Cottenham Newsletter Issue 161 - Oct/Nov 2017

Cottenham

Newsletter

ISSUE NUMBER 161

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

CTW CELEBRATES 40 YEARS

Several people who were there at the start of Cottenham Theatre Workshop 40 years ago attended a celebration to mark this milestone at St Ives Golf Club in July. Mac Dowdy, Clive Borrow and John Unwin took part in the first presentation in 1977, called “Revueing the Situation”, a series of skits which members of the group had written for the Queen's jubilee.

Musical director Dave Bainbridge, who also acted in several productions, was there with wife Sue, another CTW stalwart as actress, singer and front of house organiser.

Among the 45 people present was musical director Barbara Duckworth who took to the stage in the Venue at the Fen Edge Festival, and Kerry O’Connell, writer and director of this year's original pantomime “Aladdin”, onstage at the Village College from 29 November to 2 December.

The evening was coordinated by Matt and Gary UnwinRiches and Chrissie Kelby whose most recent starring role was as Alice in the much enjoyed “The Vicar of Dibley” earlier this year. Matt presented his father John with a canvas wallhanging showing many of his memorable CTW appearances. Gary paid tribute to John’s dedication to CTW, from the creation of the stage sets, to his sound and lighting expertise, to his myriad roles in the annual pantomimes, musicals and plays which have entertained the village. Well done CTW!

Late summer dragonfly, one of many still doing the rounds in and around Cottenham and particularly on The Lode

ADDENBROOKE’S BREAST CANCER APPEAL

Let’s get this party started to help breast cancer patients! The annual Addenbrooke’s Breast Cancer Appeal, organised by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), asks people to host a party for family, friends, work colleagues or fellow students this October to help raise money to transform care for patients. Party suggestions include getting together for tea and cake, a prosecco party, office party or even a summer ‘BooBieQ’.

To get involved and find out more, visit www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/ABCappeal, email fundraising@act4addenbrookes.org.uk or call 01223 349885.

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH NEWS A very happy update from All Saints’ – we have found our new minister! The Reverend Lynda Davies will be joining us in the autumn and all are welcome to her licensing service on the 16th October at 7:30pm. We look forward to welcoming Lynda and her husband Martin (and their cats!) to our community.

There are a few exciting fundraising events planned for the autumn, including a Come and Sing on Saturday 28th October. Everyone is welcome to sing in a full day of rehearsals (starting at 9:30am) followed by a performance of Faure’s Requiem and selected English anthems.

Registration and ticketing details are available on our website – please do join us for what is sure to be a stirring occasion. We will also hold another general knowledge quiz evening on Saturday 11th November – no biblical knowledge is required, thankfully.

Other fundraising events have also been successful – two concerts in July raised nearly £700, and we also held Messy Plays for young children over the summer and an all-ages Beetle Drive in September.

If you would like to know more about any of our events, or to contribute to our refurbishment fund, please email us on secretary_pcc@allsaintscottenham.org.uk Our new communion rail is well underway. A picture of the rail in progress is below with the designer (Mac Dowdy) and the artist (Nigel Kaines of Designs on Metal).

Dates: October 13th Cottenham Village Society

Mike Muncaster “Quacks, Charlatans and

Conmen”, All Saints Church Hall, 7:45pm 17th Cottenham Village Society, Alison Dickens

“The Rampton Sacrifice” as above November 11th Armistice Day, service at the

War Memorial, 10:55am 12th Remembrance Sunday, service at the

War Memorial, 10:55am Issue Number 161 • page 2

We are proud to follow in the Church of England’s tradition of commissioning new artworks and are especially grateful for financial support from the Parish Council for this element of our refurbishment programme. We look forward to holding an open event when the new rail is installed, to include a full update on the church refurbishment programme, the main building work for which is expected to start in January.

In our worship life, we celebrated Harvest in a Family Communion service, and continued with services in care homes, small groups for prayer and growth, and two regular services on Sundays at 8:30am and 10:30am. Tuesday Church (held fortnightly for primary-aged children) resumed in September after a summer break. We are very grateful to all the clergy who have assisted us with these services during our period without a minister and we look forward to welcoming Lynda to lead us.

We have continued to serve the spiritual needs of the community in good times and bad, as always. We are a church that seeks to serve everyone, whether to help to say goodbye to a loved one, or celebrate a marriage, or grow in faith through small groups, or simply connect with God during a Sunday service. It is our privilege to serve you.

MORE PHOTOS PLEASE! I hope you have all had a lovely summer. Thank you to those who continue to submit news items, it would be great to have even more photos.

Adrian Ient, Editor

BIRD REPORT Recently I have been thinking about Peter Scott. He was a man of many parts: an Olympic sailor, an expert skier, artist, writer and broadcaster. But he is nowadays best known as an environmentalist and the founder of the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, with its headquarters at Slimbridge. In his early life he was a keen wildfowler, but made a u-turn to become a world-known protector and conservationist of endangered water birds.

When I first became interested in birds I was fascinated by his paintings of wild geese and ducks and I collected postcard reproductions of his work. I recently wrote in this column of the influence of birds on music, and this leads me on to think about birds in paintings. A close look at some of the early paintings of the Flemish and Italian Schools show the occasional bird in the sky or perched on a tree. Today there is a very good painter of wildlife called Robert Fuller, who lives and works in East Yorkshire.

Nearer home I much admire the work of Ann Biggs, who lives locally, and I have a lovely painting of hers of terns in Ely. I would be glad to know of other painters of wildlife, as I am no expert.

Here is a quiz question. What do these birds all have in common? Cuckoo, chiffchaff, wren, quail, Cetti’s warbler and corncrake. My totally unscientific answer is that they are all birds which are heard, but are much more difficult to see. This question was brought to my mind because in the past few days a quail has been heard in at least four places locally, including Long Drove in Cottenham. This is a small timid bird rather like a partridge, and this year it appears to have been doing well after several years of decline.

