This week we’ve added a new section updating some of our past reports. Stories continue, out of sight but not out of mind…

In South Rugby News this week

Race for life at Cawston Grange Primary School

Cawston Grange Primary School kids raced for life and smashed their fundraising target. All of the year groups and even some of the teachers ran to show their support for the families and children in the school community whose lives have been affected by cancer.   

Read the full story

Young activists launch petition for Cawston Woods

Ella, 11, and Lara, 9, want the buffer zone increased between Cawston Woods and the new developments under the South West Rugby Masterplan, for more protection for the ancient habitats.

Is there more? Yes. Read the whole story

Sponsorship deal for Bourton and Frankton Football and Cricket Club

Bourton and Frankton Football and Cricket Club have a new sponsorship deal with neighbouring historic country house Bourton Hall. The wedding venue in Bourton-on-Dunsmore has agreed funding to help improve the playing and training facilities for both the football and cricket sections of the club.

Read the full article 🔓

Tree policy sees Rugby Borough Council aim for 30% canopy cover in new developments by 2022

RBC cabinet approved tree policy on 28th June 2021. It describes how the council will manage trees on its land; how it will respond to residents’ enquiries about trees and how it will look at the contribution trees make to community wellbeing.

Want to know more? Read the whole story 🔓

Sprogs and Logs: new outdoor playgroup comes to South Rugby

Founder Leanne said: “When I visited a similar stay-and-play session, it was just amazing. I’ve never felt so relaxed in a toddler group before and I knew there and then, we needed one in Rugby.”

Find out more

Nostalgia: “I was jumping up and down out of the armchair. It was very exciting watching England win."

We spoke to Dunchurch resident Ivan Kennard about watching England win the 1966 World Cup and his hopes for the Euros Final on Sunday.

Is there more to this story? Yes! 🔓

Road closures coming up this July...

There'll be roadworks in Frankton, Bilton and Dunchurch

Find out where 🔓

Updates: The story continues…

We followed up on some of our reports to bring you the latest updates:

Dun Cow crossroads

Last week we wrote about the delay to work on the Dun Cow crossroads. We’ve since had a comment from Warwickshire County Council, who told us: "The works at the Dunchurch Crossroads are required because of the new housing development in the area, this was a condition of the planning approval granted by the Planning Inspectorate. Further to the adoption of Rugby's Local Plan, Warwickshire County Council and Rugby Borough Council are working with stakeholders to deliver transport infrastructure that will improve the air quality situation in and around Dunchurch."

Your NHS data

In June we reported on the healthcare ‘data grab’ that was worrying technology privacy campaigners. At the time there were just weeks for patients to opt out of having their data scraped into a database that, although ‘pseudonymised’, could potentially be linked back to themselves. The deadline for opting out has since been moved back to 1st September.

Universal Credit uplift

MPs voted in January to stop the planned cut to the Universal Credit uplift, which had been brought in to help families through the pandemic. Our two MPs abstained from the vote. The top-up was extended in March for six months, but the Government has now said extra credit will be phased out from October. Six former work and pensions ministers have urged the Government not to end the uplift, which is worth around £1,000 a year to families who receive Universal Credit.

Letters to the Editor

If you’ve got a letter to share, please email editor@southrugbynews.co.uk with the reference ‘letter to the editor’, including your name and contact details (which will be used for our reference only).

Covid-19 figures for Rugby: cases still rising

For the week up to 7th July:

• 304 people had a confirmed positive test result. This shows an increase of 132 people (76.7%) compared with the previous seven days.

• 0 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. That’s no change compared with last week

• A total of 74,641 people have had one vaccination dose and 54,370 have had both doses. That’s 73.5% and 53.3% of the adult population, respectively.

• The estimated R number for the Midlands is 1.1 to 1.3. That’s a change of +2% to +5% as of 2nd July 2021.

Source: coronavirus.data.gov.uk

If you’re going out to work, or have children at school, college or university, you can now collect home Covid test kits from many pharmacies or the Indian Centre, 1 Edward Street, Rugby, CV21 2EZ, or order one online. Find out more about twice-weekly covid-19 community testing.

Anyone aged 18 or over can now book a vaccine online. Anyone who is yet to receive their second vaccine can book one eight weeks after receiving their first dose.

What’s on

If you’ve got an event or special offer you’d like us to include please get in touch at editor@southrugbynews.co.uk.

Please remember to wear a face mask in public places, wash your hands and maintain social distancing.

• Thurlaston Mini Fete: Saturday 10th July, 2pm to 4pm (to be confirmed). Numbers are limited to village residents, friends and family.

• Open Gardens: All gardens are listed on the National Open Garden Scheme website.

• Naseby Village Fair: Saturday 10th July, 11am to 5pm, Naseby village hall. Dog and classic car show, food tents, craft stalls and fairground rides. Free entry.

• Gather at Dunchurch Community Garden: Sunday 11th July, 11am. Join an informal Gather session - an opportunity to have a dig, chat and take home the organic produce. Find out more on Facebook.

• Fashion with Heart cream teas: Sunday 11th July, 3pm to 6pm, 14 Badby Leys. Book for takeaway or sittings at 3pm, 4pm or 5pm. All donations go to FWH Creations. Email  katiethomas@ntlworld.com or telephone 07757562504 after 6.00pm or any time on Friday.

Church services

Saturday 10th July

• Sacred Heart Church, Bilton, 5pm mass: public worship and on YouTube. No booking necessary to attend the service, but please wear a face mask, wash your hands and observe social distancing. 

