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08 March 2022
Women from across West Northants were celebrated at the 10th Inspirational Women’s Awards which took place on Saturday (5 March).
Organised by the Women’s Forum at West Northants Council, the awards aim to publicly recognise and promote those women who inspire and have a real impact on the lives of others in the community or the workplace.
The judges had a difficult task again this year, with so many deserving nominations.
We are delighted to announce the winners of this year's awards are:
Special Recognition Award – Maisie Summers-Newton
Business Award – Jo Burns-Russell
Community Award – Angie Kennedy
There can’t be many people in the county who have not heard of Maisie following her success in the Paralympics last year winning Gold in the S6 200m Individual Medley and the 100m Breaststroke.
She was awarded an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to swimming. Maisie is also investing in the next generation, currently studying to be a teacher at Northampton University and has made time to visit local schools with her medals to inspire the next generation to dream big.
Maisie said: “I am honoured to be awarded the Special Recognition Award at the Inspirational Women Awards. It is so inspiring to see so many other women achieving amazing things too across West Northants."
Jo founded her own business, Amplitude in 2011, and grew it from a one-woman-business to now employing 12 people. Five per cent of the company’s profit is pledged to environmental causes and last year donated of over £1,500 to the Your Plant Choice campaign for clearing the ocean of plastic.
Jo also created the Catapult Sessions in 2020 inviting local businesses affected by Covid to apply for month-long marketing boosters and has delivered over £14,000 of free marketing support to date.
Commenting on the award Jo said: “I'm overwhelmed to have received this award. It makes me incredibly proud of the success of my business and our values of supporting people and the planet, which are at the heart of everything we do.
"I have an incredible team working alongside me. Their faith in me and commitment to what we do inspires me every single day. I firmly believe every business has the opportunity and responsibility to drive equality and fairness, and not put profit before people.
"I hope these awards help to inspire the next generation of female leaders to go out and shake things up too!”
Angie founded Baby Basics in Northampton which she ran for seven years. She is now the Chief Executive of C2C Social Action which helps women offenders to build a life away from crime as well as women who are homeless or suffering mental health challenges.
Angie said: “This award is really for all the women I work with and for the many inspirational women who have supported, mentored and walked with me in my life.
“Every woman deserves the chance to reach their full potential, whatever that looks like, and we need to be in the position of encouragement wherever we find ourselves."
Cllr David Smith, WNC's Cabinet Member for community safety and engagement, and regulatory services, said: " We are extremely proud to host these awards. Congratulations to the winners and to all the inspiring women who were nominated.
"It really is a tough task for our judges as there are so many worthy winners who are doing remarkable work and really making a difference to others all across West Northants.
"These awards allow us to shine a light on some of the many women who are doing exceptional things and also paving the way for the women of tomorrow.”
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07 March 2022
West and North Northamptonshire Councils are joining together in leading a service to mark the national Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection at Abington Park on 17 March.
The day will mark two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when despite overwhelming and unprecedented pressures, all those working across social care in our county continued to show incredible dedication, skill, and tenacity in supporting those who draw on social care and support services.
The purpose of the Abington Park service of remembrance and reflection is to offer thanks to those social care workers who provided crucial care and support during these tough times, and to remember those workers who sadly lost their lives to coronavirus.
All residents are invited to join the 45-minute service which will include one minute’s silence, tributes led by school children and social care staff, In My Life, Beatles Song, sung by West Northamptonshire Council staff member and school children, a memorial book to sign, a 'Thank You Wall with stories and tributes from social care staff and family members and tulip planting and laying of flowers.
The Registered Managers Network in Northamptonshire, a group who deliver adult social care in our county, have settled on the tulip as a representative symbol of the day and a local artist has designed the accompanying PDF printable picture. The councils are encouraging adults and children to colour in the tulip, add a personal message on the back and to display in their windows at home or at school.
For school classes they are also urging teachers to perhaps even complete a mini art project around the theme of the tulip; remembering those we lost and thanking those who cared for our loved ones.
West Northamptonshire Council’s Stuart Lackenby, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director for Adults, Communities and Wellbeing said: “Everyone living through the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years will know only too well how care staff, together with key workers, have been vital to providing the ongoing care and support of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
"Their extraordinary hard work, dedication and care will never be forgotten.
“The service is an opportunity for us to all come together to pay our respects to the colleagues we lost to the pandemic and to thank all social care workers in our county for their continued work.
"We hope residents can attend on the day, and we look forward to gathering together. Please bring a bunch of tulips with you if you can!”
Cllr Helen Harrison, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing said: “This county-wide service is a chance for us all to come together to honour those who have worked so hard to support our vulnerable residents during what has been an extremely difficult two years.
“Care workers were very much on the front line of efforts and their dedication has been wonderful.
"It is also gives us the opportunity to remember those colleagues who have sadly died as a result of Covid-19 – they will forever be remembered."
A number of commemorative assets will be created at the Millennium Green, adjacent to Beech Close residential home in Desborough. These include the creation of a remembrance garden containing white tulips and a commemorative plaque as well as a wooden bench that can be used as a place of reflection.
Staff will work with local primary schools in the area to create some tulip artwork that can be displayed.
North Northamptonshire Council will also be running a poem competition for all social care staff and adult social care customers with the winners announced at a commemorative ceremony in Desborough on March 17.
Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection Memorial Service 17 March
Venue: Abington Park, Northampton
Arrival: 10:30am for 10:45am Start - 11:15am Finish
To include one minute’s silence, tributes led by school children and social care staff, In My Life, Beatles Song, sung by West Northamptonshire Council staff member and school children, a memorial book to sign, a 'Thank You Wall with stories and tributes from social care staff and family members and tulip planting and laying of flowers.
