Welcome to the Village Link website. We’re a small not for profit organisation staffed by volunteers and cannot justify the expense of an SSL certificate. This certificate is what changes a web address from http to https. Google will soon change how they label sites; instead of labelling sites with a certificate as secure they will label sites without one as insecure. We keep this site as secure as we can and is as secure as it ever has been. Please do not be put off!

Take a little time to browse our pages and discover what goes on where and when in our area. Within our pages you can also find out who does what locally. If you would like to contribute anything to any of our pages, including your favourite picture from where you live in our area, please follow the links on the Contact Us page. We would love to carry all the info for your local club or association and best of all, it’s all for free!

The map on the left is fully navigable plus you can zoom in and out by using the controls in the top left corner and if you view the larger map you can enter street view by dragging the little yellow person onto the map to where you want to view and go for a virtual walk around our streets and lanes.

 If you have any problems with the navigation elements within this web site, please review your ActiveX controls.

It’s Blooming Wonderful in Creaton

Since late August, when the most wonderful sight started to emerge around the Playing Field in Creaton, there has been an increased interest in that part pf the village. It started with the villagers and local dog walkers but soon the word was out and over the weekends in September people came from far and wide to gaze upon the beautiful field of mixed flowers, ablaze with poppies with an underblanket of field scabious, yarrow and ox-eye daisies.

This display is part of a large stewardship scheme that the Cottesbrooke Estate is carrying out with Natural England. One of the drivers for the scheme is to improve and create habitat and, says the Estate, plantings of these flowers encourage butterflies and other pollinators and also provide foraging sites for farmland birds. In fact, nearby fields have been sown with crops for winter feeding of birds, including a very attractive field of phacelia, a good green manure crop for gardeners as well as supplying seed for birds.

Cottesbrooke is delighted that the flowers have brought pleasure to so many, particularly after the past 18 months and it has been really enjoyable for the residents to watch people stopping, looking and smiling.

GUILDHOUSE RETIRING CHAIRMAN

GETS A LIFT - Literally!

The Percival Guildhouse in Rugby, Warwickshire’s only independent adult education centre, has honoured its retiring chairman, David Dove, by naming its newly-installed lift after him.

The installation of the charity-funded lift represents one of the milestone achievements for David, whose 14 years leading the organisation has included helping to ensure its survival during months of closure and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

“The Guildhouse has a unique place in further education in Rugby and the surrounding area. It must build on the advances made by developing its online courses, always recognising that what students love most is the sense of community and friendship they enjoy attending courses in-house. I know it will continue be a magnet for students of all ages and backgrounds,” he said.

David is succeeded as Chairman by Carin Jackson, who has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2017.

Christmas Picture Competition

Are you feeling creative?

Here’s a suggestion to occupy active minds on a rainy Autumn Day…….

Create a festive picture to appear on the colour pages of the December/January copy of Village Link and pass it on to anyone on the editorial team, or scan/photograph it and send to: editorial@villagelink.org.uk by 1st November

Festive prizes will be awarded to different age groups, so remember to include your name, age (if under 18) and contact details with every entry.

IAN’S CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP

125g unsalted butter

2 large onions finely chopped

1kg pumpkin

1 litre chicken stock

125ml single cream

Salt, freshly ground pepper

Dash of Tabasco

Freshly ground nutmeg (optional).

Heat the butter is a large, heavy saucepan and saute the onions until tender but not browned.  Pare the pumpkin, remove any seeds and strings, and cut into 2.5 cm cubes.  Add the pumpkin and chicken stock, cover and simmer until the pumpkin is disintegrating, about 45mins.   Cool slightly and put through a sieve, or puree quickly in a blender.  Be careful not to overblend.  Return to saucepan, season to taste with salt & pepper, add the cream and Tabasco and reheat gently.  Pour into warmed soup tureen and sprinkle with nutmeg.  Serves 6.