Other rather special birds which have been seen locally in the past few days are stone curlew (Devil’s Dyke), black terns (Grafham Water), purple heron (Needingworth Pits) and cranes (on the Ouse Washes). Many other local sightings can be found on the Cambirds website.

However for most of us it is the birds in our gardens and in the fields and along the waterways of Cottenham that are our main interest. This week I have received an enthusiastic note from a friend in the village, for whom local birds are a constant delight. And the birds she mentioned? Magpies, blackbirds, dunnocks, green woodpecker, pheasant and wren. Nothing remarkable here, but it reminded me that expert birders have spoken often about the therapeutic effect of bird watching. There is a well-known true story of the prisoner who became an expert on sparrows by feeding them day after day through the window bars of his cell. For many of us the sight of a red kite or a buzzard is uplifting and at this very moment I am enjoying looking at the goldfinches on the feeder in our garden.

So what is happening in our village? In July there were swifts seen flying and screaming over the houses, but they have now (late August) all migrated. There are still plenty of swallows and house martins about, but by the time you read this they will no longer be with us. Several people have mentioned seeing whitethroats – is this a good year for them? Common terns were seen flying over Broad Lane and fellow birders have noted late broods of robins, sparrows and blackbirds.

When did you last see a wren ? It may surprise you to know that the wren is often known as the commonest British bird. They are everywhere – in towns and villages, in woods and fields, on mountains and by the sea, in every part of the country. Most wrens which we see look alike, but there are four subspecies in the Shetlands, the Hebrides, Fair Isle and St Kilda, and they all look slightly different. They are everywhere known as the tiny bird with the loud voice!

From now on we shall hear fewer bird-songs, until in early October we expect to hear the noisy voices of mistle thrushes and fieldfares. The coming of autumn and winter has its compensations.

Jasper Kay

Issue Number 161 • page 3

COTTENHAM VILLAGE COLLEGE GCSE RESULTS 2017

Cottenham Village College is celebrating a third successive year of outstanding GCSE results with its year eleven pupils.

73% of pupils at CVC achieved at least 5 A*-C grades or equivalent including English and mathematics.

27% of all grades awarded at CVC were A, A* or equivalent grades.

In the new more difficult qualifications at GCSE, 76% of pupils achieved a 4 or better in Exceptional performances included (NB a 7 or better is equivalent to an A or A*): Simon with two grade 9s, one grade 8, six A* grades and two A grades, Molly with a grade 8, a 7 and a 6, two A*s and five A grades Estella with three grade 8s, 5 A*s and three A grades Sophie with three grade 8s, 5 A*s, and 2 A grades Katie with three grade 8s, 3 A*s, and five A grades Tom with a grade 9, 8 and 7, two A*s and two A grades Ellie with two 8s and a 7, four A*s and an A grade Patrick with a 9, an 8 and a 7, four A*s and two A grades Emily with two grade 9s, a grade 7, five A*s and two A grades Imogen with an 8, a 7 and a 6, four A*s and an A Lizzie with a grade 9 and two grade 7s, an A* and five A grades Amy with two grade 9s, a grade 6, and seven A*s Alice with a 7, a 6, a 5, five A*s and three A grades Martha with an 8 and two 7s, four A*s and five A grades Arthur with a 9 and a 6, five A*s and two A grades Jack with an 8 and a 7, three A*s and two A grades Rhys with two 8s and a 9, 4 A*s and 3 a grades Headteacher Stuart Lock said: “It has been an incredible morning with so many happy faces. We are delighted with this set of GCSE results. Our year 11 pupils can be very proud. These results are some of the best we have ever seen at CVC, and have set our pupils up to achieve extraordinary things in their lives. I am delighted for them.

The results are also testament to the hard work, dedication

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and skill of the staff at CVC. Congratulations are due to all the pupils and staff.”

Libby Nicholas, CEO of Astrea said: “Huge congratulations to all at Cottenham Village College – this is a stellar set of results and testament to the hard work and commitment of students and staff. Cottenham has only recently joined the Astrea family, and we are delighted to be working with the senior leadership team to build on this solid foundation. A new Principal for Cottenham will be in post from January 2018 and the academy will continue to receive support and guidance from the Astrea team as we work together to deliver on our promise of an education that inspires beyond measure.”

Some of the comments of thanks from parents: Katherine Trezise Huge thanks to all of the teachers who do an incredible job, but a special shout out to Mr Langley, who persevered with the most reluctant of students despite a lot of resistance. Those after school sessions definitely paid off, Kieran will be grinning about his English grade for a while to come (even if he is glad to never have to study it again!).

Jillian Jenkinson Great results. Thank you to all the staff for their support and teaching.

THE PETER SCOTT WAY In 2016, a small group of us from the Fen Edge Footpath Group walked the Fen Rivers Way from Cambridge to King’s Lynn over five days.

This year we tackled a more modest walk, but one that is rarely done. For many years, the naturalist and painter Peter Scott lived at the lighthouse on the East Bank of the River Nene, near to Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire. The walk named after him follows the old flood bank along the Wash from the lighthouse to King’s Lynn, finishing officially at the Ferry Crossing at West Lynn. The distance is disputed. It is said to be 13.5 miles, but we reckoned it was nearer 11.

The walk needed some planning. Janet organised cheap group transport by train from Waterbeach to King’s Lynn and back. She also booked a minibus taxi to take us from King’s Lynn to the start of the walk. The weather forecast for our planned day (August 8th) was dreadful. Heavy rain and showers were expected for the whole day. We set off prepared for the worst. Car to Waterbeach, train and taxi went as clockwork and at 11am we stood by the Peter Scott Lighthouse in a cold wind, the two men wondering if shorts had been a good idea. Thankfully it was not raining.

