Cople News May 2022
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Editor’s Notes A lot of this months magazine is taken up with what is going to happen regarding the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. The lighting of the Beacon with food and dancing then the singing of the Commonwealth Song on 2nd in Moggerhanger Park, to the Flower Festival in the Church. Further events are planned, but not quite ready for public gaze yet, so see next month’s edition for details. We have two new advertisers, slightly different services which is good. Laura Saunders, Accountant see page 38 and Two Counties Foot Clinic from Sandy on page 32. I, for one, was very pleased to find Yvonne following the sudden disappearance of the previous Chiropodist. Her clinic is easily accessed from the large free car park in Sandy, but she doesn’t offer home visits. If you would like a lift to an appointment at the Clinic contact GNiC, see page 50 for details. Talking about GNiC, the Foodbank Collection takes place on Saturday 4th June, so if you can leave out some provisions that would be great. See Notice on page 12 There is a very interesting Eulogy by Anne Jones about her husband Tony’s life and how he suffered from Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), something I had never heard of before. Next month there will be an article on MSA Awareness Week.
There isn’t room for an Eating Out report this month, so Mrs Butter is expecting somewhere special next month!! I have been asked to ask you all to consider setting up a stall for the Cople Sale Trail on 7th May. Last years event was such a success, and we would like to repeat that if we can. Also don’t forget the Moggerhanger Plant Sale on 14th May, see Notice on page 13. Regards 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
Advertising Rates
Annual Charges: Full Page £96.
Half Page £48.
Delivered free to every home in Cople every month circulation 360 copies
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Dear Friends, After the austerity of Lent and the joy of Easter, we have three big events to look forward to over the coming weeks of May. On May 26th, Christians will be marking the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. After 40 days of Lent, the period after Easter marks 40 days of celebration. Then, on the 40th day Jesus rose into the heavens in front of the disciples, until he was hidden by the clouds. Before he ascended Jesus told them to wait together in Jerusalem for the arrival of the Holy Spirit. And they duly did as they were told, and waited. Their wait lasted for 10 days until the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. And when it came, we are told that there was a violent wind and divided tongues of fire rested on their heads. Quite an incredible sight I would imagine. Christian today continue to believe that the Holy Spirit is active in the world around us. We will be marking these events at the re-launch of Forest Church which takes place at St John’s Church Moggerhanger on Sunday 22nd May by using some hopefully not too violent winds to fly some kites! All are welcome to join us! This year sees the 5th of June mark both Pentecost and the Queens Platinum Jubilee. The Benefice Choir is looking forward to having as many people from our three villages join them in singing the Song for the Commonwealth at the lighting of the beacon event. This will take place on Thursday 2nd June at Moggerhanger Park at 9.45pm. There are rehearsals taking place in May, and all voices, young and old are warmly invited to join in. This promises to make a wonderful start to a busy weekend of celebrations! To give thanks for the Queens 70 years of service to this country and the Commonwealth, there will be a joint Benefice service at All Saints Cople at 11am on Sunday 5th June. You are all very welcome to join us. God bless, Lynne 4
HOLD THE DATE Queens Platinum Jubilee Saturday 4th June 12noon until midnight on Cople Playing Field, Sports & Social Clubhouse, Village Hall and 5 Bells following: -
We’re still in the planning stage but aiming for the
Fancy dress parade (adults and children) Competitions and Sports Events
Live Music, BBQ, Bring Your Own Picnic Let's get the whole village to turn out and celebrate this wonderful event and make it a day to remember Any ideas or offers of help either in the build-up, or on the day please contact David Small on 07931 894404 or email ae02doc@gmail.com Full details and programme in next month’s magazine Thank you David Small and Graham Ebbs
COPLE VILLAGE TRUST (Registered Charity No. 1090113)
200 CLUB
Due to unforeseen circumstances the results for April are not available in time for publication in the May edition. They will be printed in the June edition. Apologies to all.
All Saints Church The current contact details for Cople Church are as follows: Tel: 01234 974722. email: cmwvicar@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 5
Tel: 01234 838623 julie@scherrer.co.uk
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Mobile Hairdresser/ Barber Do you need a haircut? Local, Reliable and Friendly Fully qualified and experienced
Call Donna 01234 838980 or 07773 553055
Cople Carpet Bowls Have you ever thought of playing Carpet Bowls?
Why not come and join us in a game in Cople Village Hall every Wednesday evening between 7.15 - 9.45pm. There is no need for any special equipment, we provide everything you need. Come and give it a try. Please call if you want to come along. Enquiries Contact Pauline 01234 838102
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donnasmall906@gmail.com
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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. Brenda. 07761 627621
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Karate Bedfordshire Karate Club Traditional Shotokan karate We welcome all ages & abilities Why would you do karate? - Full body workout - Builds self confidence - Improves coordination - Improves flexibility, coordination & agility Every Thursday, Cople Village Hall Beginners & children 5:45 – 7:00pm Advanced 7:10 – 8:15pm
All enquiries please contact Sensei Lib on 07980 225490 Dear Cople residents, Thank you for your donations to the food bank that you kindly put on your doorstep in the 5th March ready for the GNIC and volunteers to collect. It was a success and gratefully received. We are doing another food bank collection on SATURDAY 4th JUNE (the Queens platinum jubilee weekend). Please put any items of food on your doorstep or in clear site so when the Volunteers drive by they can see your donations. If everyone donated one item each in Cople it soon adds up. Many people are very kind and put a few items out. We will collect between 09.30am and 11.00am. Items needed: Dried foods e.g., pasta, rice. Tinned meat, fish and fruit. Toiletries. Coffee, Tea, UHT Milk, Squash, Potatoes, Tinned puddings, Biscuits, Pulses, Soup, Pasta Sauces etc.
