NENE Herald
Rushden’sSoapboxDerbyor NetZeroMotoring
ASoapboxDerbyisaracingcontestwheretinyone-man(orone-woman)carswithno engines,competeagainsteachother.Thecarsareentirelyman-(orwoman-)powered.
Rushden’sannualSoapboxDerbywasheldthisyearonSunday7thJuneinHallPark anditwasspectacular.
PeoplecamefromasfarawayasCambridgetowatchtheracesandsamplethe sunshine.
Theeventstartedat1pm,withpracticerunsdownthehill,toletthedrivers(and pushers)getusedtothetrack.At2pm,theracingstartedinearnest.
Eachheatpitchedtworacersagainsteachother,withtheTownMayorwavingthemoff. Itwasagenuinecommunityevent.Twelveoutoftwenty-oneTownCouncillorswere therehelpingtoorganise(e.g.marshallingtraffic).MembersofRotaryClubofRushden alsoturneduptohelp.
Trophieswereawardedtothewinners,andmedalsawardedtoallthosetakingpart.
TheeventwassponsoredbyKingtoolsRushdenandSantaPodRaceway. Oftheteamstakingpart,Kingtoolschose“Rush2theDenSeniors”fortheirspecial award.
TheTownMayor,Cllr.JanetPinnock,chose“AFurryTail/RSR”forherspecialaward. Theoverallwinner,ApexLegend,wonwithanewcourserecordof17.19seconds.
Photos:SeePage2
NorthNorthamptonshire’s AldermenandAlderwoman
OnThursday21stMay2026,North NorthamptonshireCouncil(NNC)appointedits firsteverHonoraryAldermenandHonorary Alderwomen.
Sixindividualswhohaveservedascouncillorsin theDistrict,withdistinctionandhonour,were appointed.Theaccompanyingphotographshows them.
Fromlefttoright,theyare:
·TimAllebone,whoservedontheBorough CouncilofWellingborough
·TomBeattie,whowasLeaderofCorbyBorough Council
·RayBeeby,whoservedonCorbyBorough Council
·AndrewScarborough,whoservedonthe BoroughCouncilofWellingborough
·DudleyHughes,whoservedonEast NorthamptonshireCouncilandNorthamptonshire CountyCouncil
·SylviaHughes,whoservedonEast NorthamptonshireCouncilandNorthamptonshire CountyCouncil
(Thefigureontheextremeright,isAdeleWylie, theChiefExecutiveofNNC.)
ToqualifyasHonoraryAldermenorAlderwomen, thesepersonsneededtohaveservedaminimum of12yearsasaCouncilloratoneormoreof:
·NorthNorthamptonshireCouncil
·CorbyBoroughCouncil
·EastNorthamptonshireCouncil
·KetteringBoroughCouncil
·TheBoroughCouncilofWellingborough
·thepartofNorthamptonshireCountyCouncil whichcoveredNorthNorthamptonshire
Theymustalsomeetatleastoneofthefollowing conditions:
·Holdingseniorpoliticalofficewithdistinction and/or
·Havinganexceptionalrecordofcommunity serviceandleadership.
AllsixcandidateswereapprovedbytheCouncil.
PhotographbycourtesyofNorthNorthantsCouncil
BusLanes
Bus-onlylanesweredreamtuptoallowbusesto bypasstrafficjams.Theaimwastohelpbuses keeptotheirtimetablesandtherebyimprovethe servicethattheyoffer.
Bus-onlylanesmakeexcellentsenseinareas withheavytrafficandsignificantdelayscaused bycongestion.However,ithasbeensuggested thattheyhavebeenintroducedinsomecasesfor otherreasons.Ithasevenbeensuggestedthat somewereintroducedinordertoraiserevenue, ratherthantoimprovejourneytimes.
Thishasnowbecomeanationalissue,withthe ConservativePartystatingthat,ifelected,they wouldscrapall24/7buslanesunlessa governmentministerprovidesspecificwritten permissionforthemtoremainopen.
IntheNeneHeraldarea,wehaveseveralbusonlylanes.
OnesuchlaneisinthecentreofWellingborough, infrontoftheHindHotel.Thisoneisunusual,in thatevenbusesoccasionallyavoidit!
