Author: Jez Wilson

Village Hall – News – May 2020

While the village hall is not presently being used by its usual groups and individuals (all much missed) it is nevertheless being put to an amazing use.

Every Wednesday a group of village volunteers are working together to receive large deliveries of food, sort, make up food parcels, then deliver them to local vulnerable people.

As a recipient of these regular food parcels I know how much this must mean to all of us who are in isolation, many lonely and no doubt anxious about this dreadful time we are all going through. On behalf of us all I want to say a huge THANKYOU to all our ‘angels’ by helping to make a bad time feel better. It is greatly appreciated.

Alwyne Wilson – 01327 340803

Chairman, Village Hall Management Committee

PS: Sorry about all the weeds around the hall – hopefully when this is over we’ll be able to gather a great team of volunteers to help us clear them (fingers crossed).

Nether_Heyford_Village_Hall_Book_2019

Quiz – A Fruit and Veg Story

A Fruit and Veg Story (with the odd nut thrown in) – Use your knowledge of fruit and vegetables (and the odd nut) to fill in the blanks.

_______{7) begin by telling you a story about Darren and Angela, greengrocers of
Heyford, the day they decided to go on a boating trip with Angela’s mum Melanie
and her new man Arty. Angela’s friend Anna was going to come. Anna was a
_____(5), she was born in Malmo. She then decided to not ______(6) as she had a
blind ____(4) and she felt like a __________(10) going out with two couples. They thought that this was for the best, as they didn’t want to ______(6) from coming but the car only had four seats, and two _____(5) would fit better.

Darren had just got a ____(4) job in Belgium that paid lots of money but this meant he had to visit________(8) a lot, but the increase in ______(6) meant that at least they could _______(7). But as she reversed out of their drive, Angela scratched the car door on the garden wall.

When they arrived at Angela’s mums’ house, Arty noticed the damage to their car.
“Do you know the car’s scratched” said Arty.

“Yeah” said Darren “______(6) did it”. “I’ll take it around to my mate’s Mike, he’s a mechanic” said Darren.

“By the way, how’s the __________(6,4) Darren?” said Arty, as Darren had been
learning the language to help him in his new job.

They all drove to the river and got into a rowing boat, the boat was very small
Darren said “We’re in a bit of a ______(6) here.” as there is not ________(8) it will be bit of a ______(6). Arty sat at the front, Darren at the back, with the two women in the middle holding the oars, Angela on one side and _____(5) the other. “I feel like a right _____(5) sat at the back” said Darren.

They set off against a strong _______(7) behind them. Arty saw a friend on the
riverbank and Darren blew a loud _________(9) towards him.

“Your behaviour ______(6) me Darren” said Angela’s mother. “_______(7) may,”
said Darren. “That Darren is incorrigible” said Arty to Angela’s mother.“_____(5) a little mother” said Angela in defence of her husband.

Angela lovingly stroked Darren’s leg as they floated slowly down the river,
“__________(5,5) you have my dear” whispered Darren gently. “I’ve got a shiver
from my head ________(8). You have a _______(7) touch”.

They finally reached their destination in the village centre, and went to a shop to buy some snacks. Darren bought a big bag of nuts and some amber _________(9) a bottle, he just loved Fosters Lager.

Darren had no money with him so the shopkeeper said I’ll ______(6) a cheque”.

“Where have you ____(4)”, said Angela to Darren. Darren handed the beer and nuts
around, but the nuts made _________(9) as he ate them too quickly. After Arty had recovered, they all decided that the whole day had been a disaster, so they all agreed to go home.

And that’_______(7) folks.

Shirley and Mick Collins

Quiz Answers

 

Revitalising the Allotments – May 2020

I promised, in my last article that this would be a Covid 19 free area and I intend to stick to that, although I suspect that increased activity on the allotments may have just a little something to do with “that which will not be named”.

Bloomin’ Lovely
The allotments have never looked better. If you have had a chance to wander past the site on Watery Lane as part of your daily walk/exercise you can’t have avoided seeing so many well tended plots. If you have not ventured that way, then do so, it looks a treat and is testament to all those people who have worked so hard to make it happen.

The fact that so many people have more time on their hands is I suppose a factor, but I’ll skip over that. I would like to think that this has more to do with the good people of Heyford and nearby locations realising that growing your own fruit and veg is good for you and the planet.

