Here’s your weekly round of events going on in your community this week.
ABINGTON
Linda Billingham
01604 627611
THE Northamptonshire Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild is holding a ‘Stitch Special’, this Saturday from 10am–4pm at Weston Favell Parish Hall, in Wellingborough Road (on corner of Booth Lane South). There will be four fantastic workshops, a sales table, Linus Project talk and an exhibition. Entry is £5, to include a light lunch. For more details contact Mary on 07932 212535 or visit www.northamptonembroiderers.org.uk
The Guild of Friendship Ladies Group is holding a coffee evening on Wednesday, June 5 from 7pm, at the Methodist Homestead, in Homestead Way, Kingsley. There will be a neary new sale, cake stall, wood crafts and jewellery. All money raised will support the 3rd Northampton Girls Brigade Company.
Christ Church Summer Fayre will be held on Saturday from 1pm–3pm, at Christ Church Hall.
A Table Top Sale will be held at the Abington Centre, in Wheatfield Road South, on Saturday from 10am. Tables are £3, so to book, call 01604 401222.
The Bedford Town Band will be playing at the Bandstand, in Abington Park on Sunday from 2pm–5pm.
BLISWORTH
Jane Percival
01604 858478
Sarah Sykes returned from a break in Devon to find a telephone message from one of the judges for this year’s Wildlife in Churchyard’s Award. They had wanted to visit our churchyards for judging, and this they did. When Sarah returned the call she learned that the churchyard conservation team have been awarded a Silver Award. The full report will be received shortly. The judges had liked what they saw even though some of the planned features had not been completed. Tree management was excellent, they said, as was the involvement of so many villagers.
It is Film Night in Blisworth tonight, Thursday, with a screening of Quartet, a comedy starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney and Billy Connelly. The Royal Oak Barn doors open at 7pm and the film will begin at 7.30pm. Admission is £4.
The monthly cake and produce sale in Little Lane – a regular fund-raiser for St. John’s Parish Church - takes place on Friday from 9.15am to about 10.30am. Pick up some homemade baking for the weekend. Your support is appreciated.
A talk about metal detecting is the theme of the Heritage Society’s meeting tomorrow. The speaker is Alan Standish and the meeting at the village hall begins at 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome.
There are still a few tickets for the evening canal boat trip that takes place on the Saturday on the Blisworth Canal Festival. This will be on August 10; the boat leaves Candlebridge at 7pm, returning at about 9pm. There is a bar on board. To book your seat, call Beryl Payler on Northampton 858476. Visit the canal festival website for more information about the weekend of August 10–11.
BRIXWORTH
John Haywood
01604 880635
Friends of All Saints Church, in Brixworth, are holding their annual art exhibition which includes a selection of work from local artists including watercolour, acrylic and oils. All are available to purchase. It will be held this Saturday and Sunday between 11am–5pm in the Heritage Centre, Church Street. Also this Saturday will be the Friends Service in the church at noon. This will be followed on Sunday by the Friends Family Fun Day, starting at 2pm in the grounds of the church. This will include a barbecue, bar, children’s picnic teas, bouncy castle, magic show, circus skills workshops and various stalls. The afternoon will be rounded off with a Songs of Praise.
BUGBROOKE
David Harries
01604 830117
The Five Bells are hosting regular jazz evenings on Fridays. The next session, starting at 8pm, will be on June 7. This will feature Jazz Numbers, a four-piece band with vocals.
Bugbrooke Village Hall playgroup and Pre-School are holding a Pamper Evening on Friday, June 14 at Bugbrooke Football Club from 7.30pm–10.30pm. Numerous treatments will be available at a fraction of the normal cost: from Spray Tans and Mini Facials to Mini Manicures and Massages. Each treatment can be booked in 20 minute slots on the night or in advance. There will also be stalls selling items including hand-made jewellery, gifts and gadgets.Entry is £3, which includes a raffle ticket. More details can be found on Facebook page Bugbrooke playgroups Pamper evening or call 01604 832347.
