Out & About - June - July 2023

TheOfford Village Fete

Saturday 24th June 12.00 – 3.00pm At Offord Primary School

Including BBQ and ice creams

With refreshments 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, with entertainment from school musicians, dance shows 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 19th June and we’ll be there to accept donations between 6pm and 8pm on Friday 23rd 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 below.

To support disabled guests there will be limited parking in the school carpark. Please note that except for guide dogs, dogs are not welcome on the school site and a no smoking policy applies on school premises.

Your Lucky Number is 001

Welcome

Welcome to this edition of Out and About, the Offord Village Magazine. It aims to promote the community by sharing village news and useful contacts. Out & About is delivered to all homes in the village. We encourage new contributors with a story to tell. Articles are accepted from organisations 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.

Photographs from The Offords Plant Sale

ThursdayClub

Hello Everyone,

The club celebrated our 12th birthday having lunch at the Three Horseshoes, Graveley, which was a very happy occasion. Keith Christmas from PECT Energy Advice gave us a talk on how to reduce our household bills, save energy and the planet, as well as giving away free LED lightbulbs, meter keys and trolley coins!

To celebrate King Charles’ coronation we held an extra special lunch in the village hall.

We are a social club for any age and any gender. Visitors are always very welcome. £1 a session entitles you to light refreshments and a convivial two hours from 12.00 to 2.00pm.

If you would like further information please contact Doreen Rowbury 811025 or Sheila Reece 812238

OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 300+ CLUB

(OFFORD RECREATION HUT)

Registered charity no. 302653

WINNERS

The next GRAND DRAW will take place in July 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.

AllSaintsChurchyard Project

Spring gave us a beautiful display of spring bulbs. Following the masses of snowdrops in January, the miniature daffodils started to bloom with the cheery yellow flowers helping brighten up the greyest of days. This included the lent-lily (Narcissus Pseudonarcissus) which are our native wild daffodils. Not quite so many flowered this year but this is probably because the foliage was mown down before it had died down naturally. This applies to all spring bulbs when you want them to flower again the following year. By allowing the foliage to die down a few weeks after flowering, all the energy is going back into the bulb. If this process is disturbed then the bulb will come up blind, meaning you will get leaves but no flowers. This is especially important for naturalizing spring bulbs into grass, allowing them to produce seed and spread themselves naturally to surrounding areas.

From March onwards the birds take on a new purpose of seeking out suitable nesting sights and then collecting materials for nest building. We are hopeful that the bird boxes located in the churchyard will have nesting birds in them again this year. Following our planting of a new native hedge in the winter, the bare root twigs we stuck in the ground are now full of lush green leaf growth. We appear to have 100% success rate. The most important thing for any newly planted hedge in its first year is to achieve a good root system so in future years the plants can seek out water for themselves especially in summer months of drought. It is tempting to allow a new hedge to grow upwards to gain maximum height as quick as possible. It may seem counter intuitive but if you cut out the leading shoot you will transfer the plants energy into root growth and cause the plant to bush outwards giving you a nice thick bushy hedge.

The large yew tree near the main pathway leading to the church, received a short back and sides. The lower branches were removed to reveal several gravestones which had not seen the light of day for a number of years. The debris will be used to create a dead hedge along the boundary where there are gaps in the living hedge. This basically involves laying the cut dead branches on the ground to form a barrier like a living hedge, which will gradually breakdown over time. Two benefits of doing this is saving a lot of time and effort to dispose of the material elsewhere and a dead hedge provides excellent habit for many wildlife creatures like beetles, small mammals and birds.

By the time you read this article there should be a riot of colour from the thousands of seeds which were sown in autumn and then topped up in spring. These should be predominantly poppies along with many other native species which the rabbits may have resisted to eat! Our aim is to provide as much pollen and nectar for our visiting bees, butterflies and other pollenating insects. Take a wander through the churchyard and take time to stop, look and listen to the nature we have all around us.

Fiona Fitzhugh

OffordShort MatBowlsClub

The club held a social evening on Wednesday evening, 3rd May, for members to compete for The Elle Cowper Cup which is held annually. An excellent buffet with wine was provided. After some excellent and very accurate bowling the winner was John Temple, in second place Ted Wood and in third place Carolyn Bargh. The Trophy was presented by the club’s chairman John Storey.

OffordGardenersAssociation

We promised that we would report on the Spring Show held in March, as it was too late to get the article in last month’s edition.

Despite us reducing the number of classes that could be entered with exhibits, we had a better response than I expected, which was surprising considering the weather we had had in the earlier part of the year. We are pleased to report 16 people exhibited with a total of 86 exhibits.

