NN Pulse Magazine June 22

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Issue 79 | June 2022

County-wide news, views and stories

What’s On

Your monthly guide to local events

The magazine at the heart of Northamptonshire

What’s going on in your local area

Volunteers’ Week Northampton’s medical marvels

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For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

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CONTENTS

From the

Editor

June 2022

Kerry Lewis-Stevenson

W

ith the Queen’s extraordinary milestone around the corner, there’s no doubt this month will be one to remember. There’s an augmented reality story-trail through the streets of Northampton until Sunday 12 June. Look out for the special QR codes in the windows of our town centre businesses. There will also be magical music and entertainment, a country-wide pageant, lunches, picnics and street parties aplenty. Whatever you’re doing, have a fantastic time.

While all these festivities are taking place many people continue to face all types of challenges but there are some amazing initiatives to support them. For example, people living with Parkinson’s disease can now receive free entry to Moulton Leisure Centre and Daventry Leisure Centre so they can access the gym, swim and join group exercise classes alongside their personalised exercise prescription.

10 6

NEWS

Did you know that 1 to 7 June is Volunteers’ Week? We decided to take a look at how some of our own local heroes have been making a difference. For example, at Northampton General Hospital around 350 people regularly give up their free time to volunteer, but there will always be room for more.

10

VOLUNTEERING

15

HISTORY

19

LEGAL

Our stories from the Animals in Need rescue hub in Little Irchester are always popular but there are many different strands to the charity and the work they do to provide a safe and loving environment – all of which need the help of volunteers to continue.

22

JUBILEE

24

FASHION

27

BEAUTY

28

FOOD & DRINK

30

ANIMALS IN NEED

34

HOME & GARDEN

38

INTERIORS

40

MUSIC

42

THEATRE

44

WHAT’S ON

48

MOTORING

49

PUZZLES

50

YOUR STARS

And, of course, since Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened Cynthia Spencer Hospice in 1976 its work has continued to be at the heart of the community. Around 90 volunteers help with everything from reception duties and gardening to laundry and driving patients. All the special events like Cycle4Cynthia wouldn’t be the same without the fundraising volunteers.

Who knows what can happen once you’ve taken the first step?

Kerry Read previous editions online: www.pulsemagazine.co.uk 01604 935300 nnpulse@pulsegroupmedia.co.uk 17 Stilebrook Road, Olney, Bucks MK46 5EA Connect with us on socials: /pulsemagazines @pulsemagazines nnpulsemagazine FINISHED READING? PASS PULSE MAGAZINE TO A FRIEND OR PLACE IT IN THE RECYCLING.

The deadline for advertising in the next edition of Pulse Magazine is MONDAY WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 8TH JUNE Published by NN Pulse Limited NN Pulse cannot take responsibility for the content of the advertisements, editorial or the services provided by the advertisers. Advertisements are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are accurate. All artwork is accepted on condition that permission has been given for use in MK Pulse. Reproduction, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. © NN Pulse

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LOCAL NEWS

Interactive town centre trail brings Queen’s reign to life The Queen’s historic 70-year reign is being brought to life through an augmented reality story-trail through the streets of Northampton.

T

o complement and enhance this month’s Jubilee celebrations, Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) has partnered with High Street Safari to run a free, family trail which is now live and available until Sunday, June 12.

The experience includes augmented reality characters and educational content on The Queen’s reign which can be accessed by scanning QR codes in the windows of seven town centre businesses.

Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton Town Centre BID, said: “This trail is an interactive experience and as you visit the story points in order, you’ll collect digital stamps, learn more of the

story and be able to take selfies with some of the characters that appear before your eyes via your smartphone.

“It’s a look back at history through 21st century technology, bringing The Queen’s incredible reign to life. Having run similar trails in recent years, we know there’s a huge appetite for this kind of experience and we look forward to seeing families exploring the town centre as they follow ??? the story.”

At each stop along the trail, visitors will be given a few facts from each decade of The Queen’s reign, from her coronation in 1952 right up to the present day.

Businesses taking part in the trail include Abington FX, Bias Gifts, Café Track, O’Neill’s, Playhouse, Saints Coffee and The Sandwich Bar. >> For more details, visit: www.discovernorthampton.co.uk/ the-queens-jubilee/

The experience can be accessed by scanning QR codes in the windows of seven town centre businesses

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June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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LOCAL NEWS

M

oulton Leisure Centre and Daventry Leisure Centre, run by Everyone Active in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council, are taking part in the new initiative alongside charity Parkinson’s UK. The scheme gives members access to gym, swim and group exercise classes. All members will also receive a personalised exercise prescription through exercise referral platform EXi and be able to join Synergy Dance online classes. Free carer membership will be available, if required.

“We are immensely proud to launch this partnership with Parkinson’s UK and hope it will make a real difference to many people’s lives,” says Everyone’s Active’s area contract manager Joe Warren.

“We want to encourage the whole Parkinson’s community to exercise and are confident we have an activity for all, no matter what your age, ability or fitness level.

“Being more active will help members to live well with

Leisure centres aim to make a difference to Parkinson’s sufferers People living with Parkinson’s Disease are to receive free entry to leisure centres in Daventry.

???

‘Being more active will help members to live well with Parkinson’s, improving their physical fitness and mental wellbeing, as well as having fun’

Parkinson’s, improving their physical fitness and mental wellbeing, as well as having fun.”

Parkinson’s is the fastestgrowing neurological condition in the world. There is currently no cure and the disease affects

around 145,000 people in the UK. Being physically active can play an important role in living well with Parkinson’s.

People living with the condition find various activities, from walking to dance, beneficial in managing their symptoms.

“Being physically active is important for everyone,” says Tom Ingram, corporate partnerships manager for Parkinson’s UK. “It supports both physical and mental health and, depending on what you choose, can provide social support and interaction, all of which can really help people living with Parkinson’s and those providing informal care.

“Developing a regular physical activity habit can make a person feel more in control when living with the condition.

Quality of life can be enhanced and independence and confidence maintained.

“We hope that with the support of Everyone Active, the Parkinson’s community can enjoy physical activity and use it to make a real difference to their lives.” >> Find out more at: www.everyoneactive.com/ promotion/parkinsons

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VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK

Northampton’s medical marvels

W

e are grateful they are there, but really, we try our best to stay away from hospitals, don’t we?

Actually, that’s not quite the case for everyone. At Northampton General Hospital (NGH), in the region of 350 people regularly give up their free time to make a difference.

“We would love to grow the number of volunteers to 600 over the next two years as we have witnessed the significant impact that volunteers have had in the Trust for patients, staff and supporting the local community,” said Michelle Barnes, deputy head of volunteer services with NGH. You mightn’t think that you possess the necessary skills to assist in the hospital, but the work undertaken is so varied there is almost certain to be a role that can utilize your expertise.

Volunteers give their time to wards and clinics, they work as gardeners in the grounds, they ensure smooth running for staff and patients by assisting as administrators and guides, and some even arrive with four-legged friends; operating as Pets As Therapy Volunteers.

Hospital buggy’s always need drivers, and wellbeing volunteers are vital too, not least during these trying times. NGH is also heavily supported by the Northamptonshire Health Charity.

“Our volunteers are an invaluable part of the hospital team,” Michelle said, “Working with us in a volunteering role means you’re playing a part in delivering the best possible care to our patients and their families, whether you’re providing admin support in an office or working alongside our ward teams,” she said, “Volunteers free up crucial time for staff to provide critical support to the patients whilst knowing that the volunteer can support patients by sitting with them, and listen to them at a time when they are unable to see visitors and loved ones.”

Community Action Northants creates volunteering connections across Northamptonshire.

Visit the website communityactionnorthants.org.uk for opportunities in your area.

NGH’s Brew Buddy Service 10

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK

Frequently, volunteers talk of how proud they are to contribute to the jewel that is the NHS and how giving their time increases their self-confidence and helps combat depression as well.

For many, meeting new people in the role has resulted in blossoming friendships and a reduction in that ‘modern society illness’ of loneliness.

Some have felt inspired enough that they have gone on to build a career in healthcare.

“We have volunteers who apply for a variety of reasons; they wish to give something back to the hospital whether that be because of their direct experience or that of a family member; they would like to pursue a career in a healthcare setting, both clinical and non clinical; they are retired and have time; they are lonely and wish to reach out and be part of something special,” Michelle told Pulse.

“The Volunteer Services work closely with the local community to become more inclusive and representative of the surrounding areas. We also target ‘harder to reach’ groups who previously would not have considered volunteering in their local hospital.

“Throughout the pandemic there has been a decrease in the mental wellbeing of many individuals and an increase in loneliness.

Some of those have reached out to us to volunteer to bring routine and normality to their lives.

Some of the valued volunteers at NGH

“As a result, we have invested in training for two members of staff to undertake their mental health first aid training,” Michelle explained. And the hospital is reaching into all areas of the community to enrich the experience of visitors, staff members and volunteers alike.

“Working closely with our local community has meant we collaborate with local schools, colleges and universities which has resulted in a significant increase in 16-24-year-old volunteers.

“Working alongside our job centre has opened up volunteer opportunities to jobseekers broadening their skills to explore careers in the health sector. Mencap, another organisation we are working with, is giving opportunities to those with learning disabilities providing them with hope and aspirations for their own future.”

Volunteer Week is a chance for the hospital to share its appreciation of those volunteering heroes.

“It’s an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to our amazing volunteers, and this year is even more special as Stepnell Limited along with their supply chain partner have collaborated to donate a gazebo in honour of the volunteers dedication and contribution to NGH,” Michelle said.

“The gazebo is a thank you to all the volunteers for their dedication to the service and is a safe space for them. Many hospitals closed down their volunteer services during the pandemic, but NGH kept going, and we are incredibly grateful to them all.” > If you would like to bolster the NGH volunteer team email ngh-tr.volunteer.services@nhs.net or call 01604 544136.

For the love of all creatures great and small

W

Volunteer Angie Taylor on bottle duty

e regularly write about Animals in Need, exploring different strands of the charity and the work they do. But the ‘bigger picture’ is that the rescue hub in Little Irchester is always full to the brim with beautiful animals; of the four-legged and the many-legged varieties, of those with wings and those with fins and those with fur and those with scales....you get the idea.

And with around 600 animals currently in their care, time is always short, to put it mildly.

There is always the endless task of mucking out, feeding and dog walking to deal with, and if you think walking your own pooch or two is time consuming, imagine having a couple of dozen to sort out!

“The list of jobs is endless and without the help of our volunteers we would never get finished each day,” promises volunteer recruiter Sally Smith.

“We have around 100 volunteers and they also help with fundraising, in the shop and take part in sponsored events. Some prefer to do one thing, others chip in and help out wherever the need is greatest at any given time.”

And just like some of the inhabitants at AIN, some of the volunteers are early birds too, and can be found on site before 8am.

Everyone who gives their time to the centre has a love of animals, of course, but that aside

there are all ages and backgrounds working for the cause, from youngsters to retired folks.

“We also have professionals who help out on a voluntary basis – vets and nurses, gardeners, groomers, electricians and so on.

They all provide valuable services that we are so grateful for.”

But AIN can always use more time-givers to ease the burden of caring for so many animals who rely on human help.

“We always need reliable, committed, hardworking volunteers who are prepared to give up a block of four hours every week. The tasks can be physically demanding, but the reward of knowing you are making a difference to the lives of so many animals and birds makes it so worthwhile,” Sally said.

Potential volunteers need to be over the age of 16 to comply with insurance cover, and all volunteers will need to complete an induction. > Start the ball rolling by sending an email to admin@animals-in-need.org

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

11

VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK

‘We couldn’t do what we do without them’

Q

ueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened Cynthia Spencer Hospice in 1976, and it has been at the heart of the community it serves ever since.

Residents continue to support the Hospice today, with around 90 volunteers active in many areas across the charity.

“Volunteers in the hospice perform roles like manning reception, gardening, doing laundry and driving patients to the Hospice, whereas fundraising volunteers help out in our office, and at our big events like Cycle4Cynthia and the Colour Run,” says Jenny Standen, community fundraiser with the Hospice, “They help with community fundraising too; for example we have Community Ambassadors who look after different areas of the county, promote our fundraising and help organise events.

“We also have a schools coordinator who helps us liaise with schools to support the Hospice.”

Their efforts really do make all the difference at Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

“Put really simply, we couldn’t do what we do without them – they are absolutely essential to every element,” Jenny told us.

And the Hospice would love to swell its volunteer numbers still further: “We certainly need more to help us spread the word so we can reach more audiences to encourage people to support the Hospice, so social media

Wellbeing volunteers Mick, Trevor and Colin

12

Cynthia Spencer Hospice relies on the help of its volunteers

volunteers are certainly needed. We also need more Community Ambassadors so we can successfully cover as much of the county as possible. But really, we’re looking for more support across the board.”

And while volunteers give their time for free, there are riches to be taken in other ways: “For lots of our volunteers it’s about making new friends, giving back to the Hospice in some way. Staying active, and learning new skills. For others it’s about gaining work experience to add to their CV’s to help them find jobs.”

As Volunteers’ Week draws nearer, Jenny has a message for every one of those who are part of the Hospice’s extended family.

