Village Tribune issue 102 by Dimension6000

issue

HAPPY NEW YEAR TRIBUNE READERS!

102

January / February 2017

Myths, magic monstrosities

The pike lottery Fishing and dreaming on a local trout lake

tribune DIARY inside

P.A.S.T.’s Presence

in Peakirk

Revealing the story of ...

The Exeter Arms from the kitchen of Chez Pierre

Fagots de Bayeux

EPIC RE-ENACTMENT

RECIPE • SCHOOL REPORT • CHURCH SERVICES • HERITAGE • FARMING DIARY • VILLAGE VIEWS

Serving the North Peterborough villages of

Ashton, Bainton, Barnack, Castor, Deeping Gate, Etton, Glinton, Helpston, Maxey, Northborough, Peakirk, Pilsgate, Southorpe and Ufford.

R S Stimson

Domestic heating systems, cookers, showers, & bathrooms installed. Gas appliance servicing, & repair, landlords gas safety certificates issued. 13 Ashburn Close Glinton Peterborough PE6 7LH

Tel/Fax 01733 252418

Mobile 07751446433 Email richardstimson@hotmail.com

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Per issue 4 issues Issue Date £35 £112 103 Mar/Apr £60 £192 104 May/Jun £75 £240 105 Jul/Aug £95 £304 106 Sep/Oct £175 £560 villagetribune.org.uk

Deadline Distributed 10/02/17 25/02/17 14/04/17 29/04/17 16/06/17 01/07/17 18/08/17 02/09/17

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 Rector in Charge Dave Maylor The Rectory, Millstone Lane, Barnack PE9 3ET T: 01780 740234 E: dmaylor@btinternet.com Distribution  ASHTON Hilary Smith Thatched Cottage, Ashton E: hilly.smith@virgin.net  BARNACK George Burage Opposite Millstone, Barnack  HELPSTON Clive Marsh Clive Marsh, 34 Maxey Road, Helpston clive.marsh815@btinternet.com M: 07952 251680  PILSGATE New Pilsgate distributor required contact Tony Henthorn if you can help  SOUTHORPE Daphne Williams The Old Dairy Barn, Main St. T: 01780 740511  UFFORD Frieda Gosling 2 Hillside Close, Ufford PE9 3BW T: 01780 740343  ETTON Anne Curwen The Coach House, Rectory Lane, Etton T: 01733 253357 E: acurwen@hotmail.com  GLINTON Shirley Hodgkinson 30 Websters Close, Glinton T: 01733 252351 E: hodgkinsons@talktalk.net  MAXEY Peter Hiller (Cllr) E: Peter.Hiller@peterborough.gov.uk  NORTHBOROUGH Polly Beasley 15 Claypole Drive, Northborough T: 01778 380849 E: polly.beasley@btinternet.com  PEAKIRK Arthur Neaverson 26 St Pegas Road, Peakirk T: 01733 252398

On the cover 

EPIC RE-ENACTMENT 4,500 copies of the Tribune are distributed free of charge in Ashton, Bainton, Barnack, Helpston, Pilsgate, Southorpe, Ufford, Deeping Gate, Etton, Glinton, Northborough, Maxey and Peakirk.

T: 01733 772095 E: hello@dimension6000.com www.dimension6000.com

January / February 2017

REGULARS

Deadline for next issue: 10 Feb 2017

tribunecontacts

 Editor Tony Henthorn 35 Maxey Road, Helpston PE6 7DP T: 07590 750128 E: villagetribuneeditor@mac.com  Barnack Editor Ian Burrows T: 01780 749554 E: ianberyl.burrows@btinternet.com  Schools Editor Kirsty Warn 22 High Street, Glinton T: 01733 252270 E: kirsty@warnfamily.plus.com

2 Advertising Rates 3 Contacts 6-7 Femail 8-9 Charity 11 Tight Lines 13-15 Tribune Diary 17&19 School Report 21-24 Heritage 29 Taste Buds 33-35 Farming Diary 36-37 Village Views - Ufford 38-39 Village Views - Helpston 40-41 Village Views - Maxey 42-44 Village Views - Glinton 45 Village Views - Etton 46-47 Village Views - Barnack 48-52 Write Away 53-55 Church 56-59 Council Corner 60-61 Planning Applications 62-63 Tribune Directory

NEWS & FEATURES 4 27 31

Friends of Chernobyl’s Children Open for Business Local Councillor Switches and Saves issue

HAPPY NEW YEAR TRIBUNE READERS!

102

January / February 2017

Myths, magic monstrosities

The pike lottery Fishing and dreaming on a local trout lake

tribune DIARY inside

P.A.S.T.’s Presence

in Peakirk

Revealing the story of ...

The Exeter Arms from the kitchen of Chez Pierre

Fagots de Bayeux

EPIC RE-ENACTMENT

RECIPE • SCHOOL REPORT • CHURCH SERVICES • HERITAGE • FARMING DIARY • VILLAGE VIEWS

Serving the North Peterborough villages of

Ashton, Bainton, Barnack, Castor, Deeping Gate, Etton, Glinton, Helpston, Maxey, Northborough, Peakirk, Pilsgate, Southorpe and Ufford.

An epic reenactment march to rival any Hollywood movie page 37

The views expressed within this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor. All copy is believed correct at time of print but no responsibility can be taken for errors and/or ommissions. No part of this publication and/or website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. The Village Tribune own all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing.

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FEATURE

Friends of Chernobyl’s Children We arrived back from our visit to Belarus just a month ago – walking back to our car at the airport was like an alternative universe.

his year I felt the culture shock of the return to the UK more keenly than usual, perhaps I am getting softer in my old age. Only the day before we had been in a world where often there is no running water, no shops to buy food in, empty food cupboards and fridges, grey children and parents desperately trying to put enough food on the table for their children. We had met a family whose son had died in a fire just the week before, their terrible story has left me feeling traumatised so goodness knows how they must be feeling. However, we also had wonderful visits to families to whom we are now friends, children looking more healthy, better fed and happier. We saw some children playing and wandered up to say hello, there was one little girl who looked like she came from a different planet, well dressed, plump and pink cheeked, we soon realised that she was part of another group and had been to England twice, the other children in contrast were not in nearly such good health. Happily all of those children are being offered visits next summer. Were you a part of the request to add £5 to your shopping? Many people helped us to put together parcels of stock cubes,

plasters, paracetamol, Vaseline, antiseptic cream, Vick, vitamins, toothbrushes and toothpaste – these were given to the new families whom we visited, they were thrilled, couldn’t believe their eyes. We left big food parcels, you wouldn’t believe how much excitement a pack of yoghurts can cause! We met so many fantastic people who work so incredibly hard to care for their families in spite of so little money. I am already excited about next summer, knowing what a wonderful difference we will make to the new children who will visit us then. Every summer we have such fun with the Chernobyl visit, the children have the time of their lives, we have a brilliant time making this happen. What a privilege to enjoy a child’s first visit to the sea or a swimming pool! They are absolutely, lovely kids who are worth every second of our efforts. We need some new hosts and we need new sponsors (every child needs a sponsor to donate £500) to make their visit possible, would you like to do this? The photos are of some of the children that we are looking for hosts for next summer. The little girl with glasses, whom we all fell in love with, is hopefully joining our 4 week group, arriving on 24 June, the

other girls are joining our 2 week group arriving 26th July. Unusually, this year, it was the boys who were snapped up first! So if you host one of these lovely girls, what would it mean? You will offer a loving family home for the duration of their visit, get them to our play scheme which runs on weekdays in Helpston from 8am until about 5pm, they usually need a packed lunch. The children spend the evening and weekends with their hosts, but of course they do love to have a friend over to play, just like any other child. They love to have a day out but they also are happy to just play at home. We give you clothing for the child and anything that is donated to us, toothpaste and toothbrushes, vitamins etc. You have a wonderful time having a lovely few weeks and knowing what a truly massive difference you have made not just to the child but to the whole family. The children all live in highly contaminated areas as a result of the Chernobyl disaster and, as with the little girl we spotted in the playground, your child would gain that wonderful boost to their health. Would you like to know more about either sponsoring or hosting one of these children? Just give me a ring!

T: 07779 264591. Cecilia Hammond. We are a registered charity and are always thrilled to receive your support. 4

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FEMAIL

Helpston WI Diary JANUARY

Helpston WI Report from Helpston Women’s Institute Members of Helpston WI reviewed another successful year at the AGM in November. Highlights included a wonderful 1926 ‘Upstairs / Downstairs’ themed meal and quiz to celebrate the Queen’s birthday; a fascinating talk about Easter Island and a thought-provoking talk about ways to support people suffering from depression. Food seems to have been a theme this year,

and we especially appreciated the samples provided when we learned about home made chocolates from enthusiastic chocolatier. We also enjoyed interesting and informative visits to Riverford Farm and Hambleton Bakery. Fluorescent bras filled with flowers decorated our information stall at the Helpston gala and helped attract new members. We closed the year with a delicious meal at The Bluebell, which

was enlivened by some very silly and enjoyable games. Our WI continues to live up to the ‘Inspiring Women’ motto. Our WI is an excellent way of making new friends and getting involved in village life and wider issues. Next year’s programme is designed to apppeal to a wide range of interests. Why not come and meet us on the first Thursday of each month from 7:30pm in Helpston Village Hall.

For further information, contact Jean Mead, our president, on 01733 252025, or June Dobson, our secretary on 01733 252192 will be happy to answer any questions you have, or follow the links on helpston.net, village organisations, to see next year’s programme.

Wednesday morning walks Meet outside the village shop at 9am Thursday morning walks Meet outside the village shop at 9am Contact June Dobson on 01733252192 for more details Tuesday 3 January Come to hear Tony Hewitt, Clinical Hypnotherapist at Helpston WI’s monthly meeting in Helpston Village Hall at 7:30pm. Contact June Dobson on 01733252192 Wednesday 4 January Knit & Natter at Botolph’s Barn, Helpston. Come and join our friendly, lively group from 2pm – 4pm. We meet fortnightly. Starts Tuesday 10 January Beginners’ Line Dancing Every Tuesday 10 -11am in the Village Hall. Contact June as above, or just come to the hall.

FEBRUARY

Thursday 2 February Dawn Blunsden will share secrets of her job as Cake Maker to Royalty at Helpston’s monthly meeting in Helpston Village Hall at 7:30pm. Contact June Dobson on 01733252192

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FEMAIL

Northborough WI On the Edge The ladies of On the Edge W.I. expected cheese for our November meeting. Unfortunately, our speaker was unable to join us at the last minute, however, if cheese has been promised it must be provided. Andrea, one of our members, was, at the eleventh hour, able to put together an impressive cheese tasting, together with information about each selection which was incredibly interesting, tasty and enjoyable. For December, we once again met at the Packhorse in Northborough to indulge in a festive feast followed by our customary

by Tracy M Thomas

singalong, including Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, the twelve days of Christmas and, of course, the W.I. Anthem, Jerusalem. Our walking group for November met at The Bluebell in Glinton and enjoyed a sunny morning’s walk around the village followed by brunch at the pub. Extracurricular events this month included a trip to Peterborough Dog Racing, where we

sponsored a race, the On the Edge Stakes, and even got to meet the winning dog. Partners and friends were invited along to join the fun. A few wins and a few losses, but ultimately a fantastic meal and fun had by all. For January, we will be shaking our tail feathers with Michaela the Burlesque lady. There will be bumping, strutting and dipping like no tomorrow. It

will certainly be an entertaining and light hearted evening and hopefully we won’t damage anything vital. February, we will be welcoming a talk from the Alzheimer’s society discussing the condition, treatments and how people can support the charity. An extra outing in the new year will be sausage making with Derek at Willowbrook farm.

We are a friendly, youngish group and happy to welcome any ladies who would like to come and see what we do. The On the Edge WI meet in the Packhorse in Northborough from 7pm on the third Monday of the month. For more information, you can contact our President, Lorraine, on 07841 522040 or Tracy on 07720 327145.

Glinton WI

by Ann Pettitt

At our November failed to show but we Then, once again, Once again two teams members are eagerly from Glinton W.I. entered AGM we were delighted made excellent use of anticipating a very the remaining time by and enjoyed the Annual to elect Margaret as popular event; a festive our new President. We discussing this year’s Autumn Quiz evening resolutions and enjoying Wine and Mince Pies are confident she will held in Yaxley. A packed another delicious supper evening at Jenny’s, (our room of teams pondered be a hard-working and Secretary), beautifully and debated some very successful leader. Diane, shared with friends. As Christmas comes decorated home. A big tricky questions. At the our out-going President, “thank you”for this Jenny. was thanked for all her hurtling towards us we end of proceedings a are looking forward Ladies if you are team of our neighbours hard work and excellent looking for something leadership and we to festive events. Our from “On The Edge” W. December meeting will new for 2017 to bring I. emerged triumphant displayed our gratitude be a faith supper with extra interest and new with a very impressive by presenting her with a cut-glass vase. Our Christmas music supplied friends into your lives why score. Well done ladies worthy winners. speaker for the evening by Martin Dodsworth. not consider Glinton WI. The members of Glinton WI wish all Tribune readers a very happy and fulfilling New Year. For further details ontact Margaret Stafford on 01733 701268 or Jenny Dunk on 01733 254252

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CHARITY

PETERBOROUGH ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND

Join the Team

For many blind or partially sighted people, not being able to carry out everyday tasks is just one problem. A major issue is that blindness often cuts them off from the support and companionship of others. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Peterborough Association for the Blind is a local charity dedicated to providing face-to-face support for people with vision loss all around the Peterborough area. Our team of volunteers provides everything from a regular friendly chat to help with attending special events and evenings out. You can help too! We’re always keen to add new volunteers, even if you can only help once in a while. Have a no-obligation chat with us now and find out more. You’ll be joining a community of people that not only have the satisfaction of knowing they make a real difference but make new friends and have fun too. Please contact Barbara Robinson, PAB, Centre 68, 68B Westgate, Peterborough PE1 1RG

T: 01733 344844 E: info@ mypab.org.uk www.mypab.org.uk/supporting-us/volunteer www.mypab.org.uk/supporting-you/befriending-scheme Don’t forget to LIKE us on Facebook

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CHARITY

Mustard Seed Project update

Rita and Geoff Fowler

As a new year begins, we are still reliving our visit to the project in Kenya in October. It was an exciting trip for a number of reasons, not least because our own children and grandchildren came out for the first time.

