Cople News January 2022 by Ian Whiting

Cople News January 2022

Happy New Year to all Cople Residents

Here’s hoping 2022 is good for everyone.

Editor’s Notes

As a New Year draws in, along with the familiar doom and gloom warnings, we would like to Thank everyone who has in the past 12 months submitted an article or placed an advertisement in the village magazine. As I meet more and more people from the village, they always tell me what a handy document it is. This gives us the encouragement to carry on doing what we do. One such night for meeting people was the Friends of the Church Gin Night, a report of which is on page 13. They hope to be able to organise their traditional Safari Supper on Saturday 26th February, more details of which will appear in next months magazine. The lighting of the GNiC Christmas Tree in the Churchyard was another well attended event, even if it did try to put us off by starting to rain just as we were about to start. I have to say the tree looks lovely (especially when compared to the one in Northill!!) The wheelie bin collection over Christmas and New Year are as follows: Tuesday 28th December — Black; Tuesday 4th January — Orange; Monday 10th January — Black; Monday 17th January— Orange. We are very lucky in than the majority of our advertisers have paid their invoices for 2022, so we can carry on bringing you the information and articles that you seem to enjoy. No centre page calendar this month, as time and space ran out, but I will try to include it next month. Happy New Year to you all. Libby & Linda

Cople News

Editor : Libby Sands, 77 Willington Road, Cople, Beds, MK44 3TL. Tel 07702 616300 Sub-Editor: Linda Behan 32 Grange Lane, Cople, Beds. MK44 3TT Tel 07825 259174 Email: coplenews@gmail.com Deadline for copy and advertising 6pm on 15th of every month

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Annual Charges: Full Page £96.

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Delivered free to every home in Cople every month circulation 360 copies

Message from the churchwardens After a year in Vacancy (Fiona left 16th January 2021) we are very much looking forward to welcoming Revd Lynne Sandle and her family to the Benefice. Lynne will be licensed as our vicar, at Cople Church on Thursday 6th January at 7.30, by the Bishop of Bedford. She will lead her first services the following Sunday (9th). It would be lovely to see as many of you as possible at the Sunday services, either in person or on Zoom, so that Lynne can get to know you. 09.30am Morning Praise at Willington – also live streamed - and 11.00am Holy Communion at Cople Church. At the time of writing face masks are still required to be worn if attending a church service in person. We have been fortunate to have held several church coffee mornings since August and these have been a great social event, with the added benefit of helping the church finances in some small way. Thank you to all those who have supported these events.

We usually hold the coffee mornings on the 4th Saturday of the month. We plan to restart them in February 26th (tbc) and hope that these will be run by different groups each month (as we used to do). Look out for notices in the village magazine. The adult Benefice Choir resumed their meetings in September, as did the bell ringers. It is hoped that other groups such as the Youth Music Group and Sunday School will resume early in 2022, restrictions permitting. We wish you all a happy and healthy New Year. With our love and prayers June and Julie

All Saints Church The current contact details for Cople Church are as follows: Tel: 01234 831421. email: cmwcurate@gmail.com Churchwardens June Thomas Julie Scherrer 34 Grange Lane 26 Grange Way Cople, Beds Willington, Beds MK44 3TT MK44 3QW Tel: 01234 831705 juneshanahan748@btinternet.com 4

Tel: 01234 838623 julie@scherrer.co.uk

Dates for Local Churches, January 2022 Sunday 2nd

09.30am

Morning Praise livestreamed from Moggerhanger Church followed by shortened Holy Communion (not livestreamed).

Thursday 6th

09.30am

Morning Prayer @ Willington Church

7.30pm

Collation, Installation & Induction of Revd Lynne Sandle @ Cople Church

09.30am

Morning Praise @ Willington Church

11am

Holy Communion @ Cople Church

09.30am

Morning Prayer @ Willington Church

09.30am

Morning Praise livestreamed from Moggerhanger Church

11am

Holy Communion @ Willington Church

Thursday 20th

9.30am

Morning Prayers @ Willington Church

Sunday 23rd

09.30am

Morning Praise livestreamed from Cople Church

11am

Holy Communion @ Moggerhanger Church

Thursday 27th

09.30am

Morning Prayers @ Willington Church

Sunday 30th

09.30am

Morning Praise livestreamed from Willington Church

11.00am

Holy Communion @ Cople Church

Sunday 9th Thursday 13 Sunday 16

If anyone would like to join the livestreamed Morning Praise services, please contact Mel Ebbage at cmwbeneficeoffice@gmail.com

We would like to thank GNiC for organising the, now traditional, lighting of the Christmas tree in the churchyard. It was a lovely occasion when we sang carols accompanied by the choir, drank mulled wine or hot chocolate, and munched away on the mince pies, cakes and biscuits. We would like to thank GNIC for the generous donation that they made to the church funds and for all they do in the village. This is much appreciated. Happy New Year Julie and June Churchwardens 5

Cople Memories.