Trees are in bloom, the ground has been tilled and sown with seed, the grass has been mown and things are starting to grow. Even more sheds are springing up from the earth!

And bird song, particularly on the calm sunlit evenings with which we have been blessed, has never sounded so loud and life affirming. It is a tonic and puts a spring in your step.

The Community Orchard
All the trees we planted just eighteen months ago have survived the winter and are flourishing. If the blossom on the trees and the number of foraging insects that we have seen is anything to go by, then the chances of trees producing some good fruit this year are high.

A big thank you must go to the volunteers who not only keep the grass in the orchard under control, but those who water and weed around the trees.

The pruning of the cherries and plums will take place in May – a little later than the apples and pears, so as to avoid a fungal disease called Silver Leaf.

Equipment
A range of equipment is available for allotment holders to borrow when working on the allotment site; this includes mowers, rotavators, wheelbarrows, brooms and watering cans. Many people will own some or all of the above, but for those who wish to get access to such equipment, please contact Bill Corner (sue.corner@sky.com 01327 342124), Lynda Eales (01327 341707) or Mike Langrish langrish_heyford@hotmail.com 01327341390). We can ensure that you get the equipment you require at a mutually convenient time.

Allotment Holders
We are now in the unusual position of having almost no vacant plots available. A group of us joked a year or so ago that one of our targets should be to arrive at point where we had to create a waiting list for an allotment. Fanciful we thought, impossible, some cautioned. Well, we are almost there. As I write this article (16th April) we have just half a plot available for rent. The waiting list could become a reality. If you are considering growing your own fruit and veg, act quickly by contacting Sue Corner on 01327 342124 or Lynda Eales on 01327 341707.

Mike Langrish 

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
— Margaret Atwood

Heyford Gardening Club – May 2020

Nether-Heyford-Garden-Club

Please note that Garden Club activities have had to be suspended until further notice.

Spring
This has been a strange spring as normally we would be busy going to garden centres and nurseries for plants and materials, and visiting various gardens for ideas or just pleasure, but this year, like everybody else we have been confined to our own patch. Some compensation has been derived from the fact that the display of flowers this spring has been particularly good and with little rough weather it has lasted for weeks. Our garden is also tidier than it has been for many years as we’ve had few other diversions.

Unsprouting broccoli
In the past I sometimes had a broccoli plant that failed to produce sprouts in the spring but went on to grow for a further year before performing as it should. This year however the whole row are looking stubbornly unproductive. I wonder if this is due to the mild winter not giving the clue to start bud formation?

A rose by many other names
After nearly sixty years of gardening I am still amazed at how much I still have to learn. A couple of years ago we visited the Chelsea Physic Garden, and saw a magnificent red flowered rose growing up one of the walls. we took note of the name which was Bengal Crimson. On return home I searched catalogues and reference books but could find no trace of this plant.

Last year during a visit to the nursery at Coton Manor we noticed some plants for sale with the name Bengal Beauty. These had the same large red flowers but the description on the label said it grew to three feet (one metre)whereas the specimen at Chelsea was at least five metres high. Was it the same variety? When we walked a little further we found the same rose growing against a wall where it was considerably taller than me.

Further research has revealed that this rose can be found labelled as Rosa sanguinea, Bengal Rose, and Rosa odorata as well as the names noted above. In each case the description is of a small bush. It is a china rose and these by nature can produce flowers in almost any month, our plant even though small had produced flowers right until November, and then started again in March. The flowers are possibly not to everyone’s taste though, as they are single and rather floppy looking.

The moral of this story is that you can’t always rely on the descriptions of plants in books or catalogues, a lot depends on where and how they are grown.

Honey Fungus
A part of our garden is infested with honey fungus, and from time to time another plant succumbs to the infection. Recently we noticed that a climbing rose has begun to look rather peaky and we are afraid we may lose it. All will not be lost however as this plant is one of those that roots when the tips of the shoots touch the ground and so we have some new plants in parts of the garden unaffected by the fungus. Some plants do seem to be immune to infection, hazels, damsons, holly and an osmanthus shrub all still appear quite healthy as are all the herbaceous plants and bulbs.

