Village voice winter 2012

HELMDON VOICE
www.helmdon.com Winter 2012
Wind Farm Appeal to take place in May
Children at Helmdon Acorns Pre-School meet some new arrivals
Helmdon Acorns: 1st anniversary in new building
One year after its relocation, Helmdon Acorns Pre-School is now operating a waiting list system for the most popular days with mornings fully booked until September 2012. There are now nine members of staff, many of whom live in Helmdon. The children were recently able to watch some chicks hatching at first hand thanks to fundraising by the Bell and the committee. www.helmdonacorns.org.uk
Helmdon Primary School Update
We are pleased to report that Helmdon School was inspected by Ofsted in
January and the lead inspector said the school was ‘securely good, moving into outstanding’. The full report can be found on the school website www.helmdonprimaryschool.com
Our spring term curriculum is based on the Victorians and water; the school is holding a Victorian Day in March when pupils can enjoy dressing as Victorians and should really get a sense of what it was like for their
Victorian counterparts.
Looking ahead to the summer, we shall be celebrating the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee and limbering up for an Olympic based curriculum.
The public enquiry into the
Broadview proposal to erect five wind turbines at Spring Farm
Ridge in the area between
Helmdon, Greatworth, Stuchbury and Sulgrave will take place on the
15th May and will last for several days. The venue will be local but is yet to be confirmed. All members of the public are welcome to attend and a good turnout will demonstrate to the Planning
Inspectorate the strength of local feeling regarding the proposal.
Look out for more information in the near future!
New Homes completed
The development of Affordable
Housing on Station Road at the bottom of Grange Lane comprises of 2 2-bed homes and 2 flats and was officially opened on 9th
February with tenants due to move in shortly.
Traffic Lights on Station
Road
Work is due to commence on the bridge this spring once agreements have been reached with all affected organisations.
The work is likely to involve a short period of closure.
Congratulations to Clare Nash on winning the logo competition – her design is at the top of this page!

News from the Reading Room
The Reading Room is going from strength to strength. Bookings have increased in the last year, due in no small part to the comfortable atmosphere and décor, now afforded after the refurbishment. The new decoration to the walls and woodwork, a new ceiling, together with new curtains and chairs, all give a feeling of warmth and wellbeing, and make it a pleasure to use. The lighting has also been enhanced to give full brightness for meetings etc, or more subdued for films. For those wishing to play music, show films, or perform presentations, a new AV system has been installed. The project has been funded by grants from public bodies and donations from local fundraising events. Two new cookers have been installed also funded by a grant, and a new boiler had to be funded from the
Reading Room’s own reserves. Donations from
Helmdon 200 Club, Helmdon Café, rent from the cottage, and letting fees, mean that financially the Reading Room is sound.
Shortly we shall also refurbish the committee room, with new paintwork, the pine floor brought back to life and new curtains fitted. All in all we have an excellent venue for your enjoyment, whether for business or pleasure.
On behalf of the committee I would like to thank all those who have made this possible, and look forward to your continued support in the future.
Bill England (Chairman) Tel: [phone number removed]
Email : [email address removed]
Helmdon Correspondent
The local newspaper correspondent for
Helmdon is Bill England. If you have an event taking place, and wish it to be advertised more fully, or to give results for an event that has already taken place, contact me on [phone number removed] or email [email address removed]
Get Into the Stride
South Northamptonshire Council will be running a series of
"Learn To" Nordic walking courses that provide an opportunity to try something fun and new.
An enhancement of normal walking yet twice as effective,
Nordic walking uses poles to add significant benefits: upper body muscles are used as well as lower; it reduces the pressure on knees and joints; it’s great for posture and can burn up to 46% more calories than normal walking.
The "Learn To" courses run at Brackley Library Saturdays from 10 to 31 March. 10am to 11am. The courses each cost
£25. There's also a £5 taster session at Brackley Library on
Saturday 3 March from 10am to 10.45am.
For more details and to book : Colin Hull [phone number removed]
Dads and Lads trying out a different form of exercise!
Get Connected!
We may have lost our regular bus services but its replacement “County Connect” offers flexibility with a timetable designed around you! County Connect will take you to or from any designated pick-up point to any other in each village or town. You can go from village to village as well as to your local town. You are able to connect to regular bus and rail services that will take you longer distances. You must PRE-BOOK – Bookings can be made up to an hour before you need to travel (subject to availability) and up to a week in advance.
Tel : 0845 456 4474 Booking helpline : 0845 456 4474 Mon-
Fri 09;00am – 17:30pm; Saturday 08:30am – 5:30pm
Mon – Fri 9.00am – 5.30pm

