Category: Latest News

As most of you will know, in November 2022, we launched our campaign to raise funds to renovate the East Farndon War Memorial. A community based renovation team / working group was set up and they have been fantastic in organising a wide range of fundraising events, and in addition, the team have inspired the receipt of a number of generous cash donations made directly by village residents.

The renovation team have raised a massive total of £14,790.25 and everyone was very pleased to see the newly renovated War Memorial at our Remembrance Service on Sunday November 12^th 2023. At the service two wreaths were laid, Jessica Oakden on behalf of the Parish Council and Richard Everard on behalf of everyone who has donated to the renovation fund. The team has done such a great job that enough funds are available to also renovate the church gates, which are part of the village’s World War II memorial, installed in 1948.

Huge thanks go to the renovation team, (Scott Harrison, Jo Shaw, Judy Hodgetts, Jessica Oakden, Tom Knott and Caroline Burton), to everyone who has taken part in and / or attended our fundraising events, to John Smith for his work on the War Memorial, and to everyone for their enthusiastic support and generous donations.

The renovation team’s fundraising efforts concluded at the November 2023 remembrance service and afterwards, people marked this by getting together at the Village Hall to enjoy refreshments, and to view some photos in an exhibition showcasing how the year’s fundraising activities unfolded.

Please click the link below to view photos and stories from our remembrance service, the gathering afterwards in the Village Hall, the launch in 2022 and how the War Memorial looks, before and after.

https://eastfarndon.org/remembrance-sunday-war-memorial-renovation-nov-2023

Also, click the links below to view photos and stories from many of our renovation fundraising events.

WW2 Air Crash Talk /  Wine Tasting Event /  London Cenotaph to Farndon Sponsored Cycle Ride /  Coronation Beer Festival /  Quiz Night / Platinum Jubilee & East Farndon Booklet sales

Did you know that this website now includes a photo archive of many of our recent / past events. Click this link to explore further: https://eastfarndon.org/photo-archive-of-recent-village-events/

Huge thanks to the Village Hall Social Committee for organising a great evening to celebrate Diwali 2023. Everyone really enjoyed a curry from the Cinnamon Lounge in Market Harborough and a few games of Bingo, with the now legendary Tom and Jess ‘taking charge’ and calling the numbers!

Click this link to view a few photos from the event

Did you know that this website now includes a photo archive of many of our recent / past events. Click this link to explore further: https://eastfarndon.org/photo-archive-of-recent-village-events/

How do two acts of kindness in 2023 connect with two brothers who were killed during World War One ? As we approach Remembrance Sunday, we would like to especially remember two brothers from East Farndon who lost their lives during World War One: Alfred Owen Allen (known as Owen) and David Clifford Allen. 

The Allen family lived on Harborough Road, East Farndon and then at Church Cottage, Main Street. When war was declared in 1914, Owen joined the 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, who landed in Le Havre in August that year. Shortly after this, on 15^th September 1914, Owen was killed in action, aged 21. He is buried at the Vendresse British Cemetery in France.

David had joined the Coldstream Guards Gun Regiment, and he died in Leicester on 1^st November 1919, aged 24. The family thinks he died from the effects of mustard gas poisoning during the war. He is buried in East Farndon churchyard.

The great-niece of Owen and David, Sue Grant, lives in East Farndon. In October 2023, she contacted a Facebook group connected with the Battle of the Somme, asking if anyone would be visiting the Vendresse British Cemetery. A service veteran replied, saying that he was visiting the area and would find Owen’s headstone and take a photograph. He also offered to place a wooden cross next to it asking Sue what words she would like him to write. The kindness of this stranger was very much appreciated by Sue and her family.

At around the same time, a volunteer working for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission visited the graveyard at St John the Baptist Church, East Farndon to clean the headstone of David Allen. The volunteer has a full-time job and cleans war graves across the Midlands in his lunch breaks. Again, this kindness is appreciated by Sue and her family.

For the full article regarding the men from the village who both fought and lost their lives during World War One please visit the village history page on the East Farndon website: East Farndon in World War One

East Farndon needs your help for our ‘Dapper Village Makeover’ event that will take place from Saturday 28th October to Friday 1st December 2023. This event is to commemorate the restoration of our War Memorial and so please, if you are able, could villagers plant something red in your front garden for remembrance.

Other areas where help would be grearly appreciated include:

• Marriott Green – weeding / preparing for winter
• Weeding Harborough Road and Main Street
• Sprucing up the Bus shelter
• Painting and weeding around the bench on Lubenham Lane
• Repainting the Village Hall litter bin
• Village sign posts washing

If you are able to help, please email Sam Beesley or give her a call using the number on the poster.

Many thanks!

Did you know that you can download free eBooks, eAudiobooks, eNewspapers and eMagazines with virtual library membership?

You can download free eBooks and eAudiobooks using the BorrowBox app (https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/books-reading-and-audio/ereads-and-audio/borrowbox-ebooks-eaudiobooks-and-emagazines) or the Libby app (https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/books-reading-and-audio/ereads-and-audio/libby-ebooks-and-eaudiobooks).

Further, the PressReader app (https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/books-reading-and-audio/ereads-and-audio/pressreader-enewspapers-and-emagazines) provides same-day access to thousands of newspapers and magazines worldwide, including UK national daily and weekend titles – all free as part of your library membership.

To get access to these services, you need to apply for virtual library membership via this link: https://northamptonshire-self.achieveservice.com/service/Joining_form_for_Virtual_Membership_of_Northamptonshire_Libraries_and_Information_Service

Sam Beesley has set up an East Farndon WhatsApp group called “Fabulously Fantastic Farndon”. This was set up originally to support the 12 Days of Christmas event that took place last year, but it has developed into a quick and useful way to update residents on events etc. It is a completely personal and private group and not linked to any formal East Farndon organisation. If you would like to be added to this group then please contact Sam. You can use this link to email Sam Beesley.