The Earlsdon Neighbourhood Police Force is asking local residents to take at look at their homes from the perspective of a burglar. PCSO Greenway gives some tips on how to protect your property.
We often see a seasonal rise in burglaries at this time of year. Improving your home security is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled.
Most thieves are opportunistic, with offenders looking for easy targets. Thieves will weigh up the chances of being caught against the potential rewards. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to improve security; spending a little time and money on security measures can seem daunting but it is a good investment, even if you rent.
Try to look at your home through a burglar’s eyes:
If you think your security looks poor, chances are a burglar will too
Where could you break in without being seen?
If you have forgotten your keys and can still get in, so can the burglar
Can you tell when you are out of your home or away on holiday?
Can you see your car keys from the outside? Your keys and car will be very tempting for a car thief
Neighbourhood Watch is a great way to feel safe and get to know your neighbours and reduce crime. If you want more information on how to set a scheme up or get involved contact us using the details below.
We have also been told about a number of architectural thefts in the area including the theft of coping stones from some properties around Earlsdon. If you see anything suspicious or you are worried about your property, please contact us.
As always, the Earlsdon Neighbourhood Police Force are available to spend time with our residents and carry out a survey of your premises so we can assist in making the home or shed/garage a harder target to burgle.
We also hold monthly police meetings at the War Memorial Park, Earlsdon Methodist Church and Earlsdon Library. All dates and times are on local boards and the website (below). These are in place so that you can come and speak to us in person about any concerns you may have.
Hearsall Primary School are delighted to welcome back the Headteacher, Mrs Emma Billington, from her maternity leave. Lots of exciting events have been happening at Hearsall over the last couple of months. Christmas was celebrated in style with a very successful Christmas Fayre which was held at the school and raised around £600. Friends of Hearsall, the school’s PTA, will use this money to purchase outdoor play equipment for the playground.
Many congratulations to the school choir who reached the semi-final of the Free Radio Christmas Stars competition, singing Love Shone Down. They also performed at a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas Singalong evening involving staff, pupils and parents; and during Late Night Shopping on Earlsdon Street where they got very wet, but their Christmas spirit was not dampened!
This term has already got off to a flying start with Reception having a magical dressing up day and enjoying lots of different magical experiences. Year 1 have had a visit to Canley Fire Station where they were even allowed to use the hoses! They enacted their own Great Fire of Hearsall as part of their Great Fire of London project. Year 2 visited Coventry city centre as part of their Town Planning and Artificial Environment topic. This helped them to understand how urban facilities support the needs of the local community.
Year 3 dressed up as Romans for their Roaring Romans day, the culmination of their Romans topic. They had a Roman Banquet, learnt Roman numerals and some Latin; and role played a gladiatorial event. Year 4 played football at Woodfield School – well done to the team. Year 5 went to the Herbert to explore how museums work and particularly enjoyed the Elements Gallery, which appealed to all their senses. Year 6 had a 1930s dressing up day as part of this term’s theme.
Hearsall is looking forward to many exciting events in the up coming term, such as a Children’s Disco, a Film Night and, on 22 March, a Family Social Event.
ALL SOULS PRIMARY SCHOOL
All Souls Primary School had its Ofsted inspection last term and was given a Good, which they are very pleased about. Now they are getting back into the swing of things with the Christmas festivities being a distant memory. There is another busy term ahead for all the children with many events planned.
The school were entertained by Performers from M and M Theatrical Productions to showcase the pantomime of Peter Pan. All children in Years 1 to 6 enjoyed the opportunity to watch the panto which was very entertaining. Some student volunteers from Warwick University are going in to support the children with their reading skills and to give some help in teaching French. Coventry Rugby Club players are working with Year 2 children with a programme of Reading and Rugby. The players are listening to readers and then the children enjoy a lesson on rugby skills.
Year 6 children are learning to ride their bicycles safely through the Cycling Proficiency programme. They learn many of the rules and skills of riding their bikes which will enable them to go out onto the roads with confidence.
