Issuu

December 2021 - January 2022

Seasons Greetings 1

It’s a Ting Thing Just round the corner ……………. Not far away ……………………………………. Ting is coming to Offord today Enjoy on-demand, tailor made bus trips, booked at your fingertips! Ting is a great new way to get about by bus in West Huntingdonshire, without having to rely on a car. Ting is a six-month demand response travel pilot trial, in partnership with Stagecoach East. The results of the trial will help decide if it’s a transport option that Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority can use in the future. So use it or lose it! Where can you travel? Ting covers the West Huntingdonshire area including key towns such as St Neots, Huntingdon, Sawtry and surrounding villages –see the map on the next page. The service has been introduced to West Huntingdonshire to improve transport links for those living in rural areas, removing young people’s dependence on parents for lifts and allowing local residents to lessen their reliance on cars. When can you travel? The Ting service is available 7am-7pm MondayFriday and 8am-4pm Saturday. Ting doesn’t operate on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays. Book your Ting trip If you live in the area covered by Ting and want to give it a try, simply download the Ting app to your phone, book your trip and your bus will pick you up at your chosen time. You can travel anywhere within the Ting area for just £2 single fare or £4 return. OAP and disabled concessionary passes are accepted for free travel.

If you want to travel by bus beyond the Ting area, you can do so for an extra £1 (£2 return) on the following services: · on routes 4 or 905 from Cambourne to Cambridge, · on route A from Huntingdon Bus Station to St Ives · on route 904 from Sawtry to Peterborough · or on route 905 from St Neots to Bedford Ting trips can also be booked over the phone ---- 01223 433 255

Welcome Welcome to the Winter edition of Out and About (O&A), the Offord Village Magazine. It aims to promote the community by sharing village news and useful contacts. In addition to the printed edition delivered to every home in the Offords, an on-line full colour edition can be accessed via the village websites. 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 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.

FACE MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED 7

l o o h c S y r a m i r Offord P

O ff

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

December - January

Writing an article ahead of the actual meeting having taken place is always difficult. The OGA has only had two actual meetings, with the third and final one for the year taking place after the deadline for this article. The September and October meetings were well attended and the final one will be reported in the next edition. To clarify, the November meeting is our AGM and, following committee discussion, items for discussion will be: ● Subscriptions increase - the cost of Visiting Speakers has shot up. ● Help needed with organising raffles ● We have a vacancy for a Secretary ● A long standing member of our committee has stood down, so we need to find another member to fill the role. We are planning events for next year and hope to be able to put on two village shows, a garden visit and monthly Speakers. If any members feel they are able to help keep the OGA running, then please contact me. All help is appreciated. It’s possibly early but just to say Happy Christmas and New Year to all members. We resume meetings on the 20th January 2022 at 7:30pm in the Village Hall.

Enjoy Your Gardening John 01480 811148

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 13

s e t i r W n o J r e F a rm Hi Everyone, Farmer Jon here again. Now, you may know I’m a big fan of my big green and yellow John Deere tractors, however it’s a red tractor I’m going to talk about today. We are part of the Red Tractor farm assurance scheme. The scheme, founded in 2000, is a food chain assurance scheme that underpins the high standards of British food & drink. They are the flagship logo of British food and farming, providing assurance at every stage of the production process, from farm to your plate. To be part of this scheme we have a yearly inspection, where an inspector comes out to the farm, to make sure we meet all of the standards set. He/ she will check everything between making sure that all our grain is stored correctly to checking our training certificates to confirm we’re up to date with training so we can operate machines safely and accurately. By buying food & drink with the red tractor logo on it, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that the product is made to some of the highest welfare/ consumer Standards in the world. So next time your in the shops, keep an eye out for the Red Tractor logo! Take care Farmer Jon

b u l C s n e z i t i C r o i n e S d r o f f O October saw us getting together for the first time since the start of the pandemic. We decided to have a fish and chip supper in memory of one of our members who we sadly lost last year. Ken was a very proactive, hard working member of the committee and will be missed. It was his initial idea, a few years ago, to have a fish and chip supper at one of our meetings, which has since proved to be very popular.

