Edition 4

Issue 4 January - February 2018

Paxton Post

Your FREE Community Magazine for residents of Great Paxton

THE MAGAZINE FOR GREAT PAXTON

Brownies Pack Holiday See Page 26

Happy New Year

to all our readers

Andy’s Pedal2Paris See Page 12 1 Photo by Lindsay Reeves

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All contributions to the next issue of the magazine are gratefully received. We particularly welcome: • News of village events • Photographs from the village • Private for sale adverts • Recipe ideas • Letters to the Editor • Reviews and Opinions • Anything you feel the village would be interested in.

Contributions should be sent to Simon using the details below: Email: simon@easiprintandcopy.co.uk Telephone: 01733 602302 Post: Easiprint, Suite 5, 4 Blenheim Court, Peppercorn Close, Peterborough, PE1 2DU

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Our rates are: Quarter Page Mono - £ 5.00 per issue Full Page Mono - £15.00 per issue Half Page Mono - £ 8.00 per issue Full Page in Colour - £20.00 per issue Advertisements should be sent to Simon using the details below: Email: simon@easiprintandcopy.co.uk Telephone: 01733 602302 Post: Easiprint, Suite 5, 4 Blenheim Court, Peppercorn Close, Peterborough, PE1 2DU

Deadline for articles in the next issue - 9th February 2018 What Bin When?

Black General Waste Wednesday 10 January Wednesday 24 January Wednesday 7 February Wednesday 21 February

Recycling Waste Garden Waste Thursday 4 January Tuesday January Wednesday 17 January Monday 15 January Wednesday 31 January Monday 29 January Wednesday 14 February Monday 12 February Wednesday 28 February Monday 26 February For more information on your bin collections, including what goes in what bin visit http://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins-waste/

Paxton Post is published by Easiprint in association with Great Paxton Parish Council. It is funded by the Parish Council, with help from advertisements. Whilst every effort is made to ensure information in this publication is accurate, neither the Editor nor the Parish Council can be held responsible for any errors. The views expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the Parish Council.

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Great Paxton Pre-school is a place which seeks to achieve high quality learning and development that is delivered to children in a professional, respectful and safe atmosphere. We will provide experiences that enrich a child’s social, physical, learning and creative abilities, while maintaining the importance of the concepts of ‘play’ and ‘fun’. The setting will have regard for the individual needs of children and their families.

We are an Ofsted registered Pre-school with a Good rating in November 2015. We are affiliated with Great Paxton C of E Primary School who were also rated Good in July this year.

We are currently accepting children aged 2 years 9 months through to school age and have spaces available to start immediately. Our opening times are 8.50 am to 11.50 am 5 days a week. Price is £12 per session; you can use your 15 hours Early Years Government Funding (now called Universal hours) or 15 Extended hours the term after your child is 3 years old. We do also accept childcare vouchers.

Contact: Mrs Julie Edwards For further information or to arrange a visit.

Great Paxton C of E Primary School. Tel: 01480 472132 or email office@greatpaxton.cambs.sch.uk

D on T ’t he F P or a g re xto et p n t ad lyi Po o m v ng st e er n ts to wh tio en n 4

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From Canon Annette Reed th • Sunday March 11 there will be a special service for Mothering Sunday at 10.45am with a gift for all the ladies attending.

• Easter Day falls on April 1 this year and there will be an All-Age celebration of Easter at 10.45am.

Who’s who at the Parish Church.

Regular Services at Great Paxton Church 1st Sunday of the month 9.00am Holy Communion (1662 Prayer Book Service) 2nd Sunday of the month 10.45am All Age Worship lasting 40 minutes. Family friendly and informal.

3rd Sunday of the month 10.45am Holy Communion (Common Worship) 4th Sunday of the month 10.45am Morning Prayer th On the 5 Sunday we move a Songs of Praise Service around the benefice.

