Cottenham
Newsletter
ISSUE NUMBER 165
JUNE/JULY 2018
COTTENHAM 7K FUN RUN 2018
This year the annual Cottenham 7K Fun Run was blessed with some wonderful weather on the May Day bank holiday weekend. This ensured a great crowd to cheer the runners on and to enjoy the morning market with over 20 stalls offering cakes, gifts, competitions and much more. The Fun Run, started nearly 30 years ago by Jasper Kay, continues to flourish under Martyn Leeks supported by Rebecca Cole. They organise the event on behalf of the Fen Edge Community Association; we strongly feel that events like this are an integral part of local communities and a wonderful way of bringing people together. This year’s Fun Run raised just over £1,050 for the Cambridgeshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association. We are indebted to Malary Ltd for their sponsorship and ever generous support and would also like to thank Cottenham Parish Council for their kind donation of £250.
The first race was the mini Fun Run for primary school children. One lap around the Village College playing field, a distance of one mile. A total of 67 children took part, each awarded a race medal for their superb achievement. The main 7K race attracted 129 runners, 27 of those school children. The race takes a circular route around the village, part on road and part cross country (the best bit). First home was Finn Johnson in 23 minutes and 50 seconds beating his winning time in 2017 by 50 seconds. The first female was Lisa Marriott, with another great time of 28 minutes and 50 seconds. The medal ceremony provided just reward for the first three places in all race categories and the podium results are listed on page 16. Full race results are available on the FECA website www. fenedge.co.uk and via facebook.com/cottenham7K or twitter.com/cottenhamfunrun
#Cottenham on social media
COTTENHAM THEATRE WORKSHOP
This year’s Spring production of our own resident company, Cottenham Theatre Workshop, took place in early April and this time they chose a lesser known play of Alan Ayckbourn, called Neighbourhood Watch. The title itself offered a mouth-watering prospect, because it concerns us all. Indeed much of the play is relevant to all of us, perhaps particularly for those of us who live in a village, and it was easy to relate both to the theme of the play and to the characters. The cast list contains only eight characters, and it is great credit to the company that they can provide such excellent actors. The two main characters, played by Tim Kelby and Mary Garside, were on stage most of the time and it was they who held the story together. They appeared first of all as quiet, somewhat naive newcomers to the estate, and they skilfully led us through crisis after crisis, taking on their self-imposed roles as community leaders, and leading to chaos and acrimony. This was real professional acting. The rest of the cast, a varied collection of difficult characters, each with their own personal problems, followed suit. There was Dorothy Doggett, played with her usual energy and skill, by the talented Helen McCallum as the local gossip and busybody. Gareth Janner, played by Mark Nolan (a remarkably versatile actor, having been a Frenchman and a very Englishman in recent productions,and now a Welshman!) as the pathetic husband of the local tart, played with great relish by Emma Ward. She brought a welcome new element into the play,by shocking the local middle-class neighbours with her behaviour and language! There was the pompous self-important Rod Trusser, played with great confidence by Chris Field, and the mismatched Bradley couple, consisting of a highly convincing bullying husband (John Riches) and his feeble, weepy wife, Magda, played by Elise Kinnear. Amongst all the humour of the play I felt that Elise’s sad, touching portrayal of a bullied wife was quite special. I am always hesitant to mention individual performances, because the play depends so much on a team working together, and this was perhaps the greatest achievement of the cast. Incidentally there were three important characters, who were catalysts for the story, who did not appear in the cast list, namely: the boy who took a short cut across the Massie’s garden, the hooded youth who caused criminal damage, and the beloved garden gnome Monty! Issue Number 165 • page 2
The play ran swiftly and apparently without a stumble, and much credit must go to the director Duncan McCallum, for presenting such a professional and entertaining production. In addition it is good to see that CTW is very good at sharing the work of the company, so that actors also play a part in the background work which is vital to the play. The excellent technical team deserve a special mention, and we all enjoyed the images of Cottenham produced by David Bradley. I feel sorry for the people who missed such an entertaining evening, and I offer a huge thank you to the cast, the director and the company for a wonderful production. Jasper Kay
Pictures courtesy of Ross Turner
BIRD REPORT APRIL 2018 “April is the cruellest month”. So said T.S. Eliot some years ago, but this year April has been the most amazing month. We have had extremes of weather, which has meant bad weather during the Easter weekend, and beautiful warm weather when we are back at work or at school. The fluctuating temperature has also played havoc with our bird life, and nesting and the return of summer birds have been later than usual.
Several people have seen corn buntings, reed buntings and yellowhammers; a marsh harrier on Cottenham Lode, a hen harrier in Comberton, a goshawk in Ramsey, a red kite and buzzards over Cottenham and a barn owl in Rampton. There have also been a ring ouzel on Ferry Meadows, yellow wagtails at Upware, a purple heron at Burwell and a redstart and a bittern at Wicken Fen. There are also reports of common terns, a sandwich tern and a little tern.
There was some activity in March. Whilst waiting at the bus stop by the Green, I counted at least 30 rooks’ nests, and there was some evidence of other birds (pigeons, sparrows and starlings in particular) beginning to think it was Spring.
Good local sites for seeing birds are Cottenham Long Drove, Rampton Spinney, Milton Country Park, Fen Drayton Lakes and Wicken Fen. However for many of us there is much to see in and close to our village. Recently people have seen some late fieldfares and redwings, redpolls have visited gardens, there have been plenty of chaffinches, greenfinches and goldfinches on the feeders, occasional siskins, and solitary sightings of a stonechat, a sparrowhawk and meadow pipits and skylarks .The other day a pair of jays flew over our garden, so you can never tell what may appear.Several people have seen sparrows and starlings collecting feathers, fluff and small twigs for nest building. Indeed this area is amazingly rich in bird life, so there is no better time than now to go and see for yourselves.
I was in Derbyshire on April 13th and was delighted to see and hear (among other birds) swallows, chiffchaffs and willow warblers, and wondered why they had arrived there before Cottenham. However when I got back home two days later I found that many birds had decided to make up for lost time. In this area in mid April this year there are records of blackcaps, chiffchaffs, willow warblers, sedge warblers, reed warblers, swallows, house martins, whitethroats, avocets. a nightingale and a cuckoo. Indeed there is news of a cuckoo in Cottenham, which is really good news. Last year I only heard one report of a cuckoo in Cottenham, and I hope people will tell me if they hear or see one this year. But please be careful! Sometimes we can be fooled by the voice of a collared dove, which at times can sound like a cuckoo! There has also been a report of a swift near Burwell, which is very early for swifts. They usually arrive late and leave early. The earliest mention of a swallow this year in Cottenham is April 7th. Can anyone beat that?!
