Discovering March issue 117, June 2023

Welcome to your June issue...

Well, what an amazing spectacle the coronation of King Charles III turned out to be, and how fabulous to see some of our local communities making such an effort to become involved in all the various events that were taking place over the long weekend.

Whenever a community tries hard to offer the opportunity for people to come together and celebrate, it is always so rewarding when it is a success.

Hopefully, the good folk of March and the local area will make a big effort to support those hard-working volunteers who will strive to make the March Summer Festival a roaring success over the weekend of June 9th, 10th, and 11th. An awesome collection of musical performances, demonstrations, food stalls and more will make it a weekend to remember. Come and pay us a visit on the Discovering Magazines stall. Finally, a reminder that June 18th is Father’s Day, so love and best wishes go to my dad, Bill; father-in-law, Rich; and my husband, Chris.

Like most people, I have an early morning routine. I get up early – usually before 5am – check my work emails and news of the day and after catching up on what I missed on the previous night’s TV, take the family dog for a long walk.

However, my daily habits have been added to recently. Now, one of my first tasks is to check the garden for intruders. Not of the human variety I hasten to add, these are far more annoying, yes snails.

The greedy gastropods have taken a shine to the new plants my wife has placed in pots throughout the garden, sneaking in under cover of darkness from the allotments behind and munching through the new green arrivals.

Each morning I examine their favourite foods and when discovering one despatch it to where it belongs... over the back fence.

We have taken various humane actions in a bid to curtail their nighttime feasts but to no avail, the latest being trays of German beer which they have studiously avoided although it did attract two of their slug cousins.

If they do not stop their wanton destruction, the gloves will come off and I will go for a more severe and possibly fatal solution... they have been warned!

Discovering Magazines, PO Box 164, Bourne PE10 1ET

Publisher and Sales Claire Saberton:

01778 421427 | 07837 499061 | sales@discoveringmagazines.co.uk

Sales Paula Kirtland: 07903 776211 | marketing.discoveringmagazines@gmail.com

Sales Sallyanne Davis: 07737 026594 | sal@discoveringmagazines.co.uk

Editor Andy Hurst: editor.march@discoveringmagazines.co.uk

Ops Director Andy Armstrong: 07780 922214

Accounts Sarah Brooks: 07564 966452 | accounts@discoveringmagazines.co.uk

Design Sarah Gumbley | Andy Beavis | Graham Copestake | Dan Handley

With thanks to:

The Shed Shop, Vine Law, Eileen Le Voi, Steve Barclay MP, Joan Munns, March Podiatry, Richard Munns, The Light Cinema and Diamond Byte.

Deadline details:

Copy deadline for the July issue is Monday, 12th June 2023.

There are so many jobs to do in the vegetable garden in June – planting, harvesting, watering, weeding – it’s a good job that the nights are lighter and hopefully the weather is more conducive to being outdoors. Not only do the plants enjoy the warmer weather, so do the weeds!

Regular hoeing, even if you can’t see any weeds, should be carried out so, when you sow, allow enough space between rows for a hoe. You can also spread mulches or use lightproof membrane to prevent moisture loss in dry weather.

Bugs can be devastating to some crops. Try using water-in nematodes or food-grade diatomaceous earth which is good for slugs and other pests as it dehydrates them. Have a look at How to Use Diatomaceous Earth for Organic Pest Control in the Garden (soilseedandgarden.com) and there’s plenty of information re nematodes and where to purchase them.

As the month progresses, thinning and planting out to final positions will start to overtake sowing as the main activity, as this month offers the last opportunity to sow many seeds. However, you can continue to sow quick growing salad crops every few weeks for a continuous supply. Utilise space between slower growing crops to maximise your use of growing space. If the weather is dry, then water your seed drills well before sowing – this way the young plants will develop a good root system.

It is important to water crops regularly, with a good soaking rather than a little every now and then. If you neglect watering, crops become stressed and will bolt.

Other Jobs in June:

• Plant out vegetables that you have grown from seed, but make sure you harden them off before planting out in their final position.

• Sweetcorn can be planted out and, as it is self-pollinating, it is better sown closely in a block. Mark out a square or rectangle and plant at about 35-40cm (14-18inches) apart in each direction.

• Earth up potatoes and, towards the end of the month, harvest earlies.

• Protect strawberries by mulching around them with straw to keep mud splashes off and keep birds off your ripening strawberry crop by covering your plants with netting.

• Cut down broad beans just above the surface and use for compost but leave the roots in the ground as a useful source of nitrogen.

• Feed tomatoes with a high potash feed.

• Once you are sure that frosts are over, you can plant out the more tender crops such as aubergines, peppers, chillies, courgettes, marrows and squashes.

• Succession sow beetroot, salad crops, and carrots.

• Sew Florence fennel. Traditionally Florence fennel is sown after the longest day, 21st June, as it is less likely to bolt – sowing in succession is a good idea.

• Brussels sprouts, leeks, sprouting broccoli and the last of the summer, autumn, and red cabbages and the first of winter cabbages can also be planted. Happy planting!

SPONSORED BY THE SHED SHOP

Selling a Property as Executor of a Will

If you act as an executor of an estate, you might be faced with the prospect of selling the deceased’s property which can present issues for you to consider. You have to balance your responsibilities as executor with the rights of the beneficiaries of the will, whilst trying to ensure the property sale proceeds as smoothly as possible.

