NENE Herald
CoveringRushden&WellingboroughNews
RushdenLakesCelebratesits7thAnniversary
Sevenyearsago,RushdenLakesopenedonasunnydayinJuly2017.Ithassincebecome apopulardestinationforshoppersaswellasthosewhoenjoytheleisureactivitiesavailable.
Theeconomicbenefitsintheformofmuchneededemploymentopportunitieswere overwhelming,butittookseveralyearsofcampaigningdrivenviatheYes2RushdenLakes Facebookpagetosecuretheinvestmentforthearea.
ThecampaignwasledbylocalConservativecouncillorsandmembersofthelocal community,inparticularHelenDanzig.Atitspeak,thewebsitereachedover200,000visitors, someasfarawayasNewZealand.
Thecampaignhadtoovercomestrongresistancefromelsewhere.Over100articleswere writteninsupportofRushdenLakes,whichwas(andstillis)subjecttosignificantopposition..
RushdenLakeswasbuiltontheformerSkewBridgesite,a“greyfield”site.Itbroughtin retailersthatarerarelyseeoutsideLondon.Ithasbeenastunningsuccess
Theopeningwasspectacular withanopenairfashionshowand around70,000visitors.Ithassince regularlyattractedaround5m visitorsayear.
PotholeFixing
Whiletheweatherstaysgood,NorthNorthants Council(NNC)isfillingpotholesincessantly.In afewextremecases,theroadisbeingcompletely resurfaced.ThewholelengthofDitchfordLane hasbeenresurfacedthisSummer,ashasa sectionoftheRushden(A6) bypass.NNChas committedtospend£4,804,000monpothole repairsthisyearacrossthearea.The Conservative-controlledcouncilhasalso allocatedafurther£3,735,000mforpothole repairsforeachofthefollowingthreeyears.The outgoingConservativeGovernmentdidallocate £14,900.000mtoNNCfortransportfundingfor theperiod2025to2032.Thisfundingcamefrom droppingpartoftheHS2scheme.Atthispointin time,itisnotclearifthenewLabourgovernment willhonourthispledge.
CineworldinTrouble
RushdenLakeshasa14-screenmultiplex cinema.WhilsttheoriginalplansfortheLakesdid notincludeacinema,thiswasanaspirationfor manylocalpeople.
Conservativecouncillors,especiallyGillMercer alongwithAndyMercerandBarbaraJenney,did notlosesightofthisandcampaignedstronglyuntil eventuallythegoalwasachieved.However,the cinemacomplexiscurrentlyatrisk,Cineworldhas enteredadministrationandhasclosedsix complexes,includingtheirBedfordone.
AtthemomentRushdenLakesisnotlistedasone ofthoselistedforclosure.
ThephotographshowstheresurfacedDitchford Lanecompletewithitsnewroadmarkings.
SwivelClub
CharityShop
TheSwivelClub,alocalcharityinRushden, hasopenedashopinRushden’sGrangeway shoppingcentre.
TheSwivelClubwasfoundedintheearly 2000’sandhasbeenraisingmoneytosupport localpeopleinneed.Theyhaveastheirmotto “TurningLivesRound”.
Theirmainfundraisingcomesfromholding events,buttheyalsowelcomedonationsto theirshop.Theshopisopen10.30amto4pm. MondaytoSaturday.Theycanbecontactedon 07554063150.
Theupcomingeventsinclude:
RodStewartTributebyGregDorrellsupported byTheFantasticBillBurtononSaturday17th AugustandTheLegendsShowwithMarshall KingonSaturday21stSeptember.Bothareat theHighamFerrersWorkingMensClub.
WarmRooms
TheWarmRoomsweresetupduringtheenergycrisisin November2022.DuetotheoutbreakofwarbetweenRussiaand theUkraineandthefactthatmostofourenergysuppliescame fromRussia,thegovernmentallottedfundingtolocalcouncilsto fundWarmRoomsintheirdistrict,sothatpeoplecouldhavea warmspacewheretheycouldgoandmeetupandsocialisewith others.RushdenHallwasanidealvenue,andthreeCouncillors JanetPinnock,DavidColemanandBarbaraJenneytookonthe taskoforganisingit.Originallyitwastobefor5monthsbutithas beensosuccessfulitstillcontinuestothisdayonFriday afternoonsbetween1.30and3.30pm.
