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A win is a win no matter what universe you are in

Steve
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A win is a win no matter what universe you are in

At the start of this game when Sleights reached and scored and Newcastle were rocking on their foundations a little you never would have guessed what was coming.

At that stage it didn’t seem to matter so much that some good ball went up the odd blind alley or got turned over in contact.

Saints’ defence was as dynamic as the attack: Hutchinson put in an amazing try saving tackle on Radwan at one point.

But the real price of those split-second attacking errors – the points left unscored – came at the heart-stopping end of the match as Falcons clawed their way back into contention with brilliant solo efforts from the likes of Carreras, Radwan and Wacokecoke.

There is a particular sound Franklin’s Gardens makes when a chance goes begging. It’s an extended ‘ooh’ that is just a couple of notches down from the stronger outraged ‘ooooh’ that is the response to opposition foul play.

It’s the sound of what could have been, the sound of something nearly happening. If you believe in the multiverse theory of quantum physics it is the sound of another universe splitting off in which Saints are an irresisitible points generating machine relentlessly creeping forwards over the squashed dreams of every other rugby club in the rugbyverse.

But if we lived in that universe we would be having the Saracens fan experience wouldn’t we? Ticking off the points as we harvest them in a soul-deadening ballet of efficiency, emotionally incapable of appreciating our success, having to fake humility because you’re not really sure what it’s for.

Instead, in our real universe we enjoy games like this one where the euphoria is about just getting away with it.

At my very low ability level of mountain biking there is a thrill you sometimes get just from realising you are still on your bike after you have whoop-de-wooed your way through some kind of obstacle by the skin of your teeth. It might not look like much to anyone else but the buzz is very real.

And let us not underestimate what it took from Saints to get away with it. At times Mitchell and Furbank were moving through the Newcastle defence like ghosts with afterburners. Juarno Augustus crashed through the Newcastle defence like a humvee that could do hand-offs. Incisive passing from Grayson. Clever lines from Dingwall. Collins lurking like a sniper. Sleighthome explosive in defence and attack. Hinckley bringing scary back.

Newcastle at times were brilliant. It would be a hard heart at Franklin’s Gardens that could not appreciate the audacity of Carreras’ try. However Saints have such a lot of good parts that are almost clicking that I can’t help but be optimistic. And a win is a win no matter what universe you are in. Pictures by Dave Ikin

Northampton Saints full match report

Dan Biggar will be out for weeks as Saints prepare to fight for every inch against Newcastle

Steve
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Dan Biggar will be out for weeks as Saints prepare to fight for every inch against Newcastle

Saints coach Sam Vesty is expecting a good scrap for the ten shirt in the season ahead despite the fact that two candidates are nursing injuries going into a tough home clash with Newcastle Falcons.

Dan Biggar took a leg knock against Wasps and new signing Fin Smith has an injured jaw. With George Furbank away on England duty it is good news that James Grayson is in a rich vein of form as he proved by assisting in the Premiership Cup demolition of Quins.

When everyone is fit it all adds up to the famous ‘best problem a coach can have’.

Vesty said: “Finn’s a cracking fly half and I’m really looking forward to working with him. We hope there is going to be a really good scrap for ten and those boys push each other we we get the best out of those individuals.

“Dan’s got a knee injury and he will be out for a number of weeks. Fin is not actually fit just yet. He’s coming back from a jaw injury. Jimmy hadn’t done a lot of training so it was important he got through some work but we didn’t want to put him through too much.”

Saints last gasp win over Wasps in the league last Sunday was a lesson for the fans who must have had their heads in the hands for a lot of the game. With this team it ain’t over ’til it’s over.

“We showed a boat load of resolve and a boat load of never say die, which is massive positive to take from that game,” said Vesty.

“We lost the territorial battle in the first half and ended up playing in our half too much, which puts you under pressure. But to take the positives out of it, fair play to come back from where we were.”

Overall Vesty is happy with the way the team is progressing.

“We’ve played quite well over the course of the year but there is plenty for us to get better at. By the end of year we should be in a pretty healthy place and that is when the points really start to count,” he said.

“Fundamentally it comes down to getting the basics right and turning the game round so we are playing our game in their half. We are expecting Newcastle to come with a really good team fighting for inches everywhere, an inch in the scrum, an inch in the tackle, they’ll fight for it. That’s the big part of the game for me this weekend. That physical collision part of it will be key.”

James Dacre to leave Royal & Derngate

Steve
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James Dacre to leave Royal & Derngate

The artistic director of Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton is to leave at the end of next summer.

