chatterbox

Ketton Parish Council

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Spring Issue of Chatterbox

Please let us have your letters, articles, photographs or

artwork, puzzles or jokes by:

By email to the Editor or drop contributions in at the library,

the Post Office or the Parish Office

In the meanwhile Have a Happy Christmas

& a Good New Year

Editorial We, on the editorial team of Chatterbox, were all saddened and shocked by the untimely death of Colin but are determined that future issues of the village magazine will attempt to maintain the same high standards he set himself. Les Blackburn, our Advertising Manager, as a very old friend of Colin, has written an appreciation of him overleaf, an appreciation which has captured the many facets of Colin and accounted for the respect in which Colin was held by friends & business associates alike. To maintain his standards, we will have to develop a network of correspondents to keep us abreast of activities and personalities in the village, so if anyone has an article they think will fit Chatterbox, please get in touch with me or any other members of the team whose details are given in the panel above.

Gordon L. Alderson

THE CHATTERBOX TEAM

Editor Gordon L Alderson 01780 720316

glda@btinternet.comSports Correspondent

Vic Henry 01780 270435vrhenry@tiscali.co.uk

PhotographyJohn Loweth 01780 729137

Production EditorAndy Bullimore 01780 720683

Advertising Les Blackburn 01780 721341

lebketton@tiscali.co.uk Adele Waring 01780 720423

DistributionAnne McQuistan &

The 1st Ketton Guides

Front Cover: Photograph by John Loweth - The Chater in Winter

Wednesday 9th March 2011

3

Colin Townley 1934-2010

Colin was born in Wigan and attended Wigan Grammar School prior to going to Liverpool University to read law. He didn’t like the subject and elected to qualify as a teacher before joining the RAF as an Education Officer. During his Service career he obtained both a BA and a Master’s degree as an external student. In 1984 he came to the Ketton area to study Russian at RAF North Luffenham. Originally he was posted to the Linguist course lasting 14 months but took and passed the Interpreter exam which normally took 6 months longer. Following the course he was posted to several Intelligence jobs before coming back to RAF Cottesmore as an instructor at the Tri-National Tornado School. He bought a house in Ketton and started his long association with the village.

Colin left the RAF early, retiring as a Squadron Leader, and set up a very successful Management Training business which, because of requests from his clients, he continued until only a couple of years ago. He also took a very active role in village life, becoming a Parish Councillor and eventually Chairman. He was for a number of years a very active member of St Mary’s Church, helping to organise the Jubilee Festival and events to pay for the renovation of the church bells. He was a very active Freemason, being a founder member of the Chetene (Ketton) Lodge and the editor of the magazine for the Stamford group of Masonic lodges for over ten years.

Sport was very important in his life and he even travelled to Paris to watch the Tigers in the cup final. Apart from his support of the Tigers. Colin was a fervent follower of Manchester United and his home club club, Wigan. He was like a young boy in his enthusiasm for his favourites and he communicated his love for sport to his grandson Matt, who now wears his Tigers’ shirt at his American University.

When he was asked to take on the editorship of this magazine, Colin had only one condition and that was that he should do it his way. Fortunately, the Council agreed and we have a magazine to be proud of, all due to Colin. He left us far too soon, but he will always be remembered as a very special person. LEB

4

Know Your CouncillorsAs the Parish Councillors of Ketton control an annual precept of £30,00 of your money on services which range from grass-cutting to footway lighting, it was felt that you should know who they are. In consequence, it is intended to run a series of profiles of the Parish Councillors in which they will each give a potted biography of themselves together with their reasons for serving on the Parish Council. We persuaded the current Chairman, Mrs Glenis Southern, to open the batting.

I was born in Peterborough in 1947 and lived in Whittlesey where my parents had a variety of business pursuits. I was educated at March High School & Peterborough Grammar School. My first job was in PR and Advertising with Baker Perkins, followed by several more in various parts of the country and mostly in the same field. My husband Peter is a chartered surveyor, born & raised south of Grantham but his career took us to London and eventually to Newcastle where we lived for twenty five years. For the past 16 years we have been running a consultancy business engaged in economic regeneration. Some six years ago, when both our daughters were living in London, we decided to return to this area and settled in Ketton Hopefully we are now nearing retirement! I have always felt it is important to make some contribution, however small, into the environment and infrastructure where one lives. In Newcastle it was in education, both as a school governor and independent panel member dealing with school admissions, exclusions ad special needs. In Ketton, it’s the challenge of the Parish Council! GS

5

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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

