Issuu

October - November 2021 1

Godmanchester Foodbank – Helping Local People in Crisis This summer the Foodbank has worked with the local Co-op store to provide a weekly, complete ‘meal in a bag’ using lots of fresh food so that families could follow a recipe to prepare, cook and enjoy a main course and dessert meal together. The fresh ingredients included chicken, fruit, etc. and some specific cooking utensils - such as lollipop moulds - were provided. We were able to fund this using a special grant and local sixth form students came to the food bank every week to do the picking and packing. A group of local volunteer drivers helped every week with delivery to make a really good community project work well. We also operated our School Summer Scheme where families who normally would receive free school meals and use breakfast clubs were able to receive a weekly parcel of essential food to cover the extra meal demand over the summer holiday. Alongside both of these projects we continued to help people in Huntingdonshire who were experiencing food crisis. We remained open throughout the pandemic and despite restrictions we have helped people 1933 times in 18 months, providing food and connecting people to further help. Using grant donations we have been able to lease an electric van to deliver where necessary and that has been really valuable in maintaining service. I help at Godmanchester Foodbank and I hold vouchers for the foodbank. We know that anyone can reach a crisis point and we are here to help. So if you are struggling to put food on the table, please ring or text me on 07398 676406 between 10am & 4pm, Monday - Friday. Please leave a message if I miss your call. Cynthia - Godmanchester Foodbank Volunteer

Welcome Welcome to the Autumn edition of Out and About (O&A), the Offord Village Magazine. It aims to promote the community by sharing village news and useful contacts. The on-line full colour edition has proved so popular that we are continuing with this on the village websites in addition to the printed edition. We encourage new contributors with a story to tell. Articles are accepted from organizations and individuals so long as they are not political or offensive. We welcome photographs, news stories and poems from villagers. 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 to every home in the Offords. This is possible 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.

actually met!

working together to achieve 6

working together to achieve 8

O ff

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

October - November

After the year we have just had, suddenly the nights are drawing in and we have to be indoors longer, so it was good to be able to report: We were able to hold our first actual monthly meeting last week in the Village Hall since the first lockdown. We had to comply with all the risk assessment rules for the hall - good ventilation, spacing out of chairs and wiping down everything after our meeting. It was very pleasing to see a good response to our meeting with 31 members attending . The subject of our invited speaker was Garden Bugs - Co-habit, Control or Conserve. The general opinion was that we should be making use of natural predators to control bugs on our plants instead of automatically reaching for a chemical solution. It was a very enlighting talk which highlighted the need to consider our envirionment perhaps more than we have done previously. The meeting next month is as usual, on the third Thursday of the month, 7:30pm in the Village Hall on 21st October. There is a speaker on the Swiss Gardens. Our November meeting on the 18th November is our AGM with a Speaker whose subject is Looking for a Monkey Puzzle Tree. We look forward to seeing you all there Enjoy Your Gardening John 811148

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

s e t i r W n o J r e F a rm What happens next? Hi Everyone - Farmer Jon here! We have just finished our harvest and we’re now busy getting ready to plant next year’s crops! I thought for this article, I’d explain what happens to the crops we’ve just finished harvesting. I’ll start with wheat: It’s been recently announced that the UK is moving to E10 petrol. This new fuel has ethanol in it, which can be produced from wheat, so as well as going for bread, biscuits and Weetabix it goes to make petrol too! Oilseed Rape: Did you know, one of the main ingredients in mayonnaise is rapeseed oil?! The seed is crushed as it’s full of lots of oil in the centre, which is made into rapeseed oil. It’s also used as vegetable oil and similar to our wheat, used for bio diesel. Barley: Most of our winter sown barley goes for animal feed. However our spring barley is used for a lot different things such as beer, whiskey or even my favourite, chocolate Maltesers! All our crops are moved to sites around the UK by lorries. Without them, we wouldn’t have everything in the shops, so next time you see a lorry with a big trailer on the back it could taking our crops to the factories where all your favourite things are made. Take care Farmer Jon 12

