Barton Today March 2025 by Barton Today

About Us

Barton Today is a Not-For-Profit Community Interest Magazine with over 6,000 readers. Delivered FREE every single month to every home in Earls Barton. We are not controlled by, or affiliated to, any political, religious, social or commercial group.

Website: www.bartontoday.co.uk

Managing Editor: Steve Watkins

Email: bartontoday@gmail.com

Online: http://issuu.com/b2day

Advertising: Contact us by email, via facebook, or drop your contact details into: The Library, The Square, Earls Barton (Please address all items to ‘Barton Today’) and we’ll discuss advertising rates and payment methods, and help you in any way that we can. All adverts to be sent in by our deadline please and paid for by return.

Deadline: Space permitting, we try to print everything sent in, but our deadline is the 10th of the month (for the January issue it is December 4th).

After that date we’re flexible but we can’t guarantee publication. Include your name, address and phone number as we do not publish anonymous articles. If you don’t want your name published let us know. Articles may be shortened if space is limited.

If you live in Earls Barton: Your magazine which is kindly delivered by volunteers, should arrive by the first week of the month, if not, please drop us an email so we can look into it. You can pick up a copy from Premier Stores, Espresso, Glebe Farm, The Boathouse, Scotch Lodge and Jeyes.

If you live outside of Earls Barton: A year’s subscription costs £30 to cover postage and packing. Please make your cheque out to ‘Earls Barton Community Magazine CIC’ and remember to give us the address for mailing.

Our Aim: We wish to bring all people together in peace and harmony and to celebrate the diversity of the human spirit by encouraging talent in all its forms. Barton Today does not discriminate against anyone.

Copyright Warning: No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without our prior written permission.

The Legal Bit: © Barton Today 2025 All views expressed in this magazine are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publishers, or anyone involved with the production or delivery of the magazine. The acceptance of an advertisement or an article does not indicate any endorsement of a product or service by this publication. Barton Today is a Community Interest Company.

The decision of the Managing Editor is final Printed By: Future Print, Unit 1, Kingsthorpe Business Centre, 63 Studland Road, Northampton. NN2 6NE

Don’t Forget To Chit Your Potato Tubers

I bet you weren’t expecting that headline. It’s part of an article that I lifted from one of our regular contributors who goes under the pseudonym of Digger. This person is like the Banksy of the gardening world. Many people think they know who it is but nobody knows for sure. Digger’s articles arrive every month from an anonymous source and we are very grateful that that he/she has once again taken the time to support Barton Today.

There are over twenty people in the village who do what Digger does. Like me writing this, they set aside some time to put together news and information that they want to share with our many readers in Earls Barton and beyond. March sees the 163rd edition of Barton Today and I think it is about time that we had a big shout out for all those loyal contributors, some of whom have been with us since day one. There would be no magazine without you. Keep on doing what Digger does.

Just in case you don’t know what it means to chit your potato tubers, the definition I found was, “Chitting potatoes means presprouting them before planting. This is done to encourage strong, early growth, leading to better yields once they’re in the ground. The phrase also gets used as a playful way to talk about getting a head start or preparing well.” So perhaps, gardeners or not, March is a good time for all of us “to chit our potatoes” as the seasons change and we prepare for what lies ahead.

Lastly, just a little nudge to remind you that Mother’s Day is right around the corner on Sunday, 30th March. Whether you’re planning breakfast in bed, going out for a meal, or just a big bear hug, let’s make sure we don’t miss the chance to celebrate the amazing mums in our lives. They’ve put up with our antics for years—one day of pampering is the least we can do!

Steve Watkins

NB: Why don’t you do what Digger does? We would love to hear from you.

TOWN

& COUNTRY

Becky Simpson Director

Quiz Night at The Old Swan

WHAT’S ON IN MARCH 2025

Quiz Night at The Old Swan

Leek Pie Lunch at the at The Old Swan Info pg 17

Bobbin Lace with Alison Wilson at Scotch lodge Info pg 18

St Patricks Day

Lunch at Scotch lodge Info pg 18

Quiz Night at The Old Swan

Millennium WI AGM and 25 Year Memories Info pg 35

EBL&CC Biggest Book Group and Book Swap Info pg 30

The Works Big Bingo and Raffle Info pg 14

Old Silver Band Club Big Bingo Info pg 25

EBL&CC Film Night Info pg 15

Luncheon Club 2 Kontra Roots Info pg 14

Methodist Church Coffee morning Info pg 22

Heritage group Info pg 23

The Works Big Bingo and Raffle Info pg 14 Luncheon Club 3

Old Silver Band Club Food truck & Karaoke Info pg 25

Fairtrade Cafe, Booksale Info pg 12

Evening of Spirit at Scotch lodge Info pg 18

EBL&CC Film Night Info pg 15

REGULAR EVENTS

Old Silver Band Club Beer and Band Info pg 25

The Works Queen Street Soul club Info pg 14

EBL&CC Coffee Morning Info pg 15

The Works Darts Tournament Info pg 14

pg 25

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Northampton Morris Dancers

7.30-9.30pm Silver Band Club

Bobbin Lace 2 - 4 at Scotch Lodge

Stay & Play at EBL&CC

2.30-3.30pm

ELECTIONS 2025

On Thursday 1st May 2025, elections will be held to choose councillors for Earls Barton Parish Council. We are looking for committed and enthusiastic individuals to join Earls Barton Parish Council. This is what you need to know:

• There are 13 seats on Earls Barton Parish Council which need to be filled.

• If you live or work in Earls Barton, are over 18 and are on the electoral roll, you may be eligible to stand for election (contact the Clerk for full eligibility details).

• We need people who are passionate about our village, who want to make a difference and want to be part of the decision-making process to make Earls Barton a great place to live, work and visit.

• Candidates can download nomination papers from the Electoral Commission website.

• Nomination papers must be delivered in person (although the candidate can nominate someone to do this on their behalf) to the North Northants Council offices in Kettering. An appointment will be needed (the Clerk can provide further details once available).

• Nominations commence on Friday 7th March and close at 4pm on Wednesday 2nd April.

• Once nominations close, an election notice will be issued by North Northants Council, followed by a notice of poll, confirming who will be standing for election.

• The election will be held on Thursday 1st May 2025.

• The Polling Station will be open at Earls Barton Youth Club from 7am until 10pm.

Do you think you have what it takes to be a Parish Councillor in Earls Barton? If you would like more information about the role and/or the election process, please contact the clerk at theclerk.ebpc@ gmail.com or telephone 01604 812850

Who Will You Vote For?

On Thursday 1st May elections will be taking place here in Earls Barton. You will be able to vote for your local parish councillors and also for your Earls Barton representatives on the North Northamptonshire Council (NNC). There are 13 councillor positions on the Parish Council. If there are 13 or fewer applications, the election will be uncontested as happened last time round in 2021. If higher than 13, you will be able to vote for your preferred candidates.

As with many councils across the country, the 2025 NNC election sees boundary changes and the total number of councillors will reduce from 78 to 68. For Earls Barton that will mean that we will have two NNC representatives rather than three.

Who Are Our Current Parish Councillors? Cllr Vicky Gould (Chair),Cllr Nick Chapman (Vice Chair), Cllr Jayne Bond, Cllr Tim Brennan, Cllr Gemma Broadhead, Cllr Steve Dodds, Cllr Polly Hadman, Cllr Chris Lloyd-Staples, Cllr Peter Morrall, Cllr Linda Morrison, Cllr Dean Smith, Cllr Colin Wells, Cllr Chris Wood. Earls Barton Parish Council Responsibilities Allotments, Cemetery, War Memorial, Open Spaces, Street lights (Rec/Mears Ashby Road/some alleys), Highways (including street lights on the highway), Bins and dog bins, Street furniture - benches, planters, etc., Sports fields, Pocket park, Events (Carnival, Soap Box Derby, Fireworks, Carols on the Square), Bus Shelter (Northampton Rd/Wellingborough Rd), Leisure and Recreation, Play Areas, Earls Barton Library and Community Centre, Earls Barton Youth Club, Park Street Car Park.

Who Are Our Current NNC Councillors? Clive Frederick Hallam (Conservative), Scott Phillip Brown (Conservative) and Lora Lawman (Conservative)

North Northants Council Responsibilities Elections (for Unitary and Parish Council), Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Education, Street lights on the highway, Council Tax, Planning, Bus Shelters (The Square), Housing, Pubic Rights of Way, Little Green Car Park (The Square)

If you wish to stand as a parish councillor take a look at the notice from the parish council shown above. If you are interested in the election process for the North Northants Council go to their website at Becoming a councillor | North Northamptonshire Council where you can find further information. The final list of candidates for both the parish council and NNC will be available after 2nd April.

