Oundle Chronicle Amps in The blight No Topic page business page of hare page is off limits 5 10 13 since 1901 coursing Established 1991 Best Newspaper 2016 Shine School Media Awards Winter 2020-21 Plans for new unitary council gather speed Ned Chatterton After delays caused by the pandemic, timescales have now been finalised for East Northamp- tonshire District Council to merge with other district councils to form one of two unitary councils in Northampstonshire. Current district and county councillors have already formed the Shadow North Northampton- shire Council, which will continue the transition until elections in April 2021 elect new councillors to the unitary authority. In the new authority, services provided by the district councils will merge with services provided by the county council. Planning, housing, environmental and health services - previously provided by the district councils - will merge with adult and children’s social services, highways and trading standards – previously the remit of the county council. “The unitary will be more transparent and residents will have Artist Simon Dolby captured the unnatural stillness of Oundle's streets during lockdown in an oil painting a clear way forward in terms of now on display at the Dolby Gallery on West Street. continued on page 2 getting advice and support,” said Annabel de Capell Brooke, North- amptonshire County Councillor for Oundle. “Nothing is more frus- Headteacher Janet McMurdo to retire after 18 successful years trating for a resident to contact the district council only to be told that Noa Anderson full primary, Reception to Year 8 a unified vision,” she explains. they need to contact county. Time Janet McMurdo, headteacher in 2015, managed the move to new Harder, perhaps, but not wasting for them and pointless.” of Oundle CE Primary School, premises in 2016, and guided the impossible. Mrs McMurdo sees “This should allow for some will retire this Easter after nearly school through the Coronavirus her greatest achievement as the savings in present overhead costs two decades at the school. Mrs pandemic. successful transition and move to and also better career prospects McMurdo is well known in the Her biggest challenge, she says, new premises in Cotterstock Road for officers in one structure: this community as the driving force was the transition to a full prima- from the previous Milton Road site. would be good for staff morale,” behind the happy and successful ry: “We had to learn to be a com- “Every step of the way, every new said Rupert Reichhold, one of three school environment which has pletely different school.” Having thing that came was a challenge, district councillors for Oundle. given generations of Oundle’s taught in a three-tiered system but also a success when we worked Asked what changes an Oundle children the care, confidence and with lower school, middle school together,” she recalls. “Through all resident can expect to see day-to- core skills crucial for a positive start and secondary, and having had her that, I have never felt alone. I have day, Councillor Reichhold said: to their educational journey. own children go through it, she felt always worked with a great staff “Very little: to the extent people During her tenure, Mrs the structure worked well, but she team, parents and fab kids.” see or meet council officers at all, McMurdo has boosted Oundle saw the advantages of a two-tiered Claire Morrison, assistant head- they are likely to see and meet CE Primary from a school system fitting in better with the teacher, has worked alongside Mrs the same officers, with letter rated “Good” by Ofsted to an National Curriculum for England McMurdo for 11 years. She said headings showing the North “Outstanding” one, seen the and Wales. The disadvantage of the that her greatest achievements were Northamptonshire Council logo.” school through its transition from larger school, however, is that “it’s continued on page 10 Reception to Year 4 provision to a harder to make sure the school has continued on page 3 2 Oundle Chronicle ISSUE 53 - Winter Appeal for donations to The The art of lockdown maintain Responders' vehicle Chronicle On any normal weekday morn- through Oundle in early spring just Matthew Atkin ing Oundle is bustling with shop- after the lockdown. I was amazed Many charities are facing hard- pers, business transactions, café to see everywhere so empty, with ship this year because of their ina- Team goers and school pupils. But when no vehicles or people,” he said. bility to organise annual fundrais- the spring lockdown shuttered all “The dramatic sky and strong ing events. One local organisation activities in March, the town fell light hitting the school buildings that relies entirely on donations to silent in an eerie calm. was so unusual and atmospheric, support its operation is