The advice for dealing with honey fungus is to remove all plants and soil from the affected area and bring in new topsoil. As this would be impractical we shall have to learn to live with the problem. Obviously it would not be a good area to plant anything expensive or precious.

Lemon verbena
We have a venerable plant of lemon verbena grown in a tub. This as well as looking good supplies us with lemon flavoured leaves for use in drinks and salads etc. These plants are not totally winter hardy but just need shelter from the worst of the weather. It is easy to take cuttings but I discovered that these would be killed by cold in the winter even though the main plant was unaffected. So if you buy a small plant of lemon verbena from a nursery in would be wise to keep it in a frost free place during the first winter.

Things to do in May
1. Divide clumps of spring bulbs
2. Check for bird’s nests before cutting hedges
3. take softwood cuttings of shrubs and herbaceous plants.

Mark Newstead

~/~

www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

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Nether Heyford Baptist Church – May 2020

Nether Heyford Baptist Church

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It is with regret that all services and events have been cancelled until further notice.

Hello

It is the 16th April 2020 and Easter has passed and what a different Easter it was – so different to what is normal and to what was expected. But needless to say we are living in different, difficult and distressing times and I don’t need to add any anything else to reiterate just how awful the experience is for so many. But I will add, along with many others, the appreciation to all key and front line workers who are doing so much for so many.

Daily routine has changed – our garden is more neatly cared for, fences have been painted, cars cleaned to a higher standard, garage tidy and daily walks in the nice weather have added to this very unusual time as we have greeted people, often strangers, at the required distance.

At a distance – so necessary and for those of us who have grandchildren, being separated from them has caused additional challenges although the advantages of modern communications such as “WhatsApp” and “face-time” has been wonderful. I decided to write to my grandsons, two live in Yorkshire and one locally and whilst searching through the card drawer I found rather humorous cards which read “grandparents are crucial because parents don’t have a clue” and the picture was of a beach scene in the early 1900’s with the grandparents so inappropriately dressed in their Sunday best making less than enthusiastic attempts to entertain the grandchildren with making sandcastles. Well it made me smile and so I sent them to my grandsons with a letter.

They are young so my words were carefully selected as I shared with them the significance of today’s events and that they may well talk about this year, 2020, with great significance to their children and their grandchildren. The impact of course to them will be different to the impact it now has on us because we are “in it here and now, experiencing it now, living with it now” – however it will be told the emphasis must be on its truth and its impact.

One of my favourite Bible accounts, pivotal to the Christian faith is the resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion and death. Good Friday, his death, has no place, no power and purpose without the resurrection. But it is Thomas, doubting Thomas who I love to focus on and in particular these words, from John 20.

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus one of the Twelve), was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The horror of this pandemic must be told, must be reflected on, the truth of its impact must be remembered as the event which changed the world in 2020. It is real and it is relevant. Will my grandsons children and grandchildren believe in the significance of 2020? – I hope so.

The account of Thomas’s discovery in seeing Jesus – changed his life because he believed after he saw. But Jesus gave that wonderful and life changing reminder to Thomas, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Thank you.

Martin Buckby On behalf of the chapel fellowship

Betsy May’s (age 5) contribution:

God our Father, we’ve come to say,
Thank you for your love today,
Thank you for my family and all the friends you give to me,
Guard me in the dark of night and in the morning send your light

Amen

 

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For more information visit the Nether Heyford Baptist Chapel page.

 

Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul – May 2020

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

Dear Friends,

We received a couple of interesting cards last Christmas. One, from my training incumbent and his family, included a seed from one of the Christmas trees in their garden, with the invitation to plant it in the spring. The other card, from our daughter, Sarah, included a little sheet of paper, full of wildflower seeds, with similar instructions regarding planting. A few weeks ago, we planted both in little plastic plant pots, and placed them on the kitchen windowsill, where they would catch the morning sunshine, and we would be reminded to water them. We did this, and we checked for shoots every day, having faith that in the darkness, under the soil, the miracle of growth was taking place.

