A battle between gentility and emotion rages in this period drama currently being staged at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton.

The Remains of the Day depicts the morally-compromised truth behind grand houses, dinner engagements and the English countryside. As life changes during and after the Second World War, we get a glimpse of a man’s half lived life, only he realises it too late.

This is a show which does take a long time to get started, with its initial argument between a housekeeper and a butler over the placement of a china ornament giving the whole feel of a Downton Abbey-style row.

The pace, particularly in the first half, is really slow and with different time periods in play, it takes a little bit of time to get used to.

I don’t wish to sound like I’m criticising the acting - on the contrary, Stephen Boxer as the repressed but dutiful butler Stevens is rather excellent in playing what is on the page - but his lack of reaction to some of the more emotional moments in the show can be a little disengaging to a modern audience. While I understand it was right for the period, and no criticism at all of Boxer who does a marvellous job, I suspect the script is the problem.

Niamh Cusack adds a bit more heart to proceedings as housekeeper Miss Kenton with plenty of steel alongside her gentle nature.

The acting of the show is pretty good throughout, the production and the set design looks superb but most of the problems with this show for me stem from the script, which perhaps needed a little more tightening up and a bit more pace.

This is the sort of adaptation that wouldn’t look out of place during a Sunday night on ITV. And from the rapturous applause that greeted the final curtain, there will be an audience that will enjoy this gentle drama that eventually packs a real emotional punch.

* The Remains of the Day runs until Saturday March 16. Call 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk to book.

Northampton Filmhouse launched a new ticket scheme this week where cinemagoers aged 16 to 25 can get in for just £5 from Monday to Thursday.

The movie theatre in Derngate piloted the new price at a packed screening of Shaun of the Dead on Tuesday (February 26) in a bid to show young people what the cinema has to offer.

The new prices will be rolled out for classic films as well as upcoming blockbusters and fresh releases, including British comedies 'Fighting With My Family' and 'The Kid Who Would Be King'.

Award-winning foreign language drama 'Capernaum' and documentary feature 'Hale County This Morning, This Evening' will also be open to younger audiences under the new price.

The scheme has been supported by the BFI Film Audience Network to encourage more young people to enjoy the cinema experience.

A spokesperson for Northampton Filmhouse said: "The Filmhouse is looking forward to being able to offer those aged 16 to 25 a chance to see the best classic, mainstream and independent films at a reduced price."

Tickets are available to book online at the Northampton Filmhouse website, in person at the Box Office or by calling 01604 624811. ID will be required on collection of tickets. Live Broadcasts and Non-Live Premium screenings are excluded from this offer.

Boss Keith Curle says he wants his players to develop a ‘need to win’ attitude as the Cobblers aim to stretch their unbeaten run to five matches this weekend.

Town travel to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday (kick-off 3pm), boosted by their last-gasp 2-1 win at Stevenage last weekend.

That result followed on from a win at Tranmere Rovers and draws with Lincoln City and Crawley Town.

The four-match run without defeat has seen the Cobblers open up a 12-point gap between them and the Sky Bet League Two relegation zone, but Curle doesn’t want his players resting on their laurels.

And he says he and his coaching staff are trying to instil a ‘need to win’ mentality at the club, and ‘a need’ to perform to ensure they keep their place in the team.

“We are four games unbeaten now, and ideally we would like to go undefeated between now and the end of the season,” said the Cobblers boss.

“That means we are going to win games, and that hasn’t changed from the first meeting when I went in with the players.

“I like winning games of football, but liking and wanting is different to a need to win, and that is the mentality we are growing in the changing room now.

“Players know that they need to put in performances, and the more people we get performing with that need, with that attitude, and with that application, then the more positive results we will gain together as a football club.

“You can’t pick and choose which games you want to win, and you can’t pick and choose when you are going to play well, but the guidelines and demands we put on the changing room are evident to the players.

“They have a good understanding of them, and they are accepting challenges.”

Crewe are two places above the Cobblers in 14th in league two, but they are five points better off.

Managed by former Cobblers defender David Artell, they were beaten 2-0 at the PTS Academy Stadium back in November.

The first step businesses need to take is to register for an Economic Operator and Registration Identification (EORI) number. UK businesses that have only ever traded inside the EU will not have an EORI number. In the event of a no deal exit, businesses will be unable to continue trading with the EU without an EORI number; however, HMRC figures show that so far just 17 per cent of these businesses have registered.

