Issuu

s d r o f f O e h t in August - September 2021

A new website has now launched www.offordvillagehall.org.uk 1

‘Everything Dog’ – keeping your dog safe in the heat My name is Raechel Waldon-Harris (Rae) and I am a certified, accredited canine coach, living in Offord Cluny. Force-free canine coaches use modern and effective, kindness-based training techniques, to guide dog parents to encourage their dogs to make the right choices, when faced with all of the distractions and events of everyday life. For this first article, I would like to talk about helping to keep your dog safe in the hot weather. Although most of us are well aware of how dogs can truly suffer in the heat, with sometimes devastating consequences and do our very best to protect our beloved family members, you might like some ideas and tips on how to keep our precious pooches cool, happy and contented in summertime, as temperatures soar! Tip 1 : Walk your dog early in the morning and later in the evening. Keeping to a dog walk before 9am and after 7pm will help your dog stay safe in summer. As pavements can reach temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit between 2pm and 4pm and exceed 120 degrees on blacktop between the hours of 11am and 6pm, this is way above the pain thresholds for most dogs. Burnt pads are a common consequence of walking on hot pavements and I tend to walk mine in the grass when it’s a warm day and drive to those locations, rather than walk there. I also choose areas with lots of shady areas where the dogs and I can chill out and simply ‘be’. I take a rucksack with water as well as treats which are water-based, such as cucumber, to keep my dogs hydrated. We also have to consider that our dogs cannot sweat, and regulate their body temperatures through panting and their paws and can easily get heat stroke, which can be fatal, so keeping your dog off the hot pavement and out of strong sunlight is vital for your dog’s health and wellbeing. Tip 2 : Exercising your dog in the heat Dogs don’t need to be running madly for a ball or dashing around in the heat and by all means they definitely won’t benefit from being pulled along on a ‘human’ run or bike ride. It’s really not a healthy experience for a dog, at any time, as it can take a toll on their joints and they have no control, when they want to stop for a breather or to sniff around. So keep human exercise separate, and let your dog sniff, saunter and stop whenever they wish to on their own walk. We might think that running our dogs into the ground will tire them out, but it’s better to give them more enrichment (sniffing around, light training exercises or ‘find it’ games) than exhausting them with relentless running. Many breeds are simply not built to run hard or be forced to gallop beside a bike, so consider how we would feel if we were made to do the same, in the hot sun, wearing a fur coat! A 20 to 30 minute saunter early morning and in the evening should keep most dogs entertained, depending on the breed, but we must consider that they will be using energy to keep cool and will 3

want to be comfortable on their stroll. There are plenty of games and exercises you can do during the day at home which will help keep them occupied and out of the sun. Tip 3: Encourage your dog to seek shade It’s true, dogs can be daft and sit in the sun, panting away, but it’s our responsibility to help them stay out of harm’s way, especially when our dog decides to sit for hours in the sun. Encourage them into the shade by placing their bed or mat somewhere cool. If you, like me, have dogs that follow you everywhere, sit in the shade too, so they will feel more comfortable and get to be with you. It’ll do your skin the world of good as well!! A paddling pool in the garden is a great shout for cooling them off, as well as a shop-bought tent or a home-made den. Their crate or 2 chairs covered in a sheet is perfect for keeping them out of strong sunlight. Many dogs simply love the hose too! So find what cooling game or place your dog likes, when you do want to be outside in the lovely weather. Tip 4 : Tasty cool treats Enrichment toys can be filled with a myriad of tasty treats, and what’s more, you can soak them in water and put them in the freezer too! So your dog will love spending time digging out their favourite tasty morsels, whilst staying cool! I wouldn’t, however, recommend feeding your dog blocks of ice, as this can disrupt their natural heat regulatory system and gives them the shakes! I have learned from experience on this one. If your dog has any allergies or medical issues, check with your vet on what foods they would be ok to eat from an enrichment toy and stick to the foods you know won’t upset them. Tip 5 : Dogs in cars We all know that dogs can die in hot cars and most of us would never leave our dog in the car whilst we pop into the shop or drop off a parcel to the post office. However, I still see dogs in hot cars, as well as being tied up outside the local shop and it makes me so sad to see it. There are 2 reasons I would say never to leave your dog in this situation, one is for the heat issue ( a car can take 5 minutes to reach temperatures of over 100 degrees in summer and being tied up outside in strong sunlight is just not healthy for a dog) but with the rising cases of dog theft currently happening, I would strongly urge anyone to never leave their dog alone in a public place. If you’re in doubt of what your car journey might entail, I would simply leave your dog at home to be safe, content and cool. Tip 6 : Sunscreen Yes! You can buy sunscreen for dogs! And if your dog is lighter in colour, short haired or simply has little hair in certain places (my little girl needs it on her tummy), you can apply sunscreen to protect them. Of course this won’t stop them 4

getting heat stroke, so we still need to keep them in the shade as much as possible. ONLY use a sunscreen which is specially formulated for dogs, as some of the chemicals in human sunscreen can be toxic for them. Sun care can come in the form of wipes, spray, cream or even a handy stick, which you can use directly on the skin, or smear on your fingers to stroke your dog, if they don’t like having products applied to them directly. Keeping our dogs safe, comfortable and happy in the sunnier climes can be simple and we can help them to have fun, out and about, whilst caring for their health and wellbeing. Enjoy the sun! If you would like any help or advice on coaching your puppy or dog, do send me an email at waldonharrisk9@gmail.com or give me a call on 07730393757 for details.