After Christmas, the next big Christian festival is Easter, and we have just had the most unusual and unexpected of Easter weekends. Our church buildings are closed, and we are unable to gather physically, but the Church remains alive and well. In our isolation, we are finding new ways to worship together on-line, new ways to pray for and care for our communities. With time to reflect, I frequently find myself wondering what new things might grow and emerge from the darkness of these days of crisis, not just for the Church, but for our society as a whole. We are already seeing a strengthening of community spirit. We are finding new ways to keep in touch with family, friends and neighbours. There is greater appreciation for workers in the NHS and other public services. We are seeing nature recover, with cleaner air one of the benefits of the greatly reduced levels of air and road travel. What can we do to keep these good things alive and growing as we come out of these difficult times?

At Easter, we celebrate Jesus rising from death to new life. The Gospels tell us that Jesus appeared to his disciples and filled them with his peace. But this is not the peace of the ‘old normal’, this is a new and different and exciting peace, because Jesus is risen from the dead. This is a peace full of the promise of life transformed. In the days after Easter, back on our kitchen windowsill, shoots appeared in the plant pot containing the wildflower seeds. Underground, in the darkness, the miracle of growth occurs, and new life bursts forth. At Easter we celebrate, and we remember that Jesus defeated death, that he came through suffering and darkness to bring new life, joy, peace and hope.

This present darkness will pass. New life hope and joy will emerge. Hold on!

With every prayer and blessing in these uncertain times,
Stephen 01327 344436 Mobile 07511 544375

Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul – Services – May 2020

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Services for May 2020

Following advice from our Archbishops and bishops, all public worship in churches has been suspended, and our church buildings are locked for the foreseeable future, to facilitate social distancing.

Whilst we cannot meet at present, the Church is still alive and at work, doing all we can to pray for, care for and support our communities.

If you need prayer, if you need spiritual support, if you just want someone different to talk to, please give me a ring on 01327 344436

There is now a Benefice Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HS9FB

If you are able, please visit that page for reflections, prayers and encouragement.

Whilst we hold all our villages in prayer, the streets we shall be praying for during May are Watery Lane and Brookside Place in Heyford, Bricketts Lane and Springfield in Flore, Main Street in Upper Stowe and the Brockhall Hall apartments.

Rev Stephen Burrow (Tel. 01327 344436)

Parish Council – April 2020 Meeting

Nether_Heyford_Parish_Council_2019

Due to government regulations prohibiting public meetings the April 6th, 2020 Parish Council meeting was held online, using the Zoom platform. This is in line with national advice and is the first interruption in public meetings in the history of this parish. At this time there is no indication of how long these conditions will persist, but it is certain that the next meeting, The Annual Meeting, will also take place online on May 4th. Parishioners wanting to participate in the Public Session should contact the Clerk for details.

At this time there is no guidance on the status of the Annual Parish meeting, which would normally be held before the April ordinary meeting, so it has been decided not to go ahead with it until such time as clarity has been achieved. If this meeting does not take place it may well be the first time in 150 plus years, as it predates the inception of Parish Councils in 1895.

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.

The Play Area It was decided prior to the meeting, and with great sadness, that the Council would have to accept advice to close the Play Area, due to the potential danger of the virus being able to remain viable on metal and plastic surfaces for considerable lengths of time.

Litter Bins Dave, the Linkman, will do his best with the litter bins and we are very grateful to him for doing this thankless task, which I am sure is not one that many of us would relish at a time like this. We can help him by taking our rubbish home and putting it into our own bins. It is particularly deplorable that some people continue to put quantities of domestic waste into these bins.

Dog Waste Bins The contractors will continue to work as normal, but have asked for understanding – as they fear that there may be more usage than normal with so many people being at home.

Lights Our lighting maintenance contractors have shut down for the duration, so I am afraid that any lights that go out will remain out for the time being. There is little we can do about this.

Reports from the District and County Councillors
Cllr Bignell reported that all SNC officers were now working at home, that all planning site visits had been deferred until the emergency subsides, and that a Covid 19 death had occurred in Bugbrooke.

Cllr Brown reported that there would be no Local Government Reform this year, but that the Shadow Councils would still be formed. NCC as the health Authority had been very busy, and was seeking to help all volunteer groups. He had been updating voluntary groups as information became available. A Hotline has been established as a result of which a number of people in distress have been helped. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) supplies have been secured. Some services have been reduced or stopped.

