Author: Jez Wilson

Nether Heyford Classic & Vintage Vehicle Show

Saturday 8th June 2024 – 2pm

Classic Cars, Bikes and Trucks, Vintage Vehicles.

Bring along your classic vehicle and park up on our village green surrounding our village hall fete.

Fete opens at 2pm – Set up starts from 11:00am with last vehicles parked at 1:30pm

Following on from a successful 2 years in partnership with our local classic car club Long Buckby (and surrounding villages) Vintage and Classic Vehicle Meet, we continue again for another meet up for the Nether Heyford Village Hall Fete this year.

One of the largest village greens in England makes for the perfect display and day out

Slots are limited but only by the size of our village green. It’s the only time we allow any vehicles on our village green.

We hope you join us for a great day out.

If you have any questions or to book a slot then please contact:

Jez Wilson – Nether Heyford – 07761 672376 – nhvhevents@gmail.com

Featured

Nether Heyford Wicksteed Playground Horse – Rescue, Repair and Restore project 2024

The Nether Heyford playground was created on the village green sometime in the 1950’s. The M1 motorway opened in 1959 and during construction of the motorway and junction 16 some of the earth extracted was brought down to the village to landscape a section of the village green to create an area for a playground.

By the 1970’s at least, Nether Heyford had a fully equipped playground consisting entirely of play equipment supplied locally from Wicksteed in Kettering. Two Wicksteed benches still remain along the edge of the village green.

Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

Nether Heyford Playground

The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw was once part of the Nether Heyford Playground on the village green from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. It was invented and built by a local British engineer, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is best known as a manufacturer of playground equipment and as the founder of Wicksteed Park.

Charles Wicksteed was the pioneer of the playground, the inventor of children’s play, created the first ever free play park for the people in 1921 with the biggest of public playgrounds. Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Charles Wicksteed

He sold his playground equipment all over the world, invented the water chute (now log flume) and made sure every playground had a proper good slide.

Nether Heyford Wicksteed Playground Horse

Once broken it was decommissioned from the green and ended up in the garden at The Olde Sun pub on middle street – half buried and used as a children’s seat for decades.

Sadly The Olde Sun pub came to a close late 2023 and an auction was announced to sell off the contents. It was then that a group of village residents who remembered the rocking horse all those years ago, decided to rescue it.

Here is the story so far and the updates below ……..

November 2023

The Olde Sun Pub in Nether Heyford closes and announces a grand auction of all the contents in the pub. The auction is to be held at the pub on Friday December 1st with viewing available Thursday November 30th. All the contents of the village pub will be sold, including ornaments, chairs, tables, vintage signs, catering equipment, skittles table etc. before keys are handed back the following Monday.

Wednesday 29th November 2023

The evening before auction viewing. Thanks to a very lucky conversations with Jakki, Frances and Pete just before midnight, permission was agreed to rescue the horse back for the village and raise some money for charity too. An online fundraiser was set up and the mission to rescue the horse from the pub garden before the auction and before the keys are given back at the weekend. “Help raise £100 to save the Nether Heyford Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw to keep in the village.”

I feel duty is calling…..I am going to have a go with some village friends to keep this in Nether Heyford. I might need a hand or two over the next 3 days as we are on a deadline and have some digging and shifting to do. It was made in England by Wicksteed (Kettering, Northamptonshire) and is the Rocking Horse See Saw. Many of us remember it.

Some friends and I are looking to rescue this from the pub garden before midday on Sunday (when the property exchanges hands following the auction of its contents on Friday following its closure) and relocate it within the village somewhere so it remains as a piece of local history rather than scrapped. We hope to reach £200 with £100 for Air Ambulance, £100 for The Pub. Anything over £200 will now go towards spare parts and renovation costs. Volunteer help would be appreciated along the way if you can help lend a hand.

Thursday 30th November 2023

Rescue Mission accomplished – From Pub to Youth Club.

The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw has been saved for the village community.

