Welcome to the February edition of the Oakley Vale blog – we hope you are all keeping well and safe and have been making the most of all this snow! You know what they say, January brings the snow and February brings the rain, but with it comes Valentine’s Day! Love it or loathe it, it’s normally hard to avoid all the romance but with lockdown restrictions still in place, it’s no secret 2021 is going to be a little different…

Read on for tips on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home, an update on our photo competition, and hear from Emma Goodwin, Principal of Oakley Vale Primary School on what life in Oakley Vale means to her!

Valentine’s Day in Lockdown

Valentine’s Day – a day of love, romance, warmth, and devotion. Certainly not a day for distant dates, awkward Zoom calls and getting stuck on mute! But for some couples who live apart, this could be what you’re thinking… wrong! Thanks to our handy guide below, you won’t be short on extra-special ideas to help show some appreciation for your loved one.

From at-home virtual date ideas to the perfect night in together, here’s how to navigate this most unusual Valentine’s Day!

• A couples quiz – how much do you really know about your partner?
• We all love a hopeless romantic – why not write a love letter to each other!
• Virtual cocktail night
• Meet for a socially distanced walk at your favourite place in Oakley Vale (make sure it’s local)
• Or even take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on pre-Covid life together

For those couples who do live together, being stuck at home for Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! You could:

• Have a spa day at home
• Host a games night for each other
• Cook breakfast in bed
• Or even a fine dining at home evening – compete with make-up and ‘going out’ outfits

The wide open, green spaces at Oakey Vale make for a perfect Valentine’s Day walk with your loved one!

Don’t forget about our Photo Competition

Have you taken any great photos recently? Maybe you captured the snow that fell last month? If you did, then we want to see them! For those of you who don’t already know, our Oakley Vale photo competition gives you an opportunity to win £50 for your best photo that really captures the spirit of life in Oakley Vale!

This time round, our theme is Hope. There’s no doubt that 2020 was a difficult year, but we can all be optimistic about what 2021 may bring. We want to see your most innovative, inspirational pictures that symbolise hope – it could be an image of a peaceful place, a beautiful sunrise, a freshly bloomed flower or anything in between, be as creative as you like!

We’ve received some fantastic shots so far which you can check out here.

This incredible picture was our winner last time!

Meet Emma!

When we first created our website, we wanted the people of Oakley Vale to tell their stories and hear what they love most about living in Oakley Vale! One of the people we caught up with was Emma Goodwin, Principal of Oakley Vale Primary School.

Emma said:

It is great to be part of a relatively new community which continues to grow in diversity. We are very fortunate to have a great site of which the school is built which allows the children to have a creative learning environment both inside and within the grounds.

Then, when asked “What makes Oakley Vale Primary School special, both in Oakley Vale and the wider Corby area?” Emma replied:

Oakley Vale Primary school is special because it recognises the potential of everyone within it and supports both children and adults to achieve their full potential. Children are able to learn in a creative and inspirational environment. The children and staff are caring towards others and work hard with many fundraising events both nationally and locally. The school has raised money for Lakelands Hospice which is very close to the school.

We certainly agree! Since March 20th when schools first closed due to COVID-19, we have seen how fantastic our schools, pupils, teachers and parents are for showing their commitment to children’s education. Pupils in the area have shown their resilience and also their compassion, taking part in a variety of activities to raise money for key workers.

Oakley Vale is a vibrant community with lots to love and be proud of but one of the best things about Oakley Vale is you, the people! If you want to get in touch and contribute a profile for our website page you can email us at info@wpe.spd.agency or drop us a message on Facebook or Twitter – we look forward to hearing from you!

Stop the Spread

Finally, we wanted to leave you with some good-to-know tips and tricks to help stop the spread and transmission of Covid-19!

– Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
– Maintain at least 1 metre distance between other people
– Wear a face covering when in shared spaces
– Stay home if you feel unwell or are showing any symptoms

For more information, visit the NHS website here.

Hopefully, this will all be over soon and we can get back to doing the things we love in Oakley Vale!

All that’s left to say is we hope you all continue to stay safe and well as we head into February. See you next month for our March blog!