Out & About February - March 2021

February 2021March 2021

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THE NIGHT BEFORE THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS Some of you may be aware that in Offord Cluny on December 23rd a number of properties were badly flooded, in particular in Station Lane, Parkway, Elm Drive and Latin Close.

Each householder's experience was and will have been different and some folk will be living with disruptions for many months to come. The authors are aware of one young family with a toddler and very new baby who just had to close their door that evening to go to stay with family - not knowing what horror they were to face when they came back to assess the damage.

People who had planned to have Christmas lunch with their ' Covid Bubble' were left alone for the day, other folk lost Christmas presents which were already under the tree and lost pets were hunted for in more than two feet of water - to our knowledge all were found safe and well eventually.

However, in the midst of each individual householder's problems, friends and those same neighbours immediately began to provide assistance and muscle to other households. In the best socially distanced way possible, young men and their friends were moving furniture to upper floors, ripping up carpets and finding torches for neighbours who had lost power, even sweeping water from back gardens out to the roadway, to try to ease the situation of the water flooding down from the fields.

The Fire Service provided manpower but in truth, with the drains as blocked as they were, it was always going to be a fight leading to a losing battle.

Many of these homes are not in a liveable state at the present time, so there is the additional pressure of having to find somewhere to live for the next six months or so, close to school/employment, etc., as well as dealing with insurance companies and builders, and trying to maintain a normal family life - as normal as possible in these strange times.

The authors of this article are only aware of the damage known to them in Cluny and apologise in advance if there have been other properties damaged which we have not mentioned.

Anyway, however the rest of this year pans out we already have plans for when our houses are homes again, which include BBQ's and wine/beer glasses - as a very small way of saying how grateful we are to everyone who helped us at the time and who are continuing to offer support and maintain morale.

THANK YOU EVERYONE - You Know Who You Are........

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Welcome Owing to lockdown this edition of Out & About is only being published on line. We have a very small number of printed copies to be passed round anyone who cannot access the online edition. If you know of someone who needs this, please contact us on OffordOandA@gmail.com and we will do our best to help. There will be some copies in the Library boxes to be borrowed and returned.

We hope that you find the content interesting. Some is factual information and some is intended to be uplifting. The O&A team recognises that Offord residents all have different experiences of Lockdown and Covid_19. In addition, the weather has brought devastating floods to some homes. Our thoughts are with all who are struggling in these extraordinary times.

Feedback on the magazine will be gratefully received via the email above. We are aiming to serve the village and provide something of interest for everyone.

Ann Knowles, Poppy Co-Ordinator, for The Royal British Legion, would like to thank the people of the Offord Villages for their contributions to this year’s Poppy Appeal, which totalled £503.50

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n o i t a i c o s s A s r e n e d r a G d r o f f O

February & March

It is difficult to anticipate where we are at the moment. With all the stresses of Covid_19, then we were hit with all the rain which created flooding in the village in places never been known to flood before. We can as usual list the jobs normally done in the next two months but I am sure you will realise when they are carried out is dependant on the right weather conditions and perhaps, more importantly, the ground conditions as well.

We would like to think things will improve with it gradually getting lighter days so here are the jobs for: February When suitable conditions, prepare veg plot and sow veg seeds under cover Chit potato tubers Prune winter flowering shrubs after flowering Divide snowdrops and plant them in the green Prune Wisteria Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges Cut back deciduous grasses; remove dead from evergreen grasses March Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes Plant summer flowering bulbs Lift and divide overgrown perennials Move the lawn on dry days if needed Cut back Cornus and Willow grown for coloured stems in winter Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control Prune bush and climbing roses I know more people have been in their gardens in these difficult times and we are here to offer advice. Even though we cannot resume our monthly meetings as normal, getting outdoors has been invaluable.

Enjoy your Gardening John 811148

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Thank you for all of your support over the last 6 months. Due to strict Government guidelines and the new "Rule of Six", we are currently unable to offer day trips..

Our vehicles are, however, Covid-secure and we are undertaking all precautions necessary to ensure a safe travelling environment. We are, therefore, able to offer our vehicles for private hire for households/families who wish to travel together. Social distancing is required on board, so our vehicles can only travel at half capacity at best. The price we quote will be for hire of the vehicle with a driver, not a cost-per-head price. We currently have a 17-seat luxury minibus, and a 47seat and a 53-seat executive coach, both with toilets all, available for hire.

With the winter season fast approaching, demand for day trips will be falling, and so we anticipate not being able to offer any day trips until next year. We do hope to be able to run our annual trip to the Pantomime - hopefully in early January depending on available seating in the theatre.

If you are interested in joining us at the Panto, or would like to join our mailing list to be notified of future trips please contact us by email at platinumtourslimited@gmail.com.

Once again, thank you for supporting a local business. It has been a very tough summer, but we are still here and ready to take you out when it is safe to do so. "

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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 9

r e m r a F e h t Ask

With Local Farmer Jon

Hi Everyone! Farmer Jon here, Farmer Stephen’s son. I have been working with Dad on the farm for 14 years.

This time of year is usually a bit quieter for us crop farmers, however my friends who have cows and sheep are starting to get their farms ready for calves and lambs that’ll soon be arriving!

With the current restrictions, it’s been fantastic to see so many people out and about enjoying the bridle paths we have on the farm. However, you may see some grass strips around the edges of fields, which look tempting to walk round, but these strips are left for ground nesting birds and other wildlife to enjoy when there’s not as much cover from the main crop in the field. In light of this we’d ask everyone to please stick to the designated bridle and footpaths.

With the winter being so wet again, we’ve been helping out in the village where we can with flood prevention / response. We’ve also been getting our machinery ready for our spring work. With our fertiliser spreader and crop sprayer, they get independently tested every year to make sure that they work accurately and everything works correctly.

