Talkabout spring 2005

Published March 2005 – Issue 39 – Non Resident Price £2.00
◊ Richard Wray ◊ Editor
[phone number removed] [email address removed]

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email:
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SELL HELMDON

Helmdon Sports Club
The Helmdon Carnival Committee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editors Letter
Classified Adverts
4
6
PARISH NEWS
Parish Council News
Helmdon Parish Plan
Helmdon Reading Room
Helmdon Gardening Society
Our Local Environment
Helmdon Primary School
9
10
11
12
13
14
CHURCH NEWS
Baptist Church
Tiny Tots
Astwell Group Mothers Union
The Friends of Helmdon Churchyard
The Friends of St. Mary Magalene
18
18
19
20
21
READERS ARTICLES
The Reverend John Roberts
The Mite Scheme (UNICEF UK)
Why God is to be found in Tsunami
22
22
23
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Obituaries, Marriages & Births
Obituaries
Marriages
Births
48
48
48
48
REFERENCE LIBRARY
Our Local Elected Representatives
Fire Brigade
Voluntary Work
Hospitals & Doctors
Police
Support Groups / Advice Lines
Local Authorities & Services
Sports
Transport
Village Contacts
Services
Misc
Direct Numbers for Council Services
Village Information
Bus Timetables
GROUP NEWS
Helmdon Fellowship
Moylan School of Dance
Helmdon Bridge Players
Helmdon W.I.
Neighbourhood Watch
Helmdon Womens club
Helmdon Young Husbands
Post Office & Drop-In-Centre
1st Helmdon Rainbows
Helmdon Acorns Pre-School
The WEA
South Northants Volunteer Bureau
The Helmdon Village Web Site
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289
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The views, comments and facts portrayed in this magazine are NOT necessarily those held by the
Parish Council. This magazine is produced for the benefit of the residents of Helmdon Parish and is sponsored by the Parish Council. Its articles and comments however are from the credited individuals and organisations that choose to write to the editor for inclusion in the magazine.
EDITORS LETTER
D
ear readers,
Welcome again to YOUR village magazine. I do hope you enjoy the content of the magazine and choose to act upon the many and various calls for help and support contained within it.
We continue to get good support from our local organisations and hope that you find the magazine both interesting and a useful reference. We are also trying however to slightly expand the magazine to include more general articles of interest to the community. There are some examples of these in this issue (see the wonderful submissions from the school), but we would like to keep a steady stream coming to add a bit more depth to the magazine’s content. If you feel you have something to say that would be of general interest to the community then please let me know. There are some simple guidelines published on the Helmdon website or I can post you a copy.
As you can see this issue has “gone colour” for the front and back page. A first for the magazine and one due entirely to the generous sponsorship of Macintyres. They not only take the premium advertising space in our magazine, but also purchase 100 copies of each issue. They then use these copies to provide prospective house buyers with the unique insight into Helmdon village life that this magazine can bring. This however gives me a new challenge and one I am happy to pass straight on to the readership- what photo to put on the front cover ? Our publisher Wilf and I
thought that a competition would be a good way to get this underway so here it is.
Talkabout Magazine Photo Competition Rules:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open to all Helmdon parishioners
An original work by the entrant
Entries should be a scanable photo print, 35mm negative or digital image (3MP+)
Preferably related in some way to Helmdon or the community.
Prize – £10 and recognition of your camera skills in the next issue.
Email or post entries to the editor before the next issue deadline – August 24th 2005
Now onto one of the main reasons in my mind for the magazines existence and that is to inform people of what is going on in their own community and ask them to participate. So in no particular order I have plucked the following from the article submissions.
Our parish plan has now been completed and a new organization is overseeing its implementation.
They are in need of more volunteers to pick up on the challenges that the community laid out in the survey response.
It looks like the call for help at the Churchyard has resulted in some new support, however more people are required to keep our wonderful church grounds in order.
An annual “Safari Supper” organised by the Friends of the Church are looking for volunteers.
The Helmdon Bridge Players who provide such great entertainment for the village are looking for a
“Wardrobe Mistress”.
SELL HELMDON

The craft show is a key part of the Helmdon carnival and attracts some very high quality exhibits from all ages of the community. The team are desperately looking for a few more people to get involved in the committee to enable the event to proceed at this years show.
Rainbows are a relatively new organisation in the village who provide a wonderful event every
Friday for 15 of our village 5 – 7 year olds. They are looking for full time helpers, ad hoc helpers and star guests.
The school has just lost their caretaker and are now looking to fill the vacancy. This is a paid position unlike most in this magazine and candidates should contact the school directly.
Finally a thank you again tour team of deliverers who give up their own time to distribute the 400+ copies of the magazine to all the houses in the Parish.
◊ Richard ◊ Editor: Talkabout Magazine
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
– 5 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

CLASSIFIED ADVERTS
For High Quality:
# Kitchen fitting
# Bathroom fitting
# Carpentry
# Tiling
# Decorating
# Plumbing
# Electrical
Contact :
John Brackenboro
[phone number removed]
Helmdon
Horticultural
Services
Qualified Professional
Gardener
* Pruning /Weeding.
* Soil Cultivation
* Plant Sourcing
* Planting Plans
* Mulching
* Sorting out neglected borders/gardens
* Design
* Dry Stone Walling
Contact Owen Brunsden
[phone number removed]
Computer Problems?
☼ Personal Tuition ☼
☼ Virus Fixes ☼
☼Maintenance ☼
☼ Broadband Set-up ☼
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☼ Repairs & Upgrades ☼
KARAOKE
SHOW
Complete Karaoke show and compere, birthdays, corporate, children's parties, etc.
The solution is just a step away with
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Call Danny Moody
Call JLW Entertainments
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[phone number removed]
enquiries@
clickstartcomputing.co m
**********************
T: [phone number removed]
M: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
KIDS ARE ME
New Advertising Option
Only £5 per issue
Maximum of 35 words
No images
Contact :
◊Wilf Forgham ◊ Publisher
[phone number removed]
talkabout-
[email address removed]
For good registered childcare with many years experience.
Contact: Lynn Bearman
T: [phone number removed]
M: [phone number removed]
**********************
HANDMADE
CARDS
PAYING MORE FOR THE
CARD THAN THE GIFT??!
MY CARDS ARE ……
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Number to call:
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How about using the classified adds to send a congratulations message to someone special
*********************
*********************
Why not use a classified add to sell an item to another villager that would otherwise require large transport costs e.g. sofa, cupboards, etc.
*********************
Caroline
[phone number removed]
SELL HELMDON

Burns, Peter Brookhouse, David
Chairman Vice Chairman
[phone number removed] [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Bearman, Richard
[email address removed]
Earl, Phil (Curly)
Councillor
Councillor
[phone number removed]
[phone number removed]
[email address removed] [email address removed]
England, Bill Gittens, Ren
Councillor Councillor
[phone number removed] [phone number removed]
[email address removed] [email address removed]
Moody, Danny Smith, Val
Councillor Councillor
[phone number removed] [phone number removed]
[email address removed] [email address removed]
Spendlove, Jean Smith, Sarah
Councillor Parish Clerk
[phone number removed] [phone number removed]
No email address available parishcouncil@helmdon.com
– 7 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

SELL HELMDON

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
A
t the outset I would like to acknowledge the input of Terry Glassett to the
Parish Council during his period as a councillor, part of which was as
Chairman, and wish him and Lindsey every happiness in their new home.
One of the most important tasks that the Parish Council has to do is set the precept for the parish financial year. This is given careful consideration by the finance committee before it is placed before the full council. This year has seen an increase of slightly above 4% which is below average and still leaves Helmdon parish council with one of the lowest precepts in the area. The precept was accepted at the parish council meeting in January.
Parishioners should be aware of help available from local services. Northamptonshire Fire and
Rescue Service can provide a free home fire safety check and with free smoke alarm. The number to call for this is 0800 38 999 50.
The Northamptonshire Police are offering a free “Burglary Pack” to advise you how to protect your home and this is available by telephoning [phone number removed].
The annual parish meeting will be held in the reading room on Wednesday 27th April 2005
commencing at 7.30 p.m. There will be a number of reports followed by an open forum at which anyone can speak. An invitation is being sent out to village organisations which may wish to give a five minutes presentation on their activities. Should any organisation wish to do this and book their time, will you please contact the clerk to the parish council.
Ongoing discussions are continuing between the parish council and Helmdon primary school regarding the use of the school playing field and it is hoped to have another meeting soon to settle the outstanding points.
I would like to thank all of the people in the village who contribute to the standard by keeping the village tidy, planting bulbs and flowers and generally being 'good neighbours'. I would also like to thank the many varied organisations for providing different interests within the village.
Many new policy requirements are now being expected of parish and district councils and councillors which we are expected to embrace. I hope that this does not ultimately lead to members of the village not wishing to feel able to put themselves forward to serve the community.
Everyone is welcome to parish council meetings where they are welcome to express their views.
The next meeting is on Wednesday 23rd March at 7.30 p.m.
◊ Peter Burns ◊ Chairman: Helmdon Parish Council
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Don't Miss Out – Only Twelve Copies Left
There are twelve copies only of "Aspects of Helmdon" no.4 left. This contains the history of Jeffs coaches; an article on the old stone quarries, Helmdon Stone, by Edward Parry; a Focus on Cross
Lane; The Manorial History of Helmdon; The Gullivers of Helmdon; History from Falcutt Fields, and The Roll of Honour of Old Boys of Helmdon Council School serving in the Great War 1914-19.
Copies at £3 each can be obtained from the Old Hall Bookshop, the Bungalow Stores, Richard
Farquharson [phone number removed] or Audrey Forgham [phone number removed] ([email address removed]) [address removed]
.
– 9 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

HELMDON PARISH PLAN
T
he Helmdon Parish Plan Steering Group held its final meeting on Tuesday 16th November 2004
and has disbanded, having delivered the parish plan and met its objectives. The steering group formed in April 2003 to develop a plan for the parish for the next 5 to 10 years under the
Countryside Agency's “Vital Villages” programme.
The members of the steering group (Danny Moody,
Terry Glassett, Cec Harrold, Alex Burnham, John
Plunkett, David Brookhouse, Morag Underwood,
Lyndsey Glassett and Phil Drage) organised a launch event, a future needs day, a parish-wide survey and a feedback event, all within a year and a half. It was a huge project and hundreds of man-hours went in to producing the finished article. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all those involved.
However, the end of the steering group is not the end of the story. The members of the steering group felt it essential that another group should be set up to co-ordinate the implementation of the plan. It would be a travesty if all the hard work and effort that has gone in to producing the parish plan came to nothing and the danger is that the document will sit on a shelf and gather dust unless a group has responsibility for breathing life in to it. To this end the "Parish Plan Monitoring Group" was set up to carry on where the steering group left off.
The role of the PPMG is to co-ordinate all of the new initiatives arising from the parish plan and report back to the parish council and the village as a whole so that people know what's going on.
The PPMG has had two meetings so far and already things are starting to happen.
In November a new environment group was formed (see their report) and I’m sure it will go from strength to strength. A group to look after, and find out more about, the countryside in which we live was one of the best-supported ideas in the plan. Other action points that look to be progressing are the formation of a gardening club, a road safety group and a parish paths group.
There are 36 separate action points in the plan (see the copy delivered to your house, or visit www.helmdon.com/parishplan) and the PPMG would like to hear from anyone who would like to get involved in taking one of these action points forward. In the autumn issue of Talkabout we hope to provide an update on all 36 action points and I am sure it will make encouraging reading.
A parish plan should not be an end in itself. It represents an opportunity for a community to make realistic recommendations, take them forward and follow their progress. The parish plan is a footpath to the future of Helmdon.
I am excited by the possibilities arising from having the parish plan and I look forward to being able to report back on all the good things that have happened in the next Talkabout.
You can make a comment anytime about the parish plan by visiting the village web site at www.helmdon.com/parishplan, e-mailing [email address removed] or by telephoning
◊ Danny Moody ◊ Chairman: Helmdon Parish Plan Monitoring Group
: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
SELL HELMDON