Eating Out and former Cople residents! Calling all current Thiswould month of theof neighbouring villages for our We likewe to visited publish one a booklet recollections and memories of lunchand out.need Theyour King’s Arms Cardington MK44 3SP 838533 Cople help. Do in you have any memories or01234 photographs of Www.thekingsarmscardington.co.uk times gone past that we can incorporate into the article? Memories of growing up in Cople or stories told by parents or older residents? If so, we would loveour to hear from Booking table wasyou. very straight forward, but people seemed to be just turning up and despite the Restaurant serving their

If you would like your stories to be included, please contact Karen Christmas Menu and thus it being very busy, they were shown to at k.hindmoor@outlook.com

tables in the Bar area.

Karen has kindly offered to coordinate this in conjunction with Sheerhatch Food choice vastwho, and where varied,appropriate ranging from (prices School, Year 6was pupils (and Steaks under teacher supervision) between £24.50 would love to to £26.50) chat to contributors to Salads & to the Healthy project, Mains (prices

££10.25 to £15.75), through Burgers & Pizzas (£9.95 to £14.25),

We anticipate with theand amount of investigation Sides (£3.50that to £4.95) Desserts (£5.25 to required, £7.75). Apublication separate will be next summer.

Lunchtime Menu was also available offering Starters (priced

between 6.25 to £11.95 for this scallops), £22.95 for We are very excited to start and beMains, able to(£13.50 glimpsetosome of the Rack of Lamb which was enormous!!), Rotisserie & Classics village history, (£13.25 to £19.25), through Sandwiches & Pizzas (£8.25 to

Many thanks to those who have contributed already. £14.25). Libby & Linda

We took a friend with us and between us we ordered Asian-Style Crispy Duck Salad (£9.95), Devon Crab & King Prawn Homemade Fishcakes (£14.50) and Our Dirty Burger (£16.75). The orders arrived relatively quickly, despite the restaurant being busy. The surroundings were very relaxing and enough space between tables so that you didn’t feel cramped, nor that you couldn’t help but overhear adjacent tables conversations!! Desserts followed with Home Baked Chocolate Brownie (£6.95) and Sticky Toffee Pudding for the other two (£6.95). Along with drinks—pint of cider, 2 x glasses of wine. The final bill came to £81.20 Scores: Service — 4.5 out of 5; Food quality & quantity — 4.5; Cleanliness and virus awareness — 4.5, customers were required to wear masks until seated, but staff wore masks when serving behind the bar and in the restaurant; Value for money — 4.5 Total out of 20 =18.0

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Blunham Community Cinema Village Hall, Blunham MK44 3NN The Blunham Community Cinema presents on Friday 28th January 2022, the film ‘The Last Bus’ (Cert 12A) starring Timothy Spall and Phyllis Logan. A heart warming tale of Tom (Timothy Spall), a pensioner whose wife Mry )Phyllis Logan) , has just passed away who travels from Britain’s most northerly point, Land’s End, using his free bus pass. He carries with him only a small suitcase, travelling the length of the country with it. Along the way, his adventures are recorded by the people he meets and helps, and by the end of his trip he has unwittingly become a social media celebrity. Film starts promptly at 7.30pm, doors open at 7pm. Entry by ticket only. Adults £5.00, Children £3.00. Family (2A + 2C) £10.00. Sweets, Drinks, Ice cream and Popcorn are available. For tickets or any further information contact Sue on 01767 640515 or 07783 046020. Covid Guidelines may be in force. 10

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COPLE PARISH COUNCIL NOTICE OF CASUAL VACANCY Notice is hereby given that a vacancy exists in the office of Parish Councillor for the Parish of Cople. Any person willing to fill this vacancy should apply to the Clerk in writing on or before the 3rd January 2022 A person is qualified to be elected as a Councillor if they are a *British, Commonwealth, Irish or European citizen and over 18. In addition, the person must meet at least one of the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.

They are on the electoral register for the parish; During past 12 months they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the parish; During the past 12 months their principal or only place of work has been in the parish; During the past 12 months they have resided in the parish or within 3 miles of it.