You will need a Grant of Probate

An executor has the legal authority to agree a sale and instruct their conveyancer to draft the contract paperwork. Beware, if you do not have the Grant of Probate (the court document that proves the will is valid) you will not be able to complete the sale. Obtaining the probate can sometimes take months. Any delay can cause frustration with buyers and they may pull out of the sale. If you are marketing the property before you have a probate, make sure that the buyer is fully aware of the situation so that their expectations are realistic.

Considering the interests of the beneficiaries

The deceased’s will directs which beneficiaries will receive the sale proceeds. If there are several beneficiaries, a situation might arise where an offer is made, but not all beneficiaries agree the offer should be accepted. Some might feel the offer is too low and the property should stay on the market longer; others might prefer a quick sale and want to take a lower offer. As an executor, you have to balance out these competing views and come to a decision.

Clearing the property

The property will often still hold some or all of the deceased’s possessions. These will need to be dealt with. Remember, the beneficiaries that are due the proceeds of sale might be different to the beneficiaries that are entitled to the contents of the property. Arrangements will need to be made to have the property cleared before completion. Will you be relying on the beneficiary receiving the contents to do this? Will you be instructing a removal firm to take the contents to be auctioned?

Do certain items need to be valued first? What if beneficiaries are arguing over specific items? These sorts of issues can further delay a sale while they are being sorted out.

Title deeds and other documents

The title to a property is often registered and electronic copies can be obtained from the Land Registry, but if the property is unregistered, you will need to find the original deeds which could be stored with a bank, the deceased’s solicitors (instructed when the property was purchased more than fifty years ago!) or stashed away in the property itself. Lost title documents can cause huge delays in a sale.

There may be other documents you are asked to produce. These could range from copy planning documents to guarantees, warranties and reports for works carried out at the property. The buyer may also raise specific enquiries relating to the property and its history. Your knowledge of the property may be limited and this will be reflected in the information you can give to the buyer but needs balancing against your duty to find out as much information as is reasonable.

Be Prepared!

The moral of the story is to be prepared. A lot of these potential problems, and many others, can be mitigated or avoided completely with some proper planning. Always take proper legal advice as soon as possible, even if the prospect of selling the property is a way away. A solicitor will be able to highlight the issues and help you navigate your way through them.

venbrite Ltd is a new local familyrun business which has been set up as a sister company from Doorbrite Ltd. It offers cleaning services for ovens, AGAs, hobs, extractors, microwaves, barbecues (May-September), fridges and freezers.

It has been launched by Marchbased David Howe who has eighteen years’ experience in the business, covering the Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas. Having always lived in March you may recognise him as he was previously employed locally but has now decided to make a change and venture out on his own.

David said: “The opportunity was there to be able to do something for myself and my family, to gain more of a work life balance, so I felt it was the right time to progress onto bigger and better things.” Ovenbrite works to a high standard, using non-toxic products in your home that are safe for all.

Brighten your oven with OVENBRITE

Step Up Your Online Security to Help Keep Scammers at Bay

By Eileen Le Voi at Safe Local Trades

Online fraud is on the rise, with the UK having the highest number of cybercrime victims per million internet users in 2022. This has resulted in enormous losses but, worryingly, an increasing number of online crimes involving the hacking of personal email and social media accounts. So, with many of us having at least one email address and potentially one, two or even more social media accounts, what can we do to protect ourselves?

Regularly changing your password and having a different, hard to crack password for each of your accounts is advisable. Introducing Two or Multi Factor Authentication (2FA) can provide an important extra layer of protection. The first "factor" is your usual password that is standard for any account. The second "factor" is a verification code retrieved from an app on a mobile device or computer. It asks for another way to prove your identity when you sign into a service. There are different ways to do this: you might have a PIN sent to your phone in an SMS, you can generate a code using an independent app, or some services might provide a list of ‘back-up codes’ when you first set up 2SV (two-step verification). Whichever way you receive it, you then enter the PIN or code to prove it's really you. Although it's a small extra effort to access your accounts, it means that, even if an attacker has your password, they still can't gain access to your account. Here are a few simple ways to try and better protect our personal details and finances:

• Go through all your accounts and check you don’t have multiple accounts with the same password. If you have lots of passwords to change – start with your top five most used apps/accounts and then work your way through.

• Advice from the National Cyber Security Centre is to use three random words added together to make a long enough and strong enough password.

• Use a password manager and/or think about saving your passwords in your browser. As long as it is on your own (and not a shared) device, this should be safe to do.

• Most apps will allow you to switch 2FA on. Do this as soon as you can to try and prevent a password breach.

• Delete any apps that you don’t use – every app is a potential way in for cyber criminals and cutting down their options will keep your accounts safer.

Help to set up 2FA can be found at https://bit.ly/NCSC-2FA

GET READY FOR THE SUMMER HEAT

by making your conservatory a more useable room

The SupaLite roof uses a lightweight, aluminium frame, 150mm of humidity-proof insulation, a waterproof membrane and sturdy tiles to create a resilient conservatory that can withstand any weather! Producing a compliant product that is compatible with all roof styles. All ceilings are vaulted and finished with plaster with added LED lighting.

Whether you are saving for a specific goal, or just to create a nest egg for the future, thinking of retiring or you simply want your money to work as hard as you do, we are here to advise you through the different stages of your life.

