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June - July 2022

The Offord Village Fete Saturday 25th June 12.30pm – 3.30pm At Offord Primary School Starting with a BBQ provided by The Shoe followed by ice cream, tea and cakes served by 1st Offord Guides This is a combined effort from OPTA, the PCC, village organisations and local businesses to support

Offord Primary School and All Saints Church It will be a traditional village fete for all ages with all the usual stalls provided by the organisers and village organisations. Lots of games and stalls for children and adults, pony rides and entertainment. We welcome the Ukulele Band, the Talent Dance Academy and Chris Bylett (ventriloquist) with Charlie. As always, we value and count on village support and contributions. The school will accept donations during school hours throughout the week beginning Monday 20th and we’ll be there to accept donations between 6pm and 8pm on Friday 24th and on the morning of fete day. We need bottles of soft or alcoholic drinks, items for the tombola such as unwanted gifts, plants, tins of biscuits, chocolates, new toys, etc. Alongside the plant stall there will be a children’s competition sponsored by Mr Ian Cooper in memory of his wife who loved primroses. Children are invited to bring a flower arrangement in a teacup (or mug) which includes a yellow flower. You may be mindful of Ukraine and also include some blue. As well as cash prizes, there is a silver cup to be awarded for the year. If you are feeling lucky there will be raffles and tombolas and a £10 prize for the holder of the lucky number printed in the centrefold of this magazine. To support disabled guests, there will be limited parking in the school car park. Please note that except for guide dogs, dogs are not welcome on the school site and a no smoking policy applies on school premises.

Welcome Welcome to this edition of Out and About (O&A), the Offord Village Magazine. It aims to promote the community by sharing village news and useful contacts. In addition to the printed edition delivered to every home in the Offords, an on-line full colour edition can be accessed via the village websites. We encourage new contributors with a story to tell. Articles are accepted from organizations and individuals so long as they are not political or offensive. We welcome photographs, news stories and poems from villagers. It should be noted, however, that some articles may represent the opinions of the writer and not represent the opinions or views of the editors. Reader submissions are published in good faith with the intention of creating an inclusive publication. We may need to defer entries if we receive too many at once. Contributions are included free of charge. You can contact the editorial team via offordOandA@gmail. com Most of the cost of production is covered by the revenue from advertising and we are grateful to our loyal advertisers. Production costs are also supplemented by an annually reviewed grant from the Parish Council. Out and About is delivered free of charge because a willing team of volunteers brave the elements come rain or shine to bring it to your door. We hope you find something to interest you in this edition. 3

te a d p U t c je o r P e f All Saints Wildli Happily it can be reported that at least one of the home made bird boxes set up in the wild life area last autumn has been adopted by a pair of Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). During May it was noted the pair were flying to and fro busily carrying nesting materials into the box. Hopefully things go well and the first chicks will appear in a few weeks. The wildlife area has once again produced a copious amount of nettles, as does the rest of the Church Yard. Although, it has to be said, where wild flower seeds were sown last year with nettles and thistles kept at bay, there is a profusion of Forget-me-not flowers producing wisps of sky blue across what used to be the dull green nettles. In an area where nettles have been retained, it is alive with Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum). The Common blue damselfly is the most common damselfly and can be found around breeding sites in grassland and woodland. It is a regular visitor to gardens and is on the wing from April to September. It is suggested that to create the best habitat for these insects is to dig a small pond which will attract damselflies and dragonflies. There are signs the bug hotel has been adopted by those for whom it was designed which in turn will provide food for birds. The flower seeds that have been used should attract butterflies and hopefully there will be a greater amount to observe when the Big Butterfly Count takes place this summer. As ever the biggest challenge in the wildlife area are the rabbits, who munch their way through most things except nettles, thistles and bulbs. The chicken wire, while not attractive, has proved a good defence. Various plants are being tried and eventually a list of rabbit resistant items will be adopted. Alan & Fiona

OFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL Our broader curriculum We offer the opportunity for all of our KS2 children to attend two residential visits during their time at Offord Primary School. Hawks Class (Year 3 & 4) have recently returned from their 2 night/3 day visit to Burwell House near Cambridge. They all had a wonderful time away from home and loved exploring the grounds of the house through orienteering activities, challenges and team-work games. 23 of our KS2 children had a trip to Resorts World Area, part of Birmingham NEC, to take part in Young Voices. They were one of many school choirs that joined forces and performed a concert as one huge choir to their many friends and families. A real unique experience, performing in such a large arena with so many people. They all had a brilliant time.

We have been incubating chicks for a couple of weeks. The incubator has been kept in the EYFS classroom and all the children from Robins and Wrens have been checking that the eggs have everything they need for the chicks to develop. The chicks began hatching on a Monday morning. It was amazing watching the little chicks appear from the eggs. By Tuesday afternoon, we had 18 new chicks. The chicks will stay with us until they are 2 weeks old and then head to their new home.

O ff

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

June & July

As mentioned in the last edition I can report on a very successful Spring Show. After a break of two years, we resumed our Annual Event, and although the number of people entering and subsequently exhibits entered was lower than previous shows, we still were able to put on a really good show with first time entrants winning the trophies. We had a large raffle with everyone enjoying tea and cakes . I would thank everyone involved, from organisers, exhibitors and catering team, for making it a successful event. We are encouraged to organise a Summer Show planned for August 20th. We will be pleased to see you all there. Our June meeting is a garden visit to the Manor House and Gardens at Hemingford Grey. At the time of writing details are still being finalised. The meeting in July is also a garden visit, and hopefully will be a local garden. We are pleased to report that we have seen an increase in membership numbers and, as always, new members are made welcome . Enjoy Your Gardening John 811148

The Horseshoe Inn Offord D’Arcy has been under new management since November 2021 Known locally as “The Shoe” and serving ale since 1626 We offer a unique atmosphere in Cambridgeshire where you can enjoy good pub food in the comfort of our spacious restaurant and garden in a village pub atmosphere. Our Sunday carvery is now famous and advance booking is a must. Our new Garden Pods are well popular and again these will need to be booked to save disappointment on arrival. We are currently open Tuesday 1700-2100 (Steak Night only no main menu) Wednesday 1200-1500 & 1730-2230 (Food until 2100) Thursdays Friday Saturday 1200-2230 (Food until 2100) Sunday 1200-2230 (Carvery until 1700) To make a booking visit our website: theoffordshoe.co.uk Or Call Fred/Nikki on 01480 810293 10

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CONTACT US FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE 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 For further details (including availability, hiring process and rates) please visit our website www.offordvillagehall.org.uk or contact our Bookings Secretary Helen Bosworth on 01480 811892 or email bookings@offordvillagehall.org.uk 11

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

WINNERS MARCH £20 No. 327 £15 No. 171 £10 No. 348 £5 No. 177

APRIL £ 20 No. 088 £ 15 No. 313 £ 10 No. 183 £ 5 No. 101

Jenny Hursit Louise Halford Sarah Leader Lynne Harris

Karen Wildber Barney Warner Fred Rance Sarah Richards

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

b u l C s n e z i t i C r o i n e S d r o f f O We are all pleased to be back to the club and had an enjoyable evening in March when we had our Annual Dinner and were superbly entertained by Chris Bylett, with his ventriloquism and singing. We had our AGM in April which followed a cottage pie supper. It was agreed that the annual membership fees would be increased from £4.00 to £5.00 - Incredible value when this usually includes a hot supper and entertainment!! The month of May will be no exception, when we will also have a demonstration on how to use a defibrillator. We always welcome new members - you don’t have to be retired! We are a young at heart club and whilst we normally meet in the Village Hall on the fourth Thursday of the month, in June we have our Annual Outing and our Afternoon Tea Party in July. For further information please contact Marlene Alderman on 01480 810609.

b u l C y a d s r u Th Hello Everyone, Thankfully we can now meet back in the village hall each week. Our eleventh birthday coincided with Easter so it was a double celebration. We celebrated with a delicious lunch. Polling day saw us on the Ladybird Boat and the weather was glorious. After the river trip we had lunch at the Hartford Mill. Visitors are very welcome. £1 a session entitles you to light refreshments and a convivial two hours from 12.00pm to 2.00pm. If you would like further information please contact Doreen Rowbury 811025. 13

l l a H e g a l l i V Offord We have had a hectic few months since opening fully and re-starting our fundraising programme. We wondered if we would get the response we hoped for from the community, but we need not have worried. People were ready to come out and enjoy themselves again. The Quiz Night saw everyone scratching their heads as Simon posed some fun and some more challenging questions. It was a close thing but, in the end, the winning team went off triumphant and flushed with yet another success. Thanks, Simon, for exercising our brains, keeping us on our toes and some of us on our fingers too! The Family Disco was an enormous success and Rebecca got her wish to dance under a glitter ball! The children had a fantastic time being entertained and dancing. The adults also joined in with ‘mum and dad dancing’ to everyone’s delight! At the end of April, The Offord Players took over the hall for a weekend to perform their production of ‘The 39 Steps’ radio play. Each performance was a wonderful night out. The sound effects were ingenious. Who knew that sandpaper and a box of balloons could be so effective! The café style seating created a relaxed yet intimate atmosphere. We look forward to their next production in the autumn. The following week the Village Hall was transformed into a murder scene for Strictly Murder’s Murder Mystery evening. The school reunion was fatal for one of the ex-pupils and we were kept guessing about ‘who dunnit.’ Actually, there was not anyone who guessed it all correctly, so a further question was needed to secure the winning tables success. A supper was included in the ticket price, with the courses served during the intervals. The kitchen and bar were kept incredibly busy during the evening. Prize Bingo followed, always a popular night out, organised by Debbie with assistance from the caller, husband Simon. The final event for May was the first Film Night for over two years, ‘Dream Horse’ a feel-good film to start the season off. The new equipment available to us should make screening films easier and more enjoyable for the viewer in future. June has two large events, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Tea Party, and the Midsummer Ball. Both have live music, and I am hoping to be able to write about what an enormous success these have been too. 14

The calendar remains quite full for the rest of the year with only a short break for maintenance during August. We have managed to put together this busy calendar of events with a small group of people doing all the work. We still need more people to join the Trustee body. If you think you might be interested, please contact me for more information - secretary@offordvillagehall.org.uk. We are a very friendly group of people and enjoy ourselves alongside the more serious task of maintaining the hall for everyone in the community to use. During the week there are regular classes and clubs that routinely meet. A selection of these are as follows: Mondays: Martial Arts for children and adults. Tuesdays: Line Dancing, Rainbows/Brownies/Guides and WI (2nd Tuesday in the month). Wednesdays: K Fit Pilates, Tea dancing, Short Mat Bowls Club. Thursdays: Thursday Club, Offord Garden Association (3rd Thursday in the month) Senior Citizens (4th Thursday in the month). Fridays: Offord Tots. The Offord Players meet Tuesday and Sunday evenings when they are in production. For more information on any of these look on our website: www.offordvillagehall.org.uk under the tab ‘Regular users.’ There is such a variety of classes and clubs that there is something for everyone. The hall is also available to hire for weddings, celebrations, and private parties. The calendar is regularly updated on our website along with the hire charges. To book, look on our website: www.offordvillagehall.org or contact our Bookings Secretary, Helen Bosworth - bookings@offordvillagehall.org.uk or telephone 01480 811892. Offord Village Hall is such a wonderful resource for our village community, and we look forward to welcoming you. Helen Ellis Secretary Offord Village Hall CALENDAR OF EVENTS A TABLE-TOP SALE Sunday, September 11th, 12 noon until 3pm. Tables £6.00 Refreshments will be available to purchase. This is an opportunity to recycle your unwanted or outgrown items or to sell something handmade. Crafters welcome. For enquiries or to reserve a table email: kathymillward@hotmail.com 15

BEER FESTIVAL Saturday, September 24th. This popular event will include Ciders and Gins. Live entertainment. Food will be available to purchase. Further details to follow. QUIZ NIGHT Saturday, October 15th 7:30pm for a prompt 7:45pm start. Bring your own food and drink. Tickets £5. Teams of up to six people (can be made up on the night). HALLOWEEN HOOTENANY Saturday, October 29th 7:30pm – 11pm. A Barn Dance for all ages. Dancing to Ceilidh band ‘Passerida’ whose callers will get you dancing like a professional! A Ploughman’s supper is included in the ticket price of £12.50. A licensed bar will also be provided. PRIZE BINGO Friday, November 18th. Eyes down 7:30pm. Free entry and refreshments. A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Saturday, December 17th 7:30pm – 11pm. Dancing to the popular Melody Beats. Put on your dancing shoes to start the Christmas season or simply sit back and enjoy the music. Refreshments and a licenced bar will be provided. Further details to follow. QUIZ NIGHT Saturday, January 28th, 2023. 7:30pm for a prompt 7:45pm start. Bring your own food and drink. Tickets £5. Teams of up to six people (can be made up on the night). All events are subject to change. You can find more details of all the above events with ticket prices and how to get them by visiting our website www.offordvillagehall.org.uk.

omment… Reader C idge) rom Cambr

erton) from Comb and Pat ( Hall on Saturday llage Offord Vi Carol (f t s a d n y e r i e r t f s My My he Murder went to t our th e shared May 7 . ining. W ves who were a t r e t n e wi ry un and ve and their cluded in the SO MUCH f es; Tim, Nathan n i s a r w e p s p i u h s l after T o coup . The w e t l p h b looking o t o e i j p w t y a l e e r v g o table l a d fun an taff did all great mazing and the s a s a w price we will lved and o v us all. n i e n o ery YOU to ev BIG THANK again next year. a ; o o o o So ng y be comi definitel ks Many than Eileen 16

y t i r e V d n a d Farmers E Farmers Ed and Verity here once again. We hope everyone has been able to enjoy the recent good weather and dry spell we have had over the Easter period. Whilst this has been perfect for sitting outside with a BBQ, it has been less than ideal for grass growing. Usually it is around this time that thoughts turn to silage and hay making, in preparation for storing winter feed. But unfortunately, we are still waiting for the grass to grow. It may be an unpopular thought, but we would desperately like a good steady rainfall to happen really soon! We have had a lovely couple of months with the livestock since we last wrote. Lambing has now finally ended for 2022 – and we are delighted to share the news that our shearlings ewes lambed superbly well and have proven to be fantastic mums to their lambs. Additionally, we have so far had a success calving period and we are sure many of you may have seen the young calves skipping about in the village field. We are hoping that the cattle may return to the field soon as we are currently allowing the grass a chance to grow for their return. Keep your eyes peeled as there are a variety of coat colours within our calves – and all of them are lovely additions to our herd. Take care everyone and hopefully speak soon. Ed and Verity

Pilates with K Fit in Offord! With a focus on stretch, strength, mobility and control, Pilates exercises can help you ease back ache, improve posture and strengthen the core muscles in a gentle and calm environment. K Fit has been established in St Neots since 2011 and is very excited to reach the Offord community. Class Details: Wednesday mornings at Offord Village Hall 11am-12pm These classes will be held as 6 week courses through term times, Course price: £48 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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Zero Waste Celebrations As we enter the warmer months, we will begin to think about picnics and BBQs. Rather than heading for the usual, could you make it a more sustainable experience? Could you make it zero waste? • Eco Party Pack hires • Use reusable containers • Hold an award for the most sustainable / zero waste contributions • Keep a note of what everyone is bringing to avoid duplication and minimise waste. • Use it as an opportunity to use up ingredients: -

Add leftover meats and veg to pasta, cous cous or salad

Make croutons with stale bread

• Remember to separate your waste and take it home with you if facilities are not provided Share your Zero Waste successes with friends and family and inspire them to try it too. For some further inspiration, check out https://www.hubbub.org.uk/litter-free-picnic-inspiration-guide. Happy zero waste celebrating!

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Out & About THE OFFORDS GAZETTE

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Offord Tots Hi everyone! We've had a busy few weeks after our extra visit from the Easter bunny! The children were so excited to meet her and certainly very pleased with their extra special chocolate gift too! We had lots of fun making Easter Craft too. Moving forward we have exciting plans for a jubilee tea party on the 27th May and our pre-schooler leavers / summer party on the 15th July. We now have a card reader too so that will help if you don't always have cash on you! And finally, as many of you know, I'm stepping down from running Offord Tots. I've been running Offord Tots for over 5 years and now it's time to hand the baton over. I'll be leaving you in the more than capable hands of Louise who will do an amazing job at managing Offord Tots for the next generation of Offord children. Offord Tots has been open since before the Second World War and it provides a starting point for friendships for all Offord children. I'm really sad to be leaving and it's been a Friday routine for me for seven years so I have a feeling I'll be a little lost on Fridays in September! But don't worry too much - I'll still be here until the summer holidays before Sophia starts school in the September. You can't get rid of me that easily! Nikki x

h All Saints Churc Hello, good people of the Offords, A birthday is always on the same day of the year...? One birthday isn't. The church has a birthday. It is always fifty days after Jesus's death and resurrection at Easter (and Easter Sunday moves according to the lunar calendar, always on the Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox). The birthday of the church is called Pentecost. This year Pentecost is in June, June 5th. St Peter's church in the Offords is named after the man who was key in Pentecost and the birth of the Christian Church. On the day of Pentecost, ten days after Jesus' ascension into heaven, St Peter gave a sermon to thousands. People had been amazed at the apostles who had been so changed by the Holy Spirit on that day. The Third Person of the Holy Trinity (God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) had descended to be a helper and advocate, as promised by Jesus. Emboldened by the strength given by the Holy Spirit, Peter said: Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) One of the wonderful things about Pentecost is that Christians can only be who we are because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives the church the strength to boldly testify to the faith we have in Jesus, our Lord and saviour, as Peter did. We do not have this strength of our own, only through the Holy Spirit. It is the Christian aim to be ourselves more like Jesus, the Holy Spirit is our guide and helper in this, and helps us in a resolve to strip away sin, to repent, and lead us to holiness. A week or so back I watched a couple of aeroplanes fly around the sky nearby, turning and twisting, staying close to each other. One had those famous elliptical wings and the sound of a Rolls Royce engine. Impressive flying, no doubt, and caught my attention for a few minutes. A while later I was out for some other purpose and once again looked up; my attention caught by a movement...two in close proximity, again, but changing directions every moment or so, changing height, speed, and even dominance as if in a breathtaking improvised dance. This pair though were silent, intent, and so adept. The rook (or the crow perhaps, a rook by itself, as the saying goes, is a crow and a crow with other crows is a rook!) and the red kite were locked almost in an embrace, wingtip brushing wingtip. As I've felt before seeing this spectacle it was amazing to watch and I was rooted to the spot. Then..the rook picked the moment, took a chance, flipped the table, was under the kite and facing a different direction and dived. The red kite was not quite quick enough after their few minutes of sparring and the rook didn't so much fly away as pin his wings back and dropped down at a steep angle into a garden maybe thirty meters away; if I'd have blinked I'd have missed it. I couldn't see the garden but knew he got there because many starlings leapt into the air as soon as he arrived. The kite...moved on, and resumed slowly circling away, off towards some trees. Now, it was a rook (or a crow) and not a raven but even so, from the same corvid family as the one Jesus used to make a point about ravens. I think this point about the ravens is worth all of us taking to heart: He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life (Luke 12:22-25) God will provide for you, trust in God. Jesus's teaching about the futility of worrying is not telling us to sit back and do nothing, far from it. Stop striving for worldly things, though, and look instead for the kingdom of heaven. My faith tells me to trust in Jesus, strive to be more like Jesus, strive for holiness. And, look up and watch the birds. With Love, Fr David Priest in charge of Buckden with the Offords 35

Fund raising and social events are planned through to the end of 2022. The recent plant sale was a huge success both socially and financially. We raised over £750 and brought a lot of people together to fill the village hall with chatter. We are delighted to be working with Offord Primary School to hold a Village Fete on the school site, with profits split between All Saints Church and the school. Together we aim to provide a great fete for all ages. For more information, see the front cover and centre fold in this edition of O&A. Events calendar 2022 All events in the Village Hall unless noted otherwise June 11th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 noon 25th Village Fete Offord Primary School 12.30 to 3.30pm July 16th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 noon August 13th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 noon September 4th BBQ 17 Elm Drive (Tickets in advance) 12 noon October 2nd Harvest Lunch 12 noon - 2pm 15th Bacon Butties 10am - 12 noon November 5th Bacon Butties & Hot Dogs 10am - 12 noon 26th & 27th Christmas Tree Festival 12 noon - 4pm December 2nd Band Concert in the Church (Tickets in advance) 8pm All are welcome at All Saints Inside the church, being cautious and responsible, many but not all still wear masks as they sit, move around the church and sing. Always feel welcome to come in and join us. If you love to sing you would like our Songs of Praise evenings at 6pm on the third Sunday each month. This is when we choose and sing lots of favourite hymns – old and modern, accompanied by the sound of the organ or a guitarist and singers, and we end with refreshments and chatter. ALL SAINTS SERVICES June/July 2022 5th June 12th June 19th June 26th June

3rd July 10th July 17th July 24th July 31st July

9:30am Family Service – followed by refreshments (3pm Queen’s Jubilee Service at St Mary’s Buckden) 9:30am Holy Communion 6:00pm Songs of Praise followed by refreshments 9:30am Holy Communion (6pm Festal Evensong sung by Tapestry at St Peters) 9:30am Family Service 9:30am Holy Communion 9:30am Songs of Praise 9:30am Holy Communion 9:30am Morning Prayer

Please help us to keep our village church alive. Throughout the pandemic we have been more reliant than ever on donations and thank all those who would normally give to the collection at services but who have set up electronic payments or saved in their collection boxes. If your collection box is full of coins, please contact Bob Bargh 810237 or John Storey 810763 and someone will collect the box from you. We do not receive financial help from the Diocese, the Church of England or any other body. As we struggle to raise funds to replace the roof, we also have to raise money to heat and maintain the building and pay our share of running costs. We are not too proud to beg and were greatly encouraged by donations from the village when Father Christmas visited us all in December. Some of you gave using the website ‘Give a little’. You can find a link to this on our website and on the All Saints Offord pages on ‘A church near you’. We have a QR code you can scan if you are reading Out & About in the paper version. Lots of us do.

The site offers you a choice of donation amounts £1 / £3 / £5 or an option to name your amount. If you feel you can ‘give a little’ to All Saints it will bring us a step nearer to a new roof and will help keep the church running for worship and for when you or your family and friends need it. Church is for everyone. It’s not a private members club. Thank you.

All Saints Church – Contact details Priest in Charge: Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com Mobile: 07792 128503 Church Warden John Simpkin 01480 819664 warden.offord@yahoo.com Mobile: 07904 617973

Church Warden & Webmaster Sue Dorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com Mobile: 07724 553101

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

https://allsaintsoffordcluny.wordpress.com https://m.facebook.com/AllSaintsOfford https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/13931/

e t u t i t s n I s n e Offord Wom In April, our speaker was Kay Lancaster, former Head of Serious Crime in Welwyn, Herts. Kay is the niece of one of our WI Members, so we were fortunate to be able to arrange this visit. Kay and her colleagues gave us many useful hints for staying safe in our homes and online. Information about current crime trends , particularly related to women, was eye opening but informative. This talk was in turns amusing and thought provoking, but focussed on prevention, which is always the best way of course. Kay brought us some goodies – security bags and little bells to hang on our purses. The Offords WI now tinkle wherever we go! In May, we were visited by Graham Porter who runs The Wildfowl Sanctuary in Godmanchester. Graham brought along some unusual visitors – a big bag full of ti tiny Mandarin Ducklings who ‘peeped’ all evening. Graham’s passion for water birds has led him to buy a home with plenty of land and water courses, so that he can indulge this passion, and so help injured or sick wildfowl wherever they might be. After patching them up, most are rehabilitated and returned to their original patch of water. The highlight of the evening was seeing a video clip of a female swan who, after recovering from an injury, was reunited with her partner who had waited patiently ‘at home’ for many weeks. Our June 14th talk will be by Roland Burt and explores Djibo Art. The competition will be a home made bookmark. Don’t know what Djibo Art is? Why not come along as a visitor and find out? For further information call: Helen Ellis (Secretary) on 01480 811974 Swimhelen134@gmail.com 39

h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends This article is being written before our busy month of June has started but we are confident we will see a good cross section of visitors into St Peter’s for our events and service. A Look at the 50s Exhibition - Friday 3 and Saturday 4 June 2pm – 5pm both days The Friends Group are very appreciative of all the support and commitment we have received over the past few months in getting our exhibition off the ground. We anticipate that young and old will find the exhibition to be very enjoyable, informative, bring back memories for many of us and hopefully stimulate the younger generation into wondering how we managed in the 1950s, 70 years ago. Don’t forget – there will be refreshments and some wonderful homemade cakes that were popular in that time, to enjoy. An enormous amount of hard work has gone in to ensure we are accurately reflecting life in the 1950s and you will be amazed at what has turned up, including a look back at life in the Offords, with many memories and photos, not only displays inside the church but also outside. Come and find out for yourself. Limited parking is available on the archery field (please respect the parking signs), a portaloo for ‘comfort breaks’ and free entry to the Exhibition. Thursday 9 June 7pm

Friends of St Peter’s AGM The AGM is an opportunity for all to come along and hear what we have been doing recently and to hear our plans for the year ahead. We are always happy to welcome any offers of support whether in the historical and heritage research, cleaning, flower arranging, in the refreshment corner, generally helping at events, etc. There's scope for everyone. Please do come and meet. There is no obligation to become more involved.

Saturday 25 June 2pm to 4pm

It is a tradition that St Peter’s opens for visitors during the Summer Fete and so all are welcome to make the short trip from the school to the Church.

Sunday 26 June 6pm

Festal Evensong sung by Tapestry. Some of you may have been lucky enough to hear the local a capella vocal group Tapestry singing in their last concert with us in September 2019, when they presented a wonderful mix of sacred and secular music. From this sprung the idea of a fully sung evensong in St Peter’s, such as you would encounter in a cathedral, and looking ahead the 100th anniversary of the installation of our wonderful stained glass window war memorial seemed the perfect timing. Due to Covid, we now have a postponed commemoration of the War Memorial being dedicated on the Sunday nearest to St Peter’s tide, just six days short of 102 years after the first service. Coincidentally this will be the tenth anniversary of the Friends raising the money to have the war memorial restored. It was in place in all its splendour by Remembrance Sunday 2012. This is not a concert, there is no need to book a ticket. It is a church service but don’t feel obliged to fully participate if you don't want to - just sit back and enjoy hearing sacred music sung in the wonderful setting of St Peter's. Parking will be available on the archery field.

Sunday 4 September 7.30pm

Guitar Concert by Claude Bourbon Claude is a welcome return to St Peter’s Church. Please look at his website and you will see that a photograph of one of his previous concerts in St Peter’s is featured on the home page.

Saturday 10 September National Heritage Open Days 10am to 4pm Sunday 11 September 1pm to 5pm Sunday 23 October 12pm to 4pm

Autumn Craft Fair We are already getting commitment from previous and new stallholders so if you are interested in having a stall please contact me, details below.

Friday 11 November 10.45am

Armistice Wreath Laying at the Offord D’Arcy War Memorial in the church

Sunday 4 December 4pm

Carols by Candlelight Service

Visiting the church Although we repeat the following wording in every edition of Out & About, we highlight that for security reasons the church is kept locked. Do get in touch if you would like to visit the church. Please remember to sign the visitor book whenever you visit as visitor numbers are important. As a reminder, the driveway to the church is privately owned, with limited vehicular access. Visitors to the church should leave their cars at the road end of the drive. There is space for two Blue Badge Holders close to the church gates. Jenny Griffiths Friends of St Peter’s Church 07776 426103 Jennygriffiths908@btinternet.com

h c r u h C d e m r o f e R St Neots United The Church is now open again for worship, at the usual time of 11am. Some restrictions will remain in place for now. Face coverings will be optional but we understand some will prefer to continue wearing them for now. Hand sanitising will be encouraged and there will be good ventilation. We are now able to stream our services to YouTube every Sunday. Please contact us via our website for ID and Password. All are welcome. Come and visit the United Reformed Church which is on the High Street in St Neots. There is access without steps at the rear of the building near to Argos. Parking is available in Tebbutts Road car park, behind the Church. For all Church matters please contact the Church Secretary, Jenny Gibbs, via our website for further information. www.stneotsurc.co.uk

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

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

t r o p e R l i c n u o C Parish There was no Parish Council election in May as not enough nominations were received to trigger one. Seven nominations were received and elected unopposed and all had served as councillors during the previous term. We were very sad to lose Stephen Eayrs and Glenn Espie who decided not to stand again. We have since had one co-option onto Council with three vacancies. If you are interested in becoming a Councillor or would just like a little more information, please get in touch. The re-wilding of parts of the Millennium Green continues and the silver birch trees have been planted. A small wildflower area will be trialled in the Autumn with plans for other areas depending on the success (or not!) of the first one. The new equipment for the smaller children’s play area has been installed together with the new safety surface and both look fantastic. Sadly, it has attracted the unwanted attention of older children and vandalism has occurred both here and around the pond, including the smashing of bottles on the new slide. Thanks to the publicspirited resident who went home to get a dustpan and brush and cleared all the glass away. The police have been informed and the CCTV cameras moved to this area. We have also recently had incidents of anti-social behaviour on the recreation ground too. Luckily, the main culprit was caught on camera and his image has been forwarded to the police. Council is very happy that the two recreation areas are being so well used but are saddened by the misuse which just spoils it for all. The summer sports sessions will again be running on the recreation ground throughout the school summer holidays – twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10-12. These sessions, hosted by the sports team at One Leisure, are provided by the Parish Council and are free to all children in the parish from the age of 5. Sessions are limited to 20 at each so please register your choices with me in the usual way. We are also looking at putting some outdoor exercise equipment on the recreation ground and there is a survey to be completed to determine what residents would like. There is more on this in a stand-alone article in this magazine. The Annual Parish meeting was a lovely event, and it was good to see so many familiar faces in person! Thanks to Cllr Hilary Moorbey for her fantastic cakes and shortbread. As you may already be aware, County Broadband are currently in the parish speaking to residents about their proposals. There is an article from the Chairman on this in this issue. As always, if there’s anything I can help with please get in touch. Jackie Stanbridge

County Broadband Residents should be aware that a company called County Broadband is starting a door-to-door campaign throughout the Offords. It must be emphasised that this is NOT a scam, and that County Broadband are a legitimate operation, set up to create full fibre (“Fibre to the Premises” or FTTP) Broadband access across villages in East Anglia. They currently have some 22 villages either working or close to being so and twelve at the early design stage. Many will be aware that last year the Parish Council was actively liaising with BT and the Government voucher scheme, in an effort to get FTTP installed in the Offords. Unfortunately, the Government, for whatever reason, pulled out of the voucher scheme at short notice, which would have paid for the installation and rollout. Instead, we are left with little more than a vague promise from BT that we are on their radar and that FTTP will be coming to the Offords “sometime before 2026”. It is becoming quite clear that demand for superfast Broadband is rising exponentially. Apart from demand from the increasing number of people working from home, there are also changes in technology from the likes of streaming and downloading services, telephone connections, the requirements of smart phones and tablets, etc, all of which are impacting on the speed and bandwidth needs of domestic consumers. FTTP offers up to an eighteen-fold increase over the “Fibre to the Cabinet” setup that we have currently. So, County Broadband in the course of their canvassing within the Offords are assessing whether or not there is sufficient demand to merit them investing in the necessary cabling infrastructure. If we are happy with their proposal and we have sufficient numbers committed to entering into a two-year contract, then FTTP should be installed and working within a year to eighteen months. We would recommend that all potential customers look at County Broadband’s website (www.countybroadband.co.uk ) and research user experiences with the likes of Trustpilot etc. Offord Parish Council 51

Recreation Ground Exercise Equipment Outdoor exercise equipment is a new and exciting fitness trend that is sweeping across the nation. Regardless of age or physical ability, there’s something for everyone to use and enjoy… and the best thing about it is that once installed, it is completely free to use! So, say goodbye to your expensive (but hopefully well-used) gym membership… because we’re delighted to share with you that the Offords now has some budget allocated for a variety of gym equipment to be installed on the Recreation Ground this year! But that isn’t all; there is a large variety to choose from, and we believe YOU should have a say in what we install. So, now is the moment to have your say. Use this online survey to select the equipment you would find most exciting or useful: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YBDSCJN

Or scan the QR with your phone camera!

For those who can’t access the internet, feel free to contact councillor Liam Beckett on 07873394459. He can provide descriptions, options and will make sure you get a say in what we install.

s e t i r W n o J r e F a rm Hi everyone I was thinking about what to write for this article and happened to get a pop up on the computer about the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and I wondered how many changes there had been in agriculture over that time? The answer, of course, as with most things in the last 70 years is loads…. The most obvious change is that when the Queen came to the throne horses were still very much in use on the farm and my late grandfather could remember working with the horses and looking after them when he was young. Mechanisation has certainly been the major change with tractors replacing the horses and machines replacing the men who worked on the farm. In the 50’s it took 6 people to work 200 acres. Nowadays it takes just one person to oversee 1000 acres, except at harvest time when you need a combine driver and a trailer driver. Technology has become very widely used in farming now. Even when I started work on the farm in 2007 there was very little technology used – I had to actually steer a tractor or combine – now I set up my on board computer and basically the machine will steer itself! You can use what is known as ‘Precision Farming’ which is the use of satellites to guide the machines to get the best use out of the land available. You can electronically sample the land to see what extra help it needs to produce its best and then apply the necessary remedy to the exact places. This helps to limit the products that would otherwise have been put on as a blanket covering to the crop, saving both the environment and cost. The regulations surrounding the farming industry have increased dramatically which can only be a good thing. The downside of this is that sometimes I spend more time doing paperwork than actually being out on the farm! Despite many safety campaigns, agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury (per 100,000) of all the main industry sectors, with the annual average rate over the last five years around 20 times as high as the all-industry rate. More than half of the workers killed were aged 60 years or older. This is another sign of the times in that in the 50s many of those who worked on farms were young people, whereas today the average age of a farmer is 59 and it is increasing. It will be interesting to see what the next 70 years bring, however I don’t think I will be around to report them to you all!!

t a e B e h t o t Feet

The Offords Line Dance Group

As well as enjoying our line dancing, Feet to the Beat made up a team of six at the Village Hall Quiz Night in March. Despite us being rather apprehensive in case we showed ourselves up in public by not being able to answer any questions, we actually did quite well, although we weren’t first but we weren’t bottom either! And …….. we scored maximum points on one accurately answered 100% correct round – the topic was Food and Drink! Feet to the Beat are pleased to have been asked to perform a line dance demonstration at The Village Hall’s Platinum Jubilee Tea Party on Sunday 5th June. This will be an afternoon of celebrations for members of the village and their families, including afternoon tea. We are opening the afternoon’s activities at 2pm, so if you would like to see what line dancers get up to then you will be very welcome. Izzy is getting together a programme of some dances and music that she knows everyone will enjoy, and who knows, this may encourage new dancers to come to our Tuesday sessions. Classes are held in Offord Village Hall every Tuesday from 10am to 12pm, with a refreshment break. Please contact Izzy if you would like more information.

Jenny Griffiths On behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144

When I was young and just a teen, I danced like I was a ‘Dancing Queen.’ Small and sweet and nicely attired, I was quite used to being admired . It’s all gone now and no-one can see, The pretty young girl I used to be…only me. When I had babies – what a delight, They said mine were perfect and ever so bright, Top of the class and so good at sport, Excelling at everything they were taught. That’s all gone too, now they’re just ‘Mum and Dad’, And no one remembers the talent they had…only me. Grandchildren came as a special joy, Three clever girls and a strong, handsome boy. My friends were amazed at how they succeeded, And I felt so loved and so very needed. That’s all gone now – they whiz here and there, And leave their old ‘Nanny’, just sat in a chair...dearie me. Perhaps I’m invisible? Compliments rare. No-one could ever admire my grey hair. I’m wrinkled and saggy and probably boring, There’s nothing to make anyone feel adoring…. But then, in a tea room – I met someone jolly, He’s told me he loves my shopping trolley … ah me! Marion Warden

t r o p e R r o l l i c District Coun

May 2022

Elections On the 5th May you went to the polls to elect your new District Councilors. The turn out was just over a third of eligible voters across all our ward polling stations. You elected Debbie Mickelburgh, Brett Mickelburgh and Sarah Conboy to represent you. And we are delighted to be your new Lib Dem councillor team and will, as always , work for you year-round. The results were: Sarah Conboy Lib Dem 1857 elected Debbie Mickelburgh Lib Dem 1581 elected Brett Mickelburgh Lib Dem 1532 elected Susan Simpson Conservative 825 Paula Sparling Conservative 787 Gus Rankin Conservative 772 Sarah Smith Reform UK 206 The overall District results mean that there is no party in overall control. There have been discussions to form a new administration, and this will be voted on when the District Councill first meet on 18th May. Once Council has made its decision we will report back.

In the meantime, should you need us for anything please don’t hesitate to make contact: Debbie Mickleburgh debbie.mickelburgh@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk 07537 121365 Brett Mickleburg brett.mickelburgh@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk 07441 392492 Sarah Conboy sarah.conboy@huntingdonshiredc.org.uk 01480 414900 59

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 60

Tel: 01480 273927

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

Carey Kelly Marc Bax Carolyn Bargh Ann Weitzel John Storey Bob Bargh

Community Police

c/o St Neots Police Stn Andy Ottley

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

01480 811977 381172 810237 811697 810763 810237

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

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

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. 64

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A1 CHIMNEY SWEEP & MAINTENANCE 07508 051920 ABSOLUTE PLUMBING 01480 812549 ANGLIAN WATER 0800 0113774 APPLEPIPS OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB 01480 811977 BUCKDEN DAY NURSERY 01480 810816 BUDGENS 01480 819602 CM DECORATING 01480 810594 DK TILL COAL MERCHANTS 01223 232947 FLAIR UNISEX SALON 01480 810417 GRAVELEY GARAGE & MOTORCYCLES 01480 830462 & 831058 GREENSLEEVES 01767 651639 HILTON DAY NURSERY 01480 830351 HOME-N-DRY 01487 840310 & 07766 576381 HUNTS SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND 01480 453438 HUNT & COOMBS SOLICITORS 01733 882870 JANINE’S PILATES 01480 810370 JEZ ASHCROFT LTD 07708 031493 & 01480 812461 JODI FINCH & SON ELECTRICAL 07771 613848 & 01480 731599 JOHN SINCLAIR ELECTRICIAN 01480 273927 & 07815 903467 JUNE LEE PODIATRIST 01480 214392 & 07947 371107 K-FIT PILATES 07967 100603 KINGFISHER FUNERAL DIRECTORS 01480 471001 MOBILITY BATHING GROUP 01462 889097 MORE SPACE 01480 830130 OFFORD DAY NURSERY 01480 811977 OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 01480 811892 PAXTON HILL GARAGE 01480 217806 PLATINUM TOURS 01480 810560 THE HORSESHOE INN, OFFORD DARCY 01480 810293 W&H PEACOCK AUCTIONEERS 01480 474550 WALDEN-HARRIS K9 (CANINE COACH) 07730 393757