With many thanks as usual for all their contributions to Dave, Vicki, Martin, Ian, Josh, Joanna, Ray and Neil and several others.
There have also been sightings of many other birds in the area during this month, some of which are quite exciting. Many people saw a stork which took up residence for a short time on the roof of the Twentypence Garden Centre. Some rare gulls have also been spotted, including Bonapartes, Caspian, Iceland, Mediterranean and little gull.
ARTICLES, DATES AND ADVERTISEMENTS E–mail, CD, memory stick and paper submissions are all welcome. Please contact the editor if you have any questions. Dates of events to be advertised in the next issue should span the months of August and September.
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CRAZY CRAFTY CHICKS All crafts are based on recycled materials and every day objects. This means that once you have attended the workshop you will be equipped with the knowledge of not only how to create the craft, but lots of ideas about sourcing materials! Crazy Crafting Chicks is a tutor led craft group, by Cottenham resident, Audrie Reed. They meet on the third Wednesday each month at the Cottenham Community Centre Cafe, between 7-9pm. For each workshop all materials are provided and from some of the workshops there are instructions to take away. A selection of tea/ herbals/coffee and soft drinks along with an assortment of cookies are provided too. The sessions are £20 bookable via Eventbrite. £10 for children accompanying an adult (under the age of 16) payable on the door. Spaces can also be booked by telephone 01954 252082 (leave your name and number). This is a list of some of the past and future workshops June 20th – Summer lanterns July 11th – Seashells and driftwood Creations August – No session September 19th – Skill sharing – Demonstrations from a Jewellery maker and a Felter October 17th – Unusual Xmas cards November 21st – Xmas Decorations December – No session
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ALL SAINTS’ ALIVE! 16 - 17 JUNE 2018 Come and join the party – a free weekend of celebration and fun as we throw open the doors of the Church to celebrate the completion of our refurbishment project, creating a brighter, more open space. There will be lots going on, from teddies zip wiring down the Tower, a Teddy Bears Picnic and games on the lawn, to fantastic flower displays, music by Cottenham Brass and tours of the Church and Tower. Why not bring your friends and enjoy an afternoon tea in the Rectory garden. Something for everyone at your Parish Church. Don’t miss it!
COTTENHAM WI Come and join our friendly group. We have lots of different activities including craft/chat/cards group, competitions, poetry group, darts group, walking group, a variety of speakers ( non members may come and listen to speakers. There is a charge of £3), coffee/tea events, garden party, discussions and we participate in village events. We would be pleased to see you. More information from Jill Ballard, 01954 250605 or Margaret Briggs, 01954 250870. Diary: Meetings held at Cottenham Village College at 7:30pm. June 13th: Kate Armstrong. An unexpected journey. About her mother in Africa. July 11th: Garden party. August 8th: Tea and Cakes 2-4pm Cottenham Club. September 12th: Boxworth Botanicals. Angela Deavall. Penny Mansfield, Cottenham WI
SUSTAINABLE COTTENHAM Litter pick and cycle path tidy: 7 July 2018, COTTENHAM Our summer litter pick will take place on Saturday 7 July 2018, assembling at the Village Hall (at the Recreation Ground on Lambs lane) at 2pm. Refreshments will be served from 4pm. The task force for clearing the cycle path will meet at the Village Green at 2pm. Last time over 40 volunteers devoted a total of almost 90 hours to help improve Cottenham. NB for all our litter pick events, children may take part provided they are under the close supervision of a responsible adult. Equipment will be provided but wear suitable clothing for the weather – we will still go ahead even if it rains. It is a great help if we know in advance how many people might be taking part, so please let us know, preferably by emailing Peter Pilbeam on pgp1@hermes.cam.ac.uk or phoning the Parish Clerk on 07503 328401. Like us on Facebook – as the saying goes If you want to keep informed on our events, the link to our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/suscottenham If you’re a Facebook member please like and share the page. About Sustainable Cottenham Sustainable Cottenham is a volunteer group working with Cottenham Parish Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Sustainable Parish Energy Partnership to reduce energy consumption and waste. If you are interested in joining us contact Christine Ward on 01954 251813 or chris.ward@increment.co.uk
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FOLLOW THE COTTENHAM TRAIL OF MAKERS AND ARTISTS THIS JULY
Each year Cambridge Open Studios takes place over the first four weekends in July. The public is invited into the workshops/studios/homes of local artists on Saturdays and Sundays between 11:00am and 6:00pm for one month only. Artists can choose to open their houses all weekends or for a few.
This year a group of Cottenham artists have joined up to create the Cottenham Trail. Visitors and residents of the village can opt to visit one or more of the contributing artists’ Open Studios. Allowing access to workshops, studios, homes gives the public a chance to view work, purchase unique designs and discover the techniques used to create the wide variety of work. Invariably the working day of an artist is a solitary one. One of the joys of Open Studios is the chance for the artist to meet people curious about their work and to be given the opportunity to explain the creative processes involved. Often you will see demonstrations of equipment used and sometimes, a chance to ‘have a go’ yourself. The sculpture Wendy Martin encourages people to pick up tools and experience what it feels like to hammer into stone. Open Studios is not just a showcase for artists’ work. One of the principal aims has always been to bring local artists and their community together and to demystify the many fascinating processes used to create the variety of work. This July the Cottenham artists opening their doors to the public include: Amanda MacPhail (ceramicist), Iona
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Howard (printmaker), Jane Lynas (painter), Sue Lee (painter), Wendy Martin (sculptor), Heather Carmichael (textiles) and Claire Noelle Holmes (jewellery/metal worker). Amanda MacPhail is opening her house to the public on all four weekends of July. Amanda lives at The Wooden House, Twenty Pence Road, CB24 8SP. As an illustrator and ceramicist Amanda MacPhail is most interested in the image. She draws in pen and ink and then transfers these as onglaze enamel together with bright colours, to bone china which is a unique technique. Amanda runs classes as many of you know, having designed some stunning plates. Do come and visit her at The Wooden House . Just off the High Street at Oasland’s House, 4 Broad Lane, CB24 8AJ is printmaker Iona Howard. Iona Howard’s prints explore the notion of time and landscape through a contemplative exploration of surface. Recent works of the fens focus on the meeting of land, horizon and sky, their flatness altering the perception of distance. Iona’s work has gradually evolved from her monochromatic studies by introducing colour to reflect the Fens’ ever changing mood and light. Iona’s Open Studio runs on weekends 7/8 July, 21/22 July and 28/29 July. Not far from Iona Howard’s house you can find Jane Lynas and Sue Lee 21, Bullfinch Way, CB24 8AW – ‘The Essex Girls’. Their Open Studio runs on 14/15 July and 21/22 July. Both Jane and Sue are painters but have very
different styles. Having recently retired, Sue Lee is enjoying taking up art again, particularly the challenge of painting in watercolours and sketching outside to absorb all that our wonderful countryside has to offer. Trips to Scotland, Yorkshire and the Outer Hebrides have been particularly inspiring. Sue’s recent work aims to explore texture through the use of watercolour and other water-based media. Most of Jane Lynas’s paintings are semi abstract landscapes and seascapes, built up in layers of ink on paper to produce subtle shades and depths of colour. Her recent work includes a series of small abstract paintings on board. Jane also produces photographic cards based on her photos of the Pembrokeshire coastline. Wendy Martin’s studio is located at Highdrove Farm, Long Drove CB24 8RL. Wendy specialises in bespoke handcrafted stone and wood pieces for house and garden, including house names and numbers, memorials, plaques, grotesques and carvings inspired by nature. You can visit Wendy on weekends 21/22 July, 28/29 July. Finally, mid-way along Rampton Road Claire Noelle Holmes’s workshop can be found. Recently formed Holmes-Carmichael comprises of Heather Carmichael, textiles artist and Claire Noelle Holmes, jeweller and metal worker. Heather Carmichael is a textile artist trained in print and embroidery. Her studies have led to working on the functional surface. Heather specialises in producing bespoke cushions which carry a personalised message.