The clocks have gone back, the leaves are falling and autumn is surely upon us – in fact, by the time you are reading this it may well be winter proper. Also

upon us is the time for the Parish Council to set its budget for the financial year 2011-12. This is always a fine balance between income and expenditure but this year an element of crystal ball gazing is also required because of the intricacies of the Government Spending Review. Although guidance has been sought, there is no exact position as to the amount of savings Rutland County Council will need to make and how this will affect the parishes. At the moment Council has no information as to whether Ketton will continue to receive grants towards street lighting or grass cutting which are two of our largest costs. Add into the equation a known 45% increase in the cost of electricity for street lighting and virtually zero interest at the bank and you soon see that difficult choices may have to be addressed. What is clear is that it will be essential to protect the village core services and this may well result in a need to uplift our annual precept. Moving onto a more wintry scene, gritting continues to be an issue. Once again I have asked the County Council to extend its gritting schedule to include Empingham Road and Church Road through to Geeston and, once again, I have been disappointed. I also explored the possibility of buying- in the services of the gritter, only to find that the cost of this exercise had escalated over the past 18 months from £300 to £4000 per season. The price hike is interesting and, to say the least, unacceptable. In the meantime, the grit bins are full, a keen eye will be kept on the County Council to ensure grit levels are maintained and, hopefully with willing helpers, it will be time to perfect our gritting action again! This is not an exclusive club – all are welcome to join! During the summer months the Highways’ Committee had made some progress with Rutland County Council in looking at road safety measures through the village. One significant initiative is to upgrade the pedestrian crossing near the Library to a pelican crossing. Money has been approved by the County Council in principle and we wait to see if the funds will be available. Two public meetings have been organised by the Leicestershire & Rutland Primary Care Trust to give Ketton residents an opportunity to air their views on the proposal by The Uppingham Surgery to close its branch surgery in Geeston. The first meeting in September was well attended, somewhat poorly managed by the PCT and the audience made it clear that the proposal was most unwelcome. The second meeting in October was less well attended, more professionally organised and again the message that the retention of a surgery in the village was of prime importance was made loud and clear. Rutland County Council’s Core Strategy document states that “healthy and thriving communities should be supported by protecting existing facilities”. Well I think Ketton is healthy and thriving and I’m sure all of you do too. The Uppingham Surgery has highlighted its need for a modern surgery and more patients. The Parish Council has always supported the view that a new surgery in Ketton is a high priority. Perhaps now is the time to see if it is achievable. I shall be

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writing to the PCT to request that any decision on closure should be deferred for atleast 12-18 months to give us time to consider various options. An active working party will be crucial, so can I ask all of you who are willing to help to contact David Walker- a resident with a keen interest in the surgery by email on skyboat@sky.com. September also saw an opportunity for residents to consider the plans and consult with Waterloo Housing, Rutland County Council, Stepford Homes and Parish Councillors on the Affordable Housing proposal at the preferred site on Empingham Road. These plans are based on the results of two housing needs’ surveys, conducted by the County Council, which drew on the views of local people and showed a predominant need for quality rental properties alongside a smaller element of shared ownership. Indeed, this is not the only factor for a sizeable rental element because shared ownership has been affected by the stringent lending criteria of the banks, and homes to rent are therefore essential if we are to keep our young people in the village. The consultation results showed that 95% of the public were in favour of the proposal with 87.5% in favour of the preferred site. The Parish Council and the County Council have worked hard to bring this project to fruition and we hope that funding will still be available from the Homes & Community Agency’s 2010 allocation. If this window of opportunity is lost I can see that it may well be another decade before we see any similar projects. May I wish you all a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year. Glenis Southern, Chairman Ketton Parish Council

7

RCC Strategic ReviewMany households in Ketton will have received a leaflet from Rutland County Council in September entitled “Have your say on Future Developments in Rutland”. The leaflet required that we, as individuals, make a response by 23rd September even though many of us only received the document a week earlier. The naïve sceptic may be forbidden for questioning whether Rutland CC wanted to receive a response or were merely conveying the content of their draft. Faced with a conspiracy theory or “cock-up” the latter seams a more realistic conclusion.

In 2008 Ketton Parish Council duly commented on the initial drafts and completed the questionnaire sent by RCC. The opening paragraph of our response was as follows:

Ketton Parish Council is of the opinion that The Development Strategy for Rutland is too heavily focussed on the two market towns of Oakham (population 9975) and Uppingham (population 3947)

The essence of Ketton Parish Council’s objection is that this village requires a critical mass of population in order to retain, and even, expand its core economic activities which provide both amenities and employment opportunities. The alternative would to become a dormitory village for Stamford. The substance of our response was as follows:

We should seek to achieve a continuous increase in population via improved provision of housing, an effective provision of services, facilities and employment which will attract and retain people, and the enhancement of the conservation area allowing Ketton to retain its picturesque character.

There are four main areas, relevant to the local Development Framework where Ketton seeks to improve facilities:

1. HousingKetton is in urgent need of additional affordable housing and requires an increase in housing to retain our commercial enterprises. These provide the cohesion for a thriving village society. We do not accept that housing development should be confined to in-fill. The opportunities for these developments are diminishing and they would not provide the necessary increase in demand for Ketton to retain & develop its facilities.

2. Medical PracticeThere in an urgent need to re-locate the current GP’s surgery at Geeston to a more central location in the village; to expand the servixces provided and to incease the hours of opening

3. Leisure FacilitiesKetton Parish Council seeks to provide free access to good quality leisure facilities for children. It aims to refurbish and enhance the recreational facilities at Hall Close for children under 10 years old and seeks to establish facilities for older children in the same location.

