North Luffenham Garden Club will be holding its Christmas social with quiz (optional, being put out on tables, not read out). Please bring food to share. Wine & soft drinks – first glass free then donations.
Time and place: 7.30pm at the Community Centre
Date: Thursday 14 December
Once again, just a reminder, it is time to pay annual membership fees of £10.00 for which we have interesting speakers from October to May each year and organised outings each summer.
We need your help: can you knit a small sheep or display one in your window?
In December, a Christmas Trail leaflet will be available so you can discover and record the names of sheep around the village. Bring the completed trail leaflet to the Village Carol Service on Sunday 17th December at 5pm and the Christmas story will be explored with the help of the sheep.
Intrigued? Willing to knit a sheep? Or offer a sheep a windowsill? Want to go sheep hunting? For more details, please email Pippa the rector: rectorrwb@gmail.com. Full details including a knitting pattern are contained in leaflet attached below.
Christmas Trail knitting & displaying sheep
Sally Lambert has again kindly agreed to run a workshop on Sat 25th November from 10am – 1pm @the Community Centre, where she will guide us in making our own wreath, and other arrangements.
Cost is £5 per person, which includes tea/coffee & a mince pie.
You will need to bring any equipment you have – oasis, secateurs, vase/container you intend to use, pine cones, ribbons, decorations – plus foliage & flowers. Prunings of woody clematis stems, dogwoods etc make a great basis for wreaths – we all share bits and pieces too.
Please book your place with Katy Ellis on 01780 722173 as soon as possible.
November Meeting
NB: The next meeting is to be held a week later than usual, on Thursday 16th November, at 7.30pm.
It is also the AGM, followed by Stephen Ashpole from the village, to present a talk on Organic Gardening, which will be full of information about the whys and wherefores on this subject.
There were some changes to the team during the season with Lewis leaving for the Falklands, Ben Cox joining the team and immediately playing very well reminding us how good a player he is, Andy and James played most of the games and without them it would have been difficult to maintain the numbers needed to field a team. Thank you to all the team members for the commitment and dedication during the season.
2016/17 was a difficult season for the ‘A’ team with several disappointing results notably a 6-4 win at Paston when an 8-2 win should have been the result. An 6-4 win at home to Eyebury highlighted the weaknesses in the team although it must be said Eyebury played very well that night. A 4-6 loss at Ramsey was the worst result of the season.
For comparison in 2016 the team scored four x ten/nil results , in 2015/2016 ten x ten/nil scores were recorded. In the latter part of the season the team were resigned to second place in the league, behind Paston, when out of the blue at their penultimate game, Paston lost 10-0 at Northborough and handed the league to North Luffenham.
In other competitions the team won the Annette Stubbins cup beating Paston in the final. North Luffenham teams won the North Cambs area singles, pairs, triples, and fours competitions. In county competitions Jason won the Hertfordshire singles with Jack runner-up. Thomas , Jack and Jason won the Hertfordshire triples and this qualified them to represent Hertfordshire at the national finals in County Durham which they also won and they are the current Nation Triples Champions, well done them! Paul won the Cambridgeshire singles competition and went on to win the Eastern Counties Competition.
The Show is a celebration of local talent and is Open For All to enter with many categories: plants, painting, needlework, card craft, woodwork, photography, baking, jam making, vegetables, flowers and fruit for example.
At North Luffenham Community Centre
On Sunday 10th September
Entries are open to everyone and if possible should be made before the show using the attached Schedule or you can get a hard copy of the Schedule from The Fox or Edith Weston Village Shop.
There are some simple guidelines in the Schedule and we will help you with any queries beforehand and on the day (contact details inside back page). We’d love to see what you can do – be proud and show it off!
Photography. Here are this year’s categories to keep in mind over the coming month so you can get snapping: Flowers and Plants, Gardens, Sky, Countryside Activities, Animals (wild or tame), Linked theme (one set of three phtos linked together in some way), Open (includes anything not already covered already). There is a also a class for U16s, which is free, for any of these themes.
How to enter:
The Gesualdo Six (a younger version of The Kings Singers) will be appearing on the Radio 3 programme In Tune on Monday 28th August a couple of days before appearing in North Luffenham on Wednesday 30th!
Don’t miss a memorable concert of music from the Renaissance to light present day tunes –come and drink a glass of Last of the Summer’s Pimm’s to say farewell to our wonderful summer before the Autumn weather.
Concert in church at 7.30pm Wednesday 30th August -Tickets £12 (including Pimm’s) from Janet Whittaker 01780-721216 or at the door.
After a long period where there have been no issues with vandalism in the village, unfortunately the problem has reappeared.
Someone in the last couple of days has sprayed graffiti onto the Cricket Club toilet block
Can anyone who might have any information about who might have done this please contact Charles Cade
Easton-on-the-Hill Horticultural & Crafts Society have some spare seats available for their visit to Coton Manor on Saturday 22 July departing 10.30 from Easton-on-the-Hill Village Hall and returning at 16.00 from Coton Manor.
Tickets are £17.50 for non-members for entry to Coton Manor and include transport.
Please contact Joy Forster on 01780 762156 if you are interested.
Colton Manor is a peaceful 10 acre garden occupying a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house. Landscaped on different levels, it comprises a series of distinctive smaller gardens, providing variety and interest throughout the season, and enhanced by flowing streams, fountains and ponds. Beyond the confines of the garden there is a magical 5 acre bluebell wood and colourful wildflower meadow at its best in June and July.
The Stableyard cafe offers a great selection for lunch. You may bring your own food, however picnicking is not permitted at the garden.
The Garden Club are running an outing to Hidcote (morning) & Kiftsgate (afternoon), two stunning gardens in the same village in the Cotswolds on Sunday 9th July, leaving Empingham @ 8.30am/North Luffenham 8.45am. Open to all – take a picnic or eat at either of the gardens.
Tickets are for coach travel plus entry – £22.50 if you have National Trust membership (you must bring your own card on the day) or £33.50 without.
Members of North Luffenham Carpet Bowls Club are reminded that the AGM will be on Monday 19 June at the Community Centre, North Luffenham at 7.30.
Anyone wanting an agenda please phone 01780 720631.
The mats will still be down so that anyone can have a go and a cup of tea.
New members are always welcome.
Sylvia Lawson (Sec)
North Luffenham Good companions are going on a river trip on the 18th May. We have one seat to spare if anyone would like to join us.
The cost is £25 which includes 3hr trip on the river Trent, roast beef lunch, and coach fare.
If you would like to join us —–ring Evelyn 01780720528.
At the Garden Club Autumn Show, to be held on Sunday 10th September 2017, there will once again be a photography section. Here are this year’s categories to keep in mind over the coming months so you can get snapping!
There is also a class for under 16s for photos on any of these themes.
The next Garden Club Meeting will be on Thursday 9th March @7.30pm in the Community Centre when we welcome Mike Davey with ‘A Suburban Garden throughout the Year’ . Tea/coffee and biscuits served at the start of the evening with a raffle after the speaker. £2 for guests – all welcome.
The Good Companions meet in the community centre on the above dates, 2pm to 4pm.
Yearly subscription of £10 plus £1 a meeting which includes tea, cake and door raffle ticket.
A separate raffle is also run during the afternoon. Outings to be arranged.
Everyone Welcome.
Garden Club Programme for 2017
**Next meeting – this Thursday 12th January @7.30pm in the Community Centre**
Stuart Dixon on ‘Ramblers ‘n’ Scramblers’ (roses and clematis)
With an increasing number of reports stating that Gardening is good for the mind, body and soul, why not come to our informal meetings where we welcome speakers on a variety of subjects in horticulture!
This month we look forward to the return of Stuart Dixon, a seasoned speaker who is a Horticultural lecturer, writer and broadcaster, featuring on BBC Radio Nottingham for the gardening show.
Programme 2017
9th Feb – ‘Improving your Garden’ by Jeanette Merillon
9th Mar – ‘Suburban Garden throughout the Year’ by Mike Davey
13th Apr – ‘Plants that Excite!’ by Andrew Ward
11th May – ‘Easton Walled Gardens’ by Jackie Murray
22nd June – evening outing to Leicester Botanic Gardens
9th July – day outing to Hidcote garden (jointly with Empingham Garden Club)
9th September – Annual Autumn Show
All welcome – annual membership £10 per person or pay £2 on the night with refreshments, raffle and plant sales. All enquiries to Katy Ellis on 01780 722173.
On Sunday 13th November, just before 11am some 200 Villagers, together with Parishioners from local Parishes within the Benefice and Military Personnel from 1 Military Working Dog Regiment (1MWD Regt), 2 Medical Regiment RAMC, St George’s Barracks Army Cadet Force Detachment and members of North Luffenham Scouts gathered to remember those who gave their lives in two World Wars and those that lost their lives on operations and training in more recent times.
The Service was led by Rev John Taylor and our Lay Reader Caroline Simmonds.
Caroline Simmonds and Rev John Taylor lead the Commemoration
Senior Military Guests included Air Vice Marshal Nigel Sudborough CB, President of The Royal British Legion, Rutland and Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Foreman RLC Commanding Officer 1 MWD Regt and Station Commander at St George’s Barracks.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Foreman RLC, Commanding Officer 1 Military Working Dog Regiment
The Standards of the Royal Air Forces Association, 1 MWD Regt, North Luffenham Scouts, and Army Cadet Force Paraded outside the Church and took part in the Service and Commemoration.
L-R Standards of Army Cadet Force, RAFA and Wreath Layers from Scouts, Royal British Legion (AVM Nigel Sudborough, 1 MWD Regt (Lt Col Foreman) and 2 Med Regt RAMC.
During the Service the names of some 86 British and Commonwealth Fallen were read out and remembered with great solemnity and pride.
Following the service the congregation gathered outside and Wreaths were laid in front of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission plot.
Choir and Congregation gather at the Commonwealth War Graves Plot
The Collection for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal raised £566.
A Service of Remembrance is being held in the Village Church at 10.45am tomorrow, where we will be joined by local military units and youth groups and will commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
In this the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme we will particularly remember those who died during the First World War.
You can read about the 16 from North Luffenham who fell during WWI from this series published during the past week.