- Details
11 March 2022
The iconic 27-feet-tall statue will be visiting Northampton as part of its nationwide tour to highlight the issue of knife crime in the UK.
The statue, which was designed by Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre (BIC) in Oswestry, has been created from over 100,000 knives and blades confiscated by the UK’s 43 police forces.
The Knife Angel will be on display at the All Saints’ Church plaza in Northampton town centre for two weeks from Friday, 29 April to Friday, 13 May.
First unveiled in 2017, it travels around the country in a bid to help reduce violent crime.
Councillor David Smith, cabinet member for community engagement and safety at West Northamptonshire Council, said: “Having the knife angel in Northampton gives us the opportunity to highlight the blight that is knife crime is.
"All violent crime is abhorrent, the devastation left by knife crime is simply not acceptable and this initiative will raise awareness across the whole of West Northamptonshire.
“We are delighted to welcome the angel to West Northamptonshire, and I very much encourage everyone to visit the town to experience this sculpture, and the activities we are running alongside this important initiative."
The Explore Northampton app (downloadable for free from the App Store) will offer an interactive experience with the option to view the Knife Angel in augmented reality along with other activities.
Angie Kennedy, CEO of C2C Social Action said: “I can't believe that after nearly 3 years of planning, the Knife Angel will be visiting Northampton this May.
I hope that its presence will bring unity across the county, highlight all the amazing work that is already being done by CIRV, Eve, Sunflower Centre, Police, NN off the Streets, and so many more voluntary sector organisations, including churches, to make this county a safer place to live.
“The Knife Angel campaign is looking for 10,000 people across the county to sign up to be ‘Anti Violence Ambassadors’, with a pledge to turn away from violence and aggression as a solution to disagreements and conflicts."
There will a service and vigil at All Saints’ Church on Saturday, 30 April at 7.30pm to mark the Knife Angels visit to the town. Following the service candles will be lit around the sculpture as a symbol of light against darkness.
There will be a range of events supporting the Knife Angel throughout its stay, including school workshops aimed at giving pupils from across West Northants an understanding of the statue’s message.
A march against knife crime is also planned through Northampton town centre on Saturday 7 May, followed by a series of performances organised by local charity Off the Streets.
The Northamptonshire Emergency Cadets and the WNC Community Safety Team will be in the town centre giving emergency first aid training and safety demonstrations on Saturday, 30 April, Sunday, 1 May, Saturday, 7 May and Sunday, 8 May.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold said; “Knife crime is a serious issue, and one that is high on my agenda. I am pleased to have provided funding towards hosting this remarkable sculpture that is a striking visual reminder of the devastating affects knife crime can have on individuals and families.
“Whilst the sculpture is in the county, we will be working with key partners to help raise awareness of and educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives and the lasting impact it can have on their lives."
A knife amnesty will also be taking place, with anyone able to dispose of blades with no questions asked and no fear of reprisals.
The Knife Angel has been brought to the town by West Northants Council (WNC), C2C Social Action and the Office of Northamptonshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner (OFPCC).
- Details
11 March 2022
'Grab a jab before you meet up with Granny' is this week’s message from West Northamptonshire’s interim Director of Public Health, as a further 3,486 residents test positive
In two weeks’ time families will be meeting up in restaurants, pubs and homes all over Northamptonshire with loved ones to celebrate Mothering Sunday. However, with COVID-19 still in circulation it’s vitally important that we do what we can to protect those we love.
As the COVID-19 vaccination takes around two weeks to take effect, this weekend (or early next week) is the ideal time to get a jab for you or your youngsters if you’ve been putting off getting it.
The school vaccination programme has been running since September, with second jabs offered since January. However, we are aware that some youngsters have missed out on their jabs.
If your youngster is aged 12-15 and hasn’t yet had their first, or missed out on their second, dose of the vaccination why not pop in to one of the many vaccination sites across the county? These are drop ins, so there’s no need to book ahead.
Vaccinating children can help stop the spread of COVID-19 to other people so it’s important to make it a priority if they’re meeting up with their grandparents in a couple of weeks.
