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YOUR LOCAL INFORMATIVE MONTHLY GUIDE www.bystandermagazines.co.uk

ISSUE 216 February 2024

VILLAGE

BYSTANDER

INN FARM NURSERY WHY GET MESSY? 4700 COPIES FREE TO 34 VILLAGES AROUND KIMBOLTON

PATRICK MACDONALD WHAT'S THE POINT OF READING NOVELS? BEACON WEALTH MANAGEMENT PREPARING FOR A LONGER RETIREMENT PETER LANE AND PARTNERS OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES LOCAL MEMORIES HAVE WE FOUND LUCY'S BABY? AND MUCH MORE

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Hi everyone, and welcome to our February edition. We have so much going on this month! Canine Corner contribute useful advice on how our young children can live happily alongside the family dog. Patrick MacDonald answers the question ‘What’s the point of reading novels?’ Penny continues to delve into the past - this time on a quest to find Lucy’s baby. Inn Farm Nursery tells us all about the benefits of messy play and Lee is on hand to share her winter garden tips. Georgia Rose talks about about how she chooses the books she reads and reviews and composer and performer Stephen Loveday shares his experiences from his musical career. There’s lots more besides! Enjoy the magazine and don’t forget to send your Valentine’s Day card!

Julie

www.bystandermagazines.co.uk

Editor: Julie Tose Mobile: 07928 778457 julie@villagebystander.com This Month’s Contributors: Lee Munday, Paul Kinally, Penny Young, Tony Larkins, Joanne Cox, Georgia Rose, Patrick MacDonald, Anthony Withers, Hazel Wright

February Contents Editor’s Letter p.4 Health, Fitness, Beauty & Wellbeing p.8-10 Inn Farm - Why Get Messy? p.14 Local Memories: Have we Found Lucy’s Baby? p.16-17 Anthony Withers - The same book? Every year? p.18 St Neots Book Club p.20 Gardening & Outdoor Section p.22-24 Lee’s Gardening Corner p.22 Patrick MacDonald - What’s the Point of Reading Novels? p.26 I don’t have any plans p.32 Beacon Wealth Management - Preparing for a Longer Retirement p.33 Peter Lane and Partners - Out of the Mouths of Babes p.34 Bystander Community p.36-39 The Staughtons with Hail Weston Church Services p.38 Georgia Rose p.44 Stephen Loveday Astronomic Composer and Performer p.48-49 Canine Corner - Living with Dogs and Children p.50 What’s On for Children? p.52 Nurseries, Primary & Secondary Schools p.52-53 Clubs, Groups & Organisations p.54-55 Mobile Library Times p.55 Business Listings p.56 Useful and Emergency Numbers p.58

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La Cote d’Or Antiques La Cote d’Or Antiques is a small, boutique antiques shop. A genuine treasure trove, it is full of lots of interesting items. The Proprietor, MarieͲ Helene has been in the business for many decades, so if she does not have it, there is a chance she can find it! Situated on Kimbolton High Street, access is by appointment only, so please call to book ahead: 01480 861587

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LOCAL MEMORIES: By Penny Young Have we found Lucy’s baby? So many questions – but can we find the answers? Was this ‘our Lucy’ on board the San Francisco? Finding a definitive answer to this question is not proving easy. Somewhere, in the American maritime archives, we hoped that there would be a manifest or passenger list of those boarding the San Francisco for her maiden voyage. On it we might expect to find ‘this’ Miss Lucy Moore listed; marital status – remember, she was still married at this point to William Abraham Moore, perhaps with her age, perhaps with place of birth, and most importantly with her profession (actress/singer), which would nail it. So far we have not discovered this document and sadly we might never find it, as we understand that most records relating to the sinking of the San Francisco were lost during another disaster, that of the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. We are left surmising - what are the chances of it being ‘our Lucy’ on board the boat, which set sail on 22nd December 1853. The embarkation was greatly delayed due to the troops of the Third Regiment of the US Artillery not being in place. Indeed the ‘San Francisco’ should have sailed many weeks earlier, information which was uncovered during the court of inquiry, and would have avoided the boat setting sail in the treacherous seas in December. This fact was given as one of the many reasons for the sinking. Was Lucy trying to get away from New York, after the very messy shooting incident, following the sordid affairs with Jacobs and Jefferies at the Mansion House in June of that year. The inevitable bad press cannot have been good for her image. Madame Bishop’s Opera Troupe was currently on a nationwide tour and would eventually head to Australia from San Francisco. Was Lucy sailing there to join up with them? Clearly more work to do here, but it was whilst trying, on-line, many different combinations of names, places and dates, Richard Banks, (my cousin in America), found the birth of a baby. Again, this might be a red herring, but bear us out! Remember from way back, the ‘Breach of Promise’ case, where this story had all begun? In early December 1847, Miss Kirkham’s solicitor, Mr du Pasquier stated that Miss Kirkham was ‘enceinte’ (pregnant) and that it was thought that this had occurred during the elopement. From newspaper articles, we can see that Miss Kirkham ceases performing in public in July 1847, and we think this is when she and Charles eloped. They are finally brought to heel at the end of September, when Lucy is sent home to her mother and Charles is whisked out of harm’s way by his uncle and taken to Belgium. Lucy’s aunt and uncle, George and Lucy Anderson were keen on Lucy receiving a good financial settlement, in compensation, (from my three times Gt Grandfather) to cover the time she would be unable to work, whilst nursing a baby. Lucy eventually arrives in New York on 4th February 1848 and unbelievably marries William Abraham Moore on 24th February – just 20 days later. We have heard the testimony of William G. Jackman, who gave away the bride, (Lucy), and was witness to the marriage of Lucy and William, as recorded in the church records. He does not state whether the bride might perhaps have looked a little ‘plump around the middle!’ Were the mid-19th century gowns able to disguise the fact that Lucy might have been five months pregnant? 16

