The tree is up, Bublé has returned, and all that’s on the radio is Mariah… sounds like Christmas is coming! ‘Tis the season for Baileys in place of milk (added to coffee, splashed in hot chocolate, poured over cereal…), competitive present wrapping (Mrs Hinch eat your heart out), and days filled with Elf on the Shelf (is it really that time of year again!?).
Festive lights have started to adorn Oakley Vale, wrapping us in a blanket of colour and festive cheer. The many upcoming events – including a light switch on and carols – will be sure to lift your Christmas spirits so keep reading to find out more information about What’s On in December!
Before festivities and dates are revealed though, we’ve put together a round-up of the past year – that has seen the community come together through the good times, and bad.
So make yourself a warm cuppa, find a cozy blanket and dive in…
The year began with a future development announcement, praise owed to Oakley Vale Primary School and lots of goodwill…
January looked ahead to the future, and the latest updates on Phase 8. Eleven housebuilders made formal proposals to purchase Phase 8. You can find out the latest on where those developments led on our webpage here.
In February, Oakley Vale Primary School was awarded the Diabetes UK’s Good Diabetes Care in School Award for providing exceptional support to students with diabetes. A wonderful touch to the month that showed how lucky we are to have such brilliant schools in Oakley Vale and Corby.
March was a month filled with kindness and camaraderie. Oakley Vale Community Association and Corby Silver Band teamed up and raised £4,000 for Ukrainian charity, Family of Christ. They set up a market stall collection point for donations inviting people to drop off vital supplies such as baby food and medical supplies which were packed in boxes and transported to Ukraine.
Summer came with its optimistic sun and warmth…
March’s compassion and generosity were echoed across the summer months.
A moving story from July reflected the community’s benevolence in fundraising and rallying for brave Florence in her battle against Leukemia. The local community hit an incredible £500,000 target in an appeal to help fund life-saving treatment. Read more here.
Forwarding to August, schools around Oakley Vale saw another year of fantastic GCSE and A-Level Results. Close to home, students at Brooke Weston Academy in Oakley Vale worked incredibly hard with one of the school’s top-performing GCSE students receiving grade 9s in all their subjects. A-Level students also kept this momentum with three of their high performers collectively achieving twelve A* grades.
As Autumn began, the world, the nation and the community came together to mourn the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
On 8th September 2022, the UK fell silent as Buckingham Palace announced that our longest-reigning monarch had peacefully passed. Oakley Vale added to the chorus of tributes and condolences being paid, supporting one another in this new, unfamiliar time.
The bells of St Michael’s Church in Great Oakley tolled from 12 noon to 1.00 pm on Friday 9th in remembrance, and a book of condolence was left out for signings. The momentous moment in our nation’s history saw an outpouring response from the local community and beyond.
October marked the start of spooky season, terrifyingly exemplified by the many Halloween events that took place around Oakley Vale. There was lots of fun, which is owed to the Oakley Vale Rangers, who supported the Safer Communities Team at North Northants Council in a big cleanup. They got the streets clean in time for Halloween trick or treating!
And so… what a year it’s been! As we look to 2023, ‘Tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift… that’s why they call it the present.’
We hope being present will be one of your most valuable gifts this Christmas – and if you’re able to, that you slow down, smile and enjoy not only presents – but the present this season.
What’s On?
If you’re looking to kick off your festivities, why not join some carols at Coronation Park in Corby on Thursday 15th!
Or if you’re after a little more festive sparkle, head down to the local – Harpers Brook – on Saturday 17th for their Christmas disco and karaoke! They’ll have you singing and dancing to your favourite Christmas tunes all night.
Until next time, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2023!