HELMDON READING ROOM
A
s some of you may already know, Richard
Bearman has resigned, as the Reading Room secretary, he made clear his intentions at the management meeting in May last year, and asked if anyone would be interested in taking over this role. When nobody volunteered, I
was getting very concerned, and then along came Caroline King to our rescue. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Richard for his dedication and hard work during the last few years, and to welcome Caroline to this very important role for the village.
As reported in the last issue of Talkabout, work was about to begin on the porch roof, and waterproofing of the building, I can now say that it has been successfully completed, and by the time you read this, the next phase will be on the drawing board. This will entail a survey of suspected wood worm, and cost of any work needed to solve this problem. If, and when this work is carried out, the room may have to be closed for the duration, even though I don’t envisage this to be too long, and all organisations will be informed in plenty of time. It will of course be done at a time that will cause the least disruption to the normal running of the hall.
Now here’s a little story
To tell it is a must,
To those who got locked in our loo
You had to go or bust,
Some ladies left a guard outside
To make sure they got out
But others they just got locked in,
They used to curse and shout.
But you can go with peace of mind
There’s no need to think I’ll risk it,
No need to leave a guard outside
Cause John has been and fixed it.
With that I once again thank you all for your support, and if you wish to comment on anything regarding the reading room please don’t hesitate to contact myself, or Caroline or any of the committee members as below.
Chairman: Bill England (That’s me) [phone number removed]
Vice Chairman: Michael Ayres [phone number removed]
Treasurer/ Steward Harold Seckington [phone number removed]
Secretary: Caroline King [phone number removed]
◊ Bill England ◊ Chairman: Reading Room Management Committee
[phone number removed]
bill_england@btinternet
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www.helmdon.com your community website

HELMDON GARDENING SOCIETY.
O
ne of the outcomes of the Helmdon Parish Plan was the desire to form a Gardening Club in the village. As many of you will be aware Sulgrave have had a Gardening Society for many years, and it is attended by many villagers from Helmdon. We have been investigating the possibility of combining our two villages into one club and calling it, the “Sulgrave & Helmdon Gardening
Society”.
However in discussions with Sulgrave we found that they are struggling to keep going, because of the lack of some key helpers.
These helpers would be the same people we would need if we were to form our own club. They are a speaker secretary, a visits secretary and a show secretary, and if volunteers are not found to take on these roles, then the society will be wound up at the AGM
to be held on Monday 11th April at 7:30 p.m. in Sulgrave church hall.
If anybody is interested in supporting the continuation on the gardening society, then they can contact Martin Sirot-Smith on [phone number removed], or Jan Prior on [phone number removed]. You can also attend the AGM and volunteer your services at the meeting. This is your opportunity to have the gardening society that villagers of Helmdon wanted in the village parish plan, so if you are able to, please volunteer your services.
You can also contact me on [phone number removed] for further information
◊ David Powell ◊ Vice Chairman : Helmdon Parish Plan Monitoring Group
[phone number removed]
SELL HELMDON

OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
W
hen the Helmdon Village Plan Survey results were analysed there was clear evidence of a widespread interest in and concern for all aspects of the environment in and around Helmdon and so a meeting was organised to which all those who had expressed such an interest were invited. The meeting was well attended. The various topics that had been raised in responses to the survey were considered and it was agreed that a formal committee should be set up to discuss and act upon the various issues concerned. A majority of those present agreed to serve on this committee and names of others who might also be willing to be members were suggested. Those present agreed that it was important to have young people well represented on the committee also.
The necessary approaches were made and the new committee met on 15th November 2004.
Joint officers were elected as follows:
Chair:
Vice-chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Niki Phillips
Charlotte Sandilands
John Thorne
John Plunkett
Co-chair: Ben Thorne
Co-Vice-chair: Phil Bridger
Co-Secretary: Amelia Stubbs
Co-Treasurer: Jess Quiney
There was considerable debate as to an appropriate title for the committee, but no decision was made and it was agreed that this would be left for the next meeting. However, the main aim of the committee was adopted as follows:
"The aim of the committee is to promote work and activities which will serve to protect and enhance the environment of Helmdon and the adjacent areas, thereby encouraging a greater appreciation of our surroundings and raising awareness of the importance of conservation throughout our whole community".
The ways in which this aim would be achieved were also agreed and included activities as drawn from suggestions made in the survey. Details of these can be found on the village website. Several suggestions were made as to activities and events that could take place or be arranged for the immediate or near future including:
Joining in with talks and activities organised by the Brackley & District Wildlife Trust.
Carrying out a parish-wide tree survey.
Possibly participating in a national owl project to take place in 2005.
The group if possible to assist with the Helmdon School's Conservation Area. The head teacher has said she would welcome such help.
Tutors at Moulton College possibly to provide advice or give a talk.
John Clews, from the RSPB, to give a talk. This has already been arranged for 7.30 p.m. on
Tuesday 12 July.
Barry Meatyard from Warwick University to come to lead a walk and talk on non-flowering plants and grasses. This has already been arranged for Tuesday 24 May in the evening.
– 13 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

Non-committee members will be most welcome to join in or attend activities such as talks, lectures and nature walks. We are hoping to be given lots of support and encouragement in our efforts to respond to the ideas and suggestions which have come from the residents of Helmdon, related to protecting and enhancing our village environment. Up-to-date information will always be available from the village web site, or from our chair Niki Phillips, telephone [phone number removed] or email: [email address removed], or from our secretary John Thorne, telephone [phone number removed] or e-
mail: [email address removed].
STOP PRESS
The group had a meeting on 23rd February and decided to call itself "HAFWEG" – the "Helmdon,
Astwell & Falcutt Wildlife and Environment Group". It's quite a mouthful but the members felt it was important that the name reflected the fact that it is not just a group for the village of Helmdon, but for the whole parish, including all the outlying properties and settlements. The name also encompasses the aims and objectives of the group, as set out above.
◊ Niki Phillips ◊ Chairman : HAFWEG (see above)
: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
HELMDON PRIMARY SCHOOL
ED : We have been lucky enough for this issue to get the children to write the school report for us. They have done a great job and I’m sure you will find it an interesting read. Thanks goes to both the children and Sue Blackburn (Head Teacher) for organising this.
HIGHLIGHTS OF HELMDON SCHOOL
When we came back from the summer holidays, we were amazed of what had happened to the entrance hall. They had built a fantastic new reception with a reception counter and an attachment for Mrs Blackburn’s office. Also they have provided a ramp for the disabled and disabled toilets.
We are thankful that the building is complete at last.
NEW ARIVALS
We are glad to announce that we have now four new members of Helmdon Primary School. They are called Miss Nilsson, Miss Munslow, Mrs Juden and Mrs Waghorne.
CAROL SERVICE
On the 10th of December we had a carol service around the school Christmas tree. The choir sang winter wonderland.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
From the 9th of February for fifteen days it was Chinese New Year. Everyone was inspired by the customs and its history. Even the reception children took part, with wonderful masterpieces. We thank Mrs Irving for providing luxurious food, Chinese decorations and much, much more. At the end of school we had an amazing assembly to show the work that we had created during the week.
CAROLS
We had a fantastic time singing carols around the tree. We sang a mixture of songs from “O little town of Bethlehem” to Winter Wonderland.
SELL HELMDON

CHURCH SERVICE
Parents watched this wonderful sequence of items linked to the theme of a Medieval Christmas. The choir sang a Latin song called Gaudete in two parts, one higher and one lower.
SNOW
From the 21st – 24th of February, the school had very heavy snow. On these days, most schools in the district were open. All of the children had an excellent time (especially on the last day).
Everyone had fun having snowball fights and making big snowballs and snowmen.
SECURITY SYSTEM
On the 25th of February, the school had a new security system installed in the main entrance.
Visitors will now have to press the buzzer & sign in at reception.
ICT EVENING
Sometime in the near future the school is holding an ICT evening throughout the school. This is so that parents and visitors can see their work and the new data projectors.
NEW CARETAKER WANTED
Since the leaving of Mrs Wilson we have had no caretaker. We have a vacancy for a new caretaker.
If you are interested please contact the school [phone number removed]).
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Everyone was inspired by this celebration which took place on the 9th of February and lasted 15
days. The whole school took part in the arts and crafts. Year 6 boys painted the Great Wall of China which was fantastic.
By Ashley, Emerson, Lauren. W, and Sophie
ED : We are hoping that the year 6 boys get back from China soon ☺
I
n the autumn term Mrs Aczel asked if anyone would be interested in having guitar lessons I
decided that I would like to have a go. I’m really glad I did! I have my lesson after my booster group, with Fraser and Kurtis. Kurtis actually keeps his guitar in a union jack pillow case.
At first I used my grans old guitar but when we tuned it, it would get out of tune really quickly.
Then a few days after my lesson my next door neighbours nanny’s boy friend said that I could borrow his guitar. Thankfully it is a really good one and only needs tuning once a week.
When Fraser joined our group it was funny because when Mrs Aczel was trying to make a note higher it started to get lower until suddenly the string flew off!
I’m really glad I started because it’s fun and I enjoy it a lot. I would recommend it to anyone. We even got the chance of playing in assembly
By Josh Cherry
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www.helmdon.com your community website

O
ne of the main things I remember about this last half term has been sewing and the Chinese
New Year.
When we did sewing it was for the display in the entrance hall. We had to copy and sew a picture from the countryside. We used lots of different colours and different types of wool. It was fun and the class and I really enjoyed it.
Chinese New Year was great! We did lots of artwork, which I really like to do, we also made a lot of stuff, did quizzes and word searches. Near the end of school time there was an assembly where all the different classes showed the stuff they had made in the day. At the end of the assembly we all got a special money envelope, which had chocolate coins and clemantines.
All of this was great fun.
By Peter
CHINESE HELMDON
On Chinese new year, Helmdon school had a Chinese day in celebration. Reception tried some traditional Chinese food, such as noodles. Year 1/2 made Chinese hats with white card. The year 3 class wrote some poems about Chinese dragons. Year 4/5
did some Chinese writing, and tangrams out of paper and last but not least year 6, some of the girls painted a Chinese dragon, and some boys painted The Great Wall of China. I would like to say thanks to the adults that helped with the Chinese new year day.
SNOWY DAYS
In the week from Monday 21st to Friday 26th February we had a huge downfall of snow. The snow brought fun down at Helmdon School. Children booted up, then pulled on their gloves then trekked to school down the snowy paths. On the school field everyone made snow-balls to throw and rolled snow balls soon to be snowmen. I’m pretty sure everyone enjoyed it.
ROUND UP
So over September to February we’ve had a pretty eventful few terms from Christmas productions to Chinese festivals. Helmdon school has had some great times, so lets hope more are approaching during the time that I’m still there.
By Jonathon
A
few weeks before the 9 of February we all had a letter saying that this year we would be th celebrating Chinese New year. I was really excited and couldn’t wait till the 9th of February. It all so said that we would be able to try some of their things they have to celebrate there new year.
It was the 8th of February and Mrs Edmondson said we were going to start on our Chinese work as she had a lot of work for us to do. The first thing she asked year 6 to do was to paint some pictures of Chinese animals, their trees and bamboo. I found it hard as the ones we had to do were very detailed. The next thing we did was a printing picture and then we painted it. A week after we washed off the paint and ink to get the Chinese effect. They looked really cool. On the 9th we were
SELL HELMDON