Many thanks, GNiC and Volunteers
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MOGGERHANGER PLANT SALE Saturday 14th May 10.00am to 4.00pm PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCHES CREAM TEAS At 14 Blunham Road, Moggerhanger MK44 3RB Tel: 01767 641485 All proceeds to St. John’s Church
Tuesday Club
Unfortunately, Julie Stock was unavailable to speak. However, we were very fortunate that Gaynor Tinsdale was free and willing to fill the void so admirably. Braille was named after its creator Louis Braille, a Frenchman who lost his sight at the age of 15. Braille is a tactile writing system. It is set around 6 dots laid out as a grid, initially children need to recognise top, middle & bottom & left & right. Also known as a Braille cell. Using the sensitivity of their fingertips to “trace” risen dots or bumps. Letters are recognised by where they are on the grid. These shapes are produced by a ‘Perkins’ machine, which resembles a typewriter. Members were given the opportunity to try to decipher some short sentences. Each word has to be read in Braille whereas sighted people read they miss out words & probably need only to see parts of sentences to get the correct meaning. On May 10th a visit is planned to Victoria Dibble’s Old Warden Garden, Orange Grange SG18 9HB. I am sure this be a lovely evening visiting her beautiful garden. Please come & support us. There will be a ‘fleet’ of cars going from Cople, so any transport problems, please contact Joy Duthie 01234 838407. There will be refreshments. Also Joy has kindly made her garden available to us at 18 Woodlands Close, Cople, on the 11th June for delicious strawberries and cream. Again, we will be delighted to see as many of you as possible to participate in this fun summer activity. (There is a sign up form for both these activities - contact Jane Barnard 01234 838004). 13
Books and Bric-a-Brac wanted After last year’s successful Village Sale Trail we are delighted to be organising another trail on 7th May (see advert on front page). Thank you to those who have already signed up. As before, there will be refreshments and a raffle at the church. We would also like to run a few other stalls, including a book stall, outside the church. If you have any books or good quality bric-a-brac you would like to donate, please contact June Thomas Tel: 01234 831705 or email juneshanahan748@btinternet.com We are happy to arrange collection. Thank you June and Julie
Cople Bell Ringers A happy team of new ringers who are making amazing progress towards being part of the regular band at both Cople and Willington. A Bell or Bells have been rung in Cople Church since the 15th Century and we consider ourselves privileged to still ringing those same bells today. Pat Briscoe (pictured) has this year celebrated her 20th year of Church Bell ringing. She has been ringing mainly at Cople and Willington, but also in several of the other local Towers. Mike Vacher 01234 831207
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All Saint’s Church, Cople Annual Parochial Church Meeting is taking place on
Thursday 28th April at
7.30pm in
All Saints Church All Members of the Electoral Roll are invited to attend If you are interested in finding out more about the work of All Saints Church in the community over the last year and would like to join the Electoral Roll, please contact June Thomas on 01234831705. (to join you must be over 16 and be baptised) 15
Cople Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group The group continues to work on the development of the neighbourhood plan for Cople with advice and guidance from Sally Chapman, an experienced consultant. The neighbourhood plan will put planning policy in place for Cople to guide future development and primarily focuses on the use and development of land. The group has been working on both the development of the evidence base and the community questionnaire. The questionnaire aims to obtain the views of all Cople residents as to how the village should develop over the next 10 - 20 years. It will include questions on the following topics: • How villagers feel about living in Cople? • Whether there is a need for more houses to be built in the village? • The local economy and infrastructure? • Broadband and social media? The questionnaire is your opportunity to have a say in the development of the village in which you live. Information obtained from the results of the questionnaire will form a large part of the neighbourhood plan. The group aims to deliver the questionnaire to all households in Cople in the first two weeks of June. This will be preceded by a flyer promoting the questionnaire and the neighbourhood plan. The group urges all residents to complete the questionnaire to ensure that the neighbourhood plan truly reflects the views of the residents of Cople. Robert Bellew, Chair
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Cople Parish Council
A Parish Council meeting was held at Cople Village Hall on Monday 21st March 2022, this was attended by five local Parish Councillors, plus one new member appointed on the night, the Clerk & other local representatives of Bedford Borough Council (BBC). There were two members of the public who joined for the entirety of the meeting. Public Participation • Concerns were raised about speeding vehicles & parked vehicles, which caused narrowing of the road, on Water End. It was asked if speed limit roundels could be introduced, along with warning signs about the sharp bend in the road. The Chair advised that it had been raised with Highways previously. The Clerk would review the previous correspondence & include the matter on the May agenda. • Clerk Councillor Martin-Moran-Bryant advised that further information was to be sent from BBC to all Parish Councils regarding criteria for applying for a 20mph speed limit. • A question was asked about the clearance of land adjacent to Home Farm, Willington Road. The Chair advised that the Parish Council had not been informed of any plans for the site. It was understood that the site was owned by a property company. • A resident gave an update regarding the action that a group of residents was taking with respect to transport to education for children post 16. The residents had now met with & were corresponding with Richard Fuller MP • A resident asked about the maintenance of the path from All Saints to Cople Pits. The Chair & the Clerk would visit the area to assess what maintenance was needed & include the matter on the next agenda. 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 16th May at 7.30pm. Borough Councillors report Councillor Moon, Councillor Martin-Moran-Bryant & Councillor Gallagher (Eastcotts Ward) attended the meeting. Councillor Moon would look into the issues on Water End. • Councillor Moon had contacted G Moore with respect to a section of the proposed Cople to Cardington footpath which would need to pass through section of Mr Moore’s property. • The Local Plan was due to go to the Borough Council Executive on the 26th April. • BBC was introducing fly-tipping cameras. It was noted that Octagon Farm was a location that regularly suffered with fly-tipping. Councillor Moon would supply further information to the Parish Council. • Flood Risk Management strategy consultation was currently underway & finished on the 4th April. Speed Watch More volunteers were required; there were currently 5 volunteers, & 3 volunteers were needed for each 1 hour session. It had not been possible to undertake any sessions so far this year. Councillor Hinkley would be happy for potential volunteers to contact her directly. Cont. on page 19
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Blunham Community Cinema Village Hall, Blunham MK44 3NN The Blunham Community Cinema on Friday 27th May 2022, presents ‘Red Sparrow’ (Cert. R18) starring Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton. Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School’, a Russian Intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Film starts promptly at 7.30pm, doors open at 7.00pm. Entry by ticket only. Adults £5.00, Sweets, Drinks, Ice Cream & Pop Corn available For tickets or any further information contact Sue on 01767 640515 or 07783 046020.