Our aim is to educate our clients when it comes to their financial situation and make things easier for them. This is why we will always explain the advice in plain language with no jargon.

We have a strong belief in reviewing your circumstances to help meet any changing needs. We have regular meetings with our clients so that we can discuss and explain performance, tax implications and make any changes as and when required.

“I understand that the subject of financial planning can have the potential to be daunting and confusing, which is why no matter who you come into contact with at Mayflower, we ensure that all our clients are dealt with in a respectful, confidential, and compassionate manner”.

Ashlie Barnard, Director

Matters COMMUNITY

BANK PURCHASE WILL CREATE ‘FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY’ FOR MARCH

Fenland District Council has confirmed the purchase of the old Barclays Bank building in Broad Street, March, as part of the multi-million pound town centre regeneration.

The council says it recognised the importance of transforming the prominent Broad Street site through its Future High Streets Fund work ever since it was vacated by Barclays in July 2021. It has now been purchased with £750,000 from the £6.4 million awarded to the council from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund in January 2021.

The property will be demolished following the wider Broad Street improvements and replaced with a new mixed-use development featuring residential and business premises.

Cllr Steve Count, newly re-elected district councillor for March and member of the Future High Streets Fund Member Steering Group, said: “This is an exciting step in the regeneration of March and one that will create a fantastic opportunity for the town.”

Cllr Jan French, newly re-elected town and district councillor for March and fellow member of the Future High Streets Fund Member Steering Group, added: “It is impossible not to see and feel the momentum that is building in March and with this crucial acquisition, another piece of the jigsaw falls into place for the long-term benefit of local residents.”

Work will begin on the Barclays site following the completion of the Broad Street highways work. In the meantime, the property is being let to Octavius Ltd, the lead contractor for the Broad Street works, from mid-May who will use the property as a site office during the works.

For more information about the Broad Street scheme, visit the Fenland District Council website at: www.fenland.gov.uk/MFHSF

We bring you items of interest for your home and community. If there is something you’d like us to cover or you have something to say please get in touch at: Discovering March, PO Box 164, Bourne PE10 1ET Email: editor.march@discoveringmagazines.co.uk

FRIENDS OF MARCH RAILWAY COIN IT IN

Friends of March

Railway Station have held an open day that featured a fundraising collection of thousands of coins.

The 'Square of Coins' is an appeal for 'The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust' which is constructing a new example of a B17 class express passenger steam railway locomotive at Sheffield. B17s were designed and built for East Anglia and could be seen at March throughout their lives. All sorts of coins were contributed by supporters of the trust and gathered together to form the square. All coins were accepted with modern British coins supplemented by old £sd, new and obsolete foreign coins.

If you can help sustain the growth of the size of ‘The Square’ then please contact Discovering March contributor Peter Wright, leader of The Cambs & Fens Group, B17 SLT at jetbreeze@btinternet.com or telephone (01354) 660011 for more information.

BANDS IN THE PARK SUMMER DATES

Dates for this year’s Bands In The Park Summer concerts have been announced. They will be held on Sundays July 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th and Sundays August 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th. The concerts start at 2pm and finish at 4pm. In the event of inclement weather bands may relocate to St Peter’s Church in High Street, March, depending on its availability.

Dog and Field Roses

By

June is the time of year when every hedgerow is full of glorious wild roses with exquisite perfume. Wild roses mean summer to me but they are very fragile, short-lived and really hate rain and wind, as do we all in summer.

The Dog Rose got its rather unfortunate name from the Ancient Greeks who believed that the roots would cure a man bitten by a mad dog. This name became Rosa canina to the Romans and the English name is a straight translation from the Latin. The five petalled flowers of both species are similar; the only obvious difference is that Dog Roses are pink but fade to white when they get old but Field Roses are always white. Dog Roses grow anywhere but Field Roses belie their name and prefer woodland. Closer examination will show that the styles in the centre of the flower of the Field Rose form a column whilst the Dog Rose has styles that flare outwards from the middle. In order to see this difference, you will need to get very close to the bloom and will possibly discover that the Field Rose has slightly more hooked thorns than the Dog Rose so will cause a worse injury. This information will convince you that wild roses are best admired carefully from a distance. Very stout gloves are needed if you plan to handle rose stems.

Both roses produce bright red hips in autumn, the Dog Rose hip being slightly more elongated than the Field Rose. Rose hips are an important source of vitamin C and generations of children were brought up on Rose Hip Syrup.

Both are shrubs with slender stems that will form an untidy bush but prefer to scrabble up through other shrubs and will even reach the top of tall trees.

Henry VIII (1485-1509) adopted the Tudor Rose as his emblem and ever since it has been a symbol of the monarchy and England itself. Perhaps it is significant that the Dog Rose is rare in Scotland, and the Field Rose does not occur there at all.

The first Alexandra Rose Day took place on Wednesday, June 26th, 1912. Donors were given pink roses very similar to the poppies received for donations to the Poppy Appeal. It was initiated by Queen Alexandra to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of her arrival in Britain for her marriage to the Prince of Wales, later to be King Edward VII. Monies raised at first went to help poor people access London Hospitals but now goes to London food banks.

