MARATHON HEROINE

 Council salutes ‘true grit’ marathon heroine  

A wife who battled a rare genetic illness to run the London Marathon has been honoured by Erewash Borough Council at its Active Lives Awards. Tara Brown, 37, had been all set to run the UK’s Boston Marathon in 2021 until she was left reeling by the first in a string of health challenges. Her optician diagnosed a detached retina. She was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on her left eye – forcing her to pull out of the 26-mile event. The computer software worker had to undergo further ops but never gave up on her marathon dream. 

She began training with Ilkeston Running Club for the 2022 London Marathon. But with just a week to go she started feeling ill and ended up in hospital. Tara, who had been suffering from strange muscle pains and sickness, was shocked to be diagnosed with Gitelman Syndrome – a kidney disorder that causes a severe potassium and magnesium deficiency in the blood. The inherited condition puts pressure on the heart and can lead to chronic fatigue, muscle cramps and seizures. 

She was in hospital for eight days. Undaunted – and despite also suffering from sepsis – she set her sights on last year’s London marathon. Ferocious training, which was interspersed with regular infusions to keep her healthy, saw her finish in a time of four hours 43 minutes. Tara joked: “At the start of the run I shot off like a gazelle, forgetting all the advice. “At mile 15 I didn’t feel too great so I got some medical assistance and had a little break. But I was determined to finish.” 

She was presented with the Legacy Leisure Adversity Award by Tim Spencer, Head of Sport and Leisure at Legacy Leisure, who operate Rutland Sports Park, Victoria Park Leisure Centre and West Park Leisure Centre, in a ceremony held at the Seven Oaks Inn in Stanton by Dale. Runner-up was David Williamson, who is celebrating losing more than 5st after suffering from diabetes. He completed an exercise referral programme via the Live Life Better Derbyshire initiative. Winners in other categories were: 

Ilkeston pensioner Kathlyn Phillips, who at 72 scooped the Active Lives Award after she shed four stone. Kathlyn was referred for 12 weeks of exercise sessions via  Live Life Better Derbyshire when she was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. This was also under its “exercise by referral” scheme. A soft tissue foot injury had hampered Kathlyn’s desire to take up jogging again – but she now goes for regular runs. Kathlyn, whose liver readings are now normal, said of going to the gym: “It has changed my life.” Runner-up was Rachel Buczkiewicz, who has led walks to help people in the borough get exercise.  

Active Young Persons Award – Thomas Caine, 15, who has been a “very positive role model” for younger children while volunteering with a youth mentoring organisation in Ilkeston called Parkside High. Runner-up: Tilly Woolis, who volunteers at Erewash Valley Gymnastics Club. 

Active Volunteer Award – Raoul Pinkney, from Borrowash, who has led a string of wellbeing walks across the borough to improve people’s mental health. He has also organised accessible treks for those with disabilities and long-term health issues.  including runners-up who also deserve great credit. Tara’s ‘third time lucky’ marathon story is one of true grit and determination. And the way 72-year-old Kathlyn has improved her health proves it is never too late to reap the benefits of being fit and active.”  

ORCHID WOOD

 Bearing fruit! Orchard honour for ex-gravel pit  

An old gravel pit in Erewash has been honoured with an award backed by the King following its spectacular transformation into a woodland haven. Orchid Wood in Breaston was picked by the Tree Council to receive the Golden Orchard salute. 

The beauty spot off Sawley Road used to be a bleak sand and gravel quarry until 1998 when it was filled in. More than 10,000 trees and shrubs have since been planted – leading to Erewash council granting it Local Nature Reserve status in 2020. 

The Tree Council’s Golden Orchard awards were launched to mark the national charity’s 50th anniversary. They come amid an ongoing push to plant more trees across the country – which was launched two years ago for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. King Charles has been keen to continue with the initiative – called the Queen’s Green Canopy – following Her Majesty’s passing. The Tree Council has a network of more than 6,000 volunteer tree wardens across the nation. The award was described as a testament to the dedication of those in Erewash – one of whom declared: “This is a great honour for the borough.” 

The charity has donated ten large fruit trees which will be planted in a ceremony on Monday 22 January. The wood, which takes its name from an orchid glade, will also receive a commemorative plaque. 

Councillor Joel Bryan, who is Erewash’s Lead Member for Environment, paid tribute to tree wardens Bob Swepstone and Marion Bryce along with their fellow volunteers. 

Marion is honorary secretary of Long Eaton Natural History Society Wildlife Group. Cllr Bryan said:  “Orchid Wood is a magical place – unrecognisable from the gravel pit it used to be. This is all thanks to the hard work of the volunteers, who should be immensely proud. We join the Tree Council in paying tribute to them.” 

Telly’s Ben Fogle, who is a tireless supporter of the charity’s work, said: “Trees clean the air we breathe and they provide shade, shelter and food for birds, insects and precious small mammals.” 

 

The former BBC Countryfile presenter added: “Above all, in my darkest moments, in times of loss and sadness, trees have provided me and my family with solace, comfort and awe.” Tree Council CEO Sara Lom said: “Trees embody the past, present and green future of our planet.” 

