From all of us here at Oakley Vale, we hope you had a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! There’s no doubt that last year was tough at times, especially adapting to the impacts of Covid-19, but we’re so excited for 2022 and all the anticipation and promise it brings.
This month, we take a look at some of the events happening throughout January, give an update on our ever-popular photo competition, and reflect back on some of our favourite, festive, feel-good community stories from December. So, let’s get right down to it!
Covid-19 guidelines
First, with cases of Covid-19 still rising all around the UK, we wanted to remind you about current Covid guidance now England has moved into Plan B measures.
- Get vaccinated and get your booster dose
- Wear a face covering in most indoor public places and on public transport
- Work from home, if you can
- Let fresh air in if you meet indoors – meeting outdoors is safer
- Get tested and self-isolate if required
To find out more about how to stay safe and help prevent the spread, click here.
Festive feel-good stories
Moving onto more positive things, we thought this would be the perfect time to showcase some local stories from the last month which highlight just how incredible our community is.
Firstly, did you hear about the Kettering branch of National Accident Helpline cancelling their Christmas party and donating all the food to Corby families? There was enough food for 180 festive dinners that would have gone to waste if it wasn’t donated! You can read more about the heart-warming story here.
Next, we were delighted to see Corby’s annual Santa Walk bring festive cheer to children at Kettering General Hospital on Christmas Eve. Landlords and pubgoers from across Corby take part each year, and this year walked ten miles to raise vital funds for the children’s ward. To read the story in full, click here.
Finally, it was fantastic witnessing Corby’s BMX Olympic hero, Charlotte Worthington be awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list after her incredible performance at the Tokyo Olympics. She pulled off an amazing 360 backflip, the first by a female rider in competition, to bring home gold to Corby in the freestyle event and most definitely deserves the recognition! To read more, click here.
What’s on in January
And that’s not all for positive news, there’s also plenty of events happening this month which we can all look forward to!
CATS: Beauty and The Beast – 6th to 9th January
Corby Amateur Theatrical Society proudly present the magical tale of Beauty and The Beast. Featuring all the well-known characters of this much-loved story (and a few new ones), this production features spectacular songs and dances, colourful costumes and lots of fun and laughs for the whole family.
The American Four Tops – 14th January
It’s the show jam packed with sweet soul music and Motown magic that continues to leave audiences dancing and chanting for more following each outstanding performance – this explosive show is guaranteed to leave you breathless!
Corby Community Service Awards – 29th January
The Corby Community Service Awards shines a light on our very own Corby champions, individuals and organisations who made extraordinary efforts to help others and make a lasting difference – don’t miss it!
Photo competition
With all the action happening in January, don’t forget to submit your ‘Winter Woodland’ snaps into our photo competition – there’s just a few weeks left before voting begins!
For those of you who don’t know, our photo competition gives you the opportunity to win £50 for your photos of Oakley Vale. All you need to do is follow the instructions on our Photo Competition page, submit your snap based on the given theme and the public will decide the winner.
This time round, we’re taking entries until January 31st so get submitting!
New development on the horizon
Finally, we want to leave you with some extra-exciting news for 2022, especially relevant for those looking for a new start in the New Year!
At Oakley Vale, we’re looking ahead to future development and have recently announced Phases 8 and 9. Phase 8 is situated at the end of Bennett Road and Chepstow Road (take a look at our Masterplan page for a visual view!). It will include a new Primary School, which will be delivered by North Northamptonshire Council on land to be gifted by Great Oakley.
We’re delighted to announce that last month, eleven housebuilders made formal proposals to purchase Phase 8, and there have been some high-quality proposals! A shortlist of the preferred developer partners has been created and we understand a final decision will be made this month. Next steps will see the developers enter into a contract, followed by a reserved matters planning application to be considered later this year by North Northamptonshire Council. If this is approved, building work should start in early 2023!
More details on Phase 8 are set to follow shortly once a developer partner has been selected… So stay tuned on our upcoming blogs where we will reveal more, or take a look at our updated Future Developments page!
All that’s left to say is we hope you all continue to stay safe and well as we head into 2022 – see you in February!
