The NeneQuirer

30/08/2024

From mid-table mediocrity to the top of the table - and with more than a dozen international players in the squad - Northampton have a target on their back as the team to beat. Hilary Scott speaks to Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman about losing, winning and doing it all over again in the new season. "When I was in the academy, I'd look about and be like 'there’s Stevie Myler, Ben Foden...' and I was like, oh, be really polite around them and what-not," says Saints and England scrum-half…...

29/08/2024

As he prepares to leave Northampton Saints to take up a new role with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews, Chief Executive Mark Darbon and Julia Chapman, CEO and CE in-waiting, chatted about changes both on and off the pitch. Hilary Scott reports. "It's a job that I've come to love, and actually it becomes a bit more than a job, right?...

As he prepares to leave Northampton Saints to take up a new role with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews, Chief Executive Mark Darbon and Julia Chapman, CEO and CE in-waiting, chatted ab…

28/08/2024

Saints might look a little different this year, with the departure of some key players, the controversy of the rebranded badge and some new signings about to take to the hallowed Franklins' Garden turf. Hilary Scott chatted to coaches and players about preparations for the new season. For the coaching squad it's business as usual - albeit with a new-ish addition in sports psychologist Oli Dixon - fresh from working with the British Olympic team....

Saints might look a little different this year, with the departure of some key players, the controversy of the rebranded badge and some new signings about to take to the hallowed Franklins’ G…

07/08/2024

Protest Update
Around 150 counter-protesters have gathered peacefully at the junction of Kettering Road and Clare Street. Police are in attendance, but motorists are being advised to avoid the area if possible this evening

28/05/2024

I was one of the journos he started off... sad to read this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ggme6mzn9o.amp?fbclid=IwAR2ia78_wfR77Y7JNXlA4JUdrKPzQ4ZxQ6snh3UEOi6UHo03PB7Sdn2aTtw

Bedford Blues rugby club will fly the club's flag at half-mast this week in his memory.

14/05/2024

Northampton's annual Eid Festival takes place this Sunday, 19th May at Becket's Park between 12 and 6pm. All are welcome to attend and enjoy a free community day of activities and fun for the whole family.

A packed programme of live, multicultural stage entertainment, hosted by Northampton's NLive Radio is scheduled between 12 – 4pm, including Bhangra Drummers, the Polish Performing Group, the BNDC Indian Classical Dance Group, the Northampton African Drummers and a Turkish folk band.

There will also be giant inflatables and bouncy castles, food and drink stands and face painting, plus a community marquee featuring a variety of clothing, crafts and charity stalls.

Visit our website to find out more: https://tinyurl.com/39nrd8wv

NN Events Explore West Northants Discover Northamptonshire Northampton Town BID United African Association Northamptonshire

14/05/2024

📣 Shout Out…

On Wednesdays 4-6pm we run a wellbeing and mindfulness session called MindSpace. It’s a place where those aged 11-18 can come and get creative, learn tips to manage their wellbeing and have fun and relax.

Is there any of our lovely followers or local organisations that would like to donate their time to run a one off 2 hour workshop during MindSpace for our young people? You would be helping make a difference and improve the wellbeing of our fantastic young people.

We would be interested in, but not limited to, things such as:

- Poetry
- Crafts
- Painting/ Drawing
- Music
- Wellbeing

As a we are a charity, we are so grateful to all our volunteers and anyone who donates their time towards helping improve the lives of young people.

23/02/2024

Alan Moore has dedicated his life to his art. Had he not achieved the status of the most influential writer in his field, the admiration of millions of fans, in

11/12/2023

As we settled in to the first Sunday matinee we already knew that actor Joey Wilby, playing Snow White’s best friend, the chirpy Buttons-a-like Muddles, had been injured in rehearsals in the …

29/09/2023

Need this cycle route unblocked... motorists if you want less bikes on the road this will help!

235 signatures are still needed! Re-open the Beloved River Pathway for Northampton's Commuters and Community

21/09/2023

Get ya bike fixed and some coaching...

It’s not dignified. I’m 55 and I’ve gone over the handlebars of a bike twice in the past year. Fortunately I roll like an 80kg medicine ball and didn’t land far from the tra…

05/09/2023

Shared on behalf of Northampton Civic trust:
Appeal for Financial Project Support

Many of you will have seen our Save St James Tram & Bus Depot campaign and as part of that we have been working to secure the last Northampton Corporation Transport documents that were left in the loft space of the office building.

For over ten years they have remained there in the care of Church's, the building owners.

Now the building is up for sale (now sstc) Church''s have been very gracious and allowed NTH access to the depot (pictures to follow) and secure the documents. We are working alongside and with the guidance of Northamptonshire Archives and Heritage Service who are very supportive and their knowledge is invaluable.

There is an incredible amount to sort through and it will take time to sift and catalogue. We have secured a room for two months across the road at the The Doddridge & St James Community Centres who have given us a special charity rate of hire, and we are very grateful to them.

So, we would like to extend that two month period for as long as we can, but certainly for at least six months, in order that we do not need to rush the project. We need to raise at least £1000 so can stay six months or £2500 will give us a year!

So, can you make a donation to the room hire costs to help us with this important project that will save important historical, NCT documents?

