s d r o f f O e h t in June 2021 - July 2021
Offords Newest Residents See Page 12
1 Village Hall Re-Opening Celebration - Details on Page 17
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NEWS FROM GODMANCHESTER FOOD BANK As Rev Jes Salt has now left All Saints Church we need an alternative way of helping those in food poverty to access our local food bank. The Godmanchester FoodBank is open on Monday and Thursday between 10am and 2pm. Offord Primary School has become a voucher holder to help their families gain access to the Godmanchester FoodBank. Enquiries should be made through the school office. (01480 810308) I am able to help too by taking a request by phone (07399 893614) between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday. We would like to thank everyone who has donated to the Godmanchester FoodBank as it is a charity and can only run with your support. Cynthia - Godmanchester FoodBank Volunteer
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Emerging Stronger with Colour: The Offords Wildflower Meadows The recent troubled times have caused many residents to ask how we can better look after ourselves and our environment as the Offords recover from Covid-19 and flooding. A common question mentions increasing the range of plants growing in our community spaces. Our neatly trimmed grass, our evergreen shrubs and small trees are well liked and have served us very well; and they will continue to do so. However our bees, butterflies, dragonflies, other local insects, and the Offords biodiversity requires some consideration. Several residents have asked if we could create some wildflowers beds; something that would serve our local insects very well. The Parish Council is thoughtfully supportive of the idea: the benefits of wildflower beds include: • Supports the deteriorating populations of native bees, butterflies, and other insects. • Provides a resting place for spiders, ladybirds and lacewings; helping to control garden insect pests in the Offords. • Contributes towards ensuring the Offords remains a beautiful place to live • Provides a positive educational example to our children of a simple way to help the environment • Helps us celebrate getting back to normal • Can reduce grass cutting costs Our current considerations moving forward: • This will be the first attempt at creating wildflower beds in the Offords, and we want to ensure that we end up with improved community spaces that everyone, or at least the vast majority, feel are a great success and do the Offords proud. • Whist wildflower beds might reduce the grass cutting costs, they will require some tending whilst becoming established; identifying correctly and reducing invasive weeds is important. We would like to know if residents would consider taking some responsibility for, as well as pleasure from, the wildflower beds in their first few years.
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The first step is to assess the interest in, and support for, this proposal from our residents. We’d like residents to let us know if they think this is a good idea, and would be prepared to support the idea. We’d also like to welcome advice and guidance from anyone with knowledge; helping design beds and agree locations; helping dig, sow and tend the flowerbeds; arranging and attending weed control days (a great chance to get people together and involve our children in learning about weeding and wildflowers), keeping others informed and aware of what we’re doing; and providing tea and biscuits for those volunteering to do the heavier work, etc. We would also like to hear if anyone does not like the idea or simply has concerns that they would like us to address. Please do take a few minutes to let us have your thoughts, by email, by post, on the parish website or by text as below… Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council The Village Hall 158 High Street Offord Cluny St Neots Cambs PE19 5RR www.offords-pc.gov.uk clerk@offords-pc.gov.uk 07597 988763 Thank you
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n o i t a i c o s s A s r e n e d r a G d r o f f O
June & July
At last the weather has improved. After an extended cold spring, which has delayed everything growing in the garden, low soil temperatures hinder germination as well. After last year’s hot early weather, hopefully we can catch up with a better summer. Dependant on any rule changes, we are still hoping to hold a Summer Show in the Hall in September; we wait to hear what we are allowed to do. Monthly Reminders June Hoe borders regularly Be water wise, especially in drought areas Pinch out side shoots on tomatoes Harvest lettuce, radish and early potatoes Position hanging baskets and containers outside Mow lawns once a week Plant out summer bedding Shade greenhouse to keep cool and prevent scorch. July Check Clematis for wilt Water tubs and new plants; be water wise Dead head bedding plants for continuous flowering Pick Courgettes Treat apple scab Clear algae, blanket weeds and debris from ponds and keep them topped up Give lawn a quick acting summer feed Care for house plants while on holiday Enjoy your gardening John 811148 6
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Many thanks for supporting us over the last year - what a year it has been! We are happy to say that we have now put some dates in the diary for day trips this summer! All trips will have pick up points in St Neots, Offord, Godmanchester and Huntingdon. Please take a look below and if anything takes your fancy, please call us on 01480 810560 and we can book your seats! Saturday 3rd July - Mystery Tour! Let us take you out for the day. There will be a stop for lunch and you will be home in time for tea! £15 for one or £27.50 for two (travel only). Sunday 11th July - Riverboat cruise plus roast dinner. Enjoy a 3-hour cruise on the River Trent on board the Nottingham Princess, with a 2-course roast dinner along the way. £38.00 Thursday 15th July - Enjoy the morning in Ely on market day, followed by a stop at the Five Miles From Anywhere Inn for lunch* by the river Cam. £15 (travel only) * a pre-order will be taken for lunch a week before the trip Wednesday 21st July - A day out in Great Yarmouth £15 adult £10 child (travel only) Monday 26th July - Highclere Castle - home of Downton Abbey. Explore the Castle and grounds of the setting of one of TVs most popular period dramas. £37.50 (includes travel and entry) - Bookings must be made by 20th June. Friday 13th August - A day out in Sheringham £15 adult £10 child Tuesday 31st August - Warehouse Antiques Centre and Tap Room. Spend the day at Norfolks largest antiques centre, which is adjacent to the largest beer shop in the UK! Enjoy a cream tea as part of your day. £27.50 (includes travel and cream tea) Monday 6th September - A day out in Hunstanton £15 adult £10 child We reserve the right to cancel any excursion with less than 20 passengers. We will refund all money paid for any cancelled excursion. We now have a wheelchair accessible coach - if you need to travel in a wheelchair please call us to discuss your requirements.