Bugbrooke Strollers meet at the church car park at 10am today, Thursday, for a drive to Silverstone and a walk via Bucknell Wood and return for lunch at The Royal Oak.
The Parish Council, Parochial Church Council and Millennium Green Trust are trying to achieve an extension to the churchyard, before it runs out of space for burials, and a significant increase in the size of the Millennium Green. As part of the planning process, South Northamptonshire Council is insisting on further evidence that the Glebe Field) has been used for village activities for at least the past 15 years. The parish council is urgently seeking anyone prepared to write a few lines to confirm when the field has been used and what it has been used for or if they can provide copies of photos of activities and the dates when those activities took place. If you can help, please contact the Parish Clerk on 01604 832838.
COGENHOE
Maggie Irvine
01604 891059
The Walking for Health Group meets today, Thursday, at 10am. at the football club, in Compton Park.
Cogenhoe Women’s Institute meets on Wednesday, June 5 at 7.45pm in the York Room of the village hall. Our speaker this month is Yvonne Bell, whose talk is entitled ‘Silk for Sunday’. Yvonne is a Christian artist and vestment designer. Her beautiful work includes vestments with painted silk panels, banners, chasubles, stoles, copes, mitres, lectern / pulpit falls and altar cloths. Visitors are welcome and the cost is £3. For more information contact Maggie on the phone number above or on cojoi@aol.com
The Parish Lunch will be held on Thursday, June 6 from noon–2pm in St. Peter’s Centre.
St. Peter’s Annual Fete and Flower Festival is to be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 22–23rd. The theme this year is ‘Songs from the Shows’.
DUSTON
Alison Martin
03001 261000
THIS Saturday, Duston Library has a police storytime suitable for children aged up to 8 years old, with local PCSO Helen Houghton, from 11am–11.30am. Helen will read stories and children can try on some police uniform. Also at the library from Monday, June 3, the popular Rhymetime sessions will be split-baby bounce and rhyme for babies and pre walkers will be from 10am–10.20am followed by Rhymetime for toddlers and pre-school children from 10.45am–11.15am for more details contact 03001 261000.
St. Andrews Methodist Church, in Harlestone Road, has a spring fayre this Saturday from 2pm–4pm.
Sunday is “Let’s Celebrate Duston Day” with the opening of the St. Luke’s Centre. There is a varied programme of events which includes: 11am–noon – Tour guides from The Duston School show people around the Centre; 11am–noon – School groups sing and/or dance in marquee on field; 12.15pm Procession from field to centre led by BB/St Luke’s School/Scouts/et al; 12.30pm Opening Ceremony in Centre car park. Alan Baines will speak before Sue Edmonds-Phelan officially opens the centre, with the help of pupils from St. Luke’s School, and will unveil the plaque which will be put up at a later date; 1pm – Big Lunch on the field, with music by John Golby Band; 1.30pm–5pm Tour guides continue with tours of Centre. Sports activities/displays on the field include: 1.30pm–2pm Basketball, 2.15pm– 2.45pm Football, 3pm–3.30pm Street Dance, 3.45pm–4.15pm Multi-sport session, 4.30pm–5pm Cheerleading. For more details, contact Duston Parish council on 01604 583626.
Duston Ramblers have an “amble” on Thursday, June 6, starting at 9.30am from Duston Community Centre. For details, contact Trevor on 01604 757367.
EASTFIELD
Tony Mallard
01604 407179
Many residents say they are annoyed by the serious,twice-daily parking problems during school term times. We have, within a mile radius of Grange Road, eight schools and Northampton College, yet in Grange Road we have the large, vacant St Marys school site with an unused car park. Even being allowed temporary use of this site would ease the situation for a while.