set a challenge of finding the answers to loads of Chinese facts, it was hard but fun, also we all made lanterns. After we had lunch we tried some of their food and sweets, I didn’t like much but I did like the sweet white rabbit.
The day after, Mrs Edmondson asked us if we would make a cricket and a bamboo cage as the
Chinese women keep on by there pillow, because they keep them company and bring them good luck. She also asked us to write a cricket poem. I enjoy doing things like this they are really exciting and I hope we can do more things like this as they are so much fun.
By Kelsie
L
ots of things have happened between the first day in September to February. My report is about
Chinese New Year and how we did printing, water colouring and sketching, also the skipping workshop was amazing , all my friends took part in the tricks.
Firstly, Chinese New Year was really fun! We got to try real
Chinese food. A lot of people enjoyed it but some thought yuck!! The best bit was ink printing, we had a glass board with ink on, what you have to do is choose a Chinese picture and stick it to the board with a bit of white paper underneath then you just colour in the picture, take the pieces of paper off and you have your printed picture.
Earlier on in the month we had the Skipping Workshop team come to our school and pick 12 pupils from our class to show us all the trick of the rope in an hour and a half! When it was time for the big show nerves were on every face of the performers. The show lasted for about an hour and a half, at the end everyone was stunned and all the teachers were very proud, well it looked like that anyway!!
By Josie
A
t Helmdon School in year 6 Mrs Edmonson has done an enormous amount of art with us, printing is my favourite. As a theme of Chinese New Year we printed Chinese picture and symbols.
One of my favourite sports at Helmdon is netball. I play it with my friends on Wednesdays. I also play tag ruby in games.
At Christmas every year we have a performance, last Christmas we did a special medieval play at
Helmdon Church. We sang lots of songs and I was Mary in one of the plays.
By Clare
◊ Sue Blackburn ◊ Head Teacher : Helmdon Primary School
: [phone number removed]
bursar@helmdon.northants-ecl.gov.uk
– 17 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

BAPTIST CHURCH
– TOVE VALLEY BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
I
t may seem strange giving news of what is happening on the chapel front when as most of you know our building in Helmdon is closed and has been for the past twelve months. Just to update you we haven't had a favourable response from the planning committee of South Northants Council as yet so Helmdon Baptist Chapel will remain in the same state for the foreseeable future. Weston refurbishment planning permission has been granted and if everything falls into place then work could start there in the spring of this year. During the refurbishment we will have to vacate the premises at Weston for several months which will provide us with the opportunity to meet in some of the other villages. We propose using Lois Weedon and Moreton Pinkney village halls as our main venues for services during this period, using the opportunity of being temporarily homeless to make ourselves and God known in the community.
Because our congregation comes from a variety of different villages, three mid week groups meet regularly in the villages;
Monday – 9.30a.m at 5 Cross Lane, Helmdon
Tuesday – 7.30p.m – meets at one of three locations
Wednesday – 7.30p.m at 38 Brook Street, Moreton Pinkney
We continue to hold the fortnightly Tuesday afternoon fellowship group at Weston at 2pm. This is open to both males and females and includes a short service followed by refreshments and a good chat. The refurbishments at Weston will give us the opportunity to extend the group and possibly include a lunch club.
Recently in response to the Tsumani disaster the church premises at Weston were used to host a ceramics sale, organised by Helmdon people. Once the refurbishments at Weston have been done we hope that community activities such as this will be a regular occurrence and that community groups in the surrounding area will want to use the facilities that we have to offer.
Just to let you know we are planning on running our annual Holiday Club in Helmdon again in
August. As yet we haven't been able to confirm a venue or the dates, but we are hoping to soon so please keep an eye out on the notices boards where we will display information about this years event.
Although we are a small congregation we are very nice and friendly and cater for all ages, providing crèche and junior church for younger people. If anybody would like to join us at any of our groups or services you would be very welcome. You can find us on a Sunday morning at 10.30a.m at
Weston Chapel – just round from the pub.
For any further information contact either Rosemary Gulliver [phone number removed]) or Phil Drage [phone number removed])
◊ Rosemary Gulliver
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
SELL HELMDON

TINY TOTS
T
iny tots is a thriving and growing group, the majority of whom come from
Helmdon but we also have people coming from Moreton Pinkney, Blakesley and
Silverstone. We meet every Wednesday (during term time) at 10am – a chance to play with some nice toys, play with old friends or make new ones, sing some action songs and play musical instruments and have a story time. Coffee, tea, juice and biscuits are served and very welcome after our singing. We had a fun Christmas party and were very glad that Father Christmas remembered to come (we think he must have left his reindeer grazing in Phil Drage's garden!!) During the refurbishment of Weston we will meeting at Helmdon Parish Church by kind permission of the P.C.C. further information and details when we know definite dates. This will be for a temporary period as the refurbished
Weston premises will make an excellent home for us, plenty of storage space, warm and cosy and indoor toilets but to name a few (What a luxury)!!
We always look forward to meeting new parents and babies/toddlers into the group. Rest assured you will have a warm welcome. For further details please contact Rosemary Gulliver.
◊ Rosemary Gulliver
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
ASTWELL GROUP MOTHERS UNION
M
embership of this Christian organization has peaked at 3 million world wide this year.
Our own branch – Astwell Group Branch is thus named because it serves the five Parishes in our benefice (Syresham, Wappenham, Lois Weedon, Whitfield and Helmdon). We are now linked with
Kimwange in Bungoma Uganda.
Membership is open to all those who are baptised into the Christian faith, male or female. Prayer is at the root of all we do and hope to achieve.
There is a list of events to be found on the Helmdon website and on the Church notice board.
Our annual Deanery Lady Day service will be held in St. Peter’s, Brackley on Monday 4th April with an International themed lunch – The service will start at noon.
We also have a workshop on helping families led by Hazel Fountain from Harpole on April 27th in
Helmdon Church.
On June 20th we shall be joining in with the World Wave of Prayer with our own Deanery Service in
Helmdon Church.
On July 27th we hope to put on a holiday workshop morning for children in the church.
For more details or lifts to any of these events please contact Bee Aczel [phone number removed] or Ann Smith
[phone number removed].
◊ Bee Aczel
[phone number removed]
http://www.themothersunion.org
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www.helmdon.com your community website

THE FRIENDS OF HELMDON CHURCHYARD
O
ver the winter it has been a quiet time in the churchyard but already the snowdrops and some of the primroses are out and the grass is growing. We are planning to start our monthly clean-ups on
Saturday March 19th , instead of the following week, which is Easter Saturday. Thereafter, we shall be holding our group work sessions on the last
Saturday morning of every month, starting at 10
a.m. We do not expect people to come every time, but we had some very valuable help last year, for which we were very grateful, and we hope they will want to assist us this year too, to keep the churchyard looking tidy and cared-for. New helpers are always welcome. Work includes strimming, mowing, weeding and tidying.
I would also like to thank our helpers who can’t usually come to the monthly sessions but mow regularly, often every week in summer, when the grass is growing really fast.
◊ Judy Cairns ◊ Secretary: The Friends of Helmdon
Churchyard
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
CKERS YOUTH CLUB
C
kers is a youth club organised jointly by St Mary Magdalene
Church and the Baptist Chapel. We have been successfully running for 3 yrs and it continues to be very popular. We meet on a Sunday evening once a fortnight from 6.30 pm. We cater for youngsters from school year 5 onwards and we do a wide variety of activities with them. We have had a hike through
Wistley Wood, a chocoholic evening, a football tournament, a cinema trip, made models from rubbish and a beetle drive to name but a few this year
At present we have two groups; Years 5 and 6 meet in the Reading Rooms and the older group at the Church, we occasionally join forces for the more exciting and ambitious activities !
We have 6 regular adult helpers and were delighted to be joined by some Dads during the last year.
We have been fortunate to have lots of support from people in the village happy to share their talents with us on a Sunday evening. Any offers of ideas and help are always welcomed.
◊ Kathy Quiney ◊ CKers Youth Club
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
SELL HELMDON

THE FRIENDS OF ST MARY MAGDALENE
S
ince the last issue of Talkabout, we have held three events as well as organising the teas at the Carnival. Around 60
people attended the Last Night of the Proms and Pig Roast despite the cold weather and we raised over £350. The Wine
Tasting was full to capacity, resulting in a further contribution to funds of £370. Many thanks are due to Gill and John
Watson for the use of their farm for the Proms night and to
Philippa and Richard Lloyd for their home for the wine tasting.
Finally the Words and Music for Christmas was again a very enjoyable event and raised another £100, even though this is not the prime objective.
The programme for 2005 has been more or less fixed, as follows:
Friday March 11th
Saturday May 14
Concert in the Church th Safari Supper
Friday June 10th Fiori Musicali concert in the Church th rd Sunday June 26 or July 3 Open Gardens
August Family Garden Party th Gospel Choir (to be confirmed)
th Wine tasting
Saturday September 17
Saturday November 19
Friday December 16th Words and Music for Christmas
Watch the notice boards for further details. We would welcome any volunteers who would like to offer the use of their home for one of the courses for the Safari Supper, or to include their garden in the Open gardens. Please contact Chris Gartside ([phone number removed]) or Vanessa Vicars ([phone number removed]).
Speaking of volunteers, the Friends committee can always use new members. The only qualification is the ability to drink a few glasses of wine at our meetings, without lapsing too far into incoherence.
Organising these events is not a chore and we get a lot of enjoyment from it, as well as knowing that we are contributing towards the maintenance of our beautiful church.
Tickets for all events are available from members of the friends committee:
Vanessa Vicars [phone number removed], Wiggy Smith [phone number removed], Liz Woolley [phone number removed], Jane Heaton [phone number removed], Viv
Watson [phone number removed] and Lynn and Chris Gartside [phone number removed].
◊ Chris Gartside ◊ Chairman: Friends of St. Mary Magdalene Church
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
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www.helmdon.com your community website

THE REVEREND JOHN ROBERTS
He will retire at the end of April. What shall we remember?
A
thin man, sallow, with a beard; the ready interest in the work we do; the friendship for children and gentleness with little ones; the recorder lessons, and choir practices and performances; his entering into our mourning and our love of our dead; the strong voice to deliver music or heartening words; a loving smile at the child he's baptizing; the skilful fingers to make or mend; the easy confidence with machines; the long legs folded astride a model railway engine; the priority of people; affectionate mockery and warm laughter; eyes for beauty in a building or a bird in flight; his sense of a place among wild things, both the fierce and the victims; the pleasure in our joys; his suffering when we harm one another; the enjoyment of fellowship at table, and appreciation of food and wine; the packing of his days and our submission too to the pressure; eight minute sermons; sharing his prayer in national griefs; the quick frown that might be irritation or concentration; the teacher's patience and perseverance; generous gifts of opportunity and trust; the total attention to the job in hand or the person he is with; the willingness to hear our fears or anger without sharing our doubts or prejudice; the decisive chairmanship, good humour and sense of proportion; the certainty that a PCC is for God's kingdom and not for a building; his need of us and loyalty to us; that we have changed, in our ways and attitudes, our relationships and value for one another, while he has led us; the narrow shoulders stooping under the load of his cure of souls which perhaps in the sense of a care for souls he will not entirely lay down until the end; his watchfulness of others' weariness and impatience with his own; thin neck, thinning hair, and flashing smile still. And Jenni sharing.
Yes, we shall remember many things, including our indebtedness. But he is a good teacher: he has not made us dependent on him. We shall miss him, certainly, but are not afraid to go on without him.
◊ Jean Spendlove ◊ Reader in the Benefice
[phone number removed]
THE MITE SCHEME (UNICEF UK)
O
ver 5 million children die each year from dehydration caused by diarrhoea, mainly in the third world.
We collect mites (5p pieces) in 35mm film containers. When full they hold about £2. That is enough to buy re-hydration salts for up to 6 children.
If you would like to help you can use your own containers or they are available at the back of the church or from Audrey Beattie, [address removed].
When full please return to any member of the Parochial Church Council or Audrey.
◊ Audrey Beattie ◊ Reader http://www.unicef.org.uk
SELL HELMDON

