TowcesterTown CrierTowcesterTown Crier

Issue 167 December 2016 Town Hall, Towcester

The Town Mayor, Cllr David Tarbun, and members of the Town Council wish you all...

‘A Very Mery Christmas & A Happy New Year’

Photographs courtesy of Nicholas Holder

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A word from the Mayor... That time of year is coming around again where the leaves start falling, the evenings get darker and it starts getting colder. The best thing about Towcester in winter is that the town comes to life, both visually and in the activities taking part around the town. Personally, I am excited to see the town light up again with the Christmas trees above the shops and the light display on the Town Hall.

I am looking forward to being busy this Christmas and seeing what the town and its various groups and organisations have going on. The diary is already filling up with invites. Then there are the usual events that the family attend each year including the Open Air Carol Service on the Market Square and various church services.

In early October I enjoyed a visit to one of my chosen charities, Towcester Scouts. It was great to see that scouting has not changed too much since I was one. They still have the same principles, games and fun that I remember. I talked to them about my role as Mayor and what Towcester Town Council does. Then, when they were given the opportunity to ask me some questions, I was not quite prepared for what came next!! The questions ranged from “Can I have a go with your chain?” to “Why can’t my neighbour make changes to their grade 2 Listed Building?” One thing is for sure; they are a very smart bunch and have some very good ideas about Towcester’s future needs. I look forward to seeing them all again for their ‘Come Dine with Me” night later this month.

The Towcester Cookbook is now available and selling well. You can find copies at Towcester Library, Colemans, Towcester Tea Rooms, Radmore Farm Shop in Litchborough and the Red Lion Pub in Litchborough. It costs £4.95 and all proceeds go to the Town Mayors Charities. I would like to thank everyone who contributed the 99 recipes including in the book; I was overwhelmed by the response.

Some good news for you! The Town Council has completed the purchase of the old library building and work is already underway to bring the building back to life as a new community building, called the Sawpits Centre. This move will not only protect this historic building from future development but will also provide the town with a place for local groups and organisations to meet. A big thank you to all involved in the project and the hard work it took to secure the building.

I would like to say a massive thank you to those who came to my ‘Night at the Dogs’ fundraiser. Much fun and enjoyment was had and most who attended ended up leaving with more money than when they arrived. I was not so lucky but we managed to raise a nice amount for my charities, Macmillan Nurses Northampton General Hospital and Towcester Scouts. The New Year will bring more events to raise funds for my chosen charities. Due to popular demand, we will be running a second quiz on Friday, 27th January 2017 and the Town Mayor’s Ball will be taking place on Saturday, 18th March 2017 (theme to be decided). Please keep your eyes out for more details.

To finish, my family and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope 2017 brings you all good fortune. David Tarbun Town Mayor

A word from the Mayor...A word from the Mayor... That time of year is coming around again where the leaves start falling, the evenings get darker and it starts getting colder. The best thing about Towcester in winter is that the town comes to life, both visually and in the activities taking part around the town. Personally, I am excited to see the town light up again with the Christmas trees above the shops and the light display on the Town Hall.

I am looking forward to being busy this Christmas and seeing what the town and its various groups and organisations have going on. The diary is already filling up with invites. Then there are the usual events that the family attend each year including the Open Air Carol Service on the Market Square and various church services.

In early October I enjoyed a visit to one of my chosen charities, Towcester Scouts. It was great to see that scouting has not changed too much since I was one. They still have the same principles, games and fun that I remember. I talked to them about my role as Mayor and what Towcester Town Council does. Then, when they were given the opportunity to ask me some questions, I was not quite prepared for what came next!! The questions ranged from “Can I have a go with your chain?” to “Why can’t my neighbour make changes to their grade 2 Listed Building?” One thing is for sure; they are a very smart bunch and have some very good ideas about Towcester’s future needs. I look forward to seeing them all again for their ‘Come Dine with Me” night later this month.

The Towcester Cookbook is now available and selling well. You can find copies at Towcester Library, Colemans, Towcester Tea Rooms, Radmore Farm Shop in Litchborough and the Red Lion Pub in Litchborough. It costs £4.95 and all proceeds go to the Town Mayors Charities. I would like to thank everyone who contributed the 99 recipes including in the book; I was overwhelmed by the response.

