The Story of Heyford (Extra): Dear Diary – May 1953

May 1953

Dear Diary,

What an exciting year this promises to be. Two weddings and a Coronation and they will all be different.

The first wedding is to be this month when Keith Clarke marries Brenda at the Methodist Chapel in Church Street. They are to have a reception at the Foresters Arms, and a neighbour is making them a wedding cake. I expect they will live in Hillside Road when Brenda’s parents move out.

The second wedding is my auntie Beryl who is to marry Jack Gibbins in Heyford church in June. This is special to me because I am to be a bridesmaid. Three of us are having long dresses in lemon with purple bows around the bottom and bonnets to match. Mum is putting ringlets in my hair which probably means sleeping with rags in. They are to live with Jack’s mother in Furnace Lane until a Council house becomes available for them.

We have posies to carry and I am to hold my auntie’s bouquet while she says “I do”. This means I can’t hold the hymn book, so we are all gathered around Nan’s piano while mum plays and we learn the hymns by heart. All her family play an instrument.

She wanted me to have piano lessons but I refused to practice so she said she wouldn’t be wasting money on me learning and dad said I was to stop being an awkward young lady. “What else will you do on a Saturday evening when you’re older?” Maybe I’ll regret not learning, who knows.

Last but not least, our lovely Queen Elizabeth is to be crowned in June in London and it is to be shown on the television. We don’t have one so I have been asked to go to a neighbour’s house to watch it. The Queen’s mother will be there but her grandmother died in March so she’ll miss it and I bet she would have loved to see another Coronation. The school children from Bliss school are to plant Acacia and May trees along what is now to be called Coronation Row, the little road opposite the school which splits up the village green. Dad got us some flags to pin up above our front door, and everybody seems to have something to hang up on the big day.

More good news. At last they have taken the railings down from around the war memorial on the little green and it is to be the end of sweet rationing. Bring on the lolly pops.

Until all this happens I think I’ll get my head in a book and read another Famous Five story. Shall I chose “Go Off in a Caravan”, “Go To Kirren Island” or, as normal, “Get Into Trouble”, all exciting stories with my favourite characters. I might look at my School Friend comic as well. Mum says I should keep my comics “in case we run out of toilet paper”, I mean, can you imagine?

Polly

Letter published in The Prattler – May 2020

Honey Bee Swarming Season

May, June and July is the time of year it is most likely to encounter a Bee swarm.

Northamptonshire Beekeepers’ Association offers a voluntary swarms retrieval service throughout the county as a public service. One of these rare volunteers fortunately lives in Nether Heyford.

For Honey Bee swarm retrieval in Nether Heyford contact the official registered volunteer for the village:

Name: Mr Vernon Cameron-Ilott
Mobile: 07968 340495
Land line: 01327 340631

Should you be present when a swarm arrives, move quietly away –don’t run or flap your arms- remove children and pets and go indoors. As colonies of honeybees become more populous, overcrowding can cause a colony to swarm – usually in May, June or July.

The old queen and approximately half of the colony leave to find a new home. A queen will eventually take over the parent colony. Beekeepers do not want to lose half their workforce and take steps to prevent their colonies from swarming. However, the urge to swarm is strong – it is nature’s way of increasing the chances of survival. Beekeepers have no control over feral colonies. Consequently, 20,000 honeybees may arrive in your garden and cluster on a bush, shrub or tree. This is a swarm.

After flying around they will eventually settle and form a rugby ball shaped cluster. They check that the queen is present and scout bees search for a suitable location for a new home, usually the swarm moves to the selected new site within a few hours.

Although 20,000 bees flying around your garden can be alarming to a non-beekeeper, the danger is not very great. Before the bees leave the parent colony they gorge themselves with honey to provision their journey and in order to build comb. They are “full up” and in “holiday mood”.

Do seek assistance as soon as possible. Once a swarm has gained access to a chimney or vent, it is usually difficult to remove.

Beekeepers are not insured and would be foolish to risk life and limb or risk damage to property. REMEMBER swarm collectors are VOLUNTEERS, they may be at work or otherwise busy and will not always be available to respond immediately. The service is to remove swarms of honeybees from accessible places. The beekeeper acts as an individual and not on behalf of the Association, a charge may be made or a donation to the Association requested. In the latter case if you are a taxpayer you can Gift Aid your donation.