Win £40 For Your Front Cover Competition Entry...

Last year we asked if you could help us with our front covers, We did get a few but they weren’t suitable. If you do send one in, can you please follow the guidelines below:

•It should be portrait

•Don’t send it already cropped

•Leave space above for the Barton Today logo

•Make sure the picture quality is good.

We have produced a total of 163 magazines over the last 14 years and we have had some fabulous front covers. Very often, we have been able to feature pictures sent in by our readers, these have included local events, nature and the surrounding country side and people.

Can you imagine what the magazine would look like without a picture on the front cover? With smart phones every one of you is able to be a photographer.

Next time you take a picture that you think could make a good front cover, whether it’s your treasure trove of homegrown goodies from your allotment, a cheeky face of your son/daughter at an event in the village, that surprise flower that’s coming up in your garden, a family member or pet celebrating a certain age or an achievement, why not send it in to us?

Include your name and contact details and send it to: bartontoday@gmail.com

You will get £40 for your efforts.

We look forward to seeing your responses.

We still need your help, is there anyone out there?

Here at Barton Today, last year we bought four lovely bird boxes from the RSPB which are designed for smaller birds. The Parish Council have already agreed that they can be put in the trees at the Rec. Time is moving on but it is not too late to attract nesting birds.

Sadly no one came forward last year but we would like to give them a go this year before nesting starts. Would you be able to site the boxes in the trees for us? If so please contact the magazine on bartontoday@gmail.com or give Steve Watkins a ring on 07779 283655 if you can help.

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Carols On The Square In 1973

Dear Barton Today,

I would just like to comment on Nick Chapman’s piece about Carols on the Square. For the first couple of years Rev Michael Baker, who was instrumental in organising Carols on the Square was standing on the mound by the memorial, with small pockets of people standing around the Square. We were standing under the shop awning outside Jeyes the chemist on Christmas Eve 1973.

The REV Michael Baker could project his voice but with small pockets of people around the Square you could not hear any other group singing the carols. After a couple of years like this, it was moved to outside the Tower Home and Garden shop. There was no band, no PA system, no lighting, no fireworks and no road closure. In fact the service never started until the bus from Wellingborough to Northampton had passed through the village.

The first firework was just that one solitary rocket to end the service and to signal the start of Christmas. From a personal point of view that’s how I would like to see the service end now, but I do realise that the vast majority, especially the children, love seeing the firework display at the end.

Your sincerely, G. Munday

Thank you for sharing your memories of Carols on the Square in the past. It all sounds very lovely. Things have certainly moved on since 1973. Nick’s article focused on the need for volunteers. Thousands of people now attend the event and the demand for extra help has increased.

Help Scheme

Dear Barton Today,

A lady has contacted the Help Scheme about two journeys but didn’t leave her number or address and her number didn’t come up on my phone. If L Webb, Ward, Wood or something similar reads this or you know her please call again and leave me your contact details.

Thank you,

Wendy Lee Stanton

- Earls Barton Help Scheme

I hope one of our readers can help with this.

When we were 10… 60 years ago

Marian Kelleher (now Colyer) writes...This picture was taken in 1965 – when I was 10 years old and a pupil at Earls Barton Primary School. Alice in Wonderland was the play and I am the “two of hearts” on the second row on the right. I think I am wickedly trying to push the poor chap beside me off the stage. I think his name might have been Stephen Wilson?

Our teacher was Miss Wills and the headteacher was Mr Lawson – a wonderful enthusiastic man who built an above ground swimming pool at the school as he was passionate about water safety and most of us could not swim.

Miss Wills was our Miss Jean Brodie. Well, she was for a small group of us. Taking a few of us under her wing, she took us to see Great Expectations at the Royal Theatre in Northampton. It was my very first trip to a theatre and it actually was probably the catalyst that turned me into a writer. She gave us time and spoke to us about what we had seen. We were local Earls Barton children –mostly from the council estate – who, she knew, would never have the chance of such a trip were it not for her input.

When I look at the photo I am filled with nostalgia. I left Earls Barton after my parents died and went to live in Ireland with my husband and young family. After four years we bounced back to the UK and then to Canada. I feel very fortunate to have travelled so widely and met such wonderful people but I am still drawn back to the place of my birth.

My parents were some of the first Irish immigrants into the village – at the end of the 1950s. We were something of an oddity as we went to Mass on a Sunday in the village hall as there was no Catholic church. Then a small band of fervent Catholics, including my father, fund raised enough money to build St Anselms -the first Catholic Church since the Reformation to be built in Earls Barton. The opening Mass was wonderful with Father Denis Roberts, priest in charge. Sadly, I heard that the church is now no more.

The night of the play, I recall, found me very nervous. Miss Wills was buzzing around making children up and helping with costumes. My mother was sick so my father came to the performance. This, of course, made me more nervous but I am eternally grateful for him being there. My mother’s lovely friend, Kathy Morrison, came to support me too. Her four children Andrew, John and Linda live fairly locally but Teresa is in New Zealand. I so appreciated Kathy being there … she was like a surrogate mum and gave me great confidence and bolstered me that evening.

I recognise many faces from the photo but wondered if local older people might recognise themselves or their mothers and fathers through those small 10 year old faces all those years ago. Gill Law (now Pepper) was the Queen of Hearts and we are still in touch regularly. She started school with me in the Infants at 4 years old so we have known each other for 66 years.

My visits are not frequent but when I go to see my parents’ grave I always drive through the village feeling glad that the centre and most of the village still remains the same. Memories come flooding back over the very happy childhood I had and how lucky I was to be raised in Earls Barton. p.s. One face on the photo is scratched and I’m almost sure it’s Elizabeth Haycock – I do apologise but this photo has travelled a few miles…

1 The Square, Earls Barton, NN6 0NA

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Easter Prize Draw

Barton Wombles?!

Barty Womble writes... Sadly the wombles haven’t held any group picks for a while now, but we do still have individual wombles doing their bit and a big thank you for that.

We have been have asked if we could get group picks going again as there is a lot of litter around. My friend Ken has asked if anyone would like to join him, perhaps once a month for an hour or so?

We can organise bags but no longer have any pickers as most wombles already have their own.

If you are interested in getting out and doing good for the community and meeting like minded people, please email your name and contact details to: thebartonwomble@gmail.com

Fingers crossed there are a few of you that would be interested !!

Barton Womble

The

Digger writes... This is the month we have all been waiting for as things start to get really exciting and hectic on allotments and home vegetable patches. It is the first month when outdoor and indoor sowing can get under full steam. However, do not overdo it, and keep your eye on the weather. I watch Countryfile on Sunday evenings and then make a plan for the week.

Digger’s garden tips

As ever, it is always better to sow little and often rather than the entire packet in one go. That way you will have a succession of crops coming to maturity over several weeks, rather than a glut that you can’t cope with and then nothing for a couple of weeks or more until the next sowing matures. Part of the skill of vegetable growing is knowing how much to sow, how often and when. The biggest “culprits” are lettuce, radish, cabbage and courgettes!

Another skill is knowing when to sow indoors, timing it right for when the plants are at their best and ready to plant outside. Leave it too long and plants become drawn, root-bound and rarely crop well; plant out prematurely and they will be at the mercy of the weather as they will not be strong enough to survive.

Late frosts and cold weather can quickly put an end to young seedlings, so have cloches and fleece ready to protect them if bad weather is forecast. Fleece will give up to 5oC protection. Frost can also damage the blossom of early flowering apricots, peaches and nectarines, so protect them if possible by covering plants with fleece if a frost is due.

Top vegetable jobs to consider:

• Try to avoid digging in really wet weather. If gardening on wet soil, work from a plank of wood to spread your weight and avoid treading on the bed and compacting the soil, otherwise you will damage the soil structure.

• Cultivate and prepare seed beds ready for sowing. Work over the soil with a rake to break down into fine particles. Covering the seedbeds with clear polythene or fleece will warm up the soil and improve germination.

• Many vegetable crops can be sown directly outside now, especially in mild areas with light soil. These include beetroot, broad beans, bulb onions, carrots, leeks, lettuces, parsnips, peas, radishes, shallots, spinach, summer cabbage, cauliflower and turnips.

• Most of the above can also be sown in seed trays or pots in a greenhouse or conservatory for planting out later. This is an excellent way of getting early crops especially if the weather is against you.

Allotment Reminders:

• Put pea supports in place. This can either be twiggy branches or netting.

• Continue to chit potato tubers so they are ready to plant out (earlies) next month.

