Month: September 2019

Archaeologist Dr Den Does It Again – October 2019

The installation of the Basketball/Netball Courts at Heyford Playing Fields was
brought a stage nearer over the weekend of 7/8 September by the efforts of local
Archaeologist Dr Dennis Taylor.

As part of Nether Heyford Playing Fields Association’s (NHPFA) aspirations, the
construction of the new courts was planned on the recently purchased land adjacent to the existing playing fields. The project was estimated to cost £30,000 by Sports Courts UK. Funding has been obtained by a grant of £20,000 from the London Marathon Charitable Trust and a £10,000 Capital grant from South Northants Council. Planning permission has been requested, however the County Assistant Archaeologist applied for a condition to be placed on the application. This meant that an archaeology investigation needed to be undertaken to identify the age and character of crop marks which showed on aerial photographs held in the County Archives.

The cost of this investigation had to be borne by the Planning Applicant. NHPFA
had no funding for this, consequently the whole project was in jeopardy of being
cancelled. The only solution was for the investigation to be undertaken, at no cost, by volunteers. When approached, Dr Den Taylor of South View Nether Heyford, despite being retired, agreed to supervise the investigation. Mr Daryl Welsh of Flore offered to loan and operate his digger for a weekend and Mr Dan Musson of Bugbrooke also offered plant assistance. A further crew of 6 able bodied volunteers was formed and the investigation was organised and carried out 7/8 September.

The County Assistant Archaeologist Liz Mordue and Cllr David Harries visited the
site on the Sunday morning and Dr Taylor showed them the excavations. After
discussions, Liz Mordue agreed that the particular area was of no further
archaeology interest and that the County Environment Records could be updated
accordingly.

This was the second time that Dr Den Taylor had come to the assistance of NHPFA,
as he carried out a similar investigation in 2012 to enable the Bowls Club to build their changing rooms.

Dr Den is an interesting village character. After leaving university with a degree in archaeology, he joined the RAF as a navigator. He flew in De Havilland Mosquito and Super Sabre planes with the 58th Squadron and is now one of two surviving members of his time in the Squadron; he says ‘it makes reunions easier!’. With 14 years service, he left the RAF as a Squadron Leader and worked at several jobs, including being a bricklayer.

On retirement, Dr Taylor returned to Archaeology and after several projects earned his doctorate. He has 4 children who paid for him to pass his Pilots Licence as a 86th Birthday present. Dr Taylor is now a very spritely 92 and serves on the Village Hall Committee.

Thanks again Dr Den, the Basketball/Netball Courts project is now back on track.

Submitted by Geoff Thorneycroft on behalf of NHPFA

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Heyford Gardening Club – October 2019

Heyford-Gardening-Cluband-allotments
We started our new programme for the year with our annual flower and vegetable
show. These shows are always affected by the vagaries of the weather that has
experienced over the year, and our efforts to balance the classes are frequently
frustrated by events. For example, based on previous poor displays the class for
beetroot was withdrawn last year, only to prompt complaints from members because
their beetroot crops had been particularly good. So for this year the beetroot class was reinstated only to find that there was only one entry! And there were no courgette’s at all, whereas there were ten entries in the tomatoes. However the expansion of the floral classes was clearly a clever move as the displays of arrangements on show were truly impressive, indicating a wealth of artistic talent among our members.

The vegetable section was won by Irene Reeves with Jill Langrish in second place
and Tony Clewett third.

The flower section was closely fought, Mike Langrish came first with Anne Haynes in second place while Jill Langrish, Maureen Wright, Irene Reeves and Lynn Ashbee all took the third spot.

We reduced the plot to plate section down to just a jam or jelly class, which was won by Jill Langrish, with Margaret Ridgewell in second place and Sandy Alderson third.

The overall winner this year, taking into account prizes in our series of bench shows over the year, was Jill Langrish, with Irene Reeves as runner up and Margaret Ridgewell third. So our congratulations to them, the rest of us will just have to try harder next year!

Our next meeting will be on the 14th October when we will have a talk from Malcolm Dickson from Hooksgreen Herbs.

Some Things to do in October
1 Divide and replant herbaceous perennials
2 Give lawns a last cut and trim
3 Prune climbing roses

Mark Newstead

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www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

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2020 Village Award Scheme – October 2019

2020 Village Award Scheme
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Northamptonshire Action for Communities in Rural England

My husband and I came to Nether Heyford for 18 months in 1987 and have been here ever since, having realised what a great community this was. It still is – with a wide variety of activities going on around the village, many based in the village hall, in the school, on the sports field, in the churches, in the youth club and on the village green. In addition, I have recently been inspired by the fact that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the building of the village hall, built entirely by volunteers – and throughout the ensuing 60 years, volunteers have continued to manage and maintain it.

With these two facts, we could stand a good chance of being recognised as a very special village community.

As a villager myself and appreciative of all that Nether Heyford has to offer, I would be pleased to co-ordinate an application, with the help of others. To this end, I propose to contact and, I hope, meet representatives of the various activities. If I contact you, please be gentle with me.

