Cottenham
Newsletter
ISSUE NUMBER 169
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019
Inside this issue Page 3: Cottenham Community Centre Page 5: What’s Happening in Cottenham Library 2019? Page 10: £3 million loan over 30 years for a new Village Hall – what is going on? Page 11: Affordable homes for Cottenham – a dream or nightmare? Page 14: Sustainable Cottenham activities Page 17: Worzel Gummidge review Page 19: Tennis Club
COTTENHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE We are extremely lucky to live in a very community-minded village. There are activities and groups around for everyone that are welcoming, accessible, inclusive, fun, professional, musical, rhythmic, artistic, virtual and actual. Set in the heart of the village, in the former Methodist Church, the Cottenham Community Centre (CCC) has, for the last decade, been a hub for all these things and we are celebrating our 10th birthday. We have arranged a programme of celebration that provides something for everyone. We hope you can join us. 15th – 25th March 2019 Our theme for this celebration is ‘10’ – for our amazing 10 years of community – and we have 10 fun packed days and nights. We are showcasing the events that take place in the community centre: there will be music, dancing and food events. We will have opportunities to try out something you might otherwise not have considered. It’s going to be a ball! We have three live music events: Brookes Williams is playing a folk set on Friday the 15th, Lucy Mayard and Singing for Fun are joining forces for a fun evening of singing popular songs on the evening of the 16th and our house band C5 will be playing on Saturday 23rd. All these events will have a licensed bar. Tickets will be available in advance and, if any remain on the night, on the doors. There will also be a poetry workshop, followed in the evening by a poetry reading and art event, with cream tea and wine reception. Brookes Williams is also hoping to run a guitar workshop for budding serious musicians. The Coffee Shop (which, year-round, serves sandwiches, meals, snacks, drinks and cakes – all at extremely good value, you can pay in cash or by card) will be open throughout the week. In the café you will find more information on the events that are running, both during the celebration and at other times of the year. Here also are community notice boards, detailing events and advertising local businesses. The coffee shop is notable for being a large, warm, welcoming space that has won acclaim for child-friendly accessibility, and yet at the same time a great place for adults. We pride ourselves on the age-range of our
clientele; we are a dementia-friendly environment, and the free wifi and excellent coffee means that most days there are several remote workers as this is a community hub. There will be a Business in the Community networking brunch in the coffee shop on the morning of Thursday 21st. The community cinema will be showing Sunday evening films – as they do once a month. There is a children’s film (ideal for a big-screen, popcorn-laden experience in a relaxed, informal environment) and something more orientated to grown-ups (with all the advantage of being on your doorstep and excellent value to boot). Coinciding with our celebrations is the official opening of the renovated and much-improved facilities of the back Hall. This has now given us a semi-professional kitchen, available to hire, and in celebration of that we are hosting a Venezuelan pop-up tapas bar serving an extravagant array of Venezuelan cuisine, courtesy of the Cambridge Gluten Free Bakery. We hope that, in future, more local chefs might like to turn their hands to pop-up restaurants in the Hall! You may not know that upstairs (access from the back of the hall and down the right-hand side of the building) we have a Studio. Here pilates, yoga and dance class sessions run, several times a week. As a special deal during our celebrations there will be an exercise session in the Studio (1–1:45pm). Each day will be something different, it’s aimed at all ages and abilities (limited places so do book!) and you can buy a 10-session card (if you make all 10, you will get a free session to use later at any of Mi-Time Wellbeing’s walk-in classes). The AGM for CCC will take place on Thursday 21st. If you want to join as a member (which gives access to the Coffee Shop loyalty scheme and voting rights) please visit the website (www.cottenhamcc.org). These are just a few of the highlights. The programme is still a work in progress, but the Trustees, the staff and volunteers very much hope that you will join us at some point during the 10 days of celebration. Have a look through the (not-yet-final) programme and pick out the events you’ll enjoy. We look forward to seeing you there.
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 April and May.
Issue Number 169 • page 2
Saturday 23rd March
Friday 22nd March
Thursday 21st March
Wednesday 20th March
Tuesday 19th March
Monday 18th March
Sunday 17th March
Saturday 16th March
Friday 15th March
Booking
9.45-10.45am
H
Pilates
Adults
11.15-12.15 1-5pm
H H
0-5 years All
7.30-10.00pm
C
10am-12.30
S
Toy library - soft play for young children Local, family and buildings history event with Audrie Reed. Brooks Williams in concert. Live folk music event with licensed bar 4th Dimension dance class
10am-2pm
H
All
Free
7.30-10.30pm
C
Sustainable Cottenham Lucy Mayard and Singing for Fun. Live music event with licensed bar.
All
£5
A
10.30 to 5.00
H C
Hirers Showcase - come and meet the groups that regularly use the Community Centre
All
Free
N
6pm
H
Official opening of the new kitchen
6-9.30pm
H
Pop up café with Venezuelan, gluten free and vegan food.