On the day lots of people came to look at the exhibits and enjoy tea and cakes and applaud the trophy winners. As always, we thank all residents for supporting this annual event. Our Summer Show is on August 19th - details later.

In June we have decide to organise a coach trip to Wisley on 15th June. There are still spaces left, if you are interested. Steve, the OGA Secretary, is taking bookings and can give you all the details - his contact number is 07756463147.

For our 20th July meeting we are back in the hall from 7-30pm. Speaker is Geoff Hodge and the subject is Propagation of Plants for free. The members’ Competition is Summer Bedding

We look forward to a pleasant summer in the garden and seeing you all soon.

Enjoy Your Gardening

John 811148

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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

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

OffordSeniorCitizensClub

WehadourAnnualDinnerinMarch whenChrisandGinaBylettcameto entertain us. They had a superb singing programme and with the helpofsongsheetswecouldalljoin inwiththechoruses. Itwasareally enjoyable,funevening.

In April we had our AGM which followed a sausage and mash supper. We had the pleasure of welcomingtwonewmembers.

On22ndJunewehaveourannual outingandthisyearwearegoingto Southwold. Wehaveaboutsixseats on the coach available for nonmembers. Thecostwillbe£15.00 andifanyonewouldliketojoinus please phone Sue Barimore on 810763

OurmeetingsareheldonthefourthThursdayofthemonthintheVillage Hall, Offord Cluny at 6.30pm. If you would like to come and join us you wouldbemadeverywelcome.

ForfurtherinformationpleasecontactMarleneAldermanon810609orSue Barimoreon810763

The Village Hall has had a busy few weeks with two big events close together. Of course, when events were put onto the calendar the date for the Coronation had not been set.

The Murder Mystery ‘Death on the Nail’ was well attended and kept everyone guessing about who had done it. The supper went down very well, and thanks go to everyone who helped prepare and serve the food.

The Coronation Tea was a huge success with approximately a hundred people of all ages attending to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. Thanks goes to the exceptional skill of the Offord cake makers who rose to the occasion and the people in the kitchen preparing, serving, and washing up.

The first film show using our new cinema style screen and equipment went very well. The sound and picture are of an excellent standard. The next film is on Friday June 2nd at 7:30pm. ‘Mrs Harris goes to Paris’. Tickets are £6 and available via www.ticketsource.co.uk

If you have ever thought you might like to try something new or want an opportunity to meet others, we have regular classes and clubs in the hall each week or month.

Weekly

Monday evening 5pm is a Martial Arts Class for children.

Tuesday morning 10am is Line Dancing with Izzy Brogan and ‘Feet to the Beat’.

Tuesday evening at 5pm the Brownies and Rainbows meet.

Wednesday morning there is a new Yoga Class at 9:30am run by Steve Iddon.

Wednesday afternoon it is Tea dancing at 2pm, an opportunity to show off your strictly moves.

Wednesday evening at 7pm it is Short Mat Bowls Club.

Thursday Club is weekly at lunchtime between 12 and 2pm for people of all ages to get together for a cup of tea, play games and have a chat.

Friday morning is Offord Tots 9am – 11am term time. An opportunity for families with pre-school children to get together chat and play.

Monthly

The second Tuesday of the month The Offords WI meet at 7:30pm. Featuring a guest speakers and refreshments. All visitors are welcome.

The third Thursday of the month Offord Gardener’s Association meet at 7:30pm. Meetings include an opportunity to listen to a guest speaker, share garden advice and experiences.

The 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30pm it is Senior Citizens Club.

Sunday Mornings once a month 10am -12noon Dads and Tots meet. This is time for dad to bring their tots under 4 and share a bacon butty and a hot drink.

Tuesday evening at 7:30pm and Sundays at 7pm The Offord Players meet when they are in performance.

As you can see there is such a variety of events to choose from, and there should be something for everyone. If you come to any of them, you will be sure of a warm welcome.

Finally, thank you to everyone who completed the hall survey. The data is being analysed and will be used to help inform our Business Plan. This will show the priorities for our next improvements and of course an opportunity to celebrate our good points!

Helen Ellis Secretary Offord Village Hall

Programme for 2023

Friday June 2nd at 7:30pm. ‘Mrs Harris goes to Paris’. Tickets are £6 and available via www.ticketsource.co.uk

Prize Bingo Friday June 16th Eyes down 7:30pm Free entry and refreshments.

