Cople News August 2022 by Ian Whiting

Cople News August 2022

SAVE THE DAY

Wear it Pink Day 21st October

The event will be at Cople Sports and Social club, Details in future editions

Editor’s Notes Firstly, there is a correction on the date of the Open Day at Willington Dovecote & Stables and Organ Concert that came in too late for the July edition. The new date is 31st July. Save the date 21 October 2022 as it’s ‘Wear it Pink Day’. Don’t know how many of our readers know, but Libby is a breast cancer survivor of 12 years now, so she will be supporting this event and hope to see lots of you there. More news nearer the date. More good news is that the Rural Bulk Waste Collections are to resume. See more details on page 15.

Ian Whiting who looks after the Cople Website has placed all of the photographs I was sent of the Jubilee on the website. They look much better is you view them full screen. www.cople.org.uk There are several clubs etc that are NOT meeting in August, hopefully I have got all of them mentioned within the magazine. Check the Calendar in the centre pages. The village has welcomed a Ukrainian family to the village. Details are on page 33. we hope they settle in and love the village. If you are away for your holidays during August, we hope you have a restful time. Regards Libby & Linda

Benefice Choir Please Note there aren’t any practices for the Choir in August. These resume on 7th September.

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. Please Note—the Editor reserves the right to edit copy as required.

Advertising Rates

2022 Annual Charges: Full Page £96.

Half Page £48.

Delivered free to every home in Cople every month circulation 350 copies

Letter from the Vicar We have a big summer of sport ahead of us. At the time of writing the Wimbledon finals weekend is fast approaching and the women’s Euro Championship has just begun. At the end of July, the Commonwealth Games begin in Birmingham alongside the usual round of Formula 1, golfing tournaments and the Tour de France. And then in November begins the World Cup. Now all this will either leave you full of joy in anticipation of it all or groaning with horror at how much TV schedule time will be given to these events over the coming months!

I find that I am always taken with the sheer levels of commitment shown by all the athlete’s involved, whatever the sport. The dedication, the time commitment, the pounding of the track in the cold and wet of winter, or working out in the gym, even on the days they really don’t feel like it. They make huge sacrifices and I find it incredibly moving and quite humbling to hear their stories and their sheer level of commitment to their sport. I certainly lack that level of dedication, especially when it comes to my physical fitness, but I know that I could do with taking a leaf out their books! And for Christians, we too are called to keep ourselves fit. Not perhaps as physically fit as our sporting heroes, but fit in a spiritual sense. St Paul in his letter to the Corinthian’s instructs that “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize”. He observes that everyone who competes in sport goes into strict training, in order to be the best, to make their bodies function to their absolute maximum. Their whole approach to life, what they eat, what they drink, how much exercise they do, how much rest they have, is governed by the desire to win the prize. But for Christians, the prize is different. Our prize is eternal life. How do we prepare for that? We too may wish to watch what we eat and drink, but we will also want to be reading our bibles regularly, spending our time in prayer and attending church to encourage and support our brothers and sisters as they too aim for the prize of eternal life. We want to aim to be as spiritually fit as we can be, to be as dedicated to our faith in God as the athlete is dedicated to their sport. So, enjoy the sporting spectacle this summer, but while you do so, spare a thought to your own wellbeing, both the physical and the spiritual! With every blessing, Lynne 4

Names from the Register Baptism: 26 June 2022—Peyton Mossford Funeral: 12 July—Roy Bennett

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 Tel: 01234 838623 juneshanahan748@btinternet.com julie@scherrer.co.uk

Mother’s Union At our meeting in July, we were hoping to sit in a member‘s garden, however the day we met was so hot we decided to stay indoors. Eileen produced a flower quiz to test our gardening knowledge & this was won by Jean, who was presented with a bunch of beautiful sweet peas as her prize. Eileen was thanked for hosting us & for our refreshments. On Tuesday 9th August we shall be celebrating Mary Sumner Day. Mary founded the MU in 1876 & there are now around 4 million members across the world.