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Richard emailed me to say – I think you had better get your DNA tested, I have found the birth of a baby and if it is Charles and Lucy’s baby, you may have a 5th cousin living in America. Richard had found the birth of a George Moore Stowe, born in June 1848, but with the child not being baptised until 1851, when we are assuming that he was adopted by a family, surname Stowe, and ‘Moore’, which was perhaps his original surname, then becoming his middle name on adoption. This is all speculation, but we can make a case here for the baby being Charles and Lucy’s. The earliest reports we can find of Lucy appearing on stage on Broadway, are 1852. Had the baby just been adopted at that point? Was the arranged marriage already in trouble? Did William Moore not want to have anything to do with someone else’s baby? Did he insist on Lucy giving up her baby? Very soon Lucy had moved out of the ‘marital home’ and was boarding at the Mansion House. I told Richard that my DNA had been tested and it was already on the ‘Ancestry’ website. I shared my DNA profile with Richard – it sounds like I know what I am talking about here – only I don’t! Not many hours later Richard was back in touch. “Do you know that you are related to the Kirkhams? – I thought you said that you were related to the Kendalls”. I told Richard that I was related to the Kendalls and had absolutely no idea that I could possibly be related to the Kirkhams as well. I was completely blown away. Richard surmised that my strong connection to Lucy Kirkham came not only from a sense of duty to ‘right the wrongs’ done to her by the Kendalls, but now he thought that it may be due to the DNA connection that I have to the Kirkhams and the fact that I am very distantly related to Lucy. Oh, my goodness – I was blown away and not a little tearful. Wayne had taken a back seat from the search for the time. In his words – he was ‘Lucy’d Out’! He is very much a ‘proof man’ and we had now moved into the realms of speculation – was it Lucy on the boat? Did she drown? Did she survive? No cold hard facts to support any of these statements. But I still kept sending Wayne what we had found anyway – with apologies that it was - ‘Lucy again’! Then I received that saddest email from Wayne. He had been out of the loop for a while, as one of his grandson’s , Callum, had been taken seriously ill and was on life support, in hospital, where they live in Adelaide, Australia. Tragically Callum did not pull through and died, aged 23, a few days later. Not long after Callum’s funeral, attended by 300 people and which was, I am sure, unbearably sad, the family gathered to ‘celebrate’ Wayne’s 80th birthday. I don’t think any of us really relish celebrating these milestone birthdays and what terrible timing for Wayne. Life can be so unfathomably cruel, and I dedicate this story to Callum. His grandfather, Wayne, shared a picture of him and he just looks a great lad and my heart breaks for the family as they try to come to terms with their terrible loss. Wayne – trooper that he is picked up the baton. We had been so immersed in Lucy’s story, that poor Charles had taken a back seat. Wayne dived headfirst into the New Zealand archives and found Charles William Kendall on the Electoral Rolls for 1855, ’56 and ’57, residing in Rangiaowhia, Auckland as a squatter. At one time, in 1860, he boarded a ship in Melbourne bound for Liverpool, England, but got off again in Auckland. What is Charles even doing in New Zealand? I think the Charles and Lucy story still has a way to go. Please mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts

The same book? Every year? Radio 4 had a discussion recently about their guests' favourite books and, when asked by the presenter what they were reading, one of the guests responded: ‘At this time of year in the post Christmas lull, I turn to one of my favourite books and I read it again with much pleasure. ‘And the book is?’ The response surprised the questioner. ‘Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame.’ The follow up question was obvious. ‘How can you really enjoy a book you know backwards by now.’ It's a fair point but I sympathised. For years now I have been reading the same two books at the same time of year, in between the Christmas revels and the dark days of January. We were set the task of reading Wind in the Willows in our first year of Grammar School. Our teacher was Mr Ogdon, whose son, John, became the first Englishman to win the Tchaikovsky piano competition in Moscow in 1962. We first-formers dutifully read the book without it making much of an impression. Water rats, moles, badgers and a sprinkling of stouts and weasels, what was there to get excited about? It wasn't until I re-read the book ten years later (what prompted me to do that?) that I realised that this was actually an adult children's story. The plot revolves around the English class system: the upper crust (Mr Toad), the wise old councillor (Badger), the respectable middle classes (Mole and Ratty) and finally the potentially rebellious lower orders (stouts and weasels). Once you understand that, the story is an endless delight worthy of regular re-reading, although I never really got the Piper at the Gates of Dawn episode, despite Pink Floyd. The second of these 'forever’ books was the recommendation of Mr Thompson, our English teacher in the Fifth Form. It was a chapter called The Essen Barges from Greenmantle by John Buchan (he of 39 Steps fame). I'm not sure now why we read only the single chapter, taken moreover, from the middle of the book, so we had no idea of the story. In the book, our heroes, the intrepid Richard Hannay, Lord Sandy Arbuthnot, John Scantlebury Blenkiron and Peter Pienaar set out to uncover a dastardly German plot to foment rebellion in the British Empire. The book still has resonance today (it’s set in 1915) which is why the Beeb cancelled a dramatisation a few years ago. So in this chapter, we meet Hannay, looking at the barges on the Rhine heading eastwards to Budapest and beyond. How can he hitch a lift without being unmasked? Well, I read this chapter and as Mr Thompson suspected we all rushed to the school library to find out the whole story. Credit to Messrs Ogdon and Thompson, they got us into the habit of reading for the sheer pleasure of it. I now enjoy reading the book every year. Comfort reading? You tell me. PS A reader points out that World of Books (WoB) is the equal of Abebooks if you’re looking for a long forgotten volume. Anthony Withers aw.staughton@gmail.com

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ST NEOTS BOOK CLUB I think it’s far enough away from January 1st to reassess any over-ambitious resolutions. Never mind diets and exercising, how about trying something fun? Here are five things I’ve learnt from the St Neots Book Club. 1. Books are cheap. The club has an unwritten rule about only selecting books which are available at reasonable prices, physically or digitally. If you consider buying from Amazon to be trading with the devil, there’ll normally be a member, or indeed a library who can lend it to you. There’s a mix of genres as well, fiction, biography, history, science. But not maths. 2. You don’t have to read the book. On the face of it, reading one book a month isn’t too Herculean a task. However, life has an irritating habit of intruding on leisure time. Some group members allocate a set number of pages a day, some use commuting time for reading, some read while drinking, and have to re-read the last few pages. Every time. Of course, not bothering to read the book is always an option, albeit an unusual one, considering it’s a book club. 3. There are some terrible books out there. But rarely will the group agree on which ones are genuinely bad. For every book that engendered hatred, someone really liked it. Apart from The Pilgrim’s Progress. 4. Book clubs aren’t always about the books. Some exist as an excuse to drink and spread slander, both noble occupations. Some exist for people to drone on about themselves, a somewhat less worthy calling. St Neots Book Club exists primarily for book discussion (again, the clue’s in the name), but it’s very informal. Throw in the occasional meal out, generous hosting and cake baking, and I’d say we’ve got the balance just right. 5. It’s a very friendly group. Horror stories abound of clubs which invite newcomers and then recreate Tom Brown’s Schooldays, but the St Neots Book Club is genuinely welcoming. I joined as a complete stranger to the area, and have made some very good friends. The members come from all over the county and beyond, with a more diverse membership than many traditional book clubs. Plus I’ve read books which I wouldn’t ever have considered my type. Of course, some weren’t terribly enjoyable, but expanding one’s literary horizons is surely one of the main reasons for joining a book club. Why not give it a go this year? You can find the group on the Meetup app or website (https://www.meetup.com/st-neots-book-club). See you soon and happy reading! 20

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Gardening and Outdoor Section: p.22-24 Lee’s Gardening Corner Hopefully February will not be as wet as the last few months, but we could certainly get frost and snow as it is the middle of winter, but the first signs of Spring are now definitely on their way - you might have to go and look for them though, they will probably be hiding. Early bulbs, such as snowdrops, and some flowers (aconites and cyclamen) will be around. Work on the garden if you can without it making an awful mess, there will always be things to do, especially if it's been mild. Finish off any digging, whether making new borders and beds, or just tidying up areas. The grass can be cut if it's been mild and dry, but stay off it as much as you can if it's been frosty, otherwise it may kill the grass. Some clematis can now be pruned (the ones that flower after July), they flower on new growth so if cut back now will have enough time to grow well, cut back to around 10in. Older shrubs and hedges can be pruned to renew their shape and size. If we do end up having a load of snow brush the majority of it off conifers and evergreen shrubs so that it doesn't bend and break branches. If you haven’t finished pruning roses then they should be done soon as they will get moving as soon as the weather improves slightly, cut back to a new shoot and take out any dead growth. Tidy any winter pots and baskets, making sure they aren't water logged. In the greenhouse you can start to sow seeds, things like onions, broad beans, sweet peas can be started now. Prune Autumn flowering raspberries, and plant other soft fruit. Winter pruning of apple and pear trees can be finished, taking off any dead, diseased or branches that are crossing and rubbing (this must be done by March). Flowers at their peak now include snowdrops, cyclamen, hardy Primulas and hellebores.