Vicar Canon Annette Reed 01480 211048 canonannettereed@gmail.com Please do make contact with Annette if you would like to ask about having a wedding, baptism or funeral at Great Paxton Church. Perhaps you might like a visit at home or would appreciate a listening ear in confidence. Do get in touch!

Churchwardens: Dr Peter Dunn: 01480 477051 Robert Hacking: 01480 219846.

A key may be obtained to enjoy the peace and quiet of the church by calling at the home of Jill and David Peters at 7 Church Lane, Great Paxton.

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The Great Paxton Church Bell Project.

As has been reported in previous editions of Paxton Post, Great Paxton Church has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £47,200 towards the complete refurbishment of their historic church bells. The grant means not only will all five ancient bells have new fittings and fixtures to make them safe to use, but a sixth treble bell will also be added to give an exciting peal of six. At present the Great Paxton bells can only be used for very short periods of time and before long it would not have been possible to ring them.

We now know that Taylors of Loughborough will be coming to Holy Trinity Church just after Easter to remove the existing five bells and take them to their foundry for refurbishment and to have new headstocks fitted. The date set is Monday April 9th and it will take up to three days to complete the removal. On Thursday April 26th, the new treble bell will be cast at the Loughborough Foundry at 1.30pm with the tenor being recast at 12 noon.

There will be a trip to Loughborough to witness this historic occasion organised by the Bell Committee and a coach will be laid on along with a tour of the bell foundry museum.

There will not be any charge for this adventure and if anyone is interested in going please let Annette know as soon as possible. It is a very exciting moment when a bell which should last for centuries is cast – viewers look down from a gallery to watch the dynamic process in the foundry.

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We anticipate that the six bells will all return in July – again this will be a very exciting time and we will give more details in the next edition.

• In the meantime, there is still a unique opportunity to sponsor a headstock and have a personal inscription included running across the top of the headstock.

The suggested donation is £200.00 for a smaller inscription and £300.00 for a longer text. Do let Annette know if you would like to contribute to the project in this way as soon as possible. Not sure what a headstock is? Below is a picture of a new one fitted onto an old bell.

Bellringing Within our Benefice, we have a talented group of ringers who are always looking for new members and can train people to ring as well. We are currently based at Little Paxton Church, but do ring at our other benefice churches. We look forward to the bells at Holy Trinity Church being refurbished so that we can continue to ring there for Sunday services and other special occasions Practice night at Little Paxton Church is every Thursday.

Contact Mary Parham 01480 394727 if you would like to know more.

Great Paxton School celebrates its 25th birthday.

On Thursday November 2nd, the whole school community came together to celebrate 25 years since the new school was opened.

There was a special lunch for the children and in the afternoon the Bishop of Ely, Stephen Conway, was present for a celebratory assembly where children shared what they loved about the school and candles were lit on a special cake.

Ann Nicholson, pictured below, had made a new cover for the worship table and Bishop Stephen dedicated it for use. Each child in the school had stitched part of the leaf design so it was very much a collaborative effort.

We wish everyone at Great Paxton School a very happy and fruitful 2018.

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Some thoughts on the New Year From Canon Annette Reed, Vicar at Great Paxton Church.

As we read this latest edition of The Paxton Post it will nearly be or already be January 2018.

January is named after the Roma god Janus, who was always shown as having two heads.

He looked back to the last year and forward to the new one.

Thinking about time may prove discomforting, but it isn’t bad idea- especially at the beginning of a new year.

As we look forward to 2018, we see a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,700 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchased it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life.

The gift of time is not ours alone – every human being has the same 24 hours each day.

We cannot stop time – there is no way to slow it down, turn it off. Time marches on.

We cannot bring time back. Once it is gone, it is gone, though memories can remain.

Time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can worry over it.

We can spend it on ourselves or invest it too in making the world a better place and being caring to those with whom we spend our days.

2018 is full of time. As the seconds tick away, shall we be making every second count?

Wishing you all a happy and fruitful New Year

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Honouring Our War Heroes Great Paxton’s War Heroes As some of you may know there were 11 brave men from Great Paxton that went off to fight in the First World War, and sadly never came home.