Get Out Your Glad Rags!
The eagerly awaited 2012 Helmdon Summer Ball takes place on
Saturday 30th June. The aim of the night is to have a lot of fun and raise significant amounts for local good causes such as the Primary
School, Helmdon Acorns Pre-School , the Girl Guides, CKERS youth group and many more.
Helmdon Ball is a major local event, always attracting far more demand than can be accommodated. It is a high quality, black tie event with drinks reception, three course dinner, live band, as well as a raffle and lively auction.
Tickets: £59 per person, or £55 per person before 31st March 2012. If you wish to secure a table or tickets, please contact Toby Ballantine on
[phone number removed], Paul Underwood on [phone number removed], or Becky
Leitelmayer via the school or [phone number removed].
Zumba arrives in
Helmdon
Are you ready to party yourself into shape? That’s exactly what the
Zumba® program is all about. It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-
follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-
burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health. Classes are every
Thursday at Helmdon Primary School at 7:30pm. Contact Sarah on [phone number removed] to book.
Friends of Helmdon
School
Please note the following events are open to all to come and enjoy, you do not have to have a child at
Helmdon School to be made welcome! Full details of all events can be found on the School website under the FOHS heading.
Mums’ and Daughters’ Pamper Day
– Saturday 17th March 2012.
Brownies and Rainbows prepare for 2012
Girlguiding in Helmdon is going strong with Rainbows, Brownies,
Guides and Rangers all based in the village, providing girls from 5 years upwards with opportunities to develop confidence, make new friends, learn new skills and have fun! Activities include sleepovers, camps and trips to activities such as a circus workshop, Ready Steady Cook challenge and community projects. The rainbows and brownies show off the pennants that they have made for Olympic competitors as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. For more information contact
Eleanor Shepherd: [phone number removed].
To coincide with Mothering Sunday, we are hosting a Mother and
Daughter Pamper Day in the School hall from 2pm to 5pm. Treatments will be available on the day from local Beauticians and Therapists for both old and young, so come along and join us for a true Ladies Day!
Dads’ and Lads’ Snail Race Day
On Saturday 16th June 2012 the
Friends will be organising a Snail
Race day for all Dads and their Lads!
This should be one of the funniest events of the year so clear your diaries chaps and come on down!
Many thanks for your continued

Parish Council Information Could you be a Master Composter?
Peter Burns – Chairman Are you keen on helping the community? Are you, or someone you know, an expert or beginner gardener? South Northants Council are once again recruiting for Master Composters (MCs). The scheme has been very successful across Northamptonshire, and now we’re looking for some more volunteers to help us spread the message of home composting from this Spring.
Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Sarah Adhemar Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Mike Barnes Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
John Coatsworth Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Paul Duncombe Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Bill England Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Danny Moody Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Gemma Simpson Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Eddie Garner Tel: [phone number removed]
[email address removed]
Liz Hart – Parish Clerk Tel: [phone number removed]
parishcouncil@helmdon.com
Diary Dates:
Wed. 28th March – PC Meeting
Wed. 25th April – Parish Meeting
Both at 7:30pm in the Reading Room
Being an MC involves anything the volunteer would like to do –
within reason! This could include composter offer leaflet drops, composting tea parties with their neighbours, writing a short article for the parish newsletter or local paper, and had composting information stalls at garden shows.
After 30 hours of volunteering over a 1-2 year period, MCs are presented with a City & Guilds certificate for voluntary work All equipment is provided and expenses covered. To find out more:
www.southnorthants.gov.uk/mastercomposters
Jubilee Celebrations
The Parish Council has decided to mark the Jubilee with a permanent monument in the form of a stone wall at the entrance to the village on Station Road. In addition, any village organisation or group of residents wishing to have a street party or other celebration is welcome to apply to the Parish Council for a grant. (See below)
Out and About
Welsh Lane (B4525) and Brackley Rd will both be resurfaced in 2012
with diversions in operation. NCC has also agreed to review the current speed limit of 60mph on the B4525 in light of requests made by the Parish Council and local residents.
Polite reminder – Burning domestic waste
Please remember that it is an offence to get rid of domestic waste in a way likely to cause pollution or harm to human health, including burning it. Burning plastic, rubber or painted materials creates poisonous fumes and can have damaging health effects for people who have asthmatic or heart conditions.
Grants available
Local groups may apply to the Parish Council for funds for projects.
Details on www.helmdon.com or contact Liz Hart, Parish Clerk.