napkin rings. Holmes-Carmichael Designs focusses on mark making and surface. Claire Noelle Holmes trained as a jeweller at Yale College in Wrexham, North Wales. Claire works from home designing original contemporary jewellery and metal objets d’art. She chooses to explore textures and shapes whilst working a variety of metals. Currently Claire is enjoying experimenting with the erratic, one-off results of acid etching. Both Claire and Heather are happy to accept commissions. Their Open Studio runs on 7/8 July, 14/15 July and 21/22 July. To find out more and to see examples of the works of the Cottenham Trail artists visit the Cambridge Open Studios website, www.camopenstudios.co.uk and enter the artist’s name. From late May look out for the free printed Open Studios guides and Cottenham Trail postcards available from a variety of locations around the village; the Community Centre, library, Village College, local shops. Open Studios weekends are great fun; not only educational, but also a chance to support the work of local artists. A bright distinctive yellow Cambridge Open Studios flag will be on display from 11:00am-6:00pm Saturdays and Sundays outside the houses of those artists taking part. Walking into an Open House may at first appear daunting but be reassured, you will be made to feel most welcome. It is a lovely way to spend time exploring Cottenham and discovering the many talents within your village.
Claire and Heather are currently working on the production of original printed napkins and etched steel and brass
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#WILDCATSGIRLS #SHECANPLAY About two years ago myself and David Burkett set out on a plan to grow girls football within our village, we knew this would be a challenge with us as a club not having any competing teams and probably only having approximately 18 girls total playing football within our club. First with the help of Sport England we started a free after school session for girls only playing football predominately at the village college, at first we had about 3 or 4 girls coming along and for many weeks we questioned if it would work and what we needed to do, but we continued with it and just tried to make it as much fun as possible, then suddenly word started to spread and as the temperature started to rise so did the numbers and before we knew it we had 18 girls turning up to each session. Although we saw this as a great success and the numbers continued to grow and sustain even when the weather didn’t! But we knew there was still more we could do, so we then launched in partnership with Cambs FA and Cottenham Primary school our Wildcats sessions, this again was a risk as we did not have many young primary school girls playing football generally within the club, but with the backing of the national scheme, we were one of only 200 applications nationwide granted acceptance to host these sessions which was a major achievement in itself for a village grass roots club! Again when we started we were unsure how it would go and if it would be a success but again by keeping it fun and creating the right environment we could only hope, when we first started this time last
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year we had about 10 girls, which was great and we were really happy with it and so where they, however as the weeks went on more and more started coming and before we knew it we had 50 girls turning up and taking part, this was way beyond what we could imagine, again with great support from the Primary School and all the parents it has grown so well and gone from strength to strength, meaning the local press wanted to do a piece and we have had some radio coverage as well, which we hope all enhances the village and the children taking part. The hard work that goes into running these sessions is completely outweighed by the enjoyment and fun we as coaches have working with these girls, they put a smile on our faces and show such great attitude to enjoying it and watching the older ones looking after the younger ones gives us such pride in this great village we live in and the values that the primary school and parents clearly install in their children, due to the success we won a number of awards with the FA and Cambs FA, which was wonderful for the club, but again would not be possible without the great support of all these girls. I have to give a special mention to David Burkett who without his support we would not be able to do all of this and he gives up a lot of time to support me in these ventures, without him it would not happen. The sessions are about to start again at Cottenham Primary school so we hope to see all the girls back again continuing to grow as friends and future football players, with one team already having great success and another being set up, the village is now becoming a real force in Girls football and sport, lets show those boys how to do it!!! Don’t forget coming in March “Girls Football Week Nationally”
A TIME FOR CHANGE As I write this the change has already happened and my rein of three and half years as Chairman of Cottenham United Colts has come to an end, however it has been placed into safe hands to keep this important village club constantly moving forward as it grows. When I took over I probably didn’t quite realise the size of the job and the importance to so many people who are involved within the village from players, coaches and parents, also at a time of growth for the village and club with so many opportunities coming our way to bring success to our children. During my time, the club had grown from approximately 180 kids playing football to over 300 children involved, which is a massive achievement for all involved, our growth also started to enhance our partnership with local professional clubs Camb Utd and Norwich City, this then helped with the progress and development of the local kids from both a football and social prospective and provide more opportunities for all. Some of the achievements are listed below. I was very lucky to be chairman at this time of success, which would not have happened if it was not for all the coaches who give up lots of valuable family time to provide these opportunities for the village children and raise the bar of standards for local sports generally, too many to name but a privilege to work with all. Some of the progress made this year include: • Winning Community Club of the year and Most Inclusive Club of the year locally for Cambridgeshire FA and then winning the East Anglian Regional Finals all for the first time ever for our club.