Blunham and District Gardening Club Tuesday 3rd May 2022 at 7.30pm. In Blunham Village Hall MK44 3NN this meeting will take the form of Roxton Show. The 67th Show held in the village. Find out more about the show and how you can begin ’growing for showing’ with your flowers and vegetables. Refreshments will be served. Visitors welcome. For further information contact Brenda Leaf 01767 640624
Mobile Library News — May 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 May are 11th and 25th We are now allowed onto the van to choose our books.
Knit and Stitch Come and meet your friends in the Five Bells on alternate Fridays from 10.00am until 12.00noon.
The dates for May are 13th and 27th. Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery or just bring along yourself to chat and enjoy coffee and cake. 18
Mother’s Union On 25th March around 30 members from various groups in the Northern Cluster celebrated Lady Day with a service in Willington Church, led by our vicar Lynne. It was the turn of Cople Group to organise it this year. The service included communion, the admission of new members and the transitional service from a branch to a group for the Cople members. Banners were paraded at the beginning of the service and afterwards everyone enjoyed refreshments and a raffle and a chance to chat to members from other groups.
We thank the ladies of Willington Church fo their help with the arrangements and for serving the refreshments, with cakes provided by each group. In April members held their meeting in Frost’s Garden Centre when we were able to have a wander around and then partake of refreshment. Our next meeting will be held on Monday 9th May at 2pm, details to be circulated later. PRAYER We pray for all who live in countries where governments are unjust and cause conflict. May the Lord show them the way of peace, so their politicians put aside their greed and arrogance. Ask the Holy Spirit to show them that ‘blessed are the peacemakers’.
Cople Parish Council Minutes cont. from page 17
Cople Play facilities Another company had been out to visit the play area but there was no further progress currently. Additional bin at Water End/Northill junction It was noted that the litter bin by the entrance to All Saints’ Church had not been emptied. This would be reported to the BBC by the Clerk. Ward Councillors advised that BBC was not installing new bins but would consider exceptional cases. Councillors agreed to look into building a case to support the request. It was noted that the bin crew would have to drive by the proposed location to empty the dog bin located on Water End. Cople currently only had 4 litter bins and 2 dog bins. Digital Connectivity Councillor Sankersingh gave Councillors an overview of the project. Openreach has submitted an updated quote for the Willington-Cople community fibre project on 8 March 2022. Shane Horlock from Willington, who is leading the project, has identified some errors on the address list which is being reviewed by Openreach. However, there is still a gap of £250,000 to meet the total cost for the network build. This could mean getting an additional 150 premises registered. Shane has prepared leaflets & there are volunteers ready to distribute the leaflets. Cont. on page 20 19
Cople Parish Council Minutes cont from page 19 Neighbourhood Plan Update—see report on page 16 Amenity & Highways Reports of damage to the footway on Willington Road adjacent to Home Farm— reported to BBC. Drain outside No.9 Grange Lane is blocked—reported to BBC Conflict Study at Northill Rd/Willington Rd/Grange Ln junction Libby Sands joined the meeting to talk through the conflict study. To undertake the study would require 6 volunteers for each session of approx. 1 hour per session. Cllrs Sankersingh, Hughes, Small & Hinkley volunteered to be trained. Discussion re parking associated with Bedford Girls School Field The Parish Council raised parking issues with the Girls school after an event in December. The school had explained the circumstances & had been hopeful that this would not reoccur. There had since been further issues. It was agreed to offer the use of the village hall and Sports & Social Club car parks as overflow parking. Advanced notice would be required, & use would be dependent on bookings at the venues. Use of the car parks would be free of charge. The school would be asked if it could put traffic cones out to prevent parking on the verges & anti-social parking & provide signage or marshals to direct visitors to the overflow car parks. Platinum Jubilee Celebrations The Village Trust had agreed that the playing field could be used on Friday 3 rd June. The Trust would also make the toilets available, & the hall, if necessary, free of charge. It was advised that plans were progressing for a separate Jubilee event. Councillor Small would speak with the residents and report back to the Parish Council regarding arrangements. A full copy of the minutes of the Cople Parish Council meetings are available on the website cople-pc.gov.uk.
