The Millennium Year in Rolleston

Rolleston on Dove Millennium Committee was formed in 1998 to co-ordinate the many suggestions that had come from within the village for celebrating the millennium. The Committee has representatives from Rolleston’s Parish council, churches, schools, all organisations and interested individuals. The celebrations fall into four main groups - permanent memorials, mementoes (of which this booklet is one), support for a third world charity and special events throughout the year.

Permanent Memorials

The Parish Council has arranged for village "gateways" to be constructed on the verges of the three principal road entrances to the village (Church Road, Dovecliff Road, Rolleston Road). These will be blank arches of red and Staffordshire blue bricks, 1.3m high, with a cast embossed plaque for the village name across the front. They will have a raised trough across the rear for planting. New village signs on posts will be displayed also on Marston Lane, Craythorne Road and Anslow Lane.

A proposal that a footpath should be created along the line of the old railway from station road, across the Dove and on to Tutbury is unlikely to happen during the year 2000. The proposal has , however, become part of a much larger plan, taken up by the Government/National Lottery organisation "Sustrans" which is creating a national cycleway/footpath system throughout the country. The project is being actively monitored for the village by Mr John Underhill of Meadow View.

The Almshouse Trustees are re-installing wrought-iron gates in the bricked-up central entrance to the almshouses by the Alderbrook. These are being made to the simple design of the original gates as seen in a recently discovered old photograph.

An oak tree will be planted on The Croft in the autumn and this will also be associated with burial of a time-capsule prepared by the children of John of Rolleston Primary School. The oak tree will be a seedling from "The Mosley Oak", a tree planted in the Hall Grounds by Sir Oswald Mosley in 1900.

St Mary’s Church will be planting a yew tree in the churchyard and this has been propogated from a 2000 year old tree, growing at the time of the birth of Christ.

The Millennium Committee has taken this year as an opportunity for establishing links with other communities sharing the name "Rolleston" and progress is described here.

Mementoes

Millennium mugs have been produced bearing two winning designs from a competition for all pre-school and junior school children. The winners of the competition were sisters Sophie (aged 6) and Lauren Marshall (aged 8) from Winton, Hall Grounds. The Parish council is providing a free mug to every child born in the parish during the year 2000 or who is up to the age of 11 on 1st January 2000. Mugs will be on sale during the year.

A video that surveys the history and present day developments in the village and also covers the major village events of the year 1999 is being made by Mr John Parker of Twentylands and friends. This will be launched and on sale during the village’s May Arts Festival.

This issue of Rollestonian is being produced to mark the millennium as acknowledged in the preface.

It is also expected that this year will see the publication of official histories of the Parish Council (by Mr Alan Woodbine) and the Cricket Club (by Mr Alan Partington), both organisations which have already celebrated their centenaries.

Third World Charity

Rolleston’s adoption of WaterAid is described in the charity article.

Events

St Mary’s and the Methodist church services together with many of Rolleston’s annual social events will be reflecting the millennium. In addition a number of special events have been organised details known at this time are described briefly here:-

Saturday 1st January

New Year’s Day "Celebrations 2000" was held at St Mary’s church with a service and peal of bells at 12 noon.

Sunday 2nd January

Memorial Service was held by Rolleston Club with St Mary’s Church to commemorate all those who gave their lives in the service of their country in the last 1000 years. This event combined a morning parade led by Uttoxeter Brass Band, church service, salute at Spread Eagle Island taken by Lt Cdr Hasledine and Raising the Colour at Rolleston Club. At sunset Last Post was played, the Colour lowered and the Homage read by Mr James Lakin. The day concluded with a 1940s theme Disco and Cabaret in the Club.

Monday 10th April

Launch of Rolleston WI Cookery Book. TV cookery presenter, Zena Skinner, who is an extremely amusing speaker,will be launching the Rolleston WI Cookery Book on Monday 10th April 2000 at the Trent Campus of de Ferrers High School at 7.30pm. Recipes have been collected from members and friends and Zena herself has checked them all. She was delighted with the high standard and felt the book was well worth buying at £4.00. After her talk "Facing the Camera" Zena will autograph copies of the book for which she has written a foreword. There will be light refreshments included in the ticket price of £2.50. Many of the recipes in the book will be cooked for everyone to taste.

WI members are delighted to welcome friends and husbands to this open evening to launch the cookery book and meet Zena Skinner, a cookery personality. Contact Verity Conner to book tickets.

Saturday 11th March

Pancake Races in Brookside at 2.00pm organised by St Mary’s Church and the Civic Trust. This will be the 12th annual event involving adult, junior and infant teams. Post-race pancakes will be provided in the church Room by Pre-School parents and all proceeds will go to church funds.

Saturday 13th May

de Ferrers High School Duck Race. The annual Duck Race will be held on the Rolleston Brook starting at 1.00pm. This is always a popular event with parents and pupils. It’s fun to watch, but above all the sale of tickets raises a lot of money to help buy much needed equipment for the school. Swim off for the first heat is 1.00pm and after several heats comes the final; the winner takes a prize of £150 with a second prize of £75. Come to the Croft and see how the Duck Race works. Tickets are on sale from either of the school offices or from Verity Conner. Headmaster Michael York will be in the brook to catch the wining duck.