• Check you have enough seeds of all your favourite vegetables. Running out in the main season can be very frustrating as many shops get sold out.

• Put up cages to protect against the dreaded pigeons!

Happy sowing!

EARLS BARTON HELP SCHEME

Do you need help to get to any medically related appointments? We can help you if you’re from Earls Barton, Sywell, Overstone or Mears Ashby

If you need our help please contact: Wendy Stanton at

171188 The clients pay for the petrol

Our shop opens every Saturday 10am – 1pm at All Saints Church Hall opposite the Co-op and our Fairtrade Cafes are on the 2nd Saturday of the month

THE UK’S MOST ETHICAL RICE! One of my favourite products in our shop is Kilombero rice. Both the white and brown are delicious and cook so easily without sticking.

The wonderful Kilombero fairly traded rice grain is hand sown in the rich alluvial soils of Northern Malawi. Environmentally friendly traditional harvesting methods ensure a superior aromatic rice, that is good for you and better for the planet. This rice has won a Great Taste award and is the most ethical rice on the market, according to Ethical Consumer magazine.

So come and try it for yourself and enjoy this award winning Kilombero rice - with a richness of taste and absorbency of flavour all of its own. You’re helping Malawi’s smallholder farmers reap the benefits of fair trade; to escape the poverty of choice with a sustainable income and provide a brighter future for their children.

LENT will be here soon so how about resolving to buy and try more fairtrade for this season? And you can always start simply with a bag of rice…A bag of rice

really can change a life!

Our February Café was such a busy one, with lots of seeds being swapped, busy sales in the shop, some amazing cakes and coffee and a visit from our new MP Stuart Andrew. Great to know that he’s been involved in support for registering as a Fairtrade community in his previous constituency... we look forward to taking those steps here in EB too!

And please join us for our next busy café morning… FAIRTRADE CAFÉ and SECONDHAND BOOKSALE on SATURDAY 8th MARCH We also have one of our MEND and REPAIR* events alongside lots of new products, including those for a fairtrade Easter and for our gardens. Enjoy chatting, browsing our products and secondhand books, fresh coffee and yummy homemade cakes.

*Repair and Mend’ Cafes With our EB Green group, we’re aiming to run these bimonthly and can offer sewing and knitting repairs, plus some portable electrical/ electronic repairs including radios, laptops, vacuums, toasters, speakers. We’d love to expand what we do so come and chat to us on the 8th if you have any mending skills you’d like to offer this time or in future!

Alex Whitson Managing Director

Queen Street, Earls Barton

BT Sport and ESPN Channels

Serving four traditional ales and a great selection of draught beers and lagers

MARCH WHAT’S ON

Friday 7th - BIG BINGO & RAFFLE, with the EXTRA SNOWBALL HOUSE

Fri 14th - KONTRA MUSIC CLUB @8.00 £3 ADMISSION

Fri 21st - BIG BINGO & RAFFLE, with the EXTRA SNOWBALL HOUSE

Sat 22nd - QUEEN STREET SOUL CLUB, FREE ADMISSION

Sat 29th - DARTS TOURNAMENT from 12.00, ENTRY £10

MARCH

March is associated with Mad Hares and March Winds, but we hope that the Library can offer more pleasant things than that, this month!

We still hope that, if you are cold, or simply a bit fed up sitting at home on your own, you will pop into the library. Even if you don’t want to take part in any of our activities, there is always a paper or magazine to read and, of course, lots of lovely books. There will be a jigsaw, partially finished, to help with and one of our super volunteers will be very happy to make you a cuppa and have a chat.

On Thursday 13th March, its “The Village’s Biggest Book Group and Book Swap”. We are inviting all book groups to come along, as well as anyone who simply loves reading. We’d like you to recommend a book you’ve enjoyed, to everyone there and you can bring a book to swap. Doors open at 7 for 7.30p.m. and the £5 entrance fee includes a cocktail on arrival!

The doors open at 6.30 for our film club and the film starts at 7.00 pm on the second and last Friday of each month. On the 14th We will be showing a comedy starring two giants of British stage and screen: Dame Helen Mirren and Sir Ian McKellan. He’s a con man and she’s a wealthy widow – what could go wrong?!

On the 28th Our 2001 film with Jenny Seagrove, Kelly Preston, Sally Phillips and Ben Miller, tells the story of three best friends from college recreating their post-graduation trip across Europe to honour the memory of their friend Anna.

Don’t forget that transport is available if you don’t want to walk here on a dark night. We ask for a minimum donation of £3, which, for a film plus tea and biscuits, we think is a bargain!

Earls Barton Library

and Community Centre

Charity Number 1184350

Our Coffee Morning is always on the last Saturday of the month from 10-12.00, and we look forward to seeing you all again on the 29th.

Whilst I am afraid that the weather may well be grim this month – do cheer yourself up by coming to one of the activities which we run.

If you need a change of scene for you and your under 5 year-olds, why not come to the Stay and Play times on Monday afternoon from 2.30 – 4.30 and Wednesday mornings 10.30 – 12.30. Rhyme time is great fun on a Friday afternoon from 2.30-3.00. All the children’s activities are free

Unfortunately, our IT tutor is unavailable for the time being. We hope to welcome him back soon and will let you all know when he’s available again

On the second Tuesday of the month, we host a Book Club in the library at 4.30, then Scrabble is held on Wednesday mornings at 10.15. Crafternoons on Thursday provide a terrific opportunity for you to pursue whatever craft you enjoy, whilst chatting to a group of other ‘crafty’ people

Even though the library is closed, you can come and learn and play Mah Jong on Sunday from 10.30 – 12.30. Ring Bob Watts on 01604-811688 for any more information

All of these adult activities cost just £2.00 per session

Monday: 2-5pm Tuesday: 2-5pm Wednesday: 10am-1pm Thursday: 2-5pm Friday: 2-5pm Saturday: 10am-1pm

All Saints Church

Surprised by Generosity

Revd Jenny Bland writes... Lent is often seen as a season of giving things up… chocolate, coffee, social media—but what if it was also a time of receiving? What if, instead of scarcity, Lent surprised us with generosity?

This year, our church is exploring the theme ‘Surprised by Generosity’ in our Sunday worship services and afterwards with readings, reflective questions and Lent lunches from 9th March to 13th April. We’ll reflect on how God often meets us in unexpected ways - through kindness, hospitality, and the generosity of others.

When I think of generosity, I tend to think of it as grand or highly meaningful gestures, but sometimes it’s the smallest things that leave the greatest impact so often, right? A warm smile from a stranger, a thoughtful word at just the right moment, an invitation to coffee or to share a meal, these are the small but powerful ways that love. Generosity and kindness fill our lives. This Lent we’re practising noticing more these moments, to receive them with gratitude, and to reflect on how we too might become bearers of generosity. This is coupled with looking at Luke’s Gospel, and finding out more about why Christians describe and experience God as generous. If we come with open hearts, Lent can be a season of fresh discovery about God, about others, and about ourselves. Whether you’re someone of deep faith or just curious, you are warmly invited to journey with us this Lent.

Come and find out more at our Sunday services (10am) and share in a simple Lent lunch afterwards (from 12pm). You may just find yourself surprised by generosity.

What’s on at All Saints Church?

Every Day - We are open every day 10am - 4pm* for everyone in our parish to make use of their parish church. So pop in, have a look around, make time to pray, read from the Bible or enjoy a pit stop with your little ones as they play with the toys. We’re open for you.

*Subject to occasional offices (weddings, funerals, baptisms) and special events/circumstances.

Midweek Worship

Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion. On the first Wednesday of the month there is a short service of Holy Communion in the Church Hall at 3pm followed by refreshments - everyone is welcome, we often have new people joining us.

Monday to Wednesday : 8:35am Morning Prayer

March Sunday Services

2nd - 9am Holy Communion, 10am All Together, 12pm Baptism, 6pm Evensong

9th - 10am Holy Communion with JaM, children’s group, followed by refreshments and Lent lunch.

16th - 10am Holy Communion with JaM (followed by Lent lunch), 2:30-4pm Messy Church at the Methodist Chapel.

23rd - 10am Holy Communion with JaM (followed by Lent lunch).

30th - 10am Holy Communion (Mothering Sunday and Lent focus) with JaM (followed by Lent lunch). Everyone is welcome to join us for our services and we warmly encourage children. We have an area with books and toys for families and a toilet a short walk away in our Church Hall. Refreshments are served and friendship and fellowship encouraged after every Sunday 10am service in the Church Hall.