“SING ALONG WITH US” We do hope that you have put June 2 nd into your diary and will be able to come to Moggerhanger Park for the lighting of our Beacon at 9.45pm and the singing of the Song for the Commonwealth. Too late for the children? Well no, as we have four days’ holiday and they can sleep in!! There are four chances to learn our song on: - Monday 16 May at Cople Church; Tuesday 17 May at Willington Church; Wednesday 18 May at Moggerhanger Church. The churches will be open at 6.45pm, we will sing at 7pm and be home before 8pm. Do please make the effort to come along to one of these sessions, and collect a copy of the words. Gwynneth Akins is also taking a rehearsal on Sunday 29 May at 11.45am after the service at Willington Methodist Chapel. Choose which day is most convenient for you or come to all of them if you want to!! If you want to listen to the song beforehand, or want to have your own copy of the words, try this link: https:// www.commonwealthresounds.com/projects/the-queens-platinumjubilee/a-song-for-the-commonwealth/ Everyone is welcome. 20
Hi my name is Tracy and my business is well established within Willington. I provide a full range of treatments: Waxing, Electrolysis, Eye Treatments. Relaxing Body Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology. Pedicures, Manicures, Shellac Gel Varnish. Facials, including Non-Surgical Facelifts. With over 20 years experience in the beauty industry I will always welcome new customers and be happy to sit down and discuss your requirements. 15% off your first treatment (new customers only)
Telephone: 01234 831894 or 07825 615839 email: tracy.essentialbeauty@gmail.com follow me on Facebook: @essentialbeautytracy 35 Chapel Lane, Willington.
ALL COVID SAFE, WEARING FULL PPE and COVID POLICY IN PLACE.
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Cople Sports and Social Club The season for Cople Sports FC has now finished however Premiership matches will continue to be shown on the TVs at the Club through to the season close on 22nd May. This season Cople Cricket Club will be playing on Saturdays. Fixtures include: 24 April v Kempston Hammers (H) 07 May v Blunham (H) 14 May v Luton Caribbean (H) 21 May v Harrold (A) All matches start at 1.30pm. If you're interested in playing, please contact Ollie George on 07463 714785 Also coming up, a musical treat, ‘Woolly Hat’ are playing 'live and unhinged' on Friday 3rd June - all welcome Regards David Hughes Tel: 01234 838669 (Home) or 07973 148927 (Mobile)
ACE PEST LIMITED Fast Efficient Service
Rats, Mice, Fleas, Moles, Wasps, Bird Proofing etc We offer very competitive rates with normally same day service Proprietor: Mr J. T. Hillyard Telephone 01234 - 838391
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Planning Permission
New Build Houses
Residential Extensions
Building Regulation Drawings
To discuss your upcoming project please contact: Thomas Cropley 07734465308 Tom@gostwickarchitecture.com 11 Gostwick Place, Willington, Bedford
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HERITAGE PAINTERS & DECORATORS EXTERNAL & INTERNAL PAINTING & DECORATING WALL PAPER HANGING, ARTEX & COVING OFFICE: 01767 691010 MOBILE: 07860 601567 EmaiL: heritagewestwood@btinternet.com www.heritagedecorators.co.uk
FULLY INSURED FREE ESTIMATES 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE 23
Dear Villagers, It is with a heavy heart we let the community know that Helen Ryan has decided to leave Sheerhatch at the end of this academic year in July. It is time for her to do something new and to hand over the reins to a new leader. Announcing her decision Helen said: “It remains a huge privilege to be the headteacher of Sheerhatch Primary School and I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and developments since we launched the school in 2017 and since 2010 as head of Cople Lower School. The school is its people and it’s a delight to work with such an amazing team of staff, strong supportive governors and not least our fabulous children”. The governors, led by the governor’s recruitment panel, the local authority School Improvement Advisor and with the help of the pupils in the School Council, are delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Louise Buisson as new Headteacher from September 2022. We received a lot of interest in the role; however we are very proud to be able to promote from within our strong staff community. Louise has been instrumental in the success of the school, demonstrating her leadership skills since taking on the Assistant Head role, most recently taking the lead in the design, implementation and maintenance of the home-learning and in the restructuring of curriculum and lesson design. ” I am thrilled to be taking on the headship of Sheerhatch Primary School and was honoured to be chosen at interview. I have been part of Sheerhatch since the school was established and was at Willington Lower before this dating back to 2012. It has been a pleasure to work with all the members of the school and local community both as a class teacher and part of the leadership team. The school has blossomed under the strong and ethical leadership of Miss Ryan and I look forward to continuing her hard work in September - taking the school from strength to strength.” The Governors would like to thank Helen Ryan for leaving the school in such a strong position, the Ofsted inspection highlighted our excellent leadership team, and recognised the significant work that has gone into leading the school through the merger and transition to Primary. I am sure you will all join us in wishing her a fond farewell and Louise every success in her new role.