Thank you to Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates & Pete, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes (Youth Club), Ian Jenner, a driver from K.G.Smith & Son, plus, or course, all those that contributed to the JustGiving fund raiser.

Following the successful rescue – 1st online fundraiser is closed at £265.

Thank you to all those that donated cash to the fundraiser: Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh & 7 anonymous donors

£100 delivered to The Olde Sun Pub (Dec 23′) & £100 donated to The Air Ambulance (Feb 24′). Leaving £65 towards restoration & repairs.

NEW fundraiser: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

February 2024

Permission is provisionally granted by the Parish Council to place the horse back at the playground as a non-rocking bench.

Saturday 9th March 2024

The horse leaves the village for the first time in over 50 years. Moving from the Village Youth Club to the Blacksmith, for shot blasting and metal work to make it structurally sound for placing back on the green as a static bench.

Thank you to all those that came to help get the horse in the van: Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, Jason Kelly, Ian Jenner & Son.

Saturday 16th March 2024

I had the pleasure of meeting up with our village blacksmith for a project meeting to decide next steps after a full assessment of the horse after some initial metalwork and disassemble for easier transportation for the next stages. Thank you to J.E.Matthews of Northampton for letting Ian Jenner our village blacksmith to use their historic foundry workshop established in 1883 which was very fitting given our metal horse design dates back to around 1920 in the next town Kettering.

Thanks to our village blacksmith Ian Jenner and J.E.Matthews & Son in Northampton

Following this short trip to town to the specialist, after over 50 years in the village, the horse is then returned the same day back to the village.

Sunday 17th March 2024

We have reached a stage where we understand the estimated costs of restoration options and placement on the playground. A new online fundraiser set up:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

Ongoing in March and April 2024

NEW – We also have space for about 15 Sponsor Plaques which will be embossed / engraved metal and attached to the final finished horse. All funds raised by these also go into the fundraising pot for restoration etc.

Available for local businesses, charities & individuals. Please contact me directly if you are interested in one.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think you can assist us with the project, either hands on, time, materials, shot blasting, sign writing, painting, graffiti, woodwork etc or perhaps you know someone who would like to sponsor of a plaque on the side of the horse.

We are considering a design competition with Bliss School for a possible custom paint job.

We have some suggestions for a name for our Horse, more are welcome and we shall put it to the vote closer to the unveiling. So far: Heather Neighford / Sunny / Neddy Hayful / Magnus the Marvellous

All comments, suggestions, ideas, offers help are very welcome and much appreciated.

Please share with your friends. All donations are appreciated, now matter how small.

To send a donation online please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

To donate off line or to discuss sponsorship opportunities please contact me via email / phone / social media.

Happy Days,

Jez Wilson 07761 672376

Last updated 07.04.2024

The ever growing project Thank You list:

Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates, Pete Yates, Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes, Ian Jenner & Son, Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh, Christian Finley, Gareth Arthurs, Darren Royle, Rick Lindon, Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, J E Matthews & Son (Northampton), Nether Heyford Parish Council, Nether Heyford Youth Club……..

Nether Heyford 2024 Calendar

Once again we are producing another limited edition Nether Heyford 2024 Calendar, featuring photographs of village life taken by local residents.

We would like to have as many images from as many local people as possible
depicting the months of the year which need to be of local scenes rather than
people.

We will need 13 final images, one cover image (Portrait) and 12 (Landscape) due to
the Calendar’s format; see below for the 2022 winning photos.

So either get snapping or search through your pictures for your submissions and
have your photo on display throughout the village next year.

In the event of us receiving too many photos, a panel will decide the ones to use. Also any Facebook “likes” will be considered too this year.

All proceeds from the sales will go to support the Prattler’s production costs. It will go on sale in the village around mid November the price will be about £5.

Deadline for entries is the end of October 2023.

To submit your entry:

Email your photos to heyford_prattler@yahoo.co.uk

OR

Send over messenger on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HeyfordPrattler

OR

Or post your photo as a comment on the Nether Heyford 2024 Calendar Photo Competition post on the Nether Heyford Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NetherHeyford

2022 Winners:

Jez Wilson – Dig. Ed. Sept 2023

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan Update – August 2023

The Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan referendum has now been announced.