WHY GOD IS TO BE FOUND IN THE TERROR
OF THE TSUNAMI
Charles Moore (shortened from the original article in the TELEGRAPH 8/1/05 – by permsision)
Submitted by John Roberts.
T
ony Blair is not the only public figure criticised for having stayed on holiday at the time of the tsunami. I have heard the same accusation levelled at God. Recovering from His son¹s birthday party, it is suggested, He couldn¹t be bothered to help. If God loves us, it is asked, why did He let tens of thousands of innocent people die in this catastrophe.
One traditional answer, no longer popular in the West, is that humanity deserves it. From earliest times, people detected divine fury in the weather. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Flood is caused by gods in a rage at the ever-increasing noise floating up to Heaven from all those gabby people on
Earth.
This is not, naturally, a view that appeals to the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dr Rowan Williams would not even contemplate the suggestion that there could be anything punitive about such death. “Those most deeply involved” he said are so often the ones who spend least energy in raging over the lack of explanation.
When you hear the victims, they or their families generally speak without rage. Rizal Shahputra, an
Indonesian labourer rescued after eight days floating in the ocean on a palm tree, said that his faith in Allah and his constant prayer had sustained him and taken his mind off his hunger. He could, with apparently greater logic, have railed against the Allah who got him into this trouble in the first place, but does anyone really believe that he would have been the better for it, or more likely to survive?
A friend of mine who almost drowned in the Maldives on Boxing Day speaks only of his good fortune, of the man who saved his life, of how well fellow tourists and hotel staff behaved. One of his party died, but this makes him feel humble, guilty and sad, not angry against his creator. He says he learnt to pray better.
The point has been well made that such huge, disruptive natural violence as that of the tsunami does not really alter the moral question about natural evil. For a loving God, there cannot, presumably, be an “acceptable level of violence”, a cold calculation that it is all right for a few children to be blown off mountains or a few hundred peasants in Bangladesh to die in floods, but not for more than
150,000 to perish all at once, especially when many of them were on holiday.
It is true, too, that the human understanding of things, indeed the very condition of being human, depends absolutely upon contrast – what is food without hunger, good without evil, life without death? No one can satisfactorily imagine a world in which things really are perfect.
But while it seems quite easy to refute those criticisms of God that treat Him like an incompetent and unpleasant political administration (“Too little! Too late!”), it is not very comforting. Hunger, after all, is still hunger, evil is still evil, death is still death, even if all of them are somehow necessary. A faith which teaches that every person has equal dignity and value cannot be happy with a world in which dignity and value seem to be destroyed every day. Are there better things to be said?
Talk about God can only be by analogy. The most familiar is of the father. The father helps bring his child into the world. By doing so, he gives it the chance of everything good it will ever receive. But
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at the same time, he also condemns his child to life, with everything horrible that will happen to it, and, eventually, to death. Is he therefore wrong to do so?
A less common analogy is with a creative artist. In his creation, the artist includes cruelty and suffering. Shakespeare has the innocent Desdemona killed unjustly; he bumps off the loving
Cordelia; he sends Hamlet off the rails. This does not lead the reader to think that Shakespeare himself is cruel, only that the cruelty is necessary to the art. If God is the artist of the world, of everything that is, the suffering of the people He has created is no more to be criticised than that created by the playwright. It is tragic, yes, but tragedy is a word for a form of art, the highest form of art. In the Christian account, God did not absent Himself from the tragedy of His own creation, but, through becoming man, became part of it. So even if the whole thing is a ghastly mistake, it is one for which the author has paid the highest price.
Yet even these ways of speaking come out too pat. They may be right, but they do not answer the question of what human suffering feels like. The near-universal experience of people who have come close to death – in war, through illness, in accidents or natural disaster is that they have contemplated something that is true. The truth has been so terrible by which I mean not bad, but inspiring of terror that the experience of it proves almost incommunicable. People often emerge feeling that they now understand more about life, with the paradoxical result that they have less to say about it.
In this respect, the encounter with death is very like the encounter with God. The Book of Job remains by far the greatest account of man’s suffering in the face of his creator. God lets Satan persecute Job precisely because he is “perfect and upright”, so that everyone may know the incalculable distance between the ways of God and those of man. When God finally speaks to Job, it is to tell him how little he knows, how puny he is: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” “Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?”, “Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook?” It is only when Job accepts that he knows nothing that he begins to know something: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.”
This story is terrible and true, like a great tempest. It is not an accident, surely, that when the Lord speaks to Job, He does so “out of the whirlwind”.
◊ John Roberts ◊ Rector
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
SELL HELMDON

HELMDON FELLOWSHIP
F
ellowship members have enjoyed a very busy summer.
We have held two coffee mornings:-
In June we were delighted to be able to have the use of Romiley
Lodge thanks to Trudie & Barbara Buxton & in July we were invited to hold a Coffee morning at 22 Bell Close- our thanks to
Cec & Jan Harold, everyone enjoyed the beautiful gardens at both venues.
Thanks to Alan & Eileen Watson for selling garden produce for our funds – what a good idea.
In May we went to Evesham & enjoyed a tour, boat trip & cream tea. On 1st July we went on a trip to Suffolk visiting Gifford's Hall a vineyard & sweet pea farm, I think most will remember the wine tasting, we then went on to Lavenham a beautiful small market town.
Once again our thanks go to Ann Harman for organising our trips.
During August we held our Annual Garden Party at Greystones when we raised £260 for the
Katherine House Hospice – thanks to all who supported this event.
On September 21st we are holding a Coffee Morning with a bring & buy stall & raffle in the reading room during post office hours, do come along & support us if you can.
You do not have to be a member of Fellowship to attend any of our coffee mornings etc; in fact our members will make you feel most welcome.
Instead of a mystery trip during September we are having another Fish & Chip lunch. This will be held in the reading room on Tuesday September 28th at 12-30pm, please let your committee member know if you would like to have lunch on that day.
As I write this the committee are busy organising our winter programme, this will start on Friday
8th October at 2-30pm when we have an excellent speaker. This will be followed by the A.G.M. We meet during the winter months on the second Friday of the month in the reading room at 2-30pm when we have a speaker or entertainment followed by afternoon tea.
So if you are over sixty or retired why not come along & join us? You will not be the oldest as Alice
Hearne has celebrated her 101st birthday in July. Congratulations Alice!!
For further details of Fellowship either ring [phone number removed] or e-mail [email address removed]
◊ Carol Brookhouse ◊ Chairman : Helmdon Fellowship
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
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www.helmdon.com your community website

MOYLAN SCHOOL OF DANCE
W
e are delighted to announce our forthcoming dance production at Stantonbury Theatre, Milton
Keynes. The production is entitled "Into the
Spotlight".
It promises to have something for everyone, from classical ballet on "pointe" to jazz dance and contemporary themes. Included, will be a ballet of
Hansel and Gretel. Not to mention our show stopping
"Little People". There will be humour and emotion, culminating in our African dance finale set to original
African drumming music.
Old Line Drawing of the Helmdon
School and School House:
The Moylan School of Dance use the
Helmdon School hall for its lessons every Wednesday night. A large proportion of its students are from
Helmdon.
Talented pupils of Christie Greenfield will provide our musical interlude.
We hope to raise money for some theatrical lighting for our school's smaller dance events and also for children with cerebral palsy. It would be wonderful if as many people in the village were able to come and see us. A huge number of the cast are Helmdon children and would love your support.
PERFORMANCE TIMES
Saturday 2nd April 2.30pm
Saturday 2nd April 7.30pm
Sunday 3rd April 2.30pm
The theatre is very easy to find and close to the MK centre. Full details on how to find it are available from the box office when you book.
BOX OFFICE: [phone number removed]
Prices: Adult £10.00 Concessions £6.00 Price includes interval drink.
Moylan School of Dance – General news
S
et for a busy 2005! At the moment working very hard indeed on our whole school performance at
Milton Keynes in April. As a result of the show, we hope to be able to purchase some special lighting equipment for our other events such as our annual Summer Theatre Workshop Production, which will take place in August, and then Choreography Day to take place in November. We are always looking for opportunities to perform. So please let us know if you need us. We have our own theatre blacks now and with the lighting, could well be a good little travelling company!!
◊ Gabrielle Butler ◊ Principal : Moylan School of Dance
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
SELL HELMDON

PLEASE WOULD YOU LEND ME YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS OF
HELMDON
For the Parish Meeting on Wednesday April 27th, I want to put together a display of photographs of the village as you have seen it.
During the refreshments part of the evening people will have chance to look at these, and vote for
A. the most beautiful
B. the most surprising
C. the one which illustrates best their own idea of what Helmdon is like.
Please let me have whatever you can lend me, at 7 Field Way, by Sunday April 24th. I may be able to think of suitable small prizes for the people who lend me the photographs which get most votes.
◊ Jean Spendlove ◊ Councillor : Helmdon Parish Council
[phone number removed]
Help!!
We need people to join the committee for the craft and produce show that is held at the carnival each year. If you are interested in helping out at this great village event come along to the next meeting. 7.30 pm at the Old House, Wappenham Rd, on Mon 4th April or contact Sarah Stubbs on
[phone number removed].
Sarah Stubbs
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www.helmdon.com your community website

HELMDON BRIDGE PLAYERS
I
n December (which seems an age ago now) it was the panto “The
Sleeping Beauty”. We all had good fun being in it and creating mayhem behind scenes and Bryony Worthy (formerly the artist known as Bryony Coates) says she enjoyed directing it! It involves a great deal of hard work and angst as there are a many things to pull together in the panto – the set has to be designed and painted; the costumes worked out and made (or de-moused); the music chosen and the band/musicians rehearsed; the chorus have to be taught the songs and their cues for entry and exit; the main cast have to be cajoled into learning their lines, the songs and the actions; props have to be made and the cast taught how to use them – and preferably not break them! Bryony remained in control throughout the process and created another tremendous panto for the village.
The group was very pleased at the numbers of new recruits in the show and many of them have expressed an interest in being in the summer production which delights us even more. The village will have some new talent in the next production – so don’t miss it. Put the date in your diaries now. On June 24 and 25 we will be showing Trivial Pursuit a comedy/drama. Dave Bridger has volunteered to direct the production and by the time you read this the casting couch will be history and rehearsals will be underway. Audiences are a vital ingredient to the success of any play so please come and contribute your presence and your sense of fun to either of the two evenings.
Tickets will be available from Dave Bridger on [phone number removed] or Morag Underwood on [phone number removed].
We have a new store for our costumes thanks to Willy Watson. He has kindly provided a space on his land for a container which we are now renting to store our costumes. We desperately need a wardrobe mistress to keep the costumes in good order and to direct a team of seamstresses when we need to make new costumes. If you would like to help with this role or in any other capacity then please contact me. We are a friendly bunch of people aiming to have fun with our productions and occasionally we organise theatre trips – just to check that nobody else can do it better!
◊ Morag Underwood ◊ Chairperson: Bridge Players
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
At Northamptonshire Record Office …..
The Record Office holds various documents which you may be interested to go and see. Among them there are the Helmdon School Log Books 1872-1990, the Minutes of Helmdon School
Managers 1910-1974, the Roll of the Old Boys of Helmdon Council School serving in the Great
War 1914-18, the Craftsman's Notebook (the subject of an article in Aspects of Helmdon no.5), extensive Parish Council minutes, and other documents mentioned in the historical documents section of www.helmdon.com.
The Northamptonshire Record Office is at Wootton Hall Park. Appointments are not necessary, and to check for opening times and directions as to how to get there, please telephone [phone number removed].
SELL HELMDON