he children and staff were delighted to meet them and the feeling was mutual. Our grandchildren took part in lessons and played with the children at playtime. Also, one of our daughters, Nicki, had just become a trustee of the charity and Irene, our head teacher, was particularly pleased to meet her saying, ‘Now I see the future of the project. I can be content’. I can’t tell you how proud

we felt at the start of our six-week visit to Mgongeni. Mustard Seed’s Miche Bora School is so successful now and Irene is an excellent head teacher, respected by all and extremely competent. As we said in our last report, their exam results were fantastic but of course, exam results are not everything. The commitment shown by all the teachers is exceptional because they want to do their very best for the children. In Kenya, children graduate at age 6 from

KG3 to Primary 1, following a graduation ceremony. We have never done this before but, in light of their recent successes, everyone was keen so the teachers got organised - and they did a splendid job. After certificates, there were speeches and then the children from each class performed. The older children did group poetry (they reached the semifinals on their first attempt at a national competition this year). One poem, in Swahili, got tremendous applause from the audience: written by their poetry teacher, it tells what a great school Miche Bora is and how the children are not taught by rote but are taught to think. Then there was a line explaining how good their exam results were, WITHOUT CHEATING! (Sadly, that cannot be said for many schools in the area despite government efforts to stop it.) I was also able to tell some of our parents that their child’s school fees for the next year will be paid by a sponsor. Siti, a single parent, was one of these people - she broke down and sobbed, ‘I can’t tell you how good that

makes me feel. I was so desperate’. It turned out that as well as Leila, she has two other children. One is Halima, a smiley, engaging little girl who is four years old and has cerebral palsy. (In Kenya, most disabled children are hidden under the bed when visitors come so that they cannot be seen but this was not true of Halima: her mother had sought all the available help and Halima has made very good progress. Thanks to a sponsor, she will go to a school for children with cerebral palsy in Mombasa in January.) The other is a two-year-old child. I could not understand why someone in Siti’s situation would have another child to add to her burden but then I heard that this was in fact her sister’s child: her sister already had three and did not want another so she was going to throw her away! Siti stepped in and with no money, no breast milk and no powdered formula she managed to raise the child on cow’s milk! It’s very humbling working in a community like this and meeting people such as her. The other thing that reappeared on the agenda was supporting the youth. Following a visit from a couple of young guys who were looking for support, Geoff visited the ministry of education. It would www.mustardseedproject.co.uk

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appear that money to support youth training will be released this month. Further meetings including both Geoff and Nicki with government officials and top educationalists resulted in places being offered to 50 youths. Such a lot has happened in the last year and we cannot thank our supporters enough – we could do nothing without you. And we very much hope that your support will continue: this month there will be 125 children in the new school with only three toilets. We desperately need funds to complete the toilet block. Please visit our website to learn more or make a donation. Or give via your mobile phone – just text MSPK33 plus the amount you wish to donate to 70070. Thank you so much.

Happy New Year!

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TIGHT LINES

The pike lottery

Mark Williams has a day fishing and dreaming on a local trout lake

once watched a pike from Milton Ferry Bridge. It wasn’t big – just a few inches long – but it had begun its murderous life as it meant to go on. Shimmering a foot or so from the pike was a little shoal of fish fry on which it was completely transfixed. With tiny wafts of its fins, the pike manoeuvred itself to face its prey, so it could bring its binocular vision into play. Then, judging the distance to perfection it slowly began to stiffen, its body bending like a bow. It struck so fast that it simply reappeared where a hapless fry had once been; a projectile, propelled by fins. Now, as Rob and I drift across the lake in a boat, I imagine all that power and acceleration in a much, much bigger pike slamming into the artificial bait which is twitching and weaving beneath the boat; a plastic deceit which I hope will land me a monster. I’m at Elinor Trout Fishery, which owner Ed Foster opens to pike

anglers for just two weekends at the end of every year, offering them the chance to cast big, brutal baits instead of the delicate fishing flies which are used to catch rainbow and brown trout. It’s a chance for pike anglers like me to dream of a fish which might weigh two stones or more – a pike as big as a child. Many years ago, I took to a hill lake in Wales for the exact same reason, and I got lucky. A pike of 32lb 8oz snapped up my lure, and I joined a fairly short list of anglers who’ve caught one of these monsters. They grow huge because their usual prey – small coarse fish – breed unchecked in these waters, and because trout are also on the menu. These giants are present in almost all trout fisheries, and caught occasionally by fly fishermen. I recall one of 37lb from Grafham Water, and on Rutland, one of the bailiffs has perfected flies eight inches long which will catch them by design; he’s had a great many over 20lb.

For Rob and I, fish-like plastic and metal lures are the choice, though Rob has also cast a huge, dead sea fish in the hope Elinor’s pike will fancy variety in their diet. The cunningly designed lures, when cast and retrieved, swim like real fish. They don’t necessarily look like fish; garish colours are used to trigger the pike’s curiosity. After a frosty dawn start, it’s been a long day of rowing and exploring Elinor, using an echo sounder to find deep holes and channels where pike often lie in wait to ambush passing fish. We have caught a few trout whose eyes were bigger than their bellies, but as we row back to the jetty and the sun glares through the trees at last light, we know we are beaten. Today was not our day in the pike fishing lottery. I’ll doubtless try again next year. Dreams are just dreams, but when your dream has come true, as mine once did, no odds are too long. 11

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TRIBUNE DIARY

DIAR

tribune JANUARY / FEBRUARY

Friday 6 January WILDLIFE IN WINTER

Meet at Visitors’ Centre, Ferry Meadows Country Park. Guided walk with conservation officer Chris Park. We will visit the feeding stations to see which animals are making use of them and take a look at the wildfowl on the lakes. 9:30-11:30am. Free. Suggested donation £2 Booking essential. Please call 01733 234193 E: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk

Thursday 12 January WEEKLY DROP-IN MEDITATION CLASS

Friday 20 January QUIZ NIGHT

7.30pm Castor Village Hall Teams of up to 6. £10 per person BYOB. Price includes Ploughman’s Supper. In aid of Rotary Charities. For bookings call Peter Huckle 01733 380745 or email peter.huckle@cobnut-cottage.co.uk

Saturday 28 January COFFEE MORNING

St Botolph’s - Helpston Church invites everyone to the regular monthly Coffee Mornings held in the Church from 10am until12 noon.

Saturday 21 January CAMPFIRE COOKING FOR KIDS

Ferry Meadows Country Park Participants will be shown how to use basic bush craft techniques to Taught by Gen Nyingpo at the Stamford Arts Centre on Thursdays light a fire without using matches and will then have a go at cooking 1-2pm starting 12 January www.meditateinpeterborough.org.uk and eating some simple campfire recipes.10:30am-12 noon and Monday 16 January 1:30-3pm. Meet at Nene Outdoors Watersports and Activity Centre. CASTOR HANGLANDS Cost: £3 Accessibility: This event TALK & AGM includes walking on uneven The Friends of Barnack Hills and ground and/or crossing stiles and Holes. The AGM will be held therefore may not be suitable for at 7.30pm in Barnack Village all abilities. Booking essential. Hall. Chris Gardiner will give Please call 01733 234193 E: an illustrated talk about Castor visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk Hanglands National Nature Reserve. All welcome. Contact Margaret Palmer 01780 740988 or Saturday 21 January bmpalmer@aol.com QUIZ NIGHT Help us to raise vital funds for Friday 20 January Thorpe Hall Hospice. Fun night ‘LUSCIOUS LAWNS’ of trivia, knowledge and useless information! 7.30pm. Peakirk PRESENTATION Village Hall. £4 per ticket. (Teams Glinton Horticultural Society of 4-6 people). Bring your own Lawncare for perfect lawns, a nibbles and settle in for a fantastic presentation by Geoff Hodge. night.For tickets call 01733 252646 Starts at 7.30pm in the Glinton or email heatherrevell@yahoo.co.uk Village Hall. All are welcome.

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Saturday 28 January BURNS NIGHT SUPPER

Commencing at 7pm sharp In Helpston Village Hall Traditional menu includes Tatties & Neeps, Tae kinds o’ Haggis (the Wet and the Dry) piped in to the skirl of a real Scottish Piper Casserole (for those poor souls who cannae abide a spot o’ haggis). Tickets: £17.50 per person (including first drink) may be ordered only by email from Caryn Thompson caryn.thompson@myepost.co.uk Dress: Some Tartan – the more the merrier! Carriages at 1am Proceeds for the upkeep of the Village Hall 13

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Drolma Buddhist Meditation and Mindfulness courses. Discover the power of meditation and mindfulness to reduce stress and tension and to increase positivity and inner good qualities. 2.30-5.pm. Taught by an ordained western Buddhist Nun, Gen Nyingpo. At Stamford Arts Centre, 27 St Mary’s Street, Stamford (www.meditateinpeterborough. org.uk) or call 01733 755444. Event costs £15 (or £25 for two events). Book through Stamford Arts Centre Box office. Call 01780 763203 or www.stamfordartscentre.com

Friday 3 February BEGINNER’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Ferry Meadows Country Park Join Ranger Ashley Wheal for a beginner’s course. Bring your camera for some tips on how to get the best from it. 1:30-3:30pm. Meet at Visitor Centre. Free. Suggested donation £2 Suitable for all abilities. Booking essential. Please call 01733 234193 E: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk

Tuesday 7 February THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ARTIST - A WALK WITH A DIFFERENCE

Ferry Meadows Country Park Join Artist in Residence, Charron Pugsley-Hill, on a seasonal walk. Finish at Lakeside Kitchen & Bar for a hot drink, cake & a short creative session. This is not about being able to draw but about gaining confidence with colour and your creative side.10:00am-12:30pm Meet at Lakeside Kitchen and Bar. Cost: £5 This event includes walking on uneven ground and/or crossing stiles and therefore may not be suitable for all abilities. Booking essential. Please call 01733 234193 E: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk

Sunday 12 February ART WORKSHOP

Ferry Meadows Country Park Create a beautiful wall hanging using a variety of mixed media including vintage fabric and natural materials with local artist, Tilly. 10:00am-4:00pm Meet at Discovery Den. Cost £40 including lunch and refreshments. Booking essential. Please call 01733 234193 E: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk

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Sunday 12 February POSITIVITY BOOST MEDITATION EVENT

Drolma Buddhist Meditation and Mindfulness courses. Please see more information at (www. meditateinpeterborough.org.uk)

TRIBUNE DIARY

Sunday 29 January DETOX YOUR MIND MEDITATION EVENT

Friday 17 February ‘HOSTAS’ PRESENTATION Glinton Horticultural Society Presentation by Colin Ward. The event starts at 7.30pm in the Glinton Village Hall. All welcome.

Mon 18 – Sun 26 February HALF TERM TRAIL Ferry Meadows.Collect a trail sheet

from the Visitor Centre then hunt for clues as you walk around Ferry Meadows. Return to the Visitor Centre to claim your prize.10:00am2:30pm Meet atVisitor Centre. Cost: £0.50 This event is on surfaced paths and suitable for all abilities including wheelchair users and buggies. No need to book.

Saturday 25 February COFFEE MORNING

St Botolph’s - Helpston Church invites everyone to the regular monthly Coffee Mornings held in the Church from 10am -12 noon.

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SCHOOL REPORT

Alex Meadows

Helpton Playhouse Another busy day in the life of Thomas at Helpston Playhouse As soon as Thomas arrives he enjoys getting involved with the play dough and chatting to his friends. He is then of to join in with circle time and tells his friends about what he has brought in for share and tell. Thomas then helps Rachel to prepare the

Alex Meadows

snack, cutting up fruit and helping fill the jugs with milk and water, he then tells his friends its snack time. After snack, Thomas goes to our role play area and starts cooking and putting the babies to bed. Thomas decides it time to go and play outside to his favourite area, our Sand pit where he plays with his Key person Amanda.

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Now its lunch time where Thomas refuels ready for a busy afternoon playing with the parachute and in the mud kitchen. At the end of a busy day we finish off by putting our slippers on ready for milk and a biscuit followed by a story and singing. Wow what a busy day Thomas has!

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SCHOOL REPORT

John Clare School

Once again this has been a busy few months at John Clare Primary. October included a visit from ‘Ofsted’ and we are delighted that John Clare remains a ‘Good’ school.

T Helpston Pre-school

In October, the local witches, zombies, and werewolves got together for a night at the village hall. With music, games, pizzas and drinks, everyone truly got into the spirit of things to support the playhouse and raised an amazing £600 as well as surprise Thriller dance from the committee! Some of the money raised has been used to purchase some new hollow blocks and games for the preschool and out of school club children. More recently, we ran our Christmas Fayre at the scout hut where many families came along to enjoy a festive couple of hours of games, table decoration making, a visit from Santa and some delicious homemade cakes. We would like to thank everyone that spared time during the busy Christmas period to pop along and support our fundraising.

here have been many changes in education since our last inspection and considerable increases in expectations. As always, we will continue in our drive to improve our school to make it an amazing place for children to learn. The children’s behaviour was described as exemplary and our ethos of ‘At John Clare we take care’ was clearly evident to the inspector. The children have been out and about a lot this term. In keeping with our Victorian topic, Torpel visited Blists Hill a recreated Victorian Town to learn about the Industrial Revolution. Broadwheel visited a Victorian School to experience what it was like to be a Victorian child and Peterborough Museum to learn about medicine and surgery in Victorian times! We have also attended many sporting events such as Hockey and Basketball at AMVC and a Gymnastic

and Dance event. On top of our already busy in and after school activities, we have started a Street Dance Club, Netball Club and reintroduced a Football training session on a Friday lunchtime. After all that exercise it might be nice to relax in our new lunchtime Library Club which has proved so popular that a rota had to be drawn up. We have had some fun times with Children in Need day and Christmas Jumper day as well as some amazing class assemblies where the children showcased their work to their families. The Library Club Leaders acted out a highly entertaining version of the ‘Aliens love underpants’ story which could explain the amazing interest in the Library Club. But the past few weeks have particularly been a hive of industry preparing for our Christmas Fayre. We carried on our Victorian theme with

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stalls selling Jewellery, Christmas Crackers, Cakes, Sweets, Bread, Candles and Christmas Decorations. There were also Victorian inspired games. The children chose The Railway Children Charity to receive a share of the profits from the day. It’s not just busy in school! The Friends organised a night of music and dancing at the village hall with The Lazoons, a frighteningly good Halloween Party for the children, their Annual Christmas Quiz, a Christmas Grotto at the Christmas Fayre, and even persuaded Santa to join us! The term ended with an angelic hymn service at St Botolph’s Church, Carols around Helpston Christmas Tree and mince pies in the Village hall. We are looking forward to the excitement and challenges we will face in the New Year. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. 19

