Articles

Christmas can mean very different things to different people: joy and connection for some, but for others it can bring stress, grief, financial pressure, loneliness, relationship breakdown, or concerns about young people.

Many thanks to everyone who supported our ‘Christmas Sparkle’ concert last month. St Andrew’s Church was certainly sparkling— a beautiful, candle lit atmosphere for our audience. As part of our Christmas celebrations the choir made a donation to the Harborough Musical Memory Box. This organisation runs monthly sessions in Market Harborough for people with dementia and memory loss and their carers. It relies on donations and thanks to the generosity of our ‘Christmas Sparkle’ audience we were able to add a further £80 to our donations!

Two of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about negative emotions is that they contain information. They are telling me something about myself – and, albeit with practice, they can be channelled and focussed. This is especially important since negative emotions, if they are allowed to spiral out of control, can have dire consequences for ourselves and others. It’s wisely said, for instance, that an angry person lives in an angry world. Such that more and more things can trigger that anger, which feeds back to that individual and further clouds his perceptions. This ‘loop’ has been termed ‘perception is projection’. How we feel colours our experience, which in turn reinforces our negative perceptions.

Due to excellent support from Harborough District Council and from Crouch’s Recovery, Kibworth Village Hall has recently obtained 75 new chairs for use during all the activities that take place at the village hall. These kind donations are very much appreciated by the Village Hall’s Committee and will ensure that popular events such as the regular film nights and villagers’ birthday parties, will continue to flourish.

Illston Abey Cricket Club will begin their junior cricket coaching sessions (for both boys and girls between ages 6 and 15 years) this January at Oadby Indoor Sports Hall situated at Oadby Beauchamp College. They are every Sunday evening between 6 and 7pm. Please contact 07956 531 893 for registration information details.

are looking for girls to come and join. Rainbows is perfect for girls aged 4 -7 who love to: Laugh 🎉 • Learn 📚• Make Friends 🤝 • Earn Badges 🏅
Come play, sing, explore and have fun every week! For more information contact: Sara on 07850 443 518 or by email rainbows3rdkibworth@hotmail.com

Tom Ingall will be talking about his involvement in the Great Central Railway

Yet again in December 2025 the Kibworth Band produced a Christmas Concert to delight, amuse and thoroughly entertain. Not only was the music excellent but their grasp of logistics in moving upwards of 50 musicians and instruments (some very large indeed!) on and off the Hub stage several times was amazing.

One of the most respected composers of English Church music, performed worldwide in both choral and organ settings, was a former York Minster choir member whose work included conducting and advising in Europe, the USA and the Antipodes. Andrew Carter retained a strong sense of humour throughout his life and died at his home in York on Monday 5 January. He always felt he owed so much to his formative years as a pupil of Kibworth Beauchamp Grammar School.

The club has recently reopened its dining room after a full refurbishment, creating a brighter space for members, guests and the wider community to enjoy. The upgrade has modernised the interior while retaining the welcoming atmosphere the club is known for, making it suitable for casual dining, social events, and post-round gatherings.

With reference to Larry Dolan’s December article entitled ‘Inequality in a Just World’, I am not entirely sure what Larry Dolan is advocating, but if my interpretation is correct, he is proposing that the government should deploy specific policies within a Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) framework to distribute wealth and create a fairer society. 

Margaret Amy Simkin was born at Kings Norton in May 1927, a daughter for John and Violet, a sister for Mary and Betty. Known as Amy throughout her long life she resided in the Illston district contributing greatly to the rural community.

“Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.” – John F. Kennedy

Would you like the chance to be a bigger part of the community? Are you looking for new friends? Or something to fill your time? Then please consider volunteering at Kibworth Community Library. We have been a Community Library for ten years this year, and a Charitable Trust for eight. During this time, we have had close to a hundred volunteers help run it. We come from different walks of life, are different ages, have some or no experience in libraries, but we all love it. And we are all passionate about keeping the library running!

Our December meeting was our Christmas party, held at Kibworth Community Hub. To the Hub’s lovely decorations in the hall, we added beautiful table decorations made by a group of our members. Together with colourful tablecloths and napkins to create a warm Christmassy atmosphere.