HELMDON W.I.
T
he evenings are cooler so we take time to look back at our interesting programme and speakers.
Our calendar of events was as follows:
OCTOBER 2004
This was our AGM and the new committee is printed below:
PRESIDENT LOUISE STOTHARD
VICE PRESIDENT MARGARET REARDON
SECRETARY JENNY SAUNDERS
TREASURER JEAN BROOKHOUSE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
ANN HARMAN, DOREEN ENGLAND, MARY NASH, ANN SMITH, PAULINE BUTLER &
JACKIE OLIVER
We held a draw for the Denman Bursary that allows a member to attend a course at Denman
College. This was won by Louise Stothard. After our usual business agenda we socialised by holding a Harvest Supper.
NOVEMBER, 2004
Getting ready for Christmas. After a short frenzy of plaiting and stitching, members made a
Christmas door wreath. We then gathered in the kitchen where Margaret Reardon demonstrated
Christmas treats made from chocolate. Everyone got into the mood for Christmas.
DECEMBER, 2004
Our Christmas meeting took the form of a “Pot Luck” supper. Many delicious dishes were enjoyed by all, as diets were conveniently put aside. After the meal we all enjoyed a social evening.
JANUARY, 2005
Our speakers to start the new year were Ann Smith and Nicki Phillips. They shared a most interesting presentation on their holiday in Kenya and Tanzania, with a display of artefacts and photographs to compliment the video images.
FEBRUARY, 2005
We welcomed a visiting speaker who talked to us about his life as a Prison Officer.
The rest of our 2005 Programme is as follows:
9TH MARCH CHINA AND PEARLS
13TH APRIL THE BRITISH RED CROSS
11TH MAY WALK AROUND OXHILL NATURE RESERVE
8TH JUNE COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE
13TH JULY GARDEN PARTY
14TH SEPTEMBER VICTORIAN HANDICRAFTS
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www.helmdon.com your community website

12TH OCTOBER AGM AND HARVEST SUPPER
9TH NOVEMBER MAKING THE MOST OF A SMALL GARDEN
7TH DECEMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY
We held a Christmas Market in November in the reading room.
Four members attended a Murder Mystery Evening at Pattishall where we enjoyed a meal and solved the mystery!
We hope to organise many more events this year so do watch this space or contact any members of the Committee.
We would also like to welcome our three new members to the WI.
If you take the time to read this report you will see that we are not all “Jam and Jerusalem” – so do come and join us to help our WI – not just to survive, but to thrive. You will be made very welcome.
If you want to learn more about us why not join us at our meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm in the Reading Room.
DO TELEPHONE ME FOR MORE INFORMATION.
◊ Jennifer Saunders ◊ Secretary: Helmdon W.I.
[phone number removed]
http://www.womens-institute.org.uk
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
H
elmdon Neighbourhood Watch has been operating since
November 1994, when I became co-ordinator for the village. The scheme has been very successful thanks to the cooperation of all the residents.
How does the scheme work? Helmdon is divided into seven areas and each area has a contact person, who is listed below. In the case of any criminal activity or anything you may think suspicious you can report it to the nearest contact person or if you cannot obtain them you can contact me, or in the case of serious crime please phone direct to the police [phone number removed] or of course 999.
The community support officer for Helmdon is Michelle Bagnall. Michelle quite often visits the drop in centre in the Reading Room on a Tuesday or Thursday or can be seen walking through the village. Remember the Police do look to the local community for help to gather information however small or insignificant you may think it is.
SELL HELMDON

DISTRACTION BURGLARIES
The police have bought to my attention the increase in distraction burglaries over the last few months in the south of the county. This is where the criminals often work in pairs; one will knock at the front door whilst the other one enters through the back door. The people who are operating this scam are of all ages and sexes; they will quite likely have a van, which may be sign written claiming to be from a utility company or tarmac company.
DO NOT LET THEM IN until you are sure they are a bona fide firm. Look and check their identity.
I will be circulating neighbourhood packs for the elderly to help them identify and deal with these types of crime. If you do not receive one and would like one, please contact me at Greystones,
Church Street [phone number removed]
Ian Drew
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Angela Feasey
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Val Smith
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Ann Harman
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Janet Lipson
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
◊ David Brookhouse ◊ Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for Helmdon
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
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Chris Bridger
12 Shortlands Close
[phone number removed]
Wilf [address removed]

[phone number removed]

SELL HELMDON

HELMDON WOMENS CLUB
T
his year is Helmdon Women’s Club’s (originally Young Wives) 35 Anniversary and we shall th th be celebrating it on 8 October .
So far, this year’s programme has proved enjoyable and popular and we have welcomed new members.
In November we all indulged ourselves shamelessly sampling the deliciously rich chocolates from
Hotel Chocolat, brought by Debbie Mahon, who told us about the company, which sends out chocolates for subscribers to sample and vote on. The December meeting was our Christmas Party, and in January we held an open meeting at which Danny Moody gave a very enlightening and helpful presentation about the Internet. The meeting was very well attended and raised £120 for the
Tsunami appeal. In February we held another open meeting which was even better attended than the last, as it was about the history of the Great Central Railway, a popular subject locally. Chris
Bazeley gave a very interesting talk and showed his extensive collection of wonderful slides of trains and the route of the railway and we were especially interested in photos of the old Helmdon station looking smart and lovingly cared-for with its flowerbeds. This meeting raised £191 for the
Tsunami appeal, which by popular assent we agreed to send to a charity, Habitat for Humanity, which provides new houses for the victims of the tsunami, and has an office in Banbury. We would like to thank all those, both members and non-members, who so generously provided raffle prizes, wine and cakes.
The rest of the year’s programme is as follows:
March: A demonstration on planting up hanging baskets.
April: “Feeling Good” from Farthinghoe will be showing us how to look after our skin.
May: Quiz and Curry evening.
June: An Aromatherapy talk and demonstration.
July: Silly Sports and Supper.
August: No meeting.
September: Dance! Session
October: On the 8th there will be our 35th Celebration
On the 19th our AGM and cheese and wine supper.
Our meetings are very informal and we are always pleased to welcome new members and visitors.
We meet on the third Wednesday of every month, except August, at 8 p.m. in the Reading Room.
◊ Judy Cairns ◊ Secretary: Helmdon Womens Club
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
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www.helmdon.com your community website

HELMDON YOUNG HUSBANDS
ORGANISATION
T
he honour of taking the Chair of such a fine group of ‘Young’ men has fallen to me. Despite turning up late for the AGM (after all Northampton Saints vs Glasgow in the European cup doesn’t happen that often does it?)
Surprisingly it seems, undaunted by the organisation of my first HYHO event a couple of years ago
– Northampton Saints vs Gloucester at Twickenham. Only 6 contenders came forward, we sat behind a Gloucester farmer, 8ft tall, 10 ft wide (head full of straw if you ask me) who sat and shouted endless chants of
“G-L-O-U-C-E-S-T-E-R-R-R-R-R-R R-R-R-R-R-R”.
The Saints lost, we missed the bus, found another bus only to find the bus driver would have got lost down a one way street, got stung for a taxi from Northampton, and to make matters worse we missed another fine curry laid on by Richard at The Bell. (It turned out that the Saints supporters who attempted the journey to Twickenham on our return coach were so incensed, that they fled to other coaches for the return journey and took our seats.)
I arrived at The Bell for the AGM, only to hear someone shout, “Simon Cherry”
“I second that”, said another.
“Better get him a beer now!!!!”
I could hardly say No, could I? (To the beer I
mean).
This sort of behaviour has epitomized the meaning of the HYHO to me, and indicates the relaxed manner in which this group has grown from strength to strength during the 5
years I have resided in Helmdon.
Having misspent my youth in foreign lands, so far from here where most dare never to tread (Sulgrave!), like most my daily routine fell into the sleep, work, sleep, work, routine.
Couldn’t let that go on. Sound familiar?
I was then informed of a group called the
HYHO, by Mike Bradford.
Oh dear, I thought, that’s the last thing I
want! Huddled around a one bar electric fire in a village hall, deciding how to tackle the pothole problem (sorry, Chris).
“So when is it, and where is the village hall?” I said
“Second Friday of every month he said, and there isn’t a Village hall – we meet in the pub!” said
Mike.
SELL HELMDON

“Sounds great, how much is the membership?” I said.
“There isn’t one, it’s free!” Mike said.
So here I am. Like most people I cannot get to every meeting (but I have a damn good go), and I’m always made welcome when I do.
Just like at the last AGM!
So, to summarise.
You don’t need to be a member, it’s not that formal.
We try to arrange a number of small social events, basically so you can let your hair down and escape the ‘routine’ for a while. Such as Cycling, Rugby trips, Wine tasting, Beer tasting.
We also try to arrange a village event when the enthusiasm can be kindled (usually the ideas start to flow better after the second or third round), to raise some money for charities and village groups.
Lend a hand if you can. My experience is, everyone gets involved when they can and takes on what they feel they can commit to.
Forthcoming events, are a Tour of the Hook Norton Brewery (including a beer tasting), followed by a meal in the local pub and an opportunity to test your favourite tipple again, on May 13th .
A Barn Dance, with Pandemonium, on July 9th . It will be a great family event, so get it in the diary now.
I’m always happy to receive feedback, and for more ideas.
I would like to thank Peter Fisher for the considerable amount of work and effort he has put in over the last 3 years. He’s going to be a very hard act to follow.
By the way, who stole my bike?
◊ Simon Cherry ◊ Chairman : Helmdon Young Husbands Organization
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
HELMDON WOMEN’S CLUB 35 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
HELMDON READING ROOM 8 TH OCTOBER 2005
Past members who wish to attend should contact Sue Lidgley [phone number removed])
or Judy Cairns [phone number removed]) before 8th September.
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www.helmdon.com your community website

PURELY
PLANTS
──────────────────────────────
Countryside Garden Centre
Excellent Choice of Bedding Plants
Hanging Basket & Patio Plants
Beautiful Hanging Baskets & ready-planted Patio Pots
Shrubs, Perennials, Trees
Huge Selection of Colourful Pots
Garden Furniture & Colonial Parasols
Weber Barbecues & Chimineas
Gift Ideas for all occasions
Coffee & Cakes
Friendly & expert gardening advice
Delivery service available.
"easy parking – easy shopping"
At Middleton Cheney
Open 9.00 – 5.00 Monday to Saturday
10.00 – 4.00 Sundays
Tel: [phone number removed]
SELL HELMDON