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r e m r a F e h t Ask
With Local Farmer Jon
Feeding time! Hi Everyone Farmer Jon here again! I hope you’re all staying safe and enjoying a bit more freedom. It’s a strange time of year for Farmer Stephen and I. Now we’ve finished fertiliser spreading it’s time to put the mower on as the grass won’t stop growing. You may have noticed the bright yellow fields recently. This is Oil Seed Rape. The yellow flowers will eventually turn into pods full of little seeds ready for us to harvest. We’re also slowly but surely getting everything ready for harvest, cleaning our sheds out and making sure the machinery is ready and everything works as it should. We’ll also be helping out some livestock farmers with their hay and silage making. Silage is grass that has been cut, left to dry for a couple of days and then either baled or chopped. It is then basically wrapped in cling film to keep it nice and fresh (like a big sandwich!). It is fed to cows and sheep in the winter when grass is scarce and they’re keeping nice and warm inside sheds. It is packed full of sugars which gives livestock lots of energy when they eat it. The countdown to harvest has begun! See you soon Farmer Jon
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Exciting news, I managed to open Offord Tots for the first time on the 7th May. It was so lovely seeing everyone back again and the children seemed to all really enjoy themselves. Many had no recollection of ever visiting Tots in the past, but they soon re-familiarised themselves again with the toys and friends there! Thankfully due to COVID regulations, we only have to restrict numbers of 15 adults for two sessions. From the 21st May, we can allow 30 adults so you won't need to worry about prebooking a space beforehand. Here are the following Offord Tots dates for the rest of the academic term. 21st May 11th June 18th June 25th June 2nd July 9th July 16th July - this is our end of year party! We hope to be back on the 10th September but I'll update the Facebook page and Out and About before then! Hopefully see you at Offord Tots soon! If you have any questions, please message me on nikkivenning@hotmail.com or the Offord Tots Facebook page.
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OFFORD VILLAGE HALL HIRE Offord Village Hall is available for hire for all types of functions: Wedding Receptions, Christenings, Private parties etc. The Hall has disabled access and facilities and comprises of: a large main hall with a stage, refurbished kitchen, bar, separate committee room and a car park. The hall is licensed for music. Daytime rates are priced per hour (minimum 2 hours) with reduced rates for regular users. Weekend evening rates available on request. For further details please contact
Helen Bosworth on 01480 811892 Email: droffo144@gmail.com 11
y t i r e V d n a Farmers Ed Hello to you all! Farmer Ed & Verity here. Since we last wrote, time has flown by, and so much has happened. Firstly, Verity was able to visit Offord Primary School and take Jeff, Tom, Ladybug and Butterfly in to meet all the children around Eater time. This was particularly enjoyed by the pet lambs as they had non-stop attention and play throughout the whole visit. There were lots of interesting questions asked and, hopefully, both the children and teachers learned more about the lambs. Secondly, have you noticed the new arrivals in the village field? There have been three new calves born, all of which are healthy and growing well, and you may see them playing together out in the field. We have been asked why they all have ‘yellow earrings’ already. These are their identification tags, which are not only a legal requirement for the keeping of cattle, but also means that it will be possible to trace the calf for its whole life. These calves are all an Aberdeen Angus cross (breed), which is why they are all predominantly a black colour. The weather has so far not been very kind to us farmers, and the grass is struggling to really start growing properly. This has been due to the lack of rain, and also the persistent frosts we had throughout April. The recent rainfall has been a blessing, especially as the temperatures have now started to rise – perfect conditions to help our grass grow. We need the grass to grow now, so that over the next few months we can start to make hay and silage to feed to our cattle and sheep over the winter period. It really is a never-ending cycle in the farming calender. Take care and stay safe everyone. Farmers Ed & Verity
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OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 300+ CLUB (OFFORD RECREATION HUT) Registered charity no. 302653
MARCH £20 £15 £10 £5
No.030 No. 148 No. 241 No. 237
WINNERS APRIL John Coppen Ann Pope Janet Bedingfield Elise Coleman-Bragg
£ 20 £ 15 £ 10 £ 5
No. 195 No. 065 No. 234 No. 233
Sue Silk Jason Wilson Kate Day Barry Sharples
The draws are still taking place, even though we have lockdown, by using technology. Hopefully as soon as we are able to get together again the draws will take 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.
ty e i c o S g n li g n A n e Offord and Buckd The fishing season will re-open in a few weeks time on Wednesday, 16th June. Season tickets and Day Permits are now available online via our website which also gives access to Fishing Licenses and to our Facebook page . Season Tickets are also available from Nisa in Buckden, the Community shop in Great Paxton and tackle dealers in St Neots, Godmanchester and St Ives or from one of our bailiffs on the bank who also offer Day permits at £5 . Adults £30 , Senior Citizens and Disabled £15 . We recognise that Juniors are the future of our society and as such membership is Free to under 17’s . For full details please go to our Website. ousefishing.com 13
l l a H e g a l l i V Offord We are pleased to have finally managed to open again after what feels like an exceptionally long time. Offord Tots have returned on Friday mornings and are a club for families with preschool children, term-time only. Gina has started her Monday karate lessons for children and a local dancing couple have also welcomed the opportunity to practice their Ballroom and Latin moves again. It has been a very gradual process and all in line with the Government’s roadmap. Exercise classes and clubs can start again although some have decided to wait until after the summer holidays. Unfortunately, we have had a few maintenance problems to deal with. The roof of the storeroom suffered rather a lot of damage when the felt peeled back to allow the rain in. As a temporary measure it was covered with a tarpaulin. This was OK until we had the terrific volume of water and wind we experienced at the beginning of May. This meant our caretaker, chairman, and trustees had to place large containers under the leaks and make some adjustments to the covering. At one point they were being emptied every half an hour! Luckily, most of the items stored were not damaged by the water and we can afford to make the necessary repairs. We are delighted that a small group of trustees have brought us into the 21st century with our own dedicated website. Currently under construction, it will be accessed via www.offordvillagehall.org.uk. This will make it easy to see what is on offer routinely during the week, as well as our programme of fundraising events. There will be a calendar showing vacant dates with a tab for an online form which will enable you to request a booking. In addition to the booking form, you can contact Helen Bosworth, our Bookings Secretary, on 01480 811892 or email droffo144@gmail.com Entertainment in the Village Hall will begin with ‘A Re-opening Celebration’ for everyone living in the village. It is being held on Saturday, July 17th, 2pm – 6pm. The band ‘The Melodybeats’ are booked to entertain the adults, ‘Bananabrains’ will be there for the children. Refreshments will include some of Bonnie’s delicious cakes. All free for village residents!