the Oundle The experience of walking I wanted to paint it exactly as it Community First Responders, a through the deserted streets on was.” group of volunteers who provide daily exercise was both unsettling He did a detailed pencil drawing emergency medical assistance. and exhilarating, and ultimately in- and two watercolours before he The First Responders were ini- spiring for the artists who took the had the composition and colours tially told by the ambulance forces opportunity to capture this unique worked out as he wanted. to stand down during the first moment in time. The finished painting was done lockdown, but since mid-April they Simon Dolby lives in the cen- in oils, and took him about a month have been back in action. tre of Oundle and has spent years to paint. Had this been an ordinary year, THE EDITORIAL TEAM painting its streetscapes. He is in- “I’m pleased that I painted there would have been fundrais- timately familiar with the architec- something that marked a moment ing events that would go towards tural detail and character of all its of time in the history of Oundle.” covering the £4000 cost for the lease Noa Anderson buildings. But the changes imposed The painting is on display in the of their vehicle. The First Respond- Matthew Atkin by the lockdown brought a new di- window of the Dolby Gallery on ers use this vehicle to arrive at the Archie Atkinson mension to the experience of living West Street, and is available as a scene of an accident as soon as Robert Brettle in town, and he sat down to record limited edition print of 50. Contact possible and help to ensure that the William Caskey it in his latest work. [email protected] for more injured person remains stable until Toby Cave “I was inspired by a walk details. the paramedics arrive. Ned Chatterton Meagan Iu Paxton Leung Priyanka Menon Oundle Music Trust makes plans for 2021 Sofya Meshechkova with Culture Recovery Fund award Johannes Mynhardt Digby Pratt Meagan Iu of what the organisation does for Gabriel Sun Oundle Music Trust has Oundle and enables us to re-start Jennifer Yang been awarded £58,823 as part of operations with our core team, plan Cherry Yang the Government’s £1.57 billion events for 2021 and pursue our goal Culture Recovery Fund to help arts of re-branding the organisation.” organisations face the challenges Trust organisers are now plan- STAFF EDITORS of the coronavirus pandemic and ning the 2021 festival. “Assuming First Responder Paul Brackley says they need an annual minimum of £4000 to ensure they have a sustainable things proceed much as they are to support their services Leigh Giurlando future. now, we are aiming to present a Caitriona O'Brien The funds could not have come slightly reduced festival with so- Last year alone they assisted soon enough for the Trust. Artistic cially distanced performances.” 362 patients throughout the Director, Kenneth Richardson said: Following the success of 2020’s community, giving roughly 6,600 “Along with the generosity of our virtual festival, and with the help of hours of their time. Whilst the First friends, sponsors and audience the grant, they plan to continue an Responders have some reserves, members, this award will enable us online presence and livecast some and have received donations and to plan ahead." of their performances, allowing support from local businesses, it is Oundle Music Trust is one of them to have an audience watching not enough to cover their lease plus 1,385 cultural and creative organi- both in the venue and from home. the expense of maintaining their sations across the country receiving The potential benefit is that they essential equipment. urgently needed support. £257 mil- will be able to market their perfor- The First Responders have ap- lion of investment has been an- mances to a bigger audience than pealed to their supporters to donate nounced as part of the first round can be accommodated in person, even small amounts using the link of the Culture Recovery Fund and take Oundle out to the wider on their website. grants programme being adminis- virtual world beyond our regional In order to become a First Re- tered by Arts Council England. and national boundaries. sponder, a volunteer must first At the beginning of lockdown, it Ann Elise Smoot, Director complete a four-day training became apparent that the planned of Oundle for Organists, also has course, participate in a monthly festivals for the summer of 2020 plans in place for the 2021 Ound- meeting and an annual refresher would have to be cancelled. At the le for Organists Summer School. course for the first level. The First start of the year, they had just had “The Fund’s support, allows us Responders are sent to locations a successful festival launch, and to plan for the future with renewed where 999 has been called, within ticket sales were going well.