Useful links:

Northamptonshire Beekeepers’ Association:
http://www.northantsbees.org.uk/

Swarm Retrival:
https://northantsbees.org.uk/swarm-retrieval/

British Beekeeper’s Association:
https://www.bbka.org.uk/swarm

Originally published May 2019

The Story of Heyford (Extra): VH 60th “Happiness is … A can of hot tea” – Sheila Masters

Happiness is … A can of hot tea

It was a Sunday afternoon some 35 years ago and I was coming home from Church along the Green (in those days the Baptists had afternoon services) battling with the wind and trying to keep my umbrella up against a nasty thin rain. It was cold and wet and thoroughly miserable and as I passed the embryonic Village Hall, my heart went out to the volunteers slogging away inside without any home comforts.

Full of Christian charity I thought, ‘Poor Souls! They must be fed up to the teeth. I’ll pop in and cheer them up. I wonder if they’d like a flask of hot tea?’

I needn’t have worried. Work was progressing steadily, with paintbrush and hammer, drill and screwdriver; someone was singing “Granada”, someone was whistling ,”Roll out the barrel”. Jokes and chaff flew back and forth. Cold, wet and miserable, it may have been outdoors, indoors they were warm, dry and happy. And to put the final touch to their contentment, as I stood there, Freddy Partridge arrived with a large steaming tea-can. I slunk away feeling decidedly de trop, and reflecting that, for keeping the chaps entertained, and out of mischief and the wife’s way, Heyford Village Hall project was the best thing since the Home Guard.

Sheila Masters

Reprinted from The Prattler April 1995 Edition

The Story of Heyford (Extra): VH 60th “Gentleman’s Smoking Club”

Friday 27th February 1987

A highly entertaining evening was enjoyed by a predominantly male audience. The noise level reached 7.3 on the RICHTER scale on occasions due to some of the younger members getting overexcited, too much beer probably.

A good appetite was worked up by the time the food was served which consisted of pork pie, cheese, roll & pickle. Some people were lucky enough to have marshmallow for dessert. Over £300 was raised.

Reprinted from The Prattler May 1987 Edition

Heyford Singers – April 2020

HeyfordSingersApril2020

A few weeks ago we went to see a wonderful production of “The King and I’” at the Milton Keynes theatre. The story and its history, the songs and music are familiar to us, but we were intrigued by the scenes that focused on Anna demanding her own house! For those new to the story, it is about an English governess, Anna who is contracted to teach the numerous children of the King of Siam. The promise of having her own house doesn’t happen, so during those long months Anna focuses on teaching only songs, rhymes, stories, historical and geographical information all about houses, and homes, until the king finally relents!

Fast forward a month and it seems uncanny that we are all now looking towards spending considerably more time in our own houses, our own homes, away from other people. A house is bricks and mortar, but a home is what we fill it with, it is what makes it unique, our personal choices, our comforts, our memories, our family links, etc. And in the days ahead we have the opportunity, and time, to perhaps selfishly indulge in all these personal attributes. Radio, television, the phone and the computer connect us with the outside world, and that is very important. But so is giving ourselves time for other things, and I don’t necessarily mean clearing out the loft or a massive spring clean! There are books to be read, hobbies ‘laid aside” when too busy with other tasks, promised letters to distant friends or family, collections of photographs to be organised, and so on.

But let’s consider the music, the songs, even dancing that could entertain us in the weeks ahead. Here are a few idle thoughts, even a few challenges, to keep those little black notes dancing in our heads and in our lives …

By all means keep up to date with radio and television news, but it can become all embracing and somewhat depressing, so why not change channel and listen to music for a while. It is medically accepted that listening to music has a very calming effect and can make you feel more relaxed.
Step out of your comfort zone for a short while and listen to a different form of music to your usual preference. Folk, jazz, pop, classical, country and western, light opera – give it a try!
Sort out those CDs that are acquiring dust on the shelves, play them, turn up the volume, and sing along! It is wonderful how the words of Beatles songs come roaring back, a real feel good factor.
Or if you secretly regret never having been given apart in the film of “Mamma
Mia” (or another musical) now is the opportunity to play the DVD or the CD,
and sing, sing … and dance along.
Is there an instrument lying forlornly unplayed in the house, bypassed for busier pursuits? Get it out, play the ivories or the strings, and make music!
If you want something more quiet and contemplative think of that desert island. What eight special pieces of music would you choose to take, and why? I’m sure that most of us, at one time or another, have compiled our own list of favourite music. You could even send them to me – what a lovely idea for the May Prattler!

We’ve all probably seen the delightful video of Italians standing on their individual balconies and singing. Then there have been the various, and some quite imaginative ways to sing or dance through the 20 second hand washing time. And no doubt other inventive musical activities will come about in the days ahead. So keep playing, listening, singing, dancing and enjoying music – it is a rich world and it is so good for the soul!

Heyford Singers has understandably postponed all its rehearsals and spring concert in May. The title for the concert was “Let Us Entertain You” and we will again……soon!

