Northants Telegraph Sunday Extra: station picket line, Extinction Rebellion protest and charity's generosity

We've got so much news these days that we can't always squeeze everything into the working week. So every Sunday we'll bring you updates on recent stories, some news-in-brief and other things you need to know from across Corby, Wellingborough, East Northamptonshire and Kettering.

Wellingborough Extinction Rebellion are to stage a peaceful, non-violent protest on Wednesday, September 7, at 11am in Wellingborough town centre.

The group says their multi-faceted protest will raise several pressing issues:

- support for insulation in all homes, public buildings including schools, colleges and libraries, to reduce energy use and significantly reduce fuel costs to households

-support for solar panels to be made compulsory on all new houses and warehousing

- to end dependency on carbon products (oil, gas, coal) and support for renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro)

- raising support for the campaign ‘Enough is Enough1’. For more information about the action you can email [email protected].

Rail workers’ union the RMT had a picket line at Kettering Railway Station yesterday (Saturday, August 20). The workers are striking over jobs, conditions, pensions and a below-inflation payrise.

They were joined on the picket line by members of Kettering Labour Party and Unison representative Lynsey Tod.

A group of children who are taking a trip into Kettering will be able to do it safely thanks to a local voluntary charity group.

Kettering & District Lions Club recently received a request for funding from BHVA - Beccy Hurrell Visual Arts - which is based in The Yards in Kettering town centre. The aim of the organisation is to provide a hub and sanctuary where all members of society have a place to grow and develop, whether that be creatively or socially.

This summer they plan to take a group of children into Kettering to participate in drawing activities and perhaps take them to lunch. In order to do this safely during the day each child will need a high-viz jacket.

Kettering Lions funded the purchase of 20 high-viz jackets, which carry the club’s logo, in order to facilitate this project.

North Northamptonshire Council will hold an adult social care showcase at Corby Cube on Wednesday, October 5, from 10am to 3pm to promote and raise awareness for the services that adult social care provide to the area.

Across the event, there will be a chance to speak to members of staff and who will answer general questions about the service and provide support.

The event will also allow members of the public the opportunity to find out what it is like working within social care, with recruitment opportunities advertised on the day. For anyone interested in going one step further and applying for any of the roles being advertising, interviews will be available on the day.

Cllr Helen Harrison, the council’s executive member for adults, health and wellbeing, said: “We know there are a lot of people who are unsure about the services that we provide in adult social care, but aren’t sure who to speak to or where to find out more information, which is why we are holding this event.”

“Plus, for those interested in a career in adult social care, we will be promoting the different roles on offer whilst also demonstrating the benefits of a career in social care.”

RS Components has converted a space at its Corby headquarters to enable its employees to volunteer to build washing machines as part of it social impact partnership with The Washing Machine Project (TWMP) - a global charity that combines innovation and sustainable engineering to provide displaced and low-income communities with an accessible and affordable manual crank, off-grid washing machine.

This is the second year of a three-year partnership for RS Group, and, over a nine-week period, employees will build 30 washing machines: 27 for Uganda including an orphanage, and three to homeless shelters in the United States. Within the RS project complex is also a tent to enable employees to experience the back-breaking nature of the task of handwashing clothes that refugees, and other communities without facilities, face.

Over the summer, 390 employees will volunteer to take part and support this initiative. This will be taken from the volunteer days that RS employees are given as paid leave each calendar year – which they can use to support any charity or cause they wish.

RS UK&I managing director, Emma Botfield, is one of the RS employees taking part in this initiative. She said: “We’re delighted by the take up by our employees of the opportunity to use their volunteer days to support this worthwhile initiative. We feel that by facilitating an initiative like this on-site at our RS UK headquarters, it makes it easier for our people to get involved, use their volunteer days, and make a huge impact.”

Police are appealing for witnesses after a thief targeted a black Saab in Kettering.

The incident took place between 6.30pm on August 12 and 6am the following morning in Buccleuch Street.

A wallet was stolen from the vehicle and the owner was notified by their bank of unauthorised transactions using their debit card.

A police spokesman said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who may have any information relating to the theft of these items or that may have been in the area around the time of the incident and heard or seen anything suspicious. Please call us on 101.”