The service will take place at Blunham Church at 2.30pm as this is a cluster event, we will be parading the banners from the other branches & groups in the area. We shall also have a raffle & refreshments. All our knitting & sewing items will be taken to this event & our thanks go to all who have contributed their knitting & sewing skills to our projects. The Mary Sumner Prayer All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do thou by thine spirit quicken, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I breathe, or the life I live. Amen. 5

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

Down on the Farm 18—Charlie Porter July and August are traditionally the two main harvesting months around here. This year, however, because of the extremely hot weather that we have been experiencing, a lot more than usual will be done in July. Oil Seed Rape is always the first crop to be combined, & July is the normal time. As it was reaching maturity before the heat arrived it was not adversely affected. The sun will actually have helped it as the solar energy will have boosted the plants growth & made it produce more oil, up from the normal 40% to possibly over 45%. This is good because the value of the crop is based on the percentage of oil that it contains. Winter sown barley crops will also be being harvested now, which is a bit earlier than usual because of the dry conditions. Most of this will be used for animal food, but a small amount will be going for brewing & malting. Although we do not grow either of these crops here, we still watch what is happening on the neighbouring farms. Our wheat harvest is about to start, which, due to the drought, is roughly three weeks earlier than normal. This will have reduced the yield a bit, but hopefully the sunshine will have made the plant produce more protein in the grain. This makes the crop more valuable as it can now be used for bread making rather than animal feed. We used to bale most of the straw, some for use on the farm & some to sell. We have now decided that, apart from a small amount for the horses, the remainder will be chopped up & returned to the soil. This chopping is done by the combine which explains the enormous clouds of dust that these monstrous machines leave in their wake. These little pieces no bigger than a matchstick, are spread evenly over the soil behind the combine. When the soil becomes moist again, this residue is food for the worms, who are such an integral part of the health of our soils. More about this in another article. This month has been quite special for the wildlife on the farm. At the beginning of July we had a visit from Amanda who rings & records our Barn Owls. We have 3 boxes that she monitors & one that she can’t because it is inaccessible. She is a licenced bird ringer who started the Ivel Valley Barn Owl Project about 20 years ago, & she currently monitors about 100 barn owl boxes in the area. Around here it has apparently been a bad year for barn owls, many boxes being empty, showing signs of failed broods or occupied by pigeons or crows. So, she was delighted when she found 3 very well grown owlets in the first box of ours that she checked. She puts each one in a little bag & then lowers them down to me. They are then weighed, age estimated, ringed, showing their own unique number & sex recorded, the females having brown spots under their wings. They are then returned to the box, making sure that they are settled before you leave them so that they don’t panic & flap out of the box. The other two monitored boxes were unfortunately empty, but we know from 12

observation that the unmonitored box had had chicks earlier in the year that had now fledged, but we don’t know how many. This success rate indicates that the voles, being the main food source for the barn owls, have had a good year on the farm. The Little owls have also bred successfully, & we think produced two chicks, &, judging by the noise in the evenings, the Tawny owls have also had young. Another highlight this month was seeing two broods of English/Grey Partridge. These once common birds are now a rarity & are on the RSPB Red list. The first brood that I spotted were on our farm track where I saw an adult with its wings spread out. As I approached, she stood up & about 12 tiny little chicks, not much bigger than a fluffy ping pong ball, tumbled out from underneath her. She staggered off, trying to get my attention by doing her broken wing trick, to give her chicks time to scuttle off into the undergrowth & safety. Only then did she seek safety herself. I returned a few minutes later & observed mum walking back to where her chicks had hidden & as she clucked they gradually reappeared & sought comfort & safety beneath her outspread wings. For these tiny little creatures to survive they need three things. Firstly, a plentiful supply of insects & grubs, which the chicks have to find themselves as, unlike most insect eating birds like blue tits & wrens, they are not physically fed by their parents. This is where our grass margins around the fields come into their own as they are very rich in insects & invertebrates. Secondly, dry weather; these little fluff balls cannot survive a prolonged wet spell because it is very hard to find insects in the rain & when they get soaked, they will quickly die of hypothermia. The adults try their best to keep them dry & warm, & unusually in the bird world, both mum and dad will brood the chicks which will ensure that they all get sheltered. The final thing that they need to survive is a lack of predators. Being a ground dwelling bird, they provide an easy snack for Magpies, Crows, Foxes & Badgers. But Grey partridges are excellent parents, & if the current heatwave continues I will be most surprised if they don’t all survive. The second brood that I saw a couple of days later were a bit older. They were only as big as Sparrows & were just beginning to fly, albeit very erratically. They had successfully navigated the very difficult & dangerous first two weeks of their lives & now their future looks fairly secure.