WHITE BREAD TRUST At its Quarterly review of awards, the Steering Committee of the White Bread Trust confirmed the following awards:

● an award of £250 to each of three students who had been accepted on university courses

● an award of £300 to the Healthy Walking Group for the purchase of safety equipment

● a grant of £300 to the Ketton Film Club.

From 2011 onwards the Steering Committee will meet four times annually on the last Thursday in the months of January, April, July and October. As a consequence of this decision, the Ketton Awards Committee (KAC), the body which scrutinises applications for grants from the charity, will meet immediately before the meeting of the White Bread Trust. For students applying for their awards, this arrangement should give them plenty of time after the publishing of their grades to make their applications to the KAC.

Applications should continue to be made to either the Secretary of the Trust or the Chairman of the KAC c/o The Parish Office in Stocks Hill Lane.

4. Employment OpportunitiesThe provision of employment opportunities will attract new residents and serve to provide the critical mass necessary to support the institutions and commercial enterprises. Facilities for industrial and commercial development should be established in Pit Lane and promoted by Rutland County Council

Today, we can report that we are on the verge of achieving affordable housing and, if successful, (we will know by December) will commence development north of the cemetery by April 2011. We have already installed recreational facilities for the under 14 age groups at Hall Close and have taken the decision to install a Multi User Games Area in Hall Close, near Sinc Lane. Thus two of our objectives are close to being achieved and we are fighting a stiff rear guard action to retain the Geeston surgery.

Ketton Parish Council has a clear policy for the economic and social development of the Village which we have communicated to RCC. We want to be part of the growth strategy and reject the RCC focus on Oakham & Uppingham. It may be too late for you to respond formally to the RCC brochure, but it can do no harm to communicate your views to our two County Councillors, Barrie Roper & Hugh Rees who can be contacted via RCC at Catmose, Oakham and who regularly attend Parish Council meetings.

Details of the Parish Council responses can be inspected at the Parish Office.Dick Bell

8 9

In Flanders Fields the Poppies GrowEvery November the nation remembers its war dead by buying & wearing British Legion poppies, first produced in 1921 when the slaughter of the trenches on the Western Front was still fresh in the minds. Over ninety years have passed but still we use the poppy as a symbol to express our gratitude to those killed & wounded in the service of this country. Obviously the majority of losses since 1919 occurred in the WWII but there have been numerous “small”, but equally vicious, wars since the end of that conflict, each with its share of casualties. For the past five years, we have had a veteran from the Second World War lay the wreath on behalf of the village, but this year we had a serving soldier, with current combat experience, to perform that duty. Sergeant Loder provides an example, if one were required, of the continuing need to remember all those who have served in the “little” campaigns since 1945.

We were privileged to have Sergeant Loder of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards lay the wreath. Sergeant Loder has recently returned

from a tour in Afghanistan in which several of his comrades were killed and others wounded, a fact which made the laying of the poppy wreath just as relevant as it was ninety years ago.

Accompanying Sgt Loder, as the wreath bearer, was Tom Hall of the 1st Ketton Scouts who carried out his duty impeccably and added to the dignity which Sgt Loder’s presence gave to this year’s Service of Remembrance.

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SHE’S NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE!To the customers who call in to the Village Stores for their morning Daily Telegraph or Times, Claire Mills may simply be the face that launched a thousand quips. However, behind this façade of banter, there is a potential Olympian. with a constitution of steel intent on establishing a name for herself in long distance running. After success in a few local events, she decided to enter the majors by tackling the Great North Run. Her first task was to secure sponsorship, for without it, entry is almost impossible. Sponsorship achieved, Claire began training in earnest, running anything upto 50 miles a week. So on Sunday, 19th September, she joined over 54000 other hopefuls in Newcastle for the 30th Great North Run.

The Great North Run is a world class half-marathon first run in 1981 when it was largely confined to runners from the North East. However, the race quickly attracted entrants ranging from international elite through to the usual fun runners in a variety of fancy dress costumes. It was into this maelstrom that Claire found herself and once in, she then had to find the appropriate zone from which to start. There are in fact five zones from that at the front of the race catering for the elite down to the red zone, to which is allocated the social, Sunday morning runners who had registered to enjoy themselves and bring much needed income to the charity of their choice.

By 11.30, the 54000 competitors were in position and ten minutes later, the first of the elite runners crossed the Tyne Bridge. Hot on their heels came the remaining runners, including Claire who, with an expert use of her elbows, managed to power through the limp and lazy who were obstructing her way. After crossing the Tyne into County Durham, the great caterpillar of runners made its way eastwards on the South bank of the river to South Shields. some 13 miles distant.

Eventually, the Rutland Road Runner crossed the finishing line and through the miracles of modern technology was almost immediately given the details of her personal performance. She had crossed the line in just under two hours (1hour 58 minutes) which ranked her 1033rd overall – a most commendable result considering that it was Claire’s first major outing. Furthermore, by a good deal of persuasion, bordering on the threat of violence, she raised over £700 for her sponsors, the Farplace Animal Rescue Centre.

Buoyed by this success, Claire is considering having a shot at the New York Marathon next year. In the meanwhile, it is back to the hard slog of training after a hard day of verbal fencing with those on the other side of the counter in the Ketton village store.

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Simple Seasonal Candle Display Ingredients

½ block oasis foam for fresh flowers1 bundle strong wires

2m co-ordinating accessory sparkly twigs, ribbon etc3 strong florist wires

1 stem dried or artificial hydrangea3 gerbera

3 stems spruce foliage3 stems hypericum berries

1 small piece of clear cellophane1 church candle

1 pot or container

Soak the block of oasis in deep clean water until all the air bubbles have been released.

Place the cellophane inside your container to act as a water liner. Place the wet oasis in side so that the top is just above the level of the pot.

Cut the wires into three and bend into loops. Tape each loop to the base of the candle.

Place the candle on top of oasis. Fix in place with tape if necessary.

Place small pieces of spruce foliage into the oasis making sure you give an even coverage.

Divide the stem of hydrangea in to three and place at regular intervals around the base of the candle. Then add the 3 gerberas in the spaces in between.

Add the hypericum berries where you see any gaps and any more foliage if required.

Add any accessories such as twigs, pine cones, cinnamon sticks or ribbon bows.

As with all fresh flower displays water at least once a week, remove and replace any faded blooms and remember the cooler the room the longer he flowers will last. Jo Kirby

DESIGNER FLOWERS of Rutland Studio: 2a Stocks Hill, Ketton, Rutland.

Studio telephone: 01780 720999

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The Ketton Horticultural Society’s 2010 ShowThe close proximity of the Burghley International Horse Trials did not seem to affect attendance at Ketton Primary School where the Ketton Horticultural Society was holding its annual show in September. This year, because of the unusual weather conditions we have experienced, the number of entries in the flower & vegetable classes was slightly down on those of 2009, but the standards remained just as high. On the other hand, the numbers and standard of the entries in the art and photography classes showed no such decline. The same was true of the home baking, jellies and jams which produced a bumper a crop of exhibits.

There was the usual keen competition for the prestigious Bankesian Medal, which is awarded by the RHS to the member who gains most points across all horticultural classes, and which this year was won by Steve Harris, the Club’s President.

This year’s children’s entries also demonstrated a very high standard. Not only did the pupils of Class Four gain the prize for the largest pumpkin – which they had grown in the School garden, there was an unusual en-try based upon a water melon in the vegetable sculpture class: Angus Bolton produced a globe with the continents accurately represented by sculptured carrots.

However, there were other classes in which competition was just as fierce: For example, the Harris Clothes peg for the best compost returned to

ANOTHER FINE PRODUCTIONEdmonds Drive, with David Epps being awarded First & Third places. Another area of light hearted rivalry was in the class for mixed herbs where old time entrants, David Heather and Vic Henry battled it out. This year it was David who triumphed, leaving Vic to console himself with the old adage that it was the competing and not the winning which was important.

Throughout the afternoon, competitors & spectators alike were able to refresh themselves at the Women’s Institute’s cafe, where WI members, looking very smart in their new tabards, dispensed tea & a delicious range of cakes & scones.

The afternoon ended with the usual prize-giving, which this year was undertaken by Nick Hamilton from Barnsdale Gardens. After thanking Mr Hamilton, Mark Bolton,

the Society’s Chairman, reported that the 2010 Ketton Open Gardens day in June, organised by the society’s committee, raised the sum of £800 for the Alzheimer’s Research Society. After thanking those whose had opened their gardens in June, Mark then thanked all those who had helped in making the show the undoubted success it had been: the school and the sponsors, all exhibitors & members of the public, the WI and, last but not least, the members of the Society’s committee. He concluded by inviting those who had come to view to join the Society where they would find friendly members who would be only too pleased give of their expertise. r

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1ST KETTON GUIDESSince last Christmas the 1st Ketton Guides have been celebrating the 100 Years of Guiding. All the Guides have

been working on their Adventure 100 Badge (this is a series of challenges issued by the Headquarters of Guiding) and they will shortly be receiving their badges. In February the Guides, Brownies and Rainbows of Welland Division celebrated Thinking Day (this is celebrated on Olave Baden Powell’s birthday, founder of the movement for girls. It is a day when all members of the Guide movement think about other guides, brownies and rainbows is different parts of the world) This year the Thinking Day Service took place in our new “hut” in Pit Lane, Ketton. The Welland Gold Trefoil Guild organized the service which was conducted by the Rev. Andy Fyall of Stamford Methodist Church. Afterwards, the girls and leaders shared drinks and a centenary cake baked by Mary Thompson, who has just retired from being leader of 1st Ketton Brownie Pack. Finally, the meeting closed with a camp fire, which was enjoyed by all. In June, we visited Grimsthorpe Castle for a Fun Day with about 3700 other guides, brownies and rainbows from all over Lincolnshire, Although it was one of the hottest days of the year everyone enjoyed the various activities which were split into zones, including: Fun at the Circus, Entertainment, Test Your Skills, Inflatables, and Craft. Every hour we were moved on to a different zone, the Inflatables seemed to have been the favourite. The final event of the Centenary Year of Guiding was a gathering in the Queen Eleanor School Stamford for all guides, brownies, rainbows, leaders and Trefoil Guild members. They met at 7.30 pm and at 8.10pm they all renewed their Guide Promise, together with thousands of others around the world. After that they all had a hot-dog and a chat. The school was connected by video link with the Chief Guide who prompted the start of the promise ceremony. Also on that night some of our readers may have heard Ketton church bells ringing. The bells were rung to mark the end of the Centenary Year at the request of Guiding Headquarters, a request that had gone out to all parish churches in England . Unfortunately, last term we have had to say good-bye to one of our leaders, Rebecca Wright (just as she gained her warrant to run her own unit.) who has moved away for work commitments. We wish all the readers of Chatterbox a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ketton Guides.