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We Launched our DNA and Club Ethos to enable a focus for our players, coaches and parents Development and investment in Young Leaders from our village who are currently helping a high number of teams with coaching and Referees Two Girls only after school clubs which has resulted in Cottenham being able to field a girls team with hopefully more to follow, this is also continuing to have some 60 plus girls now playing football in Cottenham at secondary and primary shool level Partner club with Camb Utd and NCFC First club locally to hosting an U6 Festival with NCFC to provide young kids a fun environment to play sport for the first time with other teams. Two Cup finals for our youth teams and further semi finals and one team league winners and one league runners up in different age groups. Our 5 a side tournaments becoming one of the biggest in the region with over 2500 people coming to the village to take part. Launch of our Cottenham Football Foundation and Soccer schools run by volunteers to provide additional sports time and fitness for all individuals, big thanks to Jason Adams for all his hard work on getting this launched. Support to the Fen Edge festivals and Cottenham Community days
It goes with saying it has been a privilege to serve the club and its members through all of these successes and we could not have done it without the constant support of all of the coaches, players and more importantly the parents who support us in all weathers in many different ways, as a team together we fill our recreation ground every Saturday and Sunday with kids having fun and growing into the future of our village. I want to wish Jason Leach and all the coaches all the best for continuing all the good work done and growing the club further, as I move on to club secretary role.
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PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Annual Parish Meeting Following on from the APM in May, the reports detailing the past 12 months activities from the Parish, District and County Councils can be found on our website – www. cottenhampc.org.uk. Elections Following an uncontested election we welcome 2 new councillors; Adam Gledhill and Mary Kidston. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Alex Collier and Karen Hodson, both of whom have stood down, for their valuable contribution over the past few years. Internal audit Our annual internal audit took place in April. The purpose of the audit is to check our financial systems of control, all of which were deemed to be in order. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) We are developing various policies and working practices to allow the Parish Council, when dealing with individuals, to comply with the new data protection law which came into force in May; this will take time to get completely right. As a step towards compliance, we need to let you know – when we collect it or when we change what we do with it – how we might use your personal data and your related rights. At some stage, we need to go further and get positive confirmation that you agree to our proposed usage so that we can stay in touch. Broadly speaking: We respect your personal data and only retain the minimum necessary. We generally avoid holding data related to your finances, health or security. We only make any data available to third parties if we are legally obliged or you consent. Our Privacy Statement identifies the data we collect in different situations, how we use it and your rights to control that information. This Policy reflects the high standards established by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws taking effect across Europe from 25th May 2018. If we have not contacted you directly, there will be more information on our website. Please do be aware that these regulations may also affect you if, as part of running a club or other organisation, you hold even routine “contact” information and especially if you also hold finance, health or security-related information about your contacts.
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Neighbourhood Plan Slow but steady progress. Delays are mostly attributable to the possible outcome of the County Council’s Planning Appeal which, if approved, will force a significant change. We got a “might affect the environment” comment from consultants who screened the plan for environmental impacts so have commissioned a (government-funded) Environmental Impact Assessment. We also have some belated comments from SCDC Planners on how we might not be in “general conformity” with some so-called “strategic policies” in their Local Plan. The sixteen “NP planning evidence papers” and three AECOM reports have been published on our website alongside a draft version 4.1b and will be refined prior to inviting you to comment formally. The draft Plan is now being cited in planning applications, so we may get more influence over site layouts etc. Regulation 14 “local consultation” arrangements are being prepared with a few twists imposed by our need to comply with General Data Protection Regulations to protect your privacy after 25th May. Major Building Developments • Bellway Homes have full permission to build 50 homes off Oakington Road. • Gladman Developments have outline permission for their Rampton Road site. The site is now up for sale with no news on the outcome. • Persimmon Homes have outline permission for 126 homes off Oakington Road; their “Reserved Matters” application (site layout and house styles) is likely to be considered at SCDC in June. • County Council (S/2876) application to build 154 homes off Rampton Road was refused by SCDC last year. We were legally represented at County’s appeal in March and forced consideration of SCDC’s actual position on their “5-year land supply” – 4.8 years and rising by one method; well over 5 years by another. Unfortunately the Planning Inspector upheld the County Council’s appeal against refusal of their application to build 154 homes on and near part of the Recreation Ground. Apart from bringing the permitted total to well over 500 homes, this will limit the land available for sport at a time when we really need to increase it. Colts football, in particular, now has over 400 regular participants with many more to come as the houses get
built. We are working with the sports clubs to find a solution. In the meantime, we have to adjust our Neighbourhood Plan which, assuming the Parish Council is happy with the revisions at its meeting on 5th June, will come out for formal consultation during the rest of June and July. The Local Plan Examiner has been reported as being “fully persuaded” that the Liverpool method (which allows shortfalls in years 1 to 5 to be made up over the remaining ten years of the plan) should be used in calculating SCDC’s supply of housing land with approval, so the speculative wave should now subside. There have been 2 new applications this year; both were refused by SCDC: • Manor Oak (50 homes on land off Beach Road) • Lau (23 homes on land off Oakington Road) Village Hall/Nursery update Both planning applications have been submitted for preapplication advice from SCDC. We have held promising meetings with SCDC and County planners but the report is delayed by resource issues at SCDC. We will shortly update the business plans for this project. We have recently formed a £400,000 project fund, including last year’s unspent “supplementary precept”, to pay for the initial design and planning stages and reduce the size of loan we will need. Developer contributions from the permitted developments should allow us to move more quickly to reduce loan payments and the supplementary precept. Highways We narrowly missed out with our bid for a Local Highways Initiative grant for a Zebra crossing on the High Street near to the Post Office. We are working with the Traffic and Transport group to