As we enter springtime, more events from Northampton Town Council are being launched. In this podcast, John is joined by Jo and Louise, Events and Projects Officers at the Town Council.  They talk to him about the St George’s Day celebrations and Bands in the Park. There’s also a report from John on the LaForay parade that happened in March. https://www.northamptontowncouncil.gov.uk/events

Did you know the people of Northampton bought a warship during World War II?  The town council celebrates lots of events through the year. From national events such as St George’s day, Eid and Armed forces day to local celebrations like Northampton in Bloom and the Northampton music festival. Some of the events are rooted in the history of the town and this podcast will focus on the annual  Laforey parade. This happens on Sunday, 24 March at 11:00 and this year commemorates the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Laforey warship. In this edition, John spoke to Andrew Jolley, Chairman of the Northampton Sea Cadets about this parade and its proud history in our town.

In February's podcast we explore the grantson offer to people in Northampton. John talks to Connor Osborn, Community Engagement Officer at Northampton Town Council. With several grants available from the council it might seem overwhelming, but Connor explains how easy the process is. John also speaks to Kate Peake, CEO of Family Support Link, a local charity who succesfully applied for a grant from the council. Kate explains how this grant supports their charity and the people who use their services.

With December with us, we're excited about Christmas and the festive period. Alongside this, the end of the year gives us the opportunity for reflection on the achievements on the past 12 months. In our second episode of the Talk of Northampton Town, John speaks to Jo and Louise who are Events and Projects Officers at Northampton Town Council. They're responsible for arranging the events that happen throughout the year. John talks to Jo and Louise about the past twelve months - looking back at some of the events held in 2023. There's also a report from John when he attended the switch on of the Christmas Lights. This took place for the first time in Beckett's Park to a large crowd. On the evening John spoke to the Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Steven Hibbert and the host of the event, Bernie Keith. Jo and Louise also tell us about events still to take place in Northampton for the rest of December.

With the winter nights drawing in, we’re thinking about the fun things to do in our town in November. On the premiere episode of The Talk of Northampton Town, John finds out about the upcoming Diwali celebration and the fireworks spectacular. He’ll speak to Cllr Jane Birch, about the annual fireworks event that’s being held in a new location for 2023. Jane will also talk about her memories of previous fireworks celebration in Northampton. Do you fancy a celebration you might not have attended before? How about the Diwali Festival of Light? John will be joined by Neelam Aggarwal-Singh MBE, chair of the Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation (IHWO) who talks about the rich history of Diwali in Northampton and what to expect this year. This is a NLive Radio podcast production for Northampton Town Council.