Lee Munday 22

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What’s the point of reading novels? Why do we bother with them? Is it just a question of escapism? Of finding just one more way of relieving boredom or distracting ourselves from the everyday worries we all carry. For me, there are three reasons. The principle one is that of connection. We are all trapped in our own consciousness; we can never really know what it might be like to inhabit someone else’s skin. Novels, though, help us to bridge that gap: they allow us to spend time walking in someone else’s shoes, to feel their lived experience. They build empathy. The second reason is, quite simply, about storytelling. When I was a child I remember sitting enthralled in a classroom listening to a teacher reading The Hobbit to us. It transported us all into a new magical world. Human beings have always told each other stories and the oral tradition of storytelling existed for thousands of years before the advent of literacy and the invention of the printing press. Stories make sense of the world we live in which brings me to the third reason for reading novels. They offer life lessons; they tell us how other people have overcome adversity, survived the death of a loved one, or learnt what’s really important to them in life. At best they tell us how to live and are more valuable than any number of self-help books. That’s why I continue to read novels and also what I try to strive for in my own work. My favourite novels are the ones you literally can’t put down because the storytelling is so compelling and you are completely identified with the characters. A woman told me recently that she enjoyed my last novel and read it in ‘two gulps’ over two days. That was the greatest compliment she could have paid me. Patrick MacDonald is the author of three novels: The Faces That You Meet, Darkness Falling and The Invitation. The latter is his most recent and is a psychological thriller set in and around Cambridge. All of the novels are available on Amazon and for those who still like being read to, Darkness Falling is also available as an audio book. I’m also running a promotion on Amazon for Darkness Falling for 5 days from 31st January to 4th February. The Kindle version will be free during this period before reverting back to the normal price of £3.99.

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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.

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I don’t have any plans Anne was driving home from work feeling very low. She had just come out of a meeting with her manager in which she had been reminded that her five-year plan was overdue. ‘I don’t have any plans for the next five years!’, she shouted, as she drove. Why did everyone keep asking about her plans!! Just six weeks ago she had returned to work after Christmas, trying to be more positive and optimistic. She had barely sat behind her desk when a colleague had asked, ‘So what are your plans for the New Year?’ ‘I don’t have any plans’, Anne had replied. A couple of weeks later another colleague, over a cup of coffee, had asked ‘So what are your holiday plans this year?’ ‘I don’t have any plans,’ Anne had replied. Then, earlier today, Anne had taken herself out for a walk in her lunch break, and had stood outside a florist, admiring the beautiful flowers all waiting to be bought for Valentine’s Day. The woman who owned the shop came out to chat. ‘So, what are your plans for Valentine’s Day?’ she asked. ‘I don’t have any plans’, Anne had replied. Anne knew that she couldn’t face going straight home, so she stopped the car near her local park and went to sit on a bench, quietly watching the birds and wildlife. Anne now worked for just two days a week, because the rest of her week she was a carer for her husband who had started the long journey of dementia. The two days she worked, her sister and her daughter went to stay with her husband, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before she had to reduce her work hours still further. Anne didn’t have any plans because she couldn’t have any plans. Anne watched the birds busily going about their lives, mainly looking for food. A squirrel scampered past her and rapidly climbed a nearby tree, wrapping its long tail round the branches. As Anne continued to watch, she slowly began to realise that they didn’t really have plans either – they just went with the flow of the seasons and nature instead of fighting against it. Gradually she realised that she should perhaps change her way of looking at things. She could make plans – it would be good for her to make plans, as it would give her a purpose and a direction. She just had to accept that those plans would need to be flexible, and she would have to be prepared to change them or abandon them if necessary. She needed to go with the flow instead of fighting it. Suddenly, Anne felt so much better and she returned to her car. As she continued her journey home, she began to plan what she could do that evening to celebrate Valentine’s Day with her husband. Hazel Wright: hazelwright1801@gmail.com 32

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BEACON WEALTH MANAGEMENT YOUR GUIDING LIGHT IN FINANCE

PREPARING FOR A LONGER RETIREMENT BY TONY LARKINS I’ve mentioned in previous articles that we no longer refer to ‘threescore and ten’ (70 years old) as an average lifespan. The UK has over 11m people aged 65+, and over 500,000 aged 90+. The average life expectancy for a baby girl today is 91 years; 2/3 of boys will reach 95, whilst 1 in 5 one-year olds are expected to reach 100 (Aegon). Put another way, The Queen was known for sending Birthday Messages to those celebrating their 100th birthday. In 1961, only 479 such messages were sent. In 2021, this had risen to 13,924! Traditionally, we may have divided our lives into three parts: Education | Work | Retirement But as we spend longer amounts of time in retirement, perhaps we should divide our life into two parts instead: Being Active | Being Less Active Advances in medicine and technology such as AI mean that ailments currently considered life-threatening or disabling are expected to see cures that could extend our life expectancy considerably. With longer lives to live, we’ll need to save more money for our retirement, and perhaps even delay when to gift our assets and estates.

This is why making plans for both your retirement and estate is important. You’ll need to make sure your finances are prepared for both ‘Active’ and ‘Less Active’ phases of your life. In 2023, the investment markets were difficult - it looked as though it was going to be a terrible year until a very strong recovery in November and December. This recovery meant our average investor ended up with just under 7% growth. That said, this brought little comfort against the panic experienced over the last two years. How and where you invest, and understanding the risks, forms part of how you plan for your future. It’s important to review how you invest for your different phases of life. To speak with one of our expert Financial Planners, please call us on 01480 869466 for a free initial, no obligation chat. future fees may apply

