Nether Heyford W.I. – February/March 2021

As Covid follows us into yet another year I do hope that you at least managed to enjoy Christmas Day! Although Nether Heyford WI missed out on its 90th Birthday Party every member was given a boxed cup-cake, beautifully made and decorated by Jane Rands. We were also mentioned in the Northampton Federation Newsletter and on the Northants Website. In a WI version of the Secret Santa, each member was given another member’s name for whom they then made a Christmas card. We also had our first Zoom meeting in December and so an ‘alternative’ Christmas was celebrated.

Our January Meeting saw us using Zoom again to listen to an interesting talk given by Julia Doherty who, after building up and selling multiple businesses, went on a 500 mile hike across Spain. The experiences she had and the people she met had a profound effect on her and she told us how they changed her life for the better.

We will be staying with Zoom meetings for the foreseeable future. On February 4th at 7.30pm there will be an ‘Italian Cookery Demonstration’ by Mariella Bliss. Her website tells of her work with running courses, working with farmers’ markets and describes her as a personal chef, caterer, and lover of all things foodie! Sounds like a good evening!!

On March 4th, again at 7.30 & via Zoom, we have a talk on ‘Building and Running a School in Sierra Leone’ by David Gelsthorpe-Hill. David is a Trustee for the Charity ‘Extra Mile’ which, by building the school, has helped change the lives of its pupils. It is an ongoing project and Phase 2, building a Library, is now under way. During the evening we will hear how the funds are raised and how we can help.

If any Prattler readers would like to join us on either of the evenings please telephone me to get the code numbers for the Zoom meeting. We hope it won’t be too long before we can meet up and start using our Village Hall again. Until then, Take Care.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge, Church Lane – 01327 340101

The Prattler – Editors notes

You may have noticed that this edition looks a bit different than usual. Its thinner and covers the next two months. Unfortunately due to the current lockdown and covid crisis, the Prattler is having to cut back on its publication costs and contents. Therefore we have decided that for the next few months, we will be publishing once every two months instead of monthly. This is so we can conserve our savings until activities restart later in the year.

Thank you to the advertisers and contributors for your continued support.

Sue Boutle – Editor

Edition 440 – February/March 2021

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.

The newspaper is supported by donations from the Parish Council, the Parish Church, the Baptist Church, Heyford W.I., Heyford Gardening Club, Heyford Singers, the Bowls Club, the Village Hall and Heyford Picturedrome as well as our advertisers.

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

The Prattler – December 2020

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

Nether Heyford W.I. – December 2020

And so, The Nether Heyford Women’s Institute’s 90th birthday has come… and gone! Sadly, we won’t be enjoying the party we were planning to have in December but we did receive a certificate from WI House commemorating the event. We would have been presented with this at the County Federation AGM but covid wreaked havoc yet again and it was delivered by the postman instead! It is good to have and we shall accept it with pride and thoughts of all those WI ladies that did so much for the village during those 90 years.

Along with everyone else, we must hope that the exciting news of vaccines will mean that life will return to some kind of normality in the not too distant future and all our village groups will be able to resume. Just think how wonderful it will be to be able to throw away those facemask’s and recognise everyone again! I also wonder how many extra miles have been walked by people going home to fetch them so they can get into the shop?

As I write this I have no idea what plans will have been made for us for the Festive Season but I do know that the members of the WI wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous and HEALTHY New Year!

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge, Church Lane – 01327 340101

The Prattler – November 2020

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

Nether Heyford W.I. – November 2020

One thing that this enforced break has done for many of us is to bring us more up to date with technology! Earlier in October the Nether Heyford branch of the WI, alongside other branches in the country, had to hold their A.G.M. and, after consulting our members about meeting face to face, it was decided that we would hold a Zoom meeting. Sometimes we complain that technology is taking over our lives but this was a lovely way to see people again with the business part of the evening ending with the usual laughter!

A few days before the meeting each member was sent a card from Pat Essery, our President, and a bag of yellow narcissus bulbs. These are for us to plant, take a photo and to bring to a meeting in the spring (we hope!) We will endeavour to bring our Spring Garden into the Village Hall.

We are hoping to use Zoom again before Christmas; so, Ladies, watch this space, and also that we may be able to have just a small ‘distanced’ gathering to mark our 90th Birthday. We have decided to delay our main celebration until next year. I know I speak for all the Committee when I say that we miss our evening meetings and that we hope we will all be able to meet up soon.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge, Church Lane – 01327 340101

The Prattler – October 2020

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

The Prattler – September 2020

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

Nether Heyford W.I. – September 2020

I was so looking forward to writing the September article for the Nether Heyford WI which was anticipating the interesting Speakers for the next few months and all the fun of our 90th Birthday Celebrations BUT, as you will have guessed, the year is still ‘on hold’! We were keeping our fingers crossed that we may be able to hold a social meeting on September 3rd but, sadly, it seems unlikely. Our Birthday Celebrations will probably take place next year (I wish I could do that with my own!!) but you can rest assured we will have a ball when it does happen.

I’m sure you will agree that it has been so strange not being able to take part in the great community spirit of this village of ours. As a WI we look forward to seeing the usual faces when we do meet up again although, sadly, we will be missing the very familiar and loved face of Beryl Smith who has died since we last met. She was a long standing member of our group and, in spite of finding it hard to move freely, was up for every bit of fun that was on offer. I will have a lasting memory of her laughter as she sat watching our members trying to remember the steps of country dances. We send our love and sympathy to her family. She will be sorely missed.

I try to be an optimist so I will go on hoping that, by the time the October Prattler comes through your letterbox, Northampton will have ceased to be one of the worst coronavirus towns in the country and we will all be another step nearer to normality. Until then keep smiling and stay safe.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge – 01327 340101

The Prattler – Editors Notes – July & August 2020

Editors Note

This Prattler covers the months of July and August. The next one will be published on
September 1st by which time hopefully we will be more or less back to normal with our
clubs and activities.

Thanks are due to everyone that has helped and entertained the villages during the
lockdown. The community spirit of the Heyfords is alive and well.

Sue

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.

The newspaper is supported by donations from the Parish Council, the Parish Church, the Baptist Church, Heyford W.I., Heyford Gardening Club, Heyford
Singers, the Bowls Club, the Village Hall and Heyford Picturedrome as well as
our advertisers.

Thanks are also due to the volunteers who distribute it every month.

Advertising in The Prattler

Advertising costs per month:
£5 for a small business card advert
£10 for a quarter page
£15 for half a page
£30 for a full page

For more information and examples of advertising visit: https://heyfordprattler.org/contact

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