“I want to reiterate how grateful we are for your support, and on behalf of all the staff and supporters I want to wish you all a happy Volunteers’ Week.”

If you would like to join the team by giving your time email fundraising@cynthiaspencer.co.uk or click to cynthiaspencer.org.uk/volunteer to view a list of current volunteer vacancies and register interest.

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

13

CHARITY

First Swan Room opens at Northampton General to support end of life care

T

he Northamptonshire Health Charity team were invited to a recent opening of the first Swan Room on Creaton Ward at Northampton General Hospital (NGH). The independent charity, which supports local NHS hospitals and community services across the county, granted £3,500 for the project that has totally transformed the environment of a side room on the ward to offer somewhere that feels more soothing and comfortable for patients receiving end of life care. Another important aspect is the support the room offers for the patient’s relatives too.

In addition to a comfortable memory foam chair, which can be opened out fully to rest/ sleep on, there is a locker housing a number of other resources: Bluetooth speaker; phone charger; batteryoperated candles; a small comfort pack

containing toiletries; and a drinks station so that people can make themselves a hot drink without having to rely on the canteen or ward staff.

Kerry Messam, Deputy Lead Nurse for Palliative and End of Life Care and who is leading on this project, said, “The room offers a bespoke space to support not only the dying person but those important to them providing a less clinical environment.

We have a further pilot swan room coming soon within oncology. We hope that we will then be able to collect feedback that will help support additional swan rooms within the trust.”

Alison McCulloch, Head of Fundraising at the charity said, “We have already received some heartwarming feedback about the impact this first Swan Room has had for people at such a difficult time.”

Staff at the opening of the new Swan Room at Northampton General

If you would like to make a donation to help them continue funding enhancements to patient care and experience for the Palliative and End of Life team, or for any other ward or department at NGH, Kettering General Hospital or those under Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust please visit the charity’s website www.northamptonshirehealthcharity.co.uk

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LOCAL HISTORY

Looking towards Chester House across the site of the old Roman settlement

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o you love to discover the mysteries of ancient peoples and their lives?

Have you been fascinated watching local history uncovered on telly programmes like ‘Digging for Britain’ or ‘The Great British Dig’, or even the wonderful original ‘Time Team’? If so, I have great news! Earlier this year, a new way to access our Northamptonshire heritage was revealed, and for those interested in what lies hidden below the topsoil, there’s a brand-new home for Northamptonshire Archaeology.

We are lucky to have the Nene Valley running through the heart of our county. It cuts a verdant swathe connecting a variety of landscapes such as industrial estates, business and retail

There is a new home for Northamptonshire Archaeology at Chester House, placing the future protection of our local heritage in a very good place indeed writes Laura Malpas.

parks, but best of all are the publicly accessible green spaces, offering safe corridors for wildlife, and beauty and tranquillity for us.

We are not the first to enjoy what the Nene has to offer, there’s evidence of occupation in the valley stretching back at least ten millennia. This watery world is rich in buried remains, some of which were excavated over the last few hundred years as the science of archaeology developed.

A few of these finds found their way into local museums, and a few reports have been published, but inevitably much remains unrecorded or conserved to modern standards. The same is true across the county, there are many collections that have no secure home making access difficult.

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

15

LOCAL HISTORY

But now, all this has changed! There is now a purpose-built facility dedicated to holding the archaeology of the county in appropriate conditions and making it accessible to all. And for 4 weeks this summer, all are welcome to join in a Festival of Archaeology, not just students or researchers, but anyone interested in learning more. It will be hosted by the Chester House Estate in their newly opened facility, in collaboration with Rushden Lakes, and Stanwick Lakes.

For many years, Chester Farm was a sad neglected shell of the formerly prosperous 17th Century farmstead. It was acquired

by Northamptonshire County Council in 2004 with plans to make it a focus for county heritage. Work proceeded slowly, but in 2010, days away from completion, tragedy struck. Fire gutted the main building, devastated the team, and set plans back.

The Farmhouse Cafe

Nene Valley colour coated ware vessel found under the Museum, 2nd -3rd Century AD

However, one benefit of the fire was the opportunity to re-evaluate the buildings and potential uses for the estate. New funding was acquired from the National Heritage Lottery Fund to complete the restoration, clear away old equipment and temporary buildings, and to tidy up the estate.

Funding was also provided to help realise the vision to create an asset freely available to the public which would provide a focus for heritage, educational, and recreational purposes, along with a café, holiday let, and a variety of interesting retail units. After more setbacks, not the least of which were enforced closures due to Covid, Chester Farm, now rebranded as The Chester House Estate opened officially earlier this year. And it is already a ‘must-see’ place to visit, with so much more to come.

Right now, there’s plenty to enjoy with no entry fee, and almost everywhere is accessible. In the old Farmhouse there’s a lovely café with views over the Nene Valley. The old courtyard buildings include a variety of shops selling local history books and gifts, farm produce, ciders and other brews, flowers and vintage bits and bobs. There’s an outdoor children’s play area, and a shop specially for your canines. The Courtyard has an outdoor licensed bar with plenty of seating, and along with the Threshing Barn, offers a desirable

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June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

LOCAL HISTORY

event venue, and both are already getting booked up. A free-to-visit Museum and Education Centre shares the ten-thousand-year long history of the site with finds, photos, and activities.

There’s so much live entertainment going on this summer already.

However, totally new and exciting to history lovers is the purpose-built ARC, the Archaeological Resources Centre, the new home for Northamptonshire’s archaeological finds under the care of Archive Curator Ben Donnelly-Symes.

He is expecting up to 24,000 boxes, containing everything from the earliest stone objects, through to Roman and Mediaeval objects for storage from over 2500 sites, along with the paper records and other documents relating to the county excavations. Even finds sheets and drawings completed by the student archaeologist Laura Malpas (me!) 45 years ago will be stored safely away for posterity! Treasure indeed!

Storage is one thing, but the accessibility to these collections and the expertise of the team is almost unique.

Roman column stored in the ARC Threshing Barn

researchers and local societies might inspire you to discover how you can get involved with this most absorbing of studies. You could learn how to investigate responsibly in your own back garden, and how to study and find careers in archaeology.

And engagement with the interested public, schools, students, and researchers is high on the list of priorities. Professor Sarah Scott from the University of Leicester’s Archaeology Department is working closely with The Chester House Estate, Rushden Lakes and Stanwick Lakes to deliver the ‘Nene Valley Communities Past and Present; Festival of History, Archaeology and Heritage’.

This is the perfect way to get close to the archaeological action as there’s loads happening.

For four weeks starting mid-June, there are opportunities for the public to get involved. There will be ancient arts and crafts to discover, and ‘real’ Roman soldiers performing. The Chester House Estate with students from Leicester University are conducting an excavation on site, so visitors can watch real-time digging, and learn from the experts. Taster days, talks and walks, networking events and opportunities to meet with professional archaeologists using cutting edge technology,

At the time of writing plans are still being finalised, and it’s looking very exciting. The best way to find out what’s happening will be via the Chester House Estate website where very soon there will be a tab to direct you to all the events.

It’s been a long time coming, but The Chester House Estate is looking great, and the inspiring and energetic team are keen to welcome everyone to enjoy what’s available. And there truly is something for everyone. I heartily commend this wonderful asset to Northamptonshire to you, go and see what all the excitement is about!

For more information, please visit www.chesterhouseestate.org

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

17

ANDREW LEWER MP LOCAL NEWS

Northampton and Westminster ‘History and heritage matter. It is a story of us all.’

King Edward I laid the body of his wife Queen Eleanor in Delapré Abbey overnight in 1290 on their way to Westminster for her funeral

Mayor of Northampton Cllr Rufia Ashraf visits the Palace of Westminster with Andrew

I

had the pleasure recently of a visit by the Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Rufia Ashraf, to the Palace of Westminster. The links interweaving Westminster and Northampton are many and fascinating.

Battles between Simon de Montfort and King Henry III including the Battle of Northampton in 1264 were fought over the rights of Knights and town Burghers like the Mayor of Northampton to meet and make political decisions. It was Simon de Montfort’s short lived proto-Parliament in 1265 that ultimately evolved into what we know now as the House of Commons.

King Edward I laid the body of his wife Queen Eleanor in Delapré Abbey overnight in 1290 on their way to Westminster for her funeral. He ordered the building of memorial crosses on every overnight stop between Lincoln and Westminster. Of the twelve built, only three remain intact, one of them on London Road in Northampton. Five years later he began constructing St Stephen’s Chapel in Westminster which served as his royal chapel.

The Palace of Westminster is an iteration of constructions from various time periods, built and occupied out of disasters and changing fortunes.

Each event has strengthened its story and sometimes changed its function. The great Westminster Palace fire of 1512, three years into reign of Henry VIII, ended its use as a Royal Palace, and St Stephen’s as a royal chapel, which was then re-purposed as the meeting place of the House of Commons after his death in 1547.

St Stephen’s Chapel (now St Stephen’s Hall) became the longest Antiques Centre

Building 1, The Royal Ordnance Depot, Weedon Bec, NN7 4PS

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serving venue for the House of Commons until the next great disaster, another fire in October 1834.

It was at the entrance of this place that Spencer Percival, the only Northampton MP who ever became Prime Minister was slain in 1812 by a disgruntled, bankrupt businessman from Norfolk.

Delapré Abbey is another local institution which has many iterations since its establishment in 1145. It is one of my favourite places in Northampton and well worth a visit. History and heritage matter. It is a story of us all.

If you are my constituent and you would like to come down to London for a tour of the Houses of Parliament, I would be delighted to organise this for you. Please email me andrew.lewer.mp@parliament.uk For details of Delapre Abbey, please visit www.delapreabbey.org

Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South CONTACT DETAILS: Tel: 01604 978080 Email: andrew.lewer.mp@parliament.uk www.andrewlewer.com CONSTITUENCY OFFICE : 42 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5DE

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LEGAL

The hidden health risk in your home

R

adon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in the ground. Some parts of the country are more likely to have higher exposure levels than others. The radioactive elements decay and transmit radiation which can cause damage to living tissues and increase the risk of cancer.

If there are high levels of Radon in the surrounding area, and you want to see if your property is at risk, detectors can be placed in two areas of your home for a period of 3 months. The detectors are then sent back to the provider who will analyse the results. The provider will advise of any suitable remedial methods should the levels be high.

If you are thinking of purchasing a property, your conveyancer should include a search to reveal if the area is known to have high levels of Radon gas.

If this occurs during the sale process. A buyer may wish to ask the seller for a financial retention pending the result of the tests to enable the transaction to proceed in the meantime. A retention is a sum of money held back from the purchase price and is designed to cover part or all of the costs of remedial action, should this be required as a result of the test.

The terms of the retention and the ultimate responsibility for the cost of the works will depend upon what is agreed between the parties.

The Government advises that remedial action should be taken where any residential property has an average annual Radon level of 200 Bq/m3 or more.

This is referred to as the ‘Action Level’. Some areas, including Northamptonshire, naturally have higher levels of Radon present.

It’s worthwhile checking with your conveyancer that these searches have been carried out.

For more information about Radon and its prevalence visit www.ukradon.org.uk/contact

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

19

LEGAL

Parental responsibility and assisted conception via IVF or a donor

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early 60,000 people benefit from invitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination in the UK every year.

While the primary focus will be on having a healthy baby, it is important to consider your legal position as a parent.

Pauline Lindo Partner and family law expert

NORTHAMPTON 29 Billing Road Northampton NN1 5DQ 01604 622101 KETTERING 18 Brooklands Court Kettering Venture Park Kettering NN15 6FD 01536 523434 bmtclaw.co.uk

“The legal position regarding parental responsibility differs according to the method of assisted conception used,” says Pauline Lindo family law expert. “It can even vary depending on where you go to get medical help, as licensed clinics provide more protection than unlicensed ones.”

What is parental responsibility?

‘Parental responsibility’ is a legal term which reflects the rights, duties and responsibilities you have for a child. If you are attending a clinic licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (HFEA), you should receive advice prior to conception. This is an ideal time to consider an agreement that establishes parental responsibility. Although preconception agreements are not legally binding, the courts have shown that they will give weight to them, when considering arrangements for children.

Who has parental responsibility after in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)?

Where a couple is helped to conceive with their own egg and sperm, the parents are in much the same position as if IVF had not been used: • if you gave birth to the child, you will be regarded as the legal mother and have parental responsibility; • if you are married to the mother, you will also have parental responsibility; and • if you are the father, but you are not married you will need to take steps to formally obtain parental responsibility.

If IVF involves egg or sperm donation, then the rules become more complex.

Who has parental responsibility after egg donation?

• you gave birth to the child; you will be regarded as the legal mother even if you have used a donor egg; • you donated the egg; you have no automatic rights to parental responsibility.

20

• you are the father, and you are married to the mother, you will have parental responsibility; • you are the female partner of the mother and in a civil partnership or married at the time of artificial insemination, you will also have parental responsibility.

Where a same sex male couple uses an egg donor, this would be treated as a surrogacy and is beyond the scope of this article.

Who has parental responsibility after sperm donation?

If conception has been achieved with sperm from a donor, the position will depend on whether this happened in an HFEA licensed clinic or informally.