Seasonal Services

5th - Ash Wednesday services, 9.30am in Church, 3pm in the Church Hall, 7.30pm in Church.

17th to 21st March - Easter Experience in Church for schools and uniformed organisations. Other events in March

4th - Leek pie lunch (12:30pm), Leek pie supper (7pm) at The Swan

2nd - All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, contact Sarah Howes at howes_africa@yahoo.com for location details

8th – Fairtrade Coffee Morning - 10am to 1pm, the Church Hall and Bishop’s Study Day, ‘Lord Teach Us To Pray’, 10am-2:30pm at Caroline Chisholm school. ask Rev Jenny for more info or see on the Diocesan website.

9th - All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, contact howes_africa@yahoo.com for location details

9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th March and 6th, 13th April –Lent Lunches (Surprised by Generosity). Video in church and then 12pm discussion and soup and bread lunch, donation will be asked to cover the costs. Sign up in Church or email the vicar. earlsbarton@outlook.com.

10th – Pints of View, The Stag from 8pm.

16th – Messy Church @ Methodist Church 2.30pm to 4pm (put 6th April in your diary for our next onesame time!).

16th – The Upper Room (young people’s group) - 7 to 8.30pm at All Saints Church

23rd - All Saints Youth Group 7 - 8.30pm, contact howes_africa@yahoo.com for location details

Please Pray this month for the Povey family as they mourn for Jennifer. Please pray for E and R ColesAbell as they come to be baptised.

BELL RINGERS

URGENTLY NEEDED

Or at least one or two people who would like to learn how to ring our bells and eventually to join our band of ringers. The thing is that whilst we currently have a really friendly band of about 12/13 ringers of all ages from 12 upwards, and the envy of many churches in the local area, we really could do with one or two more people who might like to learn how to ring. So if you can answer YES to all of the following questions, you could be just the person we are looking for.

Are you aged between about 12yrs old and70yrs young?

Do you have reasonably good hand-to-eye coordination?

Can you climb up and down our big ladder at the back of the church into the belfry without panicking?

Would you like to be taught one to one how to ring a church bell and acquire a new skill for life?

Have you got the time to come along to our practices most if not every Thursday evening from 7.30pm until 8.30pm/9.00pm?

So if you can answer YES to all of those questions and would like to find out more then please call me: Andy Smith 07541 312407 Have you got Corns or Callus or painful

32 Broad Street, Earls Barton, Northants NN6 0ND 01604 983490

Mon - Sat: 9am - 5pm Sunday: 11am - 4pm

Donations of good quality clothing, toys and household items accepted at anytime of when shop is open

Jacqui Bramall

HCPC & State Registered

LOCAL Podiatrist / Chiropodist with over 26yrs NHS & Private Practice experience

Based at Studio 28, 28 Broad St, Earls Barton, NN6 0ND from Tuesday to Saturday

A home visit service is also available

For enquiries or bookings please call Jacqui on 07796 853079

Established in 1986, our Nursery is designed to inspire the children’s curiosity and support their learning opportunities

We provide quality childcare for children from 12 weeks to pre-school

We are open 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday We have FULL and PART TIME places available for your child We offer funded childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds

Freshly prepared breakfast, lunch and tea provided Secure outside area

Secure parking and drop-off area Soft play room

Brownies Go Into Space

Recently the 1st Earls Barton Brownies were specially selected to take part in a Girlguiding Midlands event at the National Space Centre in Leicester. There were 550 Brownies and leaders at the event which was a full day filled with activities, demonstrations and talks. We learnt about constellations in the wonderful planetarium, saw how rockets manage to get up in to space, heard about what is happening in space right now, found out about and tried some astronaut training, made and launched our own paper rockets and had time to look at the exhibitions and galleries. It was a fantastic day and the girls all received their Space badge for taking part. We were also followed around all day by the PR team from Girlguiding HQ, so look out for us on the Girlguiding website! If you have a daughter aged 7 - 10 who would like to join us for fun and adventures, please register them at www.girlguiding.org.uk

Catherine Johnson and Jess Streeton (Unit leaders - 1st Earls Barton Brownies)

cooking with emmi cooking with emmi

Try something new this pancake day!!!

Fluffy

Japanese Pancakes

with Pistachio Cream and Cherums

These pancakes are tall, fluffy and like clouds and very moorish!

I have chosen to serve mine with pistachio cream (like Nutella but with pistachio instead of hazelnut) and Cherums which are a fruit hybrid combining my two favourite fruits cherries and plums and are delicious!

Makes 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, separated

¼ cup caster sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar or lemon juice for the meringue

½ cup self raising flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter for cooking

Icing sugar, to dust pancakes (optional) Pistachio cream, available in most middle eastern stores (warmed until runny)

Cherums, halved, stoned and sliced (available at Whites of Earls Barton) Squirty cream

Method:

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of sugar until smooth.

Add the milk, salt and vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix well.

Sift the flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture. Stir until just combined. In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar (or lemon juice) until foamy.

Gradually add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar while beating until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the meringue into the pancake batter in three batches. Use a spatula to fold carefully, maintaining as much air as possible for fluffiness.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over low heat and lightly grease with butter. Spoon the batter into the frying pan, creating tall pancakes. Add more batter on top to build height. Cover the frying pan with a lid and cook for 5–6 minutes.

Flip the pancakes gently and cook for an additional 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Dust the pancakes with icing sugar and top pistachios cream, whipped cream and fruit. Serve immediately watch people be amazed with the lightness of these delicious pancakes!

A Life of Adventure

The Christian life has always called for adventure, and I believe that without an adventurous spirit we would be lost. As I visited the Baptist Church in Bromham, Bedfordshire last week, a group were about to leave for Kenya. They were going to a school and orphanage that their church had financed twelve years ago, and that they had supported and shared with throughout those years. This adventurous work has seen children and young people given hope for the present and the future, and so many lives have been blessed, and changed for the better, through those who held a glorious vision.

It is important to remember that adventures have their times of fatigue, struggle, dullness and doubt, as well as their times of discovery, excitement, energy and wonder. The great adventurer, Bear Grylls said this about following Jesus:

‘When we pursue an adventurous pathway through life, inevitably we are going to have moments of hardship, doubt, struggle, and pain. It goes with the territory. But for me, my simple faith has so often brought light to a dark path, joy to a cold mountain, and strength to a failing body. Believing doesn’t mean we have to suddenly get all religious. I am not, and Jesus certainly wasn’t. It has taken a while in my life to understand that faith is a journey, and as we trust and lean on Him, He leads us to the light-to a freer, more centred existence, free from guilt, free from fear, and free to start living.’

The need for active, adventurous disciples of Jesus is as urgent as ever. There is a broken world in need of healing, good news to be shared, and Kingdom work to be done, energised by the charismatic spirit so powerfully present at the baptism of Jesus, and the birth of the church at Pentecost. The great explorer, Sir Francis Drake, who knew a thing or two about adventure, made this his prayer:

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true, because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely, because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity, and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord to dare move boldly, to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes, and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.’

Not a bad prayer, is it, as we continue our own life of adventure? Jonathan.

Thank you to all those who have shared with us during this past month. We have welcomed people of all ages to our worship on a Sunday, and to activities of a rich diversity, held daily. We value your joining with us as we seek to serve our community. It is our prayer that you will always feel a warm welcome, and feel happy to have joined with us.

Our forthcoming programme includes the following:

Monthly Coffee Morning is on Saturday, March 1st from 9-30am to 11-30am, with our usual stalls and raffle. Thank you for the great support in February, and we look forward to seeing you at our March event. We meet for Prayer and Share every Tuesday from 10-00am to 12-00 noon, and this is such an important time in the life of our Church. Do join us at any time.

We meet every Sunday for Praise and Worship at 10-30am, and enjoy tea, coffee, and biscuits after the service. We are led by a variety of preachers, and we give an open invitation for you to join us at any time.

Contacts for our Church are as follows:

Minister: Rev. Ruth Charlesworth 01933 312778

Steward: Diane Thompson 01604 811958

Bookings Officer: Jane Surtees 01604 813875

by Robert

Restoration of the Northampton house remodelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916 for Wenman Bassett-Lowke. Includes an overview of Mackintosh’s work and Bassett-Lowke’s modelmaking business. Free to Members; visitors pay £5.00. Further information: Iona Flanagan: 01604 811735.

Book Review

By Cally Palôt-Watts

Now, even if you think you’ve never heard of John Boyne, there is an excellent chance that you’ve read, or at least know about “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”. His debut novel for young adults, this book catapulted Mr Boyne to fame in 2006. It has since been translated into many languages and been made into a film, a ballet and even an opera!

