The family of Jane Voss, of The Old Post Office, East Farndon, are sad to announce that she passed away at Kettering General Hospital on 18th January, 2026.
Beloved wife of Michael and much loved mother of Felicity, Jane moved to East Farndon in 1982. Michael and Jane first lived at Wren Cottage, then moved to The Old Post Office in 1994 where they renovated the property from dereliction. Those who have lived in the village for a while may remember Jane serving teas at East Farndon’s cricket matches or participating in the village quiz team.
A Celebration of Life and Funeral Service will be held on Monday, 9th February 2026 at 1.30pm at Great Glen Crematorium. All are welcome. Glamorous, smart, colourful attire is encouraged. Donations, in lieu of flowers, for Cancer Research may be made online at Memory Giving or sent to J Stamp & Sons.
The Flower Festival held back in September 2025, raised a fantastic final total of £2,982.30. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this event such a success. Since the festival, we have had a visit from our now retired church architect who advised us not to proceed with repairing the plaster work in the church before attending appropriately to the external guttering and downpipes. This will include the fabrication of a projecting hopper made from lead in the corner where the vestry meets the church. Our builder is in the process of sending us a revised quotation for this work. Once this is received, we should be able to proceed fairly quickly since we have the necessary faculty (the Church equivalent of planning permission) to carry out this work.
Thank you again and may I take this opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2026.
Many thanks for attending our village Christmas Pantomime ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ on Sat 13th Dec 2025. Everyone had a great time and the travelling Northants Theatre Company LOL, gave a superb performance, oh yes they did!! Please see a few photos below.
A huge thank you to all who came to the Bingo evening on Friday 7th November 2025 at the Village Hall and to everyone who helped run the event. A special mention to Tom and Jess for the entertaining bingo calling and to Merv for organising the evening and the delicious fish n chips. Great fun was had by us all!! £522 was raised for Marriott Green which is run entirely by volunteers (including Richard West who has mown the grass all year 🤩 🤩)- an amazing result…….thank you, Melanie Duke on behalf of the Marriott Green Committee.
Many thanks for attending the short wreath-laying service at the East Farndon War Memorial on Sunday 9th November 2025 and for joining us afterwards for tea, coffee and cakes, with donations going to the Royal British Legion. See below some photos from the event.
Huge thanks to Krystle and Bernie Fallon for organising the village Halloween Party at the East Farndon Village Hall on Friday 31st October 2025, followed by trick or treating around the village. A big thank you to all of the residents who decorated their houses and the village footpath, giving everyone such a safe and enjoyable evening.
East Farndon Church held a Flower Festival over the weekend of 13th & 14th September 2025. It was great to see the church open for two days with many visitors from the village and beyond. The event raised a fantastic total of £2,982 and the organising team, lead by Julia Prew, would like to say thank you to everyone who attended and helped us to make this event so successful.
As always with such events, there were many people involved in the organising team, and a huge thank you to them for giving up their time and working so hard! Special thanks to Jo Shaw and Philippa Mo who played so beautifully on Saturday, Philomena of Daisy and Fox florist and all the floral workshop attendees, whose floral arrangements decorated the church so wonderfully, and Judy Hodgetts for her brilliant work writing the updated information leaflet about the church. Please click this link to see photos from this event.
Greta died on 21st August 2025. Those who knew her and worked alongside her at village events must wonder if we shall ever see anyone as devoted to the village again.
Greta was born in Cottingham and on leaving school worked as a tailor in Kettering and later at Symington’s in Market Harborough. She married Keith Hill in 1953, the Hills being a numerous village family. Greta and Keith were able to move straight into their house on Harborough Road and Greta still lived there till she died 71 years later. She had three sons, who survive her, Adrian, Clive and Graham. Keith died in 2014.
It is hard to do justice to Greta’s many services to the village. She was a member of the Parochial Church Council for many years and then did sterling work for the Age Concern group, which arranged meals in the village hall for elderly residents and coach trips to places of interest, as well as visiting older residents living alone. She was a key member of many fund-raising groups – for church repairs, for the restoration of the church bells and to set up the bus shelter on the Harborough Road. The church fund-raising at one time involved Greta and Daisy Haynes going round the village in a van collecting old papers and cardboard to sell at a scrapyard. She helped organise jumble sales and discos in the village hall. She was on the church cleaning rota and embroidered kneelers in the church and the two boards of signatures of people who donated to the funds (one is now in the church and one in the village hall). She visited newcomers to the village and helped to make them feel welcome. She helped to raise money for new crockery and a cooker in the village hall.
In later years, after retiring from work at BT and then at Ward’s Electrical, she played bowls with Keith for Market Harborough Bowls Club.
Greta symbolised the spirit of community in the village, working tirelessly to improve people’s lives here and keep village institutions going. Her passing marks the end of an era in village life.
Tribute written by Alan Langley with Adrian, Clive and Graham Hill, September 2025
We would like to offer our heart felt condolences and recognise the passing of three people who have died recently, all of them having strong links with East Farndon.
Jacqueline Dunnill lived at The Limes, East Farndon for several decades and passed away on July 21st 2025. Her funeral will take place at East Farndon church on Monday August 4th 2025 at 12.30pm. This will be a graveside service for family only.
Jonathan Hargreaves was the farmer at the Grange, East Farndon for many years. He died peacefully at Brampton View Care Home on July 8th 2025, aged 90 years.
David Thake has stepped down as treasurer and Richard Green as trustee of East Farndon Amenities Trust, which manages Marriott Green in East Farndon. Huge thanks go to David and Richard who were part of a small group of villagers who raised funds to buy the land in 2010 and have managed it ever since then. Sonya Fraser, also a founding trustee, remains as a trustee. Following some new appointments, the other trustees are Jess Oakden, Judy Hodgetts, Sharon Weldon, Julia Prew and Melanie Duke. Please click this link to read more about Marriott Green. If you have any questions, can help, or would like to make a donation, then please use this link to email Melanie Duke.
Many thanks to all of the villagers who helped with a late spring tidy up of Marriott Green and the land at the rear which belongs to the Parochial Church Council. In addition, a grateful shout out to Richard West who has kindly offered to mow the grass on a regular basis.
A big thank you also to the Immmediate Justice team. A team of three, led by Aidan Gibson a former police chief inspector, spent a wet morning working very hard on gardening and rubbing down the picnic bench / steps as part of a community service programme. They did a great job and we really appreciate their help. The Immediate Justice scheme is run by the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and works with individuals committing anti-social behaviour on their rehabilitation. If you would like to find out more about the Immediate Justice scheme, please see northants.police.uk/police-forces/northamptonshire-police/areas/northamptonshire-force-content/about-us/about-us/immediate-justice/
There will be another tidy up in the autumn, so watch this space!