All
TBA
10-11am
H
Mucky pups - messy play for children
0-7 years
4-6.30pm
H
4th Dimension dance class
5-15 years
3.30-5pm
C
Cup-cake decorating - 4 cakes per child
2-10 years
£3
N
7-8pm
H
Zumba class
Adults
£5
N
7.15-8.15pm
S
Barre Class
Adults
£5
N
8.30-9.15pm
H
Bounce Dancefit class
Adults
£5
N
10-11.30am
H
Yoga session
Adults
£10
Y
11.30-12.30
S
Pilates
Adults
£8
2.30-4.30pm 7-9pm 10-11am
H H H
Health event - Falls prevention and Tai Chi with Fei Toole Booze and Brushes - taught painting class and licensed bar. Little Humbugs - singing and games for toddlers
Older adults Adults 0-4 years
3.45-4.45
H
Artistic Cambridge after-school crafting club
5-12 years
7-8pm 7-9 pm 7-10 pm
S C H
All Dance Crazy Crafting Chicks - memory boxes. Whirl and Twirl dance session
Adults Adults Adults
8.15pm
S
Beginners Pilates session
Adults
9-10am
C
Business in the Community - networking brunch
Adults
10-11am
H
Ready Steady play session
0-5
2-5pm
H
Guitar Masterclass with Brooks Williams
All
2-2.45pm
S
Stand to Strength
Older adults
6-7pm
H
Zumba class
Adults
£5
N
7-8pm
S
Pilates session
Adults
£8
N
8-9pm
S
Adults
7-10pm
C
Free
N
9.45-10.45 am
H
Yin Yoga AGM and Cottenham Theatre workshop spring show taster with wine Pilates session
10.30-11.30
S
Yoga session
Adults
11.35-12.35 11.00 to 3.00 evening
S C C
Flexaware Poetry workshop and performance Poetry reading and art evening with cream tea and wine
Adults
10am-12.30
S
4th Dimension dance class
5-15 years
N/A
Y
10am-2pm
H
Craft Market
All
Free
N
evening
C
Live music with C5. Licensed bar
All
£5
A
2pm C Community Cinema - children's film 7.00 for C Community Cinema - film 7.30pm Where: Hall (H), Studio (S) Coffee shop (C) Sunday 24th March
Cost
Event
Where
Date
Time
CCC CELEBRATIONS – EVENTS Free £10 1S
All 5-15 years
N A Y
£5
N Y
Free £25 £2.50
N Y N
£5 £20
N Y
Free
N Y
All Adults
N N
All
0-15 years £2 A 15 years and £5 A up Booking No (N), Yes (Y), Advisable (A)
Issue Number 169 • page 3
BIRD WATCH I heard a murmur... During the winter months moments before the sun sets you might catch sight of sporadic flocks of starlings flitting about the dusky skies. If you turn away at this point you will miss the spectacular as those seemingly distinct groups combine to form into bigger and bigger flocks, ultimately merging into a murmuration.
750,000 birds. The murmurations lasted on average just under half an hour, although the longest displays were at the beginning and the end of the season, perhaps because of longer twilight times. The team found that birds of prey were sighted at almost one in three murmurations and that the size of the murmuration was bigger if raptors such as harriers, peregrines and sparrowhawks were around. If a raptor was in very close proximity to the flock, then the flock was more likely to end with all birds entering their roosting site together. You can find my more detailed write-up of the research here together with a reference to the paper: https://sciencebase.com/murm David Bradley – https://sciencebase.com/birds
Spottin’em in Cottenham: Recent sightings
The flock will swoop and soar, ducking and diving, and creating shifting patterns in the air. Particularly spectacular are sightings over the African savannahs and even along Brighton Pier. But, Cottenham has its own murmurations too. Half an hour or so before sunset, wrap up warm and head down to the balancing pond on the fen edge of what we ironically call the “Birds Estate”. The reed bed there, even after it has been trimmed back, is the perfect roosting site for the starlings. It is difficult to predict when you will see a particularly spectacular murmuration, but I estimate that around two to three thousand starlings grouped together the first time I videoed it this year over the reed bed. They didn’t stay airborne for long, swooping down into the reeds in a huge, noisy mass, joined by a few dozen stragglers from nearby overhead wires and trees before it got dark. There are lots of theories about why starlings murmurate. Certainly, there is the social side, birds of a feather and all that. There is also perhaps the urge to share information about food sites and also about processing such a vast number of animals to all find a safe roosting spot for the night and to huddle together for warmth. A citizen science research project published earlier this year focused on the more likely explanation of murmurations and demonstrated that these aerial displays are carried out by starlings to confuse birds of prey, such as peregrines, sparrowhawks, and harriers. The researchers gathered together data on size, duration, habitat, temperature and predators from members of the public who had observed more than 3000 murmurations. Sightings from 23 countries, with the majority in the UK across a range of habitats, were analysed. Murmurations occurred mostly from October to early February, with the average flock containing more than 30,000 birds, but one murmuration reportedly had some Issue Number 169 • page 4
You are likely to see at least one resident buzzard, a bold individual, perched somewhere along the new bridleway that connects Fen Bridge (Broad Lane) with Les King Wood, plenty of kestrels hover around there too. At the time of writing (early December) there were lots of winter thrushes around, redwings and fieldfares, that is, many in Rampton Spinney, lots down Church Lane. There were also several goldcrests in the Rampton Spinney. The hooded crow mentioned in the last report is still along Long Drove near the dump. Bullfinches are in the woods and also down Church Lane as well as a mistle thrush. This is a late report of a summer spot, but it turns out that Cottenham resident Nick P had indeed seen a juvenile raven in his garden. A pair of marsh harriers were seen near the Twentypence bridge and a sparrowhawk devouring its prey on a garden birdfeeder. The hawk had a ruddy breast, something that arises when they reach about seven years of age. Thanks to the team, in particular Joanna and Jasper for the harriers and hawk, and for other sightings. If you see any interesting or unusual birds do let me know. birds@sciencebase.com
COTTENHAM LIBRARY Come see and listen to more stories of buildings and people in Cottenham in our talk in February. We are starting a new reading group, join others to discuss books chosen by you and read as a group. Coffee and chat – come in from the cold and warm up in the library. Family History continues once a month. Cottenham Then and Now – Part 3 Wednesday 26th February, 2–3.30pm. Ralph is returning with part three of the exploration of the village through old photographs. Part three covers the ‘lanes’ – roads off the High Street. There is a charge of £1. Please come to the library to buy a ticket. Numbers are limited. Coffee and Chat Third Wednesday in the month 16th January, 20 February, 20th March, 17th April 10.30 to 12.30am. Come and meet others, read the local newspaper. Find out what’s happening in Cottenham. 50p donation towards tea and coffee. New Reading Group in the library First meeting Wednesday 20th February, 11am—12pm. Join our new library reading group. We will meet once a month on the third Wednesday, during the coffee and chat session.