identify possible sites for crossings and will undertake surveys to gauge residents’ opinions. We continue to chase County Highways on the works needed on Beach Road heading out towards Landbeach and of course the vast number of potholes around the village. For information on roadworks and to report any fault, please go to the County Council’s website: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/ travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/ roadworks-and-faults/ You can also see what roadworks that are being carried out – go to www.roadworks.org. You can change the view to see what’s going on today, next 2 weeks, 3 months etc. By clicking on the envelope icon to the left of the page you can set up alerts to your email address. Traffic and Transport Working Group 12 members of our Traffic and Transport Working Group (T&T WG for short!) have been police trained and have reactivated Speedwatch (see separate article). At our April meeting, we were fortunate to be joined by Andy Preston, CCC Highway Projects & Road Safety Manager to advise us on what is and is not possible in our objective to make the High Street as unattractive as possible to through traffic. Pros, cons, effectiveness and costs of different traffic management approaches are set out at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/ travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/ improving-your-local-highway/
The T&T Group is made up of a group of Cottenham residents and Parish Councillors to explore ways of tackling the concerns about traffic and public transport provision that were raised during the Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan consultation. The main themes that came out of consultation were the need to: 1. Change the character and speed of traffic throughout the village (HGVs causing noise at all times and shaking houses, general speeding and aggressive driving); 2. Improve pedestrian safety (narrow pavements and proximity to passing vehicles, lack of pedestrian crossings, general pollution); 3. Improve public transport links especially with Cambridge (faster, covering all the village, links to other transport such as guided busway and rail); and 4. Improve cycle links (with Oakington and Waterbeach as well as the crossing on Histon Road). If you’d like to join the T&TWG, or just be kept up to date on traffic related issues, please email cottenhamtraffic@ gmail.com for further info. Village maintenance You may have seen that the noticeboards on both the Village Green and top of Broad Lane have been refurbished. Additionally the benches in the play area at the Recreation Ground have been given a new lick of paint. Now that the football season has finished work has been undertaken to overseed all of the pitches and training area to ensure that they are fit for use for the new season in September. Tree surveys During the spring we employed a specialist contractor to undertake a complete survey of all of the parish-owned trees in the village. All trees have been plotted along with their condition and any works required. We are now in the process of going through any urgent works identified and obtaining quotes accordingly. Youth projects The Connections Bus has been booked to attend over the summer holidays. NB: this will be on Wednesday evenings. Those children going up to Year 7 in September will be able to use the facility. Tenison Moat A reminder that the Moat (fenced area on Tenison Manor) is a scheduled monument and as such it is protected by law. Over the past year there have been numerous childrens ‘dens’ built on the scheduled side of the enclosure. It is a criminal offence to destroy or damage a scheduled monument either intentionally or through recklessness. The use of metal detecting equipment on a scheduled site is illegal without written consent from Historic England, as is the removal of objects found by detection equipment. Village Hall/Sports Pavilion Hire If you’d like to hire the Village Hall (up to 120 people) or Sports Pavilion multi-purpose room (up to 40 people) for your birthday party, christening, anniversary celebrations, classes etc. please contact Sam (asstcottenhampc@ gmail.com) for rates and availability. You can also check the diary and make provisional booking enquiries via our website. NB: Up to 1st August 2018, we are now offering 50% discount rates for evening hire of the Village Hall for your birthday parties or other celebrations. Continued on page 12 Issue Number 165 • page 11
Continued from page 11 Office Opening Hours The Parish Office is open every Monday between 9:45am12 noon. Appointments are available outside of these hours by emailing or phoning – details below. The Clerk is contactable between 9:30am-2:30pm weekdays and messages can be left outside of these hours. Jo Brook, Parish Clerk Email: clerk@cottenhampc.org.uk Phone: 07503 328401 www.cottenhampc.org.uk www.facebook.com/cottenhamparishcouncil Councils: Who does what? Dustbin not been emptied? Dog fouling on the High Street? Pothole problems? Bus shelter needs cleaning? Not sure who to contact? Please see the list below for guidance.
Cottenham has a Community Flood Plan! Cottenham Parish Council’s Drainage Working Party has prepared a Community Flood Plan which identifies areas of the parish most at risk and the resources available to help in the event of a flood. Jonathan Graves has volunteered to be Flood Coordinator and has immense experience of flood planning and monitoring through his involvement with the Old West Internal Drainage Board. In recognition of improving the parish’s preparedness, the Environment Agency has given the Parish Council’s flood team a selection of flood prevention equipment including a submersible pump, torches and a limited supply of FloodSax and Hydrosnakes (modern equivalents of sand bags). It is still worth remembering that the risk of flooding from surface water run-off is higher than from river flooding. However, because it is harder to forecast than river flooding and can affect almost any part of the village, it is still recommended that all households:
Cottenham Parish Council – www.cottenhampc.org.uk Bus shelters; Fen Reeves Community Woodland (Twentypence Road); Old Village Green (Broad Lane); Planning (consultee on applications); The Pond (Broad Lane/High Street junction); The Pound (High Street opp. Shauns newsagents); Public benches; Recreation ground including playground and skate park; Village Green; Village Hall; Village sign; War Memorial; WARG Field
• • • •
South Cambridgeshire District Council – www.scambs.gov.uk Benefits; Bus passes; Council Tax; Health & Social care; Housing; Environmental Health – dog fouling, graffiti, noise etc; Planning; Refuse collections
If you are interested in becoming a flood volunteer, for example to help in the event of an evacuation or to check whether vulnerable residents need help, please contact the Parish Clerk on 07503 328401 or email clerk@ cottenhampc.org.uk
Cambridgeshire County Council – www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk Births, marriages and deaths; Education; Environmental matters and planning; Footpath repairs and maintenance (including grass verges); Housing; Leisure and Culture; Road repairs and maintenance; Social and healthcare; Street Lighting – all lamps with the prefix ‘CCC’ before the column number; Transport Community Benefit Society Cottenham CLT Limited was legally incorporated as a Community Benefit Society on 25 April 2018. It aims to build a small number of locally affordable homes in Cottenham as part of the Neighbourhood Plan’s ambition to deliver “more affordable homes for the next generation”. There are currently eight Cottenham-resident founder Trustees to guide the Trust, although more can be added over time as new skills and experience are required. Another public meeting will be held soon so you can learn more. Do follow “Cottenham Community Land Trust” on FaceBook.