Next Gault Wood Work Party is Saturday, June 10th at 10am. If you'd like to support our work at the wood as a volunteer, please contact the Woodland Trust using this email: volunteering@woodlandtrust.org.uk

Alternatively, you might like to support the Nature's Calendar project, which focuses on phenology, which is the study of plant and animal reaction to climate change. Nature's Calendar (woodlandtrust.org.uk)

Photo: Dog Rose (Rosa canina)

Joan Munns, of March Wildlife Group & March & District Woodland Group

Photo: Field Rose (Rosa arvensis)

TOM’S VISION PROVES DOORWAY TO SUCCESS

Westbrook Window Repairs has just celebrated its fourth anniversary

The March business has enjoyed an excellent reputation since being launched by Tom Westbrook and his wife Suzanne in May 2019.

The company offers a wide range of services, carrying out work on: new windows and doors; misted windows; dropped doors; replacement locks and hinges; and cat and dog flaps.

Suzanne said: “We are over the moon at how the business has grown over the past four years. It was a dream to set up the business and we are very busy. After the COVID-19 lockdown, a lot of people started working at home and that helped keep us busy.

“I think one of the main reasons why we have been successful is that Tom continues to only carry out work that is necessary which helps to keep the price down to our customers. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us.”

Tom has more than thirty years’ experience in manufacturing, fitting and repairing windows and his company has more than twelve hundred followers on Facebook, receiving a number of recommendations including:

“Needed a fairly urgent repair carrying out to a window. Fantastic efficient service from Suzanne and Tom, thank you so much. Highly recommended.” and

“We have recently had new windows and doors fitted by Tom and his team. We are very pleased with the work that has been completed. Very nice guy; trustworthy and reliable. Will recommend to anyone.”

You can contact Westbrook Window Repairs for a free no obligation quote by ringing (01354) 653445 or 07949 457029. Email: westbrookwindowrepairs@gmail.com

CHANCE FOR LOCAL YOUNGSTERS TO LEARN NEW SKILLS

By Steve Barclay MP

It was fascinating to be shown around Aerotron Composites last month. Celebrating fifty years, Aerotron has grown into a global group of companies which is focused on delivering the best for its customers.

Aerotron Composites was established in Chatteris in 2019 and has gone from strength to strength. The team produces, designs, develops, engineers, manufactures and repairs complex composite components. Works are underway on new, bespoke state-of-the-art facilities for composite maintenance repair and later this year ground will be broken on a 100,000sq ft warehouse and production buildings on the campus in Chatteris. There are some fabulous apprenticeship programme opportunities bringing skills to young people across the region. This is a real success story within the constituency, more than doubling the number of staff over the COVID period and proving to be one of the leading companies in the aerospace and defence industries. Many thanks to director Andrew Leslie and the team who showed me around.

There were many events and activities marking the coronation and it was great to see Whittlesey Town Council awarded £7400 by the National Lottery Community Fund to help celebrate. The funding was to be used to create a community garden and an event marking the King’s coronation.

More than £3 million of National Lottery funding was awarded to communities across the UK so they could come together in celebration with grants from £300 to £10,000.

Elsewhere in the constituency, it was interesting to learn of the Octavia Hill’s pioneering work with the Army Cadet Force. The creation of the National Army Cadet Force Museum is an excellent

addition with its timeline of displays, and a good illustration of the good work of volunteers at the museum. Thanks to Mark Knight and David Crouch for showing me around.

It was good to catch up with councillors from all parties at the local election counts in May. Nationally, the results were a mixed picture, but I’m delighted with the strong Conservative showing in the constituency, reinforcing many of the good decisions and hard work put in over the years.

Finally, another thank you. My annual Read to Succeed campaign wouldn’t be the success it has been for many years without the support and generosity of lots of our local organisations, businesses, schools, community groups, and individuals. Nestle Purina have once again supported the campaign to the tune of £2500 – the fifth year they have been involved. Many thanks to them and our other contributors.

find out more about my work in Parliament or local campaigns, visit my website www.stevebarclay.net or follow me on social media:  @SteveBarclay  @SteveBarclayOfficial

Photo: with David Crouch (left) and Mark Knight at the National Army Cadet Force Museum created at Octavia Hill's birthplace house in Wisbech

Attractions

SATURDAY 10th JUNE

8am-5pm Lions Gala

9am-5pm Car Show

1.45pm-9.30pm Main Stage

2pm-9pm Dance Tent

SUNDAY 11th JUNE

11am-1pm Dog Show

12pm-2pm Junior Disco

12.45pm-8.30pm Main Stage

1pm-4pm Circus Skills

2pm-5pm Wrestling

1pm-5pm Steam Punk

1pm-5pm Face Painting

1pm-5pm Friends of Rings End

theThroughout weekend there will also be a InflatablesFunfair, and Food Stalls!

Prize Draw Entry Form

Name Mobile Email

Complete the above details and hand into the Control Caravan with £1 suggested donation to the Festival per entry. Entries must be handed in by 5pm on Sunday 11th June. Prize Draw will take place on Main Stage at 5.30pm. Above details will only be used for the purpose of notifying winners. (The Committee).