EMERGENCY PLAN – MORE COORDINATORS WELCOME! Cottenham is fortunate to have a Parish Emergency Plan and a Community Flood Plan – and even more fortunate not have needed to implement either (yet). We are grateful to residents who have agreed in the past to be contacted in the event of an emergency – whether as owners of equipment, key-holders of ‘places of safety’, trained first-aiders or volunteers to knock on doors to alert people of danger and possible need to evacuate. As part of our annual updating, we (Cottenham Parish Council) will be in touch with you in 2019 to check whether you are still willing and able to help and that the contact details we hold for you are up to date. If there are any other residents who are willing to be listed please let us know (see contact details below). We currently have two Emergency Coordinators and it would be even better to have more – to increase the chances of one of them being in the village should an emergency arise. If this is something you might be interested in, please contact Christine Ward on 01954 251813 or cllr.ward@ cottenhampc.org.uk to find out more. NB your contact details are kept confidential and only made available to the emergency plan team, the council officers involved in emergency planning and the emergency services.
Anyone can belong. Come into the library for more information and sign up. There will be a small charge to cover the cost of starting up and running the group. We will choose our first book at the February session. We need about 8 people to get us started. Family History 21st January, 18th February, 15th April, 7-9pm Drop-in session. Need help with your family history? Help for beginners and those with more experience. Contact Library 0345 045 5225045
Issue Number 169 • page 5
MARIE CURIE GREAT DAFFODIL APPEAL 2019
Every year during March, daffodil pin badges go on sale throughout the UK as part of a fundraising initiative by Marie Curie Hospices.
as the poppy appeal – donations in exchange for a daffodil badge, which will be available in the schools, churches and shops throughout March.
It was in a Marie Curie hospice that my father received care, both as an inpatient and outpatient, over the last 11 years, until he passed away in October. He was involved in supporting Marie Curie long before he was ill or ever knew he would be on the receiving end of their help. He continued to work with the charity throughout his illness, in fact up until just a few weeks before he died, he was still treasurer of the local fundraising group; managing their finances and inputting into plans for a fundraising dinner, from his sick bed.
Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal has been raising awareness and funds since 1986. Every March, millions of people across the UK show their support simply by giving a donation to wear a daffodil pin. Without this generosity, thousands of families across the UK wouldn’t be able to make the most of the precious time they have left with a terminally ill relative, in their own homes or at one of the charity’s nine hospices. Marie Curie is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
As a family we would like to continue my father’s fundraising legacy, by inviting residents of Cottenham to donate to the Great Daffodil Appeal. This works in much the same way
With thanks, Emma May (www.justgiving.com/teams/ Macmillian-and-Marie-Curie)
GARDENERS’ CLUB
NEW NETWORKING GROUP FOR BUSINESSES IN AND AROUND COTTENHAM
The February AGM, on Friday 22nd, is the last meeting of the gardening club year, when our new 2019-20 programme will be unveiled. Subscriptions, likely to remain at £14/annum, will be due. Membership covers 7 evening speaker meetings, a Garden Party in June, an Evening Drinks Party and our popular New Year Party. This year we hope to organise a coach trip to Wisley, the RHS flagship garden, which is undergoing major changes at present, and there should be at least one other garden visit. I have been reliably informed that the talk on March 29th will be ‘Who Dares Prune?’ by Simon White, our guide from last summer’s outing to Peter Beales Roses. He was very informative and entertaining on home ground, so we have high hopes. Meetings are held 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 gratefully received. Guests and new members are very welcome to come to a single session for £2, or £4 for one of the parties. For further information please contact Sarah Dumont Tel: 01954 260482
Issue Number 169 • page 6
An exciting new venture for local businesses to network, is launching to coincide with the Cottenham Community Centre’s 10th anniversary week of celebrations. ‘Business in the Community’ networking group will be an opportunity for the business community to connect. All business owners, employed or self employed people working in Cottenham and/or surrounding villages are welcome. If you would like to attend the launch meeting on Thursday 21 March 9-10am in the community cafe, please sign up and RSVP via the MeetUp page: https://www.meetup.com/Business-in-theCommunity-Networking-in-Cottenham/ events/258092621/
TOY LIBRARY Cottenham Toy Library is a community group that lends outdoor toys and play equipment to families in the surrounding area whilst running various events in the village. Once a fortnight during term time we run soft play sessions in the back room at Cottenham Community Centre for under 5’s. These drop-in sessions run from 11:15-12:15pm and the cost is £2 per child over 1, £1 per child under 1 or £3 per family. Children must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for the child at all times during the session. The soft play sessions provide a colorful environment for babies and children learning to practice movement skills. Children also learn to communicate and interact with others whilst having lots of fun. After the session some people go into the café for lunch. We hope to see some more children enjoying these sessions soon.
hear from anyone who would be willing to help. Contact us via our Facebook page or e-mail info@cottenhamtoylibrary. co.uk The Toy Library has previously hired out bouncy castles for small parties and gatherings. In light of the recent tragedies involving inflatables over the last few years and the limited capacity of out volunteers to carry out thorough, regular checks we have made the decision to no longer loan out bouncy castles. Thank you for your understanding. If you wish to find out more information about Cottenham Toy Library please visit www.cottenhamtoylibrary.co.uk. Beth Bowstead Cottenham Toy Library
Cottenham Toy Library also hosts the teddy bears picnic each summer, an event held in a beautiful garden in the village with toys, face painting, bubbles, paddling pools and refreshments. Children are invited to bring their own teddy bear along and help hunt for the hidden teddies in the garden. We also run a pre-school fun day as part of the Fen Edge Festival weekend. Cottenham Toy Library is a charity run entirely by volunteers. We are currently looking for people to help set up and tidy up the equipment at our soft play sessions. This takes approximately 10-15 minutes and your children can help with this or play in the hall while you help. We would love to
Issue Number 169 • page 7
PARISH COUNCIL Carols on the Green A huge thank you to everyone that attended our annual Carols on the Green event. Special thanks go to Father Christmas, his elf, chauffeur and reindeers for finding time in their busy schedules to visit us – approximately 250 happy children visited the grotto! And of course Cottenham Brass Band Juniors for providing the music for us all to sing along to. We’d also like to thank our sponsors for ensuring the Green is extra sparkly – CB Creative, Cottenham WI, the Jaczk family, Gas Monster, Gentleman Jims, Gentleman Trims, Giuseppe Piran Ltd, Rach Maggs, Reflexology by Janice, Screens and Graphics, Classic Beauty, The Procurement Partnership and Laura Webb. And not forgetting our stall holders for keeping us all fed and watered – Cambridge Gluten Free Company, Cottenham Colts, Ladybirds Pre-School, Longhorn Farm Shop, Greg Mould (and his glamorous assistant). Neighbourhood Plan The long haul is almost over. Thank you to those who commented on the “pre-submission” plan back in July/ August. Those comments have been reviewed as part of the “Consultation Statement” and, where appropriate, the plan’s policies have been adapted.