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HERITAGE

THE STUFF OF LEGENDS

1.The Lambton Worm (Grice, Folk Tales of the North Country, 1944)

Myths, magic monstrosities by Dr Avril Lumley Prior

or centuries, North-Country children were cajoled into good behaviour out of fear of The Lambton Worm, which reputedly had the power to make naughty ones disappear. The legend began when the lord-ofthe-manor’s son, John Lambton, defied his father by breaking the Sabbath and fishing in the River Wear instead of attending church. He distinguished himself by hooking a small but evil-looking newt, which to the medieval mind was serpent in embryonic form. In disgust, he flung it down a well and continued to live his life in the same old style until eventually, in an attempt to make a man of him, his father dispatched him to the Holy Wars. Meanwhile, the creature grew and grew until it was large enough to slither out of the well and terrorise the countryside by consuming sheep, milking cows dry, trampling crops and uprooting trees with its powerful tail. Afterwards, it would sleep off its meal by either basking on a rock in the middle of the river or curling itself thrice round Penshaw Hill, its snoring reverberating

throughout the whole of County Durham. Many brave men tried to kill it but, since The Worm had the ability to reunite any pieces that were cut off, they were fighting a losing battle. Some were mortally wounded; others were never seen again. At length, young Lambton returned to England, no longer a callow youth but a courageous and noble warrior. When he realised the grief that he had caused his father and his tenants, he swore to make amends and rid them of the fiend. First, he consulted a wise woman who advised him to stud his armour with blades and engage his enemy on its favourite haunt in the river, which he did. The knight soon discovered that when the creature coiled itself around him in a vice-like grip it cut itself to shreds. This allowed him to free his right arm and chop off chunks of its tail, which were carried swiftly downstream by the Wear’s strong currents until they eventually reached the North Sea. Thus, the conquering hero liberated his people and, after the death of his

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father, became a just and Godfearing lord and master. This was the version of the story that I learnt at my Grandfather’s knee. Another conflation has a codicil, undoubtedly invented lest Wearside children should become complacent once they learnt that this Loch-Ness-Monsterturned-nasty was as dead as the dodo. It relates that The Lambton Worm was female and had produced offspring, which some say are depicted with their tails intertwined on the door-jambs of St Peter’s Church in Monkwearmouth. Alas! This notion must be scotched since the doorway was built c.674, at least five centuries before The Worm allegedly was spawned. Nevertheless, it reminds us that tales of serpents, like that of St George’s Dragon, prevailed throughout the ages, perhaps generated by Eve’s seduction by one in the Garden of Eden. So, are there are any mythical beasts associated with the Tribland area? Well, yes! Absolutely! Here is a selection. continued over page >> 21

HERITAGE

>> continued from previous page 2

2. Monkwearmouth 3. The Castor Worm?

Mercian Beasts For animals with intertwining tails look no further than Castor church, where you can see a couple of twelfth-century Lambton-Worm lookalikes occupying columncapitals below the tower arch. The figures carved on the Roman altar by the north door are even earlier. They are defined by stone-carving expert Professor Dame Rosemary Cramp as ‘Mercian Beasts’ after the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in which they were created roughly between 800 and 850AD. The Castor creatures are replicated on the ‘roof’ of the so-called ‘Hædda Stone’ in Peterborough Cathedral and there are more in a frieze behind the altar of Fletton church, thought to have been salvaged from the Cathedral’s monastic ancestor after the Great Fire of 1116. Hence, they are ‘known as the ‘Peterborough Group’ of sculptures though some of the finest ‘Mercian Beasts’ are found as far a field as Leicestershire, at Breedon-on-the-Hill, a satellite of Peterborough, suggesting that they were the product of itinerant craftsmen. The stone-carving activities came to an abrupt halt after Peterborough Abbey supposedly was destroyed during the Scandinavian incursions of 870/1. After its restoration by Bishop Æthelwold of Winchester, c.972, ‘Mercian Beasts’ were supplanted by interlace patterns and Crucifixion scenes (as seen at Nassington church). Conversely, a remnant of early eleventh-century crossshaft found at Peakirk has curious zoomorphic designs on three of its faces that echo the pre-870 era. 22

Fen Demons

had been duped and that Pega was blameless, he still banished As we know, the settlement of her from the island to ensure Peakirk is much, much older than that it did not happen again. this sculpture since it received Consequently, Crowland’s loss was its place-name from St Pega, Peakirk’s gain. who arrived there during the Once left to his own devices, early-eighth century but died on Guthlac’s imagination (or that of a pilgrimage to Rome in 719. Felix’s informant) ran riot. Each She was the sister of St Guthlac night the saint was plagued by the hermit of Crowland (died ‘horrible troops of foul spirits’. 714) who had not always been They were ‘terrible in shape with so abstemious. He began his great heads, long necks, yellow complexions, filthy beards, fierce eyes, mouths vomiting flames, crooked legs, splay feet and 4 raucous cries’ and they bore him to the gates of Hell. Truly the stuff 5 of nightmares! Luckily, he was rescued in the nick of time by St Bartholomew, his ‘trusty helper’, who commanded his angels to 6 carry him back to his abode and gave him a whip with which to 4. Castor: Roman altar reworked with defend himself. ‘Mercian Beasts’ (Victoria County Next evening, the demons History, 1906) 5. Peakirk: Cross-shaft (Markham, 1901) returned in the form of a bear, 6. Peterborough:‘Mercian Beast’ a lion, a raging bull, a wolf and on ‘Hædda Stone’ (Victoria County the statutory serpent, making History, 1906) a cacophony of blood-curdling sounds. This time, Guthlac was working-life as a soldier and had looted and pillaged with the worst prepared and swiftly ejected the menagerie. The other natives of them. According to Felix, his were not very friendly either. biographer (writing c.735AD), They were equally-grotesque and Guthlac saw the error of his ways taunted him in their Old-British and exchanged army life for one tongue, leading us to speculate of penitence, piety and poverty that not all of the indigenous as a monk at Repton. Felix population had fled or was relates that after taking his vows, ousted upon the advent of the Guthlac found Repton (which catered for both monks and nuns) Anglo-Saxon incomers. This may help to explain why the old too comfortable and awash with Celtic names of the watercourses worldly distractions and vices, Welland [Wayland] and Nene so he withdrew to the mosquitoinfested Fens, settling in Crowland [Venn or Avon meaning ‘river’] endure as testimony to our where he adopted a Bronze-Age region’s pre-Roman past. Hence, barrow for his cell. eighth-century Tribland may well Guthlac fasted, eating have been – and may still be only after sunset and probably populated with the descendants succumbed to malnutrition and of ancient Brits! malaria, which caused him to hallucinate. A twelfth-century The Devil’s Hunt poem about his life proposes that the Devil appeared in the As we shall see, these monstrous guise of his sister and offered myths were not merely confined him food, tempting him break his to the pre-Conquest period. vow. Although he realised that he Of all the medieval abbots

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7. Guthlac is kidnapped by fen-demons 8. St Bartholomew rescues Guthlac

of Peterborough Abbey one of the worst had to be Henry d’Angély (1127-32), whose career was dotted with welldocumented disasters and dastardly deeds. Whilst abbot of Saint-Jean d’Angély [France], he acquired by nefarious means the archbishopric of Besançon and the bishopric of Saintes. He was expelled from both sees within a matter of days on the grounds of pluralism [holding two offices simultaneously] and simony [buying his position]. Thus thwarted, Abbot Henry turned his attention to England. In 1127, despite being a member of the Cluniac rather than the Benedictine order of monks, he petitioned his second cousin, Henry I (1100-35), for the vacant abbacy of Peterborough. Henry d’Angély’s request was granted on condition that he acted as the principal witness in a divorceof-convenience involving the king’s nephew, William, son of the Earl of Normandy, and the Count of Anjou’s daughter, Maud. Afterwards, it seems that King Henry was either too pre-occupied with his military campaigns in Normandy or simply chose to turn a blind eye on his namesake’s misdemeanours. Abbot Henry was installed early in 1128. By February, harbingers of doom were seen each night in the abbot’s deer park and in

character, redeeming himself by generously giving alms to the poor. Needless to say, after his departure the Devil’s Hunt never troubled Tribland again. Perhaps, it moved on to Bromsgrove [Warwickshire] or Whittlebury [Northamptonshire], where other tales of its escapades persist.

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HERITAGE

the fields and woods between Peterborough and Stamford. They took the form of upwards of 20 horn-blowing huntsmen mounted on black steeds or Billy-goats and accompanied by wide-eyed hell-hounds. ‘The Devil’s Hunt’ continued its jaunts until Easter and, the Peterborough chronicler Hugh Candidus narrates, was witnessed by ‘many men of sound reputation’, who both saw the ghostly riders and heard their hunting-horns. In short, the Devil’s Hunt was riding roughshod across Greater Tribland. They certainly must have passed through Helpston for, carved on a bench-end in St Botolph’s chancel, there is a cadaverous monk sitting astride a mean-looking dog. Indeed, the monks of Peterborough had genuine reasons to heed the omen. Soon afterwards, Abbot Henry collected the abbey’s most valuable treasures together with the rents and tithes from its estates, including Glinton and Castor, and decamped to Saint-Jean d’Angély, where he stayed for almost a year. Upon his return, he alarmed the brethren even further by announcing that Peterborough was to be annexed to Saint-Jean d’Angély’s mother-house at Cluny, an ominous fate for the erstwhile proud and prestigious Benedictine monastery. Abbot Henry’s reasons were that the Peterborough brethren were ill-disciplined and needed a stricter regime to bring them to heel. Astonishingly, the aging King Henry would have been deceived again had it not been for the intervention of the Bishops of Lincoln and Salisbury and several barons who alerted him to Abbot Henry’s skulduggery. In 1132, Henry I expelled his kinsman from Peterborough and eventually replaced him with Abbot Martin de Bec. Abbot Henry slunk back to Saint-Jean d’Angély and (like John Lambton and St Guthlac) became a reformed

Witchcraft in Tribland? Then, there was the ‘Witch of Ailsworth’. Not a beast as such but her tale is worth telling since it has a ring of truth about it. You will find this case-study embedded in authentically-based charter of c.975, in which the unfortunate widow is reported to have been caught with a waxed effigy of Ælfsige, one of King Eadgar’s ministers, ‘in her chamber’ and was accused of sticking an iron pin in it. Unlike young Lambton, Guthlac and Henry d’Angély, the ‘witch’ refused to repent (probably because she was innocent), suffered trial by ordeal and subsequently was drowned off London Bridge. Her lands were confiscated and given to her alleged ‘victim’, Ealdorman Ælfsige, whilst her son (the coaccused) absconded and became an outlaw. Rough justice for a defenceless widow, who lost everything! On this occasion, maybe it was Ælfsige who was the villain of the piece because I do believe that the ‘witch’ of Ailsworth was framed.

Monsters, memories and imaginings Doubtlessly, stories of longago events were told, retold and embroidered by the fireside on dark winters’ evenings in an age when the majority of individuals were much more superstitious and were indoctrinated by the Church to shun magic and to fear the Devil’s works. Look around you and you will see how medieval imaginations were fed by and inspired to create the griffin-like gargoyles on Glinton church, the continued over page >>

HERITAGE

9. Ufford: Victorian pew-end 10. Glinton griffin (gargoyle on church roof 11. Sutton: Pillar capital

>> continued from previous page

creepy ‘Green Men’ at Castor, Maxey and Ufford, a character with a pudding-basin hair-cut and pronged tongue at Sutton and, on the north wall of Peakirk church, a demon urging two fourteenthcentury women to gossip, obviously a popular pastime in the days before Facebook and Twitter. Even after the Reformation in the mid-sixteenth century and extensive drainage of the fens during the seventeenth, ignorant and suspicious uplanders perceived fen-dwellers as webbedfeet, stilt-walking yellow-bellies 24

– a veritable breed apart and not so very dissimilar to St Guthlac’s demons. Therefore, it is easy to understand why folklore, rumours and tittle-tattle thrived and were perpetuated by oral tradition. Indeed, the belief in fairies, hobgoblins and witches, spectres, spells, evil spirits and the supernatural are not entirely confined to the dim and distant past, as testified by the evillooking character on a nineteenthcentury Ufford pew-end. Even today, a glimpse of something unusual, unexpected and unexplained can up-skittle the unwary. Some thirty years ago, whilst driving home across the fens on a foggy November night, I saw a will o’ the wisp, then another, then lots of them. Just faint fandangos of yellow light before they evaporated into the gloom. Like Helpston poet, John Clare, who had been startled by them at Bainton Green, Lolham Bridges and Nunton, I was compelled to stop and watch. They were eerie and foreboding, yet exquisitelymesmerising . . . Of course, there is a scientific explanation for will o’ the wisps (also known as Jack o’Lanterns and ghost candles), but since time immemorial, they

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simultaneously have fascinated and frightened travellers. Sadly, due to climatic changes these harmless phenomena are occurring less frequently, thereby depriving future generations the thrill of being spookily surprised. Nowadays, no matter how dark it is outside, we are all far too sensible too worry about encountering The Beast of Bainton, The Helpston Hell Hounds, The Deeping-Gate Dragon or The Glinton Griffins when we put the cat out or take the dog for his late-night constitutional. But just to be on the safe side, I am going to leave you with an old Scottish prayer that you may wish to whisper before you turn off the light: ‘From ghoulies and ghosties And long-leggidy beasties And things that go bump in the night, Lord God, deliver us.’ Sleep tight! PS. I’m sure that there are many more tales of ghosties and ghoulies related to Tribland but that’s all I have space for this time. I’d still love to hear about them though. 

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FEATURE

Celebrity gardener Adam Frost declares Evergreen’s new premises

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

he Evergreen Care Trust welcomed celebrity Garden Designer, TV presenter and five times Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal winner Adam Frost to officially open their new premises at the former Shyp House on Barnack Road in Stamford on Wednesday 7th December 2016. Over 30 staff, volunteers, Trustees and local business leaders raised a toast, curtesy of Waitrose who supplied the bubbly, as Mr Frost ‘cut the ribbon’ and declared the new office open. The award winning horticulturist, who has just published his new book ‘Real Gardens’ and appeared in the current series of Gardeners World, took time out of his hectic schedule to attend the event. Adam, who lives locally and moved to the area to work with Geoff Hamilton at Barnsdale, said: “I was keen to show my support for Evergreen, a grass roots charity that has been set up to serve the local community.” “I have worked with many different charities

over the years and it amazes me how they grow and evolve. I’m sure that these new premises will enable Evergreen to continue to expand and improve the lives of even more local people.” Louise Marsh, Evergreen CEO said: “We were thrilled that Adam came along to show his support and we look forward to working with him in the future. We would also like to thank all the local ‘Business Beacons’ who have joined our Lighthouse project and supported the move with goods and services. “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity from local businesses, especially Cummings who sent an army of volunteers who worked willingly to help paint much of the interior of our new office and all our other Beacons - Steeles Removals, Will Guy Electricals, Fenland Carpets, Hanson Cement and Roger Mills, and J& L Ball interiors – who have helped transform and make the move run smoothly.”