If you gave birth to the child, you will be regarded as the legal mother and have parental responsibility, regardless of whether you have used a sperm donor.

Sperm donation in an HFEA licensed clinic • if you are the married spouse or civil partner, you will have parental responsibility so long as you provide consent; • if you are not married or in a civil partnership, you will need the mother to nominate you as the second parent by completing the correct forms prior to conception. if you are the father, but you are not married you will need to take steps to formally obtain parental responsibility.

Sperm donation via unlicensed clinic or at home • if you are the married spouse or civil partner, you can be named as the second parent at birth registration and obtain parental responsibility; • if you are not married or in a civil partnership, the sperm donor will be considered the second legal parent and can register the birth and obtain parental responsibility if you both consent.

How our family solicitors can help It is best to obtain early specialist advice in order that the appropriate arrangements can be put in place. For further information, please contact Pauline Lindo in the family law team on 01604 622101 or email Pauline.lindo@ bmtclaw.co.uk

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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LOCAL NEWS

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JUBILEE EVENTS

Congratulations and jubilee-tions!

You’ll can’t fail to have noticed that our monarch is celebrating a very special milestone this year, and the nation will join Her Majesty the Queen in marking her Platinum Jubilee between June 2 &5.

Here is a peek at a few of the events happening across Northamptonshire to celebrate.

Thursday, June 2 Lamport Hall is turning to a programme of music to mark the Jubilee, with the trumpets, drums, horns, oboes, and strings of the Fiori Musicali Chamber Orchestra and Musical Choir.

The programme of plenty, beginning at 8.15pm, will include music by Handel, Tippett and Purcel.

For ticket information visit lamporthall.co.uk

Friday, June 3 The Paulerspury Players are kickstarting the village celebrations with the Jubilee Variety Show, Singing In The Reign. See what they did there?!

The music and comedy starts at 7.30pm, and tickets are ridiculously cheap – visit paulerspuryplayers.com to see how cheap.

For a little extra, they’ll sort out a Ploughmans Supper for you too.

Saturday, June 4 The focus will be on Northampton town centre from 11am when a spectacular countywide pageant, featuring military and emergency services personnel, youth and community groups and businesses from across Northamptonshire, will begin.

The pageant will start at the top of Abington Street before heading along George Row, up The Drapery and onto the Market Square where a celebration service will be held. > A fun day out for all the family is promised at the Towcester Jubilee Fayre, running between 11am and 5pm at the Towcester Recreation Ground. > Northampton & Lamport Railway is on track to host a ‘Strawberries and Steam’ event, with free portions of the sweet treat, and steam train rides between 10am and 3pm.

Sounds like a lovely way to spend a little time.

Can’t make it today? The event is also running on Sunday.

Visit nlr.org.uk for more. > Make the journey to Rushden and be rewarded with a Platinum Party at The Goods Shed, from 7pm. The Platinum Party at the

Palace is being streamed live on the big screen and the bar will be open. If you are heading over, get a free souvenir photo of you and your tribe superimposed onto the Royal Balcony to take home.

Sunday, June 5 A Big Picnic Lunch is being held at Delapre Abbey with music and arts performances, stalls and activities. The bad news is that all tickets to the event have sold out, but the slightly better news is that a waiting list is in place, so it’ still worth making contact in the hope of availability. > Wicksteed Park is the venue for a Big Picnic Lunch hosted by North Northamptonshire Council. > Rushden’s Big Jubilee Lunch is being held at The Walled Garden. Pack a picnic, or purchase refreshments on site, while you enjoy entertainment from artists including Bubble Love, Michelle Gibbs Dance Academy, magician Peter Gardini, New Harmony and Laugh Out Loud Theatre Company.

And a little later...

The town’s Bach Choir will deliver The Jubilee Proms at The Derngate on Sunday, June 12, with firm favourites like Zadok the Priest and Jerusalem figuring in the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ type event.

The Wellingborough Singers and Orchestra de Camera will also bring their talents to the musical party, and other compositions will come from Vaughan Williams, Parry, Rutter, and Elgar – a flag waving event simply must have Pomp and Circumstance March No1!

To book visit royalandderngate.co.uk

Planting new history

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Pic: Pixabay

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unique nationwide tree planting initiative has been created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, with the catchy tagline, Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.

Whether individual or school, scouting group or corporate, we are all encouraged to help improve the environment by planting a tree, helping to create a legacy to benefit future generations.

The Queen’s Green Canopy will also dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the UK and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s seven decades of service.

Tree planting will now begin again in October, and run to the end of the Jubilee year.

All you need to know to help grow this brilliant idea can be found at queensgreencanopy.org

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

HOME & GARDEN

Trickle Vents - What the latest government

regulation means for your home’s windows

E

arlier this year (25th February 2022) the government released new building regulations around ventilation requirements for UK properties. This outlined that all rooms with external walls should have background ventilators (such as trickle vents) and that a window with a night latch position is no longer suitable for background ventilation.

Why? It has been identified that night latches increase the risk of draughts and even, perhaps more seriously, produce numerous security risks to your home. It has been well reported that burglaries are much more frequent during the warmer months, because at night many people leave their windows partially open (on latch) in order to keep cool.

In short, many windows which do not feature some other in-built means of ventilation, such as a trickle vent, no longer meet building regulations and may not be as secure as they could be.

What is a trickle vent and what can it do for your home? Trickle vents are a small slot in a window or door which allow

‘Trickle vents are a small slot in a window or door which allow for small amounts of ventilation even when

for small amounts of ventilation through the portal even when closed and allow polluted air out. You can normally find them fit to the window frame itself or sometimes they are embedded between the glazing and frame.

Trickle vents can be opened and closed manually so you can adjust them based on your ventilation requirements. They are also designed to prevent issues from poor ventilation such as a build-up of condensation, mould and discomfort associated with high temperatures.

Trickle vents also ensure that your home is well ventilated when you are away. You simply open the vents before you leave and your home will remains well ventilated without compromising your property’s security.

What does this mean for your home and its windows? For your existing windows this may be helpful to see how a new set of windows, featuring in-built trickle vents, can improve the security and performance of your home.

For those looking to purchase new windows from T&K Home Improvements you are in luck, as we have ensured all our windows have trickle vents installed. This means your new windows will not only be confirming to the latest building regulations for your peace of mind but will also help keep your home secure.

You will also benefit from a well-ventilated home which, coupled with our bespoke doubleglazing profiles means your home is thermally regulated regardless of outside temperatures. >> T&K Home Improvements is a family run business that provides quality windows, doors and conservatories since 1979 in Northamptonshire and surrounding areas. To find out more on high performance energy efficient glazing options and how much you can save visit: www.tkhi.co.uk.

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For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

23

FASHION

F&F @ Tesco £16

Main image: Swimsuit by M&Co

Stripes are back, according to the catwalks at JW Anderson, Louis Vuitton and Fendi - which is great news for all the timeless shirts, tops and Summer dresses we’ve all got stashed at the back of our wardrobe.

But before you rush to coastlines in your fave Bretons and pinstripe, why not dare go in a different direction - in rows of rebellious waves instead?

Making the case for crazy prints in cute colours are the knitted wavy-wear seen in House of Sunny, Gabriela Hearst, and Elleme’s collections. Very and River Island are on the same wavelength - else swing

by Primark for a knitted set that defies old fashioned rules around pairing blue and green.

Looking for your holiday hero piece? You’ll want to pack River Island’s sequinned number - a show stopper, like the glittering maxi dresses seen on Fendance and Versace’s runways. Just see Celine for style tips on wearing it day-to-night; try shrouding the sparkle under an oversized blazer, and downplaying its sass with flat sandals and a pair of shades.

If you’re not so keen on loud lines, try a blurry tie-dye instead, a la the looks that made a splash at Altuzarra and Max Mara.

Head to Zara, where there’s a two-toned shirt that’ll work with bright, white, light or dark denim. Else see F&F at Tesco for a swimsuit that’ll rival the water of any pool.

Guaranteed, with a bit of colour, row of fringing, or a flash of sequins involved, you’ll not have one bored walk all Summer - whether you toe the line in a classic stripe, go rogue in waves, or cheat a little with a zebra print that’s bordering on marble.

George @ Asda £12

Zara £19.99

New Look Top £19 Skirt £22.99 River Island > £150

BOARDWALK

REMIX

By Cindy LGH @CindyLGH

Zara £19.99

Zara £22.99

Primark > Trousers £18 Top £10

< Zara £59.99

M&S £19.50 M&S £69

< Primark £18

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June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

FASHION

Cruise in style

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Don’t forget swimwear is often worn most of the “sea days” on board, so you don’t really need to wear clothes in the daytime. A fact most women forget and end up taking far to much!

A top tip is to use the laundry facilities on board so you don’t need to take so much and you can recycle the same clothes wearing them in different combinations the next week.

ots of my customers are now able to get away on holiday and some love cruising. It is a tricky business trying to plan your wardrobe whether it’s a weekend down the river or a round the world adventure.

The perennial problem is what is the dress code and how much can I cram into my suitcase. Much of the information can be gleaned from a proper look at the itinerary. Will you need formal attire, cocktail, or just smart casual? And how much of it?

My recommendation is to Google the company you are cruising with to get a feel of past events to see what others have worn. You do not want to find you have overdone or underdone your selections. Pay attention to any specific themes, e.g., roaring twenties or a red and gold night. The men can join in with a complementary bow tie to echo your outfit too.

Think about the temperature changes. Are you going to be in one type of climate or are you going to be wardrobe-challenged with different temperatures to contend with? What type of excursions are you going on and how much time will you be “at sea”? All of these situations require different clothing.

A top tip is to use the laundry facilities on board so you don’t need to take so much...

I always suggest you pull out all the clothes you think you might want to take and try them all on to check fit and suitability. Draw up an agenda of the days you are away and what you will be doing, then you can figure out the clothes you need. For example in one/two weeks you might take one pair of shorts, one light weight pair of long trousers that can be turned up, one skirt or extra pair of ⅞ trousers, seven T-shirt’s/blouses (mix of sleeveless and short sleeved that tone with the bottom half) plus a light weight cardi or jumper and jacket for the day time. For the evening maybe a jumpsuit, a couple of light maxi dresses and possibly a couple of more sparkly tops to dress up the trousers or shorts you have taken. Clearly the dresses can also be worn in the day time so you have plenty of variety without a trunk of clothes.

Trust me, if it’s not a highly memorable print no one will remember. If the cruise is more formal you might find your allocated more baggage allowance worth enquiring. If you are sailing from Southampton clearly that’s not a problem. However I would still work out what you need to make sure you will have enough of the right clothes. Yes, you can often buy more on the ship but it will be expensive in comparison.

If you are heading off on your travels and finding the whole prospect somewhat daunting give me a call and let’s see how I can help you.

Think it’s a bit extravagant? Just think about the money you can save on excess baggage costs and buying more clothes when you're away and the extra suitcase required for the journey home...

Jane Sumner Image Matters 07779 585323 www.imagemattersuk.com

Two hours wardrobe planning and advice for £99 At Image Matters Studio in Olney or online Normally £150, please quote Pulse magazine when booking

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Email Jane on: jane@imagemattersuk.com or call: 07779 585323 www.imagemattersuk.com For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

25

BEAUTY

Gifts for Daddy!

Your dad is always there to care, so it’s time to say ‘thank you’ this Father’s Day. Here are some fragrant ideas to get you ready for Sunday, June 19.

Good things sometimes come in small packages, and this could well be the best present that dad won’t ask for.

If he’s an eyebrow plucker, get him the ‘Ferrari of Tweezers,’ the Rubis Classic Slanted, and he’ll be able to shape those brows with ease.

Boys love their toys and Moschino’s Toy Boy EDP is a blast – a fragrance which ‘reinterprets elegance with a touch of irony.’

It somehow manages to straddle the thin line between cool and classy and playful and fun with ease.

The fragrance itself brings together woody and spicy tones for a seductive splash.

RRP: £64.50

Get it: Fragrance Shop at centre:mk or Grosvenor Centre in Northampton, or head online to thefragranceshop.co.uk

RRP: £24.90

If your dad is an absolute winner, he’ll need a Lush bubble bar to celebrate with, won’t he?

Get it: amazon.co.uk

No.1 Dad is scented with the bestselling Dirty fragrance and will deliver a bubble bath of blue water with a touch of gold.

Lush also has a Big Moustache soap which is full of charcoal, and contains Old Man’s Beard Infusion (usnea), a lichen used in traditional medicine for inflammations and wound treatment. In fan-’tache-tic!

No-one wants chapped, irritated, moisture-starved skin, and SBC’s Aloe Vera Moisturising Gel is just the job for cooling, soothing and moisturising the face and body.

RRP: £6 each

Get it: Lush stores at centre:mk and Grosvenor Centre in Northampton

It’s a water-based gel that offers quick cooling relief – guaranteed to get dad’s approval!

RRP: £6.50

Get it: sbcskincare.co.uk

Bulldog Skincare has a brand new range of products guaranteed to give dad’s hair some flair!

Original Styling Salt Spray, Styling Pomade and Styling Cream are a trio of hair care items that have been formulated using 100% naturally derived styling agents and will ‘set’ him for success.

Trust Bulldog to protect hair and scalp; these bathroom essentials are free from artificial colours and synthetic fragrances, and vegan to boot.

RRP: £8 each

Get it: Stores nationwide or at uk.bulldogskincare.com

Pepe Jeans Celebrate For Him EDP unites the aromatic potency of juniper and cardamom with subtle notes of gin and cocoa for a fresh delivery.

Purchase the gift set and you’ll be giving him a 100ml EDP spray with a shower gel.

A daring fragrance housed in a masculine bottle that demands attention.

RRP: £58

Get it: Fragrance Shop at centre:mk or Grosvenor Centre in Northampton, or head online to thefragranceshop.co.uk

26

Skin can sometimes be irritable post-shave, but with support from Origins’ Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion it won’t stay that way for long.

This lotion is a dab hand at reducing redness and irritation, and it soothes and hydrates with ease. It’s gentle enough to be used on all skin types too. An all-round winner that can be used morning and night. This Father’s Day, treat him to the power of the fungi!

RRP: £33

Get it: Available at stores nationwide

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

LOCAL NEWS

Local primary school celebrates 150 years A Summer Festival at Wootton Community Centre planned for Friday June 17 is all set to be a highlight of Wootton Primary School’s 150th birthday celebrations.

T

he local community is invited to the festival at Wootton Community Centre from 3.30pm to 6pm. There will be bouncy castles, entertainment, stalls, face painting and much more.

Headteacher Rob Crilly said, “We are really excited for our Summer Festival which marks the school’s 150th birthday and we look forward to welcoming and sharing this special event with the wider school community.”

Good deed kids: Reception pupils baked and delivered Christmas treats to the community and this year 5 Pupil (left) learned to knit with her gran and donated hats and gloves to neonatal units at Kettering General Hospital and Peterborough District Hospital

classrooms and toilets, but the school is proud of its happy, hard-working atmosphere and the achievements of the children and the staff.”

Former pupil, Elliott Hodson-Curran, now teaches in Year 6. It promises to be a trip down memory lane for him when he takes Year 6 students on a residential. Teacher Miss Lee, who still works at the school, took him and his classmates on the same trip 19 years ago.

Another former pupil, Dan McGill, is now a teacher in Year 5. He remembers standing on the school field watching the solar eclipse as a Wootton Primary child and then being able to enjoy the experience again but as a teacher this time.

150 years of teaching local children Generations of families have precious memories of Wootton Primary School which has been at the heart of the community for 150 years.

The school now has the capacity for 420 pupils but when it was founded in 1872 by the Church of England the school had space for 150 children. Government grants and private subscriptions enabled the school to be built on Farm Close and Rectory Land. Reports indicate that it was a successful school with a Merit Grant awarded in 1884.

The 150 Good Deeds Challenge At a thanksgiving service to mark the cenWootton Primary School pupils have been taktenary, the headteacher, Mr Tom Parker, who ing part in the challenge to complete 150 good had been in post for 33 years, reflected on the deeds throughout the school year. Deeds so far school’s sense of community. This sense of include the donation of more than 40 books community won praise from Ofsted during an to the children’s ward at Northampton General inspection in 1997.

Hospital with more books heading to The headteacher, Vanessa Wootton School Africa to support a charity.

Lucas, was praised for her leaderChildren in 1954 Other good deeds carried ship with the report noting the out by pupils include making ‘quality of teaching was good Christmas cards and singing and the school provided a carols for elderly residents good education for all its at a care home, a Santa Fun pupils’.

Run, litter picking, planting A report written in 1994 trees, preparing breakfast noted the welcoming packs for struggling families, environment of the school, donating coats to disadthen called Wootton County vantaged children and laying Primary School. It read, “The poppies on the graves of soldiers school is housed in a very old who served in both world wars. One building with a collection of mobile

pupil raised £469 for Cancer Research UK by completing a sponsored swimathon.

Headteacher Rob Crilly said, “We believe that these ‘good deeds’ will not only help to strengthen our wonderful school values but aim to give something back to the community that have been a part of the school’s journey from the beginning, along with other worthwhile causes.”

Year 3 teacher Jo Smith, who coordinated the book donations, said, “It has been a mammoth challenge, but we are working together as a team. The children are being the best they can be by working as a community and striving to achieve these 150 deeds by the end of the academic year.

“It all ties into our values - working together and respecting each other and showing resilience as well.”

Fellow teacher, Mrs Louise Harries, added: “It has been wonderful to acknowledge what our Wootton children are doing to contribute positively to our wider community, as well as celebrating the good deeds we’ve linked to our curriculum in school.”

The school is on course to hit its target of 150 but are now taking on the challenge to complete as many as possible before the school year is finished. If anyone has any suggestions, please get in touch with the school. > The school’s reception class has spaces available from September. Please get in touch to find out more and to book a school tour.

Tel: 01604 761 679 office@wootton.northants-ecl.gov.uk

Are you choosing a primary school for September 2022/23?

Come and see our school in action. Book a tour today!

Call 01604 761679 or visit www.wootton.northants.sch.uk

Breakfast Club & After School Care, 7.30am - 6pm

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

27

FOOD & DRINK

Chicken burgers with raspberryhoney sauce

COOK’S TIP For a quick dessert, blend the remaining raspberries with a little icing sugar and lemon juice. Serve over vanilla ice cream and top with toasted flaked almonds.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

2 x 305g packs Southern Fried Breaded Chicken Mini Fillets

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Cook the chicken according to pack instructions. Add the burger buns to the oven for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

4 burger buns, split open 2 tbsp Greek strained yogurt 2 limes, juice ½ large pointed spring cabbage, shredded (about 175g prepared weight) 2 tbsp clear honey ½ tsp hot smoked paprika 150g No.1 Speciality Raspberries Sliced gherkins or pickled cucumbers, to serve Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Serves: 4 28

2. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt and juice of 1 lime in a mixing bowl and toss through the cabbage and a pinch of salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the honey, paprika and juice of the remaining lime. Add the raspberries and gently crush with the back of a fork. Stir together and set aside.

3. When the chicken and buns are cooked, arrange the bottom halves of the buns on a board. Spoon over most of the raspberryhoney sauce, then scatter over some of the sliced gherkins or pickled cucumbers. Arrange the chicken on top, then pile on the cabbage. Top with the burger lids and serve immediately with any remaining raspberry-honey sauce on the side.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Waitrose.

Recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

B

ell’s in KIngsthorpe will be transformed into an outdoor cooking showroom as part of Grillfest – a one-day event staged by the award-winning Burnt Lemon Chefs – giving fans of flame-grilling the chance to pick up some new tips to put into practice themselves.

The festival, which takes place from 10am to 9pm on Sunday, June 26, will feature delicious food, live music, competitions and interactive demos from leading butchers, grillmasters and top BBQ brands.

James Peck, owner of Burnt Lemon Chefs, said: “We know how much people love a BBQ and Grillfest mirrors our ethos of outdoor cooking - it’s all about having fun and maximising the flavour of quality ingredients.

“It’s perfect for anyone that considers themselves a bit of a BBQ King and wants to level up their grilling game ahead of the summer so they can throw the perfect party for family and friends.”

The line-up includes live music from Whiteroom who will be performing songs from the likes of The Killers, Stereophonics, Kings of Leon and others.

Guests will be able to sample the food created in the demos, with the ticket price including tokens to use at the Burnt Lemon Chefs’ stand and at a pop-up bar serving a range of drinks and cocktails.

Cakes and coffee will be available from Bell’s own ‘Love Lunch’ café, while a mini market will feature products from a number of local artisan businesses and producers.

LOCAL NEWS

Feast over flames as BBQ buffs gather for Grillfest With summer just around the corner BBQ buffs can ignite their passion for gourmet grilling with a meat lovers masterclass at a leading Northampton retailer.

‘This is a great opportunity to taste great food and be inspired by some top chefs’

Lee Ferris, managing director at Bell’s, said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to the first-ever Grillfest - a celebration of cooking over flames and the memories that creates. This is a great opportunity to taste great food

and be inspired by some top chefs, so your next BBQ at home will be one to be remembered forever.” > Early-bird tickets are available to buy now, priced £20, at https://bit.ly/BELLGRILLFEST

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For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

29

FEATURE

The rewards of fostering It's the first step on the road to recovery for some animals, and for others it's a chance to enjoy their remaining time in a safe, loving environment.

For the majority, it's a stop gap until they find their forever home. Sammy Jones spoke with Animals in Need about the role of a fosterer...

30

I

ncreasingly, the services of animal rescue centres like Animals in Need are being called upon.

In Little Irchester, their spaces and cages are overflowing with everything from African Land Snails to chickens and the obligatory rows of cats and dogs.

But while a snail might be happy enough to live in a designated space with its pals, that trembling little puppy rescued from a cardboard box terrified and clueless why he has ended up here, will struggle to adapt.

And what of those newborn kittens? They need round-the-clock care and feeding every two hours – just two examples where fosterers make the world of difference.

“We need fosterers across many of our departments, but they are frequently used for dogs and puppies, cats and kittens and for animals needing extra care that have been brought into our wildlife department,” said Beki Kelly from the charity.

“The need for a dog to be fostered varies greatly,” she said, “It may be they are very stressed in the kennel environment and for

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

FEATURE

their wellbeing foster homes are sought. We have had dogs injuring themselves. There are those that are unwell or injured and require extra care and attention, some need daily vet trips, wound cleaning, frequent medication and monitoring.

“Puppies who are surrendered to us will go to foster until they have found their forever homes, due to the need for socialisation, and elderly dogs will often go to a long term foster home to live out the rest of their days in comfort.”

We mentioned hand-rearing kittens, but the practice applies to many species.

“There are many animals that are so young when brought to us they need hand rearing and around the clock care.

and more animals continues to rise. This is especially true in the kennels department - we are extremely stretched right now, our kennels are full and there are so many dogs waiting for a rescue space.

“As we often pull dogs from the pound, the need for space is greater due to the risk of euthanasia if a rescue place cannot be found.

If a dog can go to a foster home it frees up a kennel so another life can be saved.”

As a fosterer, you pay out in love and support, but you don't have the veterinary bills or food costs – the charity covers all of that. They even pay for bedding and toys as required.

Hundreds of animals go through the fostering process ahead of adoption, every one of them a special individual, but there are some animals that stay in the memory for different reasons.

A seven-year-old Great Dane Mastiff mix called Dotty had spent a number of years at the centre, not helped by the fact that the beautiful girl required long term medication.

But she did find her happy ending – thanks to the support of foster carers: “Luckily for us a wonderful experienced couple who had previously adopted from us stepped in to foster her. We provide her monthly medication and they provide her with the loving home she deserves.”

Some foster placements last for less time – and that's something that needs to be considered too.

Major Tom was fostered having shown self harming behaviour while in the kennels.

Five months later he had moved on again, this time to get his feet under the table in his forever home.

Animals in Need are always looking for committed foster homes and especially those people who are willing to take large breeds.

Major Tom, now in his forever home

We have previously hand reared many kittens, puppies, bunnies, and many other young animals.”

And our feathered friends are often in need – not least at this time of year.

“Young birds commonly require short term fostering and as a staff member you will often find us taking nests of chicks home in the evening. We frequently take our work home with us, especially during the spring and summer when intake is at its highest.”

AIN staff are always on hand to assist with foster care, but they can't cater for every animal and rely on a small army of people to help. And fosterers really do save lives.

“We have some wonderful dedicated foster homes that we call upon when needed,” Beki said, “The need for them has risen dramatically as the need to take in more

If you think that fostering could be for you, Animals in Need are always looking for committed foster homes and especially those people who are willing to take large breeds.

You'll need to live within an hour of Animals in Need, so you can be available to attend appointments with potential adoptive families, and veterinary appointments as necessary.

There are a few other things to consider too...

“Often there may be a level of training that you may be expected to provide; for example, puppy training/socialisation and toilet training.

Being patient and committed is key but most importantly providing a loving, safe and happy home to a temporary family member, however long that may be for, is essential. Not all of our dogs are suitable to live with children or other animals so it’s great to be open minded about the dog you may be asked to foster.”

So, do you fancy fostering? Drop the team a line and start the conversation: kennels.ain@outlook.com

The poorly boy 'Llew-king' for love This beautiful Chow Chow is called Llew, and Animals in Need are urgently looking for a palliative care foster home for the lovely boy.

Sadly, he has an inoperable cancerous mass on his liver. It's difficult to know how long Llew might have left: “It may be a month, it could be a year,” Beki said, “But we want the time he has left to be filled with love and happiness and for him to be spoiled, which he deserves.

“Llew is a typical Chow; he is a quiet boy who can come across as aloof at first, but when he gets to know you, you will find a very affectionate boy who will give you a gentle headbutt for a fuss!”

And he is a bit of a sun worshipper when the weather allows: “You will often find him lounging in sunny spots, or enjoying a gentle stroll.”

Llew's condition isn't currently causing him any pain, and with medication his symptoms are well managed. Whoever takes Llew in need not worry about those veterinary costs which will be covered by the rescue centre.

Animals in Need would prefer him to be the only dog in his foster home: “..because he can be picky with dogs. He has also displayed some resource guarding previously, so an adult home experienced with managing these behaviours would be ideal.

“We desperately want to find Llew his perfect home to live out what time he has left,” Beki added.

If you think you can help email kennels.ain@outlook.com

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

31

FEATURE

‘I suppose I could be called a failed foster...’

A

nimals in Need supporter Rachel Wilson is regularly found juggling leads as she helps to exercise the dogs at the centre.

But fostering? She definitely wouldn't be doing that. Would she?

“I never wanted to foster an animal. How could I?” said Rachel, “I hated the idea of nurturing an animal, falling in love with it, then seeing it go off to live with someone else and probably never seeing it again.”

But then she made the acquaintance of a little girl called Emmie...

“One Wednesday morning when I turned up at Animals In Need for dog walking duties I was asked to foster a very sad, elderly Staffordshire Bull Terrier that had little hope of finding a forever home and looked like she wouldn't last much longer in kennels,” Rachel remembered, “How could I say no?

“I hadn't even met her but within three hours Emmie was at home with me, getting to know my own dogs and checking out her accommodation.”

It would be wrong to assume that she fitted straight in and didn't make a fuss: “The first few weeks weren't easy, I must say!” Rachel admitted, “I had to hand feed her every single morsel or she would have starved herself. She was a very depressed little lady.

“I soon discovered that Emmie was scared to go out to the garden in the dark, preferring to pee on the doormat instead! I had to replace my lovely my sofa. This was a globe lamp that blessing for Emmie bathed my garden as she had lost with a soft orange her daughter to glow with a flood cancer while in the lamp - almost as sanctuary just days bright as day.” before I brought Gradually, her home. change started “The major to happen. benefits to fostering “It took about a dog like this is that a month or so for I have all the pleasure Emmie to start enjoying of keeping a lovely little Best Pals - Narla and Emmie life again and as time dog without the worry passed, she began to fill of potential big vet bills as I out a little, although she's still have the full support of Animals In very thin, and her coat took on a healthy Need, and the occasional bag of dog food. shine. She started to make friends in the park However, I had been conscious of the fact with her gentle manners (not typically staffie!) that I didn't own Emmie and I was getting and learned to accept treats along with the very fond of her. Would she be adopted and other dogs. go off to live with someone else?”

“Sadly I lost a friend last year so I added And that's where Rachel failed in her role – her dog to my little pack and the two of them in the most wonderful way! bonded immediately, sleeping together on “It dawned on me that Emmie was no 32

Rachel with Till, Pixie, Narla and Emmie

longer on the Animals In Need rehoming website, so I asked how long they anticipated the foster would last? The answer was 'until the end' as after all, she wasn't expected to live a great deal longer. I was secretly pleased because I didn't want to give her up - she is such a sweet, kind natured soul.

“I suppose I could be called a 'failed foster' as the little old lady I brought home with me has been here 20 months already and doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.” > If you would like to make a donation to support Animals in Need, by setting up a small regular direct debit to help ensure the charity can carry out its work throughout the year, the details are: Animals in Need (Northamptonshire) R/C Sort Code: 08-90-73 Account No: 50304604

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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33

HOME & GARDEN

DIGGING DEEP

Don’t ditch the dandelions!

W

ith things warming up and extra light afforded us during this time of year, our plants and flowers should be blooming. But they aren’t the only things that benefit from the long, warm days – weeds make the most of it too, and seem to spring up just as soon as your back is turned!

While a cleverly cultivated outdoor space is a beautiful thing, it is also worth remembering that weeds are simply plants in the wrong area.

Take the cheery dandelion, for example.

They are flowering fantastically just now, and are a valuable, early food source for bumblebees and solitary bees, hover flies, day flying moths and butterflies who make the most of their nectar and pollen.

If they aren’t interfering with your best garden displays, would you consider letting the dandelion stay?

Their bright yellow flowers are visible from March through to October, but this time of year is when they are at their most abundant.

They are easily adaptable and can grow anywhere – from fields and roadsides through to your carefully maintained garden, and their seeds are plentiful; a flower can have as many as 400, although on average around 180 are released from each head.

If left to its own devices, dandelion plants have been found to survive between 10 and 13 years, which is quite something – though not if you are a gardener being driven mad by this persistent player which keeps on trucking despite best efforts to remove it.

Before having a lovely lawn became a thing, dandelions were a favourite blossom – and grass was often moved out so the dandelions could flourish!

These masters of survival have long been revered for their first aid properties and 100s of years ago they were used to treat a variety of ailments; from warts to the plague.

And it seems that our ancestors really were onto something: That little plant that you show such disdain for, happens to be rich in vitamins A and C, and also boasts a whole load of other goodness.

In her book Eating on the Wild Side, author Jo Robinson said that compared to spinach, dandelion leaves have eight times more antioxidants and two times more calcium.

They are also said to be a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium.

34

Today, dandelion tea is readily available to purchase and the leaves act as a diuretic and help aid digestion, and while the recipes have changed with time, just what do you suppose dandelion and burdock is all about?!

The drink has been taken in this country since the Middle Ages, and while it’s a readily available carbonated treat today, in bygone times it was a type of mead.

As a youngster, my rabbit would love it when I’d return home having spied and collected some spectacularly sized dandelion leaves, which would be washed and presented before Currants devoured them with glee.

My bunny and our pollinators clearly know a good thing when they see one.

Whether you love it or hate it, the resilient dandelion is certainly a fascinating plant with a long and rich history, and try as you might, this persistent garden dweller is going nowhere anytime soon.

When you spray nasty pesticides or chop one down, you also cut down a food source for Bertie Bee, which is food for thought...

Dandelions provide an early food source for bumblebees and solitary bees

Top Tip...

Greenhouses can overheat at this time of year, and need adequate humidity and shade to ensure plants are happy and leaves aren’t being damaged.

If it’s a gloriously hot day, and a balmy night, feel free to leave the doors to your greenhouse open throughout. When it comes to humidity (necessary to prevent heat damage during hot spells), damping down usually dry, hard areas like pathways in greenhouses is a brilliant and simple way to avoid problems.

How does your garden grow?

June is a wonderful time of year with gardens at their most exuberant, and we have warm days and long summer evenings in which to enjoy the scents of the flowers and the sounds of birds and insects.

A very lovely shrub which flowers in May and early June is Rubus Tridel ‘Benenden’ - which is a medium-sized deciduous shrub with arching stems, tolerant of most soil conditions and generally disease and trouble free. When in bloom, the stems are studded with large, white saucer shaped flowers, similar to a single rose, and approximately 3” in diameter.

Although related to roses and blackberries, it is completely thornless which makes pruning when needed a painless operation. This is best undertaken just after flowering. Reduce the stems by about one-third, cutting just above a strong new shoot, and removing one or two old stems at the base to gradually reinvigorate the plant.

As with many shrubs, it makes a spectacular frame for one of the spring-flowering clematis, for example varieties of C.alpina or C macropetala, but not C. montana as this is too vigorous. The clematis will flower in April and May and, although not needing to be pruned, will not suffer if it is trimmed back a bit when pruning the Rubus.

The colours of these varieties vary from white and primrose through to pink and blue and, depending on whether it has been an early spring, the flowering times may overlap but they would all complement the Rubus.

It’s an ideal time to take softwood cuttings – and don’t forget to keep dead-heading to prolong the flowering season of many plants!

Anne Slape and Margaret Pateman > Denton & District Gardening Club is a small, friendly club which meets on a Monday evening every month. New members and visitors are always welcome. For more information please contact Margaret at m.pateman@yahoo.co.uk or 01604 890875.

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June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

WILDLIFE

Masters of the Skies All Pics: Mike Alibone Pic: Ad rian Leybourn

Swifts are one of our most iconic migratory visitors but their numbers are starting to fall dangerously low. There are ways in which we can offer them a helping hand though, writes Mike Alibone.

T

Pic: Rob Jones

hey’re back. Since the first arrivals in late April, Swifts have been pouring into the UK in their thousands after spending the winter up to 7,000 miles away in Africa. Look skyward in June and you may be lucky enough to see these unique, scythewinged aerial acrobats, having given away their presence by their unmistakable, high-pitched, harsh screaming calls – truly one of the most distinctive sounds of summer.

Swift boxes mounted on a village property

boxes, which can be fitted to the outsides Swifts are gregarious birds, wheeling and of houses and other buildings. Tall buildings diving in flocks as they feed on flying insects are ideal, allowing easy access for the birds above towns, villages and open countryside. and to give a prime example, volunteers Appearing almost black to the naked eye, they working with idverde and the Royal are larger and less colourful than Society for the Protection of Swallows and House Martins Birds at St. Benedict’s and being strictly aerial, they Church, Northampton don’t share the same constructed a number habits, such as perching of boxes, which have on wires, fences now been fitted to the and vegetation. church tower.

Known to live up to Enlightened and 30 years, they pair for green-thinking life, both mating and construction sleeping on the wing, companies are also as well as showing now fitting nest boxes strong breeding site to new buildings, as fidelity, returning to well as ‘Swift Bricks’ the same place to nest which perform the same year after year.

Common Swift clinging to a wall containing function and can be inset But this is where things entrance openings to internal nest boxes into walls as the bricks are begin to fall down. Having being laid. traditionally nested in cracks Setting up boxes is one thing, of in walls and roofs of old buildings, course but attracting Swifts to new sites is they are now finding these sites harder another. This is where technology comes in. A to locate as many of these are demolished, small device with a speaker can be mounted or have benefited from improved insulation, near the boxes and Swifts’ calls can be played while modern buildings are better constructed, to attract them. It works! offering no such opportunities for breeding.

Hopefully we can help restore the Swift This, among other factors, has contributed to population to its former level by implementing a dramatic decline in numbers, with Swift now these small changes to new buildings and added to the UK’s ‘Red List’ of conservation construction sites. Things could be looking up concern as the population is believed to in more ways than one. have declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years. web: Northantsbirds.com Help is at hand, however, and there has now twitter: @bonxie emerged a healthy online trade in Swift nest For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

37

INTERIORS

Swinging T www.divinesavages.com

here will be those among you that sigh at the thought of the emergence of regurgitated schemes from decades past, but with the current mindset being to reuse and recycle it’s likely that many of us will have a cherished, nostalgic piece or two linking us back to those times. Such pieces could no doubt benefit from being integrated into a modern interpretation of bygone designs.

From flat pack furniture to space age materials, ‘60s interiors were filled with reflective surfaces, organic shapes and modular elements. Pop artists such as Andy Warhol and fashion designers like Mary Quant heavily influenced design trends throughout the era. Metal, glass, wood and PVC all became popular with furniture designers, and fabrics featured eye-popping colours in paisley swirls and psychedelic prints.

The cultural revolution of the ‘60s inspired individuals to move away from the softer aesthetic of the 1950s and become braver by embracing individuality. Where the 1950s had a ‘one size fits all approach’, the 1960s was all about self-expression through art, music, fashion and interior design.

Typical paint colours of the 1960s were green, yellow, pink and orange, in hues ranging from muted pastels to bright pop art statement tones. Mostly, it’s the eye-popping lime greens, magenta and tangerine that are remembered from the period.

Rosie Kinsella Interior Designer 01604 751262 www.millsandkinsella.com 38

60’s www.divinesavages.com

The best place to access current day versions is Little Greene’s ‘1960s Paint’ range. Little Greene describes their selection of colours as a reaction against the austerity of the period following World War II, when modern methods of pigmentation led to a revolution in what colours were available.

From Dorchester Pink to the iconic Hicks Blue, Little Greene’s collection accurately reflects the pop revolution of the time.

As a self-confessed wallpaper fanatic, the ‘60s as a design period has been highly motivating and inspirational to me.

Wallpaper was used on almost every surface, from walls to ceilings to furniture. It was everywhere, and though the decades in between have seen a reaction against its use, wallpaper is now well and truly back.

With almost unlimited choice in terms of pattern and colour, vinyl-based papers are bathroom and kitchen friendly, ‘paste the wall’ papers enable much easier hanging and self-adhesive papers are cleaner and quicker to install and remove; no wood chip challenges here!

Carpets were another key element of the ‘60s decade. Homeowners were keen to have a luxury feel under foot with many choosing shag pile rugs and sumptuous and heavily patterned carpets. Until the early 1960s, wall to wall carpets were considered a high-priced, luxury item, solely in reach of the more well-to-do. However,

www.thenorthernline.co.uk

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

THE ARTS the introduction of manmade fibres and improvements in production technology, made carpet more affordable and within reach of the many. Carpets became popular in every home and were even introduced into kitchens and bathrooms - one trend I don’t imagine re-emerging any time soon.

But patterned carpets are being seen again in living rooms, family rooms, offices and on stairs. Interesting rugs make a striking focal point beneath furniture arrangements

Portraits of the Queen www.heavenlyhomesandgardens.co.uk

with a difference!

and can highlight otherwise overlooked areas within a room. For hand tufted and hand knotted rugs, William Yeoward has a stunning collection. Alternatively, Romo and Villa Nova have a range created in collaboration with renowned rug makers Louis de Poortere. Harlequin, Sanderson, Scion, and Designers Guild also supply rugs. There’s hardly a fabric you can buy that doesn’t have a rug to co-ordinate with it!