Thursday, 7 September 2023 between the hours of 7am and 10pm at Nether Heyford Baptist Church Rooms

A referendum will be held to decide on the question below:

“Do you want the West Northamptonshire Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Nether Heyford to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

This is really important for the village. After 7 years of work creating the Neighbourhood Plan, villagers now have the opportunity to vote on the plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan, supporting documents and the election notice are available to see across two websites:

West Northamptonshire Council:

https://www.southnorthants.gov.uk/info/47/neighbourhood-plans/35/nether-heyford-neighbourhood-plan

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/electoral-services/election-notices-and-future-elections

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan:

http://netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk

These full details will be included in The Prattler September 2023 edition which is delivered to every house in the village.

Voting cards will be sent to everyone in Nether Heyford who are registered on the Electoral Role. To be despatched on 14th August.

Further details of deadlines in order to get registered or change the electoral role in order to be effective for this referendum are:

  1. If you are not already registered to vote then the deadline to apply to register is Monday 21 August by midnight. (If you are not already a local government elector apply online at register to vote)
     
  2. The deadline for new applications to vote by post or to change existing postal or postal proxy arrangements e.g. cancellation or re-direction etc. must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at the address shown below by 5pm on Monday, 22 August 2023 if they are to be effective for this election.
     
  3. New applications to vote by proxy must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 August 2023.
     
  4. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 August 2023. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate can be made online at voter authority certificate service
     
  5. Applications to vote by emergence proxy at this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on 7 September 2023.

Something new at the Village Hall

Many of you may recall seeing a large photographic display in the foyer of the village hall, created in April last year to support our entry into the ACRE Village Awards Scheme. The judge was so impressed she immediately took photographs, and we believe that this helped us to win one of our two Gold Awards. (The other one being for the creative use of our communal space by the allotments association)

The display was the result of Mick Parker going around the village and taking photographs of as many of our community and group activities as he could, and it received many compliments. When it was time for it to be dismantled, it was felt that it would be a great shame for all these pictures of our village life to disappear completely. So, Mick and Tom Dodd got together and selected one photograph from each set of group pictures. The remaining photographs were then passed to all the relevant groups for their own records.

Since then, Tom has created an amazing montage, which has just been installed in the village hall foyer underneath our Welcome Sign – as a permanent ‘snapshot’ of our village life in 2022. You are recommended to go and see if you can find yourselves and your group in action. We are pleased to say that the cost of this undertaking has been fully covered: first, with £100 awarded to us by ACRE as Gold Award winners; plus a grant of £100 from our parish council; and with the balance coming from proceeds of a sponsored skydive by the then, village hall chairman.

Like Mick, Tom most generously gave his time free. One of the many aspects of our village, which helped to win our Gold Award, was the evidence of so many gifted members in our community.

Tom and Mick – we salute you!

Alwyne Wilson

Nether Heyford Village Hall Garage Sale 2023

Nether Heyford Village Hall – Village Garage Sale

Sunday 21st May 2023 : 10am – 4pm

NetherHeyfordVillageHallGarageSale2023

BUYERS: The Village Hall is the place for buyers to start at 10am, when doors open and the map of all the registered garages is available. Refreshments & maps available throughout the day from 10am to 4pm.

SELLERS: Apply to register your garage/drive/verge/space – It costs only £7.50 to register your garage on the map. Please book before the closing date of Saturday 13th May.