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Out of the Mouths of Babes Paul Kinally of Peter Lane & Partners in Kimbolton looks forward to a resurgent property market in the New Year. When a building goes up in flames, the media reports a fire: what it doesn’t do is report the smoke beforehand. Similarly, no one at the moment is headlining the marked increase in property activity witnessed by estate agents in the lead-up to Christmas. In fact, far from a seasonal slowdown, there were more viewings in each month of November and December than in September. There is no smoke without fire, and with this pickup in activity, declining inflation and the early signs of falling mortgage interest rates through 2024, we can look forward to an improving property market in the coming months. No doubt also, both Conservative and Labour parties will try to lure the electorate with new housing policies designed to stimulate the property market further. Nor is this optimism based solely on the above. 2023 saw increased interest from firsttime buyers. This trend should continue as we emerge into a more buoyant market that also stimulates second movers, thus making more first-time buyer properties available. This would be the long-wished-for virtuous circle. Most baby boomers and millennials consider property as part-home and partinvestment vehicle. For them property has been the gift that has kept on giving. But let’s look at the property market from the eyes of twenty-year-olds. For them the last decade has been challenging. This group, often priced out of home ownership and suffering increasingly high rents, says they aren’t looking for investment opportunities they’re simply looking for somewhere to lay their heads. Out of the mouths of babes, Generation Z reminds us that first and foremost a home is to live in. Nor should we forget the role the older generation is playing in this residential resurgence. Baby Boomers might not be moving much themselves at the moment but in 2023 the Bank of Mum and Dad and the Bank of Grandma and Grandpa invested over £8 billion in property: that’s not personal investment but an investment in the futures of their children and grandchildren. 2024 should be a year of looking forward and growing opportunity. Above all it should be a time when property is purchased, but mostly to live in than to trade in. Now that should give the media a blazingly good headline. 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 34

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Is your Space still working for you?

Kitchen Culture Cambridgeshire are your local specialists in designing and installing exceptional bespoke interiors. Our recently extended showroom will help to inspire your dream project and is based just outside the market town of St Neots in Cambridgeshire. With 12 working displays, you can see and feel a real selection of kitchen styles as well as leading appliances and worktop brands and all the exciting bells and whistles your home deserves. We can manage your entire project from concept to installation with our dedicated team. You will feel confident and supported at every step, we offer an exceptional quality of service and remain very competitive. Alternatively, if you have your own team, we offer supply only options. “Excellent service throughout. I am so pleased we went with Kitchen Culture; Simon listened to what we thought we wanted and made some very helpful observations and suggestions …All the plumbers, electricians and fitters, were very professional and did an excellent job. We now have a tailormade, lovely looking, high quality kitchen that has made optimum use of the space available.” M Wayland Showroom opening times: Tuesday - Friday, 9am - 5pm. Saturdays 9-4pm or by appointment. Book an appointment with us: 01480 861822, info@kitchenculturecambridgeshire.co.uk See our work on Instagram and facebook or visit www.kitchenculturecambridgeshire.co.uk

PERTENHALL ROAD, GREAT STAUGHTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE19 5BE

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Bystander Community HAIL WESTON WILDLIFE AND GARDENING GROUP Tuesday February 6th 7:30pm Hail Weston Village hall Chris Field – Field Compost Ltd (Peat Free) All you need to know about mulching, composting and much more. Cost £1 for members and £3 for non-members. (Yearly membership £7) Tea/Coffee/glass of wine/biscuits will be available at the meeting for a voluntary donation.

Mandeville Hall T u e s d a y 2 nd J a n u a r y 2 0 2 4 T u e s d a y 6 th F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 4 T u e s d a y 5 th M a r c h 2 0 2 4

7.30pm for 8.00pm Start • Generous cash prizes • Raffle • Refreshments Available

KEYSOE VILLAGE HALL BIG BREAKFAST Saturdays 9th December 20th January 17th February & 16th March 9.00am until last orders 11.00am Full English £7.00 Small English £4.50 Breakfast Bap £3.50 No need to Book just turn up and enjoy

Bring a friend and come along and join in the fun All proceeds to the Mandeville Hall Charity Registered Charity No 302646

Miss Franks Jumble Sale Saturday 6th April

Manderville Hall, Kimbolton Doors open at 2:00 pm until 4 :00pm Stalls, bric a brac ,clothing nearly new, Books ,toys. Refreshments available. Entrance fee only £1. 36

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At the end of last term we enjoyed a sleepover after the Kimbolton Girlguiding Units’ Christingle Craft Day. The Guides enjoyed making their own pizza before settling down to watch a film. The following weekend we enjoyed a trip to Peterborough Cathedral to a countyorganised Silent Disco. Here we joined with Guides from across the county to 'party' for a couple of hours. It was (perhaps unsurprisingly) fairly quiet until a song came on that they all loved! The following day, the leaders joined with Kimbolton Scouts at the Kimbolton Christmas Market to raise funds for their units. This term, we will join with others from the division in celebrating Thinking Day. This is a chance for us to not only meet others in the local area but to remember our founders. We are also planning to fundraise not only for our unit, but for the East Anglia Air Ambulance and for one of our Rangers who has been chosen to take part in a GOLD project in Madagascar representing Girlguiding. In Girlguiding we help all girls know they can do anything. For more information or to join us go to

girlguiding.org.uk/joinus.

Local Poet Launches New Book Nina Murray, a resident in Brington, is having her poetry book 'Gannota: A Tale of Three Thimbles" published by The Braag CIC. Poet and translator Nina Murray explores the life and myth of Larysa Kosach, the Ukrainian feminist thinker and poet known by her pen-name Lesya Ukrainka. With the richness of fairytale, Murray weaves a story following several generations, the women that carry them and the losses that follow them. These are poems about blood, homelands, and three miraculous thimbles. Nina Murray is a Ukrainian-American poet and translator. She is the author of several poetry collections. Her translation of Lesia Ukrainka’s Cassandra was performed at the Omnibus Theatre in London in 2022 and toured to Cambridge and Oxford in 2023. Nina grew up in Lviv and lives, for the moment, in Cambridgeshire. The Braag CIC is a publisher of speculative fiction and poetry chapbooks and of the quarterly micro-journal Carmen et Error. It focuses on weird, wild fiction and poetry and produces beautiful things on a small scale. More information can be found at thebraag.co. Please mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts

Services across the Benefice for February. For more information visit www.swhw.co.uk All 10.30am services can be accessed via Zoom: ID 418 4055 563 Passcode: 022067

ST. ANDREW’S, GREAT STAUGHTON

Sun 4th:

Morning & Evening Prayer are held on Zoom at 8.30am & 5.30pm respectively on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday 5.30pm only.