A statement released by the Northampton Theatres Trust said:

James Dacre has announced he will step down after a decade as Artistic Director at Royal & Derngate at the completion of the venue’s 2022/23 Made in Northampton season next year – its most ambitious and far reaching programme to date.

During his years at Royal & Derngate he has premiered some of the most critically acclaimed work that the company has seen, radically diversified its repertoire and further developed the venue as a major creative and educational force in UK Theatre, described recently as an “artistic powerhouse” (The Independent) and an “essential destination” (The Observer) and celebrated for its “reputation for adventurous commissioning which few British Theatres can match” (BBC Arts).

In his 10 years, Dacre has produced more than 120 shows of which 60 have toured both nationally and internationally and 42 have transferred to London and been recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards. During this time the venue has seen a marked development of its artistic activities, its audiences across the UK and standing within the region and sector. Royal & Derngate has welcomed over two and a half million audience members in Northampton across the decade and been twice shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year by The Stage (2022 and 2016) and chosen as 2020 Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington.

Touring Made in Northampton productions have been seen by a further 1 million audience members nationwide and made over 500 venue visits across the UK and abroad, winning three UK Theatre Awards. They have been broadcast to many more audiences on Sky Arts, BBC, On Demand and in cinemas.

In the past decade the team at Royal & Derngate has welcomed over 165,000 children and young people through its extensive Creative Learning Programmes and been nominated for the UK Theatre Award for Excellence in Inclusivity. During this period they have delivered gender parity across all new commissions and the diversity of artists appearing across the venue’s Made in Northampton seasons has quadrupled since 2012. The venue has established a flagship training residency with the National Youth Theatre for 500 young people a year. It has led a UK wide consortium in developing and touring original musical theatre productions by over 150 artists and launched Generate as a talent development

scheme which has championed original work by over 700 East Midlands artists. It has also spearheaded a region-wide Creative Education strategy for 25,000 young people per year across Northamptonshire, helped convene an East Midlands wide consortium to provide opportunities for d/Deaf and disabled artists and pioneered ensemble theatre making, enabling 16 emerging companies to make their main stage debuts.

James Dacre, said: “As I reach my 10th year, the culmination of several major strategic projects, the successful completion of our current funding term and the launch of our most far-reaching season yet, it seems like the right time to embark upon a new chapter in my career. Leaving next Spring also provides plenty of time to begin the careful process of handing the artistic reins of these very special theatres to a new Artistic Director.

“Our industry has been through seismic challenges and changes over the past few years but Royal & Derngate is thriving. It truly is a community venue, a centre of artistic excellence and ambition and a home for exceptional educational and social opportunities for young people.

“Over the past decade it has been an enormous privilege to create and champion such a wide range of work for Royal & Derngate’s three stages but also for Northampton’s civic spaces, from football stadiums, cathedrals and high streets to car parks, castles, and waterways. It has also been thrilling to see so much of this work go on to tour the country and the world. And I know Royal & Derngate will always shout from the rooftops that regional theatres do so much more than simply put on shows. They nourish civic life and serve local communities, promoting cultural exchange through creativity.

“There’s still much good work to do before I leave Northampton next Spring but, for my part, I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our Trustees for their wisdom, to our remarkable, kind, and inspiring Chief Executive Jo Gordon and all the magnificent, talented and passionate colleagues and theatre practitioners I have been lucky enough to work with. For the future, I’m looking forward to building upon my relationships across the sector by directing and producing new theatre, opera, film and music projects across the UK both as an independent artist and through my new production company – Living Theatre Productions – which launches in the New Year.”

Simon Antrobus, Chair of the Board of Trustees said: “A hugely creative, hardworking and passionate artistic leader, I can think of few others across the country as committed to the importance, vitality and benefit of regional theatre as James. Together with Chief Executive Jo Gordon, he was instrumental in keeping Royal & Derngate thriving through the challenges of the pandemic and taking a leading role nationally in the championing of the value, variety and scale of theatre being made around the UK. To conclude his brilliant tenure he has now curated an exceptional last season that exemplifies all that he has achieved across the last decade – an unwavering commitment to new work, new voices and untold stories, a step change in our digital work, and an imaginative, diverse and popular range of shows that once again welcome some of the country’s most exciting artists to Northampton. Characteristic of all his work, it is a programme that deepens connections within our local communities, whilst also enriching audiences and theatres across the UK.”

