If you treasure this view of your village from the Barrow Hill footpath, then enjoy it while you can, because it is going to look like this in the not too distant future:

The report on the recent public inquiry into the refusal by South Northants Council of planning permission for the Helmdon/Greatworth Spring Farm Ridge Windfarm was published on Thursday 12th July. The government inspector, Elizabeth Fieldhouse, has decided to allow the appeal by Broadview Energy Limited and grant permission for the erection of the five 125 metre high wind turbines and ancillary development. Other than the unlikely event of a sustainable legal challenge to the decision, this means that the turbines will now be erected and operational by the end of next year.

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Village Shop Management Committee Members greet Andrea Leadsom MP (right)

On an extremely wet Friday afternoon, local constituency MP Andrea Leadsom made time in her busy parliamentary schedule to visit the village and present prizes to the winners of the Village Community Shop logo competition. The visit was the culmination of Sulgrave’s participation in the national “Community Shops Fortnight” during which there were daily discounts on many popular items in store.

See next page for details and more photographs

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Following a review by Northamptonshire County Council, the Mobile Library van will in future visit the village on the first Friday of each month, parking outside the former Sulgrave Stores from 16.50 to 17.20.

See here for further details.

Sunday visitors to Sulgrave Manor were entertained by a range of events celebrating the United States of America’s declaration of independence on July 4th 1776. Representatives of detachments of the British and French armies in North America at that time camped in the Manor grounds and gave regular demonstrations of drill and musketry. Irregular colonial and native American forces were also represented together with various camp followers. The cheerful sounds of fiddles, banjo and guitar accompanying the Appalachian dancers helped to dispel the gloom of a rather cold and sunless day. Indoor events included “Auntie Sammy” helping the children with pastry making and brass rubbings and an exhibition of native American clothing and crafts.

More photographs on the next page.

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Lily Branson surrounded by the “children” to whom she was once “nanny”, on the occasion of her 100th birthday party.

The funeral of former Sulgrave resident Lily Branson  took place at Marlborough Road Methodist Church, Banbury, on 26th June 2012. Lily was born on 25th January 1908 to the Clifton family in Portsmouth where her father was on the staff of the harbour master after retiring from the Royal Navy as a Petty Officer (he had served on sailing ships at the start of his career). She died in Banbury on 9th June 2012. After many years as a “nanny” with families both in Sulgrave and elsewhere, in 1951 she married Tom Branson from the village and settled in Helmdon Road. She and Tom moved to Banbury in 1966, where he died in 1979. During her 33 years as a widow she was an active churchgoer and made many friends in Banbury. The funeral service closed with a wonderfully rousing singing of “The Lord’s my shepherd…” to Crimond, just as she would have wished.

See here for more photographs from her 100th birthday party.

You should by now have received a leaflet through your door giving details of the ‘Community Shops Fortnight’.  Between 23^rd June & 7^th July you will be able to take advantage of daily discounts on many of the popular items that we have in store (even if these run out, we will still honour the discount … David will simply raise a special order and let you know when your goods have been delivered).  Likewise we are running a marketing slogan competition for both the adults and our younger customers to create a slogan  ‘I love Sulgrave Village Shop because …’.  The winners will receive a prize (£20 hamper for the adults & £10 for the juniors to spend on goodies from the Shop) and the winning slogans will be used as part of our increasingly pro-active marketing drive.  Angela Leadsom MP has kindly agreed to present the prizes and join in the celebrations for our community shop.  So if you’d like to meet her then please join us at 3.30 pm at the shop on 6th July.  (NB : The winners of the competition will be informed in advance).

Click here for latest update on the Village Shop.

For more information about Community Shops Fortnight and to find out what is happening across the country, visit www.communityshops.coop

By great good fortune or foresight, the organisers of the Sulgrave Diamond Jubilee celebrations chose to stage the village events on Bank Holiday Monday, following a day of drenching rain on Sunday. Although rain threatened in the afternoon, the day was dry and bright and the evening still and sunlit, even if a bit cold for an outdoor party. From noon until late afternoon, the Pocket Park was the setting for fun and games, especially for the children, some traditional and some new. Many families chose to picnic, either in the park or deep in the woods….  At seven o’clock it seemed as if the whole village flocked to the Manor, firstly to see the eldest resident, Alec Cave aged 91, plant a ceremonial tree, and then to enjoy food cooked in the open air with sumptuous sweets to follow. The evening closed with dancing for young and old in the Manor Courtyard Hall. See next page for images of these events:

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Matthew Stuart's winning entry in the village "Card for the Queen" competition

Village celebrations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee commence with a special “Diamond Jubilee” Mattins service at Sulgrave Church at 10.00 am on Sunday 3rd June. On Bank Holiday Monday 4th June from 12 noon until 4.00 pm there will be a picnic in the Pocket Park with plenty to keep everyone entertained. Bring a picnic and a blanket and join in the fun. Click here for more details.  After the daytime festivities a fantastic evening is planned at Sulgrave Manor, with a hog roast (vegetarian option) and a live band. Completely optional but the adventurous are invited to appear either in nineteen-fifties or red, white and blue themed dress (or perhaps both!) Click here for more details. Those old enough to remember the Queen’s coronation are invited to a free cup of tea and slice of cake at the Pocket Park between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm.

As previously reported on this website, a public inquiry into South Northants Council’s refusal of planning permission for five 125 metre high wind turbines between the villages of Sulgrave, Helmdon and Greatworth, will be held at the Council’s offices in Towcester, commencing on Tuesday May 15^th. See here for further details of this proposal. The main parties at the Inquiry will be South Northants Council, whose expert witnesses will be defending the decision to refuse planning permission and Broadview Energy Limited whose expert witnesses will be attempting to demonstrate that permission should have been granted. A number of “third parties” from the local communities have also requested permission to be heard. The Inspector, Elizabeth Fieldhouse, will hear the evidence and issue her decision as to whether the appeal should be allowed or dismissed on or about July 13^th. (more…)

During April and may, you will be able to save money when you eat at The Star Inn as a thank you for spending at your Village Shop. How? For every £50 that you spend at the Shop during April, you will be given a voucher worth £5 to redeem as a part payment against your food bill (note: drinks are not included). Simply keep the receipts for your cash or reverse credit account payments at the Shop and when they total £50 (or multiples thereof), hand them to David or one of the volunteers and they will present you with your voucher(s). Then when you eat at the Star during April or May, hand your voucher(s) over with your food bill and it will be reduced accordingly.

See here for details of the excellent and varied menus available at the Star Inn.