After the obligatory group photo, we set off due north towards the Wash, with a strong breeze from our left. Half a mile along our route on the flood bank, we turned right and so for the rest of the day we had the wind behind us. Jasper had the OS map and, to his surprise, was expected to be our guide. This resulted in us spending much of the day discussing where we were, and whether we were on the right track. Maps, GPS, mobile phones, compass –none of them seemed to agree. However, we knew that the Wash should be on the left, and that reclaimed agricultural land should be on the right. We also knew we were on a flood bank, and we could see wind turbines and some King’s Lynn buildings in the distance. So what could go wrong?

This is wide-open country, and there are virtually no significant landmarks. A few trees,hardly a single building, nobody to ask, just acres of salt marsh, sand, water and a vast sky.

We saw a kestrel, a buzzard, a marsh harrier, an egret, a heron, redshanks and lapwings and countless waders and gulls, often too far away to identify with confidence. Far away in a field we saw a quad bike, and someone claimed to see a person in the distance pushing a bike, and out on the Wash far in the distance a few boats were to be seen.

Otherwise –nobody.

Incredibly, the rain never came, and we even had an occasional glimpse of the sun. We plodded on eastward, with much chatter and laughter and enjoying this unique and empty landscape.

The terrain varied and some of the flood banks had not been cut, so we laboured through long grass and thistles, led by the unstoppable Vanessa. We had a coffee break, a lunch break and later a short tea break. An informal competition took place to see who, in our aging group, could sit down in the grass and get up most elegantly. Jan rolled over and almost disappeared down the bank, and Ray was disqualified for bringing his own seat. The rest of us contributed creaking knees and pitiful groans.

It was difficult to visualise King’s Lynn as the important trading port it once was. We felt that we were approaching the end of the walk, but there was a long stretch along the riverbank, past the smelly sewage works, under the pylons, with signs of the village of Clenchwarton on the right, until we finally reached the ferry. This short crossing of the river by a small ferry was an ideal way to finish –lots of fun and laughter, a helpful, tolerant ferryman and a safe landing in King’s Lynn. Now safely on dry land, we met the faithful Lloyd again and Eileen led us at speed through the town, to ensure we got to our train in good time. Once again, we had a section of the carriage to ourselves, and Ray’s entertaining stories and the cheerful banter between us all, took us back to Waterbeach, where we all gave thanks for a wonderful walk and, in spite of the forecast, a day without rain. In fact, the weather was perfect for a walk in this exposed terrain.

So what is to be our next venture?

Jasper Kay, Janet Symes

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AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT Cottenham Theatre Workshop’s 40th Anniversary Year continues with another delectable offering – this time with some oriental flair. After receiving rave reviews regarding our Spring show The Vicar of Dibley and our performance at the Fen Edge Festival, CTW are proud to present this year’s pantomime – Aladdin.

Written and directed by long-standing member, Kerry O’Connell, this show promises to bring all the usual laughs and scenarios, with a few special changes! Want to know what they are? Well, you had better come along and find out! Barbara Duckworth also returns as musical director, with songs from various genres, which will entertain groups of all ages.

Tickets will be available from mid-late October, via TicketSource, on either our website or via phone. Keep an eye on our website www.cottenhamtheatre.com or our Facebook page for more information regarding how to order, or for any other information. We will also be selling tickets in person at the Cottenham Community Centre, in the coffee shop, on the four Saturdays prior to the show (4th, 11th, 18th, 25th November) between 11am and 1pm. Be sure to pop down and see us!

Performances of the show will be held at Cottenham Village College between Wednesday 29th November and Saturday 2nd December. Weekday performances start at 7.30pm and Saturday (2nd) has two matinee performances. Once again, check the website for booking details.

Although the production has been cast and rehearsals are well underway, we’re always interested in recruiting new members! Whether that be backstage, on props/ costumes or on Front of House, there are always jobs for everyone. To find out how to be involved, please contact cottenhamtheatre@gmail.com for more information.

We look forward to welcoming you to the performances!

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GARDENERS’ CLUB Many thanks to all who supported our coach trip to Hyde Hall in August. The weather was glorious and there was plenty to see, both in the gardens and at the flower show.

When this issue comes out, Apple Days will be underway.

The Apple Weekend at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex is usually the first at the end of September, but still to come at Cambridge Botanic Garden is their event on Sunday October 23rd. There will be plenty of applethemed activities and tastings, and you can take apples to be identified – see their website for details.

In keeping with this, our talk on Friday October 27th is ‘The Secret History of Apples and Orchards’ by Joanna Crosby, Food Historian and Founder Member of the Trumpington Community Orchard Project.

In November Andrew Sankey, Horticulturist, will speak about ‘Remedies, Cures and Superstitions’.

Club meetings usually take place on the last Friday of the month, with refreshments served from 7.30pm, followed by a talk at 7.45pm. The evening closes with a raffle, for which prizes are always welcome. At this time of year £7 half-price membership is available, to last until after the February AGM. We are always pleased to see visitors at £2 a meeting.

For any further information please contact Sarah Dumont on 01954 260482.

CTIC: THE COTTENHAM FOOD BANK Food Bank in Cottenham is a Christians Together in Cottenham (CTIC) initiative, with distribution held every Wednesday from 1:30pm – 3:00pm at Cottenham Baptist Church. We run as a satellite to the Ely Foodbank under the Trussell Trust charity which operates a nationwide network of food banks.

fish, and tinned fruit. Up-to-date lists are available on the Ely Food Bank website and food should have a long date on it, ideally more than three months. The donated food is taken to the Ely warehouse where it is weighed and boxed up for us. Extras such as toiletries and nappies are also always much needed.

More families from Cottenham and beyond are using this service in 2017, whether because they are in long-term economic difficulty or because they have had a temporary setback. Families come with a voucher supplied by a organisation who knows them and their situation.

We have a team of very willing volunteers, from Cottenham and outside the village, Christians and otherwise, who help on an occasional or more regular basis. More volunteers are always needed! You don’t need any special background or training and there a number of different ways you could help out. Please consider us if you are looking to get involved in a worthy cause.