The school’s football team reached the semi-finals of the Coventry City five a side Community Cup. They are still training hard for the up and coming fixtures in the league and cup competitions. The Year 3 and 4 team will be competing in a five a side competition at Woodlands School. Netballers continue their league and cup matches this term, still unbeaten so far.
Some Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils took part in the Coventry Swimming Gala at Tile Hill Wood School. There were many first placed swimmers in the different events. The children finished second in the competition, a super team performance. The Cross Country season is back on again with the Year 5 and 6 girls in action at Bishop Ullathorne, they then go on to the team competition later this term.
A huge congratulations to the school’s Dance Off team who have successfully got through to the semi-finals of the Great Big Dance Off competition. A video recording was made of the team performing their Rock n Roll/Street routine which was then sent to a panel of judges who picked All Souls as one of their semi-finalists. The team will be travelling to Birmingham Town Hall on 5 February to compete in the next round of the competition.
Children and some members of staff are busy training for the Coventry Half Marathon. They will be running a total of 12.1 miles during sessions each morning over 5 weeks and then they will be competing in the final mile during the event on 23 March. Supporters are welcome to come along and cheer them on. Year 6 children will be competing in an indoor rowing competition this term at Warwick University – at least it will be dry!
EARLSDON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Congratulations to Miss Kate Ingram who married Mr Richard Last on 21 December. She also left Earlsdon School to take up a new profession and the school wishes her well in both her new life and her new career. Mrs Alison Fenerty also left at Christmas after 16 years with the school. Earlsdon is delighted that she has agreed to do some supply work for them when needed.
Year 1 chose the story of Plop “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark” as their December production. The performance followed on from the children’s learning this term, all about owls. The shows were amazing.
Mr Hook masterminded a special CD of Christmas songs and each year group plus the choir had a track of their choosing on it. The school were delighted to sell nearly 200 copies.
Year 5 visited Coventry Cathedral – the following is written by Clara and Chloe from 5G: “On Wednesday 11 December, Year 5 went to the Cathedral for the Christingle Service. When we got there the priest introduced us to everyone. After learning what Christingle oranges are, we sang Christmas Carols. Some schools did a performance or a reading. When we finished we were given oranges to make Christingles at school or home, if we wanted to! We had a great time at the Cathedral.”
They also enjoyed their project on biscuits, which Emmi and Tom from 5G wrote about: “For the past couple of weeks we have been learning about biscuits. We went to the Co-op to see what biscuits are already out there. Then we went around the school with a questionnaire asking what types of biscuits people like. We all brought our ingredients and made our own biscuits. The names of the biscuits were: Stereos, Star Delight, Chocolate Monster, Caramel Delight, Biscuit Burst, Star Frazzle, Crystal and Supercalafradgelisticexpealabiscuit! We designed the adverts, to include a mouth-watering picture, slogan in bold writing, caption and logo, designed and made our packaging, jingle and filmed an advert.”
Foundation and Key Stage 1 had a wonderful visit to the Warwick Arts Centre to see Room on the Broom. Lucy from year 2 said “It was brilliant, I liked the witch best. It wasn’t scary, but it was funny! The best bit was when the Dragon came!”
The school choir were extremely busy over the end of last term. They performed on Free Radio and sang to the residents of Boston Lodge and Elsie Jones House. They also performed at a Candlelight Service at the Methodist Church in Coventry city centre. Then as soon as they came back after the Christmas break they performed at the Young Voices Concert at the NEC, Birmingham.
Joseph Foster, star of Dancing on Ice!
Robyn Foster from Class 5WA has won a national Christmas card design competition. Her card will be sent to 250,000 people, plus she received a prize of vouchers for Hobbycraft. Well done Robyn. Not to be outdone her younger brother, Joseph, was chosen to appear on Dancing on Ice when he became a pageboy during the routine by Sam Attwater and Vicky Ogden.
Finally there is Mason Daw who, following his success in Nativity 2 was chosen to appear in Nativity 3. Add to this a sprinkling of parents who became extras for the day and you have a whole bunch of talent from Earlsdon School!