Take care, look after yourselves and each other.

Jill Langrish

____________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to find out more, visit the Heyford Singers page or our website:

www.heyfordsingers.org

alternatively come along to one of our rehearsals in Nether Heyford Village Hall.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Heyford Bowls Club – April 2020

NetherHeyfordBowlsClub

Indoor

Our last three matches in the ‘WARDINGTON LEAGUE’ have been very successful. A hard match at Moreton Pinkney saw us win on one mat and lose on the other. Unfortunately we lost on the final aggregate score. However a really good win at home to Middleton Cheney on both mats. This led to the final aggregate score in our favour by the magnificent score of 74-8.

The ‘LADIES PAIRS’ was played on Saturday 14th March. The knock-out matches produced some really good bowling. An excellent and close final saw Liz Davison and Pauline Thackray beat Eileen Everard and Jean Cullin by the score of 5-4.

We have a few matches coming up now in quick succession. A very popular fixture the INDOOR v OUTDOOR will be played on the 26th March. The Mixed Singles will be played on the 18th April. Both matches will start at 1.30 pm.

Good support has once again been maintained on our Wednesday bowling sessions.

Den Taylor

Outdoor

I always knew that nuclear bunker I built in the 1960s would come in handy one day. I’ve promised my wife that this crisis will all be over by the time of our wedding anniversary on 18th June, but when I hear of national organisations suspending all meetings for four months, I fear that my deadline may be a trifle optimistic.

This is my first missive for The Prattler this calendar year, and it should have been telling you of the dates for the enrolment night, the fish and chip supper, the spring quiz, the working party on the green, and fixtures. Instead all I can report is they are all cancelled. This leaves the residents of Heyford free to spring clean their houses and make their gardens immaculate. At the end of the pandemic I will be round to check.

In the meantime, take care of yourselves and your loved ones.

PS Don’t go to the shops specially to buy us an anniversary card. Use one of the ones you panic bought at the start of the pandemic. They’re up in the loft. On top of the toilet rolls.

Geoff Allen 01327 349909

For more bowls club information please visit our website:

www.heyfordbowlsclub.co.uk

Heyford Cricket Club – April 2020

At the time of writing this update, the 2020 cricket season is facing as much uncertainty as the rest of the community. The Northamptonshire Cricket League are expecting to receive ‘a binding unilateral decision on all recreational cricket’ from the ECB at any time. As soon as we know more, we will post updates on our website and Facebook. There is a possibility that adult and junior fixtures could be cancelled until midway through the season, or the entire season cancelled. At the moment all of our fundraising events are on hold, but we are hoping to reschedule the Fun Day, Golf Day etc. for later in the year.

Bowling Machine:
We would like to say a huge thank you to Mick George Ltd for their generous donation of £1000 towards our new BOLA bowling machine. Unfortunately, we only managed to use it at one of our indoor net sessions before the sports hall at Quinton School was closed to all external groups, but it is a fantastic bit of kit and will certainly improve practice for junior and adult players when we are finally able to resume!

Bonus Ball:
A full list of Bonus Ball winners can be found on the ‘News’ pages of our website. The January and February 2020 winners were as follows. If you would like to support the Club during what is sure to be a challenging season financially then please get in touch, there are still several balls available. It costs just £1 per week to play and you have a chance to win £25 if your ball is drawn as the bonus ball in the Saturday lottery draw.

Bonus Ball:

04/01/2020 11 Chris Peck
11/01/2020 14 Ben Taylor
18/01/2020 11 Chris Peck
25/01/2020 21 Geoff Allen
01/02/2020 52 No Winner
08/02/2020 21 Geoff Allen
15/02/2020 18 Ollie Inwood
22/02/2020 17 Simon Legge
29/02/2020 9 Colin Gillespie

We hope to see you soon, but in the meantime all the very best to our loyal supporters, volunteers and everyone in the village.

More details about Heyford Cricket Club can be found on our website or via social media where we can be found on both Facebook and Twitter. If you would like to get in touch you can also email us.

Website: www.heyfordcricket.co.uk
Download the app: heyfordcc.teamapp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HeyfordCC
Twitter: twitter.com/@HeyfordCC
Email: heyfordcricket@hotmail.co.uk

Community Wildlife Area – April 2020

View from The Wildlife Patch

I was looking round the patch today. It is wet, cold and at first sight inhospitable. Yet there is lots going on really.

We have 4 Blue Tit boxes on the patch and at least one is occupied. The prospective occupants were twittering angrily at me as I took a close look at the box. This indicates they have decided to take up residence there again. These Birds almost entirely depend on the larvae of the Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata).