Some good news for you! The Town Council has completed the purchase of the old library building and work is already underway to bring the building back to life as a new community building, called the Sawpits Centre. This move will not only protect this historic building from future development but will also provide the town with a place for local groups and organisations to meet. A big thank you to all involved in the project and the hard work it took to secure the building.

I would like to say a massive thank you to those who came to my ‘Night at the Dogs’ fundraiser. Much fun and enjoyment was had and most who attended ended up leaving with more money than when they arrived. I was not so lucky but we managed to raise a nice amount for my charities, Macmillan Nurses Northampton General Hospital and Towcester Scouts. The New Year will bring more events to raise funds for my chosen charities. Due to popular demand, we will be running a second quiz on Friday, 27th January 2017 and the Town Mayor’s Ball will be taking place on Saturday, 18th March 2017 (theme to be decided). Please keep your eyes out for more details.

To finish, my family and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope 2017 brings you all good fortune. David Tarbun Town Mayor

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Towcester Studio Band

Towcester Studio Band congratulates former member and conductor, Mr Martyn Brabbins, on his appointment as Music Director of the English National Opera.

Martyn began his musical career with Towcester Junior Band and became Solo Euphonium of the Senior Band in the 1970s, whilst still at school. After University, Martyn succeeded Mr Bill Scholes as Musical Director and conducted the Band with success from 1980 until 1984 when other professional opportunities took him away. For more information about Martyn see: www.intermusica.co.uk/artist/Martyn-Brabbins/news

Towcester Studio Band members are beginning to feel Christmassy as we have just started to rehearse Christmas music for our annual Christmas Concert at St Lawrence Church on Wednesday, 21st December 2016. Start time is 7:30pm and tickets (including refreshments) are £7 and are available on the door. The Band is still full of talent and we would love to see you there.

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Twelve Days of Christmas with Towcester Choral Society this winter Towcester Choral Society's Christmas concerts will take place on Friday 16th and Saturday

17th December at Towcester Town Hall, starting at 7:30pm.

This year, as with previous years, the concert is expected to be a wonderfully festive event

bringing joy and excitement to the audience to ensure that you leave feeling in the festive

mood! The concert is entitled 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', featuring music by Bob Chilcott

and Ralph Vaughan Williams as well as carols and other Christmas songs. Seasonal

refreshments will be provided during the interval.

Tickets are now available.

For more information please visit www.towcesterchoralsociety.org.uk or keep in touch via our

Facebook page.

Forthcoming concert: 'The Armed Man' in St Lawrence Church, Towcester on 9th April.

Further details to follow...

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OLD TOWCESTER 17 – THE REFORTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TOWCESTER One of the reasons why the ruined defences of the Roman town of Lactodorum were chosen by King Edward the Elder of Wessex as the site of a burh (a fortified settlement) in his campaign against the Danes may have been its positioning on the road network at the time. He certainly needed somewhere close to Northampton, which was one of the centres of Danish power in the Midlands, and also a location which he could supply from existing burghs in his control such as Buckingham. The Gough Map, which dates from around 1400, is the earliest to show Towcester and has on it routes marked in red. It does not show the stretch of Watling Street immediately south of Towcester; instead the route goes from Towcester to Buckingham and from Buckingham to Stony Stratford. This begs the question of how much of Watling Street between Towcester and the ford across the River Great Ouse at Old Stratford was badly rutted, lacked bridges and impassable in wet weather? If this stretch of the road was unusable for long periods during the year then Towcester may have been significant as the point where Watling Street cart traffic heading south was diverted westward making it strategically significant. It was in April 917 during a short period when there was comparative peace with the local Danes that the forces of Edward the Elder began to refortify the Roman defences of Lactodorum and convert them into a burh. Parts of the Roman defences were then over 700 years old and the more recent additions, the towers, had been standing about 500 years. After such a long time it would have been very unlikely that the walls stood complete and the ditches had not silted-up considerably. Whether there was a ford or a bridge where Watling Street crossed the River Tove is not known but there was probably a road to Brackley Road and another crossing the valley towards Easton Neston and Northampton. No minor Roman roads within the town appear to have continued through to this period. There is slight archaeological evidence indicating that the troops sent by Edward the Elder re-dug the town ditches and it would be assumed that vulnerable sections of the town wall were re-enforced with timber palisades. Gates would have been constructed at the entrances to the town possibly making use of the ruined Roman gatehouses if they survived. Being within 10 miles of the Danes at Northampton it is likely that Edward the Elder anticipated retaliation. Some years earlier the Danes from Northampton and Leicester had raided the kingdom of Wessex and killed many men in Hook Norton but were routed on their return just outside Luton.

