Cople News June 2022 by Ian Whiting

Cople News June 2022

QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS Saturday 4th June 2022 GENTLEFOLK OF COPLE {and everybody else) Join us for 12 hours of Celebration, Music, Fun and Food.

Programme 12 Noon

Bar opens in Cople Sports Club 12:30 to 14:30hrs Sports session on the Playing Field—Tug-of-War, Footgolf and/or Darts—all activities other than bars and BBQ are free.

12:30 to 16:30hrs Flower Festival and Cake Competition in the Church 14:30 until all gone BBQ (kindly Sponsored by Piggots Butchers) 15:00 to 19:30hrs Live music by ‘Scraping the Barrel’ on the main stage (including a Music Quiz hosted by Miles) 20:00 ‘til late Philla

The Five Bells hosts Live Music with

"BRING A PICNIC AND COME IN FANCY DRESS FROM THE LAST 70 YEARS"

Editor’s Notes This edition is packed with information regarding the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in and around Cople. In date order, there’s the lighting of the Beacon in Moggerhanger Park on Thursday 2nd and the singing of the ‘Song for the Commonwealth’ see page 33. On Friday 3rd the Sports and Social Club have live music from ’Woolley Hatt’ from 8.30pm in the Clubhouse. There’s the main celebrations on the playing fields on Saturday 4th, see the front page, as well as the Flower Festival in the church see page 38. Please don’t forget the GNiC Foodbank Collection in the morning of Saturday 4th June for details see page 5. On page 16 I’ve put a short report on the very successful Cope Sale Trail, and on page 14 Jane & Julie, the Churchwardens, have written a short Thank You to all the helpers etc. A grand total of over £600 was raised at the time of going to press. Page 17 has a very important Notice if you are interested in what happens to Cople over the forthcoming years and the Neighbourhood Plan.

On page 24 is an article about MSA, you may recall there was a tribute to Tony Jones in last months magazine. Unfortunately, I didn’t have space to include this article from Ann all about the disease. There’s not space for the ‘Eating Out’ report from Roland Butter, so we’ll hold that back for July’s edition (unless that is packed with Platinum Jubilee News). 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

Dear Friends, As we enter June, we celebrate with joy the most remarkable life of our Queen, Elizabeth II. Here are some fun facts you may not know about the Queen! ¨ She was the first female member of the Royal Family to join the Armed Forces as a full-time active member in 1945. She learned to drive and maintain vehicles. ¨ She has been served by 14 Prime Ministers during her reign. ¨ And there have been 14 Presidents of the USA and she has met all of them, with the exception of President Johnson (no idea why!) ¨ In 1986 she was the first British monarch to visit China. ¨ She has visited over 100 countries as Monarch, Canada the most at 22 times, and France the most in Europe at 13 times. ¨ She has carried out more that 21,000 engagements, 180 garden parties and over 1.5 million people have attended a garden party during The Queen’s reign. ¨ As British passports and driving licences are issued in The Queen’s name, she is not required to have either – a privilege held by her alone! ¨ Her Majesty speaks fluent French. ¨ The Queen holds the title ‘Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England’. These titles date back to the reign of King Henry VIII, who was granted the title ‘Defender of the Faith’ by Pope Leo X in 1521. ¨ In her role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, she appoints Archbishops, Bishops and Deans of Cathedrals, on the advice of the Prime Minister. And over and above all these things she has a deep, personal faith and has often spoken of her belief in Jesus, especially during her annual Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day. In 2014 she said this, ‘For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life.’ We will be holding a special service to celebrate her life and faith on Sunday 5 th June at 11am at All Saints Church, Cople. How ever you choose to celebrate, I wish you every joy as we come together as a nation once again to mark this historic occasion. With every blessing, Rev. Lynne (more fun facts can be found at https://www.royal.uk/70-facts-markqueens-platinum-jubilee!) 4

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 sight so when the Volunteers drive by they can see your donations. If everyone in Cople donated one item each it soon adds up. Many people are very kind and put several 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 If your items seem to have been missed call 07746 624208

Village Hall Trust

(registered charity number 1090113)

The trust is giving Notice that the Annual General Meeting will be held at 7.30pm on 19th June 2022 in the Village Hall. Residents of Cople are welcome to attend.