Our meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month in the Village Hall, Offord Cluny, at 6.30pm. If you would like to come along you would be made very welcome. For further information please call Marlene Alderman on 01480 810609 or Sue Barimore on 01480 810763. 15

l l a H e g a l l i V Offord You may wonder why we always put the Hallmark 1 stamp of approval on any correspondence from the hall. This is proof that we are providing a high-quality standard in our village hall. Cambs ACRE look at all aspects of the management of the hall, apart from how good the building looks. So, we were delighted that when they came to do our two-yearly review in October they upheld our Hallmark 1 status. They recommended we apply for Hallmark 2 which takes us to the next level. In the review they said: ‘It is clear that Offord Village Hall management committee work incredibly hard, and we would like to congratulate them in their successful completion of Hallmark 1 and would recommend that the committee now consider applying for Hallmark 2.’ This is positive reinforcement of how hard all our trustees work towards keeping the hall well maintained and up to date. On November 13th we held a tea party to honour Fred who had been our caretaker for 20 years. This was an opportunity to thank him for his hard work keeping the hall well maintained and clean and all his extra inspirational ideas. Fred, who enjoys his garden, was presented with a garden voucher from clubs, organisations and individuals that use the hall. It was a lovely afternoon, and we enjoyed the tea and cakes and the opportunity to chat to our friends. Fundraising and Community events are part of the village hall that provide an opportunity for us to get together and have fun whilst keeping the coffers full. The extremely popular Beer Festival in September was our first major event back in the hall. The hall looked fantastic, beautifully decorated, and created a great atmosphere. Local artists played during the evening, highlighting what amazing local talent we have. The weather was kind to us, and we were able to open the windows and doors and even sit outside. 16

We are grateful to Sarah and her husband Mark who ended up not only organising and co-ordinating the event but stepping in at the last minute to collect and serve the beer on the night! Thank you to them and all those who helped in any way to make it such a successful evening. The Quiz Night was well supported and enjoyed by those who attended. Simon had everyone scratching their heads as he posed some tough questions. Thank you, Simon, we look forward to the next one and the opportunity to improve our scores! Unfortunately, the Ceilidh had to be cancelled due to lack of ticket sales. We hope that we will be able to reschedule it for next year. By then maybe people will be more confident to attend an evening which involves holding hands and changing partners! Tickets have gone on sale for the Christmas Big Band Dance being held on December 11th. The band are Huntingdon Music School Big Band. They are looking forward to the opportunity to play together again and we are looking forward to being able to dance to them. This is a new event for us so come along and listen even if you do not want to dance. A drink and nibbles are included in the ticket price. Calendar of events for the next twelve months: Christmas Big Band Dance Saturday December 11th, 2021. Kick off the Christmas season with an opportunity to dance and be entertained by Huntingdon Music School Big Band. The ticket price of £15 includes a drink and nibbles. A licenced bar will be available. Buy your ticket from www.ticketsource.co.uk. For more information call or text 07734253136. 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. 17

Offord Village Hall Management Committee would like to thank you for all your support over the year and wish you a good Christmas and a peaceful healthy New Year.

Above: Photos from Fred’s Tea Party Left: Photo from the Beer Festival

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

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

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 23

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

Offord Tots Hello all, Exciting times ahead for Offord Tots. We've been busy colouring Poppies and decorating poppy cupcakes and soon we will be moving on to weeks of fantastic Christmas craft! We've had a few new toys added to our offerings - Our new baby centre is proving very popular! The children love looking after and dressing the babies. We are currently in need of a few baby pushchairs if anyone has any to donate. We would really appreciate it. The most exciting news is that we have Father Christmas visiting on the 17th December for the Offord Tots Christmas party. Our party starts at 9.15 - there will be party food, music and a present from Father Christmas! We will be back after the Christmas break on the 7th January. As always, everyone is welcome from newborns until they start school! Thanks Nikki

Advertise in

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 28

• 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

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

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

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Phone: 01480 810594 Mobile: 07889 154994 Email: cmdecorating@aol.com www.cmdecorating.co.uk 31

e t u t i t s n I s n e m Offord Wo The Offords WI recommenced holding meetings in the Village Hall in September. What a pleasure it has been to see old friends and to feel that life is beginning to return to normal. We are a small WI and were worried that we might have lost Members in the long layoff, but thanks to a summer initiative, we have now increased our Membership by almost 25%! During the summer, we held two of our meetings in Members’ gardens. We advertised these in the village magazine and invited every woman in the village to come for an afternoon of friendly chat with tea and cake. We felt that some people might be daunted by walking into a hall on their own and that a garden setting would be easier. As a result, we were delighted to sign up six new Members. For our indoor meetings, we have initiated a few safety measures to reassure people. There is a temperature check at the door and we have served wrapped food, but hope in time to get back to offering our well-loved buffets, especially popular at open meetings. So far, we have enjoyed talks by the popular Paul Rabbits, who told us about Parks, People and Places. The October meeting was called “Rubbish” and included a talk by Jon Crisp of Amy. The competition was to create a skirt from rubbish. November’s talk on Bees, by Roger Woods, created quite a buzz – who knew there was so much sex and violence in a bee hive. All quite light hearted though and he made everyone laugh, including several “drones” in the form of visiting husbands. Our December meeting is to be a craft and Local Knowledge quiz evening. The Offords WI wishes a Happy New Year to all our WI friends! For further information call Carol Temple on 01480 812879 or email: caroltemple51@gmail.com 34