y t i r e V d n a Farmers Ed Hello everyone! Autumn is here – and another harvest period is over. We are now busy preparing for the winter months ahead and ensuring the animals are all in the ideal condition for this time of year. Our barn is full of hay, silage and straw, and the animals are starting to be moved onto their autumn grazing – you may have noticed the cattle have disappeared from the field. We rotate our grazing to avoid over-grazing and poaching of the ground, and maintain the quality of the grass all year round. Most recently we have been busy with the breeding season for our sheep. This started in July with every ram (male sheep) and ewe (female sheep) having a thorough health check – we check their feet, teeth, mobility, body condition and udders or testicles. They all received a vitamin supplement and vaccination if appropriate. If any problems were spotted, then these were treated promptly or the animal was retired from breeding (and yes, we really do keep some of our retired sheep if it is kind to do so!). The rams were then in with the ewes for approximately three weeks in September. Our rams either wear a raddle and harness, or have raddle paint put onto their chests. This means they leave a mark when the ram mates with the ewe – and gives an indication that the ewe may be pregnant. These lambs will hopefully be born in February next year – exciting times! The rams will now have a rest, and go back in with the younger ewes in November for about one month. Following this, they have a much longer rest of approximately 9 months! Next job will be pregnancy scanning the ewes and the cows in the winter months, which is always an exciting day. Hopefully we can provide more details about this next time. Speak to you all again soon. Farmers Ed & Verity

l l a H e g a l l i V Offord The hall continues to be kept in good working order for the benefit of all our users. The inside of the building has already had some redecoration over the last few months. Now it is time to smarten up the front of the building. The front doors and gates are currently being re-painted, and we are also going to get a new sign made as the old one is looking a bit tired. Keeping on top of what needs doing is part of the job of our Caretaker. Unfortunately, after many years Fred is retiring. He has done a sterling job keeping the hall clean and maintained but what you may not know is he’s also a wizard at designing and making things. You could always rely on Fred to produce a practical solution to a problem. He would go away and think about it then appear with something he had constructed. More recently he built the stairs for the side of the stage and an extremely useful two metre stick for measuring social distancing! We would like to thank him for all his hard work and wish him and his family all the very best. I am sure he will not miss the late-night checking and locking up after a party! After what seemed a very short summer break weather wise, we are delighted that we have more village groups returning to use the hall. It seems another step towards a more normal life, albeit with some Covid-19 precautionary measures still in place to protect our users. So far, we have Offord TOTS, Rainbow/Brownies, Bowls Club, WI, Offord Gardeners Association and Thursday Club all using our facilities and next month we shall also have the return of Senior Citizens. Classes run by private hirers are back and there is a wealth of activities to choose from: Children’s Karate, Pilates, Keep Fit, Line Dancing and a regular Tea Dance. These are just a small selection. Our dedicated website, which can be accessed via www.offordvillagehall.org.uk gives up to date information on all the events coming up. The calendar shows what is on and the dates it is vacant should you wish to book the hall for a special occasion, such as a party or private function. You will find a booking form on there. However, you can still contact Helen Bosworth our Bookings Secretary on 01480 811892 or email bookings@offordvillagehall.org.uk 14

If you want to be added to our events email address list to receive automatic reminders of upcoming events, etc, please send your details to treasurer@offordvillagehall.org.uk . We hope that you will find something that interests you in the following programme and that you will come along and meet with friends old and new. Looking forward to seeing you there. Helen Ellis - Secretary, Offord Village Hall Calendar of events for the next twelve months: Quiz Night Saturday October 9th, 2021, 7:30pm for a prompt 7:45pm start. Simon is our quizmaster. Teams of up to six 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 and glasses. Tickets £5 available from John 810049 or Patrick 812208 Ceilidh Saturday October 16th, 2021, 7:30pm – 11pm. 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’ is included in the ticket price of £12.50 and a licenced bar will be available. Tickets available via www.ticketsource.co.uk 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 includes supper. A licenced bar will be available. Bingo Friday December 17th, 2021. Eyes down 7:30pm. Free Entry includes refreshments. 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 is included in the ticket price. A licenced bar will be available. All events are subject to change with more details of each event and ticket prices to follow. Future caretaking. We are engaging a cleaning contractor to manage the basic cleaning for the time being and will shortly decide how we might cover both the cleaning and the caretaking for the longer term. Should we decide to appoint a caretaker (part-time role) then we will naturally advertise the post in the area. If you think you might be interested, then please send me your contact details (ideally including an email address) so that I can in due course send you the relevant details. You can contact me on 01480 811974 or secretary@offordvillagehall.org.uk. 15

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

June Lee Chiropodist / Podiatrist Bsc(Hons) HCPC Registered, MChS Nail Cutting, Corn/Callus Removal, Ingrowing Toe Nails, Verrucae, Biochemical Complaints, Generalised Foot Pains, Diabetic Foot Care Home Visiting Service Only

Over 14 Years NHS Experience Friendly & Professional

Tel: 01480 214392 / 07947 371107

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.

JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including: Coving, Decorating (Internal), Drylining & Plastering, FREE ESTIMATES Please Call

Tel: 01480 812461 Mobile: 07708031493 21

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

Advertise in

Out & About THE OFFORDS GAZETTE

Please note our advertising charges. This magazine is issued every two months and the cost per issue is:

Full page - £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 24

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

WINNERS AUGUST £20 £15 £10 £5

No. 047 No. 257 No. 134 No. 107

Elizabeth Flint David Gill Jackie Stanbridge Marlene Alderman

The draws are starting to take place at village clubs and events. The results are now published on Offord Village Hall’s website www.offordvillagehall.org.uk. There are still a few shares available if you would like to join. The Grand Draw takes place in December with a first prize of £125. Contact Helen Bosworth on 811892 or Jenny Murby on 811474 for further details.

Thursday Club Hello Everyone We are happy to say that we are meeting again in the village hall. At our first meeting we celebrated with a light lunch and it was good to be together again. Members were soon playing board games, jigsaws and of course chatting! We look forward to having more lunches and trips out. On 9th September the club had a trip on the Ladybird Boat which was followed by lunch at Hartford Mill. It was a lovely day out. New members are always welcome. We meet in the Village Hall Thursdays from 12pm until 2pm. Doreen Rowbury 811025

Sheila Reece 812238 25

I’M NOT ‘APPY’ Life was good - until the World Wide Web arrived. The young today can’t contemplate how we all survived. How, if we didn’t know a fact, before Wikipedia We’d go to the Library for their Encyclopedia. We’d read, research and study and it’s true that, doing so, Fixed the facts inside our brains, so we’d forever know. Today we look it up online, we quote it, then forget, But I believe the human brain is much the better bet. I remember when, if lucky, you could book a holiday, A letter to The Tourist Board and brochures came your way. You’d pore over the pages, and choose your B & B, Then phone to check for vacancies, and was it by the sea? You’d send a Postal Order (or a cheque if you could), And wait for confirmation that everything was good. But now, it’s instant bookings, and instant payments made, Money flying in and out – it makes me feel afraid! We’ve had to join the system so as not to be alone, We’ve had to ditch old mobiles, embrace a new Smart Phone, ‘Cos everything you try to do you have to have the APP, Sometimes it feels so stressful, I think my nerves will snap. And as for going paperless – that really is a dream, When I book anything online, they send a paper stream!! No tickets issued so I have to print my own, My ink, my paper, and my time, no wonder we all moan.

Anything you buy on-line comes in record time, But just don’t get me started on the joys of Amazon Prime, There’s no one you can speak to if you need to return, I’ve got a pile of useless things – will I ever learn?? It’s APPs for this and APPs for that – soon we’ll lose our brains, We used to buy a ticket at the station for the trains. We used to walk the countryside – and find our own way home, And find the names of garden plants by looking in a tome. But now you won’t get through the day without a blessed APP… I think I’ll have a cup of tea – perhaps a Granny Nap! ZZZZZZ Refreshed, I wake – it’s dinner time – I wonder what to eat? I’ve got this Diet APP you know – it’s really rather neat! But Oh, my fridge is empty; I wonder what to do? I know - I’ll APP a takeaway – good old Deliveroo! Marion Warden 26

e t u t i t s n I s n e m Offord Wo In September, The Offords WI held their first meeting since March 2020, inside the Village Hall. It was an Open Meeting and members of other WIs in the area were invited. We were able to use the digital thermometer as people arrived and were pleased to welcome nine visitors including some from the village. It was a successful evening at which Paul Rabbitts told us about Parks, People and Places and was very interesting and entertaining. Our previous two meetings had been held in gardens and we had encouraged new Members to come and try the WI. We are happy that, as a result, we were able to enrol five new Members. We hope they will soon feel at home within the group. If you missed the chance to come, it’s not too late – just contact us and we will be happy to tell you more We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the village hall and the next meetings are as follows: Tuesday 12 October Jon Crisp of Amey to talk about ‘Rubbish’ Tuesday 9 November Roger Wood to talk about Bees For further information call Carol Temple on 01480 812879 or email caroltemple51@gmail.com

All Saints Church Fr David Sheppard is out & about in the Offords! Look out for him walking his dog Joey and see his message to the villages below It is half-past seven, I'm listening to the crystal clear, diamond clear, notes of a songbird singing somewhere in my garden. This long song is cutting through the background noise of the roads; there are the low calls of wood pigeons (and their incessant complaints to Betty that their toe hurts) keeping up with and, like a rhythm section, accompanying the songbird soloist. Frankly, I'm wondering if I have ever heard better music than this before. My dog is perfectly still and next to the open door but he's on high alert, waiting for a squirrel to come and taunt him. He'll chase the squirrel across the garden, the squirrel will run up a tree, laughing and tail waving, my dog will resume his watch. I worry about my dog getting so obsessive, and (but) tell him he's a good dog. Because I am never, it seems, unable to search online instead of simply enjoying the moment...I ask the internet how birds sing. Two voice boxes apparently mean that songbirds sing whilst alternating exhalation through their two lungs and so, the RSPB website tells me, a bird can thus sing in harmony with itself. I will go and say morning prayer in church at nine. This too will involve listening. It will involve being. It will involve saying. In the last edition of Out and About I put this verse from the bible: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) and I am sorry but even though there are many, many, many, beautiful, resonant, profound, life-changing, verses in the bible I am just repeating this one again, here. I do so because of the bird in the garden. The song is harder to hear now (more traffic on the road) but I'd like when I say morning prayer to keep something of the song in mind and heart as I give thanks to God. Prayer will be from the book, but there is space for lament and petition, and thanksgiving. It will tell me to listen, to be, to be ready to hear God. I will try not to be distracted but focussed, and receptive I hope as I have been to the sound of the bird nearby. Going to walk the dog first though, I'll tell him that there's more to life than squirrels. God bless, lots of love, Fr David, Priest in charge of Buckden with the Offords. Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com 07792128503 29

At the time of going to press, fund raising and social events are being planned. Having come so far, and mindful of rising infection rates in Huntingdonshire, we are being cautious as we emerge from lockdown. We hope to return with a full programme of social and fund raising events and to start with we have booked dates with the Village Hall for the very popular Bacon Butties mornings on Saturdays. We held the first on 11th September and intend to hold more on: 9th October & 6th & 20th November Dates will be confirmed with posters in the High Street noticeboard during the week before. At the time of writing the arrangements for a Christmas Tree Festival and Father Christmas are being discussed. Please see the full page advert for the Christmas Band Concert in this edition of O&A. We hope it will go ahead on Friday 3rd December in all Saints with Cottenham Brass Band leading our singing and playing medleys of favourite carols and Christmas music. Admission will be by ticket only. As we move forward we will post information on the village websites and put up notices in the High Street to confirm our plans. Circumstances change so quickly so please keep a close eye on the notice boards, and hope for no more U turns. Inside the church, restrictions have been lifted and we can sing. Being cautious and responsible, we will wear masks as we sit and move around the church and make sure we are wearing them as we sing. So expect to hear muffled rejoicing if you walk past with your dog! Everyone is welcome at All Saints. October Services 3rd October Harvest Festival at 11am followed by a Ploughman’s Lunch in the Village Hall. (All are welcome but we need to know you are coming so that we can cater) All Saints Church supports the Godmanchester Food Bank and all food donations at the Harvest Festival will be passed to them. 10th October

Holy Communion Service at 9:30 am

17th October

Songs of Praise at 6pm (followed by refreshments)

24th

Holy Communion Service at 9:30 am

31st

October

October 9:30am

All Saints Day Celebration -Holy Communion Service at

November Services 7th November Family Service at 9:30am (with refreshments afterwards) All Souls Service at 6 pm A reflective service to remember loved ones who have died and to support the bereaved 14th November Remembrance Service at 10:50am (wreath laying at Offord Cluny War Memorial beforehand) Songs of Praise and Remembrance at 6pm (followed by refreshments) 21st November Holy Communion Service at 9:30 am 28th November Advent Sunday – Holy Communion at 9:30am

Throughout the pandemic we have been more reliant than ever on donations and thank all those who would normally give to the collection at services but who have set up electronic payments or saved in their collection boxes. 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.

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

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

All Saints Church Offord Cluny - Contact Details Priest in Charge:

Fr. David Sheppard fr.davidowainsheppard@gmail.com Mobile: 07792 128503

Church Warden:

John Simpkin 01480 819664 Mobile: 07904 617973 warden.offord@yahoo.com

Church Warden & Webmaster

Fundraising & social events: John Storey Stephen Eayrs Bob Bargh Helen Northrop Mandy Eayrs Elizabeth Simpkin

Church Website:

Facebook Page:

Sue Dorrington offordallsaints@gmail.com Mobile: 07724 553101

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

Neighbourhood Watch Report The Offords - Autumn 2021 You may be aware that the limit for contactless cards rises from £45 to £100 on 15th October. Some see this as a benefit making it easier to buy items without having to use cash. However, others have raised concerns that this will make debit and credit cards more attractive to criminals. We are likely to see an increase in bag snatches, pickpocketing, hold-up robberies plus theft from cars and homes. Suggestions to protect ourselves against such loss include: • Only carry the cards you need when going out • Take greater care with your purse or wallet • Keep cards at home in a secure location • Don’t leave cards in your car • Consider using your mobile phone to make payments through Apple Pay or Google Pay • Check the amount on the card reader before presenting your card • Check your bank statements regularly and keep hold of any receipts If you do lose your card(s), inform your banks immediately and report it to ActionFraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk Most banks and insurance policies offer protection against this type of loss. It is worth checking the small print for this. There are a number of ways to contact the police if you have any information or see a crime in progress: To report an emergency or ongoing incident, call 999. To report suspicious activity in your neighbourhood, call 101 To report information anonymously, call crime-stoppers on 0800-555111. To report incidents via email, send to huntscops@cambs.pnn.police.uk To pass information regarding rural burglaries email: burglarycrackdown@cambs.pnn.police.uk We are still without a venue for face to face meetings but we continue to look at the options. In the meantime, get in touch any of the coordinators if you have any concerns. However, if it is serious, please contact the police on the above numbers. You can contact me on 811839 or at offordswatch@gmail.com if you want to join the team or would like more information. Peter Riley

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

The Offords Line Dance Group

There has been a regular attendance of over 26 dancers each week at the Line Dance classes in Offord Village Hall every Tuesday morning for our dancing session from 10am to 12pm. Many of the dancers who used to go to Izzy’s other classes have now got used to coming to Offord when the Village Hall was the only venue available for the classes. So now there is a good mix of dancers coming from quite a wide area. Looking back to when the Offord class was first formed, it’s hard to believe this was February 2017, and what a long way we have come since then. One of our dancers faithfully records each new dance that we have learnt since our very first class – and that numbers over 150 dances. What an achievement for us all to have come so far. However, as mentioned in the last article, we still like Izzy to give us a run through before each dance to give us the confidence that we really know the steps. And how does Izzy remember all the dances and steps, especially when some have a harder version! When dances have two versions there is what is called a ‘floor split’ so both versions are danced at the same time. Although we are still in September, the festive season is getting nearer and Izzy loves her Christmas music, so she tries to slip in a Christmas song despite us all saying, “No - no Christmas music yet!”. It’s quite a relief when we get to December and we can accept that there will be plenty of festive songs being played. We look forward to our regular Tuesday morning line dance classes and would welcome any new dancers who want to ‘give it a go’. Please contact Izzy on the below phone number. Jenny Griffiths On behalf of Izzy Brogan Tel: 07709 344144

h c r u h C s r te e P t S f o The Friends The church was open in September for an event and a service, and it was a real pleasure to welcome everyone back into this beautiful building. We have also seen in the visitor book that several sets of people have visited the church independently and all have left really positive and encouraging comments about their visit and the building. The National Heritage Open Days, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, saw many interested new visitors, locally and from further afield, come into the church and they all appreciated this fine building which has stood on the same site since approx 1130. Although we couldn’t display all our research material, there was plenty of information that explained the history of the church and the monuments. We ended September with a spoken communion service, following the Book of Common Prayer as would have been used before the church was made redundant. We had the privilege of seeing the original silver communion cup, dated 1569, being used. Autumn Craft Fair - cancelled As reported in the last edition of Out & About, reluctantly, we have decided to cancel the Autumn Craft Fair, due to take place on Sunday 24th October, but all being well this will be back in the calendar for 2022. Armistice Wreath Laying at the Offord Darcy War Memorial in St Peter’s Church Thursday 11th November at 10.45am This is our customary wreath laying ceremony at 11am on the 11th November when the Friends,together with the Parish Council, lay a poppy wreath on the Offord D’Arcy War Memorial, the fine stained glass window and brass plaques in the church. We remember those from Offord D’Arcy who died during the two World Wars and especially we remember Harold Victor Collins and Frank Charles Currington, both of Offord Darcy, who died for their country in WW1 and who are buried in St Peter’s churchyard. We hope this short remembrance service can be held inside the church this year. Carols by Candlelight Service - Sunday 5 December 4pm It’s time to put this date in your diary for this service of lessons and carols telling the Christmas story, a fitting start to the festive season. Plans for this highly popular, if somewhat chilly, service are going ahead and we hope that Covid won’t force us to cancel it again this year. This service is suitable for all ages and features popular carols led by a choir who volunteer for this Occasion, interspersed with traditional Christmas bible readings. The Friends decorate the church and organise the lighting of around 150 tea lights and candles. A truly wonderful and atmospheric occasion. 38

2022 Dates The Friends have already got firm dates in the diary to make up for two lost years and we hope to plan for a Family Service and possibly a return visit of This is My Theatre. Friday 3 June and Saturday 4 June

‘A Look at the Fifties’ Exhibition to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Please refer to separate advert in this Out & About for more information. Thursday 9 June Friends of St Peter’s AGM. Sunday 26 June

Festal Evensong by Tapestry. - To belatedly com-

100th

memorate the anniversary (2020) of the installation of the stained glass War Memorial window. Sunday 4 September

Guitar Concert by Claude Bourbon.