Business owners can apply for their Economic Operator and Registration Identification number at www.gov.uk/hmrc/get-eori

After getting an EORI number, businesses need to take the second step and consider how they want to make customs declarations. Businesses can appoint a customs agent if they want someone else to do it. Most businesses with customs obligations choose to use a customs agent.

For businesses that import goods into the UK from the EU using roll on roll off locations, they can take a third step and register for new Transitional Simplified Procedures (TSP). TSP will allow businesses to import without having to make a full customs declaration at the border, and postpone paying any import duties. For imports using other locations, and for exports, standard customs declarations will apply.

Businesses that import goods from the EU can register for the new TSP process at www.gov.uk/guidance/register-for-simplified-import-procedures-if-the-uk-leaves-the-eu-without-a-deal

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Mel Stride MP said: “We want local businesses to be able continue trading with minimal disruption in any scenario but we also know that people tend to leave things until the last minute and we would urge businesses to act now.

“We are specifically advising businesses to take some simple steps to be prepared – the first thing they need to do is register for an EORI number, it is free and takes less than 10 minutes.

“Step by step advice can be accessed via GOV.UK – the help is there, we just need business owners to take action.”

HMRC has already written to 145,000 VAT-registered businesses that only trade with the EU advising them to start their preparations and apply for an EORI number. There are another estimated additional 95,000 non-VAT registered businesses that also need to take action. Despite these letters, only 40,973 have registered for an EORI number since October.

To help businesses make import and export declarations, HMRC has made £8 million in funding available for traders and intermediaries to support them with training and IT costs. There is still £3m remaining of this funding, so there’s still time to put in a bid.

Read more about the funding here

Businesses can find out about the other steps they’ll need to take to prepare for the UK leaving the EU using the ‘Prepare your business for the UK leaving the EU’ tool on GOV.UK.

Claire Hopson was working for NHS Nene as an assessor of children's needs when she was assigned to the family of a Northampton child who was being cared for at Rainbows Hospice, in Loughborough.

Her work diary showed she had an appointment at the family home on October 26, 2017 but an NHS Nene manager discovered it had not taken place.

Further enquiries established that the family had been at the hospice throughout the day in question. But when the manager questioned her, Hopson pretended that the mum had was confused and had forgotten about their meeting.

Later, Hopson called the mum and asked her to lie to the NHS manager and say Hopson had met with the dad alone.

Giving evidence, the mum said: "“I told Claire that [the manager] had asked me if we had met with her on 26 October 2017 to which I had responded that, we had not.

"Claire then responded with words to the effect of 'you have dropped me in it'.

"She asked if I had been specific as to which members of the family were at Rainbows Hospice, to which I replied that I had used the word “we”.

"Claire then asked me to say to anybody asking for further details about the appointment to say that whilst I had not met with Claire, Claire had met with [the dad]."

After Hopson told the manager her new version of events, the trust became suspicious and uncovered what had happened, referring the nurse to the NMC.

A panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council has now found Hopson’s dishonesty to have been "extremely serious" and heard evidence how much distress this caused to the family

Chair of the panel Janet Leonard said: "The panel determined that Mrs Hopson, by asking Parent A to lie on her behalf and involving Parent B into her narrative of untruths, deliberately breached her professional duty of candour and took advantage of Parent A and B, who were vulnerable at the time.

"The panel had no evidence of remorse whatsoever from Mrs Hopson for her actions, which it finds concerning, given the impact her actions had on both Parent A and Parent B."

Mrs Hopson’s role required her to complete eligibility assessments, which are then presented to funding panels so that healthcare packages can be arranged and funded.

The tribunal panel decided that a striking off order was the only proper sanction, which means Hopson, who resigned in December 2017 due to ill health, can no longer practise as a nurse.

The Cobblers will be aiming to try and hammer a nail in the coffin of another club’s promotion bid when they travel to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

It has been a feature of Town’s performances in recent weeks that they have performed well against clubs with their sights set on the Sky Bet League Two top seven and beyond.

The aberration of the 4-0 defeat to Colchester United aside, since the turn of the year the Cobblers have won at top half teams Tranmere Rovers and Stevenage, drawn at leaders Lincoln City and thumped promotion hopefuls Carlisle United 3-0 at home.

The problems have come against clubs below them in the table, with defeat at Cambridge United and home draws with Morecambe and Crawley Town.