MAIN STAGE

FRIDAY 9th JUNE

6.30pm-7pm Harry Wenman sponsored by Dr Tree

7.15pm-7.45pm No Flamingos on a Sunday 8pm-8.30pm All Fall Down

8.45pm-9.45pm Highway Star

SATURDAY 10th JUNE

1.15pm-1.30pm Opening Ceremony

1.30pm-2pm George Campbell Leisure Centre (get fit for Festival)

2pm-2.30pm RKA Kickboxing Academy (demonstration)

2.35pm-3.05pm Fenland Shotokan Karate Club (demonstration)

3.10pm-3.40pm Bondy sponsored by The Pet Shop

3.55pm-4.40pm Hunch Power

4.55pm-5.40pm Dear Monday sponsored by Red Skips

5.50pm-6.35pm Back Two sponsored by R Skoulding

6.50pm-7.50pm Dirty Little Secret sponsored by UK Towbars

8.05pm-9.35pm Groove Cartell sponsored by MJS Construction

SUNDAY 11th JUNE

5.45pm-6.45pm

Toenail reconstruction could be the answer!

Toenail reconstruction is a cosmetic or medical procedure performed by a podiatrist. We use a specialist gel that is layered either directly onto the nail or nail bed if no nail is present due to trauma or surgery. This is suitable for both men and women, with the option of a natural looking finish or gloss finish. This procedure creates a brand-new nail or covers unsightly or misshapen nails so that the nail is more aesthetically pleasing. This is perfect to disguise unsightly nails due to fungal infections, or damage to the nail bed.

This means that you can still have lovely looking feet for your holiday or special occasion and flaunt your feet in style. Nail reconstruction is not a permanent solution. The length of time that the nail reconstruction lasts will vary from person to person.

The new nail will generally last between four and six weeks but can last longer depending on how much of the nail is damaged; after this time, the reconstructed nail is removed and a new one can be reapplied.

A reconstructed toenail may be treated in exactly the same way you would treat a normal nail, meaning you can apply nail varnish and use a nail varnish remover.

Contact us now on 01354 651200 for more information about how we can help your damaged, ugly nails look beautiful again!

Why foster?

Children come into care for several different reasons, for varying lengths of time and at different stages in their life . What they all have in common is their need for a safe and stable home environment with carers who are loving, understanding and flexible to accommodate their needs. From emotional support to teaching life skills, Nexus Fostering foster carers help children and young people thrive and develop into independent, well-rounded adults.

What sort of families are suitableto become foster carers?

There really is no typical fostering household!

Whether you’re an individual, couple, or family, foster carers from all walks of life are needed to provide suitable homes for children and young

people in care. You’ll be surprised how everyday life skills and experiences equip you with transferable skills. There are some minimum requirements including a minimum age of 21, you need to be a UK resident or have indefinite leave to remain, and all foster homes need to have a spare bedroom.

What makes a good foster carer?

To be a good foster carer, you must be patient, enthusiastic and flexible in your approach. You should also have;

n A genuine wish to make a positive difference in a young person’s life.

n A sense of humour.

n Experience caring for

We know that the people at Nexus Fostering always care about us and the children. When our social worker visits, they make sure they spend time with everyone and help our foster children with crafts and spend time with them and us, which is lovely.

A FOSTER CARER

children. Although not a requirement, it might be helpful.

Why foster with Nexus Fostering?

Fostering a child can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience for anyone with a passion for helping others. It’s not always easy, but the rewards come from seeing the positive difference you can make for some of the most vulnerable children and young people. Nexus Fostering offers carers round-the-clock support all year round, a comprehensive programme of training, and a competitive allowance and benefits in recognition of the support you provide to the child(ren) in your care.

Every year thousands of new foster carers are needed to care for the increasing number of vulnerable children coming into care in the UK.

Proudly serving the people of Cambridgeshire since 2013, our caring and compassionate team are here to help your family in your hour of need. We realise that every funeral is di erent, and so we strive to make sure that your funeral is exactly as you and your loved ones intended.

Your money is protected when you book your holiday with us

We understand that when it comes to paying money in advance for something such as travel, it’s so important that your money is properly protected. That’s why we are proud to be members of Protected Trust Services (PTS) who provide some of the best financial protection in the UK, giving us and our customers the confidence that their holiday money is fully protected.

What is Protected Trust Services?

PTS is a company that provides financial protection through an independent trust account and bespoke technology to protect your monies. This means, every time you book a holiday with us, your money only goes towards the arrangement of your holiday. It will be used to pay the suppliers, book the tickets, and will never be used for anything irrelevant to your booking. You can also call us at any time, ask where your money is, and we can give you an exact answer.

Being part of PTS, we take great pride in being able to offer the best and most trustworthy protection in travel. We can guarantee that when you book with us, you’ll receive the financial protection you deserve. Contact us today for a quote, we aim to beat any online or high street price.

For peace of mind, and to book your holiday with confidence, choose Holiday With Us.

We protect your money with Protected Trust Services. This means that all your hard earned money goes into a separate trust account and is only used for your booking.

Now just sit back & look forward to your trip with peace of mind

fountain the Memorial

By Richard Munns

Following the death of King Edward VII on May 6th, 1910, King George V was crowned on June 22nd, 1911, and it was decided by the council that a public meeting should be organised to consider if a suitable permanent memorial should be provided to commemorate the Coronation, in addition to the festivities on that day itself.

Mr William Golden was elected as chairman of a committee to consider what form this could take. Sufficient funds were raised by public subscriptions for both a tea party and a permanent memorial to go ahead and in October 1911, the council approved the recommendation of the committee to erect a fountain at the north end of Broad Street.

