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Oh dear... I’ve hit more animals in my car this year than my combined total throughout decades of driving. You might think from my mea culpa that I’m guilty of having killed hundreds. You certainly wouldn’t conclude that the doe I hit on my way to Northampton was my first ever such incident. Similarly, if you’d heard BBC late news reporting a local school’s “doubling” of Covid cases, you would not have thought, as I later discovered, that there were just two cases, up from one the previous week, and that neither pupil was ill. Nor would you have realised from initial reports that a “cluster of infections in fully vaccinated healthcare workers in New Delhi”, which prompted calls from scientists to reintroduce lockdown here, involved no serious illness whatsoever. You might have retired to bed haunted by those bulletins, just as I’m still haunted by that discombobulated doe dashing..

The welcoming Hawthorns retirement community in Northampton, recipients of the prestigious Hospitality Assured award for its first-class services, provides quality independent living for the retirement sector.    This landmark building adjoins open fields yet is close to amenities such as shops, restaurants, a multiplex cinema and a leisure complex with a pool and excellent transport links. With spacious studios, 1-bed and 2-bed apartments, all with kitchenette, en-suite shower and flat-screen TV, it’s a safe and secure community with round-the-clock management and call system.  The Hawthorns is the established and expert rental retirement operator in the UK, having first opened a service some 25 years ago. It maintains a unique and market-leading approach to retirement living, with an all-inclusive rental model instead of purchasing, which often includes hidden costs such as ground rent, service charges, and maintenance alongside costly ‘exit’ fees. The all-inclusive Hawthorns rental model offers clarity, easy planning, and..

A Northamptonshire charity is donating 50 sleeping bags to help protect members of the county’s homeless community and keep them warm. The Centre for Policy, Promotion and Prevention (CPPP) is a non-governmental organisation which works on projects across the UK promoting improved cohesion between marginal communities and the wider society. With an unseasonal cold snap hitting the county in recent days, and temperatures crashing to as low as -4C in parts, fears have been raised that homeless people could be left unprotected against any unexpected icy weather. Naz Islam, co-director of the charity, has handed over 50 sleeping bags to Northampton Hope Centre, with the bedding to be distributed among some of the area’s most vulnerable residents. He said: “It may be Spring time but with snow on the ground last week it won’t have felt particularly pleasant for many of our local homeless people. This donation will go some..

Ride High, a local children’s charity that transforms the lives of vulnerable children, is inviting you to get riding this summer…. but surprisingly not on a horse – ‘on yer bike’! It is organising the first Ride High Cycle Challenge, and after the stress and restraints of the last year this is a great opportunity to experience adventure and achievement in the great outdoors in 2021.  You can choose a 50 or 100 mile carefully planned road route through picturesque villages and stunning countryside in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. Starting and finishing at the charity’s home in central Milton Keynes, there will be fuel stations and roaming support along both routes. Awaiting you at the finish line will be a well-earned celebratory barbeque and the Ride High children will present finishers with hand-crafted medals.  This will be a fun and friendly event – accessible to everyone (aged 18+) who would like to achieve something amazing whilst raising funds..

With work slowing during the pandemic, two cabbies in the town could have parked up their motors and put their feet up for a few months. But they wanted to do something to help during these testing times.  Now they are as busy as they ever were, ferrying people to get their vaccinations. And they are doing it for free. Sammy Jones found out more… We’ve all heard about spats between cabbies and unofficial turf wars. It makes for good reading, but if you are hoping to find one of those stories here, you are out of luck and should turn the page. Instead, this is a tale of two drivers who share a mutual respect and have teamed up to benefit Northamptonshire residents – by offering free return trips to covid vaccination appointments. Nick Metaxas who heads up Holcot Cars and Freddie Fudge who runs Flat Cap Cabs are offering..

Andrew Lewer MP for Northampton South The Covid-19 crisis may have stopped lots of activities, but Census 2021 is going ahead. This decennary event has been delivering vital information about how we live every ten years since 1801, with the exception of 1941.   It was not until 1841 that people’s names were recorded to the census, which added hugely to its value for historians. Since then extra detail has been added, such as profession and place of birth in 1851, but there have been significant losses, such as much data from the 1861 census, due to poor storage, and the complete destruction of the materials behind the 1931 census in a discarded cigarette related fire in 1942. I cannot overestimate the importance of the data and information that these censuses provide. Even in this data driven world, it still fundamentally informs and shapes the services that Government and its..

Many of us are working from home or perhaps furloughed and not working at all because of the pandemic. But some businesses don’t stop, and the work can’t be carried out from the confines of the home office. Northamptonshire’s Animals in Need centre is one of them. Volunteers are hard at work as usual, ensuring their menagerie of rescue animals are healthy and happy. Two of those volunteers making a difference during these challenging times shared their stories with Pulse’s Sammy Jones. Rachel Wilson began volunteering her services nearly six years ago. “Finding myself out of work, not wanting to return to sitting at a desk all day and above all, having a love of animals, I decided it would be a good way to see if I could make a career change,” she said,..

To celebrate Northamptonshire garden birds, five star housebuilders Barratt and David Wilson Homes has launched a digital bird quiz to encourage people to learn more about where their feathered friends live. Like property seekers, birds need homes, and this quiz aims to highlight how residents in the county can help to provide a space for wildlife in their gardens. The launch of the quiz coincides with National Nestbox Week, which runs from 14th to the 21st February and encourages people to create homes for birds, whether these are built from scratch or bought from a shop. It comes as part of the leading housebuilder’s commitment to making wildlife friendly developments and celebrates its national partnership with the RSPB. Each entrant of the quiz will be able to learn more about their feathered friends as they’re asked to match common birds to their perfect homes. They will also be given the..