During the summer of 917 the combined Danish forces of Northampton and Leicester, re-enforced with other Danes to the north, attacked the Towcester burh believing that they could take it by storm. Although we cannot be certain, it is probable that the Danish Army approached along the route from Easton Neston, forded the Tove and attacked a West Gate constructed on Chantry Lane between Moat lane and the Mill. This attacking force would make for the town gates as these were the weakest points and it is very likely that the men of Wessex formed ‘shield walls’ around these i.e. a large group of men with those at the front interlocking their shields to create a barrier The sound of hundreds of men banging their sword pommels against their shields was probably the prelude to the attack as both sides faced up to each other. The Danish onslaught lasted all day but the men inside the burh were able to get word out that they were under attack. When reinforcements arrived the Danes gave up and probably returned to Northampton from where they made night raids taking both captives and cattle from the Kingdom of Wessex east of Oxford.

Clearly the Danish forces at Northampton posed a threat to Towcester and the Edward the Elder’s kingdom. That autumn Edward the Elder brought his forces to Passenham and camped there whilst his men reinforced

Church Meadow Towcester looking towards the Church. This was the location of the medieval road to Northampton and the possible route taken by the attacking Danes in 917

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the burh at Towcester with a stone wall. There was probably no shortage of stone available as the ruins of Roman buildings would have lain close to the surface or still survived as ruins. The completion of this stone-walled fortress at Towcester gave the men of Wessex the strategic advantage and Jarl Thurfeth at Northampton together with those Danish leaders who owed allegiance to him submitted to the authority of Edward bringing peace to the area.

Within the defended walls of Towcester the peace allowed a settlement to develop which had soon grown significantly enough to become the centre of administration for the local “hundred” that was established later in the 10th century. In 1086 Towcester Hundred included Evenley, Gayton, Pattishall, Cold Higham, Hinton-in-the Hedges, Astcote, Tiffield and Foxley. Land owning men from each of these settlements would meet on a monthly basis at the Hundred Court in Towcester to administer the law, keep the peace and deal with taxation. The 1086 Domesday account of Towcester indicates a population of less than 100 but whether this included the population of Abthorpe (which was part of Towcester up until 1737) Caldecote and Wood Burcote is uncertain as these settlements may not have existed at that time. There was a mill at Towcester but no church is mentioned. Domesday records the loss of ‘smiths’ at both Towcester and Greens Norton (including Blakesley & Adstone). Before 1066 both Towcester and Greens Norton produced an annual income of £12 for the King. Of this sum smiths in Towcester contributed £5 and those in Greens Norton £7. What these smiths were producing has not been established, perhaps it was weapons and mail, but the account is suggestive that ‘smithing’ was a significant occupation in both places.

The Domesday account is the only information we have on this significant period but might not give a true indication of how much the town had developed during the 150 years after the creation of the burh. In 1065, the year before the Battle of Hastings, the county was badly affected when the armies of Northumberland and Mercia met at Northampton as part of a campaign to overthrow Tostig, Earl of Northumbria and the brother of the future King Harold. For a period the two armies terrorised the area slaying men, burning houses and corn, carrying off many thousands of livestock and taking many hundreds of captives to the north so that Northamptonshire and neighbouring counties were for many years the poorer. What impact this had on the towns of the county, including Towcester, is not stated but it might have been considerable. Were the smiths taken at this time? During the 20 years of the reign of William the Conqueror the value of Towcester increased from £12 to £25. Was this due to growth of the town or the recovery after the impact of the northern armies on Northamptonshire? From this point the population of the town grew as Towcester developed through trade along Watling Street and the growth of its regular market until checked by the plagues of the 14th century.

Brian L Giggins (Sources: “Anglo-Saxon England” by Sir Frank Stenton, Professor of History at Reading University, 2001; “The Anglo Saxon Chronicle” translated by G Garmonsway, 1978 & “Domesday Book Northamptonshire” edited by Frank & Caroline Thorn, 1979)

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The Plough Re-opens after Refurbishment

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Victorian Christmas at Towcester Museum

The museum will be hosting its annual ‘Victorian Christmas’ thus year on Saturday 10th December between 10am and 4pm. To celebrate the beginning of our fifth year as the town’s museum we will be allowing free admission to all visitors to our exhibitions throughout the day. The museum shop will be decorated in period style, so visitors can experience the charm and atmosphere of a Dickensian Christmas. Our staff, dressed in Victorian costume, will serve mulled wine, Christmas punch and our locally brewed heritage ales and there will be a selection of festive treats, including mince pies and gingerbread.