We would be extremely appreciative of any money you can spare to help us with this project. 🙏

You can donate via this link or contact us for other ways to donate using the messenger facility or email [email protected]

The pictures show just a small amount of what we need to process.

If you have experience or an interest in saving documentation like this and would like to help with the sift contact Neil Farmer [email protected]

Appeal for Financial Project Support Many of you will have seen our Save St James Tram & Bus Depot campaign and as part of that we have been working to secure the last Northampton Corporation Transport documents that were left in the loft space of the office building. For over ten years they have re...

16/04/2023

Twenty minutes into Saints home victory over Saracens, just after Moon and Ludlam had crossed the line to score and perhaps three more scoring chances were lost to butterfingers, BT Sport had a touchline chat with one of the visiting coaches. He was asked to reflect on how well his side were controlling the game. To be fair, he did seem a bit wrongfooted by the question....

Twenty minutes into Saints home victory over Saracens, just after Moon and Ludlam had crossed the line to score and perhaps three more scoring chances were lost to butterfingers, BT Sport had a tou…

06/04/2023

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is back for its fifteenth year with another sensational set of categories and sponsors. The Awards are a celebration and recognition of excellence within the Northamptonshire food and drink sector. It is a toast to all that is great about local produce and drink and rewarding those who work so hard to achieve the best within the culinary sector....

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is back for its fifteenth year with another sensational set of categories and sponsors.  The Awards are a celebration and recognition of exc…

31/03/2023

Outstanding work goes on here, from fellow grassrooters

NN Journal is a reader-supported local journalism publisher writing exclusively about Northamptonshire. Delivered by email. Click to read NN Journal, a Substack publication.

12/03/2023

To some degree rugby operates in its own reality of outrageous expectations. Little guys bring down big guys. Un-kickable objects get booted through impossible gaps at unlikely angles. Players go forwards but the ball goes backwards. The team that got spanked last week will do the spanking this week. It's the 'reaction' game. A team takes a shock result (like Bristol rugbying the bejesus out of us in the previous round) and takes it forward as motivation for the next week....

To some degree rugby operates in its own reality of outrageous expectations. Little guys bring down big guys. Un-kickable objects get booted through impossible gaps at unlikely angles. Players go f…

26/02/2023

Have we just seen Saints try of the season?

The Netflix cameras are currently circling over rugby union in the hope of emulating the success of their Formula One fly on the wall hit Drive to Survive and this Gloucester game might have been i…

19/02/2023

Keep it under your hat... we might be sneaking up on something here

It was Saints biggest ever Premiership points comeback but there are Sale fans today who are shrugging their shoulders, stroking their beards and grumbling about red cards, yellow cards and penalty…

15/02/2023

Paul Hill talks about what it will take to beat Sharks on Saturday

Two from the top and five from the bottom as they say on Countdown. Those are Saints’ final seven games of the season, with Sale – second in the league – coming to Franklin’…

06/02/2023

It was delicious and it was made in Duston...

I have unfair expectations of many people – the sports teams I support, the politicians I don’t vote for, even Jesus – but perhaps the most unreasonably high expectations I have o…

02/02/2023

Here's a Google Map with a list of Northampton's factory shops for high end men's footwear. There's some novel inclusions too, like the last last maker and the home of Jellies!

If no lesser figure than King Charles III likes a rummage around in the shoe factories of Northampton then why should you deny yourself the pleasure of picking up some real quality for a real barga…

01/12/2022

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxf0VChQqtan6-2hzedX3EhbfWtQ0K7oxu

25 seconds · Clipped by Nene Quirer · Original video "Northampton Saints Season Ticket Holder Forum" by SaintsTV

26/10/2022

Sam Vesty has promised that some players we haven’t seen for a while will be part of a Saints team aiming to be more efficient at scoring points when Bristol Bears visit Franklin’s Gard…

16/10/2022

At the start of this game when Sleights reached and scored and Newcastle were rocking on their foundations a little you never would have guessed what was coming. At that stage it didn’t seem …

13/10/2022

https://nenequirer.com/2022/10/13/dan-biggar-will-be-out-for-weeks-as-saints-prepare-to-fight-for-every-inch-against-newcastle/

Saints coach Sam Vesty is expecting a good scrap for the ten shirt in the season ahead despite the fact that two candidates are nursing injuries going into a tough home clash with Newcastle Falcons…

13/10/2022

https://nenequirer.com/2022/10/13/winners-revealed-at-weetabix-northamptonshire-food-and-drink-awards-ceremony/

After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2022/23 are finally celebrating being named the best of the best in the co…

13/10/2022

https://nenequirer.com/2022/10/13/james-dacre-to-leave-royal-derngate/

The artistic director of Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton is to leave at the end of next summer. A statement released by the Northampton Theatres Trust said: James Dacre has announced he…

12/10/2022

The live event to accompany the blockbuster NQ article...

Tré talks about whiteness, racism and the monarchy

11/10/2022

https://youtu.be/7lEffJnsNI4

A first chat with England Under-20 fly-half Fin Smith, who arrived at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens earlier this week.

29/09/2022

A lot has been packed into a small space at Northampton Bike Park which opened this week. Set on the former nine hole golf course between Hardingstone and Delapre the designers have managed to inco…