This site is www.bugbrookelink.co.uk and as well as reading the magazine online, you can delve into our archives, find web links to other Bugbrooke web-sites, details of our advertisers and give us your feedback and input for the next Link issue.

We have managed to develop the website in house, in particular Geoff Cooke’s contribution is greatly appreciated, but he could not have done it without the free advice and assistance of Macroweb Limited, so many thanks to them as well.

We will continue to develop this over the coming year, and welcome all constructive comments. In due course we are intending to use e-mail addresses associated with the web site, but for now we are continuing with the current address.

Following on from the October and December 2006 issues of the magazine, I have received several contributions in connection with St Michael & All Angels’ Church. I have decided to allow the debate to continue for this issue but I have edited the contributions and intend to recommend to the next committee meeting that we carefully consider how to proceed. In the meantime, thank you for your comments and different points of view and perhaps these could be widened to encompass issues other than religion that affect people in Bugbrooke?

You can contribute to the magazine by posting articles through my door or preferably by submitting copy by e-mail to thet e-mail address and of course now via our website. These minimise 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 deadline for articles and advert changes for the next issue is Monday 05 March 2007.

Letter to The Editor

In response to the reader complaining about the “propaganda” from the local vicar, this sort of village magazine nationwide carries a message from the vicar. I believe this country’s fabric, freedom of speech, values, and morals originate from its Christian values, most of which all of us take for granted. We keep asking for God to be taken out of everything and then we ask where he is when something bad happens. I believe God is a gentleman and if we ask him to back out he will! So is this another thing we are to take God out of?

From a concerned villager (name and address supplied)

By the time you read this, you should have received your copy of the village questionnaire to fill in and return using the Freepost envelope included. As I have previously said the purpose of this questionnaire is to understand the make up of the village, the thoughts of the parishioners and their future needs. Once we have analysed the questionnaires, we will be holding a public meeting at which we will exhibit the results and plan how we can use this information to move forward. A village plan will be produced and this will be a working document which will help shape the future of the community. It is vital that we engage parishioners in this process so that the end result is achieved not solely by the Parish Council but with the input of the local community. To encourage you to return the questionnaire, one completed survey will be drawn at the March council meeting and the winner will receive £50 of vouchers to spend within the village.

A Hate Crime or Incident is an action, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or hate. These types of crime are particularly hurtful to victims as they are being targeted purely because of their personal identity, actual or perceived racial or ethnic origin, religion or faith, sexuality, gender or disability.

Northamptonshire Police is fully committed to tackling the causes and effects of hate crimes. In order to do this there are dedicated Hate Crime Officers and a support worker, who can provide a confidential, professional and understanding service. It is incredibly important that such crimes are reported to either the Police or an official body, such as the Council or Victim Support, so that even if you do not want any further action taken, we can gain information and build a clear picture of the extent of hate crime in Northamptonshire and identify possible offenders. Just by making a report, you may help to stop more incidents and help other victims.

There are many different ways to report hate crimes and incidents. This includes the option to remain completely anonymous. All details will be treated in the strictest confidence and we are guided by the victim as to what action we take. You can contact Northamptonshire Police by

· Telephone on 08453 700700 (ext 2664 to contact the Hate Crimes Unit)

· Self-reporting packs, which can be found in most libraries, doctor’s surgeries or from local police stations.

· Online at www.online.police.uk

· Via a support agency such as Ability Northants or the NLGBA

You can even report on behalf of a friend, relative or even someone you do not know the name of, using all of the above methods.

It is of vital importance that all hate incidents and crimes are reported so we can all work together in stamping out Hate Crime.

The largest of these is the answer to the question "Who is Jesus?" I'm not going to even try to work through what the other religions say about him. Instead I'm going to let his own words speak for themselves, and leave you to make up your own mind.

Jesus says (Gospel according to St John Chapter 14 verse 6), "I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father, except through me."

Grace and Peace

Stephen French, Rector of Bugbrooke, Harpole, Kislingbury and Rothersthorpe

Our final event of last year was the Wine Tasting on 1st December. For the first time we had Charles Byrne as the presenter using research done by Diana Cockerill. It proved to be a successful combination and an interesting selection of wines were much enjoyed. Overall the event made a profit of just under £400. In addition we were pleased to receive a very generous donation from the Bugbrooke Amateur Dramatic Society which, sadly, is winding up and elected to donate its residual funds to the Friends. In the past year the Friends have made payments of approximately £1800 for the repair of church stonework.

In the coming year, our first event will be the annual Race Night to be held on 20 April. This is always an enjoyable and lively evening and can be profitable if you bet on the right horse!! It will all happen in the Community Centre starting at 7:30pm. Tickets are £3.00 each and are available from committee members. This will be followed, just 5 days later, by our AGM on 25 April at 8.00pm in the Sunday School; we are always looking for new members to join the committee.