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! Prize winners for July 2022 1st prize of £60 2nd prize of £30 3rd prize of £10

173 124 113

Verity Yarrow Pamela Marco Gwen Heggie

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

Rural Bulk Waste Collection Returns

After a few years without this service, the Rural Bulk Waste Collection service returns to the village on Sunday 17th September 2022. Gather together your bulky household waste that can be difficult (and costly) to dispose of and head to one of the sites in the village as listed below: Junction with Rye Crescent between 8.00—10.00am Village Hall, Grange Lane— between 10.30am —12noon. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE WASTE IN THESE AREAS BEFORE THE VEHICLE ARRIVES

Blunham Community Cinema Village Hall, Blunham MK44 3NN We present on Friday 26th August, 'The Dig' (Cert 12A) starring Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes and Lily James. An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938. Film starts promptly 7.30pm 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 There are NO MEETINGS of the Gardening Club in August. Visits to other garden take place instead. For further information contact Brenda Leaf 01767 640624

Mobile Library News — August 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 August are 3rd and 17th 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 August are 5th & 19th Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery or just bring along yourself to chat & enjoy coffee & cake. 16

Cople Church Coffee Morning There isn’t a Coffee Morning in August. These will resume in September 24th. Happy holidays everyone. Julie

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 This season Cople Cricket Club will be playing on Saturdays. Fixtures include: 13th August v Ampthill (H) 20th August v Langford (A) 27th August v Dunstable Town (H) 3rd September v Dunstable Town (A) All matches start at 1.30pm. If you're interested in playing, please contact Ollie George on 07463 714785 for further information. 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 21

Eating Out—Roland Butter

Corner 5 Lakeside Dining, Box End Park, Box End Road, Box End, MK43 8RQ Email: corner5@boxendpark.com Tel: 01234 846223. Opening hours: Lunch Tuesday – Saturday 12.30 – 2.30pm; Sunday 12.30 – 3.00pm; Dinner Wednesday – Saturday 6.00 – 9.00pm. In July we visited a restaurant we’d heard a lot about. Located next to the water-skiing lake at Box End in Kempston Rural, it was a lovely setting in a very light airy restaurant with great views of the skiers, which made me wistful for days gone by, water-skiing at Stewartby Water Sports Club. The choice wasn’t extensive, which is good as it makes choosing easier, but there was a nice range of choices. Sharers & Nibbles between £3.50 for Mixed Olives (Gluten Free) (VEgan) & £10.95 Garlic & Rosemary Baked Camembert, Rustic bread (Vegetarian). Small Plates (another name for Starters?) – between £7.50 for Garlic Mushrooms, Crispy Shallots, Toasted Sourdough & Truffle Oil (VE) (Gluten Free Available) to £8.50 for Oak Smoked Salmon, Guacamole, Heirloom Tomato, Sourdough, Chilli Oil (GFA) (Dairy Free). Pizzas – 12” stone baked from £10.95 for Mozzarella & Tomato to £14.95 for Pepperoni, Prosciutto, Mushroom, Olives & Sun Blushed Tomato. We missed out the Starters/Small Plates and went straight to the Main Plates. Costing between £13.95 for Halloumi Caesar Salad, Croutons, Tomatoes, Parmesan Shavings (V) (GFA) and £26.95 8oz Woburn Sirloin or Ribeye, Chunky Chips, Roast Tomato & Mushroom, Watercress, Garlic Butter (GF). Our party of 4 opted for a Double Stack Burger, Swiss Cheese, Bacon, Burger Sauce, Pickles & Skinny Fries (GFA) £15.95; a Beer Battered Haddock, Chunky Chips, Mushy Peas & Curry Mayo (DF) (GFA) £14.95; a 8oz Sirloin steak as above; and a BBQ Pork Belly, Charred Corn Salsa, Coleslaw, we asked for the Cajun Sweet Potato Wedges to be changed for skinny fries (no problem) (GF) (DF) £15.95 Desserts were a dream – costing between £7.50 for a range of scrumptious sounding (and tasting) desserts and £9.95 for a Cheese Plate of Brie, Blue Stilton, Mature Cheddar, Goats Cheese, Selection of Crackers & Fruit Chutney. We went for a Caramelised Peach Tart, Raspberry Sorbet, Raspberry Coulis (VE); Two of us opted for the Double Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Sauce, we swapped the White Chocolate Ice Cream for one of the 10 flavours on offer (there were also the choice of 3 sorbets). Another chose the White Chocolate Cheesecake, Pistachio Ice Cream, Pistachio Brittle. The staff were very pleasant, nothing seemed to be too much trouble and the service through-out our visit was attentive without being overpowering. Scores: Service – 5 out of 5; Food quality – 5; Location & ambience – 5; Value for Money – 5. Total out of 20 = 20. We’ll be back! 22