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

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

donnasmall906@gmail.com

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

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

COPLE VILLAGE TRUST (Registered Charity No. 1090113)

200 CLUB Monthly draw of £60 - £30 and £10 – you never know your luck may be in! Belated list of Prize winners for April 2022 1st prize of £60 2nd prize of £30 3rd prize of £10

216 285 217

Carol Halliday W Carruthers G Halliday

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 VILLAGE TRUST (Registered Charity No. 1090113)

200 CLUB Monthly draw of £60 - £30 and £10 – you never know your luck may be in! Prize winners for May 2022 1st prize of £60 2nd prize of £30 3rd prize of £10

287 172 191

Linda Behan Stacey Plunkett G.S. Briscoe

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

Blunham Community Cinema—Jubilee Celebrations. We present a special night on Saturday 4th June to celebrate The Queen's Platinum Jubilee anniversary. A meal of Coronation chicken, jacket potato & salad will be served. Free glass of fizz to toast her Majesty. The film ‘Priscilla, Queen of the desert’ (Cert 15). The story follows two drag queens played by Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and a transgender woman, played by Terence Stamp, as they journey across the Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus which they have named "Priscilla". Three of the songs included in the film are 'I love the Nightlife'. 'Go West' and 'I will Survive'. During the evening confectionary and ice cream will be on sale. Doors open 6pm. Supper 6.30pm. Film 7.30pm Cost of Meal and Film £12.00. Film only £5.00. Reservation and Payment must be received by 27th May.

Contact Stella 01767 640515 or 07783 046020 for reservation and any further information. Blunham Village Hall, 105A High Street, Blunham. Bedford MK443NN. Reg Charity 1183856.

Cople Sale Trail June & Julie (the Churchwardens) would like to say a huge Thank You to everyone who took part (buyers & sellers) on the day. Special Thanks go to the helpers on the day and made cakes and manned the church stalls. “We couldn’t have done it without you”. At the last count over £600 has been made for much-needed church funds, which is an amazing amount. 14

Tuesday Club Following a brief history of the house, which was a former Rectory, we went on to enjoy the formal garden. The wild flower meadow and the Orchard garden and generally admire the beautiful setting the house was positioned in. Although still early in the season, we were surrounded by fragrances from Sweet alyssum, Purple Vervain, Honewort, Wild Cherry and many more! Victoria and her husband mainly tend the 6 acre plot themselves organically, with just a small amount of help. To end the visit, we enjoyed splendid home-made cakes and tea, a perfect end to a delightful evening. The next Tuesday Club meeting will be at 18 Woodlands Close, Cople from 7.00pm. Joy has very kindly offered to host a strawberry/cream and wine evening! Please contact Joy Duthie 01234 838407 if you wish to attend and have not “Signed up”. One definitely not to miss. All very welcome. Eithne Dandy. 15

Cople Sale Trail Saturday 7th May 2022 dawned with that light drizzle that gets you wet very quickly and hearts throughout Cople must have sunk, as today was Sale Trail Day. But by 10.00am the sun was trying to get through and a little later it finally succeeded. Business was brisk in the first few hours, but by 1.00pm most buyer or browsers seemed to have gone home. A total of 23 stalls were scattered around the village, with the nerve centre (and coffee and cake stand) based in the Church.

I managed to get round a lot of the stalls and take photographs, below are photos of some of them. If I missed your stall my apologies. Libby Sands, Editor.

Blunham Community Cinema Village Hall, Blunham MK44 3NN We present on Friday 24th June 'The Father' (Cert 12A) starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman. A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality. Film starts promptly 7.30 pm doors open 7pm. Adults £5.00. Children £3.00. Family (2A + 2C) £12.00. Sweets, Drinks, Ice cream and Pop-corn are available. For tickets or any further information contact Stella on 01767 640515 or 07783 046020.

Blunham and District Gardening Club Tuesday 7th June 2022 at 7.30pm. The meeting will be an evening visit to Julie Pennington’s beautiful garden in Barkers Lane, Tempsford. Cost £11.00 which includes drinks and nibbles. Visitors are welcome. For further information contact Brenda Leaf 01767 640624

Mobile Library News — June 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 June are 8th and 22nd 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 June are 10th and 24th. Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery or just bring along yourself to chat and enjoy coffee and cake. 18