There are several official donation points throughout the village: The Co-operative, Cottenham Baptist Church, All Saints’ Church, the Community Coffee Shop and now the Salvation Army Church. Donations of a wide variety of non-perishable items are always welcome including tinned soup, long life fruit juice and milk, tinned meat or tinned

For more information contact Paula 07594692357 or paulamayes@live.co.uk

Mayes

on

Issue Number 161 • page 7

COTTENHAM WALKING GROUP Please come and join our free walks, meeting at 11am every Tuesday in Cottenham library. Everyone, whatever ability, is welcome to join our Sustrans Volunteers for fun, cheerful company and gentle exercise. The walks are mostly between two and three miles long and take around an hour.

We also have occasional walks slightly further afield, in locations such as Histon and Chesterton, that have easy bus access. These are normally on the last Tuesday of the month.

Please speak with the Volunteers for details of these.

Claire (Walk Leader) Many Thanks Kind Regards Claire Perrott (Sustrans charity: volunteer walk leader)

REMEMBRANCE PARADE Please be aware that there will be a Temporary Road Closure on Sunday November 12th between 10:30am and 11:30am for the Remembrance Day service which will take place at the War Memorial. The High Street will be closed to traffic from The Green to Telegraph Street. Denmark Road will be closed from The Green to Telegraph Street. The planned alternative route is along Rampton Road, Lambs Lane, the interlinking part of the High Street and Telegraph Street. There will be access to the Village College from the High Street at the Histon end of The Green. Access will be available for residents of the affected roads. Stewards will be on duty to ensure safety.

Issue Number 161 • page 8

ROADS AND PAVEMENTS PATROLS One of the most annoying problems villagers face arise from wear and tear of our roads and pavements. Potholes or subsidence can cause damage and blocked drains causing localised flooding. Lack of County Council funding for regular high-quality maintenance makes everything worse as patching replaces preventive work.

The Parish Council, via its Highways Committee, reports as many faults as we know about. We maintain a list of jobs that have been reported and continually chase the County Highways Department to check on progress. This is not a quick process because jobs wait their turn for funding.

We cannot keep an eye on all roads and pavements within the village, so encourage Cottenham residents to report any problem they see, directly to the County Council. The more individuals report a problem may help accelerate its solution.

The link to the Cambridgeshire County Highways website below gives you information about lead times and the process for reporting problems. Once faults have been logged, you will receive updates and we can also keep an eye on them.

Martin McCarthy Chair (Highways Committee) Cottenham Parish Council https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roadsand-pathways/roadworks-and-faults/ how-long-does-it-take-to-fix-a-road-fault/

POPPY APPEAL AND REMEMBRANCE SERVICES Armistice Day is on Saturday 11 November this year, and there will be a service at the War Memorial beginning at about 10:55am.

Remembrance Sunday is on Sunday 12 November. In the morning there will be a service at the War Memorial. The parade will leave at about 10.45am. from the CBS car park, and the service begins at about 10.55am.

Again, there will be no service at All Saints Church in the afternoon. Instead, the full roll call of those from Cottenham and Rampton who died in each World War will be read out during the laying of the wreaths at the morning service on Remembrance Sunday.

We are preparing for our Poppy Appeal activities for this year. As usual, we will be distributing trays of poppies

and collection tins around the village and collecting doorto-door throughout Cottenham and Rampton. We are looking to recruit more collectors this year. Each person only needs to collect in a small area which usually takes about an hour or so. If you would like to offer your services please contact us – see details below.

If you wish to lay a wreath on behalf of yourself or an organisation, and have not already informed us, or if you would like to help with door-to-door collecting for the Poppy Appeal, please contact Ann Scott, Tel: 251468.

If you would like a loved one’s name to be read out during the service, please contact: wardens@allsaintscottenham. org.uk 01954 200035

COTTENHAM COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH A community-led initiative to reduce speeding vehicles and make our village safer.

The Cottenham Speedwatch scheme is being reestablished and needs volunteers now to get actively involved in monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling through our village. The owner of any vehicle seen exceeding the speed limit is sent an advisory letter by the Constabulary, explaining that speeding is unacceptable and asking them to be more considerate.

It’s not enforcement, it’s about educating road users to drive safely and to be made aware of the dangers of speeding.

Full training and equipment is provided, and volunteers are insured. There's no minimum time commitment – we'll run sessions when we can, and it only takes an hour of your time to attend. If you would like more information on how to help make our village safer please call Richard May on 07973 736386 or e-mail Richard_afcw@yahoo.co.uk.

Issue Number 161 • page 9

PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Major Building Developments In recent weeks, decisions have been made which will have as big an effect on Cottenham over the coming years as did Tenison Manor. The new building will take place between Rampton Road and Oakington Road.

• The Gladman saga, which began in 2015 with an application for up to 225 houses and up to 70 residential places with care, has led to them being granted planning permission for up to 200 houses and up to 70 residential places with care. They must make substantial financial contributions to community facilities and education etc. while the estate is being built out. These will now include some funding for a community bus service and improvements to our cemeteries.

• Persimmon is likely to be granted planning permission for 126 homes alongside making substantial financial contributions.

• Bellway Homes already has permission to build 50 homes.

These permissions require that 40% of the homes (160) will be classed as affordable with some available for rent and some reserved, at least initially, for local people.

Building won’t start just yet for any of them. They need to submit “reserved matters” applications for approval

by SCDC, a process that could take up to two years.

Those applications will determine the layouts and styles of homes built. As you know, the Parish Council vigorously resisted these applications with widespread support in the village. However, we must now, where possible, work with the architects and builders to maximise the benefits and minimise the inevitable harm to ensure that commitments made during the application process are kept. At the same meeting as the Gladman and Persimmon approvals, the County Council application for 154 homes was refused. It won’t be long before they return for another try; we don’t expect them to have an easy ride.