Film night ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ on Friday July 14th at 7:30pm. Tickets £6 available from www.ticketsource

Beer & Gin Festival Saturday September 16th 6 – 11pm Tickets £25 via www.ticketsource.co.uk Includes 5 drinks and live music. Food available to purchase.

Quiz Night Saturday September 30th 7pm for a prompt 7:45pm start. Tickets £5 available from John on 07983076480 Teams of up to 6 people, which can be made on the night. Bring your own food and drink.

Family Halloween Disco Saturday October 28th More details to follow.

Saturday December 16th A Christmas Celebration details to be confirmed.

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.

All Saints Church News

Good people of the Offords, hello; I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather.

Prompted by a recent remark of my mum’s, about gardening, I’ve reflected on vocation.

God’s calling; vocation

“..comes from the heart of God, but it goes through the heart of the mother”

Pope St Pius X

Through the heart of the mother, is definitely true in my case.

“What are you growing? Veggies?” Then, mum says “I’m not growing anything, just older.”

Not growing vegetables or flowers, but growing older says my proverbially greenfingered mum. Like my grandparents were, she’s always been a gardener. So many of my childhood memories are of being in the garden with mum. Any time I taste purple sprouting broccoli I am, in a Proustian moment, instantly taken back to around 1977 and eating the same, in the garden. Mum had just picked it and as we ate it we watched and listened to the starlings. Mum said “starlings me darling”. As this was the seventies I am sure she was borrowing sentiment, if not actually quoting, from Pam Ayres. The first line of the poem I think mum had in mind is also the title, you can find it easily enough online, here’s the first verse:

We're starlings, the misses, meself and the boys, We don't go round hopin', we walks. We don't go in for this singing all day, And twittering about, we just squawks.

A single parent of two, my father died in 1975, mum worked hard and has always been the kind of dependable, loving, encouraging, quite straightforward person it is impossible for me to thank enough. Not that I always saw this! I remember sometime in my teens I made mum so cross about something (don't be fooled into thinking it was an isolated incident) that she went out for a couple of hours. "Where did you go?" I asked later, assuming wrongly she had walked around the fields, down the droves, the edge-of-the-fen landscape I love and was home. "Church".

Thank God, as he listens to anxieties and frustration, I later realised.

You did not choose me but I choose you

John 15:16

I have a number of people who I thank God for. For ensuring that through their words and actions years ago, I was ready to hear God's voice when he called me. Mum's example over so many years humbles me now. She has served her parish church for years and years, in one way or another all her life. From a child in the choir of St Mary and St Michael's, Mistley, onwards. Ever supportive of the vicar, she was a churchwarden and PCC member, a devout and prayerful woman. And, when I upset her, she would walk over the fields from Longmeadow to Lode, shut the church door behind her and...I thank God that through her, I am a priest.

As ever, with much love,

Fr David Sheppard

Parish Priest of Buckden with the Offords

https://allsaintsoffordcluny.wordpress.com/ 07792128503 (day off: Friday)

We pray to be generous and visible people of Jesus Christ https://www.elydiocese.org/about/strategy/vision/

ALL SAINTS SERVICES JUNE AND JULY

In addition there are occasional combined services for the whole Benefice at either St Mary’s Buckden, All Saints Church or St Peters

Details of all services at St Mary’s can be found via this shortened URL https://www.shorturl.at/DSUV6

Fundraisingandsocialeventsareplannedthroughtotheendof2023.

Events calendar 2023

All events in the Village Hall unless noted otherwise

June 3rd Cabaret Evening in All Saints Church

(Tickets in Advance)

10th Bacon Butties 10am - 12

24th Church and Village Fete At the school

July 15th Bacon Butties

August 12th Bacon Butties

- 12

- 12

Sept. 3rd BBQ - Venue TBA 12 noon (Tickets in advance)

Oct. 1st Harvest Lunch

noon - 2pm 14th Bacon Butties

Nov. 4th Bacon Butties & Hot Dogs

17th Bingo TBA

- 12

– 12

25th & 26th Christmas Tree Festival 12 noon - 4pm

Dec. 1st Band Concert in the Church

(Tickets in advance)

AllSaintsChurchdoesnotreceivefinancialhelpfromtheDiocese,the ChurchofEnglandoranyotherbody. Aswestruggletoraisefundsto replace the roof we also have to raise money to heat and maintain the buildingandpayourshareofrunningcosts.Wearenottooproudtobeg butweprefertoraisemoneythrougheventsthatallvillagersmayenjoy. Somealsogiveusingthewebsite‘Givealittle’.Youcanfindalinktothison theAllSaintsOffordpageson‘Achurchnearyou’. We have a QR code you can scan if you are reading out & about in the paperversion.Lotsofusdo.