Siobhan Godden Chair of Governors s.godden@sheerhatchprimary.org.uk
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Sun 01
Morning Praise
Mon 02
BLACK WHEELIE BINS
Tues 03
Coffee Morning
10.30am @ Moggerhanger Church
Blunham Gardening Club Benefice Choir
7.30pm @ Blunham Village Hall – Roxton Show 9.00am @ Willington Church
Cople Carpet Bowls
7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall
Morning Prayer
9.30am @ Willington Church
Karate in Village Hall
Wed 04
Thurs 05
9.30am livestreamed from Willington Church
Fri 06
Yoga
Beginners & children 5.45 – 7.00pm, Advanced 7.10 – 8.15pm 10.00 – 11.00am in Village Hall
Sat 07
COPLE SALE TRAIL
10.30am – 2.00pm throughout Cople
Fairtrade & Coffee Morning
10.30am in Willington Church
Morning Praise
9.30am @ Moggerhanger Church
Holy Communion
11.00am livestreamed from Willington Church
Music Quiz
6.00pm in The Five Bells
Sun 08
Mon 09
ORANGE & GREEN WHEELIE BINS Mother’s Union Meeting
2.00pm @ a location to be announced
Tues 10
Tuesday Club
7.30pm Visit to Victoria Dibble’s garden
Wed 11
Benefice Choir
9.30am @ Cople Church
Mobile Library
For time and locations see page 18
Cople Carpet Bowls
7.15 – 9.45pm in Village Hall
Morning Prayer
9.30am @ Willington Church
Karate in Village Hall General Knowledge Quiz
Beginners & children 5.45-7.00pm, Advance 7.10 – 8.15pm 8.00pm in The Five Bells
Yoga
10.00-11.00am in Village Hall
Knit & Stitch
10.00 – 12noon in The Five Bells
Moggerhanger Plant Sale
10am-4pm @ 14 Blunham Rd, Moggerhanger
Michael Green – singer
8.30pm in The Five Bells
Morning Praise
9.30am livestreamed @ Cople Church
Holy Communion
11.00am @ Moggerhanger Church
Thur 12
Fri 13
Sat 14
Sun 15
Mon 16
BLACK WHEELIE BINS 26
Mon 16
Commonwealth song
Rehearsal 6.45pm @ Cople Church
Tues 17
Commonwealth song
Rehearsal 6.45pm @ Willington Church
Wed 18
Benefice Choir
9.30am @ Willington Church
Commonwealth Song
Rehearsal 6.45pm @ Moggerhanger Church
Cople Carpet Bowls
7.15 - 9.45pm in Village Hall
Morning Prayer
9.30am @ Willington Church
Karate in Village Hall
Thur 19
Fri 20
Yoga
Beginners & children 5.45-7.00pm, Advance 7.10-8.15pm 10.00 – 11.00am in Village Hall
Sat 21
Tony Neighbour – singer
8.30pm in The Five Bells
Sun 22
Morning Praise
9.30am livestreamed @ Willington Church
Holy Communion
11.00am @ Willington Church
Forest Church
4.00pm @ Moggerhanger Church
Music Quiz
6.00pm in The Five Bells
Mon 23
ORANGE & GREEN WHEELIE BINS
Wed 25
Benefice Choir
9.30am @ Willington Church
Mobile Library
For times & locations see page 18
Cople Carpet Bowls
7.15 – 9.45pm in Village Hall
Morning Prayer
9.30am @ Willington Church
Karate in Village Hall General Knowledge Quiz
Beginners & children 5.45-7.00pm, Advance 7.10-815pm 8.00pm in The Five Bells
Knit & Stitch
10.00 – 12noon in The Five Bells
Yoga
10.00 – 11.00am in Village Hall
Blunham Community Cinema
7.00pm in Blunham Village Hall
Coffee Morning
10.30am – 12noon @ Cople Church
Kohl’s Karaoke
8.30pm in The Five Bells
Morning Praise
9.30am livestreamed @ Moggerhanger Church
Holy Communion
11.00am @ Willington Church
Commonwealth song
Rehearsal 11.45am @ Willington Methodist Chapel
Organ Concert by Bill Fudge
3.00pm @ Willington Church
Thur 26
Fri 27
Sat 28
Sun 29
Mon 30
BLACK WHEELIE BINS 27
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Home Delivery Service in Bedfordshire Villages 29
Caretaker Vacancy We are looking for a Caretaker to join our facilities team as we continue to expand. You need to be able to demonstrate high standards in helping to maintain a clean, tidy and safe environment for the children and staff as well as the upkeep of the school buildings. The successful candidate will support the school with maintenance, asset management, operation, repair and security.