By Email and pay via Bank Transfer:

1. Send email to nhvhevents@gmail.com including the following:

> Name
> Garage Address
> Telephone Number
> Email Address

2. Send bank transfer of £7.50 to:

> Account Name: Nether Heyford Village Hall
> Sort Code: 23-05-80
> Account No: 44704080
> Reference: Garage<Surname> (e.g. GarageWilson)

OR

By Post and pay via Cheque or Cash:

1. Print booking form or write a note including the following:

> Name
> Garage Address
> Telephone Number
> Email Address

Nether Heyford Village Hall Garage Sale Form 

2. Post Cheque or Cash for £7.50 (with form or note):

> Post via letter box of 1a Watery Lane, Nether Heyford, NN7 3LN
> Cheques payable to: Nether Heyford Village Hall 

~

NetherHeyfordVillageHall

Website: www.netherheyfordvillagehall.org
Email: nhvhevents@gmail.com
Events Secretary: Pat Paterson 07802 210440
Registered Charity No. 304256
Location: Google Maps

Opportunities down the Playing Fields

Volunteer Opportunities – Playing Fields Association Committee (Heyford Sports Club)

Down the playing fields, we’ve got a range of sports and activities that cater for just about everyone’s needs and are as good as anywhere in the county and maybe the country.

We recognise that the social area and changing rooms are now past their sell by date, fortunately we’ve got a small group of people who are focusing on getting new changing rooms in place, that will serve us for many years into the future.

What we are now looking for is some new people to come onto the playing fields committee and some additional volunteers who just want to ‘lend a hand’ on jobs like cutting the grass.

Getting involved does require some commitment, however in return you’ll get an enormous amount of satisfaction from seeing how the facilities are enjoyed by so many people from the village and the local community.

If you’d like to understand a bit more about what’s involved as a committee member or as a volunteer to ‘lend a hand’, with no obligation, please pick up the phone and call:

Chris Andrews 07880 996511

Jeff Buck 07808 705767

(Extract from The Prattler March 2023)

~

Heyford Sports Club (Nether Heyford Playing Fields Association) – est. 1986

Home to:

Heyford Cricket Club – est. 1897

Heyford Athletic Football Club – est. 1908

Heyford Tennis Club – est. 1986

Nether Heyford Bowls Club – est. 1997

Nether Heyford Netball Club – est. 2020

Friends of:

Nether Heyford Scouts – est. 1952

The Bliss Charity School – est. 1674

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan Update – April 2022

NHNHPG_Logo

Update on our Neighbourhood Plan (2021-2029)

At the March Parish Council meeting the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group presented the details of the public consultation, and subsequent proposed amendments to the Draft Plan. As the qualifying body the Parish Council have to review and formally approve any changes to the Draft Plan. This is a statutory step prior to formal submission. In summary the changes approved related to strengthening some policies and making a number of technical changes as a result of feedback from the WNC Planning Team.

There was significant discussion around the allocation of the Bugbrooke Road site (SNC310), for primarily educational purposes. As a result of this discussion, it was agreed that this allocation was in the best long-term interest of the village. It was also recognised that this could take a number of years to bring to fruition given the funding requirements and the complexity of undertaking a school relocation.

Detailed responses to all the questions raised from the consultation, including from WNC and Persimmon Homes are now available on the NHP website, http://www.netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk, as is the latest revision of the Draft Plan.

Subject to a further independent review of the Draft Plan and the completion of some associated formal documents, the Parish Council will make a formal submission to WNC. WNC will review the submission to ensure it meets all the statutory requirements prior to being sent to a planning inspector.

If the planning inspector approves the plan, then WNC will organise a simple yes/no referendum for the village, and assuming a simple ‘yes’ majority the plan becomes ‘made’. This in essence means it is legally enforceable and sits under the umbrella of the Local Development Plan for this area. As previously mentioned, the benefits of having a ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan for our village are significant both in terms of future development and protecting and enhancing our current assets.

After 5 years or so of significant work, it is timely that our plan moves to its conclusion. With changes to our local councils, their inherited economic pressures and the fluctuations in national directives in how and where to build, it’s important that we are able show evidence of the needs and wishes of people who live in the parish, and to have a formal plan that protects those needs and wishes.

Tom Clewett. Tom Dodd, Tony Williams of the NHNHP group.

Published in the April 2022 Edition of The Prattler

For more information on Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan visit the website:

netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk