Articles

Adele Rogers, our brilliant Musical Director, has decided to step down after seven successful and amazing years leading the Foxton Community Choir. But, the Choir must go on, as it’s such an integral and important part of our Village. So, we need a Musical Director to replace her.  

Without question we live in a beautiful part of the world surrounded by countryside and are fortunate enough to have some very thoughtful famers on our doorstep. The Chronicle has asked a local farmer what tasks they have been doing over the last month while the sun shone. This report is from Jill Vickers at Bridge 67 and we thank her for this list. The bullet points are because farmers are busy and they don’t get bank holidays off! As you move around one can only hope that part of our food security is in safe hands.

What a glorious summer we have all had. The weather was certainly kind for our last two village events, Brass on the Grass and the Barn Dance. Once again the former was one of the highlights in our Smeeton social calendar. So many people, both locally and from further afield, joined us to listen as The Oddfellows Brass Band entertained us once again. With refreshments being served, the evening proved to be a resounding success. All of the donations going to GEMS in memory of Kelvin Capell, a much loved member of our community.

Although they describe themselves as “enthusiastic amateurs”, there was nothing amateurish about the presentation given by Julie and Ian Harrison. They detailed Kibworth area’s wildlife at Kibworth Community Library on 1st September. 

The good weather over the summer months was an added bonus as the band played to good audiences at various outdoor events. 

Mike Ward was well-known to The Kibworth & District Chronicle team. He supplied us with news of Foxton via the Foxton Folio which he edited for twenty years. We send our condolences to his family along with these extracts from Mike’s funeral eulogy, a reminder of what a great character he was. RO.

What an amazing summer we have had. No doubt too hot for many! This hot weather has certainly done nothing to enhance the beauty of our gardens. However, it looks like it is now breaking and we can relish in being refreshed by the rain we so often complain about.

Norton & Gaulby Young Farmers Club are celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. We are hosting a Black Tie Dinner at The Kube, Leicester Racecourse on Saturday 8 October, 6:30 for 7pm. Tickets are £45 per person.

My wife was born a Carter and I have traced back her family tree to the marriage of one William Carter to a widow, Jane Beasley (nee Webster) in St Wilfrid’s Church, Kibworth on 27 November 1797. 

So, what is SPACE?

Jack and Ellen Stamp founded J Stamp & Sons in 1946, working as french polishers and antique furniture restorers. They worked from a small workshop in the village of Drayton, situated in the Welland Valley. Prior to the Second World War, Jack had worked for a local business. They were antique furniture dealers and restorers and undertakers in Market Harborough.

School Road Chapel News

On 26 June, a special service was held at Kibworth Methodist Church to celebrate Roy Bills’ 70 years’ service as a Methodist Local Preacher. Although Roy, aged 93, recently stepped down from leading services, he is still an active and much-loved member of Kibworth Church.

Ash dieback will desolate many of our rural roadsides and landscapes. This is a serious disease of ash tree. It is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (it used to be called Chalara fraxinea). The fungus is spread by the wind or by the movement of diseased ash trees. The disease causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees and can lead to the death of the tree. The disease was first identified in England in 2012. Research has shown that it is likely to have been present since at least 2005.