Welcome Welcome to the August/September edition of Out and About (O&A), the Offord Village Magazine. It aims to promote the community by sharing village news and useful contacts. The on-line full colour edition has proved so popular that we are continuing with this on the village websites in addition to the printed edition. We encourage new contributors with a story to tell. Articles are accepted from organizations and individuals so long as they are not political or offensive. We welcome photographs, news stories and poems from villagers. We may need to defer entries if we receive too many at once. Contributions are included free of charge. You can contact the editorial team via offordOandA@gmail.com Most of the cost of production is covered by the revenue from advertising and we are grateful to our loyal advertisers. Production costs are also supplemented by an annually reviewed grant from the Parish Council. Out and About is delivered free of charge to every home in the Offords. This is possible because a willing team of volunteers brave the elements come rain or shine to bring it to your door. We hope you find something to interest you in this edition.

At last we can travel safely by coach again! Although some of our trips are already fully booked, we do still have some lovely days out available to book, and we also have reserved seats at the Panto! Two of our trips earlier in July had to be postponed due to the delay in removal of social distancing restrictions, so the new dates are below. All trips will have pick up points in St Neots, Offord, Godmanchester and Huntingdon. Please take a look below and if anything takes your fancy, please call us on 01480 810560 and we can book your seats! Tuesday 31st August - Warehouse Antiques Centre and Tap Room. Spend the day at Norfolks largest antiques centre, which is adjacent to the largest beer shop in the UK! Enjoy a cream tea as part of your day. £27.50 (includes travel and cream tea) Saturday 4th September - Mystery Tour! Let us take you out for the day. There will be a stop for lunch and you will be home in time for tea! £15 for one or £27.50 for two (travel only). Monday 6th September - A day out in Hunstanton £15 adult £10 child Saturday 18th September - Riverboat cruise plus roast dinner. Enjoy a 3-hour cruise on the River Trent on board the Nottingham Princess, with a 2-course roast dinner along the way. £38.00 Sunday 12th December - Pantomime! See Jack and the Beanstalk at the Milton Keynes Theatre. We have seats in the Circle and Stalls for the 2pm performance. £43.00 We will be planning trips from September onwards, and a brochure will be sent to all on our mailing list. Please let us know if you would like to be added to the list. We reserve the right to cancel any excursion with less than 20 passengers. We will refund all money paid for any cancelled excursion. We now have a wheelchair accessible coach - if you need to travel in a wheelchair please call us to discuss your requirements.

O ff

n o i t a i c o s s A s ord Gardener

August - September

As the rules are being relaxed, your committee have arranged a social event in a member’s garden on Thursday,19th August 2021. It is to be held in Helen and Mark Ellis’ garden. Please contact any members of the committee for further details. We are also hoping to resume our regular meetings . Sometime ago we booked the hall in the hope of holding a Summer Show on the Saturday 4th September. As all members will be aware by now, this will only go ahead if there is enough support from members to provide entries and come along and support the show. We also note that Covid changes may well change our plans and some may not feel at ease returning to the hall. However we will, of course, be complying with all the Covid rules set out for use of the hall. Jobs for August • Deadhead Flowering Plants regularly • Watering more essential in the hot summer days, especially containers, and where possible use grey recycled or water butt water • Harvest vegetables as they are ready • Collect seeds from garden plants • Take geranium cuttings • Remove old fruited canes from raspberries • Pot up strawberries • Top up ponds and water features Jobs for September • Divide herbaceous plants • Dig remaining Potatoes before slug damage • Net ponds prior to leaf fall • Keep up with watering • Reduce houseplant watering • Clean out greenhouse and cold frame ready for use in autumn • Cover leafy vegetables with bird proof netting • Plant spring flowering bulbs As always we are here to help and advise. Look forward to meeting you all soon. Enjoy your gardening John 811148 9

Hi all, Just wanting to say thank you all for coming and supporting Offord Tots since we reopened in May. It’s been so lovely to catch up with you all and I've been amazed how much the children have grown in the 14 months we were closed. We've managed to keep everyone safe and the children have had so much fun. Since reopening in May, we've been so busy! The children have been colouring in posters for the Football final, decorating some delicious rainbow pride cupcakes and enjoyed a fun summer party. It’s been hard saying goodbye to some of our regulars who are now enjoying their exciting final summer before starting primary school in September. We will all miss them so much! Have an amazing summer break everyone and we are back on Friday, 10th September, at 9.15am. Remember, everyone is welcome. Newborns until they start school. If you have any questions, please message me on nikkivenning@hotmail.com. Thanks Nikki

OFFORD VILLAGE HALL HIRE Offord Village Hall is available for hire for all types of functions: Wedding Receptions, Christenings, Private parties etc. The Hall has disabled access and facilities and comprises of: a large main hall with a stage, refurbished kitchen, bar, separate committee room and a car park. The hall is licensed for music. Daytime rates are priced per hour (minimum 2 hours) with reduced rates for regular users. Weekend evening rates available on request. For further details please contact

Helen Bosworth on 01480 811892 Email: droffo144@gmail.com 11

y t i r e V d n a Farmers Ed Hello everyone! We hope you are all making the most of this beautiful sunshine and enjoying our wonderful countryside. Farmer Ed is currently very busy making and storing away the hay we need to feed our animals over the winter period. When the weather is hot and dry, it is the perfect time to make hay. First, the long grass needs to be mowed into rows. Following this it is thrown about to help it dry out (called ‘tedding’) – sometimes this has to be done several times. Finally, when it has dried sufficiently, it can be rowed up into straight lines again, and baled into whichever size bale is needed. It is a lot of hard work, but very satisfying when it is safely stacked away in the shed ready for winter. All of the livestock are continuing to do well. The calves in the village field are getting bigger and love to play with one another in the cooler evenings. The lambs have now been weaned from their mums, and the adult sheep have all be shorn. Shearing is an essential task to maintain the health and welfare of our sheep for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it helps keep the sheep cool in the hot summer months (something they are thankful for with this recent hot weather!); secondly, it reduces the risk of flystrike and other parasite infestations developing in the thick fleece when it is hot. The fleece produced off the sheep during shearing is a very versatile product, being spun into wool for clothing and used as insulation material as well. The next task in our farming calendar is preparing the ewes and rams for the breeding season which starts in the autumn. Every ewe and ram will have a health check before this, to make sure they are fit and able to breed – we can tell you more about this next time. Stay safe everyone and enjoy the wonderful weather. Farmer Ed & Verity

OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 300+ CLUB (OFFORD RECREATION HUT) Registered charity no. 302653

MAY £ 20 £ 15 £ 10 £ 5

No. 049 No. 251 No. 075 No. 088

Peter Birchall Tracie Conie Charlotte Richards Karen Wildber

JUNE £ 20 £ 15 £ 10 £ 5

No. 185 No. 049 No. 046 No. 230

Alan Hudson Peter Birchall Peter Handelin Jonathan Fry

JULY £ 125 £ 60 £ 30 £ 20 £ 15 £ 10

No. 274 No. 084 No. 107 No. 228 No. 208 No. 049

Helen Manning Carol Howell Marlene Alderman Jonathan Fry Simon Young Peter Birchall

The draws are taking place virtually with witnesses until groups start to meet again. The next GRAND DRAW will take place in December and the monthly draws will be taking place at Village clubs and events. There are still a few shares available if you would like to join. Contact Helen Bosworth on 811892 or Jenny Murby on 811474 for further details.

l l a H e g a l l i V Offord We are delighted that our dedicated website has now gone live. It can be accessed via www.offordvillagehall.org.uk. You will find lots of information about the hall, including its history and any news. There will be access to our policies, minutes of our meetings and terms and conditions of hire. There is also a description of the facilities available which includes the equipment and, more importantly, instructions on how to use them. You will also be able to see the up-to-date calendar of what is on and the dates it is vacant should you wish to book the hall for a special occasion, such as a party or private function. You will find a booking form, but can still contact Helen Bosworth our Bookings Secretary on 01480 811892 or email bookings@offordvillagehall.org.uk. We have now had the new storeroom roof installed after an unfortunate period of heavy rain. Hopefully, the new one will last another twenty years! Thank you to the volunteers who checked and emptied the containers placed under the leaks. It was lucky that there was not too much damage to items in the store itself. We are pleased to say that the hall is slowly starting to re-open. However, and despite the lifting of legal restrictions, it will be appropriate for hirers and users of the hall to continue to be vigilant and to manage risks to themselves and others. Further guidance and advice will be provided. Whilst the Government’s additional four weeks of restrictions meant the ‘Reopening Celebration’ for village residents had to be postponed, we are hoping that we will be able to hold a similar celebration in future. However, we have a full programme of events from September which kicks off with the extremely popular Beer Festival. More details are on the website with the all-important part of how to get your tickets! We hope that you will find something that interests you in the following programme and that you will come along and meet with friends old and new. Looking forward to seeing you there. Helen Ellis - Secretary, Offord Village Hall

Calendar of events for the next twelve months: Beer Festival Saturday September 25th, 2021, 6pm – 11pm. An opportunity to try locally brewed beers and ciders. Food and other refreshments will be available to purchase from Apple & Jalapeno Creative Cuisine. Local musicians ‘Alison Lane’ will provide the music during the evening. Tickets £20 in advance only, will include 5 drinks. Get yours via www.ticketsource.co.uk or by phoning 07855 068756. Quiz Night Saturday October 9th, 2021, 7:30pm for a prompt 7:45pm start. Simon is our quizmaster. Teams of up to 6 people can pit their wits against each other for a small prize, with the ultimate accolade of being the top team. Bring your own food and drink and glasses. Tickets £5 available from John 810049 or Patrick 812208 Ceilidh Saturday October 16th, 2021, 7:30pm – 11pm. Put on your comfy shoes and enjoy an evening of fun dancing to ‘Hannibal’s Heroes’. The caller will have you dancing like a professional, with absolutely no experience needed. A ‘Ploughman’s supper’ will be provided in the ticket price of £12.50 and a licenced bar will be available. Tickets will be available from www.ticketsource.co.uk Christmas Big Band Dance Saturday December 11th, 2021. Kick off the Christmas season with an opportunity to dance and be entertained by this big band sound. Ticket price will include a supper. A licenced bar will be available. A Murder Mystery Saturday February 26th, 2022. An interactive murder mystery group will uncover the murder scene. Throughout the evening, clues will be revealed so that you can play along as detectives to find out whodunnit! Supper and a licenced bar will be included in the ticket price. All events are subject to change with more details of each event and ticket prices to follow. You can keep up to date by going to our new website www.offordvillagehall.org.uk.

Pilates with K Fit in Offord! With a focus on stretch, strength, mobility and control, Pilates exercises can help you ease back ache, improve posture and strengthen the core muscles in a gentle and calm environment. K Fit has been established in St Neots since 2011 and is very excited to reach the Offord community. Class Details: Wednesday mornings at Offord Village Hall 11am-12pm These classes will be held as 6 week courses through term times, Course price: £45 These classes will be held with a maximum of 12 participants to ensure there is enough floor space and good quality teaching. Prior booking is essential; please get in contact to reserve your space. Katrina Hyland Head of K Fit 07967100603 Kdanceandfitness@gmail.com www.kdanceandfitness.co.uk

At the time of writing, we are on day one of all COVID-19 restrictions being lifted. I am full of hope for a Spring 2022 production and have put some dates in the Village Hall diary to aim for. I understand that members and audiences alike will all be wary, but it would be great to welcome everyone back, for what will mark our 25th year! Watch this space, because if our hopes materialise, we will need performers and creatives aplenty and the all-important ingredientan audience! Fingers crossed and don’t mention The Scottish Play! For more information check out our website www.theoffordplayers.co.uk or contact John on 810049.