Thesiteoffersyouachoiceof donationamounts£1/£3/£5 oranoptiontonameyouramount.

Ifyoufeelyoucan‘givealittle’toAllSaintsitwillbringusastepnearer toanewroofandwillhelpkeepthechurchrunningforworshipandfor whenyouoryourfamilyandfriendsneedit.Churchisforeveryoneit’s notaprivatemembersclub.

Thankyou.

All Saints Church – Contact details

PriestinCharge: Fr.DavidSheppard

fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com

Mobile:07792128503

ChurchWarden

JohnSimpkin 01480819664 warden.offord@yahoo.com

Mobile:07904617973

ChurchWarden&Webmaster SueDorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com

Mobile:07724553101

Fundraising&socialevents: StephenEayrs stepheneayrs@btinternet.com

BobBargh barghrobert921@gmail.com

HelenNorthrop helen.northrop1@btinternet.com

MandyEayrs mandyeayrs@btinternet.com

ElizabethSimpkin lizsimpkin@msn.com

FacebookPage:

https://m.facebook.com/AllSaintsOfford

AChurchNearYou:

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/13931/

FarmersEdand Verity

Hello everyone!

Farmers Ed and Verity here. Sorry to have missed you all in the last couple of editions, but it has been a busy few months for us with all the animals. We have had a lovely start to 2023 welcoming new lambs and calves. Lambing first started at the end of January, and finished mid-April. Whilst it was a busy time, the weather remained favourable and this meant we were able to turn out the lambs within a few days of being born. The ewes and lambs this year are grazing at Diddington and we hope they will be able to spend the summer months grazing there.

Our calving starting in the middle of lambing, and as many of you may have noticed, there has been a steady stream of new arrivals in the village field. It is simply wonderful to stand and watch the young calves playing, under the ever-eagle-eyed watch of their mothers. They will stay in the village field for some time yet, as the grass is growing in an abundance, unlike this time last year. The difference from one year to the next, for example with regards to the grass growth, is all part of the farming year and adapting to the conditions that Mother Nature provides us with. We hope everyone has been able to enjoy the odd sunny day so far, but let’s hope this rain steadies up soon – or silage and hay making could be tricky!

Ed & Verity

CoronationAftermath

TheKing’sCoronation–awonderfulsight! IwatchedonTValldayandallnight. Isatinachairforalmosttwodays, Andatesomuchcakemybrainwasahaze. ButOh,itwasworthit–thehorses,thebands, Thedignitariescomingfromfardistantlands. Thecrownsandthediamonds,themusicsofine, Andthenonthebalcony,allinaline WereourworkingRoyals,longmaytheyserve, Andmaywe,theirsubjects,getwhatwedeserve! It’sallsuchachallenge,theWorld’sinamess, I’mgladI’mnotRoyalIhavetoconfess. Butunitedwe’llstand,dividedwe’llfall, So,cheerforourRoyals,ourCountryandall. GodSaveTheKing!

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.

OnSaturday6th May2023whilemostofyouwerestillsleepinginyour beds,mysisterandIwerecatchingthe3.38amtrainfromHuntingdonstationtoLondonKingsCross. Iwasdressedheadtotoeinred,whiteand bluewithmyunionjackflaginhand(muchtomysister’sembarrassment!) butIwasdeterminedtoshowIwasproudtobeBritishonthismomentous day. Onarrivalatthestationthefactthatanumberofotherearlyrisers werealsocatchingthetrainreassuredusthatwewerenotcompletely mad.

WefiledfromGreenParktubestationontoTheMalltofindaprimepositiontowatchtheparade. HavingselectedanareanexttoaTVcamera withviewingmonitorandwiththesecrethopeofgettingonthetelly,by 05.45amwesettleddownforalongwait. Morepeoplearrivedandjostled forpositionandwegotchattingtothepeoplearoundus. Therewere Americans,Dutch,IrishandNorwegiansallwiththecommongoalofseeing thenewKingandQueen. Somepeoplecanbesoentertaining. Therewasayounggentlemenwho wasanartstudentlookingverydapperinhisstrawboaterhat,blazerand waistcoatadornedwithseveraldiamantebroaches. Duringthewaitwe observedhimproducefromthistinybackpackachinacoronationcelebratoryplatewith2sconeswhichhethenproceededtospreadwithNational TrustStrawberryJamandclottedcream. Hewaskindenoughtocutthem intosmallpiecesandofferthemaround. Thenbehindussittingonsome railingswere2younggirlsintheirearlytwentieswhoweregivingusarunningcommentaryofwhatwascomingdownTheMall.Thesenseofanticipationwaspalpable. Theirexcitementwasinfectiousespeciallywhenthey said‘herecomethehorseswithreallyswishytails’and‘herecomethesoldierswiththefluffyhats’(IthinkthecorrecttermisBearskins!). Theywere soexcitedthatbythetimethecarriagearrivedwithCharlesandCamilla inside,Ihonestlythoughttheyweregoingtoburst.