10.30am All Age Worship Sun 11th: 10.30am Parish Communion Wed 14th: 7.30pm Ash Wednesday Communion with Imposition of Ashes

Join us at St. Andrew’s church on Friday for an informal bit of fun with your toddlers and pre-schoolers, along with refreshments and chat for the adults. 9.00am - 10.30am during the school term

Sun 18th: 10.30am Parish Communion Sun 25th: 10.30am Parish Communion 4.00pm Benefice Evensong

ALL SAINTS, LITTLE STAUGHTON

Sun 4th:

9.00am Parish Communion

Sun 18th: 9.00am Parish Communion

ST. NICOLAS, HAIL WESTON

Sun 4th:

10.30am Morning Worship

Wed 7th: 10.00am Morning Prayer Sun 11th:

Sat 24th: All Saints Black Tie Dinner at Little Staughton Village Hall - see www.swhw.co.uk for more details

8.00am BCP Holy Communion

9.00am Parish Communion

Wed 14th: 10.00am Ash Wednesday Communion with Imposition of Ashes Sun 18th: 3.00pm Creative Communion Sun 25th: 9.00am Parish Communion

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Join us for an evening of songs from the Hunts Male Voice Choir in St. Andrew’s Church, Great Staughton, PE19 5BB

Friday 19th April 7.15pm for 7.30pm start Tickets: £15.00 each (includes a glass of wine or soft drink)

Tickets available from: John Hitchin

Tel: 07702 597670

Glenn Coiley

Tel: 07854 673771

Bryan Kitchen

Tel: 07804 753087

Funds raised to support the operation of St. Andrew’s church and the Hunts Male Voice Choir

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NEED AN ADVERT CREATING? Fast design services Ability to work from a brief or from scratch No extra charges for amends* Contact me

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AFFORDABLE MARKETING SERVICES Social media management Content creation and optimisation Design services Event management Contact me for more information

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.Windows .Composite Doors .Bi-folding, Patio & French Doors .Orangeries & Garden Rooms .Warm, Flat & Replacement Roofs .Roofline .Porches & Canopies

Warm Roofs & Conservatories

Personal new build design service or thermal efficient refurbishments.

Follow on Facebook to win a free composite door!

To book a free consultation in the comfort of your own home or at our Roxton showsite, contact Alex Watts today!

07935 002 610 Roxton Garden Centre, Bedford Road, Roxton, MK44 3DY 01480 219 004 | www.gaphomeimprovements.co.uk

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LOCAL BRICKWORK COMPANY EST. 2013 NEW BUILDS AND EXTENSIONS - GARDEN AND BOUNDARY WALLS REPOINTING WORKS - BRICK REPAIRS - BRICK FEATURE WORK

SAINTS WORK ACROSS CAMBRIDGESHIRE, BEDFORDSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CONTACT US TO ARRANGE A HOME VISIT / QUOTATION 01480 479355 / 07533 993766 OR EMAIL INFO@SAINTSBRICKWORKLTD.CO.UK FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK 'SAINTS BRICKWORK LTD'

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.SAINTSLTD.CO.UK

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COINS BOUGHT Grafham Coins

Qualified dog groomers New clients receive 10% off first treatment Based in Little Staughton We welcome any breed of dog big or small, young to elderly, nervous to happy All treatments are one to one basis Set in a stress free environment We can deal with any needs that your dog may require We can provide a local pick up and drop back service We offer: Puppy Introductions Bath & Dry Full Grooms Nail clipping Hand stripping And much more

Contact Mike grafhamcoins@hotmail.co.uk 01480 811227 07816 850455

Ring Katie on 07774519694 or Sally on 07768194367

www.silverwebsites.co.uk Reach out via WhatsApp or call for a FREE no-obligation chat Silver Websites is based in Kimbolton with an office in Raunds

07340 234 555

Shine Online with a stress-free website web design | pay monthly websites | green website hosting

free listings for clubs, businesses, shops & more on our community website www.kimbolton.online

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I sat in my office the other day and received an email asking me to rate my delivery for an item that I was unaware had even arrived. The next day I was asked to review the item itself. It seems that nowadays we can’t do anything without receiving a request to review the company. Every month I do a pension run for a client and I’m asked by the pension provider to review how it went. I renewed my car insurance. Sure enough a ‘How did we do?’ email arrived. Whether you book a train journey, a holiday, or order groceries, use any website anywhere and at some point you will inevitably receive a request to review some aspect of the service. And it’s not only online companies wanting our opinions. I came through an airport a while back and after using the facilities was greeted with a row of three buttons from a red sad face, through neutral orange to a green happy one to rate my experience. Ignore those request emails and you can be sure to receive a follow-up. Probably more than one. Annoying, isn’t it? I think so, while at the same time I have a request for readers to review my work at the back of my books. I never said I wasn’t a hypocrite. Although I believe there is a difference. I do go out of my way for independents and small businesses, particularly creative ones. You might have read the book reviews I’ve posted on this page. I made the decision as soon as I published my first book to review the books I chose to read. It seemed only fair, as how could I expect anyone to leave a review of my work if I wasn’t willing to do the same? You can see all my reviews under the blog section of my website, should you be interested.

When I started writing, and knowing I was going to be an independent author, I only read books produced by other indie authors, because I wanted to see what was out there. Since I joined a book group in the village that has changed slightly as traditionally published books are often chosen. So how do I go about reviewing what I’ve read? Well, more on that next month. 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 www.georgiarosebooks.com. 44

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Whitchurch Wines

21 High St, Kimbolton.

WHO ARE WE? Your local wine shop. We are a small, family-run business. My father-in-law, David, opens up on a Wednesday, then it is yours truly from Wednesday after 4.30pm until we close the door for the week on Saturday. My wife Heather also helps out and you my even find one of our offspring stacking a shelf or two occasionally! New In: Dom Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc 2020—£21

Spanish Wine Tasting Focusing on some of the wines of producer Miguel Merino, but encompassing other gems from Spain, this promises to be a great evening in the Tasting Room. Tickets are £30 and to reserve yours, contact: jeff@whitchurchwines.co.uk

Last month saw the doors shut on one of our favourite High St shops, Truffles and Twine. We wish Nicola all the best for the future and look forward to welcoming a new vets to the village.

The ’Truffles’ may also not be leaving the High St, so watch this space...

WHAT’s ON IN FEBRUARY?

WHEN ARE WE OPEN?

7th Wine Bar Wednesday — Pop-up bar.

Wednesday 12-6pm Except WBW!

21st Wine Bar Wednesday — Pop-up bar.

Thursday 10:30-5pm

22nd Spanish Wine Tasting. 27th Cheese Tuesday - British cheeses supplied by Rennet and Rind, matched with wines. Reserve your board now!

Friday 10.30-7pm Saturday 10.30-5pm

For more information pop-in and ask, or email jeff@whitchurchwines.co.uk

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A Deep Down DRY Clean For your Carpets & Rugs Immediate use as soon as cleaned! Substantial benefit to asthma sufferers! No colour run and No shrinkage! Upholstery Also Cleaned

Stop Press!!

leather upholstery now Cleaned Call Bryan on: 01790 763040 Or: 07766 576381

Are you someone who owns a business or works for a local business? Come and join our monthly ‘more than just networking’ meetings Tilbrook Village Hall 11am -12.30pm - £10 First Wednesday of every month Please call or email to book your place John: 07702 597670 johnhitchin@btinternet.com

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Your local, bespoke estate agency • Independent Estate Agent • Bespoke Marketing Packages • Personal and Tailored Service • Home-finder Service For Your Onward Search • Free Market Appraisals