Gladman are seeking permission to split the development of their site so the residential places with care can be built at a different time to the 200 or so houses. Persimmon have a few details to resolve before they will receive “reserved matters” permission and begin construction. Most of the concerns relate to long-term arrangements for maintenance of the roads and surfacewater drainage, although the designs and site layout are also problematic. The County Council and their developer This Land recognise the sensitivity to how their site is developed and have been discussing with us ways in which the development can be used to improve the layout of the site for sports and recreation purposes as part of their “reserved matters” application. The Manor Oak application on Beach Road has been refused planning permission and also lost their appeal against the refusal. One other, smaller, application on Oakington Road was also refused and awaits the appeal result. Village Hall/Nursery update Any time now we should be putting both these projects out to tender and choosing the contractors to build them over the coming months for completion around the end of 2019.
By now we should have submitted the “Submission Plan”, the “Consultation Statement” and a “Basic Conditions Statement” plus all the necessary supporting evidence for independent examination. You can find all the documentation on the Parish Council website http://www.cottenhampc.org. uk/neighbourhood-plan/ and there’ll be another opportunity for you to comment on the plan via SCDC’s website.
Once the contracts are under way, we will arrange an exhibition or two so you can see what is in store. We are especially interested in meeting anyone who can sponsor part of the buildings or set up a long-term partnership to use some of the spaces – especially the drop-in business club and indoor recreation space.
All the comments received at that stage will be made available to the independent Neighbourhood Plan Examiner, who may require us to provide more evidence to justify some policies. This stage can take several months and, if successful, SCDC will arrange for a referendum on the plan.
As part of the project, we will be replacing the hedge alongside the car park with a close-boarded fence similar to that alongside the access road. The hedge already has some diseased parts which need attention. Replacement will also allow us to retain about 1 metre of field space when the car park is extended.
If the plan receives a majority “yes” vote, it will become part of the Local Plan and be used to guide all future planning decisions that affect Cottenham. Major Building Developments Bellway are making rapid progress building out their site on Oakington Road with work expected to be complete early in 2020.
Issue Number 169 • page 8
Crimes There are various ways in which you can report crime: Call 101 for non-emergency enquiries. Using this number, you can report an incident or get help. Call 999 if a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed, someone is in immediate danger or harm, property is in danger of being damaged, or a serious disruption to the public is continued on page 9
continued from page 8 likely. South Cambs Police also operate a webchat and online reporting system. Full details can be found here: http://www.cottenhampc.org.uk/reporting-crime/ If crimes don’t get reported, the Police aren’t aware of where to prioritise their patrols. There is a county wide lack of reporting – police data shows that we have very little crime across South Cambs – we need to be more proactive and report concerns to the police, rather than moan about it on social media! It is not a waste of time – all reports get logged and enable the police to ascertain where persistent problems occur. Following concerns raised by residents we are trying to arrange a public meeting with the local policing team and will update accordingly. Highways By the time you read this, Beach Road heading out towards Landbeach should have been repaired. Twentypence Rd (between the village and the river bridge) should also have been repaired during a night time closure to minimise disruption. If you see any problems, please report them directly to County Highways at: https://highwaysreporting. cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ or by calling 0345 045 5212.
Sports Pavilion Hire If you’d like to hire the Sports Pavilion multi-purpose room (up to 40 people) for your birthday party, christening, anniversary celebrations, classes etc. please contact Sam (asstclerk@cottenhampc.org.uk) for rates and availability. You can also check the diary and make provisional booking enquiries via our website. Office Opening Hours The Parish Office is open every Monday 9:45am–12 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
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. New Councillor Following a co-option process we’re pleased to welcome Rosemary Dalqvist onto the Council.
Issue Number 169 • page 9
£3 MILLION LOAN OVER 30 YEARS FOR A NEW VILLAGE HALL – WHAT IS GOING ON? Following our recent planning permissions, the Parish Council intends to replace the Village Hall, build a new Nursery and upgrade the car park, provided we can make the project affordable. What is “affordable”? Well, the £1 per week for a Band D home (that “supplementary precept”) will generate about £123,000 p.a. next year and rise above £145,000 p.a. as the 500 permitted houses are built over the next five or so years. That should, reserves and interest rates permitting, finance loans of up to £2.8 million over 30 years if we need that amount. Why 30 years? The longer the period of loan, the lower the “mortgage” annual repayment, bringing that £2.8 million within reach of our finances. Won’t that increase the amount of interest we pay overall? Yes, but not as much as you might think. We expect substantial developer receipts once the new houses begin to be occupied in a few years time. Those receipts could be as much as 40% of the total project cost. If we borrow the money in several loans, we can choose to pay off some of the loans early. We also expect positive income from both the Hall and Nursery to accelerate our ability to pay off some loans. That will all reduce the overall interest we pay. Aren’t they too big? Cottenham is set to expand significantly over the next five years and has not increased its community infrastructure for some time, so some say we have some
Issue Number 169 • page 10
catching up to do. The early years nursery, with 45 places, will allow many parents to have young children looked after in Cottenham at a safe place near the Primary School and may even reduce traffic. The new Village Hall partly reflects the increased scale of our community (to 8,500 within just a few years), the need to make facilities comply with modern standards of accessibility and safeguarding, and last at least another 50 years in an integrated setting of Hall, Nursery and Pavilion. Many of us will not see the benefit so why should we pay? Why do old men plant trees when they can never enjoy the shade they produce? We have all enjoyed living in this community; these investments will help Cottenham remain an attractive place for future generations.
AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR COTTENHAM – A DREAM OR NIGHTMARE? A village dies if it cannot provide affordable homes for its next generation. Our elderly are living longer and longer in their own homes and there are many other reasons that increase demand beyond the available supply and drive prices further out of reach for local people, yet we need homes for the younger generation who want to set up independently Some say we should just build a lot of new houses to fix the problem. We know that just creates new problems for our community, education, health facilities and transport infrastructure. In practice, it becomes just an opportunity for some landowners and developers to make a lot of money, leaving behind many challenges for the local community. Those challenges can be sweetened by substantial financial payments to help, if communities are ready and able to provide the facilities. Aggravating the situation is the limited prioritisation of local people. Builders need to sell the homes quickly; so local people, while given priority on some of those affordable homes for a limited period, often end up with none. At best, for every affordable home offered to local people, the builder is allowed to build around five homes and even the affordable ones are only affordable by half those that want them. The Neighbourhood Plan research shows that currently, there are about 100 families in Cottenham with household incomes above the level where they are entitled to statesubsidised accommodation yet unable to afford a socalled affordable home.
The 500 or so homes permitted between Oakington Road and Rampton Road should deliver around 200 affordable homes but only 50 or so of “Cottenham” families may be able to afford them; what can we do for the other 50? The answer may lie with our own landowners and a local developer. A “not for profit” developer, like the Cottenham Community Land Trust, working with a socially-conscious landowner, aims to build 60 houses, with 50 of those priced to be affordable by local people on local incomes. This is the dream. The nightmare is to force those people to move away from the communities in which they have invested their lives or build yet another 500 houses in an attempt to bring prices down. Learn more at www.cottenhampc.org.uk/neighbourhoodplan or follow “Cottenham Community Land Trust” on Facebook.
VILLAGE SOCIETY Meetings at 7:45pm, All Saints Church Hall, High Street, Cottenham. 8 February – Stuart Orme – The Private Life of Oliver Cromwell 27 February – Cottenham Then 8 March – Ruth Bramley – Dressing a Tudor Woman 12 April – Jonathan Ashley-Smith – The loss of skills in Conservation
Issue Number 169 • page 11
NEWLY PUBLISHED HISTORY BOOK WITH COTTENHAM CONNECTIONS Loughton in Wartime – Diaries for 1944 and 1945 by Henry Norman and Richard Norman. Transcribed with an introduction by Catherine Rosevear. Newly published in 2018 by the Loughton and District Historical Society, this fascinating diary of wartime life, written by two brothers who were originally from Cottenham, is now available from the Loughton and District Historical Society. To order a copy, contact the Society via email: loughton_ ponds@hotmail.com Cost – £6.50 plus £1.25 postage.
Issue Number 169 • page 12
HOME-START Home-Start Cambridgeshire’s aim is for every child to have the best possible start in life. The charity supports families across the county who are going through difficult times. We are in an exciting period of change and are keen to appoint two Trustees who are passionate about supporting families with young children, keen to make a difference, creative and who enjoy being part of a team. Both will be enthusiastic promoters of the charity and will be able to give time and energy to their role. Ideally one of them would have significant experience in HR. Contact the office on 01480 700242 or email office@homestartcambridgeshire.co.uk www.homestartcambridgeshire.co.uk
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL
The Royal British Legion Cottenham and Rampton Branch would like to thank all who contributed to the special Poppy Appeal last November, marking the centenary of the end of World War I.
Particular thanks go to Cottenham Brass for a wonderful concert which was devised and organised by Colin Watson to celebrate and remember the end of World War I. The band, led by bandmaster Pete Mackley, was terrific, as usual. Thanks also go to the fantastic singing group “Singing for Fun” and their leader, Jan Payne. The first half of the concert was great fun with a variety of wartime music and songs. In the more serious second half it was great to have Guide/Scout group Standard Bearers alongside our own Standards, to add a sense of occasion and dignity. There was a retiring collection which the band generously donated to the Poppy Appeal. They raised well over £700.00 – a magnificent sum! Special thanks also go to Ralph Carpenter who gave up a good deal of his time to host a very interesting exhibition in the Legion Hall of World War I era photographs of Cottenham. We had many more visitors than we expected, and Ralph was always around to share his extensive knowledge of the village. We would like to express our appreciation and thanks to the following local businesses who generously gave a donation: Cambridge Glassblowers, Chemex, Collacott, Dataracks, Malary, Screens & Graphics.