Bankrupts and those subject to recent sentences of imprisonment are disqualified from standing. A person cannot be validly nominated unless his/her consent is given in writing to the Parish Clerk at clerk@cople-pc.gov.uk or 3 The Tudors, Colmworth, Beds, MK44 2LL. This should be accompanied by the following details: • name • address • qualification for nomination (* as above) and one of 1-4 above • reasons for applying for the nomination PUBLIC elections will be held in May 2023 but for the interim period the present sitting Councillors may co-opt to fill the vacancy. If you would like any further information, please contact the Parish Clerk. SIGNED:

Anne Papé

01st December 2021

Clerk to the Parish Council Published & printed by A Papé, Clerk to the Parish Council 12

The Friends of Cople Church The Friends of Cople Church would like to thank everyone who came along to the Gin Night on Saturday 27th November. From all the feedback we have had, the evening was enjoyed by all, and it was nice to see some new faces. I do understand that there were a few sore heads the next morning, but that was only to be expected – the name of the evening was a bit of a clue. I would also like to thank not only the organising committee for all their help in the run-up to the evening, setting up, running, and clearing away but also all the guests who helped clear the tables, put chairs and tables back and generally tidy up – it was much appreciated. As a result, we managed to make the pub for a well-earned beer (most of us abstained during the evening honest). As for the inaugural Gin Competition, somewhat embarrassingly, it was won by me after a tie for first place with Alistair Phillips! I can assure everyone that everything was above board, with independent judges, vote counters and even an expert taster to split the two tied finalists. I suspect that I will still get an amount of “stick” though. We made a little over £1100, which is a fantastic result, and sorely needed after nearly two years of expenditure without any fund raising. Thank you all, and here’s to the next event! Which is planned to be the Safari Supper. Full details will appear in the next edition of the magazine, but we hope to hold it on Saturday 26th February 2022. This is a very popular and fun event and allows people to meet others from the village who they may normally not have contact with. If you are not familiar with the format, when you meet at the church you will be given the address of your host for your starter, and at that venue you will be informed where your main course will be served. Finally, we meet back at the church for dessert. The evening has been so successful because of our volunteer hosts, who over the years have provided some wonderful meals and hospitality, but we need new blood! So please take the plunge, especially if new to the village, and come along and volunteer to host 4-6 guests for a starter or a main course. There is a budget, and you can claim back expenses from the Friends if you wish. In the meantime, we hope you have a wonderful, safe Christmas and a happy new year. 13

Ironing Help Available Would YOU like some help with your IRONING ? Then this is the right ad' to read. I help a few clients like you, so I may be the person you need. I live in a neighbouring village l'll collect and return to your door. I can give you a reference or two. Please call me to find out some more.

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SHEERHATCH PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS We have mentioned in previous articles how we are turning a 4077 m2 area of land at the back of the school into a learning garden and woodland for school and community use. Attached are the plans of our vision. We have seen some exciting developments this term. We are grateful to the Bedford Lions Club for a generous donation. Our visitor representing the Lions, Paul Graff, visited the site to present the cheque and was impressed with the amazing space. Our Year 6 school council representatives did a great job telling him about how we were using it, including the new addition of orienteering activities. We also received the fantastic news that we have been successful in applying for a grant through the Harpur Trust. With these fantastic contributions, and the continued support of our hard working 'Friends of Sheerhatch' fundraisers we are now well on our way to getting our outdoor classroom we have been striving for! Exciting times!

Siobhan Godden Chair of Governors Email s.godden@sheerhatchprimary.org.uk

Cople Bell Ringers The Cople Bell ringers were delighted to welcome Ben Flood into the Tower recently. Our youngest learner for a very long time. Ben wants to learn as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Judging by his progress so far it won’t take long. Ben Flood been shown the ropes by his Mum Becky

Benefice Choir The Benefice Choir is made up of members from all three parishes, Cople, Willington and Moggerhanger. It was formed about 12 years ago and they are hoping that some new members would be able to join them, as they have changed the day and time of their practices. Below are the dates of the practices for January 2022: Wednesday 5th—All Saints, Cople @ 09.30am Wednesday 12th—St Lawrence’s Willington—09.30am Wednesday 19h — All Saints, Cople @ 09.30am Wednesday 26th — St Lawrence’s, Willington @ 09.30am If you are interested, please come along and join in. Shirley Jones

Blunham and District Gardening Club There is NO MEETING in January 2022 World class fiddle players performing in Cardington Village Hall! Alex Kusturok from Alberta, Canada, & Arthur Coates from Aberdeen, Scotland, will lead a barn dance band for a unique appearance in Cardington Village Hall on the 22nd of January, 7.30-11.30pm. Alex and Arthur are both champion fiddlers in the Canadian style, and two of the most exciting musicians you are likely to hear. They are en route from London to Inverness, and luckily had a free day between gigs.

Whether you dance or just listen, this will be an exceptional evening. Tickets are limited to eighty people - £10 per person. Contact arthurhl2002@gmail.com to book!

Cople Over 60’s Club The club will meet again on Tuesday 4th January 2022 in the Sports and Social Pavilion at 2.00pm, to discuss new plans and outings for the future. We would welcome anyone to join us, as we now have fewer members due to illness and old age. Hazel Shreeves 01234 838817 18

Mobile Library News—January 2022 The mobile library is now visiting the village fortnightly on a Wednesday. It will call at All Saints Road—10.00 - 10.20am; Water End—10.25 - 10.40am and The Five Bells—10.45 -11.05am. The dates for January are 5th and 19th. We are now allowed onto the van to choose our books.