So now that we have established the author I am going to tell you about this month – let’s get on with my review.

Instead of his usual novel, he decided to write a series of linked novellas, publishing one every six months for two years. Named after the elements, Water, Earth, Air and Fire, the final book will be published in March of this year. They are best read in order as one character from each book, becomes the main protagonist in the next. Although they are short, making them a fairly quick read at less than 200 pages, this does not detract in any way from their impact.

Vanessa Carvin arrives on an island off the coast of Ireland from Dublin. She immediately changes her name and reinvents herself Willow Hale and becomes almost a hermit. She lives in a tiny cottage in a very simple way. The locals are intrigued, but Willow has as little contact with them as she can – despite being a fascinating figure to them. She simply wants to escape her old life, but the consequences of her marriage and its breakdown cannot be avoided. She must look at the choices she made and decide if her ex-husband really was the monster that the media are portraying him as. If he is – what part did she play in his behaviour and what should she have done differently.?

John Boyne writes with compassion but never avoids shining a light into the dark areas of people’s lives. He visits the subject of child abuse in so many of his novels, but each time finds a different aspect of the subject and gives the reader pause to reflect on their own feelings, as they learn about the characters he has portrayed.

Willow’s past cannot be escaped, even on this little island, the media are ever present. She must come to terms with the loss of one daughter and her estrangement from her younger one as well as the trial and imprisonment of her ex-husband. As she deals with her past, whilst trying to see if she has a future, we must decide for ourselves if she is really an innocent in the behaviour of her husband or if she knew about it and chose to look away and preserve her lifestyle.

As always with this masterful storyteller, Willow’s story will stay with you after you have turned the last page. As a reward for reading this far, I am delighted to let you know that John Boyne will be visiting our library to discuss this quartet of novels on Wednesday May 7th. Places will be at a premium, so be sure to keep the date and book your seat. The register is open in the library now or you can book on line via our website.

SAVE THE DATE! AUTHOR EVENT 7th MAY 2025

Let us give you some clues...

Do you know who is the most translated irish author?

Do you know whos breakthrough novel was for young adults and set in a concentration camp?

We’re so excited and privileged to welcome this famous author and can’t wait to give you all the details. Follow us for more clues before the big reveal!

Earls Barton Library

Make sure you save the date. and Community Centre

SAMPLE PRICE LIST (INC . ﬁtting and VAT)

• Replace Steamed-up Windows from £35

• Replacement window hinges from £50

• Replacement window handles from £25

• Replacement window locks from £55

•Replacement door handles from

or email: rick@windowrepairgeeks.co.uk

Do You Like My Photo?

Quest here. Well that was a very confusing photo in February’s Barton Today article about me! Who was that yellow pupster playing in the snow? I mean she was beautiful, but it wasn’t my lovely face staring up from the page! I wonder how many of your readers noticed? I’ve got my people to resend the photo of me with all my favourite toys that I like to be thrown for me, so I can bring them all back.

I went to puppy class in February, and met up with a Golden Retriever to see if we got on together. We had lots of fun running around together in the play field. I’m going to stay with him and his humans for a few weeks to help me to work on my “dog distraction“. I don’t know what that is, but my humans are going to miss having me to take for walks and play with. I’m not sure what they’re going to do all day without me. I bet Mum will miss collecting all my fur that I like to scatter about, as she likes to do that a few times a day.

Anyway, I will update you on how it went next month, and I hope you like my photo from February.

Nature Notes

Mad as a March Hare? Nature Notes

Elaine writes... The expression is familiar but have you ever wondered about its origin?

Traditionally, hares look for a mate in spring (which used to be in March – it’s probably a bit earlier nowadays). When their courting behaviour kicks in, in contrast with their normal placid demeanour, hares appear to behave erratically, leaping into the air from a standstill, running crazily and ‘boxing’ dramatically. This involves standing on their hind legs, apparently kicking and punching each other. More often than not, the female is fending off the male’s advances; sometimes two males are competing for a female. Perhaps the expression came about at a time when farmer’s crops were sown in spring, rather than in autumn as is more common now, and the fields were bare, making this ‘mad’ behaviour visible.

As a result, when someone is behaving out of character or erratically, we might say that they are as mad as a March hare. Lewis Carroll famously used the idea in Alice in Wonderland. Remember the March Hare at the Mad Hatter’s tea party? One way or another the saying has become a part of our language.

These days, there are far fewer hares, (here we go again) due to loss of habitat. There are fewer hedgerows for shelter, and pesticides don’t help. In the last hundred years, the hare population has declined by over 80%. Hare coursing (illegal for twenty years) still goes on in some areas.

The brown hare weighs about 2 – 2.5 kg and is 50 – 70cms in length. It is larger than a rabbit, and faster, and unlike the rabbit, it lives a solitary life. It has long legs and long ears with black tips. It is believed to have been brought here by the Romans and is accepted as a native species. It grazes on grass, crops and shrubs, and also unlike the rabbit, makes its nest by scraping out a shallow hole in the ground. If disturbed, it will use its great speed to run away. The young hares, born with fur and open eyes, are often left alone for long periods of time, and even though the mother will return to check them and feed them at intervals, they might appear to be abandoned, which is rarely the case. However, well-meaning humans tend to interfere, trying to ‘rescue’ them; they are best left as they are, and their mother won’t be far away.

The brown hare’s smaller cousin is the mountain hare. It is resident in the moorlands of the Peak District, the north of England and Scotland. The interesting thing about this hare is that its brown coat changes to white in winter as camouflage against the snow. There is also a native Irish hare, which is widespread and can be found in various habitats, including sand dunes and mountainous areas. Brown hares are common in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, less so in Northamptonshire but you might be lucky. If you walk in the countryside this month, keep a lookout for those mad March hares!

Cloudy2Clear, A Local Family Service, Saving

Established for over 16 years, Cloudy2Clear windows have become the UK’s leading company for domestic glass replacement. Customers are no longer needing to replace their complete window frames, instead, now they can join over 320,000 happy customers and have their glass replaced and/or upgraded in an affordable and ethical manner. Remember, a failed glazing unit may no longer provide you with the protection you need or be energy efficient. Why not spend a few minutes checking your home to see if you have any failed double glazing? If you act now you can avoid any future costly problems.

When talking to Trevor & Wendy Skidmore the owners of Cloudy2Clear Northampton & Oxford it became clear that these values have been held for over 16 years. Since buying the local franchise in 2006 they have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community whilst introducing their 2 sons Lloyd & Ross & daughterin-law Lori into the family business along with Dan, Tom & Jo as demand for their service has grown.

The Cloudy2Clear service only requires the glass to be replaced and not the whole window once the

unit has failed. Trevor commented “Cloudy2Clear were able to assist our community through the last financial crisis in 2008 due to the savings that can be made in using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help once again”.

For a free quotation please call 0800 61 21 118 or visit www.cloudy2clear.co.uk. Ask me about our fantastic Energy Saving Glass.

14.05.30 - 13.02.25

Sadly I wish to say that my beloved husband Donald Martin Ingram passed away on the 13th February aged 94. He was from Earls Barton and used to live near the old A45. His family was well known in the village. His hobbies were woodworking and anything mechanical. RIP Donald Hazel Ingram Rest In Peace Donald Ingram

DO YOU BELONG TO A BOOK GROUP?

Would you like to join one? or do you simply like reading?

On Thursday 13th March, we are holding The Village’s Biggest Book Group and Book Swap in the library.

Are you a member of a Book Group?

Come along to hear book recommendations and bring a book to swap for a different title.

Barton Big Book Club Bonanza

Thursday 21st April 7.00pm Earls Barton Library

Entrance of £5 includes a cocktail on arrival and bookings are being taken in the library NOW!! Come in or phone to book your place or go to our website to book online.

Eco-Watch - Trees

By Rebecca Groom

March is one of my favourite times of year. We’re coming out of the depths of winter, the days are getting longer and the daffodils and blossom are adding much needed colour after the greyness of winter. We’ve got the spring equinox on 20th March, a good time to plant seeds and have a big old spring clean and declutter. It’s a time of new beginnings and my new learning this year is that it’s the UN’s International Day of the Forests in March. The United Nations celebrate several international days. It’s a great way to highlight areas of concern, mobilise political will, and to celebrate achievements globally. I work in Wellingborough and it has been so uplifting to see that they have been planting trees extensively; I’d say around 40 in Castle Fields and along the Embankment, plus Wellingborough Eco-Group have planted 1000 saplings this year. In EB plans are afoot with the Parish Council and their tree nursery is a year in now, hopefully being able to transplant the trees around the village. I’m very much looking forward to seeing that.