They will have good communication skills, a 'can-do' attitude and a commitment to enhancing the strong community spirit of the school and be willing attend appropriate safety training. 20 hrs a week, 52 weeks a year. Salary scale-L2A, Pt 3-4 £18,652— £18,933 Pro rata Further information and application details can be found on our website: www.cottonendforestschool.co.uk or call the school office on 01234 740100
Two Counties Foot Clinic Ltd Podiatrist/ Chiropodist
Yvonne Siudak BSc (Hons) in Podiatry, MChS, HCPC Reg 2 Belfry Court, Sandy Bedfordshire SG19 1JR Easy free parking available. Tel: 01767 692822 Mobile: 07841 033014 Email: Yvonne@yourfootclinic.co.uk www.yourfootclinic.co.uk
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FRIENDS OF COPLE CHURCH BARN DANCE SATURDAY 25th June 2022
7.30pm OAK FARM, NORTHHILL Dancing to Kelly’s Eye Paul’s Perfect Pig Roast Licensed Bar Tickets £17.50 Contact Miles: milotetley@gmail.com 07738 999340 Charlie: 07790 335284 31
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“JUNE THE SECOND” We are so happy to be part of the Commonwealth Celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, along with many other choirs across the UK and Commonwealth. This is a Historical occasion, children in the future will read about it in their history books, so you’ll need a flag to wave on the evening, your copy of the song and a torch. Moggerhanger Park will be open from 6.30pm. There will be bands playing between 7pm and 8pm, while you can enjoy a drink from the bar, or a juicy morsel from the Barbecue. There’ll be Face Painting for the children, as well as a Bouncy Castle, and Dance music in the Courtyard from 8.30pm until 9pm and again, at the end of the evening. Please note that while there is no charge for admission, we will all need a ticket to get into the Park. You should apply on their web-site www.moggerhangerpark.com where there are further details about the Event. From 9.30pm we join with the other Commonwealth countries, and all parts of the British Isles in paying respects to our Queen. Our Master of Ceremonies will introduce the Fanfare, The Earl of Erroll will light the Beacon, and we will sing the special song we have learnt. After The National Anthem, the Master of Ceremonies will lead us in three cheers for Her Majesty, you can applaud, wave your flags, listen to some more music, buy the last sausage on the Barbecue, and then we’ll make our ways home safely. Gates will be closed at 11pm. Finally . . . Please take ALL litter home with you. “Leave nothing but your footprints, Take nothing but memories of a remarkable occasion in which YOU took part .” So, looking forward to spending a lovely evening with you all. Shirley Jones
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WILLINGTON VILLAGE HALL MONDAY NIGHTS DURING TERM TIME 6:30pm until 8:00pm If you are interested in joining us please register online:JoinUs@girlguiding.org.uk
Further information can be obtained from Brown Owl Tel :07914 240494 Email: willingtongirlguiding@gmail.com
B. W. Taylor Plumbing Roofing and all Building Maintenance From “Complete Bathrooms and Kitchens” including tiling and plastering through to “Ball Valves and “Garden Taps” No Job too small Local Reliable service at Reasonable Rates References Supplied if Required
Telephone:
Barrie Taylor Mobile
01234 - 838676 07979 - 928186
COUNTRY STOVES & SWEEPS HETAS Registered Wood/Multi Fuel Stove Installation Gas Fires Fitted – GAS SAFE Chimney Sweeping Insurance/Safety Certificates Issued Chimney Lining Bird Guards Fitted Free Survey & Quote Competitive Prices
01767 627591 /
07950 705479
Julian Biggs, Northill,
Bedfordshire
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www.biggleswadetyres.co.uk
Phone for special discount on tyres using the code: COPLE MOT’s carried out while you wait. Phone 01767 60194 35
Tony Jones April 29th 1949 - September 13th 2021 Tony was born and grew up in Clifton, near Shefford. His interests from an early age were sport and music and whilst attending Stratton Grammar School, Biggleswade, he represented both the school and local teams at football, rugby and cricket. He also played for Bedford County Youth team against Leicester Tigers and later for Biggleswade Rugby Club against teams such as London Irish Wasps. While at school, and later Hatfield Polytechnic, he played keyboard in several groups and taught himself to play the guitar. Having decided that living away from home comforts and his mum’s cooking was not for him, he turned down university offers, including an invitation to apply to Cambridge on the strength of his rugby skills, and left school to start training as a quantity surveyor at Bedford Borough Council. This proved not to be his ideal career, so he gave it up after a year to do a maths degree at Hatfield Polytechnic. Having met at school we married in 1972 and moved to Norfolk so that Tony could do a Post Graduate Teaching Certificate, followed by a year teaching maths and sport at Thetford Grammar School. During this time, we made the journey back to Bedfordshire each weekend so that Tony could continue playing Sunday football for his beloved Clifton. Then, in 1974, the lure of friends and football brought us back to Bedfordshire and Cople. We set up home in All Saints Road and Tony took up a post as an Adult Education Lecturer at Barnfield College. Heather and Chris were born while we were living there and after completing a Master’s degree in computer science, Tony gained a promotion to North Herts College. It was a standing joke in the family that despite his knowledge of computer science he had a phobia about using computers! During this time (late 1970s) Tony continued playing football for local teams, including the Five Bells team on Sundays for Cople and later for the Cople Saturday team, which he continued to do until in his forties. For several years he also served the village as a member of the Village Hall Committee. In 1986 we moved to Northill Rd. (It was the gipsy in our souls!) Tony’s commitment to adult education saw him make another move to East Herts College, where, as Head of Department, he developed a strong curriculum for students with special educational needs and those from troubled backgrounds. Because of the nature of this role he received a death threat from a student, talked down more than one student from the roof, and went out of his way to find support for students who had 36
been evicted or abandoned by their parents. His final full-time post was as Principal of a residential college for students with profound physical and learning difficulties. His belief was always that everyone deserved the chance to receive the best educational opportunities. After retirement Tony found great pleasure in our two grandsons and the opportunity to travel, as well as regular weekend trips to the Norfolk coast to walk and read. It was a shock when we first realised, he had a neurological condition in 2015. His poor balance and coordination and slurred speech were the first signs that something was wrong, but it took a year of tests and hospital visits before the diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy was reached. Typically, most people have had the condition for at least five years before diagnosis. Gradually his mobility worsened, and he had to first rely on a stick, then a rollator/walking frame, followed by a mobility scooter and finally a wheelchair. Many sufferers are wheelchair bound after only a couple of years, but I believe that Tony’s lifelong habit of a daily exercise regime helped him retain his mobility beyond this. Over the same period his speech worsened but we had managed to “bank “his voice while his speech was still fairly clear, so that he would still be able to communicate if he lost the ability to speak altogether. Alongside this Tony received wonderful, regular support from a dedicated speech therapist and a neurological physiotherapist both in person and later via zoom during the pandemic. We also joined a support group online where one of the specialist nurses from the MSA trust was available to answer questions and give valuable advice. No longer being able to kick a ball with his grandsons or play the piano or drive was hard for him to bear and he found it frustrating that his quick wit and legendary “one liner” style of humour took him longer to articulate; however, he kept his good humour and rarely complained about his condition.
