“Presumed Killed. News that their youngest son, Flight Sergt. Leslie Foster, R.A.F. reported missing in May of last year, is now presumed to have been killed, has been received by Mr. and Mrs. C. Foster, Stonebank, Lower Heyford. Sergt. Foster, who was 24, joined the R.A.F. in October, 1938, and had been in many flights over Germany when he was reported missing. He had seen service in North Africa. He was a former pupil of Lower Heyford School and was employed by the Miller Last Co. Ltd., before joining the R.A.F. He was also a former member of Bugbrooke Boys‘ Brigade.”
Heyford & Stowe Roll of Honour – Celia & Brian Caucutt – 1993
Remembered by: Caroline Elliott: “He was my Dad’s cousin, Charlie Foster of Hillside Road, Nether Heyford”
“Death of Northants Officer. News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. Bennett Whiting, of Heyford Grange, Weedon, of the death on Sept 1, while on active service, of their elder son Lieut. John [Jack] Bennett Whiting. Lieut. Whiting who was 25, was an old boy of Eaglehurst College, Northampton, and of Amersham Grammar School. He joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry in the spring of 1939, later going abroad. On receiving his commission in 1940, he was transferred to the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. A keen sportsman and a fine rider, Lieut. Whiting hunted regularly with the Grafton and Pytchley Hounds, and was frequently a competitor at local point-to-points. When he left school he was apprenticed at the racing stables of Mr. C. Beechener, and later joined the stables of Mr. J Hall, of Penny Compton, Warwickshire, and Marlborough, Wiltshire. He then went into business at Heyford with his brother-in-law, Mr Leslie Wienholt, and together they ran a hunting stable. His father formerly farmed at Willen House, Willen, Newport Pagnell, where Lieut. Whiting was born. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Whiting, in addition to another son, have four daughters.”
Northampton Independent 25.09.1942.
“Killed, Lieutenant J. B. Whiting. News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. Bennett Whiting, of Heyford Grange, Weedon, of the death on September 1st, while on active service, of their elder son, Lieutenant John [Jack] Bennett Whiting. Lieutenant Whiting, who was 25, was an old boy of Eaglehurst College, Northampton, and of Amersham Grammar School. A keen sportsman and a fine rider, Lieutenant Whiting hunted regularly with the Grafton and Pytchley Hounds, and was frequently a competitor at local point-to-points.”
Heyford & Stowe Roll of Honour – Celia & Brian Caucutt – 1993
“Sapper Frederick Watson, R.E., of Lower Heyford, has been killed in action while serving with the Central Mediterranean Forces. His wife lives at 26, Little Brington. Sapper Watson, who was 22, joined the forces in February 1942. He went abroad in August 1943. The youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Watson of Lower Heyford, he married Miss Winifred Cannon in April 1943. After attending Lower Heyford School, he was employed by Messrs. Bosworth and Wakeford, builders, of Daventry.“
Heyford & Stowe Roll of Honour – Celia & Brian Caucutt – 1993
“Killed in Normandy. Mrs. E. Heeler, of The Green, Lower Heyford, has received news that her husband, Lance Corporal Frederick Heeler, has been killed in Normandy. Lance Corporal Heeler joined the forces in April 1940. He attended Pattishall School, and played football for Kislingbury Football Club. He worked at Towcester. He leaves 17 months – old baby.“
Northampton Independent 25.08.1944 [Photograph].
“Killed. Lance Corporal F. Heeler. Mrs. E. Heeler of The Green, Lower Heyford has received news that her husband, Lance Corporal Frederick Heeler, has been killed in Normandy. He joined the Forces in April 1940. He attended Pattishall School and worked at Towcester. He played football for Kislingbury. He leaves a 17 months – old baby.“
Heyford & Stowe Roll of Honour – Celia & Brian Caucutt – 1993
Three Northamptonshire sisters all diagnosed with brain tumours inspire Walk of Hope
A woman from Nether Heyford is organising a Walk of Hope to raise funds to help find a cure for the disease which has affected her mother and two aunts.
Sisters pictured left to right: Lesley Bushell, Janet Haynes and Diana Holland.
Sally Stroman, 51, a town planner in Northampton, has organised a charity walk after her aunt Lesley passed away in May this year with a brain tumour.
Sally will take on the challenge with her mum Janet Haynes, 81, and her daughter Emily, 16, a student at Campion School in Bugbrooke.
Like Janet, her two other sisters, Lesley and Diana, were also diagnosed as adults with meningioma brain tumours.
Janet Haynes, Emily and Sally Stroman
Lesley, who lived in Northampton and was diagnosed in 2017 at 69 years old, suffered a stroke during an operation to remove her tumour but in May this year Lesley passed away with pneumonia and infection due to the tumour.
Sally said: “Mum was the first of the sisters to be diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumour back in January 2008, aged 68. A GP thought she was starting to suffer with dementia because she was doing things like leaving the gas on and letting a saucepan boil dry. Eventually she was sent for an MRI scan and we were all shocked to learn she had a brain tumour.
“Since then mum has had three operations because of regrowth. She has a scan each year and every time she does we cross our fingers the brain tumour remains stable. Mum is one in a million. She is so caring, strong and has such an amazing sense of humour – I am sure it’s that which keeps her going, along with dad.
“With losing Lesley, and my auntie Diana also having a meningioma and knowing that so little funding goes into research of the disease, made us decide it would be a lovely idea to do a Walk of Hope.”
The walk on Saturday, 26 September, is one of dozens of similar events taking place across the UK for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The trio will walk from Nether Heyford, where they all live, to Weedon where Janet grew up, along with her two sisters, and back.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet historically just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are very grateful to Sally and Janet and all the family for their support and wish them all the very best for their Walk of Hope.”
