Tag: thornton

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Thornton Community Centre – request for donations

Charity Number – 521506

History of the Community Centre and Sports Hall

The village’s spacious community centre and sports hall stand as a testament to the commitment and hard work of residents and fundraisers from the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, the village was experiencing growth yet lacked suitable venues for communal activities. Doctors, clubs, and other groups were forced to meet in private homes and public houses, highlighting the need for a dedicated gathering space.

In 1969, with the opportunity to access new land and the backing of the Parish Council, Reverend John Seymour and a committee initiated fundraising efforts and began planning for a community facility. Their dedication culminated in the construction of the main hall in 1973, built on leased land—a practice that continues to this day.

Further fundraising made it possible to add a separate sports hall, which was officially opened in September 1988.

Management of the Community Centre

The community centre is overseen by a dedicated team of unpaid volunteer trustees. These individuals play a pivotal role in maintaining and managing the facility, ensuring it continues to serve as a valuable asset for the village. New members are warmly encouraged to join the trustees, helping to safeguard this wonderful resource for the benefit of future generations. To facilitate the centre’s smooth operation, the trustees convene one evening every six weeks, addressing any issues and planning for ongoing improvements.  

Revenue and Funding

Recent Improvements and Expenditure

In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the community centre has undergone a significant transformation, with numerous enhancements made to modernise the 53-year-old building. Essential works included the installation of a new drainage system and a new ceiling in the sports hall, the addition of extra toilets and a second kitchen, and the upgrade of lighting to energy-efficient LED fixtures and more. These improvements were crucial to ensure the centre remains functional and fit for purpose. Over £98,000 was invested to carry out these necessary works, with the drainage and ceiling repairs emerging as urgent priorities that were not part of the original plans but became essential to keep the centre open.

Future Projects and Urgent Needs

Planning permission was successfully obtained for the creation of a decked area at the rear of the centre and the extension of the car park. Although efforts are underway to secure funds to complete these projects, the centre is currently facing a more urgent requirement: replacement of the heating system in the main hall. This system, now 53 years old, has developed multiple leaks beneath the wooden floor in recent months, making its renewal a pressing priority for the remaining funds.

Sources of Revenue

The community centre depends almost entirely on payments and donations from regular user groups, fees from hiring the centre for parties and events, a modest annual precept from the parish council, and occasional small grants from local businesses. These sources form the backbone of the centre’s income and are vital for ongoing maintenance and improvements.

Appeal for Community Support

With fuel bills continuing to rise, the centre urgently needs support from the community in the form of donations to help sustain and further enhance its facilities. Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated and will help ensure the centre remains open and accessible for all.

How to Donate

If you are able to contribute, please consider donating to the Thornton Community Centre fund. Donations can be made to the following account: Please use the reference ‘donation’.

  • Sort Code: 09 01 54
  • Account Number: 66997701

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Thornton Artisan Festival 2026

Thornton Artisan Festival 2026 to Celebrate Local Creativity and Community Spirit

A brand-new celebration of art, craft, food and community is set to bring Thornton to life this summer as the Thornton Artisan Festival 2026 takes place from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th June at the Thornton Community Centre and Grounds, Main Street, Thornton.

Organised by the Community Events Committee supported by local artists and crafters, and residents McSmith Events.

The three-day festival aims to showcase the area’s creative talent while uniting residents and visitors for a vibrant, family-friendly weekend.

The festival has been designed with a clear purpose: to promote local talent and independent businesses, boost community pride, attract visitors to the area, and support small creative enterprises and local food producers.

All profits will go towards funding new central heating for the Community Centre, with £24,000 needed to complete the essential replacement of a failing 53-year-old system.

Festival organisers promise a lively and inclusive atmosphere, with the Community Centre and its grounds transformed into a hub of creativity and entertainment.

The Featured Artists Gallery in the Main Hall will display a curated exhibition of local art, photography and sculpture, while the Craft & Makers Market in the Sports Hall will showcase handmade goods from talented artisans and independent creators.

Outdoors, the Artisan Food & Drink Zone will celebrate local producers offering quality food and refreshments, and a Children’s Zone will keep younger visitors entertained. A Community Gallery Wall and live music will add to the weekend’s festivities, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The festival will open on Friday evening with a special ticketed performance by one of the UK’s best-known Celtic music bands, Govannen. Tickets are priced at £20 and must be pre-booked via thorntonvillage@aol.com.

Daytime entry to the festival on Saturday and Sunday is free, with funds raised through stallholder fees, sponsorship, advertising and a community raffle. Organisers are currently seeking prize donations and sponsorship from local businesses to help support the event. Sponsorship offers valuable promotion and visibility while directly contributing to the improvement of the Community Centre.

Artists, crafters, entertainers, food vendors and sponsors are all invited to get involved in this exciting new community venture. Those interested in booking a stall, donating raffle prizes or becoming a sponsor can request further details and a booking form by contacting thorntonartisan@gmail.com.

For updates and announcements, follow the festival on Facebook at Thornton Artisan Festival and on the village website www.thorntonvillage.org.

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Workshop – Thornton Community Centre

Sunday March 1st 10.15-11.30

We have something a little bit different at Thornton Community Centre.

St Peter’s Church would like to invite you to a (free) workshop where you’ll create little metal charms called Milagros. Their full meaning will be explained on the day but they have a spiritual connection.

Our time together starts and ends with contemporary Christian song and a period of reflection or prayer.

Leading us will be the talented artist Hayley Fern from St. Johns Church, Hugglescote – some of you may recognise her from her pilgrimage to draw all the churches in the Leicester diocese.

https://www.instagram.com/hayleydrawschurches?igsh=MTE1cHVnYWw4MWFyOA==

Please do join us for a very creative hour or so. No age restrictions.