There will be a craft workshop for children of all ages to make traditional Christmas decorations to take home. We will also conduct ‘show and tell’ sessions for children allowing them to handle original artefacts and have fun learning about life in Victorian Towcester.

You will be able to find the perfect Christmas present from our gift shop, which sells an assortment of old fashioned merchandise and many Towcester branded goods.

Towcester Goes to War! - Heritage Lottery fund Museum World War One Commemorations

A series of exhibitions, displays and re-enactment events will be staged by the museum to commemorate the events of the last two years of the Great War and the role played by the people of the Towcester district in these momentous events. The commemorations are sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund which has donated £10,000 towards the project. These events will include school visits, talks by local military historians, artefact collectors and representatives of World War 1 re-enactment societies. This heritage project will allow us to tell the very personal stories of men and women who served during the First World War and the families who were affected by it. The project will run from November 2016 to November 2018; further details can be found on the museum website.

Towcester Railway Exhibition Attracts Record Visitor Numbers

On Saturday 20th August, Towcester Museum opened a temporary exhibition to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Stratford upon Avon Midland Railway, which used to run through the town. The response to this exhibition has been extraordinary and it has attracted many hundreds of visitors. The exhibition includes an audio-visual display of steam locomotives and a scaled model of Towcester Railway station, together with an amazing collection of railway artefacts. We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Cooperative Supermarket and the Eric Stanton Trust who jointly sponsored this event. The exhibition is scheduled to run until the end of February 2017 and if you haven’t yet been, it is well worth a visit!

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Northampton Young Carers fly at Sywell Aerodrome The Rotary Club of Towcester is delighted to announce that after the unsuccessful attempt in May this year to take the Northamptonshire Young Carers up into the air, the recent sunny weather has meant that the other day ten Northamptonshire Young Carers were able to go up into planes at Sywell aerodrome.

Our Young Carers have a difficult life and to be able to offer them some respite, fun and excitement is immensely rewarding. The Young Carers had an absolutely fabulous day and so much so that one of them has declared that he would like to become a pilot! The Rotary Club of Towcester holds many fund raising events throughout the year and one of the things that the Club does with the money it raises is to sponsor activities for groups such as Northamptonshire Young Carers.

For the ten children who were able to take to the skies the other day, they have not only created some fabulous memories and had some relief from their daily responsibilities, but they have also had their confidence boosted and in one case, a life changing experience.

“The impact that such a day can have on a child is quite extraordinary and it is achievable through Rotarians giving their time to organise the event – but also because of the Pilots – Kevin, Chris and Bryan who not only gave up their time and provided their planes free of charge – but also showed the Young Carers how exciting and fun piloting can be. We must also not forget to thank Sywell Aerodrome for allowing us to use their facilities on the day,” says Rotarian Roy Bricknell.

To find out more about the Rotary effect and what your local Club does, you can go to one of their meetings at any time. The Club meets weekly at the Saracen’s Head on a Thursday evening. Please feel free to come along and join them and find out about what else they do to support the local community. You can find details on their web site or email the Club Secretary:

Email: secretary@towcester-rotary.org.uk Website: www.towcester-rotary.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/RotaryTowcester Twitter: www.twitter.com/RotaryTowcester

Northampton Young Carers fly at Sywell Aerodrome

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This year’s Art Trail was a huge success attracting over 500 visitors to follow the Trail and visit the 14 venues across South Northants.

The exchanges between artists and the public was stimulating, giving a great boost to all the artists and craftsmen as their work was appreciated by so many. Chatting informally to the artists and watching the many demonstrations, the visitors in turn gained insight to the work involved in creating the artwork on display. Greater knowledge always leads to greater appreciation and this was shown by happy artists and craftsmen selling their work.

Creating art of any kind is a mostly solitary business and this event is an opportunity not only for artists to meet the public but to network with fellow artists. Lots of ideas were exchanged and hints and tips shared during the week.

