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August 26 Online Edition

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Letter from the Editor:

August is a time to enjoy summer while looking ahead to the months to come. Whether you're out with family, planning ahead or simply recharging, we hope this issue offers plenty of inspiration and useful advice.

We begin by exploring the wonderful world of early years development with Inn Farm Nursery, where you'll discover how music plays a vital role in helping babies learn, grow and thrive. Looking ahead to the future, Beacon Wealth Management compares successful investing to managing a winning football team, explaining why regular reviews and active portfolio management are essential in an ever-changing financial landscape.

Planning for the future also extends to protecting those we care about most. Wilson Browne Solicitors shares valuable guidance on estate planning for blended families, offering practical advice to help ensure your wishes are respected and your loved ones are provided for.

As the seasons begin to turn, why not get outdoors and enjoy everything our beautiful county has to offer? Bedfordshire Ramblers invites readers to lace up their walking boots for the 2026 Festival of Autumn Walks, with routes to suit walkers of all ages and abilities.

And if you're thinking of moving home, Peter Lane & Partners Estate Agents helps make sense of today's ever-changing property market, highlighting what buyers and sellers should focus on to make confident decisions.

We hope this month's issue provides plenty of inspiration, practical advice and ideas to enjoy throughout August and beyond. Thank you, as always, for reading and supporting our magazine.

Julie

julie@villagebystander.com

This Month’s Contributors:

Lee Munday, Paul Kinally, Penny Young, Tony Larkins, Joanne Cox, Georgia Rose, Hazel Wright, Eugene Smith, Sally Gower, Ross Richardson, Sam Venn

August Contents

Editor’s Letter

P.4

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Wellbeing p.8-12

Inn Farm - Babies love Music! p.14

Penny Young - Thomas Cotes 1712 - 1767 p.16-17

Gardening & Outdoor Section p.22-26

Lee’s Gardening Corner p.22

Hazel Wright - The Catalyst Behind It All p.32

Beacon Wealth Management - World Cup Finances p.33

Eugene Smith - Artificial Unintelligence p.36

Georgia Rose - The Stranger in My House p.44

Peter Lane and Partners - What’s Important In A Confusing Property Market p.48

Wilson Browne Solicitors - Securing Your Wealth Transfer: Estate Planning Considerations for Blended Families p.52

Sally Gower - Music Is Oxygen For The Soul p.54

Bystander Community p.56-70

The Staughtons with Hail Weston Church Services p.58

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue p.76

Carry On Cowboy p.78

From Your Cambridge Correspondent p.84-85

Bedfordshire Festival of Autumn Walks 2026 p.88-89

What’s On for Children? p.92

Nurseries, Primary & Secondary Schools p.92-93

Useful and Emergency Numbers p.93

Clubs, Groups & Organisations p.94-95

Mobile Library Times p.95

Business Listings p.96

Why More Local People Are Choosing Gilroy Steel Solicitors

Whether you are buying your dream home, planning for your family's future, or facing a legal issue that feels overwhelming, choosing the right solicitor can make all the difference. That's why so many people across the local community continue to place their trust in Gilroy Steel Solicitors.

For years, the firm has built its reputation on a simple principle: putting clients first. While legal matters can often seem complex or intimidating, the experienced team at Gilroy Steel believes that good legal advice should be clear, practical and easy to understand. From your very first conversation, you'll find approachable professionals who take the time to listen, explain your options, and guide you every step of the way.

Gilroy Steel Solicitors is proud to offer a personal service tailored to each individual's needs. Every client receives dedicated support, regular updates and straightforward advice, giving them confidence and peace of mind throughout the legal process.

The firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services for individuals, families and businesses. Whether you're moving home, writing a will, arranging powers of attorney, dealing with probate, navigating family matters, later life lending or equity release, Gilroy Steel combines extensive legal expertise with a genuine commitment to achieving the best possible outcome for every client.

Buying or selling a property is one of life's biggest milestones. Gilroy Steel's conveyancing team understands the importance of keeping transactions moving efficiently while ensuring every detail is handled with care. Their proactive approach helps reduce stress and keeps clients informed from instruction through to completion.

Planning for the future is equally important. The firm's private client specialists provide thoughtful, compassionate advice on wills, estate planning and lasting powers of attorney, helping families protect the people and assets that matter most. Their guidance offers reassurance that your wishes will be respected, whatever the future may hold.

Releasing capital from a property as a tax-free lump sum can help fund retirement, redeem existing charges/mortgages, supplement income, pay off debt, pay for a new kitchen, home improvements, or to assist a grown-up child in buying a home of their own. Equity Release is an area that Gilroy Steel Solicitors specialise in, providing legal services throughout the UK, including free home visits.

Perhaps the greatest compliment the firm receives is the number of new clients who come through recommendations. Friends recommend friends, families return generation after generation because they know they'll receive a professional service delivered with honesty, integrity and care .

Gilroy Steel Solicitors has scooped national awards, winning Best Conveyancer in the Equity Release Awards, and Best Conveyancing Services in the What Mortgage Awards: four years in a row as well as winning Conveyancing Solicitors of the Year for the Innovation & Excellence Global Awards.

If you are looking for legal advice you can understand, solicitors who genuinely care, and a team that will stand beside you from start to finish, Gilroy Steel Solicitors is ready to help.

For more details scan the QR code, call 01604 800500 or head to www.gilroysteel.com we look forward to speaking with you. New offices opened in Hargrave, Wellingborough.

rosiessalon13

8 East Perry, PE28 0BT Restore

SPACES

Making music with your baby is a cheap and easy activity that can provide a wonderful bonding experience for you to share. Singing words and phrases slows the words down so they are easier for your baby to understand. Singing together regularly helps them to build up a vocabulary of sounds and words long before they are able to understand the meaning. Listening to music also helps to put babies and toddlers into a relaxed and receptive state – perfect for when you want to try a new activity with them. When singing with your baby, encourage them to clap along and move to the beat as you sing together. For younger babies, pick songs and rhymes with a simple, steady beat and lots of repetitive language. For older ones try more energetic songs with more varied beats, tones and rhythms. Allow your baby to take the lead and copy what they do – for example actions, clapping or jiggling to the beat of the music. Copying your baby like this will increase their self-esteem and self-confidence and will encourage them to join in even more. Making your own instruments doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive – if you can shake it, bang it, rattle it and make a noise, it’s an instrument! Dried rice or lentils in an empty plastic bottle makes a great shaker! Young children love nothing more than emptying out your kitchen cupboards and using kitchen implements of all shapes and sizes to make sounds. Tapping, banging or shaking them in time to the music will introduce them to the idea of rhythms, patterns and beat which are useful for problem solving and reasoning.

Allowing your older baby to make a noise with an instrument encourages self-expression and gives them a way to communicate how they’re feeling before they can talk. Try placing a selection of simple instruments with a variety of sounds in front of them. Show them how to make different sounds, then sit back and watch - they tend to be more creative if they’re given choice and freedom to play. At every stage, make sure you praise and encourage your baby’s efforts. Showing your appreciation and enthusiasm, however noisy they are, will positively enhance their confidence, self-esteem and creativity. Who knows; you might have the next Mozart on your hands!

Joanne Cox, Manager, Inn Farm Private Day Nursery, OFSTED graded OUTSTANDING JUNE 2023

If you have any areas relating to childcare that you would like us to discuss, please email manager@innfarmdaynursery.co.uk or call 07961 291058

Inn Farm Private Day

Nursery and Pre-School

Inn Farm Private Day Nursery is a privately run day nursery located on a non-working farm in Melchbourne, Bedfordshire.

Home cooked meals, five star food hygiene, tailored activities to meet your children’s needs, extensive outside play areas including a forest school paddock.

Contact us on 07961 291058 or email us at manager@innfarmdaynursery.co.uk

Thomas Cotes 1712 - 1767

Penny Young

Mary Cotes (formally Kendall) died on 22nd March 1754, just three weeks after her 35th birthday. Her children were now orphans, Nicholas aged 13, Charles 11 and Mary just 8 years old. They were living at Woodcote, the ancestral home of the Cotes family in Shropshire.

Her husband, Thomas Cotes, the childrens’ stepfather, was away in the Caribbean with the Navy, but he was by now a wealthy man, having received substantial ‘prize money’particularly during the 7 years’ war.

Then an astonishing thing happened.

“When Admiral Cotes was commanding a squadron in the East Indies, he met with the following extraordinary incident.

Retiring one night to his lodging room, he saw the form of his wife (Mary) standing at his bedside, as plainly, he used to say, as he had ever seen her in England.

Greatly agitated, he hurried from the room and joined his brother officers, who were not yet retired to rest. But willing to persuade himself that this appearance was a mere illusion, he went again into his bedroom, where he again saw his wife in the same attitude as before.

The apparition did not attempt to speak to him; but then slowly waved her hand and disappeared. In the last letters he had received from England, he was informed that his wife was perfectly well; his mind, in short, had been quite composed.

Of this very singular occurrence however, he immediately set down the particulars in his memorandum book, noticing the exact time in which it had happened. He also saw a minute made to that same purpose by several of his friends on board.

The ship had begun her voyage homeward; so that before he could receive any intelligence from England, he arrived there; and on enquiry for his wife, he not only found she was dead, but that she had died at the very same hour of the night when her spirit appeared to him in the East Indies”.

Whilst it was not uncommon for people to die young in the 18th Century, one feels that Mary had possibly suffered much in her short life and finally, just as she had found a loving husband and supporter, she died.

Thomas went on to marry again in 1762. He did not have any children with his new wife, just as he never had any with Mary. He had his portrait painted, as Vice Admiral of Red Squadron of his Majesties Fleet, by Joshua Reynolds. Thomas clearly adored his stepchildren and was also close to his former mother-in-law, (Mary’s mother), Grace Fletcher. By the time of Thomas’ death in 1767, Mary’s mother had also been widowed and the ever-generous Thomas Cotes bequeathed to Grace Fletcher, widow of James Fletcher of Plymouth Dock, the sum of five hundred pounds (£72k in today’s money).

To Charles Kendall, the second son, – (the first son and heir Nicholas having been provided for under the terms of Walter Kendall’s Will); to the son of my late wife, Three Hundred Pounds, (£43k) both of these legacies to be paid within one year of my decease.

To Miss Mary Kendall, daughter of my late wife, now living with me, the sum of two thousand pounds (£288k).

Miss Mary Kendall went on to marry her first cousin, John Collins, son of the Reverend Collins and his wife, the family who had looked after the fatherless children as their mother battled the Kendall family and their lawyers for support for herself and her children.

Mary Kendall and John Collins went on to have four children themselves, three daughters and the important son and heir. Mary Collins (nee Kendall,) like her mother, died young at the age of 36.

Mary was commemorated in a huge wall memorial in their local church – where it read ‘Mary Kendall, only daughter of Walter Kendall,’ (the father who had died before she was born). Their four children were also commemorated on the same plaque.

The son, Edward, was named after his grandfather, the Rev Edward Collins. The three daughters were named Harriett, Charlotte and Grace, the latter presumably named after her great-grandmother, Grace Fletcher.

I am disappointed to see that having three daughters – none were named after their maternal grandmother Mary Cotes, formerly Kendall, nee Fletcher.

Mary from her letters seemed a caring mother always putting the fatherless children first, even feeling certain that her new husband would be a friend to these children.

Was this an early case of ‘Class Warfare’? Had Walter Kendall married so far beneath himself, that Mary was treated as just a brood mare? Or was it her feisty spirit, daring to fight the might of the Kendall family over the clear injustice of her husband’s Will. Did the Kendalls spite her to the end?

 Newspapers

Please support our small community shop, run by volunteers and paid staff.

We are just off Brampton Road about a 1�� mile from �ra�am Water Marlow car park (cycle centre), and next door to our community pub The �ra�am Trout.

We offer all the essen�als, some unique local produce* as well as local knowledge and a friendly welcome from the team.

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 Local Cra� Beers*

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Mon‐Sat 8am‐4pm

Sundays & Bank Holidays

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 �ood Morning �ra�am, Coffee*

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 Meadow Lodge Apple Juice*

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Old Kimboltonians’ Freemasons Lodge Meeting at Kimbolton Castle 2026 Meeting dates Friday 29 May, Friday 23 October & Friday 18 December, all commencing at 6.00 p.m.

All Freemasons welcome as well as enquiries from Alumni plus current and former staff.

Contact Jason Chambers Lodge Secretary - Email 7204secretary@gmail.com

Lee’s Gardening Corner

After a very warm early summer hopefully we will now have had or be getting some rain, the evenings are drawing in and are cooler than July. It is the holiday season and the garden after all this hot weather will probably look rather tired now.

Essential jobs for August include clipping hedges and topiary, do this on a dull day so that cut leaves do not get scorched. Prune new wisteria growth back to 6in and tie growth to frames. Cut the flower stems but not the leaves of delphiniums, lupins and poppies, and any other plants whose flowers have finished, including bedding plants, hopefully they should put on another flush of foliage and flowers. Keep picking fruit and veg, ventilate the greenhouse and keep everything well watered, feeding pots of veg and tomatoes once a week. Lawns may need cutting but keep the setting fairly high. Keep on top of weeds, especially if you are going away.

Other jobs that can be started now are planting spring bulbs, such as narcissi. Prune rambling roses after flowering, and dead head shrub roses, taking them back to a leaf or side shoot, not just snapping the dead heads off, this way they will put on good growth and may flower again. Take cuttings from shrubs and perennials using a non flowering shoot.

Good shrubs for August are buddleia, cotinus, hydrangeas and lavender. Clematis and honeysuckles will be climbing away. Perennials include hollyhocks, dahlias, phlox and rudbeckia. Beautiful bulbs flowering now are lilies and gladioli.

ADAM WOODBINE

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Hedge Cutting, Tree Work and Scrub Clearance

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Re Putty work to Existing Windows

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Replacement of Existing Hinges Locks & Handles

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Safety / Solar Film Supplied & Applied

General Property Maintenance

Phone: 01480 210 899

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Email: info@dcwilks.com | www.dcwilks.com

We are proud to be expanding our nurse-led services with the opening of our new Nursing Home and Day Centre in Catworth this Summer. Designed with our same holistic, person-centred values that guide our services.

Nursing Home & Day Centre Coming Summer 2026!

Our new 6 bed Nursing Home will provide high quality, compassionate care in a unique homely setting where comfort, dignity and meaningful connection are at the heart of daily life.

The Day Centre will offer social connection, engaging activities, wellbeing, and Nurse Led support for those wishing to remain living independently at home.

We are now welcoming enquiries, scan our QR code or call us on 07497 070446 for more information.

Childcare for 2–11 year olds

A wonderful charity run setting based in the beautiful village of Spaldwick, and led by a fantastic team, we are pleased to offer:

• 2 to 4 years old: pre-school childcare during term time between 9am to 3pm (lunch available; pre / after school care and holiday time covered by the clubs below). Eligible Government funded places available. Each session is planned and includes play activities that help progress the children’s learning and development in the areas covered by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

• 2 to 11 years old: breakfast and after school care (S-Club) for the morning (8am to 9am) and afternoon (3pm to 6pm) for those attending Playtimes Pre-school and Spaldwick Primary School.

We offer a relaxed and calm environment where children can enjoy breakfast; and a hot tea in the afternoon. We encourage stimulating but relaxed activities to prepare children for / help them unwind from their school day.

• 2 to 11 years old: holiday club for all (available for all children, they do not need to attend Playtimes Pre-school or Spaldwick Primary School) between 9am to 5pm (lunch and hot tea available; breakfast and afternoon snack included).

We provide indoor and outdoor activities (children are encouraged to play outside wherever possible), including baking, arty crafts, nature walks, bug hunts, seasonal parties, and much more.

For more information, please contact: Email playtimesoffice@gmail.com or call 01480 890077 to book a place. Hours: Mon – Fri: 8am–6pm Playtimes, Ferriman Road, Spaldwick, Huntingdon, PE28 0TQ Charity No. 1032297 Playtimes Bystander.indd 1 17/05/2024 12:00

W

The Catalyst Behind It All

Ruby walked down the short aisle to stand beside Matt, her husband to be. Her dress was beautiful – a very simple but stylish ankle length dress in cream silk with a small matching fascinator. What was different was that instead of flowers, Ruby carried a small book, and when it came to exchanging rings, the rings were placed on the book. Matt and Ruby had both been married before, and the small congregation consisted of Ruby’s daughter and son in law, Matt’s son and a few close friends.

One friend, Charlotte, who was an old school friend of Ruby’s, had flown in from Australia just the day before, and there had been an emotional reunion, as the two women had not seen each other for ten years. Over drinks at a small reception later, Charlotte was very eager to find out from Ruby what the significance of the book was, and Ruby was very happy to tell Charlotte the story behind it.

Ruby’s first marriage had ended ten years earlier, shortly after Charlotte had emigrated to Australia, and Ruby had vowed then never to marry again. For a while, Ruby’s life had felt empty and lacking in purpose, and she turned to her writing. For many years Ruby had enjoyed writing poems and short stories, but now she decided to take the plunge and write her first novel. The novel contained a lot of personal experiences, and helped her to write out her bitterness and disappointment at the failure of her marriage. Ruby had had no intention of self-publishing her book, but a colleague at work she had dared to share it with, encouraged her to do just that. She only had fifty copies printed and distributed most of them in a close circle of friends and colleagues.

It was six years after the end of her marriage that Ruby took herself off for a short break in the beautiful Cotswolds. One day, sitting in a lovely café, enjoying a coffee, Ruby noticed a shelf of books with a sign which read: ‘Take one, leave one’. Ruby didn’t take one, but she left her own book. Inside the front cover, she wrote a few sentences explaining her motivation for writing the book, and leaving her email address, if anyone wanted to give her any feedback on it.

Two years passed, and Ruby sometimes wondered whether her book was still on the shelf of the café or whether someone had borrowed it. Then, quite out of the blue, an email landed in her inbox with the subject line: Your book. The email was from a man called Matt, who had picked up Ruby’s book, read it, and wanted her to know how much he had enjoyed it.

For a few weeks, Ruby and Matt continued to exchange emails, and then Matt asked Ruby if she would meet him for coffee back in the café in the Cotswolds where she had originally left the book. When they met, the attraction was instant. They had lots in common, and had learned so much about each other from their exchange of emails. It really wasn’t long before they knew that they had fallen in love………and here they were today. ‘So,’ Ruby concluded, ‘It seemed right that the catalyst behind it all should play a starring role in the ceremony.’ ‘Absolutely’ Charlotte agreed. ‘What a beautiful story – almost a book in its own right!'

BEACON WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Your financial future is our priority

World Cup Finances

I’m not sure how much of the football you’ve been watching this summer, but one thing that has really stood out to me is how well some of the smaller nations have performed. Teams like Cape Verde and Curaçao have shown that, with the right tactics and teamwork, they can compete on the big stage, even against nations with far bigger reputations. At the same time, footballing giants like Italy didn’t even make the tournament. It’s a reminder that reputation alone doesn’t guarantee success.

Watching the tournament reminded me of how we build investment portfolios for our clients at Beacon Wealth Management. Every successful football team has a strong core of dependable players, but it also needs specialists who can make a difference when the situation demands it. The balance of the team is often more important than simply having the biggest names on the pitch.

Investing can be much the same. Our portfolios are built around carefully selected core funds that have consistently demonstrated their ability to perform through a range of market conditions. Alongside these, we may include smaller specialist or satellite funds where we believe they can add value or improve diversification. Every fund has a purpose, and every portfolio is designed to work together rather than relying on one or two star performers.

Behind every Beacon portfolio is a considerable amount of research. We continually assess the investment universe before narrowing the options down to around 12–15 carefully selected funds, each chosen because it has a specific role to play. We've been managing our own tailored investment portfolios for over 17 years and currently offer 14 portfolios to suit different investment objectives and attitudes to risk.

Like a football manager, our work doesn’t stop once the team has been selected. Markets change, economies change and opportunities arise. That’s why we actively monitor our portfolios and make changes whenever we believe it is in our clients’ best interests. Sometimes that means taking advantage of opportunities; at other times it means becoming more defensive to help protect wealth during uncertain periods.

Our five actively managed whole-of-market portfolios have outperformed their respective benchmarks over every measured period from one to seventeen years. While past performance is not a guide to future returns, we believe this reflects the value of disciplined research, active management and taking a long-term view.

Whether in football or investing, success rarely comes from reputation alone. It comes from selecting the right team, making sensible decisions along the way and adapting when circumstances change.

Speak with our local experts by calling us on 01480 869466 for a complimentary initial, no obligation chat. For more information and useful content, visit our wesbite www.beaconwm.co.uk

Family-run business located in Kimbolton Available 24 hours

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Monthly Heating Oil Price Update:

Price Update

Average heating oil prices have risen by around 10ppl since the beginning of July. Despite this recent rise, prices are more than 40% down from the March peaks.

Sensitive heating oil prices.

Prices have risen recently showing they are sensitive to geopolitical events. We’ve seen a rise of around 10ppl as of writing (mid-July) yet prices overall are 40% below the peak in March. If you’re waiting for lower prices, be sure to check you have enough oil in your tank – as it could be a long wait. And this recent rise shows that the prices could rise before they come down and autumn will come around quickly.

Here's our recommendations:

• Assess your risk of running out. Waiting for falling prices can be good but just be sure you have enough oil while you wait. There’s no knowing how long it’ll take to return to a ppl in the 50s. Sometimes the price just needs to be “low enough”.

• Spread the cost with payment plans or interest-free instalment options available with BoilerJuice and others. It’s particularly useful when prices are higher and can help with budgeting through the summer.

For more detailed information and to explore our services, visit BoilerJuice.com.

proudly sponsored by BoilerJuice in association with The Village Bystander.

Artificial Unintelligence

There is a lot of panicking about Artificial Intelligence, mostly done by either people who’ve watched too many 70s science fiction films, or those who can’t see that it’s essentially a jazzedup word processor. What’s far more interesting is the ability to alter the programme’s settings to make it spout asinine opinions, a sort of artificial unintelligence. By tweaking the algorithms you can recreate the experience of listening to the pub bore, all without having to leave your own home, a serious benefit in this hot weather. I fed the computer a few words, phrases and questions, and here’s what it came up with.

What music do you like? “Anything good. M People”. Jaws. “Huh, the shark looks rubbish”.

I think the weather is too hot. “You miserable sod. It’s great for sitting on pub benches by the main road”.

Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. “Ha ha his accent was rubbish!!!!”. Crossroads. “That was rubbish!!!! My nan watched it”.

This last one is particularly interesting. Firstly, apparently nobody currently alive has ever seen an episode of Crossroads. Yet they still feel entitled to judge it. And judge it as rubbish. By the way, I’m talking about the ATV soap opera, not the film starring Britney Spears. Who’s one of those people you just don’t see any more.

The original Crossroads ran for 24 years, and let’s get one thing straight. TV companies don’t make deliberately bad shows. I know that’s hard to believe, but they don’t. Especially commercial stations, who rely on advertising revenue, which would dry up pretty sharpish if the televised product was unwatchable.

Crossroads was broadcast five days a week and was watched and loved by millions, second only to Coronation Street in the soap ratings. And yet it was apparently rubbish.

The most frequent and idiotic criticism is that “ha ha the sets wobbled and they all forgot their lines”. For those who can’t comprehend the differences between current TV production and that of 60 years ago, here’s a quick summary. Videotape was incredibly expensive, which meant that retakes were very rare indeed. If an actor was really unhappy with their performance, their only option was to swear strongly, forcing a retake. So yes, Crossroads does feature the occasional hesitancy, stumble and boom mike in view. But so does every single television show made in the 60s and 70s. If you want to see sets wobbling, watch Fawlty Towers, which looks like it was filmed during earthquake season at Television Centre. Incidentally, the absence of fluffs doesn’t mean that today’s actors are any better. It’s just that the mechanics of making television have changed almost out of all recognition.

Another consequence of the former high price of videotape (one hour’s worth cost the equivalent of £9,000 today) is that many, many episodes of Crossroads no longer exist, the tape being reused following transmission. The main reason so many episodes of Doctor Who exist is that they were copied for overseas sales. Crossroads was somewhat less in demand as an export.

Next time, more Crossroads, featuring Snobbery, Benny, Larry Grayson and Victoria Wood. Cue harp glissando.

https://eugenesmithwriting.com/

s

Hi! Thanks for reading my article! My name is Eddie and I’m a 14 year old local who is proud to be an Explorer! My Scouting journey started at a very young age, beginning with Beavers (back before Squirrels existed!) and progressing through Cubs then Scouts and most recently I’ve joined my local Explorer unit. As well as meeting people, learning many skills and taking part in so many activities, one of my best memories so far was attending the Kent Scout Jamboree. This was incredible experience that gave me lifelong memories and skills.

Recently, I applied and was selected to attend the World Scout Jamboree! I am thrilled, especially since only 36 Scouts from the entire county are chosen to go.

Held once every four years, the World Scout Jamboree is a massive international festival that brings together over 60,000 Scouts and Guides from across the planet. The 26th World Scout Jamboree will take place in Gdańsk, Poland, in 2027. It’s a key part of Scouting, designed to promote unity, celebrate global friendship, and build cultural understanding through its incredible shared activities.

To be able to participate in this amazing opportunity, I need to fundraise! This fundraising is not just for my own journey, but also to help support Scouts from less fortunate backgrounds to attend too. So far, I’ve run a stall at my school’s Christmas fair; sold bacon butties; run archery and soft axe throwing; held weekly bake sales at my school; litter picked; and volunteered at a running event. My biggest challenge yet is a sponsored ‘26 parkruns for the 26th Jamboree’ challenge, where I have already run 8 parkruns out of the 26 in order to raise money.

I have set up a GoFundMe page, and I would be incredibly grateful if you would consider sponsoring me on this adventure. You can scan the QR code or the link is below. Every single donation helps. Thank you so much for any support!

GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme. com/f/help-eddie-fundraise-for-the-worldscout-jamboree-2027

If you shop online, registering for Easyfundraising helps me fundraise every time you shop at no cost to yourself. Just signing up gives me a donation. You can sign up by scanning the QR code on the Easyfundraiser poster.

Best wishes, Eddie

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STEAK NIGHT

Every Thursday from 5pm

Steak, fries, sauce + drink – Ribeye £18.95 | Fillet £20.95

FISH FRYDAY

Every Friday from 5pm

2 for 1 on all Fish & Chips, Scampi & Seabass mains

FRIENDS EAT FREE

Mondays 5–9pm

Buy one main, get a second free (Mains only; excludes sharers, starters & grills)

Brighten the new year with the best deals in town.

The Wheatsheaf – West Perry, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0BX Email: hello@wheatsheaf-perry.co.uk – Phone: 01480 810253

The Stranger in My House by Judith Barrow

Charlie and Chloe are eight-year-old twins who are still reeling from the loss of their mum when their dad, Graham, brings home Lynne, and tells them she is going to be their new mummy. They will also have a new brother, Saul, age thirteen, and sister Evie, age fifteen. Charlie is immediately suspicious and reminds Chloe that Lynne was the nurse who made their mum cry.

Graham believes he is doing a good thing in saving Lynne and her family from the rough estate they came from, but it isn’t long before you wonder at the truth of their background or indeed anything that comes out of the manipulative Lynne’s mouth.

The ensuing breakdown of the family shows how powerless children are and I became angry on their behalf, and frustrated at the unfairness of it all. That it evokes such emotions shows how good the writing is.

Barrow knows family and relationships and that is evident throughout this pageturner, which will have you rooting for your favourite characters. There is lightness to balance the dark and of course always the hope that the truly evil will get their comeuppance.

Beautifully written and excellently paced, The Stranger in My House is yet another triumph from Barrow and without hesitation I recommend it to all who enjoy suspenseful storytelling from an author who knows her craft.

Georgia Rose is my pen name and the name I use for everything connected to my writing. You can find me at georgia@georgiarosebooks.com or via www. georgiarosebooks.com.

St Ives • St Neots • Huntingdonshire

COLOUR ANALYSIS • STYLE ANALYSIS • WARDROBE EDIT PERSONAL SHOPPING • MAKEUP

“I now fully understand how to dress for my personality & body shopping is now the easiest thing in the world.”

“It has transformed the way I approach my wardrobe and makeup.”

