The Church Bazaar on Saturday heralded the start of the celebrations with a guest appearance from a suspiciously familiar-looking Father Christmas. This weekend the Bridge Players will be entertaining us with their Christmas Panto, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (scroll down for further details).

On Sunday at 5:00 p.m. there is a family Carols & Gifts service in the church and on Wednesday 19 there is carol singing round the village starting at the top of Station Road at 6:00 p.m.

The popular Word & Music in the Church is on Friday 21 and the Christingle service is at 4:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Besides the above there are plenty of other events, festivities and fun so you are sure to find something to suit. Check out the Village Diary for all the details.

Wherever you will be this year, whatever you will be doing, and whoever you will be doing it with, the web site team wish you a very warm, safe and happy Christmas.

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Posted 25 November 2012
It Never Rains; It Pours

Once again residents in the centre of the village had to deploy sand bags and flood defences as the waters rose as a result of the very heavy rain this week.

On Wednesday afternoon torrential rain meant that the storm water drains couldn’t cope and water flooded down Grange Lane and Station Road in to the center of the village.

No serious damage was done but residents are becoming increasingly frustrated at having to keep a watch out every time it rains.

Coincidentally Anglian Water and MGWSP (the highways contractor) have been in the village over recent weeks investigating the causes of the previous flood on 4 July. Representatives from both organisations will be attending the Parish Council meeting on Wednesday to give their reports.

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Posted 22 November 2012
Funeral Of Roger Caldwell

The funeral of Rev’d Roger Caldwell, erstwhile rector of this parish, will take place on Saturday 1 December at 11:00 a.m. at St Mary Magdalene Church, Helmdon.

Rev’d Caldwell was rector of Helmdon from 1974 to 1990 and was an intrinsic part of village life throughout.

All welcome.

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Posted 11 November 2012
Happy, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful & Doc

We know that you’ve been Grumpy since the Bridge Players summer production ended, but now you can be Happy because it’s nearly Christmas Panto time!

Tickets are now available for the 2012 Bridge Players Pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but don’t be Sleepy or Dopey, get yours quick!

The Panto takes place in Helmdon School Hall with performances on Thursday 6 December at 7.30 pm, Friday 7 December at 7.30 pm and Saturday 8 December at 2.30 pm and 7.30 pm.

Ticket prices are Adults £7.00 Children under 16 £4.00 Family Ticket (Max 5) £20.00. Available from Morag [phone number removed] or Dave [phone number removed].

Don’t be Bashful – we want to see you there!

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Posted 3 November 2012
What Next For Village Coach Company?

One of the early Jeffs coaches.
[Stop Press] The Banbury Guardian has today, 8 November, reported that Jeffs Coaches has been sold and will continue to operate. Click here for full story.

Posted 3 November 2012
It looks like the end of the road for Helmdon’s highest profile business. Jeffs Coaches was started by Jack Jeffs more than fifty years ago and has operated in the village from the old station yard ever since (see history).

Last week administrators were appointed to Bowen Travel Group, the parent company of Jeffs Coaches, to oversee an orderly closure.

It is a devastating blow to the many employees at Jeffs, which had been a family employer until the sale to the Bowen Group in 2004.

What will happen to the site in Helmdon is uncertain. The administrators will begin the task of seeing whether the business can be recapitalised, sold or broken up. Developments will be reported here as soon as they are known.

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Posted 21 October 2012
Bonfireworks

The 2011 event went with a bang. It’s coming up to that time of year again – ghouls and ghosts, bonfires and fireworks.

Armies of trick and treaters will be roaming the village in ten days’ time on All Hallows’ Eve. And on the Friday of that week the Helmdon Acorns bonfire and firework display will light up the village.

Trick or treat is all about a bit of fun for the kids but for those that would prefer not to take part Northamptonshire Police has designed a poster to keep callers at bay. Print it out and display in your window or on the front gate.

And to anyone thinking of letting off fireworks at home on 5 November, please be considerate and above all be safe.

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Posted 8 October 2012
“We’ll Look Into It”

We’re not sure what the problem is, but we’ll look into it. Representatives from Anglian Water and highways contractor MGWSP attended a meeting of Helmdon Parish Council to discuss the ongoing drainage issues in the middle of the village.

Station Road was flooded yet again on 4 July 2012, although this time no residential properties were affected due to the homeowners’ quick deployment of sandbags and flood barriers.