Education With all those new houses will come a lot of children; enough eventually to trigger a need for more Primary School places. The County Council’s preferred solution is to build an Infants School on part of our leased “3rd Field”

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at the Recreation Ground, exchanging that land for some of the field between the Allotments and Rampthill Farm.

This will be quite disruptive to children in the school and our provision of sports pitches. This begs a question as to whether or not additional infant and early years nursery places should be added next to the Primary School site in Lambs Lane or somewhere else in the village, possibly near the Village College, to help spread traffic?

Sports Provision Although the Colts have a girl’s football team, most of the sport supported by the Parish Council is for boys and younger men. We will receive developer cash to build an all-weather multi-use games area (MUGA) supporting basketball, football and netball – but we need to find space for the courts and changing facilities. Ideally, we will add some extra land to the Recreation Ground so we can intensify use of the Sports Pavilion but if we can’t do that, should we take some space away from football – the cheapest option – or build the MUGA and a small pavilion somewhere else in Cottenham?

Village Hall More people in the village will increase the pressure on our tired Village Hall but bring several hundred thousand pounds towards the cost of a replacement. We are working with the County Council to satisfy their concerns about safety on the access road which should open the way to a revised planning application for a new Hall and (probably separate) Nursery, re-using the studies conducted as part of the refused application.

Neighbourhood Plan Finding places for the new Medical Centre (with drop-in Community Room), Nursery, Supermarket, multi-purpose Village Hall (including Day Centre) and some truly affordable homes in or near the village centre is well under way. More houses in the south-west of the village will make it even more important to take steps to minimise traffic yet encourage new and existing residents to visit more of the village’s central facilities without their cars. Better crossings, footpaths and cycleways; additional parking spaces and, possibly, a community bus service will help, as will measures to make Cottenham less attractive as a route for HGV through traffic.

The draft Plan is now being revised with help from a Planning Inspector funded by South Cambs DC with another local consultation planned for October/November.

Commercial Company Covenant – A Voluntary Code of Conduct for Commercial Vehicle Operators Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) receive many concerns from residents about the impact lorries and other large vehicles have on our local area, including: noise, vibration, volume of HCV traffic and pollution.

Playground Please be aware that repairs are being undertaken w/c 9th & 16th October to several items of equipment. We will try to keep disruption to a minimum during this time and items will be cordoned off for safety. We’ll keep you up to date via Facebook/website.

As a result, CCC have adapted a covenant, originally created by 'Community Roadwatch', for Parishes and local communities to use with local haulage firms to agree certain conditions, such as adhering to agreed HCV routes, to co-operate with local communities to identify and address their concerns, observing weight and speed limits. Companies that have signed up (at County level) include: Amey Cespa, Balfour Beatty, Cornwell & Son, Mick George Ltd, Skanska. Cottenham Parish Council recently sent out copies of the Covenant to local hauliers and we would like to thank Masters Logistical who promptly signed up.

Bluebell Planting Thank you to everyone who came along the helped at our planting event at WARG Field. Hopefully come spring we should start to see our efforts come to life! Special thanks to Andrew and Alice King for their donation towards the purchase of the bulbs.

Grants Cottenham Parish Council offers a number of small donations and grants to support voluntary and community organisations. Previous recipients have included Rainbows, Cottenham Primary PTCA, Mobile Warden scheme, Bowls Club, Toy Library, Day Centre and Area Victim Support. Applications are now invited (payments made in April 2018). There is no guarantee of success as we may receive applications for more than our available cash and we also have to ensure that the money is spent on a variety of lawful purposes. We cannot make donations or grants to individuals or very narrow sections of the community. Applicants should give a general description of what their organisation does along with details of what any grant will be used for. It is helpful if you provide an indication of the number of local parishioners who derive benefit from a charity's services and a brief explanation of the nature of that assistance. Once money has been issued we require you to provide details of how and when the money is spent in accordance with our original intentions. For a copy of the application please see our website or email rfocottenhampc@gmail.com or write to: The RFO, Cottenham Parish Council, Right Side Entrance, 250a High Street, Cottenham CB24 8RZ. The deadline for applications is Friday 27th October 2017.

Diary Date The popular Carols on the Green event will be held on Tuesday 12th December from 6pm. Further details to follow but if you would be interested in having a stall or sponsoring the event please contact us.

New Councillors We would like to welcome Tom Dewey and Brian Smith onto the Council. Details of both can be found on our website.

Use of Facebook and Website Please be aware that our sites are run in accordance with the Communications Act 2003 (section 127). As such any inflammatory, defamatory, offensive, indecent or obscene comments will be removed.

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 March 2018, we are now offering 50% discount rates for evening hire of the Village Hall for your birthday parties or other celebrations.

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 clerk@cottenhampc.org.uk Parish Office – 07503 328401 www.cottenhampc.org.uk www.facebook.com/cottenhamparishcouncil

Coolidge Gardens A new bench and noticeboard have now been installed.

The bench was replaced for free courtesy of E Timber Products whilst the Parish Council funded the replacement of the noticeboard. We’d like to thank Alison Kitching for taking the lead on this project. Additionally, it appears that the Coolidge Gardens has been reinstated on the schedule for resurfacing this financial year by the County Council. Further details when available.

Dog bins A map detailing the location of the village dog bins is now available on our website.

Issue Number 161 • page 11

DISTRICT AND COUNTY REPORTS It’s Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend as I write this. After a few weeks of showers the sun is shining – which makes these lines from “The Tempest” feel more familiar: You sunburnt sicklemen of August weary, Come hither from the furrow and be merry.

Make holiday. Your rye-straw hats put on, And these fresh nymphs encounter every one In country footing.

Yesterday the Parish Clerk and I accompanied our new Local Highways Officer on a walkabout to identify outstanding problems. The good news was that Coolidge Gardens resurfacing was back in this year’s road maintenance programme. Please note Twenty Pence Road will be closed 31 October/1 November for removal of the speed hump outside the Wooden House (and the opportunity will be taken to address some carriageway issues between there and All Saints Church).