Amazingly,busescansometimesgetthroughthe Towncentrefasterbycrossingoverintothe ‘other’lane.Wehaveseenbusesdothisa numberoftimesbutnotbeenabletophotograph itaswewerealwaysdrivingatthetime.
NeneHeraldwouldliketoheartheopinionsof thereadersaboutthisbus-onlylane.
CovidHasn’tGoneAway
TheCovidpandemicisslowlywindingdown, butit’snotover.PeopleinRushden, Wellingboroughandourvillagesarestill catchingthebug.
Thecurrentrecordholderisapoormanin Daventrywhohasnowhadit6times!
Covidisstillmutatingwithnewstrains appearingthatcanbypasspreviousCovid vaccines.Forthisreason,‘booster’jabsare available,whicharetunedtotheneweststrains.
ifyouareofferedaCovidboosterjab,weadvise youtoaccepttheoffer.Thevaccinationisn’t guaranteedtostopyougettingCovid,butitwill cuttheseverityandpossiblysaveyourlife.
Itcanalsohelpreducethespreadofthe infection,soyou’llalsobedoingyourbitfor society.
“Don’tBeScared!They’reJustMorrisDancers.”
TheHemlockMorrisDancersputonashowforthetouristsattheChichelePlantSaleCollegein HighamFerrersonSaturday30thMay.
Thedancersareamixed(maleandfemale)team,basedinBedford. TheyperformedavarietyofdancesfromtheCotswoldandBorderstylesofMorris,fromold,traditional dancescollectedover100yearsagotocontemporarydanceswritteninthelast10years.
ItwasaperfectdayforMorrisdancing.Itwassunnyandbright,withoutbeingscorching.
NNC’sProblems
Reform-ledNorthNorthamptonshireCouncil (NNC)hasrecentlyrunintosomeproblems.
OnTuesday9thJune,NNC’sFinancePortfolio Holder,CllrGrahamCheatley,defendedNNC’s handlingofitsfinances,despiteanoverspendof £13.8million.
"Morecouncilsarerelyingonexceptional financialsupportandSection114notices,once rare,havebecomenormalised".
Then,onThursday11thJune,NNC’snewlyelectedChairmanhadtostepdownafteraseries ofembarrassingsocialmediapostscameto light.
CouncillorMauriceEglinhadonlybeenthe ChairmanofNNCsince21stMay
FireinRushden’s NorthamptonRoad
DuringtheafternoonofSaturday6thJune2026, asignificantfirebrokeoutinabungalowin NorthamptonRoadinRushden/Thebuilding wascompletelydestroyed.
Theroadwasclosedasfirefightersfoughtthe blaze.Heavy-dutyhosepipeswerelaidfrom ShelleyDrivealongNorthamptonRoadtogive thefirecrewsenoughwater.
OnMonday8thJune,NorthamptonshireFire andRescueServicestatedthattheybelieved thatthefirewasstarteddeliberately,inother words,thatitwasarson.
WellingboroughYouthHub
SwanspoolPavilionistobethehubforanew youthclub!
WellingboroughTownCouncil(WTC)has receivedNationalLotteryfundingforayouth clubtooffer“meaningful”opportunitiesforyoung peoplefrom14to18yearsold.Itwillmeeton Fridaysfrom4pmto6pm.
TheclubwillbeoperatedbyWTCinpartnership withServiceSix,alocalcharity.
AWTCspokespersonsaidthattheclubwould offera
“Safeandwelcomingspaceforyoung peopletomeet,socialise,andlearnnew skillsincludingmakingsnacks.”
NNCRoadWorks
NorthNorthantsCouncil(NNC)hasannounceda programmeofroadworks.Theyplantoapplya surfacedressingtothefollowingroads: A47WandsfordRoad,Duddington AshtonWold,OundleRoad A6116Bypass,Lowick, A427WeldonRoad,Benefield A4300StamfordRoad,Geddington A6003UppinghamRoad,Corby A427StokeHill,StokeAlbany A43StamfordRoad,Kettering A43RockinghamRoad,Rushton ChurchWay/EagleLane,ThorpeMalsor A6Rothwell/DesboroughBypass,Desborough B576HarboroughRoad,Desborough Loddington,HarringtonRoad Broughton,OldRoad A43KetteringRoad,Sywell WellingboroughRoad,Sywell MearsAshby,WellingboroughRoad A4500WellingboroughRoad EarlsBarton,StationRoad Bozeat,HarroldRoad
NNCstatedthat“Surfacedressingimprovesthe roadsurface,skidresistanceandsealsthe surfacetostopwatergettingin.”