This year, through our intensive marketing we had visitors not only from across the whole of Northamptonshire but from the neighbouring counties of Bucks, Oxon, and Warwickshire and as a result of the hard work on our social media sites, attracted people from even farther a field. Many commented on what a great day out it had made and that it was a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the stunning countryside of South Northamptonshire (how lucky that we were blessed with such good weather!) Naturally, tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes were available at all the venues, adding to the relaxed and happy atmosphere. It was an additional pleasure for us to discover that at the three Churches used as venues, the refreshments served raised a combined total of over £1000 for their charities and restorations.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors who support us in staging this annual event and the many businesses that kindly advertised in our brochure. We couldn’t have done it without you! We would especially like thank everyone who came around The Trail and were so encouraging.

The South Northamptonshire Art Trail

This year’s Art Trail was a huge success attracting over 500 visitors to follow the Trail and visit the 14 venues across South Northants.

The exchanges between artists and the public was stimulating, giving a great boost to all the artists and craftsmen as their work was appreciated by so many. Chatting informally to the artists and watching the many demonstrations, the visitors in turn gained insight to the work involved in creating the artwork on display. Greater knowledge always leads to greater appreciation and this was shown by happy artists and craftsmen selling their work.

Creating art of any kind is a mostly solitary business and this event is an opportunity not only for artists to meet the public but to network with fellow artists. Lots of ideas were exchanged and hints and tips shared during the week.

This year, through our intensive marketing we had visitors not only from across the whole of Northamptonshire but from the neighbouring counties of Bucks, Oxon, and Warwickshire and as a result of the hard work on our social media sites, attracted people from even farther a field. Many commented on what a great day out it had made and that it was a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the stunning countryside of South Northamptonshire (how lucky that we were blessed with such good weather!) Naturally, tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes were available at all the venues, adding to the relaxed and happy atmosphere. It was an additional pleasure for us to discover that at the three Churches used as venues, the refreshments served raised a combined total of over £1000 for their charities andrestorations.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors who support us in staging this annual event and the many businesses that kindly advertised in our brochure. We couldn’t have done it without you! We would especially like thank everyone who came around The Trail and were so encouraging.

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Towcester Wildlife Trust Local Group

Winter Meeting/Events Programme All meetings will be at Towcester Mill starting at 7:30pm. Donations of £2 will be gratefully received; there is no entry fee for under 16’s.

There will be no meeting in December.

Monday 16th January 2017 - Talk on Siberian Huskies Jayne Phipps will bring some of her Siberian Huskies and talk about their history and her work with them as Pets as Therapy. It is worth attending just to run your hands through their fabulous fur.

Monday 20th February 2017 - Talk on Milton Keynes Parks Trust A member of the Milton Keynes Parks Trust Education Team will give a presentation covering the work of the Trust which looks after all of the green spaces and nature reserves in Milton Keynes. This covers a surprising amount of land and habitat variations, all providing lots of wildlife species especially birds.

Watermeadows Management Group At the time of writing, a meeting had been scheduled for 22nd November wherein the joint District Councils were due to inform us of proposals for the future development and maintenance of the site.

Bird Watching Group The Bird Watching Group’s activities will recommence in the New Year.

New equipment for youth groupsWe have pond dipping and bug sweeping equipment and lots of ID charts for schools and youth groups to use. The equipment is available for use now and donations by participating groups, to cover wear and tear, will be welcomed.

If you are interested in any of the above, or would like to know any other details about our Local Group, please contact David Reed on 01327 352414 or dreedsfm@sky.com

Towcester Royal British Legion

- POPPY APPEAL 2016 -

At the time of writing this article, the Poppy Appeal for 2016 is well underway and initial indications suggest that we are on target for another bumper year. This is due partly to the number of organisations who are happy to take a poppy tray and collecting can into their premises to make buying a poppy as painless as possible for the general public. Also, to my wonderful volunteers, who are happy to give up some of their time to stand and sell poppies at various outlets, but mainly to everyone in the community who seem to take the Poppy Appeal to their hearts and give very generously. So, to everyone involved, a very sincere ‘thank you.’ The Poppy Appeal only collects about 40% of the money which is necessary to fund the RBL’s work, which runs to over £2Million every week, so any money donated is very gratefully received. David Reed Membership Secretary & Poppy Appeal Organiser dreedsfm@sky.com / 07970 597044 / 01327 352414

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Tove Quilters Annual Exhibition

“Wow!” was the reaction of the people who flocked to this year’s Tove Quilters and Stitchers annual

exhibition of work. As they entered the Sponne Hall at Towcester’s Chantry House the dazzling colours

and workmanship of the myriad of crafted pieces simply stunned the eye. There were richly coloured

quilts of all sizes, cushions, framed cross stitch tapestries, crocheted shawls, dolls and animals, Tilda

dolls in felt plus a host of other exquisite pieces.

