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Welcome to the latest
edition of Abtalk: our
‘lockdown’ issue
This issue is inevitably rather different in content from usual but we hope
you will enjoy reading it. We are grateful for the various contributions
provided by a large number of villagers – some photographic, some written,
some amusing, some thoughtful. We are very much aware that, whilst
lockdown provided many of us with the opportunity to enjoy a less frenetic
lifestyle in placid surroundings and wonderful weather, others may have felt
anxious, isolated or unsettled. Equally, many of you have had to endure the
frustrations and limitations of working from home or being home-schooled
and others face uncertainty in terms of future employment and financial
security. Some of you have been key
workers and have worked long hours in
unfamiliar circumstances. We dedicate
this issue to all of these people. Every
one of you deserves our thanks and our
Thursday evening applause was not just
for the heroes of the NHS but for all of
you as well.
News from
Abthorpe
June 2020
June 2020 Abtalk
Parish Council News
Since the last edition of ABTALK so Village tidiness, speed through
much has changed due to the Covid- the village, and Neighbourhood
19 pandemic. Watch remain important issues for
Local elections were postponed the Council. The wall around the
until next year. Parish Council meetings churchyard was re-pointed in late May.
have been held remotely via the Zoom The Council has agreed to continue
platform. Many volunteers within the Village Green project, keeping
the village have come forward to the paths and surrounds tidy and
help vulnerable people obtain their weed free. This is paid for from our
groceries and/or prescriptions. The share of the Solar Farm money which
precept remains unchanged at £4000; has made a big difference to what
this is the money we all pay for the the Parish Council can afford to do.
Parish Council via our Council Tax. Abthorpe now has speed signs at each
Zoom meetings have been held end of the village which should help
instead of the usual meetings, but it in reducing the speed of those driving
was necessary to cancel the Annual through the village.
village meeting. The usual reports There is a waterlogged area on the
from organisations associated with Green in front of The Old Bakehouse.
Abthorpe have been collected and This has been present for some time
are available to view on the village and is clearly not going away, despite
website. Thank you to all those who the recent dry spell. We have asked
contributed with their reports. Anglian Water to investigate and are
The Parish Council AGM was held awaiting their report. If this is nothing
last month. The Councillors remain to do with Anglian Water then it is
the same, with the only change seeing likely there is a blockage in the old
Keith Fenwick stepping down from the spring-fed village water supply which
position of Vice Chairman to be replaced would need investigating.
by Fi Noble. The Council at this meeting In the meantime please be very
re-adopted the usual code of conduct careful around this area.
and Abthorpe constitution as well as
other documents concerned with the
running of the Parish Council.
Editorial Team:
Alison Robbins robbins@abthorpe.net; 857795
Tricia Holmes tricia.holmes@abthorpe.net; 358491
Keith Fenwick keith.fenwick@abthorpe.net; 857083
2
Abtalk June 2020
500 Words
As an introduction to the main theme On top of that, wine is Britain’s most
of this issue, here is an article by valuable food import at £2bn a year.
Hilary Estall (Business Continuity There goes my cheese and wine
and Risk Consultant and Abthorpe parties up in smoke…or perhaps not.
resident) written in February 2020 We’re an enterprising and artisan lot in
when the world looked very different Great Britain and already produce fine,
and we were just waking up to what quality products, including cheese
might be to come: and wine, so perhaps my version of
“I may be over 13 years of age but Abigail’s Party is safe for another year.
here is my own entry into this year’s Hoorah for British producers and their
BBC 500 Words competition… entrepreneurial spirit! As for me, the
“This year’s bleak mid-winter is shed is filled with toilet rolls, so I’m
more “bleak” than “winter”. Never not bothered. Bring it on!
ending wind and rain with the on-trend “There’s a virus going round. That’s
naming of storms we are now so used on top of seasonal flu. It’s a balancing
to. When will we see Storm Esmeralda, act. Do I pop to the local shop or
for I believe the next one will be named risk the supermarket? Can I hold my
after a female’s name beginning with breath for the entire supermarket
E? I look out of my window as the sweep? I’ve been practising but it’s
wind cuts through my 100 year old not looking good. I reckon I’d get
pine tree and I anxiously await its past the fruit and veg section and up
demise, most likely falling directly to the books and magazine shelves
onto my house. I shut the curtains, before expiring. Well, at least I’d
turn on the TV and lose my thoughts have something to read and a carrot
in an episode of Death in Paradise. Oh, to gnaw on… but we’re being told
the sunshine and turquoise sea! For a not to worry, yet, so I’ll continue as
moment, I am transported across the normal and just practise my shallow
world to paradise and then I remember, breathing technique in the shower. It
this make-believe island has to be could be worse, I could have gone on
one of the most murderous tropical a cruise…
destinations in the world. My thoughts “Cyber security is on my mind.