No charge, all materials provided and no experience required!

Please contact Delia if you have any queries on 07796391859

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Thank you – Thornton Nurseries

Thank you Ben from Thornton Nurseries for supplying the plants and planting up the four planters along the driveway at Thornton Community Centre this week.

They look great. The plants have certainly been very well ‘watered in’.

In a strange anomaly it was discovered last year when some long lost plans of the centre were located in the Parish Council offices, that the driveway is not part of the lease agreement between the Community Centre and the Parish Council and therefore the maintenance of the borders is actually the responsibility of the PC.

The PC have worked within a very limited budget to get the borders tidied up to enhance the approach to the centre, and have relocated four large planters (donated by Bardon quarries) from the approach roads to the village where they had remained ‘unloved’ and ‘unkempt’ for a few years, onto the the borders on the understanding that they are maintained by the Trustees of the centre.

The trustees approached Thornton Nurseries for plants and Ben has kindly supplied and planted them up for the Centre at no charge.

Thank you so much for your Community spirit in helping the trustees maintain and improve the facilities at the Centre for the community and visitors to the many events planned over the next few months.

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Clear Out Sale – Saturday 28th February, Thornton Community Centre LE67 1AH (11am to 2pm)

Our first event of the year, raising funds for Thornton Church,
St Peter’s.

Please come along to our Clear Out sale, and help us to raise money for essential repairs for our church whilst at the same time finding yourself new treasures and gifts.

There will be 21 tables over two rooms full of a huge variety of beautiful bargains.


Bacon and sausage baps, and tea and coffee will be available from the ‘café’.


Its also a lovely chance to meet up with friends.
What’s not to like!


Entrance 50p per adult.


Every penny of profit will go to the repair and maintenance of our beautiful church.
There are currently a couple of tables left.

Please contact me (Shirley Garlick) soonest if you would like to sell your own items – 07925 170803
A Friends of St Peter’s fundraising event

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Sarah’s Paper Theatre – Thornton Community Centre

Sarahs Paper Theatre proudly presents a rare performance of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

An English Toy Theatre play made and hand coloured from Victorian printed sheets, a charming atmospheric delight for the senses. It is a happy tale of how Jack rescues the fairies from the giant’s castle by climbing a beanstalk grown from magic beans.     

Sarah is among a handful of paper & toy theatre maker-performers in the UK, a specialist of the craft with a repertoire of handmade shows based on short stories and fairy tales performing at a wide range of UK venues as well as international festivals.  https://sarahspapertheatre.co.uk/

Available for paper theatre workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and talks.

Show 25 minutes. Suitable for aged 8 years +  

The evening will also feature a brief introduction to Victorian toy theatre before the show with a Q and A and a look behind the scenes after the show. Theatre style seating in rows, limited to maximum 30 tickets.

The performance date is Friday 30th January 2026 in the Meeting Room in the Community Centre, Thornton

Doors open 6.30pm for a 7pm start to the evening.

Tickets are available from Sarah via email: sarahspapertheatre@gmail.com  £7.00 each

Featured in ‘Homes and Antiques’ magazine December 2024

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Charnwood Forest Geopark

New Local History Project Begins With Call for Volunteers


Earlier in 2025 we were pleased to fund a new project with the Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust (LVCHT) to undertake historical research introducing the history of the various communities of Charnwood Forest.

When complete, this will be made available online for the public.

This project builds on work undertaken between 2013 and 2017 as part of Charnwood Roots, with volunteers playing a prominent role in bringing records together and researching Charnwood Forest’s history.

For this new project some other historical information will also need to be collected, and that’s where volunteers have a new opportunity to get involved.

In early 2026 LVCHT will begin part of this project in Thornton and Botcheston.

If you’ve always wondered about how these places developed, who lived there and what they did for a living, this is your opportunity to help us find out!

You don’t need to have any experience of history research – although if you do, great!

You will be supported by a qualified historian, and free training will be provided.

Whilst some volunteers may wish to work locally, LVCHT can pay travel expenses for those wanting to explore the archive at the county record office in Wigston.

LVCHT would love to hear from you, so if you would like to find out more about joining them – please contact Dr Susan Kilby at sk565@leicester.ac.uk.

The overall project is being run by Dr Pam Fisher and Dr Susan Kilby at LVCHT.

This project is made possible thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund support provided to the Charnwood Forest Landscape Partnership Scheme that underpins the Geopark.

Who are the Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust?

We are a registered charity (number 1128575) and a company registered in England and Wales (number 6683052).

Our aim is to research and publish the history of every town and village in Leicestershire, from earliest times to the present day.

This is part of a great national project which began towards the end of the reign of Queen Victoria, who accepted the dedication of the history. Since then, over 6,300 parish histories have been produced for places across England, each covering more than 1,000 years of history. Our aim is to ensure Leicestershire is fully represented in this national series. 

So far, Leicestershire has five of the iconic ‘big red books’, covering general themes in the county’s history, and more detailed accounts of the city and 43 towns and villages in south-east Leicestershire, including Market Harborough and surrounding villages. These were published between 1907 and 1964, and the parish histories can be read online. Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust was formed in 2008 to continue the series. Working with volunteers across the county, we have published paperback histories of Castle Donington,  Buckminster and Sewstern, and Ibstock. We have also published online histories of Kirby Bellars, Leire and Welby, and some shorter sections for a number of villages near Leicester.

Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust is reliant on grants and personal donations to fund our work? You can become a Friend of Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust in exchange for an annual donation of at least £20, or join our 200 Club for £50 annually, when you will be entered into a quarterly draw for a cash prize. Terms and conditions can be found on our application forms for the Friends or our 200 Club. Donations can also be made through Paypal.