Homes

Properties of the month FOR SALE

FOR SALE

High Street, Spaldwick 6/ 8 Bed Character Home with annexes £950,000

High Street, Kimbolton 4 Bed Character Home £700,000

High Street, Riseley 3/ 4 Bed Cottage £500,000

FOR SALE

Loop Road, Keyston 4 Bed Detached £650,000

Station Road, Tilbrook 3 Bed Detached £700,000

The Orchard, Riseley 3 Bed Semi Detached £350,000

Full details available on our website or at

01480 597799 carrestates.co.uk hello@carrestates.co.uk

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Stephen Loveday Astronomic Composer and Performer I wake up at 6.30 a.m. to the noise of our 3 dogs and, trying not to disturb Ellie my wife, go and endeavour to rouse Cooper! Cooper then gets himself ready and we have breakfast, this is followed by Cooper doing his daily spelling, ‘times tables’, and ‘maths whizz’, don’t ask! I then get the dogs who are a lot more ready to go for a walk than Cooper is to go to school, which is just down the road, after Cooper is safely dropped off at his school, I carry on for a longer walk with the 3 dogs. I then grab a coffee and after a chat with Ellie repair to my studio to carry on with my various compositional projects. At 3 p.m. I’m off again with the dogs, to collect Cooper from school, at home we have family time, my wife Ellie is into pottery now, but she also paints and sings, often to my accompaniment. We have dinner around 5 and generally relax, in between all of this we try and get Cooper to complete his homework, which at times can be work itself! Cooper has his bath, and we hope to get him into his bed by 8 o clock, followed by Ellie and I by 9.30, not such a ‘rockstar life’ for me these days. I arrived on planet earth on the 16th of March 1966, the year which I now know, is the last time we won the World Cup, it’s been a while. My dad was a driving instructor, and my mum was a nurse and we lived in Enfield, I went to school at St Mary’s Mill Hill and finally left my educational years with ‘O’ levels in Maths, English, Maths and Engineering. Whilst at school I first picked up my dad’s guitars along with my brother Darren. Because we scratched them, our dad bought us our own, which is when it all started! Mum and dad used to sing and were on the holiday camp circuit and once got on ‘Opportunity Knocks’, though actually their knocks weren’t quite loud enough, sadly. I was self-taught on the guitar and accompanied the teacher on the piano for the singing at assemblies, my first public performances. My brother Darren and I formed a band, ‘On the Level’ which got pub bookings in the North London area. When we really took off, it was due to our rendition of Chi Mai at the ‘Moss Hall Tavern’. This amazingly led to roars of somewhat scary approval from big hairy bikers, who actually ended up adopting us as their go to band! My brother Darren is an exceptional guitarist and has performed with Shakin Stevens and Katrina and the Waves, they still perform together now! I joined a band, the Mournblade, which toured with Motorhead, we released an album in 1988: if you’re interested: stephenloveday.co.uk 48

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Performing with Motorhead at the London Hippodrome, an EMI ‘spotter’ asked me to write some music for an advert for television: from then on, I was a professional musician, performer and composer, writing music for ‘Friends’, ‘Come Dine with Me’, the ‘Pelican Brief’, ‘Absolutely Fabulous, and the ‘Long Way Round’, along with many other film and TV shows. I first met Ellie when playing at a gig in the Mandeville Hall in 2011, put on by Owen Edwards, a very good friend and excellent musician. Another great pal of mine, Roger Batting who’s a top drummer is giving lessons to my son Cooper, who knows, he may well follow me into being a professional musician, I do hope so. I plan to continue being a working musician to the end of my days, a long way off I hope. I am very busy with new projects which includes producing for bands and doing the mixing for them. I love living in Kimbolton, the people are from many backgrounds, Ellie and I are very sociable and enjoy the friendship of many in the Kimbolton Community. With that in mind I have already started a series of ‘open mic’ nights in the New Sun, Kimbolton High Street----a bit of product placement there Naomi, free beer next time? This is on the 1st Sunday of the month, on a first come first served basis, the encouragement of budding performers is so important these days. So, what about the Stars??!! I am hooked on astronomy and attend many weekends with fellow ‘gazers’, especially the annual Astrofest in Kensington, the next one is on February the 1st. This is where I first met Brian May, who signed my ‘astro-guitar’, can you imagine. In the past I have chatted with the late Sir Patrick Moore, who was a tremendous friend of Brian May’s, who himself has a degree in astronomy and such is the high esteem that Brian is held in, he was made an honorary member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians! I’m hoping my uncle, who’s a member, will take me there one day, I must get a haircut apparently! My father is a keen guitarist and what with my brother Darren being a top performer and my nephew, Reece, who studied ‘sound’ at university who works with me (his claim to fame is having worked at Glastonbury), we are a family of working musicians for sure. Favourites: Food is Japanese, I worked as assistant chef for while in a Japanese restaurant. Place in the world is Monument Valley. Group is Genesis and classical music is the theme tune of ‘The Sky at Night’ which Sir Patrick Moore presented, ‘At the castle gate’ by Jean Sibelius 1865-1957, but of course you all knew that. And fairly importantly, drink: Bourbon, cheers! The advice I would give everyone: Everybody love Everybody.

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Canine Corner - Living with dogs and children Dogs and children can live perfectly happily together, they can enrich the lives of one another and there is nothing more lovely than seeing a child playing with his or her pet dog. Having a dog in the family teaches a child how to be caring and compassionate, how to respect living creatures and when they are old enough, how to take on responsibility. As a parent and dog owner, it is your responsibility to oversee all interactions to ensure a safe and harmonious relationship between your dog and your child. •

Toddlers can be quite unnerving for dogs; they can be loud and unpredictable, they fall over easily and grab things unexpectedly. Always supervise interactions between your dog and your toddler, never leave them alone. Even the most tolerant dog is still a dog and it is unfair to expect them to cope alone with the attention of a toddler. Your job as a parent is to protect your child from your dog and your dog from your child.

•

Teach your toddler to be calm and gentle with the dog, lead by example and show them how to stroke gently. Praise them when they stroke the dog correctly. Never allow your toddler to hug/ climb on/ be rough with the dog. Neither should they be allowed to put fingers in the dogs mouth. Teach your toddler to leave dog alone when they are asleep/ resting and make sure your dog is never bothered by your toddler when he is eating or has a chew.

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Always watch your dog for signs of anxiety around your child and visiting children. Trying to hide, panting, low/ crouching body language, lip licking, yawning, wide 'whale' eyes and growling are all signs of stress. Make sure your dog can escape from the children to somewhere quiet. If you have lots of children visiting it may be difficult to actively supervise all interactions so it is a good idea to put your dog in a quiet room out of the way. Many dog bite incidents occur during family get-togethers when the dog gets overwhelmed but the adults are too distracted to notice.

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As your child grows up, teach them not to approach strange dogs unless they ask you first and you can check with the owner. It is always better to give the dog the choice, even if the owner says it is fine, their dog might not agree. Tell your child to stand a few feet away. If the dog comes to say hello, the child can calmly hold out his hand for the dog to sniff. If the dog wants a fuss, their shoulder is usually the safest place. If the dog chooses not to approach the child, tell them that it is fine, the dog does not feel like saying hello today and it is important to respect that.