If you like the idea of making a change and introducing some ‘60s styling but are on a limited budget, then choose accessories as a way to dress up your space without breaking the bank. Whether you source a record player, drinks trolley, kitchen appliance, clock or vase, adding some ‘60s accessories or a quirky art print can create a perfect centrepiece.

The swinging 1960s was a high point for British interior design. Linked to popular culture and fashion it appealed to the younger generation and inspired homeowners to become more daring and adventurous. This spirit continues today with personality and individuality becoming ever more accepted, embraced and encouraged. Our homes should reflect who we are, no matter how loud, how impactful, or how bright we shine.

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appy Platinum Jubilee to Her Majesty! In her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II has been captured across media like no other royal - on film, in print and on canvas. Did you know the Queen sits for four official portraits every year? (That is a lot of sitting still).

Since the 1970s, artists have broken away from the traditional portrait painting, placing her image from pre-existing photographs in a pop or urban art context as a popular icon rather than esteemed monarch.

Perhaps the most famous subversive images are artist Jamie Reid’s design for the Sex Pistols’ single God Save the Queen and Pop Art legend Andy Warhol’s screenprints, released during the Silver Jubilee in 1977. In a surprising twist, the Queen actually owns copies of Warhol’s portrait of her and they are currently in the Royal Art Collection – maybe her tastes are not as traditional as you might think?

To mark this very special anniversary, here is a highlight of contemporary artists following in Warhol’s footsteps, portraying Her Majesty in a very different light.

Dan Pearce is one of the UK’s most talked about contemporary artists. His work uses familiar images of famous faces or brands which he presents in a playful, thoughtprovoking way. Dan uses innovative mixed media techniques which are described as a “controlled explosion of energy, colour and texture” incorporating smashed glass and other unexpected objects. His latest portrait of the Queen, titled “World Class”, depicts her on a 1st Class stamp as part monarch, part soldier, perhaps in reference to her legendary calm demeanour through multiple crises.

Paul Normansell’s art is created by individually painting dots – all applied freehand using a fine brush - in high gloss enamel paint onto sheet

aluminium; this meticulous process creates a flawless reflective quality as if looking at a glossy magazine. In what is surely bad news for his back, Paul has to paint on a canvas that is permanently horizontal until it dries because due to the materials used, if he places the canvas upright on a traditional easel, gravity causes the paint to run. Paul’s amazing results have been rewarded with global acclaim and high profile assignments including an album cover for The Killers. This image is titled “Happy and Glorious”.

Dylan Izaak is a true original, with an instantly recognisable whimsical style which is full of personality and unlike anything else on the contemporary scene. Dylan recently released a series of editions that are a playful tribute to the royals, London and the British sense of humour – including a cool dancing Queen.

Tom Butler uses mixed media to create stunning cityscapes in the form of newspaper cuttings – always hiding some surprising and humorous headlines in the artwork. To mark the Jubilee he has created this fun tribute to the royals, including the Queen waving to the crowd in an open top black cab in a Union Jack top hat, flanked by her corgis of course.

Celine Lee Gallery Correspondent www.therosegallery.co.uk

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

39

MUSIC

Foo do you think you are?

W

hile The Foo Fighters struggle to comprehend the tragic loss of their drummer, the inimitable character and monster talent that was Taylor Hawkins, the UK Foo Fighters will be on stage at The Roadmender (June 11) playing tribute to the man, and to the music that has enthralled music fans for the past 25 years.

This date is part of the No Son of Mine tour by the tribute mob who have now tucked away 15 years of playing for their own congregation.

In that time, Mr Grohl has checked them out for himself and declared them to be ‘England’s PREMIER Foo Fighters Tribute Band,’ which is quite the endorsement.

And in case anyone wants to accuse the boys of cashing in on tragedy (which some crass types have done), these dates are annual shows and were announced before that most awful of news.

Pretty sure it will be an emotional set with a tribute to The Hawk, though.

DJ and radio broadcaster David Rodigan (June 17) has spent more than four decades as ‘the top dog in the ganja-scented, bassheavy atmosphere of Britain’s reggae dance halls,’ says the press biog, ‘The key to his success has been an unsinkable passion for reggae music,’ which grabbed hold him while he was a youngster. And that was back in the sixties.

Since then he has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of Jamaican music, and become the radio go-to for anyone with a penchant for the sounds – he’s spent nigh on 45 years spreading the musical love on platforms including BBC1 Xtra and Radio 2.

He has been inducted into the Sony Radio Academy Hall of Fame, and also boasts four Sony Gold awards for his efforts.

David Rodigan

He has hit up nearly every cool festival stage you could mention and when he issued his autobiography a few years back, Rodigan My Life in Reggae became an Amazon No1 bestseller.

There are more than a few tasty moments from a wonderful career there, and yet we’ve barely scratched the surface.

We haven’t even mentioned the MBE for Services to Broadcasting, for example.

David’s contribution to the form is unparalleled. A special night is guaranteed.

To book tickets for either show click to theroadmender.com

First it went all Pete Tong, but now it’s game on!

Pete Tong - all set for the gig at Franklin’s Gardens with The Heritage Orchestra

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ver the last couple of decades, Pete Tong has become the leading tastemaker of the electronic generation, and this month he follows in the footsteps of artists including Lionel Richie when he comes to Franklin’s Gardens.

If you’ve got a ticket you are in for a big night of hedonistic nostalgia – your favourite club tracks and the freshest hits reimagined, coupled with incredible visual effects and the latest in music technology.

Franklin’s Gardens might be the usual place for a scrum, but on Friday, June 24 it will be transformed into the sun-soaked White Isle when Pete presents Ibiza Classics.

He’ll not be alone though; The Heritage Orchestra - conducted by Jules Buckley - will be with him.

This really will be quite the spectacle; the 65-piece orchestra have been rehearsing for weeks to make sure of a flawless show.

The date was originally set for 2021, but a not insignificant issue called Covid scuppered that.

“Myself and Jules are so excited to be bringing the Orchestra and Ibiza Classics to Franklin’s Gardens,” Pete said, “The past year has been so unpredictable, but we continue... and I guarantee this will be a night to remember, so dust off your raving shoes!”

Ticket prices start at £47. To book, visit northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/pete-tong

Pete Tong and The Heritage Orchestra

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MUSIC

I

Anyone for a threeway sax attack?!

f you are in the market for a slice of blistering rhythm & blues meets psych rock ‘n’ roll, meet the acquaintance of the Jim Jones All Stars who swagger into The Black Prince.

‘Born out of necessity, born out of wedlock and simply born to boogie, The Jim Jones All Stars are an unholy trinity of birth,’ is the official blurb.

In the past Jim has delivered the goods with Thee Hypnotics, Black Moses, The Jim Jones Revue and Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind, and this new caboodle of sound will see him pluck from their style and his own influences, but he’s also cracking open a spicy gumbo of hot, new sounds.

This new band brings with them the devils horn section - a three-way sax attack.

“It’s a pleasure to have that much horn going on, as it allows me to plunge into the succulent, dark meat of the low-down, greasy, chitlin’ groove – that’s where all the flavour is!” Jim said, “There’s a whole new planet of killer songs and I’m landing on it now, and preparing to plant my freak flag. And on top of that, we’re going to be deep-frying a la carte from my entire back catalogue.”

That’s a meal of sounds to kill off any diet.

Support will come from garage and mod types The Hurricanes who play ‘like it’s 1966 all over again.’

They think it’s all over...it will be on June 10.

The Black Doldrums

The Shivas

Jim Jones All Stars

The venue staff will have time to sweep the floor and dry down the walls after Mr Jones raises the temperature to scorchio and then The 2 Tones will rock up (June 11) with their set list of floor-filling tracks originally delivered by artists including The Specials, The Beat, Madness, Desmond Dekker and many others.

Wanna stomp? This lot and their 2Tone, Reggae, Stax Soul and Mod Revival will take you all the way.

It’s from Oregon to the ‘fampton for The Shivas (June 16) with their bombastic, explosive and communal rock and roll experience.

They’ve been hitting up stages since 2006, and have smashed the 1000 show barrier and when they plug in and sound out, they have a simple aim: “We want them to forget they have work tomorrow,”drummer Kristin Leonard explains of their audience, “We’re creating this safe place where we can all let go.

Where we can exhale. And it feels really good when we are able to facilitate that.”

If you want to see a love song turned into a psychedelic, transcendent epic more than once, you’ve got it with this gang of four.

Support comes from Pavilion and Skyflood.

The Black Doldrums (June 17) continue the musical mind-bending with their dark psych, contemporary take on gothic post-punk – and you can hear plenty of that on their current album, Dead Awake which was issued in March. Support comes from Psychic Lemon and Tval.

Former Spitfires frontman Billy Sullivan gets his solo career off the ground on June 18, before We Are Not Devo (June 25) will perform choice cuts of gonzo mutato classics aplenty.

Support comes from our town’s own delicious dark wave aces, The Venus Fly Trap.

Get those tickets by tapping to sbdpromotions.com We Are Not Devo

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

41

THEATRE

Welcome to…

the school of

hard rocks!

S

o many of us grew up with the beloved stories of Mog the Forgetful Cat, from the creative mind of Judith Kerr. But never will you have seen them played out on stage. Until now.

Royal & Derngate, The Old Vic and The Wardrobe Ensemble have collaborated to bring the iconic stories to the theatre – and the world premiere production begins on June 3, as part of the Made in Northampton 2022 season.

‘Mog always seems to be in trouble. She forgets that she has a cat flap and she forgets that she has already eaten her supper. But sometimes, Mog’s forgetfulness comes in very handy...’

Take your seat for a performance (they run at The Royal through to June 19) and join Mog and her people, the Thomas family, on a journey through the life of a really remarkable cat as she cat-ches a burglar, gatecrashes a cat show, goes to the vee-eee-tee and eats lots of eggs.

“I absolutely loved the Mog books growing up,” said Helen Middleton of The Wardrobe Ensemble, “We used to have a book fair at my school and I would literally race there to make sure I was the first to get my hands on a copy. I am so delighted to be part of the team which will bring Mog to the stage...”

It’s safe to say that this will provide ticketholders with a purr-fect night out...

Mark Steel brings some laughs to The Royal later this month

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Get ready to rock at the Derngate

The movie was marvellous and then School of Rock wowed the West End stage.

Now, the amps go up to 11 and the Jack Black smash – adapted for stage by Andrew Lloyd Webber – arrives at the Derngate (June 6) for a six-day stay.

You’ll get a heap of new songs courtesy of ALW, all the tracks you want from the movie, and a band of clever kids in charge of instruments.

Join pretend substitute music teacher Dewey Finn and his pint-sized musical prodigies who learn that Metallica are more important than Maths, Deep Purple will always win over Drama and studying the music of Foreigner is better than studying Foreign Languages...or something like that.

Together, they are going to stick it to the man.

It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll. Or a short journey to the heart of the ‘fampton for your musical comedy fix.

What’s Love Got To Do With It (June 13) is a celebration of the lady with the pins, Miss Tina Turner. Proud Mary, Nutbush City Limits, Private Dancer...you know the songs.

NMPAT – The Festival (June 14 & 15) is a welcome opportunity to engage with arts performances from some of our junior and secondary school pupils, before funny fella Romesh Ranganathan follows with a four-day stay, but that sold-out ages ago.

Two-time Strictly trophy winner Oti Mabuse presents her show, I Am Here (June 21) delivering everything from mesmerising Jives and pumping Sambas to South Africa’s exhilarating Kwaito. You’ll be exhausted just watching her and her astounding dancers.

A thrilling new version of The Dance of Death comes to The Royal (June 21-23) about a marriage pushed to its limits. Expect taunts, recriminations and biting humour delivered

by Lindsay Duncan, Hilton McRae and Emily Bruni.

Other Derngate highlights before the month end include Ronan Keating (June 22), Strictly’s Anton & Giovanni with the show, Me and Him (June 23) and Strictly Presents Keeeep Dancing (June 27), with a feast of

pros and past finalists. The Wanted’s Max George, himself a former competitor on the show, will take care of the music.

Last up at the Derngate (June 29 & 30) is a little piggy who we hope has done wonders for the sale of fake bacon; Peppa Pig. She will be enjoying her Best Day Ever.

Over at The Royal, Mark Steel will tickle the funny bone (June 24) and Patrick Kielty also pop in (June 25).

A quick mention of A Bit of a Carry On which will be happening at The Deco on June 26, when Darling Buds of May actor Tyler Butterworth tells the funny, moving and unashamedly nostalgic story of his muchloved parents, the nation’s first female TV impressionist Janet Brown, and the inimitable Carry On star Peter Butterworth.

Pic: © Kerr-Kneale Productions Ltd 2022

A purr-fect new show from an old favourite, a monstrously marvellous musical and plenty of ‘one-night stands’! Pulse’s Sammy Jones looks at the month ahead in theatre land...

Mog the Forgetful Cat mooches in to town

> Check in: Royal & Derngate: royalandderngate.co.uk The Deco: theoldsavoy.co.uk

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

LOCAL NEWS

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

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WHATS ON

#WhatsOnPulse Discover Nature Session Wednesday, June 1, 10am-3pm An action-packed day for 8-11 year olds featuring activities including discovering tracks and trails; foraging, hunting minibeasts, habitat surveys; pond dipping; creating mini-habitats; bird identification.