We would also like to thank all those businesses and organisations who displayed Poppy tins and boxes, our willing band of door-to-door collectors and of course, everyone in Cottenham and Rampton who gave so generously for a poppy or a wreath. Altogether we raised £6,770 – a great achievement. Thank you everyone. If you or your business/organisation would like to lay a wreath in November, please let me know– we put in our order in July, but we always make sure that we have a few spares. We welcome offers of help for the Poppy Appeal, particularly for door-to-door collecting. If you feel you could give an hour of your time for the next Appeal, please contact Ann Scott tel: 01954251468 email: ann. scott23@ntlworld.com Ann Scott, Chairman, RBL Cottenham and Rampton Branch
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS AND VAN CREW wanted at Cambridge Re-Use Join our dedicated team delivering/ collecting furniture to and from customers’ homes. Van crew would need to be physically fit and able to lift. Drivers do not need to lift. We offer travel and lunch expenses, 25% discount and free delivery on any purchases made from the charity. Most importantly a warm friendly atmosphere with tea, coffee and biscuits, and sometimes donuts! For further information please contact Cara (Manager) 01223 414554 cara@cambridgereuse.org.uk
Issue Number 169 • page 13
SUSTAINABLE COTTENHAM ACTIVITIES
Do you enjoy connecting with people? Sustainable Cottenham is seeking someone who could spearhead the creation of a timebank or similar collaboration which would help reduce social isolation and loneliness in Cottenham. There are already many firstrate organisations in the village in touch with people, but is there an opportunity to do more and collaborate, given the growing support for timebanks by the district and county councils? We are looking for funding to support a parttime post, but feel it would help our success if we already knew of someone who was enthusiastic about taking on this role. If you would like to talk about this further, please get in touch with Christine Ward (contact details below). For more information on how a timebank was set up in Cambourne see: www.scambs.gov.uk/community/atoolkit-for-tackling-social-isolation-and-loneliness/ case-study-timebank/ Thermal imaging cameras available Two volunteers from Sustainable Cottenham carried out Thermal Imaging surveys on 13 houses in the village last winter. The cold weather made it easier to highlight areas where insulation could be improved, or to identify other problems. Most of the visits provided reassurance to householders that they had no unseen problems, other than unevenly spread loft insulation or perhaps a very draughty loft access hatch. Several houses, however,
had more interesting issues. These houses were of recent construction, and had either not been finished to an efficient standard, or had been altered so as to compromise the thermal efficiency (warmth!) of several rooms. The thermal camera added support to previous suspicions and suggested areas where improvements could be carried out. South Cambridgeshire District Council has a number of thermal imaging cameras available to be borrowed by residents. Although Sustainable Cottenham has offered the service for a number of years, and may well continue to do so, the cameras are easily used and can be booked out from SCDC offices in Cambourne. To arrange to borrow a camera, contact 03450 450 063 or email: Thermal. Imagery@scambs.gov.uk. Plan ahead, as in mid-winter (when the cameras give the best results) they get very busy. For more information see: www.scambs.gov.uk/community/ community/the-sustainable-parish-energy-partnership/ thermal-imaging-camera/ Reducing single use plastics Some of our members are looking at how we can reduce use of single use plastics in Cottenham – more news on this later. Next litter pick and cycle path tidy Saturday 27 April 2019 at 2pm. Put the date in your 2019 diaries! More details nearer the time. Sustainable Cottenham SusCott is an expanding volunteer group of Cottenham residents linked as a working group to Cottenham Parish Council. Our aim is to encourage and help residents and businesses to make adjustments to their lifestyles and practices in order to improve the sustainability of the village. For more information contact Christine Ward on 01954 251813 or chris@sustainablecottenham.org.uk We have a new website: www.sustainablecottenham.org.uk
Issue Number 169 • page 14
Small ads: 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 ......... AVON DELIVERED FREE IN COTTENHAM AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES. Visit my Facebook sales page (Sage Rose Beauty-Avon) either shop online or request a brochure. Tel: Samantha 07914 968560 ......... TUITION. ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL). Teresa Haymer Cert Ed TEFL MA – General English, all levels, Business English, other ESPs & Homestay Immersion Courses. Email: teresahaymer@gmail.com or text to: 07410 978290 ......... 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 ......... 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 ......... 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 ......... 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 ......... 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. ......... FENCING – P MARTIN FENCING, all types of fencing undertaken, over 30 years trading, please call 07802 440494 or 01954 250568 email pmartinfencing@gmail.com for a free no obligation quote and advice.
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 ......... 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 ......... FURNITURE POLISHING AND REPAIR Polishing and restoration of antique (and not so antique) furniture by a local Cottenham restorer. Rob Ellis: 01954 250153 ......... 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 ......... 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 ......... Why not advertise in the Newsletter! Items for sale, announcement of family events, local products and/or services... 10p per word, with some proceeds going to the MAGPAS charity. Send advertisements and payment to the Advertising Manager. Cheques should be made out to ‘Cottenham Newsletter’. Issue Number 169 • page 15
COTTENHAM AND RAMPTON DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORT Cambridge Recycling We continue to engage with the County Council regarding the operations on the Cambridge Recycling site and the matter is still ongoing. The operator has already undertaken an extensive clean-up of the area adjacent to the site and has committed to upgrade the plant that was creating much of the dust and plastic debris. We will keep up the pressure to ensure an effective compliance focus on this site. Any incidents should be reported via: https://www. cambridgeshire.gov.uk/planning-enforcement-complaint/.
Cottenham Nursery We were delighted that the South Cambridgeshire Planning Committee approved the Parish Council’s application for the new Village Nursery. We were pleased to be able to support the Parish Council in ensuring that the application was heard by the Committee and making representations to ensure that the very special circumstances of the Nursery were recognised. We were also successful in avoiding the additional process that would have been associated with a referral to the Secretary of State.
New Developments We initiated a Community Liaison Group to improve communication with residents and resolution of issues relating to the new development in the village. The new Group had its first meeting on 1 November and we were very pleased that representatives from Bellway joined the meeting. Amongst other things, we discussed the inconvenience for residents’ stemming from previous road closures. There is a further road closure scheduled for early in 2019 to enable the construction of a pedestrian and cycle-path along Oakington Road. The Group agreed that it would be preferable to schedule any closure during half-term and we are pleased that Bellway have sought approval from the County Council on this basis. We have supported their request. We are still looking for any residents who like to participate in the Group – please let us know if you are interested.
Housing A housing strategy with Cambridge City Council is being developed and public contributions have been invited. You can read more and follow developments on: www.scambs.gov.uk/comment-on-homes-for-our-futurethe-greater-cambridge-housing-strategy. The issues under consideration will to understand the housing we need in our villages in the future. Do we need more housing to rent or buy? Do we need more housing for families, first time buyers or older people? Do we need more council or housing association housing? Where should these new homes be built given that there are rules about building on the green belt?