Brian Binley: A Tribute Although we had moved in similar circles for some time, the first time I met Brian beyond being at the same functions was in the run up to the 2017 General Election, and it was after the election that we really got to know each other and with it, a strong political, personal and lasting bond developed. The Brian I knew was intelligent, sharp minded and very witty. You always came away from a lunch or a dinner with Brian much jollier and contented than when you arrived. Having known of the challenges and pressures of being an MP I always felt that he ‘had my back’. He had also a rich and varied career starting first as a shoe factory operative at 15 years old and ending up as the MP for Northampton South until his retirement.  He joined the Conservative Party in 1958 and..

What we can learn from 2020 What a year to review. On Thursday 12th of December 2019 I was re-elected with over 51% of the popular vote in Northampton South. It had been a disagreeable campaign on the part of my most prominent opponents and the size of the victory was therefore all the more pleasing, locally and nationally. My Party achieved a convincing 80 seat majority in the House of Commons. Political representation in this country was transformed with large numbers of industrial and urban towns in the Midlands and the North turning blue, some for the very first time. I therefore had high hopes for a calmer and yet more productive period in British politics, with some of my own priorities, such as reform of adult social care, greater state / independent school cooperation, devolving powers to local government and a big push on housing looking likely to..

intu Milton Keynes will safely open for non-essential retail on Wednesday 2 December at 9.30am with extended shopping hours, following the government’s announcement. The festive lights will be turned on, the smell of mulled wine will fill the air and the countdown to Christmas begins. The regional shopping destination will offer additional hours (2nd - 20 December: 9.30am-6pm Monday to Wednesday, 9.30am-8pm Thursday & Friday, Saturday 9.30am-7pm, Sunday 11-5pm, 21-23 December: 9.30am-8pm*) to encourage shoppers to stagger their visit throughout the day, where possible. Good news, intu Milton Keynes will be open Christmas Eve from 9.30am-6pm for shoppers wanting to get some last-minute ‘panic buys’. Wearing a face covering in the centre will continue to be mandatory and intu Milton Keynes’ team will be reminding everyone to do so if necessary. Hand sanitisers will remain at entrances and exits and throughout the mall and visitors are reminded to adhere to..

During April and May it did seem that most of our time at Dragonfly Traveller HQ was spent rebooking holidays, chasing refunds and cancelling holidays. We were also busy keeping our clients up to date with what was happening with their holiday and giving them advice on how to be safe and careful in their decision making. Every client who was due a holiday refund has now received their refund. And lots of 2020 holidays have been moved to 2021. Now, it does feel like there is some light at the end of tunnel, even though the length of the tunnel is a little tricky to measure. Between May and October - thanks in some part to the publishing of the travel corridor list by the Government (a list of countries, territories and regions from where you can travel to England and not have to self-isolate on your return) -..

Age UK Northamptonshire is set to keep their shopping and hot meals delivery services, due to increasing demand across Northamptonshire. Originally set up as temporary, emergency services in response to lockdown, the charity has decided to keep both services as permanent offerings for older people across Northamptonshire.   The charity closed the doors to its day centres following the government’s introduction of lockdown in March. Clients who had been attending the day centres and benefitting from social contact, hot meals, haircuts and baths, were no longer able to access that support. Older people in general, especially those with health conditions, were advised to self-isolate which meant getting access to essential grocery shopping, medication and hot meals became extremely difficult for many.  In response to this, the charity quickly set up emergency deliveries, so far providing 2754 meals, 1627 loads of shopping, collected 201 prescriptions and provided transport 14 times to appointments. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and clients are grateful that Age UK Northamptonshire have been able to provide a much-needed lifeline. Given the growth in demand and the likelihood that even after lockdown is lifted, older people will need to remain cautious, the charity has implemented ways to make the services sustainable.  Older people are now able to order a two-course, freshly prepared meal which is delivered..

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is looking to document the pandemic for a digital exhibition to be shown once the museum reopens and is asking members of the public to record their own experiences of Covid-19 and collect objects, stories and information during lockdown. These items could include stories of lockdown, for example a lockdown video diary, or photographs of rainbows and messages of thanks that appear in neighbours’ windows. The museum is also calling for stories from NHS workers and carers, as well as how the work of other key workers such as delivery drivers, supermarket employees and postal workers has changed and how Northamptonshire is showing appreciation for these heroes. The exhibition will also include how local businesses are coping with the massive changes brought about by Covid-19 and will acknowledge those people who have lost their lives due to Covid-19 across the county. Councillor Anna King, cabinet..

A Northamptonshire charity is offering local community organisations the use of its warehousing facilities and van for free during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the temporary closure of its three centres and its essential ‘Living & Learning’ services being delivered remotely, Teamwork Trust – which supports autistic adults and adults with mental health needs and learning and physical disabilities – will be letting charities and community projects use its large Transit, factory floor facilities and storage rooms in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough. Graham Marshall, Teamwork Trust’s operations director said: “Our Teamwork staff and volunteers have been working very hard to set up successful programme of support for adults with special needs, which runs remotely, via phone calls or online, during this period. With our three centres temporarily out of action, it made sense to offer our facilities to help other important projects.” Kettering Food Bank and Revolution Zero have already been..