Wild and wonderful: theparkstrust.com Jubilee Beacon Lighting Thursday, June 2, 7pm Head to Milton Keynes Museum in Wolverton for the free community event, with food and drink available from the cafe.

Live music will also feature. Illuminating: wolvertonandgreenleystowncouncil.gov.uk Jubilee Beacon Lighting Thursday, June 2, 8pm Enjoy music from Milton Keynes Brass from 9pm together with a speech from Vice Lord-Lieutenant Alexander Boswell in Campbell Park.

Ma’am-ellous: theparkstrust.com MK National Trust Association Thursday, June 2, 2-4pm Kay Goddard presents a talk, ‘The Underground Railroad – Patterned Path To Freedom,’ at the Oak Tree Centre, Wallinger Drive, Shenley Brook End. More details: sue-davedee@talktalk.net Guild of Motoring Artists Exhibition Thursday, June 2 - Wednesday, June 29, 11am-4.30pm An exhibition of 40 paintings by five Guild members, with media including watercolour, oils, acrylics and 3D. Includes classics, motorsport and a few images with a local twist. Showing in the Three Hares Gallery at Cowper & Newton Museum.

Making a splash: cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk Mikron Theatre Company Sunday, June 5, 2.30pm Arriving by boat, the collective of drama aces present the show Raising Agents (see show details on June 17) at Great Houghton Village Hall.

Narrowboat, but big show: mikron.org.uk

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Space Pistol Sunday, June 5 The Milton Keynes-based noise bringers who caused a bit of excitement on last month’s Pulse Music pages check in at The Plough in Newport Pagnell. Well worth checking in for if you like your music noisy and promising!

Fired up: www.facebook.com/spacepistol Gallery Live Monday, June 6 - Sunday, June 12 While Stony Stratford enjoys the return of its Stony Live Festival, Gallery Live will turn the High Street into a big art space, with 17 local artists having their work exhibited in the windows of local stores.

Artists taking part include Sally Luff, Shelly Wyndebank, Roddy Clenaghan, Melanie Watts and Debra Danu Matthews.

Window shopping: Stroll the High Street!

Prepare to get messy at Northampton Colour Run and help support Cynthia Spencer Hospice

These Hills Are Ours Thursday, June 9 Award-winning Daniel Bye and Chumbawamba founder Boff Whalley bring together story and song in a collaboration about escaping it all by running to wild places. Can we go too?

Running men: thecorecorby.com Refreshments in the Courtyard Thursday, June 9, 10.30am-midday Enjoy delicious homemade cake, a drink and a walk around the beautiful gardens at Olney’s Cowper & Newton Museum Tranquility: cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

WHATS ON

11th & 12th June 2022 At Towcester Racecourse

www.towcesterfoodfestival.co.uk facebook.com/TowcesterFoodFestival

Northampton Colour Run Saturday, June 11, 10am A very messy and very fun cross-country run in support of the Cynthia Spencer Hospice, at Overstone Park, Northampton.

Great for families, friends and colleagues, and it’s for a fantastic cause.

Count me in: cynthiaspencer.org.uk/ northamptoncolourrun or call 01604 973340

ART EXHIBITION & SALE

@towcesterfood

Jimmy Regal & The Royals Tuesday, June 14, doors at 6.30pm, music from 7.30pm London-based tough and howlin’ blues threepiece with harmonica, guitar and drums return to Bletchley Blues Club.

Regal times: bletchleybluesclub.uk Linford Eats Thursday, June 16, 5pm-8pm Bring your friends and family to Great Linford Park and enjoy street food from some of MK’s tastiest vendors. Bringing your own camping chairs and picnic blankets is advisable.

Parking is at Great Linford Memorial Hall.

Tastebud tickler: theparkstrust.com

Thursday 16 June - Saturday 18 June Abbey Centre, Northampton Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover in this stage version of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Join us at the Abbey Centre this June.

Performances take place at 7:30pm between 16th - 18th, tickets are £8 for adult, £3 for under 18’s.

Book tickets: abbeycommunitycentre.co.uk 01604 767568

Sunday 12th June

The Teapot Prince Thursday, June 16 & Friday, June 17, 6-9pm A contemporary re-imagining of the lost 18th-century French Ballet des Porceleines will be performed in the fairy-tale grounds of Waddesdon Manor, bringing to life a story of magic, desire and exotic entanglement.

Temperatures rising: waddesdon.org.uk

Jess Jocoy Friday, June 17 Jess brings her beautifully atmospheric Americana to Milton Keynes as part of her First Time Here tour to plug her Let There Be No Despair album.

Twang and texture: stables.org

Up to 30 artists exhibiting original paintings photography & sculpture. Come and browse, enjoy tea and cakes.

Admission Free

Summer Festival Friday June 17 Wootton Primary School celebrates its 150th birthday with a special event at Wootton Community Centre from 3.30pm to 6pm.

Enjoy bouncy castles, entertainment, stalls, face painting and much more.

Towcester Midsummer Music Festival Friday, June 17 – Sunday, June 19 Two days of music across the town centre with drummers, brass, a Cappella, community choirs and much more on the menu.

At a glance: towcester-tc.gov.uk/midsummer-music

WOOTTON MEMORIAL HALL, HIGH STREET, WOOTTON

Saturday 11th June 10.00am - 4.30pm 10.00am - 3.30pm

National Gardens Scheme Saturday, June 11 & Sunday, June 12, 11am-4.30pm Things are blooming at The Cowper & Newton Museum in Olney, and this is your chance to investigate as part of the national event.

Green-fingered delight: cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk Denton & District Gardening Club Monday, June 13, 7pm AGM followed by ‘My Favourite Plants of the Moment’ by Colin Ward, at Denton Village Hall, Vicarage Lane, Denton, NN7 1DT Seedlings: m.pateman@yahoo.co.uk

Mikon Theatre presents the show Raising Agents on June 5

For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

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WHATS ON

Mikron Theatre Company Saturday, June 17, 7pm The team who bring professional theatre to canal and riverside venues deliver Raising Agents. When a PR guru becomes a member of the Bunnington WI, the women are glad of new blood...initially!

Essentially though, this is a show about friendship. Grab a picnic blanket and enjoy.

At The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne Messing about by the river: mikron.org.uk Mikron Theatre Company Saturday, June 18, 4pm Mikron continue their tour of the waterways, this time with Red Sky At Night, a show about the wild and wonderful world of weather, showing at The Old Rectory at Blisworth.

Making a splash: mikron.org.uk Northampton Music Festival 2022 Sunday, June 19 If you love music, you’ll love this; 60 performers going live across six stages in a showcase and celebration of local music, from opera to rock.

Scream for me, Northampton: northamptonmusicfestival.co.uk

Wildflower ID for Beginners Wednesday, June 22, 10am During this workshop you will receive an introduction to the common ways to identify plants in the wild and get to grips with using plant ID keys. This two hour event is being held in Great Linford Manor Park. Petal power: theparkstrust.com Carpenters Gold Friday, June 24, 7.30pm Enjoy the musical brilliance of Richard and Karen Carpenter, delivered by West End star Vikki Holland-Bowyer, who perfectly emulates Karen’s legendary rich contralto.

Greg Stevenson will take care of duties at the piano.

Top of the World: theoldsavoy.co.uk The Midday Moo Saturday, June 25 A challenge to local people to walk a five or 10 mile route around Milton Keynes.

It’s a relaxed affair, starting and finishing at the MK Rugby Club in Emerson Valley, including pub stops on route and a finale at The Big Food Festival.

Walking boots on: willen-hospice.org.uk/moo Sparks: Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside Saturday, June 25, midday Visit The Lab at The Core and check in with Sparks, the youngest theatre group at The Core as they present some fantastic summer holiday adventures; by the beach, on the sea and underwater.

Bucket and spades: thecorecorby.com

Little Houghton Open Gardens Saturday and Sunday 16th & 17th July, 1-5pm both days Ten mature and beautiful gardens will be open around the village, including Little Houghton House Gardens.

Deep borders and thoughtful planting will inspire garden experts and new enthusiasts alike. Stunning floral displays are also to be found inside St Mary’s church, where cream teas and home-made cakes will be served from 2-5pm both days. There will also be an ice cream stall in the village.

A lovely day out. £5.00 entry per person, to cover all the gardens. 16 years and under are free of charge.

Easy, sign-posted parking in a paddock within the village.

Enquiries to 07980 750319 or 07929 855709 46

Olney Cherry Fair Sunday, June 26, midday Head to Glebe Field, Church Street for a fruit filled afternoon as the town hosts its Cherry Fair, which also features a fun dog show, tours of the Bell Tower, Olney Brass Band and Country Dancing.

There will be a visit from the local Fire and Rescue, Organ Recital, refreshments and open garden, and much more. Not to mention the Pimm’s tent!

Entry is £2 for adults, under 16s go free.

Fruity: olneycherryfair.org.uk Hugh Budden & The Blue Chords Tuesday, June 28, doors at 6.30pm, music from 7.30pm Hugh is a harmonica player and a showman to boot and with his band the Blue Chords they deliver joyous swing, jump, jive, rock, funk and soul, but all within the blues idiom.

Swing-in: bletchleybluesclub.uk

> Don’t forget to check our special Jubilee round-up for a peek at some of the events happening in the area between June 2 & 5 - see page 22

Enjoy live international and national theatre and dance performances from the best seat in the house at MK Gallery’s Sky Room independent cinema.

Event Cinema NT Live: Prima Facie (15) Thursday 21 July | 7pm Jodie Comer, the Emmy and Bafta Award-winning star of TV’s Killing Eve, and more recently Bafta Award-winner for Channel 4’s TV series Help, makes her West End debut in the UK premiere of Suzie Miller’s award-winning play, Prima Facie which takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game.

NT Live: Much Ado About Nothing (12A) Thursday 8 September | 7pm Following the award-winning success of National Theatre Live’s Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and Antony and Cleopatra, director Simon Godwin returns with this irresistible comedy, broadcast live from the National Theatre stage.

NT Live: Jack Absolute Flies Again (12A) Saturday 8 October | 7pm After an aerial dog fight, Pilot Officer Jack Absolute flies home to win the heart of his old flame, Lydia Languish.

Back on British soil, Jack’s advances soon turn to anarchy when the young heiress demands to be loved on her own, very particular, terms.

Emily Burns directs this spectacularly entertaining new version of Sheridan’s The Rivals. Featuring a cast including Caroline Quentin, Laurie Davidson, Natalie Simpson and Kelvin Fletcher.

Exhibitions Vivian Maier: Anthology 11 June - 25 September MK Gallery presents the first exhibition in the UK of acclaimed photographer Vivian Maier (1926 – 2009) – celebrating the talent and remarkable story of a Chicago nanny who took hundreds of thousands of photographs of everyday life, carefully storing them during her life and posthumously becoming one of the greatest street photographers of the 20th Century. Curated

by Anne Morin and produced by diChroma Photography. Free guided tours every Tuesday & Saturday at 2pm.

Vivian Maier, Self-portrait, New York, 1953 © Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy of Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, NY.

Visit mkgallery.org or call on 01908 676900 for more information and to book.

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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Film Reviews

by Jordan Adcock

BOILING POINT

FILM OF THE MONTH - Star Rating: 4/5

Boiling Point, now available to buy and rent digitally, is less sensational than the average Kitchen Nightmares episode and yet has much more genuine drama packed into its ninety minutes, all very impressively filmed in one unbroken shot.

Stephen Graham plays Andy, a head chef reeling from divorce, debts and faltering attempts at fatherhood all while failing to properly manage the kitchen for an upmarket London restaurant. The evening starts with a pushy health inspector and only gets worse from there for him, his fellow chefs of varying experience and waiting staff. None of the main characters are strictly good or bad here, every character has their flaws or blind spots as they work and clash with one another to try and survive an overbooked night filled with barely-concealed racist diners, obnoxious Instagram influencers and (what else?) a prominent food critic.

Rather than the experience feeling unpleasant or claustrophobic as a result, the well-observed details and the direction moving seamlessly between believable interactions give the film its thrilling veritas. The one-shot technique helps connects these characters in a shared pressure cooker which also highlights their individual stories and struggles.

Everyone gets their turn in the spotlight but it revolves around Andy and Stephen Graham’s magnificent performance. He avoids any obvious theatrics while leading every scene he’s in with equal confidence and doubt, even as his character struggles to lead his own kitchen. Like him and the other characters, you won’t have time or space to focus much on the food. It might leave you marvelling that any fairly busy restaurant functions at all. ✪

THE NORTHMAN THE LOST CITY

THE GREEN KNIGHT

DOCTOR STRANGE 2

Star Rating: 2.5/5

Star Rating: 2.5/5

Star Rating: 2/5

Star Rating: 1.5/5

The Northman’s story of the young Viking prince Amleth driven to exile and later revenge by his uncle’s betrayal and murder of his father, was based on Scandinavian legends which helped inspire Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Despite what that might suggest, The Northman, for all its extended scenes of brutal, bloody violence and pagan enchantment, is a very straightforward revenge story that rushes the foundation to get to scenes of gruesome swordfights, bloody slaughter and incantations which consequently feel more gratuitous.