“I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs to feel themselves again.”

natalie.schofield@houseofcolour.co.uk

houseofcolour_natalieschofield

House of Colour St.Ives / St. Neots / Huntingdonshire

What’s Important In A Confusing Property Market

Paul Kinally from Peter Lane & Partners in Kimbolton takes a look at what’s important in a confusing property market.

Asked what he thought would define his premiership, Prime Minister Harold McMillan famously replied, “Events, dear boy, events”.

It is much the same with the property market. Events largely control turnover and turnover affects prices - up or down.

There are major events like wars (however stop-start they may be) and inconvenient events like fuel and food shortages, interest rate hikes and cost of living rises. But it might surprise you to learn that the events which so often drive the property market are not global or even national: they are personal. These events are births, deaths, beginning cohabitation or ending cohabitation, stage of life changes, ambition, career success and career failure. These everyday events create a need or desire to move on or move in.

These personal events will always be with us no matter what is going on in the world or which government is in power. When a government – any government – dabbles in the property market, the result is usually a massive hangover once the policy party is over.

No, the market is best left to home buyers and sellers. Right now we seem to be in a state of zero gravity. We are floating between price rises and price drops, as the lack of property for sale is counteracted by the rising cost of living, garnished with some pretty momentous global news.

Put it this way; if you wait for global events to stabilise, you will wait a long time. It’s better to let your life events direct you. That way everyone knows where they are.

If you are thinking of moving and would like to discuss any aspect of the process, Paul can be contacted at the Kimbolton Office on 01480 860400 or paul.kinally@peterlane.co.uk

Budgens is all about food. Early morning deliveries, 6 days a week, ensure lots of fresh produce.

Everything is here to create delicious meals from scratch. We also have a great variety of prepared meals.

A wide range of Wines, Beers, Ciders, and Spirits will complement your meal.

We have a Bakery plus Costa Coffee, Fresh Sandwiches & Frozen Foods.

We’re just round the corner. Open long hours, 7 days a week, with car parking.

Securing Your Wealth Transfer: Estate Planning Considerations for Blended Families

Estate planning is essential for high-net-worth individuals, particularly those with blended families, second marriages, family businesses, or significant property portfolios. As family and financial circumstances evolve, estate plans should be reviewed regularly to ensure assets pass according to your wishes and to minimise the risk of future disputes.

Contentious probate claims are increasing, often arising from competing expectations between biological children, stepchildren, former partners, cohabitees, or financially dependent individuals. Claims may be based on allegations of inadequate financial provision, unequal treatment, undue influence, or lack of testamentary capacity. Such disputes can result in substantial legal costs, lengthy delays in estate administration, and significant emotional strain for families.

The best protection is proactive planning. A well-drafted Will, reviewed regularly and tailored to your circumstances, can help reduce the likelihood of challenges. Professional advice should consider potential claims and the steps available to mitigate them, including documenting the reasons behind key decisions, using trusts where appropriate, and appointing experienced executors.

At Wilson Browne, our contentious probate specialists work closely with our will-writing team to help clients create robust estate plans that protect assets, preserve family relationships, and reduce litigation risks.

Taking expert advice today is far less costly than dealing with a contested estate tomorrow. Careful planning provides clarity, protects your legacy, and helps ensure your wishes are respected.

Music is oxygen for the soul

If you’re feeling a B-flat lately, you might need A-major dose of music. Okay, enough of the Milton Jones-wannabe style writing. A recent trip abroad to the sub-tropical island Madeira had me bopping about to the DJ’s tunes for restaurant attendees at Horta in Funchal and similarly at La Pasta. When I returned home, I spent a whole Saturday bouncing around to the music at Leighton-Linslade Carnival with my fellow Bedfordshire Health Radio volunteers.

Hearing music we love activates the same pleasure-reward pathways triggered by a favourite meal or unexpected compliments. Remember that time a favourite song from 20 years ago came on the radio? Even though you have access to it on your phone/CD/ tape cassette/vinyl (delete as appropriate), it made your brain do a happy dance, right?

Asked what genre I’d be presenting my weekly show on and what sort of thing I wanted to base my show on, admittedly, I struggled to answer. Music has such a plethora of genres and moods, it seems very daft to box myself into one genre or mood. If you’re looking for something to wind down to at the end of the day, you’re hardly going to go for Relight My Fire, or Dies Irae. Conversely, if you’re looking for something to pump you up for a workout or a difficult task, neither Nimrod nor Fast Car will suffice. If you want to be depressed, may I suggest Les Misérables? (My mother’s indirect claim to fame is that both she and my father and the Obamas admit to walking out of that particular production at the interval with no intention of returning. Unpopular opinion? Probably.)

Music is such a powerful tool for day-to-day life. Whatever mood we’re in, whatever decade we’re most sentimental about, there’s a stonewall guarantee we’ll find exactly what we’re looking for if we look in the right places. I’ve even just paused the radio to listen to a WhatsApp voice-note from a friend detailing how much she wants to go to her favourite band’s gig taking place in London on a boat in the middle of summer. It does sound idyllic. (McDermott and North, if you’re wondering.) Specific songs take us back to certain places, feelings, moments, achievements, sadnesses, karaoke sessions we’re sure we sounded pitch perfect for. It’s not by chance. The hippocampus and amygdala link music to emotional memories, allowing vivid recall even for Alzheimer’s patients.

And just to put the final nail in the ‘music makes us happy’ cabinet of delights, one of the internet’s favourites has to be the classic flash mob. If you haven’t seen the viral video yet, search YouTube for Bohemian Rhapsody Paris flashmob from 2025. It’s had 40 million views. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be off to practise some guitar. ‘Avril Lavigne wannabe’ style music might be a better look.

Sally Gower

Kimbolton Probus Club

Our Probus luncheon club welcomes retired business or professional men and women from Kimbolton and neighbouring villages.

We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 12:00 for 12:15pm at the Snooty Tavern Great Staughton and enjoy a delicious meal followed by a speaker.

Interested?? Contact either: -

Steve Jacklin, Social Secretary 01480 860805

Mary Foster, Chairman 01480 861594

Mandeville Hall

Tuesday 7th July 2026

Tuesday 4th August 2026

Tuesday 1st September 2026

7.30pm for 8.00pm Start

• Generous cash prizes

• Raffle

• Refreshments Available

Bring a friend and come along and join in the fun

All proceeds to the Mandeville Hall Charity Registered Charity No 302646

10 to 12-30pm Mondays & Fridays in the Community Hall behind the Mandeville Hall

Bytes Café

Run by the Mandeville Hall for the Community

Coffee, Tea and Cakes

Free IT help available with facilities for A4 & A3 copying & laminating

During the school holidays there will be a single, rotating around each church, Benefice Communion service each Sunday at 10.00am which all are welcome to attend.

If you would like a lift to any service please contact your church warden(s) in the 1st instance

ALL SAINTS, LITTLE STAUGHTON

Sun 2nd 10.00am Benefice Communion

Sun 23rd 10.00am Benefice Communion

Sun 30th 6.00pm Benefice Evensong

ST. ANDREW’S, GREAT STAUGHTON

Sun 16th 10.00am Benefice Communion

ST. NICOLAS, HAIL WESTON

Sat 1st 2.30pm Cream Tea

Sat 8th 2.30pm Cream Tea

Sun 9th 10.00am Benefice Communion

Sun 30th 10.00am Benefice Communion

F u n d r a i s i n g t o

s u p p o r t

a c t i v i t i e s f o r

B e a v e r s , C u b s , S c o u t s & E x p l o r e r s

1st So u d ay 4 S e p t e m b e r t h

FR E E ENTRY

18+ only

BAR OPEN 5-11pm E MUSIC FROM 6pm S MED FOOD - Barry’s Food Van

BAR OPEN 2-11pm TEA & CAKES 2-5pm 2-5pm M 2pm 5:30PM

What’s on in Kimbolton in August

Saturday 1st 6-8pm Pop Up Wine Bar. Whitchurch Wines

Sunday 2nd

Monday 3rd 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall

Tuesday 4th

Wednesday 5th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Youth & Community Hall

Thursday 6th

Friday 7th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall

3pm Kim Jam. New Sun Inn (Anyone wishing to play/ sing WhatsApp 07799765503 to book)

2.30pm W.I. Speaker Liz Cox on the Home Sorter. Mandeville Hall

Saturday 8th 6-8pm Pop Up Wine Bar. Whitchurch Wines

Monday 10th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall

Tuesday 11th

Wednesday 12th

Thursday 13th

Saturday 15th

Monday 17th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall

Tuesday 18th

Wednesday 19th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Youth & Community Hall Kimbolton Probus Club. Summer Outing - 2 hour boat trip & lunch

Thursday 20th

Friday 21st

Monday 24th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall

Tuesday 25th

Wednesday 26th 10-12pm Bridge Club. Youth & Community Hall

Thursday 27th 7pm Parish Council Meeting. Youth & Community Hall

Friday 28th 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall

Saturday 29th

Sunday 30th

Monday 31st 10-12.30pm Bytes Cafe. Youth & Community Hall 10-12pm Fitness Class. Mandeville Hall

Baroque Adventure for Local Brownies at Kimbolton Castle

Kimbolton Castle will welcome local Brownies on Saturday, 3rd October 2026 for a unique afternoon of history, drama and design.

This exclusive youth event is part of the nationwide VANBRUGH300 festival funded by the National Lottery Heritage fund and marks the 300th anniversary of the death of the castle’s legendary Baroque architect and playwright, Sir John Vanbrugh. In 1707, Vanbrugh—the genius behind Blenheim Palace—remodelled Kimbolton into a magnificent country seat for the 4th Earl of Manchester, brilliantly creating its “castle aire” to preserve its historic past.