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clipGuiders.pdf 1 10/28/2010 6:22:59 PM

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20 21

As Christmas approaches, how about trying something different from

christmas pudding or mince pies?

Christmas Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200c/ gas 6. Thoroughly butter a 1.5 litre (2 ½ pint) soufflé dish and sprinkle it with a little of the caster sugar.

Put the crushed amaretti biscuits in bowl. Sprinkle them with 30 ml/2tbsp of the Amaretto liqueur and set aside while you make the soufflé.

Mix the egg yolks, flour and 30ml/2tbsp of the sugar.

Heat the milk in a heavy pan. When the milk is almost boiling, stir it into the egg mixture.

Pour the mixture back into the pan, put it over a low heat ad simmer gently for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually add the remaining Amaretto liqueur, continually stirring.

In a clean bowl, whisk the 5 egg whites until you have made soft peaks. Add the cream of tartare as soon as the whites are fluffy. Add the remaining sugar ad continue whisking until stiff.

Add about ¼ of the whites to the liqueur mixture and fold in with a metal spoon. Add the remaining whites and fold n gently.

Spoon ½ of the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Cover with a layer of the moistened amaratti biscuits, then spoon the remaining soufflé mixture on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the soufflé has risen and slightly browned.

Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar and serve immediately. AW

Still impressive, full of flavour and a real treat, this Amaretto Souffle is a seasonal favourite and takes only 30 minutes to cook !

Ingredients

(to serve six)

●105ml/ 7tbsp caster sugar

●6 amaretti biscuits (coarsely

crushed)●90ml/6t bsp Amaretto liqueur

●4 eggs, separated plus 1egg

white●30ml/2tbp plain flour

●250ml/ 8floz milk

●Pinch of Cream of tartare

●icing sugar for dusting

The Film Club is up and running, and after two films, one in September and one in October it has proved a great success, with over 40 attending each showing. The films are from the Outreach group who are based at the Oundle Theatre; achieving success there, they offered the facility to local villages, and are now presenting some 100 evenings a year. This is a very professional production, with large screen, great sound quality, and an enormous variety of current films for our selection, including Slumdog Millonaire, Miss Pettigrew lives for a day, The Last Station with Helen Mirren, Mrs Henderson Presents, with Dame Judi Dench, Kite Runner and Ghost to name but a tiny few of those available. We hope this is the start of another great facility for everyone in the village. It is our plan to have one film a month during the winter period (except for December) and we hope more of you will come and enjoy an evening at the Congregational Hall. Doors open at 7-00 pm for a 7-30pm start. The programme for the coming months is set out below, so please put the dates in your diary. 23rd November: ‘Letters To Juliet’, a most delightful love story, with stunning views of the Tuscan countryside, a movie which does not over tax the brain, a real feel good factor experience, with a surprising ending.11th January: ‘Keeping Mum’, a most intriguing black comedy, full of twists and turns, fronted by that versatile, indeed tantalising actress, Dame Maggie Smith, with again, an unexpected finale. 15th February: ‘The Last Station’, an historical drama, demonstrating the great Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s struggle to balance fame and wealth to a life devoid of material things. Christopher Plummer gives a dazzling performance as Tolstoy, which is supported by an equally engaging performance from Dame Helen Mirren.

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SEASON OF MISTS….For those who had to organise the Rutland Ploughing Match they could not have wished for better weather than Keats described in his poem, Ode to Autumn. 6th November was sunny, dry and, from the field at the top of Steadfold Lane where the match was to be held, one could see below through the thin mist, the whole of the flood plain of the River Welland. However despite the panoramic view below, there was a greater attraction in the field itself, the sight of dozens of tractors being prepared to do battle for the silverware on display. There were 85 entries across the whole range of ploughs & tractors competing in nine classes and ranging from small motorised ploughs to enormous modern behemoths capable of ploughing in excess of 50 acres a day. In addition – and by far the most photogenic entries were four horse-drawn ploughs. Or rather three horse powered ploughs and one to which was yoked to a pair of mules. One category which was missing – to the disappointment of the photographers – was that for the steam tractors. The Rutland Ploughing Match owes its existence to the Rutland Young Farmers’ Club which, in 1954, held a competition for young farmers at Gunthorpe. From then the

competition has gone on from strength to strength. Now, the Rutland Ploughing Match is one of the biggest in the country, attracting entries from as far afield as Kent in the south east to Cheshire in the north west The competition comes to Ketton about every five years but one of the problems is finding a field large enough to accommodate the competitors. When you work out that each competitor needs to be allotted a parcel of land measuring some 75 yards by 25 yards, you don’t have to be an Einstein to work out that a field of over 30 acres is required, and it was courtesy of Monty Andrew that a field of this size was available. For those of you who missed the competition, you missed a fascinating morning out with an opportunity to see the agricultural industry, confirming that there is a need for skills in the countryside as much as there is in the cities. A final tip, look out for the return of the match and mark it in your diary !