return to matters closer to home. According to a recent survey (of 307
“We’re leaving the EU and have participants), many organisations
now entered the trade deal war zone. don’t verify their security is working
I’ve read that European cheeses may correctly (35%) and less than half
be impacted. Apparently the UK’s (49%) of organisations practise
biggest cheese import is Irish Cheddar. breach responses. Sadly, that doesn’t
3
June 2020 Abtalk
surprise me. And what of home users? currently studying Philosophy at Oxford
Don’t get me started. Brookes, is also an accomplished
“So, in summary, much as I dream violinist having benefited from the
of warm sunshine on my pale wintry excellent music education facilities
body and hope for uninterrupted provided in Northamptonshire and at
supplies of cheese and wine, well our local music centre in Towcester
stocked cupboards and good health, when she was younger.
I can relax in the knowledge that my She has been self-isolating in
risk assessment is up to date, supply her flat in Oxford but made good
chain verified, the cheese and wine use of her time by recording a violin
party is scheduled and I won’t run part for a project by the TV and film
short of toilet rolls any time soon. composer Ben Morales Frost, called
“Chin chin!” The Lockdown Orchestra, consisting of
150 musicians from all over the world.
Abthorpe’s Answer to Yehudi The piece was specially composed
Menuhin? by him to lift the spirits, and can be
Louise and David Gough shared this seen at
news with us: https://www.youtube.com/
“We thought you might be interested watch?v=Akcok8TIK5c
to know that our daughter Kat, who is
4
Abtalk June 2020
show on our Open Gardens
afternoon on June 28th – just
one of the many casualties
of the pandemic. (There is
still a hope that some form
of socially distanced Open
Gardens may be able to take
place if government guidance
allows, so keep an eye out
for further information).
Some residents tackled
long-overdue garden
projects. Jim and Marion
Hyde, for example, sent
Jim and Marion Hyde’s Rockery this photograph of “our
'monument' to COVID-19: a pile of
Garden Projects
stones has lain at the back of the
Above all else the overwhelming house for five years so we decided a
response amongst Abthorpe residents Rockery would be much nicer than a
to the enforced lockdown has been moss-filled grassy bank”.
“oh well, let’s take the opportunity to At the editor’s residence, it was
work on the garden.” The fruits of their decided that the lowest tier of the
labours can be seen in
the middle pages of
this issue, although
photographs alone do
not really do justice to
their efforts, capturing
just a snapshot of one
aspect of each garden
and, of course, not
able to portray the
sounds and smells of
the flowers and insects
and birds which form
such an integral part of
any garden. All of the
gardens represented
would have been on Alison and David Robbins’ refurbished ponds
5
June 2020 Abtalk
garden ponds which includes the
bog garden had become hopelessly
overgrown and silted up. The pond
was drained and much of the rampant
growth removed to give other less
pushy plants the chance to flourish.
As the water level dropped we were
able to catch the goldfish that had
made the daring Niagara Falls style
journey from the upper two ponds.
To our amazement we caught 42
goldfish in addition to 3 very large
Green Tench, an enormous toad and
over a dozen frogs, as well as 2 dozen
Golden Rudd. An advertisement on the Examples of Bill’s produce
village Facebook page brought a good
vegetable market at a time before
response and 40 goldfish have found
the big supermarkets took over the
new homes in Abthorpe’s garden
trade. I did this for 6 years before
ponds.
buying a retail nursery where, for the
next 20 years, I grew pot plants, cut
Green Fingers and Time to Spare:
flowers, and salad crops that I sold in
A Winning Combination
my farm shop. Chris and I also spent
Bill Lamb explains how he and his wife many years visiting Garden shows,
Chris grasped the opportunity that specialising in selling planted hanging
lockdown offered to indulge in their baskets, but for the last 8 years have
hobby……. concentrated on growing plants to sell
“Good things come from a bad at Car Boot Sales locally.
