Village voice summer 2013

HELMDON VOICE
www.helmdon.com Summer 2013
Helmdon welcomes new Rector Summer BBQ a huge success s
Our new rector, the Rev. Carole Peters was recently installed at a well attended service conducted by the Bishop of Peterborough, the Archdeacon of
Northampton and our new rural dean – Rev Simon
Dommet from Aynho.
Carole is looking forward to getting to know everyone; there is a “Meet the Rector” evening on
4th October in the Reading Room plus she will be attending as many village events as she is invited to. Church service times are changing slightly (see village website) and there will be a new event
“Messy Church” a Sunday afternoon of activities, worship and food for the whole family, which will be starting later in the year. Look out for Carole in the village – her blue VW Beetle Convertible with the “REV” number plate should be easy to spot!
The Reverend Carole Peters
[email address removed]
[phone number removed] / [phone number removed]
The HYHOs, Sports Club and Helmdon Acorns Pre-School would like to thank everyone who supported the BBQ at the beginning of July. The weather was warm and sunny, an ideal backdrop for the children’s entertainment, It’s a
Knockout games and later on the live music. More than 450
people attended and approximately £3,000 was raised to be split between the main organisers. Local organisations will be invited to apply to HYHO to fund a particular project; details will be on www.helmdon.com shortly.
Northants Best Village Results
This year Helmdon achieved a very credible second place in the medium village category; the category winner was arch-
rival Syresham. The two villages have fought it out over the past decade with Syresham just edging ahead. This year’s overall winner was Crick; the competition considers all aspects of village life: community and social activities, local businesses, sustainability, provision for younger and more senior residents as well as tidiness and the welcome visitors receive. Let’s hope 2014 is Helmdon’s year once again!
The Village Cafe
The Village cafe is open in the Reading Room in conjunction with the Post Office, serving tea, coffee and cake between
10.00 and 12.00am every Tuesday (except Bank holidays).
The cafe is run on a voluntary basis and all profits help maintain the Reading Room; it is a lovely place to have a chat with old friends or meet new ones. We have over 20
volunteers but we are always looking for new recruits. If you have some time to spare, please contact Lynn Walmsley on
[phone number removed] or Lynn Gartside on [phone number removed].
www.helmdon.com

www.helmdon.com
Hold that Date! Annual Flower and Produce Show
Sun. 25th August – Pimlico Light Railway Club
– see www.helmdon.com
The 4th Annual Flower and Produce
Show takes place on Sat 17th August in the Reading Room. Entries should be submitted between
9:00am and 10.30am and the show will be open for viewing by the general public from 2pm to 5pm.
Details and entry forms are available from the Gardening Club section on www.helmdon.com .
Although there is some healthy competition involved, the emphasis emphasis is on enjoyment and there will be refreshments plus a raffle and produce sale. All are invited to support us.
Mon. 26th August – Helmdon Hurler: contact
Bob Lenton [phone number removed]
Fri. 1st November – Bonfire and Fireworks at
Helmdon Acorns – details to follow
Church News
The Last Night of the Proms evening will be held on 7th September at 7pm in Helmdon Church; a 'part' pig roast supper is followed by the big screen showing of the proms. Tickets are £7.50 each. On
Wed. 9th October, Charles Hanson (often seen on TV’s Bargain
Hunt) will be hosting a Valuation day at the church. Tickets are
£10 and include refreshments, ploughman’s lunch, a valuation of one item and a talk by Charles. Tickets are limited to 30 (am) and
40 (pm) with both groups together for the lunch and talk. Tickets for both events are available from: Ann Smith [phone number removed], Celia
Terrey [phone number removed] Vanessa Vicars [phone number removed].
CKERS – Youth Club
CKERs is a volunteer-run monthly youth club aimed at Year 5 and older children. We'll be especially pleased to greet this autumn's new year 5s. The next meeting is Sun 29th Sept, 6:30 – 7:45pm at the Church. Contact Andrew: [email address removed]
Hope for cycle path after all?
The Helmdon Parish Plan Group (HPPG) continues to investigate the possibility of using the route of the Great
Central Railway to create an off-road cycle path to Brackley.
The proposal received widespread support from villagers in the parish plan but it has been two steps forward and one step back. The latest objection has come from Natural
England because they are wary of allowing access to a SSSI.
However, the project continues to gather interest, including a letter of support and encouragement from Olympic gold medal cyclist Chris Boardman. The next meeting related to this project takes place at the end of August and a further report will be made to the Parish Council in September.
www.helmdon.com

