Heyford Singers – May 2019

nether_heyford_heyford_singers_mayl_2019

Heyford Singers’ spring concert, Friday 10th May and Saturday 11th May, is entitled “THIS IS MUSIC”. Three simple words, a strong title, but nevertheless open to different meanings or interpretations. If you say it by stressing the “This is..” it becomes emphatic, celebratory, rather like a joyous claim on a beautiful October day of “This is autumn!” If you dwell on the last word, “music” it takes on a more personal tone, evoking individual enjoyment, preferences, memories, etc. For music is both a universal, and a personal and private medium. It can include small groups, whole nations or just a single person in their own musical world.

We all have our favourite types of music – anthems, blues, classical, drum and bass, electronic, folk, gospel, hymns, Irish, jazz, etc, etc. We may listen or participate, we may sing or dance, we may compose or improvise, we may share or prefer to be solo – whichever way, music has the power to embrace everything. It bookends our lives, from early songs and nursery rhymes to the hymns and favourite tunes that accompany our departure from this world.

At the recent Heyford Singers AGM Mary Rice (our Musical Director) wrote of her
hopes and thoughts as she planned the songs and content of the forthcoming spring
concert …….

“Our coming spring concert is about music in many of its different forms and emotional moods and, to some extent, its history and the things it can help to achieve. It is a powerful force and can influence many aspects of life if we let it. We need to be able to make that force such a tangible thing that the audience can feel it. Hopefully, in that way they will also understand it. Earlier I referred to the choir as a singing family. This isn’t something that many choirs can claim to be – it doesn’t just happen, it has to be worked at. Harmony is a precious commodity in every aspect, which we must continue to nurture as we go on. The more we make it obvious that we actually know and like one another the better we will sing and the more people will want to join us. I am very proud that I belong to such a family and want to thank you all for making the Heyford Singers what it is. Keep up the smiles, the caring, the friendship and the good work and the world, as they say, is our oyster!

“People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, love train…….”

From “Put a little Love in your Heart”

A beautiful sentiment and one to which we can all aspire!

So what music might you be entertained by at the concert, THIS IS MUSIC ? I have already written about “Amazing Grace” (February issue) and “Look at the World” (March issue) but there are others to tempt you with! Gospel songs and spirituals feature in the form of “Were You There?” and “Rivers of Babylon”, the exciting and much loved “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showmen, and protest songs of “We Shall Overcome” and “Lean on Me”. Words from traditional Irish blessings set to music by Jay Althouse becomes a beautiful lyrical song, “A Blessing” ending with, “May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home”.

The song featured at the top of this article has been written and composed by Heyford Singers’ very own talented piano accompanist, Graham Kinnersly, and it will have it’s special premiere at our concert. “Our Love Will Last Forever” is a love song, with words and sentiments that are beautiful and simple. Whether you listen to, or sing this song, it can bring a lump to your throat, a tear to your eye, and make your heart skip a beat.

Such is the power of music!

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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.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Langrish

Heyford Gardening Club – May 2019

At our April meeting we expected to welcome the return of Patsy Rayner, but unfortunately due to a family illness she was unable to attend so Mike Langrish and Tom Dodd put together a presentation on the Community Orchard and the improvements that have been made (and are still being made) to Heyford’s allotments.

The evening also featured our annual tulip bench show. For once the weather has been good for us and there were plenty of entries with some impressive blooms on show.

The large flowered section was won by Pauline Guglielmi, John Dunkley came second and John Wilson came third.

The Small flowered section was won jointly by John Dunkley and Val Jackson, and Jill Langrish got third place.

Our next meeting will be on 13th May when someone from Branch Out MK will talk to us about “Helping People to Grow Through Gardening”.

April is the cruellest month…
At time of writing we’ve just experienced an odd week of weather. After the unseasonable warmth in February the last few days have featured nightly frosts and sunny periods with cold air. These sort of conditions can be very challenging for gardeners damaging fruit blossom and early flowers; it has even pinched shoots of ivy and box. If you like me are growing plants in an unheated greenhouse it is important to keep one eye on the weather all the time as failing to close the house up at night can risk losing tender plants to cold while not opening them during sunny spells can cause the temperature inside to soar to damaging levels despite the chilliness outside. Apparently next week will be much warmer; perhaps I will be able to start sowing the tender crops for the summer after all.