International Forest Day was first celebrated on 21st March 2013. Around 30% of the planet is covered in forest and it is believed the world loses an area of woodland the size of England every year. That means 156 million hectares have been lost since 2013. The need to protect and restore is a very urgent with so many reasons:

• We need forests to help us breath - one mature leafy tree can provide enough oxygen for up to 10 people every day.

• Roughly half of all known species on Earth live in forests and woodland; from orangutans in tropical rainforest to the beetles in the trees in your back gardens.

• 300 million people live in and heavily rely on forests for their daily life, with 10 million people being directly involved in forest conservation and management

• In urban areas a tree lined street is said to increase property value and decrease crime.

• They can cool our streets, provide shade and soak up C02 locking it away for centuries.

• Many people hold spiritual and cultural reverence to trees and trees appear in folklore and traditional practices.

• Spending time in the forest and woodland is beneficial to our physical and mental health.

• Many of our medicines have come from trees; aspirin, cancer and malaria drugs and more.

• Their roots help to soak up rainfall and flash flooding, helping to reduce the flow.

• The wood from trees lets us create so many things, from paper to houses.

• Trees feed us, the birds, animals and insects as well as fruit, nuts and seeds and underneath the canopy mushrooms and berries.

• They act as a wind break, and reduce noise pollution.

• Forests hold the soil in place, keeping soil erosion at bay.

The list is impressive, extensive, and conclusive; trees are essential for our daily lives. You very often don’t notice how important something is until it’s gone, which is why I spent a very cold afternoon with Wellingborough Walks Action Group showing the trees some love, and why the part of my job that I love is tracking our products which are on a path to be Forestry Stewardship Certified and why I donate to the Orangutan Foundation to help protect a forest 7000 miles away.

Update on not buying new - a friend told me about a fab second hand book website awesomebooks.com, (they also donate books to literacy projects), so between that and Vinted I’ve bought two of my book club books for the year. We’ve had a few house expenses where not buying new just doesn’t work. It’s hard trying to be mindful when our lives are built around convenience, so I’m happy to be doing the best I can and will keep ticking off and celebrating these wins where I can. I hope you do too.

George Blackwell

The Bowls Club along with many village people sadly said goodbye to George. He will be fondly remembered at the Bowls Club having been a member for many years and more recently serving as club president. He was affectionately known as “One Shot” due to his ability to always get one bowl on the jack.

We were pleased that he wanted to have his wake at the club. RIP George

New Season

The new season is fast approaching and we have an exciting range of fixtures and competitions for our members. We will be holding our signing on night on Friday 28th March from 7pm. New members are welcome to come along on the night to discuss joining options with members of our committee, and the bar will be open. We have a tour to Torquay organised for the end of May, and could take some more with us so please do not be afraid to ask for details.

Open /Club Night

We continue to open the club on Thursday evenings from 6.30. You can socialise with your fellow members and friends as well as take part in some social short mat bowling. We are happy to welcome non-members on the evening.

Club Hire

The club is also an excellent venue for hire. Baby showers, birthday parties, wakes, meetings can all be held there. The bar can be opened for you and we can arrange catering if needed. Other activities that take place at the club include Pilates and Yoga. Please contact Ian Butcher on 07973 790145 to discuss your requirements

Supporting the Club

Local businesses can advertise at our ground with boards located around the green. We have several companies supporting us at present and welcome new enquiries. Please contact Rob Butlin on 07929 917043 who will be pleased to discuss your requirements. We can arrange for your boards to be made and they would remain your property.

Enquiries

We are always pleased to welcome new members to our friendly club, which has been known as the best kept secret in Earls Barton due to its tucked away location. If you are not sure where we are, please contact me for directions and any other information

Phil Gibson (Secretary) secretary@earlsbartonbowlsclub.org 07504 882394

Saxon Pre-school

The children have enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year and we were extremely fortunate to receive some food from Mandarin House for the children to try. Thank you to Ken for your generosity and supporting the preschool.

We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our manager Amy Lockwood-West, for recently passing her Level 5 qualification in being an Early Years Lead Practitioner. This is a fantastic achievement and a great asset to our team to go alongside Lisa, Karen, Rosie, Elaine, Michelle, Rachel and Faye who are all Level 3 qualified and Becky who is an Early Years Qualified Teacher. We are extremely proud and lucky to have such highly skilled and qualified staff, looking after our children at Saxon Pre-School.

Earls Barton Millennium WI

Keri Gibson writes...This month is the first of the year. I’ve already heard of dry January but canapes and ‘No-Secco’! Really? Come on girls, you’re letting the side down.

Really, tonight was all about making quick and simple canapes with our lovely chef, Karen Davis. Karen has taught up and coming chefs at the college and helps out with our village Luncheon Club.

We were treated to blinis both normal and gluten free. These were made simply by using oat flour instead of ordinary flour. Whilst Karen was discussing this, she was casually making up the mixture and cooking them - multi-tasking as only we can. Did you know that chefs only buy two types of flour, no not self -raising and plain, but plain flour and strong flour – you know the type that gets up and puts itself in the bowl. Self-raising flour is simply plain flour with added baking powder, so why bother purchasing the same flour twice? I know I shall only buy plain from now on. Once cooked, they were dressed with cream cheese, slackened off with a little milk so it could be piped and topped with gravlax. And what is the difference between smoked salmon and gravlax? Gravlax is smoked with dill, that’s all. We were taught how to segment a lemon to finish off. You simply slice down one side of the segment and then ‘flip’ it off the other side! Karen explained that many of these little garnishes can be prepped ahead of time.

Next, Karen began making that good old favourite, humous, (although she did admit that the best humous belonged to the supermarket that sells ‘not just food, its *** food – I’ll let you fill in the gaps, I don’t want to get done for untoward advertising!) This again, was treated to titivation (no, not that sort). Karen used the usual chickpea base and added a variety of spices and mentioned that you didn’t need tahini as most recipes require. This was blended with a good handful of coriander and olive oil. This was served with carrot sticks, cucumber and celery. Again, tips were given for chopping and peeling. As you know carrots are cylindrical and if like me, they fly off all over the place when trying to slice them lengthways, well simple, slice off each side so that the carrot is now a cuboid (gosh, will my teacher’s brain ever retire like the rest of my body! ). To stop cucumber going all floppy, they are peeled and the seed/core removed and celery is either peeled by using a veg peeler or by peeling the string back from the cut edge – that’s a cheffy thing. All the trimmings don’t go to waste as they end up in soups and stews. Once the humous was made, it was piped into individual shot glasses, (that’s the excuse you can make when purchasing a stack of these in the shops) and finished off with the veggie sticks. All the while that Karen is working on these canapes, our ladies were munching and drinking away, no dribbling please. Finally, tortilla chips which were made in no time. Simply slice up wraps, preferably a little stale and season with salt and bake in the oven – apparently these are an air-fryer failure as they are too light and fly around in the fryer- who needs one anyway? For this, Karen made a guacamole using avocados, the most travelled fruit in the world apparently, I’ll need to check its travel documents to ensure it’s here legally! Here, we were told NOT to use the ‘knife’ method to remove the stone unless you want to end up in A&E and social services wanting to know why you’ve tried to slash your wrists. No, simply cut the ripe avocado in half, twist to separate and then, wait for it, squeeze, yep, squeeze and hey presto, the stone drops out!

A very pleasant way to spend the evening. I just wish I hadn’t eaten so much for tea! The recipes were simple but very adaptable and most importantly, delicious. Many thanks Karen. Reminder, we will need cakes for Cynthia Spencer by the 24th March.

19th March – AGM and 25-year memories.

16th April – Easter Egg decorating

Remember, we meet every 3rd Wednesday evening, 7.45pm at the Methodist Church Hall.

Contact: Lesley Smith - 07966 026663

Earls Barton Cricket Club

EBCC Elected Committee 2022

Chairman: Barry Smith

Secretary: Caroline Rees

Treasurer: Matt Kennedy

Youth Cricket: Matt Rees

February 2025

Captain: Charlie Lawrence

1st Team

Adult Cricket: Chris Ellis

Parent Liaison: Dharmendra Jadeja

Up & coming fixtures

Sat 04 June 2022

1st XI vs Haddon CC (home) 2nd XI vs Finedon CC (away)

Sat 11 June 2022

1st XI vs Irthlingboro CC (away) 2nd XI vs ON’s CC (home)

Minutes of the Meeting held at Earls Barton Library and Community Centre on Monday 10th February 2025

Grounds: Mike Davis & Liam Bond Club Safeguarding Officer: Alex Ayling

Club Development: Rob Mair

Present: Cllrs V Gould (Chair), J Bond, T Brennan, G Broadhead, N Chapman, S Dodds, P Hadman, C Lloyd-Staples, P Morrall, L Morrison, D Smith, C Wells, C Wood.