ROLLESTON ON DOVE ARTS FESTIVAL

Sunday 14th May

Scout Carnival at the Scout Headquarters. The event begins with the usual fancy dress parade starting at The Lawns/Hall Road junction at 1.30pm. The theme this year is "Into the Future with Rolleston Scout Group".

Sunday 14th - Wednesday 17th May

Arts Exhibition at the Scout Headquarters. the Exhibition will be held from 12 noon until 6pm each day. It is an open exhibition of two dimensional works in any medium which could include painting, drawing, photography, embroidery, patchwork, textiles and collage. Pictures painted by the children of John of Rolleston Primary School will also be shown. A collecting box for donations for WaterAid will be there. Do come along.

Monday 15th May

Rolleston WI Talk by John Kettley, BBC Weatherman at Scout Headquarters. Rolleston WI members are delighted to welcome the well known TV weather presenter John Kettley to an open meeting at Rolleston on Dove Scout Headquarters on 15th May 2000. This is a splendid opportunity to find out what happens behind the scenes at Television House. Doors will open at 7.15pm and there will be a bar for drinks before the talk at 8.00pm. Tickets will be on sale before the event, so book early to avoid disappointment. The cost will be £3.50 to include light refreshments. Rolleston WI members are looking forward to welcoming husbands and friends to this evening which is part of the Arts Festival. For tickets telephone Verity Conner.

Wednesday 17th May

Civic Trust Recital 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church. the Civic Trust has invited several musicians associated with the village, who have made music their career, to present a programme of their choice. Artists able to collaborate at present include, Joe Curtis (clarinet), Victoria Locock (piano), Chris Mallinson (singer), Michael Thompson (organ), Karen Thompson (singer), Daniel Whieldon (piano).

Friday 19th May

Young Entertainers 2000 at de Ferrers High School Dove Campus, Harehedge Lane at 7.30pm. Rolleston Arts Festival will have a real boost from the young people of our area who are prepared to entertain their audience with a wide variety of musical items. The Junior Wind Band of the de Ferrers High School will be taking the lead, with "Voce", a delightful singing group, and the "St Mary’s Singers" adding their voices to the concert. Music teachers Phillip and Margaret Rudland will be working with Karen Thompson to produce a wide ranging programme. Daniel Whieldon, a former de Ferrers pupil from Rolleston, now studying at the prestigious Birmingham Conservatiore, will also be making a guest appearance. Daniel has already won a number of prizes for his piano playing and his performance will make sure this is a concert not to be missed. Tickets will be £2 and £1 concessions. They will be on sale from local businesses in Rolleston as well as from the school offices of de Ferrers High School. Take a break and come and listen to our musicians of the future.

Friday 19th - Monday 22nd May

History Exhibition in St Mary’s Church and Church Room

Come and see Rolleston through the ages. We shall have maps, photographs and lots of other items relating to the village, from pre-historic flints, a cannon-ball, catalogues of the sales of the Hall and other Mosley memorabilia, to a scale model of Rolleston railway station. The Church will be decorated with flowers and we shall have music from the organ and the piano. The "Time Team" has come up with an old Wassailing Play, which used to be performed in Rolleston, and it is hoped to find a willing team of mummers to re-enact this.

Opening times are as follows:

• Friday 12 noon - 6pm, Saturday 10.00am - 6pm

• Sunday 10.30am - 6pm, Monday 12 noon - 6pm

Saturday 20th May

Choral Society "Music Through the Ages" at St Mary’s Church. The programme will comprise well known choral music and songs including excerpts from "Merrie England". The Abbot Beyne Dixie Band will also perform.

Sunday 21st May

Cricket Club Celebrity Match at "The Willows" Cricket Ground. Discussions have taken place with Carlton TV with a view to arranging a Celebrity Cricket against a Rolleston XI

Saturday 10th June

"Super Nova" Community Day at John of Rolleston Primary School. The Friends of John of Rolleston will be trying to make this occasion even more memorable than it usually is. Please visit, see the new events and support this vital source of additional school funds.

Saturday17th - Friday 23rd June

Flower Festival and Concert in the Methodist Church. The theme of the flower festival will be "Living Waters" tying in with the village support for WaterAid. The festival will be open daily apart from church service times and it is intended that a large proportion of the proceeds should go to WaterAid. On Saturday 17th June at 7.30pm there will be a choral concert in the church given by Chris Mallinson’s "Notable Company".

Sunday 23rd July

St Mary’s Church Gardens Sunday from 1.00 - 6.00pm. A selection of the village gardens will be open with some new for this year. The Allotment Society hope, season permitting, to be selling fresh produce on site. Proceeds will go to St Mary’s Church.

Saturday 2nd September

Rolleston Club Open Horticultural Show at Rolleston Club.

Saturday 16th September

Doveside WI "Victorian Market" at Scout Headquarters

Saturday 11th November

Planting of "Mosley Oak tree", Millennium Yew tree and Time Capsule in association with Armistice Day Roll of Honour Service.

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