POST OFFICE & DROP-IN-CENTRE
"USE IT, OR LOSE IT."
O
pening Times are:
TUESDAYS – 10am to 12 Noon
THURSDAYS – 2pm to 4 pm
First the good news – Rosemary, Mary and I are delighted that several people have come forward to help us dispense tea on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are sincerely grateful to the following:-
Bee Aczel, Jean Brookhouse, Pauline Butler, Judy Cairns and Carolyn King for their assistance.
Over the years, Margaret Duncombe has done a sterling job and may retire gracefully, although we shall always be pleased to see her cup of tea, instead of making it!
In a recent advertisement in national newspapers, when the post office claims that “for the little things that make the big things happen” travel insurance may now be obtained from only £7 for a short break of three days to Europe. Foreign currencies and travellers cheques have been available for some time.
The bad news is that such a small proportion of our community use the Post Office. As I have said before “Use it or Lose it!”.
◊ Janet Heady
[phone number removed]
1
ST
HELMDON RAINBOWS
W
HAT DO RAINBOWS DO ?
Rainbows have fun! They take part in indoor and outdoor activities as part of their programme called the
Rainbow jigsaw.
The Rainbow Jigsaw is the name for the renewed
Rainbow programme, which has been developed for the 21st century Rainbow and is comprised of four areas:
Rainbows Look.
Rainbows Learn.
Rainbows Laugh.
Rainbows Love
Their meetings are full of games and activities, which provide challenging opportunities for
Rainbows to think for themselves and take an active part in unit decision making. Everything a
Rainbow does helps her to develop.
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www.helmdon.com your community website

As a Rainbow your daughter is a member of Girlguiding UK, the largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women in this country. It has about 600,000 members.
WHO CAN BE A RAINBOW ?
Any girl aged five or over can be a Rainbow and when they reach seven they are eligible for
Brownies.
THE RAINBOW PROMISE
Rainbows make this simple promise that they share with members around the world:
I promise that I will do my best to love my God and to be kind and helpful.
OK so that’s the official line, but what really happens? Let me see if I can bring it all to life for you.
Rainbows certainly have fun, in so many ways from blindfolded sandwich making and country dancing to the celebration of other cultural festivals and composing their own special prayer.
Rainbows Look – In April we have a trip planned to see “Sleeping Beauty on Ice” at Milton
Keynes Theatre. Now remember Rainbows, we are only going to look so no escapees on the ice please!!!!
Rainbows Learn – Michelle and Nicole Rimmer very kindly hosted the weekly craft with a very well organised and technical display of how to make juggling balls from the contents of your kitchen cupboard. The fifteen enthusiastic Rainbows that descended upon them had them juggling a few things!!!!!!! Well done Michelle and Nicole, you had them totally engrossed.
Rainbows Laugh – Eleanor, our Unit Guider (boss), reminded me of several examples I could use here, but even if I do get the sack, I just cannot resist mentioning her unique performance of
“Singing in the Rain”. I have never seen such a marvellous mix of voices, facial expressions and dance moves. We were all supposed to copy but it was hilariously impossible!!!!
Rainbows Love – Our thanks goes to The Revd Dorothy Micklethwaite for taking our Annual
Girlguiding District Thinking Day Service in Helmdon church. It was a very moving experience to see the church full of girls aged 5 to 16 and their respective leaders, all coming together to pray for their fellow members in the Girlguiding movement throughout the world. The hymns were extremely uplifting and I’m sure “Shine, Jesus Shine” raised the roof. Each group renewed their
Promises and individuals read prayers aloud. Well done Lucinda and Francesca for reading so beautifully the prayer that our Rainbows composed, you made us very proud (and a little tearful).
Really all of our activities interlink the themes of Look, Learn, Laugh and Love as the magic of the
Rainbow jigsaw comes together. Talking of magic, I have to mention the recent guest visit off Miss
Munslow, the Deputy Head and Reception Teacher here in Helmdon. Well actually, she is always the face at the window looking longingly in. Once she was even desperate enough to sneak in and hide behind the bookcase, so we thought we had better take the hint and invite her officially. To the children Miss Munslow is fun personified, so you can imagine the Rainbows delight at her very individual rendition of her favourite silly songs complete with all the actions. So Rainbows had to
Look, Learn and Laugh, no choice there. But what about Love? Well that spoke for itself in the mobbing, hugging and declarations of undying love Miss Munslow received as she tried to leave.
“Out of the mouths of babes ……”
SELL HELMDON

So if you want to be adored like a pop star and have a good supply of headache pills, please give us a call. We are always grateful for extra help. You can come as a member of the team, an occasional helper or a star guest. We would also welcome any Girl Guides or young helpers.
As our opening song goes – “Look, learn, laugh, love Rainbows have begun. We’re all here now come and join the fun.” We are currently fully subscribed but do operate a waiting list, so please contact our Unit Guider, Eleanor Shepherd, on [phone number removed] if you think your daughter would benefit now or in the future. We meet every Friday in term time at Helmdon School.
Last, but not least, a word of thanks to the following; all parent helpers particularly Bee Aczel who has been on call so many times for musical accompaniment, the teachers and staff at Helmdon
School who put up with the racket when they are still working away, our special guest stars this term and those kindly souls who look after our children so that we can run the session. And thanks most of all to our inspiration, those pesky Rainbows.
◊ Marie Wray ◊ Unit Helper : 1st Helmdon Rainbows
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
– 39 –
www.helmdon.com your community website

HELMDON ACORNS PRE-SCHOOL
I
t doesn’t seem 2 minutes since we waved farewell to the ‘big ones’ as they left us for pastures new and added a new school to their cv.
This gave us chance to welcome some new and very little children to Acorns to join in the fun and see what Lisa and the team have in store.
HELMDON ACORNS PRE SCHOOL
Reading Room, Church St. Helmdon.
WE TAKE CHILDREN FROM 2 YRS 6
MONTHS AND OPEN FOUR
SESSIONS A WEEK AS FOLLOWS:-
MONDAY
9.30am – 12.00
WEDNESDAY
9.30am – 12.00
THURSDAY
9.30am – 1.00pm
(INCLUDES LUNCH CLUB)
FRIDAY
9.30am – 1.00pm
(INCLUDES LUNCH CLUB)
CONTACT
RACHAEL BERCK
[phone number removed]
PLACES AVAILABLE FROM
SEPTEMBER 2004.
PLEASE REGISTER YOUR
INTEREST NOW TO SECURE YOUR
CHILDS PLACE!
The fun began immediately as we headed off to our fantastic allotment to look at our new shed and fancy fence and began using some of our new gardening tools. Thanks to all the parents that spent time digging and planting during the summer in order for us to be able to enjoy our wonderful allotment.
Christmas was also a busy time to be an Acorn.
For a start we had to learn lots of new songs which we practiced every Monday with Christine who plays so beautifully on the piano for us. We also had to make crowns and decide what card we were going to make for mummy and daddy. If that was not stressful enough, we then had to help our parents prepare for the Christmas bazaar. It was all worth it however as it was a roaring success and allowed us to make lots of money. A
special thanks to HYHO for their donation to assist us with the set up costs!
2005 has also been hectic as we have really started concentrating on a number of new skills.
For example, we have started to practice ‘gym’.
This is really great because not only does it help us stay fit and ‘energetic’, but it also is very useful in preparation for school as we are all becoming very good at putting our gym kit on and folding it up beautifully!
One of our special topics this year has been looking at ‘people who help us’ This has been fantastic as we have learned all about the police, fire fighter’s and had a special visit from the nurse who described everything that she did to help people.
We assume that we will continue to work hard throughout the spring/summer terms and have some great plans ahead. We will be holding our Easter Egg Hunt on 18th March at the church which for the older ones among us who attended last year is always great fun. From then on it is heads down in order to prepare to join our ‘bigger’ friends at Helmdon School.
SELL HELMDON

A special thank you to Lisa for really starting to put Helmdon Acorns on the map and making it a great place to be and also of course, all would be lost without the support and dedication of Judy,
Kerry and Anne.
If you wish to come and see what fun we have each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday then please do not hesitate to contact Rachael Berck on [phone number removed].
◊ Helen Russell ◊ Committee Member : Helmdon Acorns
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
THE WEA
T
he Workers' Educational Association (WEA) aims to provide friendly, informal and enjoyable courses using expert tutors. If you wish to enjoy one evening per week learning about a wide range of subjects then give the WEA a try. Courses are run in the autumn and spring and are open to all adults. No qualifications are required to join any course and we aim to provide additional support if needed. We also run occasional visits to places of interest.
The WEA was founded in 1903 as an adult educational charity with no religious or party political ties. It is supported by funds from the Learning and Skills Council so that course fees can be kept as low as possible. No course fee is payable by 16-18 year olds, those on jobseekers allowance or certain other benefits.
Whilst Helmdon courses are very well attended, new learners are always welcome. Details of courses and other activities are posted on village notice boards and on our web site www.helmdon.com <http://www.helmdon.com>. Details of the autumn course will be available at end of July. Full details of courses in all areas of the UK can be found at libraries or from the
WEA’s web site www.wea.org.uk.
For autumn 2004, tutor Judith Hodgkinson was welcomed back to Helmdon to give the course
"Looking at Pictures". This gave us a most enjoyable insight into western art from the 15th to the
20th century. The different painting techniques and styles were brilliantly illustrated by video projection. We also learned about major artists and their preferred subjects. A guided tour of the
Ashmolean museum in Oxford gave us a chance to see some fascinating art works. Here it was very interesting to see how some pictures can affect the viewer and also how some are held in particular esteem by those that live with them on a daily basis.
At the end of 2004, Will Watson kindly allowed us to use the Old Glebe for a fish & chip supper.
Unfortunately our planned speaker had to cancel, so we enjoyed a quiz session as a sociable alternative.
The spring 2005 course "The Suburbans", given by Joanna Rogers, is looking at styles of suburban housing, furniture and decorative items from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. Many contrasting views have been made about the delights (or otherwise) of suburbia. However, as it offered desirable housing to a workforce from a diversity of professions, the spending power of those that lived there was soon appreciated by product designers and manufacturers. Many of these products are now keenly collected. Again, we are planning a day out to complement the classroom sessions.
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www.helmdon.com your community website

Our local organising committee are: Judy Cairns (Chair); Kate Moody (Treasurer); Richard
Farquharson (Course Secretary); Cec Harrold; Jan Harrold; Peter Mackness; Ann Mackness.
◊ Richard Farquharson ◊ Secretary : Helmdon Branch WEA
[phone number removed]
[email address removed] : WEA is a registered charity, no. 314001
http://www.wea.org.uk
New Aspects of Helmdon Booklet
Aspects of Helmdon no.5 is now on sale. It contains the history of the shops in Helmdon, the butchers, grocers, dressmakers, shoemakers and so on of yesteryear (with an interesting map), and more reminiscences, this time of Jim Watson. There is an excellent history of the Parish Council which began its work in around 1909, and it is interesting that a problem of fifty years ago – "the disgraceful condition of the roads" – is still a subject of heated debate today. Then there is a fascinating account of a Craftsman's Notebook relating to the end of the nineteenth century, and
Edward Parry has written about the (wider than we may think) links which Helmdon had with the world around the end of the seventeenth century.
The booklets are the same price as they were in 1997, £3 each, and can be obtained from the Old
Hall Bookshop, the Bungalow Stores, Richard Farquharson [phone number removed] or Audrey Forgham
[phone number removed] ([email address removed]) at [address removed].
SELL HELMDON

