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Bugbrooke Link Magazine(Issue
143), April 2007 Editor: Paul Cockcroft
Following on from the last few issues of the magazine, I have received
further contributions in connection with St Michael & All Angels
Church. At our last committee
meeting we discussed the way forward and have decided to reproduce the
contributions on the website rather than in the magazine.
If you are interested in the debate you can look on the website
where the complete contributions are shown; you will see that most of them
do not include the contributor’s names but these were supplied to us.
We do not normally include articles in the magazine or on the
website if they are provided to us anonymously, but we are prepared to
withhold names from publication if requested.
You can contribute to the magazine by posting articles through my door or
preferably by submitting copy by e-mail to the e-mail address. This minimises the amount of copy that has to be typed in,
and it is greatly appreciated as it reduces the workload for the
production team. The LINK AGM is on Wednesday 09 May 2007 at 31 Pilgrims Lane. The deadline for
articles and advert changes for the next issue is Monday 07 May 2007. Letters
to the Editor Dear Editor, I was out on my mobility scooter on Sunday morning
(February 4th) when I had a slight mishap and tipped off the kerb. Very
kindly, two young lads came to my assistance and helped me. They put the
basket back on my scooter, made sure I was alright and got my scooter
started again. I am just writing to say that although we constantly hear bad things in
the media concerning the youth of today it shows that there are well
brought up young people around and their parents should be proud. I would like to thank them once again for their help and kindness. Yours sincerely, A senior citizen, Bugbrooke.
The Link web site has been running since early February
this year, as a means of extending the services that the Link offers to
the village. Since its launch
it has expanded and will continue to do so as opportunities are recognised.
At present the following areas are covered by the web site: · Latest
Link Issue – gives the latest issue of the Link with photos in
colour and without the adverts. · Village
Information – gives Internet links to other websites of use and general
interest to the village. · Link
Archive – Contains a large and expanding number of back issues of the
Link, including the first ever 5 issues from 1983.
This area now also contains a separate section with historical
articles, which have appeared in the Link over the years and old pictures
from our 1989 Calendar. · Village
Notice Board – Contains any notes of interest to the village which you
send to us through the web site for sharing with the community at large. · Parish
Council – A section with contact details for councillors, minutes of
Parish Council meetings and dates of future meetings. · Feedback
Form – is where you can contact us with comments and input about the
website or magazine. · Advertising
– contains details of the magazine advertising rates and a contact list
of all of our magazine advertisers. To further increase the usefulness of this web site, we now invite all
societies and activities within the village of Bugbrooke to take a page of
the website to introduce themselves, describe their activities and their
programme of events. Simply
e-mail the Link or use our feedback form on the website to make the
initial request. We are running the website for a one year trial to gauge how useful it
can be to the village. So give
us your feedback on how in can be improved and remember – use it or lose
it! Geoff Cooke Parish
Council Report Thank you very much to all households who took the time
and effort to complete the village questionnaire we distributed recently.