Sunday 23 October

Autumn Craft Fair.

Sunday 4 December

Carols by Candlelight.

Visiting the church For security reasons the church is kept locked but a key to St Peter’s can be obtained from Deborah Gillbanks of The Limes, who is the CCT’s official keyholder. We encourage you to sign the visitor Book as visitor numbers are important. As a reminder, the driveway to the church is privately owned, with limited vehicular access. Visitors to the church should leave their cars at the road end of the drive. There is space for two Blue Badge Holders close to the church gates. Jenny Griffiths Friends of St Peter’s Church 01480 811126

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

t r o p e R l i c n u o C Parish We do still have one Councillor vacancy for the remainder of the current 4-year term so if you feel you might like to be involved, or would just like more information, please get in touch. The current term ends May 2022 and if more people stand than there are places, we could have an election. Council has been working together with the County Council on a flood plan for The Offords. The County Council is the lead flood authority and it, together with Huntingdonshire District Council, is offering to help towns and parishes with their plans. The Environment Agency also offers help, but their plans are largely focused on river flooding. We have worked with and lobbied other agencies such as Network Rail and Anglia Water to ensure they carry out the required works as promised. A major clear up of the brook was undertaken earlier in the year and contractors have been asked to walk the brook again in the next few weeks to ensure it is still running freely. The maintenance of the brook has become part of the Asset Register maintenance walks carried out by councillors. The summer sports sessions were a huge success again this year and were fully booked. They will be repeated in 2022. Work has started on the improvements to the younger children’s play area on the Millennium Green. The new fencing and gates are in place and the new equipment and safety surface should be installed in the next few months. A grant application has been made for funding for a wildflower area to be created on the Millennium Green. We should find out in October if this has been successful. The Table Tennis Table continues to be well used but it’s a great shame that the box provided for the bats and balls was vandalised and had to be removed and many of the balls damaged. None of this equipment will be replaced if it is wilfully damaged. Litter has been an issue on the recreation ground. Two new bins have been ordered and a new waste license applied for to enable them to be collected with the household collections. Please put any waste in the correct bin. As always, if there’s anything I can help with please get in touch. Jackie Stanbridge 41

UPDATE FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL ON THE OFFORDS ULTRAFAST FULL FIBRE BROADBAND TO THE PREMISES SCHEME Thank you to all Residents who attended meetings in the village hall about Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband to the premises scheme. As many now know, despite opening negotiations last year, Openreach have failed to provide the Parish Council with costings in time to meet the closure of the Government voucher scheme for rural areas on 24th September. The voucher scheme has been funding Community Fibre Partnerships in collaboration with Openreach. We needed to receive and agree costings with Openreach in good time, so that Openreach could have the scheme approved by the Government and then open the web portal to allow everyone to pledge their voucher. We have lodged an official complaint with Openreach and their CEO. We are pursuing other options with Connecting Cambridgeshire, the Cambridgeshire County Council programme that is dedicated to improving digital infrastructure in the county. This programme has already delivered superfast broadband to The Offords but the fibre terminates at the Openreach cabinets, not at our homes. Fibre to the premises (FTTP) is needed to deliver ultrafast speeds. Right now, it would help The Offords PC to remain a loud voice in requesting Ultrafast Broadband if everyone could register their interest as follows: • Enter this url: https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/ultrafastfull-fibre-broadband#fibrechecker NB: If you find a link easier to use, then check this out on The Offords Facebook site • Enter your postcode in the box where indicated • Click on the search symbol (Q) to the left of the box (you may be asked to verify that you are not a robot) • Select your address from the pull down in the box • Click on Next • At the next screen, scroll down until you reach the box to enter your contact details • Enter your name and preferred means of contact • Press submit You are all done! We will keep you updated as we continue to pursue the challenge of bringing ultrafast broadband to The Offords sooner rather than later. 42

Parish Councillors 2018 – 2022 Ian Weitzel(Chairman) Ronaldsway, Littleworth End Offord Darcy 01480 811697 Ian.weitzel@btconnect.com

Stephen Eayrs Top Farm Offord Cluny 01480 811816 stepheneayrs@btinternet.com

John Gatward (Vice Chairman) 5 Elm Drive Offord Cluny 01480 811148 rgatward@btinternet.com