Jo Gordon, Chief Executive said: “The quality, care and integrity that James has brought to all his work for Royal & Derngate is evident both in the beautiful shows he’s created for our stages and town, and in his commitment to Northampton’s many communities. From championing the next generation of theatremakers to ensuring that unique opportunities for children and young people lie at the heart of all that we do, the investment made into the future over the last 10 years means we will continue to see their legacy on our stages and in our communities for years to come.

“Whoever takes up the baton will find an exciting richness in Northampton’s talent and audiences fostered through that work. James has always been so generous with his time and his expertise and will be sorely missed by his colleagues, audiences and artists alike.”

Recruitment for new Artistic Leadership at Royal & Derngate will begin later this month with more details to be announced soon.

Winners revealed at Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards ceremony

Nene Quirer
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Winners revealed at Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards ceremony

After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2022/23 are finally celebrating being named the best of the best in the county!

The competition, now in its fourteenth year, received hundreds of nominations and applications across 15 categories, from a diverse range of ambitious and driven individuals and businesses who make up the fabric of Northamptonshire’s food and drink sector. The Awards are aimed at celebrating all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues, producers and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector.

The results were announced at a dazzling Awards Dinner staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on Wednesday 12th October.  The evening began with formal welcomes from Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL of The Mallows Company, Jo Gordon from Royal & Derngate and Stuart Branch of headline sponsors, Weetabix before guests then enjoyed a sumptuous three course meal designed by Portfolio Events. Guests were in safe hands as Portfolio made a return to cater for the Awards for a second year, creating a bespoke menu for the special event. 

Befitting a celebration of the excellence of the county’s food and drink sector, the menu included a wealth of Northamptonshire ingredients, including Green Kitchen Preserves Tomato and Chilli Chutney, Whittlebury Bakery white sourdough crisp, Hamm Tun Fine Foods and the Northampton Cheese Company’s cheese, The Food Library’s Spiced Rhubarb Chutney and Mee Farmers’ Blueberry and Lavender Jam.  The main course was a Roast Rib of Booker’s Black Gate Signature Beef.

The results are as follows: 

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

GOLD – Blue Aurora, English Blueberry Ice Wine 

GOLD – Stonyfield English Quality Sparkling Wine, Rosé 

GOLD – Lactodorum Towcester Gin, Wharf Distillery

SILVER – Heidrun Session NEIPA, Three Hills Brewing

SILVER – Fresh Oat Drink, Wild and Furrow

BRONZE – Solstice Malt Whisky, Wharf Distillery 

Artisan Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed)

GOLD – Naked Dairy Gelato, Rocky’s Gelato 

SILVER – Northamptonshire Blue, Hamm Tun Fine Foods

SILVER – Blueberry & Lavender Jam, Mee Farmers

SILVER – White Sourdough, Whittlebury Bakery

BRONZE – Garlic & Fennel Salami, Northampton Charcuterie Company

BRONZE – Tomato & Chilli Chutney, Green Kitchen Preserves

BRONZE – Elderflower Sorbet, Your Cool

Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year (sponsored by Daily Bread)

GOLD – Oinkin’ Pattie from The Curious Vegan Co. 

SILVER – Spiced Rhubarb Chutney from The Food Library

SILVER – Tongue Taster from Northampton Cheese Company

BRONZE – Cucumber & Dill Sauerkraut from Mille Pickles

BRONZE – Almond and Coconut Granola from Salma Shah

BRONZE – Vegan Blue Raspberry Bottles from Sweet Lounge

Booker Dining Venue of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

GOLD – Electric Pavillion, Northampton 

GOLD – Hibiscus Fine Dining, Northampton

GOLD – Restaurant Ember, Wellingborough

GOLD – The Snooty Fox, Lowick

SILVER – The Butchers Arms, Greens Norton

SILVER – The Folly Inn, Towcester

SILVER – Tollemache Arms, Harrington

BRONZE – Tap & Kitchen, Oundle

BRONZE – The Plough Inn, Shutlanger

BRONZE – The Rose & Crown, Yardley Hastings

Booker Young Chef of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

GOLD – Hannah Dunne, Restaurant Ember 

GOLD – Shawn Monk, The Falcon Inn, Fotheringhay

SILVER – Nicole Wicks, Rushton Hall

BRONZE – David Smith- The Palmichael

BRONZE – Matthew Heritage, The Falcon Inn, Fotheringhay

Community Café of the Year (Supported by The Good Loaf)

GOLD – Saints Coffee, Northampton

SILVER – Café 1850, Northampton

BRONZE – Aspen Café, Bosworth Garden Centre

BRONZE – Café Track, Northampton

BRONZE – Johnny’s Happy Place, Kettering

BRONZE – The Place to Bee, Kingsthorpe

Outstanding Contribution to Food and Drink in Northamptonshire Award (sponsored by All Things Business) 

Winner – Colin Richardson 

Farming Environment Award (sponsored by Weetabix Growers Group)

GOLD – Phillip Johnson & Daughters, Rectory Farm

SILVER – J.A Knight & Son

BRONZE – Bartlow Estate

FINALIST – Bridge House Farm

FINALIST – J.A Atkinson & Son

FINALIST – Stetchworth Estate Farm

F&B Achiever of the Year (sponsored by Howes Percival LLP)

GOLD – Andy Collins- Whittlebury Bakery

SILVER – Aldo Gallone- E. Gallone Ltd

SILVER – Joe Buckley- Tollemache Arms

BRONZE – Suzy Keeping & Chris D’alessio- KDR Events

Food and Drink College Student of the Year 

GOLD – Bilal Ismail- Northampton College

GOLD – Tia ‘Echo’ Morris- Northampton College

SILVER – Elisabeth Knott- Moulton College

BRONZE – Luke Wolstencroft- Tresham College

BRONZE – Will McGowan- Tresham College

Healthy Food and Wellbeing Award (sponsored by Delapré Abbey)

GOLD – Cucumber & Dill Sauerkraut, Millie Pickles

SILVER – Chocolate flavour Super Shake- Nasty Vegan

SILVER – Organic Wheatgrass Juice – Britt’s Superfoods

BRONZE – Kebab-ish, Bite me Spices

BRONZE – Tomato and Red pepper Relish, Friars Farm

Healthy Food and Wellbeing award, Workplace

GOLD – Mercedes AMG HPP

SILVER – Silverstone Circuits Ltd

SILVER – Sol Havens CIC

BRONZE – Northampton General Hospital

Local Food Hero of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College)

GOLD – Towcester Community Larder

SILVER – The Green Patch

BRONZE – Community Health works UK CIC

BRONZE – Elliotts’ Rectory Farm

BRONZE – Foodkind CIC

BRONZE – Jamie’s Quality Butchers

One To Watch (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers)

GOLD – The Flavour Trailer

SILVER – Northampton Cheese Company

BRONZE – Jute Coffee

BRONZE – Nakasero

BRONZE – Nasty Vegan

Weetabix Sustainability Award (sponsored by Weetabix)

GOLD – Ganders Goat

SILVER – Jute Coffee Limited

SILVER – West Lodge Farm Park

BRONZE – Foodkind CIC

BRONZE – The Roastery

Whitco Chef of the Year (sponsored by Whitco)

GOLD – Bart Polinski- Hibiscus Fine Dining 

SILVER – Arturs Dzerins- Electric Pavilion 

BRONZE – Ben Drury, The Red Lion, Cranford

BRONZE – Michael O’Gorman, University of Northampton, Waterside Campus

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice)

GOLD – Alacati Grill, Daventry

GOLD – Mewar Haveli, Northampton

SILVER – June Plum, Wellingborough

BRONZE – Pjayz Kitchen, Northampton

The winners of all the categories were presented with trophies by the evening’s special guest presenter and journalist Helen Fospero, best known for her presenting role on shows such as GMTV, Daybreak and Lorraine, who for the second year was the Master of Ceremonies. 

Restaurant Ember, Wellingborough, one of four Gold Award winners of the Booker Dining Venue of the Year was praised by judges for its fun and creative delicious BBQ Tapas menu. James Peck, Head Chef and Owner said ‘it means so much to have been recognised for this Award having only been open for three months, we are very humbled and excited for the future.’ It was a stellar evening for Restaurant Ember as James’s Young Chef, Hannah Dunne took one of the two Gold Awards in the Booker Young Chef of the Year. 

The awards are generously supported and sponsored by major food and drinks businesses based in the county including headline sponsor, Weetabix. Stuart Branch, Chief People and Digital Officer for Weetabix, enthused, ‘Weetabix sustainability is in our DNA and so we are particularly proud to spearhead the Weetabix Sustainability Award category, now in its third year, because it’s an area that is so important to our communities and us as a business based within the county. We are immensely proud to support the awards process with year-long backing to ensure that those who are declared Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each category receive the recognition they deserve as well as mentoring and guidance. This year is particularly exciting as we celebrate our Weetabix Growers’ Group – farmers who provide the wheat that our Weetabix Original is made from.  This is a new category and I am very proud that we are able to shine a light on those farmers who are doing a brilliant job to improve our countryside environment’. 