situation. Maybe I'm just an optimist. “We had some plants left over
Things are and will remain different but having finished with the Boot Sales.
not all bad. Whilst some villagers have Why we didn't just throw them away
been helping others with shopping or I don't know but it turned out to be a
maybe just a chat, our contribution good thing as we could donate them
to supporting the community during to the Old School for sale to Abthorpe
lockdown is to help raise funds for the residents. We advertised via the online
Old School. village notice board and through flyers
“My interest in horticulture began and posters and then delivered the
with growing tomatoes, cucumbers plants to avoid any contact.
and lettuce for Spitalfield wholesale “I've been lucky in my working life
6
Abtalk June 2020
as my hobby became my means of Nimble Fingers use their time to
making a living. Now in retirement help the NHS
I am enjoying growing my own Under the leadership of Queen Bee
vegetables – and, again, any spares Karen Sakkalli, a group of Abthorpe
can be passed on to the Old School for and other local residents have formed
sale. I've really enjoyed growing for a sewing/knitting bee group making
the Old School as I thought the skills headbands for the NHS. Karen explains
I have learnt over the last 46 years how it all started…….
had come to an end. One good thing “At the beginning of lockdown, I
to come out of a bad situation”. heard from a friend who had been
in hospital with Covid-19. One of
STOP PRESS
the nurses was wearing a somewhat
Old School ‘Pop-Up’ Plant Sale -
unusual headband. When asked about
Sat 20th June - to sell off Bill’s
it, she replied that the elastic on face
remaining stock.
masks can make your ears very sore
when worn all day long. The nurse’s
Granny had therefore designed a
pattern for a headband with buttons
“Bring Me Sunshine” which the elastic from the masks could
What better way to raise the spirits hook on to. My friend Ann-Marie was
than to nurture seeds into life – so impressed by the idea and, wanting
especially bright showy sunflowers? to do something to say thank-you for
This thought inspired Michelle Jackson all that had been done for her by the
to post the following invitation through NHS, told her daughter - who works
all our doors for the couturier Roland Mouret,
in the early and so the Sewing Bees was set up
lockdown to make headbands using Granny
weeks. Smith’s pattern.
A w a l k “When I heard this, I began to knit
through manically and even persuaded my
the village daughter, Christabel, to learn a new
reveals many lockdown skill of crotchet to boost the
of us have numbers we could make. Then the
taken up the light bulb moment occurred. Perhaps
challenge. others would like to do the same? We
Good idea, could have our own Sewing Bee! I put
Shell! a post on the Abthorpe Facebook page
- the response overwhelmed me. Four
7
June 2020 Abtalk
lovely ladies in the village volunteered 600 headbands to Hive HQ in London.
to man their sewing machines and From there they have been distributed
then we were joined by a Bee from to hospitals around the country –
Silverstone. A week later Bees from including to the world-renowned
Middleton Cheney and Farthinghoe London hospitals of St Thomas’ and
joined the hive. Packs of buttons, St Bart’s to the more local Horton in
fabric and elastic are sent to us each Banbury; from Scotland to the Isle
week and to date we have sent about of Wight. Local care homes are also
amongst the recipients as are
district nurses, midwives and
other health care workers.
To date, about 50 Sewing
Bee groups have been set
up in the country and about
6000 headbands have been
made in total. As lockdown
eases and people return to
work, the need for more
helpers increases so if there
are any more Busy Sewing
Bees out there please get
in touch or to find out more
information look on Instagram
#head_bands_for_heroes or
www.gofundme.com/f/head-
bands-for-heroes “.
STOP PRESS: A message
from Godswell Park Care
Home near Banbury: “The
headbands have been a great
success with our nursing
and care team. They are so
thankful for this very kind
donation which has assisted in
making our team feel valued.
Please say a huge thank you
to your volunteers.”