We are looking for 10 more families from the village that would like to honour one of these men by being a custodian. It will entail a bit of research on the individual and his family, and a wall of honour to commemorate and celebrate his memory on your house wall and/or in your garden in November 2018.

Even if you are not a custodian we would like the village to have displays and are hoping for lots of participants.

Next year, on Sunday 11th November, we want to fill the church and then have a themed lunch and drink in The Bell, commemorating 100 years since the end of the First World War. If you have any ideas, and you would like to be a custodian you can let us know in this group. We know that not everyone has access to, or is comfortable with computers or the internet, but don’t let that stop you. We will communicate with pen and paper as well as electronically.

Honouring Great Paxton’s 1st and 2nd World War Heroes https://m.facebook.com/groups/20166 57235240761?multi_permalinks=20167 52611897890&notif_t=group_activity& notif_id=1512323998726411&ref=m_no tif

There is going to be a meeting on Wednesday 17th January at The Bell, 7.30pm where we will start planning how to achieve this.

All are very welcome, particularly anyone that is related to the brave men that died, or who knows of people that went to war and came home again.

We will concentrate on 1914 - 1918 to start with, and then move on to the men who died in the 2nd World War. If anyone knows of soldiers that have given their lives in more recent conflicts, please let us know so that they can be honoured too, and never forgotten.

Andy Cowham - 07814 523288 and Jacqueline Wieczorek - 01480 477035, jacqueline.wieczorek@gmail.com

Even if you don’t want to be a custodian but would like to share ideas, please join us.

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ANDY’S PEDAL TO PARIS In September 2018 I am taking part in an organised 300 mile cycle ride from London to Paris to raise money for the charity Diabetes UK. Why am I doing this challenge and why Diabetes UK? In July of 2016 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Through the resources available to me via Diabetes UK I have been able to manage my condition well. As part of the management of my condition I am looking to improve my physical health and being inspired by the TV documentary 'Fixing Dad' I took to cycling and decided to set myself the goal of taking part in a London to Paris Cycle ride. I felt that I should try to raise some money to help the charity that has helped and inspired me.

About Diabetes Currently there are approx 4.5 million people living in the UK with Diabetes, A condition which is increasing in numbers daily. Each week thousands of people in the UK suffer Heart Attacks, Strokes, Amputations and Blindness as a result of their Diabetes. However with good management of their condition many of these life threatening conditions can be avoided and many individuals can lead a normal healthy and active life.

Diabetes UK Diabetes UK is a UK registered charity that offers the support for individuals to do this by providing services such as a team specialist support councillors who knows Diabetes inside-out and can help with the emotional, social and psychological or practical difficulties of living with the conditions.

They also provide a wealth of information on diet and nutrition which is a vital part of living with the condition. Medical research is another area in which Diabetes UK plays a major part in working with the NHS to improve the care and treatment available for those living with diabetes. Another area is raising awareness of the condition and helping to prevent people suffering the complications of diabetes. Further information can be found at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/ How can you help me?

In the first instance I am trying to raise funds for Diabetes UK, donations can be given via my fundraising web page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andyspedal2paris. If you are unable to help with a contribution to my chosen charity, maybe there is some way in which you or your organisation can help with my efforts to raise funds. Please can I also ask you make others aware of what I am doing, in the hope that they may also help, by donating to the above page to help me to achieve my fundraising target.

I can be contacted via: email:- andyspedal2paris@gmail.com; Phone:-+44(0)7592 885122 Address:- 77 High Street, Great Paxton, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK, PE19 6RG. In the event that I am not able to complete my challenge any monies donated will not be refundable and will still be donated to Diabetes UK. The cost of participating in the challenge will be funded by the charity.

The Cycle ride is organised by Skyline Event Management at www.londonparisbikeride.co.uk/ Diabetes UK, A charity registered in England and Wales (215199) and in Scotland (SCO39136)

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Village Bus Timetables

Community Speed Watch Update Speed checks by our village speed watch team have continued to monitor traffic on a regular basis and with 3 more volunteers having completed their training we will be able to increase the number of checks.