The average life span after diagnosis with MSA is seven to nine years so it was a shock when Tony suddenly deteriorated and died after only six years. It was Tony’s wish that his brain be donated to the National Brain Bank to enable further research into this disease and we were pleased to be able to arrange this for him after his death, as time is of the essence in organ donation. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it has given an understanding of Multiple System Atrophy and, if you knew Tony, an inkling of how he coped with his illness in typical, stoic fashion.
Anne Jones.
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Flower Festival
To celebrate The Queens Platinum Jubilee, Cople Church will host a flower festival on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June. We would like it to be a community event to represent our village. It would be perfect if all clubs and organisations, groups of people, families or individuals took part. The theme of course will be the Queen. Garden flowers, wild flowers, greenery and if you wish to use bought flowers. It is your choice. It is not a competition, a simple vase of flowers is always a delight. The church will be open from 10.00am—12noon and 2.00 to 3.30pm on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd June for you to deliver or arrange your flowers. If you would like to take part please or would like further information please contact Eileen Brooks on 01234 838519, or email efbrooks32@btinternet.com
Laura Saunders Accounting & Finance First Class Graduate Part-Qualified ACCA Accountant 7 Years Experience in Accountancy Services:
Out of Hours Bookkeeping VAT Returns General Admin Other adhoc assignments available on request Proficient in Excel, Sage, Quickbooks and Xero
Competitive Hourly Rate Friendly, Professional Service 38
To discuss your requirements further, contact: laura.saunders.1@outlook .com 07967 830790
Cople Church Coffee Morning Saturday 28th May 2022 10.30-12.00 (in the church) You are warmly invited to come along to the church coffee morning. This month the Knit and Stitch group will be running the event Delicious cakes and drinks will be available All ages welcome. A perfect way to meet up with others from the village and around. All money raised to go to the church.
We look forward to seeing you
Below are some photographs from the Coffee Morning held in March at Cople Church. The weather looked marvellous, let’s hope it is like this for the May one, see above for details.
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The Five Bells. Menu
Starters Soup of the Day served with a warm ciabatta £5.95 Fig & Goat Cheese parcel with side salad £5.95 Mains Beef Lasagne served with a dressed salad and hand cut chips or garlic bread £11.95 Whole Tail Scampi served with hand cut chips, peas and our own tartare sauce £12.95 D-cut Gammon, 2 free range eggs, chips and peas £11.95 Steak and Ale pie with hand cur chips and peas or mash and vegetables £13.95 Beer Battered Cod, hand cut chips, peas and our own Tartare sauce £12.95 Gammon Sliced ham, 2 free range eggs and chips £11.95 Burger, chips and salad £9.95
Please see our specials board for lots more including steaks 40
News from The Five Bells We would like to thank everyone for their continued support and look forward to seeing more of you in the future.
Events 8th May—Music Quiz—starts @ 6.00pm 12th May General knowledge Quiz—starts @ 8.00pm 14th May—Michael Green—starts @ 8.30pm 21st May—Tony Neighbour—starts @ 8.30pm 22nd May—Music Quiz—starts @ 6.00pm 26th May—General Knowledge Quiz—starts @ 8.00pm 28th May—Kohl’s Karaoke—starts @ 8.30pm Food Friday Fish and chips £10 Wednesday and Thursday lunch 2 meals for £15.95 For further choices see Facebook and specials board — from Noon to 3.00pm Jobs at The Five Bells Full time Chef/Cook required For more information, please call 01234 831330 and ask for Mary
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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
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DOWN ON THE FARM 15—Charlie Porter You will probably not be surprised to learn that the crop that I am definitely never ever going to grow again has indeed just been drilled. Yes, my beloved Linseed is featuring on the farm again. My decision was made slightly easier because, due to the horrible situation in Ukraine, plantbased oil values have increased significantly, because Russia and Ukraine collectively produce about 60% of the world’s sunflower oil, which is the world’s most used vegetable oil. Linseed cannot be used as a direct substitute as it has quite a pungent aroma, so Rapeseed oil will replace the sunflower oil for cooking and Linseed will replace the rape oil where it has been used for industry. Crisps and oven chips smelling like a freshly oiled cricket bat or putty would not be a big seller. The wheat crops are currently receiving quite a lot of attention to keep them healthy. They are about to receive their second feed of Nitrogen and will also be being sprayed to prevent diseases. Like the plants in your garden, wheat is prone to various fungal diseases which have to be controlled by a fungicidal spray when they appear and before they become a problem. In this same mix of spray, another can be added which makes the wheat stems grow shorter and stronger. This is to prevent the plant from falling over, lodging, if you get heavy rain near to harvest. If this does happen, the wheat grains can shrivel up and become lower quality. It is also a lot harder to actually combine when the crop is lying flat on the ground. A bird that we are hearing and seeing a lot more of on the farm and in the locality at this time of year is the Green Woodpecker (GW). At a distance this birds’ colouration does not look anything special, but if you are lucky enough to see one close up, its’ plumage is absolutely stunning. Both sexes have grey and yellow bodies and a vivid green rump, and the male has a red crown on top of his head. It is the largest of our woodpeckers, being about the same size as a dove. The other two species are the fairly common, predominantly black and white, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and the now extremely rare Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which is not much bigger than a sparrow. It is thought that there are only about 1500 pairs of these left in the UK, the last known local population being in Sheerhatch wood. The GW is most often spotted on old grassland or lawns as its main food is ants. On the farm we now have a lot of mature grassland and grass margins round the fields, & it is here where we most regularly see them. As the meadows age, anthills develop, and if you are a GW these are like a fast food outlet and if you see the top of one with its top pecked open you can be fairly sure that it has been visited by one. They eat about 2000 ants a day which take a lot of catching. To help them achieve this number they have evolved to have an enormously long 4-inch sticky tongue. This huge tongue is actually coiled up in the back of its skull and is flicked out into the depths of the anthills to ensnare the unsuspecting ants. 44