Sunday 11th July

• Sacred Heart Church, Bilton, 9.30am mass: public worship and on YouTube. No booking necessary to attend the service, but please wear a face mask, wash your hands and observe social distancing. 

• St Mark’s Church, Bilton, 10am family service in St Mark’s and via Facebook/YouTube. Call 01788 572611 to attend.

• Dunchurch Baptist Church, 10.30am, onlineservice

• St Peter’s Church, Dunchurch, 10.30am. No booking necessary

• Bilton Evangelical Church, 10am, in-person and online service

• Bilton Methodist Church, 11am: Join the live-streamed services from the Wesleyan Chapel and Leysian Mission

Democracy: coming up next week

Here’s the list of meetings coming up if you’re interested in how decisions get made at our parish, district and county councils.

Monday 12th July

• Rugby Borough Council Scrutiny Committee, 5.30pm

• Dunchurch parish council meeting, 7pm. At the village hall and online.

• Thurlaston parish council meeting, 7pm, Thurlaston village hall.

Wednesday 14th July

• Rugby Borough Council Licensing Sub-Committee, 10am

• Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions, 12pm

• Warwickshire County Council Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee, 2pm

Friday 16th July

• Warwickshire County Council, Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions, 2pm

Foodbank

This week the foodbank urgently needs toothpaste and pot noodles. They’re running low on washing powder/tablets, shampoo, shower gel and porridge oats.

There are donation locations throughout South Rugby. See the full list of drop-off points.

Cricket Club match reports

Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 6: Willoughby v Thrapston Town II

Willoughby 156 for 9. Thrapston Town II 150 for 9 (all out). Willoughby won by 6 runs

Another Saturday, another lost toss for skipper Ben Hollis, so the visiting skipper put Willoughby into bat on a dull damp day. Wickets fell early and continued to fall for the home side leaving them on 72 - 5 with only Scott Cluley's 38 troubling the scorers, but this was the time when Ben Hollis took it on his shoulders to attack back.

Maximums started to flow from the skipper although at 102 for 9 it looked like there was going to be a low score to chase. However Hollis with last man in and Dan Farrow put on 54 for the last wicket giving the home team a surprising total of 156 for 9 to defend; the former finishing on 67 off 53 balls.

In reply Farrow and Callum Hanks each took an early wicket to leave the visitors on 23 for 2 but Thrapston settled and a partnership was then beginning to grow until Nikesh Mistry and Mark Fell took three wickets between them. A slightly fortunate run out by Mark Fell, after having the ball hit back at him, touching his hand and then onto the wickets and home umpire Neal Hallum, turned the tide further and had the visitors at 108 for 6, still needing 50 runs with only four wickets remaining. The visitors edged their way to 146 for 8 and when the returning Farrow took another wicket leaving the score at 150 for 9, unbeknown to the home team the visitors unfortunately had a player that had to leave ill, meaning Willoughby had won by six runs in a thriller. Farrow finishing with 3 for 30, Mistry 2 for 20 and Hanks 2 for 47.

The result leaves Willoughby in sixth place and 66 points adrift of top spot entering the second half of the season, although with a trio of winnable games on paper to come in July, that picture may soon change.

Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 12: Great Oakley II v Willoughby II

Willoughby II 200 for 8. Great Oakley II 136 for 6. Willoughby won by 64 runs

Willoughby’s 2nds made it a 40 point day for the club as they bounced back from defeat the week before with victory at the setting of Great Oakley seconds.

From Rugby the rain was relentless and the game looked in real jeopardy, but once passing Northampton the gloomy rain and clouds lifted to near bone dry roads. However with weather around still a little dubious the skipper lost the loss and the visitors were put into bat. With the loss of 3 of the top 5 batters skipper Ryan Perry rung the changes and promoted James Andrews (2) to open with Matt Cartridge (29). The innings progressed in an unusual way, runs were particularly easy to come by with the friendly bowling on offer, but the wicket was very inconsistent and accounted for the majority of the top and middle order. Willoughby saw themselves at a healthy 98 off 22overs but for the loss of 7 wickets. With the innings in the balance Martin Nichols ( 42* ) and Rees Moor (48) put on a excellent stand of 81 for the 8th wicket, Moor falling two runs short of a half century. The innings finished 200 for 8 off 40 overs.

After the break things didn't start well as Rees Moor (0 - 17) sustained an early injury and was replaced early by Matt Cartridge (1-23) who provided an early wicket. A stand of 80 from Page (39) and skipper Pratt (34) had Great Oakley on course after 23 overs.

A bowling change bringing in Nichols (2 - 5) inspired a comeback as he accounted for both batsmen within two overs. Willoughby then pulled back the run rate and runs became increasingly hard to come by. Thornton coming back from injury to record figures of (2 - 8) and a fantastic  10 over spell from Archie McMillan resulting in only 23 runs. In the end Great Oakley spluttered to finish on 136 for 6 off the allotted 40 overs; Willoughby winners by 64 runs.

Fixtures

Saturday, 12pm

• Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 6: Earls Barton II v Willoughby

• Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 12: Willoughby II v Northampton Saints III

Sunday, 1pm, club friendlies

• Eydon v Willoughby

• Willoughby Sunday IIs v Network Rail

Rugby Farmers Mart

Top prices per head this week were:

• Prime steers: £1,719 (sold by G R Fountaine & Son)

• Prime heifers: £1,584 (sold by G R Fountaine & Son)

• Cast cows: £1,378 (sold by J & I J Tivey)

• Prime lamb SQQ: £118.50 (sold by W Gaydon)

• Prime lamb: £137.50 (sold by FJ Tombs & Son)

• Ewes: £215 (sold by K Butcher)

Rugby Farmers’ Mart