Some Things to do in May
1 Repot cacti, succulents and house plants.
2 Divide and replant spring flowering bulbs
3 Keep a watch for lily beetles and viburnum beetles

Mark Newstead

www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

Heyford Singers – April 2019

Occasionally we have to make choices, and unfortunately they turn out to be the wrong ones ……with ensuing consequences! On a beautifully warm late February morning I opted to do some clearing on the allotment site, instead of doing the weekend shop. A long and determined bramble, a tumble and I was in A&E with a broken arm! Like any illness or injury the world can change in a split second; routines, plans, simple everyday activities taken for granted, are suddenly part of a difficult course to be navigated each day. And I humbly acknowledge that there are many folk who face far more demanding challenges in their roads to recovery; I admire you all for your determination, resilience, bravery and cheerfulness.

In my small recuperative world, restricted from more energetic activities, I have read a great deal, enjoyed some fascinating programmes on the radio, listened to music and watched spring unfold, albeit through tempestuous March days. Which brings me to the song heading this article, “Look at the World”.

It is probably my favourite song from the modern classical music repertoire, and I, like many other members of Heyford Singers, was delighted when Mary chose to include it in the programme for the spring concert in May. It was written by the English composer and conductor, John Rutter (1945 – ), who has had a long association with Clare College, Cambridge – first as a student, then Director of Music, later as parent, and recording producer for their famous choir. He has composed a vast number of songs, anthems and choral works, including commissions for the Queen’s Jubilee and recent royal weddings. This particular song was written in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

“Look at the World” is sung to the most beautiful tune (listen if you can), but it is the words and sentiments that capture the beauty of the world and the changing seasons.

“Look at the world, everything all around us.

Look at the world and marvel every day.

Look at the world, so many joys and wonders.

So many miracles along our way.”

Blossom and buds opening on awakening trees, a riot of colour as the bare soil gives way to a profusion of spring flowers, the birds busy prospecting for suitable nesting sites, and the morning chorus gathering force – so much that is wonderful at this time of year, and all captured in the verses of the song.

I know that I have mentioned it many times before but we are so fortunate living in this beautiful English village, with its close and caring community, surrounded by a rural landscape which embraces fields, hills, farms, woods, a river and a canal, plus various historical and cultural features. If you need to see a world beyond your own immediate needs and troubles what better place is there than this?

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Heyford Singers are busy with their rehearsals for the spring concert,

“THIS IS MUSIC” on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th May.

Tickets at £7.50 for adults and £4.00 for under 12’s , will very soon be available from Keith Rands-Allen (01327 340741 or 07971 786912) and if recent concerts are anything to go by, they will sell out very quickly!

We do hope that you can join us, to hear amongst other lovely songs, the beautiful “Look at the World” by John Rutter. More details about the concert programme in the next Prattler issue.

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Langrish

Revitalising the Allotments – April 2019

Community Orchard
The official opening of Heyford Community Orchard will be held on Saturday 6th April, at 11.30.am – for a 12 noon start. We have invited our wonderful band of sponsors and supporters and we would also like you, the good folk of Nether and Upper Heyford, to feel free to come and join us. Everyone is welcome. All that we would ask is that if you’d like to join in our picnic, you bring a nibble to eat and something to drink. We can’t provide refreshments for all as we have no idea how many people are likely to attend. How embarrassing to have a hundred guests and only a packet or two of sandwiches. Conversely, a handful of people and hundreds of items of food and drink left over! If you are planning to stay for a while you may also want to consider bringing a chair.

Despite the recent gales Mother Nature has been kind to the trees, although we can’t predict at what stage of growth they are likely to be on 6th April. We’ll certainly have to wait a year or two for boughs laden with fruit.

If you haven’t seen what has been achieved so far this is a great opportunity to have a first look at the orchard. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask those involved how it is going to be managed and how you can take advantage of the fruit we will eventually have on offer. Remember, this is a community orchard.

Jam Patch
Work on creating a Jam Patch is moving on swiftly. We have planted three long rows of raspberry canes and rescued at least a dozen currant and gooseberry bushes. Rhubarb crowns have been unearthed and replanted and a more manageable blackberry trellis created. If, in our trawl of discarded plots, we find strawberries they will also be planted up. This, like the orchard, will be a community area so available to all.

Like the orchard, this area will be clearly signposted so that villagers are quite clear about what is a community space and which plots are exclusively reserved for individual allotmenteers.

Tester Plots and Renting and Allotments
The tester plots are slowly taking shape and we are pleased to report that already one has been occupied. Since my last article we have decided that these small strips of ground (measuring about 2m x 10m) will be offered rent-free for a year, enabling potential tenants to see if allotmenteering is for them. After that they will have the opportunity to rent a proper allotment. We have plot sizes to suit all tastes so potential tenants should not panic about having too much to cope with. If you’d like to try out one of the tester plots but feel uncertain about what (or how) to grow vegetables, we can provide you with advice and help setting yourself up.