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Calendar of events for the next twelve months: ‘A Re-opening Celebration’ : Saturday, July 17th, 2021. A free celebration for all villagers with food, drink and entertainment included. Beer Festival : Saturday, September 25th, 2021. An opportunity to try locally brewed beers and ciders. Tickets will include 5 drinks. Food and other refreshments will be available to purchase. Local artists will provide the music during the evening. Quiz Night : Saturday, October 9th, 2021. Simon is our quizmaster. Teams of up to 6 people can pit their wits against each other for a small prize, with the ultimate accolade of being the top team. Bring your own food and drink. Ceilidh : Saturday, October 16th, 2021. Put on your comfy shoes and enjoy an evening of fun dancing to ‘Hannibal’s Heroes’. The caller will have you dancing like a professional, with absolutely no experience needed. A ‘Ploughman’s supper’ will be provided in the ticket price and a licenced bar will be available. Christmas Big Band Dance : Saturday, December 11th, 2021. Kick off the Christmas season with an opportunity to dance and be entertained by this big band sound. Ticket price will include a supper. A licenced bar will be available. A Murder Mystery : Saturday, February 26th, 2022. An interactive murder mystery group will uncover the murder scene. Throughout the evening, clues will be revealed so that you can play along as detectives to find out whodunnit! Supper and a licenced bar will be included in the ticket price. All events are subject to change with more details of each event and ticket prices to follow. Put these details on your calendar. Now is the time to come out of your homes, meet old friends and hopefully make some new ones. Helen Ellis - Secretary, Offord Village Hall
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Pilates with K Fit in Offord! With a focus on stretch, strength, mobility and control, Pilates exercises can help you ease back ache, improve posture and strengthen the core muscles in a gentle and calm environment. K Fit has been established in St Neots since 2011 and is very excited to reach the Offord community. Class Details: Wednesday mornings at Offord Village Hall 11am-12pm These classes will be held as 6 week courses through term times, Course price: £45 These classes will be held with a maximum of 12 participants to ensure there is enough floor space and good quality teaching. Prior booking is essential; please get in contact to reserve your space. Katrina Hyland Head of K Fit 07967100603 Kdanceandfitness@gmail.com www.kdanceandfitness.co.uk
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Laughter Lines The racehorse owner was too busy to attend the races one week so he told his jockey, Sid Furnell, to text him after each meeting with the details of his horse’s performance. On Monday, Sid sent a long, long text with full details, but the owner told him to cut it down. On Tuesday, Sid sent a shorter text, but still too many words for the owner, who implored him to be brief. On Wednesday, Sid rode again and sent this text: SFSFSFSF. What the heck does that mean said the owner? Sid’s reply: Started, Farted, Slipped and Fell, Seeya Friday, Sid Furnell.
The Huntingdonshire Society for the Blind can recycle your used postage stamps, and has a representative living in Offord Cluny. Please drop them in at 127 High Street or phone 811892 for collection. Just cut or tear off envelope leaving some paper around the stamp.
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JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including: Coving, Decorating (Internal), Drylining & Plastering, FREE ESTIMATES Please Call
Tel: 01480 812461 Mobile: 07708031493 21
s w e N l o o h c S d Offor
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b lu C ls w o B t a M t Offord Shor At long last, after the long lock down, it looks as though we can see light at the end of the tunnel. So subject to the restrictions being lifted on Monday, 21st June, we will start playing bowls as a club on Wednesday, 23rd June, at 7pm. Although all members have had both vaccines, we will still be following the Government guide lines. Will all members please bring with them a cloth and sanitising gel to clean your own bowls please. For anyone interested in playing bowls, we meet every Wednesday evening at 7pm in the Village Hall where you will be made very welcome. All equipment will be supplied by the club, apart from soft soled shoes which you should bring with you. If you would like further information or help, please phone Carolyn on 01480 810237.
b u l C s n e z i t i C Offord Senior ,
Well, we now have the government’s Step 3 to easing out of lockdown measures, I’m sure that will come as a great relief to many people. We are still unsure at this stage how we will proceed as a club, but, hopefully we shall all be able to meet together, safely, in the not-toodistant future. What a celebration we will have. We are a happy, friendly club and normally have an eclectic programme of events throughout the year. So, looking forward, we would love to welcome new members and for more information please telephone Marlene Alderman on 810609 or Sue Barimore on 810763. 25
My Bucket List I’ve had to change my ‘bucket list’ to something less exotic, We’re told we must ‘Stay Local’ and it’s making me neurotic. I’d longed for Machu Picchu; to dive the Barrier Reef, But I’ve settled for a haircut and some fillings for ‘me teef’. I can’t go to Victoria Falls, safari with my daughter, So I’ve bought an annual permit to park at Grafham Water! I dreamed of drinking Pink Champagne atop the Eiffel Tower, But I’ll get high in Ely - I can be there in an hour. I’d planned white water rafting, perhaps some bungee jumps, Instead, I’ll drive, at 45, across some speeding humps. Who needs the Orient Express to Venice, anyway? Try Cambridge on the Guided Bus – don’t even have to pay! Whilst travelling down the Mekong is something I would choose, I’ve had to swop my jungle boots for lace-up Hotter shoes. Yes, many of my dreams are gone; I’m lowering my sights. I keep on going through the days, but struggle through the nights. But I’ve had time to write my Will and Power of Attorney, So, if one day, this fades away, I’m ready for the journey. The World is out there waiting – my list I can revive, I’m ready for adventure – if only I survive! So, will I go to Sydney Bridge? Or visit Angkor Wat? Or will it just be Wimpole Hall – enjoy a local spot? All I can do is wait and see just what my life will hold – I hope I’ll end up somewhere warm – I’m sick of being cold! Marion Warden
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e t u t i t s n I s n e m Offord Wo Greetings to all Ladies in the Offords We are having our first post pandemic live meeting on Tuesday, 13th July, at 2pm in the garden of Ivy Cottage, by kind permission of Helen Ellis. If you have ever been intrugued by who or what the WI is about, please join us for tea, cake, conversation and meet with the members from The Offords. You are welcome at any age and we love meeting new people. Our August meeting, 2pm Tuesday, 10th, is also outdoors in the garden of the Limes, by kind permission of Deborah Gillbanks. This is our Annual Games afternoon and if you can't make the July meeting but can come to this one, we would be pleased for you to join us. September Meeting, Tuesday, 14th, at 7.30pm will, if 'the road map' goes to plan be our first meeting in the Village Hall. We have Paul Rabbitts coming to speak to us on 'Parks, People and Places'. Many of you will remember him speaking to the Gardening Club about Band Stands. We like to think we may be allowed to have visitors for that meeting! Our meetings will then continue monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 7.30pm. Any further information please ring Jenny Murby 811474 or Carol Temple 812879.