Jill Holden, Chair of the group, emphasised that Tove Quilters – founded in 1991 – welcomes people of

all ages and abilities. She explained that workshops are a regular feature of the group’s activities

where new skills are learned. Each year, members are challenged to make something using a

particular technique. Once visitors had examined the exhibits they were invited to have a cup of tea

and enjoy home made cakes.

Tove Quilters Annual Exhibition

Nicholas Hawksmoor donates nearly 2,000 items to Towcester Foodbank

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TOWCESTER TOWN COUNCIL - Balance Sheet at 31st March 2016 31st March 2015 CURRENT ASSETS 31st March 2016

2829 Debtors 2024 2881 Payments in advance 0 6057 V. A. T. 4949

676440 Cash in hand 1,417,103 688207 TOTAL ASSETS 1,424,076

CURRENT LIABILITIES

6507 Creditors 3259

681700 NET ASSETS 1,420,817 256585 General Fund 992879

543 Earmarked Reserves: Town Hall 547 424572 Earmarked Reserves: Recreation/Leisure 427,938

The above statement represents fairly the financial position of the Authority at 31st March 2016 and reflects its income/expenditure for the year. Signed and approved by the Resources/Planning Committee on 13th June 2016 Cllr David Tarbun.........................Town Mayor / Elizabeth Cox................................Town Clerk / R.F.O.

TOWCESTER TOWN COUNCIL - Income and Expenditure Account Year End 31st March 2016

Year Ended 31st March 2015 INCOME Year Ended 31st March 2016 318324 Precept 318105

1487 Interest Investment Account 2824 430 Interest Bank Account 435

10910 Town Crier 11217 18426 Hall Hire 14497 23335 Office Rents 21380

83 Meeting Room Hire 224 4215 General 5452 1994 Agency Services Reimbursed 1994 600 Allotment Rents 780

13404 Cemetery 10943 235120 Recreation/Leisure 13765

3870 Grants 0 0 S106 Contributions 684261

632198 TOTAL INCOME 1,085,877 EXPENDITURE

95860 General Account 117736 12177 Section 137 Payments 13345 28934 Cemetery 24698

145014 Recreation Account 139740 899 Public Lighting 531

52414 Town Hall Account 49720 1095 Allotments 990 7782 Loan Repayment 0

344175 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 346,760 GENERAL FUND

393677 Balance at 1st April 2015 681700 362198 Add Total Income 1,085,877 344175 Deduct Total Expenditure 346760 681700 Balance at 31st March 2016 1,420,817 425115 Transfer from Reserves 427938 256585 General Fund 992879

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What shall I give this year?What shall I give this year?What shall I give this year?What shall I give this year? It is so tricky.

All the concerns, will they already have one? Will they like it? Is it their taste or colour? Can I challenge you to offer one of the most expensive gifts going this year...your time? It is priceless! It may take some planning. It may take some self- discipline. It will certainly mean turning off your phone when you are physically with them. Think of those you would like to give that present to this year. Think how you might best give them some time. It may be best to keep it simple; you might like to make a cake together or go out for a walk. It might have to be a phone call if they are a long way away, or to write a real letter, you can work out what is best. It will cost you, time is precious. It is also a gift to you, to spend joyfully and wisely in a sense of expectation of what is and what might be.

You are invited to give some time back to the one who made you and loves you and has huge hope in you; the one who chose to spend time vulnerably among us all as the baby, soon to grow into a man who gave his life even to death for us to show how much he loves us and to offer us an even bigger gift, of eternity. Put God on your list of who to give time to and you will be surprised. Do please feel free to let me know how it goes. We will be praying for you all to have a wonderful Christmas.

Reverend Ben Phillips on behalf of all the Churches Together in Towcester

Christmas Day LunchChristmas Day LunchChristmas Day LunchChristmas Day Lunch –––– 25252525thththth December, Chantry HouseDecember, Chantry HouseDecember, Chantry HouseDecember, Chantry House As in previous years, we are planning a lunch for those who would otherwise be on their own. If you would like to come please book a place at the Parish Office, Chantry House, Market Square, Towcester, or please telephone 01327 350459.