Knit and Stitch At last we can meet again in the Five Bells on alternate Fridays from 10.00am until 12.00noon. Come along to the get-together on January 7th and 21st and bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery or just bring along yourself to chat and enjoy coffee and cake. 19

COPLE VILLAGE TRUST (Registered Charity No. 1090113)

200 CLUB Monthly draw of £60 - £30 and £10 – you never know your luck may be in! Subs are due each January, however you can join at any time of the year. Prize winners for December 2021 1st prize of £60 2nd prize of £30 3rd prize of £10

231 200 126

Lynda Perman Brenda Bradbury Jason Hook

Thank you for your support All monies raised are used to maintain and improve the Village Hall, Playing Field & Playground. Treasurer:

Catherine Bayliss catherine.bayliss@btinternet.com 01234 838704/07880 890508

Contact:

Jane Barnard JaneB2014@hotmail.com 01234 838004

Cople Tuesday Club Returns. Ladies, it will be wonderful to finally resume our club on January 11th 2022. This is an opportunity to gather together present and future members and we certainly know after the lockdown how important the community is. So let’s hope we can become an even stronger club, you will have a warm welcome to our all-age group meetings. Our programme for 2022 is now booked up and we will meet in Cople Village Hall from 7.30pm. The first three months are: January 11th—Kerry Pay—The Story of Tropics February 18th—Peter Sara—Marie Curie (our charity of the year) with a Bring & Buy sale. March 8th—Julie Crawford—Pilates and Well Being. Contacts: Joy Duthie: Chair 01234 838407 Jane Barnard: 01234 838004 20

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Cople Parish Council (edited to fit available space). A Parish Council meeting was held at Cople Village Hall on Monday 15 th November 2021, this was attended by 6 Parish Councillors, the Clerk & a Borough Councillor. There were apologies from one Parish Councillor. Public Participation If you feel that you would like to raise a concern or issue, you are very welcome, please can you contact the Clerk in advance of the meeting if you wish to attend. The next Parish Council meeting is on Monday 17th January 2022 at 7.30pm. Borough Councillors report Green bin issues • There was a possibility that the rural bulky waste collections would not be restarted. • Fly tipping was an ongoing issue. Approx. 65 big van loads & 135 small van loads had been reported to Bedford Borough Council (BBC); a number of fines had been issued. Police Crime Statistics and Police Priority Setting Councillor (Cc) Miller-Donkin had attended the Police Priority Setting meeting in September & provided feedback to the Councillors. A) There were now 6 officers on the Rural Policing Team; b) It was suggested that as Speeding was the current priority, thought should be given to a new priority for the next quarter. Cople to Cardington Footpath Cc Hughes provided an update to the meeting. A potential alternative route had been looked into but was not possible. The Clerk & the Chair would continue to work with the Southill Estate & BBC Rights of Way (RoW). Speed Watch • Cc Hinkley provided an update to the meeting. There were currently 5 volunteers. Activity was limited currently due to reduced daylight hours. There had been a good response from residents when the volunteers had been undertaking Speed Watch sessions. • Cc Sankersingh offered to volunteer as a reserve member & to undertake the training. • A discussion was held around reducing speed limits to 20mph. Borough Cc Moon would look into the criteria for 20mph speed limits & would send the information to the Clerk. Vehicle Activated Signs A discussion was held around whether the purchase of a VAS would meet the criteria for the OPCC Road Safety Fund. Cople Village Play facilities Cc Hinkley reported that final play area designs were awaited & that the Village Trust would meet next in January 2022. Digital Connectivity Cc Sankersingh provided an update to the meeting. Openreach was the only supplier that the Willington-Cople group was working with. A quote over £700k had been received which has been deemed too high. This had been queried by the Group & a revision of the quotation requested. Neighbourhood Plan (NP) Steering Group update The NP Steering Group met with the consultant, Sally Chapman, on Wednesday 20th October. We discussed: a) Building the evidence basis; b) The types of evidence required; c) Sources of evidence and related information & data; d) The best ways of working as a team; e) Publicity & community engagement 1st priority is to raise awareness e.g. questionnaire; f) Site allocations - we have to decide whether to include site allocations in the NP which could add another year to the NP development. All members agreed that Sally was very 22