CllrChrisMcGiffen,thecouncil’sExecutive MemberforHighwaysandTravel,said:
“Aftersuchawetandrainywinter,it’svital thatwetakethisopportunitytorepairas manyroadsaspossibleduringthesummer months-ensuringtheyarefutureprooffor yearstocomeandcanhandlethehighlevels oftrafficweseeinpartsofNorth Northamptonshire.
“Wecontinuetoinvestinourhighways network,andIhoperesidentsarestartingto seetheresults-weknowthereisalongway togo,butweareontherightroutenowand arecommittedtodoingallwecan,withthe resourcesandfundingwehave.”
WildFlowersat StanwickLakes
StanwickLakesisawonderfulcountrypark createdonthesiteofaseriesofquarriesin theNeneValley.Itisasignificantstaging placeforthousandsofmigratingbirds.
Itisabrilliantplaceforkids,forwalkingand forwildlife,andit’ssettobecomeeven better.
TheLakeshasreceivedagrantfromthe NewGapCharitableTrusttosupport wildflowermeadowsandabutterflybank.
Thegrantwillfundthecreationofnew wildflowermeadows,andtheenhancement ofexistingmeadows.Specialeffortwillbe madetoincreasethediversityofwildflowers.
Hopefully,thewiderrangeofnectarsources willattractandsupportmorebutterflies.They areindeclinenationally,andanewresource fortheminthecentreofthecountryistobe welcomed.
TheRushdenPridefundraisingeventtookplace atTheWelcomeInn,onthe19th,20thand21st June.RushdenPridebeganin2025.
Pride2026wasanincrediblethree-day celebrationoflove,community,andpride.Whilst normallyitisafairlylow-keyevent,thisyear,it madethenationalnews.
Thecelebration,included:
·AfantasticFreddieMercurytributeimpersonator bringingthelegendaryhitstolife
·Fabulousdragqueenperformancesfullof glamour,laughs,andunforgettablemoments
·Localgroupsandperformersshowcasingtalent fromacrossthecommunity
TheorganisersputupaposteratWashbrook Road,nearAsdatopromotetheweekend.Itwas stolenon25thMay.
Anew,biggerposterwasputupadjacentto ManorPark,inthesouthofRushden,(withthe consentofRushdenTownCouncilandNorth NorthamptonshireCouncil).Around6thJune,this newposterwassetonfire.
SapphireMatthewmanfromRushdenPride,said “It'sdevastatingtoknowthatsomeonewould destroysomethingthateveryonechippedin topurchase.”
" It'sdishearteningandshowsexactlywhywe needPrideevents."
CountrysideWalks
MichaelGordon,SarahHughes,Andrew PreslandandNickyStaggaretheWhitefriars ChurchCountrysideWalksTeam.
Onceamonth,theyorganisecountrysidewalks forhikers.Theirnextfeweventsare:
·Sunday12thJuly,2.30pm-UpperDean/ Swineshead
·Saturday8thAugust,10.30am-beyond Covington,inthelandofoilseedrape
·Sunday13thSeptember,2.30pm-Newton Bromswold/NewtonSpinney
TheTeamcanbecontactedon01933-316927or 07943-307873
EVParkingSpaces
St.PetersChurchinRushdenhasrecently welcomedanewrector,theVenerableSimon Heathfield.
Thechurchitselfhasacompletelynovelproblem. Despiteprotests,NorthNorthantsCouncil(NNC) installedelectricchargingpointsintheroadnext tothechurchentrance.Onlyelectricvehiclescan parkadjacenttothesechargers.
Thiswillcauseproblemsthenexttimethatthe churchholdsafuneralservice.Few,ifany, hearsesareelectric-powered.Theyaretherefore barredfromparkingoutsidethechurch.
