News in Brief

Golden Wedding

Keith Dexter and his wife Ruth celebrated their Golden Wedding on 2 February 2002. They were married in Elton Church in 1952 with Keith's sister Olga and Ruth's sister June as bridesmaids. 

Oundle Care Committee

£214.05 was raised in Warmington for the Christmas Appeal on behalf of the Oundle & District Care Committee. A total of £3,748 was raised in Oundle and the surrounding villages.

Youth Club

Warmington Youth Club closed in 1988 with assets of approximately £50. In this Jubilee year we thought we would donate it to the Jubilee celebrations, unless of course anyone would like to restart the youth club!. 

If so, please contact Anne Daniel or Dave Fisher. 

Pancake Races

The Pancake Races on 9 February 2002 raised £225.21 for village hall funds. 

Farming Diary

February fill dyke is certainly living up to form, but in the Benefice to date rainfall amounts have been moderate compared with some areas, where 3" of rain has fallen in 24 hours. No drainage system can cope with these amounts. The good side of it is that this is the time of year to expect these conditions and there is unlikely to be a summer shortage with reservoirs all filled to capacity.

Early March usually sees fields of new born lambs, but that sight is getting rarer. Many local farmers have decided that sheep are no longer profitable and have sold their flocks. The problems started in '96 when BSE broke, the public went off eating beef and turned to lamb, resulting in a sharp increase in finished lamb prices.

Farmers thought these prices would last for ever and rapidly increased their flock size - consequently the market became overloaded and prices dropped and dropped. For the last three years little profit has been made out of sheep. The price of wool barely covers the cost of shearing, the headage payment keeps falling and dipping disposal regulations have caused real problems.

Sheep often require individual attention to keep foot problems at bay. It can be a back aching dirty job and cannot be delayed until the farmer returns from a week's holiday. Fly strike followed by maggots must have immediate attention however pressing the combining needs doing. Most shepherds are nearing retiring age and there is less enthusiasm in the next generation - so much for education, education and more education. 

John Preston

Letter

There are occasions, even on these dark and wintry nights that one feels the need to venture out, perhaps to an event or to taste some real ale at the local Tavern. 

There are, however, hazards to encounter. No, not a cyclist without lights, but house security lights! These lights are set off by the merest change in air movement (so it seems!) and are at such an angle as to dazzle, or even blind the unsuspecting pedestrian and any motorist who happens to have strayed off the A605. 

I am not against these lights. I always thought they were meant to illuminate one's driveway as a deterrent to unwanted visitors, not half the street and all the neighbours too. When considering the security of your home, please step carefully out into the street and make sure you only light your house and not the rest of Warmington. 

From one who tries to walk around the village and not use the car. Gill Bachelor