Tricouni nailed leather climbing boots

At least 50 people braved a rather chilly damp night to come to hear Hywel talk on the eight expeditions attempting to climb Everest and a brief outline of the ninth successful attempt in 1953

We had a brief history lesson of the surveying of India and Peak 15, later known as Everest; the politics of British relations with Nepal and Tibet in gaining access to the mountain. A description of the geology of the mountain and how this affected the routes chosen by the the early climbers. The photographs of the expeditions were largely from the collection held by the Alpine Cub.

The Everest doctor on the 1933 expedition was Dr Greene and his tricouni nailed leather climbing boot and long wooden ice axe were on show, on loan from the Alpine Club.

Andrew Elliott donated three books which Hywel auctioned. The final amount raised was £400, £280 to Church funds and £120 to the Bell fund to repair Number 2 Bell pulley and ropes damaged by a squirrel last year.

Many thanks for all your support to help make a successful and enjoyable evening.

Ingram and Shrimp

Sir Edmund Hillary (L) and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 29th 1953

An illustrated talk to celebrate the successful summiting of Everest 60 years ago. Hywel Lloyd will tell us about the nine expeditions organised by the Alpine Club in conjunction with the Royal Geographical Society, to reconnoitre the mountain and then find a climbing route to the summit of Everest. The Alpine Club expeditions carried out reconnaissance, found climbing routes, tested oxygen methods, learnt logistics; all leading to brilliant mountaineering that achieved the first ascent in 1953, now 60 years ago.

Friday 22nd November at 7.00 pm in the Church Hall.

Wine and nibbles.

Donations welcomed for Church of St James the Less. All very welcome and do bring friends.

With our service men and women being killed or injured in Afghanistan and Iraq on an almost daily basis the work of the British Legion continues to be crucial to them and their families. Please give as generously as you can when you buy your poppies from the village shop. The annual Remembrance Sunday Service will be held in Sulgrave Church at 6.00 pm on Sunday November 10th. Eighteen young men and women who lost their lives in the two world wars are commemorated on the memorial in the church. Read their stories…..

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Blimp previously flown next to the wind farm site at proposed turbine height of 125 metres (410 feet)

Following the end of the public inquiry on 24th October, the Inspector’s accompanied site visits will take place on Thursday 31^st October. On that day look out for the two blimps which, weather permitting, the action group will be flying at either end of the proposed wind farm site from about 10 am to 4.30 pm.

See next page for the latest situation following the inquiry, together with the evidence given at the inquiry including the closing submissions by the barristers for South Northants Council, Broadview Energy Limited and Helmdon Stuchbury and Greatworth Windfarm Action Group.

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See next page for details of Superfast Broadband in Northamptonshire.

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Julian Wood sends this charming picture with the message: “A ring of mushrooms has established itself on castle green. This will get bigger over the years to come or the dogs will get smaller!”

This is a close up picture of the actual mushrooms:

Click here to see an interesting video clip also sent by Julian. He says: “I call it the humming bird moth but there is probably another name for it. It has turned up before but not for a couple of years. Hangs around at sunset for an hour and then disappears till next summer“.

Does anyone else have any experience of this unusual summer visitor?

Click here to see another summer activity at Castle Green.

Visitors well equipped for the weather in Rectory Farm gardens

Despite the cool windy conditions and the threat of heavy rain, from 2.00 pm on Sunday 30th June a steady stream of visitors enjoyed some of the village’s very best gardens. A total of £2062 was raised for the National Gardens Scheme, which supports a range of nursing, caring and gardening charities, with more than £2.5 million donated to these causes each year.

Ingram Lloyed reports that the number of visitors was 322, representing the fifth highest visitor numbers in the ten Sulgrave Open Garden days, the takings being the second highest on the day. The cakes were baked and donated by many excellent bakers from the village and beyond. Together with teas, the sale of these items raised £504. Many thanks are due to the car parkers (a very un-celebrated band but absolutely vital to the organisation), and also to the tea pourers, cake cutters and washer uppers as scrumptious cake and tea is vital – some visitors arrive and make straight for the tea!

Michael Heaton, Treasurer and Publicity, NGS Northamptonshire, emailed as follows: “…this was my first visit to the gardens and I have to say that I was MOST impressed with the standard of these and all the organisation that was involved. This is one of the county’s finest group openings in the pleasant surroundings of Sulgrave….”

More pictures of the gardens on the next page.

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The draft Environmental Statement for the proposed Phase One London to West Midlands High Speed Rail Link (HS2) has now been published. It sets out the environmental impacts which have been identified along the route and the measures proposed for managing and reducing them. The assessment is set out in the following sections: agriculture, forestry and soils; air quality; climate; community; cultural heritage; ecology; electromagnetic interference; ground settlement; land quality; landscape and visual; socio-economics; sound, noise and vibration; traffic and transport; waste and mineral resources; and water resources and flood risk.

The statement can be seen online at http://www.hs2.org.uk/draft-environmental-statement  (All public consultation documents) and maps of the route at http://www.hs2.org.uk/interactive-map  (insert your postcode to find your local information).

A consultation event for the Greatworth to Lower Boddington Section will be held at Boddington Village Hall, Warwick Road, Upper Boddington, NN11 6DH on Monday 3rd June from noon until 8.00 pm.

A consultation event for the Newton Purcell to Brackley Section will be held at Brackley Town Hall, Market Place, Brackley, NN13 7AB on Friday 14th June from noon until 8 pm.

Should these be inconvenient, other consultation events within around a half-hour drive time will be held at

The Trustees of Sulgrave Manor have issued the following statement:

“The operations of Sulgrave Manor cannot be sustained in the way they
have been run in the last decade or so. Without a major change, the
Trust will eventually run out of money and have to close.
• The Trustees see it as their duty to restore the fortunes of the Manor and
to put it into a position which will enable it to survive and flourish in the
next century.
• The Centenary Strategic Plan will enable the survival of the Trust on a
long term sustainable basis.
• The implementation of the Centenary Strategic Plan will require
considerable funding. Part of this will come from the sale of the Kiln
Farm Yard and its adjoining land and it is hoped that the balance will
come from donations.
• We are currently launching a Centenary Appeal and establishing an
International Centenary Appeal Board.”

Details of the Centenary Strategic Plan can be seen here.

The object of the meeting is to discuss the Centenary Strategic Plan in general and the development proposals in particular. See here for a plan showing these proposals.

Appointed as first full time manager of the Village Community Shop when it was established in 2004, David Bolton has decided that the time has come to call it a day. After 9 years of running the shop with the always enthusiastic but sometimes dubious assistance of sixty or more different volunteers ranging in ages from 12 to 90 he will, as they say, “be pleased to spend more time with the family”! David’s contribution to the continuing success of the shop has been immense. He has driven over from Towcester every day, whatever the conditions and attended many evening meetings with volunteers. Many of his ideas have been adopted and have greatly contributed to the smooth running of the shop. His services will be much missed but we hope that he will continue to keep an eye on things, disguised as a regular customer!

See here for advertisement for a new Shop Manager.