This weekend Town go to a Crewe side that may be only two places above them in the table in 14th, but David Artell’s side still believe they can make up the eight-point gap that exists between them and the top seven.

And, if recent form is anything to go by, that should suit the Cobblers down to the ground!

It is a strange thing how Town seem to perform better against teams higher up the table, but defender Charlie Goode just feels it proves how strong league two is.

“It is hard to say why that happens, but every game in this divsion is going to be tough,” said the Scunthorpe United man, who is on loan at the Cobblers until the end of the season.

“Whether it is against teams who are fighting for survival, going for the play-offs or just trying to get as high as they can.

“Against Crawley last week, they are sort of in the same position as us, so every game is hard.

“We just have to try and continue the run we are on at the moment, and I am sure we can get another good result at the weekend.”

Goode must have wondered what he had walked into when he was part of the team thrashed 4-0 by Colchester on his debut.

But since then things have gone a lot better with Town stringing together a four-match unbeaten run, and Goode has been impressed with the squad around him, and in particular the younger players, who he is hoping he can help along the way.

“Since I first came in the door, you can see that there is a lot of good, young talent here,” said Goode, who is onl 23 himself.

“There are a lot of experienced bodies that will help those younger players, so that is always good.

“I have been the young lad when I started at Scunthorpe and others have guided me through.

“I will take my past experiences and try to help some of the younger boys here. At the minute it seems to be working.”

A man threw stones at a woman before making a lewd gesture at her in Kettering.

The victim was walking along the High Street/Sheep Street area of Kettering at around 2.15pm on Friday, February 22, when she was approached by a man.

It is alleged that he threw stones at her before making a lewd gesture and inappropriate comments.

It’s believed that a number of people were in the area at the time, including a man who intervened, and officers are encouraging him or anyone who witnessed anything to come forward.

A 29-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and has been released under investigation.

Anyone with information can contact Northamptonshire Police on 101.

Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Ben Sanderson says Northants have got ‘the bit between their teeth’ to put their miserable 2018 campaign behind them and get back on the winning trail this summer.

The County had got used to enjoying success, reaching the T20 Blast final in 2015, winning the competition the year after, and then just missing out on Specsavers County Championship Division Two promotion in 2017.

They went into 2018 with hopes high for another positive campaign, but it proved to be anything but as Northants struggled in all three formats of the game.

The team also lost key players Ben Duckett and Richard Gleeson to Nottinghamshire and Lancashire respectively, but head coach David Ripley has been working hard on recruitment over the winter.

West Indies captain Jason Holder has been snapped up for the Royal London One Day Cup, South African Test star Temba Bavuma has signed on for a large chunk of the Championship campaign, and Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf is on board for the entire T20 campaign.

Zimbabwe pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani has also joined the club, and there have been new deals for the likes of skipper Alex Wakely, Josh Cobb, Rob Newton and Nathan Buck.

“We’re looking good as a squad and I think we’ve recruited quite well, both with the overseas players as well as the couple of players we’ve brought in,” said Sanderson, who was one of the club’s best performers in 2018, picking up a trio of player of the year awards.

“People have got the bit between their teeth as well after last year, when it didn’t go as well as we wanted.

“It’s massive motivation as no one wants a season like we had last year.

“We had a three-year period when we did really well, getting to the Blast Finals Day, then winning it, then coming close to getting promotion, so we’ve had that success followed by a dip last year.

“All good teams have that at some point, it’s about how you react and get back up. Hopefully we’ll react in the right way and everyone pulls together.”

Sanderson is also looking forward to continuing his bowling partnership with Brett Hutton this summer, and is also keeping his fingers crossed the club’s bowling unit can stay fit and healthy.

“I enjoyed my role last year, especially in red ball cricket when Wakers (Alex Wakley) sometimes struggles to get the ball out of my hands,” said Sanderson.

“I like red ball cricket because you can get into a rhythm, and it’s been good to have Brett at the other end.

“He’s very economical as well, which means that the batsmen have to take a bit of a risk against one of us. We dovetail well with each other and he had a good year as well.

“We’re very similar bowlers in red ball, so it’s easier for us to bowl at the top of off stump and then mix the ball around a bit. We keep it tight and then get our rewards.

“In white ball cricket you’ve got to be fitter, to run in and keep your optimum pace up. That’s what I’ve been working on this winter, getting stronger and fitter to help me be more consistent.