helpful & constructive. She shared templates for evidence gathering & questionnaires, & the group have subsequently agreed the allocation of evidence themes amongst members of the group. Linda Behan is leading development of the questionnaire, and will review the template questionnaire and also the Willington NP questionnaire which is recent. Members of the group will be working on evidence gathering over the next three months. Highway issues The following were reported to the Parish Council: - a) Trees at the top of Woodlands Close overhanging the road – The Tree Officer was arranging a crown lift over the road; b) Vegetation from the plot of land on the corner of Northill Road & Water End overhanging the footway & concerns raised about the condition of the fence. – BBC Highways addressing; c) The entrance to the Millennium Wood from Water End was becoming overgrown on both sides of the main gateway going from the bridleway. – the overgrowth would be cut under the Seasonal Vegetation Cut (SVC); d) The back far entrance to the Millennium Wood was being impacted by a manure heap which was falling through the fence. – Rights of Way (RoW) was addressing; e) Update requested on the works required on the Pork Lane bridleway. RoW was waiting to hear from Natural England as to whether they could approve the plan for the repairing of the bridleway where the badgers have caused the problems. Approval had to be given by the end of the month & there was no guarantee this would be achieved; f) Overgrown weeds impacting on the footway on the approach to Cople turn on Bedford Road near to the Toll House – showing as closed on reporting tool; g) Overgrown weeds impacting on the footway on Willington Road past Home Farm – showing as closed on reporting tool; h) Conifers on Willington Road by Home Farm were overgrowing the footway – showing as closed on reporting tool. The Clerk would check if this had been addressed; j) Suspected damage to the bridge at the end of Grange Lane in Cople following a car accident was reported to the Parish Council on 11/09/2021. This was reported to the BBC Highways Emergency number. This had been inspected. Regarding the question about including a footway when undertaking repairs – BBC Highways felt that they did not currently have funding for this. It would involve widening the bridge and its foundations, or possibly a separate footbridge may prove more economic. Safety of Northill Road/Willington Road/Grange Lane junction The Clerk met with BBC Highways Inspectors on the 25 th October to discuss concerns about the safety of the junction. The Officers noted that there was not a give way sign at the junction & that the lines needed refreshing. The importance of collecting information on any collisions & near misses was discussed. The information would help to determine if the issues were due to speeding or to parking at the junction or the result of something else. This would then help to inform what measures to put in place. Report by Libby Sands, MSc (Road Safety Eng), FCIHT, FSoRSA Report available from Parish Council website. Not shown here due to insufficient space within the village magazine. New matters for discussion at the next meeting Councillor Hinkley raised the Queen’s Green Canopy scheme and would speak with the Cople Village Trust to see if they had a suitable location. Councillor Hinkley suggested a second litter pick. The Clerk would check on availability of the equipment with BBC for a Sunday (10am) at the middle/end of January 2022 and report back to Councillors. A full copy of the minutes of the Cople Parish Council meetings are available on the website cople-pc.gov.uk. If you would like to engage with the Parish Council about any matter please contact Anne, Parish Council Clerk, by email clerk@cople-pc.gov.uk. 23

YOGA CLASSES ARE BACK Cople Village Hall, Fridays between 10.00 and 11.00am — £6.00 per class 12 week specialised courses available. Yoga for healthy lower backs Freda Dodsworth British Wheel of Yoga Teacher Tel. 01767 627611 Or email Freda.yoga@gmail.com

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Dear all, Since being elected, I have met with 99 Town & Parish Councils online, attended four Parish Council meetings, & a Full Council meeting at each of our three local authorities. In addition to my weekly visit to commissioned partners & organisations, I have held six Community Engagement meetings across the county so far & been on patrol duties with our officers.

At a recent Annual Parish Council meeting organised by my office which was attended by Senior Leadership Team from Bedfordshire Police, I shared the following with councillors: Community Policing Plan As part of my Police and Crime Plan, priority number one is ‘investment in community-based & community-led policing for rural & urban areas’. Together, the Chief Constable Garry Forsyth & I are committed to focussing on ‘proactive policing’. Residents have told me they want to see more of a visible, proactive, problem-solving police presence in our communities. It is therefore my responsibility to hold the Chief Constable accountable for delivering on the people’s policing priorities. In response to this, we have increased the level of visibility in areas of Bedfordshire to: · 67 Community Police Officers · 51 PCSOs · 14 Sergeants I recognise there is still more to do in tackling speeding, drug dealing & anti-social behaviour. However, I need to ask your help in continuing to provide us with data & activity about crimes. This helps with the deployment of officers. To report a crime, you can do so by calling 101 or anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers. Early intervention and prevention A big focus of mine is early intervention. One of my campaign pledges was to roll out ‘Out of Court Disposal Orders’ which allow officers to refer low risk, persistent offenders to local support services. What this means is, we keep persistent offenders outside of the criminal justice system while referring them to support services to deal with issues such as drug & alcohol addiction as a condition of the order. Since launching this, I am pleased to say 100% of those referred so far have not re-offended since the scheme started. This frees up police

time, saves tax-payers money & reduces repeat victimisation of our residents. I’ve also been spending lots of time at schools across the county & have weekly visits in my diary. I believe it is important for young people to have a positive understanding about policing & know that they have power to make positive choices. We will be holding our inaugural Bedfordshire-wide schools debating competition in November 2021 for 15–18-year-olds. This will create opportunities for developing confidence, critical thinking, & life skills. Plans are also well under way for the Summer of Fun 2022 initiative which is part of investing in early intervention programmes to safeguard our young people, encourage healthy choices & improve self-esteem. I am also investing money to tackle domestic abuse & sexual violence by focussing on perpetrators, while changing the narrative from advising victims on personal safety. Force Control room I am working with the Force to invest in the effectiveness of the Force Control Room. They are the first point of contact along with the Community Policing team. We’ve recruited nine new members recently with almost 20 police officers providing expert support. By April 2022 we will be above our establishment level for the first time in several years. I will be reviewing this towards the end of the financial year to see what more can be done to improve retention & quality of service to the public. Speed Watch volunteers Our speed watch team is currently looking for more volunteers. Speed Watch is a fantastic, educational scheme aimed at raising awareness of speed restrictions & road safety. Those captured speeding receive a warning letter from Bedfordshire Police & persistent offenders’ details are passed to our local policing team for further action. If you’re interested, you can email WatchSchemes@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk I remain optimistic about the future of Bedfordshire Police & our plans to cut crime, prevent harm & protect victims. Our concerted effort on tackling crime as well as its root causes will pay off. As ever, if you’d like to get in touch, you can contact my office by calling 01234 842064 or by emailing pcc@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk Festus Akinbusoye Police and Crime Bedfordshire

Commissioner

–

Home Delivery Service in Bedfordshire Villages 31

Mothers Union Members & friends spent a happy afternoon singing carols & having reading. Everyone present picked a carol for Jill to play so we covered all our favourite ones. Afterwards, we all enjoyed tea/coffee & mince pies & lots of chat. We Thank the Five Bells for their hospitality. Cople MU Group entered a tree into the Christmas Tree Festival held in December (at the time of going to press the results were not known). On 10th January 2022 we hope the Annual Epiphany Service will go ahead. It is scheduled to be held at the Transfiguration Church in Kempston, the timetable to be advised later. This is a service when all the branches, groups & individual members in the North Cluster get together. Our first meeting of Cople members in 2022 will be held on Monday 14th February at a venue to be decided later. We shall be planning our programme for the coming year. Prayer Merciful God, protect & provide for each member of your worldwide Church & lend your support, encouragement & strength to all who are facing the increasing trials, tribulations & persecutions that are present in our world today. (M.U. Prayer Diary). Liz Buck

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Phone for special discount on tyres using the code: COPLE MOT’s carried out while you wait. Phone 01767 60194 35

The Five Bells. New Year Menu

Starters Carrot and Coriander soup with fresh ciabatta (Gf available) £5.95 Panko chicken goujons, salad, sweet chilli dip £6.95 Creamy garlic mushrooms in a white wine sauce on a ciabatta £6.95 Duo of salmon mousse, brown toast (Gf available) £6.95 Mains Hand crafted steak and ale pie, with mash and vegetables or chips and peas served with homemade gravy £13.95 Ale battered cod, chips, peas and our own tartare sauce £12.95 Vegan Keralan cauliflower and red pepper curry with steamed rice £11.95 (add chicken £14.95) Pollomilanese panko chicken breast on a bed of linguine with a creamy garlic white wine and mushroom sauce £14.95 Cajun spiced chicken breast with sweet potato fries and a dressed salad £13.95 Whole tail scampi, chips, peas and our own tartare sauce £12.95

Please see our specials board for lots more including steaks

News from The Five Bells Firstly, we hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s and that everyone is safe and well.

Events Karaoke 29th January 2022 8.30pm Knit and Stitch every other Friday (7th & 21st) Music Quiz every other Sunday 6pm start General Knowledge Quiz every other Thursday 8pm start. Matt Roberts (singer) 4th February 2022 8.30pm

Food Fish and chips Friday £10 Wednesday and Thursday lunch 2 meals for £15.95, see choices on Facebook and specials board

Jobs at The Five Bells Part time Bar Staff required mainly weekends Part time Pot Wash required mainly weekends Please call or pop in for details.

SJ TAX & ACCOUNTING QUALIFIED ACCOUNTANT

Professional friendly services, Tax advice, Free initial consultation, Sole traders, Ltd companies, bookkeeping, payroll, CIS, VAT & Tax. E: sally@sjtax.co.uk Tel: 01234 831997 Mob: 07899 808592 Willington Peace Memorial Hall, Church Road, Willington, Beds, MK44 3PU

Open daily: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 9.15-12.15 & Wed 9—3pm With lunch club available 12.15-1.15

Sessional day care for 2-4year olds during term time. £12.00 for a 3hr session (£4.00 extra for lunch club) We also except 2 and 3/4 year old NEF funding To enquire about a place for your child please email Stacey and Hayley at willingtots@outlook.com or call on 07972 148085