All Saints Church

A message from All Saints Church The Reverend David Sheppard is out & about in the Offords! Look out for him walking his dog Joey and wish him a Happy Christmas too! I was walking a few days ago and glanced over to a small group of trees near the path. Under them, lying down, were four cows. Around the trees, artfully arranged, sheep. A more pastoral idyll I could not have imagined. I was walking along the foreground of a Dutch 17th masterpiece, an undiscovered Aelbert Cuyp maybe. A beautiful, not a little surreal, experience, as if I were on the edge of a painting, and in a field not far from where you live! Sometimes, when tramping along, often grumbling to myself, I look up. Sometimes, at the right moment, as if to tell me that looking around is better than looking at my feet, my eye then caught the lovely movement of a green woodpecker. Perfect timing. A distinctive flight and a beautiful subtle green colour; sometimes we look up at the right moment. Also last week I was held up for a minute waiting to cross the stone bridge by the mill. I glanced to the side, to the fields along the river, and saw there the thinnest crescent moon low in the sky. If you drew lines from the tips of the crescent they would have converged that evening for a brief time in perfect symmetry on the bright point in the sky to the right: Saturn. Then the road cleared, I had somewhere to be and already a minute or so late, and so drove off. I wouldn't see the moon again that week but the image has stayed with me. Sometimes we look up, or around, at the right moment. And at the end of the week, sitting in my study here, a voice of one sitting opposite on the sofa facing the back door: "the trees...very Klimpt". I look round and..oh yes! The woodland on the other side of the garden fence, lots of tall trees with autumn leaves all overlapping so that it is one view of green, gold, orange. It made us both see the background to a Gustav Klimpt painting. Sometimes we look up at the right moment. Moses looked up at the right moment and saw a bush which burnt but was not consumed by fire: When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” (Exodus 3:4). Sometimes we look up at the right moment, and, as God said to Moses "the place where you are standing is holy ground". December and January are such distinctive months. Jesus, arrives, in the great narrative arc of God coming to dwell among us. January though, well, I know I'm not alone in finding January a bit of a challenge. Many struggle, in all kinds of ways. If you find December and January difficult, know that you are not alone. And remember to look up; sometimes we look up at the right moment. As ever, if anything here has touched a nerve, do please get in touch. I am here only for you. God bless, lots of love, Fr David, priest in charge of Buckden with the Offords. Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com 07792128503 36

As we get used to enjoying each other’s company again, we have planned fund raising and social events through to the end of 2022. Having come so far and mindful of rising infection rates in Huntingdonshire, we are still being cautious. This means that some events, such as the Carol Concert with Cottenham Band, must be strictly limited to those who have bought tickets in advance. We can’t have a Christmas Tree Festival this year because it would be foolish to pile all the stall holders and visitors into the Village Hall. Those of you who have come before will know how crowded it gets. But the good news is that Father Christmas will be making his usual trips round the village. The difference this year will be that he must stay on his sleigh and the families will need to come out to him. To make it easier for you we will be setting up a website to track his progress as he stops at pre-planned spots. We won’t be knocking on doors. More information will be posted on the village websites nearer the time. Events calendar 2022 All events in the Village Hall unless noted otherwise Feb 5th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 March 5th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 18th Prosecco and Puddings 7pm - 10pm (Tickets in advance) April 16th Bacon Butties & Hot Cross Buns 10am - 12 May 7th Plant Sale 10am - 2pm (unless sold out earlier) 21st Bacon Butties 10am - 12 June 11th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 25th Church and Village Fete Time & Venue to be confirmed July 16th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 August 13th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 Sept 4th BBQ 17 Elm Drive 12 noon (Tickets in advance) Oct 2nd Harvest Lunch 12 noon - 2pm 15th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 Nov 5th Bacon Butties & Hot Dogs 10am - 12 26th & 27th Christmas Tree Festival 12 noon - 4pm Dec 2nd Band Concert in the Church 8pm (Tickets in advance)

All are welcome at All Saints Inside the church restrictions have been lifted and we can sing. Being cautious and responsible, we still wear masks as we sit, move around the church and sing. So expect to hear muffled rejoicing if you walk past with your dog! December Services 5th December

Family Service 9.30am at All Saints Carols by Candlelight 4pm at St Peters

12th December 19th December

Holy Communion 9.30 am Carol Joy 10 am - Come to hear the Christmas story and sing Christingle Services 4pm and 5.30pm Christmas Eve – the First Christmas Communion 9.30pm

24th December

25th December

Christmas Communion 9am

26th December

Holy Communion 9.30am

January Services 2nd January

Epiphany The Coming of the Magi 9.30am

9th

January

Family Service at 9.30 am

16th

January

Songs of Praise 6pm followed by refreshments

23rd

January

Holy Communion Service 9.30am

30th January

Candlemas Service 9.30am

Throughout the pandemic 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. If your collection box is full of coins, please contact Bob Bargh 810237 or John Storey 810763 and someone will collect the box from you. We do not receive financial help from the Diocese, the Church of England or any other body. As we struggle to raise funds to replace the roof, we also have to raise money to heat and maintain the building and pay our Parish Share. Our Christmas collection around the village is a key source of income for All Saints. We won’t be knocking on doors but there will be collection boxes on Father Christmas’s sleigh. Please support us to keep our village church alive.

All Saints Church – Contact details

Priest in Charge: Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com Mobile: 07792 128503 Church Warden John Simpkin 01480 819664 warden.offord@yahoo.com Mobile: 07904 617973 Church Warden & Webmaster Sue Dorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com Mobile: 07724 553101

Fundraising & social events: John Storey johnlstorey35@gmail.com Stephen Eayrs stepheneayrs@btinternet.com Bob Bargh barghrobert921@gmail.com Helen Northrop helen.northrop1@btinternet.com Mandy Eayrs mandyeayrs@btinternet.com Elizabeth Simpkin lizsimpkin@msn.com Church Website:

allsaintsoffordcluny.wordpress.com

Facebook Page: All Saints Offord 39

I said back in July that I was full of hope for a Spring 2022 production. Well, although we are unable to mount a fullscale production as early as that, I am hopeful that we can at least get the ball rolling again. So, as a starter we are holding a social meeting in the Village Hall on Sunday 12th December starting at 7pm. This will provide the opportunity for us to meet and share a Christmas drink or two, and to start planning a cautious return to normal activity in the early part of the new year. All friends and supporters of TOPS – and especially all those new to the village who might never have been to one of our productions – are cordially invited to come along on 12th December. We are always on the lookout for new talent in all departments, from backstage to front of house and everything in between. There are lots of opportunities for anyone with an interest in drama, theatre and the creative arts to develop and apply new skills. And to help ensure that your highly regarded local drama group continues to provide great entertainment and social opportunities in the local community. For more information check out our website www.theoffordplayers.co.uk or contact John on 810049. Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2022.

Sarah Hogben The Offord Players 42

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

The Offords Line Dance Group

How can we be at the end of 2021 already and looking forward to Christmas and then the start of 2022? Since June of this year when activities restarted it has been a real lift to be able to meet up every Tuesday to join our other line dance friends and to get stuck into a leisure interest that is the highlight of the week. As we are now in December Izzy will be giving us plenty of Christmas songs to dance to and to get everyone in the festive spirit. It’s surprising how many dances fit Christmas songs. Reproduced below are a few verses from a Line Dance poem – A Beginner’s View. Many of us will recognise these sentiments from our first sessions. Line Dancing looks easy, a piece of cake I’ll soon pick it up for goodness sake They start to dance and turn about Hey – wait for me! I want to shout. I join the beginners, now you’re talking Instead of running, I’ll be walking With pivots, shuffles, turns and struts Which wall to face? It drives me nuts. Another new dance, no time to slack This time I’ll stand right at the back No one to hear me gasp and grunt We turn, oh no! I’m at the front! Thank you Izzy for being such a good teacher and giving us such a warm welcome every week – we so look forward to our regular Tuesday morning line dance classes and we hope next year will be even better than the ones before.