Given Vanbrugh's background as a celebrated playwright, drama will take centre stage. The Brownies will dive into a lively storytelling performance and an interactive drama workshop, bringing the castle's vibrant past to life.

Creativity follows the theatrical fun. The girls will take part in a hands-on craft workshop inspired by Vanbrugh's majestic architecture, allowing them to explore design principles in a fun, accessible environment.

In Girlguiding we help all girls know they can do anything. For more information or to join us go to www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus

Ways to donate and help SERV Suffolk & Cambridgeshire

Scan our CAF Bank QR Code

TEXT GIVING

To make a donation, it’s easy by SMS with the word BLOODRUNNER to 70085

To donate £5

Alternatively you can opt to give any whole amount Up to £20 for example BLOODRUNNERS20 to 70085

Or visit our Just Giving page

https://www.recycle4charity.co.uk/register/C156781

Register at above address and receive pre paid label

Do you know a group who would like to know more about what we do? Did you know we do talks and presentations?

If you are interested contact us at info@servsc.org.uk

Build your future workforce with Degree Apprenticeships

If you own a business that is considering taking on degree apprentices, you are warmly welcome to join us at Kimbolton School this Autumn for an informal employer event .

Learn how degree apprenticeships work and how to set them up

Hear from a university partner and local businesses already benef iting Network with employers, parents and alumni over drinks

And meet our pupils — the future talent pipeline.

Register your interest

One school. One family.

Slash your energy bills

Low maintenance long Warranty

Local Installer you can trust

Ongoing Local support

MCS and TrustMark Registered

Energy Efficient A+++

Can provide whole house heating

Oil/Storage Heater replacement

Cool in the summer

Refcom and FGAS Registered

Air Conditioning Domestic Electrical

Fuse Box Upgrades

Lights replaced

Electrical Certificates EICR

All electrical work undertaken

Part P Registered

Daikin 5kw EMURA in black
Myenergi Zappi 7kw EV Charger

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is looking to recruit more on-call firefighters to help serve local communities across the county.

CFRS is looking for men and women from all backgrounds to become on-call firefighters and provide emergency cover from either their home or their workplace.

On-call firefighters are a vital part of our Service and community. They respond to a wide range of incidents, from fighting fires, attending road traffic collisions, animal rescues to supporting other emergency services. In addition to responding to emergency incidents, our on-call firefighters support their communities by providing information and advice on a range of community safety topics.

They receive an annual wage to reflect the time they commit to being available plus additional payments for attending incidents and drill nights (one evening a week for two hours).

It’s a hugely rewarding role, and we hope to encourage members of the community from all backgrounds to get in touch and find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter.

Visit www.cambsfire.gov.uk/oncall for more information.

How what3words can help 999 #KnowExactlyWhere

what3words has helped to locate nearly 4,000 incidents since it first started being used by emergency services. It has given every 3m square in the world a unique identifier made of 3 words - making the location of any emergency very easy todescribe and share. For example ///tortoises.swarm.announce will take you to a precise location on Ben Nevis where, in February 2020, a group of hikers were rescued.

To locate, search or navigate to a what3words address, all you need is the free app. Make sure you have it downloaded on your device and know how to use it, to help save time, resource and lives.

Test your smoke alarm!

Did you know that you should test your smoke alarms at least once a month? Or that you should have smoke alarms on every floor of your home? Or that Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service do free home visits to make sure your home is fire safe?

Visit this website for helpful tips and advice: https://firekills.campaign.gov.uk/

It only takes one accident to start a fire. Fire kills. Let’s prevent it.

Carry On Cowboy

Moving on to Carry On Cowboy (1965), we reach a film that feels like a real shift in the series. After the grandeur of Cleo, the team turned their sights towards the “American West.” It was the first time they tackled a genre as visually distinct as the Western, and they did it with a style that felt both fresh and deeply familiar.

The plot brings us to ‘Stodge City’, a town plagued by “The Rumpo Kid,” played with a brilliant, dark edge by Sid James. Sid is in his element here as the outlaw in black, trading his usual cheeky laugh for a more sinister, though still funny, persona. To clean up the town, the locals send for a lawman, but instead of a hero, they get ‘Marshall’ P. Knutt, in the way of Jim Dale. He plays a drainage engineer who is mistaken for a tough Marshall, and his clumsy attempts to fit the part provide some of the best moments in the film.

While they didn't have the Arizona desert, they used Chobham Common and a meticulously built set at Pinewood Studios to recreate the dusty streets of Stodge. The film also marked the first appearances of Peter Butterworth, Angela Douglas & Bernard Breslaw. Although Douglas had a somewhat short life in the carry ons, her performances were always somewhat memorable, which I hope you will also agree.

I always enjoy the way the film plays with Western tropes as we have the classic saloon brawls, the high-noon showdowns, and the inevitable cattle rustling; all filtered through that specific British wit. We can’t continue without mentioning Joan Sims of course, who this time plays the wonderful Belle, the saloon owner, and the “Lucky I remembered where you put that” line from Sid; classic Carry On!

For me, Carry On Cowboy is a reminder of how versatile this group of actors could be. They could step out of a hospital or a police station and onto a horse without losing their identity. There is a calm confidence in the way the film balances the parody of Hollywood Westerns with the core character dynamics we had come to love.

It sits comfortably in the middle of that golden era of the ‘60s, proving that the Carry On brand could work in almost any setting. It remains a film I turn to when I want something with a bit of pace and a lot of heart!

Ross Richardson

Christmas in Style

From festive dining to dancing the night away, celebrate Christmas in style at St Neots Golf Club.

Enjoy delicious food, a fully licensed bar, a warm festive atmosphere and plenty of space to celebrate with friends, family or colleagues.

Book now before the most popular dates are gone.

ST NEOTS GOLF CLUB

Crosshall Road, St Neots, PE19 7GE

Organising homes, paperwork & property –properly

Calm practical support for households and small businesses

❖ Decluttering and organising

❖ Paperwork and digital organisation

❖ Move support and home staging

❖ Small business organisation

thehomesorter.co.uk liz@thehomesorter.co.uk 07535 143497

Fun With Santa Oy

Lapland holidays

Stay in our cozy log cabin in Äkäslompolo, Ylläs, Finland. We can also arrange your full itinerary from the moment you land in Lapland till the moment you leave. Santa, Huskies, Reindeer Safaris, Snowmobile Safaris and much more

For more information please contact: Jane

Phone: 07840 027688

Email: jane@funwithsanta.co.uk

ALL NATURAL SOAP Co Celebrates Double Success at the ACQ5 Global Awards 2026

Awarded UK – Green Business of the Year (Retail) and UK – Sustainable Business of the Year

Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom – June 2026 – ALL NATURAL SOAP Co is delighted to announce that it has been recognised with two prestigious honours at the 2026 ACQ5 Global Awards, receiving:

• UK – Green Business of the Year (Retail)

• UK – Sustainable Business of the Year

The dual recognition highlights the company's unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility, ethical manufacturing, and sustainable retail practices, while continuing to produce high-quality natural skincare products for customers across the United Kingdom and beyond.

The ACQ5 Global Awards are recognised internationally for celebrating achievement, innovation, and excellence across a wide range of industries. Winners are selected through a peer-led nomination and evaluation process that recognises organisations demonstrating exceptional performance, leadership, and best practice within their sectors.

These awards acknowledge ALL NATURAL SOAP Co's dedication to creating genuinely sustainable products using responsibly sourced natural ingredients, environmentally conscious packaging, and manufacturing processes designed to minimise waste and reduce environmental impact.

Speaking on the achievement, a spokesperson for ALL NATURAL SOAP Co said:

"We are incredibly honoured to receive both the UK Green Business of the Year (Retail) and UK Sustainable Business of the Year awards. Sustainability has always been at the heart of everything we do. From ingredient sourcing and production methods to packaging choices and business operations, our goal has been to prove that a successful retail business can also be a responsible one. These awards are a testament to our hard work and passion, as well as the loyalty of our customers who share our commitment to a more sustainable future."

Since its founding, ALL NATURAL SOAP Co has championed the use of natural, ethically sourced ingredients and environmentally responsible business practices. The company has continually invested in sustainable innovation while maintaining its focus on handcrafted quality, transparency, and customer trust.

The recognition from ACQ5 further reinforces ALL NATURAL SOAP Co's position as a leading sustainable retail brand in the UK and highlights the growing importance of environmentally conscious business practices within the retail sector. The awards celebrate organisations that are setting industry benchmarks and responding successfully to the increasing demand for responsible and sustainable business models.

As the company looks ahead, ALL NATURAL SOAP Co remains committed to advancing its sustainability journey, developing innovative natural products, and helping consumers make greener choices without compromising on quality or effectiveness.

ALL NATURAL SOAP Co

Eliza Riddell -- eliza@allnaturalsoap.co.uk

Immediate use as soon as cleaned!

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From your Cambridge Correspondent

August is a rather different month in Cambridge. The intensity of the academic year has subsided, students have largely dispersed for the summer, and the city settles into a gentler rhythm, though tourist numbers remain high. The Cambridge Shakespeare Festival transforms several college gardens into open-air theatres throughout the month.

Cambridge has recently marked an important milestone in the city's continuing development with the opening of Cambridge South railway station beside the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Serving Addenbrooke's Hospital, the rapidly expanding Biomedical Campus, and neighbouring research institutes, the new station reflects the remarkable growth of the south of the city, which has become one of Europe's leading centres for medical research and biotechnology. Yet Cambridge is as much shaped by its past as by its future. There are few individuals who have left a greater mark on the University than Lady Margaret Beaufort, whose influence can still be seen more than five centuries after her death.

