Page 8 - Herald December 2024

8 THE NEW COUNTESTHORPE HERALD
DECEMBER 2024
Final proceeds from the evening, which are expected to be circa £4,000, will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK.
The Wigston choir, which like many has taken a hard hit in membership following the Covid outbreak, is urgently needing new choristers. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at the South Wigston Methodist Church premises. All music and concert attire is provided and annual subscription is £20 (£15 for seniors). Musical director, Peter Ward, would be delighted to talk with any interested parties (tel: 07982 053 048) or just turn up on a Tuesday evening for a 7.45pm start.
BBC VISITS ACADEMY ESPORTS ARENA
Following the journey of Countesthorpe Academy’s accidental, international eSports celebrity, Mrs Coulson (teacher of Science for LiFE MAT), the BBC visited the school to see how Mrs Coulson’s rise to fame has had a direct benefit for students and the school community. Visiting the purpose built, one of a kind, eSports centre, the BBC reporter was understandably impressed and amazed at the exceptional facilities available to students, and the fact they have an opportunity to undertake an A-Level in eSports, and also participate in eSports enrichment clubs.
Interviewing students from the eSports club, he was impressed with the level of focus and determination they have for playing competitive gaming, in a brilliant environment that has been designed to inspire. A-Level students discussed the opportunities the course gives them with their future careers and university courses too, and how the eSports arena is uniquely qualified to fulfil their ambitions.
Mrs Coulson explained that eSports is a multinational sport that is fast becoming one of the largest entertainment industries on the planet, attracting huge sums of money, both in terms of investment, careers and prize money. Mrs Coulson explained how the eSports arena came about as a direct result of her association with the internationally recognised Cloud9 gaming team, with input from eSports coaches from across the UK and world.
For more information on our new Btec Esports Course visit https://tinyurl.com/yf2u85ec
NAME OUR EVS
COMPETITION LAUNCHED
We’re looking for sparky names to suit our two new electric vehicles and we’re asking youngsters across the District to send us their suggestions.
A competition launched by Blaby District Council on Friday 8th November, is open to school-age children, with youngsters invited to submit two entries, one name for our street sweeper (pictured above) and one for our converted bin lorry.
The chosen names will be emblazoned on the vehicles with the two winners also receiving a cute Lego replica of whichever vehicle they named.
As well as offering a fun challenge it is hoped the contest will highlight the Council’s commitment to improving air quality with ambitions for a zero emission fleet.
Cllr Cashmore said: “We want as many children as possible to get involved and will be reaching out to schools across the District as well as spreading the message to parents and guardians.”
Cllr Phillimore added “Our newly named sweeper and bin lorry will be a real feature on the District’s streets and we are looking forward to receiving lots of interesting and novel suggestions for their names. They will form an important part of our fleet, showing our efforts to improve air
quality across the District.”
The electric sweeper is already doing the
rounds while the bin lorry is expected to be on the streets early in 2025.
Both vehicles were made possible thanks to £573,701 funding received in 2023 from the Government’s Air Quality Grant. Part was used to purchase the sweeper while the rest went on an electric conversion kit for a diesel bin lorry.
Air Quality Grants aim to support local authorities in tackling pollutants including fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. This can create a healthier environment for everyone.
The new vehicles will be used across the District but predominantly in the Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). The AQMAs feature major traffic routes and dense populations with air pollutant levels higher than government-set targets. The competition closes at 4.30pm on Friday 6th December.
You can send entries via email to: environmental.services@blaby.gov.uk or post to Blaby District Council EV Naming, Environmental Services, Council Offices, Desford Road, Narborough, LE19 2EP.
WIGSTON & DISTRICT MALE VOICE CHOIR
The Wigston choir, which has had strong links with Countesthorpe over the past 50 years (both musical director and accompanist live in the village as do a number of choristers) presented its bi-annual massed male voice choir concert ‘The Magic of Male Voice’ at Rugby School’s Temple Speech Room on 26th October.
The massed choir featured groups from South Wales, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire and Leicestershire and their guest artists for the evening were Countesthorpe’s own LE5 FIVE brass quintet.