Issue Number 165 • page 12
register for flood and severe weather alerts have a household flood plan be aware of any vulnerable neighbours and check whether they need help buy their own supply of flood protection such as FloodSax and Hydrosnakes
SPEEDWATCH IS BACK! Thanks to 12 budding volunteers, Community Speedwatch has returned to Cottenham. We have received police training and with help from Andy at Histon and Impington Speedwatch team giving up two of his Saturday mornings, we’ve been shown how to use the equipment. At the time of writing we have held two sessions (both at 11am for an hour each): 14th April on the north end of the High Street 184 vehicles passed through, 2 were recorded as speeding, the highest speed was 38mph. On 21st April on Beach Road, 137 vehicles passed through, 12 were recorded as speeding. The highest speed was 46mph. We aim to carry out more sessions over the coming months. Our volunteers carry out the sessions in their own time – some of them work so it’s not always easy to fit in sessions. The more volunteers we have, the more sessions we can run. It’s even more important to run these sessions with all the extra traffic from the A14 works coming through. Speedwatch is not an enforcement tool but about educating motorists and raising awareness of the dangers of speeding, and to remind them of the speed limit. If you want to help educate drivers and make our village safer please get in touch: cottenhamtraffic@gmail.com To find out more about becoming a Community Speedwatch volunteer contact: Speedwatch@cambs. pnn.police.uk or visit http://www.speedwatch.info/
TENNIS CLUB Cottenham tennis club is on the up. After some time of uncertainty the management has been reorganised with the Sports Centre organising membership and fees, leaving the committee free to organise the social aspects, coaching and the matches for the club. The fees remain very reasonable and offer great value for Cottenham families – family membership £75, adult £40 junior £20 per year. This includes use of the courts on club nights, which are Wednesdays and Thursdays 7 to 9:30pm and Sundays 9am to 5pm, and reduced rates (£2 per hour) at other times. Added to this we have secured a grant from the LTA which has paid for new nets and fittings. The sports centre have committed to repainting the lines on the courts so we look forward to a summer of tennis with excellent facilities. In the absence of a club house the Chequers public house has given us a warm welcome and fed us excellent pizzas. Our membership numbers are up although we remain a small group. We welcome new members of any standard. Coaching continues to be supplied by “Over and in” who run several excellent sessions on Sundays for different age groups. We are also introducing a less formal coaching session “rusty rackets” from 7:30 to 9:00pm on Wednesdays. This will be a drop in session targeted at any standard from beginner to experienced, with a small charge to pay the coach. Competitively the men’s team have had a successful season finishing 3rd overall in the summer league and 2nd in the recent winter league. The mixed team came 3rd overall in the summer league and won promotion from the 9th to 8th division with wins against Cocks and Hens, and Steeple Morden and came 4th overall in the winter league with wins against Shelford and Haslingfield. We look forward to a good season on our new look courts. Why not come and join us for a free trial session from 7:30pm on a Wednesday evening (weather permitting). Contact us via the website at www.cottenhamtennis.co.uk or enquire at the sports centre behind Cottenham Village College. Or just turn up on a Wednesday – you will be made welcome. Cilla Hughes
Issue Number 165 • page 13
SINGING FOR FUN Do you ever find yourself singing, humming or whistling as you go about your daily tasks? Do you have an hour spare, on a Thursday afternoon? If so, maybe you would like to join us in “Singing for Fun”. You can be sure of a warm welcome. This adult community group has been running for almost four years. Our member numbers have been increasing steadily and new members are always welcome. We are not a choir, you do not have to audition or be able to read music, we just want you to sing for fun and enjoy yourself. We meet on Thursdays, during term time at the Salvation Army Barn, 184 High Street, Cottenham between 1:45 – 2:45pm. Members pay the equivalent of £2 per week if they pay every half term or £3 if paying weekly. The first taster session is free. We end each session with a cuppa and a biscuit. Our Summer Term finishes on 26th July 2018 and Autumn Term starts on the 13th September 2018. Join us if you can. Should you require further information, please contact: Pam Lumsden, Tel: 01954 251371 or email: pam@ mplumsden.plus.com
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR
Issue Number 165 • page 14
Small ads: WANTED – Old Cottenham and other Cambridgeshire bottles. Local collector, cash paid. Please ring Tony on 07747 674003 ......... HANDYMAN SERVICES COTTENHAM Need help fitting a kitchen or bathroom. Leaking washing machine, sink or shower. Need a blind fitted or guttering repaired. Call Mike on 07768 931810 ......... HALO HEATING SERVICE LTD We aim to provide the most ethical, sustainable and cost effective heating and plumbing service to Cottenham and the surrounding area, whilst maintaining the highest standards and exceptional customer service. Please call Sam on 07745 551588, email: sam@haloheat.co.uk or find us on Facebook ......... SENIOR MATHS/SCIENCE TUTOR (FEMALE) – COTTENHAM Several years of experience tutoring Maths & Science for all levels up to GCSE and Maths for A level. Mode of teaching driven by the student’s prime need: Focusing on challenging topics, plugging gaps in knowledge, exam preparation, reinforcing topics. Qualifications: Educated to PhD level (Image processing, UCL) BSc Physics First Class Honours and Masters in Computing Science from Imperial College London. Contact: asmachaud@hotmail.com, 07786 059693 ......... TOAT – “TOM OF ALL TRADES” Tom Wykes Handyman. No job is too big or too small – garden/house clearance, shelving, plumbing and so on – call Tom for a quote on 01954 250324, 07762 559259 ......... FRESH GRIMSBY FISH Fresh and smoked fish, shellfish in Cottenham every Thursday morning. Est. since 1989. Call John on 07584 578315 to arrange a call to your office or home. No order too small. ......... HOUSE/PET SITTER, fully insured and CRB checked. Tailor made service having your pets looked after in their own home with anything from daily visits to living-in, assuring security. This is a reliable/discreet/confidential business with visits in an unmarked vehicle. Excellent references. Email: ginnyr38@gmail. com Tel:01223 232972 or 07980 042601 ......... BRIDGEMAN MAINTENANCE HANDYMAN SERVICE We offer a variety of services in Cambridge and surrounding villages from garden clearance and maintenance, painting and decorating, appliance fitting or general property maintenance and repairs, emergency callouts. Call for a free quote 07824312732 or 01954 770308 julian@ bridgemanmaintenance.com ......... CHIROPODIST/PODIATRIST Henry Tullie. Degree qualified home visiting chiropody service for the treatment of nail cutting, hard skin, corns and callus. Tel 01223 277834/07906 625088, www. cambridgechiropodist.co.uk ......... FURNITURE POLISHING AND REPAIR Polishing and restoration of antique (and not so antique) furniture by a local Cottenham restorer. Rob Ellis: 01954 250153 ......... C HILSDEN DECORATING SERVICES all aspects of painting and decorating, tiling and home maintenance carried out to the highest standard. Free estimates and excellent rates. Carl Hilsden – Mobile: 07590 517882 Home telephone 01954 250446 www.hilsdendecorating.com ......... R J BENSON CARPENTRY Local fully qualified reliable carpenter. Please call 07961811454 or email robbenson15@ gmail.com for advice/free quotes. ......... COTTENHAM LOCKS AND KEYS Mobile locksmith. Domestic, commercial and retail lock fitting, lock opening, key cutting, UPVC door and window problems. 24x7 emergency lockout service. Fully insured. Free quotations and surveys, highly competitive prices. Tel: 07952 747279. Email cottenhamlocksandkeys@ gmail.com or visit www.cottenhamlocksandkeys.co.uk
PEAT’S GARDEN SERVICES Lawn and hedge cutting, pruning, planting, rotovating, turfing, weekly and monthly visits, all garden work undertaken. All garden waste removed. For a free estimate call Pete Bullen 01954 250771 or 07749 863047 DOG DAY CARE IN COTTENHAM Open Mon – Fri, 8am to 7pm. 2 x 1 hour walks on our 150+ acre farm and 100% attention all day at home and in our enclosed garden all for £15.00 a day. Lingwood Farm, Cottenham, CB24 8PX Tel Erica 07956 406643 or visit www.lingwooddogs.com ......... EXPERIENCED ELECTRICIAN Part P registered, local, reliable, over 25 years experience. Design, installation, inspection & testing work carried out, no job too small. 10% discount for senior citizens. Call Peter for a free, no obligation quote on 01954 775003 / 07796 260735 ......... ANTIQUE, MODERN & BESPOKE UPHOLSTERY using traditional materials and techniques. Based in Cottenham, Victoria Morris Upholstery offers a professional (AMUSF Qualified) and reliable upholstery service for your most treasured antiques or favourite chair. For all enquires and/or a free consultation, contact Victoria on 01954 270050 or 07547 496931 or by email: vmupholstery@hotmail.com or visit www.victoriamorrisupholstery. co.uk ......... OAKINGTON DOG DAY CARE CENTRE LTD, Dry Drayton Road, Oakington, 07704 729299 At work all day? Need a day out? Let us care for your dog. We have a well-equipped play area featuring our fantastic ball pool and a large variety of indoor play equipment. Outside we have a fully enclosed grass paddock and a large field containing sand pits, paddling pools, tyres, etc. Dog loving staff, fully insured and safe. We also offer limited field hire at weekends for somewhere safe to exercise your dog. Please contact us for more information, contact details are on our website www.oakingtondogdaycare.co.uk or visit our Facebook page to see photos of happy dogs having a great time ......... FIRST FLOOR OFFICE SPACE TO RENT – approx 40 square metres. Central Cottenham. Tel: 01954 252690 or email francesgee@ymail.com ......... FENCING - P MARTIN FENCING, all types of fencing undertaken, over 30 years trading, please call 07802 440494 or 01954 250568 email pmartinfencing@tesco.net for a free no obligation quote and advice. ......... AGRIPEST If you’re looking for a friendly, reliable and competitive pest control service then please get in contact with AgriPest today! Rats, mice, wasps, moles and much more! Please call Neil on 07889 018041 or email AgriPest@outlook.com. Thank you. https://www.facebook.com/AgriPestcambs/ www.agripestcontrol.co.uk ......... THE VILLAGE FOOT CLINIC Wilburton Clinic & mobile chiropody for: Nail cutting/nail thickness reduction. Corns, callous and cracked heels. Diabetes etc. Assessment and treatment £29. Marisa Jolley MCFHP MAFHP. Tel: 07909 943171 ......... SOCIABLE, LONGSTANDING RESIDENT I have a small house-building company. I am looking for someone with at least twenty years experience of life in the village to act as a liaison person between me and anyone I need to talk to. Just a few hours a week. No fixed times. Email Andrew@8on8.com ......... Why not advertise in the Newsletter! Items for sale, announcement of family events, local products and/or services... 5p per word, with all proceeds going to charity. Send advertisements and payment to the Advertising Manager. Cheques should be made out to ‘Cottenham Newsletter’.
Issue Number 165 • page 15
GARDENERS’ CLUB Our programme for the year is now well underway. The opening talk in March by David Kerley, a Willingham plant breeder, gave us an insight into the years of patience needed to produce a successful new plant. Some of our club members went home with one of the splendid plants used to illustrate the talk. On June 10th our Sunday lunchtime Garden Party takes place in the lovely garden of Susan Everitt. On Friday 29th the speaker will be Dr Gwenda Kydd, Chemist and Herbalist, on People and Plants: Molecules, Medicines and Mischief. In July there is no regular club meeting, but a visit to King’s College garden has been arranged for Tuesday 17th at 7pm. The club meets at Franklin Gardens Community Room, usually on the last Friday of the month. Refreshments are served from 7:30pm, followed by a talk at 7:45. The evening closes with a raffle, for which prizes are always welcome. Membership costs £14 per annum, but guests can try a single meeting for £2, or £4 for one of the parties. For further information please contact Sarah Dumont, Tel: 01954 260482
Issue Number 165 • page 16
LIGHTING STUDS You may have noticed the new solar powered lighting studs on the shared use path between Rampton and Cottenham. These were installed to improve night lighting and safety on the unlit section of the path. Rampton Parish Council would like to thank Cottenham Parish Council and the Cambridge Community Fund for their contributions to this scheme. We would also like to encourage anyone using the path to send comments to enable us to monitor the projects impact. Contact details for Rampton Parish Council: rampton-parish-council@googlegroups.com or the clerk: email: ramptonparishclerk@gmail.com tel: 252641 (2:30pm - 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Outside of these times please leave a message and the clerk will return your call if needed.
FUN RUN PODIUM RESULTS
Letters to the Editor:
High Street; however the narrow public footpaths or the presence of existing underground utilities at potential sites meant these locations failed its standard suitability checks. Royal Mail has therefore decided to resite the post box outside the new Post Office premises.
Cottenham petition to have a postbox on the High Street close to where the old post office was positioned.
With the relocation of the post box to the new Post Office site, there are five post boxes in the immediate vicinity of the site of the former Post Office, at distances ranging between 400 metres and 800 metres.
To all of you who signed a petition requesting the above, unfortunately the petition was unsuccessful (note below explaining the decision taken in Parliament), but I would like to thank everyone for their support and say I was very disappointed regarding the outcome. Special thanks go to Frank Morris and to Heidi Allen for their efforts on our behalf.
Despite the prolonged efforts of people from the village and Heidi Allen, Frank Morris and myself, Royal Mail have decided “they know best” and are going to deny the villagers their request.
The petition of residents of Cottenham, South Cambridgeshire: Declares that the residents and Parish Council of Cottenham in South Cambridgeshire are adversely affected by the removal of the Royal Mail postal collection box on the High Street; and further that the Department of Communities and Local Government should make representations to Royal Mail to reinstate a collection box in the vicinity to better support residents in such rural areas.
......... Searching for long-lost friends
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Royal Mail to support the earliest possible reinstatement of a collection box in the central section of Cottenham High Street, one of the longest in England.
Kind regards, Audrey Brownlow
We’re looking for a Tony and Carol Martin. They have lived in Cottenham quite a few years, Tony’s brother Brian who was Best Man at our wedding in 1961, lived in Peebles?? In Scotland and we’ve lost his address,he doesn’t answer the mobile number we have for him. I know Brian and his wife Mary are in contact with Tony and Carol. Graham Lark
And the petitioners remain, etc. (presented by Heidi Allen, Official Report, 27th February, 2018). Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Andrew Griffiths). Royal Mail is an independent business regulated by Ofcom, the independent sector regulator. The Government do not play any role in Royal Mail’s day-to-day operations. Under Ofcom’s regulatory framework, Royal Mail is required to provide post boxes within half a mile (805 metres) of at least 98% of households and business premises across the UK. We are informed by Royal Mail that, following the relocation of the Post Office in Cottenham from 230 High Street to 145 High Street, the owner of the vacated property asked that the post box be removed as it is located on private property. If requested, Royal Mail will remove post boxes that are on private land. Royal Mail informed us that it investigated the possibility of re-siting the post box at various locations along the
Deadline:
FOR NEXT ISSUE 25TH JUNE
Letters for publication may be sent to the Editor, and should include the name and address of the sender, although this may be omitted from publication if requested. Please keep correspondence short and topical. Please note that the Editor may use his discretion regarding publication, and his decision is final. The views expressed by correspondents and other contributors are their own and are not necessarily shared by the Editor.
ADVERTISING To discuss your advertising requirements Contact Liz Porteous on 01954 250468 cottenhamnewsletter@gmail.com Artwork, if required, is charged separately, minimum £5.00. depending on the amount of work involved. Quotations are available on request
Issue Number 165 • page 17
CONTACTS:
Parish Council Jo Brook, Clerk
07503 328401 clerk@cottenhampc.org.uk
Police General Switchboard Doctors
101
Dr. T Blumenfeld, 188 High Street Dr. M. Grande, 42 Telegraph Street
Urgent Care Cambridge (formerly Camdoc)
District Nurse Team Cottenham CareCar
250079 251180 0330 123 9131 01223 726469
Co–ordinator, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Gerry Brett
251929
Cottenham Community Centre 202109 Cottenham Charities 250387 Cottenham Day Centre 200873 Cottenham Gardeners Club 250119 Cottenham Toy Library Christina Koester 270334 Cottenham Village Society Glynis Pilbeam 251544 cottvillsoc@gmail.com Cottenham WI Gillian Ballard 250605 Dentist Wiese and Associates, 40 Margett Street 251696 Chemist 222 High Street 250556
Child, Teen & Family Counselling
Julie McCrae www.juliemccraecounselling.com 07482 723265 Counsellor & Therapist Ruth Barnett, ruby61247@yahoo.co.uk 202556, 07961 644006 Samaritans Cambridge Centre 01223 364455 Veterinary Surgeon Village Vet Cottenham 252122
Schools
Cottenham Village College and Community Office County Primary, Lambs Lane Under–Ones Baptist Church
Pre–School
288944 250227 251066
Ladybirds Pre–School, Recreation Ground 250891 Kids Only (Out of School Club) 250025 Ballet School tutusrus@ntlworld.com or 200533 Brownies 1st Cottenham Lisa Nicoll 201575 2nd Cottenham Julie Percival 200854 3rd Cottenham Chris Hurworth 203764 Guides Deanna 250388 Scouts 2ndcottenham@gmail.com Newsagents Shaun’s News 250398
Council Offices
County Council Switchboard SCDC Switchboard
0345 045 5222 0345 045 0500
District Councillors Lynda Harford Simon Edwards Tim Wotherspoon
cllr.harford@scambs.gov.uk, 251775 cllr.edwards@scambs.gov.uk, 01223 233682 / 07711 079089 timwothers@aol.com,252108
Tim Wotherspoon
timwothers@aol.com,252108 01223 301426
County Councillor
British Red Cross Shop Citizens Advice Bureau
66 Devonshire Road, Cambridge, CB1 3BL 0844 848 7979 Social Services Histon Team 01223 718011 Mobile Warden Scheme 200080 NSPCC Cottenham Area Team 01733 558245 RSPCA 24 hour cruelty & advice line 0300 1234 999
Railway Station Cambridge Passenger Enquiries
0845 7484950
Driving Instruction TOPS Driving School 252239 Taxi Speedy Taxis 294929 Library Margett Street 0345 0455225 Library at Home Service (formerly Doorstep)
0345 045 5225 your.library@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
07554 202929
Parish Church Church Warden 200035 Baptist Church Church Office 252378 Catholic Church St Laurences Church 01223 704640 Methodist Church simon.oliver@cantab.net Salvation Army Majors Graham & Pam Barratt 252419 Royal British Legion Ann Scott 251468
ann.scott23@ntlworld.com Cottenham Brass Band Diana Braverman (Sec.) dianabraverman@hotmail.com Bridge Farm Riding School 252284 Allotments Cottenham Charities 01353 749830 Sustainable Cottenham Christine Ward 251813
Cottenham Dissenters’ Cemetery
Kate Lees 252378, minister@cottenhambaptist.org.uk Sarah Berenger 07484 221369, s.berenger@btinternet.com
EDITOR & ENQUIRIES:
Adrian Ient, 2 The Wrens, Cottenham CB24 8XD. Tel: 01954 775004 e-mail: cottenhamnewsletter@gmail.com
BUSINESS MANAGER:
Peter Robertson, 30 Lyles Road, Cottenham, Tel: 01954 200080
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Liz Porteous, e-mail: cottenhamnewsletter@gmail.com Tel: 01954 250468 WEBSITE:
Issue Number 165 • page 18
www.cottenhamnews.org.uk
FEN EDGE ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP The Fen Edge Archaeology Group (FEAG) has been supporting the Tithe Barn Trust in its efforts to secure the future of Cambridgeshire’s only remaining tithe barn, a hidden gem in the heart of Landbeach. On Saturday 14th July at 2pm, we will meet in the tithe barn for a talk on East Anglian barns by Ken Bonham who has been researching and photographing barns throughout England for more than 10 years. There will be models on display for people to look at before and after
the talk. This is a great chance to hear from an expert on a characteristic rural building as well as to view the interior of Landbeach’s tithe barn. A member of the FEAG team will also give a brief report on a recent geophysical survey of land near the barn. The talk will be free with donations welcome. For more information, check our websites: https://feagblog.wordpress.com/ https://tithebarntrust.org.uk/ For information on Ken Bonham’s research, see http:// www.greatbarns.org.uk/
Pictures courtesy of Gemma Squibb and Vicki Harley
Issue Number 165 • page 19
THE GREAT FIRE OF COTTENHAM STARTED ON 4 APRIL 1850
COTTENHAM’S GREAT CRESTED NEWTS BY DAVID BRADLEY
The Cambridgeshire village of Cottenham is famous for a lot of things – cheese, fires, the Pepys family, community activities, and, of course, being the source of the idiom “Hobson’s choice”. Hobson having stabled the horses for his Cambridge business at the foot of Lamb’s Lane, back in the day. The village is also quite well known for its Anglo-Saxon or Mediaeval site, Crowlands Moat. The moat lies at the heart of the Broad Lane “birds” housing estate. The site was listed by English Heritage as a “scheduled ancient monument”. The moat originally surrounded the long-gone Crowlands Manor. The moat is home to a significant breeding population of great crested newts (Triturus cristatus), a rare, and protected species. In the UK and across Europe it is generally illegal to kill, injure or take a northern crested newt, to possess or control any live or dead specimen or anything derived from them, to recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection by the species, or to recklessly disturb its home or breeding grounds. The moat is also home to smooth newts (Lissotriton vulgaris). On a typically wet and grey Bank Holiday Monday we went looking for newts… and saw at most two. There were presumably many more lurking in the murky waters of the moat.
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