ThecoronationserviceinWestminsterAbbeywasrelayedtothecrowds overloudspeakers. Afterhavingalreadystoodinthesamepositionfor5 hours,the2hourservicedidseemquitelongespeciallyastherainbynow wasgettingincreasinglyheavy. DuringthistimethesoldiersandpolicemenandwomenliningtheroutewereinsmallgroupsmarchedofftonearbyStJamesPalaceforateabreak. Afteranumberoffailedattempts,I miraculouslygotaconnectiontoBBCiplayerjustatthepointwherethe ArchBishopofCanterburywascrowningtheKingandQueen. Bythispoint Ihadacircleofpeoplebehindmetryingtowatchtheceremonyonmy smallphonescreenwhilstmysisterperiodicallywipedtherainoffthe screenwithasoggytissue.

Atlonglastthesoundofcheeringcrowdsmeantthereturningprocession wasonitswaybacktoBuckinghamPalace. Bythistimemyfingerswereso

wetandwrinkledlikeapruneasIfranticallytriedtowavemysoddenunion jackflagwhichstucklimplytothestickIwasholding. ThemilelongprocessionofallthesoldiersfromthedifferentregimentsincludingtheRoyal Marines,TheRoyalNavy,TheRoyalAirForce,TheHouseholdGuard,The LifeguardsandTheBluesandRoyalsincludingsoldiersofTheCommonwealthandtheMarchingBandswasspectacular. Themostamazingsight wastheGoldStateCoachbeingpulledby8magnificenthorseswearing RoyalBluebraids,carryingthenewlycrownedKingCharlesIIIandQueen Camilla. ItwaslikeasceneoutoftheDisneyfilmofCinderellareturning fromtheballinhercarriage. Thismadethe8hourwaittrulyworthwhile. Thefinaletoallthiswaswhentheyopenedupthebarrierstoallowthe crowdtospillontotheredtarmacofTheMallandinatidalwaveofvery soggy,tiredandbedraggledwellwishers,weproceededtowardsBuckinghamPalace. WithinminutesofpassingtheTVcommentaryboxesandThe QueenVictoriastatuewewereinclearviewofTheBalcony. Thedouble doorsofthepalacestateroomopenedandtheretheywere. KingCharles IIIwithQueenCamillaintheirroyalrobesandwearingtheircrownssurroundedbytheirfamily.

Aseveryonelookedtotheskies,aflypastofhelicoptershummedoverhead andflewoverthepalaceintothedistance. Thiswasshortlyfollowedby thetriangleformationofTheRedArrowspaintingthegreyskywiththeir trailsofred,whiteandbluesmokeandthethunderingsoundofjetenginesdelightingparticularlytheyoungroyalsPrinceGeorge,PrinceLouis andPrincessCharlotte.

Whatbetterwaytoendthiscoronationday? Onlyonethinglefttodoisto gohomeandwatchitallbackonthetelly.Andincaseyouwerewondering,noIdidn’tmakeasurpriseappearance.

ByFionaFitzhugh

FeettotheBeat

The Offords Line Dance Group

The classes remain well supported with the regular dancers enjoying the Offord Feet to the Beat Tuesday sessions.

The month of May was a busy birthday month as we celebrated 10 dancers’ birthdays so plenty of cakes being eaten, brought in by those dancers themselves - usually just biscuits at the refreshment break! Every birthday dancer also has a dance/song request, no matter how old or obscure that is, organised in advance by Izzie.

Not sure if Izzie put a damper on the Eurovision UK song result, but the week before, she taught a dance choreographed to “I Wrote A Song” sung by Mae Muller, which was our Eurovision entry for 2023. All those Eurovision Song Contest supporters will have been devastated by the fact Mae Muller came second to last at the ceremony in Liverpool on 14th May.

For those who have made it a resolution to get fit and more active then there is no better way than to join the Line Dance group. We are a friendly group of people and always very welcoming to new members. The classes are held in Offord Village Hall every Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm with a refreshment break, and cost £5 per session, so good value for money, and there are no term breaks to interrupt the flow.