The application deadline will be next April, with judging from late May to early June. That seems a long time ahead but, with Christmas and New Year in between, we need to make an early start.

Alwyne Wilson

Nether Heyford W.I. – October 2019

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Debby Horsman, the speaker at our September Meeting, gave us a new insight into Shackleton’s intended, but ill prepared, Atlantic Expedition in 1914. She concentrated on the support operation which was to provide supplies to the second leg of the Expedition. It was an interesting evening and we were joined by several “WI Husbands”!

The Meeting on October 3rd is our AGM at which we hope to see as many members as possible. The Meeting will be followed by a games evening, which usually produces a great deal of laughter.

On Saturday, October 5th at 7.30pm in the Village Hall the WI are holding a Quiz Evening. The tables will be for 6 people, the cost is £7.50 per person and will include a hot supper – but please bring your own drinks and glasses. I know it will be a good evening and we hope you can join us. Tables can be booked by ringing me on 01327 340101 or our President, Pat Essery, on 01327 340682.

Looking ahead to November our speaker will be Helen Frost and she will be telling us about the Women’s Land Army.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge – 01327 340101

 

Village Hall – News – October 2019

Pantomime
Following the ‘packed house’ success of last year’s pantomime, we are looking forward to this year’s production: ‘Dick Whittington’ to be presented by The Looking Glass Theatre Company in the Village Hall on Sunday 29th December at 2pm. We’re already receiving requests for tickets so we advise you to book early before they sell out again. Tickets – £9 for adults, £3 for children up to age 11. They can be purchased from:

Richard 01327 341044 or 07801 862 140, Alwyne 01327 340803.

Fete Photographs
Tom Dodd, our voluntary photographer has produced a large, colourful montage of this year’s fete, which is now displayed in the village hall. He’s happy to provide individual photographs – no charge but a donation to the fete funds would be welcomed. Contact him on: 07887 743157.

Village Hall Secretary
Following our recent invitation for a new Secretary, we are delighted to welcome two: Judith Cattermole as management committee secretary, and Pat Paterson as our new special events secretary. As next year sees the 60th anniversary of the building of the village hall, we expect to be even busier than usual, so our two new secretaries will make a valuable contribution to our team.

Alwyne Wilson

Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul – October 2019

Nether Heyford Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

Dear Friends.

As I write this, we’re moving into Autumn, and the leaves on the lime trees in the churchyard here in Heyford are just beginning to change colour. At the same time, countless lime seeds are drifting into the Rectory like tiny little helicopters, the shape of the leaf and stalk cleverly designed to carry the seeds some distance away from the tree. Thousands of these seeds litter the Rectory drive, which is a bit of a nuisance in one way, and yet in another way, it’s a seasonal reminder of God’s reckless generosity.

This is the time of year when we celebrate the harvest across the churches and
primary schools in the benefice, giving thanks to God for his abundance. There’s a danger that we lose sight of the importance of the harvest in this day and age, when food can be sourced from all over the world and found on our supermarket shelves. In ancient times however, the abundance of the harvest – or the lack of abundance – could mean the difference between life and death, between having enough to eat and starvation. Little wonder that people worshipped God, and gave thanks for good, plentiful harvests.

We see ancient Israel’s attitude to the fruitfulness and abundance of the earth
throughout the Old Testament, and especially in the Psalms, many of which praise
God for his goodness. Harvest metaphors are common in the Bible, and often
feature in Jesus’ parables and stories. There are a couple of ideas that emerge from the Bible’s teaching on harvest. First, we’re to recognise that all the good things around us – our food and drink, flowers, trees and the amazing abundance of creation – are gifts we can value and enjoy. Secondly, all this created goodness is not ours to hoard or use selfishly. So in the churches, our collected harvest donations go to help local food banks and homeless shelters, to help overcome the surprising and depressing need to satisfy poverty and hunger here in the UK. As we celebrate God’s generosity, I pray that we might all take the opportunity to be generous in turn, sharing what we have, and helping those in need.

Yours in Christ,

Stephen – 01327 344436

 

Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul – Services – October 2019

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Midweek Communions are held weekly on Wednesdays, 9.30am at Heyford and
Thursdays, 10am at Flore – all welcome. (No service at Heyford on 23rd October).

During October we shall be praying for people living in The Green in Nether
Heyford, for the Bliss Charity Primary School, for the shops, and for all the activities
in the Village Hall and the Baptist Church Rooms. In Flore, we pray for people living
on Hillside Road and Flore Hill. We pray for the Main Street and School Rooms in
Church Stowe, and for Manor Farm, the Old Coach House and Manor Cottage in
Brockhall.

Rev Stephen Burrow (Tel. 01327 344436)

 

Parish Council – September 2019 Meeting

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The meeting was held as normal in the  Baptist Chapel Schoolroom.

Like all Council meetings it was open to the public.

PCSO. It was resolved that the employment of the PCSO would be continued for the time being, provided that Bugbrooke PC continued with their share of the arrangement, which has proved to be the case since our meeting. The PCSO is felt to have fitted well into the village and is making contacts with residents and businesses.