An order was placed with Walter Macfarlane of Glasgow for their No 20 Ornamental Drinking Fountain at a cost of £168/5/6d plus the fixing cost of thirteen guineas (£13/13/0d) excluding foundations, scaffolding, water and gas supply. This was paid for by the surplus from subscriptions to the festivities fund of £8/9/10d and direct subscriptions to the Permanent Memorial Fund of £186/13/1d. The excess from both funds (£15/17/6d) was handed over to March Urban District Council, as part funding for ‘providing a foundation and other necessary work’, after the accounts had been audited by Henry Coy and Percy Sharman.

The fountain was installed at the north end of Broad Street with cups on chains for the public to drink from together with both horse and dog drinking troughs nearby and it was officially opened by Mr Golden on January 30th, 1912. Above the fountain was a very ornate one thousand candle lamp. In April 1912, the March Gas & Coke Company quoted to supply gas for the lamp for £16 per annum, if turned off at daybreak, and £10 if switched off at midnight. A couple of years later, just before the outbreak of the Great War, the council put the painting of the fountain, out to tender, stipulating brown and

gold. Messrs. Pilgrim & Sons’ tender for £6/0/0d was accepted by the council in September 1914.

The fountain has had a chequered existence since that time. In 1939 it was suggested that traffic lights should be installed at the junction and this would involve moving the fountain to The Avenue recreation ground. However, with the onset of World War Two this did not happen.

The fountain narrowly escaped being included in the wartime scrap iron collection in 1942 by one vote of the council as the value of the two tons of scrap iron (£5) was less than the cost of dismantling it.

Due to increased road traffic, the central drinking fountain was removed in 1963 and in 1996 traffic lights were eventually installed at the junction to improve safety. In 2001, it was decided that, for the Queen’s Jubilee, the fountain should be taken down and totally refurbished. This was accomplished by Heritage Engineering of Glasgow, specialists in restoring Macfarlane’s coatings, with it being dismantled on February 2nd, 2002, and returned, suitably resplendent in silver and gold, on April 21st, 2002.

Pictured: Postcard celebrating the original Fountain with drinking fountain and trough; inset: Refurbished dedication plaque

on behalf of March & District Museum

JUNE MOVIE GEMS

On June 2nd, the next chapter of the Oscar-winning SpiderVerse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse arrives on our screens. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns and after reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

An action-packed adventure for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts on June 8th will take audiences on a 1990s’ globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on Earth between Autobots and Decepticons. Travelling back in time on June 15th, we have The Flash when Barry (Ezra Miller) uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Superheroes to turn to. That is unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian... albeit not the one he’s looking for.

Experience the return of legendary hero, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny on June 28th. Finding himself in a new era, approaching retirement, Indiana (Harrison Ford) wrestles with fitting into a world that seems to have outgrown him. But as the

tentacles of an all-too-familiar evil return in the form of an old rival, Indiana must don his hat and pick up his whip once more to make sure an ancient and powerful artifact doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Rewind: We are bringing Back to the Future to the big screen on June 6th. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a seventeen-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a timetravelling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). National Theatre: Passions run high in RO: Il Trovatore on June 13th, as Manrico and the Count di Luna compete for the affections of Leonora. Little do they know, Manrico’s mother Azucena has been keeping a terrible secret for decades. Soon a curse from the past will rise from the ashes with devastating implications for them all. Starring Ludovic Tézier and Jamie Barton, Adele Thomas’s energetic staging sets Verdi’s tale in a Hieronymus Bosch-inspired universe of medieval superstition.

The hilarious, award-winning play that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series, NTL: Fleabag was filmed live on stage in London’s West End in 2019. Written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) and directed by Vicky Jones, the one-woman show returns to the big screen from June 15th. Oversexed, emotionally unfiltered, selfobsessed, with family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose. More blockbuster films coming your way include Elemental, Barbie, and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One.

Book your tickets and find out more by heading over to wisbech.thelight.co.uk

The Flash Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Indiana Jone and The Dial of Destiny

FRIDAY 9th JUNE

TIMEWARP DISCO

8pm-11.30pm (80s vs 90s Theme)

SATURDAY 24th JUNE

CHARITY DISCO FOR CANCER RESEARCH

7.30pm until late (60s, 70s and 80s theme)

MONDAY 19th JUNE CHARITY BINGO

SATURDAY 1st JULY ALL GLAMMED UP

THE FUNCTION HALL IS AVAILABLE TO HIRE FOR PARTIES & WEDDINGS ETC PLEASE CALL US TO ENQUIRE

March United Services Club 1 New Road, March PE15 9AN Telephone: 01354 657271 Email: uscmarch@yahoo.com Facebook: @marchunitedservices

KEVIN HELPS COOKS BACK TO BUSINESS AT CASSANOS

Apopular March restaurant is back in business, thanks to the help of a local businessman. Mick and Bridget Cook decided to close their business after it was hit by the twin financial effects of COVID-19 and rising energy costs.

But now the pair will be providing the range of food they were known for at the Cook Family Vintage Tea Room in Robingoodfellows Lane, March, at Cassanos in High Street, March, thanks to its owner Kevin McCourt.