Please contact Izzy for more information.

Jenny Griffiths

On behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144

The Friends of St Peters Church

Stations of the Cross, the pre-Easter service on the Tuesday before Good Friday, was once again held in St Peter’s Church and commemorated the 14 steps of Jesus last day on earth as a man and offer a particularly vivid way of following in the steps of Jesus on the way to the Cross. Members of the congregation came from All Saints, Offord Cluny and St Mary’s, Buckden.

We have two events and one service in St Peter’s during the month of June and then a quiet summer until early September.

Diary dates

Thursday 15 June 7pm

Friends of St Peter’s AGM

The AGM is an opportunity for all to come along and hear what the Friends have been doing over the last year and to hear our plans for the year ahead. Please do come and meet us, there's a complimentary drink on offer. Everyone is warmly welcomed to our annual meeting with no commitment to join our committee.

Saturday 17 June 7.30pm

Guitar concert by Hunts Guitar Ensemble

These are a vibrant group of enthusiastic and proficient classical guitarists who enjoy playing and performing together. Their repertoire is varied and covers every era and genre, and whilst their principal focus is the guitar, their performances include pieces with the flute. They have performed in St Peter’s in 2014 and 2019, and so we are looking forward to another great evening this year.

Tickets £10 including complimentary drink from ticketoffice.stpeters@gmail.com or Jenny Griffiths 07776 426103. Free parking on adjacent archery field. Doors open at 7pm and all seats unreserved. Please see separate publicity page in this O & A edition.

Sunday 25 June 6pm

St Peter’s Tide Service with spoken communion

It has been common practice for several years to commemorate Petertide, also known as St Peter's Tide, and which refers to the Sunday nearest to St Peter’s Day on 29th June, with a service in St Peter’s Church.

The 1569 ‘Oforde Daerssy’ Communion Cup that formerly belonged to St Peter’s will be used for this spoken service of Holy Communion following the Book of Common Prayer. It will be led by All Saints Church. All are welcome to attend this service.

Sunday 3 September 9:30am All Age Family Service

Saturday 10 September 10am to 4pm

Sunday 11 September 1pm to 5pm

Sunday 22 October 12 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.

Saturday 11 November 10.45am Armistice Wreath Laying

Sunday 3 December 4pm

Carols by Candlelight Service

For all our events and services please watch out for details in future editions and on posters around the village. Whichever event you may attend we look forward to welcoming you in St Peter’s during the coming year.

Visiting the church - Recently laid mesh across the churchyard path

The Parish Council are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the churchyard and with a donation made by the Friends Group purchased some more reinforcing mesh in the hope it will stop the animal life digging holes where we all walk from the gates to the Church porch. The grass will grow though the mesh and provide a firmer surface but in the meantime please be careful as the mesh surface could be slippery when wet. Unfortunately, the mesh finishes a little short of the church porch so the final area remains grass only.

As an ongoing reminder, we highlight that for security reasons the church is kept locked. However, a key to St Peter’s can be obtained from The Limes and therefore the interior of the church can always be accessed. The newly recreated

National Heritage Open Days

website also has the facility to make contact with the Friends Group by completing the contact page, if you wish to visit the church. https://stpetersofforddarcy.co.uk

Please remember to sign the visitor book whenever you visit, sited on a table in the middle of the church, as visitor numbers are important.

All donations to the Churches Conservation Trust for the upkeep and maintenance of this beautiful building can be made into the wall safe, which is sited adjacent to the main door, along with a display of CCT visitor leaflets. There is also a donation pot on the table next to the visitor book.

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

OffordWomensInstitute

The WI – Inspiring Women

The Offords WI meets every month on the second Tuesday at 7.30 in the Village Hall. We have a healthy membership of women of all ages but always welcome more, so please think about joining. Or, just come for a trial evening and see if you are inspired. That is the aim of the WI.

We have an interesting programme of speakers this year with topics as diverse as Farming through to Shakespeare. Posters around the village will tell you what to expect each month.

There is also a hobbies group, competitions and outings, and as most people know, the WI help at all manner of village events – you get to know so many people.

Our speaker in May was a jewellery maker – Sally Clay. Sally designs and handmakes bespoke jewellery in gold, silver and enamel. All her pieces are made to order and can be personalised with engraved messages.

Sally, who founded Sally Clay Jewellery, explained how it all came about, and showed us examples of her work, tools and techniques. A most interesting evening. If you would like to commission something special for yourself or a loved one, Sally’s work can be found online at www.sallyclay.co.uk

The WI is always pleased to welcome local speakers with a story to tell – do volunteer if you have something to share! It’s amazing how many talented and interesting people live in our villages!

13 June: Dyeing With Plants

11 July: Farming in the Village

Marion Warden

Enquiries: Jenny Murby. Tel: 01480 811474 Email: jenny@murby.me.uk

ParishCouncilReport

Parish Council Vacancies

The parish council should consist of 11 members. This is quite a lot for a small parish, but the high number is a consequence of the 2 parishes merging in 2008. Since then, we have made a request to have this number reduced but were unsuccessful. Currently we have 4 vacancies, and this can cause an issue, not just with the undertaking of tasks – such as the cleaning of the white bridge recently – but also making sure meetings are quorate with illness and holidays reducing numbers. The Council is non-political and works in the interests of the parish. There’s just one full council meeting every month on the first Thursday held at the Village Hall and 3 committees, Planning, Leisure & Amenities and Finance, Risk & General purposes which meet as and when required. Councillors can attend any or all committee meetings, as they wish. If you feel you might have something to offer the parish and would like to get involved, please contact me for further information.

A very big ‘Thank You’ …

… to all the volunteers who helped with the cleaning of the white bridge. The difference is amazing!

Annual Parish Meeting

Thanks to all who attended the Annual Parish Meeting on April 22nd. We hope that everyone enjoyed the afternoon and found it informative. Special thanks to Nicola Cooper from MAGPAS who provided an excellent demonstration on how to use the defibrillator and what to do in a medical emergency.

Interactive speed sign

Council has purchased one sign and had two locations approved for its display. These signs provide data for use in any future road safety funding applications as well as a timely reminder of the speed limit.

Flagpole

The flagpole was erected in time for the Coronation and a special Coronation flag proudly flew. The location, almost midway between the two villages was the best available.

Offord Darcy Village Sign

The village sign will soon be/has been removed for refurbishment.

Potholes etc

Councillors regularly walk around the parish noting issues and areas which require attention. These will be reported but residents can also report using the ‘report a fault’ tool on the Cambridgeshire County Council website –www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk Alternatively, if you come across anything let me know and I’ll report it for you. Anything considered dangerous is dealt with quickly but unfortunately the Highways department of Cambs County Council does not have an unlimited budget, so some things just join a ‘to do’ list.

Fly Tipping

Due to changes to what can and can’t be taken to the waste recycling units there has been an increase in fly tipping. Anyone can report fly tipping which will be dealt with by Huntingdonshire District Council provided it is not on private land. This can be done via the reporting tool on their website www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk or alternatively get in touch with me and I will do it.

Recreation Ground

The newly installed fitness equipment is already being well used. We have a problem with the surface of the MUGA and are looking at quotes for the repairs. Once these have been carried out the tennis nets will be located in the container (spiders permitting!) and erected ready for the summer. Council still hopes to have a pavilion on the ground at some point, but this is a very costly project and will be reliant on external funding. The summer sports will again take place this year, twice weekly during the school summer holidays.

Millennium Green

The upkeep of the green is a continual ‘work in progress’. Council has commissioned a safety audit of the pond before work commences on its refurbishment. Parts of the platform were recently replaced, and a second Deep Water sign ordered. Parents are reminded that the pond is very deep in places. The new equipment in the smaller children’s area is very well used but we are still experiencing problems with rabbits and as soon as we refill the holes they are dug again. We are now getting quotations for the replacement of all the grass within the fenced area with safety surfacing.

The trees ordered from the woodland trust have now arrived and will be planted and the silver birch trees which didn’t make it through last year’s very dry summer have been replaced. If anyone has any ingenious ideas of how we can water these areas during exceptional dry spell, please get in touch.

As always, if there’s anything I can help with please get in touch.

Jackie Stanbridge

St Neots United Reformed Church

TheChurchisnowopenagainforworship,attheusualtimeof11am. Some restrictions will remain in place for now. Face coverings will be optionalbutweunderstandsomewillprefertocontinuewearingthemfor now.Handsanitisingwillbeencouragedandtherewillbegoodventilation. WearenowabletostreamourservicestoYouTubeeverySunday. Please contactusviaourwebsiteforIDandPassword.Allarewelcome.

ComeandvisittheUnitedReformedChurchwhichisontheHighStreetinSt Neots. There is access without steps at the rear of the building near to Argos. ParkingisavailableinTebbuttsRoadcarpark,behindtheChurch.