Chairman of the Whitworth Brothers Board of Directors and President of UK Flour Millers announced the winners of the One to Watch category. ‘Whitworth Bros Ltd are over the moon with the response to the Awards this year and send our congratulations to Bronze, Silver and Gold winners’ said Mike Peters, Managing Director. The Flavour Trailer took home Gold, and said ‘We can’t believe it! We felt like winners just coming here this evening. The competition was incredible so we are just stunned. Our goal was the make incredible burgers and the fact that it has brought us here is incredible!’ 

A surprise award, sponsored by ‘All Things Business’ – The Outstanding Contribution to Food and Drink in Northamptonshire, an accolade for someone who has made a significant contribution to the sector. This year won by Colin Richardson, someone who has, over the years, played a remarkable role in taking on iconic venues and changing them to be both award winning and popular with the public.   

For more details on the competition please visit the Awards’ website at www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or contact Rachel Mallows or Sophie Smith on 01933 664437 or email sophie@themallowscompany.com 

You can also follow the Awards on twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on Facebook at facebook.com/foodawards

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Last set of finalists revealed before Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks Awards night

Steve
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Last set of finalists revealed before Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks Awards night

They are the last finalists of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks Awards to be revealed, however they are by no means the least. The Awards team is excited to announce the hunt for Local Food Heroes, Healthy Food and Wellbeing organisations and the Food and Drink College students is now completed and ready to celebrated! 

The Food and Drink College Student of Year Award is aimed at students aged between 16 and 21 currently undertaking a full or part-time food/drink-related course at a Northamptonshire college (Moulton, Northampton or Bedford). It is designed to recognise students showing drive, commitment and passion for the sector, those demonstrating exceptional progress in skills development who are keen to learn and who are a young ambassador for learning about food and drink. One judge emphasised how they felt really inspired by what they had heard from the talented students. 

Finalists for the Food and Drink College Student of the Year are:

Bilal Ismail, Northampton College 

Elizabeth Knott, Moulton College

Will McGowan, Bedford College, Corby 

Tia (Echo) Morris, Northampton College 

Luke Wolstencroft, Bedford College, Corby 

The team behind the Awards is delighted with the introduction of the debut category: Healthy Food and Wellbeing Award which also welcomes a fresh sponsor, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust.  This category is designed to recognise producers in Northamptonshire who manufacture healthy food and those businesses and organisations who provide healthy food and wellbeing initiatives for their staff (defining ‘healthy food’ as those lower in fat, salt and sugars which can be used as part of a balanced diet).

Richard Cllinton, CEO of Delapre Abbey said: “It was impressive to see such a breadth and quality of healthy food products being produced in Northamptonshire, showing great innovation by these producers to support people to lead healthier lifestyles. It was equally impressive to see the level of care and attention employers are placing in supporting their employees to achieve greater wellbeing in and outside of their workplaces. Once again the awards have shown the exceptional talents that exist within the counties food and drink sector.”

Finalists for Healthy Food and Wellbeing of the Year are:

Producers:

Kebab-ish, Bite me spices

Organic Wheatgrass Juice, Britt’s Superfoods

Tomato and Red Pepper Relish, Friars Farm

Cucumber & Dill Sauerkraut, Millie Pickles

Chocolate flavour Super Shake, Nasty Vegan 

Businesses and Organisations:

Mercedes-AMG HPP

Northampton General Hospital 

Silverstone Circuits Ltd

Sol Havens CIC

Local Food Hero of the Year category, sponsored by Moulton College, invited the public to nominate a person, business or organisation which they believed had done more in the last year to promote local food and/or utilizing that food for others than any other. 

Once again, the number of nominations in this category was higher than ever before and highlights the huge effort of many individuals and businesses to promote and develop the food and drink sector within Northamptonshire and, with so many heroes out there, choosing a winner is set to be a tough decision! 

Finalists for Local Food Hero of the Year are:

Community Health Works UK CIC

Elliott’s Rectory Farm, Moulton

Foodkind CIC, Northampton

Jamie’s Quality Butchers, Kettering

The Green Patch, Kettering 

Towcester Community Larder, Towcester

The finalists have until Wednesday 12th October to discover their fate when the Bronze, Silver and Gold winners in all fifteen categories of this year’s competition will be announced at the Awards Dinner taking place at Royal & Derngate in Northampton.