Mick said: “It was getting harder and harder to operate because of the effects of COVID and the rising energy costs which almost trebled overnight so we decided not to renew our lease and, after five years, decided to close in June last year, since when we have been carrying out a local food delivery service.

“But now we are back in business thanks to Kevin. He has been fantastic and has been our saviour. For the past few weeks, we have been supplying food using his kitchens at Cassanos and from June

we will be stepping it up to provide the full range that our customers have previously enjoyed.

“Since we started supplying a food service from Kevin’s we have welcomed back a lot of our old customers and have also attracted a number of new ones.”

Bridget prides herself on providing good, traditional food, including a range of specialist cakes, helped out by Mick who is an IT specialist for Knowles Transport. The business, now called Cooks at Cassanos, will be open from 8am-4pm Monday-Friday, and 7am-4pm on Saturdays, providing a range of hot and cold food including breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

Meanwhile Kevin will continue to provide his renowned Sunday carvery lunches alongside his ‘Fine Catering’ catering business.

Cooks at Cassanos, 78-82 High Street, March PE15 9LD. Tel: 07506 489803.ww

Email: cookie197338@yahoo.co.uk

For Cassanos, telephone: (01354) 652309.

GER PRESENTSSports & Social Club

Events coming up at e Club

EVERY WEDNESDAY: LUNCHES

Served from 12 noon to 2pm

EVERY THURSDAY: PUB QUIZ NIGHT

7.30pm start, FREE entry, all welcome

SATURDAY 3rd JUNE

CLUB HOG ROAST NIGHT & DANCE

Members £15, non-members £17

SATURDAY 10th JUNE

CECIL FARAYI WITH HIS SOUL & MOTOWN SHOW

Members £5, non-members £6

SUNDAY 18th JUNE

TRADITIONAL CARVERY

With choice of desserts, tea and coffee

SATURDAY 15th JULY

CLUB MUSIC NIGHT WITH TONY G

Members £5, non-members £6

For more information contact the Club on 01354 653150 or go to the Club Facebook page and just search for March Con Club. If you like the page you will get all the updates for what’s going on.

Why not come and see what the Club has to offer? Our live music events are second to none in the local area, with comfortable, spacious and well decorated rooms.

Did You Know...

The club has two snooker tables, a pool table, a FREE jukebox, plus lots of events for members. We also have a six-rink bowls green. Why not come along and enjoy yourself?

Summe r

opening hours:

7-10.30pm

27 west end, march pe15 8dp 01354 652233

75

THE AVENUE,

ON THE CLOUD

Internet cloud services, such as Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and GoogleDrive, store your data on a server rather than on your computer’s hard drive, so you can access it from any internetenabled device anywhere in the world. Cloud providers store your files, photos and other documents to an online location, thus offering an alternative backup to conventional methods of file storage. But websites can get hacked and whilst it’s easy for us to blame corporations for poor security and hackers for maliciously attacking websites, there is often a third party at fault in these attacks: the users.

The following are some useful tips, which will help boost your own data’s security in addition to that offered by whichever internet cloud service provider you chose to use.

Keep Your Computer Virus-Free.

It is imperative that your computer is virus-free, otherwise you run the risk of revealing your cloud log-in details. Make sure your virus scanner and anti-malware software is up-to-date, and that you run your anti-virus scanner on a regular basis.

Read The User Guide

If you are not sure what cloud storage to choose, or if you have any questions as to how a cloud service works, read the user agreement of the service you are planning to sign up for, however boring you may think it is. Be aware that your cloud service provider must keep your data as safe and secure as they can. A good provider will be able to offer several secure back-ups of your files, all stored in different locations. If the service provider only has one storage location, or

if they reveal the exact physical whereabouts of their servers, their security may be compromised.

Be Serious About Passwords

So many people still do not take password security seriously. Did you know that ninety percent of all passwords can be cracked within seconds? Create STRONG passwords of at least eight characters with both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.

Use An Encrypted Cloud Service. Some cloud services provide local encryption and decryption of your files as well as storage and backup. It means that the service takes care of both encrypting your files on your own computer and storing them safely on the cloud.

FOR THIS AND ALL OUR OTHER ARTICLES, GO TO WWW.DIAMONDBYTE.CO.UK

PHILIP AT DIAMOND BYTE

LOCAL CLUBS & GROUPS

Solo Club: For people who have lost partners through bereavement. Come along and join us every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month; midday at Hot Pots Cafe – The Cricket Club, Burrowmoor Road, March PE15 9RS. Membership £5/year. For more details contact 01354 656181 or 01354 654169.

Lunch & Film Club: Meets on the first Thursday of each month in March Town Hall. Lunch is served at midday followed by the film. £15 per person. Tickets are available from Paninis.

Friends of March Library: Coffee Morning. The Friends of March Library hold a coffee morning at March Library on the last Saturday of every month from 10 30am to 12 noon. Hot and cold drinks plus biscuits cost 50p and we also hold a raffle. All profits are spent on/by March Library. Do come and join us. For more details contact Maureen Malvern on 01354 658247.

Rings End Nature Reserve: Family workshops for all to be involved in. Meets every second Sunday of the month in the car park for the nature reserve Rings End PE15 0BE. Conservation for all 9.30am-12 noon.There is a meeting at the Rookswood Club on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7pm to discuss the nature reserve management and events. All are welcome (please check Facebook for any last minute changes to venue). Please call Hayley on 07962 337988 for more information.