Hopefully in March, we can get back on the land to plant our spring crops. This year we’re planting spring Barley & spring Wheat.

I hope everyone is staying safe and hopefully we can have a normal summer to look forward to! Take care.

Farmer Jon 10

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l l a H e g a l l i V Offord Although we are once again temporarily closed following the third lockdown imposed by the Government, we are very much looking forward to brighter times when some of our clubs and classes will be able to resume. It seems a long time since we enjoyed each other’s company.

However, the future is looking brighter, and we are optimistic that it will not be too much longer!

Sadly, our Chairman John Gatward has decided to resign after many year’s involvement with the Village Hall. He has seen it change and evolve over that time and has been part of many of the organisations that use it. You may also be unaware that John has been responsible for ensuring a lot of the maintenance work is carried out, being the trustee responsible for Premises and Health & Safety. This means ensuring that things like the electrical equipment is PAT tested regularly, the boiler gets serviced and the fire extinguishers are checked. All the important things that users and hirers take for granted, he makes sure are in place. John has decided to relinquish these responsibilities and pass the baton on. Fortunately, however, he has agreed to remain a trustee as the Offord Gardeners’ Association representative. He has said that he will still be on hand to give help and advice but has other interests he would like to have the time to follow.

We would like to thank him for all his hard work, advice and good humour as the Chairman of the Management Committee over the last three years.

We wish him and his family well in all their endeavours in the future.

November’s AGM was postponed with the hope that we would be able to meet face to face. However, we could not put it off forever, so it was held remotely on January 19th, 2021. It is fortunate that we have this facility as I am not sure what we would have done without the internet.

The Management Committee is made up of trustee representatives from the organisations that use the hall on a regular basis and elected members from the public. As trustees they sign a declaration to manage the hall and this is then sent to the Charity Commission, as we are a registered charity. They are also ultimately responsible for planning social and fundraising events, such as Bingo, Quiz Nights, Ceilidh and latterly the Beer Festival.

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This year’s Management Committee consists of: Chairman - Patrick Ruddy Vice Chairman - Kathy Millward Treasurer – John Kirby Bookings Secretary – Helen Bosworth Secretary – Helen Ellis Organisation Representatives: Senior Citizens – Marlene Alderman The Offord Players – Will Headen WI – Jenny Murby Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council – Simon Young PCC – Jenny Murby Thursday Club – Angela Simpson Bowls Club – Rod Arnold Offord Gardeners’ Association – John Gatward Offord Tots – Nikki Mitchell Elected trustees: John Kirby Helen Bosworth Helen Ellis Kathy Millward Patrick Ruddy Sarah Cutworth Rebecca Davis-Marsh Caretaker – Fred Simpson We are always looking for new people to join us, so if you are interested let me know!

Helen Ellis - Secretary, Offord Village Hall

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K Fit Pilates is coming to 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 for over 8 years 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: ÂŁ45 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

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Laughter Lines This is a new column to give you a smile. We would welcome contributions from anyone who has a story, joke or anecdote they would be willing to share. Please send entries to OffordOandA@gmail.com Here are some starters……and we hope you enjoy!

My grandson was seven and at school when he fell in the playground and cut his knee quite badly. The First Aider decided it needed stitches and called his Mum. She collected him and drove straight to casualty. There he was Xrayed and the deep wound was cleaned and stitched. Alfie was a brave boy and watched the proceedings with interest. Returning home, he poured all this out to his Dad saying excitedly, ‘And now I know what’s inside your leg. First, it’s skin, then it’s chicken, and then bone’ *** On holiday in Australia during a heat wave, eating meals outside was a problem because of a plague of flies. Milly and Grandad decided to brave it and take their breakfast outside, because as Milly (4) said: ‘Grandad, it won’t matter if the flies get on your Marmite toast because you won’t be able to see them’ 18

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l o o h c S d r o f f O m o r f e g a s s e M A They say that it’s never too late to learn and as Chair of Governors at Offord Primary School I am on a very steep learning curve! Over a long career in teaching I could never understand the layman’s frustration over the number of acronyms and specialist terms in education. I guess when your head is in it every day you just keep on top of it. But the Pandemic has brought a whole new language to schools and I take my hat off to the staff, parents, children and fellow governors who day by day absorb the avalanche of instructions, requirements and guidance from on high.

A year ago we had no understanding of remote or blended learning. Now these deceptively simple terms trip off the tongue, but behind them lies a huge effort and shift in behaviour for all involved. The technological capability needed to enhance remote learning has put financial and intellectual demands on many. I am impressed by our teachers’ performances (for acting is what is needed) as they interact with their classes, stimulate curiosity and convey information. I stand in awe of the children who, supported by their parents, navigate ‘Teams’ and the mute button to join in conversations appropriately. As a grandparent with occasional child care responsibility, I pray that I get to the right lesson at the right time. So far, so good, with help from my older grandson. And when it’s so tricky on the receiving end, I can only imagine the supreme effort of our teachers, leaders and assistants. At the same time, I recognise the huge impact that teaching children at home puts on parents. Some are able to avail themselves of ‘in school provision’ but most are juggling their own job and a teaching job that they never trained for. And now I come to that second new term, blended learning. The intention is that all children get the same opportunities to learn whether at home or at school.

Mrs Ruddock and her team are planning the same curriculum for those in school and those at home. At the start of this lockdown, families whose children would be learning from home were invited to go to the school and wait in a socially distanced queue to collect work books and resources to enable them to keep up. The school is trying to ensure that everyone has what they need and lessons are scheduled so that families with children in different classes can access the lessons on a single device.

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Mrs Ruddock has told me of the frequent feedback and encouragement from parents and friends of the school. This goes a long way in maintaining morale through what are very difficult times for us all. These unprecedented times are only strengthening the special partnership between home and school that we strive for and value so much at our small village primary school.

What a long way we have come!

THANK YOU to you all.

Liz Simpkin, Chair of Governors

www.offordprimaryschool.org office@offordprimaryschool.org

s d r i B e h t d Fee At this time of year, life can be tough for birds. A cold snap can mean they need more energy - just to keep warm - and the short days leave less time to find food. We can all give them a helping hand.

Did you know that: • Sparrows and finches like seeds • Tits like fat • Thrushes and robins like fruit and worms • And starlings eat just about anything.

Photograph – Birds in Offord Michael Murfin

Please keep water in bird baths and ponds unfrozen because birds need to drink and bathe every day - even when it's really cold outside. A pond or bird bath is great, but even an upturned bin lid or plant saucer can give birds the water they need.

And by feeding the birds in your garden or at your window, you'll help them get through what can be a tough time of year and hopefully cheer yourself up in the process.

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Do your glasses fog, have you fallen like a log?

Are you sick of rubber gloves, never hugging all your loves?

Are you missing all your friends, be so glad when all this ends?

Do your glasses fog?

How the world has shrunk, pubs are closing, can’t get drunk, Can’t do this, can’t do that, can we even stroke the cat?

Have you piled on the weight - will you have to travel freight?

Will your glasses fog?

Do you remember that we could meet up for a chat?

We could picnic by the Ouse wearing open sandalled shoes, Sadly, that’s gone now, ‘cos it got us in a row.

How our glasses fog.

But we’re glad to offer praise for the very many ways, We’ve been helped in this Pandemic – Doctor, nurse and academic, Must include our Budgen Shop, for they never seem to stop, Though their glasses fog.

But there’s good news now, and we’re all amazed at how, There’s a Vaccine on the way, we won’t even have to pay.

If you’re old enough, then the world will get less tough.

Though your glasses fog.

When at last the jabbing’s done and we get a bit of sun, We can put our world together; live a better life forever So let’s all give up complaining - (those of us remaining), Let our glasses fog.

We must stick to the rules, not to do so is for fools, For if we all comply, we can wave it all goodbye, Don’t you be the one who helps it run and run, Marion Warden

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

The Offords Line Dance Group

At one point, January 2021 was going to be the start of a promising New Year, returning to normality and exercise activities resuming with renewed vitality. Feet to the Beat line dancers would be shaking off 2020 melancholy and enjoying the company of likeminded friends.

Popularity of the sessions would bring numbers to full strength with solid support. Sadly, it is not to be – the Covid shutters have slammed down once more and we all need to hunker down yet again under Lockdown 3. Hopefully, with the promise of future vaccinations and bright spring weather on the horizon, line dancing will recommence again soon.

Happily, many were able to attend three December Tuesday morning classes in the Village Hall before Christmas. The ever energetic Izzy filled the sessions with non-stop dancing and was delighted to use festive song tracks on the final session. Now the dance shoes and our line dance brains have been packed away again for another few weeks of inactivity.

We all look forward to better and safer times ahead.

Jenny Griffiths - on behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144

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How does Line Dancing keep you fit in Lockdown? Read on ……….

The benefits of Line Dancing includes exercise of both body and mind but also, normally, time spent with likeminded others.

During Lockdown isolation can be challenging and difficult to remedy but exercise routines help lift the spirit. Practising Line Dancing at home with the aid of an online guidance is one method, simply log onto YouTube and click on one of the many routines with music you like. Don’t be put off if you think it’s all Country Western music …….. line dancing is no longer just country, it is done to rock, pop, Irish and Latin.

What shall I wear?

Forget the cowboy boots and hats, and wear whatever you find comfortable.

Most people wear trousers/jeans with a t-shirt/top with a cardigan that can be removed. Your outfit is entirely up to you.

Where can I practise at home?

Practise on a smooth uncarpeted floor so you can get the right amount of traction (i.e. grip) and work within your limits.

What footwear shall I wear?

Wear soft flat comfortable shoes that give you the right amount of traction and support for your feet, maybe with a small heel. If there is too much traction then your ankles will be quite sore afterwards. Alternatively, if there is not enough grip, you could end up sliding all over the place.

Line dancing does help with losing weight because it elevates your heart rate for an extended period of time.

Above all, enjoy your music, find which YouTube instruction you prefer and have a go.

Jenny Griffiths for Izzy Brogan (Feet to the Beat line dance teacher)

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e t u t i t s n I s n e m Offord Wo The Offords WI is still in long hibernation and we do miss meeting up with friends. Our monthly meetings are very social occasions as well as being educational, entertaining and fun.

During this shutdown we haven’t forgotten the aims of the WI and work is still going on behind the scenes, so that we will be ready to open up again to old and new Members. The friendships forged through WI have provided many of us with a lifeline at a time of great need, and we have felt less alone.

All WIs come under the umbrella of an area Federation, ours being the Huntingdon and Peterborough Federation. This group comprises fifty five individual WIs, some smaller ones in the villages and some larger ones in the towns. We are all able to visit other groups and sometimes get together for special events. Recently a Poetry Competition was launched across the Federation and we are proud to say that the winning entry was written by a Member of The Offords WI. A great achievement! The poem was published in the Federation Newsletter which we receive monthly, although this is currently online only.

Members of The Offords WI received a Christmas Goody Bag due to the efforts of the Committee. There was a 3 D pop-up Christmas card, a poem, a hand stitched coaster and a Christmas Tree seed to be grown on ready for a competition next December – yes, we WILL be back!

Our AGM was held by Zoom in December and fortunately most of the Committee agreed to continue for the next year. As soon as it’s safe we shall be ready to resume our monthly activities and have lots of events planned!

For further information call or email Carol Temple on 01480 812879 or caroltemple51@gmail.com

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h c t a W d o o h Neighbour

The Offords - Winter

The Offords have been going through a really tough time over the past few months with the virus and the flooding.

It is in times like these that a good neighbourhood comes into its own. I think the residents have shown a great community spirit by helping out those who have suffered in the floods and supporting vulnerable people with shopping and delivering medication in the ongoing virus.

Thank you to everyone who has helped but there is still more to do.

Some of the flooded properties could take months to repair and volunteers may be required to clear ditches to help prevent future flooding. The Parish Council are formulating a Flood Plan in case it does happen again.

Although we now have a vaccine, we are going to be under restrictions for some time yet, so vulnerable residents may still need support.

Please keep a look out on the Parish Council notice boards, website and the Offords Facebook page for requests for help.

Finally, there have been a number of virus related scams doing the rounds so please be very careful. More information can be found on this website, together with details of the many other ongoing scams. https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/communityprotection/against-scamspartnership?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery To report an emergency or ongoing incident, call 999.

To report suspicious activity in your neighbourhood, call 101 To report information anonymously, call crime-stoppers on 0800-555111.

To report incidents via email, send to huntscops@cambs.pnn.police.uk To pass information regarding rural burglaries email: burglarycrackdown@cambs.pnn.police.uk We need someone to cover Andrew’s Close. If any residents on the new development are interested in helping, please get in touch.

Something to think about, being an active member or being on a road within a Neighbourhood Watch area can save you money on your home insurance.

Our meetings are on hold for the time being, hopefully we will be back in June.

You can contact me on 811839 or at offordswatch@gmail.com if you want to join the team or would like more information.

Stay safe, Peter Riley 28

Thursday Club Exactly ten years ago Kathy Millward approached me to see if I would help her set up a monthly luncheon club. At that time the kitchen in the Village Hall was in desperate need of re-modernisation/extending. Kathy felt having an established luncheon club might help with funding grants. Happily the Village Hall Committee, after concentrated effort, obtained funding for the new kitchen. Hearing of our plans, quite a few residents expressed a desire for a new club. Kathy and I wrote a leaflet asking who might be interested in a new club. We delivered the leaflets to every house in the Offords and asked anyone who was interested to attend a meeting in the hall one Thursday in March 2011.

There was a good turnout of people, all with a good idea of what they wanted from the club. The main objective was to become a club where people could find a friendly atmosphere and companionship whenever they attended. Holidays, theatre trips, meals out were also what people wanted. They also wanted to meet weekly. On 7th April, 2011 the Thursday Club met for the first time with the ten original members. Our refreshments were coffee and biscuits and, as we had no money, the Village Hall Committee kindly waived the hiring charge. At our sixth weekly meeting Margaret Cook produced some cakes which were gratefully received. Margaret faithfully made them every week for the next four years!

A weekly £1 subscription and raffle soon brought in some revenue. By November we were able to pay the weekly hiring and pay back for the previous months. Our first lunch was a simple ploughman’s. We now have fantastic lunches which the members provide themselves. There have been enjoyable holidays, meals and trips over the last ten years. We have also raised money for numerous charities.

As we enter our next decade with over thirty members we look forward to meeting up again and will always welcome new members.

Our Chairman, Doreen Rowbury 811025, is always happy to chat and give information about the club. Thursday Club is open to any age and any gender.

We meet in the Village Hall every Thursday from 12 until 2pm.

Sheila Reece 812238

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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 33

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All Saints Church A message from Jes Salt - All Saints Church to all the village Dear Friends, The phrase ‘we are living through extraordinary times’ has become an overused cliché over the past year or so. It nevertheless continues to be true. No sooner had light appeared at the end of the tunnel in the form of the Covid vaccines, than for some of us it turned into the lights of an oncoming train with the flooding that has caused such chaos and damage in the village.

Once again it has been great to hear stories of folk pulling together to support those who were victims of the flood, in the same way that we have supported folk through lockdown. Some of that support has been public and tangible, for example the villages generosity in supporting Foodbanks, but much of it has been below the radar as folk have been quietly looking out for each other in many practical ways – with what Her Majesty the Queen in her Christmas broadcast described as a ‘quiet indomitable spirit’ which gives a ‘light of hope’.

As many of us know the Queen has a quiet but firm Christian faith and has modelled serving others in her own life. In her broadcast she referred to Jesus’s parable of ‘The Good Samaritan’, as an example of selfless service to others. As we journey on in what will, at least initially, continue to be a challenging time, may we perhaps look to follow the example of Her Majesty who described the teachings of Christ as her inner light. Although All Saints remains closed for live services at present in view of the local level of infections, we broadcast a service each week which can be accessed by Facebook or YouTube - all saints offord - YouTube, which we hope and pray can be an encouragement to us all and remind us of the great Christian truth we celebrate at Christmas and throughout the year- Jesus the light of the world.

Finally can I, on your behalf, thank all those responsible for editing and contributing to Out & About as our village magazine which continues to go from strength to strength.

Best wishes Jes Rev Jes Salt, Priest in Charge, Buckden and the Offords 01480 819377 jes.salt@btinternet.com 35

What’s going on at All Saints Church?

Worship in Offord is alive and well. Jes continues to record a weekly online service which is easy to access and enables you to listen and join in at whatever time you choose. This innovation has actually increased attendance dramatically – albeit a virtual experience! The Sunday service can be found each week on YouTube and Facebook and the order of service can be obtained from (warden.offord@yahoo.com) on request.