“We’ve not always been lucky enough to have all our bowlers fit at the same time.

“We’ve been patching people up in the past, whereas hopefully with everyone being a bit fitter this year Rips might have a few decisions to make!”

Michelle Lilley, Head of Cozy Coupe fleet operations, said: “We’re thrilled to release this limited number of Coupes for the first new registration of the year. It’s the perfect affordable first car for keen motorists.

The incident happened as the girls were walking along Princess Way, Wellingborough, between 3pm and 5pm on Sunday (February 24).

A police spokeswoman said: "They were approached by two boys, thought to be aged between six and 10 years old. One of the boys produced a small pen knife or Stanley knife and held it towards the girls and asked them to guess his age.

"As the girls tried to walk away, the boys chased them, pushed one of them against a car and held a knife to the others face. The girls then managed to run away."

The boys were both white, aged 6 to 10 years old, small, with skinny builds, and short mousey hair.

Witnesses to the incident, or anyone with information, are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police. Alternatively, they can speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A Northampton teacher has promised to 'do whatever she can' to build a school for children in Uganda - and has even called it her 'last chance to do something amazing'.

Juli Sims, who taught all across Northampton and now lives in Brixworth, is on a mission to see a new school built in Bwindi, west Uganda, by asking donators for 'less than the price of a cup of coffee'.

She visited Bwindi in West Uganda last year as part of her 'bucket list'. She hoped to see gorillas - but instead, she found a school of children who needed her help.

She told the Chronicle & Echo: "The local community built the school because otherwise, it was a seven-kilometre walk to the nearest one. And some of these children would be in pushchairs if they were in the UK.

"You think of an English primary school where there are posters and artwork all over the walls. The school's walls weren't even plastered.

"But the children were so enthusiastic and amazing. Many of them were orphans because of HIV. I felt I just had to do something."

Juli has now launched a campaign to raise £30,000 to build the children a new school.

For less than a year's salary to a UK primary school teacher, the village could build four classrooms, plastered walls, solar panels, a kitchen and even flushing toilets - a simple luxury, but one that means girls can go to school after they start menstruating.

But at 55-years-old, Juli's mission is more than just a personal goal.

She told the Chron: "I've been diagnosed with stage two cancer. It's terminal.

"I feel this is my last chance to do something amazing for these children. All career I did everything I could to make a difference for children. This is my last chance to make a difference for these children too."

She has now created a JustGiving page and is asking Northampton to spare the price of a cup of coffee to change the lives of children in Africa.

Juli said: "I know crowdfunding has done some amazing things in the past. For me it's just such an important thing.

"I would also love to hear from building companies and businesses who can donate building materials or put towards creating this school."

For more information on Juli's mission, visit her Justgiving Page.

The Duston School swimming pool, where generations of children have been taught to swim, shut on July 6 due to an issue with the flooring there.

School leaders and county council officials have been at loggerheads ever since over who should pay for the repairs.

But Northamptonshire County Council has now pledged £45,000 towards improving the changing rooms and carrying out the essential repair works to the pool.

Repairs have begun and will take four weeks to complete - with the pool expected to reopen in April.

Leader of the council Mat Golby said: “We have been in discussions with The Duston School to ensure the pool can be reopened, and we’re delighted that repair works have begun.

“This is a much-loved and well used swimming pool and these repair works will help to ensure it stays open for many years to come, not only for the pupils of The Duston School, but for students across Northamptonshire.”

Although The Duston School is an academy and managed independently, the county council says it is 'supporting' the school and funding repair works to 'safeguard important swimming facilities for children'.

Until 2015, schools received a subsidy from central government to meet the costs of operating pool facilities. The schools funding formula subsequently changed and the subsidy was removed.

Sam Strickland, headteacher of The Duston School said: “We're pleased that the council is working with the school to rectify this issue and are looking forward to seeing the pool re-opened in the not too distant future so that the school and wider community can once again enjoy this facility.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed yesterday that new estimates have seen the cost of delivering the two new councils rise from £30million to £44million.

County council leader Matt Golby said yesterday he was ‘alarmed’ at the increased costs, and today tabled a motion at full council calling on the council to freeze putting any new funds into the delivery programme.

The motion read: “Further information has been received regarding the proposed cost of delivering the unitary programme.

“Northamptonshire County Council has serious concerns about these figures and until there has been robust scrutiny of the figures, the county council resolves not to agree to any further expenditure on the unitary delivery programme as it may have serious implications on the deliverability of the 2019/20 budget.”