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Epic storytelling on Derngate stage as The Colour Purple reminds us to learn from history.

Hilary Scott
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Epic storytelling on Derngate stage as The Colour Purple reminds us to learn from history.

You could tell that the story of Celie, the brutalised heroine of The Colour Purple, was hitting its mark by the way a middle-aged white guy a row in front of me was squirming in his seat throughout. To be fair, there was palpable emotion from the entire audience, the anger and empathy at what is a painful history of poverty, neglect and racism was told on the vast Derngate stage.

L-R-Ako Mitchell, Mister with Jimand Allotey as Squeak, Anelisa Lamola, Sofia, Mesha Bryan as Celie and Bree Smith as Shug Avery. -Photography by Manuel Harlan

Not what you might expect from a musical, the experiences of a young black woman in 1900s southern USA; raped and beaten by her father, having her children taken from her and forced to marry another brutal older man. But somehow it was engaging and uplifting, a testament to the skills of an all-black cast whose voices, songs and performances led to a standing ovation on press night.

L-R) Aaliyah Zhané (Nettie), Ako Mitchell (Mister) and Me’sha Bryan (Celie) – Photography by Manuel Harlan

Celie (an extraordinary, powerful performance from Me’Sha Bryan) is a child when we meet her, but already pregnant for the second time. She’s playing and singing alongside her only solace, her beautiful younger sister Nettie (Aaliyah Zhane), and her faith, as the ensemble, dressed for church, sing out, filling the whole theatre with an awesome gospel sound, accompanied by a live orchestra hidden in the pit.

Alice Walker’s novel was groundbreaking even in the 1980s, and the Spielberg film that followed, starring a young Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, is probably what people remember. In fact by total coincidence, when I came home to write this review, it was on TV, just as Winfrey’s Sofia, a matriarch unbound by her status, is humiliated and beaten on the orders of the white mayor and his mad racist wife.

In the musical version, we don’t see those white, racist characters but we feel their impact, as we feel the legacy of slavery on the community and the lot of the black woman at the mercy of poverty, misogyny, homophobia and circumstance.

It is an incredibly moving story, told over four decades with the first half dealing with Celie’s abandonment by all around her, including God – or so she thinks. In the second half comes a revelation and the ability to see beyond her own slavery and through the strength and solidarity of other women she finds her own voice. And boy, what a voice. For though she may be little, that voice is fierce. It’s a joy to hear the singing talent of Anelisa Lamola as Sofia, the seductive stage presence of Bree Smith’s Shug and the entire ensemble when they join voices. There’s light relief and genuine connection from Ahmed Hamad’s sympathetic Harpo and his love for feisty Sofia, while newcomer Jimand Allotey really brings voice to her character Squeak.

Celie and Shug

It is a long show, two and a half hours with a 20 minute interval, but my word, you get your money’s worth. The set, a huge wooden backdrop with moving panels for doors and protruding rooms – lit with projections of cornfields and nature – is perhaps a little too big, dominating the enormous Derngate stage and making the actors somewhat small. The orchestra is magnificent and it’s so good to hear live music as part of such a powerful show. But there were occasions, possibly due to my central position in the stalls, that I just couldn’t hear the dialogue of the vocalists as the music was so loud.

The musical is a revival of the award-winning Curve Leicester and Birmingham Hippodrome show, directed by Tinuke Craig pre-pandemic, and we are lucky to have it visit Northampton. If you can get hold of tickets before it moves on to Salford, it’s very much recommended.

The Colour Purple Musical runs until Saturday, October 8, at Northampton’s Royal and Derngate. Tickets and info available here.

Saints v Quins – whatever happens it will be exciting

Steve
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Saints v Quins – whatever happens it will be exciting

Saints have not had a chance to take a breath after a tough day at the office against Leicester and a frustrating last gasp defeat to London Irish in the Premiership Cup on Tuesday night.

On Sunday they face Harlequins in one of the league’s showcase games with two teams renowned for finding space facing off against each other at The Stoop.

Scotland international Rory Hutchinson said: “It is a really exciting game against Quins and obviously good for rugby. This is the type of game we want to see. I couldn’t tell you what is going to happen. I watched their second half at the weekend and it is going to be an exciting game. For us it is about sticking to our game, we don’t need to go off script. We need to get our game on the field for 80 minutes.”