March Yoga Club: Meets at March Community Centre on Tuesdays 4.30pm-5.45pm and 6.15pm-7.30pm and Wednesdays 10am-11.15am then Elm Primary School or Emneth Central Hall Wednesdays 7pm-8.15pm. For availability please contact Peter on 07905 601585 or email: pabamullins206@ntlworld.com

March Parkinson's Group: Meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 10.30am-12.30pm at the Braza Club, Elm Road, March. This is a friendly group and everyone is welcome. £1 per session so pop along for a free taster and check us out. Please contact Wendy Summerlin on 01354 661997 for more details.

The Other Art Group: Meets every Thursday afternoon 2-4pm at March Library. Membership fee is £30 for 12 weeks paid quarterly. For details contact March Library on 03450 455225 and your details will be forwarded to them.

March U3A: For people in their third age; retired or not in full time employment. Meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the Braza Club, Elm Road, March at 2pm. There is a range of activities available in groups run by U3A members. New members are very welcome. If you would like any more information please email march.u3a.enquires@gmail.com

Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire Family History Society. Join us from 2-4pm on the first Wednesday of the month at March Library Meeting Room. We have speakers on both family and social history. For further details contact Wendy 01354 650932.

March Lions Club: Meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm in March Town Hall. New members always welcome. For more information visit marchlions.org.uk or call 0345 833 5101.

March Raceway: One of the oldest 1/12 radio control car oval clubs in the UK. Our members range from 8 to 75 years old so all are welcome! Race every Friday at Longhill Road Social Club, Longhill Road, March PE15 0PR (at the prison). Doors open 6.30pm. For fixtures and further information visit marchraceway.weebly.com or find us on Facebook.

March Jive Club: At The Braza Club, Elm Road, March PE15 8NZ. Meets every Wednesday night 7.30-10.30pm with 1:1 personal tuition available. Every 3rd Friday in the month dance with top line groups and DJs. For more info call Andrew and Donna on 01354 776229 or Terry 07979 442920.

Wisbech and District Flower Club: Meets every third Monday of the month at St Peter’s Hall, Wisbech from 7.30pm. call Yvonne on 01945 581360 for more information.

March Probus Club: Meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at March Conservative Club as a group of semi or fully retired gentlemen; 10am for a cuppa and a chat and then at 10.30am we have a guest speaker for approx 45 mins covering a wide range of topics. To find out more please contact Dr Allan J Whyte (Club Secretary) on 07979 887110 or pop in.

March Marlins Swimming Club: Meets each weekday at Manor Leisure Centre Whittlesey and George Campbell Leisure Centre March please come along and join us; all abilities welcome (must be able to swim at least one length). Please contact swimatmarlins@gmail.com

March Triathlon Club: Meets every Tuesday 5.30-7pm for swim training at the George Campbell Leisure Centre. All abilities welcome. £4 per person. Please contact Martyn on 01354 460000.

March Town Cricket Club: Burrowmoor Road, March PE15 9RS. Cricket for adults, ladies and juniors including All Stars & Dynamos (From 5 to 15 years). Regular social events and bar open most evenings. Call 01354 652029 or visit www.marchtowncricket.com

Wimblington Village Choir: Meets Monday evenings, 7-9pm in Parish Hall, Addison Road, Wimblington. All voices welcome. Learn great arrangements of songs from the ‘50s onwards, and perform at local events. Taster night free, then £3 weekly. For more information contact Chris: 07831 835358, Maureen 07988 982200 or email: wimblingtonchoir@hennen.co.uk

March Brass 2000: Your local brass band - we rehearse at St Peter's Church in March every Monday evening, from 7pm. We are a family-orientated band and enjoy performing at a variety of venues. If you can play a brass instrument please come along and meet the band on a Monday night; you would be most welcome. For more information please contact Secretary Anita Mackie on marchbrass2000@gmail.com

Intrigue Circle of Light Clairvoyance Evenings: Every Monday; starts 7pm for 7.30pm at The Braza Club, Elm Road, March PE15 8NZ. £4/person. Please call 01354 655093 for information.

www.wisbechtennisclub.org.uk

07549 263767

wtcmembership@hotmail.co.uk

ALL AGES AND LEVELS WELCOME

Has your teddy lost their mojo?

Has your teddy lost their mojo?

If they are less than 40 years old and in need of:

• A general clean-up

• Replacement eyes/nose/stuffing

• Limbs, ears or pad repair

• A new overcoat

Why not see if March Bearspot can bring their smile back?

CALL 01354 651821 FOR DETAILS

Does your caravan need a little TLC?

CARAVANS BOUGHT FOR CASH

REPAIR

Our onsite workshop offers a fully comprehensive repair service for your caravan or motorhome.

SERVICING

From a minor service to a full comprehensive check, our experienced engineers will give you peace of mind for your journeys ahead.

SALES

Looking to buy? We have a range of used caravans that may suit your requirements.

INSURANCE

We are a fully, insuranceapproved repair centre for all major UK insurers and manufacturers.

ACCESSORIES

We’ve got everything for your camping needs in our friendly, onsite shop.

SPARES

Looking for a spare part? Why not get in touch? With our contacts in the industry, we may be able to order spares in for you.

FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS WITH 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE