Local News

Star of The Apprentice and Countdown, Nick Hewer has shown his support for the Franklins £50 Challenge for the second year running by taking part in a social media video to launch this year’s campaign. The launch video features Nick Hewer, Lord Sugar’s former right-hand man, encouraging teams to sign up to take part in The Apprentice-style challenge, organised by prominent legal firm Franklins Solicitors. The challenge sees teams from across Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes receive £50 seed funding from Franklins with three months to turn the £50 into as much as possible for their chosen charity. A record 12 charities have been selected to benefit from this year’s challenge which aims to make a difference locally, with an emphasis on bringing local help and hope to every generation. The selected charities are: Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Northampton Hope Centre, The Lewis Foundation, Willen Hospice, YMCA, Shay’s Smiles, Milton Keynes Hospital..

Love is in the air as Valentine's draws nearer, but perhaps the purest love isn't that between two people, but between pet and owner. Sammy Jones found out how Little Irchester charity Animals in Need (AIN) will toast the mushy day... Animals love unconditionally; they don’t base their opinions of us on looks, but by how safe and loved they feel. They don’t cheat, and even if they do get the needle with our human behaviour, an upset pooch or kitty still looks much cuter than a partner with the hump, don’t you think? Unfortunately though, what you give isn’t always what you get – and there are cages full of abandoned pets in residence at Animals in Need who, if they could talk, would spill stories to break your heart. “You might think that you would become desensitized to the stories and the cases that we receive here, but..

Make time this month to visit Lamport Hall gardens to see the beautiful snowdrops in flower. The gardens will be open on the weekends of the 8th & 9th and 15th & 16th February, 10am-3pm. Seeing a swathe of snowdrops is one way to brighten the winter months. These little white beauties create quite a display in the gardens. Enjoy a stroll around the gardens and venture into the woodland, admiring the spring bulb display. There will also be the opportunity to purchase rare snowdrops and irises at the event. Over both weekends, Northants and Rutland Open Studios are holding a Spring Open Exhibition which will be on display in the Carriage House and artists creating art live in the gardens. NROS bring together a range of high quality contemporary art from emerging and established artists in the region. The exhibition will show the diversity of current artistic practice in..

A Northampton textured hair expert has been named one of the new faces of Revlon Professional’s 2025 creative team. Erica Liburd, founder of The Muse Salon in Northampton and renowned curl specialist, has been appointed as Revlon Professional’s UKI Cross-Cultural Texture Expert. As a champion for textured hair education, Erica co-founded the Cross-Cultural Curl Collective and leads Texture Unravelled - her campaign that promotes curl inclusivity and educates the industry on the unique needs of textured hair. Her appointment as part of Revlon’s prestigious creative team will see her take on a central role in the brand’s new educational programme, set to launch in 2025. Erica is proud to join the other creative talent on the team, saying: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Revlon Professional team as their UKI Cross-Cultural Texture Expert. “It’s an honour to represent textured hair and continue advocating for curl inclusivity within the industry...

Aspiring engineers at Northampton College are in pole position to get careers off to a winning start having taken top spot in the regional heats of a competition to find the next stars of Formula One. The Echo-NC team were crowned the overall winners of the regional heats of the global competition and will now take part in the UK finals to be held in Rotherham in March. F1 in Schools is a worldwide multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams use CAD/CAM software to design, analyse, manufacture, test and then race miniature compressed air-powered cars. The Northampton College team secured sponsorship and support from local employers including FESTO, Evertait and Goblin Games at The University of Northampton. Engineering teacher Andrew Garbutt said: “The students have done a fantastic job and were delighted to have won three categories at the regional finals ‘Best in Class’, ‘Best Engineered Car’ and ‘Best Verbal Presentation’ which..

An archive recording the history of Northampton’s public transport is now open following a 15-month fundraising campaign, boosted by a £4,000 grant from Northampton Town Council’s Community Grant Scheme. The Northampton Transport Heritage charity operates the archive, which is located at the Doddridge Centre in St James’ and open to the public every Thursday between 10am and midday. The charity has gathered many boxes of records kept by the Northampton Corporation (Tramways) Transport Company between 1904 and the early 1990s, including tramways operation, conversion to motor buses, waybills, running cards, bus routes, transport committee minutes and pay books. Many of the records were stored at the Old Bus Depot and Tram Shed on St James’ Road, which was acquired by Church’s Shoes and latterly by West Northamptonshire Council. Neil Farmer, Archivist for Northampton Transport Heritage, said: “Some of these documents and records were given to us by the First Bus..

If you’re already finding your New Year’s resolutions a bit of struggle, Northampton-based charity the MND Association could provide you with all the inspiration you need. The MND Association, which is based on Moulton Park, is the biggest charity funder of MND research in the UK and relies on donations, as well as the efforts of its incredible fundraisers, to create a wave of support for people living with motor neurone disease (MND) and their families. This January, the Association is encouraging people to get involved in way they can – whether it’s by taking part in a run, testing their nerve with a skydive or by organising a quiz night with colleagues, family or friends. Every penny raised will allow the Association to reach many more people affected by MND – a neurological condition which affects up to 5,000 people in the UK at any one time. The MND..