SOUTH NORTHANTS VOLUNTEER BUREAU
Choose your next volunteering opportunity in Helmdon Reading Rooms
I
f you have a moment to spare and visit Helmdon Reading Rooms, look out for the Volunteer Opportunities folder from South Northants Volunteer
Bureau.
In the folder, we are advertising information about the latest volunteering opportunities we hold that are more specific to your local area.
The folder also contains a copy of our monthly poster on which, during
2005, we are highlighting themes identified for the International Year of the Volunteer. In March, this will be focussing on opportunities around the lives of Older People; in April, on Justice and, in May, on the Environment.
There are also pages which we can make available for local group leaders to advertise events in the village, be it an upcoming charitable event, a coffee morning or a working party for the pocket park, as well as requirements for volunteers in the folders.
Our monthly poster in the village could be similarly focussed on volunteering activity relevant to villagers and village groups.
If you are would like to find out more or how you can use and benefit from both the poster and the opportunities folder, please get in touch with Barron Walton at the bureau [phone number removed]) or Janet
Heady [phone number removed])
◊ Barron Walton ◊ Co-ordinator: Volunteers in Villages Projects
[phone number removed]
http://www.snvb.org.uk/
THE HELMDON VILLAGE WEB SITE
2
005 is an important year for the Helmdon web site because we will be celebrating 5 years since our launch. The original site went live in July 2000 and was officially launched in November the same year. Since then there have been several major overhauls and redesigns, culminating in the site you see today (www.helmdon.com).
The web site is a wonderful source of information about today’s events and goings on, but it is also a fascinating archive of life in Helmdon over the years. We have covered every carnival and every performance of the Bridge Players since 2000 and it’s great fun to look back at the photo galleries in these sections and reminisce! For the more serious viewer we have all the parish council minutes going back to March 2000, and all the parish newsletters since September 2000.
Our visitor numbers continue to rise from month to month. In January 2005 we had 311 return visitors, up 30% on the previous January, and that’s not to mention first time visitors! That said I
am aware that there are still people in Helmdon who haven’t seen the site so if you’re one of them why not take a look now! If you don’t have access to a computer, give me a call on the number below and I’ll pop round and show you the web site on a laptop computer.
If you are looking for something to do in the village, or looking for a group to join, you’ll find details on the Village Diary page. It is a calendar for the entire year and shows just how much there
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www.helmdon.com your community website

is going on the village. Most village groups also give us their programmes for the year and they are published in the individual group’s section. If you have a programme, event or meeting you would like to publicise please send the details to webmaster@helmdon.com.
We are constantly looking at ways of improving the usability of the web site, and the latest addition is an A to Z index. If you are looking for information about, say, the Reading Room, there is no need to spend ages looking for it. Simply go to the A to Z page and click on R and then select
“Reading Room” to take you straight to the relevant page. If you are looking for something slightly more obscure there is still the search facility, which is accessible on every page.
Finally, www.helmdon.com is your web site. If there is anything you would like to add to the site please let us know. We are always interested in news, stories, snippets of history, photographs, group publicity – in fact anything you have that might be of interest to other members of the community. Please send any material to webmaster@helmdon.com.
We hope you continue to enjoy the web site, and we welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions.
The web site is designed and maintained by members of Helmdon WEA, and sponsored by
Helmdon Parish Council and HYHO. Please contact Danny Moody on [phone number removed] or e-mail webmaster@helmdon.com.
◊ Danny Moody ◊ Webmaster: Helmdon.com
[phone number removed]
webmaster@helmdon.com http://www.helmdon.com
HELMDON SPORTS CLUB
O
ver the last few months Helmdon football team have come very close to emulating the cricket team by gaining promotion for the second year running. At the time of writing the lowest the team can finish is third place which is excellent. The team is by far one of the youngest in the whole league and great credit must go to the new manager Matt Sleath for his dedication and hard work. So far we have turned down offers from Real Madrid and Barcelona for Matt’s services as well as telling Chelsea they could not afford him. Matt to his credit has insisted he will stay until an offer comes from a once great club desperate to rekindle their former glories. He is hoping to start at Arsenal in September.
The cricket club starts their campaign on 30th April with a home match against Wardington. Prior to then they are having indoor nets at Stowe school on Sunday evenings up to the start of the season
Anybody who wishes to come to the nets or indeed play for the club should contact either Paul
Stothard ([phone number removed]) or Dave Bridger ([phone number removed]). Once the season starts net sessions will take place at the sports ground on Wednesday evenings.
The Billiards section has two teams in the Croughton and District League and very pleasingly we have a side in the Eydon league the team consisting of players all under 16 years of age.
Those observant ones amongst you would have noticed a container at the ground; this has been used to store various pieces of equipment. It is hoped that we will be able to obtain a second container for he rest of the equipment as well as that used for the carnival. We continue to deal with the South
SELL HELMDON

Northants Council over ground improvements. Unfortunately the wheels of local government grind very slowly and it is a question of various departments sitting down with us to see how we can progress. The problem is that each department is leaving it to each other, hence the delay.
Our thanks once again go to the Carnival and in particular the committee for their generous donation, the club would have difficulty in surviving without these funds and we are very grateful.
We are still looking for a sit on roller to replace the antique reverse only roller we have to use, If any one has any ideas how we may get one or hear of one becoming available please let us know. In the meantime anyone who wishes to become involved with the Sports Cub please contact Paul or Dave.
◊ Dave Bridger ◊ Secretary: Helmdon Sports Club
[phone number removed]
[email address removed]
FAMILY FUN QUIZ
A family fun quiz will be held in the Reading Room on Friday 15th April at 7.30pm. The quiz is in aid of the Whistley 2000 scout group which is attended by many girls and boys in the village.
Poppy Appeal
This years poppy appeal organised by Phil Earl collected £142.16. Thanks goes to all those who donated, with a special thanks to Richard, Gill and Bungalow stores.
Wheelie bins………….
Did you know that you can get repairs for free! Just call SNC if you have a broken wheel, broken lid hinge, etc.
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www.helmdon.com your community website

www.helmdon.com
| news | events | message board | history |
| picture galleries | groups and organisations |
| parish council | carnival | parish plan |
Just one of over 1,000 images on the web site
Contact Danny Moody: [phone number removed]
webmaster@helmdon.com helmdon.com is designed and maintained by members of Helmdon
Branch WEA and sponsored by Helmdon Parish Council
SELL HELMDON

HELMDON CARNIVAL WEEKEND
F
irst of all, a big thank you to everyone who put time and effort into last year’s carnival. It proved to be a great success by generating well needed money for the local hospital charity and to sustain the village groups and activities.
The carnival committees is busy planning this year’s weekend and require new and constructive input for ideas on carnival activities. Please feel free to use the suggestion boxes, which can be found in the Bungalow Stores and the Bell Inn. I can assure you that every idea will be put forward to the committee for consideration and if you can support the committee by providing time and effort, please let me know.
The theme of the carnival is yet to be decided. It is hoped that this will be confirmed at the next committee meeting but it is sure to get the children of Helmdon involved in the carnival.
If any village group wishes to use the carnival to generate money for themselves by running a stall or carnival activity please let the committee know.
In short, the following is planned:
Saturday night: Disco and live music (Nightshift and other) on the sports field
Sunday evening: Light music (maybe Jazz) and a quiz night at the Bell Inn
Monday: The carnival held at the sports field from 2pm until 5pm.
Fundraising for the carnival is well under way with prizes from Silverstone Race Track and local golf courses already secured for the sports raffle. Additional sports prizes are in the pipeline and once confirmed, raffle tickets will be made available. The committee is requiring support from villagers to fundraise for the raffle by helping with the sale of tickets, if you can help please contact me using the details below.
The ‘St George’s Day’ Dance has been confirmed for Saturday 23rd April where Nightshift will be playing live music in the Reading Room. Tickets are £5.00, each which include a ‘ploughman’s ’
finger buffet. Alcoholic and soft drinks will be available from a small bar. Limited tickets are available from the Bell Inn, the Bungalow Stores and committee members. If you want to attend get your tickets quick, as it’s sure to be a popular night!
I am sure that with the support of the village, the 2005 carnival will be a complete success!!!
Finally to summarise the above:
• Use the carnival suggestion boxes located in the Bell Inn and the Village Stores
• Help to distribute ‘Helmdon Sports Raffle’ tickets
• Get you St George’s Day Dance tickets soon as possible
◊ David Bailey ◊ Chairperson – Helmdon Carnival Committee
07971 11 55 68
[email address removed]
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www.helmdon.com your community website

This is a free section for the community to place announcements they wish to be seen by the whole
Parish. It is now editorial policy not to “find” people to write these announcements anymore. The magazine has been publishing these announcements for 18+ years, there are notices on the Parish notice board weeks before each issue deadline and there are comprehensive guides and timelines published on the Helmdon website. It is felt that this provides plenty of notice and information for anyone who does wish to use this section to be able to submit their announcement in a timely manner.
OBITUARIES, MARRIAGES & BIRTHS
Obituaries
None received.
Marriages
None received.
Births
Francesca Josephine Fieldhouse
Born 21st October 2004
to Michelle and Julian
Sister for Richard and Jack
Brogan Erin Short
Born 9th Aug in Helmdon to Wendy and Jonathan
Sister for Alys
SELL HELMDON

Nicki, Simon and Lucy are delighted to announce the safe arrival of Elliot Simon
Woodward. He was born at the Horton Hospital on Saturday 30th October, 2004
at 6.36pm, weighing 9ibs 13ozs.
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www.helmdon.com your community website

REFERENCE LIBRARY
I
n this section we have listed lots of contacts and facts that may be useful to the new Helmdon villager. If you can think of any we have missed then please contact us and we would be happy to include them in the next issue. Items in bold are usually your nearest or first number you should try.
Our Local Elected Representatives
Our representative on the South Northants Council is;
Councillor R E Digby: Hill House, Mill Road, Whitfield, Brackley, Northants NN13 5TQ.
Tel: [phone number removed] (home and business)
Email : [email address removed]
Our representative on Northants County Council is;
Councillor J M Shepherd-Cross: Bengal Manor, Greens Norton, Towcester, Northants. NN12 8BG.
Tel: [phone number removed] (Home)
Email : [email address removed]
M.E.Ps
Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg
Liberal Democrats Bill Newton Dunn
Conservative Chris Heaton-Harris
Conservative Roger Helmer
Labour Mel Read
Labour Philip Whitehead
Addresses and email details are available from the Parish Clerk
Fire Brigade
Northampton [phone number removed]
Always call 999 in the event of an emergency!
Voluntary Work
South Northants Volunteer Bureau, Towcester [phone number removed]
Volunteer Connection, Milton Keynes [phone number removed]
Towcester Area Door to Door [phone number removed]
SELL HELMDON

Hospitals & Doctors
For Accident & Emergencies (A&E) it is often useful to call ahead and find out what the waiting time is. This may affect your choice of hospital. Please note the Brackley Cottage Hospital does
NOT operate an A&E service however they do have a 24hr First Aid room for minor injuries to which local doctors attend.
Always call 999 in the event of an emergency!
Horton General, Banbury [phone number removed]
The John Radcliffe (Oxford) [phone number removed]
Northampton General, Cliftonville [phone number removed]
Milton Keynes General, Standing Way [phone number removed]
Stoke Mandeville, Mandeville Rd, Aylesbury [phone number removed]
Brackley Cottage Hospital, Pebble Lane [phone number removed]
NHS Direct 0845 46 47
Springfield Surgery, Brackley (Appointments) [phone number removed]
Springfield Surgery, Brackley (Enquiries) [phone number removed]
Washington House Surgery [phone number removed]
SNODOC (out of hours GP Service) [phone number removed]
Brackley Health Centre – Doctors [phone number removed]
Brackley Health Centre – Dental Clinic [phone number removed]
Paulerspury Surgery [phone number removed]
Towcester Medical Centre [phone number removed]
Silverstone Surgery [phone number removed]
Police
Daventry [phone number removed]
Banbury [phone number removed]
Oxford [phone number removed]
Northampton [phone number removed]
Police Community Support Officer [phone number removed]
Community Watch Co-ordinator [phone number removed]
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator for Helmdon (David Brookhouse) [phone number removed]
Crime stoppers 0800 555111
Victim Support [phone number removed]
Always call 999 in the event of an emergency!
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Neighbourhood Watch Contacts
David Brookhouse – Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for Helmdon : [phone number removed]
Ian Drew
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Angela Feasey
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Val Smith
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Ann Harman
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Janet Lipson
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Chris Bridger
[address removed]
[phone number removed]
Wilf [address removed]