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The Ketton Library

Books appear to be off the radar as we are now in the new world of information technology. But wait ! Have you given a thought to

the humble book ? Have you not experienced the delights of handling a book : the pleasure of just riffling through its pages as you absorb its content, whether fiction or non-fiction, autobiography or travel, history or technical manual ? Many of us when travelling, pick up a book at the airport or railway station to help wile away the time and, if not finished, we retain it to read on the beach or in our hotel room. We may even take it home to add to our personal library as, for the majority of people, there is nothing more satisfying than a well-stocked bookshelf.

What is this preamble leading to ? To the library, not any old library, but to our own Ketton Library, an underused jewel within our village, where you can be sure of a warm welcome from Lisa who is in charge of this splendid facility..What can Lisa offer in addition to her cheery smile? You will be able to browse through a reasonable selection of books, both fact and fiction, as befits a library, talking books, CDs & DVDs, information on local affairs and, for those who do not have access to the internet, a fully equipped IT suite.

But what of Lisa herself ? She is a very private person who is dedicated to her family of two sons, both of whom attended the village school. Her one obsession is walking and she is now in training for her second London Moon Walk - a midnight power walk through London in aid of breast cancer. It is therefore no surprise that one of her off-duty pleasures is that of exercising the family’s pet , a Gerrnan pointer, Finn, over the Rutland countryside.

Lisa’s choice of books displays an eclectic mix , but if pressed for a favourite topic, her preference would be for autobiographies or books on her other favourite subject, travel. Many of us have a favourite novel, so why not

have a crack at Lisa’s : “The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Nuffenagger, a gentle but poignant love story with a message for us all.

So you now have a snapshot of the person behind the desk and the range of facilities which exist at Ketton Library. So go along and see what you have been missing. VRH

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Ketton School PTFAKetton Primary School PTFA is a group of parents, carers and friends of the school whose objective is to raise money for much needed

resources and materials the school wouldn’t be in a position to buy. The PTFA is made up of a committee of some nine members; the core members being Gillian Durno (Chairman), Zah Sheikh (Treasurer ), & Victoria Musgrave (Secretary).

The Committee works hard all year round organising various events for both parents and children. For example, last June we hads a very successful Summer Ball which raised in excess of £4000 and was a fantastic evening. We also organised a Fun Run for the children, as well as a Village Treasure Hunt. Also in our programme we have the Christmas Bazaar on 27th November which we hope will be a resounding success.

All of these fundraising events help to provide much needed equipment, such as an interactive white board for the new corridor, football and netball kits, Class I’s Little Tykes Play Area, laptops, sensory garden & seating, pantomime trips, Christmas parties to name just a few……the list goes on !However, we wouldn’t be able to raise the money we do, without the continues support of our parents/carers at the school.

For the last year in particular we have focussed our fundraising efforts on the school’s trim trail. This was installed some five years ago by the PTA and the

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children have had many hours of valuable play out of it. Regrettably, this had to beclosed down due to concerns that the existing mats underneath the equipment had reached the ends of their lives and needed replacing. We are delighted to report that the school’s Trim Trail received its revamp during the October half term and should be open to the children very soon. The clearing of some trees and the installation of a new all-weather surface has transformed the space into a safe, light, inviting environment for the children to play in. We are absolutely delighted with it as we are sure the children will be.

A lot of money needed to be raised for this project (in excess of £10000). The current PTFA have raised significant funds and together with funds from the previ-ous PTFA and a very busy schedule of events over the last year, we finally raised enough money to proceed with the long awaited project. Special thanks must go to Hanson Cement and Stamford Round Table for their sizable donations, We would also like to say a particular thank you to the various businesses who acted as table sponsors for our Summer Ball.

The PTFA would welcome some new people onto the committee with new ideas. Please speak to one of the existing members or pop into the school office for contact details. The AGM will be held towards the end of January and is a great opportunity to find out what is planned for the forthcoming year and to get involved.

Gillian Durno

●Darts, Pool & Crib Teams●●Charity Events●

●Thursday Quiz Night●

26 27

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My last contact with Scouting was as a teenager, which was at least a decade or two ago. Last December an article appeared in St Mary’s Parish Magazine outlining an activity undertaken at a recent Scout meeting. The piece went on to mention that the Ketton Troop would be grateful for additional help with their meetings and activities. Having recently reduced my work commitment from full to part time I wondered if it was the right time to renew my acquaintance with Scouting. Following a couple of emails I found myself on a dark and chilly Monday evening being warmly welcomed by Tim and Helen, the Scout leaders, to one of their weekly meetings. So has Scouting changed since the 1960s? My memory was of an organisation which gave me a tremendous amount of enjoyment, fun, excitement and friendship, introducing me to new activities and at the same time teaching me a wide range of life skills. I was pleased to see that very little has changed. The meetings are full of noise, energy and excitement as well as an occasional time for thought and reflection. Each week the meeting starts with an energetic game: dodge ball

