Northants Telegraph Sunday Extra: Care home award, KGH hip pain event and a new shop opens

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.

A new cookware shop has opened its doors at Rushden Lakes.

ProCook which has more than 50 stores across the UK, opened to customers on Friday (August 12).

They gave away a goody bag worth £50 to the first 20 customers who visited with people queuing to get in ahead of its opening.

Rushden Lakes centre manager Donna French said: “We are very excited to welcome ProCook to Rushden Lakes.

“This will be the first standalone cooking and kitchenware store at Rushden Lakes, which we are sure will be welcomed by visitors and a great complement to our existing range of shops.”

A Kettering care home worker has been crowned ‘Care Practitioner of the Year’ for the central division in the Barchester Care Awards 2022.

Angela Robertson from Claremont Parkway Care Home beat nominees from 80 other homes and now goes through to the national judging round.

She said: “I was really surprised when I found out I had won such a significant award. I am passionate about providing high quality care and safety for all our residents but so do all my colleagues, so I am delighted to be chosen.”

Natalie Maxwell, general manager at Claremont Parkway, said: “This award couldn’t have gone to a more deserving person. Angela is kind, helpful and always happy to support anyone with anything.”

An orthopaedic surgeon and a specialist physiotherapist will be on hand to answer questions about hip pain and fractures in the second major free online health event organised by Kettering General Hospital governors.

The “Hip, hip, hooray – ways to prevent or manage hip pain” event is being held oncWednesday, September 7, from 6pm to 7pm.

Members of the public will be able to get live advice from trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Faizal Rayan and clinical specialist physiotherapist Paul Esguerra.

The event is open to everyone – including people who are not members of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Rayan said: “Hip pain can occur at any age, from young children to older adults. It’s not necessarily an ‘older persons’ problem or associated with age and there are things you can do to help prevent it.

“Hip fractures can also occur in younger adults as well as older adults. There are things you can do to ensure good bone health and help prevent deterioration and ultimately fractures. Paul and I will explain how to proactively manage these hip conditions and ways in which you can reduce the need for invasive surgery.”

Attendance will be through an online link which is free at https://buytickets.at/ketteringgeneralhospital.

Wicksteed Park has been named as one of the best value for money theme parks in the UK.

The Kettering park was named seventh best ahead of Thorpe Park, which came tenth and Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which was eighth, according to research by group holiday and holiday property experts Big Domain.

They drew up the top ten list after comparing the number of rides, cost of entry, parking fees, TripAdvisor ratings and ‘Instagramability’.

Megan Wright, head of sales and marketing at Wicksteed Park, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be named as Britain’s seventh best theme park and it’s a testament to all our visitors who come each year as well as all our staff, who work so tirelessly to ensure they have a great day out.”

A Kettering site manager has taken home his third acclaimed housebuilder award.

Steve Beck, 54, who works for Bellway Northern Home Counties, won the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Quality Award for his work at Hanwood Park.

He’s one of just 443 site managers out of 8,000 across the UK who won the award this year and will now go forward to the Seal of Excellence stage of judging.

This is Steve’s third Pride in the Job award – alongside a Seal of Excellence – since he started working for Bellway in 2014.

Steve, who lives in Northampton, said: “The key to winning a Quality Award is the attitude of your team and I have a great team who always strive for high standards.

“I consistently encourage a happy site with hard workers. Winning awards is always special as they aren’t easy to get but ultimately, a happy customer is the best reward I could receive.”

Noted Northamptonshire horticultural show judge Nicholas Warliker certainly knows his onions - and his beetroot, carrots, potatoes, plums and petunias.

Nicholas, 86, has judged vegetables, fruit and flowers for an amazing 47 years and is one of the expert judges who have been called in to cast his eyes over entries in Higham Ferrers Tourism’s Horticultural Show at Chichele College on September 10 and 11.

He has judged as many as 36 shows in a year and has been invited to judge the Sandringham Flower Show 33 times, including the most recent one at the end of July when he judged entries in the royal and trade marquees.

To find recipes and to download entry forms for the Higham Ferrers show, go to www.highamferrerstourism.org.uk. Copies are also available at the Town Hall. Entry forms must be returned to Pam Webbley at 2 Hind Stile, Higham Ferrers, NN10 8EA by September 3.

It’s time to take care of you – that’s the message from North Northamptonshire Council as it launches its second Health and Wellbeing Festival.

The feel-good festival takes place from September 5 to 11 at various local locations and has something suitable for all the family with physical activities such as walks, netball, football and running, as well as opportunities to escape for a few hours with gardening, craft, Tai Chi, and even knitting and singing sessions.

Talks and advice are on offer from various local organisations including Mind, Macmillan and NHFT on a range of health topics such as diabetes, cancer, autism and mental health which will provide people with the chance to feel informed, meet others and build support networks. The award winning Youthworks LGBTQIA+ group also have social opportunities and activities for young people available during the week.

Cllr Helen Harrison, executive member for adults, health and wellbeing, said: “Health and wellbeing affects us all and can mean something different for everyone, which is why I’m really pleased to see a varied and jam-packed timetable for the seven-day festival. Our aim is to give people the chance to experience a range of activities and access to support services which we hope they will benefit from and continue to use beyond the event.

“We are collaborating with many local experts and partners to showcase North Northamptonshire’s health and wellbeing offer which brings everything together during the week, and will help people take time for themselves to learn, try something new, connect with others, start and keep conversations going.”