And councillors from all parties joined in with registering their concerns at the figures, which were produced by the new programme director overseeing the transition, Keith Cheesman.

Mr Cheesman’s figures, produced to council leaders and chief finance officers at a behind-closed-doors meeting last week, showed that redundancy costs had gone up from £5million to £8million.

The original costs were provided in a report by Pricewaterhousecooper into various different unitary models.

Councillors also expressed concerns over the timescales, with senior cabinet members joining opposition councillors in claiming that the whole process is being rushed.

Cabinet member Dr Andy Mercer added that he thought the costs could even be MORE than the revised £44million.

He says: "I don't believe that the figures include all the likely expenditure that's going to be incurred. It needs a thorough investigation.

“This is being done much quicker than other unitaries have been set up. Some of the scrutiny is being lost. When I look at these figures I get very uncomfortable."

Labour councillor Danielle Stone added: “I'm really disturbed at the lack of democracy around this whole process. The consultation was facile.

"We should ask for a pause on this process so that we can work on this and achieve some better outcomes."

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Chris Stanbra said: “It's interesting that the person behind these figures [Keith Cheesman] is someone that not many of us have heard of, and we don't know what his remit is."

Mr Cheesman was recently appointed as the programme director for overseeing the transition by the councils, having recently done the same for several district councils in Dorset becoming a unitary.

Boss Keith Curle has praised the Cobblers’ medical team as well as the professionalism of Sam Foley and Marvin Sordell off the back of the duo’s return to first team action at Stevenage last weekend.

Midfielder Foley had been out of action since the 3-0 win over Carlisle January 12 due to a back problem, but he was reintroduced as a second-half substitute at Broadhall Way.

Striker Sordell hadn’t featured since making his debut in the 4-0 loss to Colchester on February 2, a match that had been his first since mid-November due to a knee injury.

The fact the pair were ready to return to the first team after minimal training impressed Curle, and he praised the joint effort of the players and the club’s backroom staff.

“Sam Foley is still on a return to 90-minute match football protocol,” said Curle.

“He has been training, and some the lads have had a couple of down days where the intensity hasn’t been as high, but Sam has been in because he still needs match fitness, and still needs to get up to speed.

“It’s the same with Marvin Sordell.

“It was fantastic to be able to get him back out on the pitch last weekend, and I think that is testament to the lad.

“He has been out injured for a long period time, he came back and played a game and had a slight recurrence that kept him out again for a few weeks.

“But when he was out injured he was still working, and that shows the good work that is being done behind the scenes by the strength and conditioning and medical department.

“They know when the players are back out doing field-based training then if it’s right I will pick them.

“So they know that when they come back on to the grass that they have put the hard work in to ensure they are up to speed and up to tempo.”

Both Foley and Sordell will be hoping to be in the mix again this weekend when the Cobblers travel to Crewe Alexandra.

Right-back Shay Facey is still struggling though.

The former Manchester City has missed the past two games, and was not involved in Tuesday’s reserve team friendly with Milton Keynes Dons at Moulton College.

Aside from Facey, the only other absentee is left-back George Cox.

Northampton Borough Council has started work on repairs and improvements to street lighting it is responsible for across the town.

Work on repairs and improvements began with several lights at Cotton End, along the NSouthbridge parapets, one of the key gateways into the town centre.

Cllr Phil Larratt, deputy leader of the council, said: “This important project will see improvements in the condition and efficiency of street lighting that we are responsible for.

“We are keen to introduce energy-efficient LED lighting and a crucial part of the project is to invest upfront for long-term savings.

“The lighting at Southbridge, that is a locally listed structure, has improved the environment of one of the town’s principal historic gateways, which is a fitting start to the improvement work we have planned.”

During the past six months, the council’s street lighting stock has been fully assessed, catalogued and categorised by Thorn Electrical Ltd.

As part of the initial investigation, each lighting column was GPS plotted onto a map which will be added to the council’s app so faults can easily be reported.

This week the Council agreed capital funding of £750,000 in the coming financial year to continue progressing the lighting improvement work.

Lighting columns across the town should all now carry a sticker identifying whether they are managed by Northampton Borough Council or Northamptonshire County Council.

Residents in the Towcester and Brackley areas will join the rest of the west of the county in coughing up an extra 2.99 per cent in council tax this year.