The Huntingdonshire Society for the Blind can recycle your used postage stamps, and has a representative living in Offord Cluny. Please drop them in at 127 High Street or phone 811892 for collection. Just cut or tear off envelope leaving some paper around the stamp.

JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including: Coving, Decorating (Internal), Drylining & Plastering, FREE ESTIMATES Please Call

Tel: 01480 812461 Mobile: 07708031493 21

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Out & About THE OFFORDS GAZETTE

Please note our advertising charges. This magazine is issued every two months and the cost per issue is:

Full page - £15.00 Half page - £ 8.00 For further information or to place orders for advertising please phone Sue Dorrington on 07724 553101 Or email sue _dorrington@hotmail.co.uk 24

b u l C s n e z i t i C r o i n e S d r o f f O Greetings to all our members and I hope this finds you all well and looking to the future. We have had a committee meeting to discuss the way forward for the club. We are all mindful that our next meeting must be one where everyone feels safe and all required precautions are taken. It has been proposed that a tentative first date of 28th October will be the date when we will all meet up again in the Village Hall for a Fish and Chip supper. Malcolm will be telephoning individual members in due course. We will, of course, be monitoring the general situation very closely but maybe now is the time to look forward to the future. It will be lovely to see all our members together again. For further information of Offord Senior Citizens Club, please call Marlene Alderman on 01480 810609 or Sue Barimore on 01480 810763.

Thursday Club Thursday Club has been meeting on the Millennium Green, weather permitting! A good proportion of members have met up and it has been joyful to see people in person and have some laughs. So if anyone would like to join us they would be more than welcome. Every Thursday 12 until 2pm. We intend to meet on the Millennium Green during the summer months. We want to be safe. Doreen Rowbury 811025

Sheila Reece 812238 25

I’m going to tackle declining fitness; I’m fighting back – but I need a witness. It’s all very well to try on your own, with TV or iPad and mat of foam, But motivation is hard to find…and I know it shows on my behind! So I’ve joined Keep Fit at the Village Hall; it’s for Active Seniors, one and all. I’ve bought me some kit – and that was quite hard you’ll never get me in a leotard! So I’ve bought some leggings – Oh Heavens be! I’m not at all sure they look good on me! I wear a loose top to hide the bulging that’s caused by too much secret indulging. I feel quite proud of the effort I’m making - it must do me good for my limbs are aching. We wobble and weave and stretch and bend and I glance at the clock – is it nearly the end? We stop for a drink to keep us going and soon enough our movements are flowing. We use a ball and sometimes a chair - “Keep going, keep going, we’re nearly there”. And just as my hips feel they’re giving away, Janine says “ Ladies, that’s it for today”. We’ve toned and we’ve tightened and giggled a bit - It’s really quite fun, this keeping fit. I’m still not convinced the leggings are right – they’re honeycomb pattern to hide cellulite. But hey, who cares – they help me to move and my body shape can only improve!? So, I’ll buy some gel for the muscle pain and if that works, I shall go again. When I get home and I’m making my lunch, I find I’ve enjoyed the Keep Fit bunch!! So, thank you Janine and thank you to all, who keep things running in our Village Hall. And if you spot me Out and About in my honeycombed leggings, just give me a shout. You probably won’t……”Oh Why”, you ask ……..’cos my face will be hidden behind my mask!! Marion Warden

e t u t i t s n I s n e m Offord Wo The Offords WI is happy to announce that we have held our first monthly meeting since the pandemic disrupted our lives. We held our July meeting in the lovely garden of one of our Members. It was wonderful to see everyone again and it felt quite natural – old friends getting together for a chat, and we were greeted with a summer glass of Pimms – lovely! We were so pleased to welcome three non-Members too and two of them have already joined our WI. After the brief, business side of the meeting, we were invited to visit the plant and produce stand provided by Member donations. This was followed by a Plant Quiz where we walked around the extensive garden putting names to the plants that had been labelled for us. Our slightly rusty brains whirred and clicked a bit – the memory is not so good as it was. But it was all fun walking round together. Members had brought food for a buffet tea of cakes and savouries, and a sudden shower sent us under the gazebo to enjoy that with a cup of tea – or more Pimms! It was a lovely afternoon and our thanks go to everyone who made it happen – especially to Helen Ellis for offering her beautiful garden and Jaqueline for the use of her gazebo. Our next meeting (second Tuesday in August at 2pm) is also in a garden: The Limes, High Street, Offord D’Arcy. Again, we welcome anyone to come along and try the WI. We shall be playing garden games such as croquet, and will bring and share an afternoon tea. All Offords ladies are invited, so do contact us if you need more details or need help to get there. There are no age limits – young and old are welcome to join our group, and you will soon feel at home! All being well, our September meeting will be back in the village hall when we have Paul Rabbitts as speaker and he is going to tell us about Parks, People and Places. He spoke to the Gardening Club on bandstands some time ago and was really interesting. The date for that is Tuesday 14 September at 7.30pm. 28