DOWN ON THE FARM 11—Charles Porter It is lovely to wake up to the bleating of sheep on the farm. It is quite a few years since we had a flock of our own at Wood End. An unfortunate coming together of my less than perfect back, an over excitable sheep and a ditch finally meant that my sheep handling days were over. However, about 25% of the farm is grassland which periodically needs grazing, so my near neighbour, Jamie Murdoch, brings some of his flock here when there is grass on the meadows to be eaten. These meadows are usually cut for hay in the summertime, and the regrowth that takes place after haymaking makes excellent feed for the pregnant ewes in the winter. In this part of the world this regrowth is referred to as ‘aftermath’, but up north it is curiously known as ‘foggage’, or simply ‘fog’. I’ve no idea why! This grazing also helps us to control two very invasive weeds that are becoming a real problem in these flower meadows. The first is Ragwort, which if allowed to grow and become part of the hay makes that crop virtually valueless, as once it dries it becomes very poisonous and will kill most animals that eat it, especially horses and cattle. In my fathers and grandfathers’ day no farmer would allow this weed to grow anywhere on their farms as firstly it would kill their own livestock and secondly, there was, and still is a law, known as the Injurious Weeds Act of 1959, that makes it a criminal offence to allow this weed, along with 4 others, to grow on your farm. This law was strictly adhered to, and it’s a shame that it isn’t now. Sheep are able to eat this weed when it is green, so they kill some of it, but not all. We are not allowed to cut these flower meadows until after the 15th July, to allow any ground nesting birds to have fledged and also to have given the flowers sufficient time to have flowered and set seed. It has also allowed any ragwort that has survived the sheep, to have grown and put up its characteristic yellow flower head. This then has to be hand weeded (rogued). A back breaking job that took me and a helper a week to do. The only job of the year that I actually hate! The second weed is one appropriately named Bristly Ox Tongue, because if you rub a leaf on your face, it’s like being licked by a cow, an experience that not many others than farmers will have experienced! When growing, it too is enjoyed by sheep but not killed by grazing, but fortunately it is not poisonous in hay. Horses actually like eating it and pick it out first, but the hay looks horrid, and again is difficult to sell. This weed is slowly ruining 18 years of work creating these meadows, and nobody can really tell me how to control it. 20 or so years ago it was not seen on farms, but something has changed to allow this proliferation. Very hard frosts will kill it, so is it global warming? Now is the time of year when we have an occasional encounter with one of the two types of wading bird that sometimes visit the farm, the Woodcock, the other being the Common Snipe. This beautifully camouflaged bird likes living in fairly open scrubby woodland, of which we don’t have much on the farm. Nearby Sheerhatch Wood 40

is one of their local strongholds. Some live and breed in the UK all year round, and some migrate in for the winter to escape the harsh winters of Eastern Europe. They are a very secretive bird and being Crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) are rarely seen unless disturbed, when they fly off with a very distinctive low and weaving flight. In the spring time the males like to claim their territory. To do this they fly around their chosen patch at dusk, making a curious croaking noise. This is referred to as ‘roding’. This croaking attracts any nearby females and enables them to find a mate. They nest on the ground in scrubby moist woodland, and their wonderful camouflage makes them almost impossible to see. I have only ever once seen a nesting woodcock. This was when, as a kid, I spent a day in Sheerhatch Wood with the keeper, Jack Daniels. He told me he had something very special to show me and to walk very slowly and quietly beside him. When we got deep into the woodland, he just pointed to a patch of leaves just a few feet in-front of us. ‘Look’ he whispered. All I could see was brown leaves. Look, look, just there, he whispered. Then suddenly I saw this brown bird, perfectly camouflaged, nestling in the fallen leaves. We just watched for a few minutes, then tiptoed away. A sight I was so privileged to see and one that I will never forget. They, like all waders, feed by probing their long beaks into the wet soil to find various invertebrates. Harsh winters are very difficult for them when the frosty soil is virtually impenetrable by their fragile beaks. This may explain why there tend to be larger populations further to the west of the UK, where you tend not to get such harsh frosts. Woodcock have been a game bird for over 2000 years, but thankfully very few are now shot in the UK. Interestingly, the Cocker Spaniel was so named because it was bred to hunt Woodcock. They were a prized quarry for several reasons. Firstly, they are very hard to shoot. Secondly, they are apparently very good to eat, and finally, one of their wing feathers, the pin feather, is very hard and pointed and is therefore much prized by artists to paint fine lines with.

Another interesting fact about this bird is that it is the only known bird to occasionally move it’s young. It grips them between its legs and carries them, one by one, to a better feeding or safer area. This fact has always been highly disputed but is now generally accepted. So, as promised at the end of last month’s piece, there has been no killing or death this month, just fluffy sheep and cute air-born chicks.