Reports on effect of Covid 19 emergency. Voluntary groups in the village had rapidly formed and supported the elderly and vulnerable. TADD (Towcester Area Door to Door) drivers had been delivering medication from Bugbrooke surgery, which is looking at video link consultations.

Banking – electronic banking. Clerk to try and expedite as quickly as possible. Cheque book and flash drive to be left with the chair, to enable Council to continue should the clerk become ill. Chair and LD to be given details of G-mail account.

Play Area – to consider replacement/additional equipment. Deferred due to current situation. The Play area has been closed in line with current advice.

To consider a further donation to the Church roof fund. – A further grant towards the church roof repairs had been mooted. Clerk pointed out that the grants policy only allowed for grants of £250 unless there had been a request made prior to the Precept Meeting. Councillors felt that figures needed to be provided before any further grant could be considered. The District Councillors cautioned against donating money to religious institutions: this had been assumed to be allowable under section 137 as a benefit to the whole community that the historic fabric of the church be maintained. Clerk to check legality of such donations with the internal auditor.

Vote of thanks to all those involved in the Community Involvement. Resolved. To thank all residents involved in the support of elderly and vulnerable, and the distribution of food parcels. This is a very hard and anxious time for those in self isolation, especially those who are alone in their houses. To have this support at hand is a great morale lifter. Jez Wilson, Faye Brasset, Sue Boutle, the Rev Stephen, TADD drivers including Tony Paice had all done a great deal. Thanks too to all the staff at the One Stop Shop who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in keeping a vital supply line open, as have Glenn and Helen and all the staff at Heyford Meats. Having their shops open helps reduce unnecessary journeys.

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 on May 4th.

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:

Nether Heyford Parish Council Website 

The Story of Heyford (Extra): VH 60th Grand Opening: 7th May 1960

Nether Heyford Village Hall 60th Anniversary

Grand opening: 7th May 1960 

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Left to Right: Lieut.-Colonel C C S Genese, Miss L N D La Touche, Viscount Althorp, Major W Blaney, Viscountess Althorp, Mr R H Adams, Mrs M M Bartlett and Mr C E North.

Their children and grandchildren will owe them gratitude

‘A memorial to industry and good sense’. That is how Viscount Althorp described Lower Heyford’s new village hall when he declared it open on Saturday Afternoon. Not one penny, he said had been spent on labour costs since the first soil was turned by the villagers in 1958, apart from the short period when the roof was being erected by contractors. He mentioned the generous help from the Rural Community Council and the grant from the Ministry of Education. Village organisations he mentioned with gratitude were the Parish Council, Parochial Council, Methodist and Baptist Churches, British Legion, W.I., Darby & Joan, School managers and the local Athletic Club.

Viscount Althorp said he was sure the Hall would not become a passive venture –
this was most likely to happen when there was a lack of youth among the committee members. The children and grandchildren of those concerned in the building would owe them a great debt of gratitude. Viscount Althorp, accompanied by the Viscountess was introduced by Major W Blaney (president of the building committee) who said the opening was an outstanding day in the life and history of the village. The committee had been exceptionally good, and he mentioned especially Mr George Masters and Mr H Thorneycroft.

Mr Hugh Adams (committee member) gave a history of the building from the first decision (by the W.I. in 1933) to form a special building fund and praised the determination and loyalty of those who gave up their spare time to work on the hall. He also paid tribute to Major Blaney as chairman of the committee. The hall must now be utilized to the fullest extent he said. The building committee would hand over to a management committee.

Mrs M Bartlett, chairman of the executive committee of the Northamptonshire Rural Community Council, said the hall should be used for everybody in the village and supply the social needs of both the old and the young. She mentioned a conference to be held in the County Hall, Northampton next October at which representatives of all village halls in the county would meet. She paid tribute to the help give by Lt-Col Charles Genese (secretary of Northants Rural Community Council and Miss L N La Touche (HM Inspector, Ministry of education). Mr C North voiced thanks to the speakers and Major Blaney a comprehensive vote of thanks. Two visitors from London who attended the ceremony were Miss M Hann (Architect from the National Council of Social Services and Miss O Emerson-Price from the Ministry of Education.

An opening dance was held at the hall in the evening.

An article from the Mercury & Herald – Friday 13th May 1960

Published in The Prattler – May 2020