• • •

• •

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 23

August Diary Mon 01

Orange & Green Wheelie Bins

Tues 02

Coffee Morning

10.30am @ Moggerhanger Church

Wed 03

Mobile Library

For times & locations see page 16

Carpet Bowls

7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall

Thurs 04

Morning Prayers

9.30am @ Willington Church

Karate @ Village Hall

Fri 05

Knit & Stitch

Beginners & children 5.45 – 7.00pm Advanced 7.15 – 8.15pm 10.00 – 12noon @ The Five Bells

Yoga

10.00 – 11.00am @ Village Hall

Sat 06

Fairtrade stall & Coffee Morning

10.30am @ Willington Church

Sun 07

Sunday School

10.00am @ Cople Church

Holy Communion

11.00am @ Moggerhanger Church

Mon 08

Willington Churches Together Service Black Wheelie Bins

11.00am @ Danish Camp (Everyone Welcome)

Tues 09

Mother’s Union – Mary Sumner Day

2.30pm Blunham Church

Wed 10

Carpet Bowls

7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall

Thurs 11

Morning Prayers

9.30am @ Willington Church

Karate @ Village Hall

Fri 12

Yoga

Beginners & children 5.45 – 7.00pm Advanced 7.15 – 8.15pm 10.00 – 11.00am @ Village Hall

Sat 13

Cricket Match

1.30pm v Ampthill (H)

Sun 14

Family Service

9.30am @ Cople Church

Holy Communion

11.00am livestreamed @ Willington Church

Mon 15

Orange & Green Wheelie Bins

Wed 17

Mobile Library

For times & locations see page 16

Carpet Bowls

7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall

Morning Prayers

9.30am @ Willington Church

Karate @ Village Hall

Beginners & children 5.45 – 7.00pm Advance 7.15 – 8.15pm

Thurs 18

Fri 19

Knit & Stitch

10.00 – 12noon @ The Five Bells

Yoga

10.00 – 11.00am @ Village Hall

Sat 20

Cricket Match

1.30pm v Langford (A)

Sun 21

Morning Praise

9.30am livestreamed @ Willington Church

Holy Communion with Baptism

11.00am @ Cople Church

Songs of Praise

6.00pm @ Moggerhanger Church

Mon 22

Black Wheelie Bin Lunch Club

12.30pm @ Cople Church

Wed 24

Carpet Bowls

7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall

Morning Prayers

9.30am @ Willington Church

Karate @ Village Hall Yoga

Beginners & children 5.45 – t.00pm Advanced 7.15 – 8.15pm 10.-00 - 11.00am @ Village Hall

Blunham Cinema

7.00pm for details see page 16

Rounders Match v Cardington

6.00pm @ Sports & Social Club

Sat 27

Cricket Match

1.30pm v Dunstable Town (H)

Sun 28

Morning Praise

Thurs 25

Fri 26

All-Age Communion Service

9.30am livestreamed @ Moggerhanger Church 11.00am @ Cople Church

Mon 29

National Trust Buildings & Church 2.00 – 5.00pm for Tea & Cakes open Organ Concert 3.00pm by Peter Maundrell @ Willington Church Orange & Green Wheelie Bins

Wed 31

Mobile Library

For times & locations see page 16

Carpet Bowls

7.15 – 9.45pm @ Village Hall

More from the Barn Dance

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 27

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 29

BedsRCC reaches finals for SME National Business Awards

We’re delighted to announce that for the second year running, we have reached the finals for the Community Business of the Year Award category for the Small-to-Medium (SME) National Business Awards.

The SME National Business Awards are now entering their sixth year. They give businesses the opportunity to be celebrated for their achievements and hard work. The Community Business of the Year Award category celebrates both Community Businesses and ‘Not for Profit’ Organisations who have positively benefitted society. We were thrilled to win the national award in 2021 after also winning the regional award for Luton and Bedfordshire. To reach the finals for the secondyear running is a true testament to the real difference staff and volunteers at BedsRCC are making. This year, the awards ceremony will be held at Wembley Stadium again in December for an evening of celebrating the best of small and medium businesses. BedsRCC CEO Tracy Cowan said: “We are hugely excited to be shortlisted as a finalist for SME National Best Community Business of the Year Award. We believe that everything we do is for our communities and I know our staff, volunteers and trustees are delighted for our hard work to be acknowledged this way. Fingers crossed for the final!”. BedsRCC runs a variety of projects and services to benefit local communities in and around Bedfordshire. This includes digital skills groups, Good Neighbour schemes, not-for-profit businesses, and community transport. To find out more about www.bedsrcc.org.uk.

the

work

BedsRCC

does,

visit

Tuesday Club We were delighted to welcome back Bob Ricketts who has educated us with local history talks on numerous occasions. July’s talk covered Bedford Architects and Architecture 1919 – 1939. Many of Bedford’s most familiar & iconic buildings, particularly in the town centre were designed & rebuilt during the 1920’s and 1930’s, the classic Art Deco period. A good example is the art Deco Tower of the now closed Debenhams built in 1937. (Originally E.P. Rose). Bedford was changing, the population was rising, a shortage of housing, infrastructure was run down due to the war & little investment. Life was changing for people; more had cars & wanted entertainment in the form of shopping & cinemas. A notable architect of the time was George P Allen. Among his work was the design of the Bedford Borough War Memorial in 1922 and the Bedford Schools Boathouse on the embankment 1921. Bob’s talk inspired those of us who were at the meeting to take note & look up more at the history that is so close. We do not have a meeting in August, our next meeting will be September 13th at 7.30 when we will welcome Sue Lang from The Black Cat Farm Shop. ‘Honey and Beeswax’ we look forward to seeing old and new members in September. Have a good summer. Jane

Warm Welcome to Cople We would like to welcome Viki and Ihor (pronounced Igor) to Cople. They have come from Ukraine after experiencing a very difficult time in Mariupol and are now staying in our village. They look forward to getting to know people in Cople and hope to find work locally. If anyone is able to offer work, please contact Linda or Libby and their details will be passed on. Thanks

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 34

To discuss your requirements further, contact: laura.saunders.1@outlook .com 07967 830790

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

Events 6th August—Kohl’s Karaoke—9.00pm 13th August —Josie Dorland—singer 20th August—Scally Wags 26th August—Ben Kelly—singer 28th August—Donna Samuels—5.00pm (outside if weather good) Thursday General Knowledge Quiz nights—dates & times to be advised Sunday Music Quiz nights—dates & times to be advised

Lunchtime Food Offers Wednesday to Saturday 2 meals for £15.95 Scampi, chips, peas & tartare sauce Ham, egg & chips Cod, chips, peas & tartare sauce Lasagne, salad & chips Jobs at The Five Bells Full time Chef/Cook required Part-time bar staff—must be over 18 years of age For more information, please call 01234 831330 for further information

Friends of All Saints Church, Cople Barn Dance The Friends would like to thank everyone who came to the Barn Dance on Saturday 25th June. It was a great evening, & all the feedback we have received has been very positive. The evening was such a success, not just because of those who attended, but also due to the efforts of the Friends committee, & our hosts Paul & Heather who helped setup, run, & cater for the 100 people who attended. And of course, without Kelly’s Eye, it just could not happen. The evening raised about £1,400.

