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Please get your Friends and Families involved

Every Thursday at Abington Park Rooms, Park Avenue North (& corner of Ashburnham Rd), Northampton NN3 2HT.
1st Thursday of the month is a one-hour session, every other Thursday it's a two-hour session with coffee and biscuits (and sometimes cake!)
Any questions you can call Angela 07954 099 537

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As covid seems to have abated, and the days have got longer, the quiz attendance has dropped, so we are putting it on the shelf for a while. Just let us know when you want to start up again.

I felt this really was appropriate to sum up my feelings at the passing of Jenny, who was a wonderful President to our previous branch for more than twenty years, and she attended many meetings. The members were always delighted to see her, and she made a point of personal chats with as many as possible during her visits.
The garden and propagating plants were two of her loves and skills, and many thousands of pounds were raised and donated to help us provide the amount of support given to the people locally with Parkinson's. Not only did the plants come from her greenhouse
but Jenny would sit at the fundraising stalls and supply a display anywhere she was able to raise funds for us.
Sir John and Lady Lowther arranged for Daphne and Gerald Kennaird and I with my daughter Louise for a very memorable time attending a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
At the conclusion of Jenny's memorial service a retiring collection was held for St Ethelreda's Church, Guilsborough and Northants Parkinson's People, a most wonderful gesture.
Val Hamblin

We wish to thank the family for donating £200 to us in Ken's memory. Ken used to attend Val Hamblin's former support day and regularly entertained everyone with his piano playing skills, encouraging one and all to join in a sing song.  
 
Here is Ken enjoying his 90th Birthday at the group.


In memory of Glyn Appleby.
 
We wish to thank the family for a donation to us in Glyn's memory. Glyn was a much valued member of a group Angela ran prior to Covid. Those who knew him have very fond memories of Glyn and specifically remember how kind and thoughtful he always was. Glyn was a true gentleman, and he always put others before himself, pulling out chairs for other group members, so they could sit down safely, and helping people walk to the dining room making sure they had their walking aids. He was always happy and had a cheerful smile for everyone. Glyn's wife Karen and the family wanted us to know they are grateful for the support they received from both Val and Angela.  

Here is a picture of Glyn with Mel, one of our Parkinson's Nurses.



Thank you also to Higham Piecemakers
For donating £125 which was raised from a raffle on World Parkinson's Awareness day this year.  Higham Piecemakers are a talented group who meet every week in Higham Ferrers to work their magic. If you would like to see some of their beautiful creations, please follow this link: http://highampiecemakers.blogspot.com/ 

Just to test the waters - no pun intended! We have booked a 'New' River Cruise on a new boat, the Community Spirit, based at Northampton Marina. The trip will be running from just below Northampton Lock in Becket’s Park.
​We are hoping to have a gentle river cruise, stopping for lunch at The Britannia, Bedford Rd.
Date: Wed 25th May - meeting at Beckets Park 10ish - 3pm The boat trip will be £6.50 each - to Sylvia or Angela asap and all lunches will be paid for separately on the day. Get your name down as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

To book call 01604 244 444 or email: [email protected]
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More trips will be organized in the following months to include the 'Old' Canal Cruise Trip and The Music Hall at The Deco and a couple of coach trips. Watch this space....

I could not resist showing some photographs of different blossom trees, all taken within a two miles radius of the Northampton town centre. It made me think how little we actually take the time to sit or stand and really look at the blossom on the trees at this time of year. It only lasts for a couple of weeks, and yet the number of flowers on any one tree is humungous! Such a glorious sight! The first photo is my apple tree, which is only five foot high! Then a beautiful camellia tree and blossom, such lovely vibrant colours.

  
  

So, we will start with pruning to be done in May. Early flowering clematis should be trimmed once they have finished flowering. This is to maintain a nice shape and also to stop them overwhelming nearby plants. Trim Japanese quince too again after it has finished flowering this will encourage new flowers next spring.
If you are interested in gardening without using any chemicals etc, then there are a few little tips on what can help.
If you see early signs of green fly on your rose buds, just run your thumb and forefinger up and down and squish them away. Getting rid of blackfly on runner beans is easy. I just set my hosepipe to full jet and blast them off. You can make your own pest deterrent by chopping a handful of hot red chillies and soak in water for a few days, strain and then use the liquid in a spray bottle. An old kitchen surface spray bottle thoroughly cleaned will do. A good solution to deter mildew on courgettes and cucumbers is a 50 x 50 mix of milk and water. Regarding slugs, well most of us use things like coffee grounds, crushed eggshells and wood ash but, of course, these can wash away when it rains. Top tip! Bran swells up when it is wet, which makes it more effective! This is a new one on me and I will be trying it out over the next few weeks. Also, I find copper tape put around the top of a pot is a great deterrent to slugs. Worked brilliantly last year with my potted Hosta. Those pesky weeds that keep growing between the patio slabs just keep on growing, and it is hard work to keep digging them out. I remember my mum used to boil a kettle of water and pour it on the weeds, and it kills them off. Ok you might have to do it on a fairly regular basis, but it’s a lot less strenuous than digging them out individually.
I’m sure most of us gardeners have had hints and tips and old gardeners’ tales passed on to us from parents and grandparents, some of which are helpful and some which, frankly, we think are absurd. I remember being told by my grandad that you should never sow seeds when the moon is waning. Ha! Ha! An old wives’ tale, I thought! According to scientific research, the waxing and waning of the moon affects the Earth’s magnetic field and the atmosphere. This causes even the smallest amount of water in the tiniest living organism to move around like the tides. The scientists reckon that significant rain is therefore more likely after a new moon. The ancient Egyptians believed in this too. Another gem is that if radishes are pulled when the moon wanes then rubbed on corns or warts it will cure them! Believe that if you like!

Make three sandwiches with the bread, butter and marmalade. Now butter the top slice of each sandwich and cut each one into 4 triangles. Arrange the sandwiches, butter side up, overlapping each other in a baking dish. Whisk together the milk (plus cream if used), eggs and sugar, then pour the  mixture all over the top of the sandwiches. Scatter the surface with a little demerara sugar and if you like a little grated orange zest.
Bake at 180c for about 40 minutes until the top is crispy and golden.
Serve with crème fresh or custard, or just on its own!

This is absolutely yummy! I add a little extra twist to the recipe by putting a few sultanas into each sandwich before cutting into four. Also a little drizzle of the orange marmalade dotted around the top just before baking.

1) WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE         
2) KIRK DOUGLAS             
3) BONN

4) WINDSOR (Merry wives of Windsor       
5) KEW             
6) A CATAMARAN
7) SILVER (Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow)
8) 14           
9) FISH           
10) STEEL 

Mobility Scooter

Asking price £300.00 ONO  For more information, please contact Richard on 07735 779422

   

 

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northantsparkinsonspeople.uk