Evergreen’s relocation was also supported by other local charities including Stamford XT, Stamford and District Kiwanis and the Age UK shop in Stamford who loaned donated Christmas decorations to help brighten up the launch event. Shyp House, owned by Boston Mayflower Housing Association, also has a small outdoor space which Evergreen is hoping to develop, under the expert guidance of Adam, into a Garden benefitting staff, volunteers and members in the spring of next year. More information on the work of our local ‘Gardening Guru’ can be found at www.adamfrost.co.uk The charity is currently promoting its ‘Friends of Evergreen’ initiative and is encouraging the public to sign up as a regular donor for as little as a pound per month to help support their vital work by financing the six ‘free to member’ services, or a one off payment which Evergreen will use to directly benefit

For further information on Volunteer and Employment opportunities, please call 01780 765900 or visit www.evergreencare.org.uk

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vulnerable members of the local community. Evergreen is planning to extend the range of services they offer to older members of the community in the coming months and always welcomes anyone who has a little time to spare, they offer a wide range of voluntary roles. Evergreen currently supports approximately 600 people – members, their families and carers across Stamford, Bourne & the Deepings. Evergreen provide an excellent range of services most of which are free including Advocacy, Befriending, Hospital to Home support, a Clean Team project, community Chaplaincy and recently launched Hand & Nail Pamper Treatments sponsored by and working in partnership with New College Stamford. Paid for services include our Hot and Wholesome lunches and Hot & Wholesome Soup deliveries, our Home Support (domestic, laundry and shopping assistance) and finally our 7-day Wellbeing service. 27

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TASTE BUDS

from the kitchen of

Chez Pierre Fagots de Bayeux

ot to be confused with a meatball, the faggot is indeed a wonderful winter food so beloved from chip shops in the north of your country (where for some reason the various recipes are known as ‘ducks’) and served with your smashy peas, chips and onion gravy - generally to the same basic creations and always including offal. In France the humble faggot (fagot) has a special place in all our rustic family life and has been a staple dish for many generations of my countrymen in the north of our country. I am told the fagot was a firm favourite with France’s national chanteuse Edith Piaf. In her heyday, she would apparently visit small cafes in and around Montmartre in Paris to seek out new recipes and, without any regrets,

smuggle them back to whatever theatre she was working. Yes, this modest creation has often been elevated to la-de-da haute-cuisine for the people with lots of money to give to posh restaurants but I, Pierre, challenge any Michelin chef to a faggot-off at Chez Pierre! The particular recipe here is much the same as the one originating from the historic town of Bayeux in North West France where, I’m told, they have a bit of embroidery hanging on a wall which you Brits love to come and point at. Bon, combine your visit to see the cloth with enjoying the faggots in the Bistro next door, non? We at CP use pork for our faggots and serve with a luscious red wine and apple gravy, petit pois or baby broad beans and on a bed of mashing potatoes.

Bon chance, Pierre x askchezpierre@gmail.com

Ingredients I have simplified this recipe for you and you will need: a little oil for the tin, 170g pack of sage and onion stuffing mix, 900g pack diced pork belly, 300g streaky bacon, 200g pig liver, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 medium onion chopped, black pepper, 2 eggs beaten. Method: 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. 2 Lightly oil a large roasting tin. 3 Tip the stuffing mix into a large bowl, add 500ml boiling water, stir and set aside. 4 Pulse the pork in a food processor until finely chopped. I was emailed by Jane in Glinton for an idea for a fuss-free impressive supper for her in-laws who are visiting before Xmas. Try roasting bacon-wrapped skinless chicken thighs Janet, wrapped around the lovely pork stuffings available from the stores at this time. I had occasion to buy an apricot and

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5 Add the liver and pulse again. Add to the stuffing with the nutmeg, ½ tsp salt, eggs and plenty of black pepper. Stir well. 6 Shape the mixture (it will be very soft) into slightly larger than golf ball-sized faggots and put in the prepared tin and pour over whatever gravy you have preferred; cover with foil and bake for about an hour or so. Oh yes, you may serve these beauties as a fancy plate of food for a dinner party with friends (as I’ve pictured) but really they are an honest, tasty and hearty meal to be appreciated alongside a big fruity red like a Bordeaux or Fitou and leftover kept in the fridge to be enjoyed again later, either cold or hot again. chestnut variety from Waitrose the other day – splendid, and done for you already! Once cooked, slice each thigh into three and ‘fan’ and serve with buttered new potatoes and sliced savoy cabbage sautéed with cream cheese. Serve a lightlychilled sauvignon blanc. 29

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FEATURE

Local Councillor switches and saves

Cold snaps have well and truly signalled the arrival of winter across Peterborough’s villages Swallows have left Nine Bridges for pastures warmer, whilst the summer flowers that allure visitors to Barnack’s Hills and Holes have become a distant memory. Just as our wildlife protects itself against the harsh weather, it is important that our homes are well prepared too. In 2015 Peterborough City Council partnered with OVO Energy to launch Peterborough Energy - a tariff unique to the city, which is helping to tackle fuel poverty. It aims to offer

a simple, low-cost alternative to the ‘Big Six’ energy suppliers and has so far saved more than 5,800 residents an average of £233* on their energy bills. In addition, Peterborough Energy has a 3% Interest Reward, award-winning customer service and a refer a friend scheme, which offers £20 gift vouchers in return for encouraging others to the tariff. Local resident and Leader of the city council, Cllr John Holdich, who represents

the Glinton and Castor ward, has switched to Peterborough Energy and made a saving of approximately £400 on his energy bills. “It has taken a while to arrive but it looks like winter is finally here as Peterborough wakes to up icy temperatures and frost covered gardens and car windscreens. “Residents will be thinking about heating their homes for longer to fend off the cold and this costs more money. “Thousands of people in Peterborough, including myself, have switched to

Peterborough Energy and will now be seeing a reduction in their bills. As a city we have made savings of almost £1.4m, which is excellent news. Switching was a straightforward process and it is worth finding out to see how much you could save too.” Peterborough Energy also has two dedicated Energy Advisors to assist you with switching and energy saving advice. To book a free, 15-minute home visit call the Green Energy Switch team on 01733 646272.

* £233 is the average saving of dual-fuel pay-monthly customers paying by direct debit that have actually switched to Peterborough Energy between 01/05/15 and 30/09/16; individual savings will vary according to current supplier, location, consumption and Peterborough Energy tariff options. For more information visit www.peterboroughenergy.co.uk or call 0800 408 6706 for Pay Monthly inquiries or 0800 408 6710 for Pay As You Go.

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FARMING

Rosemary ry's

FARMINGDIARY

As 2016 draws to a close we reﬂect on the highs and lows of the farming year. The weather has a major impact on our everyday work schedule – in the arable and livestock sector we farmers listen with anticipation to the weekly weather forecast on Countryfile in the hope we can plan our jobs for the next week ie. spraying, fertilizer application, sowing etc.

olitics and post Brexit also play a significant role in agriculture, we await post Brexit a strategy and actions for a progressive, sustainable and profitable future for our industry. Looking at 2016 commodity prices in the livestock sector, i.e. selling prices of cattle, sheep and

pigs have increased. The cereal prices have seen a larger increase, but this year at the expense of quantity with yields down on 2015. Potatoes are comanding a higher price this season and sugar beet has seen an improvement. Farming in the 21st century is both challenging and

exciting, we are entering into the robotic age where new technology is coming to our aid, it is already in the vegetable and other sectors with the driverless tractor well in sight, we now have computer technology for application rates of fertiliser etc. - applying only to areas in the field that needs it –

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which is automatically switched on and off with the variable rates as required, thus saving on fertilizer and helping the environment. New technology comes at a cost, but reading some of the farming journals this could well be what we need to embrace for the future success in our business. It’s very easy to get >> 33

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FARMING

Rosemary's

FARMINGDIARY

>> continued from previous page bogged down with the negatives, we have to look for the positives where possible and make the most of what is on offer for each individual business. Nature has a wonderful way of ‘making up’ with the very wet spring and late summer. We had a glorious Autumn and with the weather on our side sowing was completed with ease and went into good seed beds. The oil seed rape crop is growing reasonably well, although the pigeons are starting to begin their annual campaign of destruction. The slugs have also made their presence known with bare headlands etc. where they have come

from the ditches onto the sown fields. Our second lift of sugar beet was carried out in the middle of November, the fields were sown with winter wheat which has now emerged through the ground and is showing well. This now leaves us with one more lift to complete this year’s sugar beet harvesting in the middle of December, but with the sugar beet factories slowing down on their intake we could be delivering sugar beet at the end of January or early February, which isn’t an ideal situation for growers who are at the mercy of the sugar beet factories. Although we are officially in Winter the

leaves on some trees, particularly oaks seem reluctant to fall, I think this Autumn has seen some spectacular scenes of different colours as you drive along the country roads. The recent heavy rainfall which has fallen in the last half of November has made ground conditions very wet, we felt relieved we had brought the cattle into the winter housing the day before the weather turned so wet. The damage cattle can do to grassland under these adverse conditions is quite noticeable and can have a detrimental effect on the growth of grass next spring. This last week saw the first real frosts of

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the winter but the weather has now turned exceptionally mild for early December making everywhere sticky and muddy. By the time The Tribune is posted through your letterbox we will be entering 2017, possibly with some trepidation with all the uncertainties which lie ahead, most of which are out of our control. It could of course be a better year than the one we’ve left behind…Let’s hope so. Spring is only just around the corner with the daylight hours lengthening as we move into January with the snowdrops and aconites coming into bloom to brighten up the gloomy winters day.  35

VILLAGE VIEWS

Ufford News

Ufford`s New Playground Frieda Gosling David Over needed a bit of help when his opened Ufford`s new playground on 22 Oct. Thanks to the initiative and determination of young mum, Karen Howard, the playground is now ready for use. Fund raising was challenging but we would like to put on record our thanks to Augean, the Aidan Fogarty legacy, Amey (on behalf of Peterborough City Council), Ufford Parish Council and of course Ufford residents who

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gave generously by carol singing, open gardens and a barn dance. We now have a team swing, two slides, bouncers, log cabin and a picnic table to add to our existing equipment on the playing field. Access is via Newport Way which is beside the letter box and bus shelter. We see this as a Barnack Ward asset and you are very welcome to come along at any time.

VILLAGE VIEWS

EPIC

1066 RE-ENACTMENT

An epic re-enactment march to rival any Hollywood movie kicked off at the end of September to mark the milestone 950th anniversary of the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings. A band of 1066 warriors, dressed in authentic costume, travelled down from York to Battle on foot and horseback, following a route similar to that taken

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by King Haroldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s army after the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Helpston welcomed the group on one of their overnight stops. They arrived at Battle Abbey on the 14 October, the day that the famous Battle of Hastings was fought 950 years ago, ahead of the annual English Heritage re-enactment.

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Helpston News

John Clare Cottage

e have been very busy during the 2016 season and we finished the year with two very different and successful events. The Cottage and Café will continue to be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday throughout the Winter months. As a development from our “Books in the Dovecote” project we had a book fair in early

December. This proved to be very popular, bringing many people into the Cottage and we also had an increase in the number of books donated to the Cottage. The monies raised go towards the maintenance and development of the Cottage. If you have any books that you would to donate to the Cottage they will be very welcome.

Our second major event was a live music concert with the Meena Lee Quartet. This was a sell-out concert and the group performed music from the Great American Songbook. This made for a very entertaining evening, we are working with the group to arrange a further performance in 2017. Our Acoustic Café, open mic evenings will

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continue through the year and you are very welcome to come along, please see the website for the dates. We are also working with other musicians for additional music evenings. Our 2017 program of events, including a return visit of the outdoor theatre group the Pantaloons, arts workshops and musical events will be developed over the next few months. The information will be displayed on the website.

VILLAGE VIEWS

Revealing the story of ...

The Exeter Arms at Helpston

Did you know that this attractive old building was once the courthouse and there might have been a Roman farmstead in the back garden?

Fragments of Nene Valley Greyware

Left: Exeter Arms March 2016. Opening soon?

rchaeological digs have found evidence of continuous settlement since Roman times. About 140 fragments of Roman pottery were found in one pit dug by the HAG, (Langdyke Trust History and Archaeology Group) this year. The Exeter Arms building probably dates from the mid 16th century when Queen Elizabeth sold the lease of the land to Lord Exeter. It was probably used as a private house at first. The Nassaburgh Hundred court had met for hundreds of years in the open air at Langley Bush, next to the old Roman Road (King Street) and at the point where four parishes met - Helpston, Ufford, Upton and Ailsworth. After 1576 when the court decided to move indoors, Lord Exeter who was the steward,

offered the use of his house. It had a very large room upstairs which became known as the court room. The Court, which met three times a year, had powers of capital punishment. The Helpston Court Book 1720-1808 reveals, for example, that Edward Herron was fined ten shillings for putting two corpses on the Moor. This was an uncultivated strip of rather poorly drained land. There was a lesser court held every three weeks until 1851 and this dealt with minor cases such as straying animals and land transfers, for example, one cottage and land to John Gee, on the death of his father, held of the lord of the manor at a yearly rent of one shilling. It is not known exactly when the Exeter Arms became a pub but the 1841 census names Thomas Price as landlord.

Frieda Gosling - friedagosling@yahoo.co.uk

By 1859 the landlord was Robert Hibbins and a crime at the Exeter Arms was reported and the case heard at the Peterborough Petty Sessions. T Price, labourer, was charged with stealing a drinking glass valued 6d. As he was leaving a drinking glass was missed. He was taken back into the pub and while walking through a dark passage leading back to the bar he took something from his pocket and attempted to put it on a dresser. He was convicted and sentenced to 21 days imprisonment with hard labour. In 1864 John Clare died in the Asylum at Northampton and the only time in his life when he travelled on a train was when his body was returned to Helpston at the expense of Mrs Bellars who was living at the Manor House next to the Exeter Arms. His coffin laid overnight in the pub prior to burial in the churchyard. There was an interesting connection with the Almshouses built by James Bradford in 1909. Land and buildings including the Exeter Arms

Part of a pottery ring used to protect the dining table from hot dishes

were acquired to provide an income from rents for repairs and insurance, maintenance and support of the inmates of the Almshouses. The Exeter Arms had a succession of landlords and was a successful business into the present century when it lost custom and was finally closed and bought by the John Clare Cottage Trust. The intentions were to use the car park and convert the building into an educational centre. Sadly this has not happened and it remains empty. The Exeter Arms research is just a small part of the “Discovering the Heritage of Helpston” project being led by HAG. Forty six residents attended its second meeting on 12 November and reported back on all the research they are carrying out as part of a “House Detectives” investigation. At present it is only at the ‘work in progress’ stage and there is still time for other residents to get involved. Our next meeting is on Saturday 4 February at Helpston Village Hall.

