Volleyball England is pleased to confirm it has agreed a partnership extension with Holiday Inn Express, Kettering to be its official accommodation provider for events at the National Volleyball Centre.It continues an existing agreement that covers the 2024-25 season and ensures Volleyball England, and teams playing at the NVC, benefit from discounted rates.The deal covers a range of Volleyball activities across Indoor and Beach, including Cup Finals Weekend, Final Four, Opening Weekend, Sitting Grand Prix, Last 8s, Inter Regionals, England Talent Camps, and the Futures programme, among others.“We have always received an excellent service from The Holiday Inn Express, Kettering, so...

22 February, 2024

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is an inspiring place to work! Combining grand ambitions for delivering exciting initiatives and projects with an employer that is dedicated to workplace wellbeing and continuous professional development.West Northamptonshire is home to over 21,000 businesses and over 425,000 residents. Our economy (GVA) was valued at £11.5bn in 2022, supporting 215,000 jobs locally.The role of our Economic Growth and Inward Investment Service combines numerous areas, skills and experiences to deliver economic development that benefits everyone within West Northamptonshire.This means increased life chances, better quality jobs and more visitors, investors, and employers coming to this area.WNC is dedicated...

22 February, 2024

At two recent Council meetings, North Northamptonshire Council have agreed to significant funding to improve highways across the area.At today’s Full Council, Councillors agreed, as part of the Capital programme for 2024 - 2028, to spend approximately £49.1m over the next four financial years on highways projects, the largest investment the council has made towards highways to date. This allocation includes £16m on pothole repairs.This money includes £9.768m, allocated for highways infrastructure improvements, received from the Department of Transport and agreed at last week’s meeting of North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive.The package of funding from DfT will support projects and help...

22 February, 2024

More than a kilometre of traffic-free routes for use by walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users will be implemented towards the South of Northampton Town Centre to provide better connection to local amenities and encourage more sustainable methods of travel through the town.West Northamptonshire Council has successfully bid for and been awarded £0.67m from Active Travel England to enable this scheme to be brought forward.Chris Boardman, National Active Travel Commissioner at Active Travel England, said: “Enabling people to walk, wheel or cycle to where they need to be gives young people vital transport independence and helps build healthier and happier communities.“It’s...

22 February, 2024

North Northamptonshire Council is pleased to announce the availability of the Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 (HUG2), a government-funded scheme aimed at providing energy-saving upgrades to residents with off-gas heating systems.The HUG2 program offers free-of-charge energy-saving improvements that will not only keep homes warm but may also help residents manage their heating bills efficiently. Whether you own your home, privately rent, or are a private landlord with tenants, you may qualify to apply.The grant is available to households meeting specific criteria, including not being heated by mains gas, having a combined annual income of less than £31,000 (this will increase...

22 February, 2024

A leading local property agent, who has supported Cynthia Spencer Hospice for more than a decade, last year sponsored events that raised more than £100,000 for the popular charity.Northampton-based Chelton Brown sponsored both the Cycle4Cynthia fundraiser and the Strictly Northampton dance contest, as well as holding smaller collections at their George Row and Daventry offices.Director Sali Brown chose the charity after her grandfather died at the hospice, following first-class palliative care.She said: “For us it was the help that the hospice gave to the whole family, as much as for the individual at the end of life. My grandad went...

22 February, 2024

Northamptonshire Community Foundation is one of three members of the UK Community Foundations network, working with Anchor Butter in 2024 to distribute funding through the Anchor Community Connection Fund.Anchor Butter is owned by Arla Food Limited, the UK’s biggest dairy company. UK Community Foundations is working with Anchor to award grants from £100,000 of funding that has been shared evenly amongst Northamptonshire, Devon, and Lancashire and Merseyside Community Foundations.This funding will be awarded to charities, community groups and volunteer-led organisations running projects set up to bring people together to share food and strengthen community connections.In Northamptonshire, applications for grant awards...

21 February, 2024

Northampton-based IT company, Paradise Computing, will be participating in the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge on the 18th and 19th of May this year. The five members of ‘Team Paradise’ who have chosen to take part will have just 24 hours to hike 100km along the beautiful Jurassic Coast to raise funds for the NSPCC.The NSPCC is a charity dedicated to ending child abuse in the UK. Alex Hamp, Sales Director at Paradise who is taking part in the Ultra Challenge for the second time, says, “The NSPCC is a fantastic charity that protects and advocates for vulnerable children across the...

21 February, 2024

A grotto which saw families flock to Northampton town centre to see Santa this Christmas has helped raise £685 for a charity supporting local young families.The attraction in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton, staged by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Northampton Town Council, was a huge hit over the festive season, with hundreds of families popping in for their own private appointment with Father Christmas himself.Families were asked for a donation of £1 and the money raised has now been handed to Home-Start, a voluntary organisation committed to promoting the welfare of families with at least one...

21 February, 2024

West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) contractor for the Market Square project has been adding social value to the area by encouraging the aspirations of local people.As part of an ongoing commitment to ‘Level Up’ West Northants, WNC ensures that the contractors for our regeneration projects add social value to the community they are working in. This social value requirement means that investment from the Towns Fund not only enables us to deliver great projects such as the Market Square redevelopment, but some of this investment directly benefits communities across West Northants.Delivering on these social value requirements has included partnering with schools...

21 February, 2024

This February half-term, Outside In invites families to join them as they embark on a journey through libraries and community venues in Northampton, where they will be hosting an enchanting series of drop-in storytelling and craft workshops, aimed at letting a little sunshine into your winter days!The event titled ‘Willow's Winter Hug’ is a delightful family-friendly experience crafted for children aged 4 and above.  Join Outside In’s storybook characters Robin and Willow for an interactive workshop filled with storytelling and engaging craft activities, promising to brighten your February half-term with creativity and cheer.‘Willow's Winter Hug’ was created by Hazel Barnes...

21 February, 2024