Car Parking on the Green. This has again become an issue with both Councillors and other residents complaining of vehicles being parked on the Green. This is felt to be unnecessary and unsightly and spoils the enjoyment of our magnificent Green for many residents. Council would be most grateful if those responsible would stop.

Lighting. It was reported that a start had been made on the plan to renew lighting. A brief needed to be written to send to lighting companies willing to quote.

Roads and pavements. Condition of Street Name Signs for The Peak and Manor Walk to be reported to SNC as the black paint needed to be restored.

The Green and Play Area. It was felt that the Play Area was in reasonable condition at the present, but that it would need refurbishment after winter. Clerk had attended a course run by the Open Spaces Society, and had been told that if the property behind Denbrook on Weedon Rd were to put in a planning application, then an Easement in order to allow access across the section of the Village Green would be necessary. Council should ask that this be a condition of the planning permission, and ensure that the applicant paid for it.

Fair. It was resolved to allow Mr Freeman’s fair to visit on the Middle Green from Sept 12 – 15.

Playing Fields. Mr Thorneycroft reported that the container for the Scouts and School was now in place. He had been told that the proposed Basketball/Netball court could not go ahead until an archaeological investigation was undertaken, Mr Thorneycroft had arranged this but would have to pay for the hire and fuel for a digger. Council agreed to pay for the digger costs.

Trees. A Robinia on Hillside Crescent had been damaged, and STS asked to deal with it. A Robinia on the Green would need to be removed because of rotting. The Limes would be pollarded after the leaves had fallen.

Allotments. It was reported that further expenditure had taken place on the shed, and more to come regarding a pond. H&S issues would be considered with regard to the pond and other water holding tanks; a risk assessment would be needed.

Footpaths. There had been clearance and strimming work carried out by the Rights of Way team.

Churchyard. The first internment of Ashes had taken place. It was likely that there would be a request for funds to help with re-roofing the Church after the theft of lead.

Canal. The railing had been re-painted on the bridge on Furnace Lane. Chair thanked Lee Pratt and Nick Essex for their continued work on behalf of the community.

Youth Club. To start back on 9th September, with a waiting list in operation. Anglian Water had repaired damaged drains.

Defibrillators. Both inspected and in working order.

Neighbourhood Plan (NP). It was reported that discussions had been held with SNC, who felt the criteria used for the chosen housing areas were not robust enough, and a further Housing Needs Survey needed to be carried out, as the Examiner might well take that part of the policy out if it were felt unsatisfactory. The NP was not as close to the consultation as had been thought. It was now felt that the NP would not be complete until 2021, but that it would be much safer with the additional work done.

Reporting Highway and Footpath Issues. The Clerk will report issues that Council is made aware of, but Council would encourage residents to use the FixMyStreet service to report issues themselves as there will then be no time lag and first-hand reports are almost always better than 2nd or 3rd hand reports. The service can be found here: www.fixmystreet.com 

It is easy to use; you can have your own account and can check up on any issues you have reported.

Council meetings take place on the first Monday of each month (unless there is a Bank Holiday) – the next one being on Monday October 7th.

Clerk to the Parish Council: Guy Ravine, c/o Old Dairy Farm, Upper Stowe, Weedon, Northamptonshire, NN7 4SH
Telephone: 07935 931787
Email: netherheyfordparishcouncil@gmail.com

Next Meeting
The next Parish Council meeting will be on the first Monday of the month at the Baptist Chapel Schoolroom at 7.30 pm and is, like all Parish Council meetings, open to all Parishioners.

For further useful information about Nether Heyford Parish Council and full contact details for the clerk and the councillors please visit our Nether Heyford Parish Council page.

Heyford Bowls Club – September 2019

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Indoor

In spite of summer holidays and other commitments, members support for Wednesday short mat bowling sessions has been very good. The friendly Friday evening outdoor triples league has now finished and was enjoyed by all who took part. The indoor short mat league will commence during the winter months. More information on this when it becomes available.

The Men’s Pairs will be played on Saturday 14th September. This produces some very keen competition, therefore it would be nice to have as many names down as possible. There will be two more competitions this year and they will be announced later.

Anyone wishing to play indoor bowling will be made most welcome at our Wednesday bowling sessions. Times for these are – afternoon 1.40pm and evening 7.10pm.

Den Taylor

Outdoor

At the time of writing these notes, Heyford Bowls Club are in grave danger of being relegated from Division 2 of the Northamptonshire Area Monday Night League. With two games to play, two good wins are needed, but our consistent inconsistency has been our downfall.

On the friendly games front the results have been much better; 16 wins out of 26 games with one tied. The season is rapidly drawing to an end, with only the final of the club competitions on Saturday 31 August and Sunday 1st September, and the Gala Day on Sunday 15th September scheduled to be played on our green.

Oh! And of course our final league game on Monday 9th September against Abington.

Geoff Allen – 01327 349909

For more bowls club information please visit our website:

www.heyfordbowlsclub.co.uk