Vaccination drop-in sites in West Northamptonshire
Northampton
Kings Heath Vaccination Centre, North Oval, NN5 7LN (ages 12+)
Tuesday 15 March - 10am to 2pm
Ramgarhia Sikh Temple, Cromwell Street, NN1 2TE (ages 16+)
Sunday 13 March - 2pm to 6pm
Regent Pharmacy, 10-11 Regent Square, NN1 2NQ (ages 16+)
Friday 11 March - 10am to 6pm
Monday 14 March - 10am to 6pm
Tuesday 15 March - 10am to 6pm
St Michael and All Angels' Church, Perry Street, NN1 4HL (ages 12+)
Friday 11 March - 9am to 6pm
Saturday 12 March - 9am to 6pm
Unidrugs Pharmacy, Camp Hill Local Centre, Hunsbury Hill Road NN4 9UW (ages 12+)
Saturday 12 March - 9:30am to 12pm
West Chemist, Kingsley Park Terrace, NN2 7HG (ages 12+)
Friday 11 March - 10am to 4pm
Saturday 12 March - 10am to 3pm
Monday 14 March - 10am to 4pm
Tuesday 15 March - 10am to 4pm
Whitefields Surgery, Hunsbury Hill Road, Camp Hill, NN4 9UW (ages 12+)
Sunday 13 March - 9am to 12:30pm
Find drop-in sessions available without an appointment. Please check eligibility criteria before attending a drop-in session.
It’s really important to get youngsters vaccinated even if they have already had COVID-19 as we’re seeing more re-infections in this age group than others which often then translates into household transmission.Sally Burns, Interim Director of Public Health for West Northamptonshire CouncilThis age group has to wait twelve weeks (84 days) after infection with COVID-19 so its possible they have missed out on the opportunity to have their jabs at school. Our drop in sites provide the quickest and easiest way to get them vaccinated, and several are open this weekend.
Children do not need to be registered with a GP or have an NHS number to be vaccinated.
Covid-19 in the county this week
An analysis of the county’s recent coronavirus cases and rates over the period 28 February to 6 March 2022, shows:
- 3,486 residents tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Of this number, 369 were reinfection cases. ‘Reinfections’ are a new measurement now appearing in the county’s weekly data surveillance report and are defined as, ‘an infection of COVID- 19 from any of the variants after 90 days from the date of the last positive test.
- Northamptonshire’s infection rate per 100,000 population is 389.2. West Northamptonshire’s rate per 100,000 population is 417. Both are statistically significantly higher than the national average (332.1).
- The highest rates locally are Northampton (427.4) and Kettering (412.7).
- Five people died in Northamptonshire within 28 days of a positive test.
- Overall, more women than men tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 28 days.
- The age group with the most positive cases was 30-39.
- 10-19-year-olds had the most reinfections, likely due to school environments.
View the weekly Covid-19 Surveillance Report
- Details
10 March 2022
Over 80,000 households across Northampton can now benefit from on-demand robot grocery delivery thanks to extension of an innovative scheme.
Starship Technologies, the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery services, and the Co-op have announced an additional 20,000 households in Northampton are now able to receive convenient, on-demand grocery delivery via robots.
A further five Co-op stores across the town are now offering delivery through a fleet of Starship robots, bringing the total number of households across Northampton able to access Starship’s service in the area to over 80,000.
Orders are made through the Starship food delivery app, which is available for download on iOS and Android, with groceries picked fresh in local Co-op stores and delivered quickly and conveniently in as little as one hour or less.
Since first launching the service in Northampton in November 2020, Starship, working with the support of West Northamptonshire Council, has continued to expand its footprint and offer the ease and convenience of autonomous delivery to more local residents.
Today’s announcement means local communities in Blackthorn, Far Cotton, Grange Park, Southfields and Thornton Park will now be able to benefit from on demand grocery delivery from Starship’s robots, which are powered by zero carbon electricity.
They will join local residents across Abington, Boothville, Duston, East Hunsbury, Great Billing, Hardingstone, Hopping Hill, Kingsthorpe, Spinney Hill, Upton, Weston Favell and Wootton who can also access Starship’s service via 11 Co-op stores across Northampton.
Cllr Phil Larratt, West Northamptonshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Highways, Transport and Waste, said: “We’re delighted that the Starship robots have been rolled out to thousands more homes in Northampton, offering our residents a convenient, carbon-free way to get their groceries. Harnessing the latest technology and innovative schemes like this will play an increasingly important role as we look at ways of cutting emissions and making West Northants a more sustainable place to live for the future.”
Andrew Curtis, UK Operations Manager at Starship Technologies, added: “Local residents in Northampton have embraced the benefits of contactless delivery over the last 18+ months and we are very happy to be able to offer our service to even more communities across the town from today. The environmental benefits of autonomous delivery are clear, and it has also been very encouraging to see how much the robots have been welcomed and integrated as part of the local community in Northampton.”
Chris Conway, Co-op’s Head of eCommerce, said: “Co-op is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to our products and services. Our members and our customers lead busy lives and ease, speed and convenience is at the heart of our approach. Co-op stores are well placed, close to our customers, to serve shoppers locally. Orders are picked locally, in store, and a key part of our strategy is to use our physical footprint to also offer same-day, rapid, home deliveries. As a convenience retailer, the ability to come into stores is important to customers, but shoppers also increasingly want flexible options online - our focus is on getting closer to our customers and to provide what they need, conveniently, however they choose to shop with us.”