Mike Clatworthy - mikeclatworthy@hotmail.co.uk

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VILLAGE VIEWS

Peakirk News

Recording the finds © Avril Lumley Prior

The ‘official’ excavation photograph © Avril Lumley Prior

P.A.S.T.’s Presence in Peakirk I seem to have caused quite a stir last October when I was caught on camera digging up Peakirk village green. I even appeared on Facebook! Now I would like to tell you my side of the story ...

s you know, Peakirk Archaeological Survey Team (P.A.S.T. for short) has been examining the route of the Roman watercourse, Car Dyke, across the green. The results of the resistivity survey, conducted in March 2016 by Bob Randall, Jon Clynch, Avril and myself, led to us to conclude that the Dyke deviated from the course shown on Ordnance Survey maps (Trib. 99). They also revealed an anomaly adjacent to the Dyke about 1.5m below ground-level. Therefore, the next stage in our investigations was to sink a metre-square test pit (with the permission of Peakirk Parish Council, of course) to determine whether this feature was natural or man-made

by Greg Prior and to carefully record each 10cm context or level so that Avril could write a detailed report for posterity. To cut a long - and backbreaking - story short, the anomaly turned out to be of geological origin at a depth of 1.35m, testimony to the accuracy of Bob’s geophysics equipment.

Although this discovery was not outstandingly ground-breaking, an important by-product of the exercise was the finds. They comprised a 1950s bicycle bell, animal bones, sheep’s teeth and 17 fragments of pottery. All were washed, labelled and

bagged according to the context from which they were retrieved and taken to Professor Stephen Upex for identification. The pottery assemblage revealed that there had been human activity in the test pit’s vicinity during the third/fourth century of the RomanoBritish period and again from the thirteenth century until the Victorian era. Moreover, none of the pottery was abraded, indicating that this part of the village green had not been ploughed but hand-dug and manured with animal dung and household waste, the sort of thing that is typical of a nineteenthcentury cottage garden. This was particularly exciting since the 1819 ‘Inclosure Map’ shows a row of dwellings along the western edge of the

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village green (Chestnut Close), with their rear boundaries abutting Car Dyke. They all had been demolished before the 1885 Ordnance Survey map was published. So, it appears that I had been digging up one of their back gardens! Peakirk Parish Council have kindly agreed to a second resistivity survey and two more test pits with the objective of learning more about these cottages, when they were built and whether they had medieval predecessors as the finds suggest. Therefore, it looks as though 2017 is going to be another busy year for P.A.S.T. If you see us at work, please, say “Hello” and we will tell you all about our latest metre-square snapshot of Peakirk’s hidden past.

Maxey News

Maxey Art Show

Peakirk Christmas Lights

Peakirk Christmas Lights went on on 27 November, the first Sunday of Advent, the lights were switched on at St Pega’s church. Brian Lever led the event which saw a packed church enjoy hot drinks and cookies followed by carols and a prayer in the church yard.

Peakirk Cabaret Night

The crowds flocked to Peakirk Village Hall on 26 November to see popular local group Rapport perform songs from the shows and enjoy a two course meal provided by the ladies from St Pega’s church with all profits going towards the upkeep of the church.

Enjoying the exhibits at Maxey Pictured above right: Art Show are members Shirley ‘Basket of Fun’ – an acrylic painting by Nott, Mike Haynes and Tom Fairclough from Northborough.. Mike Smith, exhibiting at Maxey Art Show

Maxey Fayre

Mark Asplin, Director It was great to see so many at the Maxey Christmas Fayre held at Maxey Village Hall on 3 December 2016. The turnout was good this year, especially encouraged by Father Christmas and his very helpful Elf who were both pride of place in the new and improved festive grotto. The children were very pleased with their special gifts, Father Christmas even supplied magical reindeer food ready for the

Another very successful Barn Dance was enjoyed by all in November, at Maxey Village Hall. All happily dancing to the music from the Fruit Cake Band. Those smiling faces tell the story. During

£30 Nov 16 J Holmewood, No 2 K&B Doxey, No 61

children to put out on Christmas eve! The children were able to play games and enjoy various Christmas craft activities including biscuit decorating, letters to Santa and gift bag making whilst the adults were able to peruse a number of stalls including some great local craft stalls or grab a coffee, hotdog and some wonderful homemade cakes.

The event had a great community vibe and a fantastic festive feel. Thank you to those local businesses that contributed to the grotto makeover with special thanks to Tarmac, PSG, Shaw Coaches, Snowbizz and Mc Vehicles you definitely helped make the grotto magical for the children. Also a big thanks for everyone who attended and to all those who continue to support Maxey Village Hall fundraising.

Maxey Villlage Barn Dance

Maxey 200 club winners Dec 16

VILLAGE VIEWS

Peakirk News

the interval every one enjoyed a supper of jacket potatoes with various fillings. So successful was the evening that we have booked them again for 18 November 2017.

Andy Bagworth: 01778 380803 E:abagworth@aol.com £25 R Chown, No 171

£15 J Cant, No 36

£200

T Lapinskis, No 241

J&M Neal, No 115

W Lyotier, No 166

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VILLAGE VIEWS

Glinton News

Glinton Friendship Club Pam Kounougakis All members and helpers at the Glinton Friendship Club would like to wish every reader of the Tribune a very Happy New Year in 2017. We have celebrated Christmas with a superb meal cooked and presented by the local inn owners. A really wonderful surprise and very generous gesture. Many thanks to them indeed.. This was followed by a party and buffet and entertainment including Bingo, and games from our Mears elves! A very special celebration was a 90th

birthday for Emily, along with her daughters, who has now moved away. It included a special meal, a poem, flowers and a folk singer. We have recently sadly lost Gladys Murray, one of our longest standing members and former chairman. We would like to offer our condolences to her family and thank them for their kind donation to our club. Her wry humour is sadly missed. After our mid-Winter break we started back in January with pie

and mash for lunch to accompany a Feely Bag quiz!!! Messy? There’s also a bring and buy sale, and ongoing activities to aid our computer skills and physical wellbeing!!! A big celebration will be the clubs 15th Anniversary in February... Is it really that long since we were fresh faced young things??? Lots of special guests and entertainment for that, followed by our AGM later in the month. We have welcomed several new helpers recently and hope they

will continue to become part of our team as new blood and ideas are always needed to freshen up any group. The club is still looking to add to our catering team and if you feel you could help occasionally by cooking a meal as part of the team, for around 25 to 30 on a Monday please contact the numbers below.

Please pop in and see us in action every Monday in Glinton Village Hall from 10 till 2, or contact Barbara on 01733 253078 or Judith on 252724 for an application letter and form.

Glinton Neighbourhood Plan A big thank you to the 37.8% of Glinton households who filled in the questionnaire which allows the planning group to now pull together the Glinton Neighbourhood Plan. When complete, it will reflect your views and be used to influence how housing, community facilities, environmental schemes, transport and communications, and the local economy develops. The following are the main highlights from the responses: In terms of how people would like Glinton to grow by 2030, 40.2% 42

Cllr Gerry Kirt

thought not at all and 40.2% would be happy to see up to 30 extra houses. If development takes place within Glinton, 32.4% thought It should Be in one designated location and 58.8% said in several places that use infill spaces around the village. Green areas between Glinton and neighbouring villages should be maintained according to 92%. All new homes must have adequate off road parking according to 88.1%. Congestion and parking is a moderate problem for 30.8% and serious for 53.3%.

Rural Footpaths were thought important for 96.2%, green areas within the village important for 93.6% and wildlife for 83.3%. The returned questionnaires also suggested a number of areas within Glinton that could benefit from improvement. Glinton Parish Council has reviewed them and is considering implementing many including: • Adding additional poo bins with plastic bag dispensers in several brown spots; • adding extra litter bins, some with tops to stop foxes and

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birds removing the litter; • adding planters to the north and south entrances to the village, and near to the village pump; • upgrading the village pump, village sign; • rewriting the 2000 millennium signs and adding a bench close to the Helpston Road & Lincoln Road junction.

VILLAGE VIEWS

Peterborough Parish Conference Cllr Peter Hiller, Glinton and Castor ward. his year’s event at governmental policies the Future Business relating to communities Centre at the ABAX and how services are Stadium (POSH ground) being redesigned at the was well attended by a neighbourhood level, Colin really quite diverse range Arnold PCC’s ICT Manager of folk. As well as parish who spoke about digital councillors from most connectivity in rural areas of our tribland villages and both John and Gillian and our Peterborough who gave an overview of urban parishes we saw what PCC is changing to representatives from improve how the council many of our voluntary works with communities, services, our rural ward City our rural areas in particular. councillors, police, health The event was closed services, varied City council with a very current services, City College, message by Cllr Irene Amey and others with an Walsh, PCC Cabinet interest and stake in our member for Communities communities, including a and Environment Capital. representative from the Of particular interest Government’s DCLG. for me was a talk by Opened by Ed Saunders from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough firm Peterborough Association Athene Communications, of Local Councils (CAPALC) about methodology lead Ian Dewar, PCC and they employed to reach Cambs CC Chief Executive both the general public Gillian Beasley OBE and and residents affected my fellow Glinton and by new development Castor ward councillor and the effectiveness John Holdich OBE, Leader of the various mediums of PCC, the event was for different scenarios. I very well organised with thought this particularly logical addresses and most relevant given the current interesting ‘workshops’, process of several villages’ where ideas and opinions Neighbourhood Plans could usefully be shared. and Peterborough’s Speakers included Further Draft Local Plan DCLG representative consultation. A morning Albert Joyce, who spoke well-spent I think most about the changing attendees will agree.

Bob Randall, Andrew Bedford and Gerry Kirt

Glinton’s defibrillator The defibrillator box has been installed on the front of Glinton Village Hall and is fully operational. Cllrs Gerry Kirt and Bob Randall installed the box and Glinton resident Andrew Bedford of Peterborough Electrical Services (07795 680849) kindly carried out the electrical installation at his own cost. The defibrillator installation was made possible by a donation to the village by the Aidan Patrick Fogarty Fund. Glinton Parish Council’s working party was led by Gerry Kirt and included Bob Randall, Claire Bysshe and Pete Skinner

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As a reminder - should someone in the village suffer a heart attack and require emergency treatment. To gain access a number on the box front needs to be rung, the operator will call an ambulance, determine whether the defibrillator should be used and offer verbal assistance. The unit has its own built in auto/ visual smart screen to provide additional help. Early in 2017 Glinton Parish Council will seek volunteers from the village to attend a training secession that will be held in the village hall. 43

VILLAGE VIEWS

City’s new ‘devo deal’ and constituency changes

We at Tribland Towers are aware of some pretty fundamental governmental changes happening at a City and National level and wondered if we’d be affected in our rural villages. We asked our regular contributor, Glinton and Castor ward councillor Peter Hiller to give us a brief easy-tounderstand overview - he said: “Yes, you’re right it’s a exciting time at the moment at the Town Hall. After many months of deep discussion, evaluation and negotiation Cambridge and Peterborough will be the latest region to agree to create a Combined

Authority with devolved powers after seven local councils agreed a £800m deal to make us the first non-metropolitan devolved area in England. Peterborough City Council will not relinquish any of our existing sovereignty or lose our local decisionmaking. This Devolution Deal, negotiated by my fellow ward councillor and PCC Leader Cllr John Holdich and our team of senior officers, is a good news story for the City’s residents, especially with the very real promise of our own University, huge investment into new homes and jobs creation, a Peterborough Enterprise Zone and additional funding and control over adult education and skills training”. Peter continued: “John and the team did a really great job and we hope that future devolution deals will give us more powers and funding to better join up health and social care services across the

local area. To meet future demand on services as our population ages it’s crucial that we use devolution as an opportunity to transform how the public sector operates in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. On top of social care, this could include the integration of community safety services as well as tackling deprivation in our communities” “The Government is planning a reduction of UK MP’s from 650 to 600 in time for the next general election, and is implementing a primary rule that constituencies must have no fewer than 71,031 electors and no more than 78,507. Most readers will be aware that the majority of Tribland villages sit within the North West Cambs Constituency of our much-respected MP Shailesh Vara, but may not be aware we currently have an electorate of almost 90,000, which has

to be reduced. During a similar exercise a few years ago a bonkers proposal was submitted to the effect that some of our Tribland rural wards should be subsumed into the Peterborough Constituency to boost the numbers there. That ill-conceived scenario was summarily dismissed then and rightly not even considered this time. I’m happy to say the city council’s cross-party 2018 Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Review Working Group, which I chaired, agreed to endorse the Boundary Commission’s proposals to not change what we have in the rural areas north of the City. However, due to the number of our NWC Constituency electorate we will be losing the city-centre ward of Fletton and Woodston and the Huntingdonshire ward of Earith to achieve the required amount”

Did you know there are plans to install a new footbridge across the River Welland near the Deeping Lakes Nature Reserve?

The River Welland Footbridge Project working with the Northern Footpath Forum and Deeping St James Parish Council

This will open up the whole area and connect communities on both sides of the river.

We have been working hard with Councils, the Environment Agency and Welland and Deeping Drainage Board to make this route a reality. We now need to raise £6,000 towards the installation of this bridge in September 2017.