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at e B e h t o t t e e F
The Offords Line Dance Group
Izzy’s line dancers are all looking forward to Tuesday, 1st June, when we can get together again and resume classes. The set up will be the same as the 2020 classes, i.e. two separate morning sessions with a maximum of 18 dancers per class, all adhering to the socially distanced rules by dancing in six lines of three to ensure we are correctly spaced – and of course keeping an eye on the red dots to the front and sides of the hall. Izzy is resuming her Offord classes only for the time being, so we will have a mixture of Offord dancers and her other dancers at the Tuesday morning sessions. All dancers will be contacted by Izzy in due course so we can book in for our class and be made aware of the arrangements. Tuesday, 1st June, is looming ever nearer, so for those of us who haven’t looked at any YouTube dances to refresh our memories or listened to any music, now is the opportunity to get our brains in Line Dance mode. Please be gentle with us Izzy! Finally, if there are any people out there who have always had a yearning to try Line Dancing but never felt brave enough, then please contact Izzy on her mobile number below and she will be very pleased to hear from you and give you some information.
Jenny Griffiths - on behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144 31
D.K.TILL & Son in Law COAL AND SOLID FUEL MERCHANTS Family run business for 40 years Coal, Logs, Charcoal, Gas, Compost TEL: 01223 232947 David Till 07523 044521 Kevin Crisp Email: dktill@hotmail.co.uk
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All Saints Church As most of you will have read in the last issue, Jes and Jane Salt left the area at the end of April to move to Rutland Water. Little did I expect to be telling you so soon that the Revd. David Sheppard will be joining us - probably at the end of July or early in August - to look after our parishes. Although some people think the Church is slow to act, this shows that when necessary it can move surprisingly quickly! We are very grateful to all those in the Ely Diocese, not least the Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech, the Ven. Hugh McCurdy, for smoothing the way. With the easing of lockdown, regular activities are beginning again, although it will be a slow process and at the time of writing the increase in the “Indian Variant” of Covid may yet affect our plans. As we are fortunate to have the help of a number of retired clergy, regular services will continue in the absence of a resident priest. Although we are still not permitted to sing, some of them will feature live music with Angel Voices. Do come along if you can. If not, we are still recording most services which will be available afterwards on YouTube. Many fundraising events (such as the Village Fete normally held in June) take weeks of planning and it will not be possible to hold them this year. However, we hope to begin our popular “Bacon Butty” mornings again quite soon – more details of these and other events are elsewhere in the magazine. Please be assured of a warm welcome when and wherever you join us Best wishes John Simpkin Churchwarden
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So what’s going on at All Saints Church now? The good news is that a new Priest in Charge has already been appointed and we expect him to start towards the end of July. The church has reopened and there is a rota of visiting clergy organised to keep worship at All Saints alive until the vacancy is filled. During this period, the regular pattern of services each month will be: Ist Sunday Holy Communion Service at 9.30 am 2nd Sunday lowed) 3rd Sunday
Songs of Praise at 6pm (followed by refreshments when alHoly Communion Service at 9.30 am
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Sunday Family Service at 9.30am (with refreshments when allowed) 5th Sunday Morning Prayer Worship in Offord is alive and well. If you are interested but not yet ready to attend, the Sunday service is usually recorded and can be found on YouTube and Facebook. The order of service can be obtained from warden.offord@yahoo.com on request. We have found that the internet connectivity is poor in our church so if you want to watch a live streamed service you will need to access that from Buckden St Mary’s at 11am. Please see the notice board in the High Street for confirmation of the current / changing arrangements. It’s impossible to say with confidence that the arrangements won’t change again! At the time of going to press, fund raising and social events remain cancelled. Provisional dates have been booked so that when the Village Hall is fully open again we will return with a programme of social and fund raising events. In the hope that conditions will allow and also, of course, that the Village Hall is open, the following dates have been booked for the very popular Bacon Butties mornings - Saturdays 3rd & 24th July and Saturdays 7th & 21st August - all these events commencing at 10 a.m.- 12 noon. As we move forward we will post information on the website and put up notices in the High Street. Circumstances change so quickly so please keep a close eye on the notice boards. In the absence of fund raising events, we are more reliant than ever on donations and thank all those who would normally give to the collection at services but who have set up electronic payments or saved in their collection boxes. Thank you to all of you who have an All Saints Collection Box at home. If yours is now full of coins, please contact Bob Bargh 810237 or John Storey 810763 and someone will collect the box from you.