When it comes to your wedding day, looking and feeling your best is just as important as saying “I do.” Enter Exclusively Brides, a luxury bridal beauty service founded by two local professionals, Jody and Faye, who bring over 20 years of experience in bridal makeup and hairstyling. More than just a hair and makeup service, Exclusively Brides offers a complete beauty journey, ensuring brides feel confident, radiant, and stress-free from their engagement to the big day. We sat down with Jody and Faye to find out how their collaboration began, what makes their service unique, and their exciting plans for the future—including a must-attend beauty event this March! Hi both! Tell us who you are and what you do… Jody: I’m a freelance bridal and occasion makeup artist with 20 years of experience. Faye: I’m a freelance bridal hair stylist, also with over 20 years in the industry. How..

If you’re looking for a fun way to shake off those post-Christmas blues, Northampton’s Market Square has just the thing! On Saturday, 18th January, the newly refurbished square will be transformed into a winter wonderland of free activities, perfect for a family day out. From 11am to 6pm, you can lace up your skates and hit the rink for a day of free winter skating (yes, free!) or try your hand at curling in a dedicated lane just for kids. Never tried curling before? This is your moment. But it’s not just about gliding on ice—there’s plenty more to keep everyone entertained. The Silent Disco Project will be hosting New Year Party sessions in their pop-up tent (if you haven’t tried a silent disco, trust us, it’s a blast). Meanwhile, Lemonpop Workshops will be running creative ‘Make and Take’ sessions, and budding Picassos can join in by colouring a section..

Fawsley Hall invites you to their Wedding Showcase at Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa on Sunday, 26th January 2025, from 11am to 2pm. Set in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, Fawsley Hall provides a stunning and memorable setting for your special day. This showcase is the perfect opportunity to see everything the historic venue has to offer. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, Fawsley Hall’s elegant spaces are designed to make your wedding day truly unforgettable. What You Can Expect Guided Venue Tours: Explore the ceremony and reception spaces, luxurious guest rooms, and picturesque gardens. Imagine how your special day could look in this extraordinary setting. Meet Their Wedding Team: Speak with experienced wedding coordinators, who will be on hand to answer your questions and help plan every detail of your celebration. Trusted Suppliers: Meet a selection of recommended suppliers, including florists, photographers, and entertainers, to bring..

Cynthia Spencer Hospice, a much-loved palliative care service in Northampton, is calling on the community to step up and lend a hand by volunteering their time to support the vital local cause. The hospice is urgently seeking retail volunteers at its bustling Moulton Park unit, particularly on Saturdays, to help with packing, picking, sorting donations, and working on the till. There are also roles available as fundraising volunteers, including helping as school coordinators, or even becoming community ambassadors to spread the word about the hospice’s incredible work. For those who prefer behind-the-scenes contributions, admin volunteer positions are also available. Volunteering is a fantastic way for individuals to make new friends and give back to the community. The roles would particularly suit students, young professionals, or anyone with a few hours to spare who would like to help. Hannah Brady, a recent volunteer at the donation station, shared her experience. She..

A packed programme of cultural events and celebrations is being lined up to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton. 2025 marks 350 years since flames ripped through the streets of Northampton, destroying 700 of the 850 buildings in the town centre and claiming 11 lives. To observe the anniversary, cultural and historical groups are teaming up with partners including Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), Northampton Town Council and West Northamptonshire Council to put together a series of events to showcase the story of the fire and the rebuild that followed. The celebrations will be launched on Thursday, May 29 with an Oak Apple Day parade and service at All Saints Church – including the annual hanging of a wreath in honour of King Charles II who donated 1,000 tonnes of timber to help rebuild much of the town. Art historian James Miller, who is..

Many of us use music as a tool for relaxation and escapism, and Northampton man Kevin Rogers is no exception, but he has turned up the volume and made a name for himself as the self-styled Singing Solicitor. He told Sammy Jones how music is intrinsically linked to his health and wellbeing - and how he uses it to help worthy causes... The chair of regional law firm Wilson Browne Solicitors (WB) launched his fourth charity single in the autumn. Music has always mattered for Kevin, who played in bands throughout his school and college years, ‘never with great success but always with great enthusiasm,’ he remembers. “I also sang in choirs for the school and sang with the county choir on occasions. My voice was so deep when I was 14 to 16 that I had to sing with the staff choir at school and I remember mum getting..

A group of colleges in the South East Midlands has come together in a successful campaign aimed at further developing their work on meeting local skills needs. More than £5,000,000 was awarded to the group, known as the Colleges of the South-East Midlands (CoSEM), via the Department for Education’s Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) with significant support from Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire Chambers of Commerce. Between them, Barnfield College, The Bedford College Group, Milton Keynes College Group, Moulton College and Northampton College educate and train almost 60,000 people every year, and work with approaching 9,000 different businesses at any one time. The funding was split over four projects around green skills, improving communication with employers, digital skills, and healthcare. The green skills project was led by The Bedford College Group, and has a strong focus on developing the skills needed as the country moves towards net zero, with many more..

The Voice vocalist Billy Lockett has pledged his support to a Northampton-based hospice, after encouraging fans to donate when buying tickets to his hometown shows. The Northamptonian singing sensation has released tickets for two 2025 Christmas shows. Fans who bought tickets for the Picturedrome performances next December were also given the option to donate to Cynthia Spencer Hospice at the checkout. The donation amount defaulted to £2 per transaction on the ticket platform, however purchasers were offered the chance to give more, or not at all, should they wish. One of the shows is already nearly sold out. Billy said: “Cynthia Spencer has been a charity I’ve experienced the benefits of for a long time. They looked after both my aunty and dad before they passed away. The work and support they gave us as a family during such a difficult time has, and always will have, a special place..