Lucy Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, called an A10 summit on 3rd August. Some recommendations are being taken forward from the Ely to King’s Lynn study.

Working out how to cope with Waterbeach new town between Ely and Cambridge is not complete yet. The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough may have to take some responsibility for this, because his M11 to A47 scheme may alter the transport modelling. In tackling strategic northsouth movement, all broadly parallel corridors play a part.

So the B1049 through Cottenham and the B1050 through Willingham are also impacted. On the other side of the A14, doubling the density of Cambridge Science Park and potential housing development around Cambridge North station complicate the situation. It’s the Milton interchange

Issue Number 161 • page 12

throttle that’s the problem, not the A10 as such.

The County Council has stepped in to keep running – at least for a year – most of the routes that Whippet could no longer continue running commercially. Meanwhile a rootand-branch review of how best to spend bus subsidies across the county will be undertaken in conjunction with the Mayor’s office. I regret that buses don’t attract the same political urgency as railways. Some people were annoyed that Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, swanned in to Cambridge North station, told everyone how important East-West Rail was, and promised a green light to Cambridge South station, in the same week as his Department had thrown a spanner in the works for community transport operators, who provide the sort of everyday lifeline of accessibility on which so many of our residents of remote rural communities depend.

Greater Cambridge Partnership is exploring Rural Travel Hubs. Oakington is keen to have some sort of proper parking at its Busway stop, but principally to obviate antisocial parking in the vicinity. We have to tread carefully in seeking to persuade them to accept something serving a wider catchment, but at least the possibility has been raised again and the conversation has started.

Cambridge City contains 184 sets of traffic lights, half the total in Cambridgeshire, and they’re going to be overhauled.

52 sets are more than ten years old. Most traffic lights get installed for a particular junction, and their green/red change times may not be best linked to neighbouring junctions. Our recent ANPR traffic flow data will enable us to revise green/ red sequences accordingly. Some of the existing sensors (buried under the tarmac) may be broken. We will also install

more sensors, so the lights know when buses and cars are approaching, and change accordingly.

The Department for Education has published eligibility criteria for parents of 3-and-4-year-olds for 30 hours’ childcare which went live nationally on 1st September. The government has information at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ The County Council has a Family Information Directory http:// www5.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/site/custom_scripts/fid/fid_ results.aspx?t=1&view=List with details of which providers will be offering 30 hours places, and information they have provided about their services from September 2017 onwards.

Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council are working together on a six-month pilot from the beginning of August called HOOP (Housing Options for Older People). Those over 65 who want to take part can fill in a questionnaire, online or on paper, about their home and how it suits them. The answers help us put people in touch with local housing options (such as sheltered housing and extra care schemes), support services and community groups that can provide a mixture of practical support and advice – enabling people to make informed choices about their housing and wellbeing at an early stage. We want all people to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. You can find out more here: https://hoop.eac. org.uk/ Cottenham is one of the pilot areas trialling ultrafast broadband as part of the Full Fibre Networks Programme.

A study in the British Medical Journal 20th April found cycling to work associated with a 41% lower risk of dying overall compared to commuting by car or public transport.

Cycle commuters had a 52% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 40% lower risk of dying from cancer. They also had 46% lower risk of suffering heart disease and a 45%

lower risk of experiencing cancer. This could also explain the prevalence of middle-aged men in Lycra, or “Mamils”!

We often get enquiries how to classify tricky kinds of rubbish: Crisp packets are not recyclable at all and should go in the black bin. Wine glasses can go in the blue bin.

In general, however, non-packaging glass like Pyrex goes in the black bin. Broken glass might be worth wrapping up for your own safety while carrying it to the bin. Operatives emptying bins do not have to handle it. Black plastic is an industry-wide issue as it is not easily picked off black conveyor belts. Supermarkets like black trays because they show off products better. At the moment black plastic trays belong in the black bin. Black sacks are fine inside black bins. However, please put recycling loose into the blue bin or in clear/see-through sacks so that operatives can identify what is inside them. A new webpage https://www.scambs. gov.uk/what-goes-which-bin may help next time you’re wondering.

Tim Wotherspoon

Issue Number 161 • page 13

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN COTTENHAM? Did you respond to the Cottenham Parish Council’s consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan with comments about traffic and transport? Are you now wondering what is happening on that front? Even if you didn’t have time to respond, you might have some concerns about traffic in Cottenham or about the bus service.

A working group of Cottenham residents has got together to explore ways of tackling the concerns about traffic and public transport provision that were raised during the Parish Council’s consultation. The working group is being facilitated

by Cottenham Parish Council and has met twice so far.

The main themes that came out of consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan 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).

At our first meeting (3rd July), we had a post-it note brainstorm on each of these themes and considered possible solutions such as: reworking traffic calming measures; a light controlled crossing on Histon Road for cycles crossing over to the cycle path; more pedestrian crossings on the High St to deter speeding and rat running, better parking for services such as shops and GP surgeries and how to get changes to the bus service. This is just a start.

At our second meeting on 27th July we discussed which of the options for traffic calming and making the village safer for cyclists and pedestrians were feasible in the light of what legislation and guidance allow and how to go about achieving them.

It is clear that the more factual evidence we can gather about any of these issues, the easier it will be to secure measures to prevent any speeding. One way (we are investigating others) to gather factual evidence is through Speedwatch. You might recall that there was an active Speedwatch group in Cottenham. Their work identified areas where speeding was taking place and resulted in a number of police roadside speed checks along Histon Road and Rampton Road. Unfortunately, the volunteers in that group were not able to carry on.

It would be great if Speedwatch could be reactivated in Cottenham. It is not an onerous commitment, you can choose whether or not to join a particular Speedwatch event, it is always during daylight and you would receive training on how to use the equipment. The more people who join Speedwatch the more events can take place. The more evidence that can be gathered the sooner we can achieve our goal of making Cottenham a more pleasant place for pedestrians and cyclists.