Jenny Griffiths On behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144

h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends The Friends group organised our customary wreath laying ceremony on 11th November when a poppy wreath was laid by the Parish Council on the Offord D’Arcy War Memorial in the church. As always we remembered those from Offord D’Arcy who died during the two World Wars. Carols by Candlelight Service - Sunday 5 December 4pm The arrangements for this popular Christmas Carol Service are well in hand. We look forward to welcoming young and old to St Peter’s to celebrate the start of the Christmas season after this service was cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic. Please note: • Parking available on the archery field • Any necessary Covid restrictions will be adhered to, including all in the congregation wearing a mask for the duration of the service • The church will be well ventilated and unheated so wrap up very warmly • No personal candles please • Bring a torch • Regrettably no mulled wine or mince pies after the service this year This service features popular carols led by a choir who volunteer for this occasion, interspersed with traditional Christmas bible readings. The Friends decorate the church and organise the lighting of around 150 tea lights and candles, so a truly wonderful and atmospheric occasion. 2022 Diary Dates Friday 3 June and Saturday 4 June

‘A Look at the Fifties’ Exhibition to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. We have already got commitment from the Primary School, The Gardeners Association and individuals who have items of interest from the 1950’s.

Thursday 9 June

Friends of St Peter’s AGM.

Sunday 26 June

Festal Evensong sung by Tapestry. To belatedly commemorate the 100th anniversary (2020) of the installation of the stained-glass War Memorial window. 45

Sunday 4 September

Guitar Concert by Claude Bourbon.

Sunday 23 October

Autumn Craft Fair.

Sunday 4 December

Carols by Candlelight.

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. Please remember to sign the visitor book whenever you visit as 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. After another quiet year for the Friends Group due to restrictions imposed on us all by Coronavirus, we look forward to a much better 2022 and thank all our supporters who continue to ‘look out’ for St Peter’s as they all know what a wonderful building we have in the Offords. Jenny Griffiths Friends of St Peter’s Church 01480 811126

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. Face coverings will be optional but we understand some will prefer to continue wearing them for now. Hand sanitising will be encouraged and there will be good ventilation. We are now 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)

t r o p e R l i c n u o C Parish We do still have one Councillor 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 May 2022 and if more people stand than there are places, we will have an election. Council decided at its last meeting that it would develop an Environmental Policy for The Offords with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of the parish. This is not an easy task and not something Council has done before so if anyone has any suggestions/expertise, please get in touch. A decision was taken at the recent Council meeting to look into reducing the speed limit to 20mph throughout the Parish. When we tried to make changes a few years ago we were informed that the current traffic calming measures were adequate. Work has started on the improvements to the younger children’s play area on the Millennium Green. The new fencing and gates are in place and the new equipment and safety surface should be installed in the next couple of months. The delay is due to a shortage of steel. The Table Tennis Table continues to be well used but it’s a great shame that the box provided for the bats and balls was vandalised and had to be removed and many of the balls damaged. The last of the previously purchased equipment has now been put out but nothing will be replaced if it is wilfully damaged. Litter has been an issue on the recreation ground. Two new bins are now in place. Please put any waste in the correct bin. Work continues on the various measures to reduce the risk of further flooding. Full details can be found in Cllr Young’s report in this issue. Currently we are working on the Budget/Precept for 2022-23. This is always a challenge when we don’t know what services will be cut by the District and County Councils and what the Parish will need to take on. This year is especially difficult, but the aim is to get the balance right.

Update on Ultrafast Broadband Following our multiple complaints to Openreach, they have now provided the PC with an estimated cost for bringing Ultrafast Broadband to The Offords. The estimate is £395,932.00 for the two villages, including premises in Greenewable Park. Openreach say that they are in the process of clarifying our voucher eligibility and status with the Government. If The Offords are still eligible 48

for the voucher scheme, then we would need around 260-270 premises to sign up and vouch their vouchers, assuming that the voucher value remains at £1500.00 per premise (£3500 per business premise)! Without the voucher scheme, the cost per premise would be around £650.00 £660.00 which would be unaffordable for many. The PC will only move forward with the scheme if we can use the voucher scheme. We will update further once Openreach have confirmed our eligibility for the voucher scheme after their consultation with government. As always, if there’s anything I can help with please get in touch. Jackie Stanbridge

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

WINNERS SEPTEMBER £20 No. 344 £15 No. 035 £10 No. 170 £ 5 No. 106

OCTOBER £ 20 No. 082 £15 No. 238 £ 10 No. 347 £ 5 No. 275

Ellie Bedingfield John Coppen Andrew Griffiths Mandy Eayrs

Barry Jenkin Joyce Jones Sarah Leader Helen Northrop

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 01480 811892 or Jenny Murby 01480 811474 for further details.