If you can help with a donation or want to know more please contact: Nick Smith nicks@live.co.uk 01733 253472 or Sally-Ann Jackson Jackson.sallyann@gmail.com 01733 253483 44

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VILLAGE VIEWS

Etton News

Happy New Year

Anne Curwen 01733 253357

n Sunday 13 December a number of villagers gathered to witness Maurice Wright (our oldest resident) lay a wreath at Ettonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new War memorial located on the village sign. This is the first time our village War dead have been formally honoured on Remembrance Sunday. Work continues on the refurbishment of the humped back bridge on the Etton/Maxey Road. So far the road to Maxey has been resurfaced and the bridge walls have been dismantled. It is likely that the road will

reopen early in the New Year. The Parish Council is awaiting a reply from Peterborough City Council about the reported poor state of the pavements and the proposal to build a planter in the triangle by the village green. They have also been asked to request that residents and visitors do not park on the pavements as this makes it extremely difficult to pass safely around the village with young children and prams. Do you know that a mobile library visits

Etton every Wednesday between 9.30am and 9.50am? Poster advertising the service is currently on the notice board. On Sunday 4 December the village Christmas lights were switched on. Many thanks to Pat Johnston who purchased the very splendid new lights on behalf of the Parish Council, to Graham Smitheringale for sourcing and erecting the tree and to Andrew Curwen and Fred Morton for assisting with the lights. Our carol singing was tunefully led by Paul

Lake, and George at the Golden Pheasant revived us with mulled wine and mince pies. Thanks to all who took part in the event. Finally, a reminder to all residents to secure windows, doors, outhouses and sheds after a few recent incidents; a break-in at the barn opposite the church; the barn at Rectory Farm and an attempted break-in at 11 Main Road. The Police have requested that any suspicious activity is reported to them by ringing 101 or 999 in an emergency.

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Barnack News

irst frost so I suppose that we must be on “Countdown” now! soon there will be robins hopping all over the place, bells jingling on sleighs and holly berry’s shining among dark green leaves, at least they are right now in and around Barnack. In the near future Tribune land is faced with a great deal of potential intensive development in and around it. Both the proposed township at Castor and the development in Barnack threaten two particularly precious and wonderful areas, Barnack’s Hills and Holes and Castor Hanglands. The Hills and Holes, a natural habitat for amongst other things, the Pasque flower and many species of orchid, These rare and threatened plants have attracted, quite rightly, people from far and wide. Sadly though the vast majority of visitors use it to walk dogs and as a dogs lavatory. A few years ago 25 skylarks nested there, now there are none, ground nesting birds and dogs simply don’t

mix. Castor Hanglands, unlike Berkley square, still has nightingales singing there. But can they survive the increased pressure of at town built right beside them?. That’s my rant. Now an appeal. We all suck on our teeth in horror when we see the destruction of habitat and the loss of species, Elephants, Pandas’ Snow Leopards and the like, but it is happening here on our doorstep. Our Nature reserves are just that, places where our own wild life is protected so that it may thrive. Perhaps if all visitors remembered that and kept dogs on leads, we might still have skylarks blithely singing their hearts out in the Hills and Holes; and hopefully keep the nightingales in Castor Hanglands. As ever in all our Villages, traffic remains a problem, recently an increased number of lorries seem to be using the junction of the B1441 and Walcot Road, and are damaging the curbs and surrounds of the War Memorial as well as a nearby dry

stone wall. The curbs and green etc. have again been repaired by Highways. The Parish Traffic Calming Group will meet with Highways early in December to discuss plans for future traffic calming. The Remembrance Service was very well attended at the Memorial; the sounding of the last post and a pipers lament made the whole ceremony a very moving event, highlighted by a reading of all the names of the dead in both World Wars and the Falklands War. Because of often poor signal strength it has been suggested that a mobile phone mast might be erected inside the Church Spire, the PCC will be approached to investigate the possibility. In the days of yore Barnack used to have a skip parked weekly at different points in the Village. With a change in the rules and the increased use of the skip by builders this service, although much appreciated was discontinued, Glinton

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has recently been successful in establishing a bulk waste collection there. The Parish Council are investigating the possibility of organising a similar service for Barnack The Development by Gladman of land west of the Uffington Road is to be the subject of a Public Enquiry. Margeret Palmer, Vice Chairman of the Parish Council has been granted 10 minutes to put a case to the Enquiry on behalf of the Parish Council . Margeret will concentrate on the ecological pressure of such a Development on the Hills and Holes Barnack WI have had a busy autumn, from Chris Keppington having them swinging and dancing, making felt angels for Christmas to a talk on the Peterborough Gentleman’s Society . . They also had a very successful tea afternoon, with sandwiches and cakes, hosted by Lynn Huckaby. They plan to round things off in December by celebrating Times past, aided by Christmas cheer (gin?) Ian Burrows

VILLAGE VIEWS

Barnack and District RBL Maxwell Sawyer

In memory Bill Campbell

We heard the sad news about the passing of our old friend and comrade Major Bill Campbell just as we were assembling for the Remembrance Ceremony at the War Memorial. It was a poignant moment to reflect on his long association with the Branch, which he had helped to build up in recent years and he will be greatly missed. He was in his 86th year. A few months ago his son James - who lives in Chicago arranged for his father to spend his last days with him and his family out there. Bill was Treasurer of our Branch for a long period in the 90’s and ran the Poppy Appeal campaign before handing over to Judith Morrice. Despite increasing frailty, Bill was a determined attendee at many of our functions and always proudly wore his Glengarry to mark his service as a company commander in the

well known Territorial Regiment, The London Scottish, for which he was awarded the Territorial Decoration. After training at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot and then Deepcut he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery and spent most of his Regular Army service in Scotland, based at the Gordon Highlanders’ Depot in Aberdeen. In civilian life he worked in the City with the well known Export/Import Merchanting firm Walker Brothers. Following cremation in the USA, Bill’s family brought his ashes back to the UK for interment in Barnack Cemetery next to his wife Juliet. Preceding interment a memorial service, conducted by Branch Chaplain the Rev. Dave Maylor was held in St. John the Baptist Church and attended by Bill’s family, friends and Branch members. Charles Clark (Branch Chairman)

Private Harry Leonard We will Pick 1st Battalion never forget Northamptonshire Brian Palmer

In memoriam

Details concerning one of our First World War casualties have recently come to light.

Regiment was killed in action on 9th May 1915 aged 22 in Flanders. In the 1911 census he and his friend Robert Parker are shown lodging with John and Mary Jackson in Barnack. Both young

Poppy Appeal 2016 more besides. He also With a few boxes still to come in, indications are of another excellent year, with the collection in excess of £6000 being raised for the Royal British Legion. The Branch thanks all contributors and also Poppy Appeal Coordinator Columb Hanna for his sterling work in marshalling his team.

dealt with the many questions that his lecture generated. A first-rate occasion and we would all be very happy to invite him back again.

Band concert

On 18 November, nearly 50 members of the Branch attended the annual Winter Lecture. This year’s speaker was Col. Paul Loader, the Chief Engineer (Army) who gave an excellent talk on the Army 2020 and beyond. Paul ranged far and wide, covering future equipment, current and possible future deployments, changes in the structure of the Army, and much

Over two dozen members attended a concert given by the Band of the Royal Engineers in Stamford School Hall on Thursday 1 December. The programme was of the meatier genre of film music including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, James Bond and more. It was good to see the involvement of pupils from the Stamford Endowed Schools in the band, following their workshop with them in the afternoon. Following the concert a collection was taken in aid of Military Charities.

men worked on the land before they enlisted together in Stamford in 1914. Given the date of his death it is quite likely that Harry was killed at the battle of Aubers Ridge, which began on 9th May 1915. Robert had been killed on 14th

March 1915 and his In Memoriam notice was published last year. Harry was born in Stamford, Robert in Ryhall. They are both commemorated in Barnack and on the memorial at Le Touret near Béthune. Neither man has a known grave.

Winter Lecture

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WRITE AWAY

THE incorporating WHISPERER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Christmas comes to Glinton Great turnout for carols, drinks & mince pies and of course the switch on of the tree lights. Many thanks to Leigh Titman & crew, all at St Benedicts and Glinton Parish Council. Dave Ellis

Simon Ingram

Rosebay willowherb – ‘a hairy wire of seed bursting from a vivid bed of russet’ Hills and Holes A name like that, it had to be a manufactured place for kids and dog walkers, I thought. On hearing what locals called it – Hills and Hollows – I decided to look closer at the funny space on the edge of this village near Stamford. Turns out it was manufactured, but not by anyone we knew. The place with the playground name once built cathedrals. A Jurassic 48

seabed turned medieval quarry, its limestone was used in the extravagant churches of Ely and Peterborough. Now it’s a meadow, and important again. The quarrying has left a strange, toy landscape of ridges and valleys not a kilometre square. Rare plants – fragrant orchid, pasque flower – grow here. Nature has taken it back, but only to a point: a sign tells me the sheep are in for autumn to graze. Invisible sheep, it seems. Simon Ingram

Simon Ingram

A part-eaten pear among the autumnal litter. Quiet Little Worlds It’s raining, so I duck into one of the hollows, a little tuck beneath a birch. Sudden childhood feelings of sunken dens beneath low-slung trees; maybe this place is for kids after all, or big kids. It’s intricately beautiful. The arched roof of the den is a wriggle-braid of branches, the floor autumnal litter. There’s a pear with one coarsetoothed chunk out of it. The rain crackles on the canopy, and there’s a quiet whine. I take it for

Write Away Nightingales at Castor Hanglands Something to look forward to next Spring. Nick Dando

a saw somewhere, but then realise it’s closer than the rain noise; insects, sheltering too. Afterwards, I climb on to the ridgelines. Even in miniature, hills and valleys follow form: bare up top, with rich valleys drawing the eye down. There’s a red thicket down in one, like a miniature autumn forest in a bigger landscape. It’s rosebay willowherb, a hairy wire of seed bursting from a vivid fern-bed of russet. In America they call this fireweed because it likes burnt ground: here that colour makes it look as if this English meadow is itself burning. It’s the trees that break the illusion of scale. They tower. Thorns, a statuesque silver birch, one gorgeous oak crouched over another of those storybook shadepockets. More rain. I could make it to the car but instead I go to the little den again. I’m glad I looked closer at this place. Quarry, toylandscape, now a quiet little world full of quiet little worlds. Simon Ingram

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Good turnout at dropin event A very worthwhile drop-in event and a good turnout at the Northborough and Deeping Gate village hall this morning (26th November), organised by Northborough Parish Council, to display details and explain about their Neighbourhood Plan which is being written currently. An explanatory opening address from NP Cllr John Dadge. I also had many conversations with locals regarding the City’s Further Draft Local Plan/ Site Allocations, which is currently out for public consultation. Peter Hiller

Bridge work Work on our old bridges continues. This one crosses the South Drain at Glinton David Hankins

Annual lights switch-on

Today is the First Sunday of Advent. Just back from Peakirk church after the annual lights switch on and carol singing. David Hankins Speeding driver To the annoyed driver in a hurry along the Lincoln Rd at about 10.15 this morning. The speed limit through Glinton is 30mph dropping to 20mph at the crossroads. David Ellis Don’t get caught out Network Rail has been diverting traffic around Helpston crossing closure through Etton - where the bridge is closed for a month. At one of the recent closures they sent it the wrong way against the one-way system at Lolham. Don’t get caught out. David Rowell

What a year! It has been quite a year for Will Frankgate, at the Blue Bell in Glinton. Will, who has been ruling the roost in the kitchen since 2013 when his parents took on the 18th century pub, and has been in sole charge since 2014 when they retired, has overseen a £120,000 investment in the popular village hostelry. February saw work start on a £60,000 upgrade of the kitchen everything from state of the art oven to walk-in fridge and even a new pass. The new kitchen was up and running in April when attention turned to the extension. And earlier this month the stunning oak-framed garden room with bifold doors opening out onto the patio was brought into use, allowing another 30 covers in the busy pub’s restaurant. And not wanting to rest on his laurels, there are also plans for an upgrade of the huge under-utilised beer garden at the rear of the pub. And through it all, The Blue Bell has been awarded entries into the Michelin 2017 guide and AA pub guide 2017.

Think horse! I would like to prefix this post with the following: Horse riders don’t want to be on roads but it is often the only way to get from a to b. The majority of other road users, about 99% are awesome and we appreciate it. And then there’s today’s 1% It’s not often I’m flabbergasted. If anyone knows the blonde lady driving a white renault through Helpston about 11.15 this morning please please please give her some advice before she causes a serious incident. Horses are flight animals. Therefore if you have to wait about 30

WRITE AWAY

First Advent candle This morning (27 November) the first candle in the Advent Wreath was lit. It is the Candle of Hope. So whatever is happening in the world around us or in our own lives, we can be sure that God is with us. This is the hope we trust in. St Andrew’s Church Northborough

Footpath parking is illegal Peakirk Parish Council would like to remind people that parking on the footpath is illegal and antisocial. Please don’t do it! If the footpath is blocked young children in buggies, children walking with parents and people who have to use mobility scooters can’t get through. They sometimes have to leave the footpath and go round the obstacle onto the road, which is very dangerous. Please think of other using the footpaths when you park your vehicle. We shall be looking out for repeat offenders! Sally Ann Jackson

Arborfield Mill, Helpston Screenprint. The first of my Paper Mill prints. Still hoping to talk to anyone who worked at the Mill. If any of you know someone who did, please point them in my direction. ThankYou John McGowan seconds behind one, revving your engine isn’t going to do anything except potentially wind it up. But, and this is my main issue, it takes a special level of stupid to then honk your horn in frustration as you pass. Seriously?? I appreciate you had to wait less than a minute, it must have been terrible, and fortunately the horse didn’t spook, spin or kick out but another rider (or your car) might not be so lucky next time. You don’t want that on your conscience surely? Please be patient. Thank you Tracy Thomas

THE

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Bridge takes a bashing Just as they are repairing the bridge which spans the South Drain at Etton, the bridge at Peakirk takes a bashing yesterday. Dorothy Hankins

Goodbye to Rev Hilary Saying goodbye to Rev Hilary after 8 years. Her last service was on 30th October in St Pega’s church Peakirk, followed by lunch in the village hall where presentations were made on behalf of the churches in the benefice including one from the youngest member of the congregation. Salt barn David Hankins A really useful ‘media event’ this morning to display our huge new Peterborough Highways Service salt barn in Fengate. Holds up to 3,500 tons of salt/brine/ molasses - enough to keep our City and rural main roads clear for the duration of a bad winter season. The teams were out last night for their first proper treatment session. Three of the new wagons were Sad announcement being proudly displayed The Friendship Club is - ‘Brenda and Charles’ saddened to announce and the ‘Salternator’! the passing of former Peterborough Telegraph club Chairman Gladys snapper David Lowndes Murray (seated). Galdys and BBC’s Kerry Devine was a founder member attended. Also good to see of the club in 2002 and Cllrs June Bull and Steve lived in Northborough. Allen, who both found our She will be much operation fascinating. missed. Peter Hiller Dave Ellis 50

Regional Finalist Great news for Helen Banks - a regular advertiser in our Tribune. Tony Henthorn

The River Welland Footbridge Project working with the Northern Footpath Forum and Deeping St James Parish Council. Did you know there are plans to install a new footbridge across the River Welland near the Deeping Lakes Nature Reserve? This will open up the whole area and connect communities on both sides of the river. We have been working hard with Councils, the Environment Agency and Welland and Deepings Drainage Board to make this route a reality. We now need to raise £6,000 towards the installation of this bridge in September 2017. If you can help with a donation, large or small and want to know more please contact: Nick Smith - nicks@live.co.uk 01733 253472 or Sally-Ann Jackson jackson.sallyann@gmail.com 01733 253483 Sally Ann Jackson

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So pleased to let friends know that I am once again a regional finalist for the East of England in the The Wedding Industry Awards :-) Thanks for all your recommendations and for continuing to trust me to do the flowers for your/your children’s/ your friends’ weddings! This award is a special one as it is voted for by clients - I now go forward to a judging panel so do keep your fingers crossed! Helen Banks

Thank you for all of your news and views via email and social media

incorporating THE WHISPERER

Prevention and Enforcement Service The council’s new Prevention and Enforcement Service has just announced the PCSO dedicated for our rural areas in Tribland. He is: Michael CourtneyHunt  And his contacts are: Michael.Courtney-Hunt@ cambs.pnn.police.uk, Phone 07525227482 Please phone or email Michael with anything you think he might like or need to know about what’s happening in our villages. Peter Hiller

GFC Christmas Dinner GFC Christmas dinner gets off to a fine start with a preview of the Peakirk cum Glinton school production.

WRITE AWAY

Santa at the children’s party. Great fun. Peakirk Village Hall

Family Fun Peakirk Tots is looking for new families to come in and join the fun. We are a small friendly group which meets every Tuesday at Peakirk village hall from 10am to 12noon. We are open to all parents, carers and grandparents with children 0 to 5. We have lots of toys including a bouncy castle, climbing frame and slide, dolls, cars and garages, baby toys and play mats which we rotate each week so there’s always something different. For £2 per family the adults get tea and coffee, the little ones get a snack and we also run fun crafts every week. Come and give us a try. The first week is free! Peakirk Tots Christmas Fayre The Christmas fayre was a big success. Santa was a big hit with the children. Thanks to Peter Hardy and Mark Asplin who manned the fantastic grotto set up by Sarah Asplin. The hall was a hive of activity and the day was enjoyed by all Maxey Village

Northborough Christmas Lights The Northborough village Xmas lights switch-on was a lovely event. Great tree in a very visible position so everyone can enjoy it. Well done Northborough Parish Council. Santa flew down in a super little Morris Minor convertible - reindeers must have had the night off! Thanks to Chairman Rob Chiva and Cllr Lyn Steen for inviting us. Peter Hiller

THE WHISPERER

Disappointed. Minty failed the audition for Puss in Boots

Helpston WI Helpston WI hold their December meeting at the Bluebell! Gill Jolly

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Nick & Will Frankgate hard at work prepping & cooking our GFC Christmas meal Dave Ellis

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Remembrance Day Lovely to see so many veterans here on Remembrance Sunday enjoying their free Sunday Lunch. Thank you to Stilton Butchers, Eureka, M&J, Ritters, King Bros and Richard Astle for their kind contributions to help us offer a free Remembrance Sunday lunch to all who have served or are serving in the forces. Our Way of saying “thank you” to all Servicemen and women. The Bluebell Helpston

Agricultural vehicle damage Did you see a large argricultural vehicle (possibly two) drive over the war memorial yesterday afternoon? The bollards have been flattened (again), the turf churned up and a wall knocked down. (The potatoes in the road are a likely clue). Please get in touch if you have any info. Barnack and Pilsgate Village Community

Welcome advice A few days ago the road safety slogan fairy sprinkled these wise words in Peakirk. Having driven by them several times in a cautious manner I have to report if you are expecting tea and a custard cream,

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THE WHISPERER

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thank you Dear Sir, may I once again use the Tribune to say thank you. By the time you are reading this I’ll have been in my Bourne home for several months and the churches will be looking forward to the arrival of their new Rector. I had a wonderful send-off at the end of October. So many friends both from the church family and beyond have sent their good wishes and I am grateful. I hope that I will make some new friends here too but it will take time. Thank you all for an amazing 8 years in the villages and for sharing your lives with me. Thank you for kindnesses which I may have taken for granted and a most generous gift of cheque and tokens to set up my garden and home. With all good wishes for the future, Revd. Hilary Geisow

a hug or even a cheery wave, like me you will be disappointed. I have asked Advertising Standards to give advice on the use of the word ‘welcome’. David Hankins

Photos of interest I thought the attached photos might be of some interest to the residents of Helpston. The middle picture (right) shows the cover of the John Clare Centenary Catalogue, which I was asked to design, way back in 1964. Below this there is also a shot of the commemorative mug which I created at the same time, using the same oval vignette depicting John Clare sitting in the fields writing his poetry. The top right picture will be familiar to all Helpston residents – it shows the village sign which was erected in 2000, long after I left Helpston. I have always been struck by the resemblance between it, and the drawing I made, and I would like to think that the carver (I used to know who it was – can anyone remind me?) who made the sign had seen it, and was perhaps inspired by it. Although the scale of the church in relation to John Clare is different, I think you’ll agree that there is quite a similarity between the two designs. You are welcome to use these pictures in the Tribune if you think them of sufficient interest. Andrew N. Gagg (Son of the late Howard Gagg, former Head of the John Clare School)

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New Rector

The Churchwardens of the Nine Bridges Benefice (Peakirk, Glinton, Etton, Maxey & Northborough) are delighted to announce the appointment of a new Rector Mark- Aaron Tisdale previously serving in The Oxford Diocese. Mark- Aaron is married with a teenage son. He will be instituted by The Bishop of Peterborough at St.Benedict’s Glinton on Sunday 19 March. Mark-Aaron will be keen to meet as many prople as possible from our Parishes, so do look out for Church/Village events where you will be able to meet him.

St.Benedict’s 100 club winners (Dec) 114 Mrs Liz.Morgan 105 Mrs Joyce Neaverson 110 Mr. S. Lakeman 153 Ms. M. Tidbury 132 Mr. J. Holditch

CHURCH

Church News

Maxey Church Carol Service Maxey Church held a Christmas Tree and Carol Service on December 4th to raise funds for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. There was a fine turnout of trees from local children,

including one from Northborough Guides. Local charity worker Mandy Loveder displayed a Guide Dog inspired tree with a very moving poem attached. Everyone received a hanging

label to adorn the trees at the Altar with the names of absent friends and loved ones. A very successful evening topped off with hot chocolate and spiced biscuits in the Lady Chapel.

Weddings Athanasios Salvanos & Rosie Jackson (29/10/2016) Barnack Church Funerals Kevin Flynn (11/11/2016) Bainton Church Michael Stanton (30/11/2016) Helpston Church William Brown Campbell (8/12/2016) Barnack Church Thelma Betty Milner (14/12/2016) Peterborough Crematorium Baptisms William Peter Amyday (5/11/2016) Bainton Church Leila Mai O’Connor (4/12/2016) Wittering Church

Benefice Prayer Breakfast Benefice Prayer Breakfast in Botolph’s Barn every 1st Saturday of the month. The next ones are on: Saturday 7 January and Saturday 4 February.

Open all year, inspections always welcome ● ● ● ●

Vaccinated cats only Cats on special diets and medications welcome Rabbits and guinea pigs also boarded Collections & delivery service available Spacious individually heated chalets to suit all ages from active youngsters to golden oldies

Tel: 01733 575300 1346 Lincoln Road, Werrington, Peterborough PE4 6LP

www.homefromhomecattery.co.uk

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CHURCH

November & December

CHURCH SERVICES

ASH WEDNESDAY 12.30pm Northborough Church Communion and Ashing All Welcome

Jan

Sun 1 Jan

Sun 8 Jan

Sun 15 Jan

St John the Baptist Barnack

NO SERVICE

9am Parish Communion with Children's Church

9am 11am Parish All Age Praise Communion with Children's Church

10am Benefice Communion Service at Barnack

St Mary’s Bainton

NO SERVICE

9am Parish Communion

4.30pm BCP Evensong

9am Parish Communion

NO SERVICE

St Botolph’s Helpston

10am Benefice Communion Service at Helpston

10.45am Parish Communion with Children's Church

10.45am All Age Communion

10.45am NO SERVICE Parish Communion with Children's Church

All Saints Wittering

NO SERVICE

10.30am Second Sunday Fun

NO SERVICE

10.30am Morning Praise

NO SERVICE

St Stephen Etton

NO SERVICE

9am BCP Communion Rev Gillian Jessop

NO SERVICE

10.30am Benefice Eucharist Canon David McCormack

St Peter Maxey

9am Eucharist Rev Alan Fiddyment

9am Eucharist Canon David McCormack

10am Family Service Village Hall Mark H & Freda S

9am Eucharist Canon David McCormack

NO SERVICE

St Benedict Glinton

10.30am Eucharist Canon Margaret Venables

10.30am Morning Praise Mark Hotchkin

10.30am Eucharist Canon Margaret Venables

9.15am Morning Prayer Derek Harris

NO SERVICE

St Andrew Northborough

NO SERVICE

10.30am All Age Praise Freda Skillman

9am Eucharist Rev Charles May 6pm Evensong Derek Harris

10.30am All Age Praise Freda Skillman

NO SERVICE

St Pega Peakirk

6pm BCP Evensong

10.30am Eucharist

NO SERVICE

10.30am Morning Prayer Derek Harris

NO SERVICE

Sun 22 Jan

Sun 29 Jan

CHURCH ADDRESSES: St John the Baptist Church, Main Street, Barnack PE9 3DN St Mary’s Church, Church Lane, Bainton PE9 3AF St Botolph’s Church, Church Street, Helpston PE6 7DT All Saints Church, Church Road, Wittering PE8 6AF St Andrew’s Church, Main Street, Ufford PE9 3BH St Stephen, Main Rd., Etton PE6 7DA | St Peter, Main St. Maxey PE6 9HF St Pega, Chestnut Close, Peakirk PE6 7NH | Glinton St Benedict, High St., Glinton PE6 7JN St Andrew Church St., Northborough PE6 9BN

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CHURCH

Feb

Sun 5 Feb

Sun 12 Feb

Sun 19 Feb

Sun 26 Feb

St John the Baptist Barnack

9am Parish Communion with Children's Church

11am All Age Praise

St Mary's Church Bainton

4.30pm BCP Evensong

9am Parish Communion

4.30pm BCP Evensong

9am Parish Communion

St Botolph’s Helpston

10.45am All Age Praise

10.45am Parish Communion with Children's Church

10.45am All Age Communion

10.45am Parish Communion with Children's Chiurch

All Saints Wittering

NO SERVICE

10.30am Second Sunday Fun

NO SERVICE

10.30am Morning Praise

St Stephen Etton

10am Family Service Mark Hotchkin

NO SERVICE

9am BCP Communion Rev Gillian Jessop

NO SERVICE

St Peter Maxey

9am Eucharist Rev Alan Fiddyment

9am Eucharist Canon David McCormack

10am Family Service Village Hall Mark H & Freda S

9am Eucharist Canon David McCormack

St Benedict Glinton

10.30am Eucharist

10.30am Morning Praise Mark Hotchkin

10.30am Eucharist

9.15am Morning Prayer Derek Harris

9am St Andrew Northborough Eucharist Canon Smart

10.30am All Age Praise Freda Skillman

9am Eucharist Rev Alan Fiddyment 6pm Evensong Derek Harris

NO SERVICE

St Pega Peakirk

10.30am Eucharist

NO SERVICE

10.30am Morning Prayer Derek Harris

6pm BCP Evensong

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COUNCIL CORNER

Bainton & Ashton Parish Council For well over a year the parish has been frustrated by poor service and lack of response from Peterborough City council, when increasingly urgent work has been requested. This culminated during 2016 in formal complaints about overgrowth that was forcing pedestrians into a busy road, among other issues. After a meeting arranged by Ward Councillor David Over with PCC’s Chief Executive and other senior officers, a number of actions were agreed to improve the situation for the future.

Senior officers and highways inspectors met with councillors in November to walk the parish and discuss current issues ‘on the spot’. And on 6th December the council held an extraordinary meeting. This offered the opportunity for councillors and other residents to meet senior PCC officers to raise their concerns. A lively discussion covered topics such as flytipping (a particular problem in the parish); rural lanes made dangerous by encroaching overgrowth, grass verge erosion and increasing

levels of speeding traffic; poor road maintenance and a need for sign improvements; and planning. A number of improvements were promised but there was also a reminder that pressure on local authority funding means residents and

Minutes of each meeting and councillor details can be found on village notice boards and will appear soon on the village website www. baintonandashtonlocalcouncil.org.uk. Contact the Clerk by email at bainton.ashton.clerk@live. co.uk. The next council meeting will be held in Bainton Reading Room on Tuesday 3 January at 7.30pm. Residents are encouraged to attend.

CAN YOU HELP US PLEASE?

Peterborough Association for the Blind is a local charity dedicated to providing face to face support for blind people all around the Peterborough area. Our team of volunteers provides everything from a regular friendly chat to free transport services and help with attending special events and evenings out.

CURRENT VOLUNTEER VACANCIES: TREASURER

This role involves 3 – 4 hours per week some of which will need to be done in our office based in the centre of Peterborough. The role involves normal book keeping and producing reports and budgets for the committee. Training will be provided. It will be necessary to attend our bi-monthly Committee Meeting and become a Trustee of this long established charity.

FUNDRAISER

We are also hoping to recruit a volunteer Fundraiser to assist our Vice Chair who currently undertakes the role. This is a new role and can be adapted to suit the successful applicant. The role will involve organising fundraising events to raise funds and increase the profile of The Befriending Scheme, helping with fundraising events organised by other volunteers when appropriate and helping inspire other volunteers to run events and fundraise for Peterborough Association for the Blind. For more information and an informal chat with one of our Committee please contact Barbara Robinson, Administrator T: 01733-344844, E: info@mypab.org.uk or visit

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the parish council will be increasingly expected to carry out work themselves. Councillors at least look forward to a number of outstanding issues being dealt with, and a more reliable communication routes to get future issues resolves as quickly as possible.

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Myself and Cllr Hiller have been working on obtaining Parish Councils a greater say in the running of the City Council. We are proposing that a Parish Councillor sits on each of the City Council's four Scrutiny Committees, and that the Parish Council's Liaison Committee will have greater powers and influence. A final decision will be made by Peterborough City Council on the 14th December.