Whether you are interested in joining Speedwatch or would like to get involved in other ways, for example, joining the Working Group or just letting us have your thoughts on any of this, we would like to hear from you.

Please contact us: cottenhamtraffic@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Issue Number 161 • 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 wall put up, a window installed. Call Mike on 07768 931810 .........

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT NOTJUSTBAGUETTES BASED AT 1 WATSON’S YARD ON THE HIGH STREET IN COTTENHAM? It’s very different from the old baguette shop which was there before, sure you can still get freshly made baguettes and sandwiches but did you know they make fresh baked sourdough and traditional breads and sell olives, salamis and local and continental cheeses. They have a bean to cup coffee machine for all you caffeine junkies and also make their own jams. A range of gourmet pies and free range sausage rolls, as well as their legendary handmade scotch eggs, in many exciting flavours, are also available as well as lots of Italian foods such as barilla pasta and sauces and Italian biscuits. They make their own cakes, pies and pastries including celebration cakes to order. Why not join their bread club and get freshly baked sourdough and traditional bread to order. Oh and do you need a business lunch or a family buffet they do them too.

Call 01954 206180 or email them at notjustbaguettes@yahoo.com .........

SENIOR MATHS/SCIENCE TUTOR (FEMALE) – COTTENHAM Several years of experience tutoring Maths & Science for all levels upto 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 .........

FURNITURE POLISHING AND REPAIR Polishing and restoration of antique (and not so antique) furniture by a local Cottenham restorer. Rob Ellis: 01954 250153 .........

KEEP CALM AND LEARN TO RELAX Weekly drop-in sessions – Mondays (term-time only) at The Barn, 184 High Street, Cottenham – 1:30-2:30pm. £7 per session Ring 07901 774660 or Email dee. loakes@tesco.net – Mindful Meditation Teacher/Reiki Master .........

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.

IN NEED OF A BABY SITTER? I am a responsible, reliable and capable 18-year-old with childcare experience. Available most weekends and holidays, and weekdays after 5:00pm. Contact Caitlin on 01954 251700. E-mail: murphycaitlin5@googlemail.com .........

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 NEED HELP WITH YOUR GARDEN? Lawn care, pruning, planting, hedge cutting and general garden maintenance. For a friendly, reliable service – contact Bob on 07903 189639 .........

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 ​.........

NUTRITIONIST – WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Are you seeking one to one support to help you improve your health, body shape and reduce excess fat. I provide an open, non-judgemental approach in supporting clients with their weight management goals. The service I provide aims to educate and empower the individual so they can engage with food in a healthy way. One to one consultations available in Cottenham. Contact Alex on 07852 222953 or email alex@insight-nutrition.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 .........

SIMPLY SCENT COTTENHAM Seasonal ‘flowers in a jar’ or wrapped.

Free delivery within 5 miles of Cottenham. Weddings, funerals, parties...

Tel: 07765 356752 or email rachel@simplyscentcottenham.co.uk .........

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’.

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 December and January.

Issue Number 161 • page 15

Letters to the Editor: Crime For well over twenty years I have lived in Cottenham and felt reasonably secure in the fact that I could drive down my driveway and tuck my car round the corner near my garage and it would remain untouched by anyone else (I can’t actually get it in the garage because it is too full of stuff!!) Ordinarily of course I would lock the car but for some reason on Saturday evening the car remained unlocked (I like to think I may have simply accidentally touched the wrong button on the remote key lock as I walked away) Anyway I came down to get in my car in the morning and it was clear that someone had been in the car and been searching through the contents of the glove compartment and central console (presumably for money as they left several fairly pricy items such as Ray Ban sunglasses etc on the car seat) I had always assumed that any person with ill intent would not go down our driveway where they had no idea if there was an escape route, but then it occurred to me that anyone with access to the internet could inspect virtually anywhere in the village on Google Earth etc. or with the use of Drone camera they could come and take a look at any time.

I decided that I was not going to involve the police as nothing appeared to have been taken. (perhaps I should have done so but I have had enough of waiting on the 101 line lately trying to report shop thefts as you may have seen in the press)

Gothic I have long loved Gothic House for it’s architectural style & unique character. It has looked in need of TLC for a while (at least from the exterior) but several of the small window panes are broken now & this gives it – rightly or wrongly – a look of neglect.

Is it possible to find any information on the owner, their plans for the future of the house and any history of previous owners please? I think it would make a fascinating article as I am sure the house’s history would make interesting reading.

I would so love to see inside the house but I guess this would be impossible? I wonder if other Cottenham residents have the same feelings?

You will see below the link to the Historic England site which states that the house is a listed building. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/ list-entry/1127330 Thank you in anticipation and thank you for the new style Newsletter – it is excellent. The colour photos are a very welcome addition also.

Yours sincerely, Barbara Osborn 4 Lee Close Cottenham Dear Editor,

.........

I write with concern over the recent Parish Council Planning debacles.

Firstly, in respect of the recent refusal of planning permission for the proposed new Village hall. The grounds of the refusal I interpret to be that: the proposal would provide an over-sized eyesore in open countryside, that there are seemingly insurmountable access issues and the need for the provision of commercial facilities in open countryside is questionable. All seemingly fairly obvious and valid reasons for rejection. One would assume that the Parish Council asked for pre-application advice from the SCDC planning dept, if that was the case, was the

Issue Number 161 • page 16

advice given ignored in the application? Personally, I find myself in agreement with SCDC and hope they can indeed bring some sanity to this highly extravagant project.

of other residents, as I am sure I cannot be the only one with concerns over these issues. Please also feel free to correct any inaccuracies or misinterpretations on my part.