8
Abtalk June 2020
Time to….redecorate and catch-up Time seems to have stood still – yet
flown past
With Rose’s hairdressing business in
Bicester closed during lockdown, and Barbara Malcomson shares some
Gary still furloughed, the Freemans memories of how she will remember
have had time to draw breath, make Lockdown 2020:
a jobs list and catch up on tasks long “Where have the last ten weeks
overdue (does this ring bells with us gone? Like most people, we have
all?). They have appreciated having the spent many hours in the garden and
time to catch up with their accounts had time to relax in it too. We have
and clear out old files, instead of Zoomed and Skyped family and friends
having to do it
all at the end
of a long day at
work. In fact,
much though
they would both
like to be back
in their regular
employment,
t h e y a r e
wondering how
on earth they
managed to
get everything
done before and
realise that it
Freeman Hair Studio
will be hard to get
back to the ‘new normality’. and learned how Spain, Australia and
Rose and Gary have used this Singapore have managed COVID-19
lockdown opportunity to completely from those we know living there. I
redecorate and deep clean their have also Zoomed in on and enjoyed
hair salon (Freeman Hair Studio) the weekly online church services.
and the accompanying photo shows “Our son has performed some
the sparkling end result of their virtual rock music gigs to keep himself
efforts. They have also spent time sane and it was a treat both listening
sourcing masks, gloves and sanitiser to and dancing to his music for the
in preparation for when they are first time in years! Perhaps I should
allowed to re-open. have been more tolerant of the noise
9
June 2020 Abtalk
of the base guitar thudding from his Life under lockdown - the same but
bedroom all those years ago. We different
have enjoyed having time to listen Some residents – particularly those
to other music too and I have done working with livestock or on the
some housework tasks to the sound land – have had fewer disruptions to
of Queen songs – but no, I have not their daily lives than others perhaps,
vacuumed to ‘I Want to Break Free’! although even they have been affected
“Lockdown has given me time by these strange times. Here is an
to spend on crafts and finishing off account from horse breeder Caroline
uncompleted projects: Brocklehurst about life in lockdown at
their stud:
“Despite the lockdown, foaling and
getting the mares covered again has
carried on much the same as usual
here at Charlock as this is always
our busiest time of the year. We
have foaled down 17 mares this year
producing 13 fillies and just 4 colts –
ideally one would have liked it the other
way round – but all healthy, which is
what really matters. The Stud Book
does not allow artificial insemination
“As a proud Vice President for for thoroughbred mares that produce
Girlguiding in the county, I have racehorses, so natural coverings
enjoyed seeing what the leaders continued throughout lockdown but
and girls have been up to and have with strict controls; it was very
been joining in a few of their online strange travelling to Newmarket and
activities. Our summer adult camp will
now be ‘virtual’ with a theme based
on the WW2 Home Defence Guide
badge. (I wonder if the Queen took
that badge.) I feel we may be a bit
like Dad’s Army! It will not be quite
the same as chatting and laughing
with friends as we eventually drift
off to sleep under canvas but we are
all getting used to doing things a bit
differently this year.”
10Abtalk June 2020
right stallion! The vet and farrier
have continued to visit, which
has given us a link with others
and maintained a notion of some
sort of normality despite our latex
gloves and masks.
The photos show one of our
mares with her new foal and
Merlin, a Welsh Mountain pony
stallion, who is our teaser and
the busiest boy on the farm; poor
fellow sees no real action until
he goes to the Fens for the next
6 months and actually gets to
cover other pony mares but he is
vital in letting us know when our
mares are coming into season and
when they are ready to visit their
selected thoroughbred stallion.”
Unsung Heroes: Part 1
Caroline goes on to give details
of the work of St John Ambulance
with which she is involved. It is
beyond on empty roads, in fact a heartwarming but humbling to read
pleasure and on one occasion going about these fantastic volunteers:
just over 4 miles on the M1 without “I chair the fundraising committee
seeing another vehicle, which was a of St John Ambulance here in
little weird but cut down travel time Northamptonshire and because they
enormously. have been unable to earn income
“In normal circumstances we would from providing First Aid at theatres,
take the mare with her foal at foot off football matches, literary festivals
the lorry and into the covering shed and other fund raising events, they
at the stud where the chosen stallion are as a result desperately short of
stands, but this year we had to remain funds; despite this, Heidi Doggart
in the cab whilst the stud staff took and her team in Northampton have
the mare and foal off and we just been providing two fully staffed
hoped that she got covered by the ambulances a day to assist the NHS
11June 2020 Abtalk
transporting Covid-19 patients to and
from hospital, nearly 1,800 hours
of voluntary staffing in hospital last
month, 100 volunteers a day visiting
homes to provide First Aid to those
too nervous to visit A & E and whose
doctors’ surgeries are closed. St John
Ambulance hasn’t been this busy since
WW2 and many of its volunteers work
full time for the NHS or East Midlands
Ambulance Services and then give up
their own time and are amongst the
unsung heroes of the current crisis.