Mother’s Union Members met on 9th May to discuss and plan our programme for the rest of the year. We were also joined by our vicar Lynne. Afterwards we had refreshments and Judith was thanked for her hospitality. Next month we shall be meeting on Monday 13th June at 2.00pm at 91 Willington Road. Also in June on Thursday 23rd, will be our annual ‘Wave of Prayer’ day, when we pray for our linked diocese around the world. Details of this will be given at our meeting on 13th. Prayer for Father’s Day. Thank you, heavenly Father, for fathers and father figures. Jesus was botn into a family where he was loved and supported throughout his childhood. There are many children and adults who have met with adversity. Show them your perfect fatherly love to help them through each day. (M.U. Prayer Diary) To the right is a photo of the Benefice Choir in all their finery. You will be able to hear them on 3rd June at the Beacon Lighting event at Moggerhanger Park. The Tuesday Club is looking for volunteers to help with the decoration of the Church porch for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Flower Festival. We also need flowers and foliage to help make the entrance look spectacular. Please come along with any donations from 10.00am on 3rd June to the Church Door. 19

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.

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: 4th June—No match due to Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations 11th June v Sandy (A) 18th June v Harrold (H) 25th June v Langford (H) All matches start at 1.30pm. If you're interested in playing, please contact Ollie George on 07463 714785 for further information. Also coming up, a musical treat, ‘Woolly Hatt’ are playing 'live and unhinged' on Friday 3rd June from 8.30pm- 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

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

MSA Awareness Month As I write this it is Multiple System Atrophy week (March 21st27th) which is part of the awareness raising month. Although March will have passed by the time this goes to print I thought it would be a good time write something about this rare disease as part of a tribute to my late husband, Tony Jones. Facts: Multiple System atrophy is a rare neurological disease, affecting approximately 3,000 people at any one time in the UK. It is caused by atrophy (shrinking) of nerve cells in several areas of the brain. It affects multiple bodily functions such as speech, movement, balance, coordination and blood pressure control. It may also affect other autonomic functions such as breathing, swallowing, digestion, bladder control in its later stages. MSA usually starts between the ages of fifty and sixty but can affect people younger and older. It affects both men and women and is not hereditary, infectious or contagious. It is not known what causes MSA and research is ongoing. Many doctors and other medical practitioners will never come across a patient with MSA. The MSA trust is a very small charity that relies on donations to fund research and provide support and advice to sufferers and their families. They also fund the salaries of four specialist nurses to cover different areas of the UK and to give advice to both patients and GPs. Multiple System Atrophy is a cruel disease and it is vital that research can be funded to gain a better understanding of how sufferers may be helped in the future. Ways to Help Two simple ways to support funding for the Trust are either through buying Christmas cards via their website or, if you use Amazon, you can nominate the MSA Trust through Amazon Smile so that each purchase you make triggers a donation to the Trust from Amazon. Ann Jones

Wed 01

Benefice Choir Rehearsal

9.30am @ Moggerhanger Park

Thurs 02

Morning Prayer

9.30am @ Willington Church

Beacon Lighting etc

From 6.30pm in Moggerhanger Park

Fri 03

‘Wooley Hat’

Live @ Sports & Social Club

Sat 04

Fairtrade Stall & Coffee morning Queen’s Jubilee Flower Festival

10.30am @ Willington Church

Blunham Cinema

Queen’s Jubilee – see page 14 for details

Village Jubilee Celebrations

See front page for details

Sun 05

Benefice Service

10.30am – 3pm Cople Church

11am Cople Church to celebrate Queen’s Jubilee

Queen’s Jubilee Flower Festival

2.00-4.00pm @ Cople Church

Mon 06

Orange & Green Wheelie Bins

Tue 07

Coffee Morning

10.30am @ Moggerhanger Church

Wed 08

Benefice Choir practice

9.30am @ Cople Church

Mobile Library

For times & locations see page 18

Morning Prayer

9.30am @ Willington Church

Yoga

10.00 – 11.00am @ Cople Village Hall

Knit & Stitch

10.00 – 12noon in The Five Bells

Tuesday Club

Visit to 18 Woodlands Close

Cricket Match

1.30pm versus Sandy (A)

Family Service

9.30am livestreamed from Cople Church

Holy Communion

11.00am @Willington Church

Thur 09 Fri 10

Sat 11

Sun 12

Mon 13

Black Wheelie Bin Mother’s Union

2.00pm Meeting @ 91 Willington Rd

Wed 15

Benefice Choir practice

9.30am @ Willington Church

Thurs16

Morning Prayer

9.30am @ Willington Church

Fri 17

Yoga

10.00 – 11.00am Cople Village Hall

Sat 18

Cricket Match

1.30pm V Harrold (H)