The Anglian Water representative claimed that the water was not their responsibility, since the majority of it was coming from the highway. The MGWSP representative said the flooding was not their responsibility since the water from the highway discharges into the Anglian Water system, which doesn’t have the capacity to take it. Eventually both sides agreed to carry out more inspection work and to try to develop a joint plan.

Chairman of the parish council, Peter Burns, asked both organisations to put their heads together and present a workable plan to the parish council in November.

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Posted 3 October 2012
Celebrating The Season

The unusual weather this year meant that it hasn’t been the best growing year ever, but there is still cause to celebrate the harvest in time-honoured tradition.

A Harvest Festival service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in St Mary Magdalene church this Sunday, 7 October and all are welcome.

The service will be followed by a Harvest Lunch for which a modest charge of £2.50 applies.

There will also be an auction of fruit, vegetables, produce and flowers.

To book a Ploughman’s Lunch at £2.50 please contact Vanessa Vicars [phone number removed], Celia Terrey [phone number removed] or Niki Phillips 76820.

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Posted 19 September 2012
£100 For Information

This morning, Wednesday 19 September, some time before 8:30 a.m., someone walked their dog along gravel path in the direction of Church Street and allowed it defecate on the path in several places right in the middle of the pedestrian barriers at the Church Street end. The owner did not pick it up or even attempt to move it off the path.

The offending dog mess was discovered by children using that route to walk to school and was cleared up by a parent.

The incident has been reported and a private donation of £100 has been received by the web site for any information leading to the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice against the owner. If you saw the incident or have any information please contact webmaster@helmdon.com or telephone the dog warden service at South Northants Council.

If you are the owner of the dog, please don’t allow this to happen again.

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Posted 15 September 2012
Stamp Of Approval For Parish Council

Helmdon Parish Council has been awarded the prestigious Quality mark by the National Association of Local Councils.

Less than one in ten parish councils achieve the standard so it is a real credit to Helmdon Parish Council, the councillors (past and present) and the Clerk to the Council, Liz Hart.

The Quality Parish Scheme (QPS) is a benchmark scheme for which councils have to submit a portfolio of evidence to a county based Accreditation Panel. Helmdon Parish Council has been working on the portfolio over the past year and the Panel meeting was held on Monday 10 September.

The tests include the qualification level of the Clerk, how many of the councillors were elected at the last election, and the standard of the council’s finances and governance arrangements.

Helmdon Parish Council was commended on its community engagement activities, including the village web site, the Helmdon Voice newsletter, and the public meetings that the council has facilitated in recent times to do with the wind turbines and HS2.

The Accreditation lasts for four years at which time the council has to submit a new portfolio, but for now Helmdon residents can rest assured that they have a Quality parish council representing them and working hard to keep Helmdon being the brilliant place that it is.

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Posted 6 September 2012
Never Too Old

The schools have gone back this week so all the children are busy learning but it’s not just youngsters that benefit from keeping their brains active.

There are plenty of opportunities locally for adult education, including one right here in Helmdon. The Helmdon Branch WEA Autumn Course 2012, which starts on Tuesday 18 September, is titled “The Gift Of The Nile: An Introduction To Ancient Egypt” with course tutor Mark Anderson. If you’ve never tried a WEA course before you’ll be in for a treat. You can attend the first session before deciding whether or not it’s for you, so for full details see the WEA course page.

Weston branch WEA runs afternoon courses and “War & Rebellion In Northamptonshire” with tutor Mike Ingram begins on 19 September. Click here for details.

If you would like to engage in “Active Ageing” then perhaps the Northants 50+ network is for you. The South Northants Area Forum provides various opportunities to get involved in new activities and initiatives aimed at those over fifty. See the South Northants page on the Northants 50+ web site for details or go along to their “Live Life to the Full” event on Thursday 20 September.

And if you would like to go slightly further afield and try your hand at all sorts of new skills and pastimes then look up the Universities of Third Age (U3As) in the county (nearest is Northampton). U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun.

So there’s no excuse! Whatever your interest and whatever your preferred learning style there is an adult learning opportunity out there for you. You’re never too old to learn something new!

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June – posted 25 June 2012

Groups and series: Village news ("What's New")
Topics: WEA and village information

Researched and written by Helmdon Local History Group volunteers. We do our best, but we can sometimes get things wrong. Corrections and additions are welcome.