It’s rather familiar territory for director Robert Eggers, whose previous films The Witch and The Lighthouse were similarly haunted by dark magic and grisly gore. Yet those films had more genuine spooky atmosphere whereas here it’s more, admittedly impressive, gritty texture than anything else. ✪

Sandra Bullock is the adventure romance author, Channing Tatum her books’ dashing cover model, forced into ironically going on their own jungle adventure for treasure by evil Daniel Radcliffe. Whatever the terrible punchline for that setup is, the actual silly jokes in The Lost City are mostly better than that.

Sure, it’s close enough to being the 1980s film Romancing the Stone that it includes an obligatory background reference.

Still, there’s plenty of light action and romance, and its appeal is, strangely, being breezy and unpretentious in an era with films of all sizes trying to show off their worthiness. But while Bullock and Tatum are decent as an unlikely onscreen couple, it could stand to have more genuine charm and wit. ✪

Indie filmmaker David Lowery adapts possibly the single greatest medieval Arthurian romance, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by mostly eschewing its courtly intrigue, complex symbolism and memorable characters in favour of a nihilistic and frankly simplistic telling. The story’s made both vaguer and more obvious, adding its own characters while diminishing the original’s. Sir Gawain, who in the romance was flawed but certainly chivalric, is turned cowardly and pathetic here as he journeys from a decaying Round Table to face the enchanted Green Knight. Lowery’s thematic interests in nature overcoming human civilisation would be better served in a new story than in yet another example of King Arthur and his knights being cinematically mishandled. ✪

With this latest entry in the ever less coherent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it’s not so much Multiverse of Madness (per this film’s subtitle) as MCU of Maddening. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange is adrift in ostensibly his own film, that’s actually more interested in other characters like the bland America Chavez and the firmly wrong-headed “tragic” villain arc for Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. There’s so many plot turns that would be laughable if they weren’t so wearyingly lame. There’s much visual chaos and expensive CGI shown off yet the lack of narrative imagination or overall point post-Avengers: Endgame is painfully clear. In that regard it’s no worse than other recent MCU entries but that’s no compliment either. ✪

You can follow Jordan on Twitter (@JordanReview) and read his blog at www.reviewsreflections.wordpress.com For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

47

MOTORING

Swift to prove its credentials

ADAM TUDOR-LANE reviews Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid

I

’ve always had a big, huge, soft spot for the Suzuki Swift Sport. A few years ago it went turbocharged and lost a little of its raw, thrummy hum, but it was still super light and a hoot around county lanes.

What’s new? Well, Suzuki is going hybrid across their whole range, even the Swift Sport.

So they’ve added a 48v (incredibly mild) hybrid system, turned down the power, added more weight and increased the 0-62 time by a whole second.

Oh, and the cost has gone up to a whopping £22,570.

Nothing has changed on the exterior; bar the simple addition of a ‘Hybrid’ moniker on the back.

From the off, you’d never know the Sport is down on power; that clever 15kg hybrid system torque fills like a supercar at lower revs.

Off the line feels pretty immediate, as if you have an EV type shove from a standstill.

‘Hooning’ it across town and the nimble nature still shines through, it’s a fun little hatch which you can drive at 100% of its abilities without the worry of killing yourself by flying backwards through a hedge on fire.

But one thing that’s kerbed the fun is how the hybrid system starts sapping away speed

Little has changed in the Swift interior apart from some extra menus on the LCD display

as soon as you let off the throttle. As the system is gearbox driven, you start slowing to charge the hybrid battery once you let off the go pedal.

Over nearly 300 miles, I never saw this battery fully charge; that was over long sections of A road, motorways and town driving; the most it ever got to was three bars, halfway.

That’s just annoying.

One good thing about the system is that the little Swift managed 45 MPG over our time together; sadly, I don’t have any MPG numbers for the non-hybrid model, but judging by ‘HonestJohn’s real MPG figure’, 44.8 MPG is the average for the hybrid-less Swift Sport. Not quite the 6% improvement claimed by Suzuki, but this isn’t a scientific test.

Power has been decreased to 129 BHP from 138, no doubt due to emissions and the power that the new ISG 48v gearbox add-on can cope with. Torque is up a smidge by 5Nm over the non-hybrid Swift Sports 230 figure.

Inside is just the same as the non-hybrid version, apart from some extra menus in the

FACTS AT A GLANCE Top Speed: 130 mph Performance: 0-62 in 9.1 secs Power: 139 BHP Economy: 50.1 MPG (Claimed)

LCD dash display to tell you the battery charge and energy flow.

That ‘hybrid’ tech sits under the front seats, so there’s no encroaching on boot space, but it does feel as though you sit a little higher because of it…that could be all in my head though.

Back in 2014, a Suzuki Swift Sport would set you back £13,999 – a bargain, right? 2018 that increased to £17,999, crikey…and now it’s £22,570.

A Ford Fiesta with the 1.0 litre EcoBoost mHEV (mild hybrid) will hit 62 in 9.4 seconds and set you back £22,015. Sorry Suzuki, but I know where my money would be going.

For more car news, reviews and motorsport action visit carwitter.com or follow us @car_witter 48

June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

PUZZLES

View from the Far Kerb

SUDOKU PUZZLE Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 with no repeats. Good Luck!

World Domination

W

hile standing in my garden the other day I thought about how to ensure my future financial health. Looking into the gloriously blue sky, I saw a way.

The airliner was high up in the sky, perhaps some thirty thousand feet. Regardless of its height, it was passing over my house. I wondered how many people were aboard it, then I considered how much luggage they carried, and lastly I speculated over whether freight was being carried instead of passengers. That was when it came to me.

The decision was made to secede from the UK and become a sovereign power. Henceforth, Scarlett House (a name determined by my surname – it seemed more amusing many years ago) would become The People’s Republic of O’Hara.

For a small consideration I would grant permission to fly over my airspace. Additionally, I would set both income tax and capital gains tax at 1% and then allow my spare bedroom to become an address of convenience to whomever or whatever company wished to be officially domiciled at The People’s Republic of O’Hara.

With well off high rollers making many millions a year, my low tax rates would attract many to base their lives or businesses here.

While my tax take wouldn’t take much in terms of what they were passing through the National Bank of O’Hara, it would realise me quite a tidy sum. My retirement would be comfortable.

Naturally I anticipate resistance.

The possibly maladjusted at Westminster would probably protest that I was undercutting the UK and not competing fairly. Life isn’t fair – get over it.

However, I anticipate more local action at the start. Bailiffs would

9 8

There would be no need for an army. I have a bolt on the garden gate and a decent lock on the front door. I’d like to see an army division get through that lot!

With that sorted, all that would remain would be to go through the letters from rich people wanting to hold bank accounts here or maintain a presence in the box room.

There would be no need for an army. I have a bolt on the garden gate and a decent lock on the front door. I’d like to see an army division get through that lot! That would be a great saving.

Businesses operating through The People’s Republic of O’Hara wouldn’t need to change anything other than just altering their letterhead addresses to my box room and their personal box number confirming their existence here. Naturally, having properly registered with my Department of Overseas and Elsewhere I would hold a forwarding address for all their correspondence.

Fiscal world domination surely awaits me.

PHIL O’HARA

7 4

probably be knocking on my door seeking payments for various bills that I would have cancelled as part of my debt realignment upon creation of The People’s Republic of O’Hara. Naturally, I wouldn’t let them in my house – not without a visa in a valid passport. And equally naturally, I wouldn’t recognise the UK in the same way as the UK would no doubt refuse to recognise The People’s Republic of O’Hara. In any case, as I would be heading up my Department for Immigration and Visa Control, I would refuse any such applications.

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QUICK CROSSWORD

Clues Across 1. Safety device (4,4) 5. Page (4) 7. After birth (9) 9. Rock sideways (4) 10. Queen of Carthage (4) 11. Lowest male voice (5) 14. Play (5) 15. Opinions (5) 16. Light wood (5) 17. Blockade (5)

18. Poised for action (5) 19. Parking place alongside road (3-2) 22. Scottish dance (4) 24. Successor (4) 26. Practised (9) 27. Sleigh (4) 28. Stepping (8)

Clues Down

1. Lather (4) 2. Ancient city (4) 3. Additional (5) 4. Snares (5)

5. Heavy metal (4) 6. Notedly (8) 7. Limiting factor (9) 8. Emancipated (9) 11. Vocal confusion (5) 12. Sortie (5) 13. Reproductive organ (5) 14. Wishful (8) 20. Turn aside (5) 21. Carried (5) 23. Lascivious (4) 24. Listen to (4) 25. Ladder step (4)

Solutions to Sudoku and Quick Crossword can be found on page 50 For the latest local news visit www.nnpulse.co.uk | NN Pulse Magazine | June 2022

49

Your stars LOCAL NEWS

HOWARD PARKER

THE ASTRO-GUIDE

Flavour of the Times - Last month may have felt a bit like everyone is plodding through mud and fog but things are looking very different this month. There is much more energy about, things are buzzing and there seems to be some kind of discernable direction to life. The new moon in Gemini is very sociable so there is lots of interaction, but not all of it is meaningful – wood from the trees time! It’s probably best to be very selective about how much time you spend on social media...

GEMINI May 22 – June 21

LIBRA September 24 – October 23

AQUARIUS January 21 – February 19

CANCER June 22 – July 23

SCORPIO October 24 – November 22

PISCES February 20 – March 20

Constant stimulation is the order of the day, which may suit and excite you but other people may find the constant barrage of information coming from you exhausting, so take time to listen to how people are receiving you. Mars and Jupiter are providing some fierce drive now but at the same time it is important to try to ground yourself. Not easy this month.

Everyone seems to be sure they are doing the right thing this month. There is a huge amount of nervous energy flying around but nobody seems to be really thinking things through, are they? You know there are many better ways of going about making the right decisions but hardly anyone is hanging around long enough to listen to you. They will… eventually.

This month may not suit you too well. You may seek to hang onto what is known and safe but your comfort zone will be under a lot of pressure, so you will feel others want you to change your cherished approach to life’s challenges. It’s up to you of course, to decide whether this is a good idea but it’s a good time to change if you feel you should.

You may be feeling restless in your personal relationships mid-month and not quite sure why.

You may feel your own freedom is somehow being unacceptably compromised and that something has to change. But this might not be the best time to actually do anything about it until you understand the situation a little more.

It might take a while to see how best to act.

LEO July 24 – August 23

SAGITTARIUS November 23 – December 22

You will enjoy the fire and the mental challenges this month throws at you but there will still be ways in which you may feel held back by those less energetic than you. They will be challenging you to relax, get grounded and simply enjoy the pleasures of being alive, so don’t miss out on that while you are rushing around in a social whirl!

You will enjoy the step up in energy this month, like you are kicking back into gear after enforced idleness. The Gemini new moon is certainly energetic but the action is probably happening around you rather than over the next hill. The full moon on 14th may provide more confusion than clarity, I’m afraid, particularly when it comes to relationship issues.

VIRGO August 24 – September 23

CAPRICORN December 23 – January 20

You may feel you are watching people around you behave like headless chickens this month as the energy picks up and people move faster and events seem to be tripping over each other.

It’s easy to be dismissive and criticise but you should probably just recognise that it’s not really your month and that you might as well just get your head down and do your own thing.

There is not much focus this month which will feel very ungrounding for you if you are used to tried and trusted approaches to solving problems. The new moon in Gemini makes it a very sociable time with a lot of fiery energy to assist you, so if there are actions you need to get moving on with, now is the time to get stuck in and get it sorted.

50

PUZZLE

SOLUTIONS

To really understand what this means for you on a personal level during 2022, I would recommend that you consider booking a comprehensive personal astrological consultation that is completely specific to you and your life. This will illuminate many things that you may not have considered and it will enable you to really take advantage of the positive energies and avoid the negative ones throughout the year. : , ( ; ) , 3 ;

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Chart readings with me start at £67 and last for an hour on Zoom or Skype. Please go to www.astroguidance.co.uk for more details and to book a session. You can also text or WhatsApp me on 07866 727743 or email me at howpark@aol.com for more information.

If you are interested in discussing and learning more about astrology, why not pop into my Facebook group The Astrocafe | Facebook.

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Venus bumps up against Uranus in your sign this month so there is a chance of an unexpected love interest popping into your life between 11th and the 23rd. Or it might be an unanticipated windfall financially. Either way, there’s a lot to share and talk about as your social life accelerates and there is a faster pace almost everywhere you look.

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You may have been wandering around impatiently in the fog last month but now the new moon in Gemini and Mars moving into your own sign, backed up by Jupiter, gives a real boost to your plans and ambitions for the future.

You will probably follow your instinct full tilt but there are still some steadying forces around that you should pay attention to.

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ARIES March 21 – April 20

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You may almost feel if you have had too much of your own medicine recently, but the flavour of the cosmos is very different and there is much less room for vagueness and going with the flow now. If you are quite a sociable person you will enjoy this friendly and outgoing phase, but you will probably also want to take some time out to be on your own and consider things.

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You will get much needed assistance from the Gemini new moon this month. You can make some fast progress with all the things you have been planning (plotting?) over the past month or so. Mars in Aries will accelerate you forwards but remember to have your foot close to the brake pedal because you may well need to slam them on at some point!

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June 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire

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