Sun 19

Morning Praise

9.30am livestreamed from Willington Church

Holy Communion

11.00am @ Cople Church

Songs of Praise

6.00pm @ Moggerhanger Church 26

Mon 20

Orange & Green Wheelie Bins

Lunch Club

12.30pm in Cople Church

Tues 21

Blunham Gardening Club

7.30pm visit to Barker’s Lane, Tempsford

Wed 22

Benefice Choir practice

9.30am @ Moggerhanger Church

Mobile Library

For times & locations see page 18

Morning Prayer

9.30am @ Willington Church

Mother’s Union

Wave of Prayer Day—Details TBC

Knit & Stitch

10.00 – 12noon @ The Five Bells

Yoga

10.00 – 11.00am @ Cople Village Hall

Blunham Cinema

7.00pm see page 18 for details

Coffee Morning

10.30 – 12.30pm @ Cople Church

Cricket Match

1.30pm v Langford (H)

Barn Dance

7.30pm Oak Farm Northill see page 31

Sunday School

9.30am @ Cople Church

Thur 23

Fri 24

Sat 25

Sun 26

All-age Service with the choir Holy Communion Visit to The Stables & Dovecote Organ Concert

9.30am livestreamed @ Moggerhanger Church 11.00am @ Cople Church 2.00-5.00pm Willington Church open for Tea & Cakes 3.00pm Hattie Brun, Shirley Jones & Keith Brown @ Willington Church

Mon 27

Black Wheelie Bin

Wed 29

Benefice Choir practice

9.30am @ Willington Church

Morning Prayer

9.30am @ Willington Church

Thurs 30

• • •

• •

Roofing repairs, reroofs or roof de-mossing. Leadwork repairs and replacements. Gutter and facia cleaning and repair. Chimney and brickwork repointing and repair. Any other ladder related work. Local friendly service, happy to help. Contact: Ashley Tel: 07851 121782 Email: midgardpm@outlook.com

Home Delivery Service in Bedfordshire Villages 29

Cople Church Coffee Morning Saturday 25th June 2022 10.30-12.00 (in the church) You are warmly invited to come along to the church coffee morning. This month the Lunch Club Ladies 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.

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

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

“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

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

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

Children’s Playground News Cople Village Trust (registered charity number 1090113) Cople Village Trust (CVT) is made up of volunteers who live in the village and was formed in 2001. CVT is responsible for maintaining the playing field, village hall and children’s playground. The Trust are currently considering a revamp of the children’s playground with a view to hopefully making some improvements, a number of companies have been to look at the site and we await their plans.

It is really important that any revamp of the area is carefully considered and meets all of the village needs. There is a huge range of equipment available which can be exciting for children, colourful and stimulating, adding multiple play experiences and challenges and bring more developed sensory experience. We also need to consider accessibility for ALL children and their families. With any considerable project such as this it is also really important to have the support of the local community, there will be a number of hurdles, most significantly financing. We are trying really hard to involve the entire community and most importantly our children, we are planning to go to our local school to speak to our children in the near future. If you would like to be involved in this exciting project or have any skills that you feel the Trust would benefit from, we would love to hear from you. Contact: mhinkley1968@gmail.com or call 0771 988 2739 – CVT volunteer

Sheerhatch School Dear Parents, Neighbours & Village Friends... Thank you for all your support this year dropping your donations at school. We have yet another collection again and your invited to leave your unwanted bags of clothes at Sheerhatch Primary School (Cople or Willington sites) on the morning of Wednesday 15th June (before 9am) - any bags can be used… The more we collect, the more money we raise for the school, so please spread the word! You can donate the following ‘good quality’ items for RE-USE*: Men’s, Ladies’ & Children’s clothing; Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around); Handbags, Hats, Bags, Scarves & ties, Jewellery, Lingerie, Socks, Belts, Soft toys, Household linen, Household curtains, Household towels, Household bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases & duvet covers) * We reserve the right to refuse any unsuitable items. We CAN NOT accept: Duvets & blankets, Pillows & cushions, Carpets, rugs & mats (including bath, shower * toilet mats), Soiled, painted, ripped or wet clothing, School uniforms with & without logo, Corporate clothing & workwear, Textile off cuts, yarns or threaded material Any support is gratefully received, Friends of Sheerhatch (FOSH)

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 Players on behalf of The Friends of Cople Church Many of you will recall March 2014 with a shudder, as that was the first time that the Cople Players inflicted a pantomime on the village, resulting in mass trauma and hysteria. And that was just the cast and crew; the fallout in the audience was even greater. Twice more have the effects been felt, the last occasion being March 2018. Now, Cople Players are once more girding their loins to bring this quintessentially British entertainment to you. Which brings me to the reason for this missive. We need new blood. Some of our aging thespians are having difficulty remembering how to order a pint of beer in the Bells, never mind learning a handful of lines, so we are looking for people who have always wanted to tread the boards but have never done so for whatever reason. Or perhaps you once did so and the desire is still within you, or perhaps you just want to be involved.

On a serious note, this is quite a commitment. Rehearsals are weekly on an evening (the day is yet to be determined) and as the performance dates draw near, there will be a number of full runs throughs at the weekend, culminating in a couple of fulldress rehearsals. Speak to anyone who has been involved, and they will tell you it is hard work, and time consuming. This is not to put you off, it is great fun and the achievement at the end makes it all worthwhile. You just need to go into this with your eyes open. The performances will probably take place in March 2023, of which there will be three. Two evening (Friday and Saturday) and one matinee on the Saturday, which is intended as a family friendly performance. The evening ones tend to be a little more risqué shall we say, but definitely not blue! Read throughs and rehearsals will probably start in October, with a break for Christmas. So, if you fancy being involved, or have any questions, please contact me as soon as possible.

Miles Tetley – 07738 999340 or milotetley@gmail.com

The Five Bells. Menu

Starters Soup of the Day served with bread £5.95 Fig & Goat Cheese parcel with side salad £5.95 Mains Beef Lasagne served with a dressed salad and chips or garlic bread £11.95 Whole Tail Scampi served with chips, peas and our own tartare sauce £12.95 D-cut Gammon, 2 free range eggs, chips and peas £11.95 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 Please see our specials board for lots more including steaks

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 4th June—Live Music with Philla—starts 8.00pm 9th June—General Knowledge Quiz—starts @ 8.00pm 12th June—Music Quiz—starts @ 6.00pm 18th June—Ska Night—starts @ 8.00pm 23rd June —General Knowledge Quiz—starts @ 8.00pm 24th June—Mat Roberts—starts @ 8.30pm 26th June—Music Quiz—starts @ 6.00pm 2nd July—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 for further information 41

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

DOWN ON THE FARM 16—Charlie Porter We are currently having to do a job on the farm that we have never had to do before, & that is to irrigate a crop to make it germinate & grow. That crop, you will not be surprised to learn, is my beloved Linseed. Last month I was talking about drilling it. Sadly, as these same seeds were still sitting in a totally dry seedbed 3 weeks later, & with no significant rainfall forecast, I had to devise a plan B. Luckily for us, our wonderful neighbours Will & Alastair Findlay, have got a state of the art irrigation system installed on their farm, & we struck a deal with them to water our linseed using their water, machinery and labour. As I write, this no small undertaking is just beginning. On an arable & grassland farm like ours it is not financially viable to have your own irrigation system. Only if you are a grower of high value vegetable crops do the sums add up for installing such a system. On the Findlay’s farm, onions & potatoes feature in the rotation & hence the need for such a system. This year they have already had to water some of the onion crops twice, once to make them germinate, & once to wash the nutrients that had been applied down to the roots. They will not now need any additional water till they have a growth spurt in about a month or so. Unusually, they have had to water some of their wheat crops that are growing on the gravel soils around Cardington as they were starting to suffer badly in the drought. Having an irrigation system installed on your farm is a huge & very costly undertaking to take on. In 1977 the Findlay family had the foresight & courage to take this on & the reservoir, which many of you will know of, was dug. It had to be positioned where the clay subsoil was of good enough quality to be able to hold water. We had only just moved in at Wood End, & well remember this enormous hole being dug just a couple of fields away from our house. But not only do you need a big hole, you also need a reliable water source to be able to fill it from, & this hole needs 50 million gallons! Their nearest source was the brook not far from the Bedford Town football club. This water then had to be got to the reservoir which required the laying of an underground main nearly 2 miles long, & a pump to push it there. This water has to be bought from the Environment Agency & is extracted under licence in the winter time, when it is a lot cheaper than if you buy it in the summer, as the river authorities are only too pleased to have less water to get out to the Wash to help prevent flooding. Hence, this water is now owned by the Findlay’s, & they can use it 44