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

Dogs and Children – how to recognise when our dogs are not happy around kids It’s quitet a well-known fact that most kids love dogs. Toddlers find them fascinating and can’t wait to reach out and grab hold of a puppy or scruffy hound, to feel its fur and say “hello”. However, unfortunately the highest percentage of dog bites tend to be in children around 1 year. Why? The most common cause is misreading the situation, because children and babies don’t understand the subtle body language of a dog who really doesn’t enjoy being approached, petted or hovered over. Let’s face it, many adults haven’t been educated in the subtleties of canine body language and this is where a professional can really help out. Many dogs are pretty happy to meet a child in a controlled and managed environment and don’t wish to attack anyone or anything. Canine aggression usually comes from some type of fear. A dog will send out many physical signals to communicate their displeasure at a certain situation. Unfortunately many of us don’t see these signals and will expect the dog to sit nicely and be stroked, poked and prodded without any recourse, from a well-meaning child, oblivious to a dog’s communicative body language. As a certified dog trainer and rescue dog handler, I have regularly needed to explain to a parent (and their child) that one of my dogs is not keen on an overbearing greeting and is giving warning signals of “stay away, I am not happy right now”. In some cases I have had to physically remove my dog from the situation and walk away. Though I may seem rude, it is my responsibility as a dog parent to know and respect the rules of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, to keep my dogs and others from potential and very avoidable harm. 51

So how can we recognise the subtle physical messages that our dogs offer, before, in most cases, the last resort of a nip or bite happens? There is a well-known scale (or ladder) of behaviour us canine coaches watch for in any given situation with our furry friends. •

Head turning or looking away (from the child, another dog or anything they feel uncomfortable with). These are the first signs your dog is not happy.

•

Lip licking, mouthing, sniffing the ground (we call these appeasement signals) – again the dog has moved up the chain and is trying to tell you something.

•

Whale eye – we trainers commonly refer to this look. The dog’s whites of their eyes can be seen and they will glare at the trigger from the side. At this point, stress is escalating.

•

Growling (this can be a very low, almost inaudible growl which can escalate to a higher, more audible growl - accompanied by subtle to more apparent showing of teeth – you’ll see the sides of the nose and lips flicker up and the whiskers move up)

•

Shallow biting – this will usually be a quick, single bite (a warning bite). In an adult this would not usually break the skin, but in a child it could. Remember also that most child bites tend to happen to the face and neck, as they tend to be dog height. This mostly will happen when parents are not in attendance and a child has been left alone with a dog and the dog has worked up the ladder of communication and not been heard.

•

Full biting – a succession of quick bites which usually travel upwards on the arms on adults. The dog may even try to bite the neck and face, usually breaking the skin and causing serious injury for some. This is when the dog is at its most desperate and has tried all he can to warn off the intruder of his space. A dog in this state is highly stressed and acting on instinct. They have no control at this point.

There is no stage of the aggression process which I would recommend taking a dog away from a situation apart from the first. At the first sign that your dog is not happy, take them away and NEVER EVER tell them off for growling. This is 52

their way of pre-warning you that they are really not happy. If you ever tell them off for displaying this, they may simply skip this step and resort to the next step of the ladder. It’s also really important to educate our children on how to greet a dog. Usually letting the dog approach them and NEVER trying to pat them on the head or make any physical contact until the owner says so. We must be led by the dog’s body language, history with children and what the owner of said dog advises. If the owner asks “stay away if you don’t mind” then please, respect their wishes. There is much I can advise when it comes to the body language of our dogs, and how we can advise kids on how to meet and greet our canine companions. This article is the tip of the iceberg, and if you would like further help on this subject, please do get in touch.

Parish Council – Flood Actions Update Following the floods in the villages last December, members of the Parish Council have been working with our assigned Flood Risk Officer from Cambridgeshire County Council, who is our Lead Local Flooding Authority and therefore responsible for reducing the risk of flooding, to help progress anything that will help avoid flooding in the future. This includes several online meetings including the Environment Agency (responsible for the river), Network Rail, Anglian Water, Highways England (was Highways Agency – A14) and Huntingdonshire District Council. There have also been site visits by these agencies and with local landowners. The actions were split across the two significant areas of flooding. Firstly there was Station Lane/Park Way/Latin Close and secondly the High Street at the northern end of Offord Cluny. Both areas were principally affected by surface water flooding made worse by problems with the sewage system and the very high river level. Station Lane/Park Way/Latin Close The attention in this area has largely been on the brook that runs down through the Millennium Green, under the railway and then to the river. Actions for this area include: • Clearing of the brook from the school upstream (i.e. away from the river). The landowner arranged to clear this early in the year. • Clearing the brook from school to the railway culvert – this section was cleared professionally and was paid for by the Parish Council earlier in the year. We had a further check done just a few weeks ago to make sure that nothing had happened since it was cleared, ready for winter. • Culverts under the railway – Network Rail had these cleared, again earlier this year. • Brook from the culvert onwards – this was surveyed by Network Rail in May/June time and they agreed that the brook needs to be reprofiled, and they have also agreed to additional maintenance for this section. To date the work done has been to complete the promised maintenance to remove the vegetation with the reprofiling work still to be done. This is expected imminently. In addition, the length beyond Network Rail’s responsibility has been cleared by the landowner responsible.

