and what they mean to us.  For over 70 years now Volgograd and Coventry have been friends. A friendship that emerged from another horrendous time when 900 women from Coventry who had survived the Blitz sent messages of support to the women who had survived the Battle of Stalingrad, embroidered on a tablecloth.”

In April 2014 the Volgograd Children’s Symphony Orchestra will be coming to Coventry to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the formalisation of this friendship into what has become the start of the Twin City movement that criss-crosses the world. 70 years after their grandmothers, great grandmothers and aunts made contact the children of the two cities will be meeting, talking, listening and playing music together.

Volgograd’s Children’s Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Yuri Ilynov playing at their fundraising concert at Tsaritsyn Opera House, Volgograd.
Volgograd’s Children’s Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Yuri Ilynov playing at their fundraising concert at Tsaritsyn Opera House, Volgograd.

Carol added “The reason for my visit was to make sure all was going to plan for the visit of the young musicians in April. Continuing and strengthening this bond of friendship between Young Volgograd and Young Coventry provides an opportunity for people from both cities to celebrate the friendship through music played by our young people.”

Five days of events and activities will culminate in concerts at Coventry Cathedral on Friday 4 April and at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham on Saturday 5 April.

Carol added “We have been given some amazing support from VTB Bank, the Regional Governor and Rotary International in Volgograd and by the Lord Mayor, Performing Services Team, Coventry University, CBSO, CAIF, Coventry Rotary Club and Coventry Cathedral.”

Yuri Ilynov, Conductor of the Volgograd Children’s Symphony Orchestra, said “We have been touched by the interest and support from Coventry during our recent losses.  The cities’ links emerged from troubled times and we are looking forward to being in Coventry to demonstrate how strong this friendship still is today.” Victor Kiyashko, Director of Volgograd Philharmonia, added “We are very proud of the achievements of the Children’s Orchestra and their conductor Yuri Ilynov and the role of ambassadors of our city. This will be a great opportunity for them to meet young musicians and students in Coventry and develop their own friendships.”

2014 is the year of Russian and UK Culture and both Coventry and Birmingham will be in for a treat to meet and see some exciting young talent from Russia and their own cities. Carol is looking for financial assistance to support this, concluding “We still need to raise some money for the Coventry Programme. If anyone can help us either through sponsorship or a donation, then please get in touch with me by email.“

 

Resource Centre news

 

Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind (CRCB) in Earlsdon  Avenue South continues to be very busy with social groups, ICT classes, the music group and their latest project, cookery classes for blind or partially sighted people.

All the Christmas events held at the Centre, including the Winter Warmer and volunteers’ party, were very happy occasions. The pantomime presented on behalf of the Centre which was held on 5 January at St. Martin’s on Green Lane was well supported and a great success. Next year Caramba Theatre are hoping to perform Wind In The Willows so that’s something to look forward to!

 

Urgently Required

CRCB is looking to recruit group facilitators to lead and organise social groups for people who are blind or partially sighted, with immediate start dates.

There are separate vacancies for a youth group and social and friendship groups for older people. There are also vacancies for teaching small groups of blind or partially sighted people to cook easy healthy meals in their specially adapted kitchen.

They are also looking for volunteers to support these groups and also for help with office and general tasks.

If you are interested in any of the above, or know someone who might be, either as a volunteer or group leader, please contact Rookie at the Resource Centre on 7671 7522.