ForallChurchmatterspleasecontacttheChurchSecretary,JennyGibbs,via ourwebsiteforfurtherinformation.

www.stneotsurc.co.uk

Buckden Methodist Church

Welcome to Buckden Methodist Church

Minister: Revd.SueBaker-Maher

01480473444

sue.bakermaher@methodist.org.uk

Stewards: BobBaxter01480810102

CarolSwepstone01480810053

Sunday Services 10.30 am

Regular Activities:

Bible Study group meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 10.30am

Soup and Sweet Lunch takesplaceonthe3rdFridayofeachmonthat12noon Coffee Morning onthe1stFridayofeachmonthfrom10am-11.30

Day trip to Sheringham –

PLUS LOTS MORE!

Thursday 17th AugustAdult £18 Child £10

Day trip to Cromer including the End of the Pier Show –

Tuesday 15th AugustAdult £44 Child £36

Day in Stratford Upon Avon –

Sunday 13th AugustAdult £18 Child £10

Day trip to Great Yarmouth –

Wednesday 2ndAugustAdult £18 Child £10

Wroxham Barns plus Norfolk Broads cruise –

Monday 31st July –Adult £26 Child £18

Day trip to Hunstanton –Saturday 29th July –Adult £18 Child £10

Sandringham flower show –

Wednesday 26th July£36

Day trip to Skegness –

Tuesday 18th July –Adult £18 Child £10

Downtown superstore and Boundary Mills outlet –Friday 14th July£18

Three-hour Nottingham cruise including 2-course lunch –Saturday 1st July£42

DistrictCouncillorsReport

While the District Council continues to provide essential services, we are always looking for ways to engage with our residents. We are looking for your views and comments to shape our new Local Plan and we have a competition for our younger residents.

Huntingdonshire Local Plan - Huntingdonshire District Council has committed to the preparation of a full update to the adopted Local Plan. A Local Plan sets out a plan for future sustainable development in the district. It performs two specific roles:

• It identifies key areas of land for development to deliver the homes, jobs and services needed in the district, and

• Includes policies against which all planning applications are considered.

The Local Plan is the document by which all development in the district is judged, it provides the basis for what can happen, where it can happen and when it can happen.

We are currently in our public engagement stage and would love to hear your comments and ideas on how Huntingdonshire should change. The Issue Papers are open for comments until the 5th July 2023 and there are 3 different options to help you respond to the papers.

www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/planning/local-plan-update/

Calling all young artists in Huntingdonshire!

If you know of any young budding artists aged 3-11, HDC are looking for artwork which encourages recycling. The winner will have their poster displayed on the side of our collection vehicles.

The competition opens on the 5th June and closes on the 10th July 2023. For more information go to:

www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/binswaste/waste-minimisation/recyclingposter-competition-childrens-art-to-transform-our-bin-trucks/

Alternative Land Management

Huntingdonshire District Council have begun their Alternative Land Management scheme by working with parish and town councils to make better use of the district council-owned pieces of land that can have a significant positive biodiversity impact in our urban areas.

Just over half of district council-maintained land is what is known as amenity grass – grass that is intensively maintained and closely mown every 2-3 weeks between March and October. HDC manage and maintain just over 256 hectares (2.56 million m2) of which 52% is amenity grass and in terms of biodiversity, is currently classed as poor.

HDC’s commitment is to:

• alter how we manage 25% of these areas by allowing grass to grow to meadow grass and cutting once a year

• increase the amount of floral meadows we sow by 25% over the next four years (currently 1.4 hectares)

• increase the tree canopy by adopting and implementing a four-year tree planting programme (approximately 10,000 trees).

For more information: www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/alm

Meet Your Councillor Sessions - We understand that sometimes it is easier to talk to someone face to face, rather than send an email or make a phone call. To help, we have scheduled some dates where residents can come and meet their District councillors face to face. These will be split monthly across the three district wards.

Saturday 20th May 14.30 – 15.30 Judith’s Field Godmanchester

Saturday 17th June 14.30 – 15.30 Offord Village Hall

Saturday 1st July 13.30 – 16.30 Gala Day Godmanchester Recreation Ground

Saturday 2nd September 14.30 - 15.30 Hemingford Abbots Village Hall

As always, we work for you year-round. Should you need us, please contact us on:

Debbie Mickelburgh debbie.mickelburgh@huntingdonshire.gov.uk 07537 121365

Brett Mickelburgh brett.mickelburgh@huntingdonshire.gov.uk 07441 392492

Sarah Conboy sarah.conboy@huntingdonshire.gov.uk 01480 414900

Village Groups & Organisations

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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