Neighbourhood Watch Report The Offords - Summer 2021 We don’t need to point out the obvious that the weather has got much warmer. However we do want to take this opportunity to remind you to take extra precautions to secure your home. There is usually a notable correlation each year between when we get the warmer months and opportunistic burglaries where windows and doors have been left open. Our advice is to make sure windows are closed fully when leaving your home or even when you are in your garden (if you are fortunate enough to have one!) and make sure your front door is locked. Sadly, some people see this as a window of opportunity to quickly enter homes and take items they can then sell on, often going unnoticed for some time. Also, homes without basic security features are five times more likely to be burgled than homes with security, therefore our advice is to put in place simple yet effective, precautionary measures to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of burglary. To report an emergency or ongoing incident, call 999. To report suspicious activity in your neighbourhood, call 101 To report information anonymously, call crime-stoppers on 0800-555111. To report incidents via email, send to huntscops@cambs.pnn.police.uk To pass information regarding rural burglaries email: burglarycrackdown@cambs.pnn.police.uk We need someone to cover Andrew’s Close, if any residents on the new development are interested in helping, please get in touch. Something to think about, being an active member or being on a road within a Neighbourhood Watch area can save you money on your home insurance. Our meetings are on hold for the time being, hopefully we will be back soon. You can contact me on 811839 or at offordswatch@gmail.com if you want to join the team or would like more information. Stay safe, Peter Riley 30

at e B e h t o t t e e F

The Offords Line Dance Group

We have been enjoying Izzy’s Tuesday morning line dance classes over the past few weeks with full attendance at both sessions. Now as the Covid rules are relaxed Izzy is reinstating her other class at Little Paxton Village Hall on a Thursday morning and continuing her Offord class, as usual. Izzy has been challenging us over the past few weeks by introducing new dances, as well as letting us relax a bit by interspersing these with our familiar, long learnt dances of old, that we know and love – except when we dance them to a different song just to keep us on our toes. Although Izzy generally gives us a reminder run through of each dance, it is amazing how many we can get through in the session and the time just flies by. Naturally some dances are more complex than others as they incorporate many of the different steps, maybe include several turns, dance to different walls of the room, dance to a fast song and even dance to a long song of possibly 5+ minutes. However, as we have progressed from beginners to intermediate level we are getting used to the challenges of the more complex dances and it is a real sense of achievement when we get to the end that we have remembered the steps and finish up facing the right way. As mentioned in many previous articles, line dancing isn’t only good for the feet it stimulates the brain as well, and of course we love the different songs which are happy and cheerful. So, each week, we look forward to our regular Tuesday morning line dance classes which also give us the opportunity to socialise as well. Thank you Izzy.

D.K.TILL & Son in Law COAL AND SOLID FUEL MERCHANTS Family run business for 40 years Coal, Logs, Charcoal, Gas, Compost TEL: 01223 232947 David Till 07523 044521 Kevin Crisp Email: dktill@hotmail.co.uk

All Saints Church

The Reverend David Sheppard has arrived and we welcome him.

Hello! By the time you read this I will be, please God, your (Anglican) parish priest. I am extremely excited by this and am looking forward to life and ministry in the Offords and Buckden. Moving to a new house, a new home, is challenging and many things take up time, the boxes, address update admin, odd jobs. Oh, and reassuring a dog who now feels he needs to bark at any movement outside and around the house, in order to reassure me that he is in control of the situation. It is easy to lose track of important things; it took me a couple of days to find the box I'd put the kettle in for example. It is easy to get distracted by less important tasks and, in this way, days go by. An important thing in my life is prayer, a serious business, something I mustn't neglect. Prayer can take many forms. There are so many ways to pray. Prayer is answered, not in the ways we expect necessarily, and a wonderful truth is that as we pray others pray for us. Prayer is a very beautiful, beautiful thing. Transitions can be unsettling, as well as exciting, and prayer helps. Have I walked and prayed, asking God to be with me as I explore the paths, roads, tracks, of this new place? Yes. Have I voiced concerns, questions, with Jesus? Yes. Have I sat in my garden and silently appreciated the beauty of the plants, neighbouring trees, and the richness of God's creation? Yes. Have I carried on praying for those who have asked me to pray for them? Of course. This verse reassures me that those are the right things to do: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Now that settling in is well past that 'where on earth is..?' 'what did I do with..?' stage I am really looking forward to meeting you, hoping we can enjoy listening and chatting with each other, village life, sharing views. If there is anything above or in any other words I write for Out and About that interests you or if you'd like to know more, then I hope you'll let me know. If you pray, pray for your new priest...thank you. With love, Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com 07792128503 33

So what’s going on at All Saints Church now? The good news is that a new Priest in Charge has arrived and is busily finding out about the village and making contact with people and organisations. One of his first jobs in July was to contact the school and we expect him to be a regular visitor there, getting to know the young families in Offord. Inside the church restrictions have been lifted and we can sing. Being cautious and responsible, we will wear masks as we move around the church and make sure we are wearing them as we sing. So expect to hear muffled rejoicing if you walk past with your dog! Everyone is welcome at All Saints. Services in August and September Ist Sunday Holy Communion Service at 9.30 am 2nd Sunday 3rd Sunday

Songs of Praise at 6pm (followed by refreshments) Holy Communion Service at 9.30 am

4th Sunday 5th Sunday

Family Service at 9.30am (with refreshments afterwards) Morning Prayer (August only)

Harvest Festival 3rd October at 11am followed by a Bring & Share Lunch in the Village Hall. All are welcome. Worship in Offord is alive and well. If you are interested but not yet ready to attend, the Sunday service is usually recorded and can be found on YouTube and Facebook. We have found that the internet connectivity is poor in our church so if you want to watch a live streamed service you will need to access that from Buckden St Mary’s at 11am each Sunday. Please see the notice board in the High Street for confirmation of the current / changing arrangements. It’s impossible to say with confidence that the arrangements won’t change again! At the time of going to press, fund raising and social events remain cancelled until September. Having come so far we are being cautious as we emerge from lockdown. From September, we hope to return with a programme of social and fund raising events. We have booked dates with the Village Hall for the very popular Bacon Butties mornings on Saturdays. As we move forward we will post information on the village websites and put up notices in the High Street to confirm our plans. Circumstances change so quickly so please keep a close eye on the notice boards, and hope for no more U turns. Throughout lockdown we have been more reliant than ever on donations and thank all those who would normally give to the collection at services but who have set up electronic payments or saved in their collection boxes. Thank you to all of you who have an All Saints Collection Box at home. If yours is now full of coins, please contact Bob Bargh 810237 or John Storey 810763 and someone will collect the box from you. 34