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If you are concerned about your dog’s behaviour around your children, please contact an ABTC Registered behaviourist for advice.

Laura Travis BSc (Hons) PG Dip CABC - Clinical Animal Behaviourist

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Please contact us for any quality property you are looking to rent or to rent out Family business – please check our reviews on Facebook to see what clients say about our service

Tel 07814 709 320

Info@TopHatProjects.co.uk

Proprietor Jules Sismey Williamson Top Hat Projects, 4 Molesworth Business Estate, Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0QG

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Baby and Toddler 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. Rhyme time - rhymes and stories for babies and toddlers aged 0 - 2 years. St Neots library. 2 sessions 10am & 11.15am term time only on alternate Fridays Baby Gym classes Promoting tummy time, sensory stimulation and adult two baby bonding 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 Esther Crook on 07713 165935 esthercrook1@gmail.com Gt Staughton Guides Lindy Bornman, email fgsguides@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, Contact: Jenny Hassell - 07541 196834 1st Brington Scout Group, Contact: 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, lindaallendance@btinternet.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

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Riseley Rascals, Riseley Village Hall (Term Time Only) St. Leonards Day Care, Brington

07986 313037 9:30- 11am Tuesday morning 01832 710020

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

Kimbolton Vets Opening Spring 2024 A new independent vet practice in the heart of the Kimbolton community Visit our website to register your pets and follow our instagram @kimbolton_vets to keep up to date with our progress

18 High Street, Kimbolton www.kimboltonvets.co.uk Please mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts

Clubs, Groups and Organisations Great Staughton Village Hub Kimbolton Senior Citizens lunch club (Thurs, 12noon) Mandeville Hall, St Neots and District U3A Catworth Women’s Group Catworth Quilters Group Ellington Neighbourhood Watch Gt Staughton Horticultural Society Grafham & Ellington Art Group Whist Drives, Ellington Gt Staughton Playing Field & Pavilion Neighbourhood Watch Gt Staughton Kimbolton Flower Club Kimbolton Local History Society Save the Children Fund Hargrave Investment Club Kimbolton Parish Council Bell Ringing (Kimbolton Church) Kimbolton Fire Station - recruitment Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Little Staughton Parish Clerk Pertenhall & Swineshead Parish Clark Bolnhurst & Keysoe Parish Council Clerk Stow Longa Village Community - social events Churchwarden, All Saints’ Church Tilbrook Village Newsletter Tilbrook Amenites Committee Tilbrook Parish Council Clerk Kimbolton WI Ellington WI Gt Staughton WI Pertenhall WI Perry WI Kimbolton & district Royal British Legion Kimbolton Castle Rotary Club Ellington Village Club The Villages Gardening Club Hunts Phil Orchestra & Chorus North Beds Ramblers

Details on the Great Staughton and Perry Facebook page Buckley/Hellett 01480 861540/860735 Sheila Crook 01480 399816 Barbara Cawdell 01832 710404 Pam Wardle 01832 710324 Rick Wilcox 01480 890902 Mike Keeble 01480 860855 Jackie Woods, 01480 890279 Steve Sherratt , 01480 891418 Bob Jewell 01480 861259 Frank Backhouse, 01480 861167 Carol Grundy 01832 710339 Nora Butler 01480 861007 Nora Butler 01480 861007 Rick 07905 211919 or Sue 07818 050034 Lionel Thatcher 01480 861877 Mary Foster 01480 861594 01480 444500 Mary Jordan 01234 376383 email lspcclerk1@gmail.com. Diane Robins, 07786 656088 clerk@pertenhallandswineshead-pc.gov.uk Samantha Langley 07977 828153 Christine Hayes 01480 860519 Christine.Hayes@StowLonga.org.uk Pauline Swinden 01480 509043 www.tilbrookvillage.life Chairman, Stephen Birch, chairman tilbrookvillagelife@gmail.com Lionel Thatcher, 01480860055 Anne Beszant 01480 860672 Jan Sherratt 01480 891418 Ruth Easom, rutheasom@gmail.com Alison Gladstone 01933 563064 perrywigroup@gmail.com David Henrick 01480 896556 Chris Davies 01234 376542 Sue Rice (Chairperson) 01480 896139 Jan Roche 01832 710561 janetroche0@gmail.comKimbolton info@huntsphil.org.uk, choir@huntsphil.org.uk orchestra@huntsphil.org.uk Margaret Sawyer northbedswalks@gmail.com, www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walk ing/ramblers-groups/north-bedfordshire-group

Village Halls Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton, bookings Village Hall, Catworth, bookings 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, Old Weston

Stan Rhodes, 07367 783886 www.catworthvillagehall.co.uk Anita Dowdall 01480 891821 Vicki Goldsmith 01480 860005 Dawn Isaac 01480 477003 Janet Browning 01234 376577 bookings@keysoevillagehall.co.uk Chrissy Faulkner, 07714 080837 Kevin and Maria Foskett, 01234 376260 oldwestonvillagehall@gmail.com

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Village Hall, Pertenhall, bookings Village Hall, Tilbrook Village Hall, Yelden

Paul Sheard paulsheard@aol.com 01480 861457 Erica Jago, 07903 987445, bookings.tilbrookvillage@gmail.com www.tilbrookvillage.life 07539 662544, yeldenvillagehall@gmail.com

Grafham Nature Reserve & Watch Group 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 Huntingdon Grafham Water Lions Club Lion Bernard Dable 01480 810704, 07969 207227 Wildlife Trust Brampton Wood George Cottam Volunteer Warden, 01480 450809; 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 Tennis Club, Kimbolton Roy Butler, 01480 861007 Tennis Club, Gt Staughton Nicole Yates, 01480 860616 Badminton Club (Kimbolton) Shirley Osborne 860198/Jill Strand 861508 Cricket Club, Kimbolton Mark Field, 07769 159496 Cricket Club, Little Staughton Adrian Thrasher 07834 602086 Carpet Bowls, Catworth Marge Baker, 01832 710145 Carpet Bowls, Kimbolton Angela Fox, 01480 861264 Carpet Bowls, Gt. Staughton Anthony Withers, 01480 861224. Carpet Bowls, Spaldwick Andrew Vickers, 01480 891201 Carpet Bowls, Ellington Beryl North, 01480 471146 Carpet Bowls, Colmworth Brenda Bol, 01234 376685 Catworth Playing Field Mary Matthews, 07717 246107 PE28 Kickboxing, Grafham Village Hall Mark James, 01480 819478 Little Staughton keep fit Chris Clarke, 07739184942 Great Staughton Golf Society Derek Fitzgibbon, 01480 861234 Grafham Tang Sou Dao Club Steven Treadaway 01480 812433, info@cambstangsoudao.co.uk Pilates - Riseley Caroline Eames - 07535 296836 strengththroughmovement01@gmail.com Shotokan Karate club Brampton Memorial Hall Sharnbrook and Colworth RUFC Head Coach – Jim Wigfield – 07771 575450, 2014/15 Captain – David Day – 07860335228 Yoga Classes, Little Staughton, Hail Weston, Linda Tongue 01480 350345, Brampton, Catworth & Godmanchester 07733343702, lindatongue@yahoo.co.uk

Mobile Library Service 0345 045 5225 for enquiries / renewals

2nd Wednesday of the Month (R. H10) - 14th February 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) - 27th February 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) - 28th February 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.