Lady Margaret Beaufort

Lady Margaret Beaufort (c.1443–1509) is most often remembered as the mother of King Henry VII, and grandmother of Henry VIII. Yet her greatest legacy may lie not in the Tudor dynasty, but in the University of Cambridge – where two colleges she founded flourish today.

Born into one of England's most powerful families, Lady Margaret became a mother at the age of just thirteen when she gave birth to the future Henry VII. Twice widowed and remarried during the turbulence of the Wars of the Roses, she eventually became one of the wealthiest and most influential women in England. Deeply religious and committed to education, she devoted much of her considerable fortune to the advancement of learning.

Her personal motto was Souvent me souvient -- "I often remember", or perhaps more naturally, "Remember me often". More than five hundred years later, founding two Cambridge colleges has proved a remarkably effective way of ensuring exactly that.

Lady Margaret's vision for Cambridge was greatly influenced by her confessor, John Fisher, who became Chancellor of the University and later Bishop of Rochester. Fisher recognised that investment in education would leave a more enduring legacy than many of the religious foundations that characterised the period. Together they transformed the future of Cambridge.

In 1502 Lady Margaret endowed the Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity, the oldest endowed professorship in the University, first held by Fisher himself, and subsequently (at Fisher’s behest) by the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus. In 1505, Lady Margaret refounded an impoverished college then known as God's House as Christ's College, and before she died she gave instructions for the creation of another college on the site of the Hospital of St John. Following her death in 1509, John Fisher faithfully carried out her wishes, and St John's College was founded in 1511. Throughout the following decades, Fisher remained steadfastly loyal to the Roman Catholic Church and opposed Henry VIII's break with Rome, refusing to recognise the King as Supreme Head of the Church of England. Fisher was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul III,

perhaps in the hope that King Henry might relent in his treatment of Fisher; the honour had the reverse effect and Fisher never received his cardinal’s scarlet hat – he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and executed in 1535. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

Christ's College

Walking through the gate of Christ's College today, it is difficult to imagine that it began life as the much smaller God's House. Lady Margaret's refoundation created one of Cambridge's most attractive colleges, with its beautiful courts (the wisteria in First Court in May is one of the best sights in Cambridge), peaceful gardens, and long tradition of scholarship. The college has educated many distinguished figures, including the poet John Milton and the naturalist Charles Darwin, whose rooms can still be visited. A mulberry tree in the Fellows' Garden is traditionally associated with Milton, although, like many Cambridge traditions, the story is perhaps better than the evidence behind it. Other notable alumni over the centuries include Jan Smuts, Lord Mountbatten, historian Simon Schama, Archbishop Rowan Williams, and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen! Today, Christ's combines its historic setting with a lively academic community spanning every discipline.

St John's College

If Christ's reflects Lady Margaret's personal involvement during her lifetime, St John's represents her final gift to Cambridge. Brought into being by John Fisher, using some of the considerable wealth Lady Margaret had accumulated during her life, it has grown into the largest of the Cambridge colleges by student numbers.

Visitors entering through the magnificent Tudor Great Gate soon discover a succession of spectacular courts arranged in enfilade leading towards the River Cam and the famous Bridge of Sighs. Victorian additions include the flamboyant Neo-Gothic New Court (known affectionately as "the Wedding Cake") and the present Chapel, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The college counts among its alumni William Wilberforce, the poet William Wordsworth, Nobel Prizewinning physicist Paul Dirac, and, more recently, the writer Douglas Adams.

Visitors with a keen eye may notice another link between the two colleges. Both Christ's and St John's use Lady Margaret Beaufort's heraldic arms (described in heraldic terms as “the Royal arms of England a bordure componée azure and argent”), and display them above their principal gateways, a lasting reminder that they share the same foundress.

Five centuries after Lady Margaret Beaufort's death, thousands of students continue to study at the colleges she created. Cambridge has benefited from many generous benefactors over the centuries, but few have shaped the University so profoundly. Lady Margaret is remembered not only in history books, but in the daily life of the University she helped to transform. Her motto remains as fitting today as it was five hundred years ago: Souvent me souvient.

cambridgecorrespondent.bystander@proton.me

T H R E E S H I R E S N E T W O R K I N G

C O N N E C T , L E A R N , A N D S H A R E !

D i s c o v e r l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s a n d

s h a r e i d e a s

G e t a d v i c e a n d s o l u t i o n s t o

m o v e f o r w a r d .

B u i l d f r i e n d s h i p s a n d l a s t i n g

c o n n e c t i o n s .

S h a p e t h e g r o u p ’ s f u t u r e w i t h

y o u r i n p u t .

E n j o y i n s p i r i n g t a l k s a n d f r e s h

p e r s p e c t i v e s .

S h a r e c h a l l e n g e s i n a s a f e ,

s u p p o r t i v e s p a c e

S h o w c a s e y o u r b u s i n e s s a n d

c o n n e c t f a c e - t o - f a c e .

T e a , c o f f e e & b i s c u i t s i n c l u d e d !

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" m o r e t h a n j u s t

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Bedfordshire Festival of Autumn Walks 2026

Preparations are in full flow for the 2026 festival which takes place this year from Saturday 5th Sept to Sunday 13th Sept. There will be lots of the usual favourite. There will be the opportunity to walk the Greensand Ridge on the second weekend. This runs over 2 days to cover the full 40 miles. Walkers are welcome to walk on one or both days. There will also be the opportunity to walk and sail with the John Bunyan Boat. We are also hoping to host a Bat walk one evening – subject to suitable weather, as the Bats, like humans, generally prefer dry weather!

There will be an opportunity to explore parts of Bedford with the Bedford Town Guides and the Victorian Cemetery on Foster Hill Road, Bedford with the Friend of Bedford Cemetery. We are delighted to have the support of Marston Vale again this year. So if you want to explore the Marston Vale area and the work being done this is a great way to see the regeneration being carried out and how our woods are managed.

The four Bedfordshire Ramblers Groups will be hosting a variety of walks throughout the 9 days. These walks will be of varying lengths from short morning and afternoon walks to all day walks and short gentle strolls. Wellbeing walks also feature across the county for those wishing to explore the country gently on short walks. Ideal for those wishing to see if walking is for them or for those unable to walk for 5 miles! For those with a historical or industrial interest look out for the special interest walks!

Other walking groups from within Bedfordshire and across our borders will be hosting events as well. All events will start in Bedfordshire, so why not take the time to explore our beautiful County in more depth? We hope there will be something for everyone!

Full details of the walks can be found at https://www.bedswalkfest.co.uk/walks. php, please bear in mind that this program is evolving and walks are being added all the time – so keep checking back for the latest entries. Check out our facebook page too that comes alive in August – just search for Bedfordshire Festival Of Autumn Walks. Most events are free and don’t need booking so why not fill your boots!

We look forward to meeting you on a walk soon.

Sandra Kelsey – Bedfordshire Ramblers Publicity Officer

Sweeping Tom Ltd

Book an end of season sweep –your chimney & liner will benefit from clean drying over the summer. Full sweeping services availablelocal, reliable, fully qualified & insured Chimney Sweep. Covering Peterborough—Cambridge and surrounding areas. Contact Thomas on 07990 561874 or email sweepingtomltd@gmail.com

Children's Activities

Grafham Little Fishes, Stay and Play Session for 0 to 4year olds

All welcome on Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20, term time only, in Grafham Village Hall. Just turn up for free play time, followed by a short bible story, action songs and simple craft. For more details, contact Jane Rowley 01480 890986 littlefishes@eastleightonstone.com

Family Fun Friday St Andrew's Church, Great Staughton, 9.00am - 10.30am term time only. Tea, coffee, playtime, story time, singing. Contact Sylvia - 01480 812022 for more details. St Neots Toy Library - Mon to Thurs 8.45am - 4.30pm, Fridays 8.45am-1.00pm. At The Butterfly Children’s Centre, next to Winhills School and The Eatons Children’s Centre next to Bushmead School. Telephone Lyanne 01480 358350/Jaci 01480 358340. St Neots Library:

Rhyme time - Toddler Rhymetime Monday Morning 10:30am, Baby Rhymetime Friday morning 10:30am. Stay and Play run after both sessions and on Wednesday Afternoon 2:00pm.

Storytime Saturday Morning 10:30am, Lego Club Saturday Afternoon 2:30pm. Baby Gym classes

Promoting tummy time, sensory stimulation and adult two baby bonding. Classes operate term time only, Friday mornings : 10.30am - 11.15am, Open sessions, no booking required., £5 per session, pay as you go (Cash only)., Operates at Huntingdon Gymnastic Club, Mayfield Road, Huntingdon, PE29 1UL, Run by Beccy Chapman Bsc WAHpc, Like Us on Facebook to keep updated, search: ‘baby gym 8-weeks to walking’ Riseley All Saints Church Junior Jivers - music and movement session followed by stay and play every Thursday at 930am term time only - Contact: Samantha Toseland Tel: 07880 700894

Young People’s and Children’s Organisations Guides, Brownies and Rainbows

Kimbolton Guides, Brownies & Rainbows kymvalleyguidingdistrict@gmail.com

Upper Dean Brownies & Rainbows, Karen Jones: email: div.nbeds@bedsguiding.org.uk Little Staughton Guides, Little Staughton Brownies Scouts, Cubs, Beavers

1st Kimbolton Scout Group

1st Brington Scout Group

Emma Mumford 07881 621260

Tim Collins - 07881 821649 Dance/Performing Arts

Linda Allen School of Dance – Ballet, tap and modern jazz from 3+ years - Spaldwick and Kimbolton Ladies ballet and tap in Kimbolton, 01480 861332, info@LindaAllenDance.com, www.lindaallendance.com Stageworks Studios, St Neots. Dance, drama and singing classes for ages 3+. 01480 223331 Motion Dance Academy, Hinchinginbrooke Shcool, Huntingdon - 07887 932294, Miss Mollie www.motiondanceacademy.co.uk missmollie@motiondanceacademy.co.uk

Nurseries, Playgroups, Pre-Schools & Kids Clubs

Crosshall Nursery School 01480 475980

Crosshall Kids Club 01480 219518

Inn Farm Priv. Day Nursery 07802 826798 www.innfarmdaynursery.co.uk

Keysoe Playgroup – Keysoe Village Hall, MK44 2JE, Thursdays 9.30-11.30, £2 per family, healthy snacks, hot drinks, biscuits and craft activity included. Lovely friendly group with lots of toys for your little ones. Come and join us. Term time only.