All Saints Church Offord Cluny - Contact Details Priest in Charge:

Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com Mobile: 07792 128503

Church Warden:

John Simpkin 01480 819664 Mobile: 07904 617973 warden.offord@yahoo.com

Church Warden & Webmaster

Fundraising & social events: John Storey Stephen Eayrs Bob Bargh Helen Northrop Mandy Eayrs Elizabeth Simpkin

Church Website:

Facebook Page:

Sue Dorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com Mobile: 07724 553101

johnlstorey35@gmail.com stepheneayrs@btinternet.com bargh2012@btinternet.com helen.northrop1@btinternet.com mandyeayrs@btinternet.com lizsimpkin@msn.com

allsaintsoffordcluny.wordpress.com

All Saints Offord

Some people in England are excited about the last remaining lockdown restrictions easing. But there are many feeling nervous, anxious or apprehensive about losing the measures which have helped keep us safe over the 18 months. It’s important to take the easing of restrictions at your own pace. Infection rates are rising rapidly, and for everyone's sake we should all be taking steps to protect ourselves and others. Continuing to wear face coverings, socially distancing, avoiding busy places and keeping up with regular cleaning and handwashing will all go a long way in reducing your risk of catching and spreading the virus. And, of course, getting both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is incredibly important to getting life back to normal as safely as possible. Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE, Clinical Director

h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends We held our first formal event in the church in June which was the Annual General Meeting. It was encouraging to welcome supporters into the building for the first time in many, many months. Although brief, it was a successful meeting, with a change of committee members and the opportunity for Elva Nash, our new Treasurer, to experience her first AGM. National Heritage Open Days The next event in the church will be the Heritage Open Days which is an annual celebration of England's architecture and culture that allows visitors free access to a wide variety of English historical landmarks. St Peter’s will be open on: Saturday 11 September Sunday 12 September

10am to 4pm 1pm to 5pm

Committee members will be in attendance to show interested visitors the beautiful architecture, mystery stone effigy, memorial brasses, a family alabaster monument, carved corbel faces and a possibly unique William Glasby stained glass window with memorial plaques below which together form the Offord D’Arcy war memorial. If you have never visited this gem of the Offords before, then do take the opportunity to spend some time in this beautiful building. Any necessary Covid restrictions at that time will be adhered to and the church well ventilated. Autumn Craft Fair - cancelled Reluctantly, we have decided to cancel the Autumn Craft Fair, due to take place on Sunday 24th October. This is usually a very busy and successful long standing event, well liked by both stall holders and visitors, however, due to the uncertainty of how the Covid pandemic will be panning out in the autumn we feel it’s not viable for the Friends to organise the event this year.

Armistice Wreath Laying at the Offord Darcy War Memorial in St Peter’s Church – Thursday 11 November This will take place inside or outside the church, depending on all government and CCT guidelines in place at the time. Our 2021 plans for opening the church and organising events have been cut back due to the ongoing pandemic but looking forward to next year we have started planning now for 2022. Visiting the church For security reasons the church is kept locked but a key to St Peter’s can be obtained from Deborah Gillbanks of The Limes, who is the CCT’s official keyholder. We encourage you to sign the visitor book. Visitor numbers are important. As a reminder, the driveway to the church is privately owned, with limited vehicular access. Visitors to the church should leave their cars at the road end of the drive. There is space for two Blue Badge Holders close to the church gates. Jenny Griffiths, Friends of St Peter’s Church 01480 811126

Friends of St Peter’s Church Website HELP Please We are looking for someone who would be prepared and interested to take over the running of our website. Our previous site administrator sadly passed away last year and we have been struggling since then to keep the website going. We are seeking someone with some website management ability. There is no need to be involved in the routine running of the Friends but you would always be welcome to join in if you wish. The input is not onerous or very demanding, so, if there is anyone who can take over the role as site administrator please contact: Liz Howes

liz@blmh.co.uk or Jenny Griffiths jennygriffiths908@btinternet.com 39

h c r u h C d e m r o f e R St Neots United The Church is now open again for worship, at the usual time of 11am. Some restrictions will remain in place for now. There will be reduced seating, allowing for 1.5m distancing. Face coverings will be optional but we ask everyone to consider continuing with this for now, respecting the fact that not everyone will feel comfortable being in public places without a face covering. Singing will be re-introduced, but in a safe and controlled way. Hand sanitising will be encouraged and there will be good ventilation. We hope soon to be able to stream our services to YouTube every Sunday. Please contact us via our website for ID and Password. All are welcome. Come and visit the United Reformed Church which is on the High Street in St Neots. There is access without steps at the rear of the building near to Argos. Parking is available in Tebbutts Road car park, behind the Church. For all Church matters please contact the Church Secretary, Jenny Gibbs, via our website for further information. www.stneotsurc.co.uk

h c r u h C t s i d o th e Buckden M Minister: Stewards:

Rev. Sue Baker-Maher. Tel 473444. Angie Barnes (810102) Bob Baxter (810092) Carol Swepstone (810053) 40

t r o p e R l i c n u o C Parish Council has welcomed three new Councillors - Liam Beckett, Glenn Espie and Hilary Moorbey were all co-opted onto Council at its June meeting. We do still have one vacancy for the remainder of the current 4-year term so if you feel you might like to be involved, or would just like more information, please get in touch. The current term ends next May and if more people stand than there are places, we could have an election. It’s been a busy few months for Council. Work has continued behind the scenes to try to ensure there is no repeat of the floods that were experienced earlier in the year. Our thanks go to Kathryn Reading, Cambs CC Flood Risk Officer, who has championed our requests with the higher tier authorities to get things done. We have also liaised with Network Rail and Anglian Water regarding their responsibilities and have employed contractors to clear the brook from the High Street across the Millennium Green. The final works from the Green to the river are largely the responsibility of Network Rail and we have been assured that these will be complete by the end of the year. Although at times it does seem that progress is slow, it is progress nonetheless and the maintenance of the progress (by all concerned) will feature on Council’s agenda from now on. As we head into Summer it was gratifying to see that the summer sports sessions for Offords school children were again fully booked. This was an initiative of Offords PC and the HDC Leisure team which has spread county wide. Another recreational addition is the outdoor table tennis table which, by the time you read this, should be in place on the recreation ground. The current plan is to add outdoor exercise equipment next year as part of Council’s outdoor recreation plan. On the Millennium Green, refurbishment works are taking place with new fencing and play equipment for the younger children’s area together with new safety flooring. Council has secured £30k in funding from the A14 Legacy and Wind Farm fund to cover most of the cost of these with the remaining costs funded from Community Infrastructure Levy which is paid to the parish on completion of new building. Where possible Council tries to make improvements without increasing the Precept. 41

Staying on the Millennium Green, Councillors were saddened to learn that an area of wildflowers had been removed. As you probably know, the wildflower area has been established over many years and is the result of the hard work of volunteers, both past and present, so this is disappointing to say the least. Councillors are looking at the possibility of establishing additional wildflower areas in the villages and would welcome resident’s views. From the last issue’s article on this project, we did receive a few enthusiastic responses so thank you for that – we shall keep your information on file. In the interim we are seeking expert advice as to best practice with an aim to seeding some areas in the spring. As before, all responses are welcome – both positive and negative – to provide a picture as to what residents think. We have received some requests from organisations in the village to participate in the Queen’s Green Canopy project to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee next June. It has been decided that a small copse of native species will be planted on the Millennium Green including some specimen and memorial trees. Thanks to everyone who took part in the recent litter pick and especially to Natalie Bartlett for organising it. Could we ask please that people take their litter home with them when using the recreation ground and Millennium Green. Although we do provide bins, these are emptied by volunteers (what would we do without them all!) and during busy periods they struggle to cope with the volume. As always if there’s anything I can help with please get in touch. Jackie Stanbridge

Parish Councillors 2018 – 2022 Ian Weitzel(Chairman) Ronaldsway, Littleworth End Offord Darcy 01480 811697 Ian.weitzel@btconnect.com

Stephen Eayrs Top Farm Offord Cluny 01480 811816 stepheneayrs@btinternet.com

John Gatward (Vice Chairman) 5 Elm Drive Offord Cluny 01480 811148 rgatward@btinternet.com

Simon Young (Chair of Planning) 6 Pippin Close Offord Darcy 01480 812877 simonjyoung@outlook.com

Tina Dawson (Chair of Finance) 15 Park Way Offord Cluny 01480 539098 Tinac_13@hotmail.com

Caroline Savage The Grove, 71 High Street Offord Darcy 07966 144956 caolsysa24@icloud.com

Liam Beckett 5 Dunstall Close Offord Cluny 07395 249 004 LiamBecket.OPC@gmail.com

David Gillbanks The Limes, High Street Offord Darcy 01480 812183 gillbanks@gillbanks.com

Glenn Espie 237 High Street Offord Cluny 07810882897 Glenn@j316.co.uk

Hilary Moorbey 125 High Street Offord Cluny 07762133858 hilary.moorbey@btinternet.com

Jackie Stanbridge Clerk to the Council Clerk@offords-pc.gov.uk 07597 988763

We meet on Tuesday evening between 5.30 and 6.30pm. 44

June Lee Chiropodist / Podiatrist Bsc(Hons) HCPC Registered, MChS Nail Cutting, Corn/Callus Removal, Ingrowing Toe Nails, Verrucae, Biochemical Complaints, Generalised Foot Pains, Diabetic Foot Care Home Visiting Service Only

Over 14 Years NHS Experience Friendly & Professional

Tel: 01480 214392 / 07947 371107

Fitness Classes at

Offord Village Hall Every Monday Fit4Life exercise class for active seniors at 10am Pilates at 7.30pm For more information contact me, Janine RSA/YMCA qualified Fitness Instructor 01480 810370 / 07790 655637 janineskyrme@btinternet.com 48

CM Decorating For all your Interior & Exterior Decorating Needs • Wallpapering • Artex & Coving • Ceramic Tiling • Colour Scheming • General Maintenance

Russell Manning Providing Quality Service Since 1980

Phone: 01480 810594 Mobile: 07889 154994 Email: cmdecorating@aol.com www.cmdecorating.co.uk 49