Householders in the High Street have been requested to display speed signs on their bins on waste collection days to get the message home. The signs have kindly been sponsored by Mick George.

More volunteers are needed and should you be able to spend a couple of hours once or twice a month then please get in touch with Jill Peters by email jillatgp@gmail.com

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News from The Bell Firstly, we would like to thank all those who have supported The Bell during 2017 and to those who have made it one of their regular haunts. The last year has been a busy one for us and we are grateful to you all for your support. A village Pub can’t survive without village customers! We have many groups that now meet at the pub including The Friendship Group which meets twice a month on Tuesdays (the first and third Tuesdays of the month) and has grown from 6 people to 24 people, almost filling our restaurant. The newly established Great Paxton Ladies Group has now held several functions at the Bell, and seems to be a growing group. The History Group, The Shop Committee, and various other groups continue to have meetings at The Bell on a regular basis. Please contact us for more information if you are interested in joining in with any of these or have any ideas for community activities where we might be able to provide the venue. We also have had a range of meetings about a variety of topics, including planning issues and pretty much anything else you want.

It is your village pub, so please feel able to contribute to the community activities where you can. We still have our regular clubs and teams including petanque, in the summer, crib in the winter and a regular darts team as well as hosting football team after match food and the local Woodsooners golfing dinners The Bell – Fantastic Food!

Wil, our Chef has settled in really well and is doing a brilliant job. He is expanding our food menu which now includes our epic Sunday Lunches as well as our Steak Nights on Thursdays and Saturdays and Fish and Chip Nights on Fridays (take away and eat in). We also run a bar menu Friday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wil is happy to cater for your dietary 14

requirements which can be discussed with him prior to booking. We have hosted a number of companies and organisations Christmas do’s, all of which have been extremely successful. Plans for the future include Curry nights, so watch our Facebook page and local adverts for details.

The Community Shop- what a great achievement!

We would like to extend a hearty welcome to our new neighbour, The Community Shop, which opened in our grounds in November. It hardly seems yesterday since the first village meeting was held in The Bell to initiate the shop project and this was also when we decided that the shop could be located in The Bell car park. A bunch of brave volunteers stood up to be counted and the shop committee was formed. I suspect that they would have remained sitting if they had realised how much work would be involved, but they battled through, fund raising, organising, meeting and even appearing on television as the shop got off the ground. Well done to them for getting this wonderful village facility up and running.

Coming Up- Watch this Space!

We are planning our spring/ summer events for 2018 so watch out for details of these.

We also have upcoming christenings, birthday parties and a wedding reception. If you want to use our facilities, with or without food, contact Abi on 01480 700107 or email us at: info@thebell-greatpaxton.com.

Abi and the team look forward to extending a warm welcome to you in 2018!

Great Paxton Local History Group The Bell, 7.30 pm, every month on the third Wednesday (usually).

Our meeting in November was used to discuss the idea of how we could commemorate the end of the First World War One a hundred years ago, and honour those who died. The idea was suggested on The Great Paxton Community Group Facebook page and received a lot of support, so a group is to be started to do research into the men who fought and died - the names are on the War Memorial in the churchyard - and also if possible, to find out about those who went but were lucky enough to return home. A community event is planned for 11th November 2018, to involve the church, the pub, and hopefully the village Guiding and Scout Groups, as well as all residents in the village, and maybe any family of the fallen that can be contacted.

We found out that some of the houses in our village were built for these returning soldiers, including one bungalow specially built for a man whose injuries meant he couldn’t manage the others; we would like to find out if they were lived in by returning locals, or whether the soldiers came from elsewhere.

We know that Fred Luddington came back home, and we have a lot of his story.

Some residents will remember Fred in the village, and visiting the school on his 90th birthday.

Any one with information will always be welcome to our get togethers.