This bird is often heard before it is seen as it has a very characteristic loud call, known as a Yaffle. For those of you that remember the classic children’s TV program Bag Puss, you will recall that the very clever wooden bird was a Green Woodpecker and was actually called Professor Yaffle. It is hard to describe this call, but it is a unique rapid series of 5 or 6 shrieking cries repeated several times. It is unmistakable. They are also easy to identify in flight because of its very distinctive flight pattern, doing a rapid series of wing flaps to bring it to the top of a wave, then gliding down the wave before doing some more flaps. They tend to nest in rotten trees as their beaks are quite soft and so unable to make their nest holes in harder wood and these holes may be used for several years. They have between 6 and 8 chicks and both parents feed them. When they leave the nest, each parent takes charge of half the brood, teaching them how and where to feed. Given these statistics, given the right environment and weather, you can see how a good population can quickly build up. At this time of year there are, of course, many other things making their first appearance in the countryside. The overwintered butterflies such as Brimstones, Commas and Tortoiseshells have been around for a month or so. But those species that have overwintered as caterpillars tucked away in tussocks of grass and in the undergrowth are now just beginning to appear. One of these is the Orange Tip, the male having this very characteristic orange patch on its wing and the smaller female just being plain white. They will have spent the winter possibly on the remnants of a Wild Garlic Mustard plant, the favourite plant to lay their eggs on and for the caterpillars to eat. Another butterfly that you may spot at this time of year, especially near trees, is the Speckled Wood. This is a medium sized butterfly which brown with cream spots. The males are the most regularly seen, either guarding a sunny spot, or patrolling their territory, waiting for a female to pass through looking for a suitable mate The swallows, house martens and swifts should also be making their annual appearance around now. This year their amazing flight up from Africa will have been helped by the same southerly wind that deposited the Sahara dust on our vehicles, although for some reason, this was not particularly apparent on my dear old mud-spattered Daihatsu!
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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
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Gardening in May 2022 This month, I continue to look at how relatively inexpensive & commonplace household materials can be used in the garden as non-chemical controls for weeds etc. Following winter’s mixed bag of weather, it seems a number of you are concerned about the rampant growth of moss on drives & other hard standing areas. To some, it is merely unsightly, but to many it is a potentially dangerous, slippery hazard. Although these days, there are many products promising its straight forward removal, many contain harsh chemicals that may damage other areas. One cheap & reasonably safe alternative is the use of soda crystals also known as washing soda. Firstly, the area to be treated needs to be damp. Then, simply scatter the crystals liberally & wait. In a couple of days, the moss & algae will change colour becoming golden brown. Then, using a stiff garden broom, simply brush & collect the debris. Carefully using a hoe may shift particularly stubborn areas but take care not to damage the hard standing material underneath. And there you have it! This time every year, I get a number of people rendered incredulous by an ugly & according to some, environmentally damaging occurrence that suddenly seems to appear. They all want to know what on earth has happened to the base of the lamp posts, road signs, trees and other obstacles as the grass looks to be bleached or dying off? In short, your beloved council have once again been around with their dreaded weed killer & literally wiped out everything that grows in these areas. Why? So that they do not have to strim it is the answer. Obviously, this is a policy underpinned by financial concerns, but I implore any of you that feel strongly about it, either for aesthetic or environmental reasons, to contact Bedford Borough Council via the following – Telephone: 01234 718 099 or Email: customerservices@bedford.gov.uk An area of horticulture that I have previously not said too much about relates to those plants that are grown indoors. A regular
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contributor has come to the rescue & suggested that now is a good time to move houseplants into larger pots with fresh compost as all plants, whether in pots or in the ground, need root space to enable growth. If you have a problem with weeds in your garden, chances are you do not have enough plants to fill the space. As we all know, nature abhors a vacuum so fill your beds and borders with what you want to see or else, you will get what you don’t want to see! The answer to last month’s ‘just for fun’ quiz question is, Ffion has, in recent times become a popular girl’s name, what plant is Ffion the Welsh word for? Answer, the foxglove. From Welsh to Irish, this month’s question, what very prevalent plant is known in Northern Ireland by the highly appropriate nickname, Garden Plague? Answer next month. As usual, many thanks to all of you for contributing to this column, keep them coming, and please contact me with any gardening tasks or queries you may have, email: lawndocgardens@aol.com or Tel: 01767 627 581 or 07796 328 855.
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. 49
Village Contacts Knit & Stitch Contact: 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/
Cople Carpet Bowls Club Contact: Pauline Baynes Tel: 01234 838102
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 50
Millfield
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