Sat 18 June 2022

Draw

(b) Income –and approved.

1st XI vs St Crispin CC (away) 2nd XI vs Poddington CC (home)

Sat 25 June 2022

no discrepancies or concerns to report.

1st XI vs Kettering CC (home) 2nd XI vs S&L Corby CC (away)

020/25 Planning

Key Dates

015/25 Public Speaking Time

(a) Planning Applications Received:

Our monthly Fund Raising draw has started. Our April Winners are:

The path warden attended to address the members regarding highway issues and MP surgeries.

016/25 Apologies for Absence

Adult training every Wednesday. Friday night junior training is back for 2022, with the bar open for supporters.

Sat 02 July 2022

1st XI vs Irthlingboro CC (home) 2nd XI vs ON’s CC (away)

No apologies for absence were received.

017/25 Declarations of Pecuniary Interest

No declarations of pecuniary interest were received.

U11, U13 & U15s from at 6pm. All Stars & Dynamos programmes from Friday 6 May at 6pm.

Contact us

Sat 09 July 2022

1st XI vs Haddon CC (away) 2nd XI vs Finedon CC (home)

018/25 Minutes of the Meeting of 13th January 2025

It was resolved to adopt the minutes as a correct record.

019/25 Accounts

(a) Expenditure - It was resolved to pay the following accounts:

If you are an adult cricketer who has moved to the area or has played cricket and wants to get back playing again. Maybe you have a child who is interested in learning to play cricket?

Get in touch with Earls Barton Cricket Club

Email enquiries to: secretary_ebcc@hotmail.com

Sam Smart : £100

Charlotte Orton : £60

NW/24/00730/FUL – demolition of existing external first-floor terrace, raised external ground floor, front porch and external store areas. To be replaced with a new single-storey extension with a replacement firstfloor terrace along with internal re-configurations – 1 Sunnyside

Wayne Wellborn : £40 Legend Shirts still available -, please visit www.EBCClegends.co.uk to buy a shirt and help raise funds to run our club.

NW/24/00736/FUL – two-storey front extension with 1 no window and 2 no dormer windows to front eleva-tion including internal alterations. Two-storey side extension including internal alterations and single-storey rear extension with roof lantern – 22 New Street.

Nether Heyford vs EBCC 2nd X1

After a rebuilding year, our second team has a mixture of experience, youth and some returning Legends. After being put into bat, EB 2nds openers Chris Ellis and Duncan Coverdale got off to a steady start. Returning Legends Paul Smith and Mike Smart made 25 and 41 runs respectively. With rising talent Josh Ford adding 15 runs, we set Heyford a below par score of 142.

NW/25/00016/FUL – proposed single-storey flat roof rear extension and pitched roof single-storey side extension. Demolition of rear conservatory and store and side porch – 1 Mount Pleasant.

NW/25/00022/FUL – demolition of rear conservatory, single storey garage, passageway and store and double garage. Wraparound single storey side and rear and two storey side extension – 25 Mears Ashby Road.

A superb opening spell from ever reliable medical mystery Sean Carter and Mike Smart bowling 10 overs each we got some early wickets and were always in the game. Josh Horspool’s 10 overs was the stand out performance bagging 3 wickets for 25 runs and after Archie Rees was given the ball showed us what he’s capable of. Heyford reached the target but only after losing 7 wickets. Game lost but we have a winning future with excellent performances by our youth players.

Following discussion, it was resolved that no comments were required.

(b) Green Hill Solar Farm – following discussion, it was resolved to re-open the community survey following an amendment to remove ‘other comments’ from the survey, to run until a response is required to the planning application.

EBCC 2nd Xi vs Rothwell 2nd XI

After skipper maintained his 100% toss losing run, EB were put into bat again. On a sporting track Chris Ellis dug in to protect one end whilst wickets fell around him from a decent Rothwell bowling attack. Mike Davis showed his experience and once at the wicket put on a 100 run stand with ‘hampered’ Ellis who soon fell 1 short of his 50. Davis finally ended on 70* not out and after 45 overs we had set Rothwell 169 to win.

021/25 Police/Community Safety

(a) Crime Figures and Report – it was advised that 13 crimes were reported in January.

022/25 Sports and Leisure Development

Once again Sean Carter (3 for 26 off 10) and Mike Smart (1 for 30 off 10) got us off to a good start. Tom Smart also added to the attack taking 2 wickets. Archie Rees took a superb catch sending their danger man back to the tent and then came on to bowl his allotted 5 overs for only 21 runs whilst taking 2 further wickets. A game that could have gone either way, Rothwell reached the target in the final overs with their last wicket. Once again, lot’s of promise but Rothwell took the win.

Due to delays relating to the discharge of planning conditions, the start date has been rearranged. Negotiations continue with DWH regarding outstanding issues relating to the sports field.

023/25 Finance

(a) Skipton Building Society Sports Fund –consideration was given to moving the sports fund from Skipton Building Society to Unity Trust. It was agreed that, before a decision is made, the Clerk investigate alternative instant access high interest accounts and report back at March’s meeting.

The Score Board

the lack of lighting in the alley. It was resolved that the Clerk write to NNC requesting that a light is installed.

Mike Smart in action at Nether Heyford on the way to his 41 runs

(b) EB Cricket Club Request for Funding - it was resolved to approve the request for funding for 2024/25 to cover the cost of the servicing of the mower and fuel costs. EBCC will be asked to advise what the costs for maintenance in 2025/26 will be without fuel and will then be asked to apply for grant funding through the grant funding programme from 2026/27 onwards.

024/25 Election 2025

The following information was noted:

• Nomination open – Friday 7th March

• Nominations close – 4pm Wednesday 2nd April

• Nomination papers can be downloaded from Electoral Commission website and must be delivered, by appointment, to the NNC offices in Kettering during the dates stated above.

• Elections will be held on Thursday 1st May.

The Clerk will provide additional information as it becomes available.

025/25 Committees

1st X1

1st XI vs EBCC

Rothwell

(a) Events Committee – it was resolved to adopt the minutes of the meeting of 23rd January 2025 as a correct record.

(d) High Street – it was noted that High Street will be closed from 24th February to 7th March for Anglian Water to carry out sewer repair works.

029/25 NCALC/SLCC/ACRE

(a) Standards and Conduct Framework – it was agreed that the Clerk respond to the consultation.

030/25 North Northants Council

(a) Councillors Report – apologies were received from Cllrs Lawman and Hallam. No report was received.

(b) Strategic Town and Parish Forum – it was agreed that the Cllr Morrison would attend with the Clerk.

Date of Next Meeting

Monday 10th March 2025 – 7.15pm

It should be noted that these minutes are subject to the approval of Earls Barton Parish Council Rosemary Smart – Clerk to the Council 01604 812850 theclerk.ebpc@gmail.com www.earlsbarton.gov.uk

1st X1 started with a win against a weakened Long Buckby side. Earls Barton bowled out the visitors for 143 with early inroads from Tom Todd and Matt Desborough picking things up where he left off last year.

(b) Allotment Committee – it was resolved to adopt the minutes of the meeting of 27th January 2025 as a correct record.

026/25 Christmas Market

The second game away at Rothwell was a more significant challenge for the 1sts with the lads bowling first and being put to the sword by Marc Jackson of Rothwell scoring 153* to set a monumental 281-7 to chase.

Lawrence cut through the tail to pick up 4 wickets.

then cruised to an 8 wicket victory led by Callum Ward’s

and a solid 30* from Liam Bond ensured all the points went to

Cllr Hadman advised that the Christmas Market 2025 would take place on Sunday 30th November

Kyle Lawrence picked up 5 wickets and some more important points.

Despite a solid start from Matt Rees, Callum Ward and Chris George the chase was never really on by the time we got to 30 overs.

027/25 Making Earls Barton a Fair-Trade Village

It was agreed that this item be deferred to March’s meeting to allow a representative to address the members.

So the team showed real character and dug in to ensure that the old adage “if you can’t win don’t lose” was applied successfully!

028/25 Highways and Maintenance

(a) Station Road (south of River Nene) – it was agreed that the Clerk was for a copy of the report into the coring work before responding.

The game ended as a draw with Earls Barton not allowing Rothwell the points, ending on 176-6.

