Best Kept Village
Competition

Granby came third in Section D of the Nottinghamshire Best Kept Village competition this year. The judges were very complimentary and observed that Granby is a really attractive and pretty village with several unexpected and interesting lanes/roads and commented that the majority of gardens and facilities were tidy and well maintained.

Points were lost because a few gardens were overgrown and not maintained at the time of judging. The panel advised the Parish Council that any such areas could be excluded in future entries. This suggests that with a little more effort we can improve on our position next year.

However, the judges did decide that Granby is this year's winner of the New Entrants' Category. The village qualified for this category because it has not entered in the past five years. A cheque for £100 will be presented to representatives of the village at a prize giving ceremony at Epperstone Village Hall on Wednesday, 19th November.

Volunteer Transport Scheme

Rushcliffe Voluntary Transport Scheme helps people with no alternative means of transport to make necessary journeys. These include visiting the dentist, doctor, optician, chiropodist, shopping, social clubs, education, and visiting friends in hospital. The service is not free but there are concessions for those over 60 years of age. For more details contact Lindsay Knott or Alison Mason on 0115 9816988.

Are you interested in an allotment?

The Parish Plan consultation revealed that up to 50 people are interested in having an allotment. Members of the steering group have been exploring this possibility. The first stage is to form an allotment association. Once established the association is in a position to lobby the appropriate authority in pursuit of suitable land. If you are interested in getting involved contact Alastair Stutt on 01949 851752.

Parish Council Meetings

Please note that, from November, Parish Council meetings will now take place on the second Thursday of the month starting at the usual time of 7.30pm in the village hall. The decision to change from Tuesdays is to maximise the availability of the hall for other bookings.

All Saints Church News

The following services will take place leading up to and over the Christmas period. Everyone is welcome to attend:

30th November 6.00 pm Advent Sunday Carol service
14th December 9.15 am Nativity
14th December 6.00 pm the popular Candlelit Carol service
24th December 9.00 pm Christmas Eve Holy Communion prayer book service, celebrated by Canon Alan Haydock

On Tuesday 16th December there will be an evening of light Christmas songs, seasonalpoems and readings in the church (see “Christmas Music Hall” below)

Our thanks, once again, to Mike and Carole Headland for taking part in the annual sponsored cycle ride and to all those who supported them. They raised a total of £119 that is divided between the Nottinghamshire Historic Churches Trust and All Saints Church. Brenda Preece

Summer Events Committee to receive award The Granby and Sutton Events Committee has been nominated for an award from Rushcliffe Community Partnership in recognition of the work undertaken to organise and stage the summer event in June 2008. The Rushcliffe Community Awards exist to celebrate businesses, groups and individuals who have contributed to improving life in the borough. There are a number of categories of award and the committee was recognised for the Building strong communities section. Representatives will be presented with the award at the County Hall on Thursday 13th November. The committee is planning to run a summer event in 2009. Please contact Andy Betts (contact details below) if you would like to get involved.

Christmas Music Hall Rehearsals are underway for an evening of festive songs, poems and readings on Tuesday December 16th in the church. Isabel and John Daw are still on the lookout for anyone who can contribute to the entertainment. This could be singing (solo or chorus), playing an instrument, reciting poetry or reading prose. It is an evening of light entertainment and everyone will be welcome. Contact Isabel or John for information 01949 851212 o r email johndaw@aol.com

LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES Granby-cum-Sutton Parish Council www.parish.council.freeuk.com Chairman Richard Watchorn Mill Lodge, Sutton Lane, Granby 850516 Vice Chairman Andy Betts Keeper's Cottage, Church Street, Granby 851874 Members Erika Humphreys Woodbine Cottage, Old Forge Lane, Granby 850239 Christine Lineker The Hedgerows, Sutton Lane, Granby 850322 John Miles Orchard House, Sutton cum Granby 851480 David Preece Longacre, Sutton cum Granby 850331 Philip Straw Manor Farm House, Plungar Road, Granby 851556 Clerk Ken Brockway 1 Main Street, Redmile 843577 Rushcliffe Borough Council www.rushcliffe.gov.uk Cllr John A Cranswick The Eaves, Dragon Street, Granby 01949 850770 Nottinghamshire County Council www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk Cllr Martin Suthers The Manor House, Main Street, Flintham 01636 525554 Member of Parliament The Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke, Q.C., M.P. Rushcliffe House, 17/19 Rectory Road, West Bridgford NG2 6BE 0115 9817224 PARISH NEWS is published by Granby-cum-Sutton Parish Council and delivered free to every household in the Parish. Editor: Councillor Andy Betts Printed by John A Cranswick The Eaves Dragon Street Granby Nottingham No responsibility will be accepted for any errors or ommissions

Rotary Club News

The male members of the Vale of Belvoir Rotary Club “celebrated” their annual conference by undertaking a PSA test, organised by the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust for Prostate cancer. David Baxter-Smith, Consultant Urologist, urged those attending his lively talk on the disease to talk openly about this previously taboo cancer and to encourage other men to have a regular check up.