Simon Young (Chair of Planning) 6 Pippin Close Offord Darcy 01480 812877 simonjyoung@outlook.com

Tina Dawson (Chair of Finance) 15 Park Way Offord Cluny 01480 539098 Tinac_13@hotmail.com

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

Liam Beckett 5 Dunstall Close Offord Cluny 07395 249 004 LiamBecket.OPC@gmail.com

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

Glenn Espie 237 High Street Offord Cluny 07810882897 Glenn@j316.co.uk

Hilary Moorbey 125 High Street Offord Cluny 07762133858 hilary.moorbey@btinternet.com

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

Preparing for your new puppy If you have made the decision to get a new puppy, congratulations! This is a huge decision and takes commitment, time and dedication. Preparing for your new puppy is vital, as those first few weeks can be quite tiring and overwhelming, so it’s really worth taking the time to get everything prepared, before puppy comes home. Find out from your dog’s breeder or rescue centre, the food they are eating keep them on this, whilst they are settling in. If you then want to transition them to another food, do this gradually and consult with a vet or do some research on the best quality dog food you can buy. Crates, pens and baby gates are vital for keeping your puppy safe and out of danger. Crates can be covered with a blanket or sheet and lined with some cosy blankets or old towels (leave the expensive dog beds for later). Make sure your pup has a safe space to be when unsupervised or at night. NEVER punish a puppy by sending them to their crate and crate train them from day one, so they are happy to spend time there. I would recommend having your puppy on a harness and nylon leash at all times during the day (yes, even around the house). This helps you manage their movements and ensures their safety. Don’t, however, keep any item on your pup when they are in the crate, left alone or asleep, as this is a safety hazard. I would recommend cutting the loop off the end of the leash, so this doesn’t get snagged on anything. 44

It’s common sense to puppy-proof your home. Make sure you check the house and remove or secure anything that could be hazardous to your puppy. These include electrical cables, bins, house plants, ornaments, heavy objects, chemicals, cleaners and medicines. Remember that puppies naturally explore by chewing, so keeping all of these out of reach is really important. Having a variety of toys for your puppy will keep them occupied and contented. These include: • Natural chews specifically for pups (of an appropriate size for puppy). Please avoid rawhide or plastic nylon bones. Pup should be supervised when using any chew toy. • Balls, frisbees, tug toys and soft toys are all brilliant sensory toys for your pup. Keep these on rotation and don’t leave them out permanently, or puppy will not see them as high value. Ensure pup considers them as a real treat and interact with your pup when using these toys. • Enrichment toys are great, stuffed with tasty kibble or peanut butter. Your pup will love exploring these reward-giving toys and it will keep them occupied!

Rae Waldon-Harris is a certified, force free canine coach based in Offord Cluny. She has 2 labradoodle litter mates, Joni and Herbie and is Black Cat Radio’s resident dog expert, featuring on Ste Greenhall’s Full English Breakfast show once a month. Rae also works as a dog carer at Wood Green Animal Shelter and loves nothing more than helping her clients to build strong, positive relationships with their beloved pooches through kindness-based training methods. For more information, contact Rae at waldonharrisK9@gmail.com or call 07730393757

b lu C ls w o B t a M t Offord Shor At last we are back playing bowls after the long Covid lockdown. On our first evening, members remembered one of our own, Ken Triplett, who tragically passed away after a long illness. Although not all of our members were able to come we have had three very enjoyable evenings and it was surprising to see the high standard of bowls being played. We are keen to enrol new members in the coming months to swell our numbers. If you have recently moved into the village and are looking to make new friends or would like to learn to play bowls please phone Carolyn Bargh on 01480 810237. Alternatively call into the village hall any Wednesday evening after 7pm where you will be made most welcome. All equipment and bowls are supplied by the club. The only requirement is soft sole shoes.

Reader Photo

Old Fordson Tractor Making the Last of the Hay near Offord 48

CM Decorating For all your Interior & Exterior Decorating Needs • Wallpapering • Artex & Coving • Ceramic Tiling • Colour Scheming • General Maintenance

Russell Manning Providing Quality Service Since 1980

Phone: 01480 810594 Mobile: 07889 154994 Email: cmdecorating@aol.com www.cmdecorating.co.uk 49

All Saints Churchyard Wildlife Project Update I do hope by now you have wandered through the churchyard to see for yourself how the wildlife area is evolving. When I look back at photos I took in February when the idea of a wildlife area was proposed, already new life and a sense of purpose is evident in this previously neglected area and in a relatively short space of time. Some willing volunteers have tried to keep the nettles, weeds and ivy under control during the summer which is the height of the growing season. But it is important to be mindful that plants we consider as weeds in our own gardens are, in fact, very beneficial as wildlife attractors. Caterpillars of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock Butterflies use nettles as foodplants, ladybirds feast on aphids that shelter among them. Ivy flowers provide an important food source for pollinators in autumn for late flying bees, wasps, butterflies and hoverflies. By now the wildflowers will have dried and produced seed. Plants then need to be cut to the ground and allowed to drop their seeds onto the soil before the debris is cleared away. This continues the cycle so year on year the number of wildflowers in the area becomes more abundant. We have positioned 3 bird boxes on trees within the churchyard and are hopeful that our feathered friends will find them inviting enough to nest in the next breeding season. The ideal direction to face a nest box is between north and east to provide natural protection from direct sunlight. We also used aluminium nails (yes, they really do exist) to attach the birdboxes to the tree so as not to cause any harm to the health of the tree. As mentioned in the last edition, we took part in the Big Butterfly Count in August. We did not see any butterflies in the churchyard during our 15-minute count but were more successful on the Millennium Green and Graveley Road Allotments. To boost numbers, we have since planted 3 Buddleia bushes which are also known as Butterfly bushes. Butterflies are attracted to them like magnets for the nectar rich flowers. We have taken the precaution of putting rabbit proofing wire around the plants until they get fully established. Autumn is a time to plant your spring flowering bulbs so we have planted Wild Daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and native English Bluebells. Both of these naturalise and spread. They will be a welcome addition to the many snowdrops already there, which pop up in early spring. Fiona Fitzhugh (07972163887) 50

Fitness Classes at

Offord Village Hall Every Monday Fit4Life exercise class for active seniors at 10am Pilates at 7.30pm For more information contact me, Janine RSA/YMCA qualified Fitness Instructor 01480 810370 / 07790 655637 janineskyrme@btinternet.com 51

Tel: 01480 273927

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

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

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

Community Police

c/o St Neots Police Stn Andy Ottley

Cubs/Beavers District Councillor District Councillor District Councillor Friends of St Peter’s Guides Neighbourhood Watch Offord Cluny & Offord Darcy Parish Council Parish Clerk Offord Gardeners’ Assn Offord Sch, Headteacher Chair of Governors Offord PTA Offord 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 Carey Kelly Nikki Mitchell Richard Braddick Ann Weitzel Marlene Alderman John Kirby Doreen Rowbury Helen Bosworth Helen Bosworth Carol Temple

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

Whilst every effort is made to ensure information in this publication is accurate, we cannot be held responsible for any errors. The views expressed in this publication may not necessarily reflect those of the Editor. 56

Directory of Advertisers Page 11 37 16 53 51 58 49 22 54 60 55 5 19 59 21 51 21 34 52 20 18 24 58 16 53 11 19 17 27 20 10 23 44

A1 CHIMNEY SWEEP & MAINTENANCE 07508 051920 ABSOLUTE PLUMBING 01480 812549 APPLEPIPS OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB 01480 811977 BEAUTY ROOM 01480 812803 BUCKDEN DAY NURSERY 01480 810816 BUDGENS 01480 819602 CM DECORATING 01480 810594 DK TILL COAL MERCHANTS 01223 232947 FLAIR UNISEX SALON 01480 810417 GRAVELEY GARAGE & MOTORCYCLES 01480 830462 & 831058 GREENSLEEVES 01767 651639 GREENWOOD HOMECARE 01480 879897 HILTON DAY NURSERY 01480 830351 HUNT & COOMBS SOLICITORS 01733 882870 HOME-N-DRY 01487 840310 & 07766 576381 JANINE’S PILATES 01480 810370 JEZ ASHCROFT LTD 07708 031493 & 01480 812461 JODI FINCH & SON ELECTRICAL 07771 613848 & 01480 731599 JOHN SINCLAIR ELECTRICIAN 01480 273927 & 07815 903467 JUNE LEE PODIATRIST 01480 214392 & 07947 371107 K-FIT PILATES 07967 100603 KINGFISHER FUNERAL DIRECTORS 01480 471001 MORE SPACE 01480 830130 OFFORD PRE SCHOOL 01480 811977 OFFORD TOTS nikkirenning@hotmail.com OFFORD VILLAGE HALL 01480 811892 PAXTON HILL GARAGE 01480 217806 PLATINUM TOURS 01480 810560 SCHOOLS OUT 01480 811180 THE EATONS HOME & GARDENS 01480 406130 THE HORSESHOE INN, OFFORD DARCY 01480 810293 W&H PEACOCK AUCTIONEERS 01480 474550 WALDEN-HARRIS K9 (CANINE COACH) 07730 393757

• 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