The very popular midsummer Fish & Chip supper and quiz is set for Friday, 6 July so that is another date for your diary.

Tony Pace, Chairman

The club is beginning to realise that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Despite the marvellous new changing rooms there is still a desire to improve social and ground facilities to match the new rooms. Finishing off the double glazing of windows, fully insulating roofs, upgrading social areas, improving standing areas for spectators and improving pitch drainage are all being worked on by various people in the club. It is hoped these visions will be achieved before the start of the 2007/08 season.

There will then be a strong need to make sure the 1st XI are competitive in the United Counties League. They are currently languishing near the bottom of their league and will, hopefully, improve by the end of the season. Meanwhile the Reserve and ‘A’ sides are doing well near the top of their leagues and the ‘B’ side is doing well whilst giving good experience of adult football to promising young players.

Meanwhile the youth teams are getting enjoyment from their football and improving their skills all the time. They can look forward to being part of a successful club in the future and their efforts at fund raising are a tribute to their aspirations. There are already offers for girls teams to be set up and anyone interested in organising or playing for such teams should contact Willy Marriott on 831606.

John Curtis

John Mundy: Chairman & Treasurer  830725 (H, B & FAX) 07850-084535 (M)                                     

Lesley Bird:    Secretary            832630 (H)                          

Next season our 1st X1 as Champions of Division 7 in the Northamptonshire League will play in Division 6. Our 2nd X1 will be in Division 11 after some better performances at the end of last season. As the new 2007 season is only about 2 months away it is time to impress the Selectors by getting in some advance practice by attending Indoor Cricket Nets for Seniors at The County Ground EVERY Tuesday from 16th January to 27th March at 7 – 8pm. For Juniors (under age 15) at Bugbrooke Campion School Sports Hall EVERY Thursday from 1st February to 5th April. If you want more information contact Roger Stone (01604-841961) for both Seniors & Juniors or just turn up. 

A very enjoyable Annual Dinner & Presentation evening was held at The Wharf on 25th November and was a great success with 50 attending. Roger Stone received the Clubman’s Cup in recognition for all his hard work over a number of years in charge of running our Junior Section as well as Fixture Secretary.   

We are running 2 Saturday league teams as well as Sundays, Junior & Midweek sides so get in touch with any of the above officers or myself if you wish to join the Club at its picturesque ground by the brook. Have a look at our website www.bugbrooke.play-cricket.com for further information & chat. 

Peter White (President) 50 High Street, Bugbrooke    (830452 H. B & FAX )

· Whatever happened to walking to school?

· Isn’t it against the law to park on the pavement?

· It’s official, it is against the law to use your mobile phone whilst driving.

· How I wish you would sweep the gravel back onto your drive from the pavement.

· Why do people not indicate at roundabouts?

· Please, please use the cycle track between Bugbrooke and Kislingbury especially if you haven’t got any lights!

· How many November 5ths are there in a year?

These early 2007 notes follow the warmest year on record in this country. It seems a long time since old ‘uns looked at snow drifts under the hedges on Birds Hill and advised their children they were just sitting there waiting for the next one to come along. It was not unknown for the lane to Eastcote to be cut off for weeks on end. It certainly has not been safe to venture onto an icy canal for over 20 years. So what is happening and what will our children and grandchildren experience? Are we ruining their wellbeing by the practices we are adopting? If we are we will soon need to change otherwise our genetic efforts over the generations will peter out. If we think economic migration is bad what might be the impact of millions of people trying to move from areas that have become deserts, as is forecast for southern Europe.

We are already seeing the impact on wildlife. Many fish are moving into the warmer water around our southern shores whilst those that prefer colder water are moving north and out of reach of our fishing boats. Shark and chips please – salt and vinegared – might be the order in 20 years! Butterflies that would normally not venture this far north are beginning to risk the trip across the Channel. French Crayfish have invaded the brook. Birds are migrating further north whilst others are not coming south because it is too warm. At the time of writing, geese from eastern Europe have not bothered yet to fly over.

Before we turn into the local version of grumpy old men perhaps the brighter side should be considered. The Allotment Association could start bottling “Chateau Bugbrooke Wharf” after turning their plots over to grapes. There would then be even more wives asking what we found to do there all the time – well, it’s like this, I was just trying out that new vintage we are hoping to produce this year!

Many people have been reporting raids on the small birds in their gardens by sparrow hawks and kestrels. It seems we have been successful in encouraging birds into the garden and the predators have sussed it. At least it means there are birds about and if we can help a few hundred to survive then we should see a good breeding season in the spring.

The flowers are also completely confused by the warm weather with some shrubs trying to flower in December. We even have two cyclamen in full flower in a sheltered spot whilst bulbs look keen to put their heads up. However, the weather has a habit of evening out so perhaps the long and short term prospects will see us retaining our green and pleasant land much as it has always been.

John Curtis