[phone number removed]
Support Groups / Advice Lines
Samaritans [phone number removed]
(Local Rate Service) 08457 909090
Citizens Advice Bureau (Brackley) [phone number removed]
Citizens Advice Bureau (Northampton) [phone number removed]
Citizens Advice Bureau (National) 08450 505162
Help the Aged’s Senior Line 0800 269626
Childline 0800 1111
National Blood Service 0845 7711711
Alcoholics Anonymous 0845 7697555
Cruse Bereavement Care [phone number removed]
DIAL [phone number removed]
The Compassionate Friends (Bereavement) [phone number removed]
RELATE (Support for relationships) 0845 1304010
Missing Persons Helpline [phone number removed]
Time to Talk (Youth Counselling) [phone number removed]
NSPCC [phone number removed]
Home Start [phone number removed]
Elder Abuse Response 0808 808141
Domestic Violence (Womens Aid) [phone number removed]
Rape & Incest Crisis Centre [phone number removed]
Off the Hook (Drug & alcohol abuse) [phone number removed]
Solve It (Solvent abuse) [phone number removed]
Re-Solv (Solvent abuse) 0808 8002345
CAN (Drug & Alcohol abuse) [phone number removed]
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National Drugs Helpline 0800 776600
AL-Anon (support for families of alcoholics) [phone number removed]
Aquarius (Drug & Alcohol abuse) [phone number removed]
Drinkline 0800 9178282
Quitline (smoking) 0800 002200
JiGSAW [phone number removed]
Provides childcare information on topics like, childminders, creches, day nursery schools, holiday playschemes, nannies, out of school clubs, playgroups and toddler groups.
www.childcarelink.gov.uk…or 0800 96 02 96…for the government D of E information
Local Authorities & Services www.southnorthants.gov.uk ……….….For up to date information on local services
South Northants County Council (SNC) [phone number removed]
Northants County Council [phone number removed]
SNC Recycling [phone number removed]
Health Information Line (Now NHS Direct) 0845 4647
Northamptonshire Health Authority [phone number removed]
Northamptonshire South
Community Health Council 01604 27722
Disability Benefit Enquiry Line 0800 882200
Brackley Library [phone number removed]
Helmdon Primary School [phone number removed]
Bulky Household Waste removal [phone number removed]
Magdalen College School [phone number removed]
Northamptonshire ACRE [phone number removed]
Social Services (Child & Mental Health) [phone number removed]
Social Services (Adults) [phone number removed]
Housing Advice [phone number removed]
Road Safety [phone number removed]
Road Maintenance Peter Cheney of WS Atkins Email: [email address removed]
The Street Doctor Hotline 0845 601 1113
www.northamtonshire.gov.uk
Abandoned Vehicles [phone number removed]
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Trading Standards Advice [phone number removed]
Sports
Brackley Leisure Centre [phone number removed]
Brackley Swimming Pool [phone number removed]
Towcester Leisure Centre [phone number removed]
Transport
Trains (National Line) 08457 484950
Jeffs Coach Hire [phone number removed]
SMS Executive Travel [phone number removed]
Chiltern Railways 08705 165165
PJ Cars (Brackley) [phone number removed]
Castle Cars (Banbury) [phone number removed]
JASON [phone number removed]
Jeff Amos [phone number removed]
Carters Travel [phone number removed]
CD Cars (Taxi Bus) [phone number removed]
Journeys Around South Northants a minibus service for Brackley, Towcester and all the villages in
South Northants. Operated by the British Red Cross in association with South Northants County
Council it provides a service for anyone who finds it difficult to use the existing bus services.
Registration with the service is required before use : An application form can be obtained from the number above, or by writing to:
JASON Dial a Ride, PO Box 6159, Towcester, Northants. NN12 8YB
Village Contacts
The Bell Inn (Richard & Sally) [phone number removed]
Bungalow Stores [phone number removed]
Wappenham Post Office [phone number removed]
Services
Powergen Customer Service 0800 0564256
East Midlands Electricity Emergency Service 0800 0568090
Environment Agency General Enquires 0845 9333111
Environmental Agency, Emergency 0800 807060
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Misc
Environment Agency Floodline 0845 9881188
Window Cleaners (Tony) [phone number removed]
Direct Phone Numbers for Council Services
Village Information
We are hoping that this section will be particularly helpful to those just moving into the village and trying to find their way about.
Recycling Centre
The village has its own recycling centre located just off Station Rd. Turn left on the corner just before the School as you come into Helmdon. 20M and turn left again. The recycle bins are now in front of you and to the side of the Station Rd garage block. It accepts paper & glass (clear & coloured). Please keep the area tidy and try and take your empty boxes away with you!
Seckington (Bungalow) Stores
This is the one remaining village shop (there have been numerous shops in the village in the past all closed through lack of business, so lets try and keep this one).
Bungalow Stores Station Road Helmdon
Stockists of :
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General Groceries, Fruit and Veg, Confectionary, Soft Drinks, Frozen Foods, Ice Cream, Pet Food,
Household Goods, Tobacco and Cigarettes, Helmdon Talkabout Magazines and Agents for Dry
Cleaning
Opening Hours :-
Mon, Tues, Thur & Fri – 8am to 6pm
Wed & Sat – 8 am to 2pm
Sunday Closed
FREE DELIVERY
This is also the place to book, pick up / drop off the keys and purchase tokens for the electric meter in Reading Room.
The Reading Room
Located half way along Church St. these rooms provide the meeting place for many of the village groups (Some of which we have listed below). You are welcome to contact Harold Seckington
[phone number removed]) for details of how to book use of the hall. Prices range from £2.50 to £50 depending on the use. Very useful for Children’s parties!
Some groups will use the small meeting room only, some like the Acorns group will use the whole building. The hall is split into two by a wooded curtain divide so you can adjust the room size to fit your requirements. The kitchen is fully fitted out with all the utilities you would expect.
Parish Council, Baptist Chapel, Conservatives Club, Scouts, Women's Club, Acorn's Pre-School,
Fellowship of Retired People, Sports and Social Club, WEA, WI, Friends of Helmdon Churchyard,
Helmdon Church PCC, Luncheon Club, Bridge Players, Drop-in and Post Office.
Allotments
The Parish council maintain a smallholding behind “The Green” where villagers are welcome to maintain allotment plots for the princely sum of £5 per year. Contact the Parish Clerk if you have an interest.
It should be noted that these are not connected with the privately let allotments behind the 3 cottages on Wappenham Road owned by Tony Wilson of Shortlands Avenue.
Sports field
The sports club has the use of a large playing field located on the left hand side as you leave the village on Wappenham Road. It is kept in great condition throughout the year by members of the sports club. The field is also used for the Helmdon Carnival held on the August Bank Holiday and on some occasions for wedding receptions. I believe that recently the carnival committee have purchased new marques that can be rented for such occasions.
Playground
The village playground is maintained by the Parish Council and is located at the top of the school playing field. You can access it from the school car park or from two entrances located on what is known as “gravel path”. This is a path that joins Station Road to Church St. It is kept clean and safe by the kind efforts of those who use it and some dedicated Parish Councillors. Please keep it clean and safe by reporting any equipment failures or concerns to the Parish Clerk immediately. As this
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play area is part of the school facilities as well, we should only use it outside of school opening hours.
Bus Timetables
Please check with the respective operators before travelling as these times can change. The
Northants County Council re-tender for these routes every Easter. Depending on the response the times and operators may or may not change completely.
The following four firms have had a history of winning these tenders between them and are therefore the most likely operators of our village bus services.
Jeffs Coach Hire [phone number removed]
SMS Executive Travel [phone number removed]
Jeff Amos [phone number removed]
Carters Travel [phone number removed]
CD Cars [phone number removed]
TheTaxi-Bus no longer operates in Helmdon and a new service from SMS will provide a replacement bus service. The best news for many of the bus users is that this is going to be a low floor easy access bus.
Our Parish Clerk will also post any new bus timetables in the village notice boards, so always have a quick check there if you haven’t used the bus for a while.
BRACKLEY – Greatworth – Helmdon – BANBURY – Service SMS 508
Monday to Saturday (Not Sundays or Public Holidays)
Operator: SMS SMS SMS SMS SMS SMS
Service Number: 508 508 508 508 508 508
Brackley, Tesco Store — [phone number removed] 1605 1715
Brackley, Market Place (Garage) [phone number removed] 1407 1607 1717
Brackley, Halse Road Health Centre [phone number removed] 1409 1609 1719
Halse, Mission Church [phone number removed] 1415 1615 1725
Greatworth, Crossroads Helmdon Road [phone number removed] 1421 1621 1731
Helmdon, Station Road/The Green [phone number removed] 1427 1627 1737
Sulgrave, Magpie Road Church [phone number removed] 1433 1633 1743
Culworth, Lindsays Corner Myrtle Cottage [phone number removed] 1438 1638 1748
Thorpe Mandeville, Bus Shelter [phone number removed] 1443 – 1753
Middleton Cheney, High St opp Red Lion [phone number removed] 1449 – 1759
Banbury, Bus Station [phone number removed] 1458 – 1808
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Operator: SMS SMS SMS SMS SMS SMS
Service Number: 508 508 508 508
Banbury, Bus Station [phone number removed] 1512 – 1812
Middleton Cheney, High St Red Lion 0801 1021 1321 1521 – 1821
Thorpe Mandeville, opp Bus Shelter 0807 1027 1327 1527 – 1827
Culworth, Lindsays Corner Myrtle Cottage 0812 1032 1332 1532 1638 1832
Sulgrave, Magpie Road opp Church 0817 1037 1337 1537 1643 1837
Helmdon, Station Road opp The Green 0823 1043 1343 1543 1649 1843
Radstone Turn |
508
|
508
| | 1654 |
Greatworth, Crossroads Chapel Road 0829 1049 1349 1549 | 1849
Halse, opp Mission Church 0835 1055 1355 1555 | 1855
Brackley, Halse Road opp Health Centre 0841 1101 1401 1601 | 1901
Brackley, Market Place (Toilets) 0843 1103 1403 1603 1701 1903
Brackley, Tesco Store 0845 1105 1405 1605 1703
Jeffs Coaches – Friday Only Service to Brackley
Leaves Helmdon, Station Rd (bottom of Church St) 09.52
Arrives Brackley, Market Place 10.06
Arrives Brackley, Tesco 10.10
(30 mins to do some food shopping)
Leaves from Brackley, Tesco 10.40
Arrives Brackley, Market Place 10.50
(1hour to do shopping around the town)
Leaves Brackley, Market Place 11.50
Arrives Helmdon, The Green 11.58
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Jeffs Coaches – Wednesdays Only Service to Northampton
Leaves Helmdon, The Green 09:15
Arrives Northampton, The Drapery 10:30
Passes through villages, Weston, Weedon Lois, Wappenham, Slapton Turn, Abthorpe, Bradden.
Blakesley, Woodend, Maidford, Farthingstone & Litchborough
Leaves Northampton, The Drapery 13:00
Passes back through the villages dropping off on request.
Carters Travel – Saturdays Only Service to Northampton
Leaves Helmdon, The Green 09:50
Arrives Northampton, The Drapery 11:05
Passes through villages, Weston, Weedon Lois, Wappenham, Slapton Turn, Abthorpe, Bradden.
Blakesley, Woodend, Maidford, Farthingstone & Litchborough
Leaves Northampton, The Drapery
Passes back through the villages dropping off on request.
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13:55

MACINTYERS SELL HOUSES
MACINTYERS SELL HELMDON
For a FREE valuation, call MACINTYERS today
[email address removed] [phone number removed] www.macintyers.co.uk