Author Archives: Lin Burrows

New NL Benefice Magazine Correspondent Needed!

Due to relocation out of the area, our current Magazine correspondent for North Luffenham – Liz Ritchie – is stepping down and we therefore need someone to take on the role.

This involves collating the information sent in regarding events & club activities being held within the village as well as any other relevant information. This is not an onerous task and is also a great way to get to know more people within the village! It requires about one half day per month and the odd phone call to event organisers.

Our thanks to Liz for all her hard work over the past year and we wish her & Jim all the best in their new adventure ‘up north’!

The deadline for the January issue of the magazine falls mid-month, on 15th December so it would be great to have someone in place by then.

Meanwhile, if anyone would like to know more about the role please contact Liz Ritchie before December 5th on 01780 720210 or email liz.ritchie23@me.com

Chater Community Choir’s Christmas Concert – tickets now available from a choir member near you!

After a successful Spring concert taking the total raised for charities over £23,000 since being formed in 2012, Chater Community Choir will be giving their seasonal concert, ‘This Christmas Night’, at South Luffenham Parish Church on Friday 9th December at 7:30pm. The choir will be supporting the Rutland Food Bank, which along with helping local people with food poverty are wanting to donate each family they help with a warm blanket this winter.

After the concert there will be the opportunity to enjoy a mince pie or two and a glass of festive cheer in the Village Hall.

Tickets are £10 and are available from Tracy Steward on 01780 729006 or chatercommunitychoir@outlook.com  

Compost, Feeds & Fertilisers – your opportunity to learn about developments in this specialist area – join David Coop from Westland speaking @ the North Luffenham Garden Club meeting this Wednesday 9th November @ 7pm

Reminder to members & open to non-members on the night for a one-off admission fee of £5.

MacMillan Coffee Morning – Bede House Farm, North Luffenham

Please join our MacMillan Coffee Morning on

Friday 30th September, 10am – 12pm

Bede House Farm, Lyndon Road, North Luffenham

Coffee, Tea, Cakes & Biscuits

All Welcome – Please bring cash donation

If you can’t make it but would still like to contribute to this worthy cause, please contact deb@do-yoga.co.uk

CRAFTING SESSIONS ON YOUR DOORSTEP IN NORTH LUFFENHAM – IN SUE’S NEW ART STUDIO

Workshops are located at the Springboards Arts Studio in North Luffenham.

If you wish to book a place, email info@springboardarts.co.uk  fill in the online form at www.springboardarts.co.uk or call Sue on 07920 841058

All are suitable for beginners. 5 places are available for each workshop – assemble a group of friends and come along together!

Alternatively, contact us for a bespoke workshop on a date to suit you – an ideal gift for friends & family.

REMINDER – SUMMER SOCIAL ON THE OVAL THIS SATURDAY 30th JULY, 2-4pm

The weather’s forecast to be fair, the ladies of Luffenham are busy baking summer treats and the ingredients for the jugs of Pimms are ready & waiting to be blended for you to enjoy a relaxing afternoon @ the Cricket Pavilion. Do come along and while away an hour, chatting to friends old & new whilst raising much-needed funds for our local Charity – The Rutland Food Bank.

Reminder – Garden Club Meeting this Wednesday 8th June @ 7pm

This month we welcome our local Bee Expert, Mike Wyatt. Mike has lived in the village for many years and you will have seen him walking the lanes in his bee overalls – well now’s the the opportunity to find all about what he does and how you can help our bee community 😊

In addition, there will be the popular Garden Club Lottery plus signing up for July trip to Oundle and the beautiful Foxtail Lilly Gardens (Cutting Flower Garden & Vintage Florist). Please remember to bring cash for both… £2 per ball & £10 for the Trip on 13th July.

For further information about Foxtail Lilly – please see https://www.foxtail-lilly.co.uk

New members still welcome to join on the night 👍

Successful Garden Club Plant Sale

We are delighted to report that the Plant Sale at The Fox on Saturday was really well attended and a great success.

A big thank you to the people who worked hard behind the scenes to grow, deliver & arrange the stock for the day, and to those who came along to support the event.

For folks who missed it, here’s a video of our Garden Club Chairman – Shaun Ryan – introducing the Sale & all the plants on offer😁…

We have set up an honesty box to give good homes to any remaining plants; you’ll find these available to purchase in the new outdoor covered courtyard area of The Fox; please give generously😊 & thanks again for your support.

Remaining Plants @ The Fox with Honesty Box…

Reminders for Your Diaries This Month

There are several local events taking place during the month ahead which would welcome your support 🙂

This evening – Tuesday 3rd May from 6.30pm
Cricket on the Oval – North Luffenham @ Home versus Upper Broughton.
If its slightly damp, shelter under the Pavilion canopy and bring along a flask of something warming or your usual tipple.

Wednesday 4th May – Good Companions gather @ 2pm in NL Community Centre
This month we welcome Derek Harris to talk about canal boats.
New members very welcome.
Contact Shauna on 07855 307150 or Alison 07769 322551

Saturday 7th May – Chater Community Choir Concert @ 7.30pm in South Luffenham Church
This is our first concert for over two years and all proceeds are going to the Church Repair Fund. Refreshments will be available afterwards in the beautifully refurbished Village Hall. Tickets available from choir members or Tracy Steward on 01780 729006 – or just come on the night to support this worthy cause.

Wednesday 11th May – Garden Club Meet @ 7pm in NL Community Centre
This month, our guest speaker is the lovely Nicola Oakey – local Award-winning garden Designer.
Refreshments (tea, coffee, wine) and Lucky ball Lottery will be available.
New members still welcome to join or its £3 on the night for non-members.

Saturday 21st May – Garden Club Plant Sale from 10am – 4pm @ The Fox
Come along and grab a bargain or two – bedding plants, perennials, herbs, & vegetable plants have been grown & nurtured by our members ready for this fund raiser.
If you have spare plants yourself, we’re collecting the evening before between 5pm-7pm at The Fox. Cash only on the day please.

Other Local Events Taking Place in May

Braunston May Fayre – May 5  
The Rat Race Dirty Weekend at Burghley – May 7  
Fika Saturday at South Luffenham Village Hall – 10:30-12:30 ~ May 14  
Rutland Choral Society, Rutland Showground, Oakham – May 14  
Spring Vegetable Week at Barnsdale Gardens – May 16  
Funhouse Comedy Club, Grainstore Oakham – 19 May  
Stamford International Music Festival ~ 19-22 May  
Rutland Walking, Cycling & Outdoor Festival – May 21  
Classic Wheels Oakham – May 22  
Rockingham Horse Trials ~ 20-22 May   
Tudor History Day, Rockingham Castle – 29 May   

Garden Club Fund Raiser for Ukraine featured in local press…

A village Gardening Club has launched a sunflower growing competition to raise funds for Ukraine.

The North Luffenham Garden Club has launched a ‘Sowing Seeds of Hope’ competition, with all proceeds donated directly to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal of the Disasters Emergency Committee, a coalition of 15 leading aid charities providing food, water, shelter, healthcare and protection to those fleeing the conflict.

Keen gardeners of all ages are encouraged to enter as there are three competition categories – Blooms (16 years and over), Buds (10 to 15 years) and Seedlings (nine years and under).

The winner of the Blooms category will receive a two-course meal for two at The Fox in North Luffenham, which includes a bottle of house wine or soft drink alternatives, winner of the Buds group will receive a £25 voucher to use at the Rutland Water Garden Nursery, while the Seedlings winner will receive a mystery gardening goody bag.

Chairman of the North Luffenham Garden Club, Shaun Ryan, said: “At the North Luffenham Garden Club, we wanted to collectively support vulnerable people in Ukraine and when we realised that the sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower, this competition sprang to life.”

“I’d like to thank our sponsors – The Fox in North Luffenham and Rutland Water Garden Nursery, for donating prizes and also allowing us to sell the seeds in their locations. To Nimble Media, for designing and printing the posters, letters and seed packets; and Pretty Wild Seeds, for supplying the seeds.”

“The club is looking forward to judging the entries – and together, we will nurture our sunflowers in aid of the Ukraine appeal.”

Packets of Ukrainian giant sunflower seeds, donated by Pretty Wild Seeds, are now available for a minimum donation of £2 to purchase from The Fox in North Luffenham, The Boot Inn South Luffenham, Rutland Water Garden Nursery, Edith Weston Village Shop, Welland Vale Garden Centre in Uppingham and Ashwell Garden Centre.

Entries are limited to one sunflower per person.

The competition will close on September 9.

Competition envelopes still available to buy & set your Sunflower seeds before the end of the month with a chance to grow the tallest sunflower 😊

Yoga in South Luffenham Tuesdays 6.30pm – 8pm

Next term 26th April – 1st June

Contact Deb – deb@do-yoga.co.uk or 07973 508547

Friendly classes for women and men of all ages and experience.

Sessions are held in the lovely, newly refurbished South Luffenham village hall. 

Beginners Most Welcome

Classes taken by Deb King, British Wheel of Yoga Teacher for over 10 years.

Yoga classes consist of warming up joints and muscles, a wide range of postures for strengthening the body, improving balance and flexibility plus breathing exercises and relaxation.

Besides improving general health and well being, regular practice is effective for relieving arthritis, anxiety, insomnia, symptoms of the menopause, backache, joint problems, high blood pressure and many other issues.

Book your free trial class now – deb@do-yoga.co.uk

Reminder – Tomorrow’s Garden Club Meeting @ 7pm

In addition to it being the first Garden Club meeting for over two years, there’s membership cards to collect, a goody bag for existing and new members joining on the night; plus a Garden Club Lottery with some lovely prizes:)

The New Garden Club Lottery Lucky Flower Balls!

Bring along your Gardening questions – do you have a poorly plant? Need help & advise from other members or our Guest Speaker – come along & find out more about growing & gardening in Rutland.