The church building is temporarily closed again. We stay in close touch with the Bishops of Huntingdon and Ely and act on their advice to keep our village as safe as possible whilst meeting the needs of individuals. We will reopen with a full pattern of services as soon as circumstances permit. In the meantime please join us on line as Jes suggests in his letter to you all. Please see the notice board in the High Street for confirmation of the current arrangements.

Fund Raising and Social Events have had to be cancelled. Provisional dates have been booked so that when the Village Hall is open again we will return with our very popular Bacon Butty Saturday mornings and a programme of social and fund raising events.

In the absence of fund raising events, we are more reliant than ever on donations and thank all those who would normally give to the collection at services but who have set up electronic payments or saved in their collection boxes.

Thank you to all of you who have an All Saints Collection Box at home. If yours is now full of coins please contact Bob Bargh 810237 or John Storey 810763 and someone will collect the box from you as soon as it is safe to do so.

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All Saints Church Offord Cluny - Contact Details

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h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends At the time of writing in mid-January, the whole country is once again suffering from severe Covid-19 government restrictions resulting in national Lockdown 3, leaving all hopeful plans for events and social arrangements postponed for the foreseeable future. The Churches Conservation Trust regret to advise that all their churches, including St Peter’s, are once again closed to visitors.

As a reminder and as reported in the last two editions of Out & About, the CCT have now compiled an audio guide to many of their churches, and we are pleased to say there is one for St Peter’s, which is comprehensive and informative. To access the guide please go to the CCT website, as follows: https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/churchlisting/st-peter-offord-darcy.html The Friends would like to definitely confirm Claude Bourbon’s concert on Saturday 17th July but due to the ongoing and serious nature of the pandemic we can only wait and see but we remain hopeful. If and when the event can be confirmed we will promote publicity in the local area, especially around the village. Currently, we have no other events planned for 2021.

Despite the church being unused for over 12 months the building is checked regularly, both externally and internally, to ensure it remains in good order. Visitors can continue to look round the building from the outside.

Along with all local and national organisations, the Friends Group can’t wait until we can start planning and organising events in our venues.

Jenny Griffiths Friends of St Peter’s Church 01480 811126 40

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h c r u h C d e m r o f e R St Neots United As with all churches we are currently closed. After lockdown, if the church is permitted to open for short services they will be at the usual time of 11 am but with reduced capacity for social distancing and no singing. Please contact the Church Secretary to check booking details and dates as well as up to date availability. Currently there will be no refreshments available after the service.

Face masks must be worn.

There is a brief weekly service on our website below and services are on Zoom every Sunday. Contact the Church Secretary for ID and Password. All are welcome.

During the lock down, Churches Together in St Neots are providing services on Black Cat Radio from 9.30 to 10 am each Sunday. So far our Minister, Dr Rick Mearkle, has conducted the service along with the other St Neots church leaders taking turns to conduct the service.

Come and visit the United Reformed Church which is on the High Street in St Neots. The only access without steps is at the rear of the building near to Argos .

Parking is available in Tebbutts Road behind the Church.

For all Church matters please contact the Church Secretary, Jenny Gibbs, for further information on 01480 214503.

Web Site www.stneotsurc.co.uk

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

Rev. Sue Baker-Maher. Tel 473444.

Angie Barnes (810102) Bob Baxter (810092) Carol Swepstone (810053) 42

t r o p e R l i c n u o C h Paris

January 2021

As I write this, we are well into our second lockdown. The situation with COVID-19 continues to change our daily lives and guidance from central government is altered to reflect this. Councillors again stand ready to assist in any way they can. If you need help, please get in touch. Our local hospitals are under incredible pressure, as are all of our emergency services, so we can all do our bit by following the rules. It’s great news that the vaccination programme is well under way locally, but we mustn’t let our guard down now.

The community Facebook page is an important tool in keeping people talking and sharing information and updates are posted regularly on the website, as well as all the usual Council bits and pieces. You can sign up to the newsletter via the site and be notified as soon as something changes.

We are very much open for business as usual, so if you have any concerns or worries about anything please get in touch. Councillors and I are happy to help if we can and there are volunteers within the parish willing to be of assistance.

Parish Council meetings continue to be held remotely via the Zoom platform. The Agendas go onto the noticeboards and website in the usual way and there is a link on the Agenda to allow you to sit in or take part in a meeting. We are all getting much better at these meetings and remembering proper procedure during them which is just as well as the law that was changed to hold Council meetings remotely until the end of the year has now been extended to May 2021.

The Recreation Ground and Millennium Green remain open for daily exercise. At the start of the current lockdown there was some confusion surrounding government guidance re cleaning of the equipment, so the play areas were closed. After further investigation and consultation with other authorities it was decided to reopen. The guidance notices on the equipment are for everyone’s safety so please remember the current social distancing and handwashing recommendations and no food or drink is to be consumed anywhere near the equipment.

The new Little Libraries have proved a huge success. These were the idea of Councillor Caroline Savage who continues to monitor their use.

Little Libraries help to foster neighbourhood book exchanges and can be found in many countries around the world. Three new Little Libraries in colourful blue and red have now been placed around The Offords. Anyone can take a book to read or leave one for someone else to pick up! These Little Libraries are for everyone to enjoy, adults and children, and are much needed with cut-backs to local library services.

So please share something that you have enjoyed reading recently! All genres are welcome.

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The Little Libraries can be found at the following locations: • On corner of Park Way and High Street, Offord Cluny •

Alongside Parish Noticeboard, Offord Darcy near access road to St Peters Church

•

Graveley Road, by cut through to Bramley Drive, Offord Darcy

Two additional libraries have been ordered.

If you intend to visit a Little Library, please wash your hands before you go and wash them again when you return home.

Your Parish Council is keen to ensure that all its residents are safe and supported during this time. We would encourage everyone to offer help to those who are self-isolating, especially the over 70s. A friendly call, help with shopping or collecting prescriptions and more may be welcomed, observing current advice such as social distancing and hand washing as you go.

The Parish Council set up the helpline because it is concerned about the wellbeing of all residents during these challenging times. Our primary focus is for those people who have few close friends and family available to help them and / or have limited access to the internet. Although we rarely get requests for assistance now, we are still here and waiting to help.

Call your Parish Council helpline, 07597 988763. It’s open 7am to 7pm. Outside these hours, please leave a message.

• Email: clerk@offords-pc.gov.uk In the same way please use these trusted communication routes to request help with: •

Shopping

•

Prescription collection

•

Any other questions, problems or concerns

Some of the best sources of COVID-19 guidance are available on the Public Health England, Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS England websites.

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Chairman’s Report on December Floods The flooding of houses in Offord Cluny on the night of 23rd December was a very serious incident, with many residents having to abandon their homes for several months whilst remedial work is carried out. The Parish Council have conducted a number of interviews with those affected by the flooding and are in the process of constructing a report to the District and County Councils giving details of the affected areas along with our opinions of the causes and suggestions for possible mitigation measures in the future.

It seems that an unfortunate combination of factors occurred simultaneously: i) The blocking of drainage ditches causing water incursion into properties hitherto free from flooding, and thus affected occupants were largely unprepared. ii)

The speed with which the flooding spread – even had the residents had sandbags, etc on their premises, for most properties there would not have been enough time to get them into position.

iii)

The timing – the fact that it happened on the night running into Christmas Eve made the disruption of people’s lives and the upset caused much greater, as well, of course, making any kind of coordinated District Council response very much more difficult.

iv)

The widespread nature of the incident. Since the flooding was both a consequence of higher river levels and surface water collection, it meant that many areas within the District and County were affected.

v)

On top of which many roads were made impassable, notably in Godmanchester and Little Paxton for emergency vehicles and other services needing to travel to the Offords.

The Offords escaped the fate of many local towns and villages – that of surface water flooding due to inadequate or overwhelmed street drainage. About 2 years ago much of the under-road drain channelling was replaced along the Graveley Road and into the High Street. Only a few weeks previously the gullies along the High Street were cleared. Consequently, there was no significant surface water flooding in either the Graveley Road or the High Street itself – a very good thing since many 45

of the older properties situated alongside have front doors with very low thresholds that open directly at street level and have suffered flood damage in the past.

There were three areas within the village that were badly affected by flooding, the causes of which were not directly related but all appeared to be consequences of neglected drainage systems: i) Houses in Latin Close and Parkway. The worst-hit area, this appeared to be a consequence of the Brook being blocked by falling trees and vegetation further up. When the bank inevitably burst, a very large volume of water flowed down towards the High Street, flooding some 20 properties in Latin Close and Parkway with others having flooded garages, outbuildings and gardens. ii)

237 High St Offord Cluny (and adjacent properties). These properties are at the beginning of Offord Cluny, at the bottom of Offord Hill. There appears to be more than one problem with the drainage here, but since it does seem that overspill from the new A14 Huntingdon Bypass drainage system has been a contributory factor, with the additional possibility that heavy plant used during the construction has damaged the existing underground piping that runs across the field to the railway and from there to the river, we are going to contact Highways England and ask that they investigate.

iii)

The Bungalow in Station Lane adjacent to the Level Crossing. This has been quite badly hit by successive flooding episodes. The cause would appear to be the blockage to the section of the Brook that runs underneath the railway lines. The second flooding episode also resulted in flooding at the bottom end of the Millennium Green. Responsibility for maintaining the function of the culvert rests with Network Rail. The Parish Council have approached Network Rail on a number of occasions, requesting that this work be done. Whilst we have had acknowledgement of our requests, we have had no action from them.

iv)

In addition, something that might have affected drainage throughout the village is the height of the river. The Environment Agency had indicated that problems upstream in St Neots and 46

Bedford meant that they would be raising the sluices that govern the flow through the Offords. Obviously if the water level is allowed to rise above the level of the various outlets present alongside the river, they will not drain, and water will back up and start to flood the lower lying areas.

Actions that we as the Parish Council are considering: 1) Although on this occasion some centralised distribution system for sandbags would have been of little practical use, for slower rising waters it would be good for residents to know that there was a supply locally available. So, we will invest in a stock of sandbags and sand for the use of residents.

2) We are going to have to pay more attention to the state of the Brook and various other drains and ditches within the Parish, also inform, where necessary, those who have riparian responsibility for maintenance of ditches and waterways.

3) Whilst the Offords Facebook page works quite well as a communication medium, for those residents who do not have access to social media and for occasions such as this when speed is of the essence, we will have to come up with a scheme for dealing better with emergencies.

At the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the house owner to protect their property, so we do need to inform residents of the need for insurance, the availability of flood mitigation products, etc.

We will also be communicating with the District and County Councils asking for help with: i) Enforcement of riparian responsibilities as regards the clearing and maintenance of ditches and drains. As a Parish Council we have little or no enforcement capabilities. ii)

Planning departments should be paying more attention to drainage when considering applications, especially with medium- and

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larger-sized development proposals and to clearly identify bodies responsible for ongoing maintenance. iii)

Clearance of street drains and gullies should have a higher priority. Although as stated, the Offords had recently had their gullies and many of the street drains cleared, much of the flooding in St Neots has been attributed to neglect of this requirement.

iv)

Communication with the higher reaches of Government, The Environment Agency for example. We have concerns about their policy of river management and whether or not the situation of the likes of the Offords are taken into account. Or are we yet again on the wrong side of “The Greater Good” as the protection of areas of Bedford and St Neots take priority?

The point is worth making that all this happened after a period of heavy rainfall.

But it was not way outside the normal expectations at this time of year. Certainly not a “30-year” or “100 Year” event as would be classified by meteorologists. So, we all have to accept that such rainfall is to be expected at least every few years and to be prepared for it.

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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 819471 Tinac_13@hotmail.com

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

Peter Riley 33 Park Way Offord Cluny 01480 811839 Pete.riley@outlook.com

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

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

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t r o p e R r o ll i c n u o C County

By Peter Downes

The combination of Covid and torrential rain did not make for a relaxing Christmas holiday period! I hope that, in spite of all the troubles around us, you managed to have some family enjoyment.

At the time of writing, the vaccination programme is starting and we are all hoping that there will be a significant reduction in cases over the coming weeks. We have been promised so many times that it will soon be vanquished and life will return to normal, we are all beginning to get a bit cynical about government promises.

My job is to keep you factually up-to-date with what the County Council is doing. It is trying to ‘keep the show on the road’ though many of its employees are working from home and many have been redeployed into dealing with the pandemic.

The County Council met in full on December 15th and will next meet on February 9th.

In December the main topics were: a. There was a lot of controversy around a proposal from a councillor to downgrade a road running through his division from A to B status in order to reduce ‘rat-running’. Many argued that there are other roads which could be treated in a similar way and that this proposal was a purely a preelection vote-winner. The motion, proposed by a member of the majority group, was carried with all the Opposition members voting against. b. There was however unanimous support for a motion proposed by the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats; the main points were: This Council notes that spending by local authorities on youth services nationally has reduced by 69 per cent since 2010/11, from £1.4 billion to £429 million, with the loss of more than 4,500 youth work jobs and the closure of 750 youth centres. Meanwhile the National Citizen Service (NCS) receives an estimated 95 per cent of the Government’s youth services budget, despite only one in six eligible young people taking part.

This Council believes that all or some of this National Citizen Service funding would be better spent on all-year-round locally prioritised provision for young people of all ages, on clearly defined 50

outcomes rather than a time-limited programme which is restricted to a narrow age group and is attracting only a relatively small number of teenagers. The Government’s £500 million Youth Investment Fund is expected to reach only around half of council areas, and this Council believes that all local authority areas need to have enough funding to ensure youth services are available for local young people.

The next major task of the Council is the budget for 2021-22. This is always a complex matter but will be even worse this year, given that costs have risen unexpectedly, demand for services is increasing and council income has dropped. When we survey residents, we are regularly told that they would like to see better public services (e.g. drains maintained, pot-holes filled, verges cut back). The challenge is how to do that within the limits imposed by central government on council tax rises. Even more controversial will be the issue of whether to increase council taxes at all.

Looking further ahead, work is still proceeding on building a new County Council HQ at Alconbury Weald. This is 3 months behind schedule but is expected to be operational from September 2021. This will be a more modern and economical building to run than the current Shire Hall in Cambridge. The Shire Hall site will be let out and it is hoped that this will raise substantial revenue for the County. However, as the new HQ will be located well towards the western edge of the council area, there will be an increase in travel costs and time for most staff and councillors.

By the time Out and About drops through your letter-box, who knows what the situation may be? I hope that we can all respect the lockdown, stay safe and well, and be positive about the future, in spite of it all.

Special Offer ! As schools are closed for most pupils, I am offering French conversation sessions via Zoom for any pupils taking GCSE or A Level. No charge, just get in touch to see if we can manage it. Bonne chance et bon courage!

Peter Downes 01480 509471 or 07765 833 486 peterdownes42@aol.co.uk

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s r o ll i c n u o C t c i tr s i D News from your The deluge just before Christmas created surface water flooding across Huntingdonshire and, regrettably, residents in the Offords were affected, along with most settlements - Alconbury and Ramsey were subject to emergency evacuations overnight with blue light services involved. The Environment Agency tell us that the rainfall was more than would usually be expected in a concentrated time and on already sodden ground. Most communities report that they have not experienced surface water flooding on this scale for many years, or at all, but at the time of writing this article it’s raining again and residents are understandably nervous.

HDC are the emergency response coordinators together with the blue light services.

On 23/34 December they coordinated a ‘threat to life’ response service but simply could not reach out to the sheer number of residents who desperately hoped they might come to their aid. They simply aren’t equipped to do so and many of us found ourselves scrambling for anything to use as sandbags and trying to coordinate any help and support we could muster from within each community. Communities were amazing and we know that many neighbours did what they could to help each other – the generosity people extended to each other over the Christmas period speaks volumes for our communities. We are particularly grateful to a group of 4x4 volunteers who came from out of area under their own volition and arrived in Offord and Godmanchester to help, bringing sand and sandbags they had sourced themselves.

The surface water inevitably ended up in the river system and, the Ouse being the third biggest river catchment, had more water to manage than we usually see. Our flood plains and water meadows helped but the sheer volume of water arriving in short order meant rivers overtopped and already sodden ground made matters worse. It was heartbreaking to hear that more homes had been inundated. Fortunately, we did not reach a full-scale evacuation stage but that’s little consolation to those who are now without their homes and possessions.

HDC have started discussions with the affected communities, together with the County Council and Environment Agency to learn lessons and to address future issues. We have worked to ensure Offord is included and its residents’ voices are heard. We are aware there are deep concerns about ditch and water course clearance and drain maintenance, as well as regular cleaning regimes for drains and gutters. The County Council are very aware of the expectations we all have to see this work done. Not all of the ditches and drains belong to CCC (some are maintained by other parties and some are on private land) and so Cllrs and parishes are also 52

working with Anglia Water and the Environment Agency to provide detailed maps so that a plan can be developed locally to address concerns. The bigger issue to understand is whether there needs to be further water management to cope with exceptional rainfall which we are led to believe may become more common with climate change. There are also significant concerns about the impact of recent housing and road development, and we have asked HDC to look at anything not yet constructed and to seek a review of recently developed sites to ensure all that can and should be done is.

This is a hugely emotive subject and councilors are very clear that everyone wants assurance that they are safe and their property is as protected as possible. We will do all we can to see that this is achieved.

HDC has found much of the COVID response delegated down to them to deliver In the early stages they provided the emergency response for food and medicine delivery and helped communities develop local support networks. They were then tasked with dispersing the Government grants locally and dealing with the frustrations of those who found they were not able to access the help they had desperately hoped for.

They have not stopped other statutory services such as bin collection, managing welfare benefits and planning. Their staff are now all working remotely and delivering more with no additional resources. They now provide the frontline coordination to manage Covid outbreaks and track and trace locally. This has been ongoing since March and we are now in lockdown 3 and there is more to do to assist with vaccinations. All of this is with no more human resources, their own staff subject to the same health issues and need to isolate as everyone else and high expectations from the public. They are doing a valiant job and we have thanked staff for their personal commitment to Huntingdonshire.

The District have seen their usual income streams hit hard by the need to close leisure services and, with high streets being closed, not all residents and business can meet their council bills either as Covid takes it toll on so many. Although we now know they have just received some financial support from Government, it is still unclear with less than a month to finalise potential budgets what will need to be done to set a balanced budget. You will recall this time last year we reported that although there were reserves, they would not cope with unforeseen calls upon them. Little did we know that we would then experience a pandemic. We believe it will be possible to set a balanced budget, but we expect it to be a difficult one to agree as there may need to be some difficult decisions.

HDC had worked hard to encourage our businesses to reopen safety in the market towns and to promote shopping locally. They addressed issues about public walkways and even laid on entertainment to encourage a cautious and safe return. This latest lockdown means we will need to revisit this once public health suggest it is sensible to 53

do so. In the meantime, we know that many local businesses have gone online, or are preparing to reopen once they can, and it’s good to see local communities encouraging people to shop local where they can.

With all the flooding and Covid related issues taking much of our time, we have still taken on adhoc casework where you’ve approached us – planning enforcement, tree work and anything else that you’ve brought to our attention. Lockdown has not reduced the work we are doing on your behalf. .

If you have any issues you think we should know about or could help with, then please get in touch.

Sarah Wilson Mike Grice Sarah Conboy

Sarah.wilson@huntingdonshire.gov.uk Mike.grice@huntingdonshire.gov.uk sarah.conboy@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

01480 412747 01480 383213 01480 414900

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.

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s d r o f f O e h T n i g n Girlguidi

January 2021

Unfortunately none of our units have been able to meet face to face since the first lockdown in March and it looks as though restrictions will be in place for some time to come.

Our main concern, as always, is the health & well-being of the girls and their carers, and we will work hard in the coming months to ensure that our meeting places are Covid-ready ahead of hopefully relaunching all of our units soon.

I would like to thank all the Leaders for their continued commitment to Girlguiding throughout this difficult time and look forward to a time when we can all meet in person to plan our new world in Guiding.

Looking forwards to relaunching our units, we have some gaps in our leadership team – if you would like to consider helping to run any of our units, we would be glad to have your support. There are many volunteer roles within Girlguiding that cater for those who want to have direct contact with the girls, to those who prefer to be a behind the scenes helper. Please see the Girlguiding website for information on how you could get involved, https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/getinvolved/become-a-volunteer/, or drop me an email.

Storage space needed I would like to make a plea on behalf of Offord Guides – we are in need of a storage space for our camping equipment from April 2021. At the moment we share a lock-up garage with Gt Paxton & Offords Cubs, but the garage is not going to be available for us next year. If you have, or know of some dry, secure storage that we could use for our tents, etc, please get in touch.

The Offord Leaders will be keeping in touch with our current members of all our units by Facebook, text or email, and will let you know any developments. If you have any queries about Rainbows, Brownies or Guides in the Offords please do not hesitate to email me.

Ann Ann Weitzel Offord Guiding 55

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 - ÂŁ15.00 Half page - ÂŁ 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 56

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Tel: 01480 273927

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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

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Village Groups & Organisations Applepips Out of School Club Archery Bowls Club Brownies Church Events Church Rooms hire Community Police Cubs/Beavers District Councillor District Councillor District Councillor Friends of St Peter’s Guides Neighbourhood Watch Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council Parish Clerk Offord Gardeners’ Assn Offord Sch, Headteacher Chair of Governors Offord PTA Offord Pre-School Offord Tots PCSO Rainbows Senior Citizens The Offord PlayerS Thursday Club Village Hall hire Village Hall 300+ Club Women’s Guild Women’s Institute

Joanne Corbishley Marc Bax Carolyn Bargh Ann Weitzel John Storey Bob Bargh Denise Heath c/o St Neots Police Stn Andy Ottley

01480 811977 381172 810237 811697 810763 810237 810008 & 07956 570592 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 Joanne Corbishley Nikki Mitchell Richard Braddick Ann Weitzel Marlene Alderman John Kirby Doreen Rowbury Helen Bosworth Helen Bosworth Talvia Gatward Carol Temple

811697 07597 988763 810091 810308 07976 792463 810308 01480 811977 07872 986326 07921 094801 811697 810609 810049 811025 811892 811892 811148 812879

Whilst every effort is made to ensure information in this publication is accurate, we cannot be held responsible for any errors.

The views expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the Editor.

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• 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

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