Indeed the Vale of Belvoir will be hearing more about Prostate cancer at one of their regular meetings on 23rd October when Owen Cole will talk to the club about “Prostate and its Problems”

We'll also be decorating a tree at the Bingham Christmas Tree Festival (4th – 7th December) so we'd be pleased to see you there to hear more about our Rotary Club.

Better Broadband Service

Many residents of Granby and Sutton have expressed their frustration at the slow speed of the broadband internet in the villages. We are told that the speed cannot be improved because of the distance from the telephone exchange at Whatton. We could just put up with this or try and do something about it. Stan Taylor has been co-ordinating a concerted response that will be presented to BT and the Internet Service Providers. To do this, he needs the help of people who use broadband. It will only take a few minutes to test your speed at different times of the day and record this information before returning a simple form to Stan. The collated responses will then be forwarded to the appropriate companies. Contact Stan by email for instructions.

stan.taylor@btinternet.com

Granby Coffee Shop
&
Book Swap

The next two coffee shops will take place on the Saturday mornings of 1st November and 6th December from 10.00 to 11.45 in the village hall. Don't forget to bring along any books that you wish to exchange. Village clean up mornings coincide with these dates. Just turn up at the village hall at 10.am. If you notice any areas of the village that require attention and would benefit from the attention of the clean up team, please inform Philip Straw (contact details on page 2) On November 1st there will also be a playground consultation meeting over coffee (see details on back page)

The Vale of Belvoir Rotary Club, serving Bingham, Cotgrave & Radcliffe-on-Trent communities and the villages in the Vale of Belvoir aims, through its Community Fund, to provide assistance to needy groups and individuals in the local communities as well as supporting international causes including disaster relief, water aid and Rotary's own worldwide fund to eradicate Polio.

The Club meets every Thursday at 7.30 at The Vale of Belvoir Inn on the A52 east of Bingham and if you want to make enquiries about our community fund, would like more information about future events or are interested in learning more about our Rotary Club then vist our website or speak with Harry Thompson (01949 838173) or Mary Bridge-Collyns (01949 843880)

Dancing comes strictly to Granby

If you stroll past Granby village hall on a Tuesday evening you may hear the rhythm of the Samba or the strings of the Waltz resonating through the old school walls. This is a sure sign that Daryl and Jayne Barnaby are rehearsing hard for their next dance competition.

Recently, we have seen on our TV screens the dedication and commitment required to master these moves and Daryl and Jayne have demonstrated both since they started learning Ballroom and Latin American dance as absolute beginners in January 2007, aged 50 and 44. They have proved to be quick learners and now regularly take part in competitions all over the country with recent successes.

Daryl and Jayne comment 'We love to dance, we love to dance together, it has raised our fitness levels, helped us manage our weight, has made us a host of new friends and provided us with an excuse to travel more.' They may even consider providing absolute beginner lessons to villagers in ballroom and Latin American if there is sufficient interest. This could lead to participants seeking a professional teacher should they wish to progress further.

New Gardening Club

The inaugural meeting of Granby and Sutton gardening club took place on Tuesday 23rd September. It was kindly hosted by Stan and Shirley Taylor. There is considerable interest from local residents and the meeting was well attended. Paul Kennedy from Tall Trees Garden Centre gave a stimulating talk on 'Water in the Garden'.

There was a chance to ask questions and to discuss any gardening topics that were on people’s minds. Those present represented a wide range of gardening knowledge and experience, from novice to expert. It was agreed that the club will meet on the first Tuesday of each month. The venue will normally be the Marquis of Granby unless stated otherwise.

A subsequent meeting took place in the Marquis on Tuesday 7th October. This too was well attended and the main part of the meeting was taken up discussing how the group will function. It was agreed that there would be a mixture of visiting speakers, open discussions and garden / show visits. Each meeting will include topical hints for gardeners, seed swaps and a raffle of plants and gardening items. Dates for the next two meetings are 4th November and 2nd December, 7.30 pm in the Marquis of Granby. For further information please contact Isabel Daw on 01949 851212

Harvest Supper

Those who attended the Harvest Supper on Saturday 11th October in the village hall were treated to a delicious three-course meal that was prepared and served up by a willing group of volunteers. The quality of food was matched by the dramatic talents of a troupe of local residents who provided the after supper entertainment. The proceeds of £550 will go to church funds. A big thankyou to all those who contributed to the success of the evening and those who supported it.