We hope you can attend on the day, and we look forward to gathering together. If you would like to read out a personal tribute at the service please contact [email protected].
Please bring a bunch of tulips with you on the day if you can!
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04 March 2022
Daventry's new cinema was opened with a red carpet event with members of the council and other invited guests in attendance.
The guests were treated to a preview screening of the much-anticipated film The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, and Batman and his Batmobile were on hand to welcome guests to the red carpet as they arrived at the cinema.
The opening of The Arc Cinema marks the return of cinema to Daventry after a gap of over 20 years.
Rita Harding, the widow of John Harding who was the manager and projectionist at both the Rex and The Regal Cinema in Bowen Square, was on hand to officially open the new facility.
The cinema opens to the public today (Friday 4 March).
The Arc Cinema is the centrepiece to West Northamptonshire Council's £12.5 Mulberry Place Development in Daventry town centre. The development will also include two new restaurants - DOUGH&Co Woodfired Pizza and Burger Amour.
We're absolutely thrilled to see this wonderful new cinema open its doors to the people of Daventry and the surrounding area. The Arc Cinema have done a great job creating a really impressive, high-quality facility, and I can't wait for the local community to experience it.Cllr Lizzy Bowen, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and GrowthWith a new public square, and with two restaurants also due to open in the coming weeks, Mulberry Place offers a fantastic new leisure destination for the local community to really be proud of.
We're delighted to have been able to deliver this project, which will also provide a huge boost to the local economy, creating jobs, increasing footfall in the town centre and helping to attract new businesses and investment.
The cinema boasts digital laser projectors in its four screens, state-of-the-art immersive surround sound systems and luxury electric recliner seats as standard.
The foyer space is purposefully designed to be a bright and airy space for relaxation and the venue is licensed, allowing visitors to enjoy a beer or glass of wine while watching a film.
The cinema will show the latest blockbuster and independent films as well as broadcast screenings of opera, ballet and theatrical productions.
It was fantastic to see people in the cinema for the first-time last night and it was very clear that everyone had a great time – our luxury reclining seats and new self-serve Coke Freestyle machines were particularly well received.Wendy Goldie, Cinema ManagerDaventry is a wonderful place to live and having access to a local cinema will be great for the community. The Arc will make visiting the cinema, to watch the best films on offer, way more accessible and be a great boost to the town centre.
Access for all is key to The Arc Cinema’s offer, with all screens wheelchair accessible. The cinema will also offer subtitled screenings, kids’ clubs and parent and baby screenings.
The Arc Cinema is an Irish cinema operator that is currently opening a number of sites in the UK. Established in 2014, they specialise in creating very high-quality cinemas to serve local communities.
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04 March 2022
Our Cabinet on Tuesday 8 March will consider the merits of two updated bids for land at Sixfields in Northampton.
The discussion was deferred from a special Cabinet meeting on Monday this week (28 February) as several issues remained to be resolved as two bidders – County Developments (Northampton) Limited (CDNL) which is owned by Northampton Town Football Club (NTFC), and a private development firm called Cildara – had submitted improved offers.
The section of land now under discussion is broadly bounded by the Sixfields Stadium to the west, Walter Tull Way to the north, Tweed Road to the east and Edgar Mobbs Way to the south. It also includes the car park adjacent to the household waste recycling centre.
Key points from the latest offers are as follows:
Cildara
- Purchase price of £2.05m
- Does not include the running track site
- Cildara have included in their offer to indemnify the council from any costs associated with breaking the main lease, required to free up the land for development, and the council would be obliged to co-operate with this
CDNL
- Purchase price of £2.05m
- Includes the running track site (to be transferred NTFC for the future benefit of the club) - CDNL surrenders the running track and main site leases to the council, and the NTFC lease is reduced to cover the stadium only
- The council will be able to buy back the running track for £1 if the East Stand is not completed to its reasonable satisfaction within five years
- If any part of the main site land is sold within five years without having had investment to remediate it, the council will receive a proportion of the profit on that sale
- In both cases the council would retain the freehold of the household waste recycling centre and ancillary land
“Both offers are being considered, based on extensive professional advice, and officers are recommending that we accept the offer from CDNL.Cllr Malcolm Longley, Cabinet Member for Finance“As I’ve said previously, land and lease ownership in this area is complex and it’s really important that we factor this into our thinking.”
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04 March 2022
This week marks the beginning of work to create the Northampton North-West Relief Road (NNWRR).
Once complete, the project will link the A428 Harlestone Road to the A5199 Welford Road. The scheme is supported by SEMLEP, the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership and benefits from £7.93 million of Local Growth funding.The first section of the relief road has already been constructed as part of the Harlestone Manor development, while the developers of the Dallington Grange housing estate will construct the second section to Grange Farm, just south of the railway line. West Northamptonshire Council is responsible for building the final section across the railway line to the Welford Road.
Early works starting will include a site compound being set up off Sandy Lane at the Northern end of the scheme, utility works, preparation of access routes, archaeological excavations and environmental surveys. The construction of the NNWRR will follow. The majority of this initial work will take place off-highway and impacts on road users are expected to be minimal.
“This road is only part of the infrastructure required to facilitate development to the north of Northampton, with the Northern Orbital Road, a priority of West Northamptonshire Council, being the most important.Cllr Phil Larratt, Portfolio Holder for Climate, Transport, Highways and Waste Services"Motorists passing the site will see some activity starting to take place as initial work begins but it will not significantly affect their journey."
The Design and Build contractor Balfour Beatty has been appointed, with works expected to complete in spring 2024.
More information about the NNWR can be found on the Northamptonshire Highways website and updates will also be posted on the @nnhighways account on Twitter.
Roadwork information can be viewed at one.network.