(b) Flooding of footpath on Main Road – it was resolved that the Clerk liaise with Cllr Brown and to write to NNC Highways regarding the state of the footpath and asking that work is carried out to rectify the problem.

Captain Charlie Lawrence although injured is currently leading the team from the sidelines and although is doing a great job we hope he has the new ball back in his hand soon rather than the scorebook!

The

Kyle

Earls Barton

classy 61*

Earls Barton United Football Club

Email: ebufc@email.com

Website: www.ebufc.co.uk

The FA have revised their strategy and as you can see at u7 they have introduced 3v3 as well as starting 11v11 now at under 14 not under 15 as originally planned.

They have an online on 11th March or one at Sixfields on 28th March. Should you want to know more. We will also keep you up to date with any further information.

New Access Road for Pioneer Sports Field: A Community Effort

We are thrilled to announce the completion of the new access road to the Pioneer Sports field.

This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of Sport England, which provided 50% of the £22,000 cost through their Flood Affected Movement Fund.

The remaining funds were secured through the EBPC maintenance budget and an impressive £7,500 raised by the Football Club.

This collaborative effort ensures that safety is paramount for all users of the Pioneer Sports field, from community events like the bonfire and firework night to the regular activities of the football club.

The new road not only enhances accessibility but also underscores the community’s commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making this project a reality.

EBUFC Girls footballing success

There have been some highs and some lows for the U13 girls - but always smiles! Coached brilliantly by Grace and Pete the girls have come on enormously. Many only started playing in September and all are loving it! If you would like to start girls recreational football, training is Saturdays 10:15 - 11:15 at the pioneer for ages 10-13, years 5 to 8 inclusive. Contact the club to find out more!

U7’S new rain jackets The U7’s were recently sponsored by Cookies Cleaning Services. The rain jackets look amazing and most importantly keep them dry! Thank you to Cookies Cleaning Services for your kind sponsorship.

The Joy of Being Player of the Match There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being named Player of the Match. It’s a moment of pure joy and pride, a recognition of hard work, dedication, and outstanding performance on the field. Congratulations to every player who earned this honour over the last month, here are a few of your photos!

Join the EBUFC Easter Draw Fundraiser! We are thrilled to announce the launch of our Easter Draw fundraiser for EBUFC! This is a fantastic opportunity to support our football club and have a chance to win some amazing cash prizes.

A huge shoutout to Paul, Keith, and Team Swan for their incredible support. Most of the time, you can find the draw board at The Old Swan, unless Laura and Luke are out and about with it at matches or training sessions!

Don’t miss out on your chance to participate! Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it! Your participation and contributions are vital to the success of our club. The funds raised will help us continue to provide excellent facilities and opportunities for our players and the community.

Dates for Your Diary

Mark these key dates in your calendar: • EBUFC Tournament (Under 7 to 10): 7th & 8th June ‘25

•EBUFC Presentation Day: 22nd June 2025

•EBUFC AGM: Tuesday, 13th May 2025

Join the EBUFC 500 Club! Are you aware of the 500 club? This exciting fund raising monthly prize draw is just £3 a ticket per month. Currently the prize pots are 1st prize £100, 2nd prize £50, 3rd prize £25. It’s easy to join through the Teamfeepay app… the more people that buy tickets the bigger the prize pots may increase!

Stay Up-to-Date with EBUFC News Online! There’s always more happening at EBUFC! To stay updated on all the latest news and events, visit our revamped website www.ebufc.co.uk, join the Friends of EBUFC on Facebook, or follow the club and the 1st team on Instagram!

ANAPHYLAXIS

Would

you know what to do?

By Lydia Scroggs, Head of Clinical Strategy and Policy at St John Ambulance

As we head into warmer months, St John Ambulance would like to share with you some advice on one of the scariest emergency situations you could find yourself in. With summer coming, it’s an opportunity to spend more time outdoors with friends and family, enjoying picnics, outside dining and barbecues, but do you know if anyone has an allergy? Would you know what to do if someone had a severe allergic reaction? If you have an allergy yourself, make sure you have antihistamines available and carry your auto-injector (epi pen) when you are out and about.

What is an allergy?

What is ANAPHYLAXIS?

What to look for

• A red, itchy rash, or raised area of skin (weals/hives) often around the neck and face

• Red, itchy, watery eyes

• Rapid swelling of hands, feet, or face (particularly lips and neck)

• Abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhoea. There may also be:

• Difficulty in breathing with wheezing or noisy airway

• Swelling of tongue and throat with puffiness around eyes

• Signs of shock leading to collapse and unresponsiveness.

What to do

Automated defibrillators

PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATOR

An allergy is any abnormal reaction of the body’s immune system to an allergen or ‘trigger’ substance. One of the most common allergens is plant pollen, which often causes hay fever. Other allergens include animal hair, dusts, moulds, bee stings and some foods. Common symptoms of mild allergy may include sneezing, runny nose and mild itchy rashes.

• Coughing

Outside:The Fire Station,

Outside:St John Ambulance

Outside:Saxon Tavern,on

Outside:Working Men’s

ANAPHYLAXIS (sometimes called anaphylactic shock) is a severe allergic reaction that is a lifethreatening medical emergency that can develop in just seconds after someone comes into contact with an allergen. It can affect the whole body, and if it’s not treated quickly enough it could be fatal. This situation needs immediate medical attention, and you need to act quickly and calmly. Common triggers of anaphylaxis include bee stings, some foods (commonly nuts), some medicines (most commonly penicillin) and some natural substances (e.g. latex). Someone at risk of anaphylaxis may know what they are allergic and carry medication with them to use in an emergency.

Outside: White Mills Marina,Grendon

Outside: Community Rooms

DEFIBRILLATOR’S ON Claremont Nursery:Open Primary School:Open term

• Confusion and agitation

1. If someone is having a severe allergic reaction, then they may carry medication to inject themselvesan auto-injector. This is a pre-filled injection device containing adrenaline which, when injected, can help reduce the body’s allergic reaction.

2. Check if they have one, and if they do, help them to use it or do it yourself straight away following the instructions.

4. Hold in place for ten seconds (follow the instructions on the device), then remove.

5. Call 999 or 112 and tell ambulance control that you suspect ANAPHYLAXIS.

Dentist: Open 9:00 to1:00

3. Pull off the safety cap and, holding it with your fist, push the tip firmly against the casualty’s thigh until it clicks, releasing the medication (it can be delivered through clothing).

6. Help them to get comfortable and monitor their breathing and level of response by lying the casualty down with their legs raised. If they are having breathing difficulties, then sit them up.

7. Repeated doses of adrenaline can be given at five-minute intervals (do check this with the ambulance control centre, who will advise) if there is no improvement or the symptoms return.

Agate Way Medical Centre The Grange sports:when Youth Club:when open Library when open The Grange, Community The Bowls Club: when Open Calling allcustodians registered yourdefib

The Circuit is the nationaldefibrillatornetwork, defibrillators to NHSambulance those crucialmoments accessed quickly to help

Thecircuitis organisedby partnership with the Association The UK Resuscitation

If you want to find out more, St John Ambulance runs First Aid courses, which anyone can join through our website sja.org.uk. The charity also has loads of free resources online, including its YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/stjohnambulance, where anyone can learn how to save a life

For more information about St John Ambulance please contact: carol.coleman@sja.org.uk

Formoreinformationcontact: Ifyou have a defib in Village list, please letme with custodian permission.

Saturday 19th April 2025 9am to 1pm

All Saints Parish Church Hall, Earls Barton. NN6 0JJ

Homemade Goodies, Tombola, Raffle, Cat Related, Bric-a-Brac, Jams & Chutneys, Easter items, Jewellery, Cat Protection Goods, Toys, Collectables and much more....

Wellingborough and Rushden cats.org.uk/wellingborough | 0345 371 4209 enquiries@wellingborough.cats.org.uk

Cats Protection is a registered charity 203644 (England and Wales), SC037711 (Scotland) and is listed as a Section 167 institution by the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland

Easter Fete FREE ENTRY

SPRING FAYRE

Animals Need

Northamptonshire

Easter Sunday 20th April 2025 11am - 4pm

Admission £2 on the gate

• Ethical shopping

• Vegan Cafe

• Tombola

• Refreshments

• Professional photos using a digital SLR camera, not a phone camera

• All properties have an itemised floor plan with room sizes

• No misleading wide angle lens used

• Aerial drone photos/video where applicable

• Full details of every room, not just room sizes

• I’ve lived in Earls Barton for over 24 years and I’m a part of the community

• Extensive social media coverage

• Personal viewings - I know each and every property inside and out

• I am available from valuation to completion 24/7, not just office hours