Secondly, I am a loss as to the large amounts of actual and potential legal expenses the Parish Council seem to be committing to on behalf of our community. Not being an expert in planning or the legal system surrounding it, it would seem to me that any Legal action or Judicial Review is bound to be extremely expensive, involving barristers at around £1000 per day and ranks of highly paid experts and solicitors. From what I understand our Parish Council appear to have instigated a number of legal actions or Judicial reviews against development planning applications in the Parish. A recent statement from the Parish Council chairman indicates that some of these actions will now be abandoned meaning, I assume, that considerable amounts of our council tax/precept have been wasted on legal fees and expert advice. I am wondering, was the Parish Council poorly advised to commence these actions, or advised against but proceeded anyway in symbolic defiance, or took no prior advice at all? In any event, none of these situations bodes well for our community finances.

Phill Ford phill993@outlook.com

We are all aware of the Governments 5yr housing requirement and the need to free up and provide housing for our youngsters. Clearly, Cottenham is and will continue to be an attractive place for mid-sized developments.

Hence, as a community we have the choice to work with potential developers to maximise the benefits to the community of such developments or alternatively adopt a Canute like stance and fight them with highly expensive and ultimately futile legal actions that sour relationships and minimise goodwill. Bearing in mind the pressure the SCDC planning authority are undoubtedly under to realise the 5yr requirement, it seems to me that the best policy for our Parish Council to adopt would be to embrace the first option and skilfully negotiate 106 and good will benefits to enhance the village for all. Unfortunately, that ship has probably already sailed in respect of the current developments and we will no doubt be reliant on the good offices of SCDC to salvage something for us from the damaged relationships.

Councillors are not delegates and are free to exercise their judgement but, when there appears to be a clear majority view in the local community on an issue such as this, is it so unreasonable to expect the local councillors at least to try to represent it?

The question also arises as to whether the Parish Council, who have only an advisory capacity on planning issues, really has a mandate to expend substantial amounts of our precept money on such legal challenges? Particularly, as in one case, the challenge appears to be against SCDC meaning that whatever the outcome, we will be paying for both the challenge and defence costs from our council tax and precept! I would be interested to hear the views

Deadline:

FOR NEXT ISSUE 25TH OCTOBER

Development .........

Dear Editor It’s interesting to note that when the Gladman and Persimmon development applications for a combined total of up to 326 houses plus 70 care apartments on land to the south-west of Rampton Road were considered – and passed – by the District Council’s Planning Committee on 9 August, none of our 3 District Councillors, Cllrs.

Edwards, Harford and Wotherspoon, spoke out clearly against them.

Had they done so with a strong, united voice it’s possible that the outcome could have been different.

Food for thought, perhaps, when we get to next year’s local elections.

Yours sincerely Rex Collinson 20 Rampton Road Cottenham CB24 8UL

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 161 • 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

250079 251180

Urgent Care Cambridge (formerly Camdoc)

District Nurse Team Cottenham CareCar

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 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, ruth@counselling-cambs.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 Colin Watson 250813

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 161 • page 18

www.cottenhamnews.org.uk

COTTENHAM COMMUNITY PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB Earlier this summer we held an impromptu portrait session at the Community Centre. The family groups, individuals and children who had their portraits taken on the day seemed to very happy with the results which has encouraged us to think it might be a good idea to repeat the exercise. This time around we hope to give some notice so that any special outfits can be worn or particular make-up applied for the shoot. We also plan to have some themed backgrounds for more interesting portraits (Details will be post in the Community Centre Coffee Shop near the event).

The purpose of this article is to test out the idea and see if there is sufficient demand from local residents. The shoot would be on a Saturday morning and we intend to ask for a small donation to the Community Centre in return for at least 4 jpeg portrait photo files which you can have printed at a photo printers of your choice. We may also be able

to offer printing up to A3 size at cost. If you are a family wanting a group photo, a model wanting to widen your portfolio, or would just like a simple portrait to hang on the wall, let us know of your interest at the email address below and we will keep you updated. cottenhamphotoclub@outlook.com As I drove down Beach Road, turning off Green End toward Cottenham, I spotted a large number of rooks in a harvested wheat field. Something spooked them and they all flew together and landed on the three overhead lines above the field. I pulled over, stopped at one of the field access points, and in zoom mode on my phone camera captured this unusual site. Does anyone know what rooks gather for? They don’t migrate and it’s not the season, but they looked like it. They flew on by the time I drove off.

Andrew Zolnai Beach Road Cottenham Issue Number 161 • page 19

Cottenham Newsletter Issue Number 161 October/November 2017

COTTENHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL U9S KORFBALL CLUB Korfball is a fast-paced mixture of netball and basketball, where boys and girls play on the same team, and everyone gets to shoot and defend.

wore on and their legs got tired, but they never gave up!

Our final placings were 3rd & 5th out of 14 teams – an amazing achievement for our first year.

I started the CPS Afterschool Club in January for Years 3/4, and we have since entered several local tournaments. On 9th July, we headed up to Norwich for the National Youth Day Championships.

The two teams played their hearts out against some of the best teams in the country. Both did very well in their morning matches (highlighted by a 9-1 win), so we were entered into the top pool in the afternoon.

The matches got tougher as the day

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Cottenham Parish Council and the Cottenham British Schools Trust, we have been able to purchase six posts and eight korfballs for U9s and U11s, securing the club and the sport within the school for many years to come.

Thanks also go to Village Vet Cottenham who kindly sponsored our lovely shirts.

TYRANNOCHORUS This autumn The TyrannoChorus is celebrating ten years together: The local community choirs of TongueTwisters (little kids), VoxPop (older kids) and bigMouth (even older kids), collectively known as The TyrannoChorus. Run by Siobhan and Tim Lihoreau, the choir are veterans of the biannual Fen Edge Festival, West Road Concert Hall performances, Cottenham Primary School Winter Fair, and even two major events at the Royal Albert

Hall and Abbey Road Studios, and many other concerts. This year also supporting “Jimmy's Cambridge”.

The choir is always looking for new members, young and old – juniors and seniors as well as adult sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones, and basses.

Pictured here performing “African Jigsaw” at Cottenham Village College in 2009.

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