Councillor Gough spoke in support of the Parish Council at the Planning Committee considering reserved matters relating to the Persimmon development. The Committee expressed significant concerns relating to the design and layout of the site as several recommendations from the Urban Design officer had been ignored without adequate justification. New developments mean that Cottenham will be welcoming new residents. We mentioned in our last report that we are planning to put together a welcome pack that will be delivered to all new residents as they move in to their new homes. We are aiming to get a group of current residents together to help put this together and we would now welcome any volunteers to get involved with this. The South Cambridgeshire District Council Community Engagement Team have also offered to help facilitate the development of the pack. The pack would contain all sorts of practical information as well as information about clubs and groups in Cottenham and surrounding villages. Additional Green Bins A charge for the collection of additional green bins will be introduced from April 2019. In the first period (April-October 2019) the charge will be £20 per bin, rising to £35 per bin for the following year. Cambridge City Council and the vast majority of other councils in the country that collect green waste already charges for additional bins. This will impact 100 households in Cottenham. If you have more than one green bin you will be contacted by the Council early in 2019. Issue Number 169 • page 16
Hot on the heels of this meeting, the Government has announced that it is scrapping the limit on the amount that Councils can borrow to spend on building homes. This is to be welcomed and we have called for the small print to be confirmed as soon as possible. Greater Cambridge Partnership At the last meeting of the Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly, Cllr Wilson raised the point that, up to now, engagement with residents to find out what transport measures would encourage them to leave their cars at home has not taken place in Cottenham. Following our intervention, the GCP undertook various engagement events in Cottenham during November and December on the proposed Rural Travel Hub at Oakington. However, we are discussing the possibility of extending the discussion beyond the Rural Travel Hub to include other transport initiatives to encourage more use of public transport options. Councillor Wilson tabled a motion on this topic for debate at the Full Council meeting on November 29 to raise the need for integrated thinking on transportation. If the only way to get to the travel hub from Cottenham is private car, it will be nothing but a car park. The Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly meeting also considered proposals on bus, pedestrian and cycling arrangements along the Histon Road. Cllr Wilson, who is a member of the Joint Assembly, received numerous representations from cyclists objecting to last minute changes to allow for shared cycle/pedestrian paths rather than the segregated paths discussed during consultation. Cllr Wilson raised the matter on behalf of local cyclists. The proposals have since been amended to provide the segregated provision that cyclists prefer as being safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Malary A number of complaints have been received relating to noise and odours from the Malary site on the Brookfields estate. We are interested to hear from residents on this matter to understand the nature of any problems.
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
East-West Rail Company We expect a public consultation on the proposed routing of the East West railway link to be launched early in 2019. This strategic link will rejoin Oxford and Cambridge 50 years after the Varsity Line was closed. There will be a number of route options including to the North of Cambridge. We will keep you informed on the consultation process.
The long-standing tradition of helping at Christmas was continued in 2018 with Christmas vouchers given to 59 families and individuals by Cottenham Charities and the Fitzwilliam Charity. Toys were also provided for children by Twinkle Star Children’s Trust. All the charities would like to thank the many organisations and businesses in the village for helping to publicise the scheme.
Contact your District Councillors Please contact us as follows: Neil Gough: neilgoughcrw@gmail.com or Tel. 07919 990299; Eileen Wilson: eileenwilsoncrw@gmail.com or Tel. 07825 770899 Facebook: @CottenhamRampton
Applications for grants for essential household or disability items can be considered throughout the year by Cottenham Charities. More details, and an application form, are available on our website www.cottenhamcharities.co.uk
WORZEL GUMMIDGE BY COTTENHAM THEATRE WORKSHOP Some of us will remember Worzel Gummidge as the walking talking scarecrow, with femme fatal Aunt Sally on TV around 1979-1981. We attended Cottenham Theatre Workshop’s production at the Saturday matinee and it had our 4-year-old granddaughter dancing in the aisles to the many songs. The splendid scenery was enhanced by projecting some super photos, including one of Worzel’s 10-acre field at Scatterbrook farm and another of the street scene. The costumes were very special – I particularly liked all the scarecrows and of course Aunt Sally’s makeup. Worzel’s different heads were fascinating – I am sure that at times I could benefit from the thinking and remembering heads, although not too sure about their substance – was it Pumpkin, Turnip, Swede and Mangel Wurzel? It would be difficult to speak of individual performances as they were all super. How did they manage to keep so still when required? I doubt if we will be able to pass Mike Milne (Worzel) or Liz Morris (Aunt Sally) in the street without a smile of admiration of their acting skills. We were very impressed with Jess Taylor and Oscar Mellows who played the children, Sue and John Peters, and spoke and sang so clearly.
A particularly successful innovation was the Morris dancers from Fenstanton Morris. We also enjoyed our own Cottenham Tongue Twisters. We didn’t see, but certainly heard, the superb live band in the pit led by Barbara Duckworth. A big thank you to Gloria Milne for directing this production. A raffle raised £318 for the Cottenham Food Bank and Cambridge Street Aid. The final song ended with “We’ll be there” – a good reminder to us all to book tickets for their next production (two plays by Tom Stoppard) to be performed 8-11 May. Mike and Sue Smith
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
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FOR NEXT ISSUE 20TH FEBRUARY
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 169 • page 17
CONTACTS:
Parish Council Jo Brook, Clerk
clerk@cottenhampc.org.uk
Police General Switchboard Doctors
101
Dr. T Blumenfeld, 188 High Street Firs House Partnership, 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 Tennis Club info@cottenhamtennis.co.uk Cottenham Toy Library Christina Koester 270334 Cottenham Village Society Glynis Pilbeam 251544 cottvillsoc@gmail.com
Cottenham WI Gillian Ballard Dentist Wiese and Associates, 40 Margett Street Chemist 222 High Street Child, Teen & Family Counselling
250605 251696 250556
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
07503 328401
0345 045 5222 0345 045 0500
District Councillors Neil Gough
cllr.gough@scambs.gov.uk, 07919 990299
Eileen Wilson
cllr.wilson@scambs.gov.uk,
07825 770899
County Councillor Tim Wotherspoon
timwothers@aol.com,252108
British Red Cross Shop Citizens Advice Bureau
01223 301426
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 Panther Taxis 01223 715715/424424/523523 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 169 • page 18
www.cottenhamnews.org.uk
COTTENHAM TENNIS CLUB The annual Christmas curry night at the best curry restaurant in the area provided us with a great get-together, good food and a chance to look back on the year. There have been many positives. The club has grown remarkably, doubling our membership, although we have room for more if you are interested. The new nets are great and with the freshly painted lines we can actually see whether balls are in or out! We have had a good turnout for our Wednesday evening social tennis sessions and for the Sunday coaching provided by “Over and In”. In the late summer we reinstituted our “Rusty Rackets” coaching sessions, providing some gentle encouragement for those members who have had a break from the sport, or who need a confidence boost. These sessions were run by two young coaches, both club members: for adults 7:30 to 8:30pm on Wednesday evenings and for children 5:30 to 6:30 on Thursdays. With the great weather we had we managed to keep the sessions going until the end of November, and we plan to restart in the spring, drop in for £4 per session. Competitively the men’s team were successful in the Cambridgeshire LTA league, winning their group, being promoted to a higher league and gaining a shield to do the round of their mantelpieces. The mixed team had mixed success, winning some games and coming a poor second in others – final outcome the middle of their league. Next year with our increased numbers we will also be able to field a ladies team. We are delighted that one of our juniors has been nominated for a regional LTA award. Fingers crossed for the result!
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR
Looking forward to the New Year, “Over and In” will provide both Saturday and Sunday coaching, with the option of booking for a whole term or paying per session. Fees are: £4, £8 or £10 depending on age group. Times and prices for the term as follows: Saturdays 2 February – 6 April 2019 4-6 year olds, 1-1:30pm, £26.25 7-10 year olds, 1:30-2:30pm £52.50 11-15 year olds, 2:30-3:30pm £52.50 Adults, 3:30-4:30pm £60 Sundays (times are unchanged) 3 February – 7 April 2019 4-6 year olds, 10:00-10:30am £26.25 7-10 year olds, 10:30-11:30am £52.50 11-15 year olds, 11:30am-12:30pm £52.50 Adults, 12:30-1:30pm £60 The first session is free as a taster, but after 2 sessions people must join the club. To become a member please contact Cottenham Sports Centre. Half-year membership, valid until April 2019, is just £37.50 for a family, £20 for adults and £10 for juniors under 18 and students. Why not come along and see if it’s for you. We are a friendly bunch, often following social tennis with a social pint in the Chequers, which we think of as our club house. Our standard is very mixed so don’t worry if you don’t play Wimbledon standards – but you would be very welcome if you do! For more information, contact the club at info@cottenhamtennis.co.uk or look at Facebook for up to date information, talk to the Cottenham Sports Centre behind the Village College for membership, or Over & In to book coaching. Finally, thank you to the Curry Palace and the Chequers for your continued warm welcome. Cilla Hughes, publicity officer
Issue Number 169 • page 19
Poetry Corner: Cottenham Apples I dare not meet him face to face For I am really in disgrace Have I not joined that feckless band Which never seems to understand That if one wants security Worcesters should reach maturity And not be picked in wooden state But when their flavour is first rate. Worcesters in future, please remember Should not be picked until September, Though August prices are just double, This very fact will lead to trouble. For housewives with indecent haste Will make it known they have no taste. And instead of stopping dental trouble, Will reduce their teeth to so much rubble, So because our fruit is under-ripe They go and buy some foreign tripe. Some think a Board should be elected To see that Worcesters are inspected, And only those that pass the test, May then be picked at their behest. Of course for most, please remember This will not be until September. The Board should one exception make For Cottenham has so much at stake. Its warm red lands and humid air Grow Worcesters beyond compare. In fact they almost qualify To suit the housewife in July. But we’re not greedy as you know, And merely ask the Board to show A dispensation in our favour Due to earliness and flavour. Wilburton high upon the ridge, Has a summer like a fridge! Causing a certain well-known member Not to start till mid-September. About this time that grey old fox, John Sneesby starts to market Cox. Camps think this is the utmost folly, Just to get some extra lolly. Have Members lost their high ideals, Will they not hear our deft appeals? Methinks at last they’ll get it right, And not sell apples till they’re ripe. This poem was originally read at a National Farmers Union (NFU) dinner. Mr. Franklin gave his permission for it to be read out in 1971 at the 3rd AGM of The Cottenham Village Society. I was kindly given a copy by Grace Cann, who was Chairman of our Society at that time.
Embers
Whether walking the dog, or dropping off at school, popping out to the shops, or aimlessly strolling. Wherever I go now my constant companion; silent absorbing grief and precious memories. As my heart feels heavy a stranger says hello; lighting a spark of hope. Who knew that could happen?! As breaths become laboured attempting not to sob, an unknown dog bounds up; petting him fans the spark. Thoughts drift towards sadness as you wave from your car, with this small, but great, act a little flame takes hold. Thoughts haunt me as I jog but boys cheekily cheer as they’re stuck in traffic and the flame glows brighter Trying hard to be brave when you cycle past and comment on the weather igniting extra hope A village of strangers all carrying billows innocently bringing cool embers back to life. By Emma May
Love To love is our finest emotion The greatest gift we can bestow It’s there in our hearts as a birthright It’s with us wherever we go. True love should shine forth as a beacon To show to the world that we care Helping the people about us And show that their problems we share. To give love will bring us great sorrow When loved ones are taken away Our love may be spurned or rejected But these are the prices we pay.
#Cottenham
To be loved is a feeling so special It helps us face life with a smile Knowing you’ve someone to love in your life For in loving, our living’s worthwhile.
on social media
By Chris Lewis
Martin Hudson (Rooks St., Cottenham)
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