Northampton residents can choose from a range of over 2,000 grocery items, schedule their delivery, then drop a pin where they want their delivery to be sent. They can watch in real-time via an interactive map as the robot makes its journey to them. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert, and can meet and unlock it through the app.
Starship Technologies operates commercially on a daily basis around the world. Its zero-emission robots make more than 100,000 road crossings every day and have completed more than three million commercial deliveries globally, more than any other autonomous delivery provider. The robots use a combination of sensors, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around any obstacles, while computer vision-based navigation helps them map their environment to the nearest inch.
Starship recently announced a new $42m Series B funding round to help the company further scale its service and meet increasing demand for its autonomous delivery service. Some of this funding is immediately going to support people by donating directly to the Red Cross in Ukraine.
- Details
09 March 2022
West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet has voted to accept a £2.05m bid from County Developments (Northampton) Limited (CDNL) for land at Sixfields in Northampton.
As part of the bid, CDNL – which is owned by Northampton Town Football Club – has pledged that it will complete the East Stand at Sixfields Stadium.
The running track site to the east of the stadium will transfer to the football club and, if work on the stand is not competed to the council’s satisfaction within five years, the council will be able to buy the site back for £1.
The section of land being sold is broadly bounded by the Sixfields Stadium to the west, Walter Tull Way to the north, Tweed Road to the east and Edgar Mobbs Way to the south. It also includes the car park adjacent to the household waste recycling centre.
If any of this land is sold within five years without any investment being made to ready it for development, the council will receive a proportion of the profit.
An alternative £3m bid from development company Cildara was not recommended to members as the professional assessment of best consideration recommended the CDNL offer for financial reasons as stated in the report.
Cllr Malcolm Longley, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Following comments we received from colleagues at a Full Council meeting last month, we’ve given this issue a great deal of further consideration.
“In that time, we received revised bids from both parties, and we have had officers give them due consideration. Based on their advice, along with additional specialist advice we commissioned, we have decided that the CDNL bid is the most prudent of the two options."
The council will retain the freehold of the household waste recycling centre and ancillary land.
- Details
08 March 2022
An art installation created as part of Northamptonshire's Mental Health Awareness Day has been unveiled at Northampton Central Library.
Pupils from Abington Vale Primary School were joined for the official unveiling by Portfolio Holder for Libraries at North Northamptonshire Council Councillor Helen Howell and John Farndon from the Northamptonshire TaMHS Programme
Based on the theme of 'It's the inside that matters' the installation was the brainchild of a group of young people from Northamptonshire involved in the Northamptonshire Talk out Loud Programme, to help get across the message that sometimes how we look on the outside isn’t how we are feeling inside.
In these boxes there are over 20,000 feelings, gathered from children and young people across Northamptonshire, and brought together to create this installation, as part of Northamptonshire Mental Health Awareness Day 2022.Programme Manager Tessa ParkinsonWhilst we can see through the boxes that these feelings are there; we cannot see what they are and that is why it’s important to really think about how people are feeling. Because it’s the inside that matters. We would like to thank the 84 schools who took part in this initiative and of course Northamptonshire Libraries for their commitment to this ongoing reminder about the importance of looking after our mental health.
The installation will remain on display at Northampton Central Library until 31 March, before touring libraries across the rest of the county:
- Wellingborough - April 6 to 25
- Towcester - April 28 to May 26
- Corby - June 1 to 20
- Daventry - June 23 to July 24
- Rushden - July 27 to August 15
- Brackley - August 18 to September 11
- Kettering - September 14 to October 10
- Weston Favell - October 13 to November 6
I am particularly moved by the fact that so many youngsters took part in sharing their feelings and am delighted that this installation will be touring the County’s libraries. I hope that ‘it’s the inside that matters’ continues to prove a starting point for conversations about mental health among all ages, but particularly our young people and their peers.Lucy Wightman, Director of Public Health NorthamptonshireI strongly believe that every young person across the county should have the opportunity to achieve good mental health and wellbeing. Northamptonshire youngsters have dealt with a series of changes for nearly two years — to their education, leisure time, to their ability to socialise with their peers or see extended family.
This was evidenced in last month’s Talk Out Loud survey where a third said they were less happy than last year, citing school stresses and lockdown as key reasons.
Poor mental health affects not only our youngster's social well-being, but can also impact on their physical health, which is why Public Health Northamptonshire is committed to a range of sources of help for young people. As well as The Talk Out Loud programme which runs in the county’s schools, young people can access additional support services, including counselling, through the Reach Partnership.