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK. It also campaigns for the Government and the larger cancer charities to invest more in research into brain tumours in order to speed up new treatments for patients and, ultimately, to find a cure.
The charity is calling for a national annual spend of £35 million in order to improve survival rates and patient outcomes in line with other cancers such as breast cancer and leukaemia and is also campaigning for greater repurposing of drugs.
The Royal British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants.
Nether Heyford British Legion
The Nether Heyford British Legion are not able to order poppies this year from the British Legion (individual branches cannot order them this year). Poppies are normally sold door to door throughout the village and in the village pubs and shops to raise funds for the Nether Heyford branch of The British Legion.
A coffee morning is also usually held to raise funds but is not possible this year either.
The funds raised in the village go directly to the local village branch and helps to pay for the wreaths that are laid on the war memorial on Remembrance Day in November.
Upon hearing about this situation in early September, a crowdfunding page was set up on the JustGiving website:
to simply raise £80 to order some wreaths for November.
With amazing speed and generosity £310 was quickly raised – combining that with some cash and cheque donations sent through the post, a grand total of £425 was raised for the local village British Legion branch helping towards remembrance day 2020 and beyond.
Many thanks for all those that donated which included :
Gary Richmond | Aly & Rich | Joan & Alex | Trev Clarkey | Marie Hanlon | Sarah Hawkins | Birkett family | Jadine | Simon & Debbie | Heyford Athletic FC | Brian and Maxine Edgington | Stu and Emma | Sue Boutle | Jez Wilson | Gary McMahon | Lesely Faulkner | Jill Garratt | The Gilkes Family | The Wray’s | Lynn Adey | Mark, Sally and Emily Stroman
May I express my sincere gratitude to Charles Kiloh and his team of helpers who arranged and delivered the food parcels so faithfully to the housebound during the first three months of the current coronavirus crisis.
I appreciated the goodies and their weekly cheerful visits.
The Prattler is run by an active voluntary committee comprising of Sue Boutle, Christine Watts, Vicki Hamblin, Jez Wilson, Nick Essex, Richard Musson and Mary Rice. If you would like to submit articles or have any suggestions for future issues, please contact us.
Due to government regulations prohibiting public meetings the July 6th and Aug 3rd, 2020 Parish Council meetings were held online, using the Zoom platform. This is in line with national advice. At this time there is no indication of how long these conditions will persist, but it is likely that meetings will take place online for the rest of this year. Parishioners wanting to participate in the Public Session should check the Agenda on the Public notice boards, or the Website, for the meeting ID on Zoom.
Due to difficulties experienced by Councillors unused to using the internet, a reduced number of Councillors attended the online meeting, but a quorum was achieved and was supplemented by the District and County Councillors.
Illness and unfamiliarity with IT have meant that the number of Councillors at meetings has fallen, and the anticipated election in May was postponed until next year, and this may well have bought an influx of new Councillors. We are able to co-opt new members, subject to them being eligible. The Parish Council does need some active new members, preferably familiar with IT – so if you feel that is you – please contact me or the Chair.
Reports from the District and County Councillors. Cllr Phil Bignell reported that the Forum has yet to re-open, and that Covid 19 was something of a problem in several wards in Northamptonshire. Further measures were being considered by Government, but action and advice by local health officers has averted this.
Lights. The required 3 Quotes had now been received and an application made for funding from the New Homes Bonus; the result of that application is awaited.
Roads and pavements. The jitties between Watery Lane, Middle St and Manor Walk have been cleared up, as has the one between the memorial Green and Church Lane.
The Green and Play Area. Grass in good condition. Play area has been re-opened and one of the fixtures has been repaired.
Playing Fields. In good order. Tennis courts have been re-surfaced.
Youth Club will remain closed until at least September. Trees had been cut down adjacent to the Youth Club.
Planning. An application for land behind Denbrook was proving controversial and a report had been put in to the Planning Dept at SNC.
Reports on effect of Covid 19 emergency. Whilst there are still restrictions, the lockdown has largely been lifted and most people are back at work. The volunteer effort to distribute food parcels and prescriptions has been largely stood down. All those involved in that effort should take a bow – we can be very proud of them and that this village got its effort together very rapidly and effectively with a mixture of residents and Parish Councillors involved. Indeed, it was so effective that Heyford became a hub for other villages to collect from.
It may be that there will be no further need for such an effort, or we could just be in a pause period before there is a second wave of Covid 19. The Parish Council will look at the readiness of the village to cope with another potential lockdown at the September meeting. The Parish Council are grateful for the work of all the volunteers during this emergency and are proud of the community spirit that it has engendered.
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.
Parish Council meetings in 2020 will continue to be on the first Monday of each month, (unless a Bank Holiday) and start at 19:30. The next one is an online meeting Monday September 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
For further useful information about Nether Heyford Parish Council and full contact details for the clerk and the Councillors please visit:
Villagers, we are looking for help watering our flowerbeds at the entrances into our lovely village. If you live near one of the signs, it would be fabulous if you could water it a few days each week. Or if you are passing one, could you stop on the way and throw some much-needed water onto them, it will help them keep looking great. We are desperate for volunteers especially during this hot spell. If YOU can help us to keep these signs pretty, then please call me on 07912 971799. If you feel you want to take on a sign on your own as a little project, then also let me know. We are also looking for much needed plant donations. If any of you lovely villagers are thinning any plants in your garden or have bulb/seeds going spare then please let me know. I can collect.
I want to also thank our helpers who are already playing a big part at the moment, watering, planting, weeding and flattening those pesky mole hills, you are all amazing. We would not have come this far without you. However, we still need more people to make it easier all round.
The Nether Heyford Prattler 