Should you wish to help, please text
SAVE7 to 70577 to donate £10 or you connections for Brackley Lane and the
can donate via their national website excavation work. We are expanding
www.sja.org.uk.” our fibre network using government
grants which provides very fast and
Unsung Heroes: Part 2 reliable internet connections for
Eric Malcomson reminds of us the the lucky few and boosts our radio
tireless work of those who have, access points so that your wireless
behind the scenes, made it possible connections improve.”
for us to use the technology which has So, thank you to Tim, Richard,
been such a boon during the weeks of Peter, Keith and, of course, Eric
lockdown: himself.
“I thought I would just pen a tribute
to the broadband volunteers – keeping
the network running for the members
despite the strain on it due to home
working, home schooling and Zoom
meetings a-plenty. We encourage you
to talk over any issues you may have
through the help line system which
is regularly monitored and should
prompt a response very quickly. There
are also documents to help you in the
tovevalley.com/library.
“The pictures show Tim making fibre
12Abtalk June 2020
Virtual Open Gardens
We are treating our readers to
colour pages showing the village
gardens that would have been open
to the public this month
Above - Jill and Roger
Tolson
Top right -Janet and
David Dancer
Middle right - Mary and
Roger Brennan
Right - Eric and Barbara
Malcomson
13June 2020 Abtalk
Top left - Lynn and Steve Neasham
Above - Merrilyn and Phil Berry
Bottom left - Andrew Dancer
Bottom right - Alison and David Symmers
14Abtalk June 2020
Top left - Pauline and Gordon Cox
Top right - Jan and David Walsh
Above - Richard and Carolynn Tomalin
Right - Marna Perrigo
15June 2020 Abtalk
Sian and Arthur Young’s
garden and flowers.
Peta and Tony
Travis
Mike and Jill Greenhalgh
16Abtalk June 2020
Church Closure
It will not have escaped most people’s like many other priests, has decided
notice that our church is closed and not to do so until we are able to have
is likely to remain so for some time proper services with a congregation
to come. Some villagers might be again.
wondering why they cannot go into Of course, our churchyard and
the church either to pray or simply to churchyard extension are open and
sit in a beautiful and peaceful place, have seats for contemplation and
so some clarification might be a good prayer. Both are beautifully maintained
idea. by a rota of volunteers so please do
From the start of lockdown the only take advantage of these tranquil
people given authority to enter the places (remembering, of course, about
church were Church Wardens (or, since social distancing and the need for
we have none, a member of the PCC). hand hygiene).
This was specifically to enable them However, although our church is
to check that all was well and a visual closed, services have been taking
inspection of our church is indeed place regularly through the magic
carried out each week. Although Rev of Zoom, with the live service being
Paul is now allowed into the church, recorded and put on Facebook and
either for private prayer or to take a YouTube. The response, far from
service (alone) for broadcasting, he, being half-hearted with dwindling
numbers, has been extraordinarily
With thanks to the Parish Council for
repointing the Churchyard walls, and to positive.
our mowing volunteers Each Sunday at 10.00 am the Rev
Paul welcomes
us to a short
benefice-wide
service – but
only once he
has muted the
excited voices of
residents from
all 5 villages
as they see
and greet each
other on their
screens. Various
volunteers play
17June 2020 Abtalk
their part in leading readings and We do not yet know when the
prayers, whilst our Readers Clare Ray church will re-open or what form
and Lesley Dale or Rev Paul give us the services will take when it does.
their thoughts using images or props, Lockdown is forcing us all to reconsider
courtesy of the internet. Elizabeth what is important to keep and what
Smith plays the hymns on her piano has had its day. We have moved
from her home in Towcester, and we from ‘Odeon Church’ (showing only
individually sing along – thankfully at a set time on a set day with a set
the cacophony of voices all singing format) to ‘Netflix Church’ (log on
at different speeds is tactfully muted. anytime from wherever you happen
Although the underlying tone of the to be on any day you choose). Not
service is reverent, it is also informal, surprisingly, Netflix Church is proving
fun, friendly and joyful. If you a very popular model (not just here in
would like to be invited to join the the Whittlewood Benefice but across
service, please let Barbara Malcomson the whole of the UK) with those who
know (malcomson@abthorpe.net or are unlikely to ever walk through our
857066) so she can send you the link. (currently locked) doors and walk into
It is also possible to telephone into the our cold character-forming buildings.
service if you do not have access to We have an opportunity for change -
the internet. and a challenge.
The Tote
Lockdown has had the unusual effect
of necessitating that the monthly draw
for the Tote winners, which would
normally take place at the New Inn,
now happens as a live broadcast on the
village Facebook site. But instead of
Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot or Merlin
rolling out the winning numbers, we
have Richard Tomalin: oh well!
Since the last issue of Abtalk
in mid-February, there have been
4 winners, all of whom have won
approximately £200. These are Jenny
Carter (February), Rona Cambray
(March), Maisie & Ben Holland (April)
and Jill & Roger Tolson (May).
18Abtalk June 2020
If any villager would like to join rhubarb – and plenty of it. Although
the Tote, or wishes to increase their one can never really tire of rhubarb
chances of success by buying another crumble (which seems to take men of
pair of numbers, then please contact a certain age back to their childhood
Richard (richard.tomalin@abthorpe. years), the glut required further
net). With no services providing action. The Noble family dug around
offertories, and no fund-raising and came up with a recipe for Rhubarb
activities possible, we are extremely Curd which was an instant winner.
grateful that half the money raised by Delicious with a bit of Greek yoghurt
the Tote each month is available for and strawberries, or mixed with a bit
the upkeep of the church. of cream for the meringues you have
made with the surplus egg whites, or
What’s Cooking? delicious just spooned out of the jar!
Many of us have passed the time on
some of those slow days of lockdown Rhubarb Curd
unleashing the cook/baker/home
800g rhubarb (4cm chunks)
brewer within us. The mysterious
350g caster sugar
disappearance of flour from the
6 tbsp orange juice
shelves of our supermarkets did not
5 tbsp cornflour
daunt the intrepid entrepreneurs
6 egg yolks
of Abthorpe. By fair means or foul
50g butter
(sorry, girls, we know it was all legit)
A little pink colouring (optional)
flour was procured from source,
advertised on the Village Notice
1. Roast rhubarb, 100g sugar
Board and distributed to very grateful
and orange juice at 170 degree
householders. Baking commenced
fan, Gas 6 for 25 mins
and, as someone remarked after their
2. Blend rhubarb into smooth
daily exercise, “fitter, but fatter”!
puree
Not being the season for the
3. Whisk/stir continuously puree,
typical soft fruit associated with jam-
egg yolks, sugar and cornflour
making, we looked in our gardens
over low heat until thickened
for alternative produce and came up
4. Add butter and pink colouring
with……
and boil for 1 min
5. Sterilise 4 jars in oven for
5-10 mins
6. Pour in curd and lid
7. Store in the fridge
19June 2020 Abtalk
Others went into the mass The New Inn’s New Venture
production of rhubarb and ginger Many of us have sorely missed popping
jam and more than one household round to the New Inn for a drink, to
has used those gorgeous pink stems enjoy a meal, to meet up with friends
to make rhubarb gin. and neighbours, to take part in the
Meanwhile as the May blossom monthly quiz and to be given that
fades and the elderflowers appear, lovely welcome from Rob and ‘the
time to make that cordial…. team’. But whilst most of the bar
and restaurant staff have had to be
And talking of looking for flour in furloughed, Rob and Stuart have put
supermarkets…… in a sterling effort to help support and
bring cheer to the community by the
With apologies to Wordsworth provision of a home-delivery service.
I wandered lonely as a cloud Fresh ingredients are used to prepare
Two metres from the madding crowd many tempting dishes which can be
When all at once my name was called re-heated in the microwave or oven
To enter Waitrose hallowed hall at home (or put in the freezer for
another time).
This was the pensioners’ special hour The extensive menu includes old
I’d gone to get a bag of flour favourites, exotic dishes from around
But I forgot, when through the door the world, as well as vegetarian and
What I had gone to Waitrose for vegan dishes, and new choices are
added regularly. There is also a good
The Waitrose staff are extra kind selection of desserts on offer, and the
I told them it had slipped my mind prices are extremely reasonable.
They asked what else I had forgot
This home-delivery service is
They clearly thought I’d lost the plot
available from Tuesday to Saturday
- simply pre-order on 01327 857306
I phoned my wife again to ask.
or 01280 630010 to place your order
She reminded me of this special task:
(minimum order of £15).