Rounders The next event we have planned is the annual rounders match against Cardington on Friday 26th August on the playing field by the Sports & Social Club. The game is played for the Bashes Trophy, which is currently still held by Cople following last year’s drawn match. The evening is great fun & quite competitive! This year we are seeking non-regular sporty people of any age, to ensure the match is fairer, & we are also seeking impartial umpires & scorers. We want to get the team signed up before the evening, & rules issued to all participants. Participation costs £5.00, & the funds raised will be shared between the Friends organisations of the two villages. If you wish to play or act as umpire or scorer, please contact Sally Gilpin by email at sally@sjtax.co.uk The bar will be open at 6:00pm & the match will commence at 6:30pm. There will be a raffle & cakes on sale. Please come along & support your village! Gin Night Finally, we are pleased to announce that following last year’s successful gin night, we are holding another in the Village Hall in late October, at which Charlie Porter will give a talk revolving around Cople. More detail will be in the next edition of the magazine. 39

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

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 July 2022 Although it is always virtually impossible to find any consensus about the weather in this country, the current spell of extreme humidity is, I suggest, universally disliked. I detest it more than most & I also dislike extreme heat of any kind but I am not alone. Every year, many previously healthy trees struggle badly in periods of drought, & this only reveals itself a year or two down the line, when trees ‘suddenly’ die. When watering your beloved plants, spare a thought for any nearby trees & give them a thorough soaking also. In the correspondence this month, came a question about the value of using regular tap water instead of collected rain water. In short, any water is better than no water at all so if your water butts are empty, tap water will suffice. Don’t irrigate & many garden plants simply will not survive. And always remember that plants in pots dry out a lot quicker than those in the ground so a regular watering regime is essential. Remember also that plants take their moisture via their roots so a brief splash of the leaves will not suffice! As always during very dry, hot spells, I have had many questions about arid looking, brown lawns & what can be done. If watering is not viable, for the most part, established lawns will normally recover with the first couple of decent downpours. But for newly sown areas or those where extensive root growth is not possible, round the edge of hard landscaping for example, the grass will dry out & often die. If the grass around the perimeter is looking more parched than the rest, this is what is happening & if it is not watered, the likely outcome will be that you will have to repair with new seed or turf. Prevention is better than cure so reach for the hose! One of the most popular hedging plants is Laurel & many are currently covered in fruit; I warned last year that these are toxic & should never be eaten, but a reader contacted me using the details below asking if it was possible to collect & then sow? As expressed previously, collecting seed from viable plants & then sowing is one of the most enjoyable aspects of gardening & with laurel, there is no exception. But it is tricky. A far more effective way of propagating laurel plants is what they often do themselves, that is cuttings or layering. If you have ever tried any of these methods, please let me know how you got on.

While working in Rye Crescent recently, someone erm, ‘borrowed’ a new pair of silver coloured Wilkinson Sword secateurs that I had been using. Spotted by an eagle eyed near neighbour, if the person concerned could return them to the garden of Number 2, I would be extremely grateful. The answer to last month’s ‘just for fun’ quiz question then is, a Red Admiral takes its name from one of those fairly common adaptations that takes place in a language. The butterfly was formerly known as a ‘Red Admirable’ & over time this has become shortened to a ‘Red Admiral’. Its Latin name is equally interesting, as it is called a Vanessa Atalanta & the first recorded use of Vanessa being used as a girl’s name was by the esteemed satirist & author, Jonathan Swift. Who would have thought there was any connection between a butterfly and Gulliver’s Travels?! This month’s just for fun question then is, just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, your straw-coloured lawn is suddenly peppered with tiny conical shaped mounds of soil. What is causing this? And what can be done about 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. 45

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 46

Millfield