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All Saints Church Offord Cluny - Contact Details Priest in Charge: During the vacancy period please contact one of the Church Wardens if you need support or want to arrange a wedding or a funeral. They will know how to help you. Church Warden:
John Simpkin 01480 819664 Mobile: 07904 617973 warden.offord@yahoo.com
Church Warden & Webmaster
Sue Dorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com Mobile: 07724 553101
Fundraising & social events: John Storey Stephen Eayrs Bob Bargh Helen Northrop Mandy Eayrs Elizabeth Simpkin
Church Website:
Facebook Page:
johnlstorey35@gmail.com stepheneayrs@btinternet.com bargh2012@btinternet.com helen.northrop1@btinternet.com mandyeayrs@btinternet.com lizsimpkin@msn.com
allsaintsoffordcluny.wordpress.com
All Saints Offord
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Parish council notices MILLENNIUM GREEN – Help needed!
Paws Patrol is a small but vital group of individuals who help to keep the bins emptied on Millennium Green. However, the number of volunteers is now down to four and without a few more volunteers stepping up to help on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, the bins may have to be removed which would be to the detriment of all. So please, if you can help by giving a little of your time, it would be much appreciated. Please contact the Parish Clerk who can put you in touch with the group.
Summer Sports 2021 The Parish Council is again offering twice weekly Summer Sports sessions throughout the 6 weeks of the school summer holidays. They are run by trained sports leaders from Huntingdon Leisure Centre and will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 – 12 on the recreation ground, Alison Lane. These free sessions are available to anyone aged 5 or over and numbers are limited to 20 each session allocated on a first come basis. To book places please contact the Clerk.
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h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends Summer is on its way and the first event to take place in the church, in hopefully warm bright weather, is the Friends Group Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 24 June, at 7pm. It would be good to see everyone again as we had to miss last year. Full Covid safety restrictions will be in place and we will follow all government and CCT guidelines. All are very welcome to attend the meeting. As mentioned in the last edition of this publication, regrettably the Claude Bourbon guitar concert, due to take place on Saturday, 17th July, has been cancelled. Our other 2021 events are: Saturday, 11 September, Sunday, 12 September,
10am to 4pm 1pm to 5pm
Sunday, 24 October,
Autumn Craft Fair - still under review
Thursday, 11 November,
National Heritage Open Days
Armistice Wreath Laying at the Offord Darcy War Memorial in St Peter’s Church
We are very pleased to report that St Peter’s Church was featured in a publicity article in a May edition of the Hunts Post newspaper. The Churches Conservation Trust have put together UK Tours and Trails that explore historic towns, places of interest and which include many CCT churches, with one of the Cambridgeshire Walks featuring The Offords and Buckden. Although brief, there is a nice description of St Peter’s, as follows: St Peter’s is set apart from the village and contains a mixture of craftsmanship from several periods. The earliest parts were built by the Normans. There are two WW1 family war graves in the churchyard for Harold Victor Collins and Frank Currington. The link to this walk is https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/tours-andtrails/walks.html
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The Friends Group have recently received some supportive and positive comments from our supporters which gives us great encouragement to continue with our efforts in promoting awareness of the church and its history, together with greater use of the church for community events. We look forward to welcoming visitors once the church can reopen fully, hopefully from 21st June, 2021. Jenny Griffiths, Friends of St Peter’s Church 01480 811126
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h c r u h C d e m r o f e R St Neots United The Church will reopen again for services on May 23rd. They will be at the usual time of 11 am, but with reduced capacity for social distancing and no singing. Please contact the Church Secretary to check booking details and dates, as well as up to date availability and any changes. Currently there will be no refreshments available after the service. Face masks must be worn. There is a brief weekly service on our website below and services are on YouTube every Sunday. Please contact the Church Secretary for ID and Password. All are welcome. Come and visit the United Reformed Church which is on the High Street in St Neots. The only access without steps is at the rear of the building near to Argos. Parking is available in Tebbutts Road behind the Church. For all Church matters please contact the Church Secretary, Jenny Gibbs , for further information on 01480 214503. Web Site www.stneotsurc.co.uk
h c r u h C t s i d o th e Buckden M Minister: Stewards:
Rev. Sue Baker-Maher. Tel 473444. Angie Barnes (810102) Bob Baxter (810092) Carol Swepstone (810053) 40
Would you benefit from a faster internet? The Offords are not covered in existing national fast fibre broadband rollout plans. The Parish Council thinks the Offords deserve better! There are an increasing number of bandwidth-intensive services that use broadband as a delivery mechanism, including: • Streamed video services, such as YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, NowTV, Amazon, and BT TV •
TV and video download services, such as Sky Anytime Plus, and Apple iTunes
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Fast downloading of HD video content (rather than standard definition content)
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Streamed music services, such as Spotify
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Voice and video services, such as Skype and Apple FaceTime
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Online backup services, such as Carbonite, Livedrive and Apple iCloud
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BBC iPlayer requires as least 3Mbps to stream HD content, and Netflix can demand 6Mbps or more to stream high-quality video. Online backups of important content, such as family photographs, can be very slow with conventional broadband. Without superfast broadband, consumers have an increasingly reduced set of online services to choose from.
Superfast broadband could increase the value of your property, while not having it may make a property more difficult to sell. A survey by ispreview.co.uk found that 68.8% of respondents would be put off from buying a “beautiful new house” if it lacked broadband. 73.9% considered that broadband was critically important to their home life. Superfast broadband may be critical to home working too Homeworking may allow a better work-life balance. Conventional broadband services often don’t permit reliable access to business systems or allow employees to communicate effectively with colleagues or customers through video conferencing.