It is very fitting that the day used as Remembrance Sunday in 2018 is Armistice

Day - The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the agreement was signed to end the fighting on the Western Front.

The next dates that have been set are: Wednesday 17th January 2018, 7.30pm at The Bell when we hope lots of people will come to start planning how we honour the 1st World War men. There is a Facebook group that will give further information.

Honouring Great Paxton’s 1st and 2nd World War Heroes https://m.facebook.com/groups/2016657 235240761?multi_permalinks=201675261 1897890&notif_t=group_activity&notif_id =1512323998726411&ref=m_notif Wednesday 21st February Wednesday 14th March Our Local History Group is a small friendly informal talkative group meeting at The Bell to discover the past history and 'goings on' in Great Paxton and the surrounding area, as recorded in various documents brought to the meeting by members. All welcome. The group then add their own opinions, memories, discussions and comments, often leading the conversation in many different directions.

For further information contact: Annette Reed canonannettereed@gmail.com Or Jacqueline Wieczorek jacqueline.wieczorek@gmail.com

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News from your Parish Council Great Paxton Parish Council has met twice since it last report!

Elsewhere in the Post, Councillor Mrs Boddington reports on the current progress with the proposed improvements to the A428 and, disappointingly, a delay to the announcement of the preferred route until next year (2018). The Parish Council understand that Highways England continue to engage with all affected landowners and stakeholders and will hold further formal consultation following the announcement of the preferred route.

This will give the public another opportunity to share their views and continue to help shape the scheme.

The Parish Council will try to keep everyone up to date with the latest news.

The Parish Council has discussed, in detail, its 2018/19 budget having compared actual expenditure to date with the agreed 2017/18 budget and looked at projected new expenditure and the impact this might have on the level of precept. After careful consideration of each cost item, mindful that responses to two external funding applications were still outstanding and allowing for a 3% percentage increase for inflation where necessary, the Parish Council has approved a budget and set a Council Tax precept of £20,000 for 2018/19, an increase of £500 over the previous year.

The Parish Council commissioned a survey of trees on parish land earlier in the year and have now considered the outcome. Because the estimated cost of work to trees is greater than the Parish Council had originally envisaged, Councillors are minded to undertake, as a priority, work on those trees that present a health and safety risk up to a maximum value of £750. In future, an allowance will be made in the budget for a more regular inspection and maintenance regime.

Still on roads, an organisation called Community Roadwatch came to talk to the Parish Council on the data recorded by the speed loggers placed in the High Street over a week in September. This information will be used to support an application to the County Council for funding towards traffic calming Other News: The Parish Council has measures. Over 20,000 vehicles had • Written to St Neots Town passed through Great Paxton in this Council and the Mayor of the new period with over 60% travelling in both Combined Authority for directions exceeding the speed limit!

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough to The top speed recorded – 84mph at the request support for the proposed Adams Lane junction! Community foot/cycle path from the village to St Roadwatch also donated the 30mph stickers that you might have seen on the Neots. Responses are awaited!

High Street refuse/recycling bins!

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• Undertaken to replace the toddler swing on the Saxon Green Play Space early in the New Year.

• Arranged to meet with the County Council in January to discuss the placing of a new white sign on the High Street to direct visitors to the Holy Trinity Church.

Next Meetings!

The Parish Council is due to meet again at 8pm on 8th January and 12th March in the Community Room at the Primary School. Please join us! The Parish Council value your contributions. Happy New Year!

News from your local District Councillor - Richard West RURAL CRIME ACTION Team (RCAT) Cambridgeshire is still one of the fastest growing counties in the country both in terms of its economy and population.

Huntingdonshire district has a particularly high mix of villages and rural areas with issues such as thefts from farms of tools, metals, and diesel as well as hare coursing often being reported.

The constabulary’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) was formed in 2016, The RCAT’S role to combat hare coursing and poaching, as well as using specialist knowledge to deal with other aspects of rural crime including plant and tractor theft, arson, and illegal raves.

The team also spends time raising awareness of crime prevention strategies for people living in rural communities with officers regularly meeting people to flag up issues and share experiences RCAT continues to make inroads into reducing rural crime and has achieved to date number of notable successful

convictions, but rural crime cannot be tackled in isolation.

Not all forces have dedicated rural crime teams however working across borders and working with agencies as Countryside Watch will be key to tackling this growing threat to what is a traditional way of life in our county.

SEASONAL GREETINGS TO ALL YOU WISH YOU HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR. RICHARD WEST DISTRICT COUNCILLOR OFFORDS AND GRANSDEN Tel 01480 811467 Email Richard.west@huntingdonshire.gov.uk Richard.west@buckdencambs.co.uk

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News from your local District Councillor - Barbara Boddington A428 BLACK CAT TO CAXTON GIBBET EXTENSION OF THE OPTIONS ASSESSMENT PERIOD From 6 March to 23 April 2017, we consulted on proposals to provide a dual carriageway on the A428 between Black Cat roundabout and Caxton Gibbet and to improve the Black Cat roundabout. This consultation was to seek your views on a range of route and junction options at an early stage of scheme development.

Since the consultation, we have continued to develop the scheme by incorporating your feedback and carrying out technical assessments and surveys. We have also recognised the need to better understand the direction and incorporate potential changes from the A1 East of England Strategic Study. This will require further analysis to fully understand the implications for the A428 scheme. This means that the preferred route announcement has not been possible in autumn 2017. We recognise that this delay may be frustrating, however it is important that the scheme meets the long term needs of local communities and road users throughout the region.

We will update you on our progress and next steps early in the new year and share as much detail as possible. Our engagement with all affected landowners and stakeholders is ongoing and we will hold a further formal consultation following the announcement of the preferred route. This will give you another opportunity to share your views and continue to help shape the scheme.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch Did you know you can subscribe to our scheme webpage? To receive an email alert when new information is published, please go to http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/a428-black-cat-to-caxton-gibbet and click on ‘sign up for updates

I am here to help All the Electorate Cllr Barbara Boddington Email barbara.boddington@huntsdc.gov.uk Tel: 01480 880929

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News from your local PCSO Police Report Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening (dependent on what time of day you read this)

technically it isn’t, but being a cat owner myself I know the heartache of losing an animal or not knowing what has happened to them. If anyone has any knowledge, or is aware of any road My name is Richard Braddick and I am a incidents or similar and would like to Police Community Support Officer based contact me anonymously on the details below, I can inform the owners. at St Neots Police station. I have currently been working the past year If you have any issues you would like to with Cambridgeshire Constabulary and discuss you can contact me using the previous to that for North Yorkshire contact details at the bottom of the Police. page.

It is important to try and get messages Please keep safe and remember to out to our village communities and report any suspicious activity on 101. although I do patrol the village on a regular basis, it tends to be at night time Richard and not always visible to everyone.

I am hoping that I can put a regular PCSO 7101 Richard Braddick Police report into the Village magazine Richard.braddick@cambs.pnn.police.uk to update residents on recent crime St Neots Safer Neighbourhood Team trends in the area.

St. Neots Police Station | Dovehouse Close | St. Neots | Cambridgeshire | Crime Report PE19 1DS We have had a dwelling burglary in Gt Mobile: 07921-094801| Call: 101 Paxton and I urge you all to make sure that you lock all windows and doors and #safercambs report any suspicious activity on 101. A few weeks prior to the burglary a suspicious male was reported going door to door in the area with leaflets for driveways.

One important note that I would like to add to this report is the loss of two young cats from the village of Gt Paxton, I am sure you have seen the signs around the village. You may think that this is not Police specific work and 23

Great Paxton C of E Primary School TESCO Bags of Help Scheme We are delighted to let you know that our application to the Tesco Bags of Help Grant Scheme has been successful.

We have applied to develop our Early Years Foundation Stage Outdoor Environment. Our project along with two other successful projects in our region will go forward to a vote in Tesco stores where customers will decide the outcome by voting for their favourite project each time they shop. Voting will take place from Tuesday 2nd January 2018 to Wednesday 28th February 2018. The project with the highest number of votes across our region will receive £4,000, the second placed project £2,000 and the third placed project £1,000.

Please see below a list of stores taking part in the voting on our project.

2491 3145 5575

EATON SOCON EXPRESS PE19 8EQ St Neots PE19 2SA ST NEOTS LOVES FM EXP PE19 6SL

To vote, you will need to make a purchase within store of any value. You will receive one token per transaction and it's not necessary to purchase a carrier bag in order to receive a token.

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Food For Life Award

We have now earned the Bronze Food For Life award from the Soil Association for our work with the school garden and also the lunchtime experience we provide to the children.

Thank you for all that have helped and supported to make this possible.

Football Result Well done to the school football team who battled really hard against Upwood Primary School in the final of the Small Schools Tournament. Unfortunately we were not able to maintain our winning run (having won the tournament both times last year) but with a new team we made some excellent progress and fingers are crossed for the rest of the season. Upwood won 4-0 on aggregate.

Yours sincerely Mr Lee Frost Headteacher

Great Paxton Recreation Ground The recreation ground has had a good year with a number of events including the fantastic charity football day.

Income is low due to GPFC only having one team this year, but we have been starting to hiring out the pitch to other teams as and when required. With this in mind we have been talks with Staploe and Duloe FC regarding them coming to join GPFC at the rec.

I am now pleased to announce that as from next season 2018/2019 this will be happening ! They will be bring a number of youth teams U9, U11, U16 & U17s and will be actively looking to create a new mini soccer team for either U6 or U7, so it will be great to get as many

kids from the village involved. GPFC will work alongside Staploe & Duloe FC with the ability for the younger players to progress up into adult football at the same ground. It will also bring much needed income, people and enthusiasm to the rec for next season. Staploe & Duloe will be getting involved more from the New Year onwards, to ensure the transition and handover runs as smoothly as possible, also ensuring the field for the smaller team is ready and playable for their arrival. If anyone has any questions, would like to get involved or would like to hire the pitch or club house please contact Michael on 07950967250.

Great Paxton Football Club Great Paxton FC are 11 games in to the season with 67 goals scored and sit 3rd in the table. With big wins in the league over Eaton Socon and Cherry Hinton compared to last year’s hideous season.

With Zac Carr, Jordan Nicholson, Greg Lapare, Alex Lester and Paul Clare all scoring regularly, a top 3 finish is looking possible! We have a County Cup

semi-final coming up on the 6th January at the rec ground vs Houghton and Wyton Reserves (13-45 kick off) hoping to get to our first final since reforming and it’s quite possible we could be playing Eaton Socon. If anyone would like to come training or is interested in joining the club or helping out please contact Tom on 07576600523

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Great Paxton Rainbows & Brownies We've had a great first term with the Rainbows. Girls have completed their 'Roundabout Rainbows' badge with lots of different activities inviting them to 'look', 'learn', 'laugh' and 'love. We've also been busy exploring what our Rainbow Promise means in fun ways before all Rainbows made their promise this term.

A Jungle Brownie Pack Holiday – by Ella Reece

For our pack holiday, we voted for a jungle/animal theme.

This included the brownie leaders decorating with paper Both units had fun outdoors in the dark for vines and animals and one evening. There were glow in the dark and renaming the rooms with ‘The swamp’ and torch lit treasure hunts. The Brownies had the ‘Kilimanjaro’, and us brownies making additional challenge of decoding clues to be expedition bags to collect our goodies in. able to unlock padlocks and get to their There were five main rooms – ‘The Lodge’ treasure! We also made edible fireworks, (activity room), ‘The Watering Hole’ (the toasted marshmallows over candles and made kitchen), ‘The Swamp’ (bathroom), ‘The Lion’s outdoor hot chocolate!