If you are interested, come and have a look at what is on offer and then contact either Sue Corner on 01327 342124 or Lynda Eales on 01327 341707.

Seats
A big, big thank you to all the people from the village who offered us unwanted garden benches and picnic tables for our community area. As with the sponsorship of fruit trees we are so heartened by the generosity of the villagers.

The furniture is currently being given some TLC and will make a wonderful addition to the community area. We now have enough items, although as the orchard grows, we’d love to think that we could secrete a few more benches in among the trees – but that is for the future.

Food for Thought
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

Mike Langrish

Revitalising the Allotments – March 2019

Community Orchard
We are planning an official opening of Heyford Community Orchard on Saturday 6th April, at 11.30.am – for a 12 noon start. We will of course be inviting our wonderful band of sponsors and supporters but we would also like you, the good folk of Nether and Upper Heyford, to feel free to come and join us. Everyone is welcome. All that we would ask is that if you’d like to join in our picnic, you bring a nibble to eat and something to drink.

Unfortunately we can’t provide refreshments for all as we have no idea how many people are likely to attend. How embarrassing to have a hundred guests and only a packet or two of sandwiches. Conversely, a handful of people and hundreds of items of food and drink left over! If you are planning to stay for a while you may also want to consider bringing a chair.

We have ordered good weather and we are hoping Mother Nature will have been kind to the trees. They should be in leaf and some may even have blossom on them. I think we’ll have to wait a year or two for boughs laden with fruit.

If you haven’t seen what has been achieved so far this a great opportunity to have a first look at the orchard. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask those involved how it is going to be managed and how you can take advantage of the fruit we will eventually have on offer. Remember, this is a community orchard.

We look forward to seeing you – whether it is for just a fleeting visit or for an afternoon of bucolic relaxation.

Jam Patch
The next stage in our plan to revitalise the allotment site is to create a Jam Patch. This, like the orchard, will be a community area so available to all. As we have cleared old allotments we have rescued any fruit bushes that are in good condition. These will be planted up on a plot next to the orchard and be available for residents to pick from and hopefully make jam – or any other tasty treats.

Like the orchard, this area will be clearly signposted so that villagers are quite clear about what is a community space and which plots are exclusively reserved for individual allotmenteers.

Watch this space for an update on developments.

Tester Plots
Just like ‘tester (paint) pots’ when you are planning to decorate, we thought it
would be a good idea to create some tester plots. These would be small strips of ground (measuring about 3m x 7m) that local residents could rent for a very minimal fee, to see if they’d like to take on an allotment – or maybe just continue to cultivate because that is quite enough for them.

Clearing and preparing these areas will be the subject of our ‘working parties’ who plan to meet at 10.00.am every Saturday in March for a couple of hours work. Looking at what has been achieved so far, it is amazing just how much can be done in a short period when willing hands are put to work. If you are able to assist (even at another time) then do contact either Lynda or Sue on the numbers listed below.

Renting an Allotment
I am sure that readers of the Prattler won’t have missed our many messages about the good reasons to rent an allotment. Now is the perfect time to adopt a plot. The weather should, by the time you read this article, have started to warm up and the days will certainly be getting longer. Why not give allotmenteering a go and grow your own, tasty fruit and veg. Plots of all sizes are available for rent, from the tiniest of spaces to full sized allotments. In almost all cases they are now in a good state to begin cultivating. What better way to get some exercise and work off the pounds you put on over the festive period?

If you are interested, come and have a look at what is on offer and then contact either Sue Corner on 01327 342124 or Lynda Eales on 01327 341707.

Seats
From time to time people have old garden benches or picnic tables that they no longer require. We’d love to have some seating in the community areas we have created alongside the orchard. If you have just such an item (preferably made of wood/metal) and it needs a new home, do get in touch on either 01327 341390 or langrish_heyford@hotmail.com All donations would be most warmly welcome.

Free Compost Days
Last year South Northants Council organized some free compost days at their Towcester depot. In a bid to encourage people to recycle more green waste they invited local residents to drive along to Towcester with empty sacks and fill them with the compost that is produced from the waste in your green bins. Normally this has to be paid for; you may have noticed the ‘for sale’ notices at the recycling centre. On this occasion it was all free!

The initiative was not well publicized and on the day that Jill and I helped out, I don’t think we saw one Heyford resident. No advance notice of the event has yet been published, but I have enquired about whether the event is being repeated. As soon as I hear, we will publish details on the Prattler website and if possible, get it mentioned in the Prattler itself.

Mike Langrish

Heyford Singers – March 2019

Let’s begin with a question this month.
When you read the words above, or think of the song Amazing Grace what springs to mind?