Year 2 are to be visited by Freshwater Theatre who will perform a play based on the Great Fire of London which is their project this term. Meanwhile Year 6 are to attend a special performance and workshop of Macbeth at the Warwick Arts Theatre.
The Criterion Theatre in Earlsdon is gearing up for its latest production, Mindgame, which opens on Saturday 1 February and runs until Saturday 8 February. The story revolves around true crime writer Mark Styler, who believes he has snared the coup of his career when he gets an interview with a notorious psychopathic serial killer. But when he arrives at Fairfields Prison for the criminally insane, he finds things cannot be trusted, and nothing is as it first seems. Mindgame is a rollercoaster of a play by master of mystery and suspense Anthony Horowitz, creator of Foyle’s War, Murder in Mind and the Alex Rider series of novels for teenagers.
Director Anne-marie Greene observes that the play taps into the current popular obsession with serial killers. “Over the last two years, there have been no fewer than seven new dramas on television about serial killers, with the popularity of the genre demonstrated by the recent furore over the decision to axe Ripper Street. The play puts our interest in deranged killers in the spotlight, asking what makes sadistic serial murderers different from the rest of us, and examining why we are at once repelled and fascinated by them. It is also very timely, as the infamous Broadmoor Hospital – on which Fairfields Prison in the play is almost certainly modelled – celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013.”
The play is creatively staged, involving some of the most experienced actors at the Criterion, and is guaranteed to keep you guessing at every twist and turn. If you liked Sleuth or The Usual Suspects, you’ll probably love Mindgame.
A wet beginning to the SENA (South Earlsdon Neighbourhood Association) new year, with a soggy but amiable and informative walk through the woods followed by a pleasant coffee together for the group in the warm of the City Arms. Since then, we’ve begun our planning for the year. Here are dates so far agreed:
26 February: SENA meeting and AGM – Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind, 33 Earlsdon Avenue, 7.30pm.
5 May: Earlsdon Festival. SENA will have a stall at the festival again, where we’ll explain to interested people what we’re up to, and welcome new members.
6 May: Earlsdon Hustings. An important first for the area. SENA and NENA together are arranging an open meeting for all Earlsdon residents when the various candidates for the local city councillor’s position will be telling us what they consider to be the main issues for Earlsdon in the present and the future, and why they should be our chosen councillor. Details about venue and timings to follow.
1 June: National Big Lunch Day, in the Spinney. More details about this later.
21 or 22 June: Midsummer’s Walk. More details about this later.
6 September: SENA STREET SALE.
21 September: Autumnal equinox walk. More details about this later.
Throughout the year Ray Wilson will be keeping you up to date with what is happening in the woodland project, and in particular the dates for litter picks, plantings and other relevant activities.
Have a good 2014, and we look forward to seeing you during the year.
The following new plans have been submitted in recent weeks:
Former Texaco Garage Site, Allesley Old Road – amendment (remodelling of internal staircore and apartments) to planning application reference 39201/H, granted on 16 May 2005 for demolition of petrol station and erection of three storey apartment blocks and associated works (ref. AD/2014/0050).
37 Warwick Street – demolition of existing buildings, and development of 19 x 2 bed apartments with associated parking (ref. FUL/2014/0012). A number of nearby residents have objected to this plan – see elsewhere in this issue.
11-12 Westminster Road – change of use of both properties and single storey extension to the rear to create 1 single house in multiple occupation with 20 bedrooms (ref. FUL/2013/2641). A similar previous application last year was rejected on the grounds of over intensification of the use of the site.
The following plans have been approved in recent weeks:
Earlsdon Park, Butts Road – change of use of part of ground floor from A3/A4 (Restaurant/cafe/drinking establishment) to B1 (Office) and minor external alterations (ref. FUL/2013/2512).
Davenport Lodge School, 21 Davenport Road – Works to Conservation Area Trees: Horse Chestnut – 2m crown reduction (ref. CT/2013/2453).
38 Providence Street – application by Lean Body Vision for change of use from an office (Use Class B1a) to a health, therapy and training facility (ref. FUL/2013/2201). The new facility will employ 6 new full time staff and has an existing 14 car parking spaces.
