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Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) 2022 National Sprinkler Campaign. The campaign runs from 16th – 22nd May and will help raise awareness of the benefits of sprinkler systems in keeping people and buildings safe from fire.
Fire sprinklers are widely recognised as the single most effective method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages.
In 2017 and 2019, the NFCC and National Fire Sprinkler Network (NFSN) carried out research to investigate the effectiveness and reliability of sprinkler systems. They found that sprinkler systems operate on 94% of occasions demonstrating very high reliability and when they do operate, they extinguish or contain the fire on 99% of occasions. It was also demonstrated that in both converted and purpose-built flats, sprinklers are 100% effective in controlling fires.
Legislation in Wales and Scotland is stricter across many building types resulting in their communities having more fire protection than those of England and Northern Ireland. The NFCC is calling on government to remove the disparity in sprinkler regulations as fire does not discriminate and is just as dangerous in England and Northern Ireland as it is in the rest of the UK.
Jonathan Dyson NFCC Lead for Sprinklers, said:
“The evidence speaks for itself; our research proves that sprinklers are very effective and provide strong fire safety protections as part of a fire safety package. Wales and Scotland recognise this and have implemented measures to make their communities safer from fire; we want to see these same changes in England and Northern Ireland as matter of urgency.”
To find out more about the campaign follow #ThinkSprinkler on social media.
Follow the Fire Protection Team on Twitter: @NFRSBizSafety
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Four new fire engines are now ready for the run in Northamptonshire, giving firefighters more capacity, access to the latest technology and modernising an ageing fleet, some of which is 20 years old.
The generation Type B SCANIA appliances were officially launched at The Mounts on May 17 and will now be ready to use at The Mounts, Moulton, Kettering and Mereway respectively. They mark the first new fire engines for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service in more than a decade.
Three of the engines at the wholetime stations which are being replaced will now replace older appliances at the on-call stations at Guilsborough, Woodford Halse and Rothwell, giving these crews access to ultra-high-pressure capabilities for the first time.
The new fire engines – which each cost £350,000 and have been under construction in Scotland since last year – have been designed by the service’s Fleet team with crew welfare, diversity and futureproofing at the forefront of their thinking, as well as public safety.
Major new additions include a clean cab design, with a separate locker for Breathing Apparatus sets that will also be able to hold clean spare fire kit and house contaminated kit away from the cab.
Other enhancements include air conditioning for the cab to help after exposure to high temperatures, new cutting equipment for road traffic collisions, and bigger hoses and fuel tanks to help firefighting capability.
The engines will also be easier to handle on the road thanks to the addition of new tyres and full air suspension, while new front and rear sensors will alert crews to any pedestrians nearby, while there is also a CCTV camera for reversing.
The new-look cab will include USB ports, night lighting, fold down tables and a lockable compartment for personal belongings and can effectively be used as a mobile office for crews while they undertake community work.
Lem Freezer, Head of Joint Transport and Logistics for Northamptonshire Police & Fire, said: “We’re really excited to have been able to finally update our fleet and to get these appliances out and about. There are a lot of new features and we hope the upgraded design will help firefighters in their day-to-day activities.”
Chief Fire Officer Darren Dovey said: “It’s been a long time since we were able to invest in new fire engines for our crews, and I’m delighted that they are going to be getting some exciting new state-of-the-art equipment. Not only will this really help in terms of the quality of protection we can offer to our residents, but it’s also vastly enhancing the working conditions and welfare of our staff.”
Work remains ongoing on four other Type B appliances that will be added to the fleet in the coming months, as well as a new aerial appliance for Moulton which will reach a height of 42.3 metres – a significant upgrade on the current 28 metre capability.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold added: “When I took over governance of NFRS from the county council, the aim was to get us into a position where we could stabilise our finances and then be able to invest.
“We lobbied the Government extensively to ensure we got additional funding for the fire service. And we are on a really positive journey, which is why we’ve been able to not only invest in recruiting more firefighters into the organisation, but we’ve also been able to purchase these new engines to give them the best possible kit to ensure they are well trained and well-equipped to keep the county safe.”
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18 May 2022

Services helping domestic abuse victims find safer accommodation across West and North Northamptonshire will receive extra funding of over £273,000 this year.
West and North Northamptonshire Councils have set out plans to boost the funding provided to the Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service (NDAS) and eve, Domestic Violence & Abuse support services.
It means the two organisations will share in total just over £700,000 in 2022/23 to help them meet an increasing demand for services. It also ensures that grant funding to NDAS for their Specialist Drug and Alcohol Refuge continues.
The funding is distributed by the two councils from the Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The move reaffirms the councils’ commitment to supporting victims of domestic abuse and moving forward the actions of the countywide Domestic Abuse Strategy for 2022-25.
As part of the new strategy, NNC and WNC will work alongside community and voluntary sector partners and other local organisations to form the multi-agency Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board, which will support the provision of a
Safe Accommodation Pathway to extend the range of help and support available to victims of domestic abuse.
The Board objectives include:
• Providing inclusive and culturally appropriate, high-quality domestic abuse safe accommodation support services across Northamptonshire that survivors can easily and safely access;
• Co-ordinating and delivering a personalised package of support for all people coming into refuge, ensuring continuity of support on entry, during and on leaving;
• Delivering evidence-based interventions that are inclusive of risk management, secure information sharing, and safety planning;
• Providing support that builds capacity and resilience in the lives of survivors and their children;
• Providing services to support children to recover from the impact of domestic abuse;
• Evaluate and report to Commissioners on performance about clients and their outcomes.
Following the enactment of the Domestic Abuse Act last year, DLUHC will be providing annual funding to ensure all tier one local authorities can respond to the levels of need in their areas and provide accommodation-based support for all victims of domestic abuse and their children - including those who come from outside of the area.
Additionally, the Ministry of Justice closed a consultation last month as part of development towards a landmark “Victims Law”, which will build on the Victims’ Code to improve victims’ experiences nationally, with community-based services for domestic abuse forming part of this.
Cllr David Smith, WNC Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Engagement and Regulatory Services, said: “The Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Strategy sets out an agreed vision, to enable families in West Northants to live safely and prosper.
“Our approach to domestic abuse includes the provision of a range of safe accommodation options and the development of a managed Safe Accommodation Pathway which supports victims - and where possible - keeps them safe in their own homes using a range of interventions or alternative housing options such as social housing and refuge.
“Domestic abuse, in all forms, is completely unacceptable and alongside our partners we are committed to preventing abuse from happening and supporting victims in any way we can.”
Cllr Helen Harrison, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing said: “Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime that has the most devastating impact on the lives of the victims and their families.
"We must do all that we can to stop it from happening. We are working with our partners to both prevent it from happening and to offer support to victims.
“We very much welcome this additional funding which will help with the delivery of our strategy – the blueprint of how we will work together to use a variety of methods to tackle domestic abuse.”
The Domestic Abuse Strategy is available to view on the WNC website, here and NNC website, here.
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17 May 2022

Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is asking the public to help them trace the whereabouts of two paintings created by local artist John McGowan, in the hope that they can be included in an exhibition of his work at the museum in early 2023.
In 1980, McGowan created two paintings depicting scenes from Northamptonshire’s canals. The first work is a 5ft square acrylic on canvas showing the Lockkeepers House the top lock near Gayton, which was gifted to Mereway Upper School in Northampton and was last seen at the school in 2005, before it was demolished.
The second is a multi-frame oil on canvas measuring 20 inches square portraying lock gate 11 near Rothersthorpe which was sold at the 1980 Art Teacher’s Exhibition at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery.
Councillor Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of West Northamptonshire Council and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “We need the public’s help to try and locate these delightful paintings, as the museum, the Canal and River Trust and Mr McGowan would love to include them in the upcoming exhibition.
“The exhibition will showcase his long career, with a particular focus on his works which depict the Northamptonshire canal network, so the paintings are also an interesting piece of local history.”
John McGowan has been making prints for over 50 years and after his retirement from teaching art at Oundle School he became a full-time printmaker. His works make up a distinctive part of Northampton Museum and Art Gallery’s print collection, with his views of Northamptonshire canals forming a key part of the art collection’s local scenes.
Other works reflect his interests in buildings, landscapes and industry, with a focus on his local area of Northborough near Market Deeping, as well as South Lincolnshire, Rotherhithe and Oundle.
Anyone with information on the location of these works is invited to contact Victoria Davies, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery’s Exhibitions Officer at [email protected] or 01604 837632.
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16 May 2022

The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay is confirmed to visit Northampton on Sunday, 10 July during its final journey through England this summer, as the full route is revealed.
Birmingham 2022 is hosting the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay – a journey which brings together and celebrates communities across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Games.
In England, the Queen’s Baton Relay will provide the opportunity for communities to experience the excitement for Birmingham 2022, as the 11 days of showstopping sport nears ever closer.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is set to travel the length and breadth of England for a total of 29 days, before culminating at the Opening Ceremony for Birmingham 2022 on 28 July 2022.
Kicking off on Thursday 2 June, the Baton will spend four days in London, coinciding with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend.
The Baton will then resume the international journey and return to England on Monday 4 July to commence a 25-day tour of the regions.
On Sunday, 10 July, Northampton will officially welcome the Baton.
A busy schedule of activities and events are planned for the Queen’s Baton Relay, with opportunities to highlight untold stories from Batonbearers who are striving for change in their community.
Starting at Marefair outside Sol Central, the Relay will travel up Gold Street and on to George Row, then into Giles Square before a photo shoot outside the Guildhall.
The Relay will then travel down Guildhall Road, St Johns Street, Swan Street, across Victoria Promenade and on to Beckets Park, across the new pedestrian bridge and into the University of Northampton campus, ending at University Way.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is coordinating local partners to build awareness of the event and to create activities that will generate atmosphere and engagement during and after the Relay.Members of the public are encouraged to get involved with the celebrations and embrace the arrival of the Baton, taking the opportunity to experience the buzz of Birmingham 2022 in their community.
The Birmingham 2022 website will be updated with information over the coming months, with detail on the events and where to line the route.
Cllr Adam Brown, WNC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for housing, culture and leisure, said: “In the aftermath of Covid-19, the Commonwealth Games have an even more important role than usual in bringing people together to enjoy themselves and celebrate sporting heroes.
“The eyes of people from around the world will be on the build-up to the Games, and with our immense history and bold ambitions, I’m very proud that Northampton and West Northamptonshire has a place in the Relay.
Between 40 and 130 Batonbearers will carry the Baton each day, and the Relay will reach hundreds of villages, towns and cities during its tour of the country.
Travelling via land, air and sea, more than 180 communities in England will experience the Queen’s Baton on a route spanning 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres).
From energetic cities and historic market towns, to rolling countryside and rugged coastline, the Baton will head as far south as Cornwall and as far north as Northumberland.
Since its inaugural appearance at the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay has been a tradition for the Commonwealth Games.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay began at Buckingham Palace on 7 October 2021, when The Queen placed Her Message to the Commonwealth into the Baton and passed it to four-time Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox, who had the honour of being the first of thousands of Batonbearers to carry the Baton.
Since then, the Baton has visited Commonwealth nations and territories in Europe, Africa, Oceania.
It still has further destinations in the Caribbean, the Americas, and more countries in Europe, including the Home Nations consisting of five days in Scotland, four in Northern Ireland and five in Wales, where it will finish on Sunday 3 July, before returning to England in summer for the final countdown to the Commonwealth Games.
The dates of when the Baton visits each region are:
- 4 July – 5 July: South West
- 6 July – 7 July: South East
- 8 July – 9 July: East of England
- 10 July – 11 July: East Midlands
- 12 July – 13 July: Yorkshire and the Humber
- 14 July – 15 July: North East
- 16 July – 17 July: North West
- 18 July – 28 July: West Midlands
Phil Batty, Director of Ceremonies, Culture & Queen's Baton Relay, said: “Whilst the Baton has been travelling across the Commonwealth, we have worked closely with Local Authorities in England to devise a route that engages with hundreds of communities, passing sport venues, historic sites, local schools and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
“Yet the Queen’s Baton Relay is far more than just a journey. It symbolises connecting people from every corner of the Commonwealth, celebrates Batonbearers who take on challenges, and marks the countdown the biggest sporting event in West Midlands history.
“And by the time the Baton returns to England for the final leg, 71 nations and territories will have already experienced the magic that comes with it.
“We hope that communities across the country join the excitement, attend events near them, line the streets to cheer on our incredible Batonbearers and celebrate the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games."
Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “The Queen’s Baton Relay symbolises hope, solidarity and collaboration across the Commonwealth at a time when it is needed most.
“It continues to inspire people wherever it goes and creates huge excitement for Birmingham 2022 as it journeys towards the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on July 28.”
Throughout May, the Queen’s Baton Relay continues its journey through the Caribbean and the Americas, with visits to St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda and Canada, amongst others.
The Queen’s Baton
The Queen’s Baton for Birmingham 2022 was created in a West Midlands collaboration that fused art, technology and science. Made from copper, aluminium and steel, the Baton also features a platinum strand in homage to The Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year. It is also equipped with cutting-edge technology; 360-degree camera, heart rate monitor, atmospheric sensors and LED lighting.
For more information on Queens Baton Relay, visit The Commonwealth Games website.