CllrPinnocksaid“Theyareasupergroupofpeople,withmanystill attendingfromthefirstdaywestarted.Wehaveallbecomefirm friendsovertheyearsandenjoyourtimetogethereveryFriday, mostlyplayingboardgames.Ladieshavebroughtknittinginthe pastandIhaveeventaughtcrochettothosewhohavealways wantedtohaveago.Itissuchgoodfunandeveryoneis welcome”.
Recently,aservicewasheldinStPaul’sCathedralinLondon especiallyforthosevolunteerswhoranWarmRooms,andthe threecouncillorstooktheirplacesinsidethecathedralforavery specialservice,celebratingallthegoodthathadcomefromthese welcomingplacesalloverthecountry.Itwasamomentintimethat theywillneverforget,andallfelthonouredandproudtohavehad aninvitationtoattend.
HighamFerrersTwinningAssociation
HighamFerrersTwinningAssociationcelebratedthe34thyearofitspartnershipwithitsGermantwin townofHachenburg,duringJulythisyear.Manyoldfriendshipswererenewedduringthevisitbythe Germans.
GillMercer,theSecretaryoftheAssociationsaid“EveryotheryearourGermanfriendsvisitusandthe alternateyear,wevisitHachenburg.Hachenburgisalovelysmalltownintheregioncalledthe Westerwald.It’saboutanhourfromtheRhineandtypicallywevisittheRhineduringourtrip.“Ifanyone wouldliketojoinusnextyear,weplantogotoGermanyfrom14thto18thAugust2025.Wetravelby luxurycoachsuppliedbylocalcompany,RBTravel.”
Ifyouareinterestedtohearmore,pleaseemailnene_herald@yahoo.com.
CllrsDavidColeman&BarbaraJenney
NNCReleaseFundsforLocalProjects
ConservativecontrolledNorthNorthantsCouncilhasallocated£30,036toAlfredStreetSchoolfor improvementstotheirfacilitiesand£303,500toTheSplashPoolandCorby’sEastMidlands InternationalPooltobesplitequally.CorbyPoolwillbeforswimmingpoolupgradesandtheSplash Poolwillgetnewboilersandsolarpanelswhichwillincreasetheef�ciencyofthepoolandcutits runningcosts.
WinterFuelPayments
Labour’sChancelloroftheExchequer,Rachel Reeves,ishaltingWinterFuelAllowancestosome 10mpensionersnotinreceiptofpensioncreditjust aslettersfromenergysuppliersarrivethrough doorswarningofenergybillhikes.Sheclaimsthat thisistofilla“£22billionblackholeinBritain’s publicfinances”.
OppositionConservativesclaimedthattheblack holeisonlytherebecauseLabourareplanningto spendahugeamountofmoneyonnewprojects andabove-inflationwagerises.
RushdenLadElectedto
Parliament
PeterBedfordgrewupinRushdenandwasoneof thefoundermembersofRushdenTownCouncil.He hasnowbeenelectedtoParliamentasthe ConservativeMPforMid-Leicestershire.Hisfamily stillliveinthetown.HewasalsoelectedtoEast NorthamptonshireCounciluntilmovingto Leicestershire,successfullybeingelectedtothe CountyCouncil.Peterwasapassionateand hardworkingcouncillorandwillmakeanexcellent MemberofParliament.WelldonePeter!
WhoAreWe?
Didyouseethemperformingonthestageat Rushden’sPartyinthePark?
Whatafabulousdayforeveryone.Crowds flockedthereenjoyingallthatwasonofferand theorganisersfeltitwasthebestyearever.
Ajoyousphotowhichsumsupthisinspirational groupofadultswithlearningdisabilitiesbasedin Rushdenusingallformsofperformancetobuild confidenceinhelpingwitheverydaylife.
Whoarethey?“It’sMyLife”.
Ifyouwishtocommentonanyofthesubjectswithinthispublicationorwouldliketocontributeto thecontent,pleasegetintouchviaemailto:nene_herald@yahoo.com
CllrMelanieColemanleadingthegroup