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Superfast broadband is now almost the same price as basic broadband Ofcom found that the difference between the monthly rental fees for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) lowest-cost “superfast” services and their lowest-cost “current generation” services is often relatively small, with the price differential ranging from £5 - £10 a month for most ISPs that offer both types of service. So what can The Offords do about getting Fibre To The Premises (FTTP)? OpenReach have superfast broadband enabled boxes in the Offords but there is no fast fibre to the premises or FTTP. The broadband speeds for premises in the Offords range from around 7Megabits per second (Mbps) to 70Mbps; the school has a speed of 57.8Mbps. Connecting Cambridge have made us aware of Community Fibre Partnerships and of the availability of a voucher scheme to help with the costs. Through the OpenReach Community Fibre Partnership we have asked OpenReach for a cost estimate to bring FTTP to every household in The Offords that wishes to have this. In addition, rural communities such as ours are eligible for a voucher scheme providing that available broadband speeds are less than 100Mbps, which all ours are! The vouchers are worth £1500 per home and up to £3500 for each small to medium-sized business. Other communities such as Spaldwick (see www.spaldwick.com), have used the voucher scheme to entirely fund their FTTP scheme. The Parish Council is hopeful that The Offords can do the same. Next steps We are awaiting the estimate from OpenReach to provide FTTP for the whole of Offord Cluny and Offord D’Arcy. After we receive this (and it can take a while) we will communicate through a dedicated Facebook page, by letter communications and, if possible, a community meeting. But be patient, these things can take months to organise. In the meantime, please send any comments to the Parish Council by the end of June. Tel: 07597 988763 clerk@offords-pc.gov.uk
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t r o p e R l a u n n A l i c Parish Coun
2020- 2021
Chairman’s Report What can only be described as a “different” year for we of the Offords. The Covid-19 virus ensured that none of the usual social gatherings have been able to take place. No plays from TOPS, Quiz nights at the Village Hall, Senior Citizens gatherings, Coffee mornings, dining at “The Shoe” and suchlike. Residents deserve great credit for the way that they have adhered to the privations of lockdown, observing social distancing, wearing masks, keeping within their “bubbles”, etc. There were many acts of neighbourly kindness, looking out for the elderly and those of limited mobility. The newly opened “Budgens” shop was and continues to be a godsend. I think that we can all be grateful for living where we do in such times. Last year’s particularly fine spring and summer gave us all the opportunity to enjoy our environs, walking in hitherto unexplored surroundings. There are many areas around us that are truly beautiful and if one of the effects of the pandemic is to increase awareness of them and our resolve to manage and protect them it will be something positive that has come out of all this. The Parish Council continued its regular meetings through the medium of “Zoom” which has proved to be an adequate substitute, although not quite the same as sitting around the table together. Perusal of the accompanying reports from the Chairs of the Leisure & Amenities, Finance and Planning sub-committees gives a fair picture of where we stand at the present time. Facilities such as the Recreation Ground and the Millennium Green are being maintained, the Council’s finances are currently in a healthy state and we have been spared the threat of major housing developments within the Parish, such as have been imposed on Buckden. The Offords Facebook page and the “Out & About” magazine continue to be invaluable means by which information about issues that affect us, services available and forthcoming events, etc, can be communicated. The major local event of the year was, of course, the flooding of houses in Offord Cluny on the night of 23rd December. Many residents have had to abandon their homes for several months whilst remedial work is carried out. There were three areas within the village that were badly affected, the causes of which were not 43
directly related but all seemed to be consequences of neglected drainage systems: i)
Houses in Latin Close and Park Way. This appeared to be caused by the Brook being blocked above the village by falling trees and the accumulation of water within the field of the Equestrian Centre. When the bank inevitably burst, a very large volume of water flowed down towards the High Street, flooding some 21 properties in Latin Close and Park Way.
ii) Flooding at the bottom end of the Millennium Green caused by blockages to the culvert that runs under the railway line. Responsibility for maintaining the function of the culvert rests with Network Rail, who have partially cleared the silt and will be returning to complete the job. The Parish Council has organised the removal and disposal of the large tree that was blocking the flow at this point.
iii) The north end of Offord Cluny High Street. A large volume of water collected at the bottom of the hill in the field opposite no. 237 and appears not to be draining way. A great deal of pumping out has by and large kept floodwaters at bay outside the properties. Problems with the sewage disposal system also emerged, with the pumping station by the level crossing unable to cope with the volume of water, despite recently being renewed and upgraded, and leaving many households unable to bathe or flush their toilets for some weeks. The flooding and its aftermath affected many parts of the County. Both County and District Councils have been instrumental in organising a coordinated approach between the various responsible parties, for which we are grateful. Representatives from the Parish Council have attended meetings with the District Council, the County Council, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Network Rail and Highways England from which a number of commitments are emerging.
1) Cambs County Council will clear the street drains and gullies. Although blocked drains did not contribute to any flooding on this occasion, there were a number of areas, notably at the 44
south end of Offord Darcy High Street, that had high surface water levels. 2) Anglian Water are going to do a thorough inspection of the sewage system to ascertain whether or not there are any blockages. They have also said that they will carry out a detailed survey of the entire sewage and drainage system of the Offords. 3) Highways England will conduct a survey across the extent of the A14 Huntingdon Bypass to ensure that the drainage system they have put in place is up to their design specifications. There are several other areas along the route that have experienced more than usual degrees of flooding. 4) Hunts DC are creating a Flood Plan that will include a template for individual Parish Councils to adopt within their own flood plan. 5) The Senior Flood Risk Officer for Cambs CC is preparing a report for the Parish Council with a list of recommended actions for us to take in order to minimise the risk of flooding in the future. 6) It will be clearly indicated who has responsibility (“Riparian”) for the upkeep of the Brook and other drainage ditches within the Parish and, if need be, the County Council will be available to enforce these requirements.