A TripAdvisor review of Orchid Wood praises it as a “relaxing” place to walk. Another hails it as “a great place to get some fresh air and exercise”. 

The ten new orchard trees will bear apples, apricots, plums and gages. They will be planted behind two “friendship benches” which were recently installed thanks to an application to the Severn-Trent Community Fund. 

ENERGY EFFICIENCY SCHEME

Maggie Throup OBE MP, Member of Parliament for Erewash, is urging local organisations to apply to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme. The scheme, backed by £25.5 million, will provide energy assessments and grants of up to £150,000.00 to improve voluntary organisations energy efficiency and sustainability. 

The scheme has two elements:

Eligible organisations can apply for the cost and delivery of an independent energy assessment. This will help identify how to reduce bills through measures such as improving or installing new energy features in the building, or changing how energy is used. These assessments will be useful to organisations whether or not they apply for the second element. This part of the scheme is open for applications until August 2024. 

Organisations with an energy assessment may then be eligible to apply for a capital grant of between £2,000.00 and £150,000.00 to install the recommended energy efficiency measures in their premises. This part of the scheme will open to applications in January 2024 and grant rounds will also run until August 2024.  

 The scheme will be delivered by a consortium of partners, led by Groundwork UK and supported by the Energy Saving Trust, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Locality, and Social Investment Business. 

Maggie commented: “Voluntary and community organisations play a vital role helping those most in need across Erewash. However, when I speak to many of these organisations, they tell me of their concerns about the rise in cost of running their organisations.  

I am urging voluntary, community, and social enterprises across Erewash to apply to the VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme which will help their organisation improve its energy efficiency. The scheme will provide important energy assessments and grants of up to £150,000.00 to improve their organisations energy efficiency. Please don’t wait and if eligible, apply today.”  

Grant awards will be decided through a competitive process, seeking applications from eligible organisations. Information on the eligibility criteria and details on how to apply can be found through the following links: 

VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme - GOV.UK  

VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme – Groundwork  

COUNCIL PRIORITIES

 An online survey seeking the views of local people went live after Leader James Dawson held a summit with fellow members of Erewash’s Council Executive. They agreed that to balance the authority’s budget this year Council Tax will have to rise by 2.99 per cent – with savings also needing to be made across a range of services and ways found to generate additional income. The online survey allows residents the opportunity to comment on proposals. While the council is able to balance its budget this year, it is also looking ahead to the future. Unless fresh savings are found a financial crisis will loom next year. The authority’s financial gap could be as high as £700,000. 

In 2026 the budget shortfall could top £2.5million – although the council will not know for sure until it has confirmation of funding. Cash-squeezed Erewash has so far managed to remain debt-free unlike many other councils, some of which have effectively gone bust. To help plan for the future, residents are being asked about their priorities and views on a range of issues from Council Tax to car park changes.  

There is even a question about Erewash’s two town halls – and whether the council should move out of one or both. The borough has dual town halls as a hangover from the 1974 merger of Ilkeston and Long Eaton district councils. The two towns have very separate identities, which explains why operations continue to be split across the HQs in each. The consultation is lasting three weeks until early February – and can be found here: EBC 2024-25 Budget Survey (snapsurveys.com) 

The full council will vote on the budget strategy in March. Councillor Gordon Thomas, who is Erewash’s Lead Member for Resources, said:  “We really want to hear from residents – so please take the time to go online and fill in the survey. This is your council and there is no getting away from the fact that we are likely to face some tough choices – not least because local people have been short-changed for years in terms of funding. Since 2015 Erewash has been losing out on a massive £2.3million a year compared to the average that councils across the country have been getting. That’s clearly unfair – and myself and Leader Cllr Dawson have written to the government along with other councils to lobby for a fairer shake.” 

GOODBYE SCALA

The Scala Cinema where Gracie Fields once trod the boards is to be bulldozed along with Stage One formerly the Cobden Club.  Erewash councillors voted through plans to replace them with smart new homes and commercial units. The decision clears the way for 16 flats, four townhouses and three business premises on the prominent Derby Road site – in a project funded by the government. The demolition of the crumbling Galaxy picture house is part of Long Eaton’s £25million “Town Deal” – which is seeing investment pour in after the borough council helped clinch the levelling-up funding. The cinema closed more than a decade ago.

The council launched a compulsory purchase order after it fell into increasing disrepair. Planners admitted demolition was “regrettable” but stressed: “No proposals for re-use have come forward in ten years. It does not lend itself to a conversion to an alternative use.“ Given the apparent lack of developer interest and limitations of the former cinema for its reuse and the poor current appearance of the building, the loss of the building is considered acceptable.” The development will also see the former Stage One nightclub plus a disused shop unit demolished along with a garage at the rear of the site on Oxford Street. This street is where four town houses will be built. The estimated cost for the entire project, which will include 28 parking spaces accessed from Oxford Street, is at least £5million.It got approval at a meeting of the council’s planning committee.