is the current favourite and then it opens officially with the breaking of the flag, which is followed by the main activity of the evening. With the lighter evenings, almost all activities were out of doors: a hike from Rutland Water back to the Scout hut, making dens in the wood and my favourite: lighting a fire with only two matches rewarded with toasting marshmallows. Camping, of course, is still on the agenda... One of the main events is Stamcamp, held each year in Burghley Park. In addition, trips have been organised to the dry sky slope at Tallington and to a local sailing lake. So I can say, without hesitation, that little has changed. Scouting, of course, has moved with the times in the range of activities available, but the same spirit of Scouting remains just as strong as ever. I have been made very welcome by the troop. The leaders provide a superb environment, a great range of challenges and activities, all of which help to build cooperation and self confidence while ensuring that everyone has a lot of fun, excitement and enjoyment . That includes the occasional helper, too! Chris Barrett

Return to scouting

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KETTON SPORTS ROUND UPWe have now left summer behind, and the cold all encompassing hand of winter is upon us and we shudder at the thought of another winter like last year. However, let’s not dwell on what may happen, but look back at what proved to be an ideal summer for our outdoor sports enthusiasts: a period of warmth, at times a little too warm, but the upshot was a fully completed fixture list, thereby giving satisfaction to all who competed, in whatever sport they took part.

OUTDOOR BOWLS The outdoor bowls again had a most satisfying season, due in part to the almost perfect conditions which nature served up this last summer. The ‘C’team under their exuberant captain Pauline Jones gained promotion from the

third division, into the second; we wish them well for the coming encounters. Congratulations are in order to the Over Sixty Fives who, under their exceptionally gifted captain, Peter Edwards, triumphed as winners of the Peterborough Premier Division. In addition, the Club’s mixed team finished creditable runners up in the Peterborough Saturday Afternoon Mixed League, again well done. A renaissance at the club is underway. With a flourishing membership it can put four teams in the Stamford and District League, along with sides in the Over Sixties and Saturday Mixed Leagues.

TENNIS The club continues to thrive. It is full of members who are fully committed to the word progress, which is exemplified by their successful approach to their junior tennis, fronted by the ever ebullient Nick Ager, whose commitment to

junior tennis will no doubt in time become legendary. The club has had a most enjoyable season with extremely satisfying results, the first team of Barbara Gibson, Jo Minchin, Kate Neal, Mandy Gillam and Sue Monson finishing runners up in Division One, having lost only one match all season. The surprise team of the year (I know not why) was the ladies’ second team of Megan Hill, Val Brown, Elaine Elding, Patricia Beedell, Angela Wheeler and Sue Hunt who won promotion after finishing runners up in Division Two. Let us hope they can retain their form when next year’s competitions begin. New members are always welcome, with club tennis continuing on Saturday afternoons throughout the winter (weather permitting) from 2-15 pm. Floodlit tennis continues on the Astroturf court so if this lights your candle, then contact Jim Wheeler on 01780-755600.

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31

PETANQUE Many people are not aware of this dedicated bunch of enthusiasts, who by their sheer passion for this continental sport have risen from the lower leagues to establish themselves in the Rutland Premier Division. This is by no means an easy transition. The team led by their captain Adrian Naylor

have many skilled and tactical players, but still seek what are called ‘Firers,’ If you are interested please contact Adrian on 079364-45751.

CRICKET This thriving section, along with many other village sports continues on its upward path. The junior section thrives in a manner that should be a beacon to all cricket enthusiasts. This could not have been achieved without support from the seniors, led by the enthusiastic Chris Mainstone (who, I gather,

is now extending his talents to football management).Whilst it is difficult to pick out individuals in the junior ranks, John McAvoy’s dedication and enthusiasm in coaching the under nines is worth a mention, we could do with more of his calibre within the national game. The success of the Casuals (Fathers and Supporters) also continues apace, they have managed a full fixture list, so once again, a well done to them. Our senior team have performed admirably, topping their division, only losing one match during the season. Although it should be stressed that cricket is a total team effort, there were some notable individual performances, one person of note being Craig Wilson, who was presented with the leagues batting average trophy... Let’s all celebrate their success, and wish them well for next season. The club are looking for someone to help with the administration aspects within the club, so if you’ve had experience in this field, and enjoy cricket, or just wish to become involved in village activities then contact David McDonald on 07793-372-729 for more details.

SENIOR FOOTBALL The season is now underway, so an analytical assessment regarding our two village teams at this stage of the season is impossible. Their ambition to gain promotion remains their top priority, so we wish them well. The first team, under their coach Andy Gray, & their recently and

secretly married captain John Hoyles, are still in the process of working out a formula which would enable the team to achieve consistency, The reserves are still finding their feet under

their new manager and coach Michael Jenkins, but early results show that the team, captained by Adam Dale, has enormous potential. It should prove an interesting season for them. A star in the firmament is the under eighteens side which shows that the continuity from the junior football to the senior ranks is progressing well. It has made an outstanding start to their season, enhanced by the skills of their coach and manager, James Betts.

