Helpston

Busy at Playgroup making ladybirds and spiders following the previous day's 'Bug Hunt'. The children play happily here, but the staff are keen to see a new building. Work starts in June

We are excited to announce that plans are underway for a brand new eco-friendly building for the Helpston Playhouse & under 5’s pre-school, a Reception classroom and added facilities for the Out-of-School Club.

This state-of-the-art building will be ready this September in time for the new school year and will be attached to the John Clare primary school, making the children’s move from pre-school to reception class flow even more fluid.

Following last years achievement of an outstanding Ofsted result, this is just what’s needed to create an even more stimulating and inspiring playgroup where the surroundings will echo the first class care that the children individually receive.

Children are offered a specially tailored curriculum, embracing the early learning goals primarily through play, in a safe and secure environment.  There is much fun to be had and an exciting range of activities daily.

If it’s time for your little one to explore outside the nest, please give us a call – there are places available for September in our smart new building and we promise they will not be disappointed.

What’s more, we have a real family approach and love parents to be involved – why should the children have all the fun?                                 Kirsty Robertson

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Bridget Stables; parachute jump

Bridget Stables of Maxey is ‘a lady of a certain age’, or, of her own admission she has ‘passed the half-way mark of the biblical three score years and ten and her dotage’ (80).

Nevertheless, between 1st and 6th of June she will take part in a tandem parachute jump from Sibson Airfield to raise funds for Oakfield, the residential home for adults with learning difficulties, where her son, John (44), who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, has been living for the past 25 years.

Bridget follows in the footsteps of her husband, Donald, who did a similar jump at the age of 73.  Having watched the video of Donald, Bridget says: “Having ‘taken up the baton’, I am taking a deep breath and am determined to complete the jump. The hardest part will be taking off and landing in a little twin-engined plane – I’ve hardly ever flown and that’s what frightens me.”

The couple have raised over £15,000 in donations and sponsorships for Oakfield, near Wellingborough, where, says Bridget, “John and 21 other residents lead a happy and fulfilled life and are looked after by a caring and dedicated staff.”

She confessed: “It must have been in a moment of madness that I thought of doing this – however so far I’m not having sleepless nights.”

So the Tribune wishes Bridget luck and if you would like to make a donation, please send it to her at 2 Torpel Way, Maxey PE6 9EQ. Cheques made payable to ‘Friends of Oakfield’. If you are a tax payer, please write your name and address clearly so that it can be ‘Gift-Aided’ and the tax reclaimed.

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Always cheerful round and about the village, serving the community in many different ways, his

Helpston lost one of its most active and well-loved figures when Derek Fane died suddenly last month

death came as a shock, not only to his family, but to all who knew him.

The list of Derek’s service to the community seems endless.  He played football for Helpston FC, was secretary and ran the club for many years, he ran the Helpston Charity (football) Cup which took in surrounding villages, he played for the Arborfield Mill team (run by his wife, Jean and Jim Bean), he was a member of the Church Council, sang in the Christmas Choir, was the cleaner, always helped with the Gala, was on the  Dual Use Playing Field Committee; he played tennis, went to the Carpet Bowls Club for a time, was on the PTA’s and governors of both the AMVC and John Clare Schools at various times; he ran car boot sales at AMVC.  For many years he was a member of Helpston Parish Council and to his death never missed a meeting, as he would unlock and lock up at the school on behalf of Jean.

He was on the Church Key Rota, the Medicine Rota and organised the Classic Car event for the Willow Brook Farm Open Days, having taken his own ‘baby’ - a 1960’s mini pick-up, to local events at Maxey, Stamford and Bourne.  Currently involved in this year’s Willow Brook Farm Day, this work is being taken over by his son, Charles. He took a keen interest in everything associated with Willow Brook and the Granary Cafe, where his daughter, Jo, runs the catering.

Derek will be particularly missed at JC school, where, with Jean as Caretaker (for the past 33 years since their youngest child, Charles started school), he has done lots of jobs.

Jean told us: “He would often say on a Sunday: ‘Just going up to school for half an hour’.

“When he was on so many committees, he was sometimes out every night of the week - always smart in a white shirt, blazer and tie in the days before ’smart casual’ became the fashion.”

Such a community-minded person would be hard to find, and to anyone who did not know Derek, the list above might not truly reflect the individual who was down-to-earth and known best for his cheery smile and willingness to give a hand to anybody.

Coun Rosemary Morton said of him: “Derek was a ‘giver’ rather than a ‘receiver’.  He was never happier than when he was giving and was a friend to everyone - a very practical person and very caring of the youngsters.”

On leaving school Derek served a six-year apprenticeship with Pinders of Peterborough as a sheet metal worker and a year as an Improver.  He was married to Jean on his 22nd birthday, when he got his first real pay packet and exactly a year after his decision to get engaged to the 17 year-old Jean at his 21st birthday party.  The wedding was at St Botolph’s and the couple had been married 49 years; the 50th anniversary would have been October 2011.

From Pinders, Derek went on to work for Perkins, then Fiat Allis of Stamford, and when that business closed he took on various jobs including one for a Jaguar firm, always in fabricating and welding.  For the last ten years he had been employed by Power Plant, but decided to retire on his 70th birthday last October, so that he could look after his little grandson Latham, while Charles and mum Shelley were at work.  For that birthday Jean treated him to a night at the Waldorf Hotel in London, one of many Shaw’s trips the couple had been on.  They also enjoyed the Railtourer train trips, especially to Scotland and had been planning to go up to Fort William during the week of Derek’s funeral  (16th May).

Jean was very much involved in the care of her parents up until her father’s death, but during the last few years she and Derek had seized every opportunity to be together and enjoy themselves.  He said recently: “Haven’t we done some things - these last five years!”

Often, when ready to finish off and lock up at school, he would turn to cleaner, Pat Bean, and say:

“Come on girl - let’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!”

For a man who loved life, dancing, and parties, it was fitting that his end should come on the dance floor at a 70th birthday party.

He leaves Jean (widow), his son and daughter, Charles (of Gunthorpe) and Joanne, and grandchildren, Sam and Latham.

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