TRINITY HOUSE - 7 July 2016

Village Link welcomed a speaker from Trinity House to talk about their work
on 7 July 2016. When Trinity House is mentioned, most of us think of
lighthouses but their work is so much more than that. Started originally in
1215 with the Guild for the Trinity , they received a Royal Charter from
Henry V111 in 1514. Guilds were established in UK ports and they were given the right to control pilotage on the River Thames and look after "decayed" seamen. They were instrumental in setting up the Royal Navy, provided ships for The Armada and raised money by charging for ballastage.  The first offshore lighthouse ( Eddystone) was candle powered but this changed to wood or coal and then oil before electricity took over. Light vessels were introduced in 1732. They remained neutral and unarmed during WW1 but nevertheless lost 81 people to enemy action. 50 vessels were sunk by U boats in WW2.

By 1998, all lighthouses were fully automated and run by solar power centres are now left at Harwich, London, St Just and Swansea. Scotland and Ireland are separate. It is the largest endowed maritime charity.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 6th October 2016 at 8pm at Rushden
Village Hall when the talk will be on A Day in the Life of an Airline Pilot.

THE TRINITY LIGHTHOUSE - 7 July 2016

After April's fascinating talk on the life of a spitfire pilot we are looking forward to our next talk on Thursday July 7th when Carl Lumbers will be talking about the work of The Trinity Lighthouse. The meeting begins at 8pm and we ask everyone to bring along village concerns and details of village events. Afterwards there will be time for soft drinks and homemade nibbles and a chance to chat to friends. Cost is £4 a session or £10 for a year's membership.

THE LIFE OF A SPITFIRE PILOT - 7 April 2016

Village Link on Thursday 7th April There was a chance to learn about the life of a Spitfire pilot.

John Dingeman's took some photos, click here.

The Royal Household - 1 October 2015

A packed hall greeted Mr Graham Craker, popularly known as Crackers at the latest Village Link meeting. He was Princes William and Harry's personal security officer and had some very amusing tales to tell about his time with the family and the characters that made up the Royal Household, whilst never letting us forget the serious nature of his work.

There will now not be a meeting until next year when the first meeting will be in March. The speaker and date are still to be confirmed.

Medical Detection Dogs - 2 July 2015

Village Link's talk on Medical Detection Dogs required extra chairs for the people who had come to find out more about this fascinating medical advance. Geoff Lambert, the speaker introduced us to Buddy, a retired medical dog and warned us that he would probably be checking our breath afterwards for sugar overload from the biscuits, that was if he didn't eat them first. We were amazed at how these dogs can be used. At present they are a major support for children with type 1 diabetes and also for people with narcolepsy. Mongrels are used and it costs £11,000 to train a dog. They are dedicated to the detection of human disease through canine olfaction. A dog's sense of smell is estimated to be 100,00 times more sensitive than a human's. They are trained by learning to recognise glasses of water and their contents but owners have also said that dogs are aware when they have illnesses such as cancer and work is continuing along these lines including bladder, bowel, prostate and breast. They are now legally allowed in schools and in Holland stand at hospital entrances to sniff out C Difficil. If the dog sits down you are a carrier! Other diseases recognised are Addison's and TB. If you would like to learn more visit their website or write to geofflambert2@ntlworld.com 


Our next meeting will probably be in October and the speaker will be Princes William and Harry's former Protection Officer.

Forced Marriage in Today's Britain - 19 February 2015

Judge Lindsay Davies gave a fascinating talk on Forced Marriage in Today's Britain. She drew on analogies with marriage customs in history and other countries. She also pointed out that forced marriage is not only found in certain ethnic communities, her first case being that of an Irish Catholic family.

Everyone is welcome to a talk on medical sniffer dogs at Rushden Village Hall on Thursday 2nd July at 8pm. Recent research has shown that these dogs can warn people of a need for medication or of undiagnosed illnesses. Soft drinks and refreshments will be provided afterwards or if in need of something stronger you are free to bring your own.

Please remember also that we look forward to your sharing your village news.

My Time as an RAF Test Pilot - 2 October 2014

Village Link was fortunate to welcome top speaker Air Vice Marshall Alan Merriman to its Autumn meeting on Thursday 2nd October at Rushden Village Hall. He was an RAF test pilot for many years and amused and horrified us with tales of all that can go wrong ( and occasionally right!) with military planes and how they have developed over the years. This talk was as interesting for the non techie as the science buffs as was proved by the very lengthy question time at the end from all members of the audience.

Points raised on village matters were that there are plans to expand both Luton and Stansted airports. If you want to know more or would like to express your concerns please contact your Parish Council.

Forced Marriage- What Are Your Views?

On Thursday 19th February 2015 at 8pm at Rushden Village Hall, Judge Lindsay Davies will be speaking on Forced Marriage. If you want to express your opinions on this subject or just come and learn more this
is your chance

This is a Village Link meeting. Subscriptions are £10 for the year or £4 per meeting. Soft drinks and light refreshments are provided but fell welcome to bring your own if you prefer something stronger.