as & when they want. In certain circumstances you can extract & apply water directly from a river in the summertime, but this is much more expensive & very risky as it can be banned overnight if there is a drought & there is very little water moving down the river. This stored water now has to be got to the fields where the crops are growing that need watering. This requires another huge pump & a network of under-ground & over-ground pipes. These currently go as far as fields near Willington, nearly 3 miles. Once at the field the water is applied using either a rain gun or a boom irrigator 70 metres wide. These are attached to a coil of pipe about 600 metres long. To begin the operation these applicators are pulled across the field by a tractor, the water is then turned on & the pressure of the water going through the pipe reel very slowly turns a water-driven motor that winds the applicator back across the field, sprinkling water as it goes. An average application would be about an inch, 25mm, which is what our linseed fields are having. This means that in total our fields will have about 2,500,000 gallons sprinkled on them, that is 4 Olympic sized swimming pools worth of water. As we have some ponds near our house, one quaint bird that we regularly see are moorhens. They are predominantly shiny black with two white patches on their tails and a very characteristic very red beak in the adult birds. They are one of the most common water birds both in the UK and worldwide, featuring in virtually any country that is not tropical or frozen. Spend a few minutes by a little patch of water and it won’t be long before one appears, cautiously paddling across the water, then running over the water heading for cover when you disturb it, often making a screeching noise as it goes. They are the nearest thing to a flightless bird that you will find in the UK, always preferring to run or swim. They can fly, but usually only if they are scared by something. These very feisty birds pair up for life and both parents will look after the chicks, often assisted with a second brood by juveniles from the first brood of the year. They are extremely protective of their young chicks. These little black balls of fluff first appear in April, and woe-betide any creature that dares get too near to them. We have witnessed on our lawn moorhen parents seeing off Mallards, Pheasants, Pigeons, Rabbits and Squirrels. We also saw one run 30 yards to attack another moorhen’s chicks, picking them up in their beaks and throwing them about like little black fluffy dolls. Having witnessed this aggression, we think that it could well be moorhens that are responsible for last years and this year’s ‘duckicide’, as, once again sadly, very few of our ducklings are surviving.

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 June 2022 From time to time, I get asked to give talks about gardens and gardening; on one such occasion, a sweet old lady bristling with pride explained to me how she had managed to remove all of the ground elder in her garden! She had every reason to be happy, ground elder is one of the most pernicious ‘weeds’ available in this country and its control is a slog and a half which is why, as you will see below, the Irish have given it a particularly appropriate nickname! If you have identified it as prevalent in your garden, weed killer can be used to treat it but as previously intimated in this column, with more and more people nervous of using glyphosate, you might opt to remove it using the old fashioned method of digging it out. Ground elder has rhizomes which are thick roots that run like an underground train system a couple of inches below the surface of the soil and readily form new plants above ground level. For this reason, hoeing is not really effective. Using a spade or fork, I much prefer the former, dig into the affected area and turn over. Then, using your hands simply remove the spaghetti-like network of roots. Burn or legally dispose of but whatever else you do, do not put on the compost heap! Laborious but strangely satisfying, like many jobs in the garden and its removal will certainly improve a garden’s appearance as well as improving the well being of all those plants that are wanted. One fairly common plant to treat with respect and preferably, to avoid ‘like the plague’ is Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Native to Russia and being highly invasive, (insert your own witticism here!), it has a strong resemblance to Cow Parsley and can grow up to 3 metres (10ft) tall, with white umbels. Not unattractive but it has a sting in its tail - literally. Its sap is highly irritant to people and to many animals including dog’s so if you are out walking, take great care. Exposure to the sap can result in severe burns which will require treatment and can even leave long term scars to humans and animals. Interestingly, it is listed on Schedule 9 of the ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act’ in England and Wales which means that, while it’s not an offence to grow it in your garden, it is an offence to plant it in the wild or let it escape from your garden into the wild.

So, if you are wanting to remove it from your garden, be sure to wear appropriate clothing and gloves and burn or legally dispose of. The answer to last month’s ‘just for fun’ quiz question then is, what very prevalent plant is known in Northern Ireland by the highly appropriate nickname, ‘Garden Plague’ is Ground Elder. This month’s question, no prizes just assume a smug demeanour if you know the answer: What equally prevalent plant is known to many as ‘Twitch?’ Answer next month. A concerned local is being run ragged by something, in the dead of night, devouring his much loved broccoli and sprouts; he’s done all of the normal things to prevent attack including laying gravel around the plants, netting and even inspecting all of the leaves for butterfly eggs but thus far, all to no avail. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is doing the damage and ways of combating it? 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 £10 per hour.

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