Memorial services or funerals? Gospel choirs? Joan Baez?
Barack Obama reciting then singing these words?
American civil rights meetings? Aretha Franklin?

Rewind nearly two hundred and fifty years to the early 1770s and a man called John Newton. He grew up with no particular religious convictions but his life was to take a series of twists and turns that impacted on his beliefs and attitudes to life. He was conscripted into service for several years into the Royal Navy and after leaving this he became involved in the Atlantic slave trade.

A violent storm in 1748, during which he came close to death, caused him to
undergo a spiritual conversion. His slave trading employment continued until 1754 when he left seafaring to study Christian theology, was ordained into the Church of England and became curate of Olney in Buckinghamshire. In co-operation with the poet William Cowper he began to write hymns. Amazing Grace was written to illustrate a sermon on New Years Day 1773, and was then published in 1779. For many years it was sung either unaccompanied or to a wide variety of melodies.

Amazing Grace isn’t a song of theology – it was John Newton’s own heartfelt expression of gratitude to God, who he believed had helped him turn from his former wicked life to fight against the ills he had practiced. Later in life, Newton became a supporter and inspiration to William Wilberforce who lead the fight to pass the British Slave Trade Act in 1807.

For many years the song settled into relative obscurity in England, but in the early 19th century a large religious movement swept the US (known as the Second Great Awakening) marked by the growing popularity of churches and large gatherings of people. In 1835 it was finally linked to the tune “New Britain” to which it is usually sung today.

In the 20th century the song became a regular for gospel and folk artists, but with the popularity of recorded music and radio, “Amazing Grace” crossed over from being essentially a gospel song to secular audiences, thus allowing artists to perform it in thousands of different forms.

Folk singer Judy Collins recorded it in the late 1960s, and the song took on a
political tone, often included in marches and protests against the Vietnam War. Joan Baez claimed that it was the most requested of all her songs, acknowledging that she hadn’t realised that it had started as a hymn, for Amazing Grace had “developed a life of its own”.

Amazing Grace has understandably been sung at some very noteworthy and prestigious venues over the years, as well as numerous protest marches and political gatherings. It has become a song that inspires hope in the wake of tragedy, a “spiritual national anthem”.

It was performed at the famous Woodstock Festival in 1969. In 2015 President Barack Obama famously recited, then sang the hymn at the memorial service for Clementa Pinckney, one of the victims of the Charleston shooting. Opera singer Jessye Norman, performed it at the end of a huge outdoor concert to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday. She stated, “I don’t know whether it’s the text – I don’t know whether we’re talking about the lyrics when we say that it touches so many people – or whether it’s that tune that everybody knows.”

The choir of Heyford Singers will, in their small way add to the history of this unique song, by including it in their forthcoming spring concert, Friday 10th and Saturday 11th May.

We do hope that you can join us then.

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Langrish

Heyford Gardening Club – March 2019

At our February meeting Christine Lewis explained the intricacies of using plant material to dye fabrics. This provided some surprises; who would have thought that avocado skins would produce a delicate pink, or that green was so difficult to obtain?

The evening also featured our annual art and craft show which again revealed the wealth of talent amongst our members. The photographic section was won by Jill Langrish with a study of snowdrops, Kim Woodbridge-Dodd and yours truly shared second place and Mike Langrish came third.

The visual art section was won by an embroidered seascape by Mary Newstead, Chris West came second and Linda Hall, Ann Haynes and myself tied for third place.

The craft section was won by Lynn Ashby with an amazingly intricate quilt, Mary Newstead was second and Chris West came third.

Next month we welcome the return of Patsy Rayner who will tell us about plants and literature.

The evening will also feature the Annual Daffodil Competition.

The classes are:

1. Single coloured daffodil
2. Bi-colour daffodil
3. Small flowered daffodil or narcissus

each exhibit will require only one bloom.

Spring
At the time of writing, in mid February, the snowdrops have been blooming for weeks and there are daffodils, crocuses primroses and violets all basking in the sunshine and yesterday the mahonia was full of bees. It would be easy to be seduced by these mild spells in early spring and to start sowing seeds but the nights are still long and cold and the soil hasn’t yet warmed up so it’s better to wait a bit longer. No doubt by the time you read this normal service will have been resumed.

Some Things to do in March
1. plant early potatoes, onion sets, garlic, shallots and summer bulbs
2. top dress containers and pots with fresh compost
3. last chance to plant bare rooted shrubs and trees

Mark Newstead

www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

Revitalising the Allotments – February 2019

Plots of all sizes are available for rent, from the tiniest of spaces to full sized allotments. In almost all cases they are now in a good state to begin cultivating. What better way to get some exercise and work off the pounds you put on over the festive period?