JUNIOR FOOTBALL This thriving, successful venture goes from strength to strength, with its enthusiastic coaches, parents and supporters ensuring a bright future. The junior season began in September, with teams representing age groups under 10’s under 12’s under13’s under 14’s under 15’s and under 16’s, all competing in various local leagues & cup competitions. All the teams are giving good accounts of themselves, and their progress will be featured in the spring edition of Chatterbox.

KETTON HEALTHY WALKING GROUP This flourishing organisation could not have anticipated its undoubted popularity which has culminated in the present membership of over one hundred. The group recently celebrated its first anniversary, with over a hundred members and their guests

attending the party held in the Sports Association. An interesting offshoot of the group is the formation of the Eager Beavers, who tackle more adventurous walks outside the village, mainly over a distance of approximately six miles, plus of course a liquid lunch incentive. The group’s fame has spread, for recently a video crew from Loughborough University visited this band of intrepid walkers to compile a video to promote healthy walking. So you see, Ketton once again leads the way. Social events are all part of the group’s ethos, they are including a special Christmas walk in their itinerary, culminating in a luncheon on 9th December. Looking further ahead, they have arranged an extra special outing to Royal Ascot on Ladies’ Day, Thursday 16th June. If you wish for any information on the group or be involved in their interesting and varied social events, please contact Ron Tilley on 01780-729188 or Andy Bird 01780-763421

KETTON INDOOR ACTIVITIESWe now move indoors, for November heralds an upsurge of enthusiasts seeking more comfort-able yet challenging sports or pastimes away from the harsh cold fingers of the winter weather. These pleasant diversions from everyday life are well supported within our village.

INDOOR BOWLS The longevity of indoor bowls is down to an enthusiastic secretariat, whose detailed analysis of the members’ capabilities is second to none. This efficiency has been handed down from the founding fathers to the present committee who are supported by their exuberant secretary, John

Rogers. If you are interested, why not pop along on Monday or Tuesday evenings to the Hanson Cement canteen to see these friendly and accommodating devotees in action, or if you require details, ring John Rogers on 01780-720436. Once again eight teams have set out on the path of glory, a long but enjoyable trail; interlaced with knockout competitions.

3332

The main thrust of the indoor sports scene rests locally in the hands of the Sports Association and the Railway Inn, who have a multilateral approach, with teams representing both camps as follows:

THE KETTON SPORTS ASSOCIATION KSA has two mixed teams in the Monday night Stamford Darts league, captained by John and Joyce Bird respectively; two teams in the Ladies Tuesday night Stamford league, captained by Tracy Burrows and Claire Atkins,; one team in the Thursday night Melbourne’s League, captained by Terry Pridmore, and one team in the Friday night Pete Darcy league, captained by Dave Bradshaw. They have a team, captained by Alan Horner, in the South Luffenham Domino League. This team had a brilliant season last year, which they hope to emulate. The old Ketton Club Domino team have relocated to the Sports Association, competing in the same league. Stamford and District Cribbage league are one again graced by the presence of two Sports Association teams captained by Joyce Bird and Les Holmes. The Pool section of the Association has just set off on their journey into the unknown, hoping to have yet another satisfying season, entering four teams in the various divisions of the Stamford Pool League.

THE RAILWAY INN Now to the Railway Inn, which has an enthusiastic bunch of indoor sports aficionados. With what can only be described as an excellent start to their in-door season, the Railway has entered a team captained by the effervescent Alison Couzens in the Stamford and District Darts League; a Domino team led by Arthur Chapman in the South Luffenham League; a Cribbage team, captained by the Railway’s delightful Landlady Pat Daly, in the Stamford League, and finally but not least, a Pool team captained by Melvin Bradshaw, in the Stamford League.

AN APPEALOnce again, I appeal to those of a sporting nature, including those of you that have interesting pastimes to contact me, to share your interests because I am sure there

must a great many leisure activities that are being missed, Where, for example, are the Bridge players, Where, indeed, are the fishermen, for as many of you are aware, we have

splendid waters on our doorstep. In fact, I intend to feature fishing in the next report, so let me know what was your largest catch, or most thrilling moment wherever in the world it took place, or, indeed, which is your favourite stretch of river or lake Come, don’t be shy,

share your hobby, pastime or sport with your fellow villagers.

You can contact me on 01780-720425 or E mail vrhenry@tiscali.co.uk

KET T NTENN S

Located on Ketton Sports Associationsite in Pit Lane

Very friendly club

New members welcome

3 all-weather courts - 1 with floodlights

Adult coaching available for all levels

Thriving junior sessions for ages 6 to 16

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General Enquiries: Jim Wheeler01780 755600

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Junior Section Organiser: Nick Ager01780 720553

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Mobile top-ups can now be carried out at the shop counteras well as the Post Office

Debit/credit cards accepted for payment in the shop [subject to conditions]

Any spare foreign coins? The Rainbow Trust Children's Charity can benefitfrom your donation. Collection tin on top of the post office counter.

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Telephone 01780 720245

KETTON POST OFF ICE &VILLAGE STORE