Den’ (the leaders room) and most importantly our room… ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’! Most of our The big event for the Brownies this term was activities were in the lodge or outside…apart Pack Holiday which Ella has written about from the time a monkey hid our breakfast! below. It was great to be able to get outdoors …That morning we had to search everywhere! for lots of the weekend even in midWe did lots of activities, but my favorites were November. As well as finishing off our Crime setting up a campfire, making an explorers Prevention Badge this half term, a number of dessert, and making an animal bookmark girls have been busy gaining interest badges (mine was a unicorn!). outside of the Brownie meeting including I had an amazing time playing with my friends swimmer, craft and road safety. We've and staying up late. I would really recommend explored what it means to be a leader and the this wonderful experience to all current and skills you need as some Brownies have taken future Brownies looking for some fun and on the new roles of Sixers and Seconders and adventure. have found out more about the adventures Guides have and the skills they learn as we Volunteers prepared to say farewell to our eldest We continue to look for additional adult Brownies. volunteers to help support Girlguiding in Great Paxton and help us provide more Some of us were able to get into the festive opportunities for fun, friendship and spirit by taking part in the St Neots Priory adventure for girls. If you think you'd like to District Christingle Service which took place at be get involved either as a leader or unit Little Paxton Church with other Rainbows, helper or you think you might be able to offer Brownies and Guides. We finished off the some skills please do get in touch! term with a variety of Christmas crafts, games and a joint party which was lots of fun (and very loud!).

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Waiting Lists Both units are currently operating waiting lists. We'd recommend to anyone thinking about get their daughter involved in either Rainbows (5-6 years) or Brownies (7-10 years) to get them onto the waiting list sooner rather than later. You can do so by visiting www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus and don't forget that there are also units in Offords.

Contact us You can get in touch with us via email Rainbows; 1stgreatpaxtonrainbows@gmail.com Brownies; 1stgreatpaxtonbrownies@gmail.com Emma, Tracey, Emma, Amy, Maddie and Tayla Girlguiding Great Paxton Volunteers

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Jack’s Family Fun Day & Music Festival 2018

We are now getting started on the preparations for Jack’s Family Fun Day which will be held on Saturday 30th June from 12.00 pm onwards and will have the usual BBQ, stalls, games and football tournament. What we would like is extra helpers either before the day or on the day and would welcome all help that anyone can give. The earlier we get started the better day we can put together.

We are also hoping to move on afterwards to have a Music Festival but really need to have feedback from people to know if this would be a well supported event and if this is something the village would like to have. We do have a few people already that are voluntarily giving their time to come and play if we go ahead with it but again we would need help with this as it will be a long day and huge amount of planning.

If you would like to volunteer your time, perform in the evening, play football or have any suggestions for making the day better then please email jack95.charityevents@googlemail.com

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Contacts Page 1st Gt.Paxton Brownies 1st Gt.Paxton Rainbows

Emma Christie

1stgreatpaxtonbrownies@gmail.com 1stgreatpaxtonrainbows@gmail.com

Church Bell Ringers Holy Trinity Church Church Warden Community Room Crib Team Football Club Friendship Club Gt. Paxton Community Shop Gt. Paxton Cubs Ladies Group Parish Clerk Petanque Recreation Ground School Headteacher St. Neots Police Village Website Woodsooners Golf Society Walkers Group

Mary Parnham Rev. Annette Reed Bob Hacking Julie Edwards Simon Black Tom Marion Reeves

394727 211048 219846 472132 700107 07576600523 marionreeves@btinternet.com 01480 218 624 Andy Ottley 07704857636 Melanie Dingemans melanie.dingemans1@gmail.com Christine Brandon gppc@outlook.com Brian Wright 473697 Michael Fairs Michael.fairs@gmail.com Lee Frost 472132 101 www.greatpaxton.org Martin Bazley 21927 Linda Richardson 213768

Any corrections please notify the editor or email jillatgp@gmail.com

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