This moth is an interesting species in itself. The sexes differ in that only males have wings, the females being entirely flightless. As the name would suggest adults are only active in winter having developed means of generating heat from inside their bodies. The female hatches from the pupae in Late Autumn/Early Winter. She emits a Pheromone (aerial hormone) which wafts through the cool air to attract an eager male. After mating she lays eggs at the base of the buds of many species of deciduous trees. The Larvae hatch in early spring. They feed first in the expanding buds, then on the leaves of the same plant. They pupate in Late May to hatch in Late Autumn. These are the Small Green Caterpillars that are often seen hanging from mature trees and shrubs in Late Spring.

Being unable to fly could mean that these would struggle to distribute their species to new locations and areas. These caterpillars overcome this by a means of Aerial distribution. They let out a silk thread from their tail end. When this becomes long enough to be caught by a breeze, the caterpillar lets go of earth to fly as if on a parachute. Of course they have no means of steering or governing height but it works for them.

Many species of invertebrates use this form of Aerial distribution. Spiders, mites as well as Lepidoptera all “fly” in this manner. So many in fact that different species accumulate in the air to form a sort of “Ariel Plankton”. A reduction in the volume of this Plankton Layer must surely be a factor in the shortage of Swallows, Swifts etc. we are experiencing today.

Now back to Blue Tits. In Late Winter/ Early spring these birds can be seen in parties of 6 or more pecking at the Buds of deciduous trees. When they do this they are thought to be searching for Winter Moth Eggs. It is believed that the amount of eggs consumed by the birds has an effect on the amount of eggs the Tits lay in that the more moth eggs the birds eat, the more eggs the birds lay. Moreover, it is thought that Blue Tits are so closely tied in with Winter Moths that they react to a substance in the developing Moth egg that stimulates the birds breeding behaviour. This enables the birds to have an abundant source of food timed to feed the hatchlings at the right time.

One more thing. If anyone fancies making a couple of Hedgehog Hotels (plans on the internet) we can find good home for them on The Patch.

Dave Musson

Davemusson073@gmail.com 07942 674867

Flood Watch – April 2020

Flood Watch

The government eventually succumbed to pressure from communities effected by January and February storms and in the recent Budget increased the flood defence funding from £4Bn to £5.2Bn over the period 2021 to 2026.

The Met Office declared February 2020 as the wettest since records began in 1862 with the UK average rainfall exceeding 200mm or 237% of average for February. In areas such as the north and west of the UK with the most severe flooding problems this percentage rose to 350-400% !

Locally February closed with storm Jorge on 28/29th. Why storm Jorge, as storm Ellen was the next in the Met Office named storms after Dennis? As the storm approached the UK from southern Europe the Spanish Met Office designated name was adopted.

Our local rainfall for the month reached 230% of a February average and although the river flooded on 16.02.20 and peaked again on 28/29th it has subsequently remained low. This has been helped by less rainfall to date in March and a welcome rise in temperature allowing the ground to become less saturated-all good news for gardeners. Generally the River Nene has coped well largely due to the work undertaken by the E/A in 2017/2018.

Disappointingly the E/A has failed to meet the target date of August 2019 to resubmit costed plans for further funding for additional flood defence work in the Village. Let’s hope the distraction of staff to support seriously flooded areas does not reduce Nether Heyford’s priority status.

Whilst our local flooding risk is comparatively low we must remain vigilant. Besides local and National weather news forecasts a reminder of the on-line access to real time data for rainfall and river levels is listed below:-

(A) Shoothill GaugeMap: www.gaugemap.co.uk

Upstream at Flore:

Downstream at Bugbrooke:

(B) River and sea levels Flood information service for England from Gov.uk

Finally don’t forget to register with the Environment Agency flood warning service on Floodline 03459 881188 to receive telephone and advanced flood warnings for the area.

The overriding message is “BE PREPARED”.

J.Arnold

Nether Heyford W.I. – April 2020

The March Meeting was an interesting and eye-opening evening for some of the WI members who thought they couldn’t paint! Michael Peachey, an artist for nearly sixty years, coaxed several members to contribute to a ‘sea-scape’ painting, provided amusing stories in between and showed several examples of his work.

Sadly, along with the rest of the country, we are having to cancel our meetings until further notice. As a nationwide organisation we do not do this lightly and, along with the other groups in the village, we know how much these meetings contribute to the community feeling for which Nether Heyford is known and loved. We wish all the Prattler readers good health in the next few months and hope to see Nether Heyford WI Ladies looking hale, hearty and ready to organise our 90th Birthday celebrations later in the year.

Until then, take care.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge – 01327 340101

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