Ifahearsecannotparknexttothechurch,where doesitpark?
GardenCentrein TownCentre
IntheoriginalplansforRushdenLakes,agarden centrewasduetobelocatedatthewesternend. However,whentheLakeswasbuilt,wegota14screencinemacomplexinstead.Somemightsay thatitwasabetteroutcome.
Thatsaid,Rushdenlostthepotentialassetofa gardencentre,andsomekeengardenerswere disappointed.
InthecentreofRushden,“Thing-Me-Jigz”inthe HighStreet,haveaminigardencentre.Aswellas plantsinfrontofthepremises,thegardencentre Isattheirrear,betweentheHighStreetand RectoryRoad.ItisreachedviaCoffeeTavern Lane.
Thegardencentreoffersarangeofbedding(and perennial)plants,atwholesaleprices.Itisproving anassettotheHighStreet.
HighamFerrersPlantSale
HighamFerrershostedaplantsaleon30thMay onthesiteoftheruinedChicheleCollege.
TheCollegewasfoundedbyHenryChichele, whowasArchbishopofCanterburyfrom1414to 1443.HewasalsothefounderofAllSouls’ College,Oxford.
ThegardenatChicheleCollegeisusuallyopen duringdaylighthours.Thesurvivingcollege buildingisopenduringthesummer.
Inmostpublicgardens,therearesignssaying, “KeepOfftheGrass”.Chicheleistheexact opposite.Theirsignstellyouto“Steponthe Grass”.Thisistoprotectwhat’sleftoftheancient monument.
Higham’sSecretGardens
ByBarbaraCole
“Itisnoteveryonewhohasabodyintheirgarden”,CatherineKnightsaidassheshowedvisitorsaround hersweepingflowerbedsandlushplants.
ButthatisexactlywhatCatherineandherhusband,Andrew,haveinthebeautifulgardenoftheirHigham Roadhome.
CatherinetoldhowhumanremainswerediscoveredwhenAndrewandacoupleoffriendsweredigging outthegaragefoundationstoprepareforanextension.
Thepoliceandaforensicsteamwerecalledinanditwasestablishedthattheremains,whichincludeda jawboneandskull,hadbelongedtoa30-year-oldpre-IndustrialRevolutionman.
Giventheoptionofhavinghimremoved,theKnightsdecidedtokeephim.
AndtheynamedhimColinafterafriend,ColinSanders,whohadbeenhelpingtodigoutthegarage foundationsandwhohaddiscoveredthehumanremains.
“He,Colin,hadbeeninthegroundforsuchalongtimethatwedecidedtolethimrestinpeace,” Catherinesaid.
Alaminatednoticemarksthespotwherehewasre-interredbytheKnights,andreads:“HereliesColin. Restinpeace.”
Theirgardenwasoneof11privategardensandfourcommunitygardensonshowtothepublicduring HighamFerrersTourism’sannualSecretGardensevent.
TheKnightstoldastreamofvisitorsthatwhentheymovedin25yearsago,thegardenwasfullofcat pooandgrassthatwassolongithadtoppledover.
Therewereconifersthatweretallerthanthehousesborderingthebottomofthegarden,therewere weedsgaloreandstepsthatwerehiddenbyivy.
Theychoppedsome30ftoffthosetoweringtrees,withAndrew–anaviddo-it-yourselfer-buildingthe variousstructuresaroundthegarden,includingthepatios,atreehouse,asummerhouse,allthepaths andsteps,thepondandfountains.
Theybuiltthetreehousefortheirfourchildren,whichincludedafireman’spole.Theyaddedaveranda10 yearsagoandthetreehousenowboastsanarteaselandistheidealplaceforaspotofreading.
Havingtotallytransformedtheirgardenovertheyears,theysaytheystillfindthingstodo.
StarTurn
Meanwhile,overatMickandAnneWaite’sshowcasegardeninShelleyDrive,visitorsweretalkingabout theimpressivelawnandMick’sfascinationwithmoviestars.
Hiscollectionofhostaplants,whichhehasbeengrowingfor20years,arenamedafterfamousmale moviestars,suchasGaryCooperandClarkGable,whilethetreesarenamedafterfemalestars,like SophiaLorenandGraceKelley.