Looking ahead to a post-pandemic world, there are issues awaiting on the horizon. The course of events over the past few years has led the Parish Council to the conclusion that we are approaching something of a crossroads in our way of life here in the Offords. A principal cause is the gradual erosion of services provided by the County and District Councils as they struggle to balance their budgets. It is very likely that as part of their cost-cutting reviews they will be handing over to us various “assets” of theirs such as grass verges, roadside trees, etc, within the village boundaries, the cost of whose maintenance will thence be borne by the Parish. Whilst we have managed to maintain the precept at its 45
current level for a number of years, it would seem inevitable that our costs will rise in order to meet these requirements. Other services ranging from such as care of the elderly to litter picking will probably need to be supplemented by volunteers from within the village. I think many will feel that if it encourages greater neighbourliness, this may well be no bad thing. Our County Councillor, Peter Downes, is not standing at the May elections, having opted for a much-deserved retirement. He has represented the Offords very effectively for the past four years, since our boundaries were redrawn to include us within his Ward, along with Buckden and Brampton. He has been a County Councillor for some twenty years altogether, since retiring from his “proper job” as headmaster of Hinchingbrooke School. His presence at our meetings, his support and advice, not to mention his monthly bulletin (delivered by him to every house in the Offords) have been very much appreciated by the Parish Council and leave his successor a very high bar to clear. Also, Peter Riley is moving out of the village and is therefore leaving the Parish Council. He has been a very hard-working Councillor, volunteering for many of the less-pleasant jobs, as well as organising the litter-picking and bridge-cleaning projects, not to mention being the representative and organiser of the Offords Neighbourhood Watch. He will be much missed. Finally, I would like once more, along with my fellow Councillors, to convey my thanks and gratitude to our Clerk, Jackie Stanbridge. Her knowledge of the rôle and her diligence in carrying out the duties involved are unmatched. Just to mention in conclusion that the Offords has the capacity for eleven Parish Councillors. Cllr Riley’s departure brings us down to seven. Volunteers welcome. I would like to make it clear that our Council meetings are nothing like those of Handforth Parish Council, although they sometimes get close to Dibley’s. Ian Weitzel Chair of the Parish Council of Offord Cluny and Offord Darcy 46
Planning Committee Report The number of planning applications considered was 19 in the year 2020-21 which is 1 fewer than the previous year. The breakdown of the Parish Council’s recommendations was: • 10 recommendations for approval • 2 recommendations for refusal • 7 Neither For Nor Against – where the Parish Council could find no valid planning reason to support or recommend refusal of the application. Of the applications 12 were subsequently approved by Huntingdonshire District Council, 1 was refused and 6 remain to be determined. Like many people Huntingdonshire District Council planning department has had to significantly change its working practices over the last year which has led to some delays in the process. Thus there are several still undecided, but they have taken positive steps, including additional recruitment, to help mitigate the situation. I mention every year that we strive to make recommendations that we feel best serve the interests of the villages and welcome everyone to come to the meetings both to make your feelings known and to see what we do. There is time set aside in every meeting for anyone to comment. The meetings are advertised on the village notice boards and on the Parish Council website. It is important to note that, while the Parish Council are asked to comment on applications, we have no power that will either directly allow or stop any application. Any comment that we make has little or no more influence than the comments of any individual which goes some way to explain why our recommendations are often not followed. All residents can view, comment for themselves on and track planning applications online through the Huntingdonshire District Council planning portal whose address is https://publicaccess.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/online-applications/ Last August the Government announced controversial plans to change the planning system which could allow significantly more development. If implemented all land would be categorised as either ‘growth’, ‘renewal’ or ‘protected’. The different categories would determine the process for planning applications with the intention to allow approvals for housing development to happen more quickly on land designated as ‘growth’. It is not yet clear how this proposal, if implemented, would overlap with Huntingdonshire District Council’s Local Plan, in that the Offords are designated a small settlement and so opportunities for developers to build here are currently restricted. Our expectation is that the land around the Offords would become ‘protected’ so retaining the existing character of the villages. That is not to say that local landowners will not apply for further developments whatever the status of the land. The Parish Council has previously been in favour of limited, sympathetic 47
housing and commercial developments to ensure that the villages do not stagnate, and any future developments would be reviewed on their individual merits. It remains to be seen if and when the planning legislation and guidance change but we will keep a close eye on the situation and continue to try and represent the villages in the best way that we can. Simon Young – Planning Committee Chairman
Finance, Risk and General Purposes Report Last year was a very different one for Council with ‘risk’ taking on a whole new meaning. Council started the year in good shape financially with the various long-term funds growing in a separate account and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments adding to them. CIL payments are made by developers and are used for infrastructure projects. Council received an excellent report from the Internal Auditor and a clear external audit again. The auditors’ comments on the longterm planning of the Council for replacement/repair – a lesson learned from the previous problems of St Peter’s Wall – were complimentary. The budget for the year 2020-2021 was £66,495. The precept was kept at £54,632 with the difference being taken from monies carried forward. A further £2533 was received in CIL payments. Expenditure was on track on all general running cost items but the projects that Council had intended to undertake were largely put on hold due to the pandemic. Grants were made to village organisations totalling £5200 and the PWLB Loan Repayments (for St Peter’s Wall) totalled £2775. £14,450 was budgeted for long term funds ranging from replacing the play equipment to the maintenance of the village hall car park (something Council found out recently it was responsible for!) Council has carried forward a total of over £100K in all its accounts. No expenditure was made from the Millennium Green Trust account for which Council is responsible. Projects such as the provision of outdoor exercise equipment, outdoor table tennis table and improving accessibility to the Millennium Green were put on hold and will be looked at again this year. The installation of the little libraries was well received, with another two on order to be installed soon. Summer 48
Sports went ahead as usual but for reduced hours. The plan for this year is to return to normal for these sessions. The financial year ended with the floods in Offords which were unprecedented and called for various actions such as the purchase of sandbags and pumps and the clearance of ditches and brook. This will be an ongoing action that Council will undertake, and which will form part of its regular risk assessments. Tina Dawson – Finance, Risk & General Purposes Chairman
Leisure & Amenities Report As I am sure everyone is aware, the last year has been a unique situation which presented challenges and problems that nobody expected to have to deal with, none more so than the lockdowns. It brought to the fore the high relevance and importance of the outdoor facilities your parish council provides and maintains for all residents and visitors use. The major issue for the village was the flooding and the after-effects residents had to deal with. I am sure an update on progress will be included elsewhere in this report. Parish council is working with all agencies to reach a resolution We are lucky to have two areas of recreation: The Millennium Green This is the green space in the centre of the village designated for quiet walking with or without a dog, enjoying the wildlife and fauna and flora of the area. It contains two play areas, one for younger residents and another for the more senior ones. It was important for our young people to be able to get outside and enjoy the fresh air with limited company, and Council worked hard to implement the ever-changing rules, only closing these areas when officially told to do so. It was noticeable during the lockdown, when more of us were at home, that there appeared to be an increase in the number of dogs being walked daily. This was good for residents’ fitness but, as with all things, the downside was our voluntary team who empty the bins had a lot more to do to keep everything in order. There has been an increase of dog fouling and we would encourage all dog owners to use the bins or take it home. This request also applies around the 49
village please. I would thank the team for all their hard work during this difficult time. There are plans to replace the fencing and surfacing round the junior play area and hopefully add some additional play equipment. We also a wish to create a wildflower area on the green, and if successful, to look at replicating this in other areas within the village The Recreation Ground This area is more for sport with football being the main sport at present. We also have a MUGA (multi use games area) which is available for a variety of sports. The activities this year have been curtailed by the restrictions of Covid 19 but now the junior matches and training will be able to resume. The Parish Council is looking at further ways to encourage exercise and is considering installing an outdoor table tennis table for all age use and are pleased to be able to report that we will be running the Summer Sports during the school holidays again this year. There is always the difficulty in trying to keep our neighbours happy, who often express concerns about the amount of noise and litter. We do regularly check the litter situation and would ask all those who use the area to please put their litter in the bins and, If full, please take it home. We would also ask everyone to please consider the neighbours when using the facilities, particularly in the summer months
The Parish Council is also responsible for: Graveley Road Cemetery All the hedges are cut annually and grass cut. The cemetery is regularly monitored and litter is kept in check, areas between plots are strimmed as needed and we endeavour to ensure safe access for pedestrian visitor. Graveley Road Allotments Although Parish Council is responsible for this area, it is managed by the plot holders jointly. We are pleased to report all plots are in use with a new plot holder renewing the fencing to keep out the rabbits. It is intended to re-site the 50
notice board for better access and the hedges continue to be cut annually. The Wildlife Garden is flourishing. St Peters Churchyard When a Churchyard closes it becomes Parish Council responsibility to maintain it. In agreement with the Friends of St Peters main paths and routes to specific graves are cut regularly. Due to animal activity we intend to put down grass protector mesh on the paths to improve safety. This would have been done sooner but lockdowns prevented it As you may expect with a sizeable village, there are also other areas we are responsible for, including the majority of the grass areas, bus shelters, some footpaths including signage, annual inspection of trees we are responsible for, hedges on housing estates and the village hall car park We do try to keep residents informed and it was apparent during the year that we needed to improve our village noticeboards. We are refurbishing two existing boards and adding new ones on the MG and at the north end of the village along with the re-siting of the one in the allotments as mentioned above. The most noticeable event during this difficult year was the installation of three little libraries, which came just at the right time when all of us were at home. These have proved to be very successful and we have been asked to add two more at new locations. All Councillors are kept busy trying to maintain the parish to the high standard we have all come to expect. Extra volunteers are always needed and I am happy to answer any questions from anyone interested. John Gatward Vice Chairman of Parish Council Chairman of Leisure and Amenities
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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 54
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Out & About THE OFFORDS GAZETTE
Please note our advertising charges. This magazine is issued every two months and the cost per issue is:
Full page - £15.00 Half page - £ 8.00 For further information or to place orders for advertising please phone Sue Dorrington on 07724 553101 Or email sue _dorrington@hotmail.co.uk 56
All Saints Churchyard Wildlife Project Update Since I last wrote about the work taking place to clear the churchyard and plans for a wildlife area, I’m pleased to say great progress has been made. Hedgerows have been freed from strangling ivy, graves previously covered with nettles are now visible and the gravel path leading up to the church entrance has been cleared of weeds. Behind the church building two areas have been sown with poppies, native wildflowers and foxgloves. Hopefully with some much needed rain these will establish to put on a reasonable show this summer but can take a few years to really get going. On behalf of our small group of volunteers, I would like to say a huge thank you to those people who responded to our appeal for the materials we needed. Your generosity has enabled us to make 3 birdboxes, 3 bat boxes, 3 hedgehog houses and a penthouse sized bug hotel. Thank you, Fred, for your handywork. All the debris from the trees and hedgerows has been shredded to provide chippings for natural pathways and a rustic bench is being constructed for villagers to pause, sit, listen to the birds and enjoy the space we are creating, as well as helping the wildlife. So we now have all the materials we need but we still need donations of the following: • Shade loving plants • Bluebells (English) • Spring bulbs • Wildflower seeds It’s trial and error as to whether the local rabbit population will eat what we plant so if you have any plants you know they won’t eat, that’s even better. Children’s activity - Paint a pebble Do you have a favourite wildlife animal, bug, bird or flower you would like to paint on a pebble? It could be anything from bees, beetles, ladybirds, butterflies, hedgehogs or robins. The pebbles will then be placed in different areas to denote where these creatures might live. If you have any donations of plants or need some pebbles for painting, please call or text Fiona Fitzhugh on 07972163887
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Tel: 01480 273927
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Do you have a few hours to spare?
Do you hold a clean driving licence?
THE HIGHWAYMAN COMMUNITY CAR SCHEME needs drivers To help provide transport for people that are unable to use conventional public transport or to make essential journeys by any other means. As a volunteer driver you use your own car and receive a mileage allowance. Additional insurance cover is provided. How it works: The coordinator phones around to see if any drivers are free for calls that have come in. Calls are booked in advance normally allowing at least 3 to 5 days’ notice for the coordinator to locate a driver. You are under no obligation to take the drive that you are phoned about, whatever you take on assist people in your community to get to where they need to be without any unnecessary worry. If you can help us provide this valuable service to local people or require further information please call Jacky on 07786 520540 Highwayman Community Car Scheme supported and advised by Cambridgeshire County Council and Care Network Cambridgeshire
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Village Groups & Organisations Applepips Out of School Club Archery Bowls Club Brownies Church Events
Joanne Corbishley 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 Pre-School 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 Joanne Corbishley 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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• Bakery • Hot Food • Milkshake Machine • Lottery in Offord • Cash Machine - free to use • Costa Machine Tel: 01480 819602 • Quality Produce • Fresh brands such as Grasmere Sausages & Pies
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