‘I need some flour to bake a cake
with all that cream you made me take’
The team is happy to deliver
not just to Abthorpe but also to
‘Ah yes, I recall’, I had to lie Wappenham, Syresham, Blakesley,
I dared not ask what flower to buy Bradden, Slapton, Weston, Foscote,
But then I saw them next the tills Silverstone, Woodend, Lois Weedon,
A bunch of golden daffodils! Towcester, and Greens Norton. For
prices and details of the weekly menu,
Poet Unknown visit the New Inn Facebook page.
20Abtalk June 2020
And finally, congratulations to chef
HOT MEALS - AVAILABLE FOR HOME
DELIVERY Steve who took the plunge and got
married on 29th February. Best wishes
Fresh Billingsgate Fish In Batter & to the happy couple.
Chunky Chips - £7.95
Sausage & Chips - £5.95 Twitchers and Springwatchers
Battered Sausage & Chips - £5.95 Living where we do in the heart of the
Pie & Chips - £7.95
rolling South Northants countryside,
Portion of Chips - £2.95
and many of us being blessed with
Mushy Peas - £1.50
gardens, it is not surprising that, as
Curry Sauce - £1.50
lockdown has forced the pace of life
Gravy - £1.50
to slow down, we have had time to
Southern Fried Chicken in a Basket
(5 fillets) - £6.95
appreciate the emergence of spring
and the new life the season brings.
STONE BAKED ITALIAN PIZZA In particular, with the quieter roads
Ham hock, mushroom and pineapple and skies, the bird song has caught
Bbq chicken and flame roast pepper our attention and as we have learned
Fully loaded pepperoni pizza to listen and watch, many of us have
Vegetable supreme - flame roasted become captivated by the lives of
pepper, mushroom, sweet corn and our avian friends. We have found
roasted onion
great pleasure in feeding the wild
£7.95 - 10 inch pizza
birds that visit our gardens and some
of us have set up nesting boxes -
An exciting range of prepared meals
is also available for you to cook it is thrilling moment when a pair
at home, such as Pork loin steak, takes up residence. A nest-cam in
lyonnaise potato, fresh vegetables the nesting box on the side of Eric
and a cider and candied apple sauce
and Barbara Malcomson’s house
- £5.95
But there is more: The team also
offers a 2-course Sunday lunch,
delivered to your door (‘10 minutes to
the table with no washing up’) and are
currently planning a special 3-course
Fathers Day menu for Sunday June
21st.
And, of course, bottled beer and
wine are also available to purchase. Parent bluetit with food for chicks
21June 2020 Abtalk
has enabled Abthorpe
residents once again to
follow the progress of a
pair of bluetits and their
young. It is known that
at least 2 chicks fledged
successfully.
In the neighbouring
garden, one of a pair of
crows tries to emulate
the bluetits’ skill on
the fat ball feeder but
discovers it is not as easy
as it looks.
A spotted woodpecker
is a regular visitor in David
5 chicks in the nest and Alison Symmers’
garden and they also had a surprise visit from a
sparrow hawk.
But some garden visitors have to be discouraged
to give others a chance. Roger Tolson spent many
(very many) hours during lockdown designing and
building
a luxury
jackdaw-
proof bird
f e e d e r
(see photo
on facing
Above: Crow R: Woodpecker page).
Although Jill, his self-appointed
marketing manager, says Roger would
be willing to take commissions for his
soon-to-be-patented design, she feels
that the number of man-hours spent
on making one would probably put the
feeder out of most people’s financial
reach…..
22Abtalk June 2020
Plant has relished
the opportunity
of lockdown to be
creative in some
interesting and
unusual ways. The
first two photos
show ceramic
tiles on which she
painted designs
using ceramic
paint, followed by
a clear glaze before
being fired at 950
degrees.
Using an entirely different medium,
Monica, with additional help from
her daughter Sally, produced the
Losing oneself in Art artwork shown
Abthorpe is home to a surprising in these last two
number of both amateur and photos. She first
professional artists, and there is does a painting
perhaps no better way to pass the time on paper using
than immersing oneself in producing special dyes and
some artwork. The lack of other then the design
distractions and demands on one’s time is transferred on
provide ideal conditions too. Monica to material using
a hot press.
The material
can be used
to make soft
furnishings,
cards and
other items.
23June 2020 Abtalk The Daily Exercise with the prominent church spires of Thoughts from our Parish Path Abthorpe and Green’s Norton as your Warden…….. guide. To describe localwalking routes ‘I wandered Lonely as a Cloud..... in detail would require more space Few can have failed to notice the than is available here, but footpath dramatic increase in cyclists, walkers maps are widely available though the and runners in the parish over the OS, or the South Northants website. past weeks, all taking solace in nature The Parish Council and the Path and the outdoors, and trying to ease Warden (David Robbins) also hold the burden of our locked down lives. copies of the local definitive maps. Not daffodils, except in the many well tended village gardens, but perhaps bluebells carpeting the local woods, or the swathes of buttercups in the meadows. As Wordsworth went on to write in his famous poem: “In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye, Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills.....” For many it has been a time to investigate some of the best of rural Northamptonshire around Abthorpe. David Robbins carrying out some of his Yet outside of a few hotspots such as duties as Parish Path Warden Ox Bridge and Bucknell Woods, walk just a few hundred metres beyond our village and you can have the countryside to yourself (plus quite a few sheep). If you have an hour or two to spare then, as I have discovered myself, the local footpath network can take the walker on broad circuits, not just within the parish, but looping through neighbouring villages such as Silverstone, Slapton, Bradden, and even Green’s Norton with its pocket park; all within easy reach, and 24
Abtalk June 2020
The countryside is varied; with VE Day 75
streams, woodlands, pastures, some The cancellation of the long weekend
full of wild flowers at this time of year, of celebrations which had been a year
and arable fields laid out across the in the planning was one of the major
rolling Northamptonshire countryside. disappointments of the lockdown.
So if you haven’t yet, get out there Months of preparation down the drain
and enjoy it, and if you have then I and the opportunity to get the whole
hope you will continue to do so after village involved wasted. But were
lockdown is over. we downcast? Did we sit at home
As lockdown restrictions eased
up, Nigel and Fleur Jones relished the
chance to take their daily exercise on
a boat – and of course the dog went
too. Here they are paddling on the
River Thames through Oxford.
Meanwhile, back in Abthorpe, their
son and daughter-in-law, Callum and
Hannah Jones spent their first wedding
anniversary……………going to the pub
for a drink? NO! Going out to a nice
restaurant for a special meal? NO!
Painting a fence? YUP! Such is life
in lockdown.
25June 2020 Abtalk
and sulk? No! We decided to make the best of
the situation and do what we could to enjoy
ourselves whilst adhering strictly to government
guidelines. So out came the flags, out came the
picnic rugs and chairs, out came home-made
cake and sandwiches, cream teas and something
to wash it down with. Some residents dressed
up, others dressed
down, but what fun
it was to spend time
with our neighbours
after weeks of being
secluded.
Left: Lucy Jones in her
Grandmother’s 1945
dress
Above: Helen Taylor as a Land
Army Girl
Below and on opposite page: Socially distanced groups
of villagers enjoying picnics in the sunshine
26Abtalk June 2020
27June 2020 Abtalk
And Finally
Tricia and Ashley Jones of Brackley Lane will remember March 2020 for
completely different reasons to anyone else in the village, for on March 29th
at 3.42 am Sofia Rose Brewer Jones was born. Her six brothers and sisters
absolutely adore their new baby sister, and when you look at the photo you
can see why. Congratulations and best wishes to you all.
The family Jones siblings from l to r:
Leo (3), Jack-Dee (6), Tia-Maria (5) with Sofia,
Mia (14) with Alfie (2) and Sonney (4)
Sofia Rose Brewer Jones
Other News in Brief
In the final Pub Quiz before lockdown on February 23rd, the winners were,
not for the first time, Tows on Tour. £200 was raised from 10 teams and was
donated to the Dogs Trust.
The Leap Year Lunches held on February 29th in support of the Old School
raised £243. It was a very well supported and most jolly occasion with 72
lunches made by the girls in the kitchen.
In early March, 3 men spent 4 days digging a trench to take the water from
the Plum Pudding spring at the approach to the village. The aim was to direct
the water down the side of the road to a soakaway into which they put 2 tons
of gravel rather than spilling across it. The boss was sceptical about its chance
of success. He was right to be.
Jill Tolson wonders whether anyone has a copy of Reg Chapman’s book
‘Those I Have Loved’ Vol.2? One of the ladies who helped on the Old School
Project and whose Dad ran the New Inn for a while and then Home Farm,
would love a copy.
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