Andartworkfromfamousmovietitles,like,“TheGood,TheBadandtheUgly”,decoratethegarden sheds.
Butassomevisitorscommented,therealstarisMickhimselfforhisperseveranceinproducingsucha landmarkgarden.
Neverstumped
AcrossinNeneRoad,KeithandLornaNicholsonwerenotstumpedaboutwhattoputintheirblank canvasofanewgarden.
Theydecidedonanunusualfeature:a250-year-oldoaktreestump,whichtheyhaveplantedupside down,withtherootsonshow.
“WeboughtitfromDevonanditcostmoretoshipitherethanthecostofthetreeitself,”Keithrecalled.
“Itweighedoveratonandittookfivementogetitoutofthelorryandintothegarden.Itispositionedon bigplasticpaletteswithholesfordrainage,”Keithadded.
Thetreestumpissurroundedbywildflowers,whichfeaturethroughoutthegarden,attractingbees,and butterflies.
TheNicholson’scalledinLandscapeConcept,whichworkattheChelseaFlowerShow,todothedesign andtheplantingandsayitmakessensetocallinprofessionalsforthebasicsasyoucanthenbuildon fromthere.
TheirgardenfeaturesaJapaneseredAcertree,whichhadbeenonshowatChelseaforfiveyearsand theyhadtowaitforlastyear’sshowtobeoverbeforetheycouldgetit.
Theirgardenalsoincludesawaterfeatureandawaterfall.
“Youcanhearthewaterfallandbirdsanditisallverypeaceful,”Lornaadded.
Thegardenislitupatnight,addingtothecalmingatmosphere.
LizBarnatt,thechairpersonandorganiseroftheSecretGardenssaidtheeventhadbeenaresounding successwithvisitorscomingfromasfarafieldasBedford.
“TheSecretGardenhostssharedawealthofideaswiththeirvisitorsandwewillbehavinga‘thankyou’ eventforthemsoon,”shesaid.
NewsinBrief
HighamFerrers NewsagentRetires
In1972,aviciousdictatorcalledIdiAminexpelled tensofthousandsofpeoplefromUganda.They wereofAsiandescent.ManyoftheUganda AsiansarrivedinBritainandsomeofthemsettled locally.
Oneofthemwas16-year-oldVijayPatel.
ShortlyafterarrivingintheUK,Vijayfoundworkin alaundry,beforebecominganewsagent.
Vijayisnowretiring,after41yearsrunninghis storeintheMarketSquare,oppositetheTown Hall..
Hewillberememberedwithaffectionbythe peopleofHighamFerrers.
Footnote.PresidentIdiAminwasacannibaland massmurderer.Underhisrule,between100,000 and500,000peoplewerekilled.Hewas eventuallyoverthrownandfledfromUganda.He wasgivensanctuarybySaudiArabia,wherehe livedouthisdays.
Withhindsight,theUgandaAsianswereluckyto escapewiththeirlives.
SolarFarmby RushdenLakes
Planningconsenthasbeengrantedforasolar farmadjacenttoRushdenLakes.
Theplanningdecisionwasmadebythe government’sPlanningInspectorate(thePI), whichisbasedinBristol.
Reform-controlledNorthNorthamptonshire Councilshouldhavedeterminedtheplanning application.Theyfailedtodosointime,so followinganappeal,thePItookover.
Thesolarfarmisnearly50acresinarea.Itisto theeastofDitchfordLane,andnorthofRushden Lakes.
ThePIconcludedthatthelandscape,proximityof amenity,etc,werenotrelevant.Theonlyissue thattheyconsideredwaswhetherthescheme wouldaffectprotectedbirds.
Thegovernmentputsaveryhighpriorityon NetZeroand“green”projects.(E.g.theDefence Secretaryresignedbecausethegovernment refusedtotransferfundingfromtheEnergysector toDefence).
TheoutcomeoftheappealtothePIwas thereforeprobablyinevitable.
TheNeneHeraldisacommunity-basednewspaperforWellingborough,Rushden,HighamFerrers,Irthlingboroughandthe surroundingvillages.
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