There are some ongoing conversations happening by our Flood Risk Officer with another landowner with land which borders the brook for further risk reduction. High Street The work here has focussed on ensuring the existing drainage for this area is as effective as possible. •

•

Culverts under the railway – again Network Rail have had these cleared and have confirmed that they are draining properly into the river. Drainage under the fields – the landowners have been working at ensuring the drains up to the culverts are as clear as possible. It has proved difficult to get suitable equipment but just recently more progress has been made. Foul water drains – as well as the properties directly affected by the water, a much larger area was affected by problems with the foul water system. Anglian Water have started a set of actions to stop so much surface water getting into the foul drains. This is ongoing and is due to include a wider survey of the foul water drainage system in the Offords.

The positive effect of these actions can already be seen by the reduction in water in the hedge beside the High Street. In addition, all the gullies and drains in the Offords have been cleared by Cambridgeshire County Council. Cambs CC are also pushing Highways England to confirm that the new A14 drainage system is fit for purpose and not contributing to local flooding along its length. As can be seen, a lot has been done, with more still planned to happen soon. From the meetings which cover the Offords and other flooded villages/towns around Huntingdonshire it seems that we have achieved more than anywhere else in Cambridgeshire – some places haven’t even had their drains cleared yet. The weather up to Christmas last year was exceptional with record amounts of rain both in the lead up and at the time. While we believe that the actions taken will reduce the risk of flooding happening, it’s impossible to be sure unless we experience similar conditions which, of course, we all hope 57

isn’t going to happen. However they can only ever reduce the risk and not remove it completely. The National Flood Forum (https://nationalfloodforum.org.uk/) is an extremely good resource with excellent advice about how you can reduce the risk for your own property and how to be prepared if there is a risk of flooding. We are also trying to arrange a visit by the Floodmobile - the ‘flood house on wheels’ which is packed with around 50 different property flood resilience measures, to show households and businesses what property-level adaptations can be introduced to a property to help reduce the impact future flooding can have. More can be seen at https://www.thefloodexpo.co.uk/the-floodmobile. Both the Parish Council and our Flood Risk Officer at Cambridgeshire County Council will continue to monitor closely the actions outstanding. All of the Parish Councillors are checking when they are about in the villages and the Parish Council will be carrying out a more formal regular review of the at risk areas with the support of our Flood Risk Officer. Flooding remains on the Parish Council agenda and all residents are welcome to come along to speak in the ‘Open Forum’ or listen to any future updates.

s r o ll i c n u o C t c i tr s i D News from your Flooding and emergency response This last year has shown how something that should be simple to address is hugely complicated, and deeply frustrating. Last Christmas, as the surface and river water floods took place, the focus was on keeping people safe and then helping to protect properties. Sadly, some residents are still not back in their homes, and many have found the whole experience to be deeply traumatic. As local councillors we, like you, painfully discovered that no one ‘official’ body would be coming to our aid unless it was a blue light response because there is a ‘risk to life.’ Last year communities demonstrated their resilience as neighbours helped each other with brooms, buckets, and pumps where they had them, and the volunteer four-by-four teams chose to appear

on our doorsteps offering help to fill and move sandbags that they personally sourced. In the aftermath we, as District Councilors, asked for meetings to put right the issues that arose from block ditches, culverts and the like. The District Council convened these. We discovered that no one public or private body can do everything that was needed, despite the County Council being the lead flood authority. We had to establish who owned what – which watercourses were maintained by which body (awarded watercourses) or who owned the land to the mid-point of the ditch / channel (riparian rights) and needed to do the works. Where works are needed, owners are contacted and where they decline to do the works there are enforcement processes - none of which is quick, or cheap. And if you are the unaware or unprepared owner it can come as a nasty and expensive surprise. Add to this the complications of sewers, drains and culverts and that County Council Highways, District Environmental health, the Environment agency, and the local water company have to play their parts. Where there are other complications like railway owned land or roads, it can be more complicated again as it is not just works to do, it is closures to manage. Even volunteers taking it upon themselves to clear ditches they don’t own poses issues with their own safety being key, not to mention tricky issues such as trespass and liability. The nightmare navigation has gone on behind the scenes since then with district and parish / town councillors working through the issues and chasing those who can take actions for updates. In the Offords we’re pleased to report that most of the works have now been completed or work is in hand to resolve remaining issues. This is down to the hard work of all those involved in their various capacities. Indeed, it’s one of the few settlements to be in this fortunate position. One good thing that has been done at our request is that you can now report any public flooding issues (blocked ditches, culverts, and road drains) on the County Council’s website, and they will sort out who needs to take action so you, and we, don’t have to! https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-andparking/roads-and-pathways/roadworks-and-faults