If you would like to help beforehand, or on the day, please offer your services via the SNVB Volunteer Centre, Whittons Lane – Telephone: 01327 358264. If you would like to provide some of the ingredients for the day please sign up on the list at the back of St. Lawrence Church where all the requirements will be listed out from sprouts to after lunch chocolates.

This year we have a new Team Leader at the helm, Jenny Lunn, as the previous Team Leader, Fiona Mann, has moved to Wales and we are hoping to recruit some extra elves that may be able to provide support at the top end of organising lunches for many. Wishing you a joyful celebration of the birth of a new hope.

IN TOWCESTER

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Towcester Town Football Club

Do you want to play football?

Come and give MiniKickers a try!

Towcester Town Football Club’s MiniKickers is open to all children aged between 4 and 6 years old. Sessions take place on the all-weather pitch at Towcester Centre for Leisure on Saturday

mornings from 9am-10am. A contribution of just £1 is requested per session to help cover costs.

MiniKickers is taught by qualified coaches and is an excellent way to introduce children to

football whilst having fun. Children who are interested will have the opportunity to progress into

TTFC’s Under 7s teams.

For more information contact Samantha Hurrell at:

towcestertownfc@secretary.net or call 01327 353284

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Nicholas Hawksmoor Nursery open day The Nursery attached to Nicholas Hawksmoor Primary School in Towcester is holding an open session on Monday 16th January to enable parents and children to have a look around its outstanding facilities.

Unusually for a nursery setting, it is headed up by a qualified teacher, Sarah Page, which gives the advantage of educational expertise. The Nursery also offers four qualified staff who dedicate their time to ensure all the children experience a warm and caring environment and have masses of fun while they learn. This high quality provision enables children to have a flying start at four!

“The Nursery is massively popular with parents and children alike,” explains Sarah Page. “We have lovely facilities which are only enhanced by being part of the school's infrastructure - children here have plenty of mixed play with reception children and teachers, making the transition to reception much more invaluable should they decide to stay within the school. We have recently improved our outside space as well, with investment in Astroturf and play equipment to make sure we can utilise our outside space everyday whatever the weather, and our new kitchen area which the children use when we do cooking.”

The open session will take place between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on 16th January, with an additional open day planned for 10th May. “Because we are linked to the school and a little tucked away, we believe that having an open day session will help parents realise all the options available to them when looking for a facility for their child for that invaluable pre-reception year,” added Sarah.

The Nursery caters for up to 60 children between the ages of 3-4 years, as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and is open to all children wherever they live locally. It runs five mornings or five afternoon sessions per week, with the additional options of lunch clubs and top up sessions, to ensure all children benefit from the 15 hours government funding.

For more information and to book your place, please contact the school on 01327 351466.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN THE TOWN HALL

Every Friday Antiques 2 Go Indoor Market DECEMBER Saturday 3rd A Slice of Craft – Sale of Handmade Crafts Saturday 10th Christmas Market Friday 16th & Saturday 17th Towcester Choral Society Christmas Concerts Saturday 17th, 10am to 3pm Neighbourhood Watch Crime Prevention Day Monday 19th ‘A Christmas Carol’ Production Thursday 22nd Open Air Carol Concert

JANUARY Sunday 22nd The Rotary Club of Towcester’s Young Musician of the Year Award Friday 27th Town Mayor’s Charity Quiz Night FEBRUARY Saturday 3rd A Slice of Craft – Sale of Handmade Crafts Saturday 3rd St. Lawrence Church Quiz Night Saturday 25th The Gift Bazaar MARCH Saturday 4th A Slice of Craft – Sale of Handmade Crafts Monday 6th ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TOWN Towcester Town Crier is published by Towcester Town Council and is open to contributions from all organisations and individuals in the town. The last date for advertising is 24th January and for copy 31st January 2017. We are now operating a strict deadline for advertising / copy and materials will not be accepted after these dates. Copy should be sent to Elizabeth Cox / Melissa Yates at the Town Council Office (tel: 01327 350995; email: towncouncil@towcester-tc.gov.uk). For advertising, please contact Jim Lynch (tel: 01327 350899). Articles appearing contain the views of the person submitting the item and are not necessarily the views of the Town Council. The Town Council’s website address is www.towcester-tc.gov.uk. Printed by R1 Print & Design, Silverstone.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS IN THE TOWN HALL