South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) officially agreed its 2019/20 budget last night (Wednesday February 27).

Set alongside its 2019/20 Business Plan, SNC approved a budget of £14.6million to deliver services to the 36,000 households in the district; including waste and recycling, street cleaning, planning, housing, economic growth and leisure services.

Agreed by all 33 councillors, including the Liberal Democrat and Independent opposition councillors, it will see the average Band D property pay £191.33 to South Northamptonshire Council, which works out at just under 11p per week extra.

The bulk of council tax that is collected goes to Northamptonshire County Council, but money also goes to the Police and Crime Commissioner, the fire authority and on parish precepts.

The budget also includes an allocation of just over £1million for improvement works to Towcester Centre for Leisure.

Cabinet member for finance Councillor Peter Rawlinson said: “I think it’s a very balanced budget that allows us to keep investing in our district.

“Good management of what we have available means we are still able to approve spending on improvements to Towcester Centre for Leisure; we’ve created a fund to replace inefficient and expensive heating systems in households suffering fuel poverty, and we’re investing further in our commercial waste service which is making a good income and in turn supports other services.

“We want to maintain our services and we are investing in the future so that we can leave this council in a better shape than it was when we started.”

The budget set last night is likely to be the last ever set by South Northamptonshire. Next year it is set to be abolished along with Daventry District, Northampton Borough and the county councils to make way for a new West Northamptonshire unitary authority, where services for the whole area will be provided under one roof.

However, the new authority will face ever-shrinking government funding and the possibility of potential deficits if Northamptonshire County Council cannot balance its budget - though its leaders have said they are confident they will do so.

Asked how he thinks the new unitary will fare financially, Councillor Rawlinson said: “I would not say it will be in a strong position, but it would be in a legal position. There’s a lot of unknowns in terms of fairer funding and business rates. I’m sure everyone has been putting the worst case scenario into their medium term financial plans but hoping for the best.”

Businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000 in 2019/20 and 2020/21 will now be able to apply for the discount after Northampton Borough Council agreed to implement the new government business rate relief scheme in the town.

This could see some 1,900 shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, post offices and charity shops pay less in Northampton.

The measure is being delivered in addition to a separate scheme which helps businesses with a rateable value of less than £200,000.

Councillor Brandon Eldred, cabinet member for finance, said: “This new scheme is great news for small businesses in our area, with the discount saving them up to £3.4 million during 2019 and through to 2021.

“Our revenues and benefits team are already applying the discount to approximately 1,900 businesses that they are certain qualify. We will also be contacting a further 1,200 businesses to see if they are also eligible for the discount and welcome enquiries to ensure we help as many businesses reduce their costs as possible.”

Full details of the rate relief scheme and how to apply can be accessed here.

You can also email: businessrates@northampton.gov.uk, or call 0300 330 7000.

World-renowned producer Lisa Lashes has opened her sixth UK School of Music at The Platform cafe and nightclub in George Row.

The house superstar with over 20 years of experience in techno and dance events has created the course to teach hopeful DJs everything there is to know about the industry - and how they can leave a mark on it.

She told the Chronicle & Echo: "We don't just teach how to DJ. It's also about teaching people how to be confident in music and discover how they can build a future in the industry.

"I want to see people go on to build up the UK's night time economy. Even here in Northampton, someone could go on to build a new club or create more event nights."

Thanks to funding from PTS Training Academy, the course is free and there are no limits on who can join in and learn how they can make a career in music.

The course teaches everything from how to mix tracks and handle a DJ deck to creating your own brand and the best way to promote event nights.

At the end, students are given the reins and use everything they've learned to organise, promote and perform at their own club night at The Platform.

Lisa has also called on her friends and industry experts from across her career in music to hold guest classes and pass on their experience.

Lisa said: "Though you can learn at home, there is nothing like real hands-on experience.

"I've seen people on this course from a complete beginner to someone how has been practising on their own for years. I really want to help people get their work out of their bedroom and into the world."

The course runs two days a week in Northampton from 10am to 4pm for free and is open to anyone aged over 16. Students are strongly advised to bring a laptop.

For more information on the Northampton course, visit the School of Music website.

Juli Sims, who taught all across Northampton and now lives in Brixworth, is on a mission to see a new school built in Bwindi, west Uganda, by asking donators for 'less than the price of a cup of coffee'.

She visited Bwindi in West Uganda last year as part of her 'bucket list'. She hoped to see gorillas - but instead, she found a school of children who needed her help.

She told the Chronicle & Echo: "The local community built the school because otherwise, it was a seven-kilometre walk to the nearest one. And some of these children would be in pushchairs if they were in the UK.

"You think of an English primary school where there are posters and artwork all over the walls. The school's walls weren't even plastered.

"But the children were so enthusiastic and amazing. Many of them were orphans because of HIV. I felt I just had to do something."

Juli has now launched a campaign to raise £30,000 to build the children a new school.

For less than a year's salary to a UK primary school teacher, the village could build four classrooms, plastered walls, solar panels, a kitchen and even flushing toilets - a simple luxury, but one that means girls can go to school after they start menstruating.

But at 55-years-old, Juli's mission is more than just a personal goal.

She told the Chron: "I've been diagnosed with stage two cancer. It's terminal.

"I feel this is my last chance to do something amazing for these children. All my career I did everything I could to make a difference for children. This is my last chance to make a difference for these children too."

She has now created a JustGiving page and is asking Northampton to spare the price of a cup of coffee to change the lives of children in Africa.

Juli said: "I know crowdfunding has done some amazing things in the past. For me it's just such an important thing.

"I would also love to hear from building companies and businesses who can donate building materials or put towards creating this school."

For more information on Juli's mission, visit her Justgiving Page.

South Northamptonshire residents will get none of the benefits associated with a high-speed railway linking London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

HS2 will race through the countryside and won’t stop in Northamptonshire, meaning residents can’t simply hop on and whizz off to the north of England.

Disruptions to travel as a result of the construction of the railway line are a source of worry too as there are concerns over diversions and roadblocks on routes to and from Brackley and Banbury will affect day-to-day movements of residents and emergency services vehicles.

Unable to profit from the expensive venture, the least South Northamptonshire residents might expect is value for the taxpayers’ money and guarantees HS2 will be the project agreed on when MPs voted in favour of the High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Act 2017.

Rising costs, the lowering of train speeds and a reduction of service are new concerns voiced by South Northamptonshire residents to their MP Andrea Leadsom.

Earlier this year, the former chairman of the project, Sir Terry Morgan, spoke at a Lords Economic Affairs Committee during which he said “nobody knows what the number is” when asked about the final cost of HS2.

When HS2 was first given the green light in 2012, the Government said they expected it to cost £32.7bn. But that figure has now shot up to £55.7bn.

To keep it on budget, some fundamental changes to the project have been suggested.

These include slowing down the trains by 50kph, reducing the number of trains per hour from 18 to 14 and changing the slab track to a ballast track.

“Given that the business case for HS2 was first predicated upon speed, then on capacity, then finally on improving the connectivity to the north, can I ask how these changes – separately and cumulatively – would impact on the viability of the project?” asked Mrs Leadsom in a letter to HS2 CEO Mark Thurston in November 2018.

In a more recent letter to Mr Thurston in the wake of the economic affairs committee, Mrs Leadsom said residents were in ‘absolute dismay’ at what Sir Terry had said and were ‘incredulous’ at the fact he didn’t know the final cost.

She highlights a report by Professor Woodward of Heriot-Watt University, whose work was quoted in a House of Lords HS2 select committee.

Professor Woodward claims it may not be feasible to routinely run trains at 360kph on ballasted track as it could cause degradation to the ballast and supports, which could lead to a noisier, rougher track that reduces its stability.

To counter this, it was suggested to slow the trains down (a cost-effective measure) or inject concrete into the ground - potentially adding billions of pounds in cost.

“Research from Heriot-Watt University concluded that, to mitigate the impact of ballast track, the safe maximum speed along much of the line of route may be as low as 252kph,” reads Mrs Leadsom letter to Mr Thurston in January 2019.

“If HS2 Ltd does have to reduce the maximum speed to account for the risks of derailment and catastrophic track failure, then the business case and benefit-cost ratio would be substantially damaged.”

The letter continues: “I know that you will join with my constituents in agreeing that the business case for HS2 must be maintained, and that value for money for taxpayers is a key concern, particularly given the collapse of the business case for HS1 under the last Labour government.

“You will appreciate why my constituents – who are directly affected by the construction and operation of HS2 but will see no benefit – are increasingly concerned that the business case is being undermined from all angles, and the basis for which Parliament gave its support to the project may no longer exist.”