Crafts in Action: Sat. 16th November
If you would like to display your work, book a table for the day and/or sit and demonstrate your craft, then please do let me know as space is limited. There will be tea, coffee, cakes and Ploughman's Lunches available throughout the day. Any proceeds will go to charity and we look forward to seeing you on the day
Louise Stothard [email address removed] [phone number removed]
WEA news
The Helmdon Branch is pleased to welcome back Judith
Hodgkinson as tutor for a 10-week adult education course
"Wining & Dining": How was food preserved over the winter when most things were in short supply, or through a hot summer to prevent decay? How much variety was there in the diet? When were spices introduced and where did they come from? Using mainly country house examples, we'll find answers to the above and also study changes in customs and manners associated with food.
Helmdon Acorns
Pre-School presents
Helmdon
Dog Show
Sat 21st Sept
Helmdon Sports
Club from 11am
 Dog Show judging by “Up n Over” Agility
Dog Training Club
 Flyball  Dog
 Fun for all the family Show
Contact: [phone number removed] during school hours judging
The course starts on Tuesday 24th September at 7:30pm in the Reading Room. Course fees £52:50 (payable on 2nd week) or FREE if on income related benefit. All adults welcome, no qualifications required. Try week one without obligation. More details from Richard Farquharson [phone number removed] (daytime) [email address removed]
Helmdon Presents…
Our autumn/winter programme of starts in September and includes: The Sightseers; The Angel’s Share; Untouchable
(French); Life of Pi; Paul; A lonely place to die.
As a lot goes on in December we have taken the decision to show two films in January and omit December. Dates for showing: 20th Sept 20, 25th October, 22nd November 3rd and
31st January and 21st February. Membership is £15 for the year (nothing more to pay) which takes you through to
August 2014. It’s a bargain! Watch out for other touring professional drama and music productions too. by “Up n
Over”
Agility
Dog
Helmdon Bridge Players
Training
Club Drama Festival in Weedon Lois on Fri/Sat 13th -14th September. We The group is again part of the South Northants
 set Flyball are performing an early Nativity play in a primary school which does not go according to plan. Rehearsals have already begun… to ensure maximum chaos! Please support us -tickets from Morag on [phone number removed]. Then it will be time to begin our Christmas panto and we will be seeking plenty of willing actors and backstage crew to assist us.
Fun for all the family www.helmdon.com
Registered charity no 1035898
Contact: 01295

www.helmdon.com d
Parish Council Contacts Wind Turbine Proposal: HSGWAG update
Peter Burns – Chairman Tel: [phone number removed]
Sarah Adhemar Tel: [phone number removed]
Mike Barnes Tel: [phone number removed]
John Coatsworth Tel: [phone number removed]
We know that many of you have already recorded your objection to the wind farm development with South
Northants Council and the Planning Inspectorate and that some of you have also written to the Secretary of State, Eric
Pickles. We thank everyone for showing support in this way.
Paul Duncombe Tel: [phone number removed]
Bill England* Tel: [phone number removed]
Danny Moody Tel: [phone number removed]
Gemma Simpson Tel: [phone number removed]
Eddie Garner Tel: [phone number removed]
Parish Clerk – Liz Hart Tel: [phone number removed]
parishcouncil@helmdon.com
* Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, ACRE
Bulk Oil Buying Scheme Co-ordinator and
Village Correspondent for local media
Diary Dates:
Wed. 25th September 7:30pm: Council Meeting
Wed. 27th November 7:30pm: Council Meeting
On 6th June Eric Pickles issued a statement saying that the country’s requirements for renewable wind energy should not override local concerns and that turbines should not be erected in face of local opposition. We therefore feel it is very important to restate feelings towards the proposed
Broadview development for 5 turbines, 125 metres tall, along the Welsh Lane. Andrea Leadsom, our MP believes it would be extremely helpful to our case if the Secretary of
State is left in no doubt regarding the opposition of local residents to this development and has offered to collate and forward any objections sent to her to Eric Pickles. Anyone who objects should contact Andrea Leadsom:
Email: [email address removed]
Hard copy: Andrea Leadsom, Member of Parliament for
South Northamptonshire, House of Commons, London,
SW1A 0AA
Jubilee Wall Project
The Parish Council is pleased to announce that the planned commemorative wall will shortly be constructed by Patrick Gartside. It is hoped that the work will provide a more attractive entrance point to the Station Road side of the village and deter litter.
Superfast Broadband options
The Parish Council welcomed Eric Malcolmson from the Tove Valley Broadband Project to its
July meeting; Eric summarised the background of the project which has started to offer Superfast
Broadband in Abthorpe, Wappenham and
Weedon Lois and he confirmed that there is the opportunity for some properties in Helmdon to opt into their project if suitable repeater stations can be installed. The Parish Council is seeking views on whether Helmdon residents would be interested in this option or would rather wait for
BT to introduce its service: see www.helmdon.com for more details.
It would be best if everyone wrote their own individual letters but as a guide your letter could read something like:
"I am writing to express my opposition to the proposal to erect 5 wind turbines each 125 metres tall along the B4525
between Greatworth and Helmdon. Such structures in our local landscape are totally inappropriate. The countryside here is small, intimate and tranquil. Giant turbines will be alien to the landscape and the incremental noise risks its peaceful nature. I am aware that these turbines will be the subject of a Planning Inquiry in October. Our opposition to the turbines will be made clear at the inquiry but I want to register my opposition with you and request that you do all in your power to ensure this opposition is known to everyone who needs to be aware of it."
In the meantime our legal team is working hard our behalf to prepare for the inquiry; you may see our experts visiting affected areas. We thank everyone who has donated to these costs and we also hope you will show support for us by attending the HSWAG event on Sat. 24th August (see ad).
www.helmdon.com www.helmdon.com