We all desperately hope that none of us see a repeat of last year’s floods but with our climate changing, we are being told this could be more a common occurrence. That does not mean the rain will necessarily fall in the same location and so all of us need to think what we would do if the unthinkable happened. We also now know that the perceived wisdom is that sandbags have little use and stopping water coming in requires more robust solutions – blocking air vents, installing flood doors and the like – we’ve been told sandbags might help direct modest amounts of water away but little more. All of this came as news to those of us who had never experienced this situation before. And we also now know that those who could be affected by river flooding should make sure they are on the Environment Agency’s Alert System and have a plan should they need to leave their property https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-floodwarnings. The District Council website have pulled all the information you need into a single page on their website: https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/environmental-issues/flooding/ Please take a look and make sure you share this information with neighbours who may not read this article or have access to the internet. HDC Covid Response and Winter Support At the time of writing this update we know that Public Health Cambridgeshire are worried about a spike in covid transmission rates and are in the process of issuing more guidance. They will be promoting vaccination amongst young people and those who are eligible for boosters. In the meantime, we know that some of the infrastructure used at the start of the pandemic is being asked to help, whether it’s around helping people to access vaccination centres, access food support or take up other needed support including winter fuel help. You can find Covid updates as they emerge on the District Councill’s website: https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/council-democracy/coronavirusservice-update/

Good News on getting the protective markings by the level crossing repainted It feels like we’ve been trying to get this work done forever, but we have secured agreement from County Council Highways. The works are much needed and hopefully will help keep everyone safe. We have been asked if other Highways works can be done and continue to report these through the County Council’s Report IT tool https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-andparking/roads-and-pathways/roadworks-and-faults . If you spot an issue do please report it and keep reporting it as it helps officers to address issues where they can. A flavour of casework this month across the ward We continue to respond to casework requests – anything you bring to our attention. This month has included County Council related issues around roads, gullies, and footpaths. If you have any issues you think we should know about or could help with, then please get in touch. Sarah Wilson 01480 412747

Sarah.wilson@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Mike Grice 01480 383213

Mike.grice@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

Sarah Conboy 01480 414900

sarah.conboy@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

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 62

Tel: 01480 273927

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

Carey Kelly 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 Day Nursery 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 Carey Kelly 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

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THE WALL Local resident Eamonn Mallon writes: IN PRAISE OF LOCAL CRAFTSMEN - PRESERVING VILLAGE HERITAGE When we bought our house in Offord Cluny in 2014, we knew, as it was in a conservation area, that we would need to be conscious of any maintenance or repairs that would be needed in the future. And of the responsibility that comes with that. This was especially so for the beautiful wall that surrounded our home and garden. We understand the wall is over 150 years old and formed part of the perimeter of the vegetable garden (up until as recently as the 1950’s) of Offord Cluny Manor House, where the houses of Opeford Close now stand. The wall was in fairly bad condition after years of wear and tear and winter weather. The top layer or bricks that formed the cap of the wall were in the worst state with many broken and crumbling. On the main part of the wall itself the most serious problem was the fact that most of the mortar had eroded, also a vast majority of the bricks were cracked chipped, and crumbling and getting worse as each year passed. Recognising the wall as being an architectural feature and historical part of the village, we were determined to preserve that both for ourselves and the future. To that end we wanted to find a specialist craftsman who was experienced in this type of work and, ideally, local. A short time before I saw an advert for The English Restoration company who had just completed work on the wall of the archery field in Offord D’Arcy, I noted the contact details. The company is owned and run by Craig English since 2007 and based in Offord Darcy. Craig came around to inspect the wall, he knew exactly what needed to be done, gave us a quote and assured us the wall would look like new again after the work.

Craig along with his talented and efficient team started the two-week job and were thankfully blessed with dry weather to get the job completed in good time. The following set of photographs maps their progress, the methods and tools they used and most importantly, the end result, which we are extremely happy with!