Kymbrook Pre-School, Kimbolton Road, Keysoe 01234 376100 www.kymbrookpreschool.co.uk

Playtimes Pre-School & Out of School Club, Spaldwick 01480 890077 www.playtimesplaygroup.co.uk

Puddeducks Nursery & Pre-school, Colmworth 01234 378880 www.puddleducksnurserypre school.co.uk

Puddleducks Pre-School, Kimbolton 01480 860743

Riseley Rascals, Riseley Village Hall (Term Time Only) 07986 313037 9:30- 11am Tuesday morning St. Leonards Day Care, Brington 01832 710020

call Julie on 07928 778457

Primary & Secondary Schools

Brington C of E Primary School 01832 710383

Crosshall Infant School Academy Trust, St Neots 01480 475980 www.crosshallinfant.co.uk

Crosshall Junior School Academy Trust, St Neots 01480 475972 www.crosshalljunior.co.uk

Eileen Wade Primary School, Upper Dean 01234 708260 www.ewmeschools.org.uk/ eileen-wade/

Great Staughton Primary Academy 01480 860324 www.greatstaughton.cambs. sch.uk

Kimbolton Primary Academy, Newtown, Kimbolton 01480 860743 www.kimboltonprimary academy.cambs.sch.uk

Kymbrook Primary School, Kimbolton Road, Keysoe. 01234 376266 www.kymbrookprimary.uk

Riseley Primary School 01234 708218 www.riseleyschool.co.uk

Spaldwick Primary School 01480 890371 www.spaldwickschool.org.uk

Ernulf Academy, Barford Road, St Neots, Cambs. 01480 374748 www.astreaernulf.org

Hinchingbrooke School, Huntingdon, PE29 3BN, 01480 375700 www.hinchingbrookeschool.net

Kimbolton School, Kimbolton 01480 860505 www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk

Longsands Academy, St Neots, Cambs. PE19 1LQ 01480 353535 www.astrea-longsands.org

USEFUL & EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Doctors at Kimbolton 01480 860205

Doctors at Gt. Staughton 01480 860770

Doctors at Sharnbrook 01234 781392

NHS Direct 111

NHS Cambridgeshire 01223 884 008

Patient Advice & Liason Service 01733 673 405 (PALS) Cambs & Peterborough

Patient Advice & Liason Service 01234 795814 (PALS)

Bedfordshire

Hospitals

Addenbrookes, Cambridge 01223 245151

Bedford 01234 355122

Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon 01480 416416

Cambridgshire Fire and Rescue 01480 444500

Non Emergency Police Line 101

Councillors

Cllr Ian Gardener - CCC Alconbury & Kimbolton Division ian.gardener@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Cllr Jonathan Gray - HDC Kimbolton ward jonathan.gray@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk

Cllr Stephen Cawley - HDC Ellington Ward stephen.cawley@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk

AA Emergency Breakdown 0800 887766

Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 9177650

Carers Direct 0808 802 0202

Childline 0800 1111

Citizens Advice 03444 111 444

Electricity Emergency 105

Floodline 0345 988 1188

Gas Emergency 0800 111 999

National Debt Line 0808 808 4000

National Rail Enquiries 0333 202 2222

NSPCC 0800 800 500

Parentline 0800 800 2222

RAC Emergency Breakdown 0800 828282

RSPCA 0300 1234 999

Samaritans 116 123

UK Missing Persons Unit 0800 234 6034

Victim Support 0808 168 9111

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Clubs, Groups and Organisations

Bolnhurst & Keysoe Parish Council Clerk

Buckworth Cricket Club Social Club

Saqhib Ali, 07386 904950

http://buckworthcricketclub.co.uk/

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service 01480 444500

Catworth Women’s Group

Catworth Quilters Group

Ellington Neighbourhood Watch

Ellington Village Club

Grafham & Ellington Art Group

Great Staughton Village Hub

Gt Staughton Horticultural Society

Gt Staughton Playing Field & Pavilion

Hargrave Investment Club

Barbara Cawdell 01832 710404

Pam Wardle 01832 710324

Rick Wilcox 01480 890902

Sue Rice (Chairperson) 01480 896139

Jackie Woods, 01480 890279

Details on the Great Staughton and Perry Facebook page

Emma Mumford 07881 621260

Bob Jewell 01480 861259

Rick 07905 211919 or Sue 07818 050034

Kimbolton Senior Citizens lunch club 01480 861540/860735 (Thurs, 12noon) Mandeville Hall

Kimbolton Local History Society

Kimbolton & Stonely Parish Council

Kimbolton Church - Bell Ringing

Kimbolton & district Royal British Legion

Kimbolton Castle Rotary Club

Kimbolton Bridge Clubs

Kimbolton Probus Club

Nora Butler 01480 861007

Jo Russel 01480 276075

Mary Foster 01480 861594

David Henrick 01480 896556

Chris Davies 01234 376542

Mandeville Hall, Wednesdays, John Figgures 07944 155576

Steve Jacklin 01480 860805 / Mary Foster 01480861594

Little Staughton Parish Clerk clerk@littlestaughtonparishcouncil.gov.com, 07729 960264

Neighbourhood Watch Gt Staughton

North Beds Ramblers

Pertenhall & Swineshead Parish Clark

Save the Children Fund

Stow Longa Village Community - social events

The Villages Gardening Club

The Stables Christian Centre

Frank Backhouse, 01480 861167

Margaret Sawyer northbedswalks@gmail.com, www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walk ing/ramblers-groups/north-bedfordshire-group

Diane Robins, 07786 656088 clerk@pertenhallandswineshead-pc.gov.uk

Nora Butler 01480 861007

Christine Hayes 01480 860519 Christine.Hayes@StowLonga.org.uk

Jan Roche 01832 710561 janetroche0@gmail.com

Sean Watkiss, 01234 376237 work-based training to small groups of vulnerable adults.

Tilbrook Village Newsletter www.tilbrookvillage.life

Tilbrook Amenites Committee Chairman, Stephen Birch, chairman tilbrookvillagelife@gmail.com

Tilbrook Parish Council Clerk Lionel Thatcher, 01480860055

Whist Drives, Ellington Steve Sherratt , 01480 891418

WI Groups

Kimbolton WI

Gt Staughton WI

Pertenhall WI

Anne Beszant 01480 860672

Ruth Easom, rutheasom@gmail.com

Glennis Bird, Tel: 01933 314275, glennis.bird@hotmail.co.uk

Perry WI perrywigroup@gmail.com

Village Halls

Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton

bookings: Stan Rhodes, 07367 783886

Village Hall, Catworth, bookings www.catworthvillagehall.co.uk

Village Hall, Dean and Shelton (Dalton Hall, U. Dean) www.daltonhalldean.org

Village Hall, Ellington

Village Hall, Gt Staughton, bookings

Village Hall, Hail Weston

Village Hall, Keysoe

Village Hall, Keyston, bookings

Village Hall, Little Staughton

Village Hall, Melchbourne

Anita Dowdall 01480 891821

Vicki Goldsmith 01480 860005

Liz Bacon / bookingshwvh@gmail.com.

Janet Browning 01234 376577

bookings@keysoevillagehall.co.uk

Chrissy Faulkner, 07714 080837

Marion Kitchener, 07770 478220

Bookings Julia Koball, juliakoball@hotmail.co.uk 07941 245639

Village Hall, Molesworth

Village Hall, Pertenhall, bookings

Village Hall, Tilbrook

07922 738818 Email:enquiries@molesworthvillagehall.co.uk www.molesworthvillagehall.co.uk

Paul Sheard paulsheard@aol.com 01480 861457

Erica Jago, 07903 987445, bookings.tilbrookvillage@gmail.com www.tilbrookvillage.life

Village Hall, Yelden 07539 662544, yeldenvillagehall@gmail.com

Spaldwick Community Room

Grafham Nature Reserve & Watch Group

Sarah Cardwell - clerk@spaldwickparishcouncil.org.uk

The Wildlife Trust 01480 811075 North Beds Young Farmers’ northbedsyfcmembership@gmail.com FB: North Beds Young Farmers Instagram: @northbedsyfc Twitter: @northbedsyfc

Grafham Water Sailing Club 01480 810478

Wildlife Trust Huntingdonshire Local Group

Pat Doody Chair, 01480 392706. Eve talks Brampton Memorial Centre

7.30pm, 2nd Wednesday Sept - March. Guided walks in the summer. Grafham Wildlife & Conservation Group Sam Malt 01480810844 day/01480811654 eve

Village Sports

Badminton Club (Kimbolton)