We have had a fantastic response with to date over 40% being returned. It
is very pleasing that parishioners feel motivated enough about their
village to express their views. The next stage is to analyse all the forms
and prepare to present the results at an exhibition at the Community
Centre on Tuesday 1st May from 2 to 8pm. We will then be preparing a
Parish Plan in conjunction with villagers, which will outline the needs
and wants of the community and try over the coming years, to realise some
of these ambitions. It is evident that a major concern raised via the questionnaire, was
speeding in the village and I include the following points from Councillor
Alan Kent, who is our Community Speed Watch representative. · A
County Council traffic speed monitoring in June 2006 at Camp Hill recorded
15 vehicles in every 100 were travelling at speeds over 35 mph within the
30 mph restriction zone. · The
Community Speed Watch volunteers in 2006 reported 44 vehicles exceeding 35
mph. Of these 5 were unknown to the Vehicle Licensing Centre. This means
they were not registered or taxed and therefore on the road illegally. · The
Parish Council have recently requested a 20 mph restriction zone in the
High Street, particularly near the Primary School. This has been refused
as the traffic needs to already be doing 20 mph or less thus making the
limit self enforcing. In other words the traffic is going too fast to
enforce the 20 mph limit! · The
Parish Council and the Primary School have grave concerns about the safety
of our children as they enter or leave school on the High Street. Three
rows of parked cars seems to be normal and there is the additional danger
when Campion buses try to get through. Please park sensibly and remember
you can use the car park of The Bakers Arms. It is illegal and dangerous
for the children if you park on the zig zag markings at the school
entrance. Finally ask yourself the question: ‘Do I really need to take
my children to school in the car?’ I am delighted to report that the Parish Council has been awarded
‘Quality’ Council status. We are the first parish council in
Northamptonshire to achieve this honour (Daventry Town Council also holds
the title) and we hope this will lead to enhanced working with other
authorities and additional funding opportunities. Once every four years, elections for the Parish Council come round. That
time is here and in an active community, it is healthy to have
competition. I would therefore urge anybody interested in local democracy
to take the opportunity to stand for election. Application forms are
available from the Parish Clerk, closing date of 4th April, with the
election to be held on May 3rd . Phil Bignell – Chairman 'Liquid
Church!' You may have seen posters and flyers around the village
advertising something called 'Liquid Church' and you may have asked the
question what is that all about! Simply it is a chance to 'try' church in a
different and less structured way. We
meet on the first Saturday in the month (exception for April as it will be
on the last Saturday in March – the 31st) between 5:30pm and 7:30pm at St. Michael's
and you simply come along for as long or as short a time as you wish.
The first thing you will notice is the church
will be set out differently with the immediate warm invitation to have a
cuppa of your choice along with something to eat.
There is then the opportunity in various parts of the church to
explore what the Christian message is all about in a variety of ways.
Also during the two hours, there will be an opportunity to join in
with small acts of worship using contemporary and traditional hymns and
songs and music. The sum total
of the experience for everyone of any age is a non-threatening environment
and introduction to the worshipping life of the church. Why not give it a try.
If you want any further information please give me a ring on 831621. See ya there. Stephen French, Rector
of Bugbrooke, Kislingbury, Harpole and Rothersthorpe Christian
Aid Week May 13-19 2007 “We look at the vast gap between rich and poor in our
world and we pray to be shaken out of our apathy” Much of Christian Aid’s work entails helping people in developing
countries cope with the effects of climate change. Increased frequency and
intensity of hurricanes and subsequent flooding demonstrate the
catastrophic effects that climate change is already having on some of the
world’s poorest people. We have seen in our time in Tanzania how a little money can go a very long
way (see Link article ‘Paces at Kimnyak’). So please give generously
this Christian Aid week when the collector calls for your red envelope. One million pounds extra was raised last year by Gift Aid donations, enough
to build 8,500 wells so many thousands of families can have a clean water
supply. Please sign the envelope if you are a tax payer to enable Christian Aid to
narrow the vast gap between rich and poor. Sue
Pace (local Christian Aid organiser) Friends
of St Michael and All Angels Church Our AGM will be held on Wednesday April 25th at the
Sunday School starting at 8pm. All members are welcome, to hear a report
on our last year’s activities. The next fundraising event will be the ever popular Race and Quiz night
on Friday April 20th at the Community Centre, 7.30pm for an 8pm start.
