Page 18 - Oundle Life April 2021

OUNDLE TOWN COUNCIL
Buried away on the Oundle Town
Council’s website are these words
about ‘The Rec’ on New Road: “The
area is checked daily by our Open
Space Maintenance team to ensure it
remains in a good and clean condition; however should you notice anything that needs improvement please do let us know.”
This sums up John and Nobby and their
role in the town perfectly. Next time you go
to the Rec and see no litter – that’s John and Nobby. Next time your children safely use the play equipment at Pocket Park – that’s John
and Nobby. Next time to get to use the Queen Victoria Hall – that’s care of John and Nobby, who are responsible for the upkeep. From cutting the large areas of grass in our open areas to changing lightbulbs on Fletton House, these two public servants are at the heart of keeping Oundle ticking over and have been doing so through the pandemic.
This is something that is easy to overlook, but it is of course the sort of thing we all notice when it’s not done. Oundle Town Council’s ‘estate’ covers a large and diverse area of town: the Queen Victoria Hall, Fletton House, Courthouse and Museum, the Recreation
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Ground and Pocket Park, the long stay car parks, Occupation Road and Snipe Meadow – and so offers an equally diverse range of challenges, requiring a diverse range of skills to keep it all going.
John has worked for the Council since September 2009, and in that time has turned his hand to all sorts of jobs ranging from building the café counter in The Hub to servicing the tractor. He picked up many of the skills he needs from his time at Fairline and Sea Ranger Yachts, but of course learning on the job hasn’t stopped. Even as he looks to ease things down
a bit in his 70th year, he suspects he’ll still be picking up new things.
“The town has grown and changed a great deal in the time I’ve been here, but at its heart, the market place reminds us of its history.”
Nobby joined the team in May 2014, having worked previously for the Council on a part- time basis. His background prior to this was
in building work, focussing on both carpentry and painting and decorating. He has of course picked up lots of other skills whilst working with John, and now not only manages the grass cutting in St Peters Churchyard but also works
The two quiet achievers behind so much of the public face of Oundle