Cllr John Holdich OBE

Owing to the weather and the grass still continuing to grow at a pace, the Glinton Parish Council arranged for an extra cut of the Glinton play park. Whilst the village neighbourhood plan has not been approved by the City council, Glinton Parish council has set up a working group to take some of your ideas forward, which includes more waste bins/dog bins; also we plan to have these bins with a top cover to stop animals

taking out the rubbish, tidy up the village pump and millenium boards, repair or replace the village sign, and also looking at providing planters around the village, and also to provide further seating around the village. The Glinton Parish Council has ordered replacement notice boards where the current ones have passed their best, and the public space within the boards is not easy to use.

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The Parish Councils of Glinton and Northborough, owing to the success of the first one, and your request to do so, plan a further collection of your more bulky items in the spring. Last time we were a victim of our own success, and the vehicles had to be emptied more that thought, thus putting the timings out. We will let you know as soon as the date is to hand. A happy new year to everyone.

COUNCIL CORNER

Glinton Parish Council

COUNCIL CORNER

Northborough Parish Council Christmas tree light-up

Christmas Tree Light Up Celebration This year’s celebration was a great success. Attendance was good and the space in front of the Shop on Lincoln Road was full of villagers. ‘Switching On’ was carried out by Mr R Green, who has lived his whole 80+ years in the village. Carols were sung to the accompaniment of the accordion.

Robert Chiva, Chair, NPC

Mulled wine, minced pies with sweets and soft drinks for the children. Father Christmas jovially handed out the children’s goodies. The tree is a good size and additional lights were purchased so ensure good coverage. Weather was calm and warm, unlike last year where due to strong winds the tree needed propping. This year the enlarged ground base was not called upon, but better to be safe than sorry. Speed Watch The Feedback received from villagers at the recent Neighbourhood plan consultation on the 26 November shows that many villagers are still concerned about

vehicles speeding within the 20 and 30mph speed limit boundaries. Parish Councillors have been trained in the use of the speedwatch equipment. Operations will start as the days get longer in the New Year. If you are concerned about speeding and would like to be involved please contact the Parish Council.

three located at the village hall, the one stop shop and front wall of the school.

Defibrillators The Parish Council has obtained costs for the purchase of defibrillators for the village and will organise this over the coming few months. The objective is to have

Policies The Council has adopted updated Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and other policies over the last few months. These will be uploaded to the website.

Please contact Councillors or the Clerk if you have any issues that NPC could help with. npc@mandalea.co.uk

Peterborough Local Plan and Northborough Neighbourhood Plan On Saturday 26 November, Northborough Parish Council (NPC) held an exhibition displaying plans relating to the emerging Peterborough Local Plan, sites that had been proposed for development by landowners and constraints on development in and around the village. The village hall held a coffee morning and their launch of the 50/50 draw at the same time. 58

The exhibition was also used to as an opportunity to refocus on the Northborough Neighbourhood Plan which had been under preparation but had been “paused” until NPC understood what was being proposed for the village by the City Council. The emerging local plan proposes no significant changes for Northborough. Around 80 people visited and chatted to Parish Councillors

Website The Parish Council website has been upgraded and will continue to have items of interest added. Villager’s questions or comments will normally be answered within 5 days.

John Dadge – Councillor - NPC about development and other “village matters”. We also note that the Draft Local Plan proposes that Paradise Lane gains the protection of being designated a Local Green Space after representations by the Parish Council. When the Draft Local Plan is formally published for consultation by the City Council , Northborough

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Parish Council intend to issue a survey/ questionnaire to all households in Northborough inviting them to comment on issues raised by the emerging plan so they can respond on behalf of the village to it in an informed manner. The survey/ questionnaire will also be helpful for the neighbourhood plan which is still in preparation

Shool Grounds Governance The School have confirmed they will provide dates this week. A resident was woken at 3.15am by youths on the field, the Parish Council urges residents to call 101 if there are further incidents.

War Memorial the projector. This is Highways fixed the to build up a fund for broken curbs ahead of the replacement bulbs or Traffic Calming Remembrance Sunday maintenance. The Traffic Calming working group are meeting service. Open forum Coates Contractors with Peterborough War Memorial Junction donated to the Poppy Highways on 05.12.16 to There appear to be an Appeal after one of their discuss plans. increasing number of vehicles damaged the lorries trying to turn at Biodiversity & Green War Memorial green. this junction, apparently Infrastructure Strategy Castor Township ignoring the weight The Strategy will be Footpaths The proposed Garden restrictions. This will out in the New Year for Follow-up Amey to spray comments. Village ‘Great Kyne’ is on be brought up at the the edges of the path government land, so is forthcoming meeting Rural Crime Update leading to Pilsgate. unlikely to be stopped. with Highways. There is to be a PCSO There are concerns about Bus shelters MUGA on school presence in each Ward. the ecological impact on Awaiting confirmation of Updated details will be grounds Castor Hanglands. costs and survey. A resident raised in the revised Barnack & Correspondence concerns about noise Pilsgate Directory, out next Home from Home The committee have Peterborough City disturbances from balls month. enlisted new members Council, Draft Local Plan Mobile phone mast hitting the dry play area to help take the setting The Local Plan is out fence. The sound carries A resident has asked about forwards. for consultation in to properties along the possibility of installing December. Neither of Bainton Road. Shop & ATM machine a mobile phone mast the proposed housing The PC will look at Hills & Holes inside the church spire as sites for Barnack are in other providers of ATM Natural England would a booster for poor signal the Local Plan. machines as Barnack like to acquire land in the area. This will be is currently out of area Barnack CE Primary close to H&H to take investigated. for a mobile Post Office School, Speeding pressure off the nature Bulk waste collection service. Mr Fowkes wrote to reserve. The area would This was successfully the parents at school be landscaped with car Projector Hire carried out in Glinton regarding speeding parking, but it is not recently. The PC will speak It was agreed that a concerns. The school known if any land is £5 booking fee would to Glinton PC. have been given a copy available for NE to lease. be charged for hiring School field noise of the PC’s letter to The full minutes of each meeting and Pending meeting with Highways. School to discuss, in the councillor details can be found on village Hills & Holes Committee meantime residents need noticeboards and www.barnackparishcouncil. Chris Gardiner (retired org, or by contacting the Parish Clerk at to call the Police on 101 from Natural England) barnackparishcouncil@outlook.com to report any anti-social is going to speak about or on 07595 377236. behaviour. Castor Hanglands at the AGM on 16 January.

Deeping Gate Parish Council Parish Councillor Vacancy We currently have a vacancy for a new Parish Councillor. If you would like more information, please contact our Parish Clerk on clerkdgpc@gmail.com. Alternatively, you may contact any Councillor, details for whom appear on our notice boards.

Jane Hill Spring Litter Pick The date and time for our litter pick will appear in the next edition of The Village Tribune, on our facebook page and notice boards.

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COUNCIL CORNER

Barnack Parish Council

COUNCIL CORNER

PLANNING APPLICATIONS MADE FOR OUR VILLAGES  ASHTON

Installation of a caravan ancillary, Land to the West of Uffington Road. Awaiting decision. Land to west of Uffington Road. Gladman Appeal. The Inspectorate confirmed that Barnack PC will have  BAINTON ten minutes to put their case on the ecological impact of the development Stationing of temporary mobile home at Thatch Cottage Tallington forward. A presentation submitted to the Inspectorate before Christmas. Road: Lawful Row of conifer to the front of Demolition of an old chicken coop at Thatch Cottage Tallington property facing (SSE), Row of conifers to the side of property Road: Permitted facing (NNW), Reduce all by a Demolition of existing maximum of 4 metres bringing back conservatory and erection of to hedgerow at Transport Bungalow a two storey rear extension, Stamford Road: Awaiting decision installation of first floor windows to west elevation, part-application Pine - Fell, 2 x Beech - Fell, Norway Maple - Remove deadwood and of render on front elevation and reduce by 1.5m, Conifer- 2m installation of dormer windows to the front and rear at 85 West Street reduction, Cherry plum - Crown raise to 4m garden side. All Permitted roadside trees to be crown raised to 5m at 1 Kingsley Close: Permitted  BARNACK Erection of a detached oak framed summer house at Thatched Cottage Bainton Green Road: Permitted

First floor extension above garage, one and a half storey front extension and a detached garage at 41B Peterborough Road Awaiting decision Proposed installation of Chimney Pot and Replacement windows at 11 Church Hill: Permitted Non-material amendment (removal of workshop and veranda) to planning permission 16/01210/HHFUL at Three Chimneys 8 Peterborough Road: Awaiting decision First floor extension above garage and one and a half storey front extension at 41B Peterborough Road: Permitted

 DEEPING

GATE

Demolition of existing office building (class B1) and construction of two detached residential dwellings at Silver Heron Developments Suttons Lane: Permitted Extension to annex porch; new  CASTOR Single storey rear extension at 31 window opening on side and rear Single storey extensions to front Suttons Lane. Permitted elevations; addition of bi-fold doors on rear elevation at Biliwings and rear at 9 Old Pond Lane: Single storey front extensionp at Permitted Walcot Road: Permitted 102A Lincoln Road: Permitted Construction of storage building at Remove existing timber storage Proposed conservatory to side at 14 building to the rear of the property Land Adjacent To Old Mill Cottage Maxey Road. Awaiting decision Mill Lane: Withdrawn and replace with a larger storage Extension to side of garage to form Replacement of existing French building at Barnack Village Hall doors and window with bifold doors snooker room at 29 Suttons Lane School Road: Permitted Permitted at 14 Allotment Lane Change of use of church into a Permitted dwelling at Barnack Methodist  ETTON Internal alterations to include moving Church Main Street: Remove and install 6no. antenna at bathroom from ground floor to first Awaiting decision a height of 23.0m on the existing floor. External changes to comprise Demolition of existing lean-to 20.0m tower at Etton Treatment new window for proposed bathroom, extension and partial demolition extract grille to same and application Works Waterworks Lane: Comments of garden wall and construction of a render finish to a modern single of single storey rear extension  GLINTON storey extension at 14 High Street at Cedar House Main Street: Removal of condition 2 (temporary Permitted Awaiting decision period) of reference number 13/01351/ Proposed change of use from Non material amendment to WCPP (allowed on appeal) - To allow Business B1 to Dental D1 at 1 - 3 planning permission 14/02086/ the site to operate 0500-midnight on Milton Lane Awaiting decided HHFUL at The Maltings The a permanent basis at Glinton Service Replace 4 x existing velux rooflights Station Lincoln Road: Permitted Square: Awaiting decision Land off south side of Kettering with dormer windows on front and Proposed siting of mobile home in rear elevations and addition of two Road, Stamford. Residential connection with use of land, kennels further dormers on front elevation Development. Barnack PC and associated fencing as licensed at 2 Village Farm Close will contact Paul Armitage at establishment for breeding dogs Awaiting decision Wothorpe PC to find out the latest (retrospective) at Buffingham Kennels views on the amended plans. Waterworks Lane: Withdrawn

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Single storey rear extension Distance from original rear wall: 3.4 m. Height: 3.9 m (2.4m to eaves) at 26 Broad Wheel Road Awaiting decision Works to trees as per schedule at St Botolphs Church Church Lane: Awaiting decision

 MAXEY

Single and two storey rear extension at 1 Barn Close: Permitted General Purpose Barn at Sandylands 2 Mill Road: Not required Proposed stable store at 7 High Street Awaiting decision Removal of existing rear conservatory and construction of two storey rear extension at 6 The Retreat: Awaiting decision Installation of two wood burners at Lolham Barn High Street: Awaiting decision Removal of front porch and insertion of wooden door and frame to rear - part retrospective at 36 High Street Awaiting decision General Purpose Barn at Sandylands 2 Mill Road: Awaiting decision Installation of two wood burners at Lolham Barn High Street: Permitted  HELPSTON 3 x Cypress - Fell at 8 Castle End Road: Permitted Single storey rear extension Distance from original rear wall: Fell conifer at 8B Castle End Road: 3.4m Height: 3.9m (2.4m to eaves) Permitted at 26 Broad Wheel Road  NORTHBOROUGH Refused - prior approval Single storey side extension and Rear part two storey and part front porch at Grasslands West single storey extension including Street: Permitted minor internal alterations at 48 Granville Avenue Permitted First floor side extension, front porch and external alterations to Addition of a detached garage include part render on all elevations to the front of the property, to be and change roof to natural/artificial 3m from the front boundary at 10 slate at 35 Glinton Road: Refused Lincoln Road Awaiting decided Mature Ash-raise crown at 6 Broad Wheel Road. Awaiting decision

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Front entrance porch at 17 Lincoln Road: Awaiting decision Addition of a detached garage to the front of the property, to be 3m from the front boundary at 10 Lincoln Road: Permitted Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of one new dwelling and detached garage at 40 Church Street: Awaiting decision

 PEAKIRK

TPO 01/1990 T7 Ash - Fell at 27A St Pegas Road Permitted Ground ﬂoor side extension at 1 Bull Lane Permitted Demolition of existing single storey rear extension and side conservatory and construction of new single storey side and rear extension at 32 St Pegas Road: Awaiting decision TPO 01/1990 G1, 12 Alder Crown lift east to 6-8m and crown lift west 6-7m at 2 The Sanderlings: Permitted

 UFFORD Single storey and two storey

side extensions and ground ﬂoor rear extension at Barnsdale Marholm Road: Permitted Proposed removal of existing stables and erection of new stables and relocation of existing menage at Hillywood View Marholm Road: Awaiting decision Erection of replacement dwelling and associated works following demolition of existing dwelling at Five Elms Marholm Road: Awaiting decision T1 Ash - Reduce by 5 metres at Hillcrest Main Street: Permitted

COUNCIL CORNER

Construction of a single-storey rear extension and two-storey side extension at 32 Peakirk Road: Awaiting decision Demolition of existing garage and erection of annex at Forge Cottage 10 The Green: Awaiting decision Two storey side extension and alterations to front single storey extension at 15 St Benedicts Close Awaiting decision Demolition of two modern lean to extensions, construction of new orangery extension with minor internal and external alterations at Granville House 2 The Green: Awaiting decision Erection of a single storey shed/ workshop in rear garden (Part retrospective) at 7 Websters Close Awaiting decision Single storey front extension at 24 The Willows Glinton Peterborough Awaiting decision Demolition of two modern lean to extensions, construction of new orangery extension with minor internal and external alterations at Granville House 2 The Green: Permitted Part demolition of existing brickwall to create single storey side and rear extensions with hipped and pitched roofs: at 20 Websters Close: Awaiting decision