The recent tenants’ conference, held at Franklins Gardens, was well attended and I went to both to discuss the future of council housing in Northampton. The Housing Options Panel recently accepted the criteria drawn up by the panel and Employee Focus Group. A criteria document – under 12 headings and more than 200 points covering accountability to legal issues, tenant and employee rights, etc – will be complemented by other documents yet to be finalised that will, it is expected, be presented to Cabinet and full council in the autumn. The next local meeting with the tenant advisors will be at Lakeview Residents’ Association meeting on Thursday, June 6 at Eden Close community room, between 7pm–8pm.
Eastfield Residents Association meets tonight at 7.30pm in the Jubilee Hall of St Albans Church. Residents from the Headlands are welcome as we are in the same County Council Division (ward).
There will be a holiday fun club for youngsters today at St Albans’ Church; babies to 11 years olds must be accompanied by a responsible adult. It takes place from 1pm–3pm, admission £1.50 child.
St Albans’ large hall drama will present Cat on the Fiddle from Wednesday, June 5 until Saturday, June 8 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £6.
The Veterans Social Club meets every Thursday at The Headland pub from 12.30pm–4pm. New members welcome.
FAR COTTON
Barbara Isaac
01604 762480
THE National Health Service’s Nene Clinical Commissioning Group has a public engagement meeting on Thursday, June 6, from 7pm at Sixfields Stadium. The community podiatry service provides care for individuals in Northamptonshire, and the Nene and Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups, along with the Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, propose to change the way that low, medium and high risk patients needing podiatric care are cared for. This includes patients with diabetes, unstable rheumatologic conditions, Parkinsons’ Disease, vascular disease, etc.
FLORE
Paul Boans
01327 340305
The Brodie Lodge Playing Field Trust will be holding the next in this year’s programme of car boot sales on Sunday at the playing field, located at the bottom of Spring Lane. Booters from 8am, buyers from 9am–1pm. Pitch prices are £6 per car, £8 per trailer and £10 per van.There are toilets which include facilities for disabled people. All proceeds from the sale will go to the trust’s funds to assist with the provision and enhancement of facilities and the general upkeep and maintenance of both the playing field and pavilion.
The first Wednesday in the month coffee morning, due to be held on June 6, at Yew Tree Cottage, has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Lichfield is the destination of the next Sunday Rovers Travel Group’s trip on Sunday, June 9. The bus will continue to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas at the request of group members travelling. The outward journey departs Daventry Bus Station 10.05am, calling Dodford 10.15am, Weedon Bec, Newcroft, Opposite doctors’ surgery 10.20am, Flore, opposite White Hart 10.30am and Nether Heyford, opposite Foresters Arms 10.35am. The return journey departs Lichfield Bus Station 5pm. The return cost is £14.50 per person. For further details call the Information Line on 07979 255661.
Flore Christian Partnership Services: Today (Thursday) – All Saints Church, 10am Midweek Holy Communion; Sunday – All Saints Church, 8am, Holy Communion; 11am, United First Sunday All Age Service; Brockhall St Peter and St Paul Church: 11.15am Celtic Morning Prayer; Thursday, June 6 – All Saints Church: 10am Midweek Holy Communion.
Flags flying at the War Memorial under the Flore Flag Project to mark the respective National days of the Commonwealth and Overseas Territories and Royal Commemorations. Today – Anguilla Day, Saturday – Samoa, Sunday – Coronation Day, Tuesday – Tonga, Thursday – Niue. For details, www.commonwealthflagproject.org
HARDINGSTONE
Sadie Barton
01604 762934
THE Friends of Hardingstone (FoH) has a coffee morning and free book swap on Saturday, starting at 10am in the Parish Room. It is always nice to see new people and everyone is very friendly. FoH will be holding another Open Gardens event on Sunday, June 23 from 2pm – 6pm. Programmes are £2 per adult (accompanied children are free) and are available from 50 High Street (opposite the church) and 12 Martins Lane. Refreshments can be had at the church and 12 Martins Lane between 2pm –5pm. Half of this year’s profits will be donated to the church organ repair fund.