All Saints Churchyard Wildlife Project Update Our plans for the Churchyard wildlife area are certainly taking shape and we’re now ready for all sorts of creatures to visit or make it their home. We also invite you lovely people of the Offords to come and see this tranquil part of the village where you’ve probably never ventured to before. Who knew that a graveyard could be a cool place to hang out?! In the last couple of months, the bug hotel has been finished. It took a lot of materials to fill it but thanks to the generosity of people in the Offords, we had more than enough logs, bricks, tiles, pipes, cones, straw and sticks. Why don’t you have a go at making one in your own garden? Two wildflower areas have started to bloom. The most successful seeds to grow so far are poppies and borage. Both are so pretty and excellent flowers for pollinators. We will be sowing some more areas with wildflower seeds in the Autumn to flower next Spring and Summer. We now have a rustic bench in situ which was skilfully crafted by John. We thank him for taking the time to make this. Please do take a walk through the churchyard to try it out. You might even see a cheeky robin, inquisitive blackbird or a greedy rabbit. Between the 16th July and 8th August, we will be taking part in the Big Butterfly Count. This involves counting and identifying and butterflies and daytime moths we see in a 15-minute period and then reporting our results. Butterflies and moths have been in serious decline in recent years so this data helps to map where numbers have risen or fallen. This will enable conservation projects to be targeted to certain areas of the country to boost numbers before it’s too late to save them. We’re hoping we can boost our numbers year on year by planting Butterfly loving plants such as Buddleia Bush, cowslips, Forget-me-knots, Foxgloves and clumps of nettles (we have plenty of those!) Next time I hope to tell you about our new wildlife pond, stumpery, beetle bucket and positioning bird boxes. Until then see what steps you can take to encourage wildlife into your own garden. Fiona Fitzhugh (07972163887)

Churchyard Bug Hotel

Churchyard Poppies 51

Tel: 01480 273927

Do you have a few hours to spare?

Do you hold a clean driving licence?

THE HIGHWAYMAN COMMUNITY CAR SCHEME needs drivers To help provide transport for people that are unable to use conventional public transport or to make essential journeys by any other means. As a volunteer driver you use your own car and receive a mileage allowance. Additional insurance cover is provided. How it works: The coordinator phones around to see if any drivers are free for calls that have come in. Calls are booked in advance normally allowing at least 3 to 5 days’ notice for the coordinator to locate a driver. You are under no obligation to take the drive that you are phoned about, whatever you take on assist people in your community to get to where they need to be without any unnecessary worry. If you can help us provide this valuable service to local people or require further information please call Jacky on 07786 520540 Highwayman Community Car Scheme supported and advised by Cambridgeshire County Council and Care Network Cambridgeshire

Village Groups & Organisations Applepips Out of School Club Archery Bowls Club Brownies Church Events

Office Marc Bax Carolyn Bargh Ann Weitzel John Storey Bob Bargh

Community Police

c/o St Neots Police Stn Andy Ottley

Cubs/Beavers District Councillor District Councillor District Councillor Friends of St Peter’s Guides Neighbourhood Watch Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council Parish Clerk Offord Gardeners’ Assn Offord Sch, Headteacher Chair of Governors Offord PTA Offord Pre-School Offord Tots PCSO Rainbows Senior Citizens The Offord PlayerS Thursday Club Village Hall hire Village Hall 300+ Club Women’s Institute

01480 811977 381172 810237 811697 810763 810237

456111 0345 456 4564 07704 857636 info@paxtonscouts.org.uk Sarah Conboy 414900 Mike Grice 383213 Sarah Wilson 412747 Liz Howes 812899 Ann Weitzel 811697 juliehillsjohnson@gmail.com 01480 812549 Peter Riley 811839 Ian Weitzel Jackie Stanbridge Janet Bedingfield Kate Ruddock Liz Simpkin Claire Faux Office Nikki Mitchell Richard Braddick Ann Weitzel Marlene Alderman John Kirby Doreen Rowbury Helen Bosworth Helen Bosworth Carol Temple

811697 07597 988763 810091 810308 07976 792463 810308 01480 811977 07872 986326 07921 094801 811697 810609 810049 811025 811892 811892 812879

Whilst every effort is made to ensure information in this publication is accurate, we cannot be held responsible for any errors. The views expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the Editor. 56

Directory of Advertisers Page 11 37 16 53 48 58 49 32 54 60 55 19 59 21 48 21 46 52 47 18 24 58 16 53 11 19 8 27 20 7 29 2

A1 CHIMNEY SWEEP & MAINTENANCE 07508 051920 ABSOLUTE PLUMBING 01480 812549 APPLEPIPS OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB 01480 811977 BEAUTY ROOM 01480 812803 BUCKDEN DAY NURSERY 01480 810816 BUDGENS 01480 819602 CM DECORATING 01480 810594 DK TILL COAL MERCHANTS 01223 232947 FLAIR UNISEX SALON 01480 810417 GRAVELEY GARAGE & MOTORCYCLES 01480 830462 & 831058 GREENSLEEVES 01767 651639 HILTON DAY NURSERY 01480 830351 HUNT & COOMBS SOLICITORS 01733 882870 HOME-N-DRY 01487 840310 & 07766 576381 JANINE’S PILATES 01480 810370 JEZ ASHCROFT LTD 07708 031493 & 01480 812461 JODI FINCH & SON ELECTRICAL 07771 613848 & 01480 731599 JOHN SINCLAIR ELECTRICIAN 01480 273927 & 07815 903467 JUNE LEE PODIATRIST 01480 214392 & 07947 371107 K-FIT PILATES 07967 100603 KINGFISHER FUNERAL DIRECTORS 01480 471001 MORE SPACE 01480 830130 OFFORD PRE SCHOOL 01480 811977 OFFORD TOTS nikkirenning@hotmail.com OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 01480 811892 PAXTON HILL GARAGE 01480 217806 PLATINUM TOURS 01480 810560 SCHOOLS OUT 01480 811180 THE EATONS HOME & GARDENS 01480 406130 THE HORSESHOE INN, OFFORD DARCY 01480 810293 W&H PEACOCK AUCTIONEERS 01480 474550 WALDEN-HARRIS K9 (CANINE COACH) 07730 393757

• Bakery • Hot Food • Milkshake Machine • Lottery in Offord • Cash Machine - free to use • Costa Machine Tel: 01480 819602 • Quality Produce • Fresh brands such as Grasmere Sausages & Pies