19 St. Andrew’s House, St. Andrew’s Road – extension and alterations to existing building to accommodate a secondary dining room in close proximity to the main kitchen at the front of the house in order to help improve the facilities for the residents and an improved front entrance area with better drive access (ref. FUL/2013/2401).
The following plan has been rejected:
90 Craven Street (former Pails Bakery) – erection of a 13 bedroom house in multiple occupation (ref. FUL/2013/1779). Many objections were made by nearby residents and Chapelfields Area Residents and Traders Association (CARTA), citing existing overcrowding, parking problems and other issues. City planners agreed that the proposed development was out of keeping with the existing street scene, was an overdevelopment of the site, lacked off road parking and meant loss of privacy for neighbouring properties. See elsewhere in this issue.
The following plans have been withdrawn:
Former Texaco Garage Site, Allesley Old Road – submission of amended details involving the remodelling of the left hand end stairs and adjacent apartments 1, 6 and 11 to allow for phased development to application 39201/H granted on 16 May 2005 for the demolition of the petrol station and erection of three storey apartment blocks, new vehicular access and associated parking and landscaping (ref. AD/2013/2498).
90 Craven Street (former Pails Bakery) – Conservation Area Consent for demolition of existing building (ref. CON/2013/2164). Many objections were submitted by neighbours and CARTA opposing the loss of a historic building.
All these plans (and others) can be inspected at the planning offices on the ground floor of the Tower Block, Much Park Street from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and from 8.30am to 4.30pm Friday. Full details of all the applications and local residents’ responses can also be viewed via the city council’s website.
ECHO’s policy is to include in this section plans which are likely to have broader impact than on immediate neighbours. We do not therefore normally include house extensions, loft conversions etc. which should be notified to adjacent properties by the city council.
The last working party of the year in early December was on a mild sunny perfect winter day, a last chance to tidy up before the serious winter weather arrives. Most of the tasks are never ending like litter picking and mending fences. The ford itself seems alive, as it changes from day to day bringing silt, twigs and branches and even moving large stones on stormy days. We saw a heron hoping to catch a frog, and a moorhen searching among twigs on the waterfall. Then it rained and rained and by mid January it’s still raining but no hard frost or very cold weather. However this is very good news for all worm eating wildlife; because earthworms breathe through their skin, they have to come up to the surface when it rains or risk drowning. Earthworms are an important source of protein, particularly in winter; the blackbird is probably the best known earthworm eater, because it is such a regular garden visitor.
Watch other birds too: robins, song thrushes and even kestrels and tawny owls can also be seen feeding on earthworms. Many small mammals feast on them, moles eat little else, and hedgehogs love them. Foxes will eat many worms when there is little prey but earthworms provide the badger with 60% of its food. Earthworms together with fungi are nature’s most efficient and important recyclers. They eat their way through the soil, digesting any decaying organic matter and, in doing so, release minerals that plants can use. Famously hermaphroditic, earthworms are both male and female in one body, though it still takes two worms to reproduce. Charles Darwin called worms “the most important animal on the earth” while in ancient times Aristotle called them “the intestines of the soil”.
Flooding at Canley Ford.
The house spider tries to stay indoors at this time of the year; there is no point in killing it, as it does an excellent job of destroying flies. It spins a large web, up to 300mm across, and sits in a tubular retreat in the corner. When it feels the vibrations of a trapped fly it hurries out, poisons its victim and eats it at leisure. In medieval times, a house spider was thought to be a good remedy for malaria, “gently bruised and wrapped in a raisin or spread on bread and butter” and a butter wrapped spider was thought to cure the plague and leprosy. The larger cardinal spider is supposed to have been named for frightening Cardinal Wolsey at Hampton Court.
Tamsyn planting.
As the years go by it gets more and more difficult to think of something new for the Christmas tree festival at the Methodist Church. As usual our small team rose to the challenge and were very successful – thanks to everyone who voted for us. The birds and animals have eaten most of the autumn berries but the beautiful black ivy berries should be ready in February and will attract song thrushes, robins, fieldfares, starlings and blackbirds. As with yew berries the seeds inside ivy berries are poisonous, but they too pass through birds’ intestines and are scattered in their droppings; with luck some will fall at the foot of a wall or tree, which will offer support for the seedlings that grow from them. Look out for signs of spring at Canley Ford, we saw yellow catkins, cuckoopints and snowdrops pushing up through the earth and woodpeckers and other birds calling to attract a mate.
The next working party will be on Saturday 1 March, 10am – 12noon.
Coventry Winter Night Shelter (CWNS), a city-wide initiative that has quickly caught the public imagination, is up and running. And St. Mary Magdalen in Chapelfields, “the church with the blue roof”, is pitching in to help.
It was late October when a night-time tour of the city centre with the rough sleepers team showed councillors that the extent of homelessness in Coventry was significantly greater than they had previously thought. With the city itself currently unable to meet demand, councillors issued a plea to local churches to set up a volunteer-run winter night shelter until the end of March. The faith community rose to the challenge, and a few short weeks later, the shelter is up and running. Operating on a rotating basis in a different church building each evening of the week, the shelter offers a meal and a bed for the night. As the space at each venue is limited, beds are made available on a strictly pre-registered basis – this also makes it easier to link the guests up with agencies able to help address the underlying problems that lead to homelessness in the first place.
The Revd. Stella Bailey, priest at St. Mary Magdalen, described the church’s involvement in the project (it has the Wednesday evening slot) as the latest stage in a journey that started with a conversation over coffee at the church’s Christmas fair two years ago. Fired by a desire to use the church’s large (but frequently under-occupied) interior to help the local community, opening its doors to the night shelter once a week is a vivid indication of how far Stella and the community at St. Mary Magdalen have travelled in exploring the way forward. It is, she told ECHO, an embodiment of the biblical injunction to “learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17). “Being part of the CWNS is just an opportunity to make a small difference to someone’s life, giving them dignity as we live out our faith in a practical way”. Jan Green, co-ordinator for St. Mary Magdalen’s involvement, reported that chicken casserole and bread pudding on the church’s first night of operation amply fulfilled CWNS’s expectation that guests be offered “exaggerated hospitality”.
Although many people from across the city have volunteered to help at the seven venues, more are needed (a Christian faith commitment is not a requirement). Prospective volunteers should be able to offer one or more of the following: an evening (7 – 10.15pm); overnight (10pm – 7am); or early morning (6.45 – 9am) shift. Volunteers are particularly needed for overnight and morning sessions. If you can help, even occasionally, please contact Nobby Clarke by email.
Earlsdon Ward Councillor Allan Andrews has urged the city council to reject plans for a new development of 19 apartments in Warwick Street, which has caused significant concern in the community.
Following a meeting with local residents to discuss the proposals, Cllr. Allan Andrews has expressed his concern that the development will have an adverse impact on existing properties. The plans include 3 storey buildings with juliette balconies, which residents believe will create a privacy issue.
South Eastern elevation, from Warwick Street.
There is also concern from local people that existing apartments have not been sold or are still available to rent, bringing into question whether there is adequate demand for more flats in the area. Previous developments have been purchased by social housing organisations in recent years.
Commenting on the plans, Cllr. Andrews said: “It is clear to me that a number of residents object strongly to these proposals and I can understand why. Having met with residents who will be affected by this development, there is a clear view that the plans will negatively impact on them and these plans do not appear to be in keeping with this community.
“There are plans for 19 two bed apartments and parking provision is not adequate. Parking in Earlsdon is already a major source of frustration and this would add to an existing problem. There are major concerns about privacy with this 3 storey proposal being a very short distance away from people’s bathroom windows, with the potential for a balcony to be overlooking people’s homes. This represents a major privacy concern as well as impacting on people’s natural light.
“As a result of my meeting with residents, I have arranged for residents to meet with council planning officers to discuss this application and I have urged the council to reject this application in its current form. However, residents and I are not opposed to a suitable development in this location so we are willing to discuss what is acceptable to the community and I’m hopeful that the talks will be productive.”
The meeting with Planners is scheduled to take place on Monday 10 February. The closing date for the public consultation is Tuesday 11 February.
Many readers will remember Diane Cox, a popular and much missed therapist who offered a memorably firm massage at her Samadhi business in Earlsdon Street for 22 years, and inspiring Egyptian dance teacher who kept many Earlsdon women on their toes (and laughing!) every week. Diane moved to South Africa last August to be with her new partner, though still keeps in touch and comes back every so often.
Since settling in Cape Town, Diane has turned her creative energies to the arts of painting and writing. Her many Facebook friends have been awed by her growing painting skills, and now, with the (very practical) help of her partner Shawn, Diane has finally published a book she first wrote some years ago, and which we review below. The book is a salute to Diane’s experience in the world of complementary therapy and spas, and the lessons each client brought to her.
Diane’s 30 years in the spa industry saw her working in exclusive health spas and travelling to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan teaching massage and aromatherapy. Locally she taught at Coventry Technical, North Warwickshire and Henley Colleges. She was also employed by drug rehabilitation establishments, high street banks, Coventry University and Myton Hospice, and went on to set up her own workshops, meditation and spiritual awareness groups whilst also running Samadhi.
In addition to painting and writing, Diane now writes a blog containing a variety of pieces written about all facets of life she feels demand attention, and this year she is launching a new online meditation class, for those of you who fancy curling up on a Sunday evening, tuning in and floating away into a peaceful Monday morning.
Diane’s blog and links to her book can be found here.
Artwork, meditation class and other delights can be found at moonfiremagic.
Review of Pig Farmers and Prima Donnas – Tales from the Health Spa by Diane Cox, published through and available from Amazon.
Diane’s book is a series of amusing anecdotes from throughout the duration of her career as a beauty therapist. There are tales from the early days at college where she learnt (the hard way) that men are VERY different from women when it comes to massage as well as some inspiring stories about how she handled challenging experiences such as the first time she massaged an amputee, and being shouted at by angry naked men.
The stories jump about, but mostly it’s a chronological journey through a career that has seen Diane deal with people from all walks of life including, but not limited to, the aforementioned Pig Farmers and Prima Donnas. Diane writes in such a way that you feel as though you’re experiencing each tale with her; you feel her embarrassment as she tackles some truly hideous sounding wax jobs, her pain as she deals with other people’s losses and her anger as she defends herself against countless unwanted advances from male clients. The style is mostly chatty and light but where there are more sensitive subjects to tackle, Diane has a way of giving the reader just enough detail without pulling the mood down. If you’re anything like our ECHO reviewer, you’ll find yourself lost in her world of awkward encounters, enlightening experiences and woolly mammoth taming sessions.
As some of you may be aware, we recently ran a survey asking local groups about how they prefer to receive local news, including their views and opinions about ECHO. We sent the survey to members of NENA, SENA and CARTA and we also posted a link on our Facebook page. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey, we had a very positive response and can now reveal the results.
66% of people who completed the survey buy ECHO every month and 94% of them either read it cover to cover or read most of it. We also discovered that 87% of people share their copy with 2 or more people and that the most common age group amongst our readers is 41-65.
Out of all of the features and articles included in ECHO, general local news, news from local community groups and coverage of seasonal / special events were the most popular. Features on local individuals / groups and news about local shops and businesses also came out well as did theatre/drama news and the diary of events.
As well as asking specific questions about the current content of ECHO, we also asked for comments and suggestions on any improvements we could make or additional topics we could cover. We received lots of suggestions and we are currently looking into implementing a number of them including:
Additional information on other local groups / organisations – we always welcome contributions from local groups and would be more than happy to include information about others in the area
Change in layout and order – We are aware that ECHO has looked the same for a number of years and we agree that the month-to-month layout could be clearer in terms of regular pages for regular features so we will look into this
Classified section – we have had a classified section before and we are happy to look into re-introducing it but we would need to see about popularity
Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions. We hope you continue to enjoy reading ECHO. A more detailed summary of the results can be found on the website.