The Parish Council will be holding its annual summer fete on Saturday, July 20. There will be Punch & Judy, WI teas, Duston Dogs Pacesetters, bouncy castle, barbecue and a beer tent (provided and manned by The Sun pub). There will also be a Hardingstone Bake-off Competion, so practice your Victoria sponges, scones and biscuits! Prizes for the Bake off are being provided by FoH. If you are interested in having a stall at this event, please contact me on 01604 762934. It’s £10 per stall or £5 for village organisations.
Hardingstone History Society meets on the second Wednesday of each month in the Parish Room from 2pm-3.30pm. It is also holding a “Memories Afternoon” on Wednesday, June 5 at Bouverie House, from 2.30pm–4pm. Come along and share your memories of bygone times in our village.
Bouverie House has a very busy schedule for people to participate in. Mondays from 2pm–3.30pm is a social afternoon for a cup of tea and a chat; Monday evenings at 7pm is whist which costs £2.50. Phone Pat on 766728 to book your place. On Wednesdays from 9.30am–11am there is coffee morning and on Fridays at 2pm it’s bingo (50p a book). These events are for adults of any age, no matter where you live in the village. Come along and have a laugh and a joke.
KINGS HEATH
New 2 You Shop
01604 471626
On Sunday, June 2 at 4pm, Church on the Heath, in Welland Way, will welcome the Bishop of Brixworth at their monthly afternoon service. The theme will be ‘Celebrating stories of changed lives’.
The next public meeting of the Kings Heath Residents Association will be today at 8pm in the Nene Drive Community Room. The Residents Association has arranged for the Independent Tenant Adviser (ITA) to talk about NBC Housing Options Review. This is an open meeting and all are welcome.
The New 2 You community charity shop in Park Square, is open 10.30am–1.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Apart from new season’s clothes and bargain rails, there are hundreds of books (hardbacks £1 and paperbacks 50p).
The Kings Heath Over-50s Club invites new members to their activities each Thursday from 10.30am–12.30pm at Kings Heath Community Centre. For further information contact Jackie on 01604 845136.
KINGSLEY
Rob Kendall
01604 711317
The University of Northampton’s department of popular music and NMPAT will be presenting Requiem di Mozart on Saturday, June 8, from 7.30pm. It takes place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and tickets are £4 pre-booked and £5 on the door. For details, email jasmine.shadrack@ northmapton.ac.uk.
The next meeting of the St Matthews Ladies Group is on Monday, June 1o, from 8pm, when the speaker will be Rosemary Cobbald on the theme of South Africa and the Cullian Diamond. It takes place at the parish rooms, in The Drive.
KINGSTHORPE
Sarah Watts
01604 510778
St. Aidans annual garden party takes place this Saturday from noon in the grounds of The Good Shepherd School. Entrance is via the school gates in Kingsland Gardens. Stalls will include toys, cakes, adult bottle stall, books, white elephant, burgers and refreshments. Not forgetting the Bouncy Castle and Grand Prize Draw with a large cash prize. All welcome
Anyone interested in embroidery can go along to a ‘Stitch Special’ on Saturday between 10am-4pm at Weston Favell Parish Hall, on the corner of Booth Lane South. There will be workshops and sales tables. Entry is £5 to include light lunch. Call 07932212535 for more info.
Kingsthorpe Jazz at the King William IV pub on Wednesday, June 5 is an open mic night.
Northfield (Kingsthorpe) Women’s Institute next meets on Wednesday, June 5 at Kingsthorpe Village Primary School in Knights Lane at 7.15pm. Andy Dickson will give a talk on swimming the Channel. More details on 719121
A jumble sale and plant sale is on Saturday, June 8, from 10am at Kingsthorpe Baptist Church (entrance at rear of Waitrose). Admission is 20p and all proceeds to church funds.
LAKEVIEW
Bernard Kelly
01604 473738
The Mobile Library visits Lakeview, outside the Eden Close Community Rooms, from 11.45am–12.10pm, on the fourth Thursday of each month. The next visits will be on June 27 and July 25.
The Community Room Garden Project is proceeding slowly due to inclement weather and a severe shortage of volunteers. We are hoping to finish the garden in the next few weeks but we really need some help for an hour or two. If you want to volunteer, please call me on the number above.
MILTON MALSOR
Shaun Hope
01604 858395
Many thanks to everyone who supported the Music at Milton Concert last month. It was a most enjoyable event, with students from the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust giving an excellent performance. After giving them a donation, £500 was raised towards new church facilities. The last concert this year will be on Saturday, July 6, featuring the Northampton Male Voice Choir. This is the first time this popular choir has performed in Holy Cross Church. Tickets are £10, available from 858470, 858207 or any Parochial Church Council member.
Keep an eye open on activities at Holy Cross during June, as work is planned to start re-roofing the north aisle following the theft of lead last year. It has taken more than six months to get planning permission to change the lead to stainless steel. Donations and insurance have brought in £17,500 (£2,500 being received recently from the Historic Churches Trust) yet the congregation is left with a deficit of some £12,500 which is a major setback to improving church facilities. The damage of £30,000 was done to the church by this despicable theft, which probably produced only a few hundred pounds for the culprits, if that.
MOULTON
Angela Campling
01604 644280
Moulton Gardeners’ Society are involved in the Delapre Abbey Plant Fait that takes place this Saturday and Sunday, from 10am–4.30pm. There will be 25 professional stallholders selling plants and other garden associated items. Admission £2.
The next Tea Dance at Moulton Village Hall will be tomorrow from 7.30pm–10pm.
Tickets for Moulton Players’ next production, ‘Allo, ‘Allo, are now on sale at the theatre’s Saturday coffee mornings between 10am– noon or from the box office on 07704 483516. Tickets are £8, balcony £6.50.
The Craft Club will meet at the Village Hall on Saturday at 9.30am.
Also on June 1, the Hardy Plant Society will hear a talk at the village hall by Tony Russell on the Westonbirt and the National Arboretum, starting at 2pm.
The Sing and Sign Baby Class is at the village hall at 10am and 11am on Tuesday, June 4. The Baby Clinic will be there at 2pm. Sing and Sign will also take place the following day at 1pm and 2pm.
Women’s Own will meet at Carey Baptist Church for their AGM on Tuesday, June 4 at 2.30pm.
Also on June 4, the Ladies Fellowship will meet at 2pm in the Church Centre.
The Stitchcraft Club meeting will be on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
The Bird Club meets at the village hall at 7pm on Wednesday, June 5.
The same day, the Parish Council meeting will be at the village hall meeting room at 7.30pm. The public session will be at 7.15pm.
Moulton Festival week proved as popular as ever. Festival Saturday was a bit chilly but mercifully dry and the May Queen and her attendants had a great day. The Art Exhibition in Village Autos showroom (generously given again) was open for 32 hours. There were 400 visitors and a high standard of pictures, contributing considerably to the Festival Funds. It was a lot of hard work and organisation by John and Mary Sheldon and their team, but well worthwhile.
RECTORY FARM
Keith Holland-Delamere
01604 407705
The first Rectory Farm area networking event took place recently when local groups, the school, landlady, police, Neighbourhood Warden and our councillor listened to Community Spaces Northampton’s (CSN) presentation about their plans for Rectory Farm Community Centre and the nearby Farm House. Our community’s ideas for these venues are actively been asked for by CSN, which has since moved into the Farm House and are using it as their organisations headquarters. If you run a group in Rectory Farm and would be interested in attending future events, please contact us on the number above.
As reported in the Chronicle & Echo recently, Government Minister Don Foster MP visited our community centre and the Farm House to find out about the Borough Council’s transfer of community centres to local voluntary/ charitable groups. Community Spaces Northampton has already decorated the main hall at the centre and have made a number of other improvements. We were frank about some of the problems experienced in the early days of the process, but the future benefits of the scheme will be great for our community.
The Over-55s have their next coffee morning this Saturday, between 10am–noon at the community Centre, £1.50 per person, first time is free.
Rectory Farm Pocket Park’s next work party will be by the pond this Saturday between 2pm–4pm. Afterwards, the group will tidy up around the seats and litter pick as usual. Children under 8 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Equipment provided but please dress appropriately. For more information visit http://rectoryfarmpocketpark.wordpress.com
We really would love to see more people involved in the Residents Association. Our AGM is on Tuesday, June 18, from 7.30pm at the community centre. If you are up for a new challenge, please consider serving on the committee. There are a number of exciting things going on, we are planning to enter the Olden Road area in next year’s Northampton in Bloom competition.
Our community website can be found at www. rfnorthampton.org.uk or you can become our friend on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, look for ‘Rectory Farm Connect’. Items for this column can be emailed to rectoryfarmresidents@tiscali.co.uk or text 07719090780.
ROADE & ASHTON
Elizabeth Dyke
01604 863205
Roade Garden Club meets in the village hall on Wednesday, June 5 at 7.30pm. Providing the talk is Don Everitt, who will be speaking about colour schemes in the garden. New members and visitors are always welcome.
Roade Post Office will be changing to one of the new style main post offices. The aim is to create a more modern and convenient retail experience for customers that will include longer opening hours. The branch will be closed for refurbishment on Wednesday, June 12 at 5.30pm and re-open at the same location on Wednesday, June 26. Other branches that customers can use in the area during the refurbishment include Hanslope and Hartwell. The customer helpline is 08457 223344 or visit www. postoffice.co.uk
St.Mary’s Church events for the week: Sunday, June 2 service is Lighthouse at 10.30am; Tuesday is Holy Communion at 9.30am.
Roade Bowls Club, in The Leys, has an open day on Sunday, June 2 from 1pm–5pm.Visitors will be warmly welcomed by members who will be on hand to offer advice on the sport and to help those who wish to try their hand at it, with all equipment provided (please wear flat-soled shoes). For more information call 01604 862747.
Roade Methodist Church has Morning Worship this Sunday at 10.30am.
The Blood Transfusion Service will be at Roade Village Hall on June 10, from 12.30pm–3pm and 4.15pm–7pm.
The church service in Ashton on Sunday is morning prayer at 9.30am.
Semilong & Spring Boroughs
Katharine Wills
01604 636478
Refuse and recycling collection day is changing for many households across town. A colourful information card has been delivered to all homes involved, and generally the collection for our area will switch from Mondays to Wednesdays. The new refuse collection schedules starts the week commencing June 10. Please call 0300 330 7000 for more information, or visit www.northampton.gov.uk/recycling
Northampton Museum will host a summer murder mystery at 7pm this Saturday. The Looking Glass Theatre will present their whodunnit against the backdrop of the museum’s exhibits. It’s perfect family entertainment at £12 per ticket. Please call 01604 838 111 for further details.
SILVERSTONE
Julie Dearsley 07790 875072
THERE will be a sale in aid of Help for Heroes in the Church Rooms, in Silverstone, on Wednesday, June 5, from 2pm–4pm. It will include clothes, bric-a-brac, cakes, raffle, tea and coffee.
WEST HUnsBURY
MURDER At Mole End, a thriller by Karen Doling, will be staged at the Abbey Centre from June 6–8, at 7.30pm each day. Tickets, including supper, are £8 adults and £4 children and are available from Northampton 761291, the Abbey Centre on 767568 ext 1, or Pat Johnson on 761418/ 07736254241.