At the same time they won’t be forgetting the lessons from the East Midlands derby which started well but turned sour in the second half.

“It is always disappointing after 50 minutes of good rugby. We know it’s an 80 minute game. We need to make sure that we perform for the full 80 minutes especially against teams like Leicester who are good at putting pressure on teams. We crumbled to that pressure, especially going down to 12 men. There’s a lot we can learn from it but also some positives as well,” said Hutchinson.

“There were multiple little things, pressures, penalties, it was a disappointing day for our scrum. I felt we did well in the first half, we got some launches, some counter attacks but in that second half we were camped in our 22 for the majority of time. You can’t give them those opportunities. For us it is about the complete performance.”

Fraser Dingwall, celebrating an England call up along with six other Saints, agreed that getting the overall performance right is key to Saints getting some return for their efforts.

“We feel that we can beat any side if we perform so our reflection is about our performance rather than the result,” he said, explaining the team’s analysis of the game.

“For the first 50 minutes we were getting out of the game what we wanted. There were a few crucial moments when momentum swung back their way. They have a simple game plan to fall back on and we didn’t really stop it and with the cards it was really hard to stop. Those last ten minutes didn’t really reflect the game but in fairness to them they are a top team, they won the Premiership last year.”

Taking on Quins will be no less physical than Tigers however.

“The bottom line is that every game in this league is going to be decided by the collision aspect but Quins are a different challenge because they will move the ball to space. It is still a massive part of their game to get ‘go forward’ and play off the back of that. They have got a lot of attacking threats all over the pitch and will move the ball to space. It’s negating their go forward, negating their half backs and being alive to every opportunity,” said Dingwall.

One upside of the Tigers game that was felt strongly by the team was the boost from a Franklin’s Gardens full house.

If last season’s objective was a top four finish, the bar has been set higher this year for a good reason.

“We have set our sights on a top two finish this year to get that home advantage in the play-offs,” said Hutchinson.

“It sounded pretty good when we were out there. We’ve got some great fans here. Proper rugby town. It was great to see everyone at the Gardens.”

Video from Northampton Bike Park in its opening week

Steve
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Video from Northampton Bike Park in its opening week

A lot has been packed into a small space at Northampton Bike Park which opened this week.

Set on the former nine hole golf course between Hardingstone and Delapre the designers have managed to incorporate black and red level trails with green and blue routes so there is something for everyone to have a go at.

The easiest parking is at Delapre Golf Centre and the track connects to Northampton’s Norbital cycling network.

I had a roll around the track and put together the following video.

Northamptonshire Sport wrote about the site:

Mountain bike enthusiasts of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy Northampton’s brand-new bike park which opened on Monday (Sept 26).  

The new Bike Park has been created on a former golf course, which was being used as part of Delapré Golf Centre until around six years ago and is connected with other parts of the town by the Norbital cycle route. Costing £750K to build, £250,000 of funding came from Sport England via the ‘Places To Ride fund’ a partnership between Sport England, British Cycling and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The rest of the project costs were funded by West Northamptonshire Council, including £50, 000 funds of from Public Health Northamptonshire. 

The new facility offers:  

  • A multi-user green trail, which is an easy, dual-direction cycle route across the site, connecting Houghton Hill to the underpass for the A45 
  • Blue (moderate), red (difficult) and black (severe) off-road mountain bike trails for different abilities with dual tracks which will allow head-to-head riding 
  • Five gathering spots where riders can meet to discuss the next section of track, and coaching can be provided 
  • Climb sections – which are uphill sections to test endurance
  • A mountain bike skills area 
  • 13 hectares of ecological habitats

Local physical activity, health and wellbeing charity, Northamptonshire Sport has been appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of the new Park. Whilst the Park is a free-to-use open facility, two new members of the Northamptonshire Sport team will be overseeing the development and maintenance of the Bike Park, whilst continuing to collaborate with partners to ensure the site is inclusive, benefitting as many people in the local community as possible, from children to experienced mountain bikers. Maintenance of the park and the habitat surrounding the trails will be funded by income generated from car park revenues and donations. 

Northamptonshire Sport plans to develop the Park’s offering, including programmes for young people, local communities and those with limiting disabilities. There will also be coaches on hand to help people develop their skills, regional events and the option to hire equipment to try the facilities, without having to make a big financial investment.

Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure at West Northamptonshire Council said:   

“We’re very happy to be delivering a facility in partnership with Sport England and British Cycling which will benefit people of any age and ability, and which may one day produce some stars of the sport.  

