Page 71 - Phonebox Magazine September 2012

NEWPORT PAGNELL
Our August talk was entitled ʻCalled to the Palaceʼ. Elizabeth Knight came to tell us about the time she was called to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE for Services to the Community of Olney. For many years Elizabeth has been involved with various local
organisations, including St. John Ambulance, her local Church, the Olney Lace Centre, and the Cowper & Newton Museum, of which she is a Trustee.
Ten years ago she had what she called the surprise of her life when an OHMS envelope arrived containing a letter from the Prime
Ministerʼs office explaining that she had been nominated for an MBE. This had come about due to a friend who then, along with Elizabethʼs husband, had to keep quiet about the whole thing for some months so that it remained a secret until the New Yearʼs Honours List was published.
The Investiture was held the following February, Elizabeth was allowed three guests, and so was accompanied by her husband and two younger sons, who were driven into Buckingham Palace through the main gates!
While the guests were shown to their seats,
Elizabeth and the other recipients were taken to Elizabeth Knight MBE the Picture Gallery where a special small hook
pictured at the Palace was affixed to their jackets, and they were
with her Medal. instructed how and when to walk forward, shake
hands, and retreat.
The Investiture was carried out by The Prince of Wales and there
were 90 recipients that day. The whole ceremony was filmed and a CD was available to take home. Afterwards photographs were taken outside in the quadrangle.
Elizabeth described the occasion as ʻa wonderful dayʼ and had brought her albums of photos and cards to show us – and the medal, of course! A very interesting story of a ʻonce in a lifetimeʼ event.
The competition (letter I) was won by Dorritt Webb with an ivory elephant, second was Jane Jones with an Indian doll, and third was Jan Mazey with some incense. The raffle was won by Iris Kennewell and Gill Watford. Newport Pagnell Womenʼs Institute meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in the Royal British Legion Club, and is always delighted to welcome new members. In September Amanda Grantham will be showing us how to do gift wrapping, and it is also time for our Harvest Stall. For further information please call Evelyn Mison on 01908 615630.
SUSANNE STIMSON
Traditional Upholsterer
• Antique restoration and modern upholstery
• Restoration and repair of leather upholstery
• Replacement cushions • Fabrics and trimmings
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07837 565029
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email: susannestimson@hotmail.com
Localism... What Localism?
Around the turn of the year Neil Hollingworth, director of City Renovations, outlined the plan for redevelopment of the former Mustard Works in Union Street. This splendid plan would create possibly nine reasonably affordable houses towards local needs and was been made welcome by the town council and residents of Newport Pagnell. I had awaited further news and heard nothing so I called on Neil in his Bletchley office to catch up on progress. His working philosophy is not of the land-bank grabbing kind, he works strictly to aid the redevelopment of brown field sites which of course means working alongside the expressed
wishes of local people.
Here I met an only too familiar story. No such
plans may proceed without the approval of the
borough authority in Milton Keynes. They were
to have completed their consideration by
June/July but we are now moving into
September. The Unitary Authority, determined
as ever to demonstrate their authority, have
been dragging their feet whilst putting forward
a string of unwanted suggestions to meet their
preferences. Newport Pagnellʼs wishes count
for nothing when sitting alongside the ʻIʼm in chargeʼ creed of the woman holding the authoritiesʼ power in her hands. Localism in the eye of the borough of Milton Keynes is evidently seen as a government supported empowerment and is very welcome in the minds of the officers who lurk in Saxon Court but the benefits do not cross the M1 into North Bucks. Last year witnessed the perverse outcome of the Tesco invasion and I remember also something very sad relating to the very site now under consideration. Taylorʼs Mustard whose name carried some very real prestige were seeking to modify their premises and came up against the muscle of the borough. Taylors were soon made most welcome elsewhere so they quit to work among a more intelligent people.
There really are people who suppose the Unitary Authority preferable to the County Council but I am not one of those. I frankly believe the mandarins of MK are not fit for the governance of North Bucks. GB
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Phonebox Magazine 71