Catworth Playing Field

Shirley Osborne 860198/Jill Strand 861508

Mary Matthews, 07717 246107 Cricket Club, Kimbolton

Mark Field, 07769 159496 Cricket Club, Little Staughton

Carpet Bowls, Catworth

Carpet Bowls, Kimbolton

Carpet Bowls, Gt. Staughton

Adrian Thrasher 07834 602086

Marge Baker, 01832 710145

Mary Foster, 01480 861594

Anthony Withers, 01480 861224. Carpet Bowls, Spaldwick

Carpet Bowls, Ellington

Table Tennis Club - Melchbourne

Andrew Vickers, 01480 891201

Janet Stewart 01480 533482 janetstewart725@gmail.com

Peter Wilkinson peteathillands@gmail.com, 07792 056 157 Tennis Club, Kimbolton

Alison Owen, 07767 202958 Tennis Club, Gt Staughton

Chair Based Strength And Balance Class

Grafham Tang Sou Dao Club

MVH Pilates - Melchbourne

MVH Tai Chi - Melchbourne

Nicole Yates, 01480 860616

Kimbolton Scout Hut, Thursdays 11:00-12:00pm, Lauren Watt, 01480 388111

Steven Treadaway 01480 812433, info@cambstangsoudao.co.uk

Penny Hales penny@tightassets.co.uk

Rob Poyton simplyflow@outlook.com PE28 Kickboxing, Grafham Village Hall

Mark James, 01480 819478

Yoga Classes, Little Staughton, Hail Weston, Linda Tongue 01480 350345, Brampton, Catworth & Godmanchester 07733343702, lindatongue@yahoo.co.uk Chelveston Village Hall - Chair Exercise Lisa, 07867 204128, lisaatfitness5@gmail.com Class for Older Adults - Thursday 11am

Mobile Library Service 0345 045 5225 for enquiries / renewals

2nd Wednesday of the Month (R. H10) - 10th August

Diddington : Manor Farm 9.30am to 9.50am

Southoe : The Church 10.05am to 10.25am

Spaldwick : High Street 10.45am to 11.05am

Stow Longa : The Green 11.15am to 11.45am

Catworth : Station Road Midday to 12.30pm

Covington : Cross Street 1.45pm to 2.15pm

Kimbolton : Stow Road (Newtown) 2.30pm to 3.45pm

Kimbolton : Castle Gardens 3.50pm to 4.30pm

4th Tuesday of the Month (R. H23) - 23rd August

Bythorn : School Lane 10.00am to 10.20am

Molesworth : Phone Box 10.25am to 11.00am

Brington : Church Lane 11.10am to 11.35am

Old Weston : Village Hall 11.45am to 12.20pm

Leighton Bromswold : The Avenue 12.30pm to 1.00pm

4th Wednesday of the Month (R. H24) - 24th August

Ellington : Mermaid Pub 9.30 to 10.00am

Grafham : Breach Road 10.10am to 10.35am

Perry : Chichester Way 10.45am to 11.40am

Hail Weston : Orchard Close 12.00pm to 12.20pm Great Staughton : The Causeway 1.30pm to 2.00pm

Kimbolton : Stow Road (Newtown) 2.15pm to 3.45pm

Kimbolton : Castle Gardens 3.50pm to 4.30pm

Cambridgeshire Libraries’ Doorstep Service is a free home library service delivered monthly by volunteers to readers with health or mobility difficulties. To find out more about becoming a local volunteer or service user: email volunteers@cambridgeshire.gov.uk www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/library

Disclaimer: Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material in this publication, the publisher/editor can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors in either editorial or advertising content.

Please mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts

Accommodation

Listings of Businesses in Our Area

Manor Cottage, 07304 078558, p.41

The Mermaid, 01480 891106, p.71

Accountancy

Land Family Business, 01480 445490, p.19

Auctioneers/Valuers

W H Peacock, 01480 474 550, p.19

Architects/Planning/Drawings

PJP Architects, 07801 054648, p.39

Art, Gifts, Framing, Crafts, Ceramics, Hobbies, Fashion

David Osborne Motorbike Spares, 07979 500900, p.46

Grafham Coins, 01480 811227, p.39 House of Colour, p.45

La Cote D'or Antiques, 01480 861587

The Framery Ltd, 01480 860086, p.29

Building Services/Home Maintenance/Garage Doors

Billy Blanchard Building & Maint, 07927 201108, p.72

CB Building, 07583 938006 p.29

D C Wilks Double Glazing, 07769 591468, p.26

R&D Maskey, 01234 825015, p.97

Still & Sons, 01480 869042, p.74

Taylor Stilton, 01480 860047, p.45

Business Networking

Three Shires Networking, 07788 558964, p.87

Care Professionals

Golden Community, 01480 759840, p.27

Compassionate Care, 07934 702131, p.75

Computer/IT Services/Marketing/Proofreading/HR

iEdit, 01480 860519 p.83

Infinite IT, 0800 033 7211, p.55

Newport Bookkeeping Services, 07519 352933, p.46

Oxygen IT, 01480 390395, p.13

S H Consultancy, 07734 652239, p.26

Silver Websites, 07340 234555, p.55

Social Beans, 07808 020554, p.86

Domestic Services

Chaffinch Chimney Sweeping, 07786 237565, p.75

C Major Change, 07584 279228, p.91

Home ‘n’ Dry, Carpet Cleaning, 01487 840310, p.83

NJB Cleaning, 07379 188966, p.80

Sweeping Tom Ltd, 07990 561874, p.91

The Home Sorter, 07535 143497 p.80

Education/Tuition

Inn Farm Private Day Nursery, 07802 826798, p.15

One to One Tuition, 07803 504631, p.5

Playtimes Spaldwick, 01480 890077, p.28

Red Bird Tutoring, www.redbirdtutoring.com, p.81

Electrical Services/Solar/Alarms

Aircon Tom, 07402 745802, p.70

DAC Services, 01234 709347, p.2

Domelec, 07912 092985, p.29

Selec Solar, 01480 400607, p.73

Estate Agents/Letting Agents/Property

Brown & Co, 01223 659050, p.77

Hannah Carr Estate Agency, 01480 597799, p.47

Peter Lane & Partners, 01480 860400, p.84

Simpsons Property Experts, 01480 589584 p.37

Top Hat Projects, 07814 709320, p.31

Financial Advisers & Financial Services

Beacon Wealth Management, 01480 869466, p.33

Funeral Directors

Regency Funeral Directors, 01480 759408, p.34

Gardening/Landscaping/Tree Care/Logs/Flowers

Adam Woodbine, 07901 555640, p.26

Alex Abbs Gardener, 07399 445052, P.24

Eden Tree Specialists, 01234 960796, p.23

JD Tree Surgery, 07745 378268, p.22

Manor Farm, 07849 528684, p.24

M&S Tree & Gardening Services, 07738 649901, p.26

Original Tree Services, 01234 924964, p.25

SJS Landscapes, 07876 763440, p.25

General Stores/Farm Shops/Wine Shops

Budgens, 01480 860582, p.50-51

Grafham Village Store, 01480 810119, p.20

Health/Treatments/Beauty/Wellbeing/Counselling/ Fitness/Sport

Close Health and Beauty, 07729 381085, p.9

Courtyard Beauty, 07922 678843 p.12

Creative hair Looks, 07764 336697, p.8

Fulcrum Health, www.fulcrumhealth.com, p.11

Jill Dighton, 07925 852985, p.9

Jordys Beauty, p.8

Kimbolton Swimming Pool, 01480 862276, p.10

Rosie’s Salon, 07733 482359, p.9

St Neots Golf Club, 01480 472363 p.79

The Nest at 53, 07778 024564, p.12

Kitchens

Kitchen Culture, 01480 861822, p.31

Music, Theatre, Singing, Entertainment

Carol John, 01234 708029, p.39

Performing Arts

Stageworks, 01480 223331, p.81

Pest Control

Pest Gone, 07955 156397, p.13

Plumbers/Heating Engineer/Oil/Tanks

Anglia Oil Tanks, 01638 662955, p.21

Boiler Juice, www.boilerjuice.com, p.35

DAC Services, 01234 709347, p.2

Hill Heating, 01480 890929, p.39

Hydroflow, 07917 176375, p.31

LCA Maintenance Services Ltd, 01234 266220, p.3

Pubs/Restaurants/Cafes/Catering

Avalon Bakehouse, 07860 410075, p.40

Phaf Kimbolton, 07300 296926, p.47

The Broadway, 01480 782200, p.38

The Elm, 01487 773585, p.18

The Pheasant, 01832 710303, p.30

The Wheatsheaf Perry, 01480 810253, p.42-43

Solicitors

Gilroy Steel Solicitors, 01604 800500, p.6-7

Wilson Browne Solicitors, 0800 0886004, p.53

Storage Jonathan, 07753 638948, p.75

Travel

Fun with Santa, 01480 812598, p.80

Vehicle Services/Vehicle Care/Vehicle Sales/Transport

Robinsons Garage, 01480 860581, p.49

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... Is Joining

• Generous gardens in all around a third of an

• Around 2,200 square feet of comfortable accommodation for the growing or extended family.

• Fabulous living space with areas dining, homeworking, hobbies and indoor/ outdoor entertaining.

• Versatile reception areas including living room, separate dining room, family room and summer room.

• Rustic breakfast kitchen with Rayburn and good range of cabinets.

• Adjacent utility room, guest cloakroom.

• Six bedrooms, two with en suite, plus family bathroom.

• Driveway to double garage and additional parking.

• Semi-rural village location yet convenient for access to major road and rail links.

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