“It’s incredibly important that we continue to enhance leisure opportunities for people in our area, and we expect a significant number of people to benefit from this wonderful new facility.  

“If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s how precious our physical and mental health are, so we will continue to pursue opportunities to deliver more developments of this type.”  

Gabrielle Deere, Strategic Director – Business Development & Commercial at Northamptonshire Sport said: 

“We’re proud and excited to manage and operate this amazing new facility. As a charity focussed on physical activity, health and wellbeing, the Park aligns with our mission to help make the county a happier, healthier and more active place. With the Bike Park, we’re aiming to provide a free but sustainable facility and develop an inclusive, safe and exciting place, to be enjoyed by everyone, with or without a bike.”   

Nick Barr, West Midlands and Central Regional Manager at British Cycling said:

“British Cycling is delighted to be supporting Northampton’s incredible new bike park. Mountain bike trails like these can be the first step on the journey for the next generation of cycling championships, with the likes of our Great Britain Cycling Team heroes discovering their passion for cycling at their local bike parks.

“At British Cycling, we are constantly trying to make our sport more accessible and inclusive, and these new trails are an amazing example of what can be achieved through the support and investment from our Places to Ride fund – a partnership between British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport.”

Mountain bike enthusiast and amateur competitor, Tony Skirrow, has been part of the project from the outset. He added: 

“This park is a great opportunity for young people to experience what us older riders do when we travel two to three hours away from Northampton. Being able to ride to a park like this is going to give them the opportunity to get outside, which is great, and to interact with us older riders, learn skills and develop as human beings.” 

The newly formed Mountain Bike Club called Ride Northampton, led by Tony Skirrow, will help maintain the trails and members have had training in how to do this as part of the construction contract.

Cynthia is the end of my cycling summer

Steve
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Cynthia is the end of my cycling summer

It’s a genuinely vital fund-raising event for Cynthia Spencer Hospice but Cycle 4 Cynthia has also become a seasonal turning point in my cycling calendar.

In its 19th year, the event started from Althorp House on Sunday with parties of riders heading out on 50, 25, 10 and five mile rides through the rolling countryside of West Northamptonshire.

The damp grass underfoot at the start and the fresh nip in the air confirmed my personal view of the ride as a closer to all those lovely long afternoons I’ve been enjoying rolling along in the sun during summer. There may well be autumnal sunshine after Cynthia but it will be a bonus not a right.

Last minute preparations before the start

However the atmosphere is very much about celebrating rather than mourning and the ride which attracts some seriously good cyclists to the long route also features plenty of courageous souls in fancy dress or on novelty machines.

My personal favourite was the Penny Farthing bicycle of Team Baba. Following him on the 25 mile route it was quite something to see him taking on descents that were pushing my speed up to around 30mph.

I took the 25 mile route because at my level of cycling fitness it only used up a couple of hours of the day, leaving plenty of time and energy for guilt-free recovery refreshments afterwards.

Essentially we cycled to Cold Ashby via Ravensthorpe (as featured in the Viking iteration of the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise) and Guilsborough, and then back to Althorp via Yelvertoft, West Haddon and Long Buckby.

Riders recover at a pit stop

It might not be the most aerodynamic riding position but if you do this ride keep your head up as you go and remember to drink in all those posh houses and gardens you are cycling past. Sometimes it’s the history. Sometimes it’s the wealth. Sometimes it’s wealth and history.

In between it’s the dips and rises and woods and meadows of Northamptonshire that seem to know the trick of always being a little bit more beautiful than you were expecting. A funny little place, the east of the middle, the west of the east.

There were two pit-stops on the 25 miler providing free drinks and snacks for riders and this level of support, plus the introduction of a ten mile route this year, showed the organisers were committed to looking after cyclists at every level of participation.

At the higher end, the lean mean athletes doing the 50 miler looked like they were enjoying their suffering as they swished past me, going faster uphill than I go on the flat. I feel total respect but no envy. That will never be me.

More Cycle 4 Cynthia pictures here

Covid was a big disruption to this event and in terms of numbers taking part it has been picking itself up since then. However there is a pretty solid hardcore of people who come in memory of someone who was supported by the hospice.

If you do the ride it is a fun and friendly experience traditionally topped off with the reward of a medal for every rider – it sounds silly but it never fails to put a big grin on my sweaty face when I finally cross the finish line.

Here’s how to donate to Cynthia Spencer Hospice

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