Happy New Year, Charlie. 41

PB ELECTRICAL SERVICES All electrical works undertaken from :Full rewires, part rewires. New distribution boards. Additional sockets and light fittings. CCTV installations. No job to small. Call Paul on 07840 683417 or email paulblackmore3@gmail.com

Gardening in January 2022

A Happy and Healthy New Year To You All. Thank you very much to everyone that has sent in entries to this year’s Gardening Quiz. There is still time to enter. Mislaid December’s magazine? Contact me via the details below and I will send you the questions. Remember though, answers have to be received by 15th January 2022. More important to me than gardening are words, so rather than inflict yet more of mine onto you, what follows are some of my favourite observations about all things horticultural and I hope you find them as amusing, as thought provoking and as inspirational as I, do? ‘I like gardening – it’s a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself.’ Alice Sebold ‘If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.’ Marcus Tullius Cicero ‘Gardening requires lots of water – most of it in the form of perspiration.’ Lou Erickson ‘Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.’ Unknown ‘Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.’ Luther Burbank ‘It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses we must plant more trees.’ George Eliot ‘Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.’ Sigmund Freud ‘Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.’ Albert Einstein ‘Flowers are the music of the ground. From earth’s lips spoken without sound.’ Edwin Curran ‘To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves’ Mahatma Gandhi ‘But for one’s health, as you say, it is very necessary to work in the garden and see the flowers growing.’ Vincent Van Gogh ‘ Flowers are like friends; They bring colour to your world.’ Unknown 44

‘We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.’ Abraham Lincoln ‘Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.’ Allan Armitage ‘A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.’ Doug Larson ‘My wife’s a water sign. I’m an earth sign. Together we make mud.’ Rodney Dangerfield ‘There’s one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbour’s.’ Clyde Moore ‘Why are husbands like lawn mowers? They are difficult to get started, emit foul smells, and don’t work half the time’. Unknown ‘A man should never plant a garden larger than his wife can take care of.’ T.H. Everett And my absolute favourite: ‘You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.’ Dorothy Parker If you have any similar words of wisdom not mentioned above, as always, please send them to me and I will include them in future articles. All correspondence can be emailed to LawnDocGardens@aol.com or posted to: Lawn Doctor Garden Services, 14 Sand Lane, Northill, SG18 9AD. As usual, please contact me with any gardening queries or tasks you may have. Best wishes all for a very Happy & Healthy New Year.

Lawn Doctor Garden Services Clearance, Redesign, Maintenance Tel: 01767 627 581 or 07796 328 855 Email: LawnDocGardens@aol.com Tree Care, Planting, Weeding, Hedge Trimming, Turfing, Jungle Clearing, Landscaping, Lawn Improvement, Patio/Drive Pressure Washing/Weedkilling, Holiday Watering etc., etc. 45

Village Contacts Over 60's Club Secretary: Hazel Shreeves Tel: 01234 838817

Cople Web Site Contact: Ian Whiting Tel: 01234 838347 Email: ian@cople.org.uk Web Site:www.cople.org.uk

Mothers Union Contact: Jill Ebbs Tel: 01234 838659

Village Agent Wendy Worgan Tel:0800 039 1234

Cople Village Trust Chair: Catherine Bayliss Tel: 01234 838704

Mobile: 07717 269440 wendyw@bedsrcc.org.uk

Cople Sports & Social Club Chair: David Hughes Tel: 01234 838669

Cople Parish Council Clerk: Anne Pape

Tel: 01234 376645 clerk@cople-pc.gov.uk

Tuesday Club Contact: Joy Duthie Tel: 01234 838407

https://cople-pc.gov.uk/

Biggleswade Chronicle Village Correspondent: Jill Ebbs Tel: 01234 838659

GREAT NEIGHBOURS in COPLE is our local good neighbourhood scheme, which seeks to support residents of our village in a manner that will enable them to remain independent for as long as possible. Our volunteers help local people by giving some of their time to undertake tasks such as shopping, picking up prescriptions, light household duties, gardening or putting out the bins or by spending some time with people who may feel isolated or lonely. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or want to talk to someone about using the service please feel free to contact us on 07746 624208 on Monday to Friday between 1.00 – 3.00pm or email us at gniccople@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook for further information.

Cople Village Hall & Playing Field Available for hire for parties, meetings, conferences etc. Main Hall and/or Committee Room - hire charge from £9 per hour, special rate of £25 for children’s parties (conditions apply). Bookings Officer, Laura Saunders—please email if possible villagehallenquiries@cople.org.uk or phone 07967 830790 Website: www.cople.org.uk/village hall 46

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9 Lurke Street Bedford MK40 3HZ Tel 01234 352414/350146 Email: sales@pandrinteriors.store Web: www.pandrinteriors.co.uk Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm Trade Welcome We have been supplying and installing bathrooms and kitchens in Bedford and surrounding areas for over 30 years. Bringing together reliable, skilful and trusted tradespeople we personally ensure every installation is completed to the highest possible levels of workmanship and the satisfaction of our clients TRADE WELCOME 48