Tickets available from Roy Smith on 01604 832715 or Mike Phillipson on
01604 832525. There will also be a Fish and Chip Supper and Quiz on Friday July 6th. Roy Smith Mothers’
Union 11. 1. 07 Meeting in Sunday School was led by Lindsay
Moss, branch leader, and attended by 15 members. We began with a service
to celebrate Epiphany followed by happy birthday to Joyce Leadley and
Dorothy Cobb (95) who was not well enough to attend. We then each spoke of
our grandchildren or how our grandparents influenced their grandchildren
(us). Most members brought photos. Tea and biscuits were served. 24. 1. 07 Meeting at 15 Ash Grove at 7.30pm: subject “The Right
Change”, a MU project called “Literacy on Women of Africa”. The
meeting was led by Anne Gowan. 12 members attended. Hymns were sung,
prayers said for home and overseas branches. A video was played which
showed co-ordinators teaching women in one of many villages how to read,
write, add, etc., and the benefit brought to the families due to this
knowledge. It was great to see the happiness on their faces as they
learnt. The afternoon meeting on February 8th and the Jumble Sale on the 10th was
cancelled owing to a heavy fall of snow. 22. 02. 07. Coffee evening/Bring and Buy held at 15 Ash Grove was
overwhelmed with gifts from neighbours, members and friends. 25 attended
and £106.50 was raised for “Special Relief”. 03. 03. 07. Jumble Sale was held in Sunday School. 02. 03. 07 “Women’s World Day of Prayer” service was held in
Harpole Church, speaker Sue Tringham. The service was led by branch leader
Hazel Fountain. 50 members attended. The service prepared by Christian
Women of Paraguay was entitled “United under God’s Tent”. The
address by our retired president Sue Tringham covered all aspects of the
service and situation in Paraguay. Donations were taken for Christian
Literature Societies and for Educational Projects. We enjoyed a lovely tea
by Harpole members. We are now in Lent with House Groups offering meetings. Pat Archer Bugbrooke
Church – Special Easter Event The junction 16 benefice (Bugbrooke, Harpole,
Kislingbury, Rothersthorpe) are holding a film evening on Friday 6th April
2007 at Kislingbury Village Hall. We are showing ‘THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST’ directed by Mel Gibson. This is a powerful and challenging film, certificate 18. There will be refreshments served before the film
showing. The evening will commence at 7:30pm and there is no charge for
tickets – a retiring collection will be taken. For tickets and
information tel. 831523 or 831621. Nature
Notes A survey of mosses in Bugbrooke Churchyard has recently
been undertaken by Rachel Carter of Wootton. She had found 29 varieties
which is twice as many normally found in churchyards. She also identified
one as being a new record for Northamptonshire, one with no recent records
in the county, and 4 that are regarded as uncommon. This puts the
churchyard in a similar category to Charity Meadow which has some of the
most unusual flora in Northants. Anyone who would like to know more about
Rachel’s findings can get a copy from me. I was also interested in Jane Campion’s article in the last Link
regarding Green Infrastructure and the River Nene Regional Park. I have
since taken the opportunity to write to her and ask whether she can review
the impact of the M1 on the Nene Valley. The impact of the motorway from
the Bugbrooke side is immense and could be minimised by some environmental
decisions that would not cost too much to implement. These could include
allowing all hedgerows alongside the motorway to grow to their full
heights and tree planting alongside all tracks and public footpaths on the
Bugbrooke side of the road. I will pass on any progress made on this issue
if I receive a positive response from Jane. As indicated in the last edition, we are now at the end of the warmest
winter since records began in 1857. This will impact on nature and we can
expect trees and hedgerows to come out earlier this
year unless there is a sudden cold snap that cuts them back. Birds
will also respond by nesting earlier especially if insects emerge from
hibernation earlier than usual. They might lose their early young if we
have cold nights in April which will freeze the chicks. These nesting
birds would appreciate help with feeding at a time when they are very busy
and following an exhausting schedule. It also means an early start for gardeners. Nevertheless, follow the
advice of an uncle of mine who once said it was a waste of time sowing
seeds in the garden until you could sit on the ground without your bum
getting cold! That is if you are sowing outside. There are reports that frog spawn is appearing about 6 weeks earlier this
year. This is clearly another indication of a very warm winter. Frogs now
appear to be moving into garden ponds as field ponds, previously used for
animals, have more or less disappeared. Water to fields has now been piped
in and I can think of only one field pond left in the whole parish
although I am sure someone will enlighten me. Perhaps artificial fishing
lakes are providing an alternative spawning place. There is always optimism in the air when lambs
start appearing in the fields. I saw the first ones by the Wharf in the
third week of February and others will no doubt appear near the village as
springtime arrives. John Curtis |
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