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Listings of Businesses in Our Area Architects/Planning/Drawings PJP Architects, 07801 054648, p.39 Art, Framing, Artists, Crafts, Ceramics, Gallery, Hobbies Engraved By Elle, www.engravedbyelle.co.uk, p.40 Grafham Coins, 01480 811227, p.43 La Cote D'or Antiques, 01480 861587, p.12 The Framery Ltd, 01480 860086, p.58 Boutiques Blue Blancmange, 07970 666258, p.39 Building Services/Home Maintenance/Garage Doors Cambridge Sunblinds, 01223 904107 p.11 Castle View Construction, 07563 608344, p.6-7 Donna the Tiler, 07712 431337, p.46 GAP Home Improvements, 07935 002610, p.41 Garolla Roller Shutter Doors, 01480 630081, p.21 R&D Maskey, 01234 825015, p.29 Saints Brickwork Ltd, 01480 479355, p.42 Taylor Stilton, 01480 860047, p.35 The Home Handyman, 01480 861898, p.51 Business Networking Three Shires Networking, 07788 558964, p.46 Computer/IT Services/Marketing Arlo Creative, 07747 185291, p.51 Oxygen IT, 01480 390395, p.12 Silver Websites, 07340 234555, p.43 Social Beans, 07808 020554, p.40 Domestic Services Andrew Blair, Carpet Cleaning, 07867 499792, p.58 Home ‘n’ Dry, Carpet Cleaning, 01487 840310, p.46 Howard Galley Satellite engineer, 07894 433084, p.25 Education/Tuition Inn Farm Private Day Nursery, 07802 826798, p.15 One to One Tuition, 07803 504631, p.59 Electrical Services Aircon Tom, 07402 745802, p.28 DAC Services, 01234 709347, p.2 Selec Solar, 01480 400607, p.57 Spaldwick Electrical, 07446 965998, p.21 Estate Agents/Letting Agents/Property Bletsoes, 01832 732188, Carr Estate Agents, 01832 778800, p.47 Peter Lane & Partners, 01480 860400, p.60 Top Hat Projects, 07814 709320, p.51 Financial Advisers & Financial Services Beacon Wealth Management, 01480 869466, p.33

Funeral Directors Crowsons, 01832 272269, p.23 Regency Funeral Directors, 01480 759408, p.27 Gardening/Landscaping/Design/Tree Care/Logs/Repairs Eden Tree Specialists, 01234 960796, p.23 Manor Farm, 07849 528684, p.23 Roots & Newts, 01234 871896, p.3 Urban and Rural, 01480 476808, p.24 General Stores/Farm Shops/Shopping Events Budgens, 01480 860582, p.30-31 Top End Stores, 01234 376426, p.19 Whitchurch Wines, jeff@whitchurchwines.co.uk p.45 Health/Treatments/Beauty/Wellbeing/Counselling/ Fitness Henry Davies personal Trainer, 07747 466459, p.9 Jill Dighton, 07925 852985, p.9 Kimbolton Swimming Pool, 01480 862276, p.9 Love Yourself Beautiful, 07565 459602, p.10 Rosie’s Salon, 07733 482359, p.9 The Ashgrove Clinic, 01933 469043 p.8 The Nest at 53, 07778 024564, p.10 Kitchens Kitchen Culture, 01480 861822, p.35 Music, Theatre, Singing, Entertainment Carol John, 01234 708029, p.29 Pets/Petcare Services /Equine/Training Kimbolton Vets, www.kimboltonvets.co.uk, p.53 Penhazy Parlour, 07774 519694, p.43 Top End Stores (Animal Feed), 01234 376426, p.19 Plumbers & Heating Engineer Anglia Oil Tanks, 01638 662955, p.13 DAC Services, 01234 709347, p.2 Hill Heating, 01480 890929, p.11 Hydroflow, 07917 176375, p.29 Solicitors/Legal/Probate Services Hunt & Coombs Solicitors, 01480 702207, p.11 Storage Jonathan, 07753 638948, p.21 Vehicle Services/Vehicle Care/Vehicle Sales/Transport Robinsons Garage, 01480 860581, p.5 Wedding Services Styled by Lulabelles,tasha@styledbylulabelles.co.uk,

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Andrew Blair Professional Carpet And Upholstery Cleaning Phone or Whatsapp 07867499792 Email: arblair64@yahoo.co.uk https://andrewblairprofessional carpetandupholsterycleaning.com

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 Bedford Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon

01223 245151 01234 355122 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 58

Cllr Stephen Cawley - HDC Ellington Ward stephen.cawley@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk AA Emergency Breakdown Alcoholics Anonymous Carers Direct Childline Citizens Advice Electricity Emergency Floodline Gas Emergency National Debt Line National Rail Enquiries NSPCC Parentline RAC Emergency Breakdown RSPCA Samaritans UK Missing Persons Unit Victim Support

0800 887766 0800 9177650 0808 802 0202 0800 1111 03444 111 444 105 0345 988 1188 0800 111 999 0808 808 4000 0333 202 2222 0800 800 500 0800 800 2222 0800 828282 0300 1234 999 116 123 0800 234 6034 0808 168 9111

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ONE 2 ONE TUTOR

John Tose One2One Tutor @DirectLearning1 For further information • MATHS TUITION or to discuss your • ONLINE ONE TO ONE TEACHING own or your child’s educational needs, • KEY STAGE 2,3,4 please contact: John Tose 07803504631 jtose@sky.com

• GCSE AND FUNCTIONAL SKILLS • ENTRANCE EXAM PREPARATION

LEARNING THROUGH • ADULT STUDENTS WELCOME ENJOYMENT • REGULAR ASSESSMENT Please mention Village Bystander when responding to adverts

Make That Move D D L L KeyO S Features: SO • • •

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CHAIN FREE Delightful period house, perfectly positioned just off the High Street. Over 1,200 square feet of characterful accommodation. 16ft x 15ft sitting room with brick floor, family room and study. Excellent kitchen/breakfast room with hardwood counters and Butler sink. Three double bedrooms and spacious bathroom with contemporary fourpiece suite. Ground floor cloakroom. Tel 01480 860400 Charming private walled courtyard with useful brick-built stores. kimbolton@peterlane.co.uk Grade II listed and within Kimbolton’s conservation area. Convenient for all local facilities and excellent schools.

DLD L O SOS • • •

East Street, Kimbolton PE28 0HJ Offers Over £500,000

DLD L O SOS

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D D L L SOSO

Tel 01480 860400 kimbolton@peterlane.co.uk Tel 01480 860400 Tel 01480 860400 Call Now to Arrange a Viewing or your Free Valuation kimbolton@peterlane.co.uk kimbolton@peterlane.co.uk