If you are interested, come and have a look at what is on offer and then contact either Sue Corner on 01327 342124 or Lynda Eales on 01327 341707.

Community Orchard
All the trees we ordered have now been planted and are, hopefully growing away nicely. Additional fruit trees have also been added to the impressive hedge that separates the orchard from the new junior football pitch. This will not only look good as it grows on but also provide a rich source for pollinating insects and other wildlife. A big thank you to the Playing Fields for organising this and further enhancing the site.

A full list of the trees we have planted is available for anyone who would like to know more about the fruit on offer. Eventually we hope to label each tree with not only the variety but also some notes about when fruit should be picked and what it is best used for.

The apples, pears and plums that we are familiar with in supermarkets have been avoided. Many of these fruits are often grown to survive being shipped halfway across the world. As a result, taste and variety are sacrificed. By contrast, our orchard is made up of heritage trees, many local to this part of the country and noted for their flavour. And what names they have … “Beauty of Bath”, “Ribston Pippin”, “Deddington Golden”, “Aynho Scarlet” and “Ashmeads Kernel”. We even have a “Flore Plum”. There is poetry in just reading them out!

In the recent past our rich history of fruit growing was in jeopardy, as more and more orchards were lost and trees unique to Britain (and individual counties) were overlooked in favour of massed produced imports. Hopefully that trend is being slowed and, perhaps in some small way, we in Nether Heyford, have done our bit to help.

Do go and look at the orchard. It is ours, the community’s and I am sure the good folk of the Heyfords will do everything they can to help nurture and protect it for future generations.

Mike Langrish

Heyford Singers – February 2019

Its that rather gloomy ‘hibernating” time of year, when our indoor companions are memories of Christmas festivities, family gatherings and the long hot summer days of 2018. As I write this, members of Heyford Singers are still enjoying their winter break, but preparing to return to rehearsals for the spring concert (May 10th and 11th). I thought I would therefore take this opportunity to write about another side of Heyford Singers – the incredible amount that has been raised and donated to various charities over the years. Following the recent Christmas concert we sent two cheques of over £225.00 to The Brain Tumour Charity and New Life the Charity for Disabled Children, a not inconsiderable sum!

This is how it works, and has done since the choir was formed seventeen years ago in 2002; during rehearsals choir members put their pennies and pounds into a sealed box which is opened a couple of weeks before the concert, and counted. This money is used to purchase all the raffle prizes for both concert evenings, with the occasional top up from funds if necessary! Meanwhile choir members offer suggestion for charities that are special to them, or that relate to local or national issues. We each vote for our two preferences. The money taken during the concerts from the sale of raffle tickets is divided between the two chosen recipients. The recent Christmas concert charities I have already mentioned above, in 2017 we donated to Medical Detection Dogs and The Carers Trust, in 2016 to Live at Home and Reach For Health, in 2015 to Tommy’s Fund and Dementia UK, and in 2014 to the British Legion and Alzheimer’s Society. Donations in earlier years have gone to such organisations as Special Baby Care unit, Northampton General Hospital, SHAME, East of England Air Ambulance, Meningitis UK, Singing For The Brain, and there are many, many more worthy recipients that I could list! We are understandably very proud of having been able to support so many wonderful charitable causes over the years!

The spring concert is slightly different in that Heyford Singers made a decision, when first formed, to annually support both the local Parish and Baptist church. This as also by way of a thank you for allowing us to perform our concerts in St Peter and St Paul Church (before the choir became too large in numbers), and for the good neighbourliness and use of equipment by the Baptist Church. This has continued to this day and each May we are proud to help and support the churches in our local community.

There are also other instances when Heyford Singers feel privileged to support charities and organisations. Whenever one of our fellow singers dies, or a close family member, we always donate to the family’s chosen charity. David Smith had been so well cared for in his last few months that a donation, in his memory, to the Emergency Assessment Bay of Talbot Butler Ward, was most fitting. Bob Wilson’s tireless commitment (with Alwyne) towards Northampton Live at Home scheme, enabling older people to stay living independently in their own homes for as long as possible, with the best possible quality of life, was a very special recipient from the choir. I could continue ….

As a choir, of mixed ages, lifestyles, experiences, even where we live and work, we delight not only in coming together to sing and enjoy music, but in so doing, raising some pennies to ultimately help those less fortunate than ourselves. To date we have raised and donated over £14,000 !

As